Nape Breaker
“Eek!”
With a choking gasp, that bastard Park Cheon-su went tumbling down spectacularly. Only now did I realize the one redeeming quality of this human trash. It was the incredibly satisfying thwack you get from smacking the back of his head. I savored the lingering tingle in my palm as I glared down at the sprawled-out scum.
“I was just wondering when I'd get around to crushing you anyway.”
“……”
“And here you are, handing me this perfect one-on-one opportunity on a silver platter. Thanks a bunch, you piece of shit.”
“……”
“Get up already. Unless you wanna die, clear this stone wall you've built... Hey, are you even listening to me?”
What the hell? It was way too quiet. No way...
I crouched low and checked Park Cheon-su's face.
“Gurgle...”
His eyes were rolled back completely white, his tongue lolled out limply, and foam bubbled from his mouth.
...This guy's passed out.
“No way. What kind of class act passes out from a single smack to the back of the head...?”
['Sung Hyun-sook' says it's not that he's weak—you've just gotten way too strong! She's thrilled at 'Our Son♡''s growth!]
Yeah. This is all thanks to the gracious sponsorships my benevolent mom has showered on me. My stats had skyrocketed in an instant, after all.
“But it still doesn't give me a real sense of just how strong I've gotten.”
Park Cheon-su dropping in one hit was partly because the guy's such a weakling. The chattier and more rotten the personality, the more irrelevant they usually are. To gauge my true growth, I needed a bigger, tougher opponent.
['Sung Hyun-sook' smirks: There's one right nearby, isn't there?]
“Mom's thoughts are my thoughts.”
Rooooar—!
I lightly channeled mana flow around my fist. Then—
Boom—!!
I unleashed a full-power straight punch at the towering stone pile blocking my path. The wall shattered into rubble, revealing the Black Lion guild members locked in combat with the Giant Mole inside the vast cavern.
“Ah...!”
“H-Hwang Jae-min, player!”
The members who spotted me lit up like they'd just met their savior.
[Grrr—.]
The Giant Mole bared its fangs menacingly, as if thrilled at the extra prey.
I was thrilled too. Finally, a decent sparring partner.
“Everyone except the Giant Mole—get out.”
Pandora's Box opens!
Summons the most effective weapon against the 'enemy' the user recognizes!
Until now, Pandora's Box had been stuck invisibly to my back in Invisibility mode, but now it summoned a weapon. What came out this time?
“A spear, huh.”
A crude long spear at least 4 meters long.
Why a spear of all things? That question dissolved the instant I dodged the Giant Mole's savage claw swipe.
Boom—!
Boom—!
Every time the rampaging beast swung its claws wildly, the ground shook with deafening roars.
If I close the distance, I'll lose.
Getting in close was like charging a berserk tank barehanded. To fight it, I needed a weapon that could deal damage from range.
That must be why Pandora's Box gave me the long spear.
Bam—!
I kicked off the ground to evade the claws, then gripped the spear shaft tight. Pure mana surged from my hand, swiftly enveloping the blade.
Rat-tat-tat—!
Spear thrusts rained down like machine-gun fire, slamming into the Giant Mole's body. The terrifying force tore through its stiff fur and pierced its steel-hard flesh in one go.
[Groooar—!]
Blood fountained from wounds across its body as the Giant Mole let out a agonized roar. Enraged, its eyes flashed murderously, and it went berserk.
But,
“In a fight, the one who loses their cool first is the one who loses.”
No matter how pissed it got, that wasn't my problem. I just had to keep my distance, strike at openings, and steadily whittle down its health.
Like this.
Rat-tat-tat—!
Just like a beast—big, simple movements.
No concept of defense, evasion, or checks. Just attack, attack, attack. Nothing easier than facing a predictable pattern. Even as a surprise giant monster from a yellow gate, with my average stats over 65, it was a solid fight.
...Now it really hit home. I was way stronger than before—than even yesterday.
Plus the Bloodline Can't Lie bonus made me look like a spear master of 20+ years.
“H-Haha... He's practically flying around.”
“This is beyond imagination.”
“That guy's really a rookie who just got his license today?”
“Why's a talent like that wasting away in some no-name guild with no future...”
The Black Lion members couldn't shut up, awestruck by my masterful handling of the giant monster.
Just five minutes ago, they'd been on the verge of a wipeout. They could've fled in terror, but they couldn't tear their eyes away. Hell, they were gripping their seats like moviegoers.
“...Sh-Shouldn't we help?”
“Don't be stupid. We'd just get in the way.”
“Let's just stay put and wait. Safer tagging along with him than going solo.”
They were my seniors by experience, but they didn't mind bumming a ride. Hierarchy meant nothing when I was this superior—and by skill, I was the senior.
As they silently cheered me on,
“Y-You... fucking... bastard...”
「Eek?!」
A venomous voice hissed from nearby. Park Cheon-su, knocked out by my nape smack earlier, was coming to. His face twisted demonically.
The startled members backed away as he panted raggedly.
“I'll kill you... you punk... How dare you hit the back of the guild master's head? I'll kill you...!”
Glared daggers at me mid-fight with the Giant Mole, flames gathering in his hands. Clearly prepping the fireball he'd used to seal the entrance—for me.
“Gasp...!”
The members' eyes shook. What to do? Stop him? But he's the guild master...
Wait. This asshole tried to feed us to the monster earlier.
No dilemma there.
“Die—!”
Whoosh—!!
Park Cheon-su raised his arms, unleashing the fireball of a lifetime.
“Uwaaaah!”
“You mad bastard, where do you think you're aiming?!”
The members swarmed him as one. He yelped and toppled sideways.
But,
Whoooosh!
The fireball was already airborne, hurtling toward the cavern.
“Eek!”
“Jae-min! Dodge!”
The members pinning him screamed, but it was too late.
For other reasons.
“I already knew, though?”
I'd sensed the attack coming before they even jumped him.
Whoosh!
I ducked low, effortlessly sidestepping the fireball from behind.
Then—
Boom—!!
[Groooar—!]
The Giant Mole took it instead, roaring in outrage at the unfair hit.
Unfortunately, Park Cheon-su's ultimate shot barely scratched it.
So,
[Groooar—! Groooar—!]
Pissed off more than hurt, it locked onto the human who'd enraged it: Park Cheon-su.
“...!”
Realizing too late his mistake, Park Cheon-su paled and gulped.
Too late.
Thud! Thud! Thud!
[Groooar—!]
Switching targets, the Giant Mole charged him full tilt.
“H-Hiiiik?!”
The members pinning him scattered. Then—
Boom—!!
The house-sized body slammed into him. His joints twisted impossibly; he couldn't even scream.
But it didn't stop. Slam! Slam! Slam!
p>
Still unsatisfied, the Giant Mole stomped him relentlessly with its massive feet.
Watching from behind, I covered my mouth and sighed.
“Oof... owch.”
Constellation 'Sung Hyun-sook' shivers with a refreshing chill!]
“Whoa, Mom's got strong nerves...”
Anyway. With its attention on him, now's my chance.
Tap—!
I shot forward like a gale, leaping the instant I cleared the cavern. Soaring to the ceiling, my eyes sharpened like a bird of prey—locked on the Giant Mole busy pulping Park Cheon-su.
['Sung Hyun-sook' provides info: Its core is in the nape!]
“Today's all about—”
Vreeeeen—!!
My right arm pulled back like a bowstring, exploding with power. Mana swirled like a storm, blanketing the spear in my grip.
“—nape shots!”
Whoosh—!!
The thrown spear flashed like lightning, piercing the Giant Mole's nape dead-on.
Self-diagnosis: Very good condition! It felt a bit cheap winning thanks to Park Cheon-su's blunder, but...
“A win's a win.”
['Sung Hyun-sook' nods approvingly: Using every variable is skill too!]
“Yeah. First time Park Cheon-su's ever been useful in my life.”
I offered a brief moment of silence to his gruesomely mangled corpse, unrecognizable as human.
Ugh, no. Too gross. I'm weak to stuff like this.
But then, salvation arrived to snap me out of my disgust.
Poof—!
Park Cheon-su's utterly repulsive corpse crumbled to dust. The dust swirled toward me on its own and—
Slurp—!
—sucked straight into the Pandora's Box on my back.
“...Still amazing every time.”
By the way, quick side note: What happened to all those Bolt punks' bodies?
The answer's right here.
Pandora's Box absorbs the corpse via skill 'Gluttonous Growth'!
Pandora's Box level rises!
Burp—.
The sated Pandora's Box let out a burp-like sound as its zipper closed.
That's right. Pandora's Box 'eats' my kills to 'grow'—only the ones I deem useless. So the valuable Giant Mole corpse stayed intact.
“Even my bag levels up, but players like us don't have 'levels'...”
Jealous of the bag, I activated Item Status View.
Pandora's Box: Stage 1
Status: Full, very satisfied.
Growth: 31.89%
Current Traits:
◈ Wrath Manifestation: Summons the optimal weapon against enemy affinities.
◈ Gluttonous Growth: Absorbs lifeless corpses to grow.
◈ ???: [Unlocks at Stage 2]
It was around 29% after the Bolts, now barely over 30%. Nice gain. Even shit's useful as fertilizer sometimes—Park Cheon-su pulled his weight as nutrients.
“Stage 2, huh...”
Already a huge help, and there's more? Can't wait. Wouldn't trade it for a legendary holy sword.
Pandora's Box best!
...Enough chit-chat.
“Time to head out.”
Stuck with Park Cheon-su too long—craving fresh air. Boss down, let's go. After mining all these ores, of course.
“Everyone?”
「Yes! 」
I turned to the members and chuckled in disbelief. Their eyes sparkled as they pulled out mining tools.
Uh, um...
“L-Looks like you already know what I was gonna say...”
「Just give the order! 」
“No, why would I order you around when I'm the newbie? Let's mine together...”
A bit later.
We left the gate, bags bulging.