Chapter 171
Chapter 171
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 171
Chapter Title: Assault on the Hive
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"Hm."
Shin Yu-hyun had stationed most of his undead forces at the Hive entrance.
It was to secure their retreat.
He had cleared out all the magic beasts around the Hive, but there were still plenty more scattered throughout Gangneung as a whole.
That meant other magic beasts could come pouring in from outside the Hive.
'Gotta strike fast with a small elite team.'
No matter how vast the Hive was, he couldn't bring his entire skeleton legion inside.
So his elite party consisted only of three Seven Arcs members, Ka-mang-i, and Fluffy the White Wolf, assigned as Dia's bodyguard.
Of course, Shin Yu-hyun's ace-in-the-hole reserves were still waiting inside Ka-mang-i's shadow space.
"Master. This place feels bad."
The moment they entered the Hive, Dia shuddered and spoke up.
"Yeah, it does."
Shin Yu-hyun stroked Dia's trembling head.
She calmed down a bit, flashing a shy grin.
'Definitely a creepy place.'
Shin Yu-hyun looked around.
They had burned through the skin-membrane sealing the entrance with black flames. The interior that greeted them was utterly bizarre.
The wide corridor-like passage was lined with ceilings, walls, and floors made of writhing flesh.
And surprisingly, it wasn't dark inside.
A faint, blood-red glow seeped from the walls.
"Feels like we're inside a magic beast's stomach."
"In a way, that's not wrong."
Shuv chuckled from behind, having overheard Shin Yu-hyun's mutter.
Shin Yu-hyun shook his head with a queasy grimace.
Thud thud thud thud!
"Looks like we have a welcome party."
From the dark passage ahead, red lights approached, shaking the corridor.
Magic beasts from inside the Hive. ⚔ STATUS ⚔ 5-Star Magic Beast: Triceratino A sleek, quadrupedal magic beast.
At least three meters long, about a meter wide.
Its steel-hard head crest extended backward like armor protecting its head, neck, and upper body.
And atop its head sprouted three massive horns.
It looked just like...
"Kinda like a Triceratops."
Charging forward with its steel-shield crest and three horns, it was a mashup of Triceratops and rhino.
"Ka-mang-i."
Kyuu!
Shin Yu-hyun called quietly.
Ka-mang-i, perched on his shoulder, chirped cutely and extended its shadow forward.
Soon, boss-grade summons emerged from the shadow. ⚔ STATUS ⚔ 4-Star Hekaton Hyper Beetle: Chiron Shh shh!
A Chiron emerged, looking like a fusion of Caucasus beetle and Hercules. ⚔ STATUS ⚔ 5-Star Iron Golem Vrrr!
Next came the heavily armored Iron Golem, whirring to life. ⚔ STATUS ⚔ 4-Star Boss Heavy Armor Ant Finally, a black chitin-clad heavy-armor ant appeared.
The three massive boss-grade summons filling the corridor made for an impressive sight, nearly crowding the passage.
Bam!
They clashed with the Triceratino herd.
The Triceratino's charge was so fierce it pushed back the hefty Chiron, Iron Golem, and Heavy Armor Ant several meters.
But the summons held the line.
Locked in place, they began a test of strength, bodies pressed together.
Clang! Clank!
Especially Chiron and one Triceratino, slamming horns in a frenzy.
The impacts echoed thunderously through the Hive corridor.
Crunch!
Their horns locked, straining against each other.
Chiron gained the edge in raw power.
Size difference alone favored it—five meters long versus three.
But as time passed, Chiron started yielding. More Triceratino piled on from behind.
However...
"Chiron! Super Vibration Wave!" ⚡ SKILL ACTIVATED ⚡ Chiron: Super Vibration Wave Vrrr!
Chiron's horn vibrated wildly.
Crack! Kra-krack!
Kraaaah!
The opposing Triceratino bellowed in agony.
It couldn't withstand the super vibration; a huge crack split its horn, snapping it off.
"Good! Push 'em!"
Shin Yu-hyun commanded again.
Chiron charged the broken-horned Triceratino, lowering its body and horns.
Stab!
It thrust its long, thick horn under the beast's body.
Whoosh!
Then reared back, flipping it skyward.
The massive Triceratino flipped ass-over-end.
Chiron's reversal technique landed perfectly.
Kraaaah!
It crashed backward, screaming.
Chiron turned on the rest, activating Super Vibration Horn Charge.
Meanwhile, the Iron Golem blocked two Triceratino with one hand each.
Greeek! Grriiiek!
It was slowly pushed back.
Two more pressed from behind, making it four total.
Shin Yu-hyun glanced back at the straining Iron Golem.
"Dia."
"Yes!"
Dia scampered over with a beaming smile, leaping into his arms.
"You called, Master?"
She gazed up at him.
He couldn't help smiling warmly, petting her head.
"Buff the Iron Golem."
"Okay!"
Dia nodded cutely and began dancing. ⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ Seven Arcs member, Dark Saintess Dia, begins the Muscle Cat Dance. The new version of the cat dance.
Now at 4-star, Dia could produce various buffs with her cat dances.
Until now, she'd used the tier-2 overall physical/attack boost on the undead horde.
But she also had single-target power amps like this Muscle Cat Dance.
Its efficiency far outstripped group buffs, naturally.
Whoosh!
As Dia danced, the Iron Golem's arm shot up, hoisting the Triceratino by their horns.
Two more rushed in below, reinforcements from behind.
Bam! Bam! Bam! Bam!
The Golem seized the opening, smashing them down repeatedly.
Kraaak!
Dia's buff supercharged its strength, pulping the beasts into bloody messes.
Kweeeng!
Then, mana-charging hummed from the Heavy Armor Ant beside it.
A walking tank clad in chitin heavy armor.
Slow movement was its flaw, but sky-high defense made it irrelevant.
It could charge its back-mounted bio-mana cannon while tanking charges.
Pew! Shwoooosh!
The Heavy Armor Ant's Magnum Blaster fired.
A blue mana beam lanced toward the Triceratino.
Zeeeeng!
The azure streak sliced through the dark, sweeping floor-to-ceiling.
Kaboom kaboom kaboom!
Explosions erupted in its wake.
Kroooar!
A distant agony roar shook the Hive. Floor, walls, and ceiling rippled.
"This is..."
Shin Yu-hyun steadied himself amid the quake, eyes gleaming.
The Hive's pain cry from afar meant...
Shing.
He drew Levatein from his waist.
Activating Body Strengthening Technique and black flames, he stabbed the wall.
Thud!
Fwoosh!
'Hm.'
He pulled Levatein free.
Black flames spread across the wall, but no reaction.
If it had rippled like before, things would've gotten tricky.
The Hive itself might be a living magic beast.
'It was linked to something inside.'
Apparently connected to some interior beast until moments ago.
Probably the Hive Queen. ⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ Congratulations! Your summon has defeated a 5-star Magic Beast Triceratino. Rewards: ... System messages popped up before his eyes.
Boss summons had wiped the Triceratino pack.
"Shall we head deeper?"
With the beasts down, Shin Yu-hyun led his summons further in. ◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ Even deeper in, assaults kept coming.
But Chiron and Iron Golem handled them masterfully.
Ruber occasionally joined to mop up.
Eventually, they reached a vast open chamber.
"This is..."
Shin Yu-hyun stared ahead.
A massive rectangular space.
Kirrr.
Kek! Kek kek!
About twenty magic beasts clustered there.
"What, a dinosaur convention?"
Shin Yu-hyun smirked.
Most resembled carnivorous dinosaurs.
Magic beasts often had wild, grotesque forms anyway.
But...
"Huh?"
His eyes widened in shock. ⚔ STATUS ⚔ 5-Star Boss Magic Beast: Chaos Raptor 5-Star Boss Magic Beast: ... "No way."
He double-checked, jaw dropping.
Over twenty magic beasts.
All of them boss-grade. Unbelievable.
"Hive, alright."
Shin Yu-hyun grimaced.
Never expected this many bosses before the Queen.
Mid-bosses in dungeon terms.
Shuv smiled softly beside him.
"What now?"
"What else? Punch through."
He gave a wry grin.
Moments later, Shin Yu-hyun and his summons charged the boss pack.
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