Chapter 59
Chapter 59
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 59
Chapter Title: Mantis Forest Conquest
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BOOOOM!
Chiron's horn clashed against the foreleg of the Desicata Mantis, unleashing a deafening roar and a shockwave that exploded outward.
SCRREEECH!
Not only that, but sparks flew fiercely from the point of contact.
In that locked position, Chiron and the Desicata Mantis engaged in a brief contest of strength.
However, the Desicata Mantis, which was blocking Chiron's horn with its chain-like rotating forelegs crossed, began to be pushed back little by little.
Chiron's horn, spinning like a drill, started piercing through the crossed forelegs.
SHHHHRIK!
Finally, the Desicata Mantis planted its legs firmly on the ground, spread its wings wide, and began to move.
BUUUZZ!
As the Desicata Mantis beat its wings, clouds of dust rose around it.
And in that moment, as its massive body started to lift off the ground slightly...
Click.
Chiron raised its carapace and revealed its wings.
BUUUZZ!
Chiron's wings trembled with a vibrating hum.
The reason Chiron had unfolded its wings was to gain propulsion.
PAKING!
Suddenly, the Desicata Mantis's forelegs spread wide to the sides, exposing its chest.
PUK! KRRRUNCH!
SKREEEEEE!
In an instant, Chiron's horn plunged deep into the Desicata Mantis's chest.
Green bodily fluids sprayed everywhere as the Desicata Mantis let out a long, scream-like shriek.
WHOOSH!
Not missing the opening, Chiron flung the Desicata Mantis upward by raising its horn.
The Desicata Mantis soared helplessly more than 10 meters into the air.
Then, flipping belly-up, it plummeted back to the ground.
THUD!
Given its enormous size, the impact created a thunderous boom and a small crater.
Kik... Kiik.
But the Desicata Mantis's breath hadn't stopped yet.
Seeing this, Chiron beat its wings again and kicked off the ground.
BUZZ!
Suddenly, Chiron's massive body launched into the sky.
Hovering in the air, Chiron looked down at the Desicata Mantis on the ground, flapping its enormous wings under the blood-red moon.
A moment later.
SSSSHRIIIK!
Chiron dove toward the Desicata Mantis at a steep angle, its drill-like spinning horn leading the way.
Activating its unique skill, Horn Charge Rush.
SHHHRIK!
At that instant, the Desicata Mantis—which had been wheezing on the verge of death—suddenly sprang to its feet.
And once again, it crossed its forelegs.
That moment.
VRRRRING!
Not just the serrated edges, but the entire forelegs began vibrating violently.
BANG!
Ultrasonic waves erupted from the Desicata Mantis's forelegs, shooting toward Chiron.
Right after, Chiron's massive body crashed down onto the Desicata Mantis.
BOOOOM!
An immense explosion rocked the area, sending shockwaves blasting in all directions.
The ground shook like an earthquake, making it impossible to stand steady, the air vibrated, and a crater formed at the center of Chiron and the Desicata Mantis, with dust clouds surging upward.
Hiss...
A moment later, as the dust settled, Chiron and the Desicata Mantis came into view.
There, under the red moonlight, stood Chiron with the Desicata Mantis pinned beneath its feet, horn raised triumphantly.
After dealing with the Desicata Mantis, the remaining Royal Mantises were finished off by the skeleton soldiers.
Then, a message appeared announcing the conquest of the 3-star dungeon Mantis Forest.
'Book of Agility?'
Shin Yu-hyun's face showed surprise.
The Book of Agility randomly increased an ability score. It could raise Agility by a random amount from a minimum of 1 to a maximum of 3.
Of course, that was for 3-star grade. The Book of Agility Shin Yu-hyun obtained was Magic-grade, equivalent to 3-star.
Using a Magic-grade Book of Agility at 4-star would naturally yield diminished returns.
It might not even raise it by 1 point.
'Not bad. It would have been better if it were a Book of Chakra or Book of Dominance.'
But since Shin Yu-hyun was still 3-star, the efficiency was good.
There were various types of books that boosted ability scores, including ones for Chakra and Dominance, of course.
If one of those had dropped, it would have been perfect.
'Anyway, I've collected everything I need.'
After checking the clear rewards from the 3-star dungeon, Shin Yu-hyun looked around.
Dia was playing with Ka-mang-i and the skeleton soldiers.
'Shall I check the book first?'
Shin Yu-hyun gazed at the Book of Agility he had received as a reward, then opened its green cover.
Flash!
In that instant, green light burst forth, enveloping Shin Yu-hyun.
"Mm."
Shin Yu-hyun shivered at the refreshing sensation washing over his entire body. He definitely felt lighter than before.
It wasn't Chakra or Dominance, which was a shame, but boosting physical abilities still improved the efficiency of Body Strengthening Technique, so it wasn't bad.
'Now then...'
Shin Yu-hyun looked at the 3-star boss magic beast Desicata Mantis sprawled before him.
His goal from the start had been the boss, Desicata Mantis.
He thought fusing it with the Hecaton Beetle Chiron would significantly strengthen his Undead Deathwatch.
"If I can acquire the Ultravibration skill, that would be great."
Fusing two boss monsters of the same grade into an Undead Deathwatch's skill set—what the result would be was something he'd only know after trying.
Seeing the message float before him, Shin Yu-hyun nodded in agreement.
Flash!
In an instant, white light erupted from Chiron and the Desicata Mantis, merging them into one.
"It's light!"
Dia, who had been playing nearby, giggled and dragged Ka-mang-i and the skeleton soldiers over to Shin Yu-hyun. A moment later, the light faded, revealing Chiron once more.
The reappeared Chiron wasn't drastically different from before.
However, two small horns about halfway up the length had sprouted from the base of its original horn. And overall, its body had become a sleeker build.
Its power remained the same, but it could now move more nimbly.
And that wasn't all.
The biggest change had occurred.
"It learned Ultravibration Wave?"
Confirming the message before his eyes, Shin Yu-hyun unconsciously smiled.
He had been coveting the Desicata Mantis's ultravibration ability. It was one of the stronger skills.
Chiron, being a Hecaton Beetle with immense defense, had endured it, but against typical superhuman hunters, it would have been a tough fight.
'Now, the preparations are mostly complete.'
Shin Yu-hyun stroked his chin.
The reason he had been creating Undead Deathwatches and boosting his stats recently was for one thing.
'The Incheon Magic Beast Landing Incident.'
It was to stop the dungeon stampede occurring off Incheon's coast.
'Hm.'
Shin Yu-hyun gazed at his status window with a satisfied smile.
Thanks to a week of secluded training, his Strength, Agility, and Stamina had each risen by about 3 points on average.
On top of that, Agility reached 44 after consuming the book, and Dominance regrettably rose by just 1 to 42.
And above all.
'One more point... If I raise Chakra, I can reach 4-star.'
His Chakra had originally been 56, but after consuming the Mana Heart, it jumped by a whopping 4 to 60.
Now, at 61, he could break through to 4-star.
'Soul points are short.'
Raising Chakra by 1 point required a massive 200 soul points.
If he hadn't invested in bone strengthening, he could have reached 4-star, but how could he have known he'd acquire a Mana Heart at the auction?
And the choice to strengthen his bones wasn't bad.
Thanks to it, he subdued Lee Cheon-woo's gang and comfortably cleared Mantis Forest.
To block the Incheon dungeon stampede, the skeleton soldiers needed to be stronger too.
'I've also replenished the skeleton soldiers.'
Currently, he had about 50 skeleton soldiers.
That was sufficient.
For the rest, he could forcibly conscript more from the magic beasts emerging in the Incheon stampede.
"Shall we go?"
"Yes!"
Having finished everything in the 3-star dungeon Mantis Forest, Shin Yu-hyun turned around with Dia and Ka-mang-i in tow.
A few days later, a brief news report mentioned that Lee Cheon-woo, the second son of the Celestial Moon Sword Sect, had gone missing in a dungeon.
Several days had passed since Shin Yu-hyun returned from the 3-star dungeon Mantis Forest.
The day of the dungeon stampede—when magic beasts would land off Incheon's coast—drew near.
"I wonder when they'll show up."
It was nearly midnight.
Shin Yu-hyun gazed at the Incheon coastline spread out under the white moonlight.
With Dia and Ka-mang-i's help, he had slipped out of the clan using Shadow Stealth.
He hadn't told anyone about the stampede off Incheon's coast.
No one would believe a prediction of an event that hadn't happened yet, and more importantly, it would be hard to explain how he knew.
Besides, Shin Yu-hyun planned to monopolize the magic beasts appearing there alone.
'I can't let anyone else take the soul points.'
To gain soul points from magic beasts, he or his undead summons had to make the kills.
That's why he had strengthened his Undead Deathwatch Hecaton Beetle Chiron and the skeleton soldiers.
'As expected, no one's around.'
Shin Yu-hyun scanned the shoreline.
It was late at night, but there was no one nearby.
People used to live there long ago, but after dungeon gates appeared decades ago, the coast became a danger zone.
Because of the dungeon gates spawning in the ocean depths.
This Incheon magic beast landing incident stemmed from failing to conquer a dungeon gate that emerged from the deep sea.
Dungeon gates in the abyss couldn't even be detected, let alone raided.
Not even superhumans could dive hundreds of meters underwater.
Whoosh...
As he stared at the horizon where waves lapped gently, a massive swell began to rise.
And from within that wave, magic beasts poked their heads out and started wading ashore.
Shin Yu-hyun curled his lips into a grin.
It looked as if the soul points were walking right toward him.
"I'll devour every last one of you."