Chapter 52
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 52
Chapter Title: This Crossed the Line
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Clang!
The Instructor's sword was pushed back slightly. It meant my strength was just a tad higher than that of a 3-star Hunter like him.
"N-No way!"
Whether the Instructor was shocked or not, I charged inside to save the student.
'Charge!'
A skill that temporarily boosted my speed by 20%.
It had the drawback of requiring 2 seconds of preparation time and no mid-course direction changes, but in a situation like this where the target was stationary, it was pretty effective.
Thud thud thud!
As the Charge skill activated, the surrounding terrain stretched out like taffy, and in an instant, I reached right in front of the student.
It was just before Lee Chun-bae and the Hunter Management Department staffer collided. From the looks of it, the Awakener had no idea the student was hiding there.
'At this rate, she'll get caught in the aftermath of the clash.'
Judging that, I leaped right into the gap without hesitation.
Whoosh!
The staffer's sword and Lee Chun-bae's tail came flying from both sides.
I countered those attacks with 20% enhanced attack power thanks to Charge.
Boom!
"Urk!"
My insides churned, and my vision went black for a moment. I bit my tongue to force myself back to reality, and there was the startled Awakener.
"Who the hell are you?"
"You rat bastard!"
Lee Chun-bae answered the question. He was still conscious and lunged at me in a frenzy.
"There's a civilian here! I'll lure him away—rescue her!"
I stepped forward to keep Lee Chun-bae from reaching the civilian. The staffer was stunned by the word "civilian" and started looking around.
I wanted to give him a more precise location, but dealing with Lee Chun-bae came first.
'He's gotten even nastier.'
The paralytic venom seemed stronger now—just a graze and the back of my hand was already going numb. A direct hit might've made me drop my axe.
'Damn it, I really didn't want to take this again.'
No choice—I dumped the antidote and moss into my mouth, and the paralytic venom eased up a bit. But it wasn't fully neutralized.
'Even with the antidote, it's this bad... A solid hit would take me out in one go?'
"Is the student okay?"
"Y-Yeah, I'm fine."
In the meantime, the staffer had found the student and was pulling out of the battlefield. That was when I finally got a good look at her face.
'It's not Min-ah.'
A face I'd never seen before. I felt a bit deflated, but I didn't regret jumping in. I'd saved someone, at least—that was enough.
'Of course, if I die here, it's all for nothing.'
Thinking that, I dodged Lee Chun-bae's attack.
The stat difference made dodging tough, but luckily, he wasn't fully used to his new body yet—his movements were a little unnatural.
"You rat bastard!"
"Yeah. Nice intro."
"Graaah!"
Lee Chun-bae's waist twisted around, and his tail whipped in like a lash. It came skimming low along the ground, so I hurriedly leaped into the air.
"You idiot! Just die already!"
As if he'd been waiting, Lee Chun-bae spun again and swung the bone claw on his hand. With my body in midair, there was no way to dodge.
'Damn it!'
On top of that, his weapon was a sharp awl-like thing—hard to parry.
'What do I do?'
In that instant, I recalled how Assistant Instructor Song had blocked Kim Cheol-min's attack.
'It seems crazy, but let's try it!'
Hesitating a bit, I thrust my axe toward the incoming claw. Not to deflect it—to catch it.
Swoosh—
Like catching a gentle breeze, I timed it perfectly, matching speed and direction, and positioned the axe.
Then, right before impact, I pulled the axe head back slightly, slotting his claw into the hole in the axe head.
'Docking!'
Clunk! The claw lodged firmly in the axe hole.
The very next instant, I brought down the axe in my other hand on Lee Chun-bae's forearm.
Thwack!
"Graaah!"
His wrist severed, and my body flew backward along with it. I used the momentum to pull away from the battlefield.
"Huff! Huff!"
"In... Kage Gatsu. You okay? Blood's coming from your mouth. Internal injuries?"
Assistant Instructor Song rushed over in alarm. The Instructor followed, looking a bit awkward. Our eyes met, and he cleared his throat.
"Let me take a look at those wounds. Believe it or not, I'm a 3-star Healer."
"Whoa! I'm fine. Just bit my tongue a bit."
The word "Healer" made me back away in horror. The Instructor scratched his head and apologized.
"Ahem. Sorry about earlier—I misunderstood. I've seen too much crap back in the day, so I'm a bit paranoid."
"No worries. My fault for hiding who I am. I've got my reasons, so please understand if I don't reveal it."
"Good to know you're not the enemy. Man, who dashes into that gap? You've got guts to match your skills."
"And solid character too. Nice to meet you—I'm Kang Sung-yoon, branch chief of the Yangyang branch."
The Hunter Management Department staffer from before stood beside the Instructor.
"Thanks to you, we saved a civilian. Much appreciated."
"Just doing what anyone should."
"Right. That's a Hunter's..."
"I'm a hero, so."
"...duty."
A brief silence followed.
"Haha. Anyway, that venom's no joke. Hands are still shaking even after the antidote."
The branch chief awkwardly changed the subject with a laugh.
"Yeah. Harsher than a naga's. Antidote alone won't cut it."
The Instructor tsked as he neutralized the venom on Kang Sung-yoon's hand.
Even for 3-star Hunters like these guys, without resistance to paralytic venom, it was a tough matchup.
If 3-stars were struggling this much, what about the lower ranks?
In fact, while I'd pulled back for a moment, nearly half the Hunters were already down.
Five dead, over ten with broken limbs or poisoned into combat incapacity.
The silver lining was the Instructor quickly healing the injured, keeping deaths lower than expected.
But the skill gap was too wide—fix a broken arm, and it'd snap again in under a minute.
"Damn it. Where'd this monster even come from?"
"We can't win like this. Too strong."
Against other monsters, they could've whittled it down in a prolonged fight, but this Lizardman regenerated everything with super regen. No answer.
"To kill it, you gotta take the head in one blow. Anything less, and it won't die."
"But that means getting up close—and one poison hit, you're done for."
Even with a Healer, you'd be dead.
"Damn, what do we..."
No one stepped up, just eyeing each other.
"I'll do it."
I raised my hand.
"What? No, too dangerous!"
Assistant Instructor Song freaked out and tried to stop me, but this time it was my turn to dig in.
"It's safer if I go, and higher success rate too. I've got antidotes and a bit of immunity."
"It's not just about the poison."
"I've got some responsibility in this mess. Makes sense I clean it up."
"...Fine. But be careful."
After repeated convincing, Assistant Instructor Song Hye-rin nodded.
The others? They weren't even thinking of stopping me—they just desperately wanted someone, anyone, to step up.
"And... one more thing. A favor."
I made one request of Assistant Instructor Song, then charged at Lee Chun-bae.
"I'll come with you. Poison's worn off now."
Branch Chief Kang Sung-yoon ran alongside me. I tossed him the moss rolled up like a pill.
"Paralytic antidote. Take it with this—better effect. Oh, and by the way."
I was about to warn him it was nasty when he popped the moss in his mouth. Then he screamed.
"Gaaah! What the hell is this? Isn't this poison?!"
"Heh heh. Wakes you right up, huh?"
Couldn't help but laugh, even though I shouldn't have.
"Like swallowing ten sleepy-time gums at once."
"But it won't fully block the poisoning."
"You'll get poisoned in the fight no matter what. Might be better to take some damage and end it quick."
The branch chief glared sharply at Lee Chun-bae, then charged with his shield forward.
"I'll pin down his attacks. Go for the head in the meantime!"
Luckily, "take damage" referred to himself.
Boom!
Branch Chief Kang slammed a shield body-check, then drove his sword deep into Lee Chun-bae's foot and held position.
"You filthy pest!"
Lee Chun-bae's focus snapped to him. I used the opening to circle around to the side.
"Shiiik! Shiiiik!"
His sword jolted with every claw swing, but it was still lodged in the foot.
'Now!'
Fully around back, I pulled a spear from my inventory and jammed it into the Lizardman's tail.
Just like with the naga, I aimed to lock down his movement completely.
'Gate of Babylon, incoming!'
I'd just pulled a second spear when a shadow loomed over my head. Looking up, I saw the Lizardman's yellow eyes.
"Gasp!"
Boom!
I barely blocked, but the spear shattered, and I tumbled backward.
'What the—? The tail was definitely...'
The tail was still impaled on the spear, wriggling. Severed cleanly from the body.
The lizard had ditched its own tail.
"Shiiik! Unforgivable!"
"You cut it off—why take it out on me?"
"Die!"
Thud!
The bone claw slammed right in front of my crotch. I recoiled on instinct—otherwise, Cha In-hyeok Jr. and I would've parted ways for good.
"Hey! That's crossing the line!"
"Tail!"
"Not the tail!"
Dodging, I saw Branch Chief Kang was already paralyzed and immobile.
The others weren't joining properly, trying to rescue the chief.
Only one person—Assistant Instructor Song—covering me by hurling her weapons. Our eyes met.
'Not yet, not yet.'
I shook my head and dodged again. But I couldn't fully evade—the claw sliced my left hand.
Clang!
Blue poison spread, numbing my hand. I couldn't hold a weapon.
For now, I wrapped my wrist with a sling strap to stop the spread, then sliced my palm to bleed it out.
Spurt!
Blood gushed, dizziness hit, but thankfully my fingers moved again.
"Shik! Shiiik!"
For some reason, it felt like he was smirking. Of course he was—I was practically done for.
Which meant he was getting cocky.
'Now!'
Right as Lee Chun-bae raised his claw, I gave a slight nod.
"Die!"
Faster than the bone claw aiming for my neck...
Swoosh— swoosh—
The gentle breeze flew in.
"Shiiik!?"
He twisted his head late, barely dodging.
An inhuman, eerie movement. But I'd accounted for that.
Snap!
I caught the incoming gentle breeze and hurled it straight at his neck.
"Shi, shiiik!!"
Lee Chun-bae's eyes widened at the follow-up. But he'd seen this attack before—he twisted again to dodge.
Splat!
A third of his neck sliced open, green blood spraying. Not lethal yet.
"Th-This much..."
"Recall!"
Swoosh— swoosh—
The gentle breeze started returning.
"Eek!"
Lee Chun-bae twisted desperately to evade. Then, on his neck...
Snick.
The sling strap caught. I gripped it with both hands and yanked hard, strangling him.
Jerk!
"Gack!"
Choking, he flailed, clawing at me on his back. Nails raked my shoulder, claw stabbed my cheek.
Blood filled my mouth.
"Thanks. I was about to die from the taste anyway."
I chewed the mouthful of moss and pulled the strap tighter. And at the same time...
Scraaape!
The gentle breeze dug into his neck.