Chapter 16
Chapter 16
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 16
Chapter Title: Hidden Piece
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A cry filled with murderous intent echoed across the battlefield.
"Kerrruk!"
He blocked the Goblin Warlord's attack.
-Clang!
Another massive shockwave slammed into Do-yoon from the shield in his hands.
The situation itself hadn't changed from before.
"Keruk! I remember now! Newbie and I were friends! From the gallery!"
Suddenly, the Goblin Warlord's mouth started running on its own, addressing Do-yoon out of nowhere.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ Attempting resonance with boss monster, 'Goblin Warlord'. Warning! Mind has been contaminated. Skill, 'Mana Resistance (C)' activates. 'What the hell.'
A familiar energy and sensation.
The same familiar experience he'd felt with the King Slime on the first floor washed over Do-yoon.
"Keruk! Friends don't kill each other! But my body is moving on its own! I can't help it!"
"What do you expect me to do about it."
"Kill me before you die! I'll just revive anyway, keruk!"
Pushing aside his bewilderment.
Do-yoon raised his shield once more to block the Goblin Warlord's attack.
-Boom!
Nothing had changed.
The Goblin Warlord was still ferocious, and Do-yoon had to kill it to clear the floor.
"Kerrruk! Something feels weird! Talking to the newbie is making forgotten memories resurface!"
'What kind of memories.'
Do-yoon, a mere ordinary human, had no way of knowing the complicated inner workings of a boss mob.
Grinding his teeth, Do-yoon glared at the Goblin Warlord and began reading its attack patterns for his own opening.
-Thud!
"Keruk?!"
The Goblin Warlord faltered in surprise from the sudden pain, halting its attack.
Do-yoon had stomped down hard on its exposed foot.
And in that moment.
"My mind is clearing up! Kerrruk! That's right! I'm a brave green skin! I wanted a fair duel with the newbie!"
"...What?"
After trying to overwhelm him with sheer numbers until now, it spoke with impressive confidence.
"It's certain! Newbie! Let's have a fair fight, keruk! That's the condition for 'Graduation'!!"
Graduation.
At the sudden news of a Hidden Piece, Do-yoon looked at the Goblin Warlord in confusion.
The Goblin Warlord was still glaring at him, consumed by madness.
"You expect me to believe that?"
"Keruk! If you don't believe me, there's no other way! But trust me this time!"
The boss mob Goblin Warlord was demanding trust from Hunter Do-yoon.
Was there any situation more absurd than this?
Do-yoon dodged the charging Goblin Warlord and leaped back.
-Taat!
Having lightly created distance, Do-yoon turned to look behind him.
He saw the Hunters poised to intervene at any moment.
"Hold on!"
Do-yoon had no choice but to stop them.
"....?"
"I have to do this alone!"
Would they understand properly?
At least right now, it was impossible.
Instead of a full explanation, bringing up the rewards first might be more effective.
"Hidden Piece! I think I found it!"
Leaving the bewildered Hunters behind, Do-yoon re-engaged the Goblin Warlord.
"You're sure about this."
"Keruk! I'm sure! My heart! My soul is screaming! It wants a soul-shaking duel with a strong newbie!"
Ignoring the Goblin Warlord yelling excitedly to itself, Do-yoon took a moment to gauge its combat power.
'Can I take it down solo?'
It didn't seem impossible.
If he stayed sharp, he could definitely seize the advantage.
'Alright then.'
Having finished his calculations in an instant, Do-yoon moved into action.
"If this doesn't work, I'm really gonna gorilla you."
"Keruk! Bad words!"
"Fine, got it. Anything else?"
"Something else! Keruk! I can't help directly, but I can guide you with words!"
"How?"
"That shield! It'll break if you block my attacks much longer, kerrruk!"
The Goblin Warlord briefed him on the shield's durability—something even Do-yoon hadn't noticed.
So this was the kind of help it meant.
Immediately incorporating the feedback, Do-yoon shifted from pure defense to evasion.
"Ahh, dodging that way is dangerous, keruk!"
"....."
"I'm right-handed, newbie! Aiming for left-side attacks is safer!"
Friendly words clashing with hostile movements.
To maintain focus amid the dissonance, he kept twisting his body to evade the strikes.
'This is doable.'
The Ugly Green Guy's advice was proving quite effective in practice.
"Keruk! Slowly, slowly, my body is tiring! The end is near..!"
No one's stamina is infinite.
Goblins, whose racial traits already lagged behind humans, had particularly poor stamina efficiency.
The Goblin Warlord was a mutant and an anomaly, which was why it had charged relentlessly until now.
-Thwack!
"Keruk! Good hit!"
He landed another kick to its exposed abdomen.
The Goblin Warlord staggered back two steps and replied in a satisfied voice.
'Dizzying.'
But with its stamina running out, victory was imminent.
In the midst of their focused duel.
Do-yoon decided to play his hidden card.
⚡ SKILL ACTIVATED ⚡ ▶ Acidic Digestive Fluid (D) The skill he'd acquired from the King Slime on the first floor.
A powerfully acidic attack surged toward the Goblin Warlord.
"Keruk?! W-what is this?!"
"Skill I got from the first floor."
"Ahh, so this is what you got through 'resonance', kerrruk! Amazing! And hot! So hot!"
The Goblin Warlord dodged the initial strike but couldn't avoid the follow-up spray of acidic mucus.
Do-yoon's skill splattered across its green skin, melting it away.
-Sizzle...!
"....!"
The sudden pain caused the Goblin Warlord's stance to crumble for a moment.
Do-yoon didn't miss it, unleashing a barrage of attacks.
"Keruk?! Hiding a trick like that! As expected of the cunning newbie I acknowledged!"
"Who's calling who cunning."
Feeling indignant, Do-yoon pressed the assault.
"Keruk! Impressive!"
"Hoo!"
As the Goblin Warlord grew increasingly battered, Do-yoon caught his breath.
He could feel his stamina draining sharply from just one skill use.
"So, about that Graduation thing. Think we can pull it off?"
"Ahh...! The ancestral green skins are calling me! It's certain! I came to this tower for honorable combat!"
A boss mob's Graduation meant a Hidden Piece.
Do-yoon's heart raced with positive anticipation.
'If it doesn't work, whatever.'
Clearing the second floor meant growth for him regardless.
Do-yoon resolved to give it his all until the end.
"Ha."
The Hunters watching the scene let out hollow laughs.
"Hidden Piece, huh."
"Yeah."
"Pretty sure that's what he said."
"I heard it too."
"Even if Do-yoon's skills are unusual, how does he figure out a Hidden Piece in the tower? Just luck?"
"Who knows."
Jo Ha-rin shot Han Ji-hyeok a resentful glance.
Ji-hyeok felt just as frustrated.
It was only the second floor—a standard clear.
Yet despite being a newbie Hunter—
Potential rank S.
His movements inside the tower were as free as if it were his own home, and his combat proficiency was ridiculously high.
"There's that regressor stuff going around lately. Maybe Do-yoon is one? Like he was an SSSSS-class Hunter before dying."
"Ha-rin, that's not like you."
Ji-hyeok expressed concern at Jo Ha-rin, who was starting to sound like Jeong A-hyeon.
It didn't suit her usual rational approach to everything.
"Should we just accept this too?"
"What else can we do? The tower's never gone our way."
"He's gonna clear it solo at this rate."
"Yeah. We might not even be needed."
Most people trembled on their first time on a floor, unable to mount a proper attack.
But Do-yoon was different, as expected.
"If he can grow solo without our help, that's great for us."
The current clear progress of the Korean hunters, including Jo Ha-rin, had completely stalled.
It was a burden too heavy for Do-yoon to fully grasp yet.
"So cool..."
Cha Yun-ha gave a strange look to Jeong A-hyeon, who was spacing out watching Do-yoon fight.
"Drool."
"Huh?"
A-hyeon jolted and wiped her mouth, but nothing was there.
"Heh heh."
Realizing she'd been tricked, A-hyeon glared resentfully at Yun-ha.
"Ahh! Why'd you do that!"
"Sweet as honey."
Jo Ha-rin, watching with cold eyes, turned her gaze back to the battle.
-Sizzle!
The Goblin Warlord, its body melting in places from Do-yoon's skill, panted as it blocked attacks.
Or rather, tried to block—it was already on its last legs.
"It's almost over."
"Reporting this will stir things up."
"The Association wants to keep it quiet, but Do-yoon stands out too much."
The Association aimed to protect Hunters, but the world had intense interest in them.
Meaning plenty of annoying external experiences too, not just inside the tower.
"We should help from the side."
"Yeah."
And so.
-Stab!
Finally, Do-yoon's strike pierced the Goblin Warlord's gut. It twitched and looked at him.
"Cough! Keruk, good attack..."
"Satisfied now?"
A strange unease passed through Do-yoon, but he now knew not to view boss mobs from a human perspective.
"Satisfied... kekerruk. I feel it. The ancestors calling... me..."
The Goblin Warlord's eyes grew unfocused.
Clear was truly imminent.
'Where's my Hidden Piece?'
Not knowing how it would appear, Do-yoon impatiently pressed the Goblin Warlord.
"Hey. Don't close your eyes."
"Keruk, ancestors..."
"Damn it. Cough up the reward before you go! My Hidden Piece!"
"Keruk..."
A vein bulged on Do-yoon's forehead.
After all this ordeal, it thought it could leave empty-handed?
Graduation.
He knew boss mobs went crazy for that word.
So if he'd fulfilled the condition and granted its wish, shouldn't he get something in return?
Do-yoon's gaze naturally shifted to the Goblin Warlord's hand.
A high-grade curved sword that looked perfect for slashing caught his eye.
-Thud!
"Ke, keruk?"
"Hand this over."
"New...bie. What are you... This is my exclusive weap..."
"You think you can just leave empty-handed? Graduation only for you?"
Do-yoon decided inwardly.
This strong, sturdy weapon was the Hidden Piece meant for him.
"You're it."
He snatched the curved sword from the Goblin Warlord's weakened grasp.
It fit perfectly in his hand, comfortable and secure.
He was certain.
This was the 'Hidden Piece weapon' the tower had prepared for him from the start.
"Ah."
The Goblin Warlord looked blankly at the sword in Do-yoon's hand, but—
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ Challenger 'Kim Do-yoon' has defeated boss monster 'Goblin Warlord'! —its breath fully cut off, signaling its 'Graduation'.
'Good fight.'
He didn't know if whatever Graduation nonsense had worked, but good was good, right?
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ Condition met! After a fair and square battle with the Goblin Warlord, you are victorious. 'Tower's Owner' watches you with a pleased gaze. Acquired Hidden Piece, 'Goblin Warlord's Scimitar'. "Oh."
A burst of bright light appeared, sinking into Do-yoon's body.
"What."
He didn't feel anything immediate.
It seemed to have settled as a reward.
"...Do-yoon."
Turning at the voice from behind.
"Yes?"
"Did you just... take its weapon?"
"Yeah. Seems like this is the Hidden Piece."
"...What even is that."
Never in his life had he heard of a Hunter snatching a weapon from a boss mob.
But Do-yoon had been defying common sense from the start.
"Second floor clear. Good work, everyone."
Skipping the phase where he'd normally struggle with Hunter support.
Do-yoon announced the resolution with a refreshing smile.
#
A short time passed.
Do-yoon caught his breath, meeting the Hunters' meaningful gazes.
"Do-yoon, so about what you said earlier..."
"Ah."
Grasping the question, Do-yoon got straight to the point.
"When I took down the Goblin Warlord, it said the Hidden Piece condition was met."
"So you actually got a Hidden Piece?"
"Need to confirm exactly, but yeah. Seems like it. The status window mentioned it."
"Ha, wow."
The Hunters felt a disconnect looking at Do-yoon, who seemed utterly unfazed.
With his limited Hunter experience, he probably didn't grasp what a 'Hidden Piece' meant.
Hidden Pieces had an extremely low discovery rate by nature.
Not only were the tower's hidden conditions hard to spot, but with multiple Hunters climbing, it was even tougher.
And most importantly.
'Mana stones.'
Resources from Hidden Pieces could be taken outside the tower.
One reason the whole world focused on clearing the tower.
"Can you claim it now, by any chance?"
At Han Ji-hyeok's cautious question, Do-yoon opened the rewards tab to check the Hidden Piece.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ Claiming rewards. ▶ Small amount of Mana Stones x1 ▶ Goblin Warlord's Scimitar (S) ✨ LEVEL UP! ✨ Lv.2 → Lv.4 Massive EXP gained from fulfilling Hidden Piece condition!
"...Whoa."
The reward details overwhelmed Do-yoon's eyes at a glance.
"...How is it?"
"Jackpot."
Thinking of returning to the Association with these rewards.
A pleased smile spread across Do-yoon's face.