Chapter 65
Chapter 65
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 65
Chapter Title: Thunder Wolf Pack Leader
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Drip, drip-.
Blood trickled from his exposed left eye, splattering onto the floor.
His vision stained red. Demon couldn't believe what was happening.
'What... what's going on... why...'
Not just words—even his thoughts tangled into a jumbled mess.
Pfsh-.
"Gurgh-"
Not far away, another comrade's death rattle echoed.
He turned his head and saw a sword piercing through his ally's throat.
A blade with a faint red glow.
Shink-!
Pulled from the comrade's neck, the sword now pointed straight at Demon.
"Still, as the boss, you're no pushover."
Soo-hyuk nodded in acknowledgment.
He'd swung to decapitate, but the man had dodged by a hair's breadth. S-grade lived up to the hype.
Demon's face remained devoid of reality.
Undeterred, Soo-hyuk closed in.
"Hup!"
Demon reflexively swung his axe.
It lacked power, but not a bad defensive reaction.
But.
"Nice move."
Slash-.
With the sound of meat being sliced, Demon watched with his own eyes as a familiar object flew through the air.
'My... arm?'
His beloved axe still gripped in its hand—his arm had been severed.
"Arrrghhh!"
His scream stemmed more from terror than pain. For a mercenary like him, losing an arm might be as frightening as death.
Blood poured onto the floor in heaps. His eyes shook as he stumbled back.
"Good reaction. If you hadn't swung that axe, it would've been your head instead of your arm."
Soo-hyuk stood firm and said.
"Though, from your perspective, that might've been preferable."
"You..."
Demon's gaze fixed on the red-glowing sword in Soo-hyuk's hand.
"You're using a demon sword!"
"...?"
At Demon's sudden shout, Soo-hyuk looked puzzled before nodding.
"Yeah. That's right."
"You coward! Relying on such a vile weapon to grow strong!"
Demon swords drain the user's stamina. That's true for low-grade ones, but higher grades offer exponentially better performance.
In exchange, they demand more than stamina.
The user's life force—essentially, their lifespan, a more fundamental energy.
Demon seemed convinced the sword in Soo-hyuk's hand was that type.
But.
"Think what you want, but this is my bread and butter."
The demon sword's stats Soo-hyuk wielded were perfectly tuned to what Lv.5 Selfish Sacrifice could handle.
"If you're jealous, save up and buy one yourself."
"You little-."
Slash-.
The moment Demon opened his mouth.
"Shi...!"
A red afterimage flashed, drawing a straight line across Demon's throat.
Before he could finish, his head flew.
Thud-.
Messages arrived as Demon's breath cut off.
Thankfully, no penalty for killing the three. They'd targeted Soo-hyuk first, so it was only fair.
The brief commotion settled.
As if waiting, a donation rolled in.
Soo-hyuk flicked the blood off his sword and replied.
"Thanks for the sponsorship, 18 Months. But 'Demon' feels a bit off. I'll think about it."
He wasn't keen, but viewers piled on.
"Cry, Demonsword"?
Just imagining it gave him a headache.
Soo-hyuk shook his head. His stream was about skill, not clowning like Pak Soo-hyuk.
"...Pass."
After brief interaction.
Soo-hyuk eyed Veil and his comrades watching from the Thunder Cave entrance.
He pulled out the Giant's Trace he'd pocketed and asked.
"You guys after this too?"
Veil flinched and shook his head vigorously.
"No, no way! That's yours, Soo-hyuk!"
"We only got it thanks to Lightning! No claim for us!"
Not just Veil—his whole crew refused.
After seeing Demon's fate, no one dared covet it.
Soo-hyuk, hoping for that ploy, smacked his lips in regret.
Would've been fine to drop them here.
'Oh well.'
He stowed the Giant's Trace in his inventory.
Whether to use it or auction it—undecided for now.
No rush; inventory it is.
Preparations done, Soo-hyuk stepped into the cave.
"Let's go."
Pondering how to use these bus-riders.
The Thunder Cave interior was unusually bright.
No sunlight, yet yellow specks twinkled from the ceiling like lights.
Step, step-.
Quiet cave.
Only the raiding party's footsteps echoed, Soo-hyuk in front. All tense, unsure when monsters might lunge.
And then.
Bzzz-.
Veil's kit buzzed on the path into the Thunder Cave.
Jenny, right behind Veil—a fellow player from the community, partying up.
They messaged via kits. Cave too quiet—whispers might carry.
Tap, tap-.
Veil's fingers flew on the kit.
Mid-typing.
Yelp-!
Not far—opposite cave depths.
A beastly howl, dog or wolf unclear.
And it spread.
Yelp, yelp yelp-!
To the rear in seconds.
"Behind too?"
"That's the path we came! Nothing there!"
The howls revealed themselves.
Silver fur with faint yellow glow. Sleek jaws, sharp fangs bared in cries.
Wolves—but oversized, tiger-sized.
'Those are...'
"First you'll meet Thunder Wolves."
Info from Schneider.
Name easy enough anyway.
Name irrelevant.
His know-how from decades of trials and obsessive study.
"Blind rush wastes stamina. There's an easy way."
Soo-hyuk ignored rear wolves, charging ahead.
Veil yelled in surprise.
"Soo-hyuk! What about us!"
Tempted to tell them to fend for themselves, but.
Soo-hyuk's eyes locked on the smallest Thunder Wolf amid the pack.
"Kinda unique."
Yelp, yelp yelp-!
Thunder Wolves blocking the way.
"Usually pack leader's the biggest. Not these guys."
A few lunged, claws and fangs aimed true.
Instinct honed—claws over a foot targeted heart, jaws for neck snap.
But in the gap.
Soo-hyuk's gaze fixed on the runt.
Swoosh, crunch-.
Two grazed past. Claws and fangs sliced air and stone behind as he slipped through smoothly.
Whoosh-.
Lighter steps.
Glance—his shoes.
'Performs as advertised.'
Thief's Free Boots.
Boosts speed and jump—simple, reliable.
Over two wolves, he dashed for the pack leader.
Next instant.
Crackle-.
Yelp, yelp yelp-!
Yellow lightning from fur, the leader roared fiercely then pounced.
Crackle-.
Lightning-like effect, leader before him.
Crack! Crumble-.
Rocks shredded by forepaw. Speed unreal—far beyond others.
'Confirmed.'
Yelp, yelp-!
Crackle-.
Fur yellowing intensely.
Size irrelevant.
Thunder power marked the leader.
'That's the boss.'
Matched perfectly.
'Lightning' initializes.
'Lightning' clings to feet
Soo-hyuk upped tempo.
Crackle-.
Kicked off, soaring up. Leader's fangs hit wall behind.
Crunch-.
Growl-?
Odd mouthfeel confused it.
Pierce-.
Sharp red blade pierced skull from above.
+ Strength +1
+ Agility +1
+ Stamina +1
Always welcome sounds. Pack leader was an EXP chunk.
Leaderless pack.
Whine, whimper-.
Growl-.
Eye contact turned them to scared pups.
Leader down.
Final step here.
"Just take the leader. Then—."
As Schneider said.
Soo-hyuk pondered briefly, then barked at the wolves.
"—Sit."
Whine-.
Whimper, whine-.
Dozens sat, cowering.
"You'll be the new leader."
Reincarnator's Streaming