088. Part 2 Players and the Regressor
As time passed, the Skeleton Knight's attacks grew fiercer. It was starting to predict his movements now, as if it had grown accustomed to them.
'Of course, it's still manageable for now... but...'
The frequency of Air Anchor and Air Beat usage had increased, and so had the mana consumption. The allowable time was inevitably dwindling.
He had to figure it out. Even as the Skeleton Knight's sword whistled just above his head.
Even mid-somersault evasion maneuver in the air.
Because the moment he stopped thinking, it was over.
'How did I handle enemies with such high defense before?'
The first thing that came to mind was the Tanker Clone takedown he'd shown Kim Do-jun right after regressing. Exploit the grain and shatter the weakness.
Dismissed. No visible grain in that guy's bones.
Smash it with its own body, since it's so tough? The bastard wasn't that stupid.
Match its natural frequency for resonance? And how would he figure out that frequency and replicate it?
His vision seemed to flash white. Countless thoughts flickered through in an instant.
Soften the bones? No way it started with chemical agents like that.
Magic Engineering Weapon Conversion into a drill to break it? No. The drill tip still had to be harder than the enemy.
Heat it up then rapid cool? Good idea, but no way to pull it off.
'If that thing had actual human-like bones, it would've been easier...'
Then he could've targeted cartilage or the weak points between bones to dismember it.
Most neutral monsters were living creatures, and living things always had biological vulnerabilities.
But the Skeleton Knight, clattering as it moved, naturally had no cartilage.
...?
Suddenly, a strong sense of incongruity hit him.
No cartilage, no muscles. So how was it moving so fluidly?
'That was the answer.'
Was it because he hadn't seen an undead monster in so long that it hadn't occurred to him right away?
Why had it taken this long to realize something so obvious?
It wasn't even a difficult puzzle.
Now that he had the direction, nothing was impossible.
He stopped the evasion maneuvers with the Air Anchor and soared high, close to the cave ceiling.
Then, using mana bomber-loaded rounds, he blasted the ceiling.
Tatata-tang!
Piercing Eye
With Piercing Eye, the optimal weak points for collapse were highlighted, so it didn't take long for massive boulders to pile up on the floor.
He instantly clung to the Skeleton Knight's spine, its movements dulled by the boulders.
A blind spot in the human body's range of motion—hard to reach for attack.
Of course, it might have defenses, so lingering wasn't wise.
'A guy without cartilage or muscles moves like this because mana binds this massive frame together.'
Which meant disrupting that flow would make severing the spine and splitting it in two a breeze.
And that prediction hit the mark.
He felt the mana pathways substituting for muscles and nerves. Threads of mana, far thinner than the bones and countless in number.
The dagger from Magic Engineering Weapon Conversion gleamed coldly.
Time to cleave this needlessly tough bastard in half.
'Won't kill it completely, but I can immobilize it and finish it off slowly.'
***
"Hard to believe he was in Part 3 until recently—that aerial maneuverability is insane."
"Right? I was shocked the first time I saw him use Air Anchor too. Like he'd never even tried it before, but he handled it like an extension of his body."
Watching Lee Chang-hyun soar freely through the air, Kang Jun-hyuk and Lee Min-seok showered him with praise.
'Not many handle Air Anchor that well...'
It was almost an art form, leaving even Kang Jun-hyuk stunned.
Sure, he'd been solid in other matches, but facing a building-sized Skeleton Knight moving at ferocious speeds really highlighted his skill.
"At least he's not spraying bullets wildly anymore. Was wondering how long that'd last."
"Well... he wasn't doing it for nothing. Smarter than he looks."
Sure enough, Lee Chang-hyun abruptly halted evasions and shot toward the ceiling.
His follow-up shots were clearly aimed at partially collapsing it.
"Trying to bring it down?"
"Hm... who knows."
Lee Min-seok and Kang Jun-hyuk weren't the only ones skeptical.
"Won't he get buried and die if it collapses? I get wanting to drop rocks on it, but..."
"Even if it does, that Skeleton won't die. So tough—what're a few boulders gonna do?"
All fair points.
But things unfolded differently from expectations.
"Huh...? He broke off chunks but it's not collapsing?"
"Not trying to bring down the whole cave?"
A good portion of the ceiling rocks fell, but the ceiling itself held.
Instead, massive boulders filled the floor where the Skeleton Knight stood.
"Binding its feet like that. Clever idea in a way, but risky with the collapse danger. Worked this time, though."
"That's how he rolls."
Lee Min-seok chuckled.
A situation where the whole cave could've come down. Balancing on that tightrope, risking it all for his goal—that was his playstyle.
And it didn't stop there.
He dove for the boss's spine, its mobility hampered by the boulders.
A choice possible only because he'd restricted the fast, aggressive Skeleton Knight.
"Spine... good target."
"Core of the body. But he confirmed earlier it's unbreakable overall—got something specific in mind?"
It didn't take long to find out.
Lee Chang-hyun converted his weapon to a dagger via Magic Engineering Weapon Conversion and sliced the air between vertebrae.
"What the—?"
But only for a moment.
As if by magic, the Skeleton Knight split at the sliced section.
Only after a pause did they get it.
"Ah... right."
"Skeleton Knights aren't typical monsters, so no one thinks of that."
Against normal-sized ones, just smash the head. Same for other undead.
No wonder it was an unconsidered counter.
'And this is basic hunting.'
Observe the enemy. Find vitals. Weaknesses.
Couldn't memorize every neutral monster's flaws forever.
Sooner or later, you'd have to spot them yourself.
The bisected Skeleton Knight wasn't fully shattered, but effectively neutralized.
'Now, how's the Part 2 guy doing...?'
The screen shifted from Lee Chang-hyun to the Part 2 player.
"Messy."
"Yeah... but that's par for the course."
He'd prioritized evasion from the start, so he looked ragged.
Flashy dodges with mana gear at first, but mana was finite.
Desperate blocks and weaves left his gear and clothes shredded.
Same start, same conditions.
Both lacking raw power to take it down easily.
Yet results were polar opposites.
One pondering the kill shot.
The other about to be finished off while fleeing.
Crunch.
Watching, Han Ji-hoo ground his teeth.
Idiot. Couldn't spot that and bailed, showing his ugly side.
Worse than not going at all.
"President Lee Geun-taek picked him, huh? Not bad."
"Never belonged in Part 3 anyway. Feels like a vet playing rookie."
Ended up boosting only Lee Chang-hyun.
***
Post-match.
After both emerged, the results tallied.
Random Time Attack Mode
Lee Chang-hyun: 8:14
Kim Ju-han: Failed
The vibe had shifted from pre-match and party chatter.
"Not bad at all. Not sure about Kang Jun-hyuk-level, but... take care."
The opponent even offered a handshake first.
"You'd know if you faced him yourself."
"Haha, feisty one. Not sweating today. Save that talk for Part 1, kid. Haha."
Not full buy-in yet.
Understandable. Part 1 and international league neutrals were way tougher—he probably figured he could've too.
Whatever.
The losers were funeral-level gloomy.
"Big talk, then that pathetic show—what was that?"
"Sorry... Ji-hoo."
"Hah."
Part 2 players' mood tanked, unlike Part 1's pros.
Blown out publicly by a rookie.
This outcome was merciful.
"Saved us the real embarrassment."
Kang Jun-hyuk approached amiably from upfront.
Since he'd hyped him at awards, Chang-hyun had to deliver.
Guy got the intent, but why act like old pals on first real meet?
"Yeah, caught that at awards—acquaintances? Looked tight."
Lee Min-seok said, intrigued.
"Just bros."
"Nah."
Chang-hyun shut it down quick. Lee Min-seok laughed in disbelief.
"Sure, sure. Anyway, Chang-hyun, busy day ahead?"
"Party's over, no?"
Kang Jun-hyuk countered.
"Party? Haha, for him, Part 2 starts now."
Lee Min-seok meant the Hunters Day business session.
Unlike Part 1's awards and mingling, this was directors, coaches, owners, sponsors.
"Right."
Needed more teammates, coaches, facility upgrades—main reason for attending.
And maybe the most exhausting.
But.
"All sharks and foxes there. Skip the tiring ones—meet this guy instead."
Lee Min-seok handed a business card.
'Leman...'
"Who's that?"
"With President Lee Geun-taek's backing now, why scrap in corners? Go big."
True enough.