Mastering the Sands, Facing the Cyclops
The meaning of that smile was crystal clear.
Sandman.
As long as its cores remained intact, its HP regenerated at a blistering pace. And with a body made entirely of sand, any attack's damage was halved on impact.
Yet he could afford to smile because he knew exactly how to take it down.
And right now, he was in the perfect position to execute that strategy—which was why his grin widened.
"Skeleton Mage Summon."
After summoning the mages, he issued a command to the water-attribute Mage 3.
Ice Particles
A torrent of ice granules rained down on the Sandman.
The instant they touched its body, the sand turned to thick mud, dripping downward in heavy globs.
Exposed now were its three cores: one in the head, one in the chest, and one in the abdomen.
Mu-hyuk had seen this coming and preemptively ordered the remaining mages to strike.
Three elemental spells assaulted it—Wind Blade, Flame Spear, and Lightning Cloud.
Boom!
A ferocious explosion rocked the chamber, but unfortunately, the cores held firm.
Hmm, as expected. Magic won't cut it.
The cores resisted magical attacks fiercely.
Physical strikes were needed.
Destroy all three cores at once, and the Sandman would be crippled. The problem? Bone Swords and Bone Archers lacked the precision for such coordinated commands just yet.
Mu-hyuk summoned Bone Swords to hold off the approaching Sandman. Then he turned, taking in the knight aspirants with a steady gaze.
"Listen up—I'll keep it short."
"Yes, sir!"
"That monster's a Sandman. Hit it with water magic, and the cores pop out. There are three: head, chest, gut. Smash 'em all at the same time, and you drop it fast and clean. Your skeletons keep its attention—you go for the cores. Got it?"
The aspirants nodded firmly.
Unyielding expressions.
Steadfast eyes.
Mu-hyuk felt a weight lift. Of course. They're higher level than me—what was I worried about?
He gave the order.
"Close in and wait for my signal."
"Understood!"
The ten aspirants advanced, swords and shields at the ready. With Bone Swords already harassing it, they had no trouble positioning.
Once they were set, Mu-hyuk commanded Mage 3 again.
Ice granules flew once more.
Splat.
The Sandman's body turned to mud again, cores bared.
"Now!"
The aspirants lunged on cue, swords thrusting home with dull thunks. Mu-hyuk clenched his fist tight.
Yes!
Sandman's core destroyed.
Sandman's HP will no longer recover.
Sandman's HP drops by 30%.
The sand comprising the Sandman's body loses function.
Mu-hyuk shouted as the messages flashed up.
"Finish it!"
Bone Swords, mages, and aspirants tore into it relentlessly.
Experience gained.
The moment it fell, the apprentice knight aspirants erupted in cheers.
"Woooah!"
"We did it!"
"What? That was easy!"
The brutal slog on floor 5 had wound them tight for 6. This easy win unleashed pure relief.
Mu-hyuk didn't hush them. He was thrilled too.
But the celebration couldn't last.
"Enough, everyone."
They fell silent.
"Good work. Keep it up."
"Yes, sir!"
"Alright. Moving out."
How far had they gone?
Grrr.
Two Sandmen appeared.
One down led to one spawn; now two.
The pattern repeating.
Two's the limit, then.
Ice Particles' wide area made hunting smooth.
They pushed on, breaks few and far between.
Stamina and mental reserves held strong.
Two this time.
Mu-hyuk summoned mages and commanded.
Mage 3, magic attack!
Ice granules filled the air.
Grrr.
The pair's sand bodies turned to sludge.
Drip, drip.
Cores exposed amid the falling mud.
The aspirants split into teams of five per Sandman.
In each group, three targeted different cores.
The other two stood ready for misses.
"Attack!"
Swords flew at Mu-hyuk's call.
Stab.
One aspirant's thrust glanced off.
"Hup!"
A standby leaped in, sword striking true.
Sandman's core destroyed.
Sandman's core destroyed.
All cores shattered thanks to the backup.
"Thanks."
"No sweat."
The one who'd slipped greeted his savior. Mu-hyuk watched with a warm smile.
*
The Illusion homepage. The info board rankings.
And view counts.
It had become his morning ritual—check first thing upon waking.
Currently, he held 1st and 2nd.
Views: 1st at 4.8 million, 2nd at 4.65 million. Roughly 200k added daily.
Slowing a bit now, but still climbing steadily.
He'd hit 6.5 million before two weeks were out.
Give it another month or two? Ten million wasn't a pipe dream.
One more week till payout.
That day...
He'd reinvest it all in Illusion stock.
"Up we go."
He pocketed his phone and rose.
Hat pulled low, he headed out to the gym.
Post-workout, back home, he logged into Illusion and rejoined the aspirants hunting floor 6 Sandmen.
Familiarity sped things up—quick clears.
EXP poured in.
Experience gained.
Experience gained.
Minimal breaks.
Max hunting.
Meals on schedule, plenty of time allocated.
That grind cleared floor 6 in three days.
Mu-hyuk gained a level; a few aspirants did too.
They reached a spot—the path to floor 7.
Thud, thud.
Mu-hyuk rapped the shimmering white barrier, then tore a scroll.
Scroll used.
Shield magic dispelled.
The final path lay open.
More exploration ahead? Empty? Or a boss waiting?
One certainty: the end.
"Thirty-minute break before we climb."
They sat, chatting idly.
"Final floor... wonder what's up there?"
"Yawn. Don't care—just wanna wrap and log."
"Exhausted, yeah. But we've grown a ton."
"True that."
Mu-hyuk rested ten minutes, but idling bored him.
He pulled disposable crafting tools, forging a sword and shield to kill time.
Crafting complete.
They hit the auction house board immediately.
"Ready?"
"Yes!"
Tension thick, they stepped forward.
Step.
Stairs to floor 7.
Thump-thump.
The finale stirred something new—beyond prior floors' thrill.
They crested the stairs.
A vast hall unfolded.
Dead center: one monster.
--------!
Boss monster. The Cyclops Giant.
*
Mu-hyuk bellowed.
"Never target the eye!"
Aspirants shifted mid-swing—from face to legs and gut.
The Cyclops Giant was a level 70 boss—HP leagues above regulars.
"When it lifts a leg, fall back!"
He should've briefed pre-fight, but no time.
Spotting them meant instant charge—raw, terrifying aggression forced combat now.
Whoosh.
It raised a leg right on cue.
No need to shout—they retreated smooth.
"Skeleton Mage Summon."
All magic—full barrage.
With distance, Mu-hyuk unleashed.
Four elements hammered down.
BOOM!
The giant shuddered.
Damage landed?
Leg slammed down.
Thud.
Vibration hit, wind gusting.
"Hup!"
Shockwave reached them.
Insane...!
HP dipped 100 from the fringes.
Up close? Hundreds—maybe a thousand.
Tension spiked.
Aspirants' faces hardened too.
"Attack again!"
"Haaah!"
Its patterns? Simple, thankfully.
Short at three meters, but "giant" earned—brutal power.
Fists and stomps mainstays.
Shockwaves occasional, but long wind-up made dodging easy.
One catch: hit the eye, it berserks.
Loses sight, gains hyper-senses, speed explodes.
At same-level raid? Near impossible.
So caution first.
If it berserks now...
Chilling thought.
He shook it off.
"Focus!"
Summoned Bone Swords and Bone Archers.
Kirrik, kirrik.
No charge or attack orders, though.
Couldn't risk Bone Swords clipping aspirants—or arrows straying.
Precision lacking; frustration boiled.
Solution?
Rotate 'em.
Pulled from inventory: Slow Poison, Hallucination Poison, Weakness Paralysis, Bleeding Tears. Coated weapons.
Leg lifted again.
Whoosh.
Aspirants fell back; Mu-hyuk widened gap.
Thud.
Shockwave fizzled short.
Charge!
Now he sent Enhanced Bones and Bone Swords in.
"Hold position!"
"Y-yes!"
Aspirants froze.
Enhanced Bones tanked; Bone Swords swarmed close.
All attack!
Swords gnawed relentlessly.
'Slow Poison' applied.
'Hallucination Poison' applied.
'Bleeding Tears' applied.
'Weakness Paralysis' applied.
Bone arrows followed, peppering its body.