Chapter 34: Slash Slash Slash!
Slicing through the blizzard with sharp ssssh sounds, Taemin trailed behind the lead group, constantly scanning his surroundings. Vigilance was essential when monsters could burst out from anywhere at any time.
But that tension didn't last long. After sprinting across the empty snowfield for quite a while with nothing in sight, he soon relaxed.
By now, at least one should have shown up, he thought.
Feeling like he was barely moving despite his speed, Taemin unconsciously picked up the pace without realizing it. This caused him to encroach on the lines of the other squads.
"Whoa, you're insanely fast."
"Ah, sorry. Got lost in thought for a sec."
Taemin gave an awkward smile and fell back to his position.
In truth, matching speed with the others was no small annoyance for him. The average movement speed of the gathered hunters, boosted by Haste, hovered around 150. In contrast, his was 285—nearly double.
Even without magic, surpassing 200 left him with plenty of leeway.
A bit slow, he mused.
Taemin, who desperately wanted to cut loose and run wild, held back since solo action was a no-go. He just hoped a monster would appear soon.
How long had they been running? Finally, monsters came into view ahead.
They were Smilodons, the most common beasts on the plateau. About fifteen of them. Their appearance resembled the saber-toothed tigers from history documentaries.
The moment Taemin spotted them, he appraised with his Heart's Eye.
Not bad, Taemin thought. The Smilodon's stats were higher than expected, but still manageable—something he could toy with lightly.
He gradually slowed, drawing his swords with both hands. The others did the same upon spotting the beasts.
At that moment, a booming shout erupted from Ha Jung-woo's mouth.
"Battle stations!"
Clang! Shing! Swish! Whoosh!
Weapons were drawn at Ha Jung-woo's command. Sorcerers and healers began casting various buffs. Soon, the attack order rang out.
"Charge!"
No sooner had the words left his lips than the hunters surged toward the monsters en masse. A rainbow of auras flared from their weapons, fluttering in the wind and dyeing the area in light.
One figure stood out among them—a man weaving through the group and accelerating ahead at blinding speed. It was Taemin.
Those watching his back doubted their own eyes. Was he really running while they were too? The distance opened impossibly fast. Even at full throttle, they couldn't catch up; he only pulled further away.
By now, Taemin was already clashing with the monsters.
The onlookers gawked in disbelief.
"What the hell is that speed?"
"Am I dreaming?"
"Wasn't that guy low-level?"
"Did he even get the buffs?"
As the hunters panicked, those in Taemin's squad sprang into action. They were just as stunned by his unexpected velocity.
"We gotta catch up quick! If he gets swarmed alone, he's done for!"
Ha Jung-woo urgently directed his team with a frantic expression. But their speed had limits, and Taemin's battle was already underway.
Reaching them first, Taemin unleashed his full prowess against the Smilodons. These beasts, with bodies rivaling Giant Ogres, lived up to their status as the plateau's signature monsters—exhibiting top-tier speed and agility.
Still, a plateau's a plateau. Definitely different from the dungeon trash before, he noted with admiration.
Yet confidence surged within him. After a few exchanges, they were impressive but far from unbeatable.
His specs, amplified by buffs, had skyrocketed movement speed, attack, and defense. Mastering Evasion pushed his dodge rate near 30%. Even 10% transformed one's movements; at 30%, he could fight blind in a chaotic brawl.
Proof? The dozen-plus Smilodons couldn't even graze his clothes.
Having gauged their patterns, Taemin dove into the fray proper. His gleaming daggers targeted the nearest beast's head.
Slash!
A satisfying sound rang out as the chattering monster's skull flew into the air.
Smilodon defeated!
9,700 EXP acquired!
9,700, huh. A bit less than the Heart's Eye showed, but solid for a 30-man party.
No time to dwell—Taemin unleashed on the rest.
Whoosh! Slash! Whoosh! Swish!
Each sword stroke split the air, sending blood fountains skyward as Smilodon heads rolled across the snow.
Overwhelmed by his base stats alone, they stood no chance. Having dispatched the pack in seconds, Taemin scanned for more prey, hooked on the thrill.
But all he saw were his dumbfounded party members.
"This can't be real."
"One-shotted them. All those guys, solo."
"He's really level 40?"
They were stunned, and rightfully so. Taemin was deemed the squad's weakest. A unheard-of class at 40, with mismatched gear—he screamed "weak" to anyone looking.
Yet he'd one-shot the plateau's monsters. All of them. In under a minute, pure clock time.
As eyes locked on him, Taemin inwardly winced.
Got too hyped?
Regretting his solo dash, he flashed an awkward grin and began looting the corpses.
The others followed suit, checking the bodies one by one.
"Nada."
"Anything drop?"
"Nope."
"Twelve kills and zilch? Team leader, is this normal?"
Ha Jung-woo nodded at the question.
"Smilodons are infamous beggars on the plateau. Never seen a drop from one. Alright, let's move out."
The march resumed. Shortly after, Yoon Ji-young sidled up to Taemin.
"Taemin, that was awesome earlier."
"Huh? Nah, it was nothing. Haha."
"That skill you mentioned before? The one that boosts speed?"
"Yep. You remember. Your advice back then let me master it right away."
As they chatted, Ha Jung-woo slipped in.
"Your footwork was no joke. First time I've seen a hunter that nimble since awakening. Evasion gear build?"
"Nah. I dumped everything into Agility—got some passives too."
"Ah. But you're a DPS, right? All in Agility?"
"Yeah, fits my class."
"I see... So how'd you hit that speed? Gotta be 200 at least... mid-200s?"
"With Haste, exactly 285. Gear gives 30, skill adds 180. Without Haste, just over 200."
Ha Jung-woo whistled in shock.
"180 from a skill alone... Wouldn't believe it without seeing."
It wasn't unreasonable. Pure skill for 180 movement speed, no gear or buffs? Equivalent to an A-rank hunter's full-speed setup.
In other words, buck-naked, he matched top A-rank team speeds.
Il-sala-ja, huh. Gotta reevaluate, Ha Jung-woo thought.
Soon after the first skirmish, another monster pack appeared.
This one was larger. Smilodons up front, flanked by Yetis—bipedal beasts circling them. The white, ape-like Yetis had the lowest IQ among plateau monsters.
But they swarmed in huge groups, so no room for complacency.
Thirty-odd hunters clashed with two hundred beasts.
Under Ha Jung-woo's orders, they formed up for efficient hunting, unleashing hell.
Without a tank's aggro, a squad could handle maybe three or four head-on. The rest funneled to the center.
Dozens breached in moments, but no one panicked. The center was stacked with overwhelming firepower compared to flanks.
The beasts hit support range and were shredded limb from limb.
Supports cleared the core while aiding the outer fighters.
Ten minutes of organized combat later, the field was cleared. Corpse dust and unburnt flesh chunks littered the snow, painting grotesque patterns.
The hunters collected every drop systematically. They'd divvy later, so who grabbed what didn't matter.
With loot secured and a headcount done, they pressed on.
They dispatched sporadic monsters while running. Gradually, the blizzard eased, revealing the plateau's contours clearly.
"Almost there. Hang in there!"
Ha Jung-woo's encouragement spurred faster paces. Moments later, they reached the plateau entrance.
A hundred-plus canyons formed the highlands—intimidating at a glance. Scaling was no issue, but the V-shaped slopes and narrow paths made it hunting hell.
Especially if ambushed from all sides; the tight corridors could sweep them away if careless. Combat demanded extra caution.
As hunters stared awestruck, Ha Jung-woo issued orders.
"Form up from here. Paths are narrow—space out properly, watch all four directions. Stay sharp; anything could pop."
Nods all around. They split into four directions, spreading out.
Thus arrayed, they advanced slowly, eyes peeled.