Chapter 73
Chapter 73
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 73
Chapter Title: You Again? - 3
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Survivor1, known as Bae Geom-in, looked around.
"Preparation is perfect."
He had mobilized over twenty people for this event.
They were scattered around the shelter, monitoring for kobold appearances.
When the kobolds showed up, Geom-in's event party would deploy.
The event party consisted of the government's shelter elites—all level 15 or higher.
Their goal was simple: the orc's first kill. Nothing more.
Geom-in slowly scanned his comrades.
"I'll take it this time, but next event, I'll definitely yield it to you."
"I've heard that line a million times."
"We're sticking with you, Geom-in. Don't worry."
Solid.
These were survivors he'd recently recruited.
They weren't quite veterans, but anywhere they went, they'd be treated as aces.
With them handling the nest's guards, he planned a one-on-one with the orc.
Without the guards, killing it would be a breeze.
An orc wasn't some insanely tough monster to begin with.
It had incredible tankiness and attack power, but it moved slowly.
As an event monster, it'd be buffed a bit, but the flare can would help with that.
Can't settle for anything less than first place.
He wanted his ID, Survivor1, proudly etched in the ranking slot.
He wanted the survivors to take notice of him.
I'm not the president's lackey.
Regrettably, the one wielding real influence in the government shelter was former President Jang Won-taek.
Both the original members and the new arrivals who'd heeded the summons lit up and bowed whenever they saw him.
They respected that he'd never abandoned his presidential duties to the end.
Then what about me? What have I done?
Were his strategy guides worth nothing?
Why did survivors only talk about the other veterans, never him?
If you won't respect me, I'll make you.
For that, he needed the achievement of a first kill.
The veterans might chase records too, but this event was different.
Individual combat prowess mattered less here.
Even Bunny Duo or Duck Down Quack couldn't easily plow through that many monsters.
In short, numbers were key.
Plus, they had to clear it fast to prevent a zombie raid.
Geom-in wasn't even bothering with Kimbap Lover.
He didn't know what happened in the labyrinth, but this time would be different.
"Geom-in, we found it."
Someone spoke up, and the survivors locked eyes with Geom-in.
He nodded.
"Let's go make history."
When five survivors gathered, the kobolds flew into a frenzy.
Lures didn't work on monsters in that state.
They'd have to brute-force through.
The shelter folks huddled, steeling their resolve.
"Let's go! Let's win! Fighting!"
The big guy rolled on the ground, and the others followed.
So dramatic.
I slipped out through the dimension gate.
With so many monsters, my stats weren't reading properly.
All I knew was something was here.
"First floor? Second? Third?"
The bank building was huge—I'd have to search every inch.
Times like this called for Dingo's nose.
I used my grappling hook to head straight to the second floor.
"Dingo, sniff out the orc."
I opened a dimension gate and let him loose. He sniffed around, then bolted off somewhere.
I activated Battle Instinct.
Best to kill the orc before this three-minute skill wore off.
My vision tinted red, and I overtook Dingo.
He glanced up at me in surprise.
"Keep going—don't mind me!"
Down below, the shelter survivors were locked in fierce combat with the monsters.
The big guy would be up soon, right?
Not something like Blink or Stealth—movement skills didn't fit a leader showing off raw power.
"Probably Physical Enhancement."
He looked buff, so high chance.
Dingo started bounding up to the third floor.
Bosses were always at the top, after all.
A few goblins leaped down, but I sped past them.
My spear shaft sliced through the air.
Kieek?
Normally I'd stomp that bald head, but no time today.
I kept pace right behind Dingo.
Goblins burst from an open office.
All their eyes bloodshot, drool dripping.
Clear sign they weren't right.
They formed a wall and pulled out blowpipes.
But Dingo and I were already in close range.
"Hup!"
I tackled one mid-leap as it drew its pipe, kicking it flat.
Kehehek!
Pew-pew!
Paralysis darts flew, but we were already inside the office.
Reloading would take time.
That gap was for finding the orc.
Dingo crouched low and dashed; I followed.
He stopped in an office with a fallen sign.
I dimension-gated him back and got fully prepped.
There sat a mottled orc, painted head to toe.
The elite type called an orc shaman.
Same physical stats as a regular orc, plus special abilities.
It had three hobgoblins—its so-called guards—with it.
"Gotta wipe 'em all."
I turned and opened a dimension gate.
It sealed, blocking the third-floor monsters.
The orc shaman bellowed, and two hobgoblins charged with clubs.
Time for the gun.
I waited till they swung, then dove through the gate.
Kruk?
Tat-tat-tat-tang!
Four bullets slammed into the hobgoblin's head like shotgun pellets.
It clutched its forehead in agony.
I burst out and slashed its throat with the long knife.
One hobgoblin and the orc shaman left.
I lit a flare from my slot, and it shook its staff.
The orc's massive frame vanished with a pop.
Blink?
So that's its special ability.
But I'm no pushover.
Lifeform Tracking and Death Mark activated, revealing the orc shaman's position in red.
"Damn it, let's die trying."
I dispatched the charging hobgoblin, then opened another gate.
Monsters howling behind the gate swarmed me.
I swung the long knife wildly; limbs flew.
Melee chaos—no problem with reckless swings.
Thuk!
A goblin dart hit my knee; my strength drained.
But I gritted my teeth, slashing through the encirclement.
Paralysis Resistance shines here!
"Hah, hah!"
Survival Thirst kicked in after ages.
End it before the skill fades—live or die.
Last monster down, blood dripped from the long knife.
Strength returned to my numb leg.
Before chasing the orc shaman again, something to consider.
By the time I got there, it'd have bought time and Blinked again.
So, force it to burn its Blinks.
Like with Mi-kyung, spamming them short-term caused dizziness.
Strike in that window.
"Open the gate."
Dingo emerged and licked my hand.
Just a bit more.
"Catch a razor boar next time and feed you good."
He ignored my promise and bolted straight to the orc shaman.
I readied the grappling hook.
Second floor was the car showroom, right?
Furniture and cars all smashed—barren wasteland.
"No way it goes to the first floor."
The orc shaman wouldn't want to join the fray.
Answer: second floor.
Dingo barked fiercely, herding the orc shaman.
Raw power could've one-shot a wolf pup, but it Blinked.
Knowing I'd follow.
I gripped the rope long and rappelled to the second floor in one go.
Never learned proper rappel, but my stats made it work.
Time running out.
I vaulted the window frame and sprinted full tilt.
As expected, the orc shaman slumped by a second-floor window, then jolted up.
"Slot three."
Emeras spear in hand—I hurled it with all my might.
It speared the orc shaman's chest.
Kuaaaagh!
Its roar echoed through the showroom.
As I pulled a flare, it yanked out the spear and readied for battle.
Staff tossed aside as a bonus.
Yeah. Orc pride—no fleeing from wounds.
But I wasn't here to fight.
"Gift for you."
I lobbed the flare beside it.
It bared teeth and roared—then panicked at the surging flames.
Ignition powder exploded into a fire pillar, engulfing it.
Kuaaaaah!
The orc shaman screamed in agony.
Yet it reached for its staff, not dead.
Blink now and it's over!
I charged, Emeras spear in grip, diving into its guard.
"Hah!"
The spear pierced its tough belly.
It grabbed the shaft and toppled backward.
"Ugh!"
I let go, but couldn't stop getting dragged out the window.
Orc shaman hit the first floor first; I back-flopped after.
"Kuh!"
High stats and skills prevented lethal damage, but pain was pain.
We rolled across the asphalt together.
Yoon Jung, traveling with Bunny Duo, realized he was incredibly impulsive.
Suddenly craving food mid-journey and raiding a nearby goblin nest? That was minor.
He even tried grilling and eating them!
Monsters no one touched!
—Please! Just please! Don't give up on being human!
Humans didn't need to eat monsters just because monsters ate humans, right?
Plus, monster meat was smelly and toxic—inedible, by consensus.
Bunny Duo nearly chomped a goblin arm before her persuasion swayed him.
Then he eyed a zombie, forcing her to desperately talk him down.
This guy's completely nuts.
She'd rated him highly upon reaching Sejong City, but post-pants-drop, her view flipped 180 degrees.
Bunny Duo—Huang Seok-hyun—was just a madman.
And that madman suddenly charged into the county office.
Yoon Jung stared blankly, too stunned to stop him.
A few more days, and they'd reach Jinju—her journey's end.
So why?
Why make things harder for me?
"Seok-hyun!"
Ignoring her calls, Bunny Duo stormed Sancheong County Office, clashing with the monsters.
Kieek!
Kiruk!
Monsters lunged, but couldn't touch his shadow.
Yoon Jung watched dumbfounded from outside as he zipped around.
Anyone'd think his trait was levitation.
No monster withstood a single hit.
He dodged a goblin strike like an acrobat and booted it flying into the parking lot.
His form weaved through the horde.
Spears and stones whizzed, missing him entirely.
One punch deformed a kobold's head; he spun it by the leg.
"Giant Swing!"
His booming voice sent monsters crashing through windows.
Yoon Jung yelped, dodging the tumbling bodies.
"What kind of person is he...?"
She'd seen him fight before, but never this intense.
He was way stronger than she thought.
Storming a county office swarming with dozens of monsters solo? Sheer destruction.
No government shelter survivor could mimic that combat prowess.
Soon, his stage shifted to the second floor.
"Shoulder Attack!"
Don't call a shoulder check something so grandiose...
Yoon Jung sighed and sat on a shrine bench.
Moments later, something tumbled out a window.
"Gasp!"
"Urgh..."
It was Seok-hyun, rolling on the ground.
His skin flushed red, smoke rising—hit by something.
"Seok-hyun!"
She rushed to feed him a potion but had to flee.
Something leaped from the second floor!
Kruk.
The landing orc shaman tilted its head, approaching Seok-hyun.
As if puzzled why he wasn't dead.
Makes sense—the staff's lightning could vaporize most lifeforms instantly.
Especially falling undefended from the second floor.
Then, the prone Seok-hyun's eyes snapped open.
Before the orc shaman could react, he sprang up and charged.
"Death!"
Kuaagh!
Close-quarters brawl unfolded.
Yoon Jung never imagined a bare-handed human pummeling an orc.
His wild punches staggered the two-meter muscle freak.
Kroooh!
Furious, it swung its staff, but not one hit landed.
Like he was reading its attacks.
"My god."
Thud, thud, thud!
Such power—it sounded like pounding a heavy bag.
The orc flailed under the barrage, thrusting its staff—only that.
A bolt grazed Seok-hyun's chest.
"Dodged. You're dead now."
Crack-bam!
His strikes blurred to Yoon Jung's eyes.
The orc lost its staff in seconds and got beaten with it.
Kuaagh!
It roared, knees buckling.
Final moment.
Seok-hyun poised to gouge its eye with the staff tip—then stopped.
He panted raggedly, lowering the staff.
Yoon Jung couldn't hide her confusion.
Prime chance to kill—why hold back?
Seok-hyun caught his breath and summoned his status window.
Easy to finish it now, but he needed to help his weak friend.
Impressive labyrinth record, but that was solo speedrun.
No exploits in this team event.
He assumed non-combat trait Kimbap Lover would struggle publicly.
So, he'd wait till he cleared.
Duck Down Quack probably thought the same.
Our buddy's weak—gotta help.
But opening the rankings showed an impossible record glaring back.
"Huh?"
Seok-hyun tilted his head.