Chapter 116

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Translator: Ryuma

Chapter: 116

Chapter Title: The 31st Horse Overturns the Game Board

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Just moments ago, Kang Seol, who had unleashed that monstrous blow, was gasping for breath.

"Haa... haa..."

Who could have guessed it would pack enough destructive power to blow an ogre's head clean off?

It came with some risks, as expected.

'Fair enough.'

If ripping out a massive monster's head came with zero drawbacks, even Kang Seol would have found it suspicious.

'Gotta save it for finishing blows or all-or-nothing moments.'

Iron Fist Dominion could only be used in Night Crow form to begin with, and it sucked up most of his remaining mana.

This wasn't something more mana would fix.

'Either raise proficiency or evolve the ability itself.'

Other adventurers scraping by with their given skills would have raged at such a thought.

But Kang Seol was different—he could scheme ways around it.

Either way, gaining a new ability was a win.

His mana had sat mostly unused outside of Shadow Hand. His summons had handled everything without it.

Now he had a real excuse to burn through his vast reserves. A definite step forward.

Kang Seol stood atop the headless ogre corpse, gazing down at the onlookers.

Sararak...

The scene overlapped with the sunset over the Great Forest, creating a fantastical aura.

He hadn't intended it, but it made him look like a solitary absolute being.

"Whoa..."

"H-Hyung, you..."

"Seol, you..."

Karen and Moonlight Knight Karuna slowly approached Kang Seol.

"Jamad?"

"Nope."

"Master? Ooh... not bad. Caught me off guard."

Kang Seol in Night Crow form, plus Karen and Karuna.

Just the three of them exuded more intimidation than the ogres had.

Han Somi's party was crushed under the pressure, barely able to speak.

Who'd have thought the young guy they'd pegged as a good cook with summons hid such dangerous power?

Shin Mun-ho finally stammered something.

"H-Huh... haha... W-What happened...?"

"Y-Yeah, tell us..."

"Our mountain... right?"

Churarak...

Kang Seol released his Night Crow form.

As he returned to his calm demeanor, Han Somi let out a sigh of relief that could have sunk the floor.

"Phew... We're not getting wiped out, right?"

Kang Seol blinked in disbelief.

"Wiped out?"

"In movies, when this happens, they go, 'You saw something you shouldn't have,' and eliminate witnesses. So I thought maybe..."

Only she could spin such wild delusions.

"Nah, nothing like that."

Then Shin Mun-ho and Jo Kyung-taek sighed in unison.

"Ha... Thank goodness."

"Kept looking over our shoulders the whole time."

Kang Seol corrected himself.

Such delusions were more ordinary than he'd thought.

With tension eased, Han Somi's bubbly world returned. She chattered away so vibrantly it felt like drab scenery had been splashed with color.

"Oppa, you're that guy, right? The one... private profile. Super high score, went to Yoghnatun recently."

Kang Seol, who'd never expected to admit it aloud, just shrugged.

"Ooh, that gesture is cool too. Gotta learn it."

"We do it, we'll look like we've got stiff shoulders."

"As expected of a master? These little differences separate ordinary from extraordinary?"

"Stop..."

"How is this coincidence even possible? Yoghnatun news feels like yesterday... Why'd we run into each other here?"

It wasn't much of a coincidence.

Kang Seol had been adventuring here when a random quest triggered, merging their parties.

"I get it. This is fate, right?"

"What?"

"Fate. We were destined to meet like this!"

"Noona, come on, let's check loot first. Gotta see what you got too."

"Hey, Dog Kyung-taek! Ignoring noona? We're talking fate right now..."

Jo Kyung-taek rummaged through the loot as he spoke.

"Hyung, ignore it. Noona watches too many dramas. And she's that type who only likes celeb Insta posts..."

"H-How'd you know?!"

"You told everyone last time."

"Anyway! Loot first?"

Loot chests spawned at each person's feet.

"L-Let's check loot before talking."

Han Somi bent down, opened her ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠chest.

Kang Seol kicked his open lightly.

Clunk—

Whoosh—!

Hm...

Kang Seol's expression soured.

'Three crafting materials.'

Spiritwood and ogre fangs—two of the latter, even.

Neither meant much to him.

'Too low-grade.'

Both rare-grade materials was the issue.

Rare mats could yield treasure gear, sure—but the odds were lower than with treasure mats.

And Kang Seol already had top-tier craftable gear potential.

These didn't satisfy him now.

'Quest was on the easy side.'

Just slay the beasts spilling from the Great Forest core.

Still, taking down all three ogres netted one treasure item.

Kang Seol stripped off his Spirit Guardian Gloves, stashed them, and equipped the new ones.

'All hand actions includes melee, right?'

Worth it alone.

Perfect for Night Crow form.

And solid options too.

'Rare to find fighter gloves with wisdom.'

"Uh... hyung."

"Hm?"

"Anything good for you?"

"Nah, quest was too easy."

"Oppa! You know that, right? Do it!"

"That? What's that?"

"Never partied before?"

Come to think of it, no real party play. Kang Seol had always soloed.

But admitting it felt off.

"Noona's wording confuses him. Means trade items. Swap ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠gear after loot."

"Oh, that."

Kang Seol hadn't even known, but it was standard among casuals.

Thud, thud, thud.

Party members set items down.

'Hm?'

Quality seemed oddly low for equal rewards.

All starting at peculiar-grade.

Kang Seol skipped peculiar gear as junk; they used it.

One item caught his eye amid the pile.

Han Somi's rare necklace, Shin Mun-ho's rare ring.

Solid for combat jobs.

Stepping stones till his summons got better gear.

"Ahh! Spiritwood! That's it, right?"

"Fangs! Hoped for 'em—jackpot!"

They liked his stuff too.

'Spiritwood's prime bowstaff mat... Ogre fangs great for daggers.'

Han Somi approached Kang Seol, eyes sparkling.

"You using that? Right? Need it as summoner? Front yard tree at best? Right?"

"Ogre fangs rare drop only on ogre hunts... Two from three ain't bad. Hm... that..."

Kang Seol traded his mats for their gear. Win-win.

Before ending the quest, Han Somi handed him something.

"Oppa, this..."

"Leather? Why?"

"Sign here... Knife scratch'll etch nice. Reinforce weapon later..."

Kang Seol took the knife, bemused, and signed simply.

"Below: 'Somi, you'll ace college next year. Oppa Seol...' Ellipsis too, dreamy!"

"...Sure you can go back next year?"

"Talisman vibes."

Being around Han Somi drained him somehow. But her positivity lifted his gloom a bit.

They ended the quest together.

Ziiing—

Party teleported to Nobira outskirts together.

First time warping with others—felt oddly unfamiliar to Kang Seol.

"Phew... survived somehow."

"Every adventure's hell."

Han Somi and Jo Kyung-taek grumbled, opening interfaces.

A message floated for the party.