Chapter 171
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 171
Chapter Title: Clash with Kungkung
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A week before Kang Seol was set to join the expedition, he was chatting with Tori.
"So, even though they're both predators from the underground fourth floor, you're saying Kungkung is way stronger than Coco?"
"Yeah! It's the matchup."
"Kungkung's the rock giant, right?"
"You can tell just by looking? The way it thumps around when it walks. Lucky for us it's a rock giant. If it wasn't, it would've eaten every last prisoner by now."
"Hmm... But in a real fight, wouldn't it be different?"
"Sure, it could be. But I can feel it. Kungkung's stronger. Coco couldn't sink its teeth into Kungkung. Even if it did, Kungkung would still win in the end. Best case, a draw?"
"Frontal assault's out of the question, then... By the way, are Coco and Kungkung the only predators down on the fourth floor?"
Tori tilted his head back for a moment, as if recalling someone.
"There used to be a ton of them, but every time they rampaged, Kungkung smashed them all. I think there was one more guy in my memory... but he's not around anymore? Some weird dude with six arms... Probably got taken out by Kungkung."
Kang Seol finished his talk with Tori and sank into thought.
What if we end up clashing with Kungkung?
It'd be great if they could punch through according to plan, but he had to prepare for the worst.
Tori had admitted he didn't know everything, either.
And the one behind this whole thing had warned that if Tori spilled more, he might get whimsical.
Whoever's buried down there... they want to meet us.
Playing pranks, but it could be seen as a test. A way to weed out the weak and see if they were worthy of meeting him.
Kang Seol decided to get all his answers straight from the source and turned his attention elsewhere.
Namely, passing on his bloodline to Coco.
Slice...
"Ugh..."
Kang Seol sliced his palm and squeezed out blood.
Any wound like that would heal in no time thanks to the Progenitor's Blood anyway.
He collected his blood over two days and had Coco drink it.
Kiiing...
Coco resisted at first, but once Kang Seol mixed it into water and food in small amounts, it eventually drank without complaint.
Huff... huff...
But there was no real reaction.
Is it because of its size? Or does drinking it not pass on the bloodline?
Did it need to actually breed to inherit it, like with real family?
Or... since it's not a summon, it doesn't apply?
Gruk...
Grrruk...
Then Coco started writhing.
A reaction!
Kiiiiing...
Coco twisted in agony.
[Forming bloodline bond with Coco.]
[Duration: Superior bloodline takes effect.]
[Beings inheriting the Progenitor's Blood have all stats increased by 20%.]
[Bloodline recipient gains Foresight Eye.]
Yes!
Coco was a transcendent-grade magic beast, after all.
A 20% boost to all stats wasn't trivial—it'd be a huge help.
Kiiing...
Lick.
Coco rubbed against Kang Seol, its eyes now eerily similar to his.
[Charismatic Being activates. Gained extra affinity.]
[Acquired Ally 'Hungry Coco.']
['Hungry Coco's grade is Transcendent.]
[Allies may appear in any adventure.]
[They provide aid based on affinity.]
...It ended up like this after all. Gotta think if there's a way to keep it around permanently.
He'd prepared just in case, but Kang Seol hoped he never had to test questions like If I feed Progenitor's Blood to Coco, can it take on Kungkung?
[Coco uses Tear to Shreds.]
[Triples bleeding from Tear to Shreds wounds.]
[Bleeding does not stop easily.]
[Ineffective against bleeding-immune targets.]
Krrrarrr!
Kagagagagak!
What blood did a pile of rocks have anyway?
Rock giants had bleeding immunity by default.
Kang Seol ignored the obvious and focused elsewhere.
Attacks are landing! Coco's hits are getting through!
After swatting Coco away with its arm, Kungkung lurched to its feet.
Kang Seol didn't just stand by—he stepped up.
Crackle...!
Kang Seol cast Volcanic Armor on himself and Coco.
After that, he let Coco loose.
He wasn't Coco's summoner, just a comrade, so he had no control over it anyway.
Whoooosh...
Swish—!
Kang Seol swiftly summoned the Twin Knights and said,
"Save the people!"
"Got it!"
What made Kungkung terrifying wasn't its one-on-one prowess.
It was the rock giant's insane defense and wide-area attacks blanketing huge zones.
Most of Karuna and Karen's attacks would bounce off Kungkung.
To pierce that with blades, they'd need full-power strikes—and even then, no guarantee.
So Kang Seol used the Twin Knights for force preservation instead.
Kagagagak!
Kagagak!
Coco was huge too, but nothing compared to Kungkung—like a high-rise building stomping around.
The size gap was like dog versus human.
[Coco uses Frenzied Assault.]
[Coco's attack power +20%, speed +30% for a short time.]
Ururrr...
Kagagak!
Each swipe of Coco's claws sheared rock from Kungkung's body.
Kwajiiik!
"Graaaah!"
Kang Seol attacked Kungkung's foot, refusing to be outdone.
...Tough.
Most strikes barely scratched it.
"Kruk? Graaaaaah!"
Kungkung roared.
Furious at people dodging rocks while attacking it.
[Kungkung uses Thump-Thump!]
[All rocks shatter and scatter once.]
[Destroyed terrain and flying rocks become easier to break, fragments hit harder, and fly farther for a while.]
Suddenly, Kang Seol bellowed,
"Dodge—!"
Kwaaaang!
Kwaaaaang!
Falling rocks from the ceiling, plus chunks shed from Kungkung in battle.
All detonated at once.
Foosh...
"Kuhuk..."
"Guh..."
Like endless grenades going off.
People smashed by debris everywhere, unable to escape the disaster.
Damn...
As if seizing momentum, Kungkung triggered a special ability.
[Kungkung's special ability: Rock Rain activates.]
[Rock fragments from Kungkung's body whirl around nearby.]
Hudududuk...
Small stone shards floated up, slowly orbiting Kungkung.
"Everyone, over here!"
Amid the chaos, Chameli's shout cut through, and heads turned.
Chameli and the pilgrims clustered, chanting.
"Guide us to your peaceful land!"
Whoooaaa—!
[Chameli uses Sanctuary: Paradise.]
[Deflects most projectiles while Paradise is active.]
"Hurry! This way!"
"Uwaaaah!"
People surged into the golden hemispherical barrier from the pilgrims.
"Th-there!"
"Iron Lion..."
Iron Lion Chieftain was carrying a fallen man toward the pilgrims.
"Hah... hah..."
"Put... me down... leave me... you're late."
"Yohimba! Don't die!"
"You've... got a soft spot after all. I'm done... gutted like a fish."
"Damn bastard! Should've eaten moderately!"
"You'll die too... Don't... die like this."
"Shut it! Can't stain Iron Lion's name!"
He stubbornly carried the blood-drenched Yohimba all the way.
But.
"Behind! Behind you!"
"No—!"
Kungkung swung a massive log club at Iron Lion and Yohimba—they'd be crushed flat.
"Block it!"
Ziiing—
[Frannan uses Magic Circle: Lightweight.]
[Target material lightens by 90% for short time.]
[Frannan uses Magic Circle: Hesitation.]
[Target's strength -20% temporarily.]
Before Frannan's magic kicked in, someone stood by Iron Lion.
Kang Seol, his summons, and Mael.
Kwajiiiiik!
"Nngh..."
"Urghhh..."
They splendidly blocked the log club. But Kungkung kept pressing down.
Drdrdr...
Then Mael's body swelled massively, shredding his shirt.
"Graaaah!"
[Mael uses Blood Sorcery: Hatred.]
[Overloads muscles for explosive strength boost.]
[Risk of losing reason.]
"Graaaaaah!"
Whoosh—!
Kuwooooong—!
Thankfully, others cast spells in time to shove the log off.
They rushed to the pilgrims.
"Lord Yohimba!"
"Too much blood... you've lost too much!"
"I'm fine... go fight, you idiots..."
Yohimba passed out in that state.
Yip! Woof!
While Coco held Kungkung's attention, Frannan said to Kang Seol,
"Your pup's useless against rockheads too."
"...Headache."
"That's why bad bodies make brains suffer. That defense is the issue... Do we even have the firepower for a one-shot on something that big?"
He glanced slyly at Kang Seol.
Basically asking if he had that power.
"...Might be possible."
"Good. Giants have crazy vitality—even heart shots don't kill 'em, right?"
"Know it."
"Target?"
"Head."
"Heh... I'll drag it to a nice vantage."
Rock Rain stopped, and Kungkung rampaged again.
Frannan muttered as Kang Seol and the fighters bought him time.
"Using this spell since the last giant hunt. Been a while."
Ziiiiing...
[Frannan uses High Magic Circle: Leg Club.]
[Applies 300% spellpower impact to designated spot temporarily.]
"Not yet..."
[Frannan uses High Magic Circle: Accumulation.]
[Magic circle effects stack.]
Ziiing—
[Frannan uses High Magic Circle: Collapse.]
[Next impact spell +75% effect.]
...
The expedition murmured at Frannan's intense focus—first time seeing it.
"Th-that's..."
"How many complex spells..."
Thanks to Kang Seol and Coco buying time, Frannan prepped safely.
"Done—dodge!"
"Coco! Get out!"
Kang Seol and Coco leaped off Kungkung into the air.
Frannan's mana swirled in the space.
"Old geezer powerrr!"
[Frannan uses Ultimate: Elder Respect.]
[Impact applied to designated spot.]
Zizizizizig...
Several magic circles warped, unleashing mana.
Kwaaaaaaaaaaang!
Persersersok...
"Graaaaaaaaaaah!"
Kungkung's leg shattered clean from the knee. Shattered was the word.
Whoooosh...
"D-dodge—!"
"It's falling!"
Kungkung toppled backward.
Kuwoooooooong!
A quake that shook the space.
But things weren't all rosy.
Crackle...
Rock dust flew to Kungkung's broken leg, trying to form a new one.
"Disciple! Spell ready yet?"
Swish...
Kang Seol floated midair, landing precisely.
On Kungkung's chest—head perfectly positioned.
Creak...
Crackle...
Snap...
[Switching to Lightning Blaze Stance.]
[Flames cling to all attacks.]
[Explosions at impact points.]
[Lightning spreads at impact points.]
[Duration: Clinging flames apply.]
[Duration: Scorching heat applies.]
[Duration: Tingling shocks apply.]
Grgrgrr—!
[Night Crow: Iron Fist Rule.]
[Shadow Hand duration affected by clinging flames.]
[Shadow Hand duration affected by scorching heat.]
[Shadow Hand duration affected by tingling shocks.]
A massive black arm rivaling Kungkung's thick limb surged skyward, lightning and fire wreathing it.
"Raaaaah!"
Whoooosh...
Then plunged earthward.
Kwaaaaaaaaaaang—!
Pajijijik!
"Uh..."
Twitch...
Foosh...
Frannan paled.
Kang Seol's devastating blow had smashed half Kungkung's head, yet rocks still gathered.
"My god! Still hanging on?! No! It's not—"
Kang Seol gritted his teeth.
True to transcendent giant form, Kungkung tanked Kang Seol's best on its weak spot.
Damn, didn't expect it to survive...
At this rate, a recovered Kungkung rampaging again was no surprise.
But luck wasn't just on Kungkung's side.
[Conductor (Singularity) activates.]
[Recovering mana spent on Iron Fist Rule.]
Kang Seol's Lament ability triggered too.
Feeling mana refill, he swelled his arm again.
Crackle—!
"Just..."
Whoooosh...
"Die!"
Kwaaaaaaaaaaang!
Pajijik...
The remaining half of Kungkung's head vanished completely.
Shhh...
Headless, Kungkung's body crumbled from the limbs inward.
[Defeated Sturdy Kungkung.]
[First to defeat a transcendent-grade enemy.]
[Achieved first feat 'Path of the Superhuman.']
[Acquired first title 「Superhuman」.]
...
Messages floated before Kang Seol.
The expedition couldn't believe their eyes.
"I-is that the same guy?"
"Frannan's one thing, but..."
"What the hell is he...?"
Various reactions.
Amid it, something caught Kang Seol's eye.
As Kungkung crumbled, something inside revealed itself.
This is...?
A round, solid orb.
Kang Seol pulled it out and held it.
That instant,
Drdrdr...
[Rock Giant's Core vibrates.]
[Mountain's Origin Power reacts.]