The Assassin Hunter Stops Time
KWANG!
“KUEEEEEEER!”
The man who shattered the head of the Flame Golem with his hammer stood amid the wreckage of the monster’s pieces scattered across the ground.
Jae-ri, who had been standing beside him, spoke up.
“The number of monsters is increasing steadily.”
“They’ll probably send out the others soon. When the number of Flame Golems has grown this large, it means we’re almost at the end.”
From experience, when that many monsters appeared at the final stage, it often signaled a phase change in the next area.
But in other words.
“It looks like we’re heading in the right direction now.”
“Yes.”
They were heading toward the key area that would allow them to clear the Red Gate.
Hearing Lee Hye-jin’s words, the raid leader of the Alliance, Woo-hyeon, nodded.
“In that case, should we fire a signal flare here and merge with the Black Chain Guild and the Red Circle Guild’s raids?”
Woo-hyeon turned his head to look at the raid leader of the Hwarang Guild.
Na Jeong-hyun, the raid leader of the Hwarang Guild, nodded.
“I think that’s what we should do. It’s getting increasingly difficult now.”
They had originally been two separate raids that had joined forces to fight together.
Now was the time to concentrate all the power of the raids.
One…
“But… where is the Red Circle Guild’s raid?”
The Black Chain Guild’s raid was known to be operating independently not far from here.
Since their targets were the same, the direction they were heading should have been similar.
But on the way here, the Red Circle Guild’s raid had not been seen once.
What exactly were they doing?
But then.
KWAANG!
A massive explosion echoed from the rear.
The hunters present, somewhat startled, turned around.
“……What is this?”
“What’s going on?”
A situation without a clear cause.
But at that moment, Hye-jin said quietly.
“It doesn’t seem to be a monster.”
The explosion moments ago.
“It’s a clash between hunters.”
“Eh?! Hunter-nim Lee Hye-jin!”
“Let’s go check it out right away!”
Hye-jin quickly ran toward the site of the explosion, and the hunters there followed her without delay.
What on earth was happening…?
* * *
Third one.
While moving toward the second cartel crystal installation site, Do-jin killed the Red Circle hunter and turned his head.
Seeing the figures at the second cartel crystal installation site, he could tell how urgent they were.
‘Yeah, the other thirty hunters would definitely be a major concern.’
If it weren’t for that, Jang-hoon’s cautious nature would never have rushed this operation this far.
It was important enough to them, but.
‘On the contrary, it’s becoming poison.’
Three out of ten had already died.
Once these two were dealt with, their numbers would be halved.
Do-jin looked at the hunters guarding the second cartel crystal installation site.
One woman, one man.
From their equipment, one warrior and one healer.
A well-balanced combination in case of unforeseen situations.
Then…
‘Healer first.’
Do-jin crouched low behind a rock rising above his height and moved stealthily.
There was no possibility of the hunters noticing Do-jin, who made no sound at all.
And…
“I heard about the success bonus.”
“They said each person would get thirty billion if the dungeon break happens properly.”
“……It’s unbelievable.”
Hui-na’s words drew a gasp of admiration from Mu-ho.
He had heard it was an important project, but thirty billion per person?
“As expected, the master is loaded, huh?”
“But I don’t know. If this dungeon breaks… there will definitely be a lot of people outside who die.”
Hui-na, gripping only a dagger the size of her own body, let out a small sigh.
It was supposed to be a project for the guild’s big leap, but she couldn’t help thinking it was a risky endeavor.
But…
“The master said he was already preparing outside. No major damage should occur, so don’t worry. And thirty billion? Honestly, we can’t even get that money easily.”
“……You’re right.”
Hui-na turned her gaze toward the cartel crystal.
The mana readings around it were steadily rising, synced with the surrounding mana flow.
A little more time, and it would stabilize and amplify the mana.
‘……No more thinking about that.’
The dice had already been rolled.
He knew better than anyone that there was no turning back.
Hui-na simply stared at the cartel crystal with her lips tightly sealed.
But at that moment.
SWEEEEEEAK!
“……!”
Hui-na suddenly raised her dagger in a hurry as something flew in from the side.
Mu-ho reacted as well, swinging his staff to knock the incoming object away.
BOOM!
“Poison?!”
“Hold your breath!”
Hui-na shouted and looked in the direction the dagger had come from.
Scattered rocks rose all around, but.
‘No presence…?’
A hunter who made no impression on her senses?
What kind of hunter was that…?
But then, a voice came from right behind her.
“You know and you’re still doing this?”
“Hui-na, behind you!”
“Hyup!”
KWANG!
At Mu-ho’s cry, Hui-na instinctively swung the dagger she was holding.
A rock larger than herself shattered, and a man landed gracefully like a cat on the ground beside it.
Hui-na asked.
“You’re crazy. Do you even know who we are?”
“A vicious villain.”
Do-jin looked at the floating cartel crystal and said.
“Even knowing what this is, you still try to make a quick buck like this.”
Thinking about it, that was exactly why he had been killed by Kang Seungho.
‘Honor… money…’
He still didn’t understand how much more honor or money was needed to be satisfied.
Do-jin looked at the hunters in front of him.
They were the kind of people who would become all A-ranks with just a little more time.
In that case, money would hold no meaning for them at all.
Even staying still, they would earn hundreds of millions in salary per month, and with just a few dungeon runs, they could make more than that.
But the greed was the problem.
“He doesn’t realize that this greed will shorten his life.”
“Crazy bastard. You’re the only one who dies.”
Hui-na’s eyes flashed.
Eventually, as she lifted her dagger.
“Strands. Speed Up!”
Mu-ho immediately cast a buff on Hui-na.
Not a healer specialized only in recovery, but more like a buffer.
And with the buff strengthening her body.
BOOM!
Hui-na rolled strongly on the ground and rushed toward Do-jin.
Whoever it was, it was clear they had come to interfere, so there was no point in delaying.
First.
‘I can chop off a limb or two and interrogate later.’
Hui-na’s figure charged toward Do-jin like a bull.
It was a fairly fast speed for a warrior.
“Acceleration. Night Walker.”
The moment Do-jin linked the two skills, his figure split into two and moved in opposite directions.
From Hui-na’s perspective, facing him head-on, it looked as if Do-jin had vanished.
But…
“Hui-na! Left!”
From a distance away, Mu-ho called out the direction Do-jin had taken.
Hui-na twisted her body and chased after Do-jin.
But at that moment.
“……?!”
Suddenly, as if an invisible thin thread wrapped around her entire body, her movements grew heavy.
No, it was the flow of air. Even breathing felt… alien?
“Time Distortion.”
Do-jin’s 5-meter radius.
His unique skill that slowed time to 1.6 times.
A strange situation unknown to the records froze the body of a person instantly.
And within that momentary hesitation, Do-jin did not miss his chance.
Slash! Chop!
“KUAHK!”
[Reset condition met. Time Distortion cooldown has been reset.]
The fatal strike from slashing the arm and piercing the side appeared to have landed a critical hit.
Do-jin slid behind Hui-na’s back and used Time Distortion again.
“T-this… is that a time adjustment skill?!”
Anyone who had experienced it once knew this was a skill related to time.
If they had known and prepared, they could have fought it off.
“There’s no next time.”
It was a pity they had no second chance, but there was nothing they could do.
Poke!
B-rank, A-rank.
Level 100, 200… but in the end, they were people.
They possessed enormous abilities, but there was no human who could survive with a pierced neck.
Because it was reality, not a game.
“Grrk!”
Hui-na fell with an expression of disbelief.
Mu-ho, left alone in the situation where the outcome had been decided in an instant, stared at Do-jin with wide eyes.
He had cleared countless dungeons and witnessed countless battles.
But without a doubt.
‘How… how did he move so naturally…’
Fast speed?
No, it was not something that could define a person.
From the first movement to the final attack, the way his body flowed naturally, like water, was something that evoked awe rather than fear.
If there truly was a ‘Grim Reaper,’ it would move like this.
Even fleeing or resisting felt meaningless.
Thud.
Finally, Do-jin exhaled slightly after dealing with the last remaining hunter.
“Huu…”
Five in total.
With this, the Red Circle Guild’s raid force could be said to have been completely wiped out.
‘Now with this number, we can’t do anything.’
Besides, he hadn’t recovered the two cartel crystals.
Now it was time to merge with the Alliance raid and clear the Red Gate.
There was nothing more the others could do.
But at that moment.
“Hey, what are you doing right now?”
“……!”
A strange Chinese voice came from behind.
Do-jin hurriedly pushed off the ground and moved away from the sound.
Do-jin saw the hunter.
Hao Chen.
Was he acting alone, separated from the raid?
But there was no time to think long.
Hao Chen glanced at the two fallen hunters on the ground and then pulled out his spear.
“I thought some mouse was interfering with the job… It was you.”
Hao Chen’s eyes flashed sharply.
“You’re the one holding the cartel crystal I installed earlier, right?”
“……”
Do-jin remained silent at the question.
Although he wasn’t fluent, he could handle Chinese and Japanese to a certain degree.
That was why he could sense how dangerous the current situation was.
‘Of all times… Hao Chen.’
Among the Yellow Dragon Guild, Hao Chen was known for his extreme physical strength, enough to be singled out.
He didn’t know how this hunter had ended up here.
‘There’s no escape.’
Of all people, the one he least wanted to face.
“Huu.”
Do-jin gripped Arkal’s Wrath tightly.
If there was no escape, then.
‘I’ll kill you.’
Do-jin’s eyes calmed as he made his decision.
Hao Chen’s mouth curved up in a bewildered smile.
“Are you really going to fight me? A mere assassin hunter?”
Rough killing intent exploded from the hunter’s eyes.
“You uneducated bastard…!”
Finally, charging toward the oncoming Hao Chen.
PIT!
Do-jin’s figure vanished.