The Assassin Hunter's Sudden Attack
Hao Chen's movements were different now.
No longer desperate and frantic like before, he accurately dodged Drake's swing.
__strong__Vwoom!__/__strong__
Even the swing itself produced a sonic boom.
But Hao Chen charged straight toward Drake, avoiding the attack.
“You damn lizard brat!”
Golden lightning began to gather at the tip of Hao Chen's spear.
His unique skill—__strong__Thunderbolt__/__strong__.
Using thunder for a thrust not only increased speed but also destroyed the target with terrifying power.
It couldn't kill Drake in one blow, but it could certainly deliver a proper finishing strike.
And…
__strong__Now…__/__strong__!
Ha Dojin immediately revealed himself and charged toward Hao Chen.
It was the only chance right now, when all of Drake's attention was focused solely on him.
But…
“I knew you’d come out like this, you rat…”
Drake's gaze, which had been charging toward Hao Chen, turned to Ha Dojin approaching from the side.
This attack was meant only to draw him out.
He should have moved clumsily from the start, so the bastard wouldn't have reacted.__/em__
It was self-deception.
Even if it was only for a moment, concentrating all his attention on Drake was true.
That was why the bastard had come out to catch him in this timing.
“I’ll kill the annoying one first, then deal with this lizard…”
Hao Chen's eyes flashed with murderous intent.
He twisted his body to face Dojin and thrust his spear forward.
__strong__Huaaah!__/__strong__
Ha Dojin swung his spear at the incoming beast.
__strong__Kwa kwa kwa kwa kwa kwa kwa kwa!__/__strong__
At the same instant, over a dozen lightning bolts rained down from the sky.
It was the exact moment golden thunder struck where Dojin stood.
“…__strong__Time Distortion__/__strong__.”
And acceleration.
Though it was only a fleeting moment, the falling lightning bolts slowed.
Alone in that slowed world, Dojin kicked off the ground and moved, while the acceleration skill clinging to his armor boosted his speed.
__strong__Pfft!__/__strong__
“…?!”
Hao Chen's eyes widened in shock.
Where did he go…?
In that instant when the lightning struck, Hao Chen was certain.
This one blow wouldn't kill the guy, but he could at least make him completely unable to fight.
But…
__strong__He vanished.__/__strong__
Just like mages teleporting.
But was that possible?
He wouldn't have had time to activate any spell.__/em__
His head became complicated.
It was an impossible sight to see with his own eyes.
“Kuuuuaaaah!”
“…!”
Perhaps the hesitation was too long.
Before he knew it, Drake, who had closed in right in front of him, roared loudly and swung his paw toward Hao Chen's head.
__strong__Kwaang!__/__strong__
“Gwaaak!”
From above, the attack came like a fly swatter.
Hao Chen's body was driven straight into the ground.
And…
__strong__Ssuuaaaah!__/__strong__
Drake's tail attack aimed at the fallen Hao Chen.
There was no way to avoid sweeping the ground like a broom.
Hao Chen desperately raised his spear for defense, but
__strong__Puk!__/__strong__
“Kuaaaah!”
With the pain as if his entire body was shattering, he was flung backward.
__strong__Thud!__/__strong__
Ha Dojin collapsed on the ground and stared at the sky with a vacant expression.
In South Korea, which barely had a palm-sized patch of land…
__strong__What kind of humiliation is this.__/__strong__
Did it mean that the bastard had revealed himself only to be fake?
Or had he unknowingly had some clone-related skill?
With no answer in sight, Hao Chen forced his body up.
If he lay down comfortably like this, it would be just right for the afterlife.
First.
__strong__I have to run.__/__strong__
Damn that rat bastard.
He had to get out of here first.
__strong__This situation is too bad.__/__strong__
Hao Chen's expression twisted.
But then.
“How does it feel to be cornered?”
“…?!”
A broken Chinese accent.
Hao Chen instinctively turned toward the voice coming from behind and swung his spear.
But…
__strong__Screch!__/__strong__
“Huh?”
With a chill running down his spine, his whole body felt like it had been struck by lightning.
Along with the feeling of his strength draining away.
__strong__Mi… insane.__/__strong__
Only curses came out, but he couldn't even say them out loud.
It was an alien sensation, as if his own body wasn't his.
__strong__Thud!__/__strong__
Hao Chen knelt on both knees on the ground.
His left hand was now clutching his right neck.
__strong__Dduk… dduk…__/__strong__
Blood flowed out between his left palm.
In the middle of this unreal situation, the bastard's voice was heard.
“You won't be lonely. It's not a path you go alone.”
“…What?”
“Die.”
__strong__Puk!__/__strong__
A blow without emotion.
Like poking a hot dumpling with chopsticks to release steam.
But Ha Dojin's precise thrust pierced straight through Hao Chen's neck, and his eyes lost focus.
__strong__Thud!__/__strong__
Finally, Hao Chen met death.
It was a hollow death unworthy of his reputation as one of the three main dealers of the Yellow Dragon Guild.
But what wasn't empty in the face of death?
Ha Dojin looked down at Hao Chen with a calm expression.
And at that moment.
__strong__Ring!__/__strong__
[The trait of the being who reached the highest place from the lowest has activated.]
[Successfully defeated a target with a double level difference.]
[First special reward. Acquired overcoming double difference.]
[All stats increased by 15.]
[Part of the abilities of the killed target (Hao Chen) have been absorbed.]
[Strength 13 absorbed.]
[Agility 21 absorbed.]
[Skill: __strong__Thunderbolt__/__strong__ absorbed.]
“…?!”
Ha Dojin's eyes widened.
Normally, Ha Dojin didn't show special expressions, but he couldn't help being surprised at this moment.
“This… this… what is…?”
Ha Dojin stammered.
What exactly did this message mean that was floating in front of his eyes right now?
One…
“Kuuuuaaaah!”
“…!”
Drake's roar snapped him back to his senses.
Ha Dojin immediately kicked the ground and fled the area.
__strong__Kwaang!__/__strong__
Drake's swinging tail mercilessly whipped the spot where Dojin had been.
Without even the time to take out Hao Chen's equipment.
“…Tsk.”
Among the artifacts he was wearing, there must have been quite a few good ones.
That one blow would have probably smashed them all at once.
Or, even if not.
__strong__Right now…__/__strong__
Ha Dojin looked down toward the bottom of the mountain.
The most troublesome opponent, Hao Chen, was dead.
Now, only the remaining Red Circle hunters were left to kill.
“The situation is being cleaned up.”
After that, he would have to deal with countermeasures against this bastard.
Ha Dojin hurriedly dodged the Drake charging toward him again.
__strong__Kwaang! Kwaaah!__/__strong__
To kill that monster, he would have to combine forces with the others.
“Acceleration, Night Walker.”
Ha Dojin's figure split in an instant, disappearing right in front of Drake's eyes.
Drake's eyes widened in rage, and he roared loudly.
“Kuuuuaaaah!”
Drake, who had lost his target, began smashing the rocks that had sprouted around him in a frenzy.
As if he wanted to let the entire dungeon know of his existence.
But Ha Dojin didn't look back and quickly descended the mountain.
After all, he had already confirmed that the other guys had entered the mountain.
__strong__It's the last one now.__/__strong__
Soon, Ha Dojin was targeting the scattered Red Circle hunters.
__strong__* * *__/__strong__
“It’s Hao Chen's thunderbolt.”
Janghoon said to his group amid the intense roar echoing from the middle of the mountain.
Wonsi asked.
“Don’t we have to go up too? Drake woke up.”
“…Damn it.”
No matter how strong Hao Chen was, it was impossible for him to take down Drake alone.
He didn't know why Drake had suddenly woken up, but
__strong__It must be related to that bastard.__/__strong__
He really wanted to tear the guy's body apart.
But since Hao Chen was fighting with intent, the bastard wouldn't survive.
The problem was what came next.
“Hao Chen is the priority. We need to help him escape.”
Since Drake had awakened, clearing the dungeon was impossible.
It was also impossible to trigger a dungeon break right away.
__strong__If we just run well… we can trigger the dungeon break.__/__strong__
The mission had gone to hell, but it was important to clean up the rest properly.
Janghoon looked at his group and said.
“First, we go up quickly. After joining with Hao Chen, we'll hide until we've killed all the other bastards and the dungeon break occurs.”
Hunting hadn't been thought of from the start.
Losing five people was already a big loss, but they would hold the other guilds responsible later.
The other 30 hunters from the union had awakened Drake out of greed for the boss item, and during that process, they had attacked themselves who were struggling.
It was an absurd script, but if all the other guild hunters died, there would be no one to testify, right?
After all, dead bodies couldn't speak.
With just that pretext, they could blame the dungeon break on Hwarang and Black Chain Guild.
__strong__If those two guilds collapse, we can stand tall in Korea.__/__strong__
Janghoon quickly devised a new script and hurried up the mountain to the middle where Drake was.
But then.
“Where are you going so earnestly?”
“…!”
The voice coming from behind suddenly sent goosebumps all over his body.
And…
__strong__Thud!__/__strong__
“H… Hamin!”
“Hamin-ssi!”
Hamin, a healer hunter who had been following at the very back, collapsed to the ground.
Already, deep wounds on his side and neck suggested he was dead.
And behind him stood a man.
“You…”
An unfamiliar face.
But he seemed vaguely familiar.
__strong__It must be from the Firebird Guild…__/__strong__
The memory of having seen him just a little when he had slipped into the Red Gate dungeon came back.
He had thought of him as just an insignificant assassin hunter.
But…
__strong__That movement just now…__/__strong__
__strong__Gulp.__/__strong__
Janghoon unconsciously swallowed his saliva.
Because it was so fast and stealthy that he hadn't even been visible.
Most of the assassins with decent skill already knew him.
But this kind of guy was the first…
“No way…”
Janghoon's gaze turned icy cold.
As a Red Circle guild member, he knew one thing.
__strong__Is he an assassin raised by the guild?__/__strong__
Guild Master Kang Seungho also secretly raised an organization to handle hunters from other guilds.
He hadn't used them yet because their skills weren't mature.
__strong__There's no law against other guilds making the same organization.__/__strong__
Did it mean Firebird Guild was raising assassins like this?
Janghoon hurriedly raised his shield and shouted.
“Everyone, get ready for battle!”
“Damn it!”
“That damn bastard…!”
Only three were left.
Janghoon's eyes shook violently.
He had thought they were the hunters…
__strong__Were we the prey?__/__strong__
Cold sweat poured down Janghoon's forehead.
And the fact that the guy was here…
__strong__Did Hao Chen also fall?__/__strong__
But there was no longer any time to think.
Soon, the guy moved one step to the side, and
__strong__Pfft!__/__strong__
Black darkness began to cover them.