Chapter 74
Chapter 74
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 74
Chapter Title: Red Asura - 1
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“Thirty Red Asuras? It could be even more than that?”
“Yes. That’s correct.”
It was because the report indicated that the number of Red Asuras, which they had thought was only two, had inexplicably swelled.
“What’s your basis for that judgment? No matter what, twenty-eight more in such a short time?”
Even if Sergeant Kim Min-jun had shown nothing but excellence up to now, they couldn’t just take his word at face value.
“The heat I’m sensing right now. It’s not something two Red Asuras could emit.”
To back up his claim, Kim Min-jun pointed toward the far end of the dungeon with his finger.
“You might not feel it now because you’re wearing the flame-resistant suits, but you’ll notice the difference even at the midpoint.”
A report from Kim Min-jun that the distant heat was intense.
They were already in flame-resistant suits, so how had he detected it?
“Alright. Since you’re saying so, we’ll move to the midpoint and decide how to proceed.”
Lieutenant Kim Cheol-min ordered the hunters to form up and advance.
If Kim Min-jun was right and there were thirty Red Asuras here, they’d be in serious trouble.
The force that had entered this closed dungeon was just one platoon.
It had been assembled under the assumption of facing only two Red Asuras.
‘Irregular monsters have been popping up more frequently lately, but there’s no way their numbers could balloon like that.’
Red Asuras were plant-type monsters.
Think of them as bipedal walking plants.
‘Regular Asuras are easier to deal with than goblins. Even Red Asuras become much simpler if you use the cooling grenades right.’
However.
That only held true when their numbers were low.
To take on thirty Red Asuras, they’d need a massive stockpile of specially made cooling grenades.
Obviously, one platoon didn’t have a prayer.
‘Min-jun’s just being overly sensitive. He’s always the first to notice when emergencies crop up.’
That aside.
It wasn’t just one or two extras—it was thirty.
The chance of it going from two Red Asuras just a few days ago to thirty was next to zero.
“Alright, everyone! Keep vigilant in all four directions as we move! No rushing! Got it!”
“Yes, sir!”
“Understood!”
Following Lieutenant Kim Cheol-min’s orders, the hunters slowly advanced toward the front.
“It’s not like we’re in a sauna or anything.”
“Ugh, it’s a steam room in here.”
They hadn’t even reached the midpoint yet, but sweat was already beading on the platoon members’ foreheads.
The interior of a dungeon with Red Asuras was hot.
It was due to the heat radiating from their bodies.
Even the specially made flame-resistant suits couldn’t block their heat completely.
“Hold up.”
“This is… getting way too hot all of a sudden?”
When they reached the point Kim Min-jun had warned about, intense heat poured out from deeper inside.
Up until now, it had felt like a sauna, but from here on, it was at a level where carelessness could mean burns.
‘Everyone, quietly fall back! No loud noises!’
‘Yes, sir!’
‘Understood!’
This was absolutely not the heat from two Red Asuras.
The moment it was confirmed that Kim Min-jun’s warning was spot on, Lieutenant Kim Cheol-min signaled a retreat in a hushed voice.
‘Damn it. If it’s really thirty like Min-jun said… we’re in deep shit.’
Intense heat billowing from deep in the dungeon.
Even from this distance, it was starting to choke him a bit.
It definitely wasn’t ordinary heat.
‘Each platoon member only carries one cooling grenade.’
About forty cooling grenades were more than enough—overkill, even—for two Red Asuras.
However.
If the number exceeded ten, things changed drastically.
‘The more Red Asuras there are, the harder they get to handle.’
The more that clustered together, the more powerful heat they generated.
There was even a manual recommending withdrawal if ten or more were grouped.
Not to mention how much the cooling grenades’ effectiveness dropped.
‘He must be agonizing over it.’
Meanwhile.
Kim Min-jun was steadily watching Lieutenant Kim Cheol-min as he racked his brain.
With the platoon’s current firepower, taking out thirty Red Asuras wasn’t impossible.
It was straight-up impossible.
‘Without me, Second Platoon would’ve been wiped out. Lately, it feels like Second Platoon’s the only one dealing with this crap.’
Two days ago.
According to the report, there had been two Red Asuras.
‘So they multiplied by that much in just two days.’
Twenty-eight irregular monsters spawning in two days.
That could happen with regular monsters, but Red Asuras were irregulars.
There had to be some cause.
‘Tch. If only my magic stat were higher, I could send in the Night Walker.’
Kim Min-jun clicked his tongue inwardly.
At its current skill level, the Night Walker couldn’t withstand that intense heat.
He’d only estimated the numbers based on his gut.
There could be more or fewer.
“Lieutenant Kim Cheol-min. Got a moment?”
“Huh? Yeah, sure. What is it?”
Kim Min-jun approached Kim Cheol-min, who wore a grave expression.
“Normally, we’d hold position in case the closed dungeon’s entrance reopens, but the longer we stay in here, the riskier it gets.”
“I agree. Problem is, if there are that many of them, one platoon can’t handle it. Got any ideas?”
Lieutenant Kim Cheol-min looked deadly serious.
Kim Min-jun replied that they shouldn’t fight them all at once but one by one.
“They naturally move in groups, so the standard approach won’t work against a herd.”
In truth, the monsters inside were at a level he could charge in solo and sweep away.
Of course, that was only for him.
‘Killing Red Asuras indiscriminately has a chance of causing a strong explosion.’
If he brute-forced it his way, the platoon members would get caught in the blasts.
Naturally, he lacked the skills to perfectly protect everyone while smashing away.
“Here’s my plan.”
Kim Min-jun drew the whip from his belt and pointed to the flame-resistant suits the platoon members wore.
“We use the spare flame-resistant suits they’re carrying to build a wall. Then we poke holes in specific spots—just big enough for a Red Asura to barely squeeze through.”
He mimed reeling in a fish.
“I’ll lure one at a time. One of you shoves a cooling grenade into its mouth. The other pries its jaws open. This way, there’s no explosion risk.”
“…I didn’t know that was an option.”
Lieutenant Kim Cheol-min judged it feasible after hearing the explanation.
He’d been mulling over various countermeasures, but Kim Min-jun’s was the safest and most reliable.
“There’s one issue, though.”
“An issue?”
“Yeah. Your plan’s perfect in theory. But even if you pull it off, one slip-up from a platoon member and we’re all done.”
Lieutenant Kim Cheol-min turned to eye the platoon.
Kim Min-jun had shown insane whip proficiency during KCTC training, so no worries there.
‘Hmm. The most capable ones are probably Corporal Lee Seung-ho and Specialist Kim Kwang-sik…’
However.
The platoon members’ stamina was draining in real time.
Maintaining high focus in that state wasn’t easy.
‘Damn. We haven’t even reached the end yet, and it’s this hot.’
Even he was struggling to breathe.
Just being in the dungeon sapped stamina, and now this intense heat on top.
It was a double whammy.
‘We can’t drag this out any longer. Have to deal with them fast.’
Normally, they’d retreat, resupply with gear and reinforcements, then re-enter.
But closed dungeons were one-and-done.
Barring extremely rare exceptions.
“Everyone! Prep to take down the Red Asuras! You can feel it too—this dungeon has more than two!”
“Th-then… how many more?”
“Not sure, but with this heat, assume at least ten extra.”
“This is insane!”
“Ten? The report said two for sure.”
At Lieutenant Kim Cheol-min’s words, the platoon members’ faces darkened rapidly.
‘What the hell? The front lines aren’t cursed or anything. Why do irregulars keep popping up?’
‘And what? Thought it was two Red Asuras, turns out ten-plus? What were the scouts doing?’
‘Hey, ten means forty cooling grenades won’t cut it. We’re screwed, right?’
Other irregulars could be managed even if numbers swelled a bit.
But Red Asuras got trickier the more there were.
“Whew…”
“My throat’s already dry…”
Just spending time in their dungeon was enough to dehydrate the hunters.
“Sergeant Kim Min-jun, Corporal Lee Seung-ho, Specialist Kim Kwang-sik! You three handle the Red Asuras! The rest, pull out your spare flame-resistant suits and hand them to Sergeant Kim Min-jun!”
“Got it!”
Dragging it out further was too dangerous.
With that judgment, Lieutenant Kim Cheol-min issued orders.
“Staff Sergeant Lee Seung-ho. Just the three of us?”
“Specialist Kim Kwang-sik. With so many of them, how are three gonna…”
Before they could finish, Kim Min-jun grabbed their shoulders and pulled them forward.
“No time. Trust me and follow my lead. See that up ahead? Barely room for three.”
The spot he pointed to was where they’d set up the flame-resistant suit wall.
“I’ll explain once, so listen up. I’ll lure the Red Asuras one by one. Seung-ho, you pry its jaws. Kwang-sik, you stuff the cooling grenade in.”
“…Did I hear that right?”
Lee Seung-ho and Kim Kwang-sik looked dumbfounded at Kim Min-jun’s explanation.
No wonder—they’d never heard of taking down a Red Asura that way.
“I picked you two because you’re the best fit. And I’ve got your backs. No matter what, I’ll protect you.”
Just trust and follow.
At that, Lee Seung-ho and Kim Kwang-sik glanced at him before replying.
“We’ll do it.”
“Leave it to us.”
Had they ever lost by trusting Sergeant Kim Min-jun?
Not once.
And they firmly believed this time wouldn’t be any different.
“Good. Let’s get to work.”
Don’t worry.
I won’t let a single one of you get hurt.