Chapter 37
Chapter 37
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 37
Chapter Title: Nayeo-ju Saves the World
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"Hey, hey! Hold on a sec!"
I called out to Jang Su-ho, who was heading toward the swamp at Kang Han's command.
"Sorry, Guild Leader. I forgot to give Jang Su-ho his pre-battle heal today."
I threw out that excuse and grabbed his wrist, which was peeking out from between the folds of his combat suit.
It was on a whole different level from when I'd purified Han Ji-seong.
I went ahead and burned 25 of my own stamina to activate the skill.
Sure enough, my hunch was right.
Ever since I'd seen Jang Su-ho's Berserker mode classified as an abnormal status, I'd vaguely suspected as much.
Now it was confirmed.
Jang Su-ho's Berserker mode was caused by Dark Addiction.
I'd have to run more tests later to figure out the details, but for now, the chances of him losing his reason to madness had dropped dramatically.
Jang Su-ho was ready.
"Go get 'em, Hellhound One!"
Go show 'em what No. 1 can do!
But Jang Su-ho still hesitated.
He didn't fully grasp his own condition yet, so he was still scared.
I smiled at him to reassure him.
"I'll fry 'em up for you, right?"
"Oh, right!"
Only then did Jang Su-ho straighten his shoulders a bit and slowly walk toward the swamp.
He clenched his massive fists.
"He doesn't have a shield?!"
I reflected on that.
I hadn't even realized the shield guy was missing his shield!
I resolved to buy him at least a B-rank shield or better once this guerrilla raid was over, and watched as Jang Su-ho started pounding the crocodiles.
"He's doing surprisingly well."
Yang Hwa-yeon whistled softly and shared her impressions.
Of course he is. He's the top Hellhound.
He has to handle that much.
"That guy's huge!"
"Flip him over and burst his belly, bro!"
Hellhound Two and Three cheered Jang Su-ho on excitedly.
"He's controlling the madness better than expected, and he's completely different from before?"
Yang Hwa-yeon, who only remembered Jang Su-ho from his days in the Taesan Guild, sounded increasingly surprised.
At first, he'd hesitated due to lack of confidence, but as it built up, he started flying around.
Then Yang Hwa-yeon, arms crossed as she watched Jang Su-ho fight, asked Kang Han.
"But won't this make the clear time drag on? You okay with that?"
The score for a guerrilla dungeon raid was determined by time.
It was a speed game—whoever cleared the gate fastest won.
But Kang Han didn't take his eyes off Jang Su-ho as he replied.
"The monster numbers are under control, so no problem. Time isn't the priority."
I couldn't hide my pride.
Even Kang Han's rigid way of thinking had gained some flexibility.
"Real gains matter more than scores. The Justice Guild needs experience right now."
Exactly!
"Those kids deserve to get stronger."
The words carried a lot of meaning.
Pride in the guild members who'd trained hard even in barren conditions, and self-reproach for not leading them properly.
It encompassed all that.
Boom!
With a sound like a balloon popping, the seventh crocodile met its end.
"Haa, huu. Hyung Han, I'm good!"
Jang Su-ho, soaked head to toe in the swamp's sticky water, ran back to us grinning ear to ear.
"Ji-seong hyung, save your stamina this time."
"Yeah, sounds good."
Han Ji-seong's magic wasn't for trash mobs like that.
He looked happy about the young guild members' performance too—his face was bright as he answered.
"Hyung! Did you see that? Doesn't it feel refreshing?"
As Jang Su-ho rushed right up, Kang Han stepped aside.
Yeah, even if he was a cherished little brother and comrade, no one wanted to hug someone fresh from playing in filthy water.
That was when I fully understood.
Kang Han slipped the sword he'd been holding into his subspace inventory.
Then he walked straight past Jang Su-ho toward the swamp.
Ah, Kang Han's turn now.
Yang Hwa-yeon called out to him with a teasing lilt.
"Weren't you gonna let the kids handle everything?"
Kang Han answered curtly.
"I need to get stronger too."
With that, he dipped his right hand into the swamp's edge.
Question marks seemed to pop up over the heads of the crocodile pack, who'd expected another hunter to charge in.
The change started in Kang Han's eyes.
Yellow sparks crackled in his forest-green irises, soon dyeing the whole of them gold.
And the moment tension filled his right arm—
Kraaaah!
Kruuung!
Kwek, kuung!
A symphony of colorful screams rang out as the crocodiles at the edge oxidized and vanished one by one.
"He spread the current through the swamp itself."
I hadn't thought of that.
Well, swamps are water, after all.
Kang Han might be unstoppable in underwater dungeons later.
"That guy's training was no joke."
"Scary. That's S-rank for you."
"Gave me chills just now."
The crocodiles' scream concert didn't last long.
Once all the swamp guardians oxidized, the swamp vanished too.
The ground, now like barren lifeless land, cracked open wide where the swamp had been.
A few items lay scattered on the desolate earth.
Drops from the dead monsters.
I rushed over faster than anyone to check them.
[Crocodile Hide (D)
: Material for armor crafting.] [Crocodile Tooth (D)
: Upgrade material for martial weapon types.]
The dead crocs weren't high-rank, so neither were the drops.
Your typical junk items.
But there were plenty of them.
This would net a decent profit.
'Is it because of my skill effect?'
Hoo, is that how it works?
Pretty squid-like profits.
"Kids, scoop 'em all up quick!"
No time to appraise them leisurely one by one.
The swamp was gone, and the boss monster, who'd been lounging for a sunbath, had woken up.
The Crocodile King's murky, massive eyes spotted us scrambling for items and the dried-up swamp.
Thud, thoom!
The ground shook with every movement of its enormous body.
Then it opened its gigantic maw and roared.
"Kwaaaah!"
"Ugh!"
The bellow hurt my ears.
And a system window popped up like a warning.
It must've popped for everyone—the guild members' and Yang Hwa-yeon's faces hardened.
A C-rank boss monster's attack power up 30%?
They sensed it would be a tough fight.
And the crisis didn't end there.
"Grrr..."
Another sound came right beside me.
Jang Su-ho's eyes, which had looked like a golden retriever happily rolling in puddles moments ago, were turning red.
The Crocodile King's roar had triggered his Berserker mode.
"Jang Su-ho."
Luckily, he hadn't lost his reason completely—he turned to me at my call.
"Huu, Nayeo-ju, huu."
He was fighting the madness with all he had, taking deep breaths.
I went up on tiptoes and placed both hands on his cheeks.
And tried Dark Purification once more.
Good. It worked.
As the purification took effect, the red haze in Jang Su-ho's eyes faded.
"You're good now. Got it, Jang Su-ho?"
Ting~
Jang Su-ho's affection shot up.
"Huu, huu."
His ragged breaths gradually evened out.
Back to his usual gentle face, he turned to Kang Han.
"Hyung, I think I can do it. Tell me what to do."