Nightmare Kobold Hunt
Around the time Haiseon was heading to the Black Tower for kobold hunting, Professor Ya-geumsul-sa—Eponine Roshe—posted something on the Craftsman Gallery. It was an interim research report on his dagger.
To sum it up in three lines:
1. Magic operates within the bounds of common sense.
2. Python's awakening skill and its results don't make sense in that context.
3. More research is needed, so fuck off if you're lining up for the dagger.
Honestly, that was about right. Everything Haiseon had been through lately felt utterly irrational anyway. Someone who could mathematically prove that subspace didn't violate the laws of the universe couldn't possibly share the same "common sense" as people in a world that hadn't even figured out the principles of awakening. But in a world already brimming with the irrational, a little extra weirdness barely registered.
You have entered Floor 1 of Nightmare difficulty.
Achievement Condition: Defeat 20 beasts.
Failure Condition: Total party wipe.
The safe zone will be maintained for 30 minutes.
If even one climber returns to this area after the safe zone expires, all climbers will be ejected from the tower 30 minutes later.
Climbers who are ejected cannot take any loot obtained from this floor.
A place that defied common sense like this? A dagger with some bizarre options was nothing by comparison.
"Haa... this sucks."
He leaned against a nearby tree and sat down. Kidnapped straight into Nightmare difficulty. Time to rethink the plan. Target kill count: 20. Considering Hard mode was only 10, this was double.
Should I just ask Ya-geumsul-sa to give the dagger back...?
No, pointless. Dagger or hammer, close combat was still a burden. He'd stick to long-range interceptions as much as possible.
He checked his gear again. One pistol. Thirty-six rounds total. And the ridiculously heavy warhammer. In theory, 1.5 shots per kobold should suffice. If he picked them off one by one, it was doable.
"Gotta pass on the scrap metal greed."
Survival first. Kobold scrap was a bonus if he could snag it.
"Heave-ho—"
Grunting, he climbed a nearby hill to scout. To the east stretched a dense forest; to the west, gentle mountains rose.
"At least the layout's the same as Easy."
Thankfully, Nightmare didn't change the terrain. Forest led to goblin villages. The mountains somewhere had kobolds in the mines. Deep south cliffs had hippogriffs, but he had zero interest. He hadn't wanted this much freedom to begin with.
Anyway, west mountains it was. An hour's walk west, and he spotted massive buildings at the entrance. A long rail track leading into the mountains suggested warehouses.
Approaching, he heard signs of life inside. At least two kobolds lingering. A few kobolds? Pistol could handle that. But no rushing—there might be more.
Waiting a bit, a mine cart approached from afar. It entered the far building, and kobolds emerged from the near one. Two leading, one following. Three total?
No other signs of life. Maybe a few left inside, but sparse. Even if more, now was prime infiltration time with them split. He screwed a suppressor onto the pistol and crept toward the building.
Slipping through the open door, he scanned inside. Warehouse divided by huge pillars and shelves. Scattered benches for resting—a waiting area of sorts. Using pillars for cover, he explored.
Tap tap tap tap. Tap.
Sounded like a dog walking on linoleum. Close by. It moved, then stopped. He peeked around the pillar.
Getting ready for work?
A kobold at a cabinet, grabbing a hardhat and pickaxe. It stashed dangling trinkets back inside—black-sheened, clearly woven from kobold scrap. Fancy for a kobold.
He calmly aimed. No other presences. Fired.
"Kyeng...!"
Bullet in the back—kobold shrieked and collapsed. It twitched, but by the time he approached, it was dead. Lucky; no need for a second shot.
He looted the trinkets. Processed dark iron, as expected. Raiding other spots filled his bag heavy. Enough for a few test artifacts.
Can I head home now?
On Easy, he'd bail immediately... This pissed him off anew.
Whatever. Hunt more kobolds. Warehouse clear. Remaining: the three who went far, plus possibles.
Back to the entrance. Hand mirror out—scanned outside. The three were returning from the far building.
Snipe them on the run? Adjusted mirror, scanned. No anomalies besides kobolds. But that far building—wide-open entrance, pitch-black inside. Ominous, like something would burst out.
Hide first. They'd return inside, find the body, panic—perfect ambush.
"Keruk! Grrr!" "Kyung kyung!"
As expected, confused by the corpse. Line up their backs calmly.
"Kyeng? Kyung kyung!" "Keruk keruk!"
Shit. Busted. One spotted him glancing around.
Bang! Bang—!
Instant shot dropped one. But two charged with pickaxes. Head smashed by that? Brutal.
"Fuck, die!"
Hated dying skull-crushed on floor 1—hammered the trigger madly.
"Why won't these hit...!"
How many shots? Finally dropped another at mid-range. One left. Or more. Gunfire might draw others, but no time to worry.
Bang—! Bang bang—!
Shoot first, think later. Barrel shook from nerves, but at close range...
Bang!
Easy kill. Kobold bled out point-blank.
"Hoo..."
Thought he was dead. Kicked pickaxe away, prodded the body. No reaction. Confirmed kill. Looted scrap trinkets.
Same for the next. Removed pickaxe, checked. Farmed trinkets. This one had little. Heading to the last—
"Keruk!"
This fucker grabbed his ankle.
"Jeez."
Playing dead? Or woke from prodding? Didn't matter. Aimed at its forehead.
Click, click click click.
"Kyung?" "Ah."
You idiot, come on.
Wham—!
Kobold sprang up, body-slammed him. Haiseon flew meters, tumbled across dirt. Gear spilled from his pack. Slim but beastly impact.
"Ker rrr...!"
Regaining senses, second kobold had reclaimed pickaxe, poised to strike. But its gaze wasn't on him.
My gun?
Pistol lay midway between them. It eyed gun and him alternately, growling. Standoff over the gun.
One truth: first mover wins half the fight. He bolted for the gun; it leaped, pickaxe raised. Time to brake.
"...Kiek?"
Veered opposite, to warhammer pouch. Crack— something shattered. Pistol crushed under pickaxe.
Unslung hammer—heavy like pulling a dumbbell. Next, kobold presence at his back.
Dodged its leap-roll. Standoff again. Weapons drawn now. Its body-sized pickaxe; his brutally heavy hammer. One hit each to end it.
"Hoo."
He'd killed a troll, for fuck's sake—kobold nothing. Charged together. Kobold first, pickaxe high for overhead smash. Trajectory crystal-clear, slower than expected. Twisted aside, smashed wrist. Kobold dropped weapon, rolled. No mercy—rushed, double-hand backswing to dog-like jaw. Hammer connected; it sprawled starfished, silent.
"Haa... gonna die."
No active skills? Trash mob this hard?
* * *
Today's Craftsman Gallery was peacefully chaotic as ever—customer-artisan squabbles, worthless chatter. But the vibe was off. A tense undercurrent.
Isn't Easy mode just 1 kill? Making a kobold to kill or what.
Newbie's delayed return was the cause. Hunter not back from hunt? Only one reason. Dreadful imaginings crept in as time passed.
Unlike Swordmaster Gallery braggarts, plain Master Gallery folks weren't used to death and parting. As hysteria peaked—a new post.
3 down with gun, 5 more with hammer so far. Gun smashed, hammer only now. 12 left, can't take questions.