Dungeon Book Scramble 3

Due to the tension, he ended up responding in Korean.

"Huh? How do you know my name? Oh!"

Only after speaking did he realize his mistake. The other side didn't speak Korean. But then, incredibly natural Korean flowed from the opponent's mouth, startling him.

"Why are you blocking us, Mr. Kim Taehoon? What kind of conviction do you hold that you're still standing in our way after seeing what just happened?"

And ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠now he could clearly identify the voice he'd only vaguely recognized when it called his name.

"Ms. Choi Kyunghee?"

Incredibly, the leader of the masked group who had conjured fireballs was none other than Choi Kyunghee. Her English earlier had sounded completely different, so he hadn't noticed.

"No, maybe it's not her. But now, who you are doesn't matter. More importantly, you asked about my conviction? I should be the one asking. What conviction drives you to do this?"

He thought the masked figure might not be Choi Kyunghee. The reason was that the Choi Kyunghee he knew wasn't a hunter. But rather than dwell on that when he needed to stall for time—and with the opponent handing him a question on a silver platter—he seized the opportunity to turn the tables.

"Because I'm convinced that everything I do benefits the expansion of hunters' rights. What about you? What conviction makes you act like this?"

She's completely insane.

Honestly, convictions meant nothing to him. His only goal was to protect his Dungeon Book. But hearing her claim that stealing it would expand hunters' rights—with such sincere conviction in her tone—it was clear she was utterly mad. Still, he needed to buy time, so he played along with the crazy woman's words.

"I'm the same. I'm convinced my actions right now benefit the expansion of hunters' rights."

He had no real conviction, so he just echoed her answer. He planned to latch onto her words and drag this out, but the opponent exceeded his expectations as a true madwoman.

"I see. A clash of convictions, then. Understood. Though your belief differs from mine, I respect it."

He had no idea what she was saying, but it seemed like they were communicating decently, and he thought he could stretch this out a bit more. But if there was one thing he was wrong about, it was assuming she was sane.

"Then, as a true hunter with conviction, I'll face you with all sincerity."

Before he could even grasp what "sincerity" meant, English poured from the masked woman's mouth again, and the man holding the gun suddenly drew his sword and charged at him.

"John. Make up for your mistake yourself. Kevin, Vince—support John. The rest of you, recover the Dungeon Book quickly."

She was conversing with the masked figure behind, but she didn't neglect the nearest hunter, so he didn't miss the incoming attacker's movements.

Bang.

His neck-targeting sword clashed with the Mana Blade. The opponent's strength was formidable, but not enough to overwhelm him. Still, rather than counterattacking, his priority was stalling, so he used the force ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠to retreat backward.

Damn it. So 'facing me sincerely' means this? She's really lost it. And do I really have to fight without NPC protection?

Any faint hope shattered in that instant. He'd hoped that even if this wasn't his hideout, some other NPC safeguard might activate when attacked. But no alert appeared.

With the NPC effect that had saved him from crises before now gone, tension gripped his entire body.

Hoo. Hoo. Calm down. It's more manageable than I thought. My goal isn't to take them all down. Just stall. Come on, Jeonghun—hurry up.

In the brief opening he showed, the opponent charged again. This time, the sword aimed for his side. He blocked it and kicked off the ground, leaping upward.

His jump's momentum combined with the opponent's strike, sending him flying back in an instant.

Seeing this, the opponent's face twisted in frustration as he spat unknown words and swung his sword at incomparable speed.

"You damn rat bastard. You planning to just keep running? I'll kill you. Latent Power Burst."

Slash.

The suddenly accelerated sword sliced his side. He'd twisted his waist at the last moment, limiting it to this wound; a split-second slower, and it would've been fatal.

The bigger issue was that the opponent's assault was just beginning. He barely blocked the next neck strike.

This time, the opponent's wide motion allowed him to parry. But blocking came at a cost—his hands went numb. Before he could recover, another attack followed.

The sword thrust toward his shoulder like cleaving wind, not just fast but packed with immense power. He raised his blade to deflect, but overpowered, it pierced his left shoulder.

Kuh. Damn it.

Burning pain shot through his shoulder. Hesitating from it, the opponent swung again.

"Die."

He saw the sword flying at his neck, but shoulder agony and numb hands prevented properly raising his blade. At this rate, it'd sever his head soon.

No. I can't die like this.

In the face of death, he had to do something. Desperate to disrupt the foe's focus, he issued a quest.

Without hesitation, he selected Yes. The opponent flinched at the sudden quest window.

He felt the sword's trajectory waver slightly toward his neck, so he arched his back and head desperately backward, swinging his blade at the opponent's neck simultaneously.

This wasn't planned either. Instinctively, he cut mana to the blade. Without the Mana Blade, just the hilt swung faster. As it passed the opponent's sword, he poured mana back in fully.

Slash.

The abruptly extended Mana Blade severed the opponent's neck. He wasn't unscathed—the foe's sword raked his collarbone.

"Damn it. John."

Through the quest, he learned the dead man's name was John. The two who'd watched his fight with John shouted the name as they rushed over to the collapsing body.

Seizing the gap, he quickly bought an upper-grade healing potion, sprayed it on his shoulder and collarbone, and gulped the rest.

Hoo. Hoo.

He gripped his trembling legs hard and took deep breaths. Otherwise, he'd collapse immediately.

Is this what killing feels like? Shit. It's disgusting.

Before, NPC effects made killing feel nothing like it. Though he'd never entered a dungeon, it probably resembled slaying monsters for stats—no shock. So he'd never felt the impact of taking a life.

This could be called his first real kill, and the aftermath was heavy. The opponent tried to kill him first, and his swing was more for survival than murder, but the sensation of slicing the neck felt filthy. Seeing the head roll felt utterly different now.

Kim Suho. Get it together.

Slap. He smacked his cheeks hard to refocus. No excuses now. He'd already bloodied his hands plenty. One more shouldn't rattle him like this.

Right. It was bound to happen ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠someday. I can't live forever in an NPC hideout.

He couldn't blame NPC effects anymore—that'd be cowardly. Whether he wanted it or not, awakening as an NPC foreshadowed this. He'd half-accepted it. No pretending otherwise now.

Accepting it all calmed his tremors. Breathing steadied, senses normalized.

"Impressive. What trick did you use? You didn't have the skill to beat John."

Choi Kyunghee—or the woman wearing her guise—asked again.

"What trick? My conviction was just stronger than yours."

One fight gave him huge confidence. He'd learned a new Mana Blade technique and how to disrupt focus with quests. The latter would be hard to maintain composure against.

This newfound assurance let him reply boldly.

"Your conviction is stronger... That's a problem. I'll watch if it holds in the future."

He expected sudden attack the moment the madwoman spoke. Sure enough, as conversation ended, she barked incomprehensibly, and four hunters charged—not one.

Damn it. Should've kept my mouth shut.

Regret always came too late. He wanted to sew his lips.

Slash. Slash.

Four swords assaulted in sequence; he blocked the first two. But the latter pair slipped through, wounding his side and thigh.

Damn. Potion time.

Their speed wasn't overwhelming—John's level. But his strength and speed potions had expired, so he couldn't defend properly.

He had to endure two minutes. Even making potions before their eyes—he had to hold out.

But two minutes felt eternal.

Cough.

Damn. You ungrateful bastards.

Dozens of wounds covered him. They had chances to kill but held back—avenging John without finishing him. That let him endure.

Finally, the wait ended.

My turn. Swift.

Using Swift, he retreated fast, buying and downing strength potion, speed potion, upper-grade healing potion—and prepping another healing.

The three seconds of Swift ended. In that instant—missing him?—the charging foes' faces twisted demonically.

The leader swung, sending wind blades at him. Knowing their range from prior hits, he baited by taking one to the side again.

Ugh!

Bait or not, pain hurt. As he wounded, the second foe accelerated, slashing at his thigh—poised to sever it.

Yes. Fall for it again.

These four idiots—or underestimating him—attacked predictably. First targeted upper body/side; this one lower. Knowing, he exposed a natural opening.

As the foe struck, he issued a quest.

Vince reacted identically—startled expression. Unlike John, his sword didn't veer. Worse mistake: losing sight of him.

Exploiting the flinch, he pivoted right on left foot. Vince's blade whistled empty air; centrifugal force powered an elbow to his face.

Bam.

Thunderous impact caved Vince's face; he crumpled. As Vince fell, another sword pierced for his heart.

He thrust at the incoming blade. As they clashed—

Now.

Twisting maximally, he cut mana to the Mana Blade. As blades crossed, he surged mana back.

Slash. Thunk.

Blades crossed fatally—opponent's impaled his chest; his severed the neck.

Twist spared his heart. But without instant death, this wound doomed him soon.

Po—potion.

Screw onlookers. He yanked the sword free, bought potion, poured on chest.

Lucky? Falling with foe hid it. He felt the potion's power again—upper-grade healing rivaled spell speed, near-full recovery from lethal.

Foe unaware, he wouldn't waste this. As wind-blade user neared for thrust, combo struck again.

Quest startled; he severed wrist, then neck. Russell, forgetting severed hand, raised it—head lopped.

"Haa... haa..."

Heart pounded relentlessly, breath ragged. Every instant death-linked, no lapses. NPC skills barely sustained, but death loomed.

Oddly, first-kill burden vanished. Mind iced coldly, enabling instant decisions sans hesitation.

It echoed past NPC-protected fights. Experience's gap was vast—and empowering him now.

But real danger hadn't begun. That woman. Her madness would overwhelm his power. He'd stalled desperately, but she moved.

"Stop. Everyone, fall back!"

At her shout, masked figures retreated.

"Mr. Kim Taehoon, you're more astonishing the more I see. At first, you seemed like an inexperienced production hunter. Yet you grow in battle and—whatever trick—felled four comrades. Truly impressive."

Four dead, yet so calm? Unbelievable. But soon, her "calm" proved pre-eruption.

"But! I won't forgive harming ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠my comrades on sacred duty. Die now."

Ignoring further words, she finished—and palm thrust. Terrifying mana erupted, hurling massive white-flame fireball.

Dodge—must dodge.

Impossible to block with his power—even leather armor. Without NPC safeguard, instinct screamed futility.

Throwing himself aside, feet stuck like glued. Despair birthed curses.

"D—damn it! Why hasn't he shown yet, you bastard."

Then, elevator exploded with potent lightning, streaking at fireball.

Kaboom.

Deafening blast and shockwave churned warehouse.

Finally, the awaited voice reached his ears.

"I know you were waiting, right? Treat me better normally, and I'd arrive sooner. Fought better than expected, though?"

To be continued in the next chapter... The Hunter Who Awakened as an NPC