Chapter 74
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 74
Chapter Title: Unexpected Reinforcements
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Bash!
Yuhyeon's bastard sword plunged downward.
Thwack!
You have defeated a Mantis!
Remaining Mantises: 63 (4)
Slice!
You have defeated a Mantis!
Remaining Mantises: 62 (5)
The forms of two mantises dissipated into the air.
It all happened in the blink of an eye.
Wh-what was that?
Kains astonished gaze shot toward Yuhyeon.
His expression was that of someone witnessing the impossible.
Hed charged into the enemy ranks, and Kain had wondered what his plan was, but
Did he just fly?
Unless his eyes were deceiving him, Yuhyeon had definitely flown.
No, to be precise, he was walking on the air as if it were solid ground.
Like the air-walking techniques often seen in martial arts novels.
Wh-what is this?
He had never even heard of a bard like this.
No, regardless of class, it was rare to see any player fight like that.
It was like watching a performance from one of the top rankers on YouTube.
Is he just a normal player?
Wonderland was a game based on realistic movements.
That was why even users with exceptionally high skill or equipment levels couldnt just slaughter monsters like in a hack-and-slash game.
Wonderland is definitely that kind of game.
But Yuhyeons movements had long since surpassed the standards of an ordinary person.
Its like an action game.
From blocking attacks with perfect timing to felling a mantis in a single blow.
Yuhyeon was dodging attacks and landing perfectly timed counters, just like in one of those popular parry-based action games.
And he was doing it here, in Wonderland, a world with physics similar to the real one.
Most users relied on skills for combat.
For everything, from blocking and dodging to attacking.
There werent many players who fought using their own abilities without the aid of skills.
Only players with a fanatical obsession for parrying, or
Someone for whom that style of combat comes naturally.
Yuhyeon was demonstrating a level of talent usually only seen in athletes or a handful of top rankers.
That alone was astonishing enough.
But that thats just inexplicable.
There was simply no explaining how Yuhyeon was walking on air.
Werent flight-related skills exclusive to special classes like Dragon Knights or Archmages?
They were unique skills belonging to legendary-grade classes.
Could Yuhyeon-nim also have a legendary class?
Just as Kains eyes narrowed in thought.
Kain-nim! Behind you!
A mantiss blade was slashing down fiercely toward his head.
Whoa!
Kain quickly raised his shield to block the mantiss attack.
He had been so distracted that he nearly took a fatal blow.
I have no idea who this guy is, but
Figuring out Yuhyeons identity could wait.
Kain looked at the rapidly decreasing monster kill count.
Remaining Mantises: 12 (55)
Before he knew it, only twelve mantises were left.
He had about forty potions remaining.
At this rate, we have a chance!
The moment Yuhyeon joined the battle, the tide had completely turned.
If he had known, he would have sent him in sooner
Just as Kain was thinking this.
Ting!
The monster kill count is decreasing at an abnormal rate.
Sensing a crisis, the mantises release a danger pheromone!
.
.
.
Calling the remaining mantis swarm and their leader.
The final wave is beginning!
But there are still twelve left!
Kains eyes twitched.
The notification for the final wave had appeared just when he thought they had a chance to win.
How many this time? A leader? As long as its not an elite monster!
Kain calmly tried to assess the situation.
He still had plenty of potions.
At this rate, he could handle about fifty more
I have 40 potions, so I can cover up to 50 monsters.
The problem was the leader.
He had no way of predicting whether it would be an enhanced mantis or an elite monster.
If a high-grade elite monster appeared, their chances were as good as none.
Please, just dont let it be an elite monster!
Perhaps Kains desperate plea had been answered.
Rumble!
In the distance, a cloud of sand and dust billowed up once again
Ting!
The elite monster Dark Flame Mantis has been summoned.
An additional 100 mantises have appeared.
Remaining Mantises: 112 (100)
Along with the ominous notification, a swarm of mantises began to pour out.
Hah!
Kain muttered with a look of utter resignation.
There were still twelve left, and now another hundred had been summoned.
To make matters worse, their leader, the Dark Flame Mantis, was at the forefront.
The one with the red name, no less.
Red?
Although it was the second-highest tier, its health and attack power were a staggering three to four times higher than a normal monster's.
It was a scenario designed to ensure the players defeat.
But you never know. With Yuhyeon-nim here, we might still have a chance.
Kain shouted, trying to sound as calm as possible.
Yuhyeon-nim, whats your status! Do you have plenty of potions left?
If he had enough potions, there was still hope.
Since Yuhyeon had given him fifty potions, he surely must have more to spare.
Kain asked with a hopeful tone, but
What I gave you was all I had.
Yuhyeons reply was rather nonchalant.
Wh-what you gave me was everything?
Yes.
I have forty left right now.
If they split them, that was only twenty each.
Only twenty?
It was a woefully insufficient number to face 110 monsters.
Hah.
Kain let out a hollow laugh.
Were really dead this time
The situation had become difficult for Yuhyeon as well.
I should have bought some mana potions.
After finishing off the mantis in front of him, Yuhyeon glanced at his mana bar.
Only 30 mana left.
Sylphanoss Breath was a powerful skill, but it consumed an enormous amount of mana.
The problem was that he hadn't bought any mana potions, as he had never needed to use skills until now.
Ting!
Your proficiency in Wind Step is low, causing it to consume a large amount of mana.
If you run out of mana, you will be unable to maintain Sylphanoss Breath.
If he used up all his mana, Sylphanoss Breath would deactivate.
That meant losing the one tricky move that could turn the tide of battle in an instant.
This is bad.
Fighting a hundred mantises at once on such a wide-open plain?
There were far too many monsters to parry, block, and counter one by one.
And now an elite monster had joined the fray.
Still, theres no other way.
Even so, what Yuhyeon had to do remained the same.
Either fall, or make the enemy fall.
Between the two, the choice was obvious.
Ting!
Time remaining until the next wave arrives
Time remaining: 60 seconds.
Kain-nim! Please buy me some time against the remaining ones.
Wh-what? What do you mean?
As he shouted, Yuhyeon quickly ran to the carriage.
Im going to reapply my buffs. I need you to buy me time to play!
He was going to get the cajón he had left on the carriage.
Im counting on Kain and Yunaring.
Plop!
Soon, Yuhyeon sat down on the cajón and placed his hands on the instrument.
The strongest buff I can cast.
He carefully recalled all the musical scores he had composed and created so far.
The situation was dire, so he had to use the most powerful buff he could muster.
Yuhyeons eyes glinted for a moment.
!
There was one that was perfect.
The score that boasted the most incredible and special effect among all those he possessed.
The piece I played when I fought the Elder Treant.
The very piece that had cured Cedrics trauma.
A score with the tremendous ability to increase all stats by 50 upon overcoming the fear of death.
This might just work.
It was S-rank, so it couldn't be copied, but this wasn't the time to worry about its usage count.
This was a critical situation where he had to bet everything.
Tss-chk!
Thwack!
Yuhyeons hands struck the cajón.
Tung-tung!
Tss!
Soon, the melody of the cajón filled the vast plains.
Shhhhk.
The intense performance on the cajón overlaid the scuttling of the mantises, and a palpable tension began to fill the air.
Yuhyeon-nim! Will it take long? Theyre almost on top of us!
Thirty seconds! I just need thirty seconds!
At Kains urgent cry, Yuhyeons hands moved even faster.
This was a privilege only Yuhyeon, who was playing the instrument himself, could enjoy.
The faster he played, the shorter the casting time became.
Thank goodness I can play it myself.
Just as he was playing the final phrase.
With a ting!, a notification appeared, stating that the buff was being applied.
Thud
Thud
At the same time, the sound of heavy footsteps could be heard.
Footsteps so loud they seemed to shake his eardrums.
Damn, have the mantises already arrived?
For the sound to be this loud, the mantises had to be right in front of them.
Looking ahead, he saw that the monster swarm was indeed just a stones throw away.
However.
THUD
THUD!
Why isnt the sound stopping?
The massive, ground-shaking footsteps continued.
Listening closely, he realized the sound wasnt coming from nearby, but from far in the distance.
Groooan.
A creature as large as an ancient tree was walking toward them.
The very being Yuhyeon had had a special encounter with the previous night.
A troll?
The troll was heading toward the mantises, as if to join their forces.
Kain looked up at the troll, his face a mask of despair.
Y-you have to be kidding me.
A troll, which had only a 2 chance of appearing, had shown up at this exact moment.
And of all times, it was when they were already facing a hundred mantises and an elite monster.
How in the world are we supposed to fight a level 80 monster? This is just too much!
Forget clearing the quest; they had to run for their lives.
Lets run! Full retreat!
In a way, it might have been for the best.
At least now that defeat was certain, they wouldnt have to waste their stamina needlessly.
Golden Apple merchants, turn the carriages around, quickly!
At Kains shout, the driver hurriedly turned the carriage around.
The merchants also rushed inside their wagons, tightly securing their cargo with ropes.
But the troll charged toward them furiously, as if it wouldnt grant them even a moments reprieve.
THUMP!
THUMP!
It moved with a ferocious speed, as if determined not to let its prey escape.
W-we have to get away as fast as possible!
But even in such a desperate situation, Yuhyeon stood motionless in his spot.
Kains gaze soon fell upon Yuhyeon.
Could he be frozen in fear, too shocked to move?
Y-Yuhyeon-nim! What are you doing? Get back to the carriage, now!
Kain shouted urgently at the thought.
I dont think
Yuhyeons reply came back, surprisingly calm.
That its our enemy.
And for good reason.
Groooaar! Groooar!
Smash!
You have defeated a Mantis.
Remaining Mantises: 102 (10)
The trolls club had swung not at Yuhyeon, but at the mantises.