Chapter 122: The Beast Herd (2)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 122: The Beast Herd (2)
"One drone destroyed. Five units remaining. Shall I continue low-altitude flight?"
"Yeah, keep it up."
I checked the detailed map generated by the drones while eating my rations.
Out of the ten drones I brought, half had already been lost to monster attacks.
While I reviewed the information, the party members prepared for battle—recovering mana, checking equipment, and so on.
It would have been great if we could use the support equipment we left at the entrance, but that damn cat, Teki, smashed everything in one go when it took over the entrance.
Ugh, do you know how much all that cost? Lee Ru-da is going to give me an earful when I get back.
A mere cat acting all smug and trying to use its brain like a human? You think you're hot stuff just because you've got some experience, but tactics aren't that simple, you little brat.
Teki’s classification has been updated to a D-type Special Individual.
There are several types, but D-type isn't actually that big of a deal.
It just means it has gained experience from fighting heroes. It refers to an entity that deviates from standard monster behavior—like this cat using crude tactics, showing interest in humans, or performing other unusual actions.
Fortunately, it doesn't seem to know about the Treasure Orb, as it's only focusing on blocking the entrance.
If you die while a Treasure Orb is active, you're forcibly ejected from the dungeon and resurrected. Since that happens outside the dungeon, it's natural the monster wouldn't know.
So right now, that thing must be drowning in its own ego after facing and defeating heroes several times. Since it won every fight so far, its pride must be through the roof.
Abandoning the advantages of a predator for a defensive battle—that's pure arrogance.
Actually, this might be doable.
In the game, Special Individuals gave 1.5 times the experience. Does that translate to mana here?
"Does killing a Special Individual give more mana?"
"There have been research results suggesting that, but the announcements weren't very credible. There's still a lack of supporting data," Ryu Ji-hye replied.
I nodded at her words. That meant there was a high possibility.
"I'm not hunting Teki just for the mana, but I'd like a little extra reward for all this trouble."
"Hehe, you seem fully committed to the conquest."
I heard Ryu Ji-hye’s soft chuckle over the comms. Maybe it was because my attitude had shifted so suddenly after I'd been talking about retreating earlier.
The party members, who had been eavesdropping on our conversation, smiled warmly when they realized I intended to take on Teki.
It’s good that their morale is high, but I hope they don't overdo it.
The motto of Black Unicorn is, above all else, 'Don't die.' We have to live up to the name of a legendary creature, after all.
"Everyone, gather 'round."
Though everyone was already aware of the situation, I gave a brief summary and explained the plan. I broke the plan down into stages based on how Teki might react and assigned specific roles to everyone.
"How many Flame Bullets do we have?"
"We have six each, so eighteen in total. Should we make more?"
Since Lee Yu-na and I use bullets that aren't inscribed with magic, the total from the other three was only eighteen.
After checking the map and calculating the minimum requirements, I pulled out Astra’s spare cylinders.
"No, I'll make them. Yu-na, you'll be using a lot of mana, so save yours."
The cylinders' spatial magic can store 40 rounds, plus two in the chamber, making it 42 rounds per cylinder. I emptied three cylinders, converted them all into Flame Bullets, and handed them to Yoon A-young and Anna.
As the two of them carefully took the pouches filled with Flame Bullets, I sent them the newly updated map.
"You two set up the Flame Bullets. Ye-jin, start the construction."
The three of them left immediately upon receiving their orders. I set off with Lee Yu-na to hunt the monsters that hadn't joined Teki’s pack.
"Two at 275 degrees."
"Confirmed."
Expanding my Mana Detection to its limit, we sniped the monsters. The arrows Lee Yu-na fired were infused with mana, taking the monsters down in one-shot, one-kill fashion.
"Tell me immediately if your mana runs low."
"Yes, I understand."
I didn't know exactly how many monsters were left on the map, but if she infused enough mana to kill them in one hit every time, even Yu-na’s mana wouldn't hold out.
We cleared out everything that might become an obstacle later and set up magic traps along the way as we headed toward our pre-designated rally point.
"Leader, installation complete."
"I'm done too."
"Uh—Master, sorry, I'm not finished yet."
"You two, go join Ye-jin and help her. Operator, guide them with the drone."
"Understood."
Since the two magic experts were out hunting, Kwon Ye-jin, who was weaker in magic, was the one struggling. When I arrived at the rally point, the other three had finished their work and joined us.
"Good job, everyone."
"Heeing, Master—I'll study magic harder, I promise."
Kwon Ye-jin, covered in dirt, lunged into my arms when I patted her head. I brushed the dust off her clothes and looked at the other party members.
"We'll proceed with the plan based on Teki’s reaction after the first attack."
With a nod, we scattered to our positions.
As I approached the entrance, the area was swarming with beast-type monsters. It was a chaotic mess of them growling and fighting each other due to their wild nature, but thanks to Teki’s presence, no major brawls broke out.
It was a shame; if we had just one more person with a wide-area skill, we could have created a very satisfying scene. Aside from Yoon A-young, everyone else only had single-target skills, so our firepower was lacking. I should look into recruiting an Attacker capable of area-of-effect attacks next time.
Teki was glaring at me from a distance.
Since I wasn't hiding my presence and was staring right back at it, the damn cat looked at me with a sneer. I wasn't sure if a tiger could actually have expressions, but it certainly felt that way.
It felt like it was asking, 'I've blocked the entrance, so what are you going to do now?'
What am I going to do? I'm going to beat you to death, obviously.
I pulled out Astra and began firing at the monsters that were acting up. I had switched to a large caliber, but the amount of mana infused in the bullets was still low, making them weak for offensive use. Taking six shots just to kill one? That’s just sad.
As one monster fell, the others let out shrieks and prepared to pounce on me.
"Kuaaaaang!!"
As the crowd grew disorderly, Teki let out a massive roar toward the sky. The monsters that were about to rush me immediately cowered, tucked their tails, and froze in place.
Aha, so you're playing soldier now?
Satisfied with the monsters maintaining their formation, Teki glared at me again. Did it think that since it was guarding the entrance, I’d have no choice but to come to it?
Dumbass. Why would I go there? Why would I wait in an area with no cover against an opponent with long-range weapons? This is why half-baked learning is dangerous.
Swoosh!
An arrow flew in from the right side of the pack, piercing through three monsters. At Lee Yu-na’s attack from her hidden position, Teki turned its head, only for Yoon A-young’s ice spears to rain down on the monsters from the opposite side.
Teki’s head whipped back and forth as Yu-na and I continued our relentless assault.
No experience with long-range Attackers, I see?
As the monsters were picked off by attacks from afar, Teki did nothing but growl and whip its head around, seemingly at a loss for what to do. We were striking unilaterally, but because there were so many monsters, we weren't dealing massive damage to the overall numbers yet.
"Teki is moving. It's backing out of the drone's zone."
Right, I must look like the easiest target, huh?
The tiger-like beast stood up, digging the massive tentacles on its shoulders into the ground, and took a pouncing stance toward me. I immediately turned and ran, barking out orders.
"It's moving. Get ready."
"Please be safe."
"Leader, be careful."
Hearing the worried voices of Yoon A-young and Anna over the comms, I activated Acceleration and sprinted with all my might.
Seeing its prey flee, Teki lost its cool and lunged forward, causing the controlled monsters to scatter in all directions. Most of them moved toward Yoon A-young and Lee Yu-na, who were attacking from a distance; none followed Teki.
And that, my friend, is the collapse of an autocracy built on fear.
I switched to my pistol to keep Teki in check while I ran, but it felt like a waste of bullets. No matter what I threw at it, the beast ignored it all and tore through the terrain with terrifying momentum.
Its tentacles swung like swords, cleaving through trees as it attacked me. I desperately leaped upward, and Teki, sensing an opening, its eyes gleaming, swung its forepaw at me.
Bang!
I fired my shotgun toward the ground, using the shockwave to propel myself even higher. Narrowly dodging the paw, I locked eyes with the snarling Teki.
Click—!
"What are you staring at?"
Bang—!
Teki, having already realized my attacks were weak, ignored the shot and charged, but I'm not actually an Attacker, you brat.
The pellets from the #3 buckshot scattered, and the magic activated. The tiny beads burst, creating a white, viscous fluid that coated Teki’s face.
"Kuaaaaang!"
Startled by the sudden slime covering its face, Teki shrieked and thrashed its head.
"This is what you call a bukkake, you dumbass!"
I flipped it the bird and fired the shotgun again, using the shockwave to blast myself further away.
"Um... this is being recorded, so please watch your language..."
"Sorry, I'll restrain myself."
I guess I got a bit too excited. Ryu Ji-hye scolded me.
Anyway, having successfully gained some distance, I switched back to Astra and fired Flame Bullets at Teki while backpedaling. Explosive rounds and Flame Bullets are similar, but the goal of a Flame Bullet is to set the target on fire. While explosive rounds have better instantaneous power, Flame Bullets deal continuous fire damage.
Even that seemed to be doing little damage as it hit the mana barrier, but it didn't matter. My goal was simply to piss it off.
Whimpering as it cleared its vision, Teki charged at me again.
"U mad? U mad? Are you mad?"
I continued to taunt the beast, narrowly dodging ferocious attacks that would have resulted in more than just a simple injury if they'd connected. Enraged by the way I stayed just out of reach, Teki let out a thunderous roar and lunged.
This one's dangerous.
I fired at the ground to create a stone wall, but Teki smashed through it with a single swing of its massive paw. Having flattened myself right under the stone wall, I sprang up the moment the paw passed over me, dashed between Teki’s legs, and fired upward.
"Kuaang!"
With the agile movements characteristic of a predator, Teki leaped backward as if flying, swinging its paw at me even as it retreated.
Whew, that almost got me.
I threw myself onto the ground as if collapsing onto a bed, and a heavy gust of wind from the paw's pressure brushed past my face.
So it's already learned from being attacked from below.
I watched Teki’s cautious, rapid retreat and began collecting its patterns bit by bit. But for now, it was time to run again.
"Operator, input behavior pattern: extremely wary of attacks from below."
"Yes, understood."
The patterns I was meticulously gathering would later be shared with the party members to be used in combat.
Vwooom—
But first, I had to survive. I ran with everything I had, dodging those terrifying tentacles.
"Huff... huff... It's been a while since I've run like a maniac."
Exhausted, I clutched my side and glared at Teki. Seeing that I was no longer showing my back, the beast began to walk toward me slowly, as if the hunting game was over, radiating pure bloodlust.
It was 'slow' in name only; because of its massive size, the distance closed significantly with every step.
Fwooooosh!
A massive wall of flames erupted behind Teki. As the startled beast spun around, I smirked.
"Operation successful. Sectors A2, A3, and B3 blocked by fire. All party members have evacuated safely. Heroes Lee Yu-na and Anna remain to execute Plan B. Heroes Yoon A-young and Kwon Ye-jin are en route to join you."
Listening to Ryu Ji-hye’s situational report, I gripped a pistol in each hand and approached Teki.
"Now you're all alone, you bastard."