Chapter 79
Chapter 79
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>Translator: penny
>Chapter: 79
>Chapter Title: Eliza's Web Tactics
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>Chapter 79
How far had he gone?
[From here on, the fog grows thicker.]
[Tip. Beware of orcs charging through the fog while hidden.]
‘This should be good enough.’
Do-hyun stopped walking after confirming the system window.
Just as the message said, the surrounding area was shrouded in fog.
It wasn’t as dense as when he’d overhunted before, but it was enough to make things slightly blurry ahead.
‘Perfect.’
This would be the stage for his upcoming massacre.
[Releasing ‘Faint Stealth’.]
As Do-hyun’s semi-transparent form sharpened into clarity, Zihad stopped as well.
-You’re hunting here?
“Yeah, seems just right.”
-There are still some humans around, though?
“Can’t be helped. It’s far enough from the city, and the fog will cover us.”
Finding a spot without people in this rocky forest was nearly impossible.
Without tricks like the fog from excessive hunting last time, people were everywhere.
Still, with this level of fog, they’d be too focused on the tougher hunting to look away.
‘That guess gave me chills, though. How’d they nail it so perfectly?’
Do-hyun shuddered, recalling the speculation from that user earlier.
Even thinking about it now sent shivers down his spine.
It was so spot-on, he half-wondered if they’d watched the process live.
No wonder he’d paused and briefly considered, ‘Should I take care of him?’
Thank goodness his party dismissed it as nonsense.
‘Well, it is an absurd ability.’
As they’d said, Eliza’s bracelet was an unimaginable item for this level.
Signature skills like stealth didn’t come as options easily.
Even if they did, such gear almost always had ‘equip restrictions’.
At this stage, it was safe to assume none existed.
But put another way, without this special case, he could’ve been caught.
‘That’s why sharp youngsters are so perceptive…….’
Do-hyun shook his head and drew Thousand Changes.
At that, Eliza hopped out of his robe pocket and onto his shoulder.
-Liza!
“Huh? You want in on this too?”
-Liza liza!
-She says she’ll show you what she’s got, Master.
This time, Zihad’s translation was unnecessary.
With her chest puffed out and tiny eyes glaring bravely, Eliza looked every bit the general heading into battle.
……Well, more like a kid playing general in a war game.
Still, he was looking forward to it deep down.
‘Last time, I hunted solo to test Thousand Changes.’
He’d been too busy testing all his new rewards, including Thousand Changes, to check Eliza’s abilities.
This was a good chance to gauge her level.
Hiss—splatter—.
Just then, a couple of massive silhouettes appeared through the thick fog.
‘Before the fight starts, then…….’
Do-hyun quickly tapped the system window.
A message popped up soon after.
[Starting recording.]
[Shout ‘stop’ or hit the end button to finish recording.]
It was the recording message.
‘Gotta milk those NewTube views.’
Do-hyun was now a proper 800,000-sub NewTuber.
He had a duty to produce content for his waiting fans.
Some might say hunting footage wasn’t much, but NewTube gold came unexpectedly.
‘Keep it running, and something’ll pop.’
You never know.
Maybe a mutant boss, or even a stealthy PK like last time.
Do-hyun chuckled at the thought.
‘Yeah, right.’
As if Brion would have those crazies this far out.
All he needed now was to clear the quest smoothly.
He swung Thousand Changes through the air, and it shifted forms in an instant.
[Thousand Changes transforms into ‘Black Raven Spear’.]
[Striking increases physical attack power by 40.]
‘Good grip.’
Hiss—.
An orc charged right on cue.
Dodging was the standard play here, but Do-hyun boldly swung his spear.
The spear arced wide, slicing the orc’s neck.
[First strike: 18% bonus damage.]
[Set effect: melee damage +6.5%.]
…….
[Orc defeated.]
Its head severed mid-charge, the orc’s breath cut short.
Momentum carried its huge body a few more meters before it crashed down.
‘Ugh…….’
Clearing tough dungeons was fun, but regular hunting was all about pure DPS.
Charge? Why dodge?
When they ran right into your blade, just swing.
Their speed even made for cleaner cuts.
‘Feels great.’
The thrill drew a sigh of admiration.
That’s when the remaining orc seized the opening and charged.
And in that instant.
Squeak—.
A cute sound effect rang out as something white shot from beside Do-hyun.
A spider thread.
Fired straight, it spread into a small net, hitting the orc’s eyes dead-on.
Hiss!
Blinded suddenly, the orc flailed in panic.
It instinctively tried to wipe the thread from its eyes, but……
Stick—.
Splatter!?
Far from coming off, its hand stuck fast.
Eliza’s thread had more adhesive power than expected.
It could probably pull free with force, but that’d yank its eyeball out too.
But fighting blind like this?
No, losing an eye wouldn’t change much anyway?
Hiss! Hissss!
Caught in the dilemma, the orc froze up.
Worse, its body felt sluggish, like gravity pulled harder on it alone.
Blind and slowed, even an orc couldn’t help but feel fear.
Hiss—!
Bipedal creatures relied heavily on vision.
Lose it, and direction sense vanished easily.
This one was no different.
Thud—hiss!
Its balance wavered, and before reaching Do-hyun, it faceplanted into the dirt.
It swung its double-headed axe on instinct mid-fall, but Do-hyun wasn’t getting hit by that.
Whoosh—.
He sidestepped lightly and thrust his spear into the downed foe without hesitation.
Stab!
[Orc defeated.]
[Spear mastery increased.]
[Spear mastery reached LV3.]
Two down in a flash.
But it wasn’t over yet.
Hissss—!
A third orc, lurking at a distance, launched a surprise charge.
Its eyes glowed red, bloodshot from its comrades’ deaths.
It swung its axe down viciously, aiming to split Do-hyun’s skull, but Eliza was faster.
Thwip—splatter!
Another quick thread shot.
But this orc wasn’t dumb enough to fall for the same trick it had seen.
It easily blocked with the flat of its huge double-headed axe, then charged with even fiercer momentum.
It closed in right up to him.
Then.
Grab.
Hiss, hisss!?
Something snagged its calf, tangling its legs and sending it sprawling awkwardly.
Faint threads stretched between nearby rocks.
Thwip—thwip thwip—.
Eliza hopped off his shoulder, circling the fallen orc.
Each pass wrapped its limbs, ankles, and eyes in threads gleaming luxuriously like moonlight.
Soon, the orc looked thoroughly bound.
-Liza!
Like shouting ‘finish it!’, Eliza cried out.
Do-hyun approached and stabbed Thousand Changes—now morphed into ‘Assassin’s Dagger’—into its nape.
[First strike: 18% bonus damage.]
[Set effect: melee damage +6.5%.]
[bleed triggered.]
…….
[Orc defeated.]
[Quest material ‘Orc Concentrated Blood’ acquired.]
Easy kill, and the blood too!
Confirming no more orcs nearby, Do-hyun sought Eliza first.
“Eliza! What was that? Insane!”
Eliza, as if waiting for those words, puffed her chest and shrugged proudly.
-Liza liza!
“Eliza! You’re way more useful than I thought. Why not use that against me?”
-Liza…… liza liza!
-She says her mind went blank from your hits, no chance to use it. Can’t use her own threads while parasitized either.
“Oh…… ahem, sorry. Wasn’t on purpose. Anyway, makes sense. No penalty like that, and it’d be broken.”
-Liza!
-She says it’s fine. You were enemies, so it’s natural.
Zihad now translated in perfect sync.
Thanks to him, Do-hyun fully grasped Eliza’s value and couldn’t stop marveling.
‘I figured just threads like last time…… but they’re way better.’
Steel threads and sky threads.
The difference wasn’t just in name.
Steel threads were strong enough, but sky threads were faster and stickier.
No direct damage, but endless utility.
‘Perfect support.’
Blinding foes or tripping them like now made hunting smoother.
A surprise ambush from hiding would wreck them.
Her small size made it an even deadlier weapon.
“As expected, Eliza. Perfect from head to toe.”
-Liza!
“Cute alone makes you worth a slot, but outstanding. Too capable for a guardian…… no, divine beast, Eliza.”
-Liza!
That’s why he praised her sincerely, holding nothing back.
Eliza’s eyes sparkled each time, bouncing as if begging for more.
Do-hyun obliged with a barrage of compliments, just as she hoped.
Zihad watched, his expression turning odd.
‘……What’s this weird feeling?’
Eliza getting praise was good.
It felt proud, like his pet dog or kid earning compliments.
But……
‘Still, I’m the senior…… feels like I’m not doing anything.’
The issue was Zihad’s current role.
He was Eliza’s former master and Do-hyun’s first guardian, yet all he did was pick up items and translate for her.
Meanwhile, Eliza—latecomer that she was—stole the show and was adorable to boot.
-Zihad? Oh, the baggage carrier?
-Sigh, necromancer my ass. Can’t even summon goblins right.
-Just Do-bung~. Born to loot trash, don’t mind him.
-Our Eliza’s a million times better than that loser! Come here, our cute Eliza. Ditch him.
Do-hyun’s voice echoed in his ears like an auditory hallucination.
It was hallucination now, but if this kept up, it’d become reality.
‘N-no, this won’t do. My position……!’
Something had to change.
He had to prove himself, even to that annoying master.
Zihad clenched his fist, steadying his wildly shaking pupils.