Chapter 7
Chapter 7
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 7
Chapter Title: Prey
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Is it because it's the dungeon's master?
The prefix was floating above the Daikon's head as well.
It was a monster the size of three Kim Sang-cheols put together, with sleek-looking limbs.
"Grrr...!"
The Daikon let out a menacing growl as it looked at the scattered corpses of the Dacons.
It had the air of something that could tear them apart with a single flick of a finger.
Gulp.
I could hear the gulping sounds from the Kim Sang-cheol trio behind me.
I didn't even need to turn around to know what the three of them looked like.
Even catching Dacons had them trembling with tension.
Probably because they lacked combat experience.
Objectively speaking, the three of them were at a level where they could handle Dacons smoothly as long as they didn't swarm.
But there was one reason they were still so tense.
No matter how weak or strong the opponent, the simple fact that a single mistake could mean a serious injury or death terrified them.
"K-Kang Hyuk-nim...!"
Oh Myung-yoon's voice trembled like an aspen leaf.
Normally, he would have fired off a spell from a distance and sent Kim Sang-cheol forward, but right now, the Daikon's imposing presence kept his hand from moving carelessly.
A wise judgment.
Though he was scared, Oh Myung-yoon's instinctive decision was excellent.
Judging from the power of the spells he'd fired at the Dacons, they wouldn't even scratch this Daikon in front of him.
"Slowly back away. Don't provoke it."
"Y-Yes... yes!"
"M-Me... I'll go forward...!?"
Even in his fear, was he thinking he had to fulfill his role?
I extended my hand to block Kim Sang-cheol as he tried to step forward.
"No. All three of you, keep retreating."
No matter that Kim Sang-cheol was wearing plate armor, there was a limit to the damage he could take.
Against a Daikon several times his size, it wouldn't hold up and would crumple in no time.
And if it was a werewolf type to boot...
There had been ones like that among Katabi's magic beasts.
Guys with builds similar to the Daikon in front of me.
Their speed would be fast, too.
Kim Sang-cheol was as heavy as he was sturdy, meaning his speed was proportionally slow.
He wouldn't be able to keep up with the Daikon's movements and would get targeted in the gaps not covered by his plate armor in the blink of an eye.
Step by step.
"Kang Hyuk-nim, hurry!"
Did they realize I was the only one not retreating?
Kim Gil-sang called out to me urgently.
This distance should be enough.
From their voices, I could tell the three had put some distance between us.
I raised both hands above my head and stretched.
Crack, crack.
My eyes stayed fixed on the Daikon.
"Magic beasts all had that look in their eyes at first."
The eyes of the Daikon staring at me.
Even without words, it was a gaze I knew all too well.
The eyes of a predator eyeing its prey.
The kind that enjoyed the opponent's fear because it could kill them anytime.
"You'll realize it soon enough. 'Oh, I'm not the one eating.'"
I grinned.
"'I'm the prey.'"
Thud!
"Graaaah!"
Whether it understood the provocation or not, the Daikon kicked off the ground and lunged at me.
"See? It jumps into the air without even knowing the opponent's strength."
I swiftly moved under the Daikon as it charged and leaped into the air.
Explosion Engraving, first test.
I pressed the pre-engraved mark on my palm against the Daikon's thigh.
Boom!!
With the explosion, the Daikon's body flying through the air was blasted sideways.
The damage didn't seem that great; it staggered but landed properly.
"Grr...!"
The explosion felt weaker than when I'd hit the troll.
Flesh had burst from the impact point and blood was flowing, but it wasn't fatal.
"Grraaa!"
Instead, it only enraged the Daikon further, making its eyes roll back as it charged.
Feeling the Yin Force that hadn't regenerated yet, I threw myself at the charging Daikon.
Swoosh!
The Daikon's claw, bristling with sharp nails, swung toward my face.
Swish.
I leaned my head back to dodge the claw.
Swoooosh!
I lowered my body to the ground to evade the Daikon's kicking leg coming from the side.
Normally, people would think they'd dodged everything at this point.
But that kind of complacency led straight to hell.
Werewolves had a humanoid build at a glance.
But werewolf-type magic beasts had several times the strength and mobility of a normal person.
Most people were cautious up to this point.
Drip.
But there was one thing easily overlooked.
The assumption that just because it had a human-like build, it would fight like a human.
Chomp!
The Daikon's gaping maw came crashing down from above.
Crunch!
I sidestepped lightly, and its jaws smashed harmlessly into the ground.
Whish... crunch, crunch!
"Graaaah!!!"
I pulled out the troll's club strapped to my back and jammed it into the Daikon's eye.
Blood sprayed as the Daikon's head snapped back.
It staggered back a few steps, clutching its eye and howling in agony.
"Gra! Graaa!"
Having lost half its vision in an instant, the Daikon was panicking.
Whew.
"What?"
I looked at it with a faint smile on my lips.
"You thought I'd fight you fair and square?"
- C-Coward... ly... grrk... bastard!!
Coward.
Someone who doesn't know honor.
Disgrace to assassins.
Etc., etc.
Words I'd heard countless times in Katabi.
- Crack!
When the chance came, I'd break an arm.
- Squelch!
When the chance came, I'd gouge an eye.
- Crunch!
When an enemy's throat came close, I'd bite it without hesitation.
Why?
Because I lacked the skill to win in a fair fight?
No.
Not being able to use Assassin Arts without Yin Force was certainly a fatal flaw for an assassin.
But even carrying all those handicaps, I had Body Technique that overwhelmed my enemies.
The reason I didn't choose means and methods was simple.
Fighting was for killing the opponent.
Life-or-death combat wasn't romantic enough to cry for fairness.
Well, there were exceptions.
Not overflowing, but sometimes, depending on the opponent, romance would creep in unbidden.
When I met strength that even I thought was cool.
When I inexplicably wanted to clash my full power against that strength.
At those times, I fought with romance, too.
But.
"Gr... grr...!"
Not for a mutt like this.
My sense of romance wasn't that cheap.
I just fought efficiently to kill.
Swish.
Feeling my regenerated Yin Force return, I engraved the mark from my palm onto my right fist.
The Daikon was still groaning.
"It'll be tough now. Losing one eye usually makes adaptation hard."
Whoosh.
I lowered my stance.
"And I have no intention of waiting."
I lunged at the Daikon.
Slash! Slash! Slash!
I dodged the Daikon's claws relentlessly while hammering in attacks.
Even with one eye lost, it was a beast with animal agility, putting up a fight using its arms and legs.
Rip!
I glanced at its arm flashing past me and checked the engraving that had returned to my fist.
Engraving a new one is a hassle.
To move an existing engraving, I had to re-engrave it.
The good thing was that the moment the used Yin Force regenerated, the existing engraving regained its effect.
If I had to engrave anew every time I used it, that would have been rough.
Thud.
I grabbed the Daikon's extended left arm with my left hand.
Then drove my engraved fist into the joint.
Boom!!
The Daikon's left arm flew off limply.
"Graa!!"
"One eye, one arm."
The Explosion Engraving's mechanism was simple and straightforward.
The stronger the force the user struck with, the bigger the explosion.
"Gr... grr...!"
The once-fierce Daikon was nowhere to be seen.
Shocked by the loss of its eye, it hadn't attempted any bites since.
Whenever my hand neared its face, it flinched and jerked its head up in panic.
Swish.
I circled behind the staggering Daikon and slammed my fist into its side.
Crack!
At 100%, it would have exploded.
With my old power, thick hide or not, one punch would have done it.
Wherever I hit, it would burst and tear away.
But now, with insufficient strength, I targeted vital points only.
"Gr... gru...!"
The Daikon spat out a mouthful of blood.
Werewolf-types like this relied on reaction speed and strength superior to humans.
But the moment they realized their opponent far outclassed them in those very things...
That was when werewolves lost morale and succumbed to fear.
Is that it?
I looked up leisurely.
A horn glinting above the Daikon's head.
Purple light flowing from the horn—it had to be what the Fate of the Engraver was pointing to.
Swish.
I lowered my head and checked my body.
It was soaked in the Daikon's blood, dyed red.
Still helpful.
The reason I hadn't killed the Daikon right away and dragged out the fight was simple.
My body, stiffened from spending too long broken-down, was loosening up with every block and counter.
My reaction speed was steadily improving, and my instinct to predict the next attack was reviving.
I'd forgotten for a moment.
If I had to pick when my power improved the most, it was hands-down in life-or-death battles.
Instinctive strikes thrown while dancing on the edge of death.
Going through countless fights where one slip meant your head rolling—I'd grown strong that way.
The Engraver's level had to rise for the Ghost metric to link and increase.
I'd gotten too fixated on this number for a bit.
Just because the number stalled didn't mean I had to stall.
I might need the Ghost metrics restored to use those old techniques.
But even now, regardless of the numbers, I could keep growing stronger through combat.
"Graaaaa!!"
Did I look away too long?
The Daikon started charging with a roar that echoed through the entire cave, squeezing out its last dregs of strength.
"They all do that at the end."
Swish.
I pulled back my right leg and arm, lowering my stance.
"Can't accept that they're the ones meant to be eaten, I guess."
Though it roared, the Daikon was far more cowed than at the start.
Its instincts already knew it couldn't win.
But it couldn't accept it.
So it charged, bellowing with all its might.
Whoooosh!
Its final attack, infused with everything it had.
The Daikon's right claw, loaded with all its power, flew toward my head.
BOOM!!
"Gr... grr...!?"
This time, I didn't dodge.
I casually raised my left hand to block its attack.
"I wasn't dodging because I couldn't block it."
Whew.
"I dodged because I didn't need to take it."
I regulated my breathing and tensed the right hand pulled back behind me.
The Daikon's left arm was gone.
Its remaining right arm was blocked by my guard, leaving it no means of defense.
Ruuuumble...!
I rapidly shifted the weight from behind to forward.
"Farewell."
I thrust out my engraved fist.
KABOOOM!!