Sweeping the Ant Nest. 03
Yeonwoo quietly watched the approaching ant pack.
The ants, the basic mobs of the Ant Nest Gate. Their bodies were as long as an adult man's height, coming up to about waist-level. At least, that's how they used to be.
To Yeonwoo now, they only reached her solar plexus.
Kakakak, kagak— The ants' jaws, their weapons, clacked threateningly.
Such massive ants—five of them in a pack—charged straight at her. It was a sight that would overwhelm any rookie on their first gate.
But Yeonwoo's impression was different.
'Feels nostalgic.'
Yeonwoo had rolled around in the Ant Nest Gate before. Literally, like a madman.
She'd been bitten by those jaws, beaten, and even pierced. And back then, to test her Weapon Expert stigma in every way possible, she'd fought ants with all sorts of weapons.
Thinking back on it...
'Overly results-oriented, but...'
Anyway, good was good. Now, she was just reaping the rewards of her efforts.
-Keeik! A screech like grinding joints.
The moment the lead ant gaped its massive jaws toward Yeonwoo's slender waist—
Yeonwoo swung her sword first.
Sek.
"...!"
The instant the blade touched the ant, Yeonwoo's pupils dilated.
'What the hell is this.'
It was bewildering. The sensation transmitted through the hilt was faint.
The trajectory she'd drawn cleaved the ant in half in an instant.
Thud. Drip, drip.
The two halves—split vertically, no less—collapsed limply.
'This much power?'
Of course, ants were the basic monsters of the Ant Nest. Among all gates, they were some of the weakest mobs. But to a fresh hunter just starting out, they were still a handful.
The old Yeonwoo had needed several sword thrusts to finally kill one.
Yet now, it ended in a single strike.
'The power of Gathered Slash?'
She'd been in position waiting for the ant to approach.
So what if she clashed head-on without using Gathered Slash?
Four left.
Yeonwoo dodged an ant charging from the side and slipped into its flank in a flash.
She felt it again—this body was agile.
Her motion flowed seamlessly from halt to weight-shifting slash, like water.
Perfect flexibility linking action to action! This was the pinnacle advantage of a woman's body.
'Swing. Slash. Sharply!'
With the intent, the weapon's power amplified.
Cutting power. Sharpness. Destructive force.
All synergized—for about 33% effect.
And this weapon, which looked like an iron sword, was actually two grades higher: rare-grade Real Combat Compression No.2!
Kwaduduk!
The iron sword burrowed into the ant's head and shredded it.
-Kieak, ki...
Its jaws trembled, then it slowly slammed its head into the ground.
'No way. One shot?'
Among all ant parts, the head's carapace was the toughest.
To pierce it with a body that had just become a hunter?
'More. Give me more.'
Excitement heated her body with fulfillment.
This time, Yeonwoo charged first.
Kwaak!
The ant tried to resist with its jaws, but futile.
Yeonwoo lightly leaped, landing on the ant's head and driving her sword down.
Kwak.
The blade shattered the joint between head and thorax.
Weaker than the carapace, it was easy to sever head from body.
But not a good choice.
One of the mistakes rookies often made.
-Kieak. Kek! Krgrgr!
Even severed at the joint, the ant kept moving. Signals cut, it rampaged until death.
The bisected body went berserk, shredding everything around with jaws and legs.
But a veteran like Yeonwoo could even use that rampage for hunting.
Yeonwoo kicked the severed ant head like a soccer ball.
Thwack!
The flying head collided with an approaching ant.
-Kiik. Wawajik! Kigi—
Its spasming, nerve-severed jaws mercilessly tore into its kin.
The live ant and dead one tangled, turning into a mess in seconds.
'Switch here.'
Yeonwoo twirled her wrist.
By will, the sword morphed into a long spear.
All one weapon—no need to store and draw from the Bag.
'Thrust. Pierce. Finally, with full force!'
A different intent this time. Penetration. Sharpness. And finally, weight.
Again, about 33% efficiency boost—but now two-handed.
Kwak!
The spear tip pierced the ant's head.
The rest were easy pickings too. Pok. Pok.
Spear's reach made it safe against the tangled, immobile ones.
"Way beyond expectations."
Too easy.
She'd soloed a whole pack, no need to catch her breath.
And she felt her inner experience bar filling fast.
'Perfect practice dummies.'
Growth speed doubled. And this hunt pace was insane.
No party meant no split EXP.
And enabling all this was...
"One shot."
If she could one-shot not just ants, but even higher mobs like soldier ants...
'Might graduate the Ant Nest in a flash.'
Plus, reaching the next stage for Tier II would evolve her Weapon stigma.
Performing like this already—what would it be like upgraded? Just imagining it felt good.
"Of course, gotta do what needs doing."
Yeonwoo squatted before the ant corpses.
The weapon shifted from spear to iron dagger.
To claim the rewards from the kills.
The basics of Ant Nest basics—for learning the countless survival tips to live as a hunter here.
First, form parties since numbers mattered.
Handle multiple foes.
And harvest for rewards.
Gates varied, but some monsters required proper harvesting for loot.
Yeonwoo, who'd rolled here forever, could do it blindfolded.
Puuk.
The dagger effortlessly dismantled the carapace.
Target: the mana stone inside.
"Gotta grind hard. Save up for Yeonseo's tuition too."
They relied on student loans now, but it was all debt.
When Yeonseo became a full adult...
She didn't want her starting line burdened with heavy debt.
'Come to think of it. Has the Ant Nest been liberated or not?'
Gates were unstable spaces by nature.
Liberation changed their nature.
Pre-liberation gates spawned anomalies—variables that endangered hunters.
Liberated ones offered hunter benefits: controlled environments called events.
'It was already liberated when I first came. Probably still is.'
Yeonwoo mulled while her hands busily worked.
She dismantled three ants in a flash, two left, when—
"Excuse me~ Mind if we watch from the side?"
Three hunters approached.
A kindly greeting woman, a reluctant middle-aged man, and a young man.
They'd been blankly watching Yeonwoo's fight.
"Sorry if it's a bother, miss. Our party member insisted on seeing harvesting up close."
"You said it was amazing too, uncle."
Seemed curious about Yeonwoo's hands.
'No choice. This is the most important part anyway.'
No matter how easy the hunt, botched harvesting meant no real rewards—total failure.
Past Yeonwoo had suffered immensely.
No proper stigma meant no party invites. Even scraping one together, all rookies—no learning chances.
Hard-won skill after twists and turns.
Share that blood-sweat experience just because? No way.
"Watch closely."
"Whoa! Thanks!"
Of course she'd teach. She'd hog all the suffering herself.
"First, gauge the mana stone's position. Tap like this—feel the vibration and sound."
Yeonwoo explained swiftly.
How to read vibes and sounds easily.
Ant carapace removal tricks.
Bonus: avoiding rigor mortis, plus tips on higher mobs like soldier ants and poison ants.
The tense trio relaxed, faces softening.
A stunning beauty teaching casually and kindly—who wouldn't grin?
"Pretty girl who's sharp as a tack too."
"Sis, like last time—how are you that good at fighting?"
But the woman's words felt off.
"Last time?"
"Thought you were scary from that video. Kinda regretting it now. You're a total angel."
"Huh? Video?"
"The Hunter Center gold-rank smackdown video!"
"Uh..."
Yeonwoo's dismantling hand froze.
Center? Smackdown? No way that Nade Man punk's shakedown attempt...
went viral as a video?
"Oh, but why'd you flip his coat at the end? Wild rumors like you were gonna steal his wallet."
"Uh. That, uh."
Realizing her every move might be all over the net, Yeonwoo stiffened.
The woman giggled at her.
"Haha, it was real!"
"No. It wasn't."
Yeonwoo frantically shook her stiff neck.
"Liar. You suck at lying, sis! So cute. This is legit."
The woman whipped out her phone, tapped furiously, and showed a community screenshot to Yeonwoo.
Yeonwoo's mouth slowly gaped open.
"How, how is this..."
Her face gradually flushed.
Her bold ant dismantling slowed, growing demure.
"Stop, stop. You went too wild."
"Sorry about this, miss. Our teammate's a bit immature."
"Thanks a ton today. If it's not a bother, we'll repay you properly next time."
The young man and middle-aged man stepped in to restrain the woman.
They didn't forget sincere apologies to the kind Yeonwoo who'd shared precious knowledge.
"Sis, party with us?"
"Hey, even you know that's no good. We'll drag her down at our pace."
"Figured. See you next time then, sis! I'm your fan starting today!"
They dashed off, leaving frozen Yeonwoo behind.
The woman waved till the end; the other two dragged her away.
"Shame. She seemed so nice."
"Yeah. Thought we'd get chewed out—worried sick."
"Psh, that bad?"
"You'll learn when you're older. How many act superior and picky out there."
Even retreating, they kept praising Yeonwoo.
Left alone, Yeonwoo took a moment to think.
To escape the situation, she hastily concluded.
'Anyway. Can't hide this face.'
Think positive.
No other way.
"Haa."
Yeonwoo sighed, dropping her head.
But this ticklish feeling... impossible to get used to.
Same time.
A bit away.
The white priest, Mikael, watched Yeonwoo squatting by ant corpses with complicated emotions.
Unexpected.
Or rather, too soon to judge from a brief meeting.
Still, the Yeonwoo he'd met in the tent...
Was just a pretty, weird rascal. Nothing more, nothing less.
...Adding a bit, somewhat intriguing.
But now this sight?
Generously sharing knowledge and kindness with strangers.
No prejudices.
No discrimination.