Chapter 87
Chapter 87
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Translator: crow
Chapter Title: Luring the Black Wolf
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"Even if it's not okay, there's no one else who can handle it but me, right?"
"........."
The Celestial Sect members looked embarrassed yet apologetic at my words.
It wasn't the time for them to worry about me.
In this hunt, the Celestial Sect would suffer far greater losses than I would.
I was merely using them to protect the kids and handle the Black Wolf.
That's why I'd paid extra attention to helping them hold out longer.
Besides the advanced Corrupted Being I planned to take on—the Black Wolf—I'd already spotted four mid-level ones.
And more low-level Corrupted monster dogs than expected.
Even if I took the Black Wolf, the Celestial Sect didn't seem to have many people who could handle a mid-level Corrupted Being on their own.
Baek Seol-hwa, the old man, and that middle-aged guy they called Eldest Senior Brother.
It was unsettling that only three people could keep the mid-levels in check.
"......Come to think of it, where's Cheon Su-ho?"
I'd planned to deal with him later, but I'd completely forgotten about it at some point.
I didn't think I'd seen him even after arriving here.
Then it hit me in the urgency.
Cheon Su-ho was a C-Rank Awakener.
I didn't like him, but I couldn't deny he was decent firepower.
Who knows? If he fought hard and died heroically, I might even feel generous enough to grant him amnesty.
"Senior Brother was excommunicated."
"Oh... really?"
Seol-hwa's response left me nonplussed.
It was unexpected.
I'd figured she'd cover for her own.
Excommunicated? The sect leader grandpa must have steeled his heart.
Grandpa... you were that pissed?
Cheon Su-ho got lucky for no good reason.
Tch. Ridiculous. They say even dog shit has its uses, but apparently not.
I still didn't like the guy.
What was the point of looking for someone who wasn't here?
The plan was simple.
No time to devise a complex strategy, and I wasn't the type anyway.
While I lured and fought, the Celestial Sect would join in.
If they could just draw the attention of the mid-level Corrupted monsters, I was confident I could take down the Black Wolf without issue.
"My lord plans to lure the Black Wolf here."
An undeveloped wasteland next to the Celestial Sect's residence.
I'd considered a spot farther away.
It might be unnecessary worry, but if things went wrong and they got raided while empty, it would be fatal.
The Black Wolf looked like the type to do exactly that.
Me complicating things like this was all for the kids' safety.
If it were just me?
I wouldn't care what happened to the Celestial Sect and could just run guerrilla tactics.
Or head to Cheongju to farm skill points and come back.
It might take time, but I'd successfully hunt the Black Wolf without fail.
In exchange, the Celestial Sect would be left in tatters.
Worst case, wiped out...
But I wasn't alone.
If I hunted far away and they got raided, everything I'd done so far would be for nothing.
I couldn't let that happen.
So we had to fight close by.
The downside? If the Celestial Sect couldn't hold, the monsters could swarm straight to the residence before anyone could prepare.
But I wanted the kids within my response range if danger came.
I'd considered waiting for them to come, but then I couldn't choose the battlefield.
And it would likely turn into a chaotic melee rather than an organized fight.
"......That's the plan. Any other opinions?"
Seol-hwa finished explaining and looked around.
"......"
Even the sect leader grandpa showed no sign of objecting.
The plan put all the dangerous parts on me alone.
For them, this was the best opportunity they could ask for.
Dawn broke.
"Oppa."
"My lord."
The kids' faces, knowing I was heading out to lure that monster, were filled with worry.
Who should be worrying about whom...?
I stroked their heads and left the Celestial Sect.
Mana surged through my body at my will, smoothly forming a simple black full-body armor.
And from my fingertips, my body began fading into transparency.
I needed to scout first for any advantages.
Gain whatever edge I could to balance things between the Celestial Sect and the Black Wolf pack.
I moved swiftly, using detection to search for them.
Far from the Celestial Sect, I spotted a mid-level monster dog with brown and black spots.
It was lounging leisurely in the middle of the road.
A Sigor Zab breed, huh.
A few low-level monster dogs were scattered around.
I ignored the low-level trash mobs that posed no threat.
Even stealthed, these beasts had sharper senses than humans.
I approached cautiously to avoid detection.
The mid-level monster dog perked its ears, sniffing the air as if sensing something off.
Beast senses were sharp.
But it was still just suspicion.
I needed a one-shot lethal blow or instant kill.
This was a mid-level Corrupted Being, after all.
Can I do it in one hit?
But I couldn't pass up the chance.
Otherwise, there'd be no point sneaking up like this.
I drew close and pulled out the giant hammer Mjolnir, raising it high.
The beast lifted its head, sensing something amiss.
I swung Mjolnir straight down at its head.
It noticed at the last second and tried to dodge, but was a beat too slow.
-Boom!
A massive explosion echoed across the street.
I couldn't silently dispatch a mid-level Corrupted Being with solid mana defenses.
-Yelp!!
Mid-level meant it survived one hit.
But the heavy impact left it barely standing, on the brink.
Its skull was slightly caved in, eyes spinning weirdly in different directions.
I couldn't waste the opening.
I smashed the hammer down once more.
-Crunch!
-Thud!
Its head finally shattered.
The Black Wolf was charging toward me at terrifying speed.
Damn... didn't expect it to come straight at me like this...
Its reaction was faster than I'd thought.
I quickly grabbed the mana stone from the corpse of the head-smashed monster and dropped stealth.
Now it was time to lure.
I considered staying stealthed and picking them off, but I couldn't ignore the risk of them ignoring me and heading straight for the Celestial Sect.
What happens when a tank fails at tanking?
It turns into chaos, so I had to fulfill the tank role properly.
-Awoooo!!
The Black Wolf spotted me as I dropped invisibility and howled while charging.
I stowed Mjolnir in my inventory and fled, dodging it.
-Grrrr. Grrrr. Pant pant!
I felt monster dogs gathering from around.
A low-level monster dog blocked my path ahead.
A spear shot from my inventory into my hand and flew straight out in an instant.
In a flash, its head shattered on the spear tip.
Trash like that was just level-up fodder for me.
If only more would bunch up...
Seven more trash mobs would net me a precious skill point.
-Roar!!
The Black Wolf roared from behind as it chased.
The incoming low-level Corrupted monsters scattered from my path in an instant.
Sensing my strength, the small fry spread out.
Are they insane... shit...
It was absurd—more coordinated and faster than humans.
I'd felt it with the cat monsters too, but these guys pulled some seriously unfair stunts.
The low-level dogs spread out wide,
while the Black Wolf and mid-level dogs closed in fast behind me.
-Roar!!
I sensed its attack lunging from behind.
True to a quadruped beast, it was fast.
I summoned a giant shield from my inventory behind me.
Tough as the shield was, it wouldn't be enough alone.
I wrapped it in mana to reinforce.
-Boom!
The impact hit the shield, launching my body forward.
Its attack gave me a nice boost.
-Roar!
It roared in fury at my bizarre escape method.
I smoothly led the Black Wolf's monster pack to the promised battlefield.
About thirty Celestial Sect martial artists were all clad in black combat suits.
Determined resolve burned in their eyes.
-Boom. Boom.
Dull explosions rumbled from afar, growing steadily closer.
"My lord is coming."
"S-Seol-hwa."
Lee Ji-ah, beside Seol-hwa, called her name anxiously.
"My lord is strong. He'll be fine."
Baek Seol-hwa hid her own anxiety to comfort Ji-ah.
-Boom! Boom! Boom!
Sounds like bombs detonating drew nearer until a black human silhouette emerged.
A figure fully encased in simple black armor.
Just the familiar massive build told them it was Un-ho.
Trailing behind was the Black Wolf's pack pursuing him.
"O-Oppa!"
Un-ho arrived at the lure site—the undeveloped wasteland—stopped fleeing, and began battling the Black Wolf.
Contrary to their worries, he was unscathed and in perfect shape.
They saw Un-ho wielding a massive greatsword amid the monsters without hesitation.
A giant black shield mysteriously appearing in mid-air to block the monster dogs' attacks at perfect moments.
Far from needing worry, he looked almost leisurely.
"My lord has arrived."
"Time to end our grudge with the Black Wolf. Let's go."
At Baek Tae-san's command, the Celestial Sect martial artists drew their swords and charged forward swiftly.