A S-Class Hunter With Great Agility - Chapter 31

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 31: Fear and Complacency (2)

 

I looked beyond the broken window. Placing my hand on the window frame, I felt the wind—whoosh—against my skin. The air touching my face was cool.

 

“There’s nothing much outside.”

 

It’s all mountains. Is this entire area part of the dungeon? If so, it was too vast.

 

“Ah, you probably can’t go outside. This type of base-type dungeon typically has limited accessible areas.”

“Hmm. I see. That’s fortunate.”

 

It would be troublesome if the outside was included in the dungeon boss search radius. I lost interest and removed my hand from the window frame. Then I muttered as if lamenting.

 

“Still, the castle is way too large. At this rate, it’ll take much longer.”

 

It’s already been 2 hours since we started wandering the corridors. This damn ancient castle hasn’t shown us its boss monster at all.

In the meantime, we defeated a few more spiders, and I also received my share of magic stones, but at this rate, securing magic stones for potions would be difficult.

 

Sigh. It needs to be at least a C-rank boss to be effective…

 

“And they’ve all been ambush attacks from the start. How annoying.”

“Right. My heart can’t take much more of this…”

 

Nam Jae-yoon clutched his chest. Understandably so, since spiders kept appearing out of nowhere.

The spiders launched quick attacks without even taking time to assess their opponents.

As if they couldn’t tolerate hunters preparing for battle.

 

Hiss—…

 

…Damn it. Again?

 

“Ugh, we have visitors again.”

 

I turned my head toward the sound, and sure enough. Spider-type monsters revealed themselves again.

One of them was approaching from the end of the corridor, moving its eight legs toward us.

 

Crash—!

 

The web the monster spat from its mouth pierced through the wall right next to me.

 

‘…What?’

 

Next to me?

 

“Kugh!”

 

I immediately threw myself to escape the attack range. What’s this?

 

‘An attack came at me? Suddenly?’

 

Clearly, Nam Jae-yoon and Kim Se-min were in the best positions for their skills to reach.

Since the two were always in combat stance, the monsters had been picking fights with them, not me.

This was the first time a skill came directly at me like this.

 

Thump.

 

My relaxed heartbeat pounded hard.

 

“E-Eun Hae-dam! Are you alright?”

 

…I’m fine, but this is pissing me off. Ah, these bastards, don’t tell me.

 

‘They’ve been using their heads this whole time…’

 

I laughed as if incredulous.

 

“Looks like they decided to attack the weakest target this time?”

 

There’s no other reason. Currently, I’m not casting any skills. So naturally, I would look the weakest to those things.

 

“Aha…”

 

I twisted the corner of my mouth as I stood up. Avoiding that attack was pure luck.

Just as those bastards think, because I’m weak. The weakest here.

So right now, that is.

 

Screech—!

 

Another attack comes. Pure white, hard webbing shot toward me.

However, with Kim Se-min’s help, the attack’s trajectory was altered, fortunately hitting somewhere else instead of me.

 

Crash—!

 

The stone wall in an empty direction gets pierced and crumbles.

 

The spiders that appeared total five. It wasn’t a level that would be difficult to deal with. If left to those two, they might manage somehow.

 

‘But…’

 

I don’t want to leave them be anymore. Now that they’ve looked down on me once.

I furrowed my brow. Even catching a bus shouldn’t be this difficult, really.

 

“Nam Jae-yoon, Kim Se-min. Please step back for a moment.”

“Huh? No, the attacks keep coming toward Eun Hae-dam…”

“It’s fine.”

 

Nam Jae-yoon looked bewildered. He seemed flustered too. However, no further long explanation was needed.

I brought my hand to the hilt of the sword hanging at my waist.

 

“W-wait! Eun Hae-dam, above…!”

 

Above?

 

I reflexively raised my head to look at the ceiling. Spider webs stretched across it, old and worn down, looking like it could collapse at any moment.

 

‘…?’

 

Goosebumps rose on the back of my neck. Not from fear. Rather, it was closer to disgust.

 

“A skeleton?”

 

A single skeleton was crawling across the ceiling. Pitch-black, empty eye sockets. It made eye contact with me.

 

I flinched.

I took a step back.

 

“…This one’s different.”

 

What is it? Why…

 

Thud.

 

Nam Jae-yoon kicked off the wall and leaped up. His feet were still trembling, but the continuous battles seemed to have lessened his fear somewhat.

 

“Wildflower Librarian, Flame.”

 

He opened the book in his arms, tore out a page, and whoosh. Created a fireball and shot it toward the ceiling.

Kim Se-min did the same. She raised her staff, muttered a skill name, and created two magic circles.

Those two attacks reached the skeleton hanging from the ceiling…

 

I focused my gaze on it, feeling somehow uneasy.

 

 

“Wait…!”

 

Damn, this is B-rank—!

 

Too much. It’s definitely not a level they can handle. I urgently turned my head and shouted.

 

But… inside a dungeon, everything can collapse in just a few seconds.

 

It was already too late.

 

Kwaaaang—!

Bang—!!

 

“Kugh…!”

“Urgh…”

 

Nam Jae-yoon and Kim Se-min took a counterattack. The skeleton opened its chattering mouth and unleashed an attack. A purple breath struck both of them precisely.

 

Crash.

 

Nam Jae-yoon’s back dug into the corridor wall. He slumped down powerlessly.

Kim Se-min also bounced away a couple times before finally rolling across the broken floor.

 

Only Baek Kyul remained.

 

“…Baek Kyul. Come behind me.”

“This thing, what the hell…!”

“Hurry!”

 

I cut off his words and shouted. Baek Kyul couldn’t take his eyes off the disaster that had occurred in an instant, then bit his lips tightly.

However, when I gestured with my chin, he eventually ran and took cover behind me.

 

“Stay still. Don’t move.”

 

The skeleton turned its head grotesquely.

 

Clatter.

Clatter clatter.

 

As if to say you’re next, it clearly shifted its gaze to me. The bone joints that had no remaining body parts twisted.

 

“…Sir. This isn’t normal. It’s different from before…!”

“I know.”

 

I didn’t take my eyes off that skeleton. From what I could see in the status window, it was definitely B-rank.

I don’t know why it’s in a C-rank dungeon, but…

 

“But don’t worry.”

“What… What if that’s the boss!”

“Nothing changes even so.”

 

I glanced at Baek Kyul, making eye contact, and spoke lightly.

After all, I was going to kill it anyway.

 

“That level isn’t difficult.”

 

I reached out my right hand toward the sword hilt. The familiar feel of the Spirit General Sword wrapped around my palm.

 

Shing—

 

A slightly curved, sharp silver sword was drawn.

Baek Kyul seemed to remember what happened in the Life Dungeon. He closed his mouth and watched my series of actions.

 

Clang.

 

The Spirit Bell attached to the end of the handle. The clear bell sound flowing from that Spirit Bell rang out after a long time.

I gripped the sword firmly and swung it as if cutting through the air.

 

Clang.

 

This place is an abandoned house. A castle where no one lives. A place that has been forsaken and died.

And since ancient times, there has been a deity who governs such dead grounds.

 

“Divine Descent Ritual.”

 

An old earthen wind blows in.

The place that deity will govern from now on… is here.

 

* * *

 

A hand covered in solid iron armor grips the floor. Stone fragments crumbled within that grasp.

Ah, really. He couldn’t tell what exactly had gone wrong, or where it started.

 

‘No, actually…’

 

He knew. Park Ji-hwan knew exactly what the cause of this damned result was.

 

There are two things that become poison in a dungeon.

Fear, and the lack of that fear. The latter goes by the alias of complacency.

 

Park Ji-hwan knew well that he had been acting complacently all this time.

If he hadn’t split the team. If there had been a healer. If he hadn’t let his guard down the moment he set foot in the basement.

No, just if he hadn’t been greedy enough to take on the party leader role from the first dungeon, claiming he’d join a large guild…

 

In the end, everything started from his own complacent choices.

 

All the other hunters had already fallen. Each skeleton was a monster with B-rank or higher abilities.

They weren’t opponents that combat-type hunters composed entirely of C-rank or D-rank could endure without even a healer.

 

“Urgh…”

 

Park Ji-hwan struggled to stand up. With his arm that wouldn’t respond properly, he gripped his shield tightly. With his other hand, he clutched a sword that was chipped here and there.

 

Clatter, clatter.

 

The skeletons approached as if surrounding Park Ji-hwan.

 

Crash!

 

One of them charged toward Park Ji-hwan’s shield. Hard bone pressed down on the shield. It was too much force for his arm muscles, which had reached their limit, to endure.

 

“Ugh!”

 

Meanwhile, several spider-type monsters crawled over.

 

Hissssss—

 

The monsters that spewed webs from their mouths wrapped around the fallen hunters. Then they dragged them away one by one to somewhere.

 

“N-no.”

 

Park Ji-hwan blocked the skeletons while urgently turning his head toward his colleagues being dragged away.

…However, there was nothing he could do right now. He stared blankly at the scene with a hollow expression.

Crack. His convulsing arm gripped the shield like a last hope.

 

Someone.

It was truly an absurd hope, but.

 

‘Please, if someone would…’

 

Come to help them.

 

* * *

 

Scratches appear on the black long robe.

As the divine spirit’s energy entered my body, traces of time began to seep from the combat suit I was wearing.

Of course. He is a deity who governs old grounds. A deity who has guarded forgotten tombs alone for hundreds of years, for more than hundreds of years.

 

| Vessel… |

 

How… why did you… call me…

 

A voice that seemed to scrape through my head was heard. This might be what someone’s voice would sound like if they opened their mouth after not saying a single word for ages.

 

Creak. Clatter.

 

The skeleton still stuck to the ceiling turned its head. The head, turned about ninety degrees, looked at me with puzzlement.

The fact that it had attacked a weak individual meant it could assess the opponent’s level.

So it must have noticed that a change had occurred in me, now containing the divine spirit.

 

“What, surprised?”

 

I chuckled. Then I addressed the divine spirit.

 

“Divine Spirit.”

| … |

“Please lend me your strength.”

| If this humble… thing can be of help… |

 

It certainly will. At least you’ll be of greater help than Stamina 10.

I lifted my steps, now much lighter than before, from the floor and moved my body forward.

 

Step.

 

“Noble Foot Treads Humble Ground.”

 

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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