A S-Class Hunter With Great Agility - Chapter 33

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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 33: Fear and Complacency (4)

 

“Location-wise, this should be the right place.”

 

I muttered. Despite having entered underground, nothing was visible yet.

Humid and stale air filled my lungs. It was the smell of dead things.

 

“…Ugh. That hurts. Huh, is someone over there?”

 

Since we had broken through the floor and fallen rather than using the stairs, Baek Kyul, who was holding his head, pointed somewhere.

I looked in that direction.

Huh?

 

“Park Ji-hwan?”

 

There sat Park Ji-hwan in armor with a dazed expression. His large body was squeezed between a giant statue and the wall.

Is he hiding? Why is he doing that?

 

“Park Ji-hwan!”

 

When there was no response to my call, I shouted loudly once more. Only then did Park Ji-hwan seem to notice us and turn his head. But his expression was somewhat strange.

 

“Behind you…!”

 

Behind?

I immediately turned around to look behind me.

Ah, what the.

 

Kwaaaak—

 

I quickly swung the Spirit General Sword to strike down what was approaching.

 

“Another skeleton?”

 

It was a different entity from the one that had kidnapped Kim Se-min earlier. The skeleton that was hit by my sword rolled across the floor.

 

“How, how did you…?”

 

Seeing this, Park Ji-hwan muttered with a dazed expression. He looked very surprised. I shrugged and didn’t add any particular explanation.

Park Ji-hwan finally awkwardly squeezed out from between the wall crevice.

 

“What about the others?”

“….”

 

When I asked, Park Ji-hwan hesitated to answer.

 

‘What happened here?’

 

“So what were you going to do without me?”

“That’s not what you should be saying.”

 

To someone who’s already having a hard time. When I intervened, Baek Kyul pouted his lips. Park Ji-hwan also avoided eye contact.

I asked to understand the situation.

 

“Did you get beaten? By these things?”

“…Yes. Each one approaches B-rank level. It was too much to handle them all…”

“Hmm.”

 

During Park Ji-hwan’s explanation, I beheaded another skeleton that was charging at me.

 

Clatter.

 

The skeleton’s head dropped to the floor with a thud. It was probably in a state where it had consumed some energy from the battle with Park Ji-hwan. It was easier to defeat than before.

 

“Still, this level seems fine though? I don’t see any others besides this one.”

“….”

“Ah… No, that’s not right.”

 

I looked up at the ceiling and quickly changed my words.

 

“…The other Hunters fell long ago, and I was barely holding on. And everyone… was taken, over there.”

 

I shifted my gaze from the ceiling to where Park Ji-hwan was pointing.

 

‘On the ceiling…’

 

Three skeletons in total.

 

‘The place Park Ji-hwan pointed to is…’

 

A massive door.

Judging by the fact that I could sense Kim Se-min’s presence from there, it seemed she had been taken inside.

 

‘The order is decided.’

 

Quickly eliminate these skeletons, then enter that place.

 

“Park Ji-hwan, could you put up a defensive barrier? Is that possible?”

“Ah… Yes! Understood.”

 

Park Ji-hwan looked very exhausted. But he didn’t refuse.

He could have run away immediately. But seeing that he stayed here, he didn’t seem to be someone completely without a sense of responsibility.

 

Park Ji-hwan extended his arm wrapped in armor that had become completely worn unlike before. A translucent barrier spread from his fingertips.

 

‘He was able to hold out this long because he’s a tanker with considerable defense skills.’

 

Using that defensive barrier as a shield, I leaped toward the high ceiling.

 

Ah, why do these things like hanging from the ceiling so much? How annoying.

 

“Noble Foot Treads Humble Ground.”

 

But if my foot touches it, wouldn’t that also be ground in the end?

 

The shift in thinking was easy. I swung my sword.

 

Clang.

 

Along with a clear bell sound, a thunderous roar came from the ceiling.

 

Rummmmmmmble.

 

| …Such thinking is rare. |

“Amazing, right? Sometimes you have to think like a young person.”

 

I smiled proudly as I watched the ceiling collapse from mid-air.

Wow, this many B-rank monster magic stones all at once. This really was an unexpected windfall.

I swung my sword with a whoosh— cutting down the skeletons hanging from the ceiling.

 

Clatter.

Clatter clatter clatter clatter.

Clatter, clatter.

 

The skeletons all fell to the floor with one bone fragment missing each.

Ribs, wrists, leg bones… It’s like an orthopedic clinic opening.

The ceiling debris hit Park Ji-hwan’s defensive barrier and bounced elsewhere.

The fallen skeletons glared at me with empty eye sockets.

 

‘Three B-ranks…’

 

I glanced at my status window.

 

 

‘This might be manageable.’

 

They’re not infinitely regenerating like in the Life Dungeon, nor are dozens or hundreds swarming in groups like during the dungeon break.

At this level, I should be able to fight while saving mana for the boss battle.

 

I kicked off the ground and rushed toward the skeletons.

My first target was the one missing a leg bone.

The skeleton standing unsteadily opened its jaw with a clatter.

 

Kraaaah—!

 

A familiar purple light shot toward my face. I swung my sword to deflect that formless energy.

Faster, more efficiently.

I need to control my mana well. I need to make my body feel this sensation more going forward.

 

‘That way…’

 

Crack. My Spirit General Sword lodged between the skeleton’s hard jaws.

 

‘I can eliminate these things faster.’

 

A sharp, cold killing intent was carved into my eyes.

 

Things formed of malice, monsters. They create doors in front of other people’s homes, then come out to kill first if you don’t enter.

 

Because of these things…

 

How lonely I’ve lived.

 

I twisted the sword lodged in the skeleton’s jaw using my wrist. The rattling blade crushed the skeleton’s skull.

 

 

Thud.

I swung my sword to shake off the bone dust on the blade.

 

 

* * *

 

“Whew…”

 

I surveyed the scene where modest snow had fallen. White bone fragments were scattered all around me.

Park Ji-hwan looked at the sight with a bewildered expression.

 

“Y-you’re a temporary B-rank… But how…”

“…There are some circumstances.”

 

After picking up the last magic stone, I sheathed my Spirit General Sword. Then I said to my party members.

 

“Let’s go inside now.”

 

I gestured toward that massive door. I could still feel Kim Se-min’s life force from there.

 

‘…And.’

 

Even the lives of others.

Through the Wronged King Spirit’s vision, I could see several lives.

 

* * *

 

Thoom.

Finally, the heavy door collapsed.

For a while, dusty wind rose thickly, then disappeared shortly after.

 

| This place…. |

 

The Wronged King Spirit muttered. It was because the scenery that came into view once the dust storm subsided was quite unexpected.

 

‘A banquet hall?’

 

It certainly looked like a banquet hall. Bizarre oil paintings and old torch lighting decorated the walls. The floor was also made of very expensive-looking material, different from the castle interior we’d seen so far.

A party venue. It looked exactly like a place that would be used for such purposes.

 

‘Why would a dungeon need something like this?’

 

But….

That wasn’t what caught my eye the most.

 

“Hey! Are you okay?!”

 

I shouted urgently.

 

“Ugh. Save, save me….”

“Here, above, here….”

 

The ceiling. On the ceiling where expensive jewels should have been embedded if this were a real banquet hall.

The hunters with familiar faces I had seen earlier were captured there. Their limbs bound and twisted by spider webs.

 

“Kim Se-min?”

 

Looking around carefully, I spotted a girl with black hair hanging down in one corner. She lay powerlessly with her eyes closed as if unconscious. She was also wrapped in spider webs.

I bit my lips.

 

“Wait just a moment! I’ll get you down right away.”

 

I drew my Spirit General Sword again. Then I leaped upward and cut through a couple of spider webs.

 

Thud thud.

 

Three hunters including Kim Se-min fell onto the ground I had softened using my skill. They were covered in cuts and gashes all over.

 

“…Baek Kyul.”

 

I called to him quietly.

 

What on earth was the purpose of this? If it wanted to kill them, it would have done so long ago. That’s a monster’s instinct and the law of dungeons.

But why had it hung them up like this and tormented them? I couldn’t understand it at all.

 

I needed to find the boss monster quickly. Everything would end once I found and eliminated it.

 

I gripped my Spirit General Sword properly and took position to rescue the other hunters first.

But….

 

“Treatment…. Kyul?”

 

An ominous sensation crept up the back of my neck.

 

| …Vessel. |

“…Yes.”

 

It was a cold, chilling feeling that I couldn’t ignore even if I wanted to.

An instinctive sensation that something was wrong.

 

‘….’

 

I slowly turned around to look behind me.

At the scene that immediately came into view, I furrowed my brow.

 

Ah, I should have.

Realized this much earlier.

 

Why I hadn’t been able to find the boss monster until now. Why it… hadn’t revealed itself.

Why the boss monster’s overwhelming presence hadn’t been felt even once throughout all the battles so far.

 

I should have suspected that first.

And I should have realized the reason long ago.

 

“…Nam Jae-yoon.”

 

I let my expression turn cold.

 

“Haha.”

 

Nam Jae-yoon standing before me smiled broadly.

 

“Kuk, kkeuk…!”

 

Baek Kyul groaned in pain. Nam Jae-yoon was holding him by the neck and lifting him into the air. The boy’s small body struggled.

Baek Kyul gripped Nam Jae-yoon’s hand and twisted, trying to break free, but Nam Jae-yoon didn’t budge.

He threw Baek Kyul toward one of the walls.

 

Crash, crunch!

 

Baek Kyul smashed into the banquet hall wall and was embedded there. The blood he coughed up stained his white hoodie bright red.

 

“…What are you doing right now?”

 

Park Ji-hwan was in the same situation. Nam Jae-yoon was lightly stepping on Park Ji-hwan’s body with one foot.

Crack. He applied force and crushed Park Ji-hwan’s abdomen. His armor crumbled.

 

“Kek—!”

 

Red blood flowed from Park Ji-hwan’s mouth.

 

“To think there would be such a weak mind. Infiltration was easy.”

 

Nam Jae-yoon spoke simply and curved the corners of his eyes.

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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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