The Regressed SSS-Rank Supporter Who Turned Dark - Chapter 96

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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#Episode 96
The Knights didn’t even realize they were being dragged beneath the water’s surface.
“S-save me… *cough*!”
“Just wait a moment… *gasp gasp*!”
Even as they were pulled into the depths, their singular obsession remained fixed on rescuing the Woman in Water perched upon the boulder, weeping.
And the price they paid was anything but noble.
The Knights dragged beneath the water never surfaced again.
– What in the world is that thing?
– I don’t claim to know every monster out there.
Eun-sung shrugged.
– Fair point. But… your hearing will recover, right?
– What kind of Hunter loses their hearing from a few flash-bangs?
Eun-sung furrowed his brow.
– I’m just… worried, that’s all.
– ….
Eun-sung was seized by an odd sensation in that moment.
The Lee Hyun he knew was nothing like this.
Colder than anyone, more arrogant, more volatile.
Even when an arm was severed during combat, he would merely furrow his brow slightly, and when a leg was lost, he would methodically apply a tourniquet and wait for his allies’ healing abilities—his endurance was extraordinary.
He was the kind of presence that even members of the same Raid Party didn’t dare look directly at… yet.
‘Perhaps he’s still just a kid after all.’
Eun-sung smiled bitterly to himself.
There was nothing strange about it.
A decade changes mountains and rivers, so it was only natural that the Lee Hyun he once knew differed from the Lee Hyun standing before him now.
“…?”
Meanwhile, the Woman in Water—the one who had drowned the Knights—furrowed her brow upon seeing Eun-sung and Lee Hyun.
“Help me! *sob sob*! I’m so scared! *sobbing*!”
The Woman in Water pleaded desperately toward Eun-sung and Lee Hyun once more.
*Whiiiiing—*
But all that reached Eun-sung and Lee Hyun’s ears was a piercing ringing; the Woman in Water’s voice never reached them.
– What do you want to do?
– Like this.
*Click!*
Eun-sung pulled the safety pin from a water grenade with deliberate flair.
This too was crafted from processed Etherium, and unlike ordinary grenades, it wielded sufficient force against monsters.
“First… ”
Eun-sung summoned crimson blades using the power of the Red Moon card.
*Whirrrrrrr—!*
The crimson blades flew toward the Woman in Water perched upon the boulder.
“…!”
Splash!
The startled Woman in Water plunged into the lake.
Whoosh!
Eun-sung hurled grenades into the Lake.
Boom—!
A column of water erupted skyward with the explosion.
Eun-sung didn’t stop there, displaying ruthless aggression as he primed several more grenades.
Boom, boom, boom, boom, boom—!
Whoooosh!
Water spray cascaded down like rain.
“…This guy’s absolutely insane.”
I clicked my tongue in disbelief.
He’d driven the Woman in Water into the Lake with that red blade, then lobbed grenades after her….
Ruthless, yet brilliantly calculated tactics.
Actually, even before that, Eun-sung had demonstrated terrifying intellect.
He’d grasped the monster’s pattern in a split second, then used flash grenades to momentarily paralyze its hearing.
How did he conjure such extraordinary improvisation….
“They’re surfacing.”
Eun-sung pointed toward the Lake.
The Woman in Water and the Water Killing Ghosts emerged one by one onto the surface.
“Might as well finish them off.”
Eun-sung manipulated the red blades, piercing through both the Woman in Water and the Water Killing Ghosts.
[Ether absorbed.]
[Ether absorbed.]
…
[Ether absorbed.]
As the ether flowing from the Woman in Water and the Water Killing Ghosts was absorbed into Eun-sung and me respectively.
Whoosh!
I was enveloped in auspicious ether.
“…Wasted effort, really.”
Eun-sung’s expression turned sour.
Of course, I had already reached the tail end of 4-Star rank, so advancing to 5-Star rank wasn’t surprising.
It was merely a matter of time.
At most, it was accelerated by only one or two weeks.
‘This is taking a while.’
I didn’t awaken immediately.
For a Hunter, advancing to 5-Star rank was a moment when enlightenment arrived, so it wasn’t strange that it took some time.
‘Just kill him… No.’
Eun-sung suppressed the urge to kill me in my defenseless state.
He wouldn’t kill without justification.
I had no confidence I could control myself the moment that great law shattered.
‘Already pressed for time, and now I’m being held back… wait?’
Eun-sung’s eyes lit up as he noticed something.
On the water’s surface.
Something was glimmering.
‘Something surfaced.’
Splash!
Eun-sung dove into the Lake without hesitation.
Since he’d already eliminated all the monsters, there was nothing to worry about.
* * *
Eun-sung came from a family with a long tradition of service in the Navy Special Forces, and he was an exceptional swimmer.
He’d learned swimming from his father from a very young age, and during middle and high school, he’d competed as a swimmer, even winning a silver medal at the National Sports Festival.
“This is…”
Eun-sung’s eyes sparkled as he reached his destination.
A single rune.
And three Etherium crystals.
It was the jackpot of all jackpots.
‘How am I this lucky…?’
I couldn’t believe it myself.
But thinking about it differently, it wasn’t impossible.
Slaughter Revelry had a stat that increased the acquisition probability of Etherium, runes, and items by 150%.
Moreover, the Luck and Misfortune card had a passive effect that increased luck by 25%, so hitting a jackpot like this was entirely possible.
[Enchantment]
★★★★
Enchants the target.
Charm +150%
※ At waterside locations, it is possible to summon Water Killing Ghosts.
※ Effectiveness drops sharply against higher-ranked enemies.
‘This will be useful in many ways.’
Eun-sung smiled as he placed the [Enchantment] rune into his card.
[You have acquired a 4-Star Blue Etherium.]
[You have acquired a 4-Star Blue Etherium.]
[You have acquired a 4-Star Blue Etherium.]
I’d also secured three of those precious Blue Etheriums.
‘Now I have no complaints either. Heh heh.’
It was just as Eun-sung was emerging from the lakeside.
“Phew.”
Lee Hyun exhaled as if unburdened.
With his rank elevated, there was no trace of fatigue on him.
Seeing his expression brimming with confidence more than before, it seemed he’d gained some kind of enlightenment.
“Stop staring.”
“…?”
At my blunt remark, Eun-sung’s expression twisted as if I’d spouted complete nonsense.
“How dare a 4-star like you gaze directly upon a 5-star visage?”
“….”
Eun-sung didn’t bother responding.
There was no point engaging with someone beneath consideration….
‘Should’ve just gone through with it.’
Shake, shake, shake!
Eun-sung shook the water from his hair, bitterly regretting that he hadn’t killed me back then.
“What’s this? Why are you soaked?”
“What do you mean?”
“You’re drenched like a drowned rat.”
“It was hot, so I went for a swim. What of it?”
“Do you take me for a fool?”
I glared at him.
“Why did you go into the Lake? Did something valuable emerge?”
“I told you, I was cooling off from the heat.”
“Stop lying and speak plainly. You just consumed something, didn’t you?”
The relentless interrogation continued, but my response remained consistent.
“There was so much blood on me it felt uncomfortable, so I washed up. You really don’t listen to people.”
“Are you mocking me? Would you believe such nonsense if our positions were reversed?”
“Then what else wouldn’t you believe?”
In the end, I failed to discover what Eun-sung had obtained.
“So what now? It looks like they’ve fled.”
“We chase them.”
“Do you know where they went?”
“I don’t need to know.”
Eun-sung swiftly drew the [Search] card.
While summoning Lumos wasn’t possible in this situation, that didn’t mean the card’s ability vanished, so tracking the High Priestess and her companions would present no real obstacle.
“You know how to fire a machine gun, right?”
“I do.”
“Then that’s settled.”
Eun-sung drew another card with a swift motion.
Moments later, a small helicopter materialized at the lakeside.
It was a Little Bird helicopter coated in Etherium paint and equipped with an Etherium battery.
“This… this is insane. Is this even possible?!”
I was utterly astonished.
I had never once imagined that something as voluminous as a helicopter could be carried around like a toy in a pocket.
* * *
The High Priestess and her entourage raced through the trembling forest, pushing toward their destination with relentless determination.
The toll of their journey was staggering.
Most had fallen or been left behind, reducing the Knights protecting the High Priestess to a mere five.
“We’re almost there! Hold on just a bit longer! He watches over you all! Huff… huff huff!”
“Yes, High Priestess! Huff huff huff!”
The High Priestess showered blessings upon herself and the remaining Knights, spurring them onward.
The destination was within reach.
Ahead, I could see Knights and mages waiting.
And there, a magic circle had been installed to grant them escape from this nightmarish forest.
Once the mages activated the magic circle, they would simply step through the portal and be free.
“Activate the magic circle!”
“Guard the High Priestess!”
Whoosh!
The magic circle began to glow softly when—
Whirrrrrrr—!
Boom—!
A missile streaked from nowhere, striking the center of the magic circle dead-on.
Kaboooom—!
A massive explosion engulfed the area around the magic circle.
But that was only the beginning.
Whirrrrr—!
Thump-thump-thump-thump-thump—!
A Little Bird helicopter appeared with its distinctive rotor sound, unleashing machine gun fire upon the High Priestess’s group.
– You call that shooting? You’re missing everything.
– Sh, shut up!
Eun-sung’s telepathic jab made my ears burn red.
Caw, caw—!
The cries of a flock of sword ravens echoed from the distance.
Eun-sung had no intention of engaging them in aerial combat.
– Landing now.
– Confirmed.
The Little Bird helicopter Eun-sung piloted weaved through enemy spellcasters’ attacks, flying low and fast.
Then, in an instant—
Whoosh…
The Little Bird helicopter vanished without a trace, and Eun-sung and I dropped from the sky with a thud.
Though we fell nearly ten meters, as 4 and 5-star Hunters respectively, such a height posed no real difficulty.
Thud!
“Take care of them.”
Eun-sung gave me a chin gesture.
“Here we go with the orders again…”
Lee Hyun growled, but Eun-sung had already thrown himself into action.
“Seriously, that guy…”
Lee Hyun shuddered even as he hurled himself at the remaining Knights, following Eun-sung’s command and avoiding the High Priestess.
Meanwhile, Eun-sung faced the High Priestess alone.
“Hand it over.”
“W-what are you talking about!”
“The Sacred Ark.”
“…!”
“You attacked the Twilight Fairy City to obtain the Sacred Ark. More specifically….”
Eun-sung spoke with a cold smile.
“The Sacred Ark of Genesis.”
“H-how did you know that!”
“I’ve obtained one before.”
The Sacred Ark of Genesis.
This was the reason Eun-sung had ventured all the way to this place—the Forest of Living Hermits, the 0-level deep zone of the Bucheon Station Gate.

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