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9
Episode 9
This was back when he had entered a D-Rank dungeon with Park Gun-woo’s party. Two of the party members had been seriously injured during the previous subjugation. The leader, needing to make a living, had no choice but to hire the C-Rank mercenary Kang Chan-woo.
The difference between a C-Rank and D-Rank hunter was immense. In fact, Kang Chan-woo was among the better C-Rank hunters and began carrying the D-Rank dungeon by himself. But his rudeness was proportional to his skill.
“Don’t just wander around in front getting in the way. Go to the back and pick up some more magic stones.”
Surprisingly, these words were directed at Park Gun-woo, who was at least twenty years older. The leader swallowed it, but a colleague couldn’t stand it and retorted.
“We have a plan too. We get that you’re good, but we’re trying to help.”
“A plan where three of you take minutes to kill one monster?”
“If you’ve joined our team as a mercenary, at least try to coordinate.”
“Coordination only works between equals.”
Spitting out his gum, he continued as if talking to useless people.
“This isn’t some adventurer role play. You think I’m as idle as you?”
The gum he spat stuck to the leader’s shoe.
“You son of a…!”
“Can’t even properly handle a single D-Rank dungeon, yet you’ve got plenty of pride.”
The moment a colleague grabbed Kang Chan-woo’s collar, unable to take it anymore, Kang Chan-woo kicked his legs out from under him, knocked him down, and pointed his sword at his throat.
“You threw the first punch?”
“Stop it!”
Back then, the leader intervened and the situation ended, but afterward, Kang Chan-woo did trashy things like threatening colleagues under the guise of attacking monsters and intentionally letting monsters slip past. Thanks to that, the colleague who had lost his temper was seriously injured and ended up quitting being a hunter.
“Alright, alright, let’s go. D-Ranks, just work hard picking up magic stones in the back.”
His garbage personality hadn’t changed from then till now. And that bastard was now the leader.
Kang Chan-woo took the lead as they entered the dungeon.
「It’s a pretty dungeon.」
As Ellis said, the dungeon interior felt like looking at ancient ruins. Faint magical flowed over walls covered in green moss and engraved patterns.
「There are monsters ahead. Rag doll Golems.」
While gently touching the patterns and slowly advancing, golems made of corroded and broken walls appeared.
「They are low-tier monsters that use acid attacks. Their weakness is the core near the heart.」
Seeing the golem, Kang Chan-woo excitedly charged.
「What a foolish human.」
He blocked the golem’s punch directly with his sword.
Crack.
“Damn.”
Kang Chan-woo immediately let out a groan. The sword that touched the fist began to melt.
「Rag doll Golems carry acid all over their bodies. A sword like that will melt just from contact.」
“Vigil!”
A colleague holding a shield shouted and charged at the golem.
Thud!
With a blunt sound, the golem was knocked backward.
“Don’t just charge in recklessly! I heard this is quite tough even among C-Ranks.”
So even that Kang Chan-woo shows such a sight now that he’s C-Rank. Kang Chan-woo threw the corroded sword to the ground and drew a new one from his waist.
“Who knew they’d be covered in something like that?”
This party had no magic-type hunters. Aside from those two, the rest were an archer and a healer. And…
‘Me.’
Bad compatibility. How will they attack? Then, magical surged around Kang Chan-woo’s sword. A faint light swirled around the blade.
「Sword aura. Although it’s a pitiful level. It should be enough to take down the golem.」
Kang Chan-woo, who had quickly dashed toward the fallen golem, stabbed his sword into its heart.
Squelch.
The core shattered, and the light in the golem’s eyes went out.
“Okay! One down.”
“Hey, Leader…”
“What?”
“Up ahead.”
Over ten Rag doll Golems still remained. They dripped sticky acid liquid and slowly approached.
A bloody battle ensued afterward. Blocking the golem’s attacks with a shield, then cutting its neck with a sword imbued with sword aura. The continuously fired arrows also played a good role, aiming for the golems’ eyes and hearts.
The problem was that the golems scattered acidic liquid when destroyed. Because of that, Kang Chan-woo, fighting on the front line, had burn marks all over his body.
“Heal.”
No matter how much the healer used healing magic, their role was ultimately to treat wounds. The accumulated loss of stamina from fighting and getting injured couldn’t be avoided.
When about three golems remained, Kang Chan-woo looked back and shouted.
“Hey!”
He was talking to Han Do-yoon
“If you’ve crawled your way in here, you should at least earn your keep, right?”
“You told me to just pick up magic stones in the back, though?”
“Th-that…!”
Perhaps flustered by his own words, he stammered before getting angry again.
“You’re just a pathetic D-Rank, as expected. You believed that literally?”
As if. Did you think I’d follow your words? I intentionally didn’t help. Thinking maybe he’d complain less if he got tired.
‘Well, I was planning to join in soon anyway. Can’t let the others get hurt.’
“Just ask for help.”
He added with a snort.
“So much pride.”
“You, what did you just…”
Han Do-yoon ignored Kang Chan-woo’s words and drew his sword. Simultaneously, he retrieved an artifact from the Ring of Folding.
“No wonder you get hurt, fighting so recklessly.”
【Would you like to retrieve Eirazeon’s Gift Box (B-Rank)?】
“Just the fire attribute orbs from there.”
A red orb as small as a fingernail. He smashed that orb against Lucanel’s edge.
Crack—.
“Re-recklessly?”
Kang Chan-woo uttered a dumbfounded voice while watching Han Do-yoon pass by.
“Have you gone mad trying to die? If you go forward stupidly like that…”
Before his words even finished, flames ignited on Han Do-yoon sword.
「A wise judgment. Acid is weak to fire. Especially in a highly viscous liquid form…」
“It’s even more effective.”
This was basic common sense. Something guys who only rely on their own strength and act arrogantly never know.
There was no need for the sword to even touch the golem. As Han Do-yoon swung through the air, scattered flames clung thickly to the golem’s body. And then began to blaze fiercely.
‘Ordinary fire isn’t effective against golems…’
But if they are in a state of cracks or weakness due to acid, like Rag doll Golems—
Crackle.
Sizzle.
Boom!!
With an explosive sound, the golem’s torso shattered into pieces.
“…Crazy.”
“He killed a golem with fire?”
“No, more than that, wasn’t he D-Rank?”
The colleagues’ jaws dropped behind him. Kang Chan-woo’s expression was the same as theirs.
‘Son of a bitch. A magic swordsman?’
But he quickly changed his attitude.
“What’s all the fuss about killing a few?”
“Hey, we almost died. We should at least say thanks.”
“We must have taken down about ten. If he was resting all this time, he should at least do that much. Right?”
The colleagues glanced at him nervously. Seizing the moment, Kang Chan-woo spoke up even more.
“And if you had something like that, shouldn’t you have helped sooner? You just watched while we risked our lives?”
“That’s true. It was really dangerous…”
Amid the agreeing public opinion, Han Do-yoon glanced at the other team members.
“That’s what I mean. I wanted to help, but someone advised me to just pick up magic stones in the back.”
“What?”
“The leader’s word in a subjugation team is absolute. And a stupid leader is dangerous.”
“You bastard!”
Just as Kang Chan-woo was about to flare up—
“Ugh.”
This time, the team members began to side with Han Do-yoon words.
“See, you bastard. Stop looking down on people.”
“Right. If we’re in this together, we should think about combining our strength to finish it.”
Kang Chan-woo’s pupils shook. He’s flustered. He’s probably never been treated like this before.
“Son of a…”
After spitting a short curse, Kang Chan-woo quickly changed the subject.
“…How much time did we waste here because of that bastard? Let’s hurry to the next area!”
He tapped Han Do-yoon shoulder and walked ahead.
“For a D-Rank leech.”
「Humans are truly baffling. Why is he so angry?」
“He’s the type whose life’s greatest achievement is being a bit stronger than others. He’s insecure because someone he looked down on has risen.”
「He’s getting angry for a truly useless reason.」
“Exactly.”
If he met a truly strong being, he probably wouldn’t have such thoughts.
“Do-yoon. Just let Kang Chan-woo’s words go in one ear and out the other.”
“Right. By the way, that was really cool. Are you really D-Rank?”
“It was just good compatibility.”
“Aw, you’re being too humble.”
In the cheerful atmosphere, only Kang Chan-woo wore a somewhat uneasy expression. But surely this incident would have sobered him up a bit?
“Hey, Han Do-yoon. You go first.”
No, it hadn’t.
After walking for about thirty minutes, subjugating monsters, they arrived at a peculiar room.
「Traps are installed everywhere.」
Unfamiliar magical flowed across the floor, walls, and ceiling.
“Why should I go first?”
“We’ve been taking the lead until now. We need a little rest too. You’re a swordsman, so being in front shouldn’t be a problem either.”
At a glance, it sounded like a reasonable reason, but it wasn’t.
“You seemed confident in your skills, but are you scared to take the lead? Look, there’s nothing ahead.”
【False.】
“Don’t worry. I’ll be right behind you and help if it’s dangerous.”
【False.】
Look at this bastard?
Unable to watch any longer, the warrior colleague cautiously whispered into Kang Chan-woo’s ear.
“This is a trap room.”
“That’s why we send him first. How would he know what’s there?”
“You madman. He could die.”
“Did you forget I’m joining a guild this time? I can recommend you too. Listen to me.”
Watching the two whispering, Han Do-yoon spoke.
“No. Kang Chan-woo has a point. You fought the hardest. Rest in the back.”
“But still…”
Han Do-yoon looked at Kang Chan-woo, took a breath as if to say “You follow well,” and looked ahead.
“How do I go to be safe?”
「Two strands of magical thread are intertwined. The trap activates when the balance is broken by stepping on one side. If you step precisely on the point where the magical threads intersect, the trap won’t activate.」
“Can you guide me?”
「Understood. Then I will show you the positions using the patterns drawn on the floor.」
Listening to Ellis, Han Do-yoon walked forward. Though it might look like he was walking normally from behind, he was accurately stepping on the patterns Ellis indicated.
“What, nothing happened?”
Seeing Han Do-yoon reach the end, Kang Chan-woo let out a scoff.
“Lucky bastard. I thought it was a trap room, but maybe it wasn’t?”
The moment Kang Chan-woo took a step following Han Do-yoon—
Poisoned needles shot down from the ceiling.
