TOP 57

Chapter 57

The Red Hunter Reveals His True Colors (2)

Red Hunter.

Simply put, they’re hunters who kill other hunters.

To explain a bit more specifically—their status window is red.

Or rather, their unique trait is.

And that crimson trait specializes in killing other Awakened.

Killing comes with immense rewards, as a bonus.

That’s why they seize every chance they get to slaughter other hunters.

Just like Choi Hyuk-soo is trying to do now.

Zzzzzk-k-kak—!

Two aura threads clashed violently, scattering fragments of mana in all directions.

“Damn it.”

A look of shock appeared on his face.

He must’ve thought I’d run out of mana.

That it would be easy to kill the three of us.

That’s what I wanted him to think.

“…How do you still have mana left? You’re only a 5-star!”

“Sorry, that’s a secret.”

Thanks to my unique trait, [Mana Excess], my mana never runs dry.

No—its recovery far outpaces its consumption.

I even had problems because I had too much mana.

Only [One Punch] can ever drain me completely.

‘Which means I can keep up aura threads all day long if I want.’

That was the fatal miscalculation Choi Hyuk-soo made.

“You’ve shown your true colors, so it’s time you die, don’t you think?”

“Grrk…!”

Boom! Bang!

Claaang—!

I pressed the attack furiously.

“Damn it! How did you even figure it out?”

“You gave yourself away.”

“…Bastard!”

Cursing, Choi Hyuk-soo blocked my strikes.

“It’s not like I haven’t seen guys like you before.”

There are plenty of hunters who hide their true intentions behind an act.

He was just one of them.

That’s why I suspected him from the start.

‘I knew what we were seeing wasn’t all there was.’

【That’s right! His killing intent kept slipping through!】

‘Yeah. Thanks, Prill.’

【Hehe!】

It was Prill who confirmed my suspicion.

As a spirit, Prill can sense a person’s will.

And what she sensed from Choi Hyuk-soo was “murderous intent.”

If it had been just that, maybe I wouldn’t have been sure.

Some hunters, rare though they are, can’t properly control their killing intent.

‘But he was fighting inefficiently. On purpose.’

The more I watched, the clearer it became.

It wasn’t lack of skill—he was pretending.

Dodging attacks he could’ve easily withstood, piling the burden on others.

Ignoring strikes he could’ve blocked without trouble.

‘Han Jun-pyeong’s injury too….’

That, I realized, was intentional.

Mistakes just subtle enough to be dismissed as incompetence if you weren’t suspicious.

Once might be coincidence, twice an incident, but three times—it’s deliberate.

All the signs pointed to one truth.

“If you weren’t a Red Hunter, there’s no way you’d be doing all that.”

“Haaa.”

Choi Hyuk-soo exhaled and then smirked.

“Kuhuhuhu. So what?”

“……”

“So you figured it out. And what are you going to do about it?”

He suddenly raised his aura.

“As if it matters!”

Boom! Crash!

Cla-claaang—!

“What can you possibly do, all by yourself!”

Clang! Clang! Claaang!

‘Tch.’

I was being pushed back.

Skill aside, his raw stats were superior to mine.

I’d only gained ground because he’d been caught off guard.

Now that he’d regained his composure, it was natural I’d fall behind.

‘Damn. If only the examiner were here.’

I’d realized pretty quickly he was a Red Hunter, but I wasn’t too worried.

He was 6-star, sure—but there were three of us at 5-star.

And there had been a 6-star examiner as well, a deterrent strong enough that I thought he’d never dare show his true colors.

But.

‘I didn’t expect things to turn out like this.’

Separated from the examiner.

Burning through our stamina in battle.

And here we were.

‘I really don’t want to use [One Punch]….’

Honestly, one [One Punch] could finish Choi Hyuk-soo instantly.

But that skill was reserved for the hidden boss monster.

That was the smarter choice.

Of course, I wasn’t out of options.

‘Prill. You ready?’

【Of course!】

Prill was my trump card for a perfect ambush.

I was just waiting for the right chance.

So I decided to stall him with words.

“What’s your plan after killing us here?”

“Ha! Worrying about me now?”

“You won’t be able to clear the monsters alone or escape.”

“That’s my problem. You just need to die.”

It wasn’t working.

He kept pressing the attack.

‘Does he have some kind of broken trait too?’

I couldn’t tell what Choi Hyuk-soo’s unique trait was.

But the way he acted implied that killing us would solve any escape problem.

Either he’d get massively stronger, or he’d gain another way out.

Personally, I figured the former was more likely.

‘If he kills us, he’ll get strong enough that this dungeon won’t even matter.’

Which meant—

‘I can’t let him.’

I couldn’t let my revenge end because of someone who gets stronger from killing people.

Claaaang!

I blocked another strike.

“You’re holding out well.”

“I’m pretty good, you know.”

I shot back, not giving in to his taunt.

The fight leaned in his favor.

He had the physique of a 6-star.

The only reason I was still standing was superior combat sense.

But stat-wise, I was clearly outclassed.

Still—

‘I just need to buy time.’

If I could drag this out, things would turn.

His mana would eventually run out, while mine stayed constant.

Once he could no longer sustain aura threads, victory would be mine.

‘The question is whether I can last that long….’

I was about to use Prill for a less-than-perfect opening when—

Bang!

“Guh!”

A gunshot rang out, jerking his head back.

‘Now!’

I lunged for his throat.

Slash—

Tap-tap, tak!

“…Tch, close.”

He stumbled back just in time, evading the blow.

“Choi Hyuk-soo, you piece of trash! Hyung, I’ll help you!”

I glanced over—Han Jun-pyeong, aiming a handgun at him.

‘Ah, right. He’s a Royal Guard.’

Han Jun-pyeong wasn’t just a tank.

As a Royal Guard guild member, he could wield firearms.

Even drained, he had a means of attack.

Though—

“Can you even shoot straight right now?”

“…Y-Yes!”

His arms were trembling, drained of strength.

The fact he’d hit Choi Hyuk-soo once already was a miracle.

Still—I decided to trust him.

“Ha, what a nuisance.”

“Choi Hyuk-soo! Your life is over! How many have you killed until now?!”

“Hmm… About three hundred?”

He smirked.

“Y-You bastard…!”

Furious, Han Jun-pyeong opened fire.

Bang! Bang!

Tat-tat-tat-tatatat—!

But it was meaningless.

Most shots missed, the rest were blocked.

Even those that hit couldn’t pierce his 6-star physique.

Just a few shallow scratches.

“What…!”

Han Jun-pyeong faltered.

He’d underestimated the defenses of a 6-star hunter.

“Tickles.”

That was Choi Hyuk-soo’s only response once the barrage ended.

I spoke quietly to Jun-pyeong.

“You won’t kill a 6-star with that.”

Unless it was a point-blank vital shot, a regular handgun was almost useless at this range.

It was only good for creating brief openings.

Like earlier.

“Stick to covering fire.”

“Underst—”

“I don’t think so.”

Choi Hyuk-soo charged—not at me, but at Jun-pyeong.

No—

‘Yoo Seol-ah!?’

He was going for our mage.

“…!”

Damn it. Bad positioning.

I couldn’t intercept in time.

And Seol-ah was nearly drained, unable to defend herself.

She was fumbling in panic.

‘We can’t lose the mage!’

Even beyond her importance, if he killed her, he’d grow stronger.

That was unacceptable.

‘Prill!’

【Ice Spear!!!】

Even if it meant using Prill for suppression rather than ambush—

Shhhk—whooosh!

An ice spear materialized in the air and shot at him.

“What, she already recovered her mana?!”

“?!!”

Lucky break.

He thought it was Seol-ah’s spell.

She, of course, knew it wasn’t hers.

“Damn…”

He clicked his tongue and redirected.

If Seol-ah had mana, she could defend herself.

So he turned to another target—Jun-pyeong.

‘Phew.’

Not what I intended, but it worked.

“Die!”

“Urgh…!”

Aura-threaded strike—Jun-pyeong barely raised his shield.

Shaking, drained of strength, but a tank all the same.

It would buy me time.

Skrrrk—!

Hyuk-soo’s sword bit into the shield.

But only that.

He didn’t break through completely.

And then I struck from behind.

Slash!

‘Got him!’

I felt the blade cut deep.

Blood sprayed as his back split open.

“Ha, damn it…!”

He staggered away, swearing.

Things weren’t going his way.

“That’s what you get. Try to kill, and you risk dying yourself.”

By his own admission, he’d murdered about three hundred people.

I had no sympathy to spare.

“…Let’s make a deal. Without me, you won’t escape this place either.”

So now he tried bargaining.

“Funny. If you’re saying that, you must be desperate.”

There was no need to accept.

If anything, it only made me more confident.

I stepped toward him.

To finish this fight.

‘Killing him will be a problem later….’

Three 5-stars, clearing the dungeon alone.

With the hidden boss lurking.

‘But we can’t keep him alive.’

And then—

Ruuumble—!

Craaaack!

The ground trembled, splitting apart.

“What the—?”

“Uwaaaah!”

I stayed calm, but Jun-pyeong nearly fell in.

‘Damn. So close.’

Just a little more and I would’ve had him.

But the terrain split, opening a wide chasm between us.

A perfect escape route.

“Choi Hyuk-soo!”

“Heh. Just wait and see.”

As expected, he turned to flee.

“Don’t you dare!”

Jun-pyeong gave chase.

“Stop! Don’t!”

Too late.

Stab!

“Guh—!”

“Idiot.”

A foolish move.

To cross the chasm, he had to leap.

And in midair, he was defenseless.

Hyuk-soo struck him the moment he landed.

And then—

Crunch.

Sluuurrp—!

Jun-pyeong’s body shriveled, absorbed completely.

“Mmm. Delicious.”

“…So that’s your unique trait?”

“Yeah. I get everything from those I kill. And you’re next.”

Jun-pyeong left not even a corpse.

One wrong move, and he was gone.

“……Haa.”

I leapt after Hyuk-soo.

Same method as Jun-pyeong.

“You’re both insane! Hahaha! Die!”

The difference was—

‘Prill. Do it.’

【Wait, seriously? That one?】

‘Now!’

【…Ice Spear!】

Prill created a foothold.

I stepped on it and leapt again midair.

“What the—!”

I caught the shock in his eyes.

‘God, that’s freezing!’

【Told you. Ice Spear’s an attack spell—standing on it deals cold damage. You only resisted because you’ve got high frost resistance!】

‘I know. I know.’

But it was the only way.

I had to end him here.

“Keh. Doesn’t matter. Tricks like that won’t beat me.”

Absorbing Jun-pyeong, his aura swelled even more.

No more variables.

“Let’s see you fill my stomach!”

He advanced, sword raised.

And I—

[One Punch].

Clenched my fist.