《Solo Resurrection》 Chapter 1 Chapter 1 Tutorial (1) In a narrow, shabby vi living room. Kang A-hyun, who was lying down looking at her smartphone, suddenly sat up. ¡°Hey. How long are you going to stay like that?¡± Kang A-hyun red fiercely at her older brother, Kang Hyeon. ¡°What?¡± ¡°How long are you going to mooch off me in my house! It¡¯s a new year, don¡¯t you feel like living a new life?¡± ¡°Wait. I¡¯m looking for a job, you know.¡± Kang Hyeon responded indifferently to her usual nagging. Even as he spoke, his eyes remained fixed on the game character on the monitor. ¡°Pathetic bastard. You should sell thatputer secondhand or something.¡± ¡°Hey hey! Look at that foul mouth. You¡¯ll never get married like that.¡± ¡°Aaargh! Just get out, please!¡± Finally exploding, Kang A-hyun screamed and threw whatever she could grab. At themotion, Hyeon hurriedly turned off theputer and came out. ¡°Your hysteria seems to be getting worse these days. Is something wrong?¡± Kang Hyeon muttered as he took out a pack of cigarettes. ¡°Damn, no cigarettes either.¡± His crumpled cigarette pack was immediately thrown into the trash with the expression on his face. ¡°Haa¡­ Life.¡± Kang Hyeon didn¡¯t know either. That he would end up living such a hopeless life. Just 2 years ago. When he graduated from university and entered argepany as an intern, he felt like he had the world. It was just an internship, but he had hope. The promise that they would promote him to a full-time employee after 2 years of hard work. Deceived by that lie,Kang Hyeon worked day and night for a monthly sry that wasn¡¯t even 2 million won. The reward for his efforts was a dismissal notice that came without warning after a year and a half. -Ptui! There are plenty of other ces to work! You know!? Kang Hyeon left thepany, shouting defiantly. This is the result now. Finding a job was harder than he thought, and in the end, it¡¯s been a year since he started living in his sister¡¯s studio apartment to save even a penny of living expenses. A 27-year-old unemployed man. No, now a 28-year-old unemployed since the new year has dawned. That¡¯s who Kang Hyeon is now. ¡°I really need to do something now¡­ Should I look for a part-time job¡­¡± In fact, in a situation where he didn¡¯t have a penny, it would have been right to do any work, be it part-time or whatever. But he couldn¡¯t easily knock on doors due to a vague fear that he might never get a proper job and end up hopping from one part-time job to another. ¡°Actually, this might just be an excuse because I¡¯mfortable being unemployed.¡± Kang Hyeon checked the time with a self-deprecating smile. [20:17] The first day of the new year was alreadying to an end. ¡°Right. I¡¯m tired of this kind of life now. I need to do something. You¡¯re Kang Hyeon. You can do it!¡± It was when Kang Hyeon was making this cringeworthy resolution. His smartphone rang for the first time in a while. Checking the screen, he saw a familiar friend¡¯s name. ¡°Oh, what¡¯s this about?¡± -What are you doing? Let¡¯s have a drink. ¡°I don¡¯t have money.¡± -When did you ever have any? Come out, man. It¡¯s on me. ¡°Call!¡± To do anything, he needed to fill his stomach first. *** Ippotrantion *** -Sizzle~ Pork belly cooking on the hot grill. This sound is beautiful whenever you hear it. As the ss of alcohol was flowing along with the sweet meat, I was getting a bit tipsy, ¡°Are you looking for a job these days?¡± Kim Tae-soo, today¡¯s sponsor and Kang Hyeon¡¯s childhood friend, got to the point. ¡°Don¡¯t you know me? I¡¯m Kang Hyeon. Kang Hyeon. Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m looking.¡± Kang Hyeon frowned at the unpleasant question and answered halfheartedly. ¡°Hey. Don¡¯t change the subject. I¡¯m asking because I¡¯m worried. I know all about your family situation, how can I just stand by and watch?¡± At Kim Tae-soo¡¯s words, Kang Hyeon put down his soju ss irritably. For a moment, anger welled up along with the intoxication. ¡°So what?! I¡¯m a broke unemployed guy, have you helped me out? Don¡¯t interfere. Bastard!¡± Kang Hyeon knew that Kim Tae-soo was saying this out of concern for him. But Kang Hyeon was already too tired and twisted. Sorry. Ashamed. Self-loathing. To hide numerous emotions, harsh words he didn¡¯t mean poured out of his mouth. ¡°Why are you talking like that, you bastard? If someone¡¯s worried about you, you should listen! When are you going to grow up?¡± ¡°Are you done talking now?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not done. What have you done so far? You graduated from college, is being a bigpany intern once such a big deal?¡± ¡°You bastard!¡± The argument that started from something trivial quickly led to a fistfight. ¡°What do you know about me!¡± Kang Hyeon, who stood up kicking his chair, swung his fist with all his might. However, his weak fist helplessly cut through the air. This is because he has not been exercising for a long time and hasn¡¯t taken care of his body at all during his unemployed life. In contrast, Kim Tae-soo, who was usually meticulous about self-management,nded his fist right on Kang Hyeon¡¯s jaw. ¡°Ugh!¡± With a short groan, Kang Hyeon fell to the floor. ¡°Wake up, you bastard. Do something instead of just ying games. Aren¡¯t you ashamed in front of your sister?¡± ¡°Sh*t¡­¡± He was furious. He was so angry that tears came out. It was anger at himself, not at Kim Tae-soo. ¡®How did I end up like this¡­¡¯ He thought he was still young and in his prime. So he thought he could dream big and have ambitions. But he wasn¡¯t as great as he thought, nor was he lucky. Just an ordinary neer to society. Nothing more, nothing less. ¡°At least use this for medicine.¡± Kim Tae-soo put six 50,000 won bills in Hyeon¡¯s hand and left. It was too much money for just one light punch. Moreover, he was the one who threw the first punch. ¡°Haa, making me miserable till the end¡­¡± Kang Hyeon wiped away his tears and staggered home. *** Ippotrantion *** ¡°Hey. Where have you been? Have you been drinking?¡± Kang A-hyun frowned at the smell of alcohol that wafted in with Kang Hyeon as the front door opened. ¡°Uh, I had a little. Sorry.¡± ¡°Why are you drinking when you don¡¯t even have money¡­?¡± ¡°Here, take this.¡± Stumbling towards his sister, Kang Hyeon grabbed her hand and pressed 300,000 won into it. ¡°What¡¯s this? What money is this? And what¡¯s wrong with your face? Did you get into a fight?¡± ¡°No. I fell. I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°What are you suddenly sorry for?¡± ¡°Just everything. I¡¯m tired, so I¡¯m going to bed first.¡± ¡°Hey! I asked if you got into a fight! And what¡¯s with the money?¡± ¡°Sorry. Let¡¯s talk tomorrow.¡± Despite her worried questions, Kang Hyeon only kept saying he was sorry. Kang Hyeon stumbled into his room, and the door closed with a bang. ¡°I wonder what happened¡­¡± Kang A-hyun was worried about her brother¡¯s unusual behavior, but feeling it was difficult to talk to him now, she decided to have a conversation the next day. *** ¡°Haa¡­¡± Entering his room, Kang Hyeon copsed onto the floor without even changing his clothes. His head was spinning, and he felt like he might pass out at any moment. ¡°I can¡¯t live like this. No, I won¡¯t live like this. You can do it. You¡¯re Kang Hyeon¡­¡± It was then, as Kang Hyeon was mumbling and half-conscious, that messages suddenly began to appear before his eyes. [Detecting unteral connection from the Haken dimension] [Earth¡¯s defense system activating] [Temporarily rejecting connection from the Haken dimension] ¡­ [Tutorial begins on Earth] [Time remaining untilplete connection with Haken dimension: 4 years 364 days 23 hours 59 minutes 27 seconds] [26 seconds¡­] [25 seconds¡­] ¡°What is this¡­?¡± Kang Hyeon¡¯s eyes finally closedpletely as he iled at the air in a half-asleep state. *** Ippotrantion *** A pure white space. As soon as Kang Hyeon opened his eyes, all he could see was apletely white space. Even the floor was pristinely white, making it impossible to tell where he was standing in this strange ce. ¡°Where am I?¡± Kang Hyeon frowned and looked around. At that moment, [Wee to Kang Hyeon¡¯s tutorial entry] A message appeared before his eyes, and a neutral voice was heard. [This tutorial consists of 8 stages in total] [The tutorial will proceed during sleep time and is unrted to real-world time] [Death in the tutorial is unrted to death in reality] [Upon clearing the tutorial, you will be awakened and rewarded] [The tutorial cannot be abandoned midway, and if you fail to clear it, you cannot retry] Messages and voices filled his vision chaotically. ¡°What does this mean¡­?¡± Faced with an iprehensible situation, Kang Hyeon could only blink. [Do you want to enter Stage 1?] Kang Hyeon pondered the message¡¯s question. ¡°A tutorial¡­¡± There are probably very few 20-year-old men in South Korea who don¡¯t know what a tutorial is. Simply put, it¡¯s like a warm-up for the main game. ¡°I don¡¯t really understand, but have I entered some kind of game?¡± Kang Hyeon chuckled at his own thoughts, finding them amusing. ¡°Heh. Is this because I drank too much? What a strange dream. Well, it doesn¡¯t matter if it¡¯s not a dream.¡± It was surely a dream, but he didn¡¯t mind if it wasn¡¯t. The message clearly said there would be a reward for passing and that it had nothing to do with real-life death. ¡°This is sweet! I¡¯ll enter.¡± [May your courage save the Earth] *** Ippotrantion *** A sh of light before his eyes and a momentary sensation of floating. When Kang Hyeon opened his eyes again, he found himself standing in a gloomy cave. [First Stage (Stage 1)] [Ovee your greatest fear and prove your courage] [Clear condition: End of the Cave. Reach the end point] [Fail condition: Death] ¡°Is that all?¡± The tutorial content in the message didn¡¯t seem particrly difficult. ¡°Well, I like that it¡¯s simple.¡± Kang Hyeon walked slowly through the cave. Something asionally emitting light floated around, but overall it was an extremely dark path. -Drip, drip Every time he heard the sound of water droplets falling, it sent chills down his spine. Kang Hyeon continued walking, keeping one hand on the wall. 10 minutes. 20 minutes¡­ He wasn¡¯t sure exactly, but it felt like he had been walking for quite a while. Anxiety slowly crept in. ¡®How much further do I have to go?¡¯ His pace was too slow, being cautious and observing his surroundings as he moved. Gradually, his concentration scattered and fatigue built up in his body. ¡®I can¡¯t just run blindly either. This is driving me crazy.¡¯ He didn¡¯t know what might happen if he just started running without thinking. In this situation, he could only take one slow step at a time. Kang Hyeon continued walking with his lips tightly pressed together. ¡®Light!¡¯ Fortunately, not long after, he saw light seeping in from the distance. ¡°Huff, huff!¡± At the same time, he felt the temperature around him rise dramatically. Sticky sweat began to pour from Kang Hyeon¡¯s entire body. ¡®Why is it so hot?¡¯ It felt like he had entered an incredibly hot sauna. Wiping the sweat from his forehead, Kang Hyeon hurried out of the cave. ¡°What the¡­?¡± As soon as he exited the cave, Kang Hyeon¡¯s mouth fell open involuntarily at the sight before him. ¡°This is supposed to be a tutorial?¡± Hell stretched out in front of Kang Hyeon. And not just any hell, but a dazzling inferno. A massive cylindrical space that looked like the crater of a volcano you¡¯d only see on TV. In this space, which must have been hundreds of meters high, numerous bridges were intertwined like a spider¡¯s web. Countless people could be seen crossing the bridges in various directions. ¡°Are they telling me to cross this¡­?¡± Like the others, a bridge leading to the opposite sidey before Kang Hyeon. Kang Hyeon swallowed hard as he looked at the precarious bridge that seemed like it would crumble at the slightest touch. ¡°Let¡¯s see what¡¯s below first.¡± Kang Hyeon cautiously approached the bridge and leaned forward to check below. ¡°What is this¡­¡± There were mountains, rivers, and seas made ofva and fire. Kang Hyeon shook his head at the tremendous heat that felt like it could scorch his face just by looking at it. ¡°Even a fire-type Pok¨¦mon would die instantly if it fell there.¡± It was clear that if Kang Hyeon fell there, he would disappear without leaving even a fragment of bone. The mere imagination was so horrifying that Kang Hyeon shuddered. ¡°Aaaaargh!¡± It was then. A scream erupted from somewhere, filling the space. Hurriedly checking where the sound came from, he saw someone falling down. -Thud! Crash! ¡°Kyaaaaa!¡± ¡°Aaargh!¡± The falling man hit some unfortunate woman crossing a bridge below, and with the impact, the fragile bridge broke, and they fell together. -Thud! Thud! Boom! ¡°Aaaaargh!¡± About 20 people fell in a chain reaction like this. They fell amicably into the sea ofva, and soon it became quiet as if nothing had happened. ¡°What kind of tutorial is this¡­?¡± Originally, a tutorial is supposed to be beginner friendly that teaches you how to y the game. He had never heard of a tutorial that throws beginners into such an inferno. ¡°It¡¯s questionable whether I can cross the bridge quietly by myself¡­¡± The bridge itself looks very unstable, and now he has to watch out for such natural disasters, no, human disasters. ¡°Phew¡­¡± Kang Hyeon clenched his fists in tension. ¡°But I have to cross it. I can cross it. They said it has nothing to do with real-life death, right?¡± Unlike his words feigning calm, his trembling legs showed no sign of settling down. ¡°But what if it¡¯s not true? What if I really die?¡± If he falls into that inferno below, they won¡¯t even be able to find his corpse. Anxiety gripped Kang Hyeon again. ¡°Whoa! Get a grip!¡± Kang Hyeon pped his cheeks hard. It felt like his racing heart calmed down a bit. ¡°Kang Hyeon, let¡¯s go carefully. First, we need to look for other dangers.¡± It¡¯s not just about crossing the bridge. In a situation where you don¡¯t know what other dangers might cause. Kang Hyeon watched others crossing the bridges for a while. ¡°Hmm¡­ Are they not real people?¡± He watched for quite some time, but nothing unusual was seen. The only peculiar thing was that the people crossing the bridges showed no emotions. Seeing this, Kang Hyeon guessed they might be NPC-like entities in the game. ¡°Alright. This seems doable enough. I can do it. I can do it!¡± It¡¯s just about crossing a very narrow bridge about 30cm wide. ¡°Whoa! I need to start right now.¡± Sweat poured down like rain in the heat that surpassed a sauna. At this rate, he might copse from dehydration before even crossing the bridge. ¡°Let¡¯s go!!!¡± Shouting a powerful battle cry, Kang Hyeon finally took his first step. Despite the loud cry, it was an extremely cautious step. -Crumble¡­ Just one step, and stone dust fell from the hellish bridge. His wildly pounding heartbeat echoed in his ears. ¡°Haa, haa¡­¡± His breath quickened with each step. Theva and mes below seemed like they would devour him at any moment. ¡®I can do it. I can do it¡­¡¯ Kang Hyeon mumbled ¡®I can do it¡¯ like a mantra. At that moment, ¡°Aaaaargh!¡± Screams began to be heard from above. Kang Hyeon instinctively ducked his head and crouched down. ¡®Please¡­!¡¯ The scene of people colliding and falling down was still vivid in his mind. His heart felt like it would burst at the approaching screams. -Crash! The falling person hit right in front of Kang Hyeon and bounced off. With the impact, the bridge crumbled and shook violently. -Boom! Thud! ¡°Aaaaargh!¡± ¡°Kyaaaaa!¡± The space trembled with the screams of countless people. However, these screams subsided in less than 5 seconds. ¡°I¡­ I¡¯m alive¡­¡± Kang Hyeon caught his breath as he brushed his chest. ¡°Phew¡­ It¡¯s okay. Just keep walking.¡± Muttering with half-closed eyes didn¡¯t bring back any confidence that wasn¡¯t there. Unable to stand up at all, Kang Hyeon grabbed the bridge with both hands and slowly crawled. *** Ippotrantion *** A littleter. ¡°Just a bit more¡­ Just a little!¡± Kang Hyeon had almost reached the end of the bridge. Now only one step remained. ¡°I¡¯ve arrived! Aaaaargh!¡± Finally reaching his destination, Kang Hyeon screamed like a madman. ¡°I did it! I did it!¡± When he finished the college entrance exam. When he was discharged from the military. When he got a job at a bigpany. There had been quite a few moments of joy in his life so far, but the tion now overwhelmed all those moments by far. ¡°Hahaha! I¡¯m alive again! I¡¯m alive, you bastards!!!¡± As Kang Hyeon shouted frantically, not even knowing what he was yelling at, a message appeared before his eyes. [Congrattions. You have cleared Stage 1] Chapter 2 Chapter 2 Tutorial (2) [Congrattions. You have cleared stage 1] [As a clear reward, you havepleted temporary awakening] [You will officially awaken when the tutorial ends] [Level up!] [You can use the help function] After running around frantically for a while, Kang Hyeon finally copsed from exhaustion. ¡°Huff, huff¡­¡± As he caught his breath for a moment, he finally noticed the message upying part of his field of vision. ¡°Hmm, help¡­ How am I supposed to use it?¡± After pondering for a moment, Kang Hyeon clenched his fist tightly. ¡°Help!¡± As he shouted with full force, new messages appeared before his eyes. [This is a help menu that exins and provides instructions on basic interface usage] [Status window, inventory, skills¡­] Seeing quite a few words appear, Kang Hyeon, who had been contemting, decided to look through them in order. ¡°Status window!¡± Along with Kang Hyeon¡¯s energetic shout, new messages appeared. ?Name: Kang Hyeon ?Title: ¨C ?Level: 0 ¡ú 1 new! ?Detailed stats: Strength 8 Agility 9 Stamina 7 Magic Power 14 Additional stat points: 0 ¡ú 1 new! ?Unique ability: Resurrection ?Abilities: ¨C ?Skills: ¨C Kang Hyeon frowned as he looked at the status window. ¡°This seemspletely useless, or am I mistaken¡­¡± Usually in games or novels, the most basic stat is 10. There¡¯s now that says it has to be that way, but if 10 is truly the average, then he was definitely below average. While his magic power seemed a bit higher, unlike the other more intuitive stats, it was useless for now since he didn¡¯t even know how to use it. ¡°This is not good at all.¡± As Kang Hyeon stared seriously at the unimpressive status window for a long time, another message appeared before him. [The waiting time has expired. You will now exit the tutorial] ¡°Huh? What? I haven¡¯t even seen my skills yet¡­¡± In the middle of speaking, Kang Hyeon felt his vision blur and his consciousness faded away. *** Ippotrantion *** -Pa pa pa pa pa~ Pa pa ppo pa! Good morning! An old rm sound noisily filled the room. Kang Hyeon rubbed his eyes and got up. ¡°Uh¡­ Was that just a weird dream?¡± His head felt fuzzy. The moment of crossing the bridge and the exhration after crossing were still vivid, but strangelycked a sense of reality. [05:58] Still an early start. In a little while, his sister would also wake up and prepare for work. ¡°It¡¯s been a while, maybe I¡¯ll make breakfast.¡± Normally he would have tried to sleep a bit more, but strangely his body felt refreshed. Kang Hyeon headed to the kitchen to prepare a simple breakfast. -tter, tter -Bubble, bubble As the savory smell of doenjang jjigae (soybean paste stew) spread through the kitchen, Kang Hyeon, feeling good, hummed a tune while wiping the dining table. ¡°Hey!¡± Just then, the door opened and Kang A-hyun rushed out urgently. ¡°Why are you making such a fuss in the morning?¡± ¡°What¡¯s with you suddenly making breakfast¡­ No, that¡¯s not important. Did you have a dream?¡± ¡°Dream? I did dream about doing a circus show in hell fire. How did you know?¡± Kang A-Hyun¡¯s expression became deeply furrowed at Kang Hyeon¡¯s nonchnt answer. ¡°Ugh. You idiot. Didn¡¯t you see the message that appeared after you went into your roomst night?¡± ¡°Message..? Ah!¡± Suddenly Kang Hyeon remembered. Last night when he was very drunk. Just before falling asleep, he seemed to have heard a voice along with a faint message. Now that he thought about it, it was the same as what he heard in the tutorial. ¡°You saw it too? And had a dream?¡± ¡°Yes! Instead of this, let¡¯s check the inte first.¡± The siblings had the same strange dream simultaneously. Then, most likely, other people would have had such dreams as well. Kang Hyeon took out his smartphone and checked the portal site. [Real-time search] 1 ¨C Tutorial 2 ¨C Dream 3 ¨C End of the world 4 ¨C Awakening 5 ¨C Lucid dream 6 ¨C Aliens ? ¡°What is this?¡± Kang Hyeon clicked on each search term to look at the articles. -This phenomenon of falling into a dream called tutorial worldwide is¡­ -Some im it¡¯s divine intervention, signaling the beginning of the end¡­ As Kang Hyeon was engrossed in browsing articles, ament caught his attention. [Bestment] Me too.., passed the tutorial and awakened¡­ Strength 15, Agility 11, Stamina 14, Magic Power 7, Total 48¡­ As a current fitness trainer, this much is expected¡­ Lol ¡®My total is 38¡­¡¯ Kang Hyeon¡¯s forehead tensed as he saw thement that was subtly boasting. -Did your fingersgged? -I heard magic power is rted to IQ. 7 must be at dolphin level -My 4th grade elementary school cousin had 8¡­ -Is it true that it¡¯s lower than a 4th grader? LOL -Abovement no trolling, they said minors couldn¡¯t enter the tutorial -Seeing as you can¡¯t even add up the total, it¡¯s a fact that your brain is made of muscle. -You even misspelled LOL However, Kang Hyeon smiled with satisfaction as he checked the replies to thement. ¡°Ah~ Kwaviscon.¡± ¡°What are you suddenly saying?¡± Kang A-hyun rolled her eyes at Kang Hyeon¡¯s abrupt words. ¡°It¡¯s nothing. By the way, what are your stats?¡± ¡°Mine are Strength 7, Agility 12, Stamina 8, Magic Power 13. What about you?¡± Total 40. Higher than his own. ¡°I, I have 10, 10, 11, 14.¡± ¡°Bullshit.¡± Kang Hyeon, feeling stung, averted his eyes. ¡°Anyway, let¡¯s just eat. You have to go to work soon, right?¡± ¡°Sigh, right. I have to¡­ Go to work?¡± Kang A-hyun sighed with a serious expression. ¡°Of course. Why suddenly?¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t check the help properly, did you?¡± ¡°Ah, I didn¡¯t have time¡­¡± ¡°Tsk. You can¡¯t check the status window here, so just check the time.¡± ¡°Time?¡± ¡°Yes. Time.¡± Kang Hyeon carefully took out his smartphone. ¡°It¡¯s six forty¡­¡± ¡°No, not that! Check the time like you would open the status window.¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± Kang Hyeon nodded and clenched his fist tightly. ¡°Time! Check!¡± ¡°Ugh, this idiot..¡± As Kang Hyeon shouted to check the time with full force, a simple message appeared before his eyes. [Time remaining untilplete connection with Haken dimension: 4 years 364 days 17 hours 3 minutes 13 seconds] He could see the seconds decreasing in real-time even as he looked at the message. ¡°This couldn¡¯t be¡­¡± For Kang Hyeon, who liked games, this kind of situation was quite familiar. ¡°A countdown to the apocalypse?¡± Kang Hyeon muttered nkly. ¡°We¡¯re not sure if that connection definitely means destruction, but for now, yes. The inte is in chaos right now. People are saying it might be the end of the world.¡± It certainly wasn¡¯t going to end as a simple happening. ¡°Damn¡­ It¡¯s really chaos. Total chaos.¡± Come to think of it, it was particrly noisy outside the house today. Kang Hyeon approached the window and opened it. Then, along with loud noise, a chaotic scene entered his eyes. ¡°Give me that!¡± ¡°It¡¯s the end times! Into the Lord¡¯s embrace! Repent!¡± ¡°You bastard! That¡¯s mine!¡± This must be what they mean by a crucible of chaos, he thought. ¡°¡­¡± ¡°You want me to go to work?¡± ¡°No. Take the day off work today.¡± ¡°I guess so. Shouldn¡¯t we go out to buy some things too?¡± Kang A-hyun asked worriedly. ¡°No. It¡¯s dangerous to go out now, and what we have at home is enough for now.¡± It says there is almost 5 years left. South Korea, with one of the best public safety records in the world, wouldn¡¯t easily copse in a situation where no one knew what would happen 5 years from now. ¡°The situation will probably calm down in a few days. We¡¯ll see then about buying what we need. Besides, what food can be preserved for 5 years? Either way, there¡¯s no point in going out now, so let¡¯s just stay in.¡± Kang A-hyun nodded silently at Kang Hyeon¡¯s unexpectedly calm and logical words. *** Ippotrantion *** The siblings, not going outside, spent all day browsing the inte. The information they gathered could be summarized as follows: 1) All people aged 18 and above enter the tutorial when they fall asleep. 2) Dying in the tutorial does not affect one¡¯s life in reality. 3) The content of Stage 1 is different for everyone and is rted to individual trauma and fears. 4) Even after clearing the tutorial, abilities cannot be used in reality. Most of this was roughly known from the previous messages, but #4 was puzzling to Kang Hyeon as well. ¡°Status window!¡± [You cannot use this as the tutorial has not yet ended] Indeed, shouting with all his might as he did in the tutorial only resulted in the same message being repeated. ¡°It definitely said something about awakening¡­¡± And contrary to expectations, it was strange that nothing had happened in reality. ¡°I thought some kind of monster would pop out, but it¡¯s quiet.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Thanks to this, Korea stabilized quite well in just one day. Although the sight of police and soldiers patrolling the streets created some anxiety, most citizens quietly returned to their daily lives when nothing happened. And so the first day came to an end. *** Ippotrantion *** A space all white. Entering for the second time, it felt a bit familiar. [Wee to Kang Hyeon¡¯s tutorial] ¡°Oh, yeah.¡± [Would you like to hear the exnation about the tutorial again?] ¡°Yeah.¡± Kang Hyeon listened to the exnation just in case, but it was the same content as yesterday. [That¡¯s all. Would you like to enter Stage 2?] ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± [May your courage save the Earth] *** Ippotrantion *** Opening his eyes, what he saw was a space simr to the cave in Stage 1. However, it was much wider, and the lit candles around gave it quite an atmosphere. [Second stage (Stage 2)] [Defeat enemies to prove your skills] [Clear condition: Defeat 5 goblins] [Fail condition: Death] Kang Hyeon frowned as he checked the message. ¡°A real fight, huh.¡± Looking around, he saw various weapons ced on a table. Most were cold weapons made of iron. ¡°What era do they think this is, telling us to use these pieces of iron?¡± There were all kinds of weapons ¨C swords, axes, spears, polearms, blunt weapons, bows, and even shields. Kang Hyeon stroked his chin as he pondered. ¡°Is there a time limit for clearing?¡± [There is none] Although he had muttered to himself, an unexpected answer was heard. ¡°Then I should check the help first.¡± If there was no time limit, there was no need to rush. Kang Hyeon decided to first check the rest of the help content he couldn¡¯t verify yesterday. ¡°Hmm¡­ Nothing much besides stuff simr to games.¡± He checked various things like inventory and skills, but there was nothing special. Perhaps because it was still the tutorial, all he saw were clean screens. ¡°But this is still left.¡± After looking through all the help, Kang Hyeon finally checked ¡®Unique Ability¡¯. ?Unique Ability: Resurrection ¡°Resurrection, resurrection¡­ Doesn¡¯t this smell like some overpowered cheat ability?¡± Grinning, Kang Hyeon immediately checked the detailed exnation. Resurrection (Z) Ability: Resurrect 24 hours after death. Description: Return from death until the moment Earth escapes crisis. * If resurrection location is not specified, resurrect at thest sleep location. Penalty: 1 level decrease. All stats -50% for 24 hours * Penalty not applied if current level is 20 or below. ¡°Awesome! Awesome!¡± Kang Hyeon shouted, jumping up and down. ¡°Isn¡¯t this a cheat skill? Guaranteed resurrection. This is sweet!¡± Although there was a penalty, it was practically nothingpared to the merit of resurrection. ¡°Yeah! There¡¯s no way a life as insignificant as mine could be my real life, right? Haha!¡± Unaware of the future toe, Kang Hyeonughed heartily as he closed the message and looked at the weapons. ¡°Alright. Let¡¯s choose quickly and go.¡± In a good mood, Kang Hyeon quickly examined the weapons. He wanted to see himself bing strong and livingrge as soon as possible. ¡°Hmm¡­ I choose you.¡± Finally, what Kang Hyeon picked up was a mace of moderate size. Originally, Kang Hyeon¡¯s fantasy was a sword, but he judged it wouldn¡¯t be easy to handle. Name: Scrapy Mace Grade: F Durability: 17/20 Description: A shabby mace made by roughly crushing iron. Dismissing the halfhearted description, Kang Hyeon swung the mace around. ¡°The weight is good too.¡± Gripping it with both hands and swinging, he felt an appropriate weight. ¡°Good. Let¡¯s go!¡± In fact, Kang Hyeon gained confidence holding the mace, a one-handed weapon, and then he approached the huge door visible ahead. -Creeeeak Opening the door revealed a ce that felt like a medieval castle with an antique atmosphere. ¡®Didn¡¯t it say goblins?¡¯ He knew a fair bit about goblins. Originally fairies appearing in European mythology. However, in fantasy worlds, they are often depicted with green skin, small stature, and cunning personalities. ¡®And they¡¯re the low-level monsters that die the most to beginners.¡¯ He continued positive thoughts to relieve tension. Even if resurrection didn¡¯t apply in the tutorial, it had nothing to do with death in reality. However, it seemed there would be some reward for clearing the tutorial, so he had to be as careful as possible. ¡°Kihuk, kehuk!¡± As he started walking a bit, a bizarre sound like phlegm boiling came from somewhere. Kang Hyeon carefully moved towards the source of the sound. ¡°Kehuk, kehuk!¡± Finally, the sound was heard right in front of him, and Kang Hyeon, hiding his body behind a wall, gently poked his head out. ¡®Shit¡­ Didn¡¯t they say goblins?¡¯ Chapter 3 Chapter 3 Damn Goblins (1) Small stature and poor equipment. Their only threats were poison and traps. There was quite a solid clich¨¦ for goblins like this. ¡®What kind of goblins are those?¡¯ However, the two monsters standing before him werepletely different. Creatures with a height of about 170cm andrge builds. Their equipment was shabby and their protruding bellies didn¡¯t make them look particrly trained, but the same could be said for Kang Hyeon. ¡®Are those really goblins?!¡¯ Faced with an appearance so different from what he expected, Kang Hyeon rubbed his eyes and looked again, but they were indeed goblins. [Goblin Militia Member] The letters clearly written above the goblins¡¯ heads. ¡®Hah, if I could ambush them quietly, I might be able to handle one of them somehow¡­¡¯ Even so, one would still remain. Kang Hyeon¡¯s eyes fixed on the rusty longsword over 1m long held in the goblin¡¯s hand. ¡®If I get hit by that, it surely won¡¯t end with just tetanus.¡¯ Kang Hyeon quietly exhaled and tried to calm his chest. ¡°Phew¡­¡± He had never won a fight in his entire life. A natural weakling, he had never even been to a taekwondo gym that everyone else seemed to have attended. Now Kang Hyeon had to kill two ¡®monsters¡® with the build of strong adult men. Moreover, these monsters were even carrying terrible weapons. ¡®I¡¯ve got nothing to lose. It¡¯s not like I¡¯ll be trapped here forever.¡® Kang Hyeon steeled himself and moved cautiously. *** Ippotrantion *** ¡°Keurk, keurk¡± ¡°Keureureurawut! Kelkel.¡± The two goblin militia members wereughing and joking as usual. If one were to trante, they were discussing whose face was more handsome. ¡°Keureureur, kelkel, keheuk!¡± At that moment, the back of one goblin¡¯s head burst open, spraying blood. ¡°Uwaaa!¡± Before the other goblin could realize what was happening, Kang Hyeon smashed the fallen one¡¯s head with the mace again. In an instant, the head cracked open and its contents flowed out along with blood. ¡°Keeeek!¡± Only then did the other one realize the situation and let out a terrible scream. Kang Hyeon quickly distanced himself and prepared for the next attack. ¡°Huk, huu¡­¡± His breathing became rough with tension. The tingling sensation at his fingertips made his arms tremble. ¡®I, I killed it.¡¯ No matter what anyone says, Kang Hyeon is an ordinary Korean living in the 21st century. In this era where it¡¯smon for people to be unable to kill even a single bug. Kang Hyeon, who had been an utterly ordinary citizen, had just brought a weapon down on the head of an animal(?) simr to a human. The visceral reality of brutal violence, far different from watching through a screen, struck Kang Hyeon¡¯s mind. Seeing the blood and chunks spilling from the fallen one¡¯s head, he felt nauseous. ¡®I have to endure. There¡¯s still one left.¡® Kang Hyeon red at the goblin with trembling eyes. ¡°Kieeee!¡± Just then, as if realizing what it had to do, the remaining goblin let out a terrible scream and swung its sword. Kang Hyeon, without even thinking of blocking, rolled on the ground to avoid the attack. -ng! Sparks flew as the sword hit the ground. That wasn¡¯t the end of the attack. The goblin continued swinging its sword without stopping. In the face of this onught, Kang Hyeon could do nothing but retreat, let alone approach. ¡®What on earth am I supposed to do!?¡® In a fight, the length of a weapon is an extremely important factor. This is even more true if you¡¯re aplete novice who knows nothing. Kang Hyeon, holding a 70cm long mace, was at a loss as the sword over 1m long kept swinging at him. -Scratch Finally, as Kang Hyeon kept retreating and dodging, a deep wound appeared on his arm. ¡°Aaargh!¡± Kang Hyeon screamed at the pain he had never felt in his life. His arm felt as if it was on fire. The even hotter blood flowing down that arm. Words like ¡®not life-threatening¡® were of no help in the current situation and pain. ¡°Ughh¡­¡± Gradually, fear began to dominate Kang Hyeon¡¯s mind. ¡°Ugh! Shit! Save me!¡± Finally panicking, Kang Hyeon threw away the mace and started running. ¡®Why the hell! Why do I have to go through this crap!?¡¯ Kang Hyeon screamed as he ran for quite a while. The more he did, the lighter his head became. ¡®Is it gone¡­?¡¯ Kang Hyeon slightly turned his head to look behind. Instead, he saw that the number had increased to four goblins chasing him. At that moment. -Thud! Kang Hyeon¡¯s foot caught on a rock he hadn¡¯t noticed while looking back. ¡®No!¡¯ Kang Hyeon rolled ungracefully on the ground and crashed into a pir. ¡°Keurk, keurk!¡± ¡°Kelkel!¡± The goblins who saw this scene held their bellies andughed. Clearly a mockingughter. ¡°¡­¡± His whole body was covered in dust from rolling on the ground like a fool. His skin was scraped in various ces and stung. Moreover, ugly monsters wereughing at him. It was literally a total disaster. In this situation, Kang Hyeon¡¯s choice was to plead while shedding tears. ¡°Save me! Please, I beg you!¡± ¡°Keurk, keurk.¡± ¡°Kirek!¡± The goblins didn¡¯t understand Kang Hyeon¡¯s desperate request. They started taking out ropes and began tying up Kang Hyeon. In fact, even if they had understood his words, the result wouldn¡¯t have been different. ¡°Huh, what are you doing..? Why are you tying me up?¡± ¡°Keruk keruk!¡± The goblinsughed even more wickedly, as if finding Kang Hyeon¡¯s bewildered appearance amusing. ¡°No¡­ No! Aaargh!¡± *** Ippotrantion *** Kang Hyeon, who got up from bed, looked dazed somehow. ¡°Ah¡­ Ugh¡­¡± Kang Hyeon muttered something while shaking his whole body. What Kang Hyeon experienced when captured by the goblins was torture beyond imagination. First, his fingernails were pulled out. Then his toenails. And where the fingernails and toenails were removed, were hacked with rusty knives. Among other various tortures, Kang Hyeon finally died from excessive bleeding and only then could return to reality. ¡°¡­¡± Although his body had recovered normally, the memory was still vivid. Kang Hyeon could do nothing but tremble, covering himself with a nket. -Click At that moment, the door opened and Kang A-Hyun entered. ¡°What are you doing? What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°A-Hyun¡­ A-Hyun! Sob sob.¡± Finally feeling relieved at seeing his sister, Kang Hyeon wept, shedding tears. ¡°What the hell? What happened?¡± ¡°Those bastards, those fucking bastards¡­ Sob sob.¡± ¡°Stop whining and speak properly.¡± As Kang A-Hyun asked whileforting him, Kang Hyeon felt himself calming down little by little. He caught his breath and told her one by one what had happened in the tutorial. ¡°Sigh¡­¡± Kang A-Hyun sighed after hearing the whole story. She could understand a bit how he felt since she had just gone through something simr. Her still slightly trembling hands were proof of that. ¡®Still, it wasn¡¯t that bad¡­¡¯ But she didn¡¯t experience torture. She just died instantly from a hideous monster without even feeling pain. That alone was a big shock, but because it felt so unreal and there was no pain, she didn¡¯t fall into as much shock as Kang Hyeon. ¡°Just stay in the room for now. I¡¯ll prepare food and leave. Thepany says to resume back from today.¡± ¡°Where are you going? Don¡¯t go!¡± ¡°What do you want me to do!? It¡¯s over with just one failure anyway. The inte said people who failed the first time didn¡¯t dreamst night. It won¡¯t happen again from today, so stay put.¡± Kang Hyeon¡¯s expression brightened a little at her words. ¡®I died and failed today too.¡¯ If so, the tutorial is over now. ¡®Does this mean I won¡¯t meet those bastards again..?¡¯ If that¡¯s the case, there would be nothing more to wish for. *** Ippotrantion *** Again, a pure white room. [Wee to Kang Hyeon¡¯s tutorial entrance] [An error urred during the second stage. Moving immediately] [May your courage save the Earth] ¡°Aaaaargh-!¡± Kang Hyeon screamed like a truly insane person. The same cave as yesterday. Weapons are ced in front of him, and a huge door is visible ahead. [Currently resurrected at Lv. 1 without penalty] Kang Hyeon sat down and cried. ¡°What the hell is this, fuck¡­¡± With the memory of the pain still vivid, Kang Hyeon couldn¡¯t do anything but curl up. Like that, one hour¡­ Two hours¡­ Time passed so much that he couldn¡¯t even tell how many hours had gone by. He fell asleep exhausted from crying, and when he woke up, he cried again. -Grumble His stomach constantly mored for something to be put in. Kang Hyeon¡¯s gaze turned to where the weapons were disyed. ¡°¡­¡± After looking at the weapons for a while, strength filled his eyes. ¡°Right. Even if I die like this, I¡¯ll surelye back here.¡± Although he didn¡¯t know why, it was clear that something had gone wrong with the tutorial due to his resurrection. ¡°If I starve to death here every time I fall asleep for the rest of my life, I¡¯ll really go crazy.¡± Kang Hyeon decided to move. As he slowly got up, every bone and muscle in his body screamed. ¡°Phew¡­¡± Kang Hyeon slowly examined the weapons. A bow caught his attention. ¡°Bow¡­ First, take out one with the bow, then stab the approaching one with a spear, wouldn¡¯t that work?¡± The more he thought about it, the better the method seemed. After contemting, Kang Hyeon finally chose a crossbow that seemed rtively easy to handle and also picked up a spear and shield. Fortunately, there didn¡¯t seem to be a condition to use only one weapon. Kang Hyeon spent a while shooting crossbow bolts (arrows) at the wall to get a feel for it. ¡°Alright. Let¡¯s go.¡± Kang Hyeon Carefully opened the door. -Creeeak The door opened with a chilling sound. As he entered and moved forward little by little, he soon saw the goblins he had seen yesterday. ¡®I have to hit the head or neck in one shot. If two of them attack, it¡¯s really over then.¡¯ Kang Hyeon approached stealthily and aimed the crossbow. ¡®Now!¡¯ Kang Hyeon pulled the trigger, -Whish! The crossbow bolt flew with a crisp sound. ¡®Please, please!¡¯ Kang Hyeon prayed that the bolt should embed itself in the goblin¡¯s head. ¡°Keeek!?¡± The bolt barely grazed the goblin¡¯s ear as it passed by. ¡°Aaargh, fuck!¡± ¡°Keurk, keurk!¡± The goblins, enraged by the ear injury, charged at him like a mad man. Kang Hyeon threw away the crossbow. And he ran towards them with the spear in both hands. The shield was of no concern to him. ¡°I don¡¯t know either! Die!¡± Kang Hyeon stabbed the belly of the goblin in front of him as he ran. ¡°Die! Just die!¡± ¡°Ke, keur¡­ keruk¡­¡± The spear pierced through the goblin¡¯s skin and embedded itself deeply in one go. The one with a hole in its belly spat blood. ¡°Huff, huff¡­ Haha! Hahaha!¡± Kang Hyeon, having taken down one goblin, trembled with the thrill that came over him. ¡°Ah¡­?¡± But an unexpected problem arose. ¡°Eek, why won¡¯t thise out!¡± Perhaps because it was embedded too deeply, the spear wouldn¡¯te out. The flustered Kang Hyeon exerted himself until the veins in his neck stood out. ¡°Aaaah!¡± The spear gradually started toe out. -Pop! ¡°Got it!¡± Kang Hyeon smiled brightly at the spear that had finallye out. And as he raised his head, he saw a rusty longsword that had already approached right in front of his nose. -sh! *** Ippotrantion *** ¡°Aaaargh!¡± Kang Hyeon woke up as if having a seizure and took a rough breath. ¡°Huff, huff. At least today I died right away.¡± Fortunately, he died in one strike without time to feel pain. At that moment, the door opened and Kang A-Hyun entered. ¡°Why are you screaming and going crazy? What, did you have a nightmare?¡± Kang A-Hyun asked worriedly, seeing Kang Hyeon covered in cold sweat. ¡°The tutorial, I went there again.¡± ¡°What are you talking about? Didn¡¯t you die yesterday too? Nothing happened to me today.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. It seems like it¡¯s because of some damn ability, saying there¡¯s some error, shit¡­¡± By now, resurrection had changed from a ¡®ridiculously overpowered ability¡® to a ¡®damn ability¡¯. Kang Hyeon rubbed his forehead with a tired expression. ¡°First, I need to get information from the inte.¡± The siblings closed their mouths for a while and looked intently at their smartphones. ¡°There¡¯s much less information than yesterday?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Just on the day the first stage ended, there was an enormous amount of experiences and information pouring out. However, after the second stage ended, the information decreased by more than half. And today. After the third stage ended, there were really sparse reviews. ¡°Most of it just says they died in the second stage. There¡¯s no case of re-entering like you. There¡¯s a little information about the third stage.¡± After searching the inte a bit more, it seemed the theme of the third stage was patience and perseverance. However, unlike stages 1 and 2, there seemed to be very few people who said they cleared it. ¡°In the end, it¡¯s all useless stuff.¡± ¡°Sigh¡­ I have to go to work for now, so let¡¯s talk again in the evening.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Even after Kang A-Hyun left the house, Kang Hyeon continued to check his smartphone. People were still debating about the tutorial, but nothing was certain. It was all just so-called brain spection. Besides that, they talked about their unique abilities and there was a lot of talk about what the Haken dimension was. ¡°There¡¯s this too¡­¡± -Sharp increase in psychiatric hospital visits in two days It was the headline of an article on the main page of a portal site. ¡°Makes sense¡­¡± Reading the article, the goblins came to mind again. Their ugly faces. The rusty longsword. And the torture. ¡°In the end, I have no choice but to clear it. That¡¯s the only way I can live normally.¡± It was depressing to think that the tutorial had 8 stages right away. Still, he couldn¡¯t spend the rest of his life fighting bloody goblins every night. -How to use weapons -How to actually use a sword -Learning swordsmanship -How to shoot a bow well Kang Hyeon searched for things rted to weapons on various sites like YouTube, Google, etc. -How to use new weapons in Hunting Ground -Using new firearms -The best swordsmanship in movies Most of the above research were useless, but Kang Hyeon wandered around looking for anything that could be even a little helpful to him. Thus, Kang Hyeon¡¯s study continued until night. *** Ippotrantion *** ¡°Will you be able to sleep?¡± ¡°I have to.¡± ¡°Will you be okay?¡± ¡°Yeah¡­ I can¡¯t live like this for the rest of my life.¡± For the first time in a while, the siblings had a serious conversation. ¡°I studied martial arts while searching the inte today, so I won¡¯t just get beaten up.¡± ¡°Idiot, if you could learn martial arts well with that kind of thing, everyone in the world would be a martial arts master.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t mock me, you brat.¡± Kang Hyeon sighed and spoke with a stern expression. ¡°Phew¡­ I¡¯m going now. Cheer for me.¡± ¡°Okay. Good luck.¡± Kang Hyeon went into his room and immediatelyy down on the bed and closed his eyes. ¡°Can I do it¡­¡± As the disgusting faces of the goblins appeared in his mind, he couldn¡¯t sleep at all. ¡°I must seed¡­¡± As time passed and it became dawn, Kang Hyeon, unable to ovee fatigue, gradually fell into a deep sleep. Chapter 4 Chapter 4 ¨C Damn Goblins (2) [Wee to Kang Hyeon¡¯s tutorial entrance] [An error urred during the second stage. Moving immediately] [May your courage save the Earth] ¡°Save the Earth my ass. What bullshit.¡± As Kang Hyeon cursed, his eyes took in the now familiar scenery. A gloomy cave. Weapons scattered about. After briefly looking around, Kang Hyeon boldly picked up a sword. Name: Scrapy Longsword Grade: F Durability: 11 / 13 Description: A shoddy longsword that looks like it was made by a cksmith who usually makes farm tools in the countryside. Somehow it feels like the description is even worse than the mace he had before. After pondering for a moment, Kang Hyeon decided not to worry about it. ¡°Everything here is probably trash anyway.¡± You shouldn¡¯t expect too much from a tutorial. -Boo, boom! Swinging the sword, it was definitely lighter than the mace. Still a bit heavy for someone with his weak strength to wield one-handed. But he nned to hold a shield in his other hand, so there was no choice. ¡°Strength..? Right!¡± As he thought aboutcking strength, something crossed Kang Hyeon¡¯s mind. ¡°If Ick strength, I just need to increase it!¡± Kang Hyeon immediately opened his status window. ?Name: Kang Hyeon ?Title: ¨C ?Level: 1 ?Detailed Stats: Strength 8 Agility 9 Stamina 7 Magic Power 14 Additional Stat Points: 1 ?Unique Ability: Resurrection ?Abilities: ¨C ?Skills: ¨C Additional stat point: 1. Using that stat point would make his strength a bit stronger. [Do you want to use 1 additional stat point on Strength?] ¡°Yeah.¡± With a cheerful ding, his strength increased to 9. Swinging the sword again, it felt a bit easier. ¡°The difference isn¡¯t as big as I thought, but it¡¯s better than nothing.¡± After checking his stats, Kang Hyeon picked up a crossbow and practiced shooting for a while. ¡°This should be enough.¡± A little whileter. Kang Hyeon, now prepared, gathered various weapons including the longsword, wooden shield, and crossbow. He felt reassured as the weight on his body increased. -Creeeak Despite opening the door carefully, a squeaking sound assaulted his ears. ¡®Damn¡­ I¡¯m still nervous.¡¯ He entered confidently, but fear ingrained to the bone doesn¡¯t disappear in a day or two. Kang Hyeon put strength into his trembling legs and moved along the familiar route. After walking a bit, he saw two familiar goblins. ¡®Aim steadily, then hold your breath and¡­¡¯ Kang Hyeon carefully aimed at a goblin. ¡®Now!¡¯ The fired crossbow bolt stuck into the goblin¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Kieeek!¡± The goblin with the bolt in its shoulder screamed. Itspanion, startled by its injuredrade, soon spotted Kang Hyeon and charged. Ignoring his pounding heart, Kang Hyeon also charged forward. ¡®The first attack is a big downward sh.¡¯ After encountering them a few times, he could remember some of their patterns. Kang Hyeon raised his shield to block the iing sword. -ng! The impact was stronger than expected, making his left arm tingle. ¡°Now it¡¯s my turn!¡± -sh! Kang Hyeon swung his longsword horizontally with all his might. The deeply cut goblin copsed, spilling blood from its abdomen. ¡°Kieeek!¡± ¡°Die!¡± Kang Hyeon quickly tried to finish off the fallen goblin. But the one hit by the bolt had regained its senses and was now swinging its sword at Kang Hyeon. Startled, Kang Hyeon hurriedly raised his shield. -ng! Once again, the shing sword made his arm vibrate. Almost losing his grip on the shield from the impact, Kang Hyeon quickly retreated. ¡°Kirrr¡­¡± ¡°Huff, huff¡­¡± Despite not moving much, his chest was heaving as if about to burst. It seemed his breathing had quickened due to excessive tension. But the goblins were also injured and not in good shape. ¡®I can do this¡­!¡¯ Hope was finally starting to show. ¡°Come at me, you bastards! Are you scared?! Huh?!¡± As Kang Hyeon shouted desperately, the goblins hesitated and stepped back. ¡°I saide! If you don¡¯t, I¡¯ming for you!¡± At that moment. ¡°Kieek!¡± The goblins suddenly turned and started to flee. ¡°What? Where are you going?!¡± *** Ippotrantion *** Opening his eyes, he saw his familiar room. ¡°These bastards ganged up on me!?¡± The two fleeing goblins quickly became five and returned. In the end, Kang Hyeon died without being able to do anything, stabbed from all directions. ¡°Did I die again¡­?¡± Kang A-Hyun, who had been in the room for some time, looked at Kang Hyeon worriedly. ¡°No. I almost won. Just a little more and I would have killed them all¡­ heh.¡± As he spoke, a strange madness gradually filled Kang Hyeon¡¯s eyes. *** Ippotrantion *** [Wee to Kang Hyeon¡¯s tutorial entrance¡­.] Kang Hyeon frowned and waved his hand. ¡°Forget the wee, just send me in quickly.¡± [May your courage save the Earth] With this message, Kang Hyeon returned to the cave once again. ¡°Kang Hyeon, think long-term. Long-term!¡± Kang Hyeon pped his cheeks and opened his eyes wide. ¡°This won¡¯t do.¡± If he tried again now, he might be able to take down the first two goblins that appear. However, the three that came after were absolutely impossible. He needed a different strategy. ¡°Training¡­ I need to train.¡± Picking up the longsword, Kang Hyeon swung it hard, recalling sword-wielding methods he had seen on the inte. -Whoosh, whoosh! It felt awkward at first, but the more he swung, the more familiar it became. However, his arms were already starting to ache after just a few swings. ¡®Forget about clearing it today. Practice as much as possible and clear it in one go.¡¯ So Kang Hyeon continued swinging the sword. When his arms hurt too much to hold the sword, he practiced with the crossbow. He briefly considered the bow, but it seemed too difficult to usepared to the crossbow due to its steep learning curve. After training for over 5 hours without eating or resting, Kang Hyeon finally copsed on the floor. ¡°Usually in these situations, you get stat increases and stuff. No mercy here, damn¡­¡± He had hoped for it, but no stats were given. ¡°No¡­ Maybe I just haven¡¯t tried hard enough.¡± Catching his breath andposing himself, Kang Hyeon stood up and swung the sword again. He was getting hungry, and his whole body felt heavy as if soaked in water, but there was no other way. He just kept swinging the sword. ¡°Huff, huff¡­¡± 3 hourster. Now it wasn¡¯t Kang Hyeon swinging the sword, but the sword swinging Kang Hyeon. His arms wouldn¡¯t lift, making his movements look like a ridiculous dance. Suddenly, as Kang Hyeon was swinging the longsword, his legs gave out and he copsed. ¡°I can¡¯t do it any more¡­¡± -Ding! Then, a wee alert sounded. [Your efforts beyond your limits have increased your Stamina by 1] ¡°Why Stamina and not Strength¡­.¡± As Kang Hyeon mumbled this, he passed out. *** Ippotrantion *** When Kang Hyeon woke up, he was still in the cave, not at home. And he was terribly hungry. -Grumble ¡°I get it. I¡¯m going. Going.¡± Trying to soothe his hungry stomach, Kang Hyun opened the door again. -Creeak ¡®Even this sound is annoying now that I¡¯ve heard it so much.¡¯ Irritated from fatigue and hunger, Kang Hyeon kicked the door in frustration. ¡°Whew, let¡¯s aim to kill just one this time.¡± With muscle pain, he could barely swing the sword properly. He didn¡¯t even expect to win. Just killing one to vent his frustration would be enough. ¡®Slowly, calm your breathing¡­¡¯ Finally spotting a goblin, Kang Hyeon carefully aimed his crossbow. But his arms, shaking from muscle pain, refused to steady. -Whoosh! The bolt cleanly cut through the air. ¡°Kieeek!¡± ¡°Damn it¡­¡± *** Ippotrantion *** ¡°Aaaagh!!!¡± In the end, Kang Hyeon woke up without killing a single goblin. ¡°You bastards!¡± Moreover, this time Kang Hyeon was thoroughly toyed with in the fight. Realizing he was exhausted, they slowly pressured him. After being attacked by goblins for over 10 minutes, Kang Hyeon finally copsed from blood loss. Then, with a gurglingugh, his head was cut off. ¡°Just wait until tonight.¡± Kang Hyeon said, gritting his teeth. A savage sound of teeth grinding echoed. Kang Hyeon now looked half-mad. Kang A-Hyun, who was nearby, watched worriedly but could do nothing. ¡°Haah¡­¡± Kang A-Hyun sighed deeply and quietly prepared for work. *** Ippotrantion *** -Ding! [Your efforts beyond your limits have increased your Strength by 1] ¡°Aaaagh!¡± As the desired alert sounded, Kang Hyeon copsed with a shout. A precious stat gained after over 10 hours of weight training. For Kang Hyeon, who had a below-average body, it was literally a human victory. ¡°Status window!¡± ?Name: Kang Hyeon ?Title: ¨C ?Level: 1 ?Detailed Stats: Strength 9 ¡ú 10 new! Agility 9 Stamina 8 Magic Power 14 Additional Stat Points: ¨C ?Unique Ability: Resurrection ?Abilities: ¨C ?Skills: ¨C ¡°Finally, I¡¯ve surpassed a total of 40!¡± In fact, the total of stats didn¡¯t have any special meaning. However, Kang Hyeon had felt bad thinking he was below average. But now that he¡¯d surpassed a total of 40, he thought he must be at least above average. ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± Excited, Kang Hyeon immediately tried to draw and swing the longsword. But as he tried to stand up, his legs gave out and he copsed. ¡°It¡¯s okay. If I keep doing this, I¡¯ll be able to kill them all soon!¡± As hey on the floor, trying to maintain positive thoughts, something suddenly urred to him. ¡°What if I could level up?¡± He had definitely killed one goblin on the first day. If he used a simr method, he might be able to kill one. Rather than recklessly fighting goblins in his current state, killing one for sure might give him experience. ¡°If I level up that way, it¡¯d be awesome.¡± Although dying while being hacked to pieces wasn¡¯t exactly an awesome situation. At least, not by normal standards. After resting, Kang Hyeon picked up the mace and stood up. ¡°Let¡¯s go. Hehe.¡± *** Ippotrantion *** ¡°Why? Why am I not leveling up?!¡± As soon as he opened his eyes, Kang Hyeon went on a rampage. Like on the first day, Kang Hyeon managed to kill one goblin by striking its head from behind. But the expected level up didn¡¯te. He just had his throat slit instantly by another enraged goblin. ¡°Tonight, I¡¯m smashing that bastard¡¯s head first.¡± Grinding his teeth, Kang Hyeon checked the inte. It was now the 7th day since the tutorial started. In other words, he had gone through 6 tutorials. If he had progressed normally, one stage a day, he should have been finishing the 6th stage and preparing for the 7th today. However, Kang Hyeon was still stuck on the 2nd stage. ¡°People aren¡¯t much either.¡± Browsing the inte, he couldn¡¯t find many who had cleared beyond the 4th stage. There were quite a few reviews up to the 3rd stage, but from the 4th stage on, it seemed really hard to clear. ¡°I guess I have to clear up to the 8th stage to get out?¡± For a moment he felt dizzy, but Kang Hyeon pped his cheeks hard with both hands. -p! ¡°I can do it!¡± After psyching himself up, he searched for more information but found nothing special. People still couldn¡¯t use abilities in reality, and there were no posts about monsters appearing in the real world. Finally, ending his web surfing, Kang Hyeon turned on sword training videos again. *** Ippotrantion *** [Kang Hyeon¡­.] ¡°Skip! Skip!¡± [May your courage save the Earth] Back in the tutorial, Kang Hyeon immediately started exercising. ¡°I can definitely feel my strength and stamina have improved. Even if I can¡¯t level up, I can get strong enough.¡± So Kang Hyeon swung the sword again until he copsed. [Your efforts beyond your limits have increased your Stamina by 1] ¡°Aaaagh!¡± Kang Hyeon cried out as he slumped to the floor! -Ding [Ability Lowest-grade Swordsmanship (F) has been created. ¡°Huh?¡± Lowest-grade Swordsmanship (F) Ability: When swinging a sword, it helps correct posture and distribute power, allowing for more effective swings. Description: It¡¯s swordsmanship that even local thugs might use, but it seems better than nothing. ¡°This, this is¡­¡± Reading the message, tears unexpectedly welled up in Kang Hyeon¡¯s eyes. ¡°Thank you¡­ sniff.. Thank you! Waaah!¡± Along with stats, he gained swordsmanship he never expected. Kang Hyeon couldn¡¯t help but shed tears of joy, feeling like all his efforts were being recognized. ¡°This is a human victory-!¡± As the status window showed, Kang Hyeon was an extremely weak person with below-average stamina. Yet for days, he swung the sword until he copsed. It was so hard that he cried out in pain sometimes. But he never stopped. Imagining the goblins¡¯ faces, the results of his efforts finally showed. Although the description was shoddy, Kang Hyeon was satisfied. ¡°If I keep working hard, the grade will surely rise too!¡± Standing up, Kang Hyeon swung the sword again with strength from who knows where. ¡°I can feel it¡­ I can feel it!¡± Was it just his imagination? His sword-swinging posture became strangelyfortable, and power flowed into the sword. Kang Hyeon clenched his fist. ¡°Wait for me, you devilish bastards. You¡¯re all dead.¡± With renewed spirit, Kang Hyeon kicked open the huge door and went out of the cave. Chapter 5 Chapter 5 ¨C Damn Goblins (3) ¡®Stay calm¡­¡¯ Even as his arms trembled from muscle pain, Kang Hyeon focused his mind. ¡®The head, I must aim for the head.¡¯ As his breath stopped, the tightly drawn bowstring of the crossbow was released. -Whoosh! The sound of the bolt cutting through the air was heard. ¡°Got it!¡± The flying bolt lodged precisely in the goblin¡¯s nape. It was the same goblin that had struck Kang Hyeon¡¯s neck yesterday. The goblin hit by the bolt copsed without even uttering a death cry. ¡°Kraaak?¡± The remaining one looked at its fallenrade with a bewildered expression. Kang Hyeon wasted no time and rushed towards it. ¡°You die too!¡± The goblin barely blocked the longsword Kang Hyeon swung with all his might. Then followed several exchanges of attacks and defenses. -ng, ng! Kang Hyeon deflected iing sword strikes with his shield and swung his sword whenever he saw an opening. Gradually, the small wounds on the goblin¡¯s body, increased. ¡°This is thest!¡± ¡°Kaaak, kak..!¡± Finally, Kang Hyeon¡¯s sword urately pierced through an exposed gap. The goblin with the sword lodged in its neck slowly crumbled. ¡°Fi-finally..!¡± Atst, he had cleanly dispatched two goblins. The moments of torture he had endured from the goblins until now shed by like a panorama. [Level up!] A message was heard simultaneously. ?Name: Kang Hyeon ?Title: ¨C ?Level: 1 ¡ú 2 new! ?Detailed Stats: Strength 10 Agility 9 Stamina 9 Magic Power 14 Additional Stat Points: 0 ¡ú 1 new! ?Unique Ability: Resurrection ?Ability: Lowest-grade Swordsmanship (F) ?Skills: ¨C ¡°As expected.¡± Kang Hyeon¡¯s prediction was correct. Leveling up was possible even in the tutorial. ¡°This time, let¡¯s increase agility.¡± Kang Hyeon decided to invest the stat point he gained this time into agility. While strength and stamina could be increased simply through brute force exercise, he didn¡¯t know how to increase agility. So it seemed good to increase it with points when possible. ¡°Good. Let¡¯s keep this momentum going.¡± With the level up, all muscle pain and fatigue disappeared. Now it felt like he could even defeat a group of three goblins moving together. ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± Kang Hyeon clenched his fist and shouted energetically. *** Ippotrantion *** ¡°Aaaaargh!¡± The threshold of three goblins was high. One with the crossbow. One with the longsword. He had taken down a total of two goblins, but in the end, he was knocked out by thest goblin hitting him on the back of the head. It wasn¡¯t death, but unconsciousness. And then followed, the world of torture. -Stop, I said stop! You¡¯re really dead tomorrow night, you know? Aaaah! Kang Hyeon was tortured for a whole two hours while tied with ropes. Perhaps due to the increased stamina points and body recovery from leveling up, he didn¡¯t die easily. ¡°Phew¡­¡± However, Kang Hyeon didn¡¯t do pitiful things like covering himself with a nket and trembling as before. ¡°You bastards¡­ Just wait. Today is thest day.¡± His eyes only flickered with madness. *** Ippotrantion *** [Wee to Kang Hyeon¡¯s tutorial entrance] Again, the white room. And then the damp cave . Kang Hyeon, who entered the tutorial, was about to rush out with his sword but stopped. ¡°Let¡¯s increase stamina one more time.¡± His current stats were Strength 10, Agility 10, Stamina 9, Magic Power 14. If stamina increased from 9 to 10 here, all stats would neatly be 10 or above. ¡°Huff, huff¡± After finishing his thought, Kang Hyeon began swinging his sword again. Although nothing was certain, swinging the sword like this might not only increase stamina but also raise the rank of swordsmanship. ¡°Huaah!¡± Before, his arms would go numb to the point where he couldn¡¯t even hold the sword after just ten minutes of swinging. So he had to do other exercises or practice shooting the crossbow for a while. ¡®But not anymore¡¯ Now he had been swinging the sword for nearly twenty minutes, but it was still bearable. Thinking it was quite a significant improvement, Kang Hyeon continued swinging his sword. Ten times, a hundred times, a thousand times¡­ How many swings had it been? At some point, Kang Hyeon stopped counting. He was just swinging the sword in a state of selflessness. When an unknown amount of time had passed. -Ding! [Your stamina increases by 1 due to efforts surpassing your limits] ¡°Bleeurgh!¡± Along with the alert, Kang Hyeon vomited on the ground. ¡°Kuhup, it doesn¡¯t seem like that much time has passed.¡± Kang Hyeon wiped the vomit from his mouth with his sleeve. ¡°Isn¡¯t this stat increase faster than before?¡± Although it was just a guess without a clock, it was urate. Today, Kang Hyeon had been swinging his sword for roughly over five hours. The stat increased even faster than before when he had to exercise for over 10 hours. The reason was Kang Hyeon¡¯s determination. By not resting at times when he would have rested before, he was able to push his body to the limit even more. ¡°Haha¡­ What does time matter? The important thing is that it increased.¡± ?Name: Kang Hyeon ?Title: ¨C ?Level: 2 ?Detailed Stats: Strength 10 Agility 10 Stamina 10 Magic Power 14 Additional Stat Points: ¨C ?Unique Ability: Resurrection ?Ability: Lowest-grade Swordsmanship (F) ?Skills: ¨C Kang Hyeon smiled satisfactorily while looking at his status window andy down on the floor. ¡°Let¡¯s rest well and finish today.¡± And so, Kang Hyeon fell into a deep sleep. *** Ippotrantion *** ¡°Great! Let¡¯s go!¡± Kang Hyeon woke up and stretched energetically. His body felt stiff from tense muscles, but it was more bearable than before. Kang Hyeon carefully examined his weapons. He picked up the longsword that now felt familiar in his hand, the crossbow, and the shield reinforced with iron, heavier than before. Well-armed, Kang Hyeon slowly entered through the door. ¡®First, one with the crossbow.¡¯ Reaching where the goblins were, Kang Hyeon calmly aimed his crossbow. -Push! The flying bolt urately lodged in the back of a goblin¡¯s head. While the remaining one was bewildered, Kang Hyeon rushed at full speed and struck the goblin with his shield. Hit by the iron shield, heavier than the previous wooden one, the goblin immediately copsed with a concussion. ¡°Now let¡¯s go through this tutorialfortably!¡± ¡°Kieek..!¡± The one struggling on the ground. Without hesitation, Kang Hyeon thrust his longsword into its neck. ¡°Kirruruk¡­¡± Kang Hyeon smiled as he watched the goblin spitting blood from its mouth. ¡°Yeah. This is how a tutorial should be.¡± Pushing the goblin away with his foot and pulling out his sword, Kang Hyeon took a moment to catch his breath. ¡°Phew, let¡¯s go!¡± He had already confirmed the location of the three goblins from his previous death. ¡®It should be around here¡­¡¯ However, his movements were extremely cautious, as he would have no chance if he was detected first and all three goblins rushed at him at once. ¡°Keruk!¡± ¡®There.¡¯ Moving towards the direction of the sound, he saw three goblinsughing carefreely. ¡®Even if I take out one with the crossbow, two will remain.¡¯ Then he would have to face two goblins likest time. ¡®Should I create more distance and shoot the crossbow twice?¡¯ Kang Hyeon shook his head as he considered. ¡®If I move too far and miss the first shot, it¡¯s over.¡¯ Kang Hyeon ultimately decided to take out one reliably. Raising his crossbow, he carefully aimed at a goblin. -Whoosh! ¡°Kek!¡± A scream burst from the goblin simultaneously with the sound of the bolt cutting through the air. ¡®That¡¯s right!¡¯ The flying bolt hit a goblin precisely in the head. ¡°Keeaak!¡± ¡°Keruk, keruk!¡± The two remaining goblins who discovered Kang Hyeon charged while making horrific noises. ¡°Uaah! Come at me, you bastards!¡± -ng, ng! Kang Hyeon banged his sword against his shield, psyching himself up like warriors on TV. ¡°Keruk, kiek!¡± Voices like boiling phlegm. The goblins¡¯ hideous faces drew closer in real-time. ¡®I need to use the terrain to make theme one by one as much as possible.¡¯ His body was heated with excitement, but he no longer trembled like before. -ng! He deflected an iing sword with his shield while swinging his own sword simultaneously. The goblin whose abdomen was shed staggered back. Meanwhile, he calmly blocked the sword swung by the other one. ¡°Die!¡± Kang Hyeon quickly thrust his sword through the momentary gap that appeared. A clean strike that pierced the abdomen without hitting bone. ¡°Kieek!¡± The two wounded goblins retreated. Seeing this, a smile spread across Kang Hyeon¡¯s face. ¡®It¡¯s done.¡¯ The flow had already turned in his favor. Now he just needed to ride this momentum and push forward. ¡°You scared?! Huh?! Try running away again!¡± There are a total of 5 goblins appearing in stage 2. There are no morerades left. ¡°You don¡¯t have any more friends to call, do you? You bastards!¡± ¡°Keee!¡± As if the goblins knew this too, they finally screamed and charged at Kang Hyeon. -ng, ng! Kang Hyeon and two wounded goblins fiercely exchanged blows. Kang Hyeon¡¯sbat skills, which had greatly improved in the meantime, shone. ¡°Kek¡­ Keruk¡­¡± Atst, the final goblin sat down bleeding. Watching this scene, Kang Hyeon, who was panting, gripped his longsword tightly. ¡°Haa, ha¡­ It was shitty meeting you.¡± ¡°Keee¡­¡± ¡°Let¡¯s never see each other again.¡± -Sq! The downward strike practiced thousands, tens of thousands of times. The goblin¡¯s neck, cut by the sword, was helplessly severed. [Congrattions. You have cleared stage 2] [You gain 5 additional stats as a clear reward] [You can choose a weapon as a clear reward] [Ability Lowest-grade Shield Technique is created] [Ability Lowest-grade Crossbow Technique is created] [Level up!] [Level up!] ¡°Uaaah!¡± Kang Hyeon threw down his sword and screamed like a madman. ¡°I did it! I won!¡± He ran around shouting for a while as if he had really gone insane. ¡°You damn goblins! Do you know your ce now?! Huh?! I¡¯ll win everything if I go to the end! You sons of bitches!¡± Only after Kang Hyeon cursed and let out his final roar did he slowly catch his breath. ¡°Huff, hoo¡­ Right. Rewards. I need to check the rewards. Hahaha!¡± Kang Hyeonughed like a deranged person and opened his status window. ?Name : Kang Hyeon ?Title : ¨C ?Level : 2 ¡ú 4 new! ?Detailed Stats : Strength 10 Agility 10 Stamina 10 Magic Power 14 Additional Stats : 0 ¡ú 7 new! ?Unique Ability : Resurrection ?Abilities : Lowest-grade Swordsmanship(F) Lowest-grade Shield Technique(F) Lowest-grade Crossbow Technique(F) ?Skills : ¨C A quite diverse status window. The most noticeable was the additional stats of 7 points. ¡°Wow¡­ Suddenly I¡¯m in a dilemma¡­¡± Kang Hyeon fell into a happy contemtion while staring at it quietly. ¡°As I go towards theter stages, leveling up will be harder and naturally each stat point will be precious. What should I do¡­¡± Kang Hyeon first checked what Agility was. It was because it was difficult to intuitively grasp, unlike Strength and Stamina. [Agility : Increases dynamic vision, reaction speed, and muscle utilization ability] ¡°Hmm¡­¡± After contemting for a long time, Kang Hyeon finally finished distributing his stats. 3 points to Strength. 2 points to Agility. 2 points to Stamina. He used all 7 points. ¡°Great!¡± After investing the stats, he felt like his whole body was overflowing with power. ¡°And¡­ Oh! I got Shield Technique and Crossbow Technique?¡± Kang Hyeon immediately checked his newly acquired abilities. Lowest-grade Shield Technique(F) Ability: Allows more effective use of shields. Description: If you try hard, you might be able to block the knife of a neighborhood kid. Lowest-grade Crossbow Technique(F) Ability: Allows slightly more proficient handling of crossbows and increases shooting precision. Description: It¡¯s best not to attempt the lethal act of shooting an apple on someone¡¯s head. ¡°Hmm¡­?¡± Like the previous one, the status window felt very yful. ¡°Still, it¡¯s better than nothing.¡± Since he had already proven its effect with swordsmanship, the more abilities, the better. ¡°Lastly, I just need to choose a weapon.¡± In front of Kang Hyeon were the same weapons that were ced at the start of stage 2. ¡°I guess getting familiar is better, right?¡± Without hesitation, Kang Hyeon picked up the longsword. Then, strangely, the sword disappeared in an instant. At the same time, a message appeared before his eyes. [The waiting time has expired. Exiting the tutorial] *** Ippotrantion *** Kang Hyeon, who had finished his 8th tutorial, got up from his seat. ¡°Hehe, I did it. I did it..!¡± When he opened his eyes, he wanted to scream as usual, but he held back, thinking his sister might still be asleep. -Bubble bubble ¡°Lulu~¡± Kang Hyeon prepared breakfast while humming. He seemed excited already thinking about how surprised his sister would be when she woke up. -Coo coo coo coo coo That¡¯s when it happened. Suddenly, the ground shook and noise was heard from outside the house. At the same time, a message appeared in front of Kang Hyeon. [Earth¡¯s tutorial is ending] [System usage bes free even outside the tutorial] [Dungeons are activated] [Only awakened ability users can enter dungeons] [If the dungeon is not cleared within a certain time, the dungeon door will open] ¡°What does this mean¡­?¡± Originally, today was supposed to be the day the tutorial normally ended. ¡°Is it rted to that?¡± It was when Kang Hyeon was nkly staring at the message. ¡°Aaaah!¡± Suddenly, a scream was heard from outside the window. Kang Hyeon hurriedly ran to the window and opened it. ¡°Goodness! What the hell is this!?¡± A huge door, seemingly over 3m tall, was standing right in front of the house. The door, carved with all sorts of strange patterns, looked like an entrance to hell. ¡°Is this that dungeon?¡± ¡°Uh¡­ It seems so.¡± Kung A-Hyun, who had approached without notice, pressed close behind Kang Hyeon and looked outside. ¡°You saw the message, right?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°I can see the status window here now¡­¡± As Kang A-Hyun spoke with a serious expression, Kang Hyeon nodded. ¡°I guess so. The message said abilities would be granted¡­ Ah, what about the time? Check time!¡± [Time remaining untilplete connection with the Harken dimension: 4 years 357 days 13 hours 59 minutes 51 seconds] Fortunately, the time was decreasing normally. ¡°I guess this isn¡¯t the beginning of the end or something.¡± ¡°Yeah¡­¡± Kang A -Hyun, who was looking at the time together, nodded at Kang Hyeon¡¯s words. ¡°You said your level went up and you got skills, right? Check your status window once.¡± ¡°Ah, right. Status window!¡± At Kang A-Hyun¡¯s words, Kang Hyeon hurriedly called his status window. [You cannot use this yet as the tutorial has not ended] ¡°Huh..?¡± Something seems to be wrong. Chapter 6 Chapter 6 ¨C The Unyielding (1) [The tutorial is still in progress, so it cannot be used yet] ¡°Huh?¡± Kang Hyeon¡¯s brain momentarily froze at the unexpected message. ¡°What¡¯s this all about¡­?¡± ¡°Why? What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°It says I can¡¯t use it because the tutorial is still in progress?¡± ¡°Haha!¡± Kang A-hyun burst outughing, as if the room was about to blow away. ¡°Are youughing right now?!¡± ¡°Ah, sorry. Then do you have to clear the entire tutorial?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve already prepared for that¡­ Wouldn¡¯t it be safer to use my abilities properly as soon as possible?¡± Now that the reality has started to change, I didn¡¯t know what would happen. Although the difference wasn¡¯t huge, if I could use my slightly enhanced abilities, I could be a little more at ease. ¡°But it seems to have been applied to some extent already?¡± ¡°What?¡± Kang Hyeon frowned at Kang A-hyun mysterious words. ¡°Look at your body. Within a few days, you¡¯ve gone from a scrawny anchovy to a normal person. No, wait a minute. Are you a bit muscr?¡± Kang A-hyun fussed over Kang Hyeon¡¯s body. ¡°Ah, why is this so disgusting?¡± Kang Hyeon pushed Kang A-hyun away in disgust, but he was secretly pleased. ¡®It¡¯s true that something has changed. I¡¯ve gained some weight and my muscles are quite alive.¡¯ It wasn¡¯t apletely muscr and handsome physique, but it was now quite decent for an ordinary person. I didn¡¯t weigh myself, but I think I¡¯ve gained around 10 kg. ¡°My body has really improved a lot! I was so focused on the goblins that I didn¡¯t even notice.¡± ¡°Since it¡¯s turned out this way, do your best. Everyone else failed at the 2nd or 3rd stage of the tutorial, but you¡¯ve cleared up to the 8th stage alone. Wouldn¡¯t that make a difference?¡± Kang A-hyun was speaking in the most positive way for Kang Hyeon¡¯s sake. ¡°You¡¯re right. Alright! I¡¯ll get through it somehow.¡± However, Kang Hyeon had no intention of slowly and steadilypleting the tutorial. ¡®I don¡¯t know when a crisis wille, so simply working hard won¡¯t do. I need to clear the tutorial as quickly as possible and gain full abilities.¡¯ My abilities may have already been applied, but it¡¯s not certain. Kang Hyeon was determined to get through the tutorial as quickly as possible. ¡°I¡¯m taking a day off from work again today.¡± Kang A-hyun took a break again today. Just like the day the tutorial started, the outside was in chaos and she didn¡¯t know what would happen. A dungeon appeared in the middle of the road, paralyzing the traffic, and the police and soldiers were wandering around the streets. In this situation, she had no intention of stubbornly going to work for a few measly coins. ¡°Good call. Let¡¯s eat first.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± A simple meal. Kang Hyeon felt like the food was just going down without him really registering it. ¡°Whew, I¡¯m full.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°¡­¡± After clearing the table, they didn¡¯t know what to do next. Kang Hyeon broke the heavy silence. ¡°Let¡¯s check the inte first.¡± The inte was in an uproar, as expected. -Isn¡¯t it necessary to quickly clear the dungeon and level up before 5 years pass? -I heard the dungeon will open in about a month, so we have to clear it quickly. -Hurry up and put those ability users in. Regr people can¡¯t get in, right? -Do they think something will be there just because they go in? -Those bastards who will kill living people. There were already a lot of talk about having to put ability users in quickly, or that it¡¯s life-threatening. ¡°Hmm¡­¡± All ability users have cleared the 1st stage. That means they¡¯ve at least gone through the 2nd stage and faced monsters. From the tutorial, such monsters have emerged and died, but no one knows what kind of monsters will appear in the main game. Moreover, this is reality. If you die, it¡¯s the end. -I heard that about half of the tutorial participants have cleared the 1st stage, and less than half of that have cleared the 2nd stage. -Ah, here¡¯s another unfounded im. -But looking around my area, the previousment doesn¡¯t seem to bepletely wrong. Out of ten people, there are only one or two who have cleared up to the 2nd stage. -My friend cleared up to the 4th stage! -Bullshit. They haven¡¯t even cleared the 3rd stage. Kang Hyeon sighed as he browsed the portal site to gather information. ¡°Geez. There¡¯s not a single helpful post.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Kang A-hyun nodded in agreement. ¡°But it seems the number of people who have cleared the 2nd stage is really low. You¡¯ve failed 5 times, but you still cleared it, right?¡± ¡°6 times.¡± ¡°That¡¯s the same thing.¡± ¡°There¡¯s nothing I can¡¯t do for my brother.¡± *** Ippotrantion *** After digesting the information to some extent, Kang Hyeon began to lightly stretch his body. ¡°What are you doing?¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to exercise.¡± ¡°Exercise all of a sudden?¡± ¡°Do you think this body will juste out like this?¡± ¡°Tsk, it doesn¡¯t seem that great, but the fuss is unnecessary.¡± Ignoring Kang A-hyun¡¯s grumbling, Kang Hyeonunched into serious exercise. 200 push-ups 200 jumping jacks 500 arm swings There wasn¡¯t much he could do for exercise at home. Moreover, Kang Hyeon was originally a person far from exercise. So he just kept repeating the few exercises he knew. ¡°Ugh, huff!¡± The first set was still manageable. But as he went into the second and third sets, his body became increasingly exhausted. The exercise that started right after lunch continued until 6 o¡¯clock in the evening. ¡°You¡¯re going to die like this.¡± ¡°Hae, huff.¡± Kang Hyeon couldn¡¯t even respond to Kang A-hyun¡¯s words, just panting. ¡°You were scrawny just a while ago, but why are you exercising so mindlessly?¡± ¡°Haa, phew¡­¡± ¡°Can¡¯t you hear me?¡± ¡°If you fail a few times too¡­ Phew! Your thinking will change!¡± It is often said that a person grows when they ovee a life-or-death situation. If you go through the battlefield of life and death a few times, you can be called a veteran. However, Kang Hyeon had not only crossed the line of life and death, but had actually died. ¡°Exercising like this, if it just means avoiding one more punch, that¡¯s enough.¡± ¡°You crazy bastard¡­¡± ¡°What? Is it already thiste?¡± Kang Hyeon checked the time and immediately headed to the shower. ¡°I need to get ready immediately after dinner..¡± *** Ippotrantion *** [Wee to Kang Hyeon¡¯s tutorial] [You havepleted tutorial stage 2 so far] [Would you like to enter stage 3?] ¡°Yes.¡± [May your courage save the Earth] As the familiar message appeared, the surroundings suddenly went dark and he felt his body start to levitate. [Stage 3] [Prove your perseverance and patience that can withstand any situation] [Clear condition: Defeat the Kurka chieftain] [Failure condition: Death] [Tip: If you wait, an opportunity will eventuallye] As the message ended, Kang Hyeon¡¯s vision brightened. At the same time, the area around him became noisy. ¡®What is this?¡¯ Kang Hyeon realized that he was lying down and covered by something. ¡®This is grass?¡¯ All kinds of grass and weeds were covering his entire body. Kang Hyeon immediately recognized what this was. ¡®Ghillie suit.¡¯ It was a camouge clothingmonly used by snipers to hide. After roughly understanding the situation, Kang Hyeon carefully looked around. ¡°Kurr-ruk, Kuok!¡± A quite noisy sound came from not too far away. Looking in that direction, he saw strange monsters roaming around. [Kurka Viger] [Kurka Warrior] They were about 150cm tall, with brown skin and muscr builds. Even just the ones visible, there seemed to be dozens of them, most of them being vigers. ¡®They told me to defeat the Kurka chieftain. So the chieftain must be deep inside somewhere.¡¯ The vigers had huge fangs of arge beast hung around their necks. The warriors asionally seen had two of such fangs, seemingly indicating their rank. ¡®They¡¯re smaller than goblins but more muscr. And there are so many of them.¡¯ The theme of this stage was perseverance and patience. The clear condition was to defeat the chieftain, so he didn¡¯t have to fight all of them. ¡®Let¡¯s just wait and see.¡¯ After that, Kang Hyeony down motionless, waiting for an opportunity. ¡°¡­¡± He kept waiting and waiting for an opportunity. ¡®Is just enduring this really all I have to do?¡¯ At first, it was bearable. Unlike before, there was no terrifying hell, and he didn¡¯t have to fight the monsters with a sword immediately. However, that thought changed in less than three hours. ¡®I¡¯m going crazy from the boredom!¡® Stayingpletely still was far more tiring and stressful than Kang Hyeon had expected. Moreover, when the Kurkas asionally passed by, he had to tremble in fear of their axes swinging down on his head. ¡®In this state, if I get discovered, I¡¯ll just die without being able to do anything.¡¯ He thought he had gotten used to dying a few times, but this was a different form of torture. He even started to think that it might be better to just grab a sword and confront them directly. ¡®No¡­ Even if I clear one stage per day, there are still 5 stages left, at least 5 more days. I need to be cautious if I don¡¯t want to fall behind.¡¯ The thought of his worried younger sister at home came to mind. He couldn¡¯t keep clinging to the tutorial indefinitely, not knowing what might happen. ¡®I need to clear this as quickly as possible, grow stronger, and fully master my abilities.¡¯ Reassuring himself, the time of patience passed¡­ And finally, it grew dark. During that time, Kang Hyeon learned a few things about the Kurkas: They have a primitive but hierarchical society, numbering over 50. The Kurkas living in the forest clearing, gather food through hunting and foraging. The chieftain, an elderly and frail-looking Kurka, lives in arge tent at the center of the clearing. The key point was the second one. He still didn¡¯t know exactly what the ¡®opportunity¡¯ mentioned in the tip was, but Kang Hyeon thought the most suitable opportunity would be when the powerful warriors went out for a hunt. ¡®Even if there are still many inside, the chances would be much higher than fighting them all. If necessary, I can just ignore them and stab the chieftain.¡¯ While thinking, Kang Hyeon yed with the dagger in his hand. ¡®But it seems they won¡¯t be going hunting now that it¡¯s dark¡­¡¯ -Grumble Kang Hyeon¡¯s stomach rm went off in the middle of his thoughts. ¡®I¡¯m so hungry, and my body is aching terribly.¡¯ He had been motionless for half a day already. The hunger was a problem, but the feeling of his entire body stiffening up was making him feel like he would die if he didn¡¯t stretch soon. -Sniff, sniff From a distance, the crude smell of the Kurkas¡¯ cooking lured Kang Hyeon. ¡®If I go out now, all the waiting will be for nothing. I have to at least wait until night¡­¡¯ Desperately trying to keep his mind focused, Kang Hyeon¡¯s eyes slowly started to close. *** Ippotrantion *** ¡°Kuruk, Kuruk!¡± ¡°Kuruk! Kuruk!¡± The sudden sounds around him made Kang Hyeon snap his eyes open. ¡®Fuck! Could it be that I fell asleep?¡¯ In Kang Hyeon¡¯s vision, crouched down, all he could see were dozens of shabby legs. It seems he was caught tossing and turning in his sleep by those creatures. ¡®Damn it. Damn it!¡¯ As the crisis unfolded, Kang Hyeon¡¯s head started spinning furiously. ¡°Ahem, guys¡­ How about we solve this through dialogue?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°You primitive people also have a kind of civilized life, don¡¯t you? Haha!¡± The result of the spinning was not very good. ¡®What the hell is he talking about?!¡¯ Anyway, the milk has already been spilled. Kang Hyeon slowly got up from his seat and raised both hands to express his surrender. ¡°Let¡¯s be gentlemanly first¡­¡± -Thud Kang Hyeon, who continued to ramble, saw the giant axe flying towards his forehead and gave up. That was Kang Hyeon¡¯sst memory. *** Ippotrantion *** ¡°Yaaaah!¡± Kang Hyeon, who had woken up, roughly waved his hands and hit his own head. ¡°Yaaaaaaah!¡± ¡°Shut up! Why are you shouting and ranting this early in the morning?¡± ¡°I! I was lying on the floor for hours! Aaaah!¡± Kang Hyeon ran around the room like a person haunted by regret for never being able to move. ¡°There¡¯s aint from downstairs, so stop it, you bastard!¡± ¡°Ugh!¡± The riot continued until he was kicked to the floor by Kang A-hyun. ¡°So you justy still all day and died?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± After a while, Kang A-hyun, who heard Kang Hyeon¡¯s story, began to giggle. ¡°Hehehe¡­¡± ¡°Are youughing because your brother died? Are you crazy?¡± ¡°No, he¡¯s perfectly alive here, who died? It¡¯s just so¡­ Hehe, no, I¡¯m sorry.¡± She quickly left the room, covering her mouth with her hand. ¡°Where are you going.¡± ¡°To eat breakfast. I¡¯m taking the day off from work today, so let¡¯s think about it together.¡± *** Ippotrantion *** After thinking hard all day, the two of them came up with two options. First: Charge in when the warriors are out hunting. There are still many Kurkas left in the tribe, but most of them are women or children. If done well, he might be able to break through and stab the chieftain in his hut. Second: Wait until it¡¯spletely dark. This method seemed the most realistic, but at the same time the most unrealistic. ¡°How can a person endure for more than ten hours without moving?¡± Please rate the series here. Chapter 7 Chapter 7 ¨C The Unyielding (2) There was nothing that could not be done in this world. ¡®I can do it. Just a little bit more¡­¡¯ How much time had passed with Kang Hyeon¡¯s body fused with the ground? Judging from the sun that had been reced by the moon, it was clear that more than 10 hours had already passed. ¡®Ah, I was so close to it!¡¯ As Kang Hyeon had expected, most of the Kurkas had fallen asleep. However, Kang Hyeon still could not move, and could only re at the open field. ¡®What kind of monster is keeping watch?¡¯ It was because four Kurkas were taking turns keeping watch. ¡®What should I do?¡¯ There were only two options. Either wait indefinitely for them to fall asleep, or carefully approach them. ¡®I¡¯ll just go forward.¡¯ Before entering the tutorial, Kang Hyeon had researched about snipers. Among them, there was a story about a legendary sniper named Hescock that caught his attention. Hescock reportedly crawled 30cm per minute deep into enemy territory over 3 days and 4 nights before sniping the enemy general. And Kang Hyeon¡¯s current speed was 10cm per minute. ¡®I¡¯m writing a new legend¡­¡¯ Muttering half-heartedly, Kang Hyeon slowly crawled forward. The guard¡¯s did not notice Kang Hyeon moving while covered in camouge. -Slip The sound of his body sliding on the ground could be heard. -Slip Bugs crawling inside his clothes and hair. Pants and underwear soaked in urine. A pain that made his whole body feel rigid. Many things were tormenting Kang Hyeon, but there was only one thing he wanted right now. ¡®Please! I just want to get up and do some stretching.¡¯ But he had to endure. He had held out for over 10 hours without moving a muscle. And even now, he was crawling slower than an ant. Kang Hyeon was proud of himself. If he hadn¡¯t experienced several deaths, he wouldn¡¯t have been able to seed this quickly. -Slip For two hours, he slowly and carefully pushed his fingertips and toes to move inch by inch. Kang Hyeon was finally able to pass by the sentry. The ground where he was passing was slightly lowerpared to the surrounding area, and for some reason, it seemed to emit a slightly musty smell. ¡®Is the urine I am soaked in now wafting up?¡¯ Suddenly, a pungent smell arose, making Kang Hyeon wonder why the urine smell was only nowing up. ¡°Kuruk?¡± At that moment, he felt the sentry standing next to him approaching while making a sound. -Thump, thump As the footsteps got closer, Kang Hyeon¡¯s heart raced madly. ¡®What? Why is iting? Just go away. Please, please, just go away!¡¯ Finally, the sentry stopped right next to Kang Hyeon. ¡°Kururk¡­¡± -Stter At the same time, the back of his head started getting wet. Kang Hyeon clenched his teeth tightly. ¡°Kururuk, Kururuk!¡± The one who had been relieving himself for a long time let out an excited voice as he adjusted his pants. Watching the retreating figure of the sentry, tears welled up in Kang Hyeon¡¯s eyes. ¡®Damn¡­ I went through all this hell just to get pissed on by a pig-like bastard.¡¯ The smell was even unbearable. Aftermenting his miserable situation for a while, Kang Hyeon finally pulled himself together and was able to move again. ¡®There¡¯s still a distance to the chieftain¡¯s hut.¡¯ The chieftain¡¯s hut was located in the middle of the open field. Kang Hyeon, who was still on the outskirts, had a long way to go. ¡®Just a little more, just a little more¡­¡¯ He felt the limits of his concentration. If he could just get up and run, he wouldn¡¯t mind dying at this point. ¡®Please¡­ This is thest one. Kang Hyeon! You¡¯ve done so well, you can do it!¡¯ That¡¯s when it happened. ¡°Kuruk?¡± A Kuruka lying on the ground nearby suddenly woke up from its sleep. -Sniff, sniff The one that woke up started sniffing around, and soon approached right in front of Kang Hyeon, twitching its nose. ¡°Kururuk! Kuruk!¡± And with a deeply furrowed brow, it muttered something iprehensible. If interpreted, it seemed to be asking why Kang Hyeon had ced this smelly pile of weeds here. ¡®Ah, fuck¡­ I¡¯m screwed.¡¯ ¡°Kururuk! Kururuk!¡± ¡®I will definitely kill the bastard who pissed on the back of my head.¡¯ Having made his decision, Kang Hyeon jumped up and stabbed the Kurka¡¯ neck with a dagger. ¡°Keruk¡­ Keuk¡­¡± Fortunately, the dagger seemed to have struck properly, as the Kurka copsed without making much sound. Catching the Kurka, Kang Hyeon silently celebrated in his mind. ¡®If I y this right, I might be able to get away with this.¡¯ Kang Hyeon grinned as he carefullyid the Kurka on the ground. ¡°Kuruluk! Kuruk! Kuruk! Keruruk!¡± The Kurka that had soaked Kang Hyeon with urine earlier had discovered him and was now screeching with all its might. ¡°Damn it!¡± Kang Hyeon was at a loss. If he rushed to the chieftain¡¯s hut and stabbed the chieftain, there was a slim chance he could break the tutorial. But if he went for this sentry instead of the chieftain¡¯s hut, he would have a higher chance of killing the sentry, but would absolutely not be able to break the tutorial. ¡°Kuruk! Kuruk! Kururuk! Kuruk!¡± That dilemma was instantly resolved the moment he looked at the Kurka¡¯s face. ¡°I¡¯ll kill you, you bastard!!!¡± -Ding! [The skill ¡®Roar of the Enraged Lion¡¯ has been generated] A message shed in front of him, but this was not the time to pay attention to that. Kang Hyeon, with his eyespletely rolled back, charged at the Kurka in a frenzy. He was gripping a huge Ax, though he couldn¡¯t remember when he had picked it up. ¡°Kururuk?!¡± ¡°Aaaaaahhh!¡± Startled by Kang Hyeon¡¯s furious charge, the Kurka backed away. ¡°Kururuk! Kuruk!¡± As Kang Hyeon approached, the Kurka¡¯s wide, terrified eyes became visible. The Kurka frantically turned around and started running away. ¡°Toote, you bastard!¡± Kang Hyeon swung the Ax with the same momentum and brought it down on the Kurka¡¯s head. -Thwack! The Kurka with the Ax embedded in its skull could not even let out a scream and copsed silently. ¡°Phew, phew¡­ Serves you right. Haha!¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you feel great when you were pissing? Huh?!¡± Kang Hyeon unleashed all his pent-up anger on the lifeless body of the Kurka. ¡°Kurlrrlr¡­¡± ¡°Kururuk! Kuruok!¡± Hearing sounds from behind, Kang Hyeon slowly turned around. ¡°Uh¡­? Hmm¡­¡± There were dozens of Kurkas that had woken up from their slumber, gathered in that ce. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s do this. Let¡¯s do this. Ptui!¡± Spitting on his palm, Kang Hyeon pulled the Ax out of the Kurka¡¯s head. *** Ippotrantion *** ¡°Oogeeweweukeugeuk!¡± Kang Hyeon, who had just woken up, thrashed wildly on the bed. Kang A-hyun, who had been watching over him from the early hours out of concern, looked at his behavior with a stern expression. ¡°What the hell is wrong with your head?¡± ¡°Oogeukuweugeukeuk!¡± ¡°Shut up!¡± Kang Hyeon stopped his frantic kicking as a powerful kick flew over the nket. ¡°Haaa¡­¡± After that, Kang Hyeony on the bed, staring nkly at the ceiling like a person who had lost his mind. ¡°I can¡¯t do it.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t do it.¡± ¡°What?¡± Kang Hyeon¡¯s sudden words made Kang A-hyun¡¯s brow furrow deeply. ¡°I can¡¯t! I can¡¯t do it! How can I endure that again?! I can¡¯t! I won¡¯t!¡± ¡°Ugh, what an idiot¡­¡± As Kang Hyeon¡¯s frantic behavior resumed, Kang A-hyun shook her head. ¡°I can¡¯t! I can¡¯t! I can¡¯t!¡± ¡°Then don¡¯t do it! You crazy bastard!¡± Just as the siblings were having a roaring contest, the inte suddenly rang. -Ding dong~ Ding dong~ ¡°Yes~¡± Kang A-hyun, who had quickly changed the mood, opened the front door to see the tired-lookingndy. She was the building owner who also served as the security guard for the vi as a side job. ¡°Listen, miss.¡± ¡°Yes..?¡± Thendy seemed quite unhappy. ¡°Aren¡¯t we all living in the same world? I¡¯ve checked with other houses, and they said their residents weren¡¯t the ones causing trouble¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°But when I came here today, it¡¯s even worse than the rumors.¡± ¡°Ah, well¡­ That¡¯s¡­¡± Flustered by thendy¡¯s words, Kang A-hyun stammered. ¡°I know it¡¯s tough these days, but please keep it down, at least in the morning and at night. That¡¯s all I ask.¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯m sorry¡­¡± ¡°Well, keep it up.¡± -Boom! Thendy left with the sound of the door mming shut. As Kang A-hyun turned around, she saw Kang Hyeon covering his mouth andughing. ¡°Pfft¡­¡± ¡°This is all because of you!¡± Kang Hyeon was about to shout again when she quickly covered his mouth. ¡°This is all your fault!¡± She yelled in a small voice with a scowl on her face, but Kang Hyeon didn¡¯t seem to hear her. ¡°You¡¯ll be roaring like a lion soon too.¡± ¡°What the hell are you talking about!?¡± *** Ippotrantion *** [Wee to Kang Hyeon¡¯s tutorial] ¡°Skip, skip¡± Kang Hyeon impatiently skipped through the tedious messages, eagerly waiting for the screen to brighten. [Third Stage (Stage 3)]¡­ [Tip: If you wait, an opportunity wille eventually.] The message made Kang Hyeon¡¯s eyes gleam with a cool light. ¡°Opportunity?¡± When the tutorial first started, the warriors had already gone hunting. And after about an hour, they would return with their prey to the tribe. ¡°Using such a shitty tip to confuse people?¡± When would be the best time to engage inbat? Kang Hyeon was certain of one thing ¨C the moment the tutorial starts would be the optimal condition. ¡°Ah, wait a minute.¡± Just as Kang Hyeon was about to rush towards Kurka, he remembered something he had forgotten. ¡°I¡¯m sure I acquired a skill called Roar of the Enraged Lion.¡± [Roar of the Enraged Lion] (D) Ability: Lowers the stats and morale of surrounding enemies. Removes various debuffs (D-rank or lower) on yourself. Exnation: Spews forth the boiling rage from deep within. This instills fear in enemies and blows away harmful effects on the user. ¡°What¡­ Why did I get such a good skill?¡± It was a D-rank skill, which was something Kang Hyeon had never received before, and he read the exnation with curious eyes. ¡°So, how do I use it?¡± [Usage method: Recall the skill name and let out a powerful roar.] The message answered Kang Hyeon¡¯s question kindly. ¡°Simple enough.¡± After confirming the skill, Kang Hyeon slowly began to undo his camouge. ¡°I need to take off this annoying weed right away.¡± Discarding the camouge, Kang Hyeon started to loosen up his body. ¡°There¡¯s no need to wait from the beginning, the game will be over once I take down the chieftain.¡± Fooled twice by the saying that an opportunity wille if he waits, Kang Hyeon was no longer in his right mind. ¡°Tell me to do that again? No way. It¡¯s better to just behead all these pigs and level up to clear it quickly.¡± Having finished his preparations, Kang Hyeon opened his inventory. ¡°The dagger is still not familiar, so this will be better.¡± Name: Ordinary Longsword Rank: E Durability: 200/200 Description: A in longsword that vige guards would carry around. Crude, but with unusually high durability for its rank. The longsword he received after clearing the second stage. It didn¡¯t look particrly good, butpared to the previous F-rank, it was a significant improvement. ¡°Okay, I¡¯m ready. Then¡­¡± Kang Hyeon slowly recalled the skill in his mind. ¡°Ugh~¡± After taking a deep breath, he unleashed it in one go. ¡°Yaaaa~!¡± [Roar of the Enraged Lion has been activated] [The morale and abilities of all enemies have decreased] ¡®Whoa, it¡¯s so powerful¡¯ Startled by the booming sounding from his own mouth, Kang Hyeon quickly rushed towards the enemies. ¡°Kuruk!? Kuuk?!¡± ¡°Get out of the way!¡± -Bam! Kicking aside the small Kurka blocking his path, Kang Hyeon reached the chieftain¡¯s hut in just 2 minutes, which had taken him over 10 hours in his previous attempt. ¡°Kurrruk! Kuuk!¡± Kang Hyeon could see the warriors nearby grabbing their axes and rushing towards him. ¡®The moment the warriors gather, it¡¯s over. I have to finish it before that.¡¯ Fortunately, there was only one guard protecting the chieftain¡¯s dwelling. If Kang Hyeon could take him down, the chief would only have a thin tent separating him. ¡°Haa!¡± As Kang Hyeon rushed towards the guard, he stumbled and fell to the ground. A low-flying ax narrowly missed him. -Bam! Kang Hyeon kicked the guard trying to swing his ax again, then immediately opened the tent. ¡°Kurrrruk..!¡± ¡°I have no personal grudge, but you must die!¡± Just as Kang Hyeon was about to stab the chieftain with his sword, something happened. ¡°Huh?¡± Suddenly, his body wouldn¡¯t move. ¡°What¡¯s going on!?¡± ¡°Kuuk, kuuk!¡± [You have been affected by a low-level magic binding skill] ¡°Fuck! What kind of tutorial uses magic!?¡± In fact, the magic was something he would normally never encounter in the regr progression. As Kang Hyeon strained every muscle in his body, a thought shed through his mind. ¡°Uugh! Be released!!!¡± [Roar of the Enraged Lion has been activated] [The low-level magic binding has been dispelled] ¡°Got it!¡± ¡°Kurrrr¡­¡± But the brief celebration was short-lived. Kang Hyeon let out a sigh when he saw the seven Kurka warriors blocking the exit. ¡°Haah¡­¡± The chieftain must have escaped as soon as the magic seeded, as he was nowhere to be seen. Frustration welling up, Kang Hyeon roughly ran his hand through his hair. ¡°Well, since it¡¯se to this¡­¡± ¡°Kuruk¡­¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go back to the elevator scene. Come at me, you bastards!¡± -Bam, sh! Bam! *** Ippotrantion *** ¡°Ah..!¡± Kang Hyeon opened his eyes and met the familiar ceiling, letting out a groan. ¡°I¡¯m so angry that I can¡¯t even move¡­¡± Over the past few days, he had experienced every kind of pain imaginable ¨C cuts, tears, holes, and limbs being severed by ded weapons. That meant he no longer got knocked out or shocked by even the most excruciating pain. But the fury swelling in his heart was something he couldn¡¯t control. ¡°I was so close¡­ I had already cleared it!¡± In the end, Kang Hyeon had only managed to take down one of the seven Kurka warriors. Precisely at the moment he had stabbed one in the neck, he was instantly hacked to pieces by the axes flying in from all directions. ¡°I had already cleared it, damn it!!!¡± ¡°Fuck! Let me just sleep a bit.¡± -Boom, boom! The sound of the walls shaking, along with Kang A-hyun¡¯s anguished cries, reached Kang Hyeon. Dispirited, he quietly made his way to the kitchen. Please rate the series here. Chapter 8 Chapter 8 ¨C The Unyielding (3) As soon as Kang A-hyun woke up and opened the door, she was about to faint. ¡°What are you doing?! You crazy bastard!¡± Kang Hyeon was swinging a kitchen knife around in the air, wearing only his underwear. ¡°I¡¯m practicing.¡± ¡°If you want to do that, go to your own house. You crazy lunatic!¡± Kang A-hyun quickly snatched the kitchen knife and pushed Kang Hyeon into the room. ¡°But I don¡¯t have a home¡­¡± ¡°Shut up!¡± -Kang Hyeon stared nkly at the closed door. ¡°I should exercise.¡± Kang Hyeon nodded in resignation and started exercising in earnest. ¡°whoop, whoop!¡± After exercising for a while, ¡°Gulp, gulp!¡± When lunchtime came, he ate his meal frantically. ¡°whoop, whoop!¡± After the meal, he exercised again, ¡°Gulp, gulp!¡± When dinnertime came, he ate his meal frantically again. Kang A-hyun watched Kang Hyeon with a subtle expression. ¡°Hey¡­¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Kang A-hyun averted her eyes from Kang Hyeon¡¯s innocent gaze. ¡°Never mind. Eat your meal.¡± ¡®That worm of a guy¡­¡¯ Swallowing the words that almost reached the tip of her chin, Kang A-hyun turned on the TV. The news was in progress, and the well-groomed anchor was speaking in an agitated voice about something. -The world¡¯s first person to clear a dungeon has emerged from the United States. Mr. William Bryan¡­ ¡°Slurp, slurp, so someone has already cleared a dungeon?¡± Kang Hyeon said while shoving food into his mouth. ¡°Indeed. As expected, the Americans will always be Americans. Anyway, it¡¯s a relief.¡± However, the anchor¡¯s continued words made their expressions turn cold. -It appears that only 3 out of the 10 people who entered the dungeon have survived, and the details¡­ 3 out of 10. Even with simple calction, it was a terrifying mortality rate of 70%. ¡°Damn¡­¡± ¡°The inte must be going crazy again.¡± Kang Hyeon quickly checked the news article on his smartphone. As expected, numerous people were engaged in heated debates in thements. -If the mortality rate is 70% from the very beginning, it¡¯s a done deal, isn¡¯t it? -The people who went in there are just anime otakus. It would be different if normal people went. -The ones who passed the tutorial are otakus or hikikomori. One of them even cleared the second stage. I checked their Haysbook. Sifting -It¡¯s been officially reported that one of the three survivors is the one who cleared the second stage. through the information from various websites, the gist was as follows: Only those with special abilities can enter the dungeon. Entering and exiting the dungeon is free. The way to clear the dungeon is to destroy the Core located within. Although it was still very early, and the sample size was small, Kang Hyeon decided to just take note of the most reliable information. ¡°You¡¯re not going to enter the dungeon, are you?¡± Kang Hyeon asked Kang A-hyun while watching the news. ¡°Are you kidding me? Even if I had extra lives, I wouldn¡¯t go near that ce.¡± ¡°I see. I was just wondering.¡± Relieved by her answer, Kang Hyeon started cleaning up his dishes. Just as he was about to go to his room after neatly finishing his share of the dishes, Kang A-hyun called out to him. ¡°Hey. Are you going to sleep now?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll take a shower and go to bed soon.¡± ¡°Then let¡¯s go to the market together. I don¡¯t want to go alone¡­¡± Kang A-hyun said while gazing off into the distance. Though she was trying to appear calm, the withdrawn tone in her voice revealed her inner turmoil. ¡°Are you scared? Hehehe. Seeing my face also makes every other person run away¡­Ow! It hurts!¡± In the end, the siblings, with the brother hastily wearing a cap, went out of the vi. It was Kang Hyeon¡¯s first time going out since the tutorial had started. ¡°Well, even though the news is causing a ruckus, it seems rtively quiet here?¡± ¡°Ugh, you hikikomori. That¡¯s the problem. It¡¯s the weekend today, you know.¡± On a typical weekend evening at 8 pm, the streets would be bustling with people. Songs would be pouring out from the streets, and bars would be filled with people trying to relieve their weekly stress. But now, it was eerily quiet. ¡°Ah¡­ Now that you mention it, there are even soldiers roaming around.¡± Kang Hyeon, nodding his head, followed Kang A-hyun as they entered the market. ¡°Hmm, the things we need to buy¡­¡± In the midst of their shopping, a youthful voice could be heard nearby. ¡°Hey, you know my brother passed the second stage of the tutorial, right?¡± Kang Hyeon turned his head to see two middle school boys in uniform talking. ¡°Your brother went into the dungeon with his friends who cleared the tutorial, and he came back, right?¡± ¡°Wow, awesome! So what happened? Did any crazy monsters show up or something?¡± Intrigued, Kang Hyeon slowly approached the students to listen more closely. He was leaning towards them in a very conspicuous and suspicious manner. ¡°What are you doing?¡± ¡°Shh!¡± Kang A-hyun was watching with a pitiful expression. Kang Hyeon frowned at her and put his index finger to his nose. ¡°You idiot.¡± Kang Hyeon leaned in again to focus on the conversation. ¡°They said a horde of like ten goblins showed up and they almost died.¡± ¡°What? Goblins?¡± ¡°Yeah! One of the guys in the group had fought goblins in a dream, and he ran away as soon as he saw them, and that¡¯s how they barely survived.¡± ¡°Tch, how strong can goblins be that they had to run away after seeing them? They¡¯re probably just lying about going into the dungeon.¡± Kang Hyeon suddenly smacked the back of the student¡¯s head. -Thwack! ¡°Ow!¡± The student, grabbing his head in annoyance, turned around with a scowl. ¡°Hey, who was that?!¡± Turning back, he saw a man ring at him with a fierce gaze. ¡°Wh-who are you¡­?¡± Intimidated by the intense look, the student stammered. ¡°Never underestimate goblins again.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°If you underestimate goblins one more time, you¡¯re dead.¡± ¡°You crazy bastard! What are you doing?!¡± In the end, Kang Hyeon was also smacked on the back of the head by Kang A-hyun. *** Ippotrantion *** ¡°Come at me, you bastards!¡± ¡°Kurruk, kuruuk!¡± [Roar of the Enraged Lion is activated] [The morale and abilities of all enemies have decreased] As soon as Kang Hyeon entered the tutorial, he activated his skill and rushed in without hesitation. ¡°Kurrrurk!¡± ¡°Get lost!¡± A few Kurkas stood in his way, but most of them were flustered and in disarray. Kang Hyeon mercilessly cut down those guys and quickly reached the chieftain¡¯s tent. ¡°Kuruuk!¡± A Kurka warrior guarding the tent. Seeing Kang Hyeon, he swung his axe with all his might. ¡®That¡¯s nothing!¡¯ Kang Hyeon evaded the attack fluidly and thrust his sword into the Kurka¡¯s neck. The Kurka, having his vital point struck, fell down pathetically, and Kang Hyeon stepped over the body and entered the tent. ¡°Kururk! Kururuk!¡± [Caught in the Low-rank Magic Binding skill] As soon as Kang Hyeon entered the tent, a magic spell came flying. Seeing the magic binding, the chieftain hastily tried to get out of the tent. ¡°Where do you think you¡¯re going, you bastard?!¡± [Roar of the Enraged Lionis activated] [The Low-rank Magic Binding is released] ¡°Kuruuk?!¡± Kang Hyeon¡¯s sword swiftly beheaded the chieftain. The chieftain¡¯s eyes, fallen to the ground, were wide open in disbelief. [Congrattions. You have cleared Stage 3.] [As a clear reward, you receive ¡®Intermediate Bodily Regeneration (B)¡¯] [Level up!] [You have cleared the Tutorial Stage 3 in the shortest time! You have set a new record. As an additional reward, you have acquired the temporary title ¡®One Who Does Not Hold Back¡¯] ¡°Yesss, I did it!¡± Kang Hyeon joyfully ran around celebrating. ¡°Whew, it was tough. But still better than the goblin one.¡± Nevertheless, he felt that he had achieved another growth through this tutorial. ¡°First, let¡¯s check the rewards.¡± Kang Hyeon checked the title first. One Who Does Not Hold Back: A title given to a stubborn frog who has cleared the patience and perseverance-testing Tutorial Stage 3 the fastest. If the record is broken, the ownership of the title will also pass on. Effect: All stats +1 ¡°Oh, that¡¯s nice? Since the tutorial is over for everyone now, there won¡¯t be a need to pass on the ownership. No, wait, I don¡¯t know that for sure yet.¡± Everyone automatically enters the tutorial when they turn 18. He had seen a post saying that new tutorial entrants are increasing every day, so he was certain of that. ¡°But this record won¡¯t be easily broken, though.¡± He cleared Stage 3 in less than 3 minutes. It¡¯s a record that the first-time tutorial students would not be able to easily surpass. ¡°Next is the skill, I guess?¡± Intermediate Bodily Regeneration (B) Ability: Uses Magic to regenerate and restore physical damage. Exnation: It automatically recovers any injury, be it amputation, burn, or frostbite, using Magic. Intermediate-level Bodily Regeneration can even restore shattered bones within a day, a miraculous feat. Seeing the exnation, Kang Hyeon¡¯s jaw dropped wide open. ¡°Amazing¡­ Are they really allowed to give such an incredible thing this early?¡± He had only cleared Tutorial Stage 3, but he received a B-rank skill as a reward. Of course, there could be a development where he goes into a dungeon and finds A-rank skills lying around everywhere! But Kang Hyeon hoped that wouldn¡¯t happen, as he had just obtained an F-rank ability after swinging a sword for days. ¡°Now, it¡¯s just a matter of raising my stats.¡± ?Name: Kang Hyeon ?Title: One Who Does Not Hold Back ?Level: 4 ¡ú 5 new! ?Detailed Stats: Strength 13 (+1) Agility 12 (+1) Vitality 12 (+1) Magic 14 (+1) Additional Stat: 0 ¡ú 1 new! ?Unique Ability: Resurrection ?Abilities: Lowest-rank Swordsmanship (F), Lowest-rank Shield (F), Lowest-rank Crossbow (F) ?Skills: Roar of Enraged Lion (D), Intermediate Bodily Regeneration (B) Kang Hyeon looked at his now very diverse status window and smiled contentedly. [Would you like to use the 1 additional stat point on Vitality?] ¡°Yes.¡± -Ding! Finally, he finished checking all the rewards. But Kang Hyeon had one unresolved question. ¡°What¡¯s the difference between Abilities and Skills?¡± Looking closely, there seemed to be somemonalities. But without a proper exnation, it was difficult to make an urate judgment. ¡°They must be rted somehow¡­¡± [The wait time has expired. You are being withdrawn from the tutorial.] Kang Hyeon¡¯s thoughts were cut off by the message. *** Ippotrantion *** ¡°You look happy today?¡± ¡°Hehehe¡­ let me feel this brother¡¯s arm.¡± ¡°Crazy bastard¡­¡± Kang Hyeon kept flexing and extending his arm forcefully, looking agitated. ¡°Isn¡¯t it aplete rock?¡± As Kang Hyeon continued boasting, Kang A-hyun, who was curious, carefully ced her hand on his arm. ¡°Fuck, the rock is in your head right now.¡± ¡°What did I do to you to start a fight?!¡± ¡°Your existence itself is a fight!¡± After tussling and exchanging punches for a moment, the worn-out Kang A-hyun sat down. Kang Hyeon alsoy down on the ground following her. ¡°By the way, aren¡¯t you going to work?¡± ¡°I can still rest a little more.¡± ¡°What kind ofpany keeps telling you to rest every day. Paid vacation?¡± Though Kang Hyeon was relieved that he didn¡¯t have to go to work, his sarcastic remark came out differently from his inner thoughts. ¡°Ugh, you¡¯re also calling this guy brother. These days, try to at least watch the news. Do you know that over 100 people have been confirmed missing after sneaking into the dungeon?¡± ¡°Is that so¡­¡± ¡°Plus, the soldiers and police are running around crazily.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Yesterday, some lunatic was going around with a longsword stabbing people, how can you just go to work like nothing happened?¡± Listening to Kang A-Hyeon¡¯s words, Kang Hyeon fell into thought. ¡®A longsword, huh¡­¡¯ It seems he used the reward for clearing the 2nd stage. Although he can¡¯t use the inventory right now, if he had normallypleted the tutorial, he would have been able to use the inventory and status window. ¡°Other than that, is there anything else you can talk about?¡± ¡°They¡¯re going to deploy the military¡¯s special forces to clear the dungeons, starting from Seoul. Some countries have already begun.¡± ¡°What good are special forces against monsters? Did they bring guns to the dungeon?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°Ah, I see¡­¡± Kang Hyeon awkwardly scratched the back of his head. ¡°All electronic devices are useless inside the dungeon, but the rest is fine.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a relief.¡± ¡°But for the soldiers, it¡¯s not. The families have already started protesting because it¡¯s dangerous.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Because it¡¯s dangerous! In a way, this is like using the soldiers as guinea pigs.¡± ¡°Hmm, that does seem a bit problematic.¡± There is still no information about the dungeon. Without knowing the dangers involved, the fact that they can use guns doesn¡¯t guarantee any safety. ¡°They say they¡¯ll only use volunteers, but we¡¯ll have to wait and see what happens.¡± Listening to Kang A-Hyeon¡¯s words, Kang Hyeon was newly impressed by her. ¡®Right¡­ Ah Hyeon has been thorough and calm since she was young.¡¯ Thanks to her mature personality, Kang Hyeon often relied on her. ¡°Hey, Kang A-Hyeon.¡± ¡°What.¡± ¡°Just wait a little. I¡¯ll clear up to the 8th stage soon.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°By then, this brother might be the strongest man in the world.¡± ¡°You¡¯re just full of bullshit. It¡¯s a relief if you don¡¯t shout in the morning.¡± *** Ippotrantion *** A weekter. ¡°You bastards! Please, just listen to me!¡± In front of Kang Hyeon stood 4 men and women, all with disgruntled expressions. ¡°Please, I¡¯m begging you like this. Huh? Don¡¯t you want to survive?¡± Kang Hyeon was still at the 4th stage of the tutorial. Please rate the series here. Chapter 9 Chapter 9 ¨C Fearful Leadership (1) Kang Hyeon¡¯s suffering began the day he entered the tutorial¡¯s 4th stage. [Wee Kang Hyeon to the tutorial] [You havepleted the tutorial up to stage 3 so far] [Would you like to enter stage 4?] ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± After clearing stage 3, the confident Kang Hyeon forcefully entered the tutorial¡¯s 4th stage. [May your courage save the world] As his eyes opened, he saw a dark, brick-walled corridor. The corridor was evenly lit by torches, giving it the feeling of an old castle in a game. [Fourth Stage (Stage 4)] [Prove your leadership that can guide everyone] [Clear condition: Destroy the dungeon¡¯s core] [Failure condition: Death] [When the dungeon¡¯s core is destroyed, a portal to exit the dungeon will automatically appear] [Tip. It¡¯s best if not a single party member is left behind] [Tip. The objective is not far away] As the message was confirmed, four unfamiliar men and women appeared before Kang Hyeon¡¯s eyes. Witnessing their quarrel, Kang Hyeon grasped the situation. ¡®So I have to clear the dungeon with these guys.¡¯ Kang Hyeon first examined the party members one by one. Above their heads were their names. [Lee Jin-mo] A man wearing heavy te armor, holding a sword and arge shield. ¡®He¡¯s definitely the tank here.¡¯ [Yoon Ae-sun] A woman holding a staff with a huge crystal, wearing a shabby robe. ¡®She must be the mage.¡¯ [Han Tae-rim] A man wearing a dignified-looking blue robe, holding a wooden staff. ¡®He looks more like a priest, a healer.¡¯ [Kim Yeon-ji] A woman wearing short leather armor that reveals her muscr body, wielding daggers. ¡®Not a typical damage dealer ss¡­ She must be the rogue.¡¯ After briefly observing the party members, Kang Hyeon checked his own equipment. ¡®A longsword, leather armor, even a backpack ¨C allpletely new to me.¡¯ Kang Hyeon examined the unfamiliar leather armor set he was wearing. Name: Basic Leather Armor Set Rank: E Durability: 457/500 Description: This set includes a helmet, gloves, boots, chest armor, and leggings, all made of basic leather. ¡®They could have made it a bit more decent.¡¯ Kang Hyeon was slightly offended by the generic message, but he thought it was better than having nothing. ¡®Anyway, the key thing now is the party members.¡¯ The four quarreling in front of him were not real people, but NPCs created by the system. ¡®If I guide them along the predetermined scenario, I should be able to clear this stage naturally.¡¯ With his decision made, Kang Hyeon listened in on the party¡¯s conversation. ¡°Lee Jin-mo! What are we going to do? This is the ce we came to yesterday!¡± The excited Kim Yeon-ji pointed to scratch marks on the wall. ¡°See this? I marked it when I passed by yesterday.¡± Before them were two branching corridors, and the group had already passed through the left one. ¡°In the end, we came back to the same spot after going around in circles for two days!¡± ¡°Then we should go right.¡± Kim Yeon-ji¡¯s shout was answered by the shield-wielding man, Lee Jin-mo. ¡°What if we get lost there too? Are you going to take responsibility?¡± ¡°But¡­¡± ¡°We¡¯re almost out of food too. This undead dungeon doesn¡¯t have anything edible. If we get lost again, that¡¯ll be the end of us!¡± The highly agitated Kim Yeon-ji eximed. ¡°So what? Now you want to go back? We can get out in a day if we go back? But we¡¯ve already been here for over 10 days. The food will run out before we even reach the entrance.¡± Listening to their argument, Kang Hyeon silently nodded. ¡®Food is running out, and they¡¯re lost¡­ A typical situation.¡¯ The quarrel between the two showed no signs of ending. ¡°If we just carefully choose the traps-free path we came from, we can make it in 3 days, maybe even 2. We just need to ration the food.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s my n. What do you think?¡± ¡°That¡¯s just your opinion!¡± The voices of Kim Yeon-ji and Lee Jin-mo kept escting, and they even started pointing fingers at each other. ¡°If you, Lee Jin-mo, hadn¡¯t insisted oning to this dungeon in the first ce, none of this would have happened.¡± ¡°Hey! We all agreed toe here together, and now you¡¯re saying this?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know, but I¡¯m going back. I can¡¯t die like this. You guys figure it out on your own.¡± Unable to hold back, Kim Yeon-ji suddenly turned around and started walking away. ¡°Lee Jin-mo, I think Kim Yeon-ji has a point. Turning back might be the safer option.¡± ¡°Han Tae-rim, are you siding with Kim Yeon-ji just because you¡¯re dating her? Think about this rationally. This is a matter of life and death!¡± ¡°What does dating have to do with this?!¡± As the priest, Han Tae-rim, joined the conversation, the situation only worsened. ¡®Geez.¡¯ Deciding to intervene before the situation became irreversible, Kang Hyeon shouted. ¡°Hold on!¡± All eyes turned to Kang Hyeon. ¡°Let¡¯s just calm down a bit.¡± ¡°We¡¯re calm enough, thank you very much.¡± Kim Yeon-ji rolled her eyes and responded to Kang Hyeon¡¯s words. ¡°How long has it been since we entered the dungeon?¡± ¡°Without the sun, I can¡¯t be sure, but it¡¯s been over 10 days, I think.¡± The tip had clearly stated that the objective was not far away. Kang Hyeon didn¡¯t blindly trust the tips, but at least they didn¡¯t provide false information. ¡°Then, generally, how long does it take to clear a dungeon?¡± ¡°At this rate, it¡¯ll be 10 days at most.¡± Lee Jin-mo nodded in response. ¡°Right. We may have already reached our goal. We¡¯ve been moving forward so far, haven¡¯t we?¡± ¡°But¡­¡± ¡°Hear me out. We¡¯ve been moving without any problems for 8 days, haven¡¯t we?¡± ¡°That¡¯s true¡­¡± Kang Hyeon¡¯s words made Kim Yeon-ji reluctantly agree. ¡°That¡¯s right! We must be very close to the goal now. If we go through the unexplored right passageway, the core will surelye out in a day or two.¡± Kang Hyeon persuasively argued based on the given information. ¡°And do you think it makes sense to go back the same way we came in a day? If we happen to take a wrong turn somewhere, we¡¯ll starve to death for real. At times like this, we should move forward together.¡± As Kang Hyeon spoke, he was filled with confidence. The atmosphere hadpletely shifted to his favor. ¡®Alright. I think that was a great speech.¡¯ ¡°If we go that way and the core doesn¡¯t show up in a day, will you take responsibility?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± However, Kim Yeon-ji¡¯s sudden mention of responsibility caught Kang Hyeon off guard. ¡°Take responsibility? I can¡¯t take responsibility. That¡¯s why I¡¯ll do as I please.¡± ¡°Hey, if there¡¯s no one to disable the traps, what are we supposed to do!¡± Listening to the conversation between Kim Yeon-ji and Lee Jin-mo, Kang Hyeon thought. ¡®So there are traps in the dungeon? Kim Yeon-ji has the skill to disable them¡­ Then, even if the others don¡¯t know, Kim Yeon-ji is a must-have.¡¯ The calction was quicklypleted. ¡°I¡¯ll take responsibility.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll take responsibility.¡± ¡°Uh, how are you going to take responsibility?¡± Kang Hyeon¡¯s confident words flustered Kim Yeon-ji. ¡°I¡¯ll give you all the food I have.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°So you¡¯ll have more time to find the core.¡± ¡°Sigh¡­¡± After pondering for a moment, Kim Yeon-ji extended her hand to Kang Hyeon. ¡°Then give it to me right now.¡± ¡®This girl¡­¡¯ Grinding his teeth, Kang Hyeon opened his backpack. It contained a bottle of water, a small piece of dried meat, and a slice of bread. After showing the contents to everyone, Kang Hyeon immediately handed the backpack to Kim Yeon-ji. ¡°Here, take the whole bag.¡± ¡°Hmph! Just give me the food, I don¡¯t need the bag. You carry it.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Kang Hyeon¡¯s forced smile started to tremble. ¡°Uh, alright¡­¡± Kim Yeon-ji received Kang Hyeon¡¯s food, and the party began to move forward through the right passageway. -Creak, click- Kim Yeon-ji led the way, disabling all the traps. Whenever she manipted something, ssic traps like flying arrows or spikes emerging from the floor were triggered. ¡®Bringing Kim Yeon-ji was indeed a wise decision.¡¯ ¡°Stop!¡± They were continuing on their way when suddenly Kim Yeon-ji called out in a small voice, halting the group. ¡°There are enemies. Four skeleton soldiers and one skeleton knight.¡± ¡°Okay. Let¡¯s just go as usual.¡± At Kim Yeon-ji¡¯s words, Lee Jin-mo took a defensive stance, shield in hand. ¡°Wait, let¡¯s get some buffs first. Haste¡¯s Blessing, India¡¯s Blessing, Sacred Strength!¡± [Agility increases by 1 stat for 10 minutes] [Vitality increases by 3 stats for 10 minutes] [Your weapon is imbued with holy power. Deals additional damage to undead monsters for 10 minutes] ¡®The priest¡¯s role seems more significant than I thought. Especially in an undead dungeon.¡¯ Due to the buffs, Kang Hyeon¡¯s stats increased, and a pure white aura formed around the sword he was holding. ¡°I¡¯llnd the first blow.¡± Finally, Yoon Ae-sun, wearing a shabby robe, stepped forward. ¡°Exploding mes!¡± As she extended her staff and chanted, a ball of fire began to form. The growing fireball soon shot forward at high speed, exploding among the enemies. ¡®Do they really have to shout the skill names like that?¡¯ Lost in other thoughts, Kang Hyeon snapped back to attention at the sound. -tter, tter!- Four bare-boned skeletons. One skeleton in armor. A total of five enemies wielding swords charged towards them. Judging by the charred bones and broken parts, the magic attack seemed quite effective. ¡°Warrior¡¯s Cry!¡± As the skeletons approached,Lee Jin-mo unleashed a skill, and all the skeletons rushed towards him. In the opening, Kim Yeon-ji swung her dagger. ¡°Kang Hyeon, what are you doing? Attack too!¡± At Kim Yeon-ji¡¯s urgent call, Kang Hyeon quickly rushed in and swung his sword. -Crack!- Swinging his sword mindlessly, Kang Hyeon knocked off one of the skeleton¡¯s arms, which flew and hit Lee Jin-mo on the head. ¡°Can¡¯t you focus?¡± ¡°Sorry!¡± ¡®This is my first time party-ying, so I don¡¯t know what to do!¡¯ The skeleton soldiers were much stronger than the goblins or kurkas he had fought before. Especially the skeleton knight, which seemed unbeatable in a one-on-one fight. Despite Kang Hyeon¡¯s mistake in the middle, the hunt ended more smoothly than expected. ¡®The party members are all fighting so well.¡¯ Kang Hyeon was once again convinced that the key to this stage relied on the party, not his own abilities. ¡°Whew¡­ Everyone did a great job.¡± As Lee Jin-mo put down his shield, everyone sat down. ¡°There¡¯s nothing special in the loot. The swords the enemies used aren¡¯t worth much, and the knight¡¯s armor is too damaged to be used.¡± ¡°No unique drops?¡± ¡°No, let¡¯s just take out the magestones.¡± In addition to the items the enemies held, there seemed to be separate unique drop items. -Creak, click!- The party members each picked up a skull. After briefly stabbing them with a dagger, a small gemstone-like object came out. ¡°Here, this one is for you, Kang Hyeon.¡± Receiving the item, Kang Hyeon checked the description. Name: Magic Stone Rank: F Description: A magic stone from a skeleton soldier. ¡®What do I use this for?¡¯ It was an item he had not seen when he defeated goblins or kurka. Apparently, you had to rummage through the bodies to find them. ¡®Since they¡¯re dividing it up, it must be important. I¡¯ll just put it in my inventory for now.¡¯ After taking a brief rest, the party resumed their journey forward. *** Ippotrantion *** ¡°Kang Hyeon! While we¡¯re grabbing them, just draw their aggro! Just hold out and we¡¯ll win!¡± The monsters appeared at intervals of a few hours. This time, the number that appeared was as many as six. There were four skeleton soldiers and two knights. Since there were quite a few enemies, Lee Jin-mo, who couldn¡¯t draw the aggro of all of them, entrusted one of the skeleton knights to Kang Hyeon. -ng! Kang Hyeon almost dropped the sword he was holding when he received the descending sword. ¡®What¡¯s so strong about this?¡¯ The grip that caught the skeleton knight¡¯s sword was slightly torn. Fortunately, thanks to the newly acquired ¡®Intermediate Body Regeneration¡¯, he could feel it recovering quickly. -ng! ng! ¡°Ugh¡­!¡± The shock transmitted through the sword made it feel like he was about to drop it right away. Kang Hyeon gritted his teeth and endured. ¡®I can¡¯t run away from here!¡¯ From a few battles, he had learned that if he ran away without engaging inbat, the aggro would be lost. One way or another, to survive, he had to hold on and grab the enemy. ¡°Aaaargh! Is it still far?!¡± ¡°I¡¯m going now!¡± Kang Hyeon endured for 5 minutes like that. And thanks to the other party members who had finished off the other monsters, they were able to take down thest skeleton knight. ¡°Phew¡­ This time it was close. But everyone did well.¡± Lee Jin-mo said with a smile. ¡°Let¡¯s just stop here for today and set up camp.¡± At Lee Jin-mo¡¯s words, the party members silently nodded their heads. Fatigue was evident on everyone¡¯s faces. ¡°Setting up camp is simple enough.¡± Preparing the camp was just a matter of each of them taking their sleeping bags out of their backpacks and lying down. Since the interior of the dungeon was enclosed and the temperature was moderate, this was possible. ¡°As usual, let¡¯s decide the night watch by drawing lots, and let¡¯s sleep for 6 hours. The first night watch will be for 2 hours.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± As a result of the draw, Kang Hyeon became the first night watch. ¡°Each watch is one hour, so wake up the next one after two.¡± With Lee Jin-mo¡¯s words, the party all went into their sleeping bags. Please rate the series here. Chapter 10 Chapter 10 ¨C Fearful Leadership (2) Kang Hyeon gazed at the slowly burning incense. ¡®Since we can¡¯t use electronic devices, this is how they check the time.¡¯ -Crackle- The area was eerily quiet, with only the sound of the wall torches burning audibly. -Rattle¡­ Rattle¡­- A faint sound of bones shing could be heard in the distance. The movements of the creatures echoed through the corridors. ¡®It¡¯s not as difficult as I thought, thankfully. I¡¯ve leveled up well.¡¯ Kang Hyeon opened his status window. ?Name: Kang Hyeon ?Title: One Who Does Not Hold Back ?Level: 6 ?Detailed Stats: Strength 13 (+1) Agility 13 (+1) Vitality 13 (+1) Magic 14 (+1) Additional Stats: ¨C ?Unique Ability: Resurrection ?Abilities: Lowest-grade Swordsmanship(F), Lowest-grade Shield Mastery(F), Lowest-grade Crossbow Technique(F) ?Skills: Roar of the Enraged Lion(D), Intermediate Bodily Regeneration(B) He had leveled up even without clearing the tutorial, just by hunting. And moving as a party made it much more stable than solo hunting. ¡®This is too good to be true?¡¯ It¡¯s true that he had given all the food supplies to Kim Yeon-ji, leaving him hungry. Butpared to the difficulty of the tutorial so far, this hunger was nothing. Everything was progressing smoothly. ¡®Kim Yeon-ji has been quietly following along too.¡¯ To be honest, Kang Hyeon had noticed Kim Yeon-ji¡¯s expression growing increasingly grim as they ventured deeper into the dungeon without finding the core. But she continued to carry out her role without a singleint. ¡®Maybe she¡¯s not as bad as I thought. I was a bit worried that the core wouldn¡¯t show up, but¡­¡¯ Suddenly, a dark thought struck Kang Hyeon¡¯s mind. ¡®No way! It can¡¯t be¡­¡¯ Kang Hyeon shook his head to dismiss the ominous idea, but the thought refused to leave his mind. ¡®Is this girl nning to run away?¡¯ He kept telling himself that was impossible, but the feeling that she might do so was steadily growing stronger. ¡®No, she wouldn¡¯t do that on her own.¡¯ As he indulged in these spections, time passed quickly. Kang Hyeon realized the two incenses he had been holding hadpletely burned out. He got up from his spot. ¡®I need to wake up the next sentry.¡¯ Coincidentally, the next sentry was Kim Yeon-ji. Kang Hyeon approached her cautiously and shook her body. ¡°Ugh¡­¡± After a brief moment of stirring, Kim Yeon-ji opened her eyes and slowly got up. ¡°It¡¯s your turn now.¡± ¡°Huh¡­¡± ¡°Well, good luck.¡± Once Kang Hyeon confirmed Kim Yeon-ji was fully awake, he crawled into his sleeping bag. ¡®I can¡¯t sleep¡­¡¯ Exhausted as he was, Kang Hyeon felt like copsing at any moment. But the unsettling thoughts kept him from falling asleep. ¡®Maybe I should check something¡­¡¯ After tossing and turning for a while, Kang Hyeon carefully opened his eyes. He met Kim Yeon-ji¡¯s gaze as she was watching him. ¡°Can¡¯t sleep?¡± Kim Yeon-ji asked in a gentle tone. ¡®This is definite.¡¯ Kang Hyeon was 200% certain that Kim Yeon-ji was nning to escape. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m tired but I can¡¯t seem to fall asleep.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll keep watch.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Kang Hyeon responded with a smile and closed his eyes again. ¡®Damn it¡­ Just get caught already.¡¯ Kang Hyeon was on the verge of falling asleep due to exhaustion, but he desperately fought to stay awake. He pinched his thigh repeatedly to keep himself alert. Finally, he heard the sound of Kim Yeon-ji moving. ¡®I knew it.¡¯ Squinting his eyes slightly, he saw Kim Yeon-ji waking up Han Tae-rim. Excited, Kang Hyeon quickly got up from his spot. ¡°Isn¡¯t Kim Yeon-ji supposed to be the next sentry?¡± ¡°Huh!? Was it? I must have gotten confused.¡± As Kang Hyeon approached her, the flustered Kim Yeon-ji backed away. ¡°So it was a mistake, huh? I think you two were trying to escape.¡± ¡°Hey, what are you saying? In a situation like this, trust is the most important thing, you know?¡± ¡°Yeah, trust is important. So just drop the bag and let¡¯s talk-¡° Kang Hyeon¡¯s consciousness was cut off by a sudden impact to the back of his head. *** Ippotrantion *** ¡°Oh no¡­ What do I do?!¡± The sharp cry made her skull ring. When Kang Hyeon opened his eyes with a frown, he saw Yoon Ae-sun crying. ¡°What are we going to do without Kim Yeon-ji and Han Tae-rim?¡± As expected, the couple had fled in the middle of the night. ¡®Those jerks..!¡¯ ¡°Are you awake?¡± The weak voice of Lee Jin-mo was heard next to her. ¡°Kim Yeon-ji and Han Tae-rim ran away. They even took all the food while fleeing.¡± ¡°Ugh¡­ Damn it¡­¡± Kang Hyeon muttered curses as he rubbed his face in frustration. ¡°This is all your fault, Kang Hyeon! If we had just gone back like Kim Yeon-ji and Han Tae-rim said from the beginning, this wouldn¡¯t have happened!¡± Kang Hyeon was too tired, hungry, and annoyed to even respond to Yoon Ae-sun¡¯s ridiculous words. ¡°Forget it. I don¡¯t even know anymore.¡± Kang Hyeon shook his head and got up from his spot. Swoosh! Swoosh! And he suddenly started swinging his sword in the air. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Lee Jin-mo looked at Kang Hyeon as if he was a madman. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. I can¡¯t waste today like this. I need to practice more.¡± ¡°What the hell are you talking about?¡± ¡°Just leave me alone. You two can go die for all I care.¡± ¡°What the fuck?!¡± Lee Jin-mo got up angrily, but Kang Hyeon ignored him and kept swinging his sword. ¡°Leave him be. He¡¯s gone crazy.¡± ¡°Sigh¡­ Do you want to try going a little further, just the two of us?¡± Yoon Ae-sun hesitated for a moment, then nodded. She knew they couldn¡¯t go back without any food. The two of them, with a determined look in their eyes, started packing their things. ¡°Kang Hyeon, are you really noting?¡± Swoosh, swoosh! Lee Jin-mo called out to Kang Hyeon onest time, but he ignored her. ¡®I¡¯ll keep swinging until I level up my stats, then I¡¯ll move just before I die.¡¯ Since clearing today was already a lost cause, he nned to gather as much information as possible while maximizing his gains. ¡°Ugh¡­ This is impossible, I can¡¯t do it anymore.¡± A few hourster, the exhausted Kang Hyeon plopped down. he was too hungry to keep swinging the sword. ¡°It must be because my stamina has increased. Leveling up one stat is also a struggle now.¡± He gritted his teeth and tried to continue, but at this rate, he felt like he would faint from hunger. ¡°I have no choice.¡± Kang Hyeon got up from hid spot and followed the path Yoon Ae-sun and Lee Jin-mo had taken. After about 10 minutes, Yoon Ae-sun¡¯s body, hit by a poisoned arrow, came into view. ¡°Poisoned arrow, huh¡­¡± The swollen wound suggested it was more than a simple arrow. Kang Hyeon carefully examined the spot where Yoon Ae-sun fell before continuing on. Thirty minutester, a group of skeletal soldiers and knights came into view. And Lee Jin-mo was lying there, bloodied. ¡°Foolish bastards¡­ They should¡¯ve just turned back.¡± Feeling uneasy after seeing the bodies, Kang Hyeon stretched his limbs. ¡°That¡¯s enough for today.¡± Having organized his thoughts, Kang Hyeon took a deep breath. ¡°Yaaaaaa!¡± As Kang Hyeon¡¯s cry rang out, ten pairs of hollow eyes gathered. ¡°Come at me, you bone freaks!¡± [Roar of the Enraged Lion has been activated] [The undead do not feel fear] [The enemies¡¯ stats have been partially reduced] *** Ippotrantion *** The next day, Kang Hyeon went through the tutorial in the same way as the previous day. Until the moment the watch was finally changed, Kang Hyeon disyed an incredible amount of patience. ¡°Kim Yeon-ji.¡± ¡°Huh..?¡± Kang Hyeon suddenly called Kim Yeon-ji in a kind tone, surprising her. ¡°We¡¯re almost at the core of the dungeon. We¡¯re really close now.¡± ¡°I see¡­¡± ¡°So please, just bear with it one more time today, okay?¡± Kang Hyeon pleaded in an overly sharine voice, more fake than even Kim Yeon-ji. ¡°What are you talking about?¡± ¡°I can tell you¡¯re nning to run away. I can see it in your eyes.¡± ¡°How did you know that?!¡± Kim Yeon-ji¡¯s eyes widened in shock. ¡°I can just tell from your eyes. Kim Yeon-ji, let¡¯s endure a little longer, please. I beg you.¡± Kang Hyeon begged in a voice dripping with false affection. If Kang A-hyun had seen this, she would have immediately vomited. ¡°Sigh¡­ Okay, I won¡¯t run away. Go get some rest, you must be tired.¡± ¡°Thank you, thank you Kim Yeon-ji!¡± Though she said that, Kang Hyeon had no intention of actually sleeping. ¡®Just try to run away¡­¡¯ After pinching his thigh for a while, pretending to sleep, he finally heard some rustling sounds. ¡®She¡¯s not trying to wake up Han Tae-rim to run away again, is she?¡¯ Kang Hyeon slightly opened his eyes, and in his field of vision, he saw the tip of a dagger quickly approaching. *** Ippotrantion *** ¡°Aaaargh! You bitch!!!¡± ¡°Why is this crazy bastard cursing like crazy in the morning?!¡± Kang Hyeon let out a scream as soon as he opened his eyes. Hearing the sound, Kang A-hyun burst through the door and kicked Kang Hyeon with all her might. ¡°Phew, I should never have trusted her again!¡± After that, Kang Hyeon kept dying. First, because of Kim Yeon-ji¡¯s betrayal. Even though he said he would never trust again, he ended up trying to persuade her one more time, only to get stabbed in the back and faint. ¡®Let¡¯s try a different approach.¡¯ Later, Kang Hyeon changed his mind and sent Kim Yeon-ji and Han Tae-rim away from the beginning. And he started clearing the dungeon with only Lee Jin-mo and Yoon Ae-sun. ¡®I already know the locations of all the traps anyway.¡¯ Kang Hyeon, whose skills had improved quite a bit, struggled hard, but it didn¡¯tst long. In the end, the exhausted Yoon Ae-sun dered that she was giving up, and seeing that, Lee Jin-mo¡¯s mentality also got shaken, and he died two more times. Even if the two of them hadn¡¯t given up, it would have been impossible to make it to the end. ¡°Aaaargh!¡± Kang Hyeon entered the tutorial again. This time, he decided to go with a unique concept ¨C the ¡®I know everything¡¯ strategy. ¡°There will be a poisoned arrow here.¡± ¡°Next, there will be four skeleton soldiers and one skeleton knight.¡± At first, it wasn¡¯t bad. The party members trusted Kang Hyeon, who was able to see through all the traps and urately predict what enemies would appear. But as they cleared the areas Kang Hyeon had experienced and entered unfamiliar territory, it ultimately copsed. And on the 8th day of the challenge¡­ ¡°You fucking bastards! Please, just listen to me!¡± There were four men and women standing in front of Kang Hyeon. ¡°Please, I¡¯m begging you. Aren¡¯t you supposed to survive too?¡± ¡°Have you finally gone crazy?¡± At Kim Yeon-ji¡¯s words, Kang Hyeon¡¯s eyes rolled backpletely. ¡°Yes, I¡¯ve gone crazy. Why did I go crazy, huh? Why?!¡± Kang Hyeon grabbed Kim Yeon-ji by the cor and shook her violently. ¡°Hey! Stop them!¡± Lee Jin-mo and Han Tae-rim rushed in and tried to pull the two apart. ¡°You¡¯re the same kind of bastard, you know?! Following Kim Yeon-ji¡¯s coattails, hoping to get something good out of it?!¡± Suddenly, Kang Hyeon switched his target from Kim Yeon-ji to Han Tae-rim, spitting as he unleashed his tirade. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with this bastard?¡± ¡°Aaaargh! Get out of here! I¡¯ll clear this alone, so don¡¯t follow me, you bastards!¡± In the end, the exploding Kang Hyeon stormed out of the room. A momentter¡­ ¡°This idiot got caught in a trap.¡± ¡°Why did he run off alone¡­¡± Somehow, the four-person party found Kang Hyeon, who had run off alone and been shot by an arrow. *** Ippotrantion *** The next day¡­ ¡®Stay calm. Stay calm. Stay calm!¡¯ Kang Hyeon, who had be too agitated, had forgotten the locations of the traps. Entering the tutorial again, he silently gathered his sword and left. ¡°Kang Hyeon! Where are you going?¡± He heard Lee Jin-mo¡¯s voice from behind but didn¡¯t look back. ¡°I¡¯m going to kill them all¡­¡± *** Ippotrantion *** Again, the next day. Kang Hyeon encountered four skeleton soldiers and one skeleton knight. After a grueling struggle, he managed to defeat the four soldiers, but was ultimately cut in half by the knight¡¯s sword. At least leveling up was a constion. The next day. The day after that. The day after that. The day after that¡­ *** Ippotrantion *** ¡°Hey.¡± ¡°What.¡± During a meal, Kang A-hyun called out to Kang Hyeon. ¡°Ease up on the intensity in your eyes. It¡¯s creeping me out. Who are you going to kill?¡± At Kang A-hyun¡¯s words, Kang Hyeon looked directly at her. ¡°No¡­ I¡¯m just worried, that¡¯s all.¡± Kang Hyeon watched Kang A-hyun, who was pouting and staring into the distance, for a moment, then shoved more food into her mouth. ¡®This guy isn¡¯t really going to do something crazy, is he?¡¯ Kang A-hyun swallowed the words that had risen to her throat. *** Ippotrantion *** [Wee to Kang Hyeon¡¯s tutorial entry] [An error has urred during the progress of the fourth stage. Proceeding immediately] [May your courage save the earth] Kang Hyeon nkly stared at the familiar message that appeared. ¡°How many days has it been already¡­?¡± No matter how much he thought about it, he couldn¡¯t tell. Kang Hyeon, entering the tutorial, first checked the status window. ?Name: Kang Hyeon ?Title: One Who Does Not Hold Back ?Level: 14 ?Detailed Stats: Strength 17 (+1) Agility 16 (+1) Vitality 16 (+1) Magic 14 (+1) Additional Stats: ¨C ?Unique Ability: Resurrection ?Abilities: Lower-grade Swordsmanship (E), Lowest-grade Shield (F), Lowest-grade Crossbow (F) ?Skills: Roar of the Enraged Lion(D), Intermediate Bodily Regeneration (B) Kang Hyeon had already reached level 14, and his swordsmanship had also increased by one level. During this time, Kang Hyeon had realized that simply killing a lot of enemies wouldn¡¯t necessarily raise his level and skill ranks. He had a feeling that level was just an indicator of one¡¯s strength, and was separate from the actual increase in abilities. Of course, the increase in stats from leveling up was still helping to make him stronger. ¡°I¡¯m sure I identified the dungeon¡¯s core thest time. Today, I¡¯ll finish this with these guys.¡± Please rate the series here. Chapter 11 Chapter 11 ¨C Fearful Leadership (3) ¡°Yaaaaa!¡± [The Roar of the Enraged Lion is activated] [The morale and ability stats of all enemies have decreased] Kang Hyeon, who had just entered the tutorial, suddenly shouted. Consequently, the morale and ability stats of the party members decreased. This meant that Kang Hyeon was now considering them as enemies. ¡°What, what¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°Why did you suddenly shout?¡± -Thump, thump While everyone was bewildered, Kang Hyeon, who had walked forward, stopped in the center of the group. ¡°You know it¡¯s been ten days since we came here.¡± Kang Hyeon made eye contact with the party members one by one as he continued speaking. ¡°Your bodies must be exhausted, the food is running low, and you must be feeling uneasy. Yes, I understand.¡± Nodding to himself, he looked like someone who truly understood from the depths of his heart. ¡°So what do you want us to do.¡± Suddenly, Kang Hyeon¡¯s atmosphere changedpletely, and his eyes werepletely crazed. ¡°Why are you acting like this all of a sudden..?¡± Taken aback by this sight, Lee Jin-mo said. ¡°Shut up! From now on, everyone will follow my orders. If you don¡¯t want to die, juste along.¡± ¡°What the hell are you telling us toe or go?! I¡¯m going back. Don¡¯t tell me what to do and what not to do.¡± At Kim Yeon-ji¡¯s words, Kang Hyeon red at her with a murderous gaze. ¡®After all, they¡¯re not real people anyway.¡¯ In the blink of an eye, Kang Hyeon¡¯s sword was at Kim Yeon-ji¡¯s throat. ¡°Choose whether to die here ore with me.¡± ¡°Are you really insane?¡± Hearing this, Han Tae-rim shouted and grabbed Kang Hyeon¡¯s shoulder. -Thwack! ¡°Argh!¡± Kang Hyeon immediately struck Han Tae-rim¡¯s face with his sword. White teeth flew out of Han Tae-rim¡¯s mouth, and blood flowed. ¡°I¡¯ll say it onest time. Choose whether to die here ore with me.¡± *** Ippotrantion *** After that, the party advanced relentlessly. They already knew the locations of all the traps. Before Kim Yeon-ji could disable them, Kang Hyeon activated the traps and the entire party evaded them. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with him¡­?¡± The party members could only follow with bewildered expressions. ¡°Yoon Ae-sun! Cast magic, and Han Tae-rim, give a buff!¡± [Agility increases by 1 stat for 10 minutes] [Health increases by 3 stats for 10 minutes] [The weapon is imbued with a sacred aura. It deals additional damage to undead monsters for 10 minutes] Kang Hyeon, who had already reached the core of the dungeon alone, now dealt primary damage with magic and received buffs. He began to attack the enemies in a frenzied manner. -ng! Boom! -Rattle, rattle! He deflected the iing swords. And he kicked a nearby skeleton soldier, sending it flying. Meanwhile, he evaded the sword of a skeleton knight trying to take advantage of the opening. Kang Hyeon then immediately struck down the knight¡¯s neck. ¡°Ugh!¡± At that moment, a sword from a skeleton soldier behind him shed his back. The armor was torn, and a burning pain rose up. However, Kang Hyeon only let out a small groan and quickly stabbed the soldier¡¯s skull with his sword. ¡°This is unbelievable¡­¡± In less than five minutes, only broken bone fragments remained around Kang Hyeon. Covered in blood, with eyes shining, Kang Hyeon looked like a demonic spirit risen from hell. ¡°Hey¡­ Are you okay?¡± Lee Jin-mo approached with a worried expression, but Kang Hyeon raised his hand to stop him. ¡°I¡¯ll recover on my own if you leave me. Let¡¯s keep going.¡± ¡°You¡¯ll copse that way! You need to rest a little.¡± Even the usually taciturn Yoon Ae-sun tried to stop Kang Hyeon, seeing how precarious he looked. ¡°Shut up! No, Han Tae-rim, give me a heal. I¡¯ll move on after recovering.¡± Although it was aplete order, the overwhelmed Han Tae-rim obediently cast a healing spell. ¡°Mmm¡­¡± Feeling his wounds healing a bit, Kang Hyeon got up and started walking again. ¡®When I¡¯m alone, my magic runs out quickly, and the recovery takes longer.¡¯ The ¡®Intermediate Bodily Regeneration (B)¡¯ he received for clearing the third stage was worth its rank. Any injury, even a severed limb, would heal instantly. However, Kang Hyeon¡¯s magic was only 14. It had not grown at all from the initial stats he received. Ultimately, he had reached the limit of solo y, feeling his magic depleting and his wounds not healing. ¡®It¡¯s definitely better with the buffs and heals.¡¯ Several more battles ensued. Now the party members were actively helping Kang Hyeon inbat, as they had gained hope that they might make it out alive with his fierce determination. Without even a proper rest, they pressed on for hours. Finally, they arrived in arge hall. ¡°The core is there. If we destroy that, we can make it out alive!¡± In the center of the hall, where five skeleton knights were stationed, the dungeon¡¯s core was located. Seeing this, Kim Yeon-ji eximed. ¡°Don¡¯t get flustered. We need to stay calm. This time, we¡¯ll definitely clear it.¡± As the excited Kim Yeon-ji bounced around, Kang Hyeon red at her coldly. ¡°Right. Okay¡­¡± Cowed by Kang Hyeon¡¯s gaze, Kim Yeon-ji quietly nodded. ¡°Yoon Ae-sun, cast magic. I¡¯ll draw the aggro of three. You guys can handle the other two, right?¡± The party members nodded with resolute expressions. ¡°Then help me take down the rest. That way, we¡¯ll all make it out alive.¡± ¡°Alright!¡± In just one day, without any rest, they had reached this point. Considering that they had camped halfway on the first day, it was clear that everyone was exhausted. However, with the thought of returning home, they had forgotten their fatigue and reignited their determination. ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± ¡°Exploding mes!¡± mes erupted at the spot where the skeleton knights were gathered. At the same time, Kang Hyeon rushed forward. ¡®The explosion has obscured Saya¡¯s view. I¡¯ll take down one of them in this opening!¡¯ Running at a fast pace, Kang Hyeon swung his sword with all his weight. -Slice! With that strike, the head of one of the skeleton knights instantly came off. The remaining ones, their empty sockets glowing, charged towards Kang Hyeon. ¡°Disperse the aggro!¡± ¡°Ah! Warrior¡¯s Cry!¡± Following Kang Hyeon¡¯s shout, Lee Jin-mo used his skill. The three skeleton knights then turned their attention to Lee Jin-mo. ¡®With Jin-mo¡¯s tanking ability, three should be manageable.¡¯ Quickly assessing the situation, Kang Hyeon rushed towards one of the skeleton knights to divert its focus. ¡°You bastard, where are you?!¡± -Swing, swing! ¡°Aaargh!¡± Two skeletal knights were frantically attacking Kang Hyeon. ¡®These guys are stronger than the other skeletal knights I¡¯ve seen in the dungeon!¡® The knights were much stronger than the skeletal knights he had seen so far in the dungeon. But Kang Hyeon didn¡¯t care. ¡°You two won¡¯t even be a warm-up!¡± -ng! As Kang Hyeon swung his sword like a baseball bat, the skeletal knight failed to properly block it, and his sword flew into the air. He kicked the knight who had dropped his sword. Kang Hyeon swung his sword at the remaining knight. ¡°I¡¯m sick of seeing these skeletons. Please just die!¡± The knights were already dead skeletons, but that didn¡¯t matter. -Thud! -tter, tter¡­ As Kang Hyeon twisted his sword and pushed it between the knight¡¯s helmet, the knight¡¯s red glow dimmed. -Crack! Kang Hyeon brought his sword down on the knight¡¯s head stuck on the de, shattering it. Then he pressed his foot down on the upper body of the other knight trying to get up, and brought the sword down vertically to crush the skull. -Crunch! ¡°Phew¡­¡± Looking back, he saw the party members had also taken down one skeletal knight. With Kang Hyeon joining them, they were able to quickly take down thest skeletal knight. ¡°We did it!¡± ¡°We¡¯re alive! We¡¯re alive!¡± ¡°Phew¡­ Is it really over now?¡± He didn¡¯t know how many times he had died in this stage, but they had finally seeded in clearing it. The party members ran around hugging each other and even shed tears. Kang Hyeon silently watched them and collected the loot. [Acquired Skeletal Knight¡¯s Magic Stone] When he opened the inventory, he saw a decent amount of magic stones had umted. [Skeletal Soldier¡¯s Magic Stone x247] [Skeletal Knight¡¯s Magic Stone x56] [Skeletal Knight¡¯s Sword x5] [Skeletal Knight¡¯s Helmet x4] [Skeletal Knight¡¯s Gauntlets x5] [Skeletal Knight¡¯s Breastte x3] [Skeletal Knight¡¯s Legte x4] [Skeletal Knight¡¯s Shoes x6] He had ended up collecting over 300 magic stones just by taking what was visible. Apart from that, he only took the equipment of the knights that seemed to be in the best condition. ¡®Huh?¡¯ At that moment, Kang Hyeon noticed an item that was different from the usual. ¡°A book¡­?¡± [Both ends of the road] It seemed to be rted to a skill. ¡®I¡¯ll just put it in the inventory for now.¡¯ By the time Kang Hyeon finished checking the loot, all the party members had gathered. ¡°Let¡¯s go now.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± The fivepanions stood in front of the dungeon¡¯s core. The core pulsed like a heart on an old-fashioned stand, exuding a strange power. ¡®Goodbye.¡¯ Kang Hyeon unhesitatingly struck the core with his sword. At that, the four men and women disappeared, and a blue portal opened before him. Kang Hyeon immediately jumped into the portal. [Congrattions. You have cleared Stage 4.] [As a clear reward, you receive the Ring of Strong Spirit.] [Level Up!] Along with the level up, Kang Hyeon checked the clear reward. ¡°Ring of Strong Spirit¡­?¡± Name: Ring of Strong Spirit Rank: B Durability: 100/100 Description: This was a ring issued to the imperial guards of the Hendelic¡¯s Empire. Although it is a mass-produced item, it boasts excellent performance as it is given to those at the top. Ability: Grants the wearer immunity to all mental magic and mental status effects of A-rank and below. Seeing the description of the ring, Kang Hyeon had aplex expression on his face. ¡°It¡¯s clearly a good item, but¡­¡± If it¡¯s for A-rank and below, that means it includes A-rank as well. If it grants immunity to all mental-rted things, it would be a fantastic item. But it¡¯s not an item he needs right now. ¡°Well, I¡¯m sure I¡¯ll find a use for it someday.¡± After checking, Kang Hyeon opened his status window. ?Name: Kang Hyeon ?Title: One Who Does Not Hold Back ?Level: 14 ¡ú 15 new! ?Detailed Stats: Strength 17 (+1) Agility 16 (+1) Vitality 16 (+1) Magic 14 (+1) Bonus Stats: 0 ¡ú 1 new! ?Unique Ability: Resurrection ?Abilities: Lower Swordsmanship (E), Lowest-Tier Shield (F), Lowest-Tier Crossbow (F) ?Skills: Roar of the Enraged Lion (D), Intermediate Body Regeneration (B) ¡°I can¡¯t help but feel proud.¡± Seeing his status, Kang Hyeon rubbed his nose and smiled. ¡°What should I invest in? I feel like putting it in magic, but¡­¡± When alone, as long as he had enough magic, he could recover from any injury. But just increasing magic wouldn¡¯t immediately boost hisbat capabilities. [Do you want to use the 1 Bonus Stat on Magic?] ¡°Yes.¡± After some deliberation, Kang Hyeon invested the stat point in Magic. ¡°I feel like I¡¯m bing a jack-of-all-trades, but oh well.¡± [The waiting time has expired. Exiting the tutorial.] *** Ippotrantion *** On a snowy winter day, ¡°Huff, huff¡­¡± As usual, Kang Hyeon was doing push-ups. ¡®I don¡¯t get tired at all with just bodyweight exercises now.¡¯ He had been exercising for an hour without taking a break, but Kang Hyeon still felt he could keep going. ¡®A gym. No, even just some simple exercise equipment at home would be nice¡­¡¯ But Kang Hyeon wasn¡¯t short on money, nor was he shameless. In fact, until recently, he had been shameless, but now he had matured a bit. ¡®Since my body feels good, unnecessary thoughts are creeping in. Time to push harder.¡¯ Kang Hyeon shook his head to clear his mind and continued his workout. ¡°Kyaaaaa!¡± -Screech, Crash! Suddenly, the outside became chaotic, with the sound of screams and the building shaking. ¡°What¡¯s going on? What¡¯s happening?!¡± Panicked, Kang Hyeon quickly opened the window. ¡°What the¡­¡± In front of his house, the dungeon. The door of that dungeon was wide open. And from the portal emitting a mysterious light, armed goblins were pouring out. -Rumble, rumble, rumble! Soon, the sound of gunfire, something rarely heard in South Korea, filled the air. ¡°Fuck! I filed so manyints to the government to remove that dungeon in front of my house!¡± The government was leading the effort to deal with the dungeons, but it was a drop in the bucketpared to the total number of dungeons. In fact, the number of dungeons was steadily increasing. Finally, a month after the initial appearance of the first dungeon, All the dungeon doors that had never been cleared before opened simultaneously. ¡°Kang A-hyun! I have to save Kang A-hyun!¡± He immediately thought of his hometown where his parents were, but now he had no means to get there. Kang Hyeon decided to first try to rescue Kang A-hyun, who had gone to work. ¡°What kind ofpany makes peoplee to work at a time like this?!¡± Just a short while ago, he had beenining that thepany took too many holidays, but now he was cursing thepany for having Kang A-hyune in to work. ¡°I need something that can be used as a weapon¡­¡± Looking around the house, there was nothing that seemed usable. ¡°That¡¯ll do.¡± At that moment, Kang Hyeon spotted a kitchen knife and immediately rushed out of the house, knife in hand. Please rate the series here. Chapter 12 Chapter 12 ¨C Hero in disaster (1) Woo-ya-ya-ya~ Woo-ya-ya-ya~ An upbeat hip-hop song that doesn¡¯t match the current situation came flowing out. ¡°Please, take it! Please!¡± -Hello? The call was cut off, and Kang A-hyun¡¯s urgent voice was heard. ¡°Where are you? Are you okay?!¡± -I¡¯m in thepany bathroom now¡­ ¡°Don¡¯t make any noise and stay put there! Got it?¡± -Hey! What are you trying to do¡­? Kang Hyeon quickly ended the call and ran down the stairs. In front of the vi entrance, a goblin was standing around. ¡°Keruk!¡± ¡°Come out! There¡¯s no time, you bastard!¡± -Bwoom! He dodged the swording at him. And he stuck a kitchen knife under the goblin¡¯s chin. ¡°Ke¡­ Ker¡­¡± ¡°This is a thank-you.¡± Kang Hyeon took the longsword from the trembling goblin¡¯s hand, who had a knife stuck in his head. ¡°Now, get lost.¡± -Puck The goblin, who couldn¡¯t move after his sword was taken, was kicked away by Kang Hyeon, who then went out to the street. ¡°Kyaaaa!¡± ¡°Help me!¡± -Bang! Bang! The street was in the midst of confusion. The sound of gunshots and screams hitting Kang Hyeon¡¯s eardrums from all directions. ¡®If I run, I can get there in 10 minutes. Please stay safe until then!¡¯ Fortunately, Kang A-hyun¡¯spany was not too far away. Remembering thepany building he had passed by with Kang A-hyun before, Kang Hyeon started running. ¡°Help me! Here¡­ Cough!¡± The physical abilities of goblins are not particrly outstanding. An average adult male would be able to engage in hand-to-handbat with them. However, to ordinary people, the green monster swinging a giant sword was nothing but a terrifying object. ¡°Die!¡± ¡°Keek!¡± Fortunately, a few people were seen fighting the goblins with whatever could be used as a weapon. ¡®Are those the people who have cleared the tutorial?¡¯ There was even a man who pulled out a huge spear and killed a goblin, seems like someone who had cleared the second stage. ¡°Aaaaargh!¡± At that moment, a child crying on his mother¡¯s back was seen not far away. Kang Hyeon¡¯s eyes briefly hesitated. ¡®Anyway, I can¡¯t go out and save everyone now. They¡¯ll just be a burden.¡¯ Kang Hyeon forcibly averted his gaze and ran on. ¡°Keruk, Keek!¡± ¡°Keruk!¡± Two goblins stood in Kang Hyeon¡¯s way. ¡°Get out of the way!¡± He tried to use the skill Roar of the Enraged Lion, but it still didn¡¯t work. -sh! Thud. Expecting this, Kang Hyeon swung the sword without hesitation, and the heads of the two goblins fell off. ¡°Hey,e help here!¡± A middle-aged man watching from the window called out to Kang Hyeon, but he ignored the man and continued running towards Kang A-hyun¡¯spany. ¡°Hey! Please help! You bastard!¡± ¡°Keruk! Ker¡­¡± Seeing Kang Hyeon ignoring him and leaving, the man shouted frantically. The goblins began to gather at the sound. ¡°Uh¡­ Uh? Hey, I¡¯m sorry. Please help! Please!¡± ¡°Kurkurkur!¡± -Boom! The gathered goblins instantly smashed through the building entrance and rushed inside. ¡°No! Aaargh!¡± Leaving behind the many screams, Kang Hyeon just kept moving forward. Soon, a monster he had never seen before came into his sight. [Baby Taranque] [Adult Taranque] Monsters resembling spiders, but their size was so enormous that even the baby was as tall as Kang Hyeon¡¯s thigh, and the adult seemed to weigh hundreds of kilograms, almost reaching his shoulder. ¡®There were three dungeons around here, right?¡¯ Kang Hyeon guessed that this monster must havee from one of them. ¡°Keeeek!¡± Several baby Taranque started chasing after Kang Hyeon. ¡°Keee¡­¡± -sh! Kang Hyeon cut one of the advancing baby Taranque in half with a single stroke. There were even more chasing behind, but he didn¡¯t have time to deal with them individually. ¡®If I fight them one by one, it¡¯ll never end.¡¯ An unknown sticky fluid was left on the sword that had cut the Taranque. Kang Hyeon swung the sword in the air to try to shake off the fluid. -Snap, Crack. The sword suddenly broke in half. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with this now?!¡± In fact, the sword had been corroded and broken off due to the acidic sac inside the Taranque¡¯s body, but Kang Hyeon, not knowing this, just cursed. ¡°Those goblin bastards are no help at all!¡± Even the longsword in his inventory wouldn¡¯t have broken so easily. ¡°Keek!¡± ¡°Keruk!¡± At that moment, a little distance away, a scene of an adult Taranque fighting with a few goblins was visible. ¡°Are the monsters fighting each other too?¡± -Sizzle ¡°Keeeeeek!¡± Something was spewed from the Taranque¡¯s mouth, and the goblin who was hit by it started rolling on the ground, abandoning his weapon. The face covered by the goblin¡¯s hands was melting away. ¡®There it is!¡¯ ¡°Keruk!¡± Kang Hyeon dashed towards the fallen sword with all his might. Seeing this, the goblins let out a roar. ¡°Keek!¡± -Bam! Kang Hyeon kicked the small-bodied goblin who rushed at him with all his might. The one hit by the kick was instantly sent flying several meters and crashed into the adult Taranque. ¡°Ke¡­ Keruk! Keruk!¡± Suddenly, the Taranque impaled the goblin who had flown towards it with its sharp legs, and then tore off the goblin¡¯s head with its massive jaws. ¡°You keep doing what you were doing.¡± Taking the opportunity, Kang Hyeon picked up the fallen sword and continued running towards his sister¡¯spany. ¡°Kerruk?¡± The goblins could only stare at Kang Hyeon¡¯s retreating back with a puzzled expression. *** Ippotrantion *** ¡°Ugh, gah!¡± After running crazily for 10 minutes, Kang Hyeon finally stopped in front of arge building. ¡®Thepany must be using the 6th and 7th floors,¡¯ he thought. Swinging his sword, Kang Hyeon entered the building¡¯s interior. The ce was covered in blood, with bodies scattered everywhere. asionally, there were also the corpses of goblins, but most were human. ¡°Elevator!¡± -Tap tap tap tap Kang Hyeon frantically pressed the elevator button, but there was no response. ¡°Fuck!¡± ¡°Keeeek! Keeeek!¡± At that moment, the distinctive voice of goblins was heard from the stairwell above. ¡°I¡¯ll have to break through the emergency exit.¡± Following the open emergency exit, Kang Hyeon saw people barricaded at the 3rd-floor entrance, confronting goblins. ¡°Stop them!¡± ¡°Keeek! Keeeek!¡± The makeshift barricade, built with desks and lockers, was being pushed by men in suits wielding poles. In front of them, four goblins swung their swords, trying to break through the barricade. ¡°Get lost, all of you!¡± Emerging from behind the goblins, Kang Hyeon swung his sword, instantly decapitating one of them. ¡°Keeeek?!¡± -Thud! Kang Hyeon thrust his sword into the sr plexus of a stunned goblin, then kicked the one beside it, sending it flying. ¡°Keeek!¡± The force of the kick sent the goblin crashing into the wall, head first. ¡°Ke, keeeeek!¡± Seeing theirrades swiftly dispatched, thest remaining goblin let out a terrified scream. Kang Hyeon easily evaded the goblin¡¯s sword swing and promptly stabbed it in the neck. ¡°Phew¡­¡± Kang Hyeon stomped on the neck of thest goblin, who had fallen and hit his head against the wall, to ensure he was finished. Just as Kang Hyeon was about to continue upstairs, holding his sword¡­ ¡°Hey!¡± ¡°I¡¯m in a hurry.¡± ¡°Can you help us?¡± ¡°Leave the sword here, and take care of yourselves.¡± The woman inside the barricade red up at Kang Hyeon¡¯s words. ¡°If you¡¯re that strong, can¡¯t you help us? How are we supposed to handle those monsters with this?¡± A vein popped on Kang Hyeon¡¯s forehead as he approached the barricade, ring at them with a fierce gaze. ¡°If you keep shouting, more of them wille. If you want to die, just keep bbering.¡± The people were instantly silenced, their eyes filled with deep terror. Seeing this, Kang Hyeon sighed and picked up the sword. ¡°Here, take this.¡± Kang Hyeon pushed one of the goblin¡¯s swords through the gap in the barricade. ¡°They¡¯re not that tough, so if you work together, you can definitely defeat them. I¡¯ll give you three swords, so hold out as best you can. Well, the best-case scenario is if this barricade doesn¡¯t get breached.¡± ¡°Thank you¡­¡± Kang Hyeon nodded at the reluctant-looking person and then dashed up the stairs. ¡®I hope Kang A-hyun¡¯s floor is also barricaded like this.¡¯ At that moment, Kang A-hyun called Kang Hyeon. ¡°Hello?!¡± -Where are you? Are you okay? ¡°I just arrived at yourpany.¡± -You crazy bastard! Why did youe here? Kang A-hyun was shocked to hear that Kang Hyeon hade to herpany. -Are you hurt? ¡°I¡¯m fine. What floor are you on? 6th? 7th?¡± -I¡¯m on the 7th floor¡­ ¡°I¡¯ming, so don¡¯t move!¡± After ending the call, Kang Hyeon increased his speed. -Thump thump thump thump The entrances on the 4th, 5th, and 6th floors were all empty. Glimpsing inside, Kang Hyeon saw numerous people lying on the ground, and the smell of blood permeated the air. ¡°Here it is!¡± Upon finally reaching the 7th floor, a barricade was set up just like on the 3rd floor. In front of it, six goblins were causing a disturbance. ¡°Die!¡± ¡°Keeek?!¡± As soon as Kang Hyeon appeared, he cleanly beheaded one of them. ¡°Keruk.¡± However, a knife he failed to notice grazed Kang Hyeon¡¯s face. A thin line of blood oozed out from his cheek. ¡°You bastard!¡± The enraged Kang Hyeon then stabbed the goblin¡¯s skull with his sword. ¡®Can¡¯t use skills, so no healing. Need to be careful.¡¯ It was not easy to avoid all the swords swinging wildly in the narrow space. Kang Hyeon tried to move cautiously, but small wounds started appearing on his body. ¡°Keeeek!¡± ¡°Now you all are getting tired too!¡± Evade, block, sh. The actions he had repeatedly performed for a short time now showed their effects. Finally, Kang Hyeon stabbed thest goblin¡¯s heart and leaned against the wall, panting. ¡°Haah, haah¡­¡± For some reason, he felt much more tired than during the tutorial. It was unclear whether it was because his abilities had weakened or due to the tension of the real stage. ¡°Wh-what are you¡­?¡± The people who had confirmed that all the goblins were dead approached Kang Hyeon. ¡°I¡¯m Kang A-hyun¡¯s older brother. Could you please clean up these things?¡± ¡°No way! What if the creaturese while we¡¯re doing that?!¡± ¡°That¡¯s right! You should look for another ce.¡± Some of the people inside objected to Kang Hyeon¡¯s words. ¡®Damn it¡­¡¯ The irritated Kang Hyeon roughly swept his hair back, a habit of his when he got angry. ¡®Calm down, Kang Hyeon. They¡¯re still the samepany people as Kang A-hyun.¡¯ ¡°I¡¯ve taken care of all the creatures downstairs too. So you don¡¯t need to worry.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Open it quickly.¡± ¡°How can we trust your word?!¡± Kang Hyeon gave a wry smile at the response and swung his sword with all his might. -Kwang! The impact instantly shattered the barricade. ¡°If you want to open it, then open it. Before I have to break in.¡± *** Ippotrantion *** ¡°Are you okay?¡± ¡°Ah¡­ How did you get here?¡± ¡°What do you take me for? The monsters I¡¯ve beheaded over the past month must be in the thousands! Just look at these muscles.¡± Kang Hyeon flexed his arms, showing off his impressively thick and solid muscles. ¡°Don¡¯t joke around. Are the injured parts okay? I think you need treatment. Wait a moment.¡± Kang A-hyun worriedly looked at the wound on Kang Hyeon¡¯s cheek. ¡°Nah, this isn¡¯t even considered an injury for me.¡± At least, it was true by Kang Hyeon¡¯s standards. But upon closer inspection, he could feel blood oozing out from various parts of his body, not just his cheek. ¡°Tsk. Don¡¯t talk nonsense, quickly disinfect and stop the bleeding.¡± ¡°If it was like before, I wouldn¡¯t have even cared¡­¡± Kang Hyeon suddenly realized the importance of his skills. Kang A-hyun brought a first-aid kit and carefully disinfected Kang Hyeon¡¯s wounds. ¡°Does it hurt?¡± ¡°No, it doesn¡¯t hurt at all. Doesn¡¯t your brother look pretty cool today?¡± ¡°Shut up.¡± Kang Hyeon¡¯s light joke eased the atmosphere. ¡°But why are thepany people acting like that? Saying you¡¯re not my real brother and all that. Did you do something?¡± ¡°They¡¯re just saying that because I¡¯m too cool. Don¡¯t worry about it.¡± ¡°Ugh, cut it out.¡± *** Ippotrantion *** There were a few more goblin attacks until that evening. Seeing the number of goblins, Kang Hyeon boldly suggested removing the barricade. Of course, the people screamed in terror and tried to dissuade him. -If we leave it like this, more wille attracted by the noise. It¡¯s better to deal with them right now. -But how can we¡­ -I¡¯ll take care of it, you all just step back. After sessfully persuading the people, Kang Hyeon removed the barricade and faced the goblins alone. And the ughter began. ¡°Wow¡­ What is this person doing?¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you say Hyun-woo passed the tutorial up to Stage 2?¡± ¡°Uh¡­ Ahem.¡± As this scene repeated a few times, the people began to feel reassured. The people who had been disgusted at the sight of goblin corpses were now watching from up close and even cheering him on. ¡°Finish them off!¡± ¡°That¡¯s right!¡± ¡°Kang Hyeon-, fighting!¡± Seeing Kang Hyeon being treated like a hero, Kang A-hyun stifled augh. ¡®Haha¡­ What is this situation¡­¡¯ Please rate the series here. Chapter 13 Chapter 13 ¨C Hero in disaster (2) Late at night. Everyone was exhausted after a day that had literallye at them like a storm. But the survivors on the 7th floor gathered to discuss what to do next. ¡°What do we do now¡­¡± ¡°If we just wait a little, the soldiers wille and solve this.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. We have Kang Hyeon with us too.¡± Thest one was the words of the man who had shouted at Kang Hyeon, ¡®You go find another ce¡¯. In the meantime, Kang Hyeon¡¯s title had risen vertically from ¡®you¡¯ to ¡®Mr¡¯. -Bang, bang¡­ Gunshots could still be heard outside. It seemed it would still take time for the situation to calm down. ¡°How much food is left here?¡± Kang Hyeon, who had learned the importance of food from the tutorial, spoke up. No one knew how people might change when they were tired and hungry. ¡°We have a few snacks and some leftover boxed lunches.¡± ¡°What about water?¡± ¡°I filled up as much water as I could from the purifier, just in case.¡± It was confirmed that the water supply had not yet been cut off. ¡°Then let¡¯s also collect tap water. We don¡¯t know how long this situation willst.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± ¡®Even if we have water, there¡¯s nearly not enough food.¡¯ There were about twenty people on this floor. All the food they had was a few snacks and some partially eaten boxed lunches. ¡®With just water, we can hold out for a week, but¡­¡¯ Kang Hyeon¡¯s gaze turned to the body of the goblin. ¡®Let¡¯s keep that as ast resort.¡¯ ¡°It¡¯ste, so let¡¯s take turns standing guard as we go back.¡± Everyone nodded at Kang Hyeon¡¯s words. ¡°Two people per shift, one and a half hours each. I¡¯ll decide the order by drawing lots.¡± Then a middle-aged man raised his hand. ¡°Ahem. Listen here.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll sit this out. I¡¯m too old for that kind of thing.¡± The man said, clearing his throat. ¡®Is he serious right now?¡¯ Kang Hyeon recognized him at a nce. He was the one the others called ¡®manager¡¯. ¡°Hey.¡± ¡°What, what is it?¡± ¡°Are you joking around right now?¡± Anger began to slowly well up in Kang Hyeon¡¯s eyes. ¡°In this situation, how can you¡­!¡± Kang Hyeon was about to scold the man when Kang A-hyun grabbed his arm, stopping him. ¡®Right. Kang Hyeon, calm down¡­¡¯ ¡°Sigh¡­ If you don¡¯t listen to me, I¡¯ll just take Kang A-hyun and leave.¡± ¡°What?! Are you threatening us?!¡± The faces of the watching employees turned ugly. At first they had been hesitant to say anything, but at the mention of Kang Hyeon leaving, they chimed in one by one. ¡°That¡¯s right. Where do you think you are right now?¡± ¡°Manager, you¡¯re being too much.¡± ¡°You people! Have you all lost your minds?!¡± The manager jumped up, cing his hands on his waist. Now I¡¯m angry! The posture was. ¡°Don¡¯t you all still want to go back to thepany?¡± The manager shouted with determination, and the employees quickly fell silent, heads bowed. ¡°If you think this situation will just continue, you¡¯re very mistaken. All of you¡­ Wow!¡± As the manager was ranting as if in his own home, Kang Hyeon approached him and roughly grabbed him by the cor. He then slowly began to lift the manager into the air. The suspended manager iled in pain. ¡°Impressive manager. I¡¯ll only say this once, so listen carefully.¡± Kang Hyeon pulled his arm close and whispered in the boss¡¯s ear. ¡°You bastard. One more time you give me trouble, I¡¯ll throw you to the monsters. Until only your bones are left. Did you understand?¡± ¡°Ugh¡­! Ugh!¡± ¡°Nod if you understand.¡± At Kang Hyeon¡¯s words, the manager frantically nodded his head. Kang Hyeon then forcefully threw the manager to the ground. ¡°Cough, cough!¡± Though the sight of the boss coughing as he fell was pitiful, the gazes of the people were ice-cold. ¡°Alright, that¡¯s enough for today. Now let¡¯s draw lots.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°And as I said before, you need to be quiet. Be careful not to let any light leak out.¡± *** Ippotrantion *** It was deep at night, and Kang Hyeon and Kang A-hyun were lying down in a ce a little apart from the people. Kang Hyeon had been swinging a sword all day long, and he was literally soaked in fatigue from even shedding blood. ¡®I can¡¯t sleep¡­¡¯ But he couldn¡¯t fall asleep because of all the thoughts wandering in his head. ¡°Hey. Are you asleep?¡± Kang A-hyun spoke. ¡°No.¡± ¡°You were pretty cool today. I saw it again.¡± Kang Hyeon smiled slightly. ¡°Did you fall for me?¡± ¡°You just don¡¯t know moderation when ites to taking people on flights, do you.¡± ¡°Hehe¡­¡± ¡°But the other people don¡¯t seem to be like that, huh.¡± At Kang A-hyun¡¯s sudden words, Kang Hyeon turned his body to look at her. ¡°What are you talking about?¡± ¡°Today, a senior was asking if i could introduce you to her, saying you looked cool when you grabbed the manager by the cor. Seems like she¡¯s totally into you.¡± ¡°Ugh!¡± Kang Hyeon almost burst outughing loudly, but quickly covered his mouth. ¡°Really?¡± ¡°I want to ask, is it true?¡± ¡°Then ask if she¡¯s okay with a guy who curses every morning when he wakes up.¡± ¡°Haha, hey. Don¡¯t be funny. Everyone¡¯s asleep.¡± For a moment, she giggled while covering her mouth to hold back the burstingughter. In the distance, a loud explosion made her flinch. ¡°It¡¯ll be okay, right?¡± ¡°Of course. The ones who just came out aren¡¯t much, so don¡¯t worry. The soldiers will take care of them soon.¡± ¡®But there¡¯s no guarantee it will be like that going forward¡­¡¯ Kang Hyeon swallowed his words andforted Kang A-hyun. ¡°You¡¯re quite brother-like today. Phew¡­ Are you tired? I¡¯m sorry for making you talk. Let¡¯s sleep now.¡± ¡°Okay. Sleep well.¡± ¡°You too, sleep well.¡± It wasn¡¯t long before Kang A-hyun¡¯s snoring could be heard. But Kang Hyeon couldn¡¯t fall asleep. ¡®I have to hurry up and clear the tutorial¡­¡¯ If he had been able to use his skills today, or at least use some equipment, he could have saved Kang A-hyun much more easily. So far, there hasn¡¯t been a big deal, but if something like a skeletal knight shows up, it would be absolutely impossible in his current state. ¡®I have to level up, or at least raise my stats more. I have to bring my parents here too.¡¯ Fortunately, it seems there hasn¡¯t been a big incident in the neighborhood where Kang Hyeon¡¯s parents live. But this luck won¡¯tst forever. ¡°Phew¡­¡± Gazing at the sleeping Kang A-hyun¡¯s face, Kang Hyeon eventually fell asleep too, continuing his worries. *** Ippotrantion *** [Wee to Kang Hyeon¡¯s tutorial entry] [So far, you havepleted tutorial stage 4] [Would you like to enter stage 5?] ¡°Seems like I finally fell asleep.¡± Kang Hyeon, who arrived in the familiar space, muttered. ¡°Gotta go. Let¡¯s finish this quickly.¡± [May your courage save the Earth] For a moment, the flickering in front of his eyes and the sensation of his body rising up. Kang Hyeon found himself standing in an unfamiliar space. [Fifth Stage (Stage 5)] [Prove your wisdom that can ovee any difficulties] [Clear Condition: Eliminate the subus, the dream demon disguised as a human] [Failure Condition: Death] [Tip. The subus is hiding its identity. The being that realizes its true identity will be the first target] ¡®Prove my wisdom, huh¡­¡¯ Wisdom was the thing farthest from Kang Hyeon. Since his school days, he had been a rather unusual student who thought the spoon-fed education suited him well. ¡®That¡¯s why I hated math so much. Basic problems were just a matter of memorizing forms, but I couldn¡¯t solve the difficult ones.¡¯ He didn¡¯t know what the connection between math forms and wisdom was, but it was certain that Kang Hyeon was a person far from wisdom. ¡°Ugh¡­¡± Letting out a sigh at the perplexity, Kang Hyeon looked around. ¡®There are more people than at the leadership stage.¡¯ He could see ten people, including himself, walking along the forest path. ¡®The subus couldn¡¯t possibly be a man, right¡­¡¯ Dream Demon subus. A name known to anyone who ys games a bit. A female demon that attacks sleeping men and sucks out their life force. ¡®There are a total of 4 women in the party.¡¯ Of the people walking, six were men, including himself, and four were women. ¡®That should be enough.¡¯ With his thoughts organized, Kang Hyeon began to examine the women one by one. [Kim Yeon-ji] ¡®Why is that dog-like name popping up again?¡¯ Kang Hyeon was startled to see the name floating above one of the women¡¯s heads. Fortunately, the appearance waspletely different. She had a neat short bob cut above her jawline, wearingfortable leather clothes, and had a long sword equipped on the side. ¡®Seems like a general warrior position¡­¡¯ [Han Song-ju] She had long red hair flowing down and wore leather armor with steel tes. She also had a small shield on her back. ¡®This one must be the tank.¡¯ [Jeong Ye-jin] She had a sharp expression and was wearing a white metal armor, carrying a mace and arge shield on her back. ¡®She must be a holy knight, a pdin-type.¡¯ [Jo Na-yoon] She had the typical appearance of a pure and innocent woman, with her hair tied back. She was carrying a dagger at her side and a bow on her back. ¡®Thest one must be an archer.¡¯ Kang Hyeon carefully examined them one by one, but he didn¡¯t feel anything special just by looking at their appearances. ¡®They¡¯re all unnecessarily pretty!¡¯ Subuses aremonly known to possess captivating beauty and ensnare men. So Kang Hyeon simply thought the most beautiful one would be the subus, but he faced an obstacle right from the start. ¡®Right. It can¡¯t be this easy.¡¯ It took over 3 weeks in the previous stage. No one knows how long it will take this time. Kang Hyeon steeled his mind. ¡®Even though I¡¯m in a hurry, I was told to retreat. Acting too hastily might end up ruining everything.¡¯ Kang Hyeon decided to first walk around and gather more information about the situation. ¡°Tae Sung,Should we rest here?¡± Kim Yeon-ji flirtatiously asked the man walking in front of her, fluttering her big eyes in what seemed like a charming manner. ¡®Ah¡­ I remember that Kim Yeon-ji.¡¯ Thinking about the Kim Yeon-ji who had killed him several times, Kang Hyeon felt like he was going to vomit at the sight of her flirtatious behavior. ¡°Seeing her putting on such disgusting airs, that girl is definitely the subus.¡± It was the words of Jeong Ye-jin, whom Kang Hyeon had guessed to be a holy knight. Her voice was as cold as her sharp expression, which Kang Hyeon found incredibly attractive. ¡®That¡¯s one hell of a girl crush. But do they know there¡¯s a subus among them?¡¯ Contrary to Kang Hyeon¡¯s expectations, the group seemed to already be aware that there was a subus among them. ¡°Hmph. What, are you jealous? It¡¯s not like she¡¯s all that special.¡± ¡°Hey, don¡¯t fight. The subus¡¯ real goal must be to cause discord among us. If we do that, we¡¯ll just be ying right into its hands.¡± The man called Tae Sung stepped in to stop the two. ¡°It¡¯s gotta be Han Song-ju, right? She just joined the dungeon this time. It¡¯s so obvious.¡± Kim Yeon-ji pointed her finger at Han Song-ju, the one with red hair. ¡®Hmm¡­ She just joined. She¡¯s too obvious of a suspect, so she might not actually be it. But I can¡¯tpletely rule out the possibility either.¡¯ At that moment, Kang Hyeon¡¯s eyes met Kim Yeon-ji¡¯s as he was looking around. [Resisting Charm] ¡®Huh?¡¯ A message suddenly appeared. ¡°What? Is there something on my face? Did my beauty get on you?¡± ¡°Yeah, seems like it. You look even prettier than usual today.¡± Kang Hyeon replied with a smile. ¡®You¡¯re done for.¡¯ *** Ippotrantion *** While walking on the path, there were a few battles, but the party members were all skilled fighters. Kang Hyeon didn¡¯t get the chance to take any significant action as the day drew to a close. ¡°Let¡¯s camp here!¡± At Tae Sung¡¯s words, the party members began setting up the camp with familiarity. ¡®How do I deal with Kim Yeon-ji¡­¡¯ After the evening meal, Kang Hyeon crouched in a corner, lost in thought. ¡®It¡¯s almost certain that Kim Yeon-ji is the subus. I¡¯m at aplete loss.¡¯ At first, he considered just recklessly charging in, but Kang Hyeon didn¡¯t do that. ¡®I still don¡¯t know how strong the enemy is. And it seems the men have mostly already fallen for her.¡¯ If the attack failed, it would be practically game over for the clear. ¡°What do I do¡­¡± ¡°What are you thinking about?¡± ¡°Shit, you scared me!¡± Kang Hyeon was startled to see Kim Yeon-ji suddenly speaking right in front of him. ¡°Why are you swearing like that?¡± ¡°Ah¡­ Sorry, I was just lost in thought.¡± ¡°What were you thinking about?¡± ¡°Nothing¡­ It¡¯s nothing.¡± ¡°Aww, won¡¯t you tell me?¡± Kim Yeon-ji pouted her lips and made a sulky expression. At the same time, Kang Hyeon¡¯s heart sank. ¡®What? How can she be this cute!?¡¯ [Resisting Charm] Thanks to the ring of strong spirit, Kang Hyeon was able to snap out of the momentary trance. ¡®Phew, I almost got screwed.¡¯ Kang Hyeon gathered himself and responded as calmly as he could. ¡°I was just talking to myself, that¡¯s all¡­¡± ¡°Hmph, Kim Yeon-ji is upset now!¡± ¡°Ugh!¡± As Kim Yeon-ji spoke with a half-bitten tongue, a retching sound could be heard from afar, where Jeong Ye-jin was vomiting. ¡°Sorry, I¡¯ll be right back, I need to use the restroom.¡± Kang Hyeon made an excuse to get away from there. ¡®How can I let the others know that Kim Yeon-ji is the subus¡­¡¯ Blurting it out carelessly could just cause unnecessary conflict. ¡°Think, Kang Hyeon. This is a gateway that must be ovee with wisdom.¡± ¡°Should I just rush in like a madman and strike her down?¡± ¡°No. If I fail at that moment, this tutorial is guaranteed to end in failure.¡± Kang Hyeon muttered to himself like a crazy person. ¡°Right! Since there doesn¡¯t seem to be a time limit, for now let¡¯s just let this slide for today. The more hurried, the more you should retreat.¡± After all, he can¡¯t really die. Even if he fails to clear this stage, there will be another chance next time. It would be wiser to gather as much information as possible rather than hastily making a move and losing the opportunity. ¡°Oh, you¡¯re back.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°It¡¯s about time we get some sleep.¡± As Kang Hyeon returned to the camp, the party members were one by one crawling into their sleeping bags. ¡°Kang Hyeon, you know you¡¯re thest one on night watch, right?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Kang Hyeon nodded at the man¡¯s words and climbed into his sleeping bag. ¡®I can¡¯t fall asleep, can I?¡¯ ¡®But with the night watch system, it should be fine, right?¡¯ Feeling mentally exhausted, Kang Hyeon debated whether to sleep or not. ¡®No no! In this situation, how can I even think of sleeping? I might get killed right away.¡¯ ¡®But if I stay up all night, I¡¯ll be exhausted tomorrow and who knows what could happen then¡­¡¯ As Kang Hyeon continued pondering, his eyelids gradually fell shut. Please rate the series here. Chapter 14 Chapter 14 ¨C Hero in disaster (3) ¡°Ugh!¡± Kang Hyeon woke up with a start. ¡°So I did fall asleep after all¡­ Huh?¡± But what he saw in front of his eyes was not the forest path from yesterday, but Kang A-hyun¡¯s office. ¡°What the¡­ Why¡­¡± Kang Hyeon stood there dumbfounded for a moment, unable toprehend the situation. ¡°This goddamn bastard, so in the end¡­!¡± Kang Hyeon finally realized that he had died while he was asleep, and he let out a stream of curses. ¡°I should have just smacked him in the back of the head! Phew, just wait until I go back today.¡± This time, the stage could have been easily cleared thanks to the ring. But Kang Hyeon had been overly cautious, so it could be said that he failed. ¡°Is cursing every morning a concept or something?¡± ¡°Ah¡­ No.¡± Sighing at Kang A-hyun¡¯s words, Kang Hyeon plopped down in his seat. ¡°Cut it out a bit. People are getting anxious.¡± ¡°Ah, sorry.¡± ¡®Right. For now, let¡¯s focus on reality.¡¯ Organizing his thoughts, Kang Hyeon looked around. The unfamiliar feeling was a bit stronger than yesterday, perhaps because he had been in a different space for a day. ¡°Nothing happened, right?¡± ¡°Nope. It¡¯s quiet outside too.¡± Approaching the window, Kang Hyeon looked outside. The silent streets were devoid of both monsters and people. ¡°With things like this, there¡¯s nothing to do. Should I go find something to eat?¡± ¡°Why are you volunteering for that? Just stay still.¡± The startled Kang A-hyun hastily covered Kang Hyeon¡¯s mouth. ¡°Don¡¯t start acting up just because you got a little stronger. Are you going to take responsibility for all these people to the end?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not it¡­¡± ¡°So¡­¡± At that moment, a man approached the siblings. ¡°Is something wrong?¡± ¡°Ah, manager. No, it¡¯s nothing. Haha¡­¡± ¡°If there¡¯s a problem, don¡¯t just worry about it alone. Maybe we can find a solution if we think about it together.¡± ¡°Yes. Thank you for your concern.¡± Unusually, Kang A-hyun spoke sweetly with a haha-hoho tone. Kang Hyeon made a face that clearly showed his displeasure. ¡°Ugh!¡± ¡°Stay still.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that high heel a bit much?¡± Kang Hyeon grabbed his ankle and frowned. ¡°Don¡¯t move, your stomach will hurt.¡± ¡°You¡¯re right¡­ I¡¯m hungry. I think it would be better if I went to get something.¡± Kang A-hyun rolled her eyes at Kang Hyeon¡¯s muttering. ¡°What are you going to do if you see something? I¡¯m hungry, so let¡¯s just wait until today. If it¡¯s still quiet tomorrow, I¡¯ll go out then.¡± ¡°Phew¡­ Okay.¡± In the end, she had no choice but to agree. *** Ippotrantion *** -Bang, bang! ¡°What¡¯s that? Doesn¡¯t it sound like the gunshots are getting closer?¡± That afternoon. The distant gunshots were gradually getting closer, and soon the ground began to rumble. ¡°Everyone, it¡¯s the military! We¡¯re saved!¡± A toon-sized group of soldiers, along with an armored vehicle, was passing by on the road. ¡°Guk!¡± ¡°Keeeek!¡± -Boom! Hearing the sound, goblins and taranque rushed in, but they were all killed miserably in the face of modern firearms. -Citizens, please rest assured. We have eliminated most of the monsters, and the final cleanup operation is underway. ¡°We¡¯re alive. We¡¯re alive¡­!¡± -The streets are still dangerous, so please remain indoors. We will be distributing relief supplies at Gunwoo subway station starting at 12 noon tomorrow. Citizens, please rest assured. Currently¡­ The recorded message repeatedly yed from the giant loudspeaker. It aimed to both calm the citizens and lure the monsters. ¡°As expected, the soldiers havee!¡± ¡°God, Father, thank you.¡± ¡°Shouldn¡¯t we follow the soldiers instead of just waiting?¡± ¡°They said to stay indoors.¡± Most of the people hugged each other in joy, but a few tried to go out and follow the soldiers. ¡°If you want to go out, it¡¯s best to do it right now, before the soldiers get too far.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you going with Kang Hyeon?¡± ¡°That¡¯s up to Kang Hyeon to decide, why are you trying to take him with you?¡± A battle broke out between those who wanted to stay in the building and those who wanted to follow the soldiers, trying to take Kang Hyeon with them. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I n to wait a bit longer and then go home.¡± ¡°Ah¡­ I see.¡± ¡°That¡¯s how it is¡­¡± ¡°There you go!¡± Disappointed looks appeared on the faces of those who had wanted to go outside at Kang Hyeon¡¯s words. ¡°It seems the situation is nearly over, so there¡¯s no need to worry. If you¡¯re still uneasy, you can take one of the swords piled up here and go.¡± ¡°Yes, thank you.¡± ¡°Uh¡­ Can I really defeat those things with this?¡± ¡°If you fight without fear, you should be able to take on one or two easily.¡± Kang Hyeon truly believed that. An average adult male should be able to easily defeat a goblin one-on-one. ¡®Of course, that¡¯s assuming they can ovee the fear.¡¯ Since they only needed to get to the soldiers right in front of them, he didn¡¯t bother to add any discouraging remarks. *** Ippotrantion *** Late afternoon. The streets, from which the soldiers had departed, were once again shrouded in silence. asionally, people could be seen walking around. ¡®I think it¡¯s safe enough for Kang A-hyun and I to go out now.¡¯ After observing the outside for a while, Kang Hyeon finally stepped out of the building with Kang A-hyun. ¡°Wow, it¡¯s so¡­ Horrific.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± The bodies of people and monsters were scattered everywhere, and the entrances of various shops had been broken into and looted. ¡°Should we grab a share too?!¡± At Kang Hyeon¡¯s words, Kang A-hyun shook her head. ¡°Nah, if we steal something now, I won¡¯t be able to sleep well at night.¡± ¡°Tch. Acting all righteous.¡± Kang Hyeon had actually been joking, so he was secretly satisfied with Kang A-hyun¡¯s response. ¡°Wow, it¡¯s really quiet. Has it ever been like this before?¡± Walking through the deserted city center, which was always bustling with people, made the reality seem to fade away. ¡°At least the soldiers seem to have cleaned up thoroughly.¡± Kang Hyeon maintained his vignce, just in case. But fortunately, they were able to reach home without any incident. ¡°Phew, we¡¯re here!¡± ¡°Let¡¯s hurry inside and take a shower. And let¡¯s eat!¡± The siblings rushed up the apartment building¡¯s stairs. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Kang A-hyun, who had finally reached the front door, just stood there staring at the slightly open door. ¡°Didn¡¯t you close the door when you came out?¡± ¡°Huh¡­?¡± Kang A-hyun¡¯s gaze was fixed on the slightly open front door. ¡°Don¡¯t know¡­?¡± When Kang A-hyun opened the door, thepletely trashed interior was revealed. Kang Hyeon stared at the sight with a dazed expression. ¡°You idiot! What if you didn¡¯t lock the door when you stepped out?!¡± ¡°Look at that! Your own brother saved you, and you¡¯re talking with such bad manners! You¡¯ll never get married, you brat!¡± ¡°Aaargh! Stop nagging about marriage already!¡± The bickering that ensued as they started cleaning the room didn¡¯t end untilte that night. *** Ippotrantion *** [Wee to Kang Hyeon¡¯s tutorial!] [An error urred during the fifth stage. I will move immediately] [May your courage save the earth] *** Ippotrantion *** The next morning. Kang Hyeon woke up with a dazed expression, but it was only momentary. ¡°Why..? What¡¯s the reason for this?!¡± He immediately grabbed his head and started raging. ¡°Why! Why did the tutorial content change?!¡± When he entered the tutorial yesterday, the content was to defeat the Nightmare and Subus. So today, Kang Hyeon had nned to show Kim Yeon-ji the meaning of justice as soon as he entered, by striking her on the back of the head. ¡°But it was clearly that¡­¡± However, when he re-entered the tutorial, it demanded apletely different location and clear conditions. ¡°Could it be that the content changes every time for this stage?¡± Kang Hyeon was already weak at using his head, and he was full of worries. But if the tutorial content keeps changing every time, then¡­ ¡°This ispletely hopeless. Fuck. If I mess up, it might take years, right?¡± It might even take a lifetime. ¡°Sigh¡­ There¡¯s no choice. Let¡¯s think about it calmly. Calmly.¡± Calming his mentality, Kang Hyeon came out and prepared breakfast. ¡°Wow, what¡¯s this? You¡¯re preparing breakfast again today. You¡¯re quite good at this, aren¡¯t you?¡± Kang A-hyun, who came out to the living room, poked Kang Hyeon and teased him. ¡°Don¡¯t start a fight.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Your brother is in a pretty fucking bad mood today, you know?¡± ¡°Hey, don¡¯t talk like that! Huh?¡± -Poke, poke ¡°Ah, shit, why do you keep picking a fight!¡± Eventually, an annoyed Kang Hyeon shouted. Then Kang A-hyun grinned and brought her smartphone in front of Kang Hyeon. ¡°Hehe. Look at this.¡± ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± -Geonwu-dong Goblin yer -Geonwu-dong Massacre Man -Comption of Geonwu-dong Massacre Man videos ¡°Geonwu-dong Goblin yer¡­?¡± Geonwu-dong was the name of the neighborhood Kang Hyeon was living in. Sensing a bad omen, Kang Hyeon quickly yed the video. -Kyaaa! -Bang, bang! It was the scene right after the dungeon opened. The camera was frantically turning, capturing the soldiers and fleeing civilians. -Get out! Time¡¯s running out, you bastard! At that cry from nearby, the camera moved urgently. Just then, a scene was captured of Kang Hyeon avoiding the sword and shoving a kitchen knife under the goblin¡¯s chin. -Cer¡­ Cer¡­ -Thank you. Now get lost. -Thud! Kang Hyeon snatched the sword and kicked the goblin cleanly, and the camera then focused solely on Kang Hyeon. -Swish, swish! ¡°Keek!¡± Scenes were captured of Kang Hyeon ruthlessly shing the goblins blocking his way, and the video ended as Kang Hyeonpletely disappeared from the camera¡¯s view. ¡°Who filmed this? Looking at the camera position, it seems to be from the next building?¡± ¡°It looks like it was filmed from around the 3rd or 4th floor.¡± Kang Hyeon checked thements after watching the video. -Wow, his sword skills are at a professional level, is this real?;; -He seems to have cleared at least 3 stages of the tutorial. -He definitely didn¡¯t clear stage 2. If he had cleared stage 2, he could have used the weapon he got there in real life, but at first you see him stabbing the goblin with a kitchen knife? There¡¯s no way he didn¡¯t have his own weapon. -Oh, that¡¯s right in front of our house¡­ Lol. -There are videos of other people catching monsters too, but this one has a different ss, doesn¡¯t it? -It¡¯s not that much, you¡¯re overreacting. -This guy has other videos, and those are even more brutal. As Kang Hyeon was looking through thements, he tilted his head. ¡°What other videos are there? Could there be more?¡± ¡°Well¡­ It seems that someone from thepany filmed you fighting and posted it, now that the first video has be a bit famous.¡± ¡°Ugh.¡± Kang Hyeon sighed and ran his hand through his hair. ¡°y it.¡± ¡°Here it is.¡± -Additional Geonwu-dong Goblin yer video The video started with the scene of Kang Hyeon clearing the barricade with the people. -That¡¯s enough. Everyone, please step back now. The people hastily stepped back at Kang Hyeon¡¯s words. Soon after, Kang Hyeon cleared thest locker, and 6 goblins rushed in. -Keruk, kek! -Squeak! With a single blow, one goblin¡¯s head was cleanly severed. As the next one charged, Kang Hyeon pushed it away with his shoulder and simultaneously blocked the sword of the goblin next to it. -Swish! After a brief test of strength, Kang Hyeon¡¯s sword naturally slid, severing the goblin¡¯s both wrists. -Keeek! With the goblin writhing in pain from the severed wrists, Kang Hyeon beheaded it, and began dispatching the goblins one by one. About 3 minutester. After all 6 goblins were killed, cheers erupted. The slowly moving camera¡¯s final shot captured a pile of goblin corpses beyond the entrance. -The Geonwu-dong Goblin yer rushed in to rescue his sister who was trapped at thepany. On the scene, he¡¯spletely muscr and cool. The uploader¡¯s video description. ¡°Should Iugh or not at this?¡± Checking thements, the reaction was much more explosive than the previous video. -This ispletely insane. He¡¯s not a civilian, but just..? -He crushed 6 of them single-handedly. -Wow, it really does seem to be a different ss, doesn¡¯t it? Any other 6 vs 1 videos besides this one? -In other countries, 10 vs 1 ismon too. -Looking at the other bodies, it seems he didn¡¯t just fight once, he must have kept fighting all the way from home to thepany. -You¡¯re making a big fuss over just goblins. My brother said goblins are no big deal. -Your brother died as soon as he met the tutorial, so he doesn¡¯t know if they¡¯re a big deal or not. The view count andments were still rapidly increasing in real-time. ¡°In this situation, do we even have the leisure to watch these kinds of videos?¡± ¡°That¡¯s why, maybe even more so in times like this. You¡¯re stuck at home and can¡¯t go out, what else would you do?¡± Kang A-hyun¡¯s words did make some sense. ¡°Is there no other video?¡± ¡°No, there¡¯s just this one.¡± Kang Hyeon had ignored people asking for help on his way to thepany. Even now, he thought it was an unavoidable situation, but the fact that those scenes were captured and causing amotion was also a concern. ¡°Anyway, you¡¯ve be a celebrity now. Since it¡¯se to this, what about requesting the copyright and getting the advertising revenue?¡± ¡°Are you serious?¡± ¡°Then at least it¡¯ll help with the living expenses a bit!¡± ¡°¡­¡± When money talk came up, Kang Hyeon shrank smaller and smaller. Please rate the series here. Chapter 15 Chapter 15 The End of the Tutorial Kang Hyeon and Kang A-hyun. The siblings went out for grocery shopping after a long time. ¡°Didn¡¯t they say this was the final stage?¡± ¡°Yeah. We have to finish it.¡± Two months have passed since the day when dungeons were opened simultaneously. Kang Hyeon still had not graduated from the tutorial. ¡°Ah, it was long. Really.¡± ¡°You¡¯re talking like someone who already finished it.¡± ¡°If it wasn¡¯t for that damn 5th stage, I would have finished it a long time ago.¡± Kang Hyeon had justpleted the 7th stage yesterday, and now only the final 8th stage remained. Most of the two months had been spent trying to get through the 5th stage, dying hispletion. ¡°Even now, I can¡¯t believe it.¡± The content of the tutorial kept changing daily. No matter how much Kang Hyeon racked his brain, he couldn¡¯t find a breakthrough. So he simply decided to get stronger. When he entered the dungeon, he gave up on the idea of clearing it and focused solely on training and hunting. And then, the opportunity came. [Fifth Stage (Stage 5)] [Prove your wisdom that can ovee any difficulty] [Clear Condition: Completely clear the nest of the F-grade dungeon Raindrock] [Failure Condition: Death] [Tip. The Raindrock guarding the main core of the dungeon is the boss monster. Target its weaknesses] Finally, a hunt with a clear clearing objective hade. -Weaknesses? Shit! What¡¯s that!? Kang Hyeon charged at the boss recklessly. After a few hours of fierce battle, he was able to thrust his sword into the beast¡¯s head. It was like forcibly breaking down the door instead of turning the doorknob. Fortunately, the 6th and 7th stages, which had themes of ruthlessness and dedication, did not pose much difficulty. He broke through the remaining stages in about ten days. ¡°Tsk tsk. You should have lived wisely all along.¡± ¡°Hey! That wisdom is just talk. It didn¡¯t really matter in the end, did it? If it were you, it would have taken more than a year, man.¡± It was just Kang Hyeon¡¯s own thoughts. ¡°Anyway, it¡¯s really over now.¡± ¡°But, by the way¡­¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°When you finish the tutorial, will you go to the Ability User Cultivation School too?¡± Kang Hyeon pondered at Kang A-hyun¡¯s question. ¡°Of course. I¡¯ve worked so hard, I have to make a big score in the dungeon, right?¡± ¡°I see¡­ I guess so.¡± The world had quickly epted the reality and changed in just two months. After the day when more than 1 million people were sacrificed in Korea alone. The government had established the ¡®Ability User Cultivation School¡¯ and offered rewards for clearing dungeons. They decided to actively utilize the fact that about half of the adult poption were ability users. -Isn¡¯t it unreasonable to dump the government¡¯s responsibilities on civilians!? -The government is pushing people to their deaths with peanuts! At first, there was a strong social bacsh. But surprisingly, when the system actually started, an enormous number of people applied to the Ability User Cultivation School. They wanted to graduate from the school, get their ability user certificates, and enter the dungeons. ¡°Are you sure you won¡¯t die in the dungeon?¡± ¡°Probably.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you being too carefree about your own life?¡± Kung A-hyun¡¯s eyebrow raised slightly at the indifferent response. ¡°You¡¯ll be like this after dying around 100 times.¡± ¡°Hey, even so¡­ You¡¯ll suffer the same way, won¡¯t you?¡± Kang Hyeon turned to look at Kang A-hyun. ¡°Are you worried about me now?¡± ¡°How can I not be worried? People are dying so much in the dungeons!¡± While a systematic system was gradually being established, many still perished in the dungeons. The dungeons were that dangerous. ¡°Ugh, whatever. Do as you please.¡± ¡°Wait, do you know that there are only two people in the whole country who have graduated from the tutorial (passed the 8th stage)? With this big brother appearing, the top star position is already secured.¡± ¡°Bullshit. Do you think the elite who finished the tutorial in a week is the same as the failure who took over 3 months?¡± ¡°Failure? You¡¯ve got some nerve talking to your big brother like that!¡± ¡°What, you wanna fight? Come at me!¡± The siblings grabbed each other¡¯s cors and shook. ¡°Huh?¡± At that moment, the surroundings started to get noisy. As Kang Hyeon peeked out, he saw a huge crowd gathered in front. ¡°Hey, hey! Choi Dong-woo hase, they say he¡¯s going to tackle the boss of the Death Castle!¡± ¡°Wow! He¡¯s going for the boss when he couldn¡¯t even clear the regr core?¡± Choi Dong-woo. He was one of the only two who finished the tutorial in South Korea. Despite his not-so-young age in thete 30s, he was currently the most famous ability user in the country. Choi Dong-woo, who had gathered like-minded people to form a dungeon assault team, had already perfectly cleared the dungeon five times. His party strategy had even been adopted as an official curriculum in the Ability User Cultivation School. ¡°A celebrity has arrived.¡± ¡°Oh, you know that man too?¡± ¡°He¡¯s more famous than celebrities these days.¡± As Kang Hyeon said, the dungeon assault had be a social topic, and the fame of some ability users was now on par with celebrities. Choi Dong-woo¡¯s recognition was almost skyrocketing. ¡°That guy looked handsome on TV. Wanna go take a look?¡± ¡°No, let¡¯s just do the grocery shopping and go back.¡± ¡°Tch.¡± *** Ippotrantion *** That night. Lying reverently on the floor, Kang Hyeon closed his eyes. ¡®I don¡¯t even hope to wake up all at once. It may take months, but it¡¯s okay.¡¯ He focused on just breathing in and out for a while. Kang Hyeon felt his mind bing hazy, and at the same time, he opened his eyes. He was standing in apletely white space. [Wee to Kang Hyeon¡¯s tutorial!] [You havepleted 7 stages of the tutorial so far] [Would you like to enter the final 8th stage?] ¡°Yes, let¡¯s go.¡± Kang Hyeon thought the voice reading the messages sounded more familiar than usual today. [The Eighth Stage (Stage 8)] [What is your belief?] ¡°Huh?¡± This was a different message from the usual ones. There was no talk about courage saving the earth, nor the phenomenon of the body rising up as the world went dark. Just the pure white space. Then, it was asking Kang Hyeon what his belief was. ¡°Belief. Belief, huh¡­¡± Although he thought it was a rather abrupt question, Kang Hyeon pondered it seriously. ¡°Belief? Haha.¡± Kang Hyeon thought he was just an average, ordinary citizen. As long as he graduated from a good university, got a good job, and built a happy family, that was enough. Nowadays, even that feels difficult and overwhelming, so he didn¡¯t even think about anything else. In such a world where one can buy people and love with money, what belief could he have? The reason he had diligentlypleted the tutorial every night was not particrly special. He simply disliked being dropped into another world and suffering every night. He just wanted to protect his precious family in this changing world. ¡°Wha-?!¡± Suddenly, the space around Kang Hyeon began to move rapidly. Feeling nauseous, Kang Hyeon closed his eyes. ¡°Ugh¡­?¡± When he opened his eyes, he found himself standing over an unfamiliar city. The unfamiliar city clearly was not on Earth. There were living beings that were simr to humans, but definitely not human. However, it was evident that they had built a great civilization, just like humans. ¡®Wow¡­¡¯ The flow of time in the city Kang Hyeon was observing gradually elerated. Monsters appeared in various ces, and among them were many he had encountered in the tutorial. ¡®What¡¯s that¡­ It¡¯s enormous.¡¯ How much time had passed? Suddenly, a gigantic entity appeared, seemingly reaching the sky, and all kinds of monsters poured out. The city let out a scream and then fell silent. ¡°¡­¡± Hundreds, thousands of such cities flowed before Kang Hyeon¡¯s eyes. Countless lives were lost. Feeling the weight of all that, Kang Hyeon was unable to say a word. [How was it?] Kang Hyeon had returned to the pure white room. The voice that had been delivering the messages before now spoke to him. [This tutorial session is a personal interview with me. Feel free to ask me anything you¡¯re curious about, and I¡¯ll also have some questions for you, making it a beneficial time.] Soothed by theforting voice, Kang Hyeon rxed his expression and opened his mouth. ¡°Are you a god?¡± [I¡¯m a little different from gods. To put it in yournguage, I¡¯m closer to a dimensional administrator.] ¡°Will the world be like the just-discovered cities in 5 years?¡± [That depends on what you all do going forward.] At the voice¡¯s response,Kang Hyeon knitted his brows. ¡°I don¡¯t understand. If you¡¯re such an enormous being, can¡¯t you just stop this situation?¡± [I¡¯m not a guardian of the Earth or anything like that. I just maintain the bnce.] ¡°Bnce?¡± [Yes. Things like this tutorial and the status window you¡¯re using are things I created to maintain the bnce. I¡¯ve done my best within my limits to protect the Earth.] Pondering the meaning of the administrator¡¯s words, Kang Hyeon fell deep in thought. [May I ask you a question now?] ¡°Ah, yes.¡± [Kang Hyeon, what beliefs and purpose have you lived by so far?] It was a surprisingly empty question. Kang Hyeon swallowed a hollowugh. ¡°What have I lived for¡­ That¡¯s a very sudden question.¡± [Is that so?] The voice seemed to hold backughter. ¡°What¡¯s the reason for asking a question like that?¡± [Observing humans during this incident has piqued my interest, you see? All intelligences are fascinating, but humans especially so.] Hearing the administrator¡¯s words, Kang Hyeon felt unpleasantly irritated. Kang Hyeon raised one corner of his mouth in a cynical expression. ¡°Your observation is stillcking.¡± [Pardon?] ¡°At least in my country, there aren¡¯t many people who live thinking like that.¡± At Kang Hyeon¡¯s self-deprecating words, the administrator fell silent. ¡°Just because we were born. We¡¯re desperately trying to live a little more happily, but the reality is that most are just busy scraping by day by day.¡± [I see.] The administrator seemed a bit taken aback by Kang Hyeon¡¯s overly honest and pessimistic response, unlike the other ability users. [Is there anything you want to protect, Kang Hyeon?] ¡°My family, my rude younger sister and my parents. I have to protect my family.¡± In a changing world, the only thing he could rely on would be his own powerlessness. Kang Hyeon had endured those horrific times just to protect his family at the very least. [Don¡¯t you want to be a hero?] ¡°Haha! A hero?¡± [Yes] ¡°Hero, huh? I used to deny it, but now I know my ce well. I¡¯m far from that kind of thing.¡± In the past three months,Kang Hyeon had experienced numerous deaths and be rather twisted. But he had also gained some wisdom. ¡°Go find that glorious, tiring job for someone else.¡± [Based on my observations, heroes are those born with talent. You¡¯re certainly closer to a dunce than a hero¡¯s qualities.] At the administrator¡¯s words, Kang Hyeon¡¯s brow furrowed deeply. ¡®Damn. Are they joking?¡¯ No matter how much of a foul mouth Kang Hyeon had, he couldn¡¯t bring himself to directly curse at this divine being. [But I¡¯m personally a fan of yours,Kang Hyeon. You have no idea how intriguing and fun it was for me to watch you go through the tutorial.] ¡°Uh-huh¡­¡± ¡®This administrator is a sadist. The future of the Earth looks bleak. Wait a minute, something¡¯s off here¡­¡¯ Suddenly, a hunch arose. But Kang Hyeon decided to ask thest question. [And based on my observations, you may be a hero, even though you deny it. You can bet on it with me if you¡¯d like.] ¡°At least I¡¯ll try not to be a viin.¡± At Kang Hyeon¡¯s response, the voice chuckled softly. ¡°Oh, I just suddenly had a question. Can I ask?¡± [Yes] ¡°How many people have reached this point besides me?¡± [You are the 62nd graduate, Kang Hyeon.] ¡°Huh?!¡± Therge number surprised Kang Hyeon. Of course, there were already two people known in Korea. But he didn¡¯t know there would be so many worldwide. ¡°Why are there so many people who cleared it?¡± [There are more people born with talent and luck in this world than you¡¯d think. And even at this very moment, over 300,000 people are entering the tutorial every day.] ¡°Still, that¡¯s a lot¡­¡± [Numerically speaking, it¡¯s close to one in a hundred million. And the really important thing is¡­] ¡°The important thing is¡­?¡± The voice paused for a moment before answering with a chuckle. [The tutorial is just a tutorial, that¡¯s all.] ¡°What do you mean by that?¡± [You¡¯ll understand as time goes on. Well, shall we end it here? This conversation has been most enjoyable.] ¡°Isn¡¯t there a reward?¡± Kang Hyeon quickly asked as the voice was about to end the situation. [You have acquired the title ¡®Tutorial Graduate¡¯.] Tutorial Graduate: A title given to those who havepleted all 8 stages of the tutorial. Effect: All stats +2 Seeing the reward, the disappointment on Kang Hyeon¡¯s face was evident. ¡°What kind of title is this, just all stats +2? Lack of imagination, isn¡¯t it?¡± [Don¡¯t expect too much from the tutorial rewards.] ¡°Tch.¡± Kang Hyeon clearly expressed his disappointment. [Haha. It was a pleasure meeting you. If the opportunity arises, I¡¯ll see you again. Well then¡­] ¡°Wait a moment! Just one more thing, really.¡± [Yes, go ahead.] Kang Hyeon hastily grabbed the departing administrator and suddenly adopted a serious expression. ¡°The 5th stage of the tutorial¡­ The theme was ¡®Wisdom¡¯, right?¡± [Yes] ¡°Does the content change every time?¡± A moment of silence followed his words. [It was a pleasure meeting you.] ¡°You son of a bitch¡­!¡± Please rate the series here. Chapter 16 Chapter 16 ¨C Ability User Cultivation School (1) ¡°Aaaargh! You damn bastard!¡± Kang Hyeon got up from the bed and let out a loud scream. ¡°You damn bastard. Calm down a bit! Because of you, I¡¯m about to get kicked out!¡± Kang A-hyun opened the door and shouted, but the now immune Kang Hyeon didn¡¯t care at all. ¡°Ah. Sorry. I really won¡¯t do it again.¡± Kang Hyeon apologized with a face that didn¡¯t show a single ounce of sincerity. ¡°Forget it. I won¡¯t say anything¡­ So, did you die again today?¡± ¡°What do you take me for, sister? I beat him with one strike!¡± ¡°Tsk, congrattions.¡± Kang A-hyun clicked her tongue once and closed the door. ¡°Was that her wishing for her brother to die or what?¡± Kang Hyeon, who had been ncing at the spot where Kang A-hyun had left, let out a sigh. ¡°Ah, well. It¡¯s over, so it¡¯s done. Then shall I go now?¡± Kang Hyeon began rubbing his hands with anticipation. ¡°Status window!¡± ?Name: Kang Hyeon ?Titles: One Who Does Not Hold Back, 1 more ?Level: 28 ?Detailed Stats: Strength 21 (+2) Agility 19 (+2) Vitality 20 (+2) Mana 20 (+2) Additional Stats: ¨C ?Unique Ability: Resurrection ?Skills: Intermediate Swordsmanship(D), Lower-grade Shield Mastery(E), Lowest-grade Crossbow(F) ?Skills: Roar of the Enraged Lion(C), Intermediate Bodily Regeneration(B), Bisection(E), Giant¡¯s Strength(B) ¡°Done!¡± Kang Hyeon, who used the status window for the first time in reality, was filled with excitement. ¡°The tutorial is truly over now.¡± It was an incredible progress. His level had risen from 15 to 28, and his swordsmanship had advanced from basic to intermediate. The Roar of the Enraged Lion had also risen one step to grade C. Giant¡¯s Strength, which he had acquired at the 5th stage, provided a 12 stat increase in strength for 10 minutes as a reward. He had also gained additional skills, and had received B-grade weapons and armor sets for clearing the 6th and 7th stages. ¡°Is the title applied simultaneously?¡± [Only the selected 1 title has full effects, all other effects are reduced by 50%] After checking the help, Kang Hyeon changed his title from ¡®One Who Does Not Hold Back¡¯ to ¡®Tutorial Graduate¡¯. The +2 next to each stat then changed to +2.5. ¡°Perfect. Absolutely perfect.¡± Finally, Kang Hyeon nodded his head in satisfaction. ¡°Alright, now let¡¯s try applying?¡± Kang Hyeon decided to enroll in the Ability User Cultivation School. To legally enter a dungeon, a graduate certificate and an ability user license are required. -Click, click After a few mouse clicks, the homepage of the Ability User Cultivation School appeared on the monitor. By applying for enrollment here and receiving a week of training, one could legally enter a dungeon. ¡°Hmm¡­? What¡¯s this?¡± Kang Hyeon hesitated while applying for the Training. ¡°¡­100,000?¡± The number of people waiting for the training had exceeded 100,000. ¡°It should be possible for those who have cleared the 2nd stage to apply, right?¡± The estimated waiting time was written as over 6 months. ¡°Those reckless idiots who don¡¯t care about their lives have exceeded 100,000.¡± This was simply Kang Hyeon¡¯s perspective. ¡°Sigh¡­ How long do I have to wait for this.¡± Just as he was sighing in disappointment, Kang Hyeon, on a whim, clicked the training application. There, he found a field asking about the tutorial stage he had cleared. ¡°What? This smells fishy.¡± Kang Hyeon changed the tutorial stage from 2nd to 8th. -Estimated Waiting Time: 1 day *Please note that if you falsely write the tutorial stage, you may be punished. ¡°Huh¡­ One day? Really.¡± As he continued adjusting the stages, he realized he could adjust the training dates for each stage. 7th stage ¨C 1 day 6th stage ¨C 1 day 5th stage ¨C 1 day 4th stage ¨C 10 days 3rd stage ¨C 1 month 2nd stage ¨C 6 months Looking at the stage-specific durations, Kang Hyeon pondered whether he should honestly state that he was a tutorial graduate. ¡°Is there really a need to do that?¡± Clearly, if he said he had graduated the tutorial, he would instantly be a celebrity. He had even jokingly told Kang A-hyun that he would be as famous as a celebrity. However,tely he couldn¡¯t help but wonder if that was truly a good thing. ¡°It¡¯s just a troublesome position with nothing to gain.¡± People¡¯s demands on ability users were increasing more and more. This had even escted to the point of violent conflicts, crossing the line of just power struggles. ¡°Just look at the high-level clearers now, the answer is clear.¡± They were being dragged around by people who mistakenly thought that service was their right. In the end, Kang Hyeonpleted the application as a 5th stage passer. Even if he got caught, he figured the stated stage would be lower than his actual level, so there wouldn¡¯t be much of a problem. ¡°What? A call already?¡± 3 minutes afterpleting the application, Kang Hyeon¡¯s phone rang. ¡°Hello.¡± -Is this Kang Hyeon? ¡°Yes.¡± A kind female voice came through the phone. -This is Ahn Mi-young from the central administration office of the Ability User Cultivation School. You applied as a 5th stage passer, is that correct? ¡°Yes.¡± -Be aware that if you falsely apply with inted stages to receive faster training, it will result in expulsion, a 1-year ban on reapplying, and a fine. ¡°Yes, yes.¡± Kang Hyeon answered mechanically with an indifferent tone. -Then, when would you like the training to be scheduled? 5th stage graduates receive free training, and can choose the date and location as desired. ¡°As close to home as possible.¡± -Okay, understood. When would you like the education date? ¡°What¡¯s the earliest avable?¡± -The next education is scheduled 5 days from now. ¡°Set it for that then.¡± -Alright. After ending the call, Kang Hyeonughed dejectedly. ¡°To think I¡¯d get this kind of treatment in my life.¡± Kang Hyeon truly felt that the world had changed drastically in a short amount of time. *** Ippotrantion *** Unexpected 5 days of freedom. Kang Hyeon decided to restfortably without doing anything for a really long time. Until then, when he opened his eyes, he thought about exercise and tutorials. When he fell asleep, he fought bloody battles within the tutorials. He had been running like that for over 3 months without resting even for a moment. ¡°It should be okay to rest a little bit.¡± He wasn¡¯t physically fatigued, but he had be too mentally exhausted. ¡°First, let¡¯s watch some YouTube. Let¡¯s also watch some dramas and movies.¡± Kang Hyeon is determined to enjoy his own cultural life that he couldn¡¯t do before. ¡°¡­¡± But that determination didn¡¯tst even a day. ¡°It¡¯s boring¡­¡± Sitting still and just staring at the monitor, his whole body felt itchy and aching. ¡°How did I used to sit all day long before?¡± In just 3 months, Kang Hyeon had changed too much. Even ying games was no fun. Watching movies was boring. He didn¡¯t have any friends to begin with. ¡°Kim Tae-soo¡­ I¡¯m sorry.¡± Recalling his childhood friend Kim Tae-soo, the only one who yed with him, Kang Hyeon sincerely apologized. ¡°Fuck¡­ Let¡¯s just exercise.¡± In the end, Kang Hyeon spent the 5 days exercising. On the day of admission to the Cultivation center. Kang Hyeon moved early in the morning to go to the Cultivation center, which was a 1-hour drive from his home. ¡°Are you leaving already?¡± ¡°Yeah, I have to take the subway now.¡± ¡°Have a good trip. Don¡¯t cause any idents.¡± ¡°When have I ever caused an ident?¡± He doesn¡¯t think of himself as a good person. But he prided himself on at least maintaining the minimum decency in his life. ¡°You know you¡¯ve been acting recklesstely, right?¡± ¡°I feel perfectlyfortable.¡± ¡°Ugh¡­ It looks like you¡¯re half-crazy just by looking at your eyes¡­ Be careful not to get into any trouble.¡± ¡°This sister doesn¡¯t hold back on what she says to her brother! If you¡¯re going to say unnecessary things, I¡¯m leaving.¡± ¡°Okay, have a good trip.¡± Kang A-hyun waved Kang Hyeon off, but the worry never left her eyes. Kang Hyeon¡¯s admission process was bumpy from the start. ¡°Mr. Kang Hyeon¡­ Is that you?¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s me.¡± ¡°The attached photo is too different¡­ Could I check your ID card once?¡± The employee smiled awkwardly while looking at the documents in her hand. In the documents, there was a ID photo of Kang Hyeon taken 2 years ago for his job application. ¡®No matter how I look at it, it¡¯s not him¡­¡¯ The man in the photo had a very skinny face and a hazy gaze. When she raised her head and their eyes met, Kang Hyeon¡¯s eyes met hers. ¡°Eek!¡± ¡°Is there a problem?¡± ¡°No, nothing!¡± ¡®What kind of scary-looking eyes does he have¡­¡¯ Making eye contact felt like facing a ferocious beast. Even the senior workers would automatically bow down when facing such a gaze. Moreover, with his fairly tall stature and bulky build, it was impossible to imagine him as the man in the photo. ¡°Here you go.¡± Kang Hyeon took out his ID card from his wallet and handed it over. The ID card was made about 8 years ago, when he entered university. The employee had a sad expression on her face, as the gap had grown evenrger than now. ¡°Umm¡­ No matter how I look at it, this is not you¡­¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Kang Hyeon¡¯s expression darkened as he heard the employee¡¯s words. It was not intentional, but the employee gradually began to sniffle, overwhelmed by the great threat. ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­ But if I let someone in who is not the actual person, I¡¯ll get scolded. Waaah¡­¡± She deeply regretted bing a civil servant just 2 weeks into the job. The faces of her parents, who had proudly spread the news that their daughter became a civil servant, came to mind. ¡®Sorry, mom. I can¡¯t do this¡­¡¯ ¡°Hey, don¡¯t cry. It is really me, so you can just let me go in.¡± As the employee was crying bitterly, the gazes of the people around started to gather. ¡°Why is that employee crying?¡± ¡°Look at that man¡¯s expression. Did he threaten her or something?¡± Kang Hyeon¡¯s head slowly turned towards the direction of the voices. ¡°¡­¡± The moment Kang Hyeon¡¯s face was met, the whispering people also slowly turned their heads elsewhere. ¡°Since this is me, just let me in. It¡¯s because I identally gained the wrong skill in the tutorial.¡± In the end, Kang Hyeon decided to go in by adding a little lie. ¡°Okay¡­¡± After the ups and downs, Kang Hyeon finished submitting the enrollment documents and followed the guide to the next location. There was a temporary building in front of a huge auditorium. As he entered, he saw a man in his mid-30s, dressed in a suit, exuding an elite aura. ¡°Hmm, are you Kang Hyeon?¡± The man said while adjusting his sses. ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right¡­¡± Kang Hyeon was gradually getting annoyed by the continuous questioning from the reception. ¡°Ah, my apologies. You look quite different from the photo. I¡¯m Kim Yi-hyeon, who will be in charge of this training. Due to theck of personnel, I¡¯m also conducting the ability test.¡± Kim Yi-hyeon was flipping through the documents at an incredible speed. ¡®Is he really reading them properly?¡¯ The time spent on each page was less than 2 seconds. Kang Hyeon had doubts, but he didn¡¯t bother asking. ¡°Here, we¡¯ll perform a simple ability test for you, Kang Hyeon. First, do you have any items in your inventory, like a sword?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Then, please take it out and show it to me.¡± At the man¡¯s words, Kang Hyeon was about to take out Bilgein¡¯s long sword, but he hesitated. ¡®If I take this out now, it won¡¯t be good.¡¯ Bilgein¡¯s long sword was a B-grade sword he received after clearing the 6th stage, and Kang Hyeon was using it effectively. Kang Hyeon took out a regr long sword instead. ¡°This is the sword you get after passing the 2nd stage. Okay, next, please tell me your level and unique ability.¡± Kang Hyeon spewed out a bright-red lie. ¡°My level is 12, and my unique ability is Man¡¯s Strength.¡± ¡°Did you illegally venture into a dungeon afterpleting the tutorial? Your level is quite high.¡± ¡°I had some experience going in before the rules changed in the beginning.¡± ¡°Hmm, I see¡­¡± ¡°Yes. And while roaming around, I ended up killing the monsters that were out during a dungeon breach.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± Kang Hyeon¡¯s lies flowed smoothly from his mouth. At first, Kim Yi-hyeon had a suspicious expression, but soon he seemed to be convinced and nodded his head. ¡°What kind of ability is this Man¡¯s Strength you mentioned as your unique ability?¡± ¡°It temporarily doubles my strength.¡± Kim Yi-hyeon nodded and scribbled something in the document folder. ¡°This is thest one. Talented individuals receive skills at stage 3, essories at stage 4, and skills again at stage 5. Please show them one by one.¡± ¡®Tch, so needlessly meticulous.¡¯ Grumbling inwardly, Kang Hyeon first showed the Ring of Strong Spirit. Then he lifted the long sword and cut his own arm. Kim Yi-hyeon seemed momentarily taken aback, but quickly understood as Kang Hyeon¡¯s arm healed quickly. ¡°Thest one is a skill that lets you scream and instill fear in the surrounding enemies. Can I use it here?¡± ¡°Yes, you can just go ahead and use it.¡± Kim Yi-hyeon answered nonchntly. Feeling somewhat ignored, Kang Hyeon grinned mischievously. ¡°Yaaaa-!¡± [Roar of the Enraged Lion is activated] [The morale and abilities of all enemies have decreased] [The enemies are gripped by fear] As Kang Hyeon¡¯s shout erupted, the temporary building trembled. At the same time, the people near Kim Yi-hyeon copsed to the ground. ¡°Ah, aaaaah.¡± Kim Yi-hyeon was opening and closing his ears with his hands, checking if he could still hear. ¡°Thank you. Please follow the path and enter the auditorium.¡± While the other people were struggling to get up, only Kim Yi-hyeon moved calmly, as if nothing had happened. ¡®Not bad.¡¯ Seeing this, Kang Hyeon nodded with an interested expression. Please rate the series here. Chapter 17 Chapter 17 ¨C Ability User Cultivation School (2) As he entered the auditorium, nearly a hundred people had already gathered. Perhaps they had heard Kang Hyeon¡¯s shout earlier. All eyes turned to Kang Hyeon. ¡°It starts at 9, so we still have about ten minutes left.¡± Kang Hyeon calmly deflected people¡¯s gazes as he looked around. ¡°It doesn¡¯t seem like there¡¯s anyone particrly outstanding¡­¡± Most of the people who came for the training looked ordinary. However, Kang Hyeon was a bit disappointed that most of them were men. ¡®Well¡­ It¡¯s a job that involves bloody fights, so it might be difficult for women to rush in.¡¯ As he was waiting with such trivial thoughts, someone stepped onto the tform. It was the man named Kim Yi-hyeon who had been testing abilities earlier. ¡°Hello everyone. I¡¯m Kim Yi-hyeon, in charge of the ability user cultivation school, Seongnam branch. Nice to meet you all.¡± A ceremonial apuse filled the auditorium in response to Kim Yi-hyeon¡¯s introduction. ¡°From now on, you will be staying here for ten days, receiving education while having your meals and amodation taken care of. If there are no major issues, you should all be able to safelyplete the training and register as ability users.¡± Kim Yi-hyeon¡¯s voice echoed hollowly through the auditorium. In the still unsettled atmosphere, everyone remained silent, just staring at Kim Yi-hyeon. ¡°As you all know, it¡¯s only been three months since the world became like this. So even now, new information about dungeons and monsters is pouring in every day.¡± Kim Yi-hyeon cleared his throat before continuing. ¡°In other words, the content of the training you¡¯ll receive isn¡¯t absolute.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°What you learn here might be useless information after a while, or it might even turn out to be incorrect information.¡± It was a discouraging statement even before they started. People murmured, showing signs of unease. ¡°Therefore, for a week, I will strictly teach only what¡¯s essential for survival.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°There¡¯s no set curriculum anyway. I¡¯m just a temporary instructor on contract, but even the higher-ups told me to do as I see fit.¡± Kim Yi-hyeon¡¯s light joke elicited chuckles here and there, easing the atmosphere. ¡°Well then, I look forward to working with you all.¡± After Kim Yi-hyeon¡¯s speech ended, the 100 people were divided into 10 teams of 10 each. On the surface, this was to learn teamwork, but in reality, it was because there weren¡¯t nearly enough instructors, so the real purpose was to take turns receiving training. ¡°I look forward to working with you for the next ten days.¡± ¡°Yes, likewise.¡± ¡°Looking forward to it.¡± Kang Hyeon also moved to his assigned team¡¯s location. Formal greetings were exchanged. As Kang Hyeon was nodding lightly, a man approached him and extended his hand. ¡°I¡¯m Kwak Soo-il. Let¡¯s shake hands.¡± Kwak Soo-il, who offered his hand, was visibly someone who had professionally engaged in sports. ¡®Got a good one here, you little¡­¡¯ In fact, Kwak Soo-il had disliked Kang Hyeon from the moment he first entered. ¡®He caused amotion from the start, and his face is full of nothing but bravado.¡¯ Kwak Soo-il had awakened his innate ability rted to strength. And he had also invested the stat points gained from leveling up into strength. As a result of his obsession with strength to the point of ignorance, He had never seen anyone stronger than himself since awakening as an ability user. ¡®You need to put guys like this in their ce right from the start.¡¯ Kwak Soo-il was confident. With this strength totaling nearly 32, there wasn¡¯t anyone he couldn¡¯t crush in the past two months. ¡°I¡¯m Kang Hyeon. Nice to meet you.¡± Unaware of Kwak Soo-il¡¯s thoughts, Kang Hyeon calmly extended his hand. ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Kang Hyeon frowned at the strong pressure he felt as soon as he grasped the hand. Looking at Kwak Soo-il, he saw a faint smile on his face. ¡®What¡¯s this muscle pig trying to do?¡¯ Currently, Kang Hyeon¡¯s strength stat is 23.5. It was woefully inadequatepared to Kwak Soo-il. ¡®You want to have a go, huh?¡¯ Kang Hyeon quietly muttered a skill. ¡®Giant¡¯s Strength¡¯ Under the skill¡¯s influence, Kang Hyeon¡¯s strength shot up to 35.5 at once. Kwak Soo-il¡¯s face also gradually contorted at Kang Hyeon¡¯s suddenly increased strength. ¡°What the¡­¡± ¡°What¡¯s going on¡­¡± People started gathering, noticing the tension flowing between the two. ¡°You¡¯re better than you look? I thought you were all bravado¡­¡± Kwak Soo-il forced a smile, trembling at Kang Hyeon¡¯s strength that was stronger than expected. ¡°What? Better? Are you messing with me, you muscle pig? I¡¯ll let you live if you quietly withdraw your hand now.¡± ¡°M-muscle pig?!¡± Kwak Soo-il¡¯s reason snapped at Kang Hyeon¡¯s words. Muscle pig was one of the nicknames he hated the most. ¡°Uwaaaaah!¡± Kwak Soo-il let out a roar as he squeezed out his strength. His arm muscles swelled up as if about to burst. -Pop! It was clearly a popping sound. Like a balloon bursting. Kwak Soo-il¡¯s strength had reached 32 due to the skill¡¯s effect, but his vitality was only 14. Kwak Soo-il¡¯s own strength and Kang Hyeon¡¯s strength, And the vitality stat that was pitifully lowpared to his strength. All these factorsbined, and eventually, Kwak Soo-il¡¯¡¯s right arm couldn¡¯t withstand it and burst. ¡°Kaaaargh!¡± Kwak Soo-il screamed and copsed to the floor. ¡°What¡¯s going on over there? Hey! Call the medical team right now!¡± Kim Yi-hyeon, who was approaching due to themotion, shouted upon seeing the bloodied Kwak Soo-il. ¡°Did you do this?¡± A hint of anger appeared on Kim Yi-hyeon¡¯s face, which had been expressionless until now. ¡°No, he just asked to shake hands, so I did¡­¡± ¡°Are you expecting me to believe that?¡± ¡°It¡¯s true! That muscle pig just exerted himself, and his arm swelled up like Popeye¡¯s and burst, that¡¯s all.¡± Kang Hyeon raised both hands, speaking as if he had done nothing wrong. ¡°Haah¡­ Everyone, disperse. We¡¯ll dy the start of training by thirty minutes! Kang Hyeon, pleasee with me for a moment.¡± At Kim Yi-hyeon¡¯s announcement, people grumbled as they scattered. ¡°What¡¯s with those guys¡­¡± ¡°I know, men, seriously.¡± For a moment, anger surged at the unfairness, but Kang Hyeon had nothing particr to say, so he quietly followed Kim Yi-hyeon. ¡°Is everything you just said true?¡± ¡°Why would I lie? I¡¯m the victim here, you know? That guy offered to shake hands, then started a fight, so I just reciprocated with some force, that¡¯s all.¡± As Kang Hyeon spoke as if he was truly wronged, Kim Yi-hyeon pushed up his sses and looked at him. ¡°Excuse me, but how much strength does Mr. Kang Hyeon have?¡± ¡°My strength is 18, but that ability called Powerful Strength increases my power by 1.5 times.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you clearly say earlier that your unique ability was Man¡¯s Strength?¡± As he kept lying, he inadvertently got the skill name wrong. Kang Hyeon waved his hands in embarrassment at Kim Yi-hyeon¡¯s words. ¡°Ah, right! Man¡¯s Strength! Haha!¡± ¡°And I believe you said the ability doubles your strength, didn¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Well¡­ I was so flustered that I made such a mistake. Hahaha! You¡¯re right. That¡¯s correct!¡± ¡°¡­¡± Kim Yi-hyeon looked at the rambling Kang Hyeon with suspicious eyes. ¡®Sigh¡­ Nothing I can do.¡¯ There was circumstantial evidence, but no physical evidence. One¡¯s own status window couldn¡¯t be checked by others. ¡°For now, after checking the CCTV, it seems Mr. Kang Hyeon¡¯s words are correct.¡± ¡°Of course, right?¡± ¡°Huh¡­ I¡¯ll let it slide this time, but please be careful from now on.¡± ¡°Yes. I understand.¡± Returning to the training room after finishing the meeting with Kim Yi-hyeon, Kang Hyeon let out a sigh of relief. ¡°Phew, that was close.¡± As he was wiping his chest in relief, he felt a stinging sensation on the back of his head. When he turned around, he saw many people looking at him and whispering. ¡®What, what do you want?¡¯ Kang Hyeon confidently met each of their gazes and headed towards where his team was. His teammates were busy discussing something among themselves, but when Kang Hyeon arrived, they all fell silent as if on cue. ¡®Damn. I messed up right from the start.¡¯ He had thought they were just people he¡¯d see for a week anyway. Still, he couldn¡¯t help but feel a bit bitter. ¡°Hello?¡± It was then. A man approached Kang Hyeon and greeted him. ¡®What¡¯s this now?¡¯ The first impression of the man who spoke could be defined in one word. Thug. His hair was bleached yellow, and his face was full of piercings. Moreover, all the skin exposed outside his clothes was covered in tattoos, involuntarily making one frown. ¡°It¡¯s really frustrating that those who can¡¯t say a word to your face talk behind your back.¡± The man¡¯s eyes shed sharply as he looked around. Some people coughed awkwardly and avoided his gaze. ¡°Haha! I¡¯m An Yu-seong.¡± ¡°Yes. I¡¯m Kang Hyeon.¡± As An Yu-seong extended his hand in greeting, Kang Hyeon pondered. ¡®What does this guy want?¡¯ Kang Hyeon didn¡¯t know how to deal with An Yu-seong, who was suddenly acting friendly. ¡°Can i just call you brother, okay? I just turned 18 and finished the tutorial. I¡¯m a March baby, so I¡¯ve graduated high school already.¡± Kang Hyeon nodded at An Yu-seong¡¯s excited self-introduction. ¡®You¡¯ve been through quite a bit in life too.¡¯ Kang Hyeon inwardly consoled this man who looked about his own age but was apparently only 18. ¡°You can speakfortably too, brother. By the way, how did you do that earlier? You know, when that guy¡¯s arm went boom! Was it a skill?¡± An Yu-seong¡¯s eyes sparkled as he asked, appearing cheerful at first nce. ¡®Is this guy not right in the head either?¡¯ But after chatting a bit, Kang Hyeon could tell that An Yu-seong was strangely unhinged. ¡°No, that Popeye by himself¡­!¡± Kang Hyeon, who had been pouring out his grievances, stopped at the voiceing from the speaker. ¡°Ah, we will now begin the training.¡± ¡°Ah! That¡¯s too bad. Let¡¯s talk more next time.¡± ¡°Sure.¡± An Yu-seong returned to his seat. ¡°This morning¡¯s lesson is about dungeons. Please look at the screen.¡± As Kim Yi-hyeon spoke, a PowerPoint appeared on the giant screen. ¡°Currently, there are two ways to ssify dungeons. One is general dungeons, the other is iplete dungeons.¡± Kim Yi-hyeon grabbed the microphone and began his lecture in earnest. ¡°General dungeons are the mostmon type we usually see. Typically, dungeons open about 4 weeks after they¡¯re created.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°However, iplete dungeons don¡¯t have such a period. Since they open randomly, extreme caution is required.¡± Kim Yi-hyeon also exined about open, closed, and other special dungeons based on their structure. Finally, he exined about the dungeon¡¯s clear conditions: the normal core and the main core guarded by the boss, then took a brief breath. ¡°Yawn¡­¡± Since Kang Hyeon already knew all this content, he looked around while yawning. It seemed Kang Hyeon wasn¡¯t the only one feeling bored; scattered around were signs of diminishing concentration. Kim Yi-hyeon must have sensed this atmosphere too, as his brow furrowed slightly. ¡°The content I¡¯ve just taught you will be evaluated in the final written test, so please remember it all well.¡± At the unexpected news of an evaluation, protests erupted here and there. ¡°What? There¡¯s a written test too?¡± ¡°You should have told us that before we started!¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. How can you tell us this now?¡± Despite people¡¯s protests, Kim Yi-hyeon¡¯s attitude remained firm. ¡°I¡¯ve remembered the faces of those speaking now. If caught again, you¡¯ll be expelled.¡± At these words, most people quieted down, but some became even more agitated. ¡°Who are you to tell us what to do?!¡± The admission requirement for the Ability User Cultivation School is passing Tutorial Stage 2. This meant that everyone here had at least experienced killing a monster. In other words, They all thought they were somewhat capable. ¡°Ooh!¡± Arge man in his 40s, encouraged by those around him, started shouting louder. ¡°Let¡¯s be honest, what else do we need to kill monsters?! We just go and kill them, why do we need this useless training?!¡± Kim Yi-hyeon came down from the podium and approached the man. ¡°What? What are you going to do?¡± ¡°You must have a reason to be so confident.¡± As Kim Yi-hyeon spoke, it felt like a chill was rising. The man was inwardly flustered but outwardly maintained a facade of confidence. ¡°What are you getting at?¡± ¡°From now on, I will only dodge and block your attacks. If you cannd even one effective hit on me, I¡¯ll let you graduate immediately.¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± ¡°But if you fail, you¡¯re expelled from the training. Will you do it? Ah, of course, you¡¯re free to use weapons.¡± At Kim Yi-hyeon¡¯s words, the man¡¯s face twisted cruelly. ¡°Ha! Don¡¯t beg for your life.¡± *** Ippotrantion *** After going through hell for over 3 months, Kang Hyeon¡¯s battle sense had developed tremendously. Especially once his agility stat increased to a certain point, he could easily dodge most attacks after visually confirming and thinking about them. ¡®Even I couldn¡¯t do that.¡¯ Kim Yi-hyeon waspletely toying with the man. ¡°Uwaaa!¡± It started with a fist thrust out without hesitation. A mighty fist that seemed quite trained. Judging by appearances alone, one might worry if the seemingly delicate Kim Yi-hyeon would get hurt. But it took less than a minute to realize that was a misconception. One step. Without moving even a single step, Kim Yi-hyeon dealt with all attacks. ¡°Die, just die!¡± The situation didn¡¯t change even when the man pulled out a sword from his inventory. ¡°Instant eleration!¡± At that moment, with the man¡¯s shout, his body moved so fast it became invisible. Even Kang Hyeon momentarily lost track of his movement. ¡®That¡¯s dangerous!¡¯ Kang Hyeon had the illusion that Kim Yi-hyeon would be cut in half. ¡°Ugh¡­!¡± But that was literally just an illusion. As if he had known it wasing, Kim Yi-hyeon dodged the sword and was somehow pressing a dagger against the man¡¯s neck. ¡°Have you done everything you can?¡± Please rate the series here. Chapter 18 Chapter 18 ¨C Ability User Cultivation School (3) After that, the man who had filed aint quietly withdrew. Although he was somewhat talented, having passed up to the third stage of the tutorial, Kim Yi-hyeon was merciless. After the noisy morning theory ss ended, practical training began following lunch. ¡°You will spend most of your training time mastering the cold weapons you see in front of you. While guns can be used in actual dungeons, you will not be issued firearms.¡± Kim Yi-hyeon said this while picking up a longsword. ¡°It¡¯s not just a matter of safety. So why do we force you to wield these swords instead of providing powerful firearms?¡± ¨C Whoosh! As Kim Yi-hyeon took a stance and swung the sword, the sound of cutting wind echoed. ¡°It¡¯s because we expect that as monsters be stronger and ability users¡¯ powers increase, these swords will prove more powerful than simple firearms.¡± The first group to clear a dungeon was the military. A special forces unitposed of ability users. Using firearms, they were able to clear dungeons fairly quickly and reliably. However, the level of their ability users hardly grew. Rather, the government observed that civilians who started exploring dungeons muchter were leveling up at a much faster rate. They predicted that hunting with firearms would eventually reach its limits. ¡°I can¡¯t give you all the details, but if you trust and follow along, you can all be powerful ability users.¡± Kim Yi-hyeon handed the sword to a nearby assistant and began the main training. ¡°Due to the current shortage of weapons and assistants, we will conduct training in rotations of 40 people at a time.¡± After the exnation, people chose their desired weapons. Most chose longswords. Although spears, blunt weapons, and ranged weapons were all avable, everyone seemed to share a simr romance with swords. Once weapon selection wasplete, actual practice began. ¡°Hah!¡± ¡°Yah!¡± People swinging des and spears with all their might. But handling cold weapons wasn¡¯t as easy as they thought. In their minds, everyone imagined themselves as movie protagonists swinging swords, but the reality didn¡¯t even match up to that of an extra. ¡®Even considering theirck of experience, is it this bad?¡¯ Even to Kang Hyeon, who had never formally learned swordsmanship, there were so many problems that he didn¡¯t know where to start pointing them out. In fact, when Kang Hyeon first swung a sword, he was much worse than these people, but he had already forgotten those early days. ¡°You should hold your hands like this and spread your legs a bit more for stability.¡± Kim Yi-hyeon approached a woman and corrected her posture. The woman¡¯s face noticeably flushed. ¡°Hey, isn¡¯t that guy pretty good?¡± ¡°More than just good. He looks smart, seems to have good manners, and even has a sexy voice.¡± ¡°Plus, he¡¯s clearly capable.¡± The whispers of some people who had already be friendly could be heard. ¡°Tsk. What a mess.¡± Kang Hyeon clicked his tongue as he watched the scene. Although it was a newly established system, the education seemed too haphazard. ¡®I¡¯m just going to waste a week here.¡¯ What bothered him most was that it wasn¡¯t of any help to him. ¡°Hey, hey! Watch out!¡± ¡°Oops. Sorry. Hehe.¡± At that moment, amotion arose nearby. Kang Hyeon looked towards the source of the sound. ¡®That¡¯s¡­ An Yu-seong, wasn¡¯t it?¡¯ He saw the man who had introduced himself as An Yu-seong dangerously swinging his sword. ¡°Please take this seriously. Although the training swords aren¡¯t sharpened, you can still get hurt.¡± ¡°Yes, sorry.¡± Eventually, an assistant stepped in to give a warning, but An Yu-seong just grinned and nodded slightly. ¡®As I thought, that guy isn¡¯t normal either.¡¯ ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to practice?¡± An assistant who had approached while Kang Hyeon was looking around spoke to him. ¡°Yes, I will.¡± Kang Hyeon answered and took his stance. ¨C Whoosh! The posture was visibly well-formed at a nce. As the sound of wind being cut by the urately swung sword rang out, several people eximed in admiration. ¡°Oh, that guy seems to know how to use a sword?¡± ¡°For all his shiness, he seems to have some skill.¡± The assistant who had been watching the reactions around him approached Kang Hyeon. He then began to correct Kang Hyeon¡¯s posture. ¡°Hmm, there¡¯s no need to do it like that in this situation. It seems like mere superficial ir. That stance is not efficient at all.¡± ¡®What is this idiot saying?¡¯ The stance Kang Hyeon had just used involved swinging the sword slightly upward from below. It wasn¡¯t just mindless swinging, but a posture that incorporated what he had learned from hisbat experience so far and evenplimented his skills. ¡®Sigh, let¡¯s just go along with it.¡¯ Not wanting to cause any more problems, Kang Hyeon decided to quietlyply. ¡°Yes, I understand.¡± As Kang Hyeon obediently began to assume the stance the assistant was teaching, Kim Yi-hyeon walked between them. ¡°Assistant Kim Seong-han. A moment, please.¡± ¡°Yes? What is it?¡± ¡°I¡¯d like to ask for your cooperation for a brief educational demonstration.¡± ¨C p p! Kim Yi-hyeon pped his hands to draw attention. ¡°Everyone else, please pause for a moment and look here. This training will be a crucial element in futurebat, so I want everyone to pay close attention.¡± At those words, people stopped their training and gathered around Kim Yi-hyeon. ¡°When I give the signal, I want the two of you to sh swords with full force. Assistant Kim Seong-han, please swing using the stance you just taught Kang Hyeon, and Kang Hyeon, please use the stance you initially used.¡± At Kim Yi-hyeon¡¯s continued instructions, Kim Seong-han looked bewildered, but Kang Hyeon immediately grasped the intention. ¡°Please prepare now. I ask that you use full force.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± Kang Hyeon was already displeased with the assistant who had been criticizing him. ¡®If we¡¯re doing this, I might as well show them properly.¡¯ ¡®Giant¡¯s Strength.¡¯ Kang Hyeon quietly invoked his skill. ¡°Everyone else, please step back a little further.¡± After checking the surroundings, Kim Yi-hyeon lowered his hand. ¡°Now!¡± ¨C ng! As soon as the signal dropped, Kang Hyeon and Kim Seong-han shed. As a result, Kim Seong-han flew through the air. He flew about 2 meters before finally falling ungracefully to the ground. People were dumbfounded by the unexpected scene. ¡°Both of these individuals specialize in strength. Many of you will soon reach or surpass their level of physical strength.¡± Kim Yi-hyeon looked around and continued speaking. ¡°When that timees, you must always calcte the direction of force and move ordingly. If you¡¯re not careful, your body could end up flying like this. Let¡¯s give a round of apuse to the two who demonstrated for us.¡± ¨C p p p p Amidst the apuse, Kim Seonghan stood up with a reddened face. *** Ippotrantion *** The days that followed were much the same. Theory lessons in the morning, weapons training in the afternoon. The theory lessons mainly covered types of monsters, weapon characteristics, and party tactics. There was still nothing particrly helpful for Kang Hyeon. ¡°So boring¡­¡± It had been days since hisst battle. Even as his whole body ached, the tedious lessons continued, making Kang Hyeon feel like he might explode at any moment. ¡°Today¡¯s lesson will be sparring.¡± ¡°¡­!¡± At that moment, sparring practice began. ¡°Sparring will be conducted in pairs. You¡¯ll use training swords, and the assistants will intervene immediately if there¡¯s any danger, so don¡¯t worry.¡± ¡°Great!¡± Kang Hyeon was thrilled at the thought of finally getting to move his body. However, his expectations were shattered in less than an hour. ¡°Sigh¡­¡± Kang Hyeon sighed as he returned from sparring. His opponents either dropped their swords or were subdued before they could even sh swords a few times, so he couldn¡¯t even warm up properly. ¡®I¡¯d rather face off against that Kim Yi-hyeon guy once¡­¡¯ ¡°Wow, you were amazing out there, bro!¡± An Yu-seong approached the dejected Kang Hyeon. ¡°Did you train somewhere beforeing here?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not like that, man.¡± ¡°Come on~ You were totally dominating! And the way you sent that assistant flying on the first day¡­ Are you some kind of sword master or something?¡± Over the past few days, Kang Hyeon had be quite friendly with An Yu-seong. While everyone else was avoiding Kang Hyeon, An Yu-seong persistently approached him to chat. ¡°It¡¯s really boring here, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Yeah. I just want to finish quickly and leave.¡± ¡°Just wait. I have a feeling something interesting is about to happen. Hehe.¡± An Yu-seong said with a grin. ¡°Next group,e forward.¡± ¡°Ah! It¡¯s my turn. Look forward to it.¡± As his turn came, An Yu-seong walked forward with a smile. ¡®Why is that guy holding a mace?¡¯ Until now, An Yu-seong had been training with a longsword. But today, for some reason, he was walking forward holding a blunt weapon. ¡®I hope he¡¯s not going to cause trouble¡­¡¯ Kang Hyeon¡¯s concerns became reality in less than three minutes. ¡°Kyaaah!¡± A sudden scream drew everyone¡¯s attention. ¡°What are you doing!?¡± An Yu-seong¡¯s opponent was a woman who was now crying on the ground, her sword dropped. ¡°Sob sob¡­¡± ¡°Things got a bit intense during the sparring.¡± ¡°Medical team! Come quickly!¡± The woman¡¯s hand waspletely crushed, with white bone visible through the skin. An Yu-seong had easily dodged the sword she swung and brought his mace down on her hand. ¡°Mr. An Yu-seong. Are you joking right now?¡± Kim Yi-hyeon spoke through gritted teeth. ¡°This was an ident. An ident. I was so startled that I dodged and swung without thinking, and this happened!¡± His acting could make drama actors weep. Plus, while there were suspicions, there was no evidence that it was intentional. ¡°I¡¯d better stay far away from that crazy bastard.¡± As Kang Hyeon was muttering and shaking his head, it happened. ¨C Psssss¡­ Feeling uneasy, Kang Hyeon looked around. His eyes caught sharp ice forming above An Yu-seong. ¡°Hup!¡± However, as if he knew it wasing, An Yu-seong moved naturally to avoid it without even looking. ¡°What¡¯s going on here¡­?¡± It was clearly a skill, and magic at that. A few people, including Kang Hyeon and Kim Yi-hyeon, noticed it, but no one seemed inclined to make a bigger fuss about it. *** Ippotrantion *** ¡°Aaaaaargh!¡± Kang Hyeon screamed after returning to the dormitory when training ended. His shout echoed through the building, drawing people¡¯s attention, but once they realized it was Kang Hyeon, they quietly turned away. ¡°I¡¯m going crazy from frustration!¡± For over three months, Kang Hyeon had fought every single day until he was on the brink of death. On the day the tutorial ended. It¡¯s true that he was happy at the thought of not having to do such things anymore. But less than a week had passed before his mind changed. ¡°Haa¡­ Have I really be a madman?¡± He missedbat. The thrill of slicing flesh with a de and crushing bones kept circling in his mind. He had been in denial, but now he had no choice but to admit it. ¡°¡­¡± In fact, even watching An Yu-seong¡¯s actions earlier in the day had given Kang Hyeon a strange sense of pleasure. Somehow, he felt the tension of battle. And beyond that, he wanted to step in and smash everything himself. ¡°Damn it! I¡¯m not a psycho!¡± At Kang Hyeon¡¯s shout, his roommates quietly slipped away. ¡®If Kang A-hyun were here, she¡¯d be cursing and telling me to shut up¡­¡¯ He was so bored that he even missed his usually annoying sister¡¯s swearing. ¡°This won¡¯t do.¡± Muttering to himself, Kang Hyeon got up and left the dormitory. After passing through a dark corridor, he arrived at a room where light was leaking out. Raising his hand slightly, he knocked. ¨C Knock, knock ¡°Come in.¡± With permission granted, Kang Hyeon opened the door. ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± Kim Yi-hyeon, who had been organizing documents while sipping coffee, looked at Kang Hyeon. ¡°Let¡¯s have a duel. With real swords.¡± ¡°Why should I do that?¡± Kim Yi-hyeon continued flipping through documents without even looking at Kang Hyeon. He was turning pages so quickly that it seemed he wasn¡¯t reading them, just flipping. ¡°You¡¯re bored with this childish y too, aren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about.¡± At Kim Yi-hyeon¡¯s words, Kang Hyeon leaned in close. ¡°Don¡¯t lie. It¡¯s written all over your face.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Kang Hyeon spoke informally, but Kim Yi-hyeon just kept staring at his documents. ¡°You¡¯re making me ufortable. Please step back.¡± ¡°Shall we be honest?¡± ¡°I¡¯m already being honest.¡± ¡°Then why won¡¯t you look me in the eye?¡± At Kang Hyeon¡¯s persistent words, Kim Yi-hyeon raised his head to face him. His eyes were not the emptiness he had shown to others until now, but fierce mes burning. ¡°With eyes like that, there¡¯s no way you find staring at these stupid documents interesting, right?¡± Please rate the series here. Chapter 19 Chapter 19 ¨C Crazy Guys (1) Late at night. Two men faced each other in an empty training room. ¡°You may wear armor if you like.¡± ¡°What are you saying when you¡¯re not wearing any yourself?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t need to, as I won¡¯t be hit.¡± Kim Yi-hyeon provoked with a smirk. Kang Hyeon nodded back with a smile. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t die even if I get hit. This is enough.¡± Kang Hyeon pulled out Bilgein¡¯s longsword from his inventory. The sword, stained entirely blood-red, looked threatening at a nce. Name: Bilgein¡¯s Longsword Grade: B Durability: 476/500 Ability: Berserker, Durability Enhancement ¡°That¡¯s no ordinary sword. Could it be that you¡¯ve cleared up to the 6th stage?¡± ¡°I picked it up on the way.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°I won¡¯t use any skills or abilities, so don¡¯t be scared.¡± Kang Hyeon started stretching in earnest to warm up. ¡°Then I¡¯ll also use something I picked up on the way.¡± Kim Yi-hyeon pulled out two daggers from his inventory. They were clearly extraordinary weapons at first nce. ¡°Interesting. I like it.¡± Judging by their appearance, they were certainly high-grade weapons. And the only ce to obtain such weapons now was the 6th stage of the tutorial. ¡®As expected, he¡¯s quite capable.¡¯ As it became clear that Kim Yi-hyeon had indeed passed through the higher levels of the tutorial as predicted, Kang Hyeon¡¯s body heated up even more. ¡°Then, here Ie!¡± -ng! Kang Hyeon charged forward, swinging his sword with full force from the start. Kim Yi-hyeon smoothly deflected the attack. ¡®He¡¯s stronger than expected.¡¯ With his strength still at 16, Kim Yi-hyeon found it a bit challenging to directly block Kang Hyeon¡¯s sword. ¡°Yeah! That¡¯s good!¡± Excited that Kim Yi-hyeon easily deflected his sword, Kang Hyeon¡¯s attacks became even faster. -ng, ng! Kim Yi-hyeon narrowly dodged or deflected all the attacks. Kang Hyeon¡¯s sword path chasing him became increasingly sharper. He was swinging at angles that made it difficult for Kim Yi-hyeon to easily block. ¡®His swordsmanship is also top-notch. But he¡¯s getting too excited.¡¯ -Whoosh! As Kim Yi-hyeon dodged a wide swing, he simultaneously dove into Kang Hyeon¡¯s embrace. ¡°Ugh..!¡± In the blink of an eye, the tip of the dagger touched Kang Hyeon¡¯s neck. Kang Hyeon¡¯s eyes filled with bewilderment. ¡°It might be better to calm down a bit.¡± Kim Yi-hyeon withdrew his dagger and slowly backed away. Seeing this, Kang Hyeon chuckled. ¡°As expected, you also find it too disappointing to end it right away, huh?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go again.¡± *** Ippotrantion *** -ng! The sword flew through the air and fell to the floor. ¡°Haa, haa¡­ I¡¯ve lost.¡± Kim Yi-hyeon dered his surrender while panting heavily. He waspletely soaked with sweat that had poured like rain. His skin was slightly cut and bleeding, but not to a dangerous extent. ¡°Hup, whew¡­ Don¡¯t say such embarrassing things. This is practically my loss anyway.¡± Kang Hyeon also slowly caught his breath. Kang Hyeon¡¯s clothes were torn and soaked in blood, looking like rags, but his body showed no particr wounds. ¡°Isn¡¯t that recovery skill too unfair?¡± After losing once to the initial surprise attack, Kang Hyeon regained hisposure and fought more cautiously. As a result, neither of them could easily gain the upper hand. Kang Hyeon clearly felt he had the advantage in physical strength and speed, but he couldn¡¯tnd a clean hit. ¡®It¡¯s like he knows where I¡¯m going to attack.¡¯ Kang Hyeon suspected that Kim Yi-hyeon might have a skill rted to prediction. But in fact, his unique ability was thought eleration. In his slowed perception of time, Kim Yi-hyeon could recognize and dodge the sword no matter which path it took. That¡¯s why Kang Hyeon, despite having a higher level and superior physical abilities, couldn¡¯tnd a proper attack. Eventually, the fight dragged on, and Kim Yi-hyeon, who ran out of stamina first, dered his surrender. ¡°Your skill seems even more unfair to me. Anyway, thank you. I feel like all my stress has been relieved.¡± Feeling refreshed after sweating for the first time in a while, Kang Hyeon extended his hand. ¡°I should be thanking you. It was very helpful.¡± Kim Yi-hyeon grasped Kang Hyeon¡¯s hand and shook it. *** Ippotrantion *** Time passed, and it was thest day of training. Over 100 people stepped out of the training hall. ¡°The final training is to fight monsters in an actual dungeon. Form groups of 5 and defeat monsters to pass.¡± Under Kim Yi-hyeon¡¯s guidance, they arrived in front of an F-ss dungeon. ¡°This is Keika¡¯s Forest, designated as a training dungeon by the Ability User Cultivation School.¡± Keika¡¯s Forest. Although an F-ss dungeon, it was known for the powerful Keikas that appeared there, stronger than typical monsters. Still, there was a reason the government designated this ce as a training dungeon. ¡°Keika¡¯s Forest is a field-type dungeon, so there are no threats other than monsters.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°And Keikas have a habit of moving alone, not in groups, so if you¡¯re all a bit careful, there shouldn¡¯t be any particr danger.¡± Kim Yi-hyeon¡¯s exnation continued, but the tense expressions on people¡¯s faces didn¡¯t ease. ¡°I¡¯ll step in anytime there¡¯s a dangerous situation, so please be at ease. Now, follow the teaching assistants to enter.¡± Four teaching assistants entered the dungeon first, followed by the trainees in order. ¡®It¡¯s my first time entering a real dungeon.¡¯ Even Kang Hyeon, who had been bored throughout the training, felt excited as he entered the dungeon. -sh Kang Hyeon smiled at the familiar sensation of his vision sparkling and his body floating, which he hadn¡¯t felt in a while. ¡®This is just like the tutorial.¡¯ When he finally opened his eyes, he saw a dense jungle. It was a ce where the high temperature and humidity naturally increased difort. ¡°The teaching assistants will demonstrate first. After that, you¡¯ll have to hunt yourselves, so please watch carefully.¡± At Kim Yi-hyeon¡¯s signal, two teaching assistants entered the forest. Soon after, a strange cry was heard from the direction they went. ¡°Keeeeek¡± Finally, what appeared was a beast that looked simr to an ostrich, slightly over 2m tall. As the Keika approached, the two waiting assistants joined in and began to fight. ¡°Keikas are characterized by their fast feet and hard beaks. You should be especially careful because if you¡¯re hit by the beak, there¡¯s a high chance of a fatal injury.¡± ¡°The standard strategy for tackling a Keika is to surround it with multiple people, tie its legs, and then attack steadily.¡± The assistants skillfully pressured the Keika, increasing its injuries. ¡°When Keikas feel threatened, they sometimes try to run away.¡± ¡°Kyaaak!¡± ¡°That¡¯s why it¡¯s important to target the legs first to subdue it. Remember, you must never rush in hastily.¡± Kim Yi-hyeon continued his exnation as they watched the assistants fight. -Thud! A momentter, the Keika, covered in blood, copsed to the ground. ¡°Kiee¡­¡± One assistant approached and stabbed the Keika¡¯s neck with a knife. The life gradually faded from the Keika¡¯s eyes, and they eventually closedpletely. ¡°After finishing the hunt like this, you extract the magic stone. The location of the magic stone varies for each monster, but in the case of Keikas, it¡¯s located near the chest, close to the heart, so keep that in mind.¡± An assistant cut open the Keika¡¯s belly with a dagger and rummaged inside with their hand. ¡°Ugh¡­¡± People frowned watching this. Some even dry-heaved. ¡°You might find this quite disgusting now, but you¡¯ll get used to it soon.¡± The assistant pulled out a small, purple gem about the size of a marble from the Keika¡¯s body. ¡°Because magic stones are this small, it takes a considerable amount of time to find them, but I rmend collecting them if possible.¡± After that, several more demonstration hunts took ce. As the hunts were repeated, people¡¯s tension gradually eased. ¡°Now then, we¡¯ll start with the first group.¡± Finally, it was time for the first group¡¯s turn. They were each holding weapons obtained from the second stage and wearing armor provided by Kim Yi-hyeon. ¡°They¡¯repletely frozen.¡± When it was finally their turn, everyone was stiff with fear. Seeing this, Kang Hyeon shook his head. ¡°Well, this is reality after all.¡± Everyone here had passed the tutorial¡¯s second stage. In other words, they had experience killing monsters. But this was reality. If they got injured, they might have to live with a disability for the rest of their lives, and if they made a mistake, they could die right there. Everyone hade this far prepared, but the fear they faced in person was much greater. ¡°Those who find hunting difficult can give up. There are no penalties, and you can apply for training againter, so don¡¯t push yourselves too hard.¡± As soon as Kim Yi-hyeon finished speaking, several people raised their hands and dered their withdrawal. ¡°Hmph, cowards.¡± Some people shot contemptuous nces at them, but their voices were trembling too. In fact, even that was just a means to hide their own fear. ¡°Kieek!¡± ¡°Get ready!¡± Finally, the assistants drove a Keika towards them. The first team stepped forward and formed a formation to face the Keika. ¡°Ugh¡­¡± That¡¯s when it happened. One man turned around and started to run away. ¡°I can¡¯t do this!¡± ¡°What are you doing?!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t run away!¡± The man couldn¡¯t ovee the terror of facing a giant beast over 2m tall right in front of him. Fortunately, an assistant filled the man¡¯s empty spot from behind. ¡°The assistants will fill in any gaps, so don¡¯t worry and please continue.¡± At Kim Yi-hyeon¡¯s words, the agitated people gradually regained theirposure. They had already spent ten days living as a team, received education on party strategies, and were sufficiently in sync with each other. ¡°Just do as you¡¯ve been taught!¡± The assistant drew Keika¡¯s attention from the front. In that gap, people gradually inflicted more wounds on its body. ¡°What? This is doable?¡± ¡°Great!¡± People began to find their confidence. And after about ten minutes, the blood-covered Keika copsed to the ground. ¡°Wow! We did it!¡± ¡°We won!¡± The people who caught Keika hugged each other and shouted with a sense of achievement. Those watching also seemed to feel their fear subside a little as the monster fell without much injury. ¡°Next group. Step forward.¡± An hourter. More than half of the people had defeated Keika. Some people were injured in the process, but Kim Yi-hyeon quickly stepped in to handle it, preventing it from escting into a major incident. The wounds they sustained were not life-threatening thanks to emergency treatment by the standby medical team. ¡°Finally, it¡¯s my turn!¡± As the turn of the team including himself finally approached, An Yu-seong shouted and rushed out. ¡°Kieek!¡± An excited An Yu-seong imitated Keika¡¯s sound and let out a strange cry. ¡°Please be quiet. I ask you to take this seriously.¡± An Yu-seong stopped at Kim Yi-hyeon¡¯s restraint, but he was visibly excited about the prospect of battle. ¡°Crazy bastard¡­¡± Kang Hyeon, being almostst in line, was waiting with a bored expression. However, contrary to his expression, Kang Hyeon was actually very curious about An Yu-seong¡¯s battle. ¡°Well then. Assistants, move¡­¡± It was when the assistants were about to move for the next drive. [The dungeon¡¯s Main Core has been removed] [A portal to the outside is opening] [The dungeon will copse, so please exit] Kim Yi-hyeon stopped at the sudden message. People also murmured with confused expressions at the unfamiliar message. ¡°Everyone! Please don¡¯t panic and exit through the portal that has appeared in front. It could be dangerous if you don¡¯t leave in time.¡± ¡°What the hell is this shit!¡± An Yu-seong swore at the sudden turn of events. He was frustrated by the fact that he had to leave the dungeon without even fighting. ¡°Haa¡­¡± But no one knows what will happen if they don¡¯t leave now. They might even be trapped in the dungeon forever. Eventually, An Yu-seong resigned himself and headed for the portal. ¡°There¡¯s enough time. Move slowly.¡± Kim Yi-hyeon calmly led all the people out and checked until thest person. ¡°Is it all over?¡± After confirming that no one was left in the dungeon, he exited. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°Well, didn¡¯t it say the Main Core was removed?¡± ¡°I heard removing the Main Core means perfectly clearing the dungeon.¡± Kim Yi-hyeon pondered as he watched many people murmuring. ¡®Someone cleared the dungeon¡­¡¯ It was certain, given that the Main Core was said to be removed, and cracks were gradually appearing on the dungeon door. ¡®Who could it be?¡¯ This is a government-designated dungeon, controlled to prevent clearing. No, entry is restricted unless it¡¯s rted to training. ¡°But why¡­¡± That¡¯s when it happened. ¡°Kyaaaah!¡± ¡°What is that!¡± Suddenly, screams of people were heard. Kim Yi-hyeon quickly moved his gaze to check. ¡°Damn, what the¡­!¡± The dungeon was crumbling with its door wide open. Keikas were pouring out from inside. At the same time, a Keika overwhelminglyrger than the others came out as well. [Mutant Keika] A size reaching 3m, muchrger than other Keikas. Moreover, this one even had a tail, its presence alone was overwhelming. ¡°Assistant! Request support from headquarters! Everyone, please evacuate. My assistants and I will hold them off here, so run away!¡± As he spoke, Kim Yi-hyeon also took out two daggers, his favorite weapons, from his inventory and rushed out. ¡°Save me!¡± ¡°Argh!¡± As an enormous number of Keikas rushed out along with the dungeon boss, people screamed and scattered in panic. Some people tried to band together to face the Keikas, but fighting surrounded by enemies attacking from all directions was apletely different matter from surrounding and fighting one. ¡°Don¡¯t try to fight, just run away!¡± Kim Yi-hyeon shouted urgently while stabbing a dagger into a Keika¡¯s neck. ¡°Damn it! The Keikas alone are overwhelming, and now the boss too¡­¡± The situation seemed hopeless. ¡®Let¡¯s move for now.¡¯ There wasn¡¯t even time to think like this. Even now, people were dying at the hands of the Keikas in real-time. ¡°Kyaaaah!¡± ¡°Argh!¡± ¡°Kieek!¡± A hell on earth that unfolded in just a few seconds. When everyone was at a loss for what to do, ¡°All of you, get out!¡± A thunderous shout erupted. Please rate the series here. Chapter 20 Chapter 20 ¨C Crazy Guys (2) ¡°Get out of here!¡± [The Roar of the Enraged Lion has been activated] [All enemies¡¯ morale and stats have decreased] Kang Hyeon rushed forward, drawing Bilgein¡¯s longsword from his inventory. Although he had Ronald¡¯s armor obtained after passing the 7th stage, there was no time to leisurely change clothes. ¡°Kieeeek!¡± The Keikas, intimidated by Kang Hyeon¡¯s skill, screamed. ¡°Giant¡¯s Strength!¡± [Strength increases by 12 stats for 10 minutes] As he used the skill, he felt a surge of power. ¡°Move!¡± The Keika¡¯s beak and Kang Hyeon¡¯s sword collided precisely. -ng! A sound like metal shing rang out, and the Keika¡¯s head tilted backward. ¡°Kieeee..!¡± The Keika¡¯s beak, as hard as steel, crumpled like paper. Kang Hyeon swiftly beheaded the creature writhing in pain and continued forward. ¡°Ahhh! Help me!¡± ¡°Kiek!¡± A man was desperately trying to escape from a Keika. But he was quickly caught by the Keika with its fast movement speed. Just as the Keika¡¯s beak was about to strike the man¡¯s head. Kang Hyeon, running at full speed, kicked the man away. ¡°Kuuk!¡± The beak barely grazed the man as it passed by. ¡°No need for thanks!¡± ¡°Ugh¡­ I think my bones are broken.¡± The man groaned on the ground, clutching his side. Kang Hyeon didn¡¯t even nce at the man and looked at the Keika. ¡°Kiek!¡± ¡°One sh, Two Pieces!¡± The creature charged with a terrible cry. Kang Hyeon dodged the beak and used his skill to cut the Keika in half with one strike. ¡°Whew, why are there so many?¡± The surroundings were inplete chaos. The green grass was covered in red blood, and screams of agony could be heard. ¡°Die! Die! Kuhahaha!¡± At that moment, Kang Hyeon¡¯s head turned towards aughing voice cutting through themotion. There was An Yu-seong, riding on top of a Keika. -Bang, bang, bang! An Yu-seong, holding a menacing-looking mace, was relentlessly smashing the Keika¡¯s head. It was clearly the weapon received after clearing the 6th stage of the tutorial. ¡°So you were originally a mace user.¡± Finally, the Keika¡¯s head burst open, spilling its contents. Kang Heon, who was briefly feeling sorry for the Keika, shook his head. ¡°This is not the time.¡± It wasn¡¯t the time to be leisurely watching. Kang Hyeon looked around again. He could see that several ability users and instructors had taken down quite a few Keikas. However, the boss mutant Keika, was still rampaging around. Its beak was covered in blood and flesh from an unknown number of victims. ¡°Huap!¡± Kim Yi-hyeon was facing the creature alone. -Kwang, bang! Threatening sounds echoed as the beak struck the ground. Although Kim Yi-hyeon wasn¡¯t directly hit by the attacks, he looked precarious as he continued to only dodge. ¡®Now¡­!¡¯ ¡°One sh, Two Pieces!¡± -sh! Kang Hyeon quickly approached the boss mutant Keika and used his skill. ¡°Kieeek!¡± Normally, Kang Hyueon doesn¡¯t use his full strength while using ¡®Giant¡¯s Strength¡¯. It was because his body might not withstand it, and his muscles could be damaged. But now was not the time to worry about such things. Kang Hyeon¡¯s sword, swung with all his might, cut about half of the boss mutant Keika¡¯s wing, causing blood to flow. -Thud! At the same time, Kang Hyeon was hit by the creature¡¯s swinging tail and flew a considerable distance before crashing to the ground. ¡°Cough!¡± It was a tremendous impact, like being hit by a car. Kang Hyeon, not wearing armor, felt like his entire body was breaking. When Kang Hyeon spat on the ground, blood was mixed in. ¡°Ah¡­ This is going to take some time.¡± It felt like he had injured his internal organs, having been hit in a bad spot. It seemed it would take more than a moment to fully recover. ¡°Kang Hyeon! Are you okay?¡± An Yu-seong, who had approached at some point, extended his hand to Kang Hyeon. ¡°Yeah¡­¡± As Kang Hyeon was about to take his hand, he saw the blood and flesh pieces covering An Yu-seong¡¯s hand and withdrew. ¡°You filthy bastard.¡± ¡°Ah, why are you like that~ We¡¯rerades!¡± An Yu-seong, covered in blood from head to toe from who knows what, tried to embrace Kang Hyeon. Kang Hyeon recoiled in horror. ¡°Take one more step, and you¡¯re dead.¡± ¡°Tch.¡± ¡°Sigh, we don¡¯t have time for this. It¡¯s dangerous, so you stay back.¡± Kang Hyeon picked up his sword again and rushed towards the creature. ¡°Are you alright?¡± ¡°Worry about yourself!¡± Kang Hyeon responded to Kim Yi-hyeon¡¯s greeting and deflected the rapidly approaching beak to the side. -ng! Then, Kim Yi-hyeon, who was beside him, stabbed his dagger into the Keika¡¯s head as it flew towards him. ¡°Keeeeee!¡± The creature screamed with the dagger stuck in its right eye. ¡°Its right field of vision is blocked, so let¡¯s focus on attacking that side. Aim for the legs first so it can¡¯t escape!¡± Kim Yi-hyeon gripped his remaining sword in reverse and leaped under the Keika. ¡°For someone with only one life, you¡¯re quite bold.¡± Kang Hyeon moved to the Keika¡¯s left side, which was uninjured, and swung his sword. It was to draw the creature¡¯s attention. -Bang! Bang! The ground shook each time the creature¡¯s beak struck down. Kang Hyeon carefully dodged the attacks and brought his sword down towards the creature¡¯s neck. ¡°Kugh!¡± Although he swung with the intention of cutting itpletely, it was difficult to even pierce the creature¡¯s thick hide. ¡°I¡¯ll help you!¡± At that moment, a familiar voice was heard from behind Kang Hyeon. ¡°This voice¡­¡± Kang Hyeon recognized it as Kim Seong-han, the assistant who had corrected him during the first day¡¯s training. ¡°Huaaap!¡± Kim Seong-han ran at high speed, swinging his sword towards the boss mutant¡¯s face. In that instant, the creature¡¯s eyes shed. -Swish! The creature impaled Kim Seong-han with its beak, which was much longer than other Keikas at 1 meter. Kim Seong-han was skewered on the beak in an instant. When the boss mutant raised its head, Kim Seong-han also rose into the air. -Thud thud thud As it violently shook its beak, blood and entrails rained down from the sky. ¡°That stupid bastard!¡± ¡°All the other assistants are out! We¡¯re just increasing casualties!¡± Kang Hyeon spat out curses. Kim Yi-hyeon warned others not to join the battle. ¡°Kieek!¡± As time passed, wounds multiplied on the boss mutant Keika¡¯s body. Especially its right leg seemed to havepletely lost function now. ¡°Huff, huff¡­¡± Kim Yi-hyeon was also panting heavily,pletely exhausted. He hadn¡¯t allowed a single direct hit, but his chronk of stamina was the problem. ¡°Just a little more and it¡¯s over!¡± -ng! Kang Hyeon, who was striking away the tail with a shout, wasn¡¯t in a normal state either. The outside was healed due to skills, but the inside of his body was still a mess. ¡°Huh?¡± Just then, Kang Hyeon¡¯s head turned at a suddenly familiar voice. ¡°Wadadadadada!¡± ¡°Hey! Where are you going, man!¡± An Yu-seong was running at an incredible speed, swinging his arms back and forth like a sprinter. -Tap, tap! Soon, An Yu-seong jumped right in front of the boss mutant, did a flip in the air, andnded on top of the boss mutant Keika¡¯s body. It was an incredible sense of bnce. ¡°Kieek?!¡± The boss mutant Keika turned around, feeling something climb onto its back. An Yu-seong faced the creature with a smile. ¡°Hello?¡± ¡°Keeek!¡± Enraged at the human who dared to climb on its body, it thrust its beak forward. Seeing this, An Yu-seong instead kicked off the approaching beak and rose into the air again. ¡°Keek?¡± The boss mutant Keika shook its head in confusion as An Yu-seong suddenly disappeared into the air. At that moment. -Kwang! An Yu-seong, who had somehow taken out a mace from his inventory, struck precisely at the dagger that was stuck in the creature¡¯s eye. ¡°Ke, kek, kieek¡­¡± With that impact, the knife handle wentpletely into the eye, piercing the brain, and the creature slowly crumbled to the ground. ¡°Die! Die! Die-! Uhahaha!¡± -Bang! Bang! Even after it fell, the mace was driven into the Keika¡¯s twitching head several more times. The creature that had been trembling finally stopped moving. ¡°¡­¡± Kang Hyeon nkly stared at the scene. ¡°What the hell is that bastard¡­?¡± It wasn¡¯t just a matter of physical stats. That level of movement. That sense. Kang Hyeon felt he understood a little of what true talent was. ¡®He waited for the timing and moved without hesitation when the opportunity arose.¡¯ Not only that. Outstanding judgment and decisiveness. Perfect sense of bnce. Even the sense to open the inventory in mid-air to take out equipment. An Yu-seong was a born fighter in every sense. ¡°Kang Hyeon! I took care of it.¡± An Yu-seong, covered in so much blood that you couldn¡¯t tell if his hair was yellow or red, waved at Kang Hyeon. ¡°Crazy bastard.¡± Kang Hyeon could only swallow a hollowugh as he watched. *** Ippotrantion *** ¡°Thank you very much.¡± ¡°Thank this guy. He wrapped everything up.¡± Kang Hyeon pointed to An Yu-seong as Kim Yi-hyeon was expressing his gratitude. ¡°Thank¡­ You.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine! I did it because it was fun too. Haha!¡± Not long after, people from the Ability Management Agency came to clean up the scene. As many as 23 people died and over 40 were injured. Some were said to be so psychologically traumatized that even daily life would be difficult. ¡°I¡¯ll speak to the higher-ups aboutpensation for this incident, so it will be deposited into both of your ounts. Even though we didn¡¯t remove the main core ourselves, we still cleared the dungeon.¡± The reward for removing an F-grade main core is as much as 40 million won. Kim Yi-hyeon said that 20 million won each would be paid to Kang Hyeon and An Yu-seong. ¡°If everything¡¯s done, can I go home? I¡¯m tired.¡± The aftereffects were quite severe due to overexertion while using the Giant¡¯s Strength. Moreover, fighting urgently without proper armor resulted in too many injuries, with broken bones and bleeding all over. ¡°Yes. We¡¯ll send your ability registration card to your home. Will you be alright without going to the hospital?¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine. It¡¯ll heal on its own if left alone.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± ¡°Then I¡¯m leaving.¡± Kang Hyeon greeted and headed home. He frowned as he dusted off the dirt and flesh from his clothes. ¡°Damn¡­ I can¡¯t even take the subway like this.¡± What he was wearing could no longer be called clothes, but rather rags. ¡°Kang Hyeon! Where are you going?¡± An Yu-seong, who had approached unnoticed, called out to Kang Hyeon. ¡°Home.¡± ¡°Want to go together with me?¡± ¡°What?¡± Kang Hyeon stared nkly at An Yu-seong¡¯s sudden invitation. Though he didn¡¯t seem particrly injured, his clothes looked like they would drip blood if wrung out. ¡°If I go with you, it wouldn¡¯t be surprising to see us on the news tomorrow.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°Get lost.¡± ¡°Come on~ Why are you like that? I called a driver, so let¡¯s go together. I¡¯ll give you a ride.¡± ¡°Driver¡­?¡± As An Yu-seong said, not long after, a luxury sedan stopped in front of them. ¡°Young master, please get in.¡± An older man got out of the driver¡¯s seat and politely opened the back door. ¡°Get in! I¡¯ll take you to your house, Kang Hyeon.¡± ¡°You bastard! So you¡¯re a silver spoon?¡± Kang Hyeon felt annoyed for no reason, but he had no other way to get home. He reluctantly got into the car. -Vroom¡­ The car glided forward with a heavy engine sound. ¡°Geonu-dong, right?¡± ¡°Yeah. Just drop me off around there, I¡¯ll manage on my own.¡± Tired, Kang Hyeon closed his eyes, cutting off the conversation. ¡°But¡­¡± ¡°Hm? What?¡± Kang Hyeon spoke calmly without even turning his head. ¡°Why are you being so friendly and following only me?¡± ¡°Is that not allowed?¡± ¡°Yeah. Not until I know the reason.¡± Kang Hyeon, who had opened his eyes by now, red at An Yu-seong with a cold gaze. ¡°I think it¡¯ll be fun hanging out with you, Kang Hyeon.¡± ¡°You¡¯re following me around because you think it¡¯ll be fun? You expect me to believe that now?¡± ¡°But it¡¯s true¡­¡± An Yu-seong made a truly aggrieved expression. ¡°Give me another reason besides that.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ First of all, you¡¯re strong, Kang Hyeon.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t seem too bad yourself.¡± ¡°Nah, I¡¯m still no match for you, Kang Hyeon.¡± I¡¯m not sure what basis he had for saying this, but An Yu-seong seemed confident. ¡°And? Is that all?¡± ¡°Because you¡¯re simr to me.¡± An Yu-seong was the craziest person Kang Hyeon had ever met. When such a guy said he was simr to him, Kang Hyeon¡¯s face crumpled. ¡°What nonsense? How am I simr to a lunatic like you?¡± ¡°Ahem¡­¡± A fake cough was heard from the driver¡¯s seat at Kang Hyeon¡¯s blunt words. ¡°Come on, you know too, Kang Hyeon.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. Speak clearly.¡± ¡°You can tell by looking at the eyes.¡± You can tell by looking at the eyes. Somehow, those words felt familiar. Searching his memory, he recalled the night a few days ago when he visited Kim Yi-hyeon. -Then why aren¡¯t you making eye contact? Why don¡¯t you try talking while looking into my eyes? From the moment he first saw him, he could see the boredom and desire for victory in Kim Yi-hyeon¡¯s eyes. ¡®Did this guy see something in my eyes too?¡¯ Kang Hyeon narrowed his eyes and asked. ¡°What about my eyes?¡± ¡°You know too, Kang Hyeon. That you¡¯re crazy.¡± Kang Hyeon¡¯s eyes grew cold at An Yu-seong¡¯s following words. ¡°The desire to destroy something. The pleasure when bones and flesh are crushed! You feel it too, don¡¯t you, Kang Hyeon?¡± *** Ippotrantion *** -Vroom ¡°Sigh¡­¡± Kang Hyeon, who got off near his house, walked with a tired expression. An Yu-seong¡¯s words kept echoing in his mind. ¡°That bastard. Making people feelplicated.¡± -Beep beep beep beep, ding dong Finally arriving, Kang Hyeon entered the password at the entrance and went inside. ¡°Looks like Kang A-hyun isn¡¯t home yet.¡± That was fortunate. Kang Hyeon hurriedly took a shower and threw away his blood-soaked clothes, as seeing him in that state might shock her. A momentter. Kang A-hyun, who had returned home, opened the door. ¡°Yo! You¡¯re back!¡± Kang Hyeon smiled slightly at the sight of Kang A-hyun entering with a bright smile. ¡°Still, it¡¯s nice to see you after a while, right?¡± ¡°You¡¯ll be even happier in a bit?¡± Kang A-hyun tilted her head at Kang Hyeon¡¯s words. When Kang Hyeon checked his smartphone, he saw that 20 million won had just been deposited. Quite fast processing. Kang Hyeon grinned. ¡°Your brother has brought home some money. Let¡¯s have a beef party today!¡± Please rate the series here. Chapter 21 Chapter 21 ¨C Dungeon Strategy (1) Two people, a man and a woman, sat facing each other in a spacious office bathed in sunlight. ¨C tter The woman with long, pitch-ck hair set down her teacup. ¡°How was your experience as a teacher?¡± ¡°It wasn¡¯t as easy as I thought.¡± The man in a suit sitting across from her, Kim Yi-hyeon, answered. ¡°I heard there was a big incident.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°And there were some notable individuals.¡± Kim Yi-hyeon¡¯s expression becameplex and subtle. ¡°There were two unusual men.¡± As he spoke, Kim Yi-hyeon looked at the woman in front of him. She was beautiful enough to fit in seamlessly with celebrities on TV. However, her eyes were infinitely cold. ¡°Are they people who could be useful to us?¡± Her identity was Han Se-yeon, known to the public as one of only two people in Korea who had graduated from the 8th stage of the tutorial. ¡°Neither of them was in their right mind. The kid named An Yu-seong was definitely crazy, and the man called Kang Hyeon didn¡¯t seem normal either.¡± Kim Yi-hyeon took a sip of tea to wet his throat and continued. ¡°But they¡¯re definitely worth keeping an eye on. In my opinion¡­ They¡¯re the type who could rise to high ces. One way or another.¡± ¡°If you say so, Mr. Kim Yi-hyeon, then it must be true.¡± Han Se-yeon said with a smile. ¡°Do you have any information about the incident?¡± ¡°I¡¯m looking into it. It seems they ignored the dungeon boss and removed the main core, but I can¡¯t figure out who did it.¡± When Han Se-yeon says she doesn¡¯t know something, it¡¯s best to give up cleanly. Kim Yi-hyeon simply nodded in understanding. ¡°The government and I are paying attention because it could escte into organized terrorism. Let¡¯s wait and see.¡± ¡°Yes, I understand.¡± *** Ippotrantion *** ¡°30,000 won per person? Are you crazy?¡± Kang A-hyun¡¯s eyes widened as she checked the menu. ¡°Now, now, if your big brother is treating you, you should just say ¡®thank you¡¯ and eat.¡± ¡°You crazy bastard. Where did you get the money toe to a ce like this? What did you do?¡± Kang A-hyun asked with a serious expression, and Kang Hyeon wagged his index finger left and right. ¡°Tsk, tsk, tsk, it¡¯s too early to be surprised. Check your bank ount.¡± ¡°Bank ount¡­?¡± Overwhelmed by Kang Hyeon¡¯s arrogant demeanor, Kang A-hyun opened her smartphone app. There, she saw that 10 million won, half of what Kang Hyeon had earned, had been deposited. ¡°One, ten¡­ Hundred¡­ Thousand? Ten million won?!¡± Kang A-hyun¡¯s eyes bulged as she stared at her smartphone. ¡°Be quiet! People are looking. How embarrassing.¡± ¡°Hey! What¡¯s this money? Tell me the truth. What did you do? Did you steal it?¡± She looked ready to grab him by the cor if he didn¡¯t answer immediately. ¡°Geez. I said be quiet. It¡¯s money from the government, so don¡¯t worry and just use it. I¡¯m sorry for being a burden to you all this time¡­ I¡¯ll give you more in the future, so don¡¯t worry about living expenses.¡± Kang Hyeon said with a smile. ¡°Why is the government giving you money?¡± ¡°It¡¯s for clearing dungeons, so stop asking questions and put some meat on the grill. It¡¯s hot now.¡± ¨C Sizzle Korean beef was ced on the hot grill, and the surface of the meat quickly turned golden brown. Kang Hyeon dipped a well-cooked piece of meat lightly in salt and brought it to Kang A-hyun¡¯s mouth. Normally, this would have caused a fit, but for some reason, Kang A-hyun silently opened her mouth. ¡°Sob¡­ Sniff¡­¡± After eating the meat, Kang A-hyun suddenly started crying. ¡°Hey, what¡¯s this? Why are you crying? Is the meat that delicious? How good is it to make you cry?!¡± Kang Hyeon exaggeratedly brought his chopsticks to his mouth in a panic. ¡°Sniff, sob¡­¡± ¡°Chomp chomp, it¡¯s worth crying over¡­ It¡¯s delicious.. Boo hoo.¡± Kang Hyeon chewed the meat while pretending to cry exaggeratedly. ¡°That¡¯s not why I¡¯m crying!¡± ¡°Then why are you crying? Are you that happy about receiving money?¡± ¡°Yes! I¡¯m happy! Do you know how worried I¡¯ve been¡­ Waaah!¡± Finally, Kang A-hyun burst into tears, sobbing pitifully. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with this girl?! Eating meat well while crying and making a fuss.¡± ¡°My sry is tiny, and my savings are almost gone! How could I not worry when my brother spends all day ying games at home?!¡± Kang A-hyun spoke non-stop as if she was going to pour out all the resentment she had been holding in. ¡°Mom and Dad are struggling too, and there¡¯s nowhere to ask for help. It¡¯s been so hard!¡± ¡°Hey, I¡¯m sorry¡­ I¡¯ll give you more pocket money from now on.¡± ¡°How much will you give¡­¡± Kang Hyeon was exasperated by her asking about the amount of money even while sobbing. ¡°I¡¯ll give you over 500,000 won a month!¡± ¡°Really¡­?¡± ¡°Yes. If I earn more, I might give you much more. So let¡¯s eat the meat for now. You know beef doesn¡¯t taste good if it¡¯s overcooked, right?¡± ¡°Okay¡­¡± Kang A-hyun stopped crying and calmed down after eating a few pieces of meat. After some time passed, the siblings ordered alcohol and started chatting. ¡°I¡¯m telling you, he was a real lunaticpared to me. Next to him, I¡¯m just an angel. An angel.¡± ¡°Pfft, you¡¯re lying. There¡¯s no 20-year-old like that.¡± ¡°No, he graduated high school, but he¡¯s a young one, so he¡¯s still neen. Anyway, that guy is for real. He¡¯ll be big news soon.¡± ¡°Bullshit.¡± ¡°When a guy like that says, you¡¯re just like me, Kang Hyeon, it gives me the creeps¡­¡± Kang Hyeon told Kang A-hyun about the incident at the education school and about An Yu-seong, expressing his grievances. ¡°He¡¯s right about you.¡± ¡°What?! You little¡­¡± Kang A-hyun and Kang Hyeon shouted at each other, getting angry and irritated. But for that night at least, they were able to spend the dayughing and rxing. A few dayster, Kang Hyeon¡¯s ability registration card arrived. *** Ippotrantion *** ¡°Now I can start earning money in earnest.¡± With the registration card, one can legally enter dungeons. Kang Hyeon wanted to rush in right away, but he held back. ¡°First, let¡¯s check the Radar.¡± ¡®Radar¡¯ It was amunity site used by almost all ability users. It updates information on dungeons located across the country in real-time, and recruitment for conquest teams (parties) to tackle each dungeon takes ce here. Although it had been created less than two months ago, the number of users had grown rapidly, and now it had be a government-certified official site. ¡°Let¡¯s see, an F-rank dungeon located nearby¡­ Here it is.¡± F-rank dungeon. Taranque Hatchery. ¡°Taranque¡­ Taranque? Where have I seen this before? Ah!¡± About two months ago. On the day when dungeons opened simultaneously and the monster wave urred. Kang Hyeon, who had rushed out to save Kang A- hyun, had encountered another monster besides goblins. ¡°Those spider bastards!¡± Recalling the monsters with strong jaws, sharp legs, and spitting poison from their mouths, Kang Hyeon checked the detailed information of the dungeon. Taranque Hatchery: A closed-type dungeon in a damp cave. Numerous baby Taranque andrvae appear. Taranque are quite threatening when fully grown, but before that, even novice ability users can tackle them. The dungeon¡¯s boss is a mother Taranque. While its main abilities are weak, it¡¯s guarded by several adult Taranque and an enormous number of baby Taranque, making it difficult to conquer. From various aspects, it¡¯s positioned at the top of F-rank dungeons. As numerous tricky enemies that spit acidic liquid appear, it¡¯s rmended to challenge with well-equipped and well-coordinatedrge parties. ¡°It¡¯s exined in more detail than I thought.¡± Below the dungeon description, there was a post recruiting for a conquest team. [13th Taranque Hatchery Normal Core Conquest Team 18/20] -We n to conquer with a total of 20 people, prioritizing safety. The core settlement is only 500,000 won per person, but we expect additional ie of about 500,000 won per person due to therge number of enemies. As the location of the dungeon¡¯s core is known, the expected conquest period is 4-5 days. Please submit your participation application as a privatement and include your contact information. ¡°I guess it¡¯s better to go together and learn rather than doing it alone from the start, right?¡± After contemting, Kang Hyeon posted ament to apply. -Ring, ring. Shortly after. Kang Hyeon¡¯s smartphone rang with an unfamiliar number. ¡°Hello.¡± -Is this Kang Hyeon? ¡°Yes.¡± A voice of a seemingly older man came through the phone. -Nice to meet you. I¡¯m Kim An-seong. Kim An-seong, the leader of this conquest team, first asked Kang Hyeon if he had a recovery skill. -Ah¡­ So you can only heal yourself, right? ¡°Yes.¡± His voice sounded somewhat disappointed. -If you don¡¯t mind me asking, what¡¯s your level? ¡°I¡¯m level 15.¡± -Good. Then I¡¯ll ask you to take the tanker position. Since dungeons had only appeared recently, there were almost no people with recovery skills. This conquest team was in desperate need of healers. However, Kim An-seong decided to ept Kang Hyeon. He judged that Kang Hyeon¡¯s level was quite high, and if he had self-healing, it would be sufficiently helpful. ¡°Is there anything I need to bring separately?¡± -I¡¯ll send you a text message with the necessary items. ¡°Okay.¡± -As you know, you can¡¯t put anything other than items in your inventory, so you¡¯ll need arge backpack. ¡°I understand.¡± After ending the call, Kang Hyeon checked the necessary items while looking at the text message that arrived shortly after. ¡°A sleeping bag and a week¡¯s worth of food. And¡­¡± ¡°Hey!¡± Suddenly, the door opened and Kang A-yun burst in. ¡°What?¡± ¡°Is this you?¡± Kang A-hyun thrust her smartphone at him. -Recent news on Geonwoo-dong Goblin yer It was a fairly familiar name. ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± ¡°This is you, right? And there was news about the dungeon clear at the ability user education school being an incident. Why didn¡¯t you tell me properly?¡± Ignoring Kang A-hyun¡¯s words, Kang Hyeon closely examined the photo. It was definitely him holding Bilgein¡¯s longsword with a reddish-ck light. -The person who resolved the incident in Seongnam City this time, indeed, ss doesn¡¯t go anywhere. ¡°It is me, but¡­ How can they tell from just a back view?¡± Kang Hyeon was puzzled as he looked at the short text that came with the photo. He decided to check thements first by scrolling down. -How can you tell it¡¯s him just from this? -There are other photos too. Analysis andparison posts are already up. -Use your heads, guys. The Geonwoo-dong massacre happened two months ago, but this is where new recruits are trained. -This guy¡¯s proving he doesn¡¯t know about abilities. There are over 100,000 people waiting for training now, so he could easily be training now. -With that level of ss, could he be an assistant or training instructor? -Agreed. I heard they took down the boss with just three people. -With just three people? Wow¡­ -What does Geonwoo-dong Goblin yer mean? -Link http¡­ As Kang Hyeon continued to check thements, a familiar name caught his eye. -Still, he probably can¡¯tpare to Han Se-yeon or Choi Dong Woo, right? -No way. They¡¯re in a league of their own. You¡¯d need to be world-ss topete. Veins popped on Kang Hyeon¡¯s forehead as he read thements. ¡°Don¡¯t they have anything better to do?¡± ¡°Hey. Ability users are the hottest topic on the inte these days. This much is normal.¡± Right now, the biggest interests on the inte were ¡®What new ability users are emerging¡¯ and ¡®Who is the strongest ability user¡¯. Community sites and cafes rted to this were already springing up, and there were even sites analyzing ability users¡¯bat capabilities and posting rankings. ¡°Look at this. You¡¯re on the ranking too.¡± -1st Choi Dong Woo -2nd Han Se-yeon ? 27th Geonwoo-dong Goblin yer The ranking Kang A-hyun showed went up to 100th ce. Kang Hyeon was ranked 27th. ¡°Why are they making such unreliable data?¡± ¡°It¡¯s just for fun. And to get views.¡± Kang Hyeon, who had secretly thought he would be among the top five in Korea, was upset. ¡°Sigh, it¡¯s pointless. I need to prepare.¡± ¡°Prepare? For what?¡± ¡°I¡¯m entering a dungeon in three days.¡± Please rate the series here. Chapter 22 Chapter 22 Dungeon Strategy (1) Time passed quickly. ¡°Come back safely. Don¡¯t get hurt.¡± ¡°You still don¡¯t trust your big brother?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°This time I¡¯m going lightly, just like a pic, so don¡¯t worry.¡± ¡°Okay. Make lots of money.¡± Kang Hyeon left the house after Kang A-hyun¡¯s send-off. ¡°I should get a used car or something.¡± The way there is fine using the subway, but the way back is a concern. It was inconsiderate to use public transportation looking dirty and disheveled after raiding a dungeon. ¡°If I went with that guy An Yu-seong, I wouldn¡¯t have to worry about transportation.¡± For a moment, he recalled the madman he met at the ability user education school, but soon shook his head. ¡°If I hang out with him, it¡¯s obvious I¡¯ll go crazy first.¡± Lost in various thoughts, he soon arrived at the station where he needed to get off. The dungeon was a 30-minute walk from the station. It was a bit far, but he decided to walk since there was plenty of time. ¡°That must be it.¡± Finally arriving at the meeting ce, Kang Hyeon could immediately tell where the raid group was. The entrance to the fairlyrge dungeon was bound to catch the eye even from a distance. However, what was even more impressive were the people dressed in all sorts of outfits. ¡°Everyone¡¯s outfit is shocking.¡± From a man wearing steel tes that looked like they belonged on a construction site, to a woman holding a huge spear, people of all genders were milling about in front of the dungeon in various appearances. ¡®They probably put it in their inventory and changed here?¡¯ It was obvious that walking around downtown in such outfits would draw all kinds of attention. -Click At that moment, Kang Hyeon¡¯s head turned towards a sound from beside him. At the same time, seeing a man getting out of a car, Kang Hyeon realized his thoughts were wrong. ¡®That guy seems to have watched too many movies.¡¯ The man had very thick chains wrapped all around his body. ¡®Can he even move?¡¯ Kang Hyeon was nning to wear the armor he got from the skeleton knight today. However, most people had never properly farmed items yet, so they either made their own armor ormissioned it. Such equipment wasn¡¯t treated as items, so it couldn¡¯t be put in the inventory, which is why everyone wore it here. ¡°30 minutes until departure. Please check once more if you¡¯re missing anything!¡± The familiar voice of a middle-aged man that he had heard on the phone a few days ago was heard. Kang Hyeon walked towards where the voice wasing from. ¡°That must be Kim An-seong.¡± Finally arriving nearby, the man who spotted Kang Hyeon approached. ¡°Are you participating in the raid group?¡± ¡°Yes. I¡¯m Kang Hyeon.¡± ¡°Kang Hyeon, Mr. Kang Hyeon¡­ Ah! The tank position?¡± As he spoke, Kim An-seong looked Kang Hyeon up and down. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but don¡¯t you have separate equipment?¡± ¡°It¡¯s in my inventory. I¡¯ll put it on now.¡± Kang Hyeon put down his backpack and took out the skeleton knight¡¯s armor and sword from his inventory. The skeleton knight¡¯s armor usually came out as F-grade, but asionally when E-grade equipment dropped, he always kept it in his inventory. ¡°Wow, what¡¯s that?¡± ¡°Is that an item?¡± ¡°Looks like armor that only professional raid groups doing E-grade dungeons would wear.¡± The skeleton knight¡¯s armor is all matte ck. Kang Hyeon wearing it stood out at a nce. It looked quite stylish, like something out of a cartoon or movie. ¡°Where did you get something like this?¡± ¡°If you have any extras, would you sell them to me?¡± People suddenly gathered around Kang Hyeon, throwing questions at him. ¡°I have extras, but they¡¯re just E-grade weapons and armor. It¡¯s nothing special.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll buy it for 2 Million won. How about it?¡± ¡°What¡¯s just 2 Million? I¡¯ll buy it for 5 Million won!¡± ¡°5.5 Million won!¡± Suddenly, an auction broke out among the people over Kang Hyeon¡¯s equipment. ¡®What¡¯s wrong with these people¡­?¡¯ Most people whoe to dungeons are poor and in difficult financial situations, aiming for a big score. However, there were some exceptions, one of which was middle-aged men in their 40s and 50s. They wereid off from work and had severance pay and savings, but in today¡¯s world, they couldn¡¯t rashly start another business. In the end, they entered dungeons to maintain even a small ie. ¡°8 Million won!¡± Such people were pouring their severance pay into buying Kang Hyeon¡¯s items. ¡°Sigh¡­ That¡¯s not okay.¡± Finally, when a man with a cleanly shaven head shouted 8 Million won, the other men shook their heads. ¡°Haha! It¡¯s over. Will you sell it to me for 8 Million won?¡± ¡°Well, yes. I¡¯ll give it to you as soon as the deposit is confirmed.¡± Kang Hyeon, who suddenly made a lot of money, barely held back his gums from fully blooming as he answered. ¡°Please check.¡± ¡°It came through well. Here¡¯s the armor and sword.¡± ¡°Thank you!¡± The man who received the equipment from Kang Hyeon was overjoyed. A momentter. When the man put on the armor, envious and jealous gazes gathered around. ¡°Wow! This is great!¡± The skeleton knight¡¯s armor is te armor weighing just over 20kg. It was a burdensome weight for the man, but he didn¡¯t mind, being highly ted by the gazes around him. ¡®If I knew this would happen, I should have brought even the F-grade ones.¡¯ Kang Hyeon regretted the dozens of armors left in the tutorial, but it was already in the past. ¡°May I have your attention!¡± Just then, Kim An-seong, who confirmed that all 20 members of the raid group had gathered, called for attention. ¡°We will now enter the dungeon. Please enter ording to your pre-determined positions following behind me.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°Then, let¡¯s go!¡± ¡°Woah!¡± At Kim An-seong¡¯s energetic shout, some people joined in with fighting spirit. ¡®It really does feel like we¡¯re going on a pic or something.¡¯ Their actions were meant to ease their tension a bit, but to Kang Hyeon, it looked somewhatical. -Whoosh! A massive cavern. Along with a sensation he hadn¡¯t felt in a long time, an eerie space unfolded before Kang Hyeon¡¯s eyes as he opened them. There were dozens of caves in a colossal cavern that seemed to exceed 1km in diameter. Kang Hyeon thought that if you were to magnify an underground ant colony hundreds of times, it might look something like this. ¡°This cave is the fastest route to reach the core.¡± Kim An-seong, standing in front of one of the caves, said. ¡°Please take your positions as previously agreed.¡± The people who had formed a formation slowly moved, following Kim An-seong. ¡°Keek, keek!¡± ¡°Five baby Taranque in front. They¡¯reing!¡± At Kim An-seong¡¯s shout, the people at the very front each took defensive stances. ¡°It¡¯s dangerous if you get hit by the acid, so spread out, and those with shields in the front line, don¡¯t dodge but block well! Those with buffs, cast them right now!¡± Kim An-seongmanded skillfully, as if this wasn¡¯t his first challenge to the Taranque¡¯s hatching grounds. [Strength increases by 1] [Agility increases by 3] ¡­ As several buffs stacked, the total stats jumped by about 10 in an instant. ¡®Buffs are indeed good, I must say.¡¯ Kang Hyeon, having already tasted the effects of buffs before, felt his senses sharpening as he prepared for the sh. -Bang! ¡°Kieek!¡± The sound of the charging Taranques colliding with the shields echoed through the cave, and immediately the people behind thrust their weapons. ¡°Everyone, prioritize safety and calmly dispose of them!¡± Baby Taranques weren¡¯t particrly strong monsters to begin with. With 20 people attacking 5 of such monsters, the battle ended anticlimactically in less than 5 minutes. There were no casualties. ¡°It¡¯s a good start. The number of monsters appearing will gradually increase, but if we keep this up, it¡¯ll be enough.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°Let¡¯s push on to the core without anyone getting hurt!¡± ¡°Woah!¡± ¡°The dungeon¡¯s not much. It¡¯s even easier than when we did it at school?¡± As the battle ended without any damage and with Kim An-seong¡¯s speech added, people¡¯s morale soared sky-high. ¡®That Kim An-seong guy is quite capable.¡¯ In truth, Kang Hyeon was disappointed that the situation ended so anticlimactically, but he decided to be satisfied since he came this time purely for the experience. ¡°Here it is.¡± ¡°Ah, thank you!¡± ¡°I haven¡¯t received mine yet.¡± After briefly taking time to distribute the magic stones extracted from the monster corpses ording to order, the raid party continued to advance. *** Ippotrantion *** A few dayster, the number of Taranques, which had been increasing each time, now reached 30. ¡°Injured personnel, fall back immediately for treatment!¡± However, the assault team, which had killed over 300 Taranques in two days of continuous battles, skillfully held off the enemies. ¡°Die!¡± ¡°We¡¯re about to be breached here. Help!¡± ¡°Arghhhh!¡± At that moment, a man screamed and rolled on the ground. He had been sshed with the Taranque¡¯s acidic fluid on his face. The man quickly retreated to receive healing, but it seemed unlikely he would regain his original face. ¡°Be careful!¡± Seeing this, people moved more cautiously as they pushed back against the Taranques. ¡°I think we¡¯ll reach the core if we go just a bit further. Everyone, let¡¯s keep it up!¡± Shortly after, all the enemies were defeated. However, the morale of the assault team had dropped considerably due to the first severely injured casualty. ¡°Are you okay?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry about me. A man should have at least this much of a scar.¡± The man whose face had partially melted was surprisingly calm. Despite the concerns of those around him, the man waved them off, smiling and saying it was nothing. ¡®He seems to have good mental strength, but it¡¯s a pity what happened.¡¯ Kang Hyeon and a few others noticed that he was just pretending to be fine, but they didn¡¯t intervene. ¡°Finally!¡± After a few more battles, the assault team finally reached the core. ¡°Everyone, this is thest stretch! Let¡¯s take care of these guys and go home!¡± ¡°Yeahhh!¡± As the goal came into sight, the exhausted people mustered theirst bit of strength. ¡°Instead of advancing together, we¡¯ll lure them into this narrow entrance and deal with them bit by bit. Everyone, hold your positions!¡± To reach the core, they had to exit the cave into a fairly wide open space. As there were an enormous number of Taranques visible at a nce, Kim An-seong decided to lure and eliminate the enemies. ¡°They¡¯reing. Get ready!¡± The Taranques reacted to the sound of people and charged forward, and soon humans and monsters shed. -Kwang! ¡°Ugh, why are there so many?!¡± Some people groaned at the unexpectedlyrge number of Taranques. ¡°Stay calm and do as we¡¯ve been doing. The entrance is narrow, so only a few can attack at once!¡± Just as the assault team was about to regain stability under Kim An-seong¡¯s skilledmand, it happened. ¡°Adult Taranques!¡± ¡°What?! Weren¡¯t those supposed to be only in the boss room?¡± From somewhere, two adult Taranques were rapidly approaching. The baby Taranques they had faced so far were at most the size of medium-sized dogs, barely reaching the waist. However, adult Taranques were several timesrger, about the size of giant beasts. Some people panicked at the unexpected sight of these massive monsters. ¡°We can¡¯t stop those!¡± ¡°Yes, we can. Hold your positions!¡± ¡°How are we supposed to stop that? We¡¯ll die!¡± Even before the adult Taranques had fully approached, the battle line began to crumble. ¡°Keek.¡± ¡°Aaaaah!¡± Finally, as the adult Taranques came near the assault team, they spewed acidic fluid from afar. People fell intoplete panic. ¡°We need to run away!¡± ¡°Save me!!¡± In an instant, the battle line shattered, and people began to flee. ¡°No,e with us!¡± The man who had bought armor from Kang Hyeon was positioned at the very front as a tank. Moreover, due to the weight of the armor, he couldn¡¯t run quickly and gradually fell behind. ¡°Hurry and run away!¡± At that moment, the man whose face had been sshed with acidic fluid blocked the front. ¡°Damn it..!¡± The man¡¯s legs were shaking uncontrobly. ¡®Why am I doing this? I should¡¯ve just run away!¡¯ He had moved to save others without even realizing it. While he was regretting this, the adult Taranque arrived. Without a moment¡¯s hesitation, it extended its leg towards him. ¡®I¡¯m going to die¡­!¡¯ -Schwack! In the moment he sensed death. The leg flying towards him was cut off in an instant. ¡°Quickly, run away!¡± The one who had swung the sword was none other than Kang Hyeon. ¡°Yaaah!¡± [Roar of the Enraged Lion is activated] [All enemies¡¯ morale and stats have decreased] Kang Hyeon used the Roar of the Enraged Lion. With the use of the skill, the enemies¡¯ movements slowed slightly, but that was all. Roar of the Enraged Lion was not a skill to draw aggro. ¡°I¡¯ll handle this, everyone focus on defense!¡± Kang Hyeon, also using Giant¡¯s Strength, jumped into the midst of the enemies to draw aggro. ¡°Keek!¡± ¡°Where do you think you¡¯re snarling!¡± -Thwack! Kang Hyeon kicked the head of an approaching baby Taranque as if kicking a ser ball. The impact caused its head to explode. ¡°Bisection!¡± Kang Hyeon, using the skill, swung his sword with all his might. In one go, the adult Taranque¡¯s leg was severed. He had targeted the leg first because attacking the head might disturb the poison sac located in the upper body. -Thud! As the Taranque with one leg cut off fell, Kang Hyeon immediately plunged his sword into its head and began to rampage in earnest. -Crunch! sh! Attacks flew in from all directions. It was impossible to dodge them all. Kang Hyeon, trusting in his armor¡¯s defense and his own regenerative ability, forced a frontal assault. ¡°Don¡¯t fall back, defend! Ptui!¡± Kang Hyeon spat out the Taranque¡¯s bodily fluid that had entered his mouth while speaking. It felt like his mouth was on fire, possibly due to a bit of acidic fluid mixed in. ¡°If we run away, the damage will increase! Everyone, hold the line!¡± As Kim An-seong led the people after seeing Kang Hyeon¡¯s heroic actions, the battle line gradually began to stabilize. ¡°We can do this! Just hold on a little longer!¡± ¡°Haaaaah!¡± One by one, people regained their senses and returned to their positions. The battle line quickly stabilized, and now people were calmly holding off the enemies. ¡°Who is that man¡­?¡± People who hadpletely settled in and gained someposure nkly watched Kang Hyeon fight. ¡°Keek!¡± -Bang! With each swing of his sword, with each kick extended, one Taranque fell. -Crunch ¡°Whew¡­¡± Finally, Kang Hyeon plunged his sword into the head of thest remaining Taranque and exhaled deeply. Chapter 23 Chapter 23 ¨C Crisis of Death (1) ¡°Thank you so much. If it weren¡¯t for Kang Hyeon, I don¡¯t know what would have happened¡­¡± Kang Hyeon smiled at Kim An-seong, who was bowing his head in gratitude. ¡°It¡¯s nothing. I should have moved faster.¡± After the battle, the raid party gathered the magic stones and assembled at the core. ¡°Is this the core?¡± ¡°Whew¡­ It¡¯s over!¡± The core pulsated like a heart. As soon as the connection was removed with a light sword strike, it stopped moving. Simultaneously, a blue portal leading outside opened. -Whoosh! Finally, after 4 days, the raid party escaped the dungeon. Most cheered with relief at being alive, but some people nced at Kang Hyeon. ¡°Hey, you.¡± ¡°¡­?¡± ¡°If you had such power, shouldn¡¯t you have stepped up earlier?!¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± As one man spoke, others began to agree. ¡°That¡¯s right. If you had stepped up from the beginning, we wouldn¡¯t have struggled so much in the dungeon.¡± ¡°And idents wouldn¡¯t have happened either.¡± Kang Hyeon¡¯s expression gradually twisted as he listened to their words. ¡°Are these people joking right now¡­¡± ¡°What? These people?!¡± ¡°You there.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± Kang Hyeon looked at the person who first shouted that he had done wrong. ¡°If you are old enough, don¡¯t you think you should act your age.¡± ¡°What¡­?¡± ¡°Am I your nanny? Why should I step up and clear the dungeon for you?¡± Kang Hyeon¡¯s patience quickly crumbled. ¡°You were quick to run away to save yourselves, and now that you¡¯re safe, you harass the person who helped you? Damn. This is ridiculous.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s all stop this,¡± Kim An-seong intervened, unable to watch any longer. ¡°Kang Hyeon actually jumped into a horde of monsters for our sake.¡± ¡°But still, from the beginning¡­¡± ¡°Moreover! When all of you were running away, he alone stood against those creatures.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Do you think we could have made it out of the dungeon alive like this without Kang Hyeon?¡± As Kim An-seong continued speaking, people began to calm down. ¡°Kang Hyeon, please try to control your anger. How about we stop here?¡± Kang Hyeon felt somehow calmer at Kim An-seong¡¯s words. ¡°Yes. Well¡­¡± ¡°Thank you. Haha.¡± ¡°Excuse me, Mr. Kim An-seong.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Do you perhaps have a skill for calming people down?¡± Kim An-seong looked surprised at Kang Hyeon¡¯s question. ¡°Why do you ask that¡­¡± ¡°Both in the dungeon and just now during the fight, people quickly calmed down with just a word from you, Mr. Kim An-seong.¡± Kim An-seongughed awkwardly at Kang Hyeon¡¯s words. ¡°Actually, my unique ability is rted to dealing with people. It¡¯s nothing special. Haha.¡± Kang Hyeon nodded in understanding at those words. ¡°If it¡¯s alright with you, could we go to the dungeon together again next time?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± As Kim An-seong spoke while handing over his contact information, Kang Hyeon reluctantly nodded. ¡°Then, good work.¡± Kim An-seong politely greeted Kang Hyeon until the very end as he left. ¡°Haa, mister. I¡¯m sorry about this.¡± Although he received the contact information, Kang Hyeon had no intention of going to dungeons with anyone else in the future. ¡°In fact, far from helping, they¡¯re just burdens. If I had gone alone, I would have cleared it in two days and earned much more money.¡± Kang Hyeon shook his head as he put his armor in his inventory. ¡°Well, I should check the rewards first.¡± ?Name: Kang Hyeon ?Title: Tutorial Graduate and 1 other ?Level: 29 ¡ú 30 new! ?Detailed Stats: Strength 21 (+2.5) Agility 20 (+2.5) Stamina 20 (+2.5) Magic Power 20 (+2.5) Additional Stat Points: 0 ¡ú 1 new! ?Unique Ability: Resurrection ?Abilities: Intermediate Swordsmanship(D), Lower-Grade Shield Technique(E), Lowest-Grade Crossbow Skill(F) ?Skills: Roar of the Enraged Lion(C), Intermediate Bodily Regeneration(B), Bisection(E), Giant¡¯s Strength(B) After checking his status window, Kang Hyeon invested the additional stat point in stamina. ¡°Hehe¡­ Finally level 30, huh.¡± His stats had also grown significantly. Total stats: 82. Additional stats from titles: 10. It was an amazing figure approaching a total of 92. ¡°Compared to the beginning, it¡¯s really increased tremendously.¡± While Kang Hyeon was smiling contentedly, a taxi arrived. ¡°Wee.¡± ¡°Yes. Please take me to the nearest magic stone exchange.¡± *** Ippotrantion *** ¡°How much did you say?¡± ¡°27.6 million won.¡± Kang Hyeon¡¯s jaw dropped to the floor at the employee¡¯s words. ¡®How is it this much?¡¯ He had converted all the magic stones he had been collecting in his inventory into cash at the magic stone exchange. The amount was a whopping 27.6 million won. Kang Hyeon was dumbfounded at the amount, which was much more than expected. ¡°Yes. Please exchange it.¡± ¡°The payment will be deposited into your ount by the end of today. Here¡¯s your receipt.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Kang Hyeon received the receipt, greeted, and turned around. ¡°Thank you for your business.¡± ¡°Have a nice day.¡± After leaving the magic stone exchange and catching a taxi, Kang Hyeon nkly looked up at the sky. He was holding a receipt for 27.6 million won in his hand, but it didn¡¯t feel real at all. ¡°The total is over 35 million won¡­¡± Including the 8 million won from selling the skeleton knight¡¯s equipment to the middle-aged man, the money earned over three days exceeded 35 million won. Most of the money was earned from items Kang Hyeon had obtained in the tutorial, but still. ¡°If I consistently run dungeons every day, earning a million won a day isn¡¯t just a dream.¡± Kang Hyeon clearly realized from this dungeon raid that working with others was of no help at all. The difference in levels was too stark. Although there were asionally outstanding individuals like Kim Yi-hyeon and An Yu-seong, they were truly rare exceptions. Kang Hyeon was beginning to realize that he was one of the only three people in Korea who had passed the tutorial. ¡°Now I don¡¯t have to worry about money anymore!¡± He could feel the taxi driver in front ncing at him, but he didn¡¯t care. *** Ippotrantion *** Kang Hyeon arrived home and forcefully swung open the front door. ¡°I¡¯m home!¡± ¡°Wee back. Ugh, the smell.¡± As soon as the door opened, Kang A-hyun covered her nose at the stench that entered with Kang Hyeon. ¡°Sorry, I couldn¡¯t shower for 3 days. I had to pay the taxi driver double because of this.¡± Although he had changed into new clothes he had packed after clearing the dungeon, he couldn¡¯t hide the smell of not having washed for three days. ¡°Think about what you want to eat while your brother is washing up.¡± ¡°What¡¯s this? Looks like you made some money?¡± ¡°Hehe. You¡¯ll be surprised.¡± A momentter, Kang Hyeon came out of the shower and showed his bank ount bnce. ¡°Huh? Th-thirty-five million won?!¡± ¡°Is your respect for your brother growing by leaps and bounds?¡± ¡°Did you really earn this? In just three days?¡± ¡°Tsk, your words are too brief.¡± ¡°How did you earn such arge sum of money, my esteemed brother?¡± Kang A-hyun prostrated herself on the floor, mimicking the speech from historical dramas. ¡°Ahem. It¡¯s all thanks to my excellence. Now, prepare to go shopping!¡± ¡°Yay~¡± Kang A-hyun hurriedly ran to her room to change clothes. ¡°But did you really earn this? Even looking at reviews online, I¡¯ve never seen anyone earn this much in just a few days.¡± ¡°That just shows how amazing I am. Let¡¯s go quickly!¡± ¡°Okay!¡± Although Kang A-hyun didn¡¯t like Kang Hyeon¡¯s constant boasting, she went along with the mood. ¡®What should I ask him to buy first?¡¯ *** Ippotrantion *** Kang Hyeon had lived his entire life without knowing money. The same was true for Kang A-hyun. When such arge sum was suddenly given to these siblings, they were at a loss as to how to spend it. ¡°Wee.¡± After much deliberation, they ended up at a nearby department store. They entered the luxury goods section, which could be considered the height of extravagance by Kang Hyeon¡¯s standards. ¡°Hey. Isn¡¯t this too much, even for you?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you want a nice bag or something? Choose before you change your mind.¡± ¡°Really? No take-backs.¡± For a moment, Kang Hyeon considered setting a limit, but then shook his head. ¡®A man¡¯s got to have his pride.¡¯ While Kang A-hyun was frantically looking around at the items, Kang Hyeon checked the price tags on the disyed products. ¡®How can a bag be this expensive?!¡¯ The prices for bags slightlyrger than Kang Hyeon¡¯s palm started at 1 million won. Looking around a bit more, he saw bags exceeding 2 million won quite frequently. ¡°Hmm. I guess it¡¯s okay¡­?¡± Having never even window-shopped in a ce like this in his life, Kang Hyeon involuntarily swallowed at the prices of the products, which were much higher than he had expected. ¡°Are you looking for anything in particr?¡± ¡°Ah, just browsing.¡± At Kang Hyeon¡¯s response, the employee¡¯s friendly expression crumpled. The employee looked Kang Hyeon up and down with an unpleasant expression, then turned around to find another customer. ¡®What¡¯s this? Did I just get looked down on?¡¯ In fact, no one in the store was dressed as shabbily as the siblings. Most people were wearing clothes that, if added up, could easily buy a small car. ¡®Damn¡­ Should we go somewhere else?¡¯ Just as Kang Kyeon was considering going to another store, feeling upset, Kang A-hyun approached. ¡°How about this one?¡± The bag Kang A-hyun had chosen was really just the size of a palm. When Kang Hyeon checked the price tag, it read 750,000 won. ¡°Is this enough?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± At that moment, Kang Hyeon¡¯s eyes met with that employee from earlier. The employee was clearly wearing a smirk. ¡®That bitch¡­¡¯ Kang Hyeon, feeling heated, roughly ran his hand through his hair. ¡°Haah¡­¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Is it too expensive¡­?¡± ¡°Hey. Choose something else. Something more expensive.¡± ¡°But I said I want this one?¡± Kang Hyeon grabbed Kang A-hyun and picked up the most expensive bag he had seen earlier. ¡°How about this? It looks nice.¡± ¡°It¡¯s pretty, but it¡¯s too expensive.¡± ¡°If we¡¯re going to buy something, we should buy something good. Do you like this?¡± ¡°Yeah¡­ It is nice, but¡­¡± ¡°Then let¡¯s get this. Excuse me.¡± When Kang Hyeon called for an employee, the one who had ignored him earlier hurried over. ¡°Do you need something?¡± ¡°I want to buy this.¡± ¡°Certainly. Then¡­¡± ¡°But call another employee, not you.¡± ¡°Excuse me?¡± The employee made a stupid expression at Kang Hyeon¡¯s words. ¡°I¡¯m not going to buy from you, so please call another employee.¡± *** Ippotrantion *** After finishing their shopping at the department store and having ate dinner, the siblings returned home. ¡°Didn¡¯t you overdo it today?¡± ¡°I told you it¡¯s fine. If you¡¯re that worried, we can return it now.¡± ¡°Hmph!¡± Kang A-hyun hurriedly took the bag into her room. ¡°Thank you. I¡¯ll cherish it and carry it for the rest of my life. But why did you act like that to that employee earlier?¡± Kang Hyeon exined to Kang A-hyun what had happened at the department store. ¡°What? How can there be such a bitch?!¡± ¡°Right?¡± ¡°You did well. If it were me, I would have taught her a proper lesson!¡± Kang Hyeon couldn¡¯t help butugh at Kang A-hyun¡¯s appearance as she clenched her fist and shouted. ¡°Anyway, I¡¯ll earn a lot of money from now on, so you should dress up nicely and meet some guys too.¡± ¡°You were doing so well, why bring up men?¡± Kang A-hyun had been working diligently, knowing nothing but home and work. Objectively, she was quite beautiful, but because their living situation had been so difficult, she hadn¡¯t even had the luxury to think about other things. ¡°You¡¯re one to talk. You¡¯ve been single for over 5 years.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not unable to date, I¡¯m choosing not to date.¡± Kang Hyeon threw out the ssic excuse used by the hundreds of thousands in the singles army. ¡°Haah, I need to rest now. You did well today.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Kang Hyeon entered his room and picked up his smartphone. ¡°I need to buy a car too¡­¡± Although there had beenrger than expected expenses today, he couldn¡¯t afford not to buy a car. Kang Hyeon took out his smartphone and searched for used cars. ¡°Why are these used cars so expensive?¡± The average price of the cars appearing on the first screen was over 10 million won. As he continued scrolling down looking for cheaper cars, Kang Hyeon finally saw a product that caught his eye. ¡°5 million won, huh¡­¡± It was an older mid-size sedan. It was amon national car that could be seen anywhere on the streets. ¡°I¡¯m just going to use it to go back and forth to the dungeon anyway, so this should be enough.¡± Kang Hyeon smiled contentedly afterpleting the application on the number listed on the site. ¡°I¡¯ll name it Bentley.¡± Although there was a 100-fold price difference, it was Kang Hyeon¡¯s heart that mattered regardless of what he called it. Chapter 24 Chapter 24 ¨C Crisis of Death (2) After that day. Kang Hyeon raided the dungeon alone. At first, it was quite difficult, but as he only circled the entrance of the dungeon without going to the core, he soon found it manageable. ¡°It¡¯s 1.67 million won.¡± ¡°Yes. Thank you for your work.¡± And today. For the first time, he nned a 2-night, 3-day trip instead of a day trip and safely escaped the dungeon. Thanks to that, he was able to earn about 4 times the money he made on day trips. Kang Hyeon smiled with satisfaction at earning more than expected. ¡°At this rate, two or three thousand a month wille quickly.¡± Considering that he couldn¡¯t even earn 2 million won a month while working as an intern for over a year, this was truly a giant leap forward. ¡°The problem is that my level isn¡¯t increasing.¡± It¡¯s already been a month since Kang Hyeon graduated from the tutorial. However, Kang Hyeon¡¯s level had only increased by 3, staying at 31. Moreover, his skill level hadn¡¯t increased at all. ¡°Well, as long as I¡¯m earning money well, it¡¯s fine.¡± The fact that something would happen to Earth in 5 years didn¡¯t really motivate Kang Hyeon much. As the administrator said, tens of billions of people have be ability users and are striving to be stronger. He doesn¡¯t think that the fate of Earth will change just because he¡¯s being a bitzy. ¡°And I¡¯m strong enough as it is.¡± Looking around, he couldn¡¯t find anyone stronger than him. No, he couldn¡¯t even find anyone at a simr level. It would probably take them a long time to reach his level. ¡°It¡¯s not like I¡¯m going to keep cking off forever. I¡¯ve been working my butt off for over three months, so it¡¯s okay to take it slow for a bit, right?¡± Kang Hyeon nodded,pletely rationalizing his thoughts. ¡°There are a lot of missed calls?¡± All electronic devices be useless while in the dungeon. So when he turned on his smartphone that had been off, there were over a hundred missed calls. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Most of them were calls from his younger sister, Kang A-hyun. ¡°Hello?¡± -Where are you?! ¡°I just got out of the dungeon.¡± -Come quickly! It¡¯s chaos right now! ¡°What¡¯s happening?¡± -A dungeon broke out where mom and dad are! *** Ippotrantion *** ¨C ¡­ Expressed deep regret over therge-scale dungeon wave incident that urred in Hane County. This incident started when a sudden D-ss iplete dungeon was created the evening before yesterday¡­ Kang Hyeon stood nkly listening to the news anchor¡¯s report. ¡°So what¡¯s the point..?¡± ¡°The entire Hane County is closed off now, and they¡¯re nning to gradually go in and clear out the monsters.¡± Incidents where dungeons aren¡¯t cleared in time happen quite often. It¡¯s not an exaggeration to say it happens almost every day. But it was the first time a dungeon opened on such arge scale, causing an entire city to be closed off. ¡°At first, they were conducting rescue operations along with¡­¡± ¡°Along with what?¡± ¡°The damage from monsters became too severe, so now no one is going in.¡± ¡°Mom and dad are still in there?¡± ¡°Yes¡­¡± At Kang A-hyun¡¯s words, Kang Hyeon started packing again without even washing up. ¡°What are you doing? What are you going to do?¡± ¡°I have to go in. I¡¯m going to save them.¡± Since he had juste out of the dungeon, he only needed to replenish his food supplies to be fully prepared. ¡°Then take me with you.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be stubborn. You know you¡¯ll only be a burden. Besides, if I die, I cane back to life, but for you, that¡¯s the end.¡± ¡°Then what am I supposed to do? Just stay here and watch?¡± Kang A-hyun shouted, stomping her feet. Kang Hyeon sighed softly at the sight. ¡°Yes. Just watch. Don¡¯t be a nuisance. I¡¯m going.¡± Kang Hyeon, who had packed his bags, left the house and got into the car. It hadn¡¯t even been 5 minutes since he came home. -Knock knock Kang Hyeon turned his head at the sound of knocking on the car window. ¡°What?¡± ¡°You can do it, right?¡± Kang A-hyun asked with a worried expression. ¡°Isn¡¯t that obvious?¡± Kang Hyeon forced a smile. ¡°I believe in you.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Kang Hyeon replied briefly and immediately started the engine and drove off. Tears welled up in Kang A-hyun¡¯s eyes as she watched Kang Hyeon leave. *** Ippotrantion *** After running for three hours, Kang Hyeon was finally able to reach the entrance of his hometown, Hane County. ¡°You cannot enter beyond this point.¡± Soldiers upying the road at the city border blocked Kang Hyeon. ¡°I¡¯m an ability user.¡± Kang Hyeon held out his ability user registration card. ¡°Hey, what instructions did we get about ability users?¡± ¡°We¡¯re supposed to try to dissuade them politely first, and if that doesn¡¯t work, just let them pass.¡± ¡°What kind of instructions are those? Geez.¡± ¡°It seems we¡¯re just supposed to let them pass.¡± ¡°I know that, idiot.¡± A man with a lieutenant¡¯s insignia shook his head and called out to Kang Hyeon. ¡°Do you absolutely have to enter?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Alright. Hey! Raise the barricade.¡± It was about 30km from here to his house. Since there was still quite a distance left, Kang Hyeon decided to use the car to go deeper. -Screech However, shortly after passing the checkpoint, Kang Hyeon hit the brakes. This was because a huge monster he had never seen before was blocking the road. ¡°Is that¡­ A wild boar¡­?¡± [Boilder] No matter how big a normal wild boar gets, it would never be taller than a person. But the creature resembling a wild boar in front of him looked to be about 2m tall at a nce. Simply put, it was muchrger than the passenger car Kang Hyeon was driving. ¡°Pruuk! Pruk.¡± The protruding tusks were so massive they could be mistaken for those of an elephant. For some reason, this creature started to throw a tantrum. -Clop clop! Clop clop! ¡°Ah, I¡¯m screwed.¡± The ground shook with each of its steps. kang Hyeon quickly opened the door and jumped out of the car. -Crash! The car that the creature rammed into flew about ten meters and crashed into the road. ¡°You pig bastard! How dare you wreck my Bentley..!¡± An enraged Kang Hyeon drew out Bilgein¡¯s longsword. ¡°Even though I¡¯m wearing armor, it¡¯s over, the moment I get hit by that.¡± Kang Hyeon is wearing the Ronald¡¯s Armor (B) set he received forpleting Tutorial Level 7. Despite being high-grade armor, he didn¡¯t think it could protect him from an attack that could send a car flying. ¡°Come at me!¡± [Roar of the Enraged Lion is activated] [The target resists] [All enemies¡¯ abilities have been slightly reduced] Even after using the skill, the creature didn¡¯t seem intimidated at all. ¡°Prurk!¡± Once again, it threw a tantrum and started running. -Thud thud thud thud ¡®I¡¯ll dodge and use its charging power against it.¡¯ The wild Boar was charging at an incredible speed. Kang Hyeon kept his eyes on it until the very end. ¡®Now!¡¯ Finally, when the creature was right in front of him, he rolled to the side. ¡°Bisection!¡± A skill used simultaneously. -Swoosh! ¡°Argh!¡± Even using ¡®Giant¡¯s Strength¡¯ and ¡®Bisection¡¯ together, it felt like his grip would tear trying to cut through the creature¡¯s hide. -sh! Finally, the de cut through the creature¡¯s side and came out. Dark red blood sttered everywhere. ¡°Puraak!¡± ¡°Shit, it¡¯s shallow!¡± The creature¡¯s hide was much thicker than expected. Realizing this from the feel of the sword, Kang Hyeon quickly jumped back. -Boom! Something huge fell where Kang Hyeon had been, shattering the asphalt ground. The wild Boar had raised its front leg, as big as a human face, and mmed it down. ¡°It¡¯s over if I get hit by that. I must avoid it at all costs.¡± The creature¡¯s attack methods are limited by its physical constraints. If he responds calmly, he should be able to dodge all attacks. -Swish, sh! ¡°Puraak!¡± Kang Hyeon circled around the creature, continuously swinging his sword. Gradually, small wounds began to umte on its body. ¡®Just a little more!¡¯ Just as he thought he had almost taken down the creature, it happened. A familiar voice was heard from somewhere. ¡°Keurk, keurk.¡± ¡°Keurk!¡± ¡°This couldn¡¯t be¡­¡± Looking towards the source of the sound, he saw dozens of goblins running towards him. [Goblin Assault Trooper] [Goblin Assault Captain] True to their unique names, the momentum of these creatures running on the road was incredible. ¡°Are those really goblins?¡± Kang Hyeon thought he knew quite a bit about goblins. However, the goblins running towards him now werepletely different from the goblins he knew. Well-equipped armor and weapons sharpened to a fine edge. Moreover, these muscr creatures were charging like mad. -Whoosh! At the same time, an arrow grazed past Kang Hyeon¡¯s side. [Goblin Archer] ¡°What kind of army is this?!¡± Behind the charging creatures, he could see about twenty goblins with bows. ¡°Oh, damn it!¡± These creatures are different from the goblins he¡¯s encountered so far. Realizing he couldn¡¯t waste any more time here, Kang Hyeon quickly ran back to the car, grabbed his backpack, and started running. ¡°Puraaaa!¡± He could hear the wild Boar roaring from behind. ¡°Keurk!¡± Looking back, he saw dozens of goblins surrounding the wild Boar, stabbing it with their swords. With swords and arrows sticking out all over its body, the wild Boar looked like a porcupine. ¡°Keeek!¡± Every time a goblin was hit by the wild Boar, it flew through the air covered in blood. But they showed no fear and continued to press the wild Boar. -Thud Finally, the wild Boar, exhausted from its fight with Kang Hyeon, couldn¡¯t endure anymore and copsed. ¡°Keek!¡± As soon as they confirmed the wild Boar had fallen, the goblins immediately changed their target to Kang Hyeon. -Whoosh, whoosh -Ting! Sharp arrows grazed past Kang Hyeon. The asional arrow that hit him bounced off his sturdy armor. ¡°Just leave me alone!¡± His goal was to save his parents. He didn¡¯t have time to mess around with goblins here. Kang Hyeon ran towards the mountain at full speed without looking back. After running for about 30 minutes, it seemed the creatures had given up, as there were no more signs of pursuit. ¡°Huff, huff¡­¡± Finally catching his breath, Kang Hyeon copsed on the spot. ¡°I can understand that wild Boar, but what¡¯s with those goblins?¡± The first goblin he killed in the tutorial was a militiaman. This time there were assault troops and archers. There was even an assault captain. At this rate, it wouldn¡¯t be strange if goblin royal guards or a goblin emperor showed upter. ¡°Ugh¡­¡± Just imagining hundreds or thousands of well-armed and trained goblins charging at him made Kang Hyeon¡¯s whole body shiver. *** Ippotrantion *** Kang Hyeon turned on his smartphone and checked his current location using GPS. ¡°Still far away.¡± The remaining distance was about 20km. If it were t ground, he could arrive in no time, but since he was moving along mountain paths, he didn¡¯t know how much longer it would take. Moreover, he had to be cautious of monsters that could appear anywhere at any time. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± It was while he was walking along the path. Kang Hyeon discovered a dungeon in the distance. ¡°There¡¯s a dungeon here too¡­¡± Kang Hyeon, who was speaking, quicklyy t on the ground. ¡®What?! Why is the door open?¡¯ If the dungeon door was open, monsters must havee out. However, he hadn¡¯t encountered any living monsters on his way here. ¡®I did see a few dead ones though¡­¡¯ The open dungeon door. Corpses torn apart regardless of their type. Kang Hyeon had an ominous feeling. ¡°Giant¡¯s Strength.¡± Kang Hyeon used his skill and started running at full speed. ¡°Kwaa!¡± ¡°Auw!¡± ¡°I knew this would happen!¡± Simultaneously, dozens of enemies appeared from somewhere and flew at him from all directions. [Dysrupin] An unfamiliar name floated above their heads. ¡°Get out of my way!¡± ¡°Kkaegaeng!¡± Kang Hyeon jumped and punched one that was rushing towards him. The one hit in the head flew several meters at once and crashed into a tree. ¡®There are too many of them!¡¯ The wolf-like creatures were so numerous that he couldn¡¯t even estimate their number. ¡®Where were these huge creatures hiding until now?¡¯ Kang Hyeon¡¯s question was quickly answered. ¡°Kwa!¡± Right in front of Kang Hyeon. An enemy suddenly appeared in mid-air, baring its teeth. -Bang! Kang Hyeon tilted his head back and rammed the iing creature with his helmet. ¡°What kind of camouge is this for a monster?¡± They were blended into the surrounding environment like chameleons. ¡°Let¡¯s run for now!¡± Kang Hyeon decided to flee first. There was a steep slope ahead, but Kang Hyeon ran without hesitation. -Rustle Every time he pushed through the bushes, branches broke and sharp thorns cut his exposed skin. ¡°Kugh..!¡± Currently, the weight of the armor Kang Hyeon was wearing was over 10kg. Moreover, he had a backpack weighing about 20kg on his back. Running downhill with such heavy luggage made him feel like he would copse at any moment. ¡°Ugh!¡± Eventually, Kang Hyeon tripped over a rock and fell ungracefully, tumbling down. -Thud, Thud! Bang! After rolling for a while, Kang Hyeon was only able to stop after hitting a huge tree trunk. ¡°Ugh¡­¡± He involuntarily groaned from the impact that seemed to reverberate through his entire body. ¡®If I didn¡¯t have armor on, something would definitely be broken.¡¯ He felt pain as if his entire body was about to shatter, but fortunately, it seemed like no bones were actually broken. ¡°Whew¡­ This won¡¯t do.¡± Kang Hyeon got up and dusted himself off. He could already see the creatures sliding down the mountain slope, having caught up quickly. ¡°Awoo!¡± Hearing the howling of the creatures, Kang Hyeon tied his bag to a tree so it wouldn¡¯t slide down. ¡°If I knew this would happen, I should have just fought from the beginning.¡± Thinking about it, trying to run away from four-legged beasts in the mountains was nonsensical from the start. ¡°All here?¡± Finally, the gathered Dysrupins surrounded Kang Hyeon. ¡°Grr¡­¡± ¡°What are you looking at.¡± ¡°Grrr!¡± ¡°Come on, you sons of bitches!¡± [Roar of the Enraged Lion is activated] Kang Hyeon thought that perhaps he might face death outside the tutorial for the first time. Hope you enjoyed the chapter! If you would like to support me or read up to 10 chapters ahead, you can do so via Buymeacoffee OR by unlocking chapters. Schedule: Unknown. Anyway¡­ Happy Reading!!! Please rate the series here. Chapter 25 Chapter 25 ¨C Pride of the Weak (1) ¡°Huff, huff!¡± Kang Hyeon exhaled roughly. Dozens of Dysrupins corpses were scattered around him. ¡®I can still hold out.¡¯ Attacks came from all directions, but the armor was proving its worth as a B-grade item. Though battered and dented all over, it still maintained its shape and steadfastly protected Kang Hyeon. ¡°Come at me again! You bastards!¡± There were still more enemies left than those Kang Hyeon had cut down. However, they couldn¡¯t rush in recklessly and circled around Kang Hyeon. ¡°Grrrr¡­¡± Kang Hyeon thrust his sword into one that was growling nearby. -Crack! The sword instantly entered its mouth, sinking in up to the handle. ¡°Guk, gurgle¡­¡± The creature, skewered on the sword, trembled for a moment before coughing up blood and copsing. ¡°Awoo!¡± ¡°Bark! Bark!¡± That was thest one. The others, watching theirrade¡¯s death, finally gave up and fled with howls, turning their backs. ¡°Haaah¡­¡± Kang Hyeon slumped down and took out water from his backpack. ¡°Pwhoo!¡± He poured water on his head and rubbed his skin vigorously. As the sticky bloodstains covering his body washed away, he felt a bit more alive. ¡°The sun¡¯s already setting.¡± The sun was sinking beyond the mountain ridge. Kang Hyeon checked the time. [6:03] ¡°I¡¯ve wasted too much time.¡± It was an urgent situation. Kang Hyeon decided to hurry a bit more. Staying in this ce any longer could be more dangerous. ¡°If I stay here, other creatures might swarm in.¡± Hungry beasts might gather to im the corpses left after the battle. ¡°Phew¡­ Let¡¯s go.¡± Kang Hyeon shouldered his backpack and moved his heavy legs. *** Ippotrantion *** 8 PM. The surroundings were so dark it was hard to see ahead. ¡°This won¡¯t do.¡± He had antern, but the light might attract monsters. Kang Hyeon decided it was too risky to move further and stopped. ¡°Should I climb a tree to sleep?¡± Kang Hyeon had never camped alone in a field-type dungeon before. In closed dungeons, he could at least make simple rms to sleep alone. But in such an open area, he didn¡¯t know how to prepare. ¡°I guess I¡¯ll have to rest up in a tree.¡± Kang Hyeon climbed up thergest nearby tree, still wearing his armor. ¡°Ugh¡­¡± A groan escaped him as heid his body on the tree. This morning. As soon as he left the dungeon, he drove here by car. Then he climbed the mountain and repeated battles until sunset. Moreover, he used ¡®Giant¡¯s Strength¡¯ continuously, straining his body, and was injured all over. ¡°My magic is depleted too.¡± Kang Hyeon instinctively felt that he had little magic left. It seemed to have been all used up recovering from injuries. This was the first time since the end of the tutorial that he had fought so hard. ¡°I wonder if I got any messages¡­¡± When he opened his phone, there were many messages piled up. Kang A-hyun, afraid of disturbing Kang Hyeon, had sent messages instead of calling. -I¡¯m doing fine, so don¡¯t worry. Less than 10 seconds after sending the message, a reply came. -Have you arrived home? -Almost there. I¡¯ll arrive tomorrow morning. -Are you okay? -Of course. Don¡¯t worry and go to sleep. I¡¯ll rest a bit too. After replying to Kang A-hyun, Kang Hyeon checked the messages he sent to his parents. There was no reply yet. He wanted to call right away, but he couldn¡¯t, fearing something might go wrong because of his call. ¡®Please wait a little longer.¡¯ Trying to shake off his anxiety, Kang Hyeon closed his eyes. *** Ippotrantion *** Sunlight pierced through the leaves, shining on Kang Hyeon¡¯s eyelids. ¡°Ugh¡­¡± Feeling as if his whole body was aching, Kang Hyeon groaned and slowly got up. [06:11] It was still early. Kang Hyeon checked the time and opened his backpack. He took out an energy bar upying one side of the backpack and unwrapped it. -Munch, munch Feeling strength return as the sugar entered his system, Kang Hyeon started walking again. After that, Kang Hyeon was able to leave the mountain without encountering any monsters. After leaving the mountain and walking a bit more, the city where his house was located finally came into view. ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Kang Hyeon groaned lowly as he looked at the cityndscape. A horrific sight reminiscent of a battlefield. Buildings were burning here and there, and some houses had their outer wallspletely copsed. ¡°Kieeek!¡± ¡°Graaah!¡± All sorts of unidentifiable monsters roamed the city. There were also scenes of monsters fighting each other in various ces. ¡°They¡¯vepletely established their territory.¡± At first nce, they seemed to be scattered indiscriminately, but the creatures had already built their own domains. ¡°Aaaagh!¡± Just then, a scream was heard from somewhere. Looking closely in the direction of the sound, he could find a man. The man was confronting monsters on a building rooftop. ¡°N-no, don¡¯te!¡± The man swung a baseball bat frantically. The monsters slowly pressured him, as if mocking his efforts. ¡°Aaah!¡± Finally, unable to ovee his fear, the man jumped off the roof, -Thud! Predators gathered from all directions to devour the man¡¯s corpse. ¡°There are still survivors in the buildings.¡± Although he felt sorry for the man, Kang Hyeon hoped that his parents might still be alive, given that this man wasn¡¯t thest survivor in the city. Praying that the man wasn¡¯t thest survivor in the city, Kang Hyeon moved carefully. *** Ippotrantion *** ¡°Keeek!¡± ¡°I told you to be quiet!¡± -Wham! Kang Hyeon¡¯s kick struck the monster¡¯s snout as it was about to screech. ¡°Gack!¡± Kang Hyeon brought his sword down on the neck of the creature as it fell and trembled. ¡°Phew, I¡¯ve arrived.¡± Kang Hyeon, who had sneaked into the city, headed towards his house while hiding as much as possible. Nevertheless, he swiftly dealt with any enemies he unavoidably encountered. After moving like this for a while, he finally managed to arrive in front of his house. ¡°Hoo¡­¡± Kang Hyeon swallowed hard and slowly turned the doorknob. -Click, click The door was locked from the inside and wouldn¡¯t open. Without a key, Kang Hyeon carefully knocked on the door, but there was no response. ¡°It¡¯s me, Kang Hyeon. Dad? Are you in there?¡± Kang Hyeon called out carefully through the door crack. Only then did he hear movement from inside. ¡°Honey, didn¡¯t you just hear Kang Hyeon¡¯s voice?¡± ¡°Mom, it¡¯s really me. Please open the door.¡± ¡°Hyeon!¡± -Click As the door opened, he saw his mother¡¯s face, streaming with tears. ¡°How did you get here¡­ Hyeon¡­!¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go inside and talk first.¡± Kang Hyeon entered the house, soothing his mother who was trying to embrace him. ¡°Why did youe here? And in that state¡­¡± His father¡¯s expression turned to surprise at Kang Hyeon¡¯s dirty appearance, as if he hade through a battlefield. ¡°There were some circumstances. Haha¡­¡± ¡°I see. You¡¯ve really been through a lot. You¡¯ve been through a lot.¡± ¡°I¡¯m d you¡¯re safe too, Mom.¡± A momentter. After sharing the joy of reunion, Kang Hyeon began to discuss the main issue. His father, having grasped the general situation from Kang Hyeon¡¯s words, opened his mouth. ¡°So, you¡¯re saying we should leave the city now?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Kang Hyeon, no. There are so many monsters outside!¡± His mother was horrified at Kang Hyeon¡¯s suggestion to leave the house. ¡°The ones I saw on the way here were thoroughly searching houses. It won¡¯t be long before they reach this ce.¡± Kang Hyeon had seen several people who were hiding in houses being discovered and killed by monsters on his way here. Fortunately, that evil hand hadn¡¯t reached this ce yet, but there¡¯s no telling when they might barge in. ¡°It would be better if we go to the mountains outside the city even now¡­¡± ¡°If we leave, can you guarantee that we can escape without being caught by those creatures?¡± Kang Hyeon closed his mouth at his father¡¯s words. There had been several battles on his way home. If he were to move with his parents, they definitely wouldn¡¯t be able to leave the city without incident. ¡°That might not be possible. But I can protect you.¡± ¡°No matter how good you are at fighting, it would be difficult to protect us while moving outside. Am I wrong?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Let¡¯s just wait here until the army arrives.¡± Kang Hyeon fell into thought upon hearing his father¡¯s words. ¡®It¡¯s true that going outside might be more dangerous.¡¯ There¡¯s a chance his parents could get hurt by a stray de. -Thump, thump! Just as Kang Hyeon was deep in thought, the outside of the house started to be noisy. ¡°Kweek!¡± ¡°Are those Orcs¡­¡± He remembered seeing Orcs wandering around this area on his way here. It seemed they had arrived here faster than Kang Hyeon had expected. ¡°Both of you, stay here quietly.¡± ¡°Kang Hyeon, what are you going to do..!¡± Kang Hyeon took out the Skeleton Knight¡¯s armor and longsword from his inventory. ¡°Here, take this. It¡¯s better than nothing.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°And, no matter what sound you hear from outside, absolutely! You must note out.¡± ¡°Alright¡­¡± Leaving behind his father who nodded with a stern expression, Kang Hyeon kicked open the front door and rushed out. ¡°Over here, you bastards!¡± The creatures¡¯ gazes gathered at Kang Hyeon¡¯s shout. [Orc Warrior] Familiar appearance with a familiar name. These were creatures he had seen countless times in novels and movies. The only difference was that they were over 2m tall and had an enormous build. ¡°Kweek!¡± The creatures rushing towards Kang Hyeon were wearing leather armor. Between the gaps in their armor, musclesparable to bodybuilders could be seen. ¡°I hate muscle pigs the most!¡± ¡°Kweee!¡± The creatures swung huge swords and axes at Kang Hyeon, which looked too heavy for them to even hold. -ng! Kang Hyeon deflected the iing greatsword to the side. He was able to deflect it more easily than expected. Although there was a difference in body weight, it seemed that Kang Hyeon was slightly superior in terms of pure strength when using his skills. ¡°Haap!¡± Facing three Orcs, Kang Hyeon didn¡¯t back down an inch. ¡®I can¡¯t let them break through!¡¯ Contrary to their appearance, the Orcs were intelligent and skilled in group tactics. If he dodged one sword, a huge Ax would suddenly fly in to fill that space. ¡°Urgh..!¡± Even though Kang Hyeon caught it with both hands, he felt like he might lose his grip on the sword at any moment due to the immense force behind the Ax. -Crack! Suddenly, a greatsword flying in from his blind spot struck Kang Hyeon¡¯s body. Kang Hyeon was sent flying several meters and crashed into a wall. ¡°Cough¡­¡± Blood flowed from his mouth. It felt like even his bones had cracked. If he hadn¡¯t been wearing armor, he would have been bisected alive. ¡°What kind of Orcs are this strong? Ptui!¡± Kang Hyeon spat out the blood rising in his throat along with saliva. ¡®It¡¯s not good to cause amotion. I need to finish them off as quickly as possible.¡¯ Having made his decision, Kang Hyeon looked at the creatures. ¡®First, I need to kill the one with the Ax.¡¯ Kang Hyeon red at the Orc with the Ax, who was boasting particrlyrge muscles. It wasrger but seemed a bit slower than the other Orcs. ¡°Haaap!¡± Kang Hyeon dashed forward at high speed, avoiding an iing greatsword. Then he lightly deflected another greatsword that followed. The deflected greatsword flew towards the creature behind, entangling their movements. ¡®This is my chance!¡¯ Leaving the entangled creatures behind, Kang Hyeon rushed straight towards the one with the Ax. ¡°Kweek!?¡± The creature¡¯s eyes widened in surprise at Kang Hyeon¡¯s unexpected attack. The sword thrust out in an instant. Kang Hyeon¡¯s swordpletely pierced the Orc¡¯s abdomen. ¡°Kwe¡­ Kweek..!¡± Kang Hyeon pulled out his sword while kicking away the trembling creature with the sword still embedded in it. ¡®I need to finish it off!¡¯ Just as he was about to bring his sword down on the fallen Orc¡¯s neck, -Whoosh! Seeing a huge greatsword approaching, Kang Hyeon threw himself to the side. The greatsword swung by the Orc barely grazed Kang Hyeon and struck the ground. -Bang! As the sword hit the ground, sparks flew and the asphalt shattered. ¡°Kweeeek!¡± ¡°What? You¡¯re up already!?¡± The creature whose abdomen had just been pierced was getting up with a vicious expression. Even though he hadn¡¯t been able to finish it off, Kang Hyeon had thought it would be incapacitated for a while, but his expectation had beenpletely off the mark. ¡®Still, it¡¯s not in perfect condition.¡¯ The creature rushed at Kang Hyeon, having lost its reason to anger. Instead of avoiding the attack, Kang Hyeon lowered his posture and dove into the creature¡¯s embrace. ¡°Kweek!?¡± Then, using the creature¡¯s own momentum, he threw it. -Boom! As the giant Orc flew through the air and hit the ground, it felt like the earth was shaking. ¡°Kweeek!¡± Taking advantage of that moment, two greatswords came flying simultaneously. He couldn¡¯t dodge both. ¡®I¡¯ll charge straight through!¡¯ Kang Hyeon decided to sacrifice flesh to save bone. Hope you enjoyed the chapter! If you would like to support me or read up to 10 chapters ahead, you can do so via Buymeacoffee OR by unlocking chapters. Schedule: Unknown. Anyway¡­ Happy Reading!!! Please rate the series here. Chapter 26 Chapter 26 Pride of the Weak (2) Tworge swords flew towards him simultaneously. He couldn¡¯t dodge both. ¡®I¡¯ll have to take one hit. But I must make sure to take the other one¡¯s life in exchange.¡¯ Kang Hyeon didn¡¯t avoid the iing sword and instead thrust his own de forward. This was only possible because of his armor¡¯s defense, his healing ability, and his belief in resurrection. ¡°Squeek¡­¡± The Orc whose neck was instantly pierced spat out blood. -Thwack! ¡°Kuhuk!¡± At the same time, Kang Hyeon felt a heavy impact on his back. Blood burst from Kang Hyeon¡¯s mouth along with a groan. ¡°Urgh, I¡¯d be a corpse if I didn¡¯t have this body. Damn it!¡± Although it had be less frequent recently, Kang Hyeon had always lived with pain since the dungeon incident. The sensation of his back being crushed was nothingpared to when his back was actually crushed. ¡°Huaaap!¡± ¡°Queek?!¡± A brief opening due to carelessness. Those who seed in their attacks reveal a very short gap. Usually, it¡¯s impossible for the one being attacked to ignore the pain and exploit that gap, But Kang Hyeon could do it. -Squelch Ignoring the pain in his back, Kang Hyeon pulled his sword out of the Orc¡¯s neck. He immediately swung it towards the face of another Orc. The one who recognized the attack quickly jerked its head back, but still ended up getting one eye shed. ¡°Quee! Queeeek!¡± The Orc retreated while screaming and clutching its eye. Just as Kang Hyeon was about to finish it off. ¡°Queak!¡± ¡°What kind of survival instinct is this? Like a cockroach?!¡± The Orc that Kang Hyeon had thrown earlier. The Ax-wielding Orc with a pierced stomach and wounds all over its body had somehow approached Kang Hyeon closely. -Whoosh! The Ax that the Orc swung diagonally barely grazed Kang Hyeon¡¯s head. -Stab! Kang Hyeon, who avoided the attack with a slide, quickly stood up and thrust his sword into the Orc¡¯s jaw. ¡°Qui, queek..!¡± Ignoring the Orc¡¯s dying scream, Kang Hyeon pulled out his sword. Blood spurted from the Orc¡¯s neck in all directions. ¡°Haa, haa. Now, only you is left.¡± Kang Hyeon, covered in blood from head to toe, red at thest Orc. All of itspanions were dead, and it had lost one eye. It should normally feel fear in this situation. However, the Orc red back at Kang Hyeon with its remaining eye. That eye was burning withplete fighting spirit. ¡°Queek, quek!¡± The Orc pointed itsrge sword at Kang Hyeon and said something. Kang Hyeon also raised his sword to point at the Orc. ¡°You¡¯re about to die, but you¡¯ve got style.¡± The Orc, mistaking Kang Hyeon¡¯s words for some grand resolve, nodded solemnly. ¡°Queeeeek!¡± ¡°Stop making sounds like a squealing pig!¡± The Orc and Kang Hyeon ran towards each other while shouting. ¡®I¡¯ll aim for the area where its vision is limited due to the injured eye.¡¯ His judgment and movement urred simultaneously. The Orc¡¯s sword barely grazed Kang Hyeon, and ¡°Bisection!¡± -sh! Kang Hyeon¡¯s sword cleanly passed through the Orc¡¯s neck. ¡°Queek..?¡± At the moment its neck was perfectly severed. Even in that moment, the Orc¡¯s eye was wide open in disbelief, staring straight ahead. -Thud, thud¡­ It walked a few more steps with its head separated before copsing. ¡°Tough bastards¡­ Phew.¡± It was one of the most challenging battles he could count on one hand. Kang Hyeon sat on the ground and slowly caught his breath. [Level Up!] Hearing this sound soon after, Kang Hyeon smiled. ¡°Good timing.¡± With the level up, all his wounds and fatigue were recovered, making him feel like he could fly. ¡°How long has it been since Ist leveled up.¡± That¡¯s when it happened. ¡°Huh..?¡± ¡°Quik! Queek!¡± ¡°Quok! Quok!¡± The voices of other Orcs were heard nearby. They seemed to bepanions of the Orcs he had just dealt with. ¡®Damn. Just when I thought I could rest¡­¡¯ Kang Hyeon¡¯s expression turned serious. ¡®Wait, this isn¡¯t just one or two.¡¯ He had risked his life to kill just three Orcs. But this time, even from a rough estimate, the unpleasant quik-quik sounds were extremely noisy. ¡®At least ten or more.¡¯ It would be as good as death if he encountered them. Kang Hyeon quickly hid himself. ¡°Queeeeek!¡± Soon after, the Orcs that arrived at Kang Hyeon¡¯s location went berserk upon seeing their fallenrades. They looked around with bloodshot eyes. Their gaze quickly fixed on the apartment where Kang Hyeon¡¯s parents were. ¡®Not there!¡¯ Feeling urgent, Kang Hyeon quickly came out and shouted. ¡°Hey, pig bastards! Over here!¡± [Roar of the Enraged Lion has been activated] [All enemies¡¯ morale and stats have decreased] Kang Hyeon¡¯s shout echoed throughout the city. ¡°Queeeeeeeeek!¡± At the same time, the Orcs who discovered Kang Hyeon also roared back. [Orc Great Warrior] [Orc Warrior] He had risked his life against just three warriors. But now there were dozens of warriors and one terrifying creature called a great warrior. ¡°Haa, I¡¯m screwed¡­¡± Kang Hyeon sighed and roughly ran his hand through his hair. *** Ippotrantion *** ¡°Kuhurk!¡± Kang Hyeon, hit by the t side of a huge sword, spat blood and retreated. ¡®These bastards¡­ They¡¯repletely toying with me.¡¯ They thoroughly mocked Kang Hyeon. They surrounded him to create a makeshift arena, and then the great warrior alone stepped forward to fight Kang Hyeon. -Boom! An Orc caught Kang Hyeon as he was sent flying by the great warrior¡¯s sword. Then it immediately pushed him back into the circle. ¡°Queekqukquk!¡± ¡®There¡¯s no hope.¡¯ Even in his best condition, he couldn¡¯t handle just one great warrior. If dozens of orcs piled on top of that, it would be over in an instant. ¡®It¡¯s okay. I¡¯ll revive even if I die, right?¡¯ Although he hadn¡¯t experienced dying outside yet, Kang Hyeon was certain. If he died now and these creatures left, that would be fortunate enough. ¡®As long as my parents are safe¡­¡¯ ¡°Kang Hyeon, no!¡± ¡°Queek!¡± Suddenly, hearing his mother¡¯s voice from above, Kang Hyeon¡¯s eyes widened. The creatures who noticed where his parents were rushed towards the apartment. ¡°Not there! You bastards!¡± At this point, there was no time to think. ¡°Alright. Let¡¯s end this.¡± [Using Berserker] [Strength and stamina increase by 1.5 times for 5 minutes] Berserker, a skill imbued in Bilgein¡¯s sword. While using it, normal judgment bes difficult, and after 5 minutes, you enter a state ofplete exhaustion where you can¡¯t do anything. That¡¯s why Kang Hyeon only uses this skill when he¡¯s prepared to throw away his life. ¡°Aaaagh!¡± Kang Hyeon¡¯s eyes turned red, and the muscles throughout his body swelled monstrously. -Kwang! Kang hyeon¡¯s sword shed with the Great Warrior¡¯s sword. In that instant, overpowered, the Great Warrior¡¯s arm was pushed back, and Kang Hyeon shed at his exposed front. ¡°Arrrgh!¡± The Great Warrior screamed in pain. At the same time, all the surrounding Orcs rushed at Kang Hyeon. -Crack, Bang! -Screech! Kang Hyeon, in aplete trance, swung his sword. He didn¡¯t care whether he was cut by swords or torn by axes. Only one purpose ¨C to kill the enemy. That was all he moved for. ¡°Squeeeak!¡± The Orcs¡¯ screams were rampant. It was the desperate screams of those whose limbs were being severed. ¡°Aaaagh!¡± Kang Hyeon, covered in blood. His armor had long since been reduced to rags. His body was torn to the point where it was impossible to move anymore. ¡®If I can just buy time like this¡­.¡¯ That alone would be fortunate. -Crack! That was as far as Kang Hyeon¡¯s thoughts went. A great sword swung with tremendous force struck Kang Hyeon¡¯s side. -Kwaaang! Flying dozens of meters, Kang Hyeon crashed into the outer wall of a building and copsed to the ground. ¡°Cough!¡± Lying on the ground, Kang Hyeon raised his head to look at his body. He saw that his waist was half severed. Seeing his intestines spilling out between his armor, Kang Hyeonypletely t on the ground. ¡°Damn it¡­¡± He didn¡¯t care about dying himself. After all, if he died, he would resurrect. But the guilt of not being able to protect his parents would haunt him forever. ¡°So this is how it ends¡­¡± Just before Kang Hyeon¡¯sst breath, ¡°Orcs!¡± People appeared from somewhere and rushed towards the Orcs. -ng! ng! ¡°Block it!¡± ¡°Squeak!¡± They were all ability users wearing armor and wielding cold weapons instead of guns. ¡®Who are they..?¡¯ These suddenly appeared individuals pushed back the Orcs in an instant. Among them, a woman with long flowing hair stirring among the Orcs particrly stood out. ¡°Haap!¡± ¡°Squeak!¡± Dodging an Orc¡¯s sword, the woman instantly thrust her sword into its vital point. Then she quickly dodged. -Kwang! The Great Warrior¡¯s sword struck down in that spot, and the woman, who had somehow moved behind the Great Warrior, pierced his chest with her sword. The series of movements were smooth and natural like flowing water, without any hindrance. Every movement followed the highest efficiency under thorough calction. Kang Hyeon could finally recognize who this woman was. ¡®Han Se-yeon.¡¯ It was impossible not to know who she was. After all, she was one of only two official Tutorial graduates in South Korea. ¡®She fights well¡­¡¯ Watching her, Kang Hyeon recalled something Kang A-hyun had said once. -Bullshit. How can youpare an elite who graduated from the Tutorial in a week to a slow learner who took over 3 months? Remembering those words, Kang Hyeon swallowed a hollowugh. ¡®Slow learner. A slow learner¡­ It was true after all. Heh.¡¯ Honestly, he didn¡¯t know the difference would be this severe. In fact, he had thought that if it was a one-on-one fight, he might win. That thought had grown stronger as he went through dungeons. He had inwardly mocked people who fumbled with monsters he could dispatch with a single strike. -Why is everyone so ipetent? Was I actually a natural talent? The events of the past few months shed before his eyes like a kaleidoscope. He was just excited about making money. He pranced around like an unbridled colt at the fact that he was a little stronger than others. -You shouldn¡¯t deal with these guys like that. Here, like this! -Wow! He felt ridiculous thinking about how he had shown off in front of people with his meager skills. ¡°Damn, what natural talent¡­¡± As Kang A-hyun had said, he was indeed a slow learner. He had just gone a little ahead because he had more experience than others, because of the extreme situations he had inevitably gone through. ¡°If only I had tried a little harder¡­¡± He regretted the time he had spent cking off after graduating from the Tutorial. If he had continued to work hard like during the Tutorial, at least he wouldn¡¯t have been so helplessly defeated like this. ¡®Mom, Dad, are they safe?¡¯ He wanted to get up and check, but he couldn¡¯t move a finger. His consciousness was gradually bing blurry. Although it had been quite a while since he felt this sensation, Kang Hyeon knew this feeling well. Death hade. ¡®Just stay alive. Next time, I will surely protect you¡­.¡¯ Unable to finish his words, Kang Hyeon¡¯s consciousness faded away. *** Ippotrantion *** ¡°Guild Leader, it¡¯s over.¡± ¡°Good work.¡± ¡°There are civilian survivors here too.¡± ¡°When the soldiers arrive, hand them over properly.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± After giving instructions, Han Se-yeon looked around. ¡°Where is he?¡± Clearly, when they had arrived here, there was a man copsed a little distance away. Given the circumstances, it was clear that man had fought with the Orcs. ¡°He seemed quite skilled¡­¡± When Han Se-yeon first saw the battlefield, she was very surprised. There were over a dozen Orc corpses strewn about horribly. Moreover, even the Great Warrior was staggering, wounded. ¡®I thought it must have been a sh with another guild¡­¡¯ It was not a level that could be achieved by an ability user alone. However, looking around, the only one who had fought the Orcs was that man alone. He seemed to have already breathed hisst, but he was clearly a great warrior. ¡°I was going to at least recover the body, but¡­¡± In the meantime, it seemed some other monster targeting corpses had taken it. ¡°It can¡¯t be helped. That must have been his fate to die like that.¡± If he died without even leaving a corpse behind, that must have been that man¡¯s destiny. ¡°Yes. It¡¯s fate.¡± Just as she had taken on the mission to save the Earth from destruction. Chapter 27 Chapter 27 ¨C Celebrity (1) ¡°Are you going to the dungeon again?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Kang Hyeon, wearing Ronald¡¯s armor, picked up his backpack. ¡°You haven¡¯t rested for even a day¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± Kang A-hyun spoke worriedly, but Kang Hyeon answered coldly without looking back. ¡°It¡¯s not your fault! Why are you so alone¡­¡± -Bang! He didn¡¯t want to hear anymore. Kang Hyeon pushed the front door violently and went outside. *** Ippotrantion *** -The Dangun Guild has set out to hunt the boss of the D-rank dungeon ¡®Hiji¡¯s ins¡¯. Guild leader Han Se-yeon¡­ -Choi Dong-woo, who has taken the position of chairman of the Ability Users Union, will focus on peace and¡­ -A newly emerged C-rank dungeon. How difficult will the dungeon be¡­ Wherever he went, stories about dungeons and ability users could be heard. There have been many changes over the past two months. -Chairman Ahn Moo-seok has officially announced that he will enter the dungeon industry. Various¡­ Dungeons have now fully established themselves as an industry. Monsters were no longer threatening beings, but geese thaty golden eggs. At the same time, numerous guilds sprouted up, led by Han Se-yeon, who founded the Dangun Guild. They all imed to stand up for peace, but everyone knew that they were only after ¡®money¡¯. ¡°Status window.¡± In this situation, the biggest change was in Kang Hyeon himself. ?Name: Kang Hyeon ?Title: Tutorial Graduate and 1 other ?Level: 47 ?Detailed Stats: Strength 26 (+2.5)(+2) Agility 24 (+2.5) Stamina 25 (+2.5)(+2) Magic Power 26 (+2.5)(+2) Additional Stats: ¨C ?Unique Ability: Resurrection ?Abilities: Intermediate Swordsmanship(D), Lower-Grade Shield Techniques(E), Lowest-Grade Crossbow Skills(F), Lower-Grade Martial Arts(E) ?Skills: Roar of the Enraged Lion (C), Advanced Bodily Regeneration(A), Bisection(E), Giant¡¯s Strength(B), Magic Explosion(E), Wayne¡¯s Secret Technique(E) Noticeably improved stats and skills. Plus, he was wearing strength ring, stamina ring, and magic power ring. A total of 3 rings were being worn. Each ring increased the stat by 2. It was truly a remarkable developmentpared to before, but it still wasn¡¯t enough in Kang Hyeon¡¯s eyes. ¡®More, I need to get stronger.¡¯ Since that day, Kang Hyeon had been practically living in dungeons. The fight that started as soon as he opened his eyes continued until he fell asleep. He had died five times while recklessly hunting bosses alone. During that time, his bank bnce exceeded 500 million won, but he wasn¡¯t particrly happy about it. ¡®So that I never have regrets again¡­¡¯ That day, his father lost an arm and his mother became in a vegetative state. If only he had tried a little harder, it wouldn¡¯t have happened. ¡°Hey. Isn¡¯t that person over there that guy?¡± ¡°Who?¡± ¡°You know, the one they say solo clears dungeon bosses¡­¡± ¡°Wasn¡¯t that just an urban legend?¡± As he parked his car in front of the dungeon entrance, he could hear some people talking about him. In the past, it would have been a situation to feel quite proud of, but not anymore. *** Ippotrantion *** ¡°Great! Level up!¡± It was a level up after a whole ten days. With this, Choi Tae-sik reached level 33. At this level, any guild would wee him with open arms. However, his ambition was not just that. The first and best guild in Korea, where the top 0.1% gather. ¡®Dangun¡¯ was his goal. And this month, Dangun¡¯s entry requirement is level 35. ¡®If I try a little harder, I might be able to challenge next month.¡¯ ¡°Wow! Did you level up? Congrattions.¡± ¡°Hey, congrattions.¡± Choi Tae-sik smiled awkwardly at the congrattions from his surrounding colleagues. ¡®Hmph. I won¡¯t have to mingle with losers like you for much longer.¡¯ He is a talent who passed the tutorial up to stage 5. He¡¯s fundamentally different from those who died at stages 3 or 4. He¡¯s still with them out of necessity, but once he enters the Dangun Guild, he won¡¯t have to face them anymore. ¡°If you guys try hard, you can level up quickly too.¡± Choi Tae-sik uttered insincere words. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± ¡°A person¡­?¡± That¡¯s when it happened. At the sudden words of his party members, Choi Tae-sik¡¯s head naturally turned. Someone could be seen running at an incredible speed from the direction of the dungeon entrance. ¡°Hey!¡± Choi Tae-sik called out to the man who approached right in front of them in an instant, but the man passed by without even seeming to hear. ¡°It¡¯s dangerous ahead!¡± Ahead is the room with the core. Because of this, there are an enormous number of monsters gathered, and if one enters alone, they will certainly die. ¡°What should we do?¡± ¡°Damn! Let¡¯s follow him. We can¡¯t just leave him to die.¡± Choi Tae-sik and his colleagues hurriedly packed their things and followed the man. -Bang! The man who was running at a terrifying speed had already reached where the core was, as the sound of battle could already be heard. ¡°Kyaak!¡± At the same time, as the scream of an Entria was heard, Choi Tae-sik hesitated. ¡®It¡¯s too risky to break through the room with the core with this number of people¡­¡¯ They might end up getting wiped out themselves instead of saving the man if they weren¡¯t careful. ¡°Tae-sik, aren¡¯t you going?¡± ¡°Yeah. Let¡¯s go.¡± ¡®If the situation gets bad, I¡¯ll have to escape alone.¡¯ With the thought of abandoning his colleagues, Choi Tae-sik moved forward with the group. -Kwang, Bang! ¡°We¡¯ve arrived!¡± Soon after, the group was able to reach the core room. ¡°What the¡­?¡± However, what was happening there waspletely different from what Choi Tae-sik had expected. -Kwang! ¡°Kyaaaak!¡± The man was rampaging madly among the giant Entrias. Every time an Entria with tough outer shells was caught by the man¡¯s hands, it mercilessly burst apart. -Pung! Whether he used a skill or not, with a shock, an Entria flew and crashed next to Choi Tae-sik. ¡°Keueeee¡­¡± The one with a hole as big as his face in its body let out a pitiful scream before dying. ¡°What is this¡­¡± *** Ippotrantion *** E-rank dungeon, Entria¡¯s Lair. Even the strongest ability user would be called crazy if they tried to tackle an E-rank boss alone. However, Kang Hyeon thought it would be possible enough with the skill he obtainedst time. Wayne¡¯s Secret Technique (E) Ability: When activated, all stats except magic power increase by 40%. The body breaks down as time passes. Description: Wayne, a madman who lived only for battle and devoted his life tobat. Wayne, who always sought more intense battles throughout his life, finally seeded in drawing out extreme power even at the cost of destroying his own body. After obtaining the skill, Kang Hyeon always activated it until his magic power was depleted. When using the skill, all abilities increased, and pain like his entire body was being torn apart rose. Originally, it was a skill that would cause blood vessels and muscles throughout the body to burst within 30 minutes. However, Kang Hyeon had a skill to counteract that. Advanced Bodily Regeneration (A) Ability: Uses magic power to regenerate and quickly recover damage inflicted on the body. Description: Recovers without dying unless the head is cut off or the brain or heart is destroyed. By using ¡®Wayne¡¯s Secret Technique¡¯ every day like this, Kang Hyeon was finally able to raise the grade of both skills. -Crack! The head of the Entria hit by Kang Hyeon¡¯s fist shattered like a ripe watermelon. ¡°Kyaaah!¡± Dozens of Entrias in the form of giant ants rushed in, but Kang Hyeon didn¡¯t panic. ¡®I still have enough magic power.¡¯ He dodges if he can dodge, and takes the hit if he can¡¯t. Kang Hyeon¡¯s stamina while using Wayne¡¯s Secret Technique was nearly 40. In this state, even decent swords couldn¡¯t prate Kang Hyeon¡¯s skin. Therefore, Kang Hyeon focused all his attention on killing the enemy. Just as Wayne had done in his lifetime. -Thud! ¡°Huff¡­¡± Kang Hyeon, who crushed the head of thest Entria squirming on the ground, caught his breath. ¡®My magic power has dropped a lot.¡¯ If he continued to maintain the skill, it would hinder future battles. Kang Hyeon had no choice but to cancel ¡®Wayne¡¯s Secret Technique¡¯. ¡°Excuse me.¡± A voiceing from the side. Kang Hyeon, sitting on the corpses of Entrias, turned his head. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Um¡­ Are you okay?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± The man who spoke fumbled, not knowing what to do when Kang Hyeon actually answered. ¡°What do you want?¡± ¡°Are you perhaps a member of the Dangun Guild?¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m not.¡± Kang Hyeon answered indifferently to the man¡¯s words and stood up. ¡°Oh, are you just leaving?¡± It hadn¡¯t even been 10 minutes since the battle ended. The man, flustered, tried to stop Kang Hyeon from leaving. ¡°Do you have business with me?¡± ¡°Not really, but the magic stones and core are still here¡­¡± Hearing the man¡¯s words, Kang Hyeon approached the core. -sh! Kang Hyeon put the core that fell off with one sh of his knife into his inventory. 20 million won. It¡¯s money that¡¯s too precious to waste when it can be easily taken. ¡°Take the rest.¡± ¡°Pardon¡­?¡± ¡°Do as you please.¡± ¡°Can we really take it?¡± The corpses of Entrias fallen here numbered in the dozens. It was a number that would take them all day to kill. ¡°Yes. I don¡¯t need it, so take it or leave it as you wish.¡± The man nodded with a dumbfounded expression at Kang Hyeon¡¯s words. *** Ippotrantion *** ¡°Who was that man from earlier?¡± At Park Ha-yeon¡¯s words, a party member, Choi Tae-sik¡¯s expression, crumpled. ¡°What do you mean who? He¡¯s a madman.¡± ¡°Why are you frowning like that? Thanks to him, we¡¯ve made a fortune.¡± If youbine the magic stones left by Kang Hyeon with the magic stones the group had hunted so far, it would exceed 30 million won. Even divided among five people, it¡¯s over 6 million won each. A daily wage of 1.2 million won. What was once a dream for these ordinary people had be reality. ¡°By the way, is he going to the boss room alone?¡± ¡°How should I know¡­¡± Choi Tae-sik answered grumpily. In fact, his mind was inplete chaos. ¡®Just who is he?¡¯ He¡¯s not Choi Dong woo or Han Se-yeon. He¡¯s not a member of the Dangun Guild either. An unknown man single-handedly ughtered over dozens of Entrias. ¡°I¡¯ve heard rumors about a man who¡¯s been clearing dungeons alone these days, could it be him?¡± Choi Tae-sik had heard that rumor too. It was an absurd story about a man who was ughtering F-rank dungeon bosses alone. Until now, Choi Tae-sik had dismissed it as just a baseless rumor. ¡°Even if that¡¯s the case, this is an E-rank dungeon. It¡¯s on apletely different level from F-rank.¡± Even if he was the man from the rumors, clearing an F-rank and clearing an E-rank arepletely different stories. [The dungeon¡¯s central core has been removed] [A portal to the outside is opening] [The dungeon will copse soon, please exit to the outside] Sudden messages appeared. Choi Tae-sik wore a nk expression as he saw the portal opening in front of him. ¡°It hasn¡¯t even been a day yet¡­?¡± *** Ippotrantion *** Kang Hyeon, who had plunged his sword into the head of the Queen Entria, copsed to a sitting position. ¡°Huff, huff.¡± Kang Hyeon was able to take down the boss after a fierce struggle. A crisis came when his magic power ran out midway, but it was a victory achieved after desperately holding on. [Entria¡¯s Exoskeleton] Kang Hyeon examined the drop item that fell when the queen died. Entria¡¯s Exoskeleton (F) Ability: When activated, it hardens the skin. Description: Recreates the exoskeleton of Entrias, which have been famous for their hard shells since ancient times, using magic power. Books rted to skills and abilities, no matter how useless they may seem, are worth over 10 million won. A skill of this level would fetch at least 50 million won. It might even exceed 100 million. ¡°It seems like it would be difficult for me to use though.¡± Currently, most of Kang Hyeon¡¯s magic power is used to maintain ¡®Wayne¡¯s Secret Technique¡¯ and ¡®Advanced Bodily Regeneration¡¯. Therefore, there was no need to learn various skills. The reason for minimizing the use of misceneous attack skills duringbat was also for this reason. [Do you want to learn the skill, Entria¡¯s Exoskeleton?] ¡°Still, it wouldn¡¯t hurt to learn something like this.¡± He¡¯s already earning enough money anyway. Thinking it would be more helpful to learn it than to sell it, Kang Hyeon used the skill book. ¡°Hmm.¡± This sensation of something else entering his body was not something he could get used to no matter how many times he repeated it. ¡°Shall we go now?¡± After finishing learning the skill and extracting the Queen Entria¡¯s magic stone, Kang Hyeon stood in front of the dungeon¡¯s main core. -Thump, thump The main core, in the shape of a sphere about 20cm in diameter, pulsated. It was as if the veinsing out of the pir supporting the core were sucking in the core¡¯s magic power. -sh As he cut the pir, magic power scattered in all directions and simultaneously a portal leading to the outside opened in front of Kang Hyeon. Kang Hyeon, picking up the core, entered the portal. -sh! As his vision flickered and a familiar floating sensation was felt, when he opened his eyes again, he was outside the dungeon. ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± There were dozens of people waiting for him there. Chapter 28 Chapter 28 Celebrity (2) ¡°That¡¯s him!¡± ¡°I came out of KCT. Are you the man who¡¯s been clearing F-rank dungeons alone recently?¡± ¡°If you haven¡¯t joined a guild yet, our guild¡­¡± ¡°Just show us your face once.¡± They were broadcast journalists and guild managers. While the issue of a man clearing dungeons alone was growing, everyone had gathered after receiving a tip that the rumored man had appeared. ¡°It¡¯s not me, and I¡¯m not interested.¡± Bing famous doesn¡¯t help at all in getting stronger. Not wanting to waste time, Kang Hyeon pushed through the people blocking his way. ¡°Whoa, what¡¯s going on!¡± ¡°Did he just hit us?!¡± Kang Hyeon was just walking, but the people surrounding him were pushed back like scarecrows. ¡®This is bing troublesome.¡¯ Right now, time is tight to run more dungeons and get stronger. If this kind of thing continues in the future, it would be a problem. -Beep beep Kang Hyeon opened the door of Bentley No. 2, which he had parked a little away from the dungeon. ¡°Mr. Kang Hyeon.¡± Kang Hyeon turned around at the sudden voice. ¡°Who are you?¡± A man he had never seen before recognized him and even called his name. Kang Hyeon¡¯s eyes showed wariness. ¡°You don¡¯t need to be so cautious. I¡¯m here to help you, Mr. Kang Hyeon.¡± The man handed over his business card as he spoke. ¡°Ability Users Union¡­ Seon Yeon-ho?¡± ¡°We¡¯ve been keeping an eye on you for a while, Mr. Kang Hyeon. If youe to us, we promise to provide all the support you need for your growth.¡± Seon Yeon-ho said with a friendly smile. ¡°Hmm¡­¡± ¡°You don¡¯t need to answer right away. We¡¯d appreciate it if you contact us whenever you want. Well then, goodbye.¡± Having finished speaking, Seon Yeon-ho left as if his business was truly done. ¡®Ability Users Union¡­¡¯ The Ability Users Union is a bit different from guilds that pursue profit. It¡¯s closer to a public interest organization that works closely with the government to enhance the rights of ability users. Of course, joining and leaving were free, but he had never heard of them actively recruiting people like this. ¡°Well, he didn¡¯t ask for an immediate response anyway.¡± Kang Hyeon pushed the business card to a corner and started the engine. *** Ippotrantion *** Upon arriving home, Kang Hyeon immediately took a shower. -Whoosh Kang Hyeon was lost in thought as he washed his body under the falling water. ¡®How can I increase my magical power further¡­¡¯ Currently, most of Kang Hyeon¡¯s magical power is consumed in regenerating his body, which is being destroyed by ¡®Wayne¡¯s Secret Technique¡¯. Because of this, even though he had good attack skills, he couldn¡¯t use them unless it was absolutely necessary. ¡°And now Entria¡¯s Shell has appeared too.¡± ¡®Entria¡¯s Shell¡¯ is a useful skill that hardens the body¡¯. But if he used it now, it was clear that he wouldn¡¯t be able to maintain Wayne¡¯s Secret Technique for long and his magical power would soon be depleted. ¡°Items. I need to get magical power items.¡± If he wore equipment or essories rted to magical power, it would give him a bit more leeway. -Whirr After finishing his shower, Kang Hyeon turned on theputer to look up items. He essed ¡®Radar¡¯ and browsed around to find the information he wanted. ¡°The auction section¡­ Here it is.¡± Radar is mainly used to find dungeon information or form raid parties, but it also mediates the buying and selling of necessary items among ability users. ¡°There¡¯s nothing particrly useful.¡± Even equipment that increases magical power only raises it by 1-2 at most. Regardless of type, the number of essories that can be worn is limited to 4. Kang Hyeon already had items of the level listed on the site, so there was no need to look further. ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± While looking for information rted to magical power after leaving the auction house website, a title caught his eye. -Sharing information about a dungeon that drops magical power increase rings Kang Hyeon immediately clicked on the post. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª- There¡¯s an E-rank dungeon called ¡®Goblin Vige¡¯ in Hanam City. If you catch the shamans there, they drop rings that increase magical power stats by 1 or 2 with a pretty high probability. asionally, they even drop rings that increase stats by 4. The dungeon boss is the Goblin Grand Shaman, and I think it might drop even better rings if defeated. It used to be a gold mine where only those who knew about it, quietly farmed and made money. But recently, some bastards have illegally upied it and im it¡¯s their territory, preventing others from entering. The government doesn¡¯t care as long as the dungeon doesn¡¯t burst, damn it. I just hope arge guild or something sees this post and clears it. So no one can make money. Bastards. I¡¯ve attached the location, refer to it. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª- It was quite a long post, but to summarize, it was a post with the mentality of ¡®if I can¡¯t have it, no one can¡¯. Kang Hyeon scrolled down to check thements. -Those guys are therge guild, lol. -This isn¡¯t the only dungeon like this. They hoard the gold mines for themselves, control the item quantity, and even set the market price. -It¡¯s better to give up cleanly. I¡¯ve heard rumors about that ce too, and they say those guys are really vicious. There are even rumors that they quietly kill people inside the dungeon since no one would know what happens in there. -So now they¡¯re openly killing people for money¡­ Kang Hyeon nodded as he read through the post carefully. ¡°This is where I should go next.¡± His next destination was decided neatly. *** Ippotrantion *** ¡°How¡¯s mom?¡± ¡°She¡¯s fine, don¡¯t worry.¡± Kang Hyeon sighed at his father¡¯s answer. ¡°Haa¡­¡± Kang Hyeon¡¯s mother had fallen into aa after being attacked by an orc. At first, they thought she would wake up soon, but it had already been two months since she was admitted to the hospital. ¡°Are you okay, dad?¡± ¡°What can I do if I¡¯m not? It¡¯s a miracle that I even survived like this.¡± His father smiled as he lifted his severed arm. ¡°They say prosthetic technology is advancing rapidly, so let¡¯s wait a bit.¡± ¡°Forget it. I don¡¯t need that. I still have one good arm, so I don¡¯t want to wear some mechanical device.¡± ¡°Sigh. Alright. Take good care of mom. Don¡¯t worry about hospital bills or living expenses.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°I mean it. I¡¯m earning good money now.¡± ¡°Okay¡­ I understand.¡± His father¡¯s face looked somewhat bitter as he answered. ¡°Mom. When you wake up, I¡¯ll let you do whatever you want for the rest of your life without working. So please wake up.¡± Kang Hyeon murmured as if praying with his head bowed for a moment, then stood up. ¡°Are you leaving?¡± ¡°Yes. Do you need anything?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine. Just take good care of Kang A-hyun.¡± ¡°Alright. Mom, get plenty of rest. I¡¯ll be back.¡± *** Ippotrantion *** Geomdan Mountain, located in Hanam City. ¡°This is aplete backwoods.¡± He had a rough idea from looking at the map, but it was even more remote than he expected when he actually arrived. Kang Hyeon was able to find the dungeon after leaving the hiking trail and trekking through pathless terrain for about 30 minutes. ¡°Is there no one here?¡± Contrary to his expectation that someone would be guarding the entrance, there was no one standing in front of the dungeon. ¡°Well, if there¡¯s no one, I¡¯ll just go in.¡± Kang Hyeon entered the dungeon without much hesitation. -Whoosh! As he felt his body floating, a lush jungle greeted Kang Hyeon as he entered the dungeon. ¡°There¡¯s still someoneing in.¡± At the same time, he saw four men and one woman sitting nearby. ¡°What kind of knight is he? Why is he so heavily equipped?¡± ¡°But he looks pretty good.¡± ¡°Hey, are we getting a hefty bonus? Heheh.¡± ¡°I told you I had a dream about pigs yesterday, right? I guess this is why.¡± As the group chatted and giggled among themselves, one of them stood up and approached Kang Hyeon. ¡°Hey, haven¡¯t you heard the rumors? This ce belongs to our Bait Guild.¡± ¡°So?¡± The man smiled brightly at Kang Hyeon¡¯s words. ¡°Since you¡¯ve trespassed on someone else¡¯s property, you have to pay the price. Hand over everything you have.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Then I¡¯ll let you live.¡± It seemed they not only drove people away but also robbed them of their equipment. ¡®They¡¯re even worse than I expected.¡¯ Suppressing augh inside, Kang Hyeon opened his mouth. ¡°What if I refuse?¡± ¡°Mister, stop trying to act tough here. You¡¯ll die. This is inside a dungeon, okay?¡± He looked about 20 years old with a youthful appearance. His hair was dyed blue, and he was chewing gum. The way he spoke while swaggering made it seem like he desperately wanted to express how delinquent he was. ¡°You should know when and where to act tough. Many have died because they didn¡¯t¡­¡± ¡°Because they didn¡¯t?¡± ¡°While I¡¯m still asking nicely, take off your equipment and get lost.¡± Kang Hyeon smiled slightly at the man¡¯s words. ¡°Try to take it from me.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°I said, try to take it if you can. Pfft.¡± As Kang Hyeon let out a chuckle, their faces instantly contorted. ¡°You arrogant bastard!¡± The blue-haired guy swore and swung his longsword without warning. ¡°Just die!¡± The sword swung with full force. That sword was futilely caught in Kang Hyeon¡¯s hand. -Crack As Kang Hyeon applied force to his hand, the de instantly shattered into dozens of pieces and scattered on the ground. ¡°Huh¡­?¡± The blue-haired guy¡¯s eyes widened as if they were about to pop out at the sight. ¡°Damn it. Take him out at once!¡± At that moment, a woman¡¯s shout erupted from behind. Then swords and magic flew in from all directions. -Boom! Bang! -Crash! The ground around Kang Hyeon was torn up, and dust flew into the air. ¡°Phew¡­ Is it over?¡± ¡°Shut up!¡± The woman called the leader sharply shouted at the blue-haired guy¡¯s words. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, boss¡­¡± -Crack! Kang Hyeon¡¯s fist struck the blue-haired guy¡¯s teeth as he was speaking. The impact sent his teeth scattering like corn, and he flew several meters before crashing into the grass. ¡°This isn¡¯t even worth drawing my sword.¡± ¡°Magic Explosion!¡± In the meantime, another guy used a skill to attack Kang Hyeon. Magic Explosion. It¡¯s a skill thatunches an explosive magic sphere, which Kang Hyeon also frequently uses. -Bang! Kang Hyeon casually swatted away the magic sphere flying towards him with a wave of his hand. ¡°He deflected it with his hand¡­?¡± ¡°What? He has the same skill as me?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°I find this way much better than using it like that.¡± Kang Hyeon approached the man who was standing dumbfounded after seeing his skill fly away uselessly and grabbed his arm. ¡°Magic Explosion.¡± -Bang! When he used Magic Explosion in his hand gripping the arm, the man¡¯s arm instantly exploded. ¡°Aaaaargh!¡± ¡°The downside is that it damages me too¡­ But the effect is much better. Remember that.¡± ¡°Aaaaaagh!¡± Unable to answer Kang Hyeon¡¯s words, the man just screamed frantically. ¡°Well, I¡¯m not sure if you¡¯ll be able to use it though.¡± Kang Hyeon walked away, leaving behind the man clutching his exploded arm and wailing. ¡°Y-you, die!¡± The man standing next to him swung a huge mace. It seemed he had used a skill to increase its power as magic gleamed on the mace. -Whoosh Kang Hyeon lightly turned his body to avoid the attack and grabbed the man¡¯s hand. -Crunch Kang Hyeon¡¯s current strength exceeds 50, using Wayne¡¯s Secret Technique and the Giant¡¯s Strength. When he applied force to his hand in this state, the man¡¯s hand bones instantly shattered and crumpled. ¡°Aaaah!¡± Seeing this, the woman standing behind turned and ran without looking back. ¡°No, where are you going, boss! Ugh!¡± Thest remaining man didn¡¯t know what to do when the boss ran away. ¡°Don¡¯t worry.¡± To ease his concern, Kang Hyeon nted his fist into the man¡¯s philtrum. ¡°Huk, huk¡­¡± *** Ippotrantion *** ¡®Where on earth did a guy like thate from!?¡¯ When Kang Hyeon first appeared, she had been excited about some extra ie after a long time. She had nned to just steal his items, y with him a bit after stripping him naked, and then kill him to silence him as usual. -Crack That thought crumbled the moment she saw the sword shatter in Kang Hyeon¡¯s hand. She sensed it. This guy was on apletely different level from the ability users they had killed so far! He was definitely not someone that she, a mere team leader, could handle. ¡°Huff, huff!¡± The fleeing leader ran frantically through the forest. She shook her head, gripped by fear. ¡°It¡¯s okay. No matter how much of a monster he is, I¡¯ve stayed in this forest for two weeks.¡± ¡°That¡¯s rude, calling me a monster while I¡¯m listening.¡± ¡°Kyaaaa!¡± Kang Hyeon, who had suddenly appeared right next to the leader, spoke to her. ¡°You¡­ What are you? Do you think you¡¯ll get away with this?¡± Kang Hyeon chuckled at the leader¡¯s words and took off his helmet. ¡°What is this, some third-rate viin from the 60s? Why is your dialogue so poor?¡± As Kang Hyeon confidently revealed his face, the leader was ovee with anxiety. ¡®This bastard intends to kill me!¡¯ There was no other reason for him to show his face otherwise. Feeling her life threatened, the leader immediately fell to her knees. ¡°Please. Just spare my life. I didn¡¯t want to do this.¡± ¡°Oh really? Suddenly a line from my favorite moviees to mind.¡± Kang Hyeon smiled mischievously at her reaction. ¡°You¡¯re still a woman, right?¡± ¡°Uh¡­¡± ¡°Then would it be discrimination if I cripple you like your friends? Or would it be discrimination to leave only you unharmed?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Was that not funny? Hehehe¡­¡± Kang Hyeon cackled as if he had just told a really funny joke. ¡®Shit! I¡¯ve run into a real psycho.¡¯ He was clearly insane, and not just a little. The leader, inwardly contemting how to get out of this situation, opened her mouth. ¡°Hahaha¡­ Imitted the same crimes as those guys¡­ so I should receive the same punishment, right?¡± ¡°Hmm, I was just thinking about that. Thanks for your input.¡± As Kang Hyeon answered, he lifted his foot and stomped down on the leader¡¯s knee. ¡°Aaaaargh!¡± Her scream echoed through the dungeon as her kneecap was instantly shattered. *** Ippotrantion *** ¡°Hmm~¡± Kang Hyeon walked through the dungeon, humming a tune. ¡°But since this is a field-type dungeon, I¡¯m not sure where to go.¡± The increasing number of goblins appearing seemed to indicate he was going the right way, but he wasn¡¯t certain. ¡°Ah! I should have brought one of them along as a guide.¡± Kang Hyeon shook his head, ming himself for his foolishness. ¡°Who are you?¡± At that moment, a group approached Kang Hyeon. ¡°He doesn¡¯t look familiar. How did he get past the entrance? Those guys must be cking off again.¡± ¡°That¡¯s why those low-ranking guys are useless.¡± Kang Hyeon smiled upon hearing the men¡¯s words. ¡°Bingo.¡± Chapter 29 Chapter 29 Bait Guild (1) ¡°So, I need someone who can tell me the boss¡¯s location. Just one person will do, right?¡± At Kang Hyeon¡¯s words, the men raised their hands as if having a seizure. ¡°Me! I¡¯m the leader of this team. No one knows better than me!¡± ¡°That bastard is just a leader in name, he doesn¡¯t do anything. I¡¯m the guide position here!¡± ¡°What? Are you crazy?!¡± There were a total of eight men in the group. Four of them were already unconscious, half-dead. ¡®If they all faint, there won¡¯t be a guide.¡¯ Kang Hyeon was putting into practice what he had just learned. ¡°Alright. If that¡¯s what you want, I have no choice.¡± ¡°¡­?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s start the audition now.¡± An audition with life on the line began. If selected, you be the guide. If rejected, it¡¯s death. The participants¡¯ passion was greater than any other audition. ¡°Come on, don¡¯t fight. I¡¯m a busy person, so let¡¯s move straight to the final statements.¡± It was when Kang Hyeon was stretching while speaking. ¡°Get lost, you son of a bitch!!!¡± A man who had been waiting for an opportunity quickly got up and swung his sword. ¡°What?¡± Kang Hyeon pped the approaching man hard with his palm. -Smack! The man whose face was hit by the gauntlet crashed to the ground at twice the speed he had risen. The man who fainted instantly had his face caved in the shape of the gauntlet. ¡°I heard your final statement well. Next.¡± Kang Hyeon nodded as if nothing had happened. ¡°¡­¡± *** Ippotrantion *** ¡°Hey. Are you sure we¡¯re going the right way?¡± At Kang Hyeon¡¯s words, Kim Seong-woo, who had introduced himself as the guide, nodded vigorously. ¡°Yes. This is the shortest route to the vige.¡± ¡°But the sun has already set.¡± It had been half a day since they started following Kim Seong-woo. During that time, only goblins had appeared, but not the target vige where the boss was supposed to be. ¡°It usually takes a few days to reach where the boss is, passing through small viges. But if we go this way, we can arrive at the main core within two days at the earliest.¡± Kang Hyeon nodded at Kim Seong-woo¡¯s words. ¡°So it¡¯s not possible today. Let¡¯s rest here then.¡± From the start, Kim Seong-woo wasn¡¯t in good shape due to the beating he took from Kang Hyeon. In that condition, after a full day of forced marching, he lookedpletely exhausted. Kang Hyeon, not wanting to drag along a patient, dered a break. ¡°Um¡­ Aren¡¯t we going to light a fire?¡± As night fell and the weather became quite chilly, Kim Seong-woo shivered. ¡°Just get in the sleeping bag and sleep. Why bother? Are you going to catch the goblins if theye because of the fire?¡± ¡°No. I¡¯m sorry.¡± Kim Seong-woo bowed his head and replied. ¡®We left all the camping equipment behind¡­¡¯ In the end, Kim Seong-woo crouched under a tree, wrapping his arms around himself and shivering pitifully. ¡°At least cover yourself with this.¡± Seeing this, Kang Hyeon took out a nket from his backpack and threw it. ¡°Thank you!¡± Though it was a thin nket, Kim Seong-woo felt relieved as the cold subsided a bit. ¡°How old are you?¡± ¡°Twenty-five, sir.¡± Kim Seong-woo answered sharply like a newly recruited soldier. ¡°Military service?¡± ¡°Discharged, sir.¡± ¡°So you were originally a college student?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± At Kim Seong-woo¡¯s words, Kang Hyeon frowned. ¡°You should¡¯ve just stayed in college. Whye to a ce like this and do useless things?¡± ¡°I was desperate for money. My student loans kept piling up, and I thought there was no way out, so I jumped into the dungeon.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Then, on the rmendation of a friend, I joined the Bait Guild.¡± Kang Hyeon shook his head at this typical story. ¡°When you get out of here, quit the guild and live like a decent human being.¡± ¡°I want to, but it¡¯s toote now.¡± ¡°Why?¡± Kang Hyeon tilted his head at the statement that he couldn¡¯t leave the guild. ¡°They say joining the guild is free, but leaving isn¡¯t. The guys who said they were quitting the guild midway have all lost contact now.¡± ¡°Tsk tsk. It¡¯s not like we¡¯re in some gangster movie in this day and age.¡± Kang Hyeon clicked his tongue and burrowed into his sleeping bag. ¡°Alright, go to sleep. I don¡¯t want to drag around a patient.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Two hourster. Kim Seong-woo, who seemed to be asleep curled up, opened his eyes. ¡®Now¡¯s the time.¡¯ There had been opportunities to escape earlier, but Kim Seong-woo had been extra cautious. Even though Kang Hyeon had fallen asleep long ago, he had waited for over an hour without moving. -Rustle Finally, Kim Seong-woo quietly got up from his spot, put down the nket, and moved slowly. ¡°Where are you going?¡± ¡°¡­!¡± At that moment, Kang Hyeon, who was lying down, spoke without even turning around. ¡°I need to urinate, haha¡­¡± ¡°Pee here.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Kim Seong-woo wiped away tears as he unbuckled his belt. ¡°If you try to run away and get caught, you¡¯re dead.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not just saying it, you¡¯ll really die.¡± ¡°Yes¡­¡± After forcibly relieving himself, Kim Seong-woo obediently returned to his spot. ¡°Sob sob¡­¡± Afraid that Kang Hyeon might harm him, Kim Seong-woo covered himself with the nket and quietly sobbed. *** Ippotrantion *** The next day. ¡°Is it here?¡± ¡°Yes. The boss is in that vige you can see over there.¡± At some point, Kang Hyeon became able to sense magical power. A fairly strong magical power caught his senses. ¡°Follow me.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°I said follow me. If you¡¯re not with me, it¡¯ll take ages to get back again.¡± ¡°Yes¡­¡± Kim Seong-woo answered feebly and followed behind Kang Hyeon. ¡°Keeaak!¡± Kang Hyeon stopped confidently at the entrance of the vige. The goblins who spotted him shouted and ran around in all directions. -Ding, ding! And urgent bell sounds warning of danger rang out through the vige. ¡°Keruk, keruk!¡± ¡°Huh¡­¡± Then an enormous number of goblins began pouring out like a flood. [Goblin Warrior] [Goblin Shaman] They seemed quite organized. Moreover, they were equipped with armor made of animal hide and well-forged weapons. ¡°Yaaaa!¡± [Roar of the Enraged Lion is activated] [All enemies¡¯ morale and stats have decreased] Kang Hyeon let out a battle cry and ran with all his might. ¡°Keek!¡± Until now, he had wondered if this ce was too low-levelpared to other E-rank dungeons. But now he could understand why ¡®Goblin Vige¡¯ was an E-rank dungeon. Overwhelming numbers. The vige that had already poured out hundreds of goblins continued to spew out goblins endlessly without tiring. -sh! Every time Kang Hyeon¡¯s sword swung, two or three goblins died, but it didn¡¯t even make a dent. ¡°Keeaak!¡± That¡¯s when it happened. The shamans waiting at the back with staffs. When they shouted something, trees began to grow from the ground and wrap around Kang Hyeon¡¯s body. ¡°What is this?¡± -Crack The tree trunks were easily torn apart when Kang Hyeon exerted force. However, other vines quickly rose up and wrapped around Kang Hyeon again. ¡®I need to deal with the shamans first.¡¯ Having made his decision, Kang Hyeon swung his sword frantically to clear a path. ¡°Kaak!¡± ¡°Keruruk!¡± A spray of blood arose from the sword swinging at incredible speed, and Kang Hyeon, who had run dozens of meters in an instant, used Bisection. -sh! In one go, five goblin shamans were cleaved through bone and their bodies separated. ¡°Keruk! Keruk!¡± Even though nearly a hundred goblins had fallen in less than ten minutes, their eyes were still shining fiercely. ¡°Phew¡­¡± After an intense battle thatsted over two hours, Kang Hyeon could finally catch his breath. The surrounding area was so filled with goblin corpses that there was no room to step. ¡°Keruk, keruk!¡± Even though hundreds of theirrades had died without inflicting much damage on Kang Hyeon, the goblins backed away in fear. ¡°Keeeeaak!¡± At that moment, a goblin with a huge body appeared from inside. ¡°You¡¯re showing up now?¡± ¡°Keruk!¡± The Great Shaman, a goblin with a body over 2m tall, shouted. Then huge boulders rose into the air and flew towards Kang Hyeon. ¡°Such petty tricks!¡± Kang Hyeon lightly dodged and immediately rushed at him. ¡°Keeaak!¡± At the Great Shaman¡¯smand, the remaining goblins all rushed at Kang Hyeon at once. ¡®Wayne¡¯s Secret Technique¡¯ Sensing that the fight was nearing its end, Kang Hyeon used Wayne¡¯s Secret Technique. Kang Hyeon smiled with satisfaction at the power boiling over throughout his body. ¡°Uaaa!¡± Kang Hyeon grabbed a charging goblin and threw it forward. The impact caused dozens of goblins to copse like dominoes. -Thud Using the fallen goblins as stepping stones, Kang Hyeon jumped and soared into the air. ¡°Magic Explosion, Magic Explosion, Magic Explosion!¡± Creating magic spheres in rapid session while in the air, Kang Hyeon detonated them beneath his feet. -Bang, bang, bang! Kang Hyeon began running through the air using the explosive force. ¡°Yaaaa!¡± [The skill Magic Explosion¡¯s rank has increased] A message appeared in the corner of his vision, but it wasn¡¯t time to rejoice. ¡°Keuk?!¡± Propelled by the explosive force, Kang Hyeon flew like a missile and instantly reached the Grand Shaman. ¡°Die!¡± As Kang Hyeon swung his sword with all his might, the creature created an earthen wall in front of itself. -Kwang! Kang Hyeon¡¯s sword shed with the earthen wall. Dust scattered in all directions, temporarily obscuring vision. ¡°Magic Explosion!¡± As Kang Hyeon used his skill, the dust dispersed due to the explosive force. ¡°There you are!¡± The creature was a short distance away. Kang Hyeon immediately threw Bilgein¡¯s longsword. -Whoosh! At the same time, he kicked off the ground and charged forward. ¡°Keeeuk!¡± The unexpected flying sword pierced the creature¡¯s shoulder. While it screamed in pain, Kang Hyeon reached it. ¡°Ke, Kek!¡± ¡°Heuup!¡± Kang Hyeon grabbed the creature¡¯s face with both hands. ¡°Magic Explosion!¡± -Kwang! An enormous pressure burst from inside his hands. -Thud. The Grand Shaman, with half its head blown off, fell to its knees pathetically. ¡°This bastard was being annoying.¡± Though his own hands and feet were tattered like rags from the Magic Explosion¡¯s effect, Kang Hyeon didn¡¯t mind. ¡®It¡¯ll recover soon anyway.¡¯ He still had magic to spare. ¡°Keruk, keruk!¡± As the Grand Shaman fell, the terrified goblins scattered in all directions. ¡°Kim Seong-woo! Where are you?¡± ¡°I¡¯m here, sir.¡± At Kang Hyeon¡¯s words, Kim Seong-woo, who had been hiding in a goblin hut, crawled out. ¡°Huh, you didn¡¯t run away but just hid.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡®You said you¡¯d kill me if I ran away¡­¡¯ Swallowing his retort, Kim Seong-woo simply nodded. ¡°Take whatever magic stones you want from here. I don¡¯t need them.¡± ¡°What?! Thank you!¡± Excited by the unexpected bonus, Kim Seong-woo rummaged through the goblin corpses. ¡°This is enough for me.¡± [Goblin Grand Shaman¡¯s Magic Stone] [Goblin Grand Shaman¡¯s Ring] Making money from the core value is sufficient. And the most important thing is this ring. Name: Goblin Grand Shaman¡¯s Ring Grade: D+ Durability: 50/50 Description: A ring used by the Goblin Grand Shaman Karkeh. Helps increase magical power. Ability: Increases Magic stat by 4, Increases magic recovery speed by 10% ¡°Oh, what? There¡¯s a + grade?¡± Kang Hyeon smiled brightly upon seeing the ring. ¡°I didn¡¯t have high expectations since it¡¯s an E-grade dungeon, but this is nice.¡± Kang Hyeon removed the ring he was wearing that increased Magic stat by 2 and put on the Grand Shaman¡¯s ring. ?Name: Kang Hyeon ?Title: Tutorial Graduate and 1 other ?Level: 47 ?Detailed Stats: Strength 26 (+2.5)(+2) Agility 24 (+2.5) Stamina 25 (+2.5)(+2) Magic 26 (+2.5)(+4) Additional Stats: ¨C ?Unique Ability: Resurrection ?Abilities: Intermediate Swordsmanship(D), Lower-Grade Shield Technique(E), Lowest-Grade Crossbow Skill(F) ?Skills: Roar of the Enraged Lion(C), Advanced Bodily Regeneration(A), Bisection(E), Giant¡¯s Strength(B), Magic Explosion(D), Wayne¡¯s Secret Technique(E), Entria¡¯s Shell(F) ¡°Now I don¡¯t have to worry about magic as much.¡± With this, his Magic stat became 32.5, making it his highest stat. ¡°The Magic Explosion grade also went up. No wonder my hands hurt more.¡± The way Kang Hyeon finished off the Grand Shaman was a method he frequently used, but unlike usual, the impact was so strong that his gauntlets were severely damaged. ¡°From now on, I shouldn¡¯t use equipment without an auto-repair function.¡± Because Kang Hyeon fought in such an intense manner, his armor would shatter every time. If he had worn armor without auto-repair function, he might have had to buy new armor after every battle. ¡°Shall we get out now?¡± After organizing the spoils, Kang Hyeon stood in front of the dungeon¡¯s main core. ¡°Hey. Youe here too.¡± ¡°Yes, yes!¡± At Kang Hyeon¡¯s words, Kim Seong-woo, who had been frantically collecting magic stones, hurried over. ¡°Come to think of it, when we destroy the main core, a portal automatically appears, right? I guess I didn¡¯t need you after all?¡± ¡°Ah¡­ But, didn¡¯t I help a little in getting here?¡± Kim Seong-woo panicked as his usefulness suddenly disappeared. ¡°Don¡¯t be scared. I won¡¯t harm you. Alright, let¡¯s go.¡± In a good mood due to the better-than-expected rewards, Kang Hyeon smiled and cut down the pir supporting the main core. [The dungeon¡¯s main core has been removed] [A portal to the outside is opening] With the message, Kang Hyeon and Kim Seong-woo entered the portal that appeared before them. -Whooosh! ¡°What¡¯s this now?¡± As soon as they came out, what Kang Hyeon saw were about a hundred armed people. ¡°They¡¯re out. Contact the Guild Master.¡± One of the men gave instructions to a subordinate behind him and approached Kang Hyeon. ¡°I am Kim Hyeon-woo, the Vice Guild Master of the Bait Guild. Nice to meet you.¡± Kim Hyeon-woo extended his hand politely. Kang Hyeon shook his hand and spoke. ¡°Couldn¡¯t handle it with just a few guys, so you brought everyone? nning to gang up on me?¡± ¡°No, that¡¯s not it. Our Guild Master simply wishes to have a conversation. If you could wait a moment, please.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t see why I should.¡± Kang Hyeon¡¯s grip on the handshake gradually tightened. ¡®My hand feels like it¡¯s going to break. What kind of strength is this..!¡¯ As Kang Hyeon¡¯s strength exceededmon sense, Kim Hyeon-woo began to crumble. ¡°Urgh..¡± Just as a groan escaped Kim Hyeon-woo¡¯s mouth as he was enduring with pride alone, someone approached and spoke. ¡°That¡¯s enough, shall we talk?¡± Chapter 30 Chapter 30 Bait Guild (2) ¡°That¡¯s enough.¡± A man appeared with a rxed smile. At his words, Kang Hyeon released his grip. ¡°Ugh¡­¡± Finally freed from Kang Hyeon¡¯s grasp, Kim Hyeon-woo frowned while rubbing his hand. ¡°Are you the boss of these thugs here?¡± ¡°Haha. Yes, that¡¯s right. I¡¯m Jeong Eui-hyeon. You¡¯re more interesting than I expected.¡± It was a statement that could have offended anyone, but Jeong Eui-hyeon countered casually without changing his expression. ¡°If you don¡¯t mind, would you tell me your name?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to. Let¡¯s cut the unnecessary chatter and get to the point.¡± Jeong Eui-hyeon nodded at Kang Hyeon¡¯s response. ¡°If that¡¯s how you want it¡­ I¡¯ll be direct. Join our Bait Guild as an executive.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°We¡¯ll provide everything you need for wealth, honor, and growth without hesitation.¡± As Kang Hyeon had expected, Jeong Eui-hyeon had been waiting to recruit him after seeing his skills. ¡®If we can just put this man forward, the Bait Guild can easily grow into one of the top massive guilds.¡¯ This was the thought that urred to Jeong Eui-hyeon as soon as he received the report about Kang Hyeon. He didn¡¯t care at all about the well-being of his injured subordinates. His mind was just filled with future business ns. ¡®An undiscovered strong yer. We must recruit him at all costs.¡¯ After that, Jeong Eui-hyeon had already imagined in his mind a guild that would expand beyond Korea to the world, but that was just his own delusion. ¡°No.¡± Kang Hyeon, living up to his title of ¡®One Who Does Not Hold Back¡¯, answered firmly. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you to ept right away. Here¡¯s my business card. Think it over gradually.¡± Despite Kang Hyeon¡¯s rude attitude, Jeong Eui-hyeon smiled and handed over his business card. ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Kang Hyeon quietly epted the card. Then he held the card with both hands. -Rip, rip! The card in his grasp was instantly torn into dozens of pieces in Kang Hyeon¡¯s hands. ¡°No matter how trashy I am, I don¡¯t do thug stuff like you guys. Who are you third-rate gangster bastards trying to recruit?¡± -Flutter The pieces of the business card Kang Hyeon threw scattered in all directions. At this sight, Jeong Eui-hyeon¡¯s smile, which he had maintained throughout, began to tremble at the corners of his mouth. ¡°What, are you pissed? Want to have a proper fight?¡± Although anger rose to the top of his head, Jeong Eui-hyeon desperately tried to maintain a smiling face. However, his face twisted grotesquely as his expression didn¡¯t cooperate with his intentions. ¡°No¡­ I just wanted to talk today. Let¡¯s speak again when we have another opportunity.¡± ¡°Bullshit. Talking about next opportunities.¡± Kang Hyeon snorted at Jeong Eui-hyeon¡¯s words and turned around. ¡°It was shitty meeting you. Let¡¯s never see each other again.¡± As Kang Hyeon went down the mountain, he inwardly sighed with relief. ¡®That was close.¡¯ In truth, he was in a state where he didn¡¯t have much magical power left after clearing the dungeon. In a situation where he didn¡¯t know how strong or what abilities any of the over 100 ability users had. Even if he fought in perfect condition, he couldn¡¯t guarantee victory. If he fought now with his magical power depleted, it was obvious he would be crushed nine times out of ten. ¡°Phew¡­¡± Finally, after deactivating all his skills, Kang Hyeon let out a sigh of relief as he got into Bentley No. 2. *** Ippotrantion *** ¡°Kim Hyeon-woo¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Kim Hyeon-woo quickly approached at Jeong Eui-hyeon¡¯s call. ¡°Put people on him and find out everything about that bastard, down to the smallest detail.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± As Kim Hyeon-woo bowed his head and left, Kim Seong-woo was soon dragged in front of Jeong Eui-hyeon. ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± ¡°A traitor. He volunteered to be that bastard¡¯s guide.¡± At the guild member¡¯s words, Jeong Eui-hyeon suddenly broke into a broad smile. ¡°Sword.¡± At Jeong Eui-hyeon¡¯s single word, a guild member quietly handed over a sword. ¡°Please¡­ Just spare my life!¡± Sensing his impending death, Kim Seong-woo knelt down and begged. ¡°You want to live?¡± ¡°Yes! I¡¯ll do anything. Please, just spare my¡­¡± -Shunk! Before he could finish pleading for his life, Jeong Eui-hyeon¡¯s sword mercilessly plunged into Kim Seong-woo¡¯s heart. ¡°Gack¡­¡± Kim Seong-woo¡¯s eyes widened in disbelief, and blood gushed from his mouth. ¡°How dare a traitor think of living?! You worm!¡± Jeong Eui-hyeon, whose attitude changed in an instant, shouted sharply. His face was contorted like a demon, without a trace of a smile. *** Ippotrantion *** July. The summer days are excruciatingly long. The time had already passed 6 PM, but the scorching sun showed no sign of retreating. -Buzz Kang Hyeon, who had been frowning and shielding his eyes from the sunlight with his hand, took out his smartphone from his pocket. Then he opened his contacts. [Kim Tae-soo] A wee name he hadn¡¯t seen in a long time. ¡°It¡¯s been 7 months?¡± On the day the tutorial started, Kang Hyeon had been pathetically beaten by Kim Tae-soo and received 300,000 won. So much had happened since then that it felt like years had passed, but it was surprising that not as much time had actually psed as he thought. ¡°Hoo¡­¡± With an expression of having made some kind of decision, Kang Hyeon made the call. -You¡¯re alive? ¡°Of course, man.¡± -Haha. What¡¯s up? Just hearing the voice of his old friend was enough to lift his spirits. ¡°Want to grab a drink after a long time?¡± -Sounds good. Let¡¯s go to that pork belly ce we used to frequent. ¡°When can youe out?¡± -I cane right now. ¡°Okay. I¡¯ll be waiting.¡± *** Ippotrantion *** Kim Tae-soo, who arrived at the meeting ce, looked around eagerly. ¡°Where is this guy? He said he¡¯d be waiting.¡± Just as he was about to make a call after not being able to find Kang Hyeon anywhere, ¡°Hey, Kim Tae-soo!¡± Kim Tae-soo turned around at the voice calling him. ¡°Oh! Kang Hyeon..?¡± Kim Tae-soo blinked for a long time as he looked at Kang Hyeon. ¡°Is that you, Kang Hyeon?¡± ¡°You punk. Can¡¯t even recognize your friend after not seeing him for a while.¡± Although Kang Hyeon spoke to him in a friendly manner, Kim Tae-soo still had a confused expression. ¡°Did you get a job as a fitness trainer? No, are you a martial arts fighter?¡± Kang Hyeon¡¯s bulging muscles were visible through his short-sleeved shirt, and his eyes had a fierce light in them. A man who gave off a dangerous aura at first nce. Kim Tae-soo doubted if this man was really his skinny and dull-looking friend Kang Hyeon. ¡°It just happened somehow. Haha¡­ What are you doing! Let¡¯s go in. I¡¯m hungry.¡± ¡°Oh, okay¡­¡± In fact, theirst meeting had been quite awkward, and seeing each other after a long time made them feel a bit ufortable. However, those feelings naturally disappeared after a few rounds of drinks with delicious meat. ¡°I was sorry about that time.¡± Kim Tae-soo smiled pleasantly at Kang Hyeon¡¯s words. ¡°It¡¯s in the past, why keep bringing it up. It¡¯s fine. Let¡¯s talk about something else.¡± Kang Hyeonughed at Kim Tae-soo¡¯s words. ¡®He¡¯s always been like this since we were young.¡¯ Always caring for him, full of affection, and without grudges. Kim Tae-soo, who was righteous, responsible, and diligent. He was always a good friend and an idol to Kang Hyeon. ¡°Is Kang A-hyun doing well?¡± ¡°She¡¯s the same as always. Working well at herpany.¡± ¡°I see.¡± ¡°What about you? Are you still working at the samepany as before?¡± Kim Tae-soo¡¯s expression darkened a bit at Kang Hyeon¡¯s words. ¡°I changed jobs. I¡¯m doing paperwork at Dangun Guild now.¡± ¡°Oh, Dangun Guild? You¡¯ve made it, man!¡± Even though Kang Hyeon was out of touch with the world, he knew well about the current position of Dangun Guild. He felt proud that his closest friend is working at such a ce. ¡°I got in through a connection by chance. The sry is almost double, so I was tempted.¡± ¡°Hey, that¡¯s great, so why do you look so gloomy?¡± ¡°Actually, my father¡­¡± Just as Kim Tae-soo was about to say something, amotion was heard from one side of the restaurant. ¡°Hey! Is this the ce?¡± ¡°Nice. Order whatever you want!¡± ¡°Are you crazy?! You got a lot of money or what?!¡± Several men were entering the restaurant, heavily drunk. Even though the restaurant was already noisy, the men made enough noise to make people frown immediately. ¡°Who are these bastards?¡± Kang Hyeon¡¯s face wrinkled at the men¡¯smotion. ¡°Hey, leave them be. What¡¯s wrong with being a bit noisy in a meat restaurant where people drink?¡± Even when he was all skin and bones, Kang Hyeon had a strong pride and often got into fights. Now that his body had be muscr, Kim Tae-soo stepped in to stop Kang Hyeon, not knowing what kind of trouble he might cause. ¡°Well, you¡¯re right. What were we talking about? What about your father?¡± ¡°Never mind. Let¡¯s just drink. Cheers!¡± And so, a few more rounds of drinks were shared in a joyful atmosphere. Before they knew it, the empty soju bottles in front of them had already exceeded 6. ¡°Wow, Kang Hyeon. Have you improved your drinking?¡± ¡°You punk. You used to nag me about drinking well, now you can¡¯t keep up? Hehe.¡± ¡°You¡¯re still far behind, man.¡± While they were exchanging jokes, Kang Hyeon suddenly stood up from his seat. ¡°Where are you going?¡± ¡°Gotta poop.¡± ¡°Hahaha.¡± Kim Tae-sooughed heartily at Kang Hyeon¡¯s words and stood up from his seat. ¡°Go ahead. I¡¯ll have a smoke while I wait.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± A momentter. Kang Hyeon,ing out of the bathroom with a relieved expression. His face suddenly wrinkled. ¡°What the?!¡± Kang Hyeon rushed to Kim Tae-soo, who was lying copsed. *** Ippotrantion *** Right after Kang Hyeon went to the bathroom. Kim Tae-soo, who was going out to smoke, stopped at themotion he heard from nearby. ¡°What are you doing?!¡± ¡°You bitch, why are you ying so hard to get? Juste with us!¡± ¡°Do you girls know who we are? We¡¯re from Han Seong Guild.¡± The men who had entered the restaurant drunk and causing a disturbance were now harassing the women at the next table. ¡°Hey, shouldn¡¯t we stop them?¡± ¡°They said they¡¯re from an ability user guild¡­ Haven¡¯t you watched the newstely? There are quite a few people who¡¯ve been disabled after getting involved in assault cases with ability users.¡± Kim Tae-soo assessed the situation after hearing the whispers around him. The drunkenness in his eyes was now reced with anger. ¡°Stop it now.¡± ¡°Who are you?¡± ¡°Can¡¯t you see these people don¡¯t like it? What are you doing in a business establishment?¡± At Kim Tae-soo¡¯s firm tone, the men frowned and stood up. ¡°Who are you to tell us what to do?¡± ¡°What¡¯s with this guy? Do you know who we are?¡± ¡°You old-fashioned bastard. What are you gonna do if we don¡¯t stop? You wanna fight?!¡± As the men approached, Kim Tae-soo held out his hand to stop them. ¡°If you continue like this, I¡¯ll call the pol-¡­ Ugh!¡± One of the men struck Kim Tae-soo as he was about to say he¡¯d call the police. ¡°What are you gonna do if you call the police? What, huh?!¡± *Thud, thud!* As time passed, the gap between ordinary people and ability users was widening. Kim Tae-soo had been diligently training his body as part of his self-management, but it was no match for ability users who risk their lives fighting monsters in dungeons. ¡°Ptui! You worm.¡± ¡°Hahaha! Hey, do it more.¡± One of the men spat on the fallen Kim Tae-soo. Hispanions were holding their stomachs and giggling as they watched. ¡°Phew. Acting all high and mighty like some hero when you¡¯re nothing.¡± ¡°I thought I was watching some superhero movie for a second there.¡± ¡°Hahaha!¡± ¡°Stop it no! Pfft!¡± Despite the men¡¯s mockery, the fallen Kim Tae-soo could only groan. ¡°This is what happens when you stick your nose in other people¡¯s business. Got it, mister?¡± ¡°Urghh¡­¡± ¡°Think of it as a life lesson, courtesy of us.¡± When Kim Tae-soo showed no reaction, the men¡¯s expressions showed their excitement fading. ¡°Tch, let¡¯s go. This just ruined the mood.¡± ¡°Because of some worthless thing. Shit.¡± Just as the men were about to leave. *Click* Finally, Kang Hyeon came out of the bathroom. ¡°What the?!¡± Chapter 31 Chapter 31 Bait Guild (3) Seeing Kim Tae-soo copse, Kang Hyeon rushed over urgently. ¡°Ugh¡­¡± Kang Hyeon sighed in relief after confirming that Kim Tae-soo, who was groaning, was still alive. ¡°What¡¯s that guy doing?¡± ¡°Looks like that bastard¡¯s friend?¡± The men snickered as they watched the scene. ¡°Hey, loser¡¯s friend. Take that loser and get lost quickly. It¡¯s making me sick.¡± The man who had just beaten Kim Tae-soo approached and said. ¡°Huh¡­ Was it you?¡± ¡°What? If you¡¯re asking if I stepped on that bug, yeah, that was me.¡± Kang Hyeon was quite tall at 179cm. But the man was so tall he couldpletely look down on Kang Hyeon. ¡°What? Got a problem? Looks like you want to show off because you worked out a bit. Take that trash and leave while I¡¯m still asking nicely.¡± The man looked down at Kang Hyeon and sneered. -Creak¡­ Having experienced countless deaths, Kang Hyeon¡¯s normal human emotions had worn down and twisted. For him who had finally found peace after so long, having his peaceful time disturbed and his friend knocked down caused Kang Hyeon¡¯s eyes to roll back. ¡°Haa¡­¡± But to those already intoxicated by the pleasure of violence and alcohol, such facts didn¡¯t matter. ¡°Hey. Tall guy.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°If you bow your head and sincerely apologize right now¡­ I¡¯ll let you live.¡± ¡°Hey, what¡¯s this idiot saying?¡± ¡°Hahaha!¡± The men clutched their stomachsughing even at Kang Hyeon¡¯s words. That grated on Kang Hyeon¡¯s nerves even more. ¡°And don¡¯t look down on me.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s annoying.¡± ¡°This bastard¡¯s really full of himself till the end!¡± As he spoke, the tall guy swung his fist at Kang Hyeon. -Thud! The tall guy¡¯s fist connected squarely with Kang Hyeon¡¯s jaw. But Kang Hyeon¡¯s head didn¡¯t budge an inch and remained still. ¡°W-What¡­?¡± Feeling like he¡¯d hit a massive wall, the tall guy stuttered in confusion. ¡°I told you not to look down on me.¡± -Crack! A lightning-fast low kick struck the tall guy¡¯s leg. In an instant, his knee twisted unnaturally and the bone pierced through the flesh. ¡°Aaaagh!¡± ¡°Now you should bow your head and apologize, right?¡± Kang Hyeon struck the head of the tall guy who was screaming on his knees with all his might. -Boom! The tall guy¡¯s head mmed into the ground at tremendous speed, shattering the tiles beneath. ¡°W-What the hell is this guy¡­?!¡± ¡°Hey, Jeong Sang-yeon!¡± The tall guy called Jeong Sang-yeon showed no response even when hispanions called out. ¡°Is he dead?¡± ¡°That bastard!¡± ¡°Shit, everyone get your equipment out!¡± The viins took out their equipment from their inventories and charged at Kang Hyeon. ¡°Hiyaaa!¡± ¡°Die!¡± Three ability users armed with des. It was a situation where anyone would feel threatened, but Kang Hyepn was overflowing withposure. He didn¡¯t even take out his equipment and just stood there nkly. He only smiled, feeling the pain stabbing his body due to ¡®Wayne¡¯s Secret Technique¡¯. ¡°It¡¯s been a while since I¡¯ve had a good fight.¡± With his increased reflexes, the guys swinging their swords looked as slow as turtles. -Whoosh, whoosh! Kang Hyeon leisurely dodged the randomly swung sword attacks. He looked like someone existing in apletely different world. ¡°Ack¡­! Why can¡¯t we hit him?!¡± ¡°What is this?!¡± Kang Hyeon approached the confused man and pped his cheek. -Smack! ¡°Ugh!¡± The guy who was pped flew and crashed right into a table. With his head buried and legs trembling, it looked like he wouldn¡¯t be able to get up again. ¡°Urgh¡­ Beast Transformation!¡± Seeing hisrade go down in one hit, another guy used his skill. His eyes turned red, and fur sprouted all over his body like a beast. ¡®I didn¡¯t know there was a skill like that.¡¯ That was the extent of Kang Hyeon¡¯s impression. He looked at the man with an expressionless face. ¡°Graaah!¡± The man who transformed into a beast swung his arm, which had grown massive with protruding ws, at Kang Hyeon. -Grab But contrary to that intense momentum, the guy¡¯s hand was caught anticlimactically. As Kang Hyeon gripped and twisted his wrist, the guy¡¯s body gradually crumbled from the pain. ¡°What is this¡­¡± ¡®To be overpowered even after using Beast Transformation!¡¯ The guy¡¯s eyes widened in disbelief. -Crack ¡°I thought you¡¯d be different after that shy transformation.¡± ¡°Aaaagh!¡± ¡°I¡¯m disappointed.¡± Kang Hyeonpletely twisted the man¡¯s wrist. As his arm turned at an impossibly strange angle, the guy howled in pain. ¡°What is that¡­ What the hell is this monstrous bastard?!¡± Seeing hisrades get destroyed in an instant, thest remaining man fell into panic. ¡°Watch yournguage. You thug.¡± -Crack Kang Hyeon approached the man, grabbed his head, and mmed it against the wall. ¡°Urgh!¡± ¡°That¡¯s what you get.¡± -Crack! ¡°Ugh¡­ P-Please¡­ Spare¡­¡± -Crack! ¡°What was that?¡± ¡°I¡¯m¡­ S-sorry¡­¡± ¡°I can¡¯t hear you?¡± Just as Kang Hyeon was about to m the man¡¯s head again, someone grabbed his hand. ¡°What?¡± ¡°Stop. I¡¯m fine.¡± It was Kim Tae-soo, who had gotten up from his seat. ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°I said stop. There are a lot of people here too.¡± Only then did Kang Hyeone to his senses and look around. All the people who had gathered were trembling in fear as they looked at him. -Thud ¡°Hah, they¡¯re too weak. There¡¯s not even any stress relief in beating them up.¡± Kang Hyeon threw the man aside and approached the counter. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯llpensate for ruining your business today and for the damages.¡± ¡°No! You don¡¯t need to do that!¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine, so please give me your ount number.¡± The owner, who had been watching the situation unfold, frantically waved his hands at the mention ofpensation. ¡°It¡¯s really okay!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t make me a thug and just give me the number.¡± ¡°No, really, you don¡¯t need to¡­¡± As the owner persistently refused, Kang Hyeon¡¯s eyes shed. ¡°I said give it to me.¡± ¡°15-4231-5446-xxxx, Agricultural Bank.¡± The owner, whose eyes met Kang Hyeon¡¯s, froze uppletely and recited the ount number. ¡°I¡¯ve sent the money, so check it well.¡± After finishing the transfer, Kang Hyeon turned around and approached Kim Tae-soo. ¡°Phew, let¡¯s go.¡± ¡°I wondered, but you¡¯re an ability user too?¡± ¡°That¡¯s how it turned out.¡± As Kang Hyeon left the store with Kim Tae-soo, the owner loudly bid them farewell. ¡°Thank you! Have a good day!¡± The owner, who had just earned two months¡¯ worth of profit in an instant, beamed with a big smile. *** Ippotrantion *** Kang Hyeon left the store and told Kim Tae-soo about what had happened. He talked about his parents getting injured in an ident, and his experiences in dungeons afterwards. Although it covered over half a year of events, it took less than 30 minutes to convey it all through conversation. ¡°You¡¯ve been through a lot. You should have contacted me.¡± ¡°Sorry. I was overwhelmed.¡± After hearing everything, Kim Tae-soo brought up the topic of guilds to Kang Hyeon. ¡°I¡¯m not in a high position or anything, but I can give you a rmendation. Someone of your caliber is more than enough, so let me know if you¡¯re interested in the Dangun Guild.¡± ¡°Okay. Thanks.¡± Although Kang Hyeon had no ns to join any organization yet, he thanked Kim Tae-soo for his thoughtfulness before they parted ways. ¡°Phew¡­ That was hectic.¡± Finally arriving home, Kang Hyeon sighed at thefort he felt. ¡°Did you meet someone? You smell like alcohol.¡± ¡°I met Kim Tae-soo for a bit.¡± Kang A-hyun, who was watching TV in the living room, waved her hand in greeting. ¡°Good. Don¡¯t just bury yourself in dungeons alone like a madman every day. Do some socializing too.¡± ¡°Your way of talking, really¡­ Tsk tsk.¡± Kang Hyeon clicked his tongue and entered the bathroom. ¡°Hey. What did you do?¡± A little whileter, as Kang Hyeon came out after showering, Kang A-hyun approached him. ¡°W-What did I do?¡± Feeling guilty about something, Kang Hyeon stuttered. ¡°Well. Someone came to mypany today. Said they knew you.¡± ¡°What?¡± Kang Hyeon frowned in confusion at the unexpected news. No matter how much he searched his limited social circle, there was no one who would go to his sister¡¯spany. ¡°They said they were from the Bait Guild and knew you well?¡± ¡°Bait¡­?¡± At the mention of the Bait Guild, Kang Hyeon¡¯s expression quickly hardened. ¡°They said you suddenly became unreachable and asked me to pass this on.¡± ¡°Let me see it.¡± Kang Hyeon hastily snatched the note Kang A-hyun handed over. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C Mr. Kang Hyeon, Hello. This is Jeong Eui-hyeon, the guild master of the Bait Guild. Although you rejected our offer a few days ago, I¡¯m contacting you again out of regret. If you¡¯ve changed your mind, please contact us at the number below. 010-5296-1¡­. We¡¯ll be waiting. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C ¡°These bastards!¡± After reading the note, Kang Hyeon quickly started putting on clothes. ¡°Hey. What¡¯s going on? What¡¯s happening?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t go outside. Just stay here!¡± ¡°Where are you going at this hour?!¡± Ignoring Kang A-hyun¡¯s questions, Kang Hyeon opened the front door. ¡°I¡¯ll be back soon!¡± -m! Rushing outside, Kang Hyeon dialed the number written on the memo. -Hello. After a few rings, a familiar voice came through the phone. ¡°What are you trying to do now?¡± -Ah, Mr. Kang Hyeon. Thank you for calling. The voice on the phone sounded genuinely pleased, as if they were really d to hear from Kang Hyeon. ¡°Cut the crap!¡± Kang Hyeon shouted into the phone. ¡°If this is a threat, you¡¯ve picked the wrong person. If youy a finger on Kang A-hyun, you¡¯re all dead.¡± -My, you¡¯re thinking too extremely. ¡°Is it extreme?¡± -I merely went to contact you, Mr. Kang Hyeon. Pfft¡­ As Jeong Eui-hyeon spoke, his voice was clearly trying to hold backughter. ¡°You fucking bastard! Where are you?!¡± -Let¡¯s calm down first. For now. We have no intention of harming anyone yet. ¡°¡­¡± -It would be a shame if you copsed from high blood pressure before your mother in the hospital, wouldn¡¯t it? Hehehe. Kang Hyeon roughly ran his hand through his hair and sighed. ¡°Haa¡­¡± After taking a moment to catch his breath, he felt a bit calmer. The guy had already finished investigating him. There was nothing to gain by getting worked up here. ¡°What do you want?¡± -Guild membership. I¡¯ll give you a very generous two days, so contact us again if you change your mind. After answering Kang Hyeon¡¯s question, Jeong Eui-hyeon hung up unterally. -Click Even after the call ended, Kang Hyeon stood still, staring at his phone. ¡°You¡¯ve crossed the line.¡± With eyes full of anger, Kang Hyeon spat out the words. *** Ippotrantion *** -Buzz. Late at night. Kim Tae-soo took out his smartphone as it suddenly rang. ¡°Kang Hyeon?¡± The screen disyed Kang Hyeon¡¯s name. ¡°What¡¯s going on at this hour?¡± Kim Tae-soo wondered as he pressed the answer button. ¡°Hello.¡± -Hey. ¡°What¡¯s suddenly happening?¡± -Sorry, but I have a favor to ask. ¡°A favor? What kind of favor?¡± Kang Hyeon¡¯s voice sounded deeply upset, as if he was angry about something. Sensing that something had happened, Kim Tae-soo asked in a worried voice. -Do you know about a ce called the Bait Guild? ¡°I¡¯ve heard the name since it¡¯s a big guild. Those guys arepletely vicious, aren¡¯t they? What about them?¡± The original purpose of guilds was dungeon clearing. However, there were more guilds than expected that forgot this purpose and went crazy for money. Among them, the Bait Guild was famous for making money through illegal activities such as dungeon upation and ability user extortion. -Haa¡­ ¡°Why? What happened¡­?¡± Kim Tae-soo¡¯s expression became even more serious when that name came out of Kang Hyeon¡¯s mouth. -I got into trouble with the Bait Guild. Those bastards are threatening me using Kang A-hyun and my mother as leverage. ¡°What?! What do you mean?¡± Kim Tae-soo shouted in surprise. -They¡¯re telling me to join their guild and follow them like a dog. ¡°Huh¡­¡± -Can you look into some information about those guys for me? ¡°Phew. Wait. I¡¯ll gather information and send it to you by lunch tomorrow.¡± -Okay. Thanks. After ending the call, Kim Tae-soo hurriedly started contacting people around him. Chapter 32 Chapter 32 Bait Guild (4) The next day at lunch. Kim Tae-soo met Kang Hyeon at a cafe near the office. ¡°Here. I¡¯ve thoroughly investigated the Bait Guild to the best of my ability.¡± Kim Tae-soo, with dark circles under his eyes, handed over the materials he had researched all night. ¡°Thanks.¡± As he watched Kang Hyeon reading the documents, Kim Tae-soo continued speaking. ¡°As I looked into it, I found that the Bait Guild isn¡¯t just arge guild in terms of size.¡± ¡°Then?¡± Kim Tae-soo wore a serious expression at Kang Hyeon¡¯s question. ¡°An enormous amount of funds from unknown sources is being poured into the guild. It¡¯s not just a matter of having a lot of money.¡± ¡°You mean¡­¡± ¡°It means somerge corporation is backing them.¡± Kang Hyeon frowned at Kim Tae-soo¡¯s words. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t care who¡¯s pushing or pulling them.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Their location is written here, right?¡± ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s right¡­¡± Kang Hyeon, who had been quickly flipping through the documents, looked up. Kim Tae-soo was taken aback by the sudden direct gaze. ¡°Why are you staring at me like that?¡± ¡°Kim Tae-soo.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°Let me ask one more favor.¡± ¡°What favor?¡± ¡°Just one week. Tell the Dangun Guild to watch over my family for just one week.¡± ¡°One week¡­?¡± Kim Tae-soo fell into thought at Kang Hyeon¡¯s iprehensible words. ¡°What are you nning to do in a week?¡± ¡°I have something in mind. Can you do it?¡± ¡°Haah¡­ Wait a moment. Let me call the guild and check.¡± Kim Tae-soo went outside the cafe with his smartphone and lit a cigarette. He was gesturing as he tried to exin something. Watching him, Kang Hyeon felt sorry and grateful. ¡°Whew¡­¡± ¡°Did it work out?¡± A momentter. Kim Tae-soo returned to the cafe with a tired expression. ¡°Yeah. They said it¡¯s possible. The guild master personally said it okay.¡± ¡°Thank you! Kim Tae-soo.¡± Kim Tae-soo waved off Kang Hyeon¡¯s thanks. ¡°It¡¯s fine. More importantly, what are you nning to do?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a bit difficult to exin the details. I¡¯ll definitely repay this favor.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. Just resolve your issue well.¡± Kang Hyeon smiled at Kim Tae-soo¡¯s words. ¡°Then I¡¯ll get going first.¡± ¡°You¡¯re leaving already?¡± ¡°Yeah. I think I need to move right away.¡± ¡°Alright. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll handle it well, but be careful.¡± Kang Hyeon nodded at Kim Tae-soo¡¯s words and walked out of the cafe. ¡°Hello, Hannam-dong¡­¡± After confirming the location of the Bait Guild¡¯s office once more, Kang Hyeon got on his Bentley 2 and started the engine. -Vroom As Kang Hyeon stepped on the elerator roughly, the Bentley 2 shot forward. -Ring, ring¡­ While driving on the road, Kang Hyeon made a phone call. -Oh! Mr. Kang Hyeon. Have you made your decision? Finally, the call connected. A disgusting voice was heard through the smartphone. ¡°Yeah. I¡¯ve decided.¡± -As expected. You¡¯ve made a wise decision¡­ ¡°I¡¯ve decided to smash your head in.¡± -Huh? ¡°I¡¯ve decided to smash your head in, so just wait. I¡¯ll be there in 30 minutes.¡± -Well, you still haven¡¯te to your senses and¡­ Before Jeong Eui-hyeon could finish speaking, Kang Hyeon hung up the phone. *** Ippotrantion *** ¡°This worm-like bastard!¡± -Bang! Enraged by the abruptly ended call, Jeong Eui-hyeon mmed his desk. ¡°Guild Master. What should we do?¡± ¡°What do you mean what should we do! Gather all guild members immediately!¡± As Jeong Eui-hyeon shouted irritably, the surrounding guild members scattered in a hurry. ¡°I showed some interest, and thismoner bastard doesn¡¯t know his ce and dares to climb up?!¡± With his chest heaving from excitement, Jeong Eui-hyeon gulped down cold water. ¡°How many can gather within 30 minutes?¡± ¡°I think we can gather more than 150 people.¡± Jeong Eui-hyeon¡¯s anger subsided a little at those words. ¡°Tell them to be thoroughly prepared because we don¡¯t know what that guy will do.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± A momentter. A thunderous sound was heard from outside the building. ¡°Jeong Eui-hyeon! Come out, you bastard!¡± [You are affected by the skill Roar of the Enraged Lion] [Your morale and stats have decreased] Jeong Eui-hyeon frowned at the message that appeared before his eyes. ¡°Barking like a neighborhood dog.¡± ¡°Guild Master, what should we do?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know what kind of guts he came with, but we need to teach him a proper lesson this time.¡± Jeong Eui-hyeon stood up and left the office. As he entered the building hall, he saw Kang Hyeon surrounded by guild members. Fully armed with even a helmet on, he really looked like he was ready to fight. ¡°Mr. Kang Hyeon.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s think rationally.¡± ¡°Rationally? Haha.¡± Kang Hyeonughed as if in disbelief. ¡°Then you shouldn¡¯t have acted like that.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not toote yet. If it¡¯s about visiting your family, I¡¯ll apologize.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°We could be good partners.¡± A grotesque smile appeared on Jeong Eui-hyeon¡¯s face as he spoke. ¡°If you and I join forces, it might even be possible to overthrow Dangun Guild. Do you understand the weight of what I¡¯m saying?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°There are over 200 guild members here right now. But nationwide, there are far more guild members.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Despite Kang Hyeon¡¯s indifference, Jeong Eui-hyeon was already absorbed in his own thoughts. ¡°The only thing Ick is just one thing! It¡¯s the face of the Bait Guild!¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°One absolute strongman to lead the guild members! If we have that, the Bait Guild will expand beyond Korea to the world and finally¡­¡± ¡°I really can¡¯t listen to this anymore.¡± Jeong Eui-hyeon, who had been ranting passionately, stopped as if cold water had been poured on him. ¡°You really think you can expand to the world with these ragtag troops.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Shut up. Even now, if you bow your head and promise not to touch me, I¡¯ll let it slide quietly.¡± ¡°So that¡¯s how it was¡­¡± ¡°¡­?¡± ¡°A lowlymoner like you couldn¡¯t possibly understand my grand ambitions.¡± Amoner remark in the 21st century. Hearing Jeong Eui-hyeon¡¯s words, Kang Hyeon suddenly hit his own head. ¡°Ow! You idiot! Trying to have a conversation with such a lunatic! Kang Hyeon, wake up!¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Ahem¡­ Then I¡¯m going.¡± As soon as he finished speaking, Kang Hyeon dashed forward. ¡°Th-that crazy bastard! Take care of himpletely!¡± Jeong Eui-hyeon, who didn¡¯t expect him to charge in recklessly despite seeing this many people, shouted in surprise. ¡°Magic Restraint.¡± ¡°Mind Pollution!¡± ¡°Thorn Vine.¡± Debuff and binding skills flew at Kang Hyeon from all directions. It was immediately apparent that Kang Hyeon¡¯s movements had slowed down. ¡°Kraaah!¡± [You are affected by the skill Roar of the Enraged Lion] [Morale and stats have decreased] However, when he used the strange cry again just now, his movements seemed to return to normal. -Kaaang! And Kang Hyeon shed with the guild members at the front. ¡°Kuhek!¡± ¡°Uwaaaaah!¡± The impact sent about ten ability users flying and crashing into the wall. ¡°What a brute¡­¡± Jeong Eui-hyeon¡¯s expression showed surprise at Kang Hyeon¡¯s strength, which was even greater than expected. -Chaeng, chaeng! ¡°Uaaah!¡± ¡°Die!¡± Kang Hyeon amongst the guild members was like a wolf tearing through a flock of sheep. Every time Kang Hyeon¡¯s sword swung, the guild members¡¯ armor was torn like paper and blood spurted. ¡°Damn it¡­ Useless fools! Don¡¯t think about subduing him, just kill him!¡± As Jeong Eui-hyeon shouted, the guild members began to activate their attack skills in earnest. All sorts of magic flew at Kang Hyeon from every direction. Magic of enormous scale. There was nowhere to dodge in the magic that poured down like fireworks. -Kwang! Kwang! But Kang Hyeon didn¡¯t seem to have any intention of dodging in the first ce. Kang Hyeon, who ran forward, collided with the iing magic with his whole body. ¡°Keep going! Keep going! Pour the magic!¡± The building shook with the continuous powerful explosions. ¡°Uwaaaah! Yeah, you bastards! Let¡¯s all die together today!¡± It was then. Suddenly, Kang Hyeon shouted and raised both hands. ¡°Magic Explosion! Magic Explosion! Magic Explosion!¡± -Kwang, kwang! Kwang! The magic spheres that flew from Kang Hyeon¡¯s hands caused tremendous explosions. The outer walls of the building burst open, and the building shook as if it would copse. ¡°Uwaaak!¡± ¡°Is this madman trying to bring down the building?!¡± The guild members, gripped by fear from the impact, scattered in panic. ¡°Huk, huk¡­¡± The fight entered a lull momentarily due to the dust from the explosion. After a moment, Kang Hyeon, whose body reduced to rags, emerged from the dust. ¡°What a monster.¡± Kang Hyeon¡¯s body heaved roughly. It was clear at a nce that he was exhausted. But the guild members, already scared out of their wits, couldn¡¯t approach and just nced at each other. ¡°Useless things. Tsk¡­¡± For a moment, regret shed across Jeong Eui-hyeon¡¯s face. ¡®What incredible power¡­ I¡¯d like to trade all these trash here for him, even if it means killing them all.¡¯ But soon he shook his head and resigned himself. ¡®No. That guy is an uncontroble brute. Keeping him alive would only bring trouble.¡¯ Having finished his thoughts, Jeong Eui-hyeon looked to the side. There stood five men and women who, unlike the other guild members, exuded a dangerous aura at first nce. ¡°You¡¯ll have to step in.¡± At Jeong Eui-hyeon¡¯s words, the man with thergest build nodded. ¡°Everyone fall back!¡± As the big man approaching Kang Hyeon shouted, the guild members hurriedly retreated. ¡°What are these now?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°What is this, some kind of Demon Five Heavenly Kings or something?¡± Despite Kang Kyeon¡¯s sarcasm, the five men and women gave no response. ¡°When someone speaks, shouldn¡¯t you answer? Huh?¡± ¡°Die.¡± As soon as the man¡¯s words fell, the woman next to him activated a spell. At the same time, the ground around Kang Hyeon began to freeze. -h h h ¡°What¡¯s this now?!¡± Kang Hyeon tried to quickly move his feet to change position, but he couldn¡¯t move as he wanted due to his constantly freezing soles. ¡°Tail of the Magical Beast.¡± Seeing this, another man used his skill. -Ttuduk, kwang, kwang! Tentacles. Bizarrely shaped ck tentacles burst up through the surrounding ground. ¡°Shit, how disgusting..!¡± Kang Hyeon tried to remove the tentacles clinging to his body. However, it wasn¡¯t easy as the tentacles had a stronger consistency than he thought. ¡°Swirling des!¡± Without a moment to breathe, another spell struck. Dozens of des that appeared in mid-air flew towards Kang Hyeon at high speed. -Chaeng, chaeng! Chaeng! ¡°Uwaaah!¡± As the sharp des collided with Kang Hyeon¡¯s sword and armor, they made noise and sparked. And the des that prated the already broken armor cut into his skin, drawing blood. ¡°It¡¯s over.¡± Judging that they had sufficiently subdued Kang Hyeon, the big man rushed forward. ¡°Huk, huk! Your ganging up skills are truly national level, huh?¡± ¡°You¡¯ll still be running your mouth even when you¡¯re dead.¡± -Chaeng! ¡°Kugh!¡± Kang Hyeon, who barely managed to block the big man¡¯s sword, let out a groan. ¡°Uwaaah! Magic Explosion!¡± ¡°Useless.¡± Contrary to his massive build, the man easily avoided the magic sphere thrown by Kang Hyeon. ¡°Finish him!¡± At those words, the man in the back activated the spell he had prepared. Then, a giant spear began to form in mid-air. -Pusuk! Kwang! The spear that flew at incredible speed not only pierced through Kang Hyeon but also dug into the ground. ¡°Cough! Kuuuh¡­¡± With his stomach pierced and fixed to the ground, Kang Hyeon spat out blood. ¡°I¡¯ve remembered your faces¡­¡± ¡°Leave it. I¡¯ll finish him myself.¡± At Jeong Eui-hyeon¡¯s words, the people stepped back. ¡°Burning Rope¡± Jeong Eui-hyeon used magic and threw it at Kang Hyeon. -Hwaleuleuleuk! ¡°Kuuuuuh!¡± ¡°Die slowly, tasting the pain of burning.¡± ¡°Kuaaah!¡± The smell of burning flesh filled the air. Kang Hyeon groaned like that for about a minute, then dropped his head and fell silent. ¡°Go and check.¡± At Jeong Eui-hyeon¡¯s words, one guild member approached Kang Hyeon. -Gulp The nervous man swallowed and grabbed Kang Hyeon¡¯s wrist. There was no pulse. ¡°He¡¯s dead!¡± Chapter 33 Chapter 33 Revenge (1) ¡°He¡¯s dead!¡± At the guild member¡¯s words, Jeong Eui-hyeon nodded. ¡°Tsk. We suffered needless losses because of that insect. How many casualties?¡± ¡°Twenty-four are dead, and we¡¯re still assessing the injured. It seems the seriously wounded alone will exceed thirty.¡± Jeong Eui-hyeon frowned at Vice Guild Master Kim Hyeon-woo¡¯s report. ¡°Damn it! Such losses without any gain!¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Sigh¡­ Collect his equipment and take everything from his inventory.¡± ¡°Yes, sir.¡± When an ability user dies, all items in their inventory spill out. While most ordinary people don¡¯t know this yet, it¡¯smon knowledge among guilds and ability users who mainly engage in looting. ¡°Guild Master!¡± Suddenly, a guild member called out urgently. ¡°His corpse has disappeared!¡± *** Ippotrantion *** The next afternoon. Kang Hyeon woke up in his room. [You have been resurrected] [Your level has decreased by 1.] [All abilities will be reduced by 50% for 24 hours] Kang Hyeon nodded upon seeing the message. ¡°This buys me some time.¡± In truth, Kang Hyeon had headed to the Bait Guild¡¯s office prepared to die. He thought that if he caused chaos there and died, they would lose interest in him. There might be questions about the disappearing corpse, but usually, people don¡¯t associate that with resurrection. ¡°I won¡¯t just kill you.¡± Kang Hyeon muttered through gritted teeth. He had absolutely no intention of simply killing Jeong Eui-hyeon. He had six days left. Now, he would meticulously conceal his identity, move carefully, and systematically cut off the man¡¯s limbs. And when the man¡¯s fear reached its peak, he would reveal himself and crush him. ¡°I need to gather more information.¡± Anyway, Kang Hyeon couldn¡¯t move until the 24-hour penalty was over. During this time, he decided to collect more information about the Bait Guild. ¡°You were at home?¡± In the evening, Kang A-hyun, returning from work, opened the door. ¡°Did you go to the dungeon yesterday?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± It wasmon for Kang Hyeon, who practically lived in dungeons, to be away from home for days at a time. ¡°Hey, you should at least say something. You left your phone at home too, I thought you ran away.¡± ¡°Sorry.¡± Kang A-hyun had been worried because Kang Hyeon, unlike usual, had stayed out overnight without saying anything. ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Kang A-hyun tilted her head at Kang Hyeon¡¯s unusually subdued mood, but as it had been happening oftentely, she let it slide. ¡°Let¡¯s have dinner. I bought some pork belly.¡± ¡°Beer?¡± ¡°Of course I bought some.¡± Kang Hyeon¡¯s face brightened again. *** Ippotrantion *** ¡°Ie has been really slow these days?¡± ¡°The rumors have spread too much, so now there are fewer people entering our dungeon.¡± Cho Mu-min, who held an executive position in the Bait Guild, frowned. ¡°Then shouldn¡¯t we raid other dungeons to make up for it?¡± In the Bait Guild, one executive is assigned to each dungeon. While items farmed there are fundamentally collected by the guild, with a little lobbying, executives could pocket all other ie. ¡°Understood.¡± As the Bait Guild¡¯s notoriety spread recently, fewer people entered the dungeon, causing additional ie to decrease as well. Because of this, Cho Mu-min nned to roam other dungeons to forcibly seize goods. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± Just then, a man he had never seen before was walking towards them from afar. The man was dragging something, giving off a rather bizarre atmosphere. ¡°Who are you?¡± Cho Mu-min frowned deeply upon seeing the man. This was their hideout inside the dungeon. It was a ce absolutely inessible to others, as guild members thoroughly guarded it from the entrance. -Thud The man didn¡¯t answer and threw down what he was holding. ¡°Choi Jae-wook¡­?¡± Choi Jae-wook was definitely the team leader of the group guarding the dungeon entrance today. He shouldn¡¯t be here in such a state. ¡°Mo-monster¡­¡± -Boom! Choi Jae-wook couldn¡¯t finish his sentence as his head exploded from an iing magic sphere. ¡°What the hell?!¡± Only then did Cho Mu-min realize the gravity of the situation. There were five guild members here, including himself. In contrast, the man was alone. But Cho Mu-min felt an inexplicable sense of foreboding taking over his body. ¡°Who¡¯s the leader here?¡± The man who had finally approached spoke. He was wearing a mask, concealing his appearance. However, the muscles visible outside his clothes were impressive. ¡°Damn it! Get him all at once!¡± Cho Mu-min shouted urgently. There was no need for conversation. This man had killed the guild members at the entrance ande this far. To survive, they had to kill this man. ¡°Aaaargh!¡± At Cho Mu-min¡¯s cry, the guild members charged at the man with battle cries. -Swish. The man dodged an iing sword and grabbed the face of the one who had swung it. -Bang! The man muttered something. Then, a powerful explosion urred inside the man¡¯s hand. The guild member¡¯s head, caught in that hand, instantly burst. ¡°In-insane¡­!¡± The man¡¯s hand was clearly injured from the explosive force. But those wounds healed almost instantly as soon as they appeared. ¡°Aaaagh!¡± ¡°Pl-please spare¡­¡± -Crack! The fate of the remaining guild members was no different. They died with their heads exploding, unable to offer proper resistance. ¡°Ugh, uuugh¡­¡± Cho Mu-min, terrified, stepped backward. The area between his trouser legs began to get wet. ¡°Spare me¡­ What do you want?!¡± ¡°Everything you know.¡± *** Ippotrantion *** -Bang! Jeong Eui-hyeon, seething with anger, mmed his fist down. ¡°Ugh¡­¡± Kim Hyeon-woo, the vice guild master, groaned as he saw cracks forming on the expensive table worth millions of won. ¡°How many times is this?!¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­¡± Despite Jeong Eui-hyeon¡¯s bellowing, Kim Hyeon-woo could only bow his head. -p! Jeong Eui-hyeon¡¯s palm roughly struck Kim Hyeon-woo¡¯s cheek. ¡°Is sorry all you can say? Find out who the hell is behind this!¡± Recently, the guild¡¯s dungeons had been continuously attacked. The guild members guarding those dungeons were all brutally killed, their heads blown apart without exception. Although they tried to keep it under wraps, rumors had already spread among the guild members. As a result, all guild members were hesitant to enter the dungeons, being overly cautious. ¡°We¡¯re not enough on our own. We even tried setting traps and waiting, but it only resulted in more guild members dying.¡± Kim Hyeon-woo spoke carefully, his spirit thoroughly crushed. ¡°You call that an excuse? I said give me a solution!¡± The agitated Jeong Eui-hyeon kicked Kim Hyeon-woo, sending him flying. ¡°Ugh¡­¡± Groaning on the floor, Kim Hyeon-woo opened his mouth. ¡°Guild Master. I think we need to hire a mercenary.¡± ¡°A mercenary?¡± Jeong Eui-hyeon expressed doubt at the sudden mention of a mercenary. ¡°An Yu-seong¡­ We need to call An Yu-seong.¡± Jeong Eui-hyeon frowned at the name that came out of Kim Hyeon-woo¡¯s mouth. ¡°How can we bring in that crazy bastard?¡± ¡°He¡¯s a madman when ites to fighting. If we persuade him well with the story of fighting a strong opponent, he¡¯ll surely be tempted.¡± Jeong Eui-hyeon sighed. ¡°So you¡¯re saying I should persuade him.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­¡± An Yu-seong. The youngest son of the chairman of a global conglomerate. It was absolutely impossible to persuade him with money. But as Kim Hyeon-woo said, if they talked well using fighting as bait, there was a high chance he would take it. However¡­ ¡®I didn¡¯t want to get involved with that bastard again¡­¡¯ After pondering for a moment, Jeong Eui-hyeon finally picked up the phone. After a few rings, a voice came through the phone. -Hey, it¡¯s our justice guardian! Isn¡¯t this Mr. Jeong Eui-hyeon, the great embodiment of justice? From the start, the words grated on Jeong Eui-hyeon¡¯s nerves, causing veins to pop on his forehead. ¡°I need your help.¡± Jeong Eui-hyeon spoke, trying hard to suppress his anger. -What could the manager of the great Bait Guild need my help for? Oh! I heard your guild is getting wrecked these days. Is it because of that? ¡®This son of a bitch..!¡¯ An Yu-seong didn¡¯t let a single word pass without mocking and teasing Jeong Eui-hyeon. Jeong Eui-hyeon wanted to throw his smartphone right away but managed to hold back. ¡°You¡¯re right.¡± -So you¡¯re asking me for help? ¡°Yes. There¡¯s only one suspect.¡± -Hmm? Seeing An Yu-seong¡¯s unsatisfactory response, Jeong Eui-hyeon hastily continued. ¡°He¡¯s probably no ordinary strong person. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll be greatly satisfied.¡± From the start, it was impossible to bring in An Yu-seong with money. For someone as quick-witted as him, it was best to speak directly without beating around the bush. -Why should I help? Since when have we been such close friends? ¡°Please¡­ I¡¯ll do anything you want.¡± Finally, Jeong Eui-hyeon swallowed his pride and used the word ¡®please¡¯. -Well, well. That doesn¡¯t sound like someone asking for a favor. Brother, you should be more polite. Hehe. ¡°You bastard!¡± -Oh? Did you just call me a bastard? I¡¯m hanging up. At the mention of hanging up, Jeong Eui-hyeon hurriedly shouted. ¡°Wait! Just a moment!¡± -Hahaha! Now you¡¯re thinking of being polite? Jeong Eui-hyeon¡¯s face turned red with anger. His whole body trembling, he barely managed to open his mouth. ¡°How¡­ What do you want me to do¡­¡± -With sincerity, say ¡®Please, I beg you, Mr. An Yu-seong.¡¯ Then I¡¯ll help. Clenching his fists, Jeong Eui-hyeon slowly opened his mouth. ¡°Please¡­ I, I beg you, Mr. An Yu-seong¡­¡± -Wahaha! He really did it. Wow. This guy must really be desperate? I¡¯m in a good mood. I¡¯ll help you for free. ¡°¡­¡± -Send me the details in a message. Well then, bye! -Click. As soon as the call ended, Jeong Eui-hyeon threw his smartphone to the floor. ¡°Aaargh! That damn bastard! Son of a bitch! How dare he treat me like this?!¡± -Bang, bang, bang! Not satisfied with just stomping on his smartphone, Jeong Eui-hyeon started throwing everything he could get his hands on. The guild master¡¯s office quickly turned into a mess. ¡°Once this is over, I¡¯ll have to teach that bastard a lesson too¡­¡± As he spoke, Jeong Eui-hyeon¡¯s eyes were shing with murderous intent. *** Ippotrantion *** ¡°So when are theying? Huh?¡± Kim Il-woo, an executive of the Bait Guild, rolled his eyes at the voice he heard. ¡°If it¡¯s another wild goose chase, it won¡¯t be fun. Really.¡± The man swung his mace in the air as he spoke with irritation. He was clearly no ordinary person at first nce. His hair was bleached yellow, and his face was covered with all sorts of bizarre piercings. Not stopping there, his muscr body waspletely covered in tattoos, giving off a threatening aura. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. Let¡¯s wait a little longer.¡± Even without the guild master¡¯s order not to upset him, Kim Il-woo couldn¡¯t even think of dealing with the man in front of him. He had already seen what happened to monsters that rushed at the man. ¡®He¡¯spletely insane. If we provoke him wrongly, we might all die.¡¯ It was a well-known fact that the guild had been experiencing terrorist attacks recently. The man the guild recruited as a counter to this was none other than this An Yu-seong. He heard that he had just graduated from high school, but looking at his face and body, one could never think that. ¡°Ah¡­ I¡¯m bored. So bored. Hey, did you say your name was Kim Il-woo?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Kim Il-woo quickly responded to An Yu-seong¡¯s words. ¡°If it¡¯s another wild goose chase, tell the guild master it¡¯ll be really unpleasant.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± Kim Il-woo nodded vigorously. ¡°What are you doing?¡± ¡°Pardon..?¡± ¡°Go and tell him right now.¡± Kim Il-woo¡¯s expression hardened for a moment. ¡®This piece of shit¡­¡¯ His pride was hurt as An Yu-seong, 15 years younger than him, spoke to him in apletely condescending manner. ¡°Are you not going?¡± However, that feeling disappeared the moment he met An Yu-seong¡¯s eyes. Fear crept up his entire body. ¡®He¡¯s someone who can order the guild master around as he pleases.¡¯ It was clear that he wouldn¡¯t even care if someone like him died. ¡°I¡¯ll go right away.¡± Just as Kim Il-woo, who had instantly controlled his anger, was about to leave the dungeon. ¡°Ah, never mind. He¡¯s here.¡± An Yu-seong stood up with a bright smile. ¡°Good. Very good!¡± An Yu-seong, who recognized the opponent¡¯s strength at a nce, shouted excitedly. An Yu-seong¡¯s unique ability was intuition. It was a very vague ability, but it often helped in critical moments. ¡°He¡¯s here. He¡¯s here¡­¡± That intuition was ringing rm bells for An Yu-seong. It kept warning him not to sh with that man. That he should leave immediately. But An Yu-seong, tired of waiting, didn¡¯t care about such things. ¡°Do you know how long I¡¯ve been waiting for you? Hehe.¡± An Yu-seong said as he slowly walked towards the man. However, the masked man just stared at An Yu-seong without saying a word. ¡°Why are you standing there like an idiot? If you¡¯re here, you should take out your sword or whatever.¡± In response to An Yu-seong¡¯s words, the man opened his mouth. ¡°Why are you here?¡± ¡°Huh? Do you know me? Do you know who I am?¡± At An Yu-seong¡¯s words, the man threw off his mask. ¡°An Yu-seong. Were you also with the Bait Guild?¡± ¡°What? Kang Hyeon?¡± Chapter 34 Chapter 34 Revenge (2) ¡°What, Kang Hyeon?¡± An Yu-seong¡¯s eyes widened at Kang Hyeon¡¯s unexpected appearance. ¡°It¡¯s been a while.¡± The two of them, who had only been in asional contact since their ability users cultivation school, were facing each other for the first time. Kang Hyeon was also surprised by An Yu-seong¡¯s unexpected appearance. ¡°Were you also in the Bait Guild?¡± The An Yu-seong that Kang Hyeon knew was certainly crazy, but at least not a man to be swayed by money. As an already incredibly wealthy young master, he had no reason to be greedy for money. ¡®Could it be that thepany backing the Bait Guild is his family¡­¡¯ Kim Tae-soo had definitely mentioned that an unknown massive amount of funds was flowing into the Bait Guild. If An Yu-seong¡¯s family was extremely wealthy, it was entirely possible. ¡°What are you talking about, Kang Hyeon? It¡¯s disappointing if you associate me with these thug bastards.¡± ¡°What? Then why are you here?¡± Kang Hyeon¡¯s confusion grew at An Yu-seong¡¯s response. ¡°Isn¡¯t it fun to see that pride-only trash Jeong Eui-hyeon beg while bowing down?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Plus, I came because there was a chance to have some action, killing two birds with one stone.¡± Kang Hyeon couldn¡¯t fully understand his words, but he got the general idea. This madman just came because he wanted to fight. ¡°Sorry, but I¡¯m a bit busy. I need to quickly deal with those guys and go somewhere else. Don¡¯t interfere and get out.¡± Kim Il-woo¡¯s pupils shook violently as he listened to the conversation between Kang Hyeon and An Yu-seong. ¡®Something¡¯s wrong.¡¯ From the circumstances, it seemed that Kang Hyeon and An Yu-seong were more than acquaintances, even having quite a friendship. Feeling anxious, Kim Il-woo hurriedly approached An Yu-seong. ¡°Mr. An Yu-seong! What are you doing now? Hurry and deal with that guy as promised!¡± An Yu-seong red coldly at Kim Il-woo. ¡°Who are you to order me around, you trash-eating waste?¡± After speaking, An Yu-seong raised his mace. ¡°W-What?! You bas-!¡± Kim Il-woo started to curse at the sight, but before he could finish his words, the mace struck. -Crack The brutal mace with huge nails instantly blew away Kim Il-woo¡¯s head. ¡°Ahhh!¡± ¡°Save me!¡± The other Bait Guild members also met their end by An Yu-seong¡¯s mace. ¡°Is this enough now? Actually, I didn¡¯t like these trash either. Heheh.¡± ¡°¡­¡± As all the Bait Guild members, who were the original targets, died, Kang Hyeon immediately turned his back. ¡°Kang Hyeon. What are you doing now?¡± ¡°I¡¯m busy. I need to quickly clear the dungeon, erase the evidence, and go to other ces too.¡± An Yu-seong frowned at Kang Hyeon¡¯s words. ¡°I can¡¯t let you go just like that.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been waiting for quite a while. Are you going to leave after getting me all fired up like this?¡± ¡°So¡­?¡± Kang Hyeon¡¯s eyes lit up at An Yu-seong¡¯s words. ¡°Hmm¡­ Let¡¯s do this. If you fight me and win, I¡¯ll help you crush the Bait Guild. I know higher-level information than these small fries.¡± At An Yu-seong¡¯s words, Kang Hyeon silently activated his skills. As he used ¡®Giant¡¯s Strength¡¯ and ¡®Wayne¡¯s Secret Technique¡¯, power surged through his entire body. ¡°Wow! How much of a monster have you be? Kekeke, Hahaha! This is too good!¡± As Kang Hyeon used his skills with the intention to fight seriously, An Yu-seong¡¯s instincts rang wildly. Never before had his instincts reacted this intensely. ¡°Even if it¡¯s you, I won¡¯t go easy.¡± Perhaps this fight might not be of any help. At least, he could try to persuade An Yu-seong with words. However, Kang Hyeon didn¡¯t want to do that. ¡®It¡¯s been a while since I¡¯ve had a proper fight with a strong opponent, that Kim Yi-hyeon.¡¯ This kind of battle gives apletely different thrillpared to fights where weak guyse at you in groups. Kang Hyeon¡¯s lips curled up unconsciously. ¡°Here Ie!¡± As soon as he spoke, An Yu-seong rushed forward like a bullet. Whatever skill he used, his speed momentarily approached the level of Kang Hyeon using Wayne¡¯s Secret Technique. That speed was by far the best among all the enemies he had met so far. -ng! As Kang Hyeon¡¯s sword and An Yu-seong¡¯s mace collided, an unbelievable sound rang out that was hard to believe was metal hitting metal. ¡®Strength, speed. Everything is above me.¡¯ An Yu-seong noticed everything with just one collision. He wasn¡¯t just a madman. He was a madman with innate talent for fighting. Even without his unique ability of instinct, he could tell that Kang Hyeon¡¯s physical specs were ridiculous just from a moment of movement. ¡®The mace won¡¯t work.¡¯ An Yu-seong, who retreated using the recoil from the sh, put away his mace. Then he took out an ordinary long sword from his inventory. ¡°What?¡± Kang Hyeon frowned at that sight. ¡°I use blunt weapons because I like the feeling, but if I¡¯m going to fall before I can even enjoy that, I need to use something else.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Here Ie again!¡± With a shout, An Yu-seong charged again. -Whoosh! An Yu-seong rushed right up to his face in an instant. Kang Hyeon swung his sword immediately, but An Yu-seong quickly jumped and rose into the air. ¡°How disappointing!¡± Once the body is in the air, it¡¯s impossible to move freely. In other words, it bes nothing more than a huge target. Kang Hyeon created a magic sphere and threw it towards An Yu-seong. -Whoosh ¡°¡­!¡± However, An Yu-seong easily dodged the magic sphere, as if he had struck empty air. -Tap, tap! As if there were invisible walls in the air, An Yu-seong controlled his body freely. ¡°Haah!¡± Jumping around in the air here and there, An Yu-seong swung his sword frantically. The sword came flying in trajectories that were unimaginable under normal circumstances. ¡°Ugh.¡± Kang Hyeon felt like he was being attacked by dozens of people, not just one. -ng ng ng! The moment their swords shed, An Yu-seong would subtly deflect it or use the reaction force to create distance. ¡®As expected, this guy is a monster.¡¯ Clearly, he was overwhelming An Yu-seong in physical stats. He could see each of An Yu-seong¡¯s attacks clearly and responded ordingly. However, An Yu-seong cleverly used only methods that were difficult to counter even when known. ¡®I tried to refrain from this if possible¡­¡¯ In the end, Kang Hyeon used a magic explosion against An Yu-seong, who was approaching again. Magic spheres formed in both of Kang Hyeon¡¯s hands and were fired at An Yu-seong. ¡°Who¡¯s going to take this hit?¡± Just as An Yu-seong was about to dodge the magic spheres flying towards him, like before, after confirming them. -Kwang! The magic spheres collided with each other right in front of An Yu-seong, causing a powerful explosion. Seeing An Yu-seong caught in the explosion, Kang Hyeon rushed over as if bouncing. Through the rising dust, he could see the silhouette of the guy. ¡®Now¡¯s the chance while his vision is blocked.¡¯ Just as Kang Hyeon reached An Yu-seong¡¯s front and was about to swing his sword, a sword pierced through the dust, aiming for his eyes. Kang Hyeon bent his neck with all his might. -Crunch The neck bones screamed due to the rough movement. ¡°Phew¡­¡± An Yu-seong, who had distanced himself again in the meantime, let out a sigh of relief. ¡®If it weren¡¯t for my sixth sense, that would¡¯ve been dangerous.¡¯ Just before the explosion, An Yu-seong realized through his unique skill, sixth sense, that he couldn¡¯t dodge the magic spheres. At the same time, An Yu-seong immediately took out a shield from his inventory to cover his body. ¡°Hahaha! Bro! This is so fun. More, more, push me more!¡± An Yu-seong shouted like a madman as he swung his sword. Kang Hyeon felt that somehow the guy¡¯s movements seemed faster than before. -ng! Once again, the swords shed, and the two men faced each other. An Yu-seong was smiling with a truly joyful expression. ¡°You really are crazy.¡± ¡°Look who¡¯s talking?¡± Kang Hyeon, whom An Yu-seong was looking at, was also smiling just like him. *** Ippotrantion *** ¡°Huff, huff¡­¡± An Yu-seong, lying on the ground, exhaled breaths that reached up to his chin. Although An Yu-seong had minor wounds all over his body and was bleeding, he didn¡¯t seem to mind at all. ¡°Phew¡­¡± Only then could Kang Hyeon ce his hands on his waist and catch his breath. ¡°Haa, what¡¯s your secret?¡± ¡°What?¡± Kang Hyeon asked in response to An Yu-seong¡¯s sudden question. ¡°You still have something left, don¡¯t you? How did you get so strong in such a short time?¡± During the battle, there were several scenes that seemed like An Yu-seong had cornered Kang Hyeon. However, An Yu-seong could feel that Kang Hyeon was fighting with a rxed attitude, never panicking until the end. ¡®He must still have something left.¡¯ An Yu-seong, with his pride hurt, poured all his strength into revealing Kang Hyeon¡¯s bottom, but ultimately failed. ¡°Isn¡¯t that the same for you?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have anything like that. Heh.¡± They continued such pointless conversation for a while. ¡°Hey. Let¡¯s stop with the useless talk.¡± Kang Hyeon brought up the main point during a moment when the conversation had paused. ¡°Let¡¯s talk about Jeong Eui-hyeon now.¡± At Kang Hyeon¡¯s words, An Yu-seong opened his mouth. ¡°Umm, bro. You know Chairman Jeong Sang-soo of Hanseok?¡± ¡°Hanseok? That foodpany?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Even for Kang Hyeon, who wasn¡¯t interested in current affairs, it was a name he couldn¡¯t help but know. Hanseok, Korea¡¯srgest foodpany. Jeong Sang-soo was its chairman. ¡°Jeong Eui-hyeon is Chairman Jeong Sang-soo¡¯s hidden illegitimate child.¡± Kang Hyeon chuckled at the story that seemed like it could onlye from a morning drama. ¡°What could a guy like that possiblyck to run such a guild?¡± ¡°It¡¯s Jeong Eui-hyeon¡¯s greed. It seems Chairman Jeong Sang-soo is supporting him because he¡¯s his child after all.¡± Kang Hyeon nodded at An Yu-seong¡¯s words. ¡°So what are you going to do now?¡± ¡°What else? Cut off the remaining hands and feet and go beat him up.¡± ¡°Can I join in?¡± Kang Hyeon gave a suspicious look at An Yu-seong¡¯s request to join. ¡°What for?¡± ¡°Because it sounds fun?¡± ¡°Tsk, do as you please.¡± Although he couldn¡¯t understand the reason, Kang Hyeon allowed it. After all, trying to understand An Yu-seong¡¯s thoughts was nonsensical in itself. *** Ippotrantion *** ¡°What did you just say?¡± Jeong Eui-hyeon made an expression of genuine iprehension. ¡°Another attack¡­¡± ¡°Another, attack, yes. Go on, keep talking.¡± Kim Hyeon-woo trembled as he faced Jeong Eui-hyeon, whose eyes hadpletely rolled back, right in front of him. ¡°I¡¯m sorry!¡± ¡°Aaargh!¡± -Bang! Bang! The office furniture started to shatter instantly due to Jeong Eui-hyeon¡¯s rampage. ¡°Why isn¡¯t that bastard An Yu-seong answering his phone?!¡± ¡°I think he might have been taken down¡­¡± ¡°Taken down? That An Yu-seong, taken down?!¡± An Yu-seong might be crazy, but his skills were certain. Among all the people he had met so far, there hadn¡¯t been a single person who could beat him one-on-one. ¡®No, there was just one time.¡¯ Kang Hyeon. The man who didn¡¯t move ording to his intentions and eventually had to be killed. But that guy was definitely dead. Although the corpse disappeared, that didn¡¯t mean he hade back to life. ¡®I thought his colleagues were up to something¡­¡¯ It seemed too powerful to be his own ability, so he thought there must be a colleague supporting him. Therefore, he naturally thought that the disappearance of the corpse was a measure taken by his colleagues to retrieve the equipment. ¡®Is it the work of his colleagues? Or could it be that he didn¡¯t die back then?¡¯ No matter how much he thought about it, nothing was certain. ¡®Now it¡¯s really dangerous. If I¡¯m not careful, the story might leak to father.¡¯ Initially, he was able to create a huge guild at once with the funds his father, Jeong Sang-soo, provided. However, if more people died, the story might reach Jeong Sang-soo¡¯s ears. No, perhaps it had already reached them. ¡®I can¡¯t fail like this¡­¡¯ Finally, Jeong Eui-hyeon chose hisst resort. -Hello? ¡°It¡¯s me.¡± Jeong Eui-hyeon spoke tensely at the voiceing from the other end of the phone. -Yes. What¡¯s the matter? ¡°I need support. With very strong guys.¡± -Haven¡¯t I already given you the promised support? It¡¯s troublesome if you keep doing this. As the voice unfiltered its annoyed emotions, veins popped on Jeong Eui-hyeon¡¯s forehead. ¡°The guild is about to be destroyed! Aren¡¯t we business partners?! Why are you just sitting there as if it¡¯s someone else¡¯s problem!¡± Unable to hold back anymore, Jeong Eui-hyeon shouted. -Mr. Jeong Eui-hyeon. However, despite Jeong Eui-hyeon¡¯s excited words, the voice on the phone remained calm. -We¡¯ll help you right away, so don¡¯t worry and wait. ¡°Really¡­?¡± -Yes. We¡¯ll send support. Only then did a look of relief appear on Jeong Eui-hyeon¡¯s face. ¡°Then I¡¯ll ask for it right away.¡± Hope you enjoyed the chapter! If you would like to support me or read up to 20 chapters ahead, you can do so via Buymeacoffee OR by unlocking chapters. Chapter 35 Chapter 35 ¨C Revenge (2) ¡°Yes. I will send support.¡± Finishing the annoying call with Jeong Eui-hyeon, Choi Min-jun stood up from his seat. ¡°Should we send additional support to Bait?¡± At his subordinate¡¯s words, Choi Min-jun frowned. ¡°Forget it. There¡¯s no point in supporting that trash anymore.¡± ¡°If Jeong Eui-hyeon dies, Chairman Jeong Sang-soo won¡¯t sit still.¡± At the mention of Chairman Jeong Sang-soo, Choi Min-jun¡¯s eyes sank coldly. ¡°So? Are you saying I should crawl while watching that old man¡¯s face?¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m sorry¡­¡± Realizing his mistake, the subordinate bowed his head and apologized. ¡°Fine. Just continue with what you were doing. And look for new sources of funding too.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± *** Ippotrantion *** One weekter. Bait Guild¡¯s activities had decreased to the point where anyone could notice something was wrong. -What¡¯s going on with Bait these days? They keep clearing farming-only dungeons. -I know. It seems like they¡¯re not managing what¡¯s left and abandoning it. -For real, I heard rumors yesterday and went with guild members, but the dungeon was empty. We hit the jackpot that day and each got 300. Sweet~ -What¡¯s up with those money-hungry guys? -I know someone who¡¯s an executive in Bait Guild, and they said someone is going around terrorizing guild members. -The abovement is delusions, but it feels good. Bait Guild was arge guild that ranked in the top three in terms of pure number of members. News that such a guild was copsing spread instantly on the inte. However, no one knew exactly what the true facts were. ¡°Hey.¡± Kang Hyeon, who was checking the inte posts, called An Yu-seong. ¡°I think we need to wrap this up soon.¡± ¡°You want to end it already?¡± An Yu-seong made a regretful expression at the words to end it now when they were in the middle of enjoying it. ¡°People are starting to notice. We should end it without making it bigger.¡± ¡°Then, should we just storm into the guild office?¡± ¡°How many of those guys are there? If we¡¯re not careful, you and I could get hurt too.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ Then what do you want to do?¡± At An Yu-seong¡¯s question, Kang Hyeon smiled slyly. ¡°We need to set up a stage to deliver onest big blow.¡± *** Ippotrantion *** That night. A mysterious note arrived for Jeong Eui-hyeon. Tomorrow evening at 8 PM. The dungeon ¡®Dysrupin¡®s Forest¡¯ in Seosan, Anyang City Come if you still want to save the guild. After reading the note, Jeong Eui-hyeon crumpled it in one go. ¡°What is this¡­?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a note addressed to you, Guild Master.¡± Kim Hyeon-woo answered quickly to Jeong Eui-hyeon¡¯s question. ¡°Who¡¯s asking that because they don¡¯t know!?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­¡± Unable to contain his rising anger, Jeong Eui-hyeon mmed the desk. -Crack! The desk, newly reced after being brokenst time, shattered once again without fail. ¡°You dare to y with me? Come out if you want to save the guild¡­?¡± Jeong Eui-hyeon¡¯s eyes shed with madness. ¡°How many can you gather by 8 PM tomorrow?¡± ¡°Currently, about 300 guild members are located nearby, but¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure how many will actually show up¡­¡± ¡°What do you mean by that?¡± Guild members are supposed toe when I saye, and go when i say go. An answer like ¡®I don¡¯t know how many will gather¡¯ shouldn¡¯t exist. ¡°After the series of attack incidents, many guild members have been leaving. Some have even cut off all contact¡­¡± Because of their illegal activities, all Bait Guild members are prohibited from leaving once they join. Every guild member was held by at least one weakness, and those who left despite this were being thoroughly dealt with. ¡°How did you manage the guild, that people are running away?! I told you to crush everything, family or whatever, for such people!¡± ¡°Well¡­ There are too many people leaving. If we give orders to attack fellow guild members when things are already unstable, I don¡¯t know what will happen.¡± Jeong Eui-hyeon closed his eyes at Kim Hyeon-woo¡¯s words. ¡°Haa¡­¡± He didn¡¯t know where things had gone wrong. From the day the world changed and dungeons appeared, everything in front of him had been smooth sailing. He no longer received contemptuous nces from his family members. He didn¡¯t have to be frustrated about not inheriting thepany. The guild was his kingdom, and he was the king within it. ¡®I can¡¯t live without the guild now.¡¯ After finishing his thoughts, Jeong Eui-hyeon opened his mouth. ¡°Kim Hyeon-woo.¡± ¡°Yes, Guild Master.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t care how much money it takes. Use whatever means necessary to gather all the guild members.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± *** Ippotrantion *** The next evening. About a hundred fully armed ability users gathered at the D-rank dungeon ¡®Dysrupin¡¯s Forest¡¯. ¡°Where¡¯s Choi Min-jun?¡± ¡°We can¡¯t reach him.¡± Contrary to his promise to provide support, the bastard didn¡¯t offer any help. He had abandoned them. ¡®It doesn¡¯t matter. I expected this anyway.¡¯ From today, the Bait Guild will rise again. Choi Min-jun, and his half-brothers. And others who had subtly disrespected and looked down on him. Now he will grow to ensure that no one can look down on him anymore. ¡°What time is it now?¡± ¡°8:03 PM.¡± ¡°Those bastards. How dare they bete for the appointment time.¡± Jeong Eui-hyeon frowned and stomped his foot. ¡°Don¡¯t you hear something?¡± It was then. ¡°What sound?¡± ¡°Something like dogs barking¡­¡± Suddenly, the guild members started murmuring. Soon after, as the guild member said, Jeong Eui-hyeon¡¯s ears also began to hear something. ¡°What is this¡­¡± The sound was gradually getting louder. ¡°Woof! Woof!¡± ¡°Awooo!!!¡± As dust clouds rose from inside the forest, the identity of the sound became clear. ¡°What is that?!¡± ¡°Monsters! Everyone, prepare!¡± An enormous number of Dysrupin, clearly over 200, were running madly towards them. And at the forefront of them, a man in familiar armor was running. ¡°Kang Hyeon! I suspected it might be you, and it really was!¡± In both hands of Kang Hyeon, who was running at the front, something was heavily clutched. Jeong Eui-hyeon furrowed his brow and looked closely to identify what it was. As the distance gradually decreased, he could finally see what Kang Hyeon was holding. ¡°Baby Dysrupin¡­?¡± Therge backpacks in both hands were packed full of baby Dysrupin. Then, suddenly, Kang Hyeon took out one baby Dysrupin and threw it into the air. ¡°Magic Explosion!¡± -Kwang! The baby Dysrupin hit by the skill shattered in mid-air. Bits of flesh and blood sttered on the bodies of the Dysrupins running behind. ¡°Grrr-woof!¡± ¡°Woof, woof!¡± Jeong Eui-hyeon could understand why the Dysrupins were chasing after Kang Hyeon with their eyes rolled back. ¡°That crazy bastard¡­¡± Not only had he kidnapped their children en masse, but he was also blowing them up and killing them right before their eyes. Any creature would go mad seeing such a sight. ¡°Go! Dysrupin!¡± Finally, Kang Hyeon, who hade right up close, threw the backpacks with all his might. As the floating backpacks opened all at once, baby Dysrupins poured out in mid-air. The guild members nkly stared at the absurd scene unfolding before their eyes. ¡°Maintain formation!¡± At Jeong Eui-hyeon shout, the guild members who had gathered their wits took their positions. ¡°Magic Explosion! Magic Explosion!¡± Kang Hyeon, creating magic spheres in both hands, frantically threw them forward to clear a path, and in an instant, he plunged between the guild members. -Kwagwagwang! Simultaneously, over 200 Dysrupin crashed into the guild members like a tsunami. *** Ippotrantion *** ¡°Guild Master! Please retreat for now!¡± Despite Kim Hyeon-woo¡¯s words, Jeong Eui-hyeon just stood there in disbelief. ¡°Heh heh¡­¡± In the sudden melee, guild members were dying pathetically. In fact, with his 100 guild members, they could have fended off that many Dysrupin with little damage. However, due to Kang Hyeon in their midst, the damage became uncontroblyrge. ¡°Arghh!¡± -Crack! Kang Hyeon waspletely a wolf rampaging among sheep. Every time his sword swung, a guild member died, cut through their armor, and the Dysrupin werepletely bisected. ¡°Kuhahaha!¡± Whatever was so amusing, Kang Hyeonughed boisterously as he swung his sword. ¡°Guild Master, please move to¡­¡± ¡°What difference does it make if I move?¡± Jeong Eui-hyeon cut off Kim Hyeon-woo¡¯s words in a calm tone. ¡°It¡¯s all over.¡± He could no longer hope for his father¡¯s support. No, even if support was offered, he didn¡¯t have the confidence to ept it. It was obvious that other family members would watch that scene as if looking at insects¡­ ¡°That¡¯s right. Where are you trying to go? It¡¯s over now.¡± Suddenly, a yful voice was heard from behind Jeong Eui-hyeon. As he turned around, a familiar face appeared. A handsome young man, like a celebrity on TV. However, his exterior decoration and the atmosphere he exuded overwhelmed his appearance. It was An Yu-seong. ¡°I see¡­ So you were in on it too.¡± ¡°It just happened to turn out that way.¡± Jeong Eui-hyeon felt rather at ease when he thought it waspletely over. ¡°Remember this. You guys can¡¯t keep running like this forever.¡± ¡°Seeing you spout nonsense, it seems like it¡¯s time for you to die. I¡¯ll help you with that.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯ve wanted to smash your head since long ago, brother.¡± An Yu-seong yfully rotated his wrist while holding a mace. ¡®Is this what they call your life shing before your eyes¡­?¡® The past 36 years of Jeong Eui-hyeon¡¯s life shed through his mind like a panorama. ¡®It was truly a dog¡¯s life. Kuk.¡¯ With the giant mace approaching right up to his nose, Jeong Eui-hyeon¡¯s memories were cut off. *** Ippotrantion *** ¡°Whew! Wasn¡¯t that fun?¡± ¡°Tsk tsk. You madman.¡± Kang Hyeon clicked his tongue at An Yu-seong¡¯s words. ¡°Anyway, it¡¯s over.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. I¡¯m a bit disappointed it¡¯s over already.¡± In front of themy numerous corpses of ability users and monsters. ¡°Status window.¡± ?Name: Kang Hyeon ?Title: Tutorial Graduate and 1 other ?Level: 49 ?Detailed Stats: Strength 26 (+2.5)(+2) Agility 25 (+2.5) Stamina 26 (+2.5)(+2) Magic 26 (+2.5)(+4) Additional Stats: ¨C ?Unique Ability: Resurrection ?Abilities: Intermediate Swordsmanship(D), Lower-grade Shield Technique(E), Lowest-grade Crossbow Technique(F), Lowest-grade Body Technique(F) ?Skills: Roar of the Enraged Lion(C), Advanced Bodily Regeneration(A), Bisection (D), Giant¡¯s Strength(B), Magic Explosion(D), Wayne¡¯s Secret Technique(E), Entria¡¯s Outer Shell(F). Kang Hyeon distributed his stats after confirming that the level he had lost due to deathst time was restored and had increased by one more. He smiled contentedly as he looked at the newly acquired lowest-grade body technique and the upgraded Bisection. ¡°Did you level up?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± [You have acquired the title ¡®Cruel Family Destroyer¡¯] Kang Hyeon, who was answering An Yu-seong¡¯s question, made a surprised expression when he saw the message that popped up. ¡°What? I even got a title¡­?¡± ¡°What title?¡± ¡°Cruel Family¡­ No, wait.¡± ¡°¡­?¡± Leaving An Yu-seong with a puzzled look, Kang Hyeon hurriedly checked the title. Cruel Family Destroyer: It¡¯s a prejudice that monsters don¡¯t have families. A title given ¡®only to you¡¯ who have destroyed countless families in an astonishingly cruel way. Effect: Strength +2, Dysrupin hostility. The title holder instinctively inspires fear in others. ¡°What kind of shitty title is this¡­¡± Something went wrong. Kang Hyeon couldn¡¯t take his eyes off the phrase ¡®only to you¡¯ that was particrly emphasized in the system message. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Kang Hyeon ignored An Yu-seong¡¯s words and fell into thought. ¡®They said that even if you don¡¯t equip a title, 50% of its effect is applied¡­¡¯ His impression was already fierce enough. But now it seems he¡¯ll even inspire instinctive fear. ¡®Am I being told not to live a normal life? Why is it just me getting this crap?¡¯ ¡°Damn it¡­¡± Thinking of the administrator who must be watching from somewhere, Kang Hyeon spat out a curse. ¡°By the way, what level are you?¡± ¡°I just became 49.¡± Since there was no particr reason to hide it from An Yu-seong, Kang Hyeon told him straight. ¡°That¡¯s high. I just became 45.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not that much difference.¡± ¡°You¡¯re the first person I¡¯ve met with a higher level than me.¡± ¡°Is that so.¡± In fact, Kang Hyeon¡¯s level should have exceeded 50. However, there had been several deaths after level 20, and his level was inevitably lowered each time he resurrected. ¡°Anyway, what do we do with this?¡± As many as 100 Bait Guild members died, and an enormous amount of items poured out. Since they were already famous for looting, it seemed that each person had more items than Kang Hyeon. ¡°Well, there are a lot in numbers, but nothing particrly substantial.¡± ¡°You take it all. I don¡¯t need it.¡± ¡°I know you¡¯re a rich kid, you bastard.¡± For now, Kang Hyeon decided to collect the items. No matter how crappy they looked, items were expensive. If hebined the items he had taken from the Bait Guild members so far and what he got today, it would be enough to start a business. ¡°Should I really start an item business¡­¡± After bing able to clear dungeons alone, Kang Hyeon had given up on his greed for money. But this incident slightly changed his mind. ¡®To gather forces, you need money.¡¯ There¡¯s a limit to being strong alone. Even this time, without Kim Tae-soo¡¯s help, it wouldn¡¯t have been easy to pull off something like this. ¡®If I had a strong force, there might not have been such a dispute in the first ce.¡¯ The reason Kang Hyeon wanted to be stronger than anyone else was nothing special. He wanted to protect his family and didn¡¯t want to live being disrespected anymore. ¡°Hey. What do you think about me creating a guild?¡± ¡°If you create one, of course I¡¯ll join.¡± An Yu-seong answered without a moment¡¯s hesitation to Kang Hyeon¡¯s words. ¡°Why would you join of course?¡± At Kang Hyeon¡¯s question, An Yu-seong grinned. ¡°My intuition tells me.¡± ¡°Tells you what?¡± ¡°That more interesting things will happen if I stick with you.¡± *** Ippotrantion *** Hanseok Group¡¯s chairman¡¯s office. Chairman Jeong Sang-soo red at the man, Choi Min-jun, sitting arrogantly in front of him. ¡°How are you going to take responsibility for this?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about.¡± Choi Min-jun said with an indifferent expression. Jeong Sang-soo¡¯s voice rose at that nonchnt response. ¡°You clearly said you would take responsibility for raising Jeong Eui-hyeon. So I gave you money. But look at the situation now!¡± It had been a week since they had lost contact with Jeong Eui-hyeon. Given the circumstances so far, it seemed clear that he was dead. ¡°If you hadn¡¯t enticed my son, this wouldn¡¯t have happened!¡± ¡°So what do you want to say to me?¡± ¡°You insolent bastard¡­ If you¡¯ve done wrong, you should pay the price.¡± At Jeong Sang-oo-soo¡¯s words, about a dozen men around him pulled out their weapons. ¡°Hah¡­ Pay the price?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°I created thergest guild in Korea with a trash who had no ability¡­ This is ridiculous.¡± Choi Min-jun -chuckled and lowered his head. ¡°Kill him!¡± As soon as Jeong Sang-soo -shouted, men from all directions rushed towards Choi Min-jun. ¡°Ugh!¡± ¡°What is this?!¡± However, the men couldn¡¯t take even a single step. No matter how much they trembled and exerted force, they could barely move a finger. On top of that, they couldn¡¯t even breathe due to the feeling of their necks gradually being squeezed. ¡°Look here, Chairman Jeong Sang-soo.¡± Treating the men like wallpaper, Choi Min-jun -approached Chairman Jeong Sang-soo-oo. ¡°We clearly had a contract, and I was fulfilling the contract without any problems. What¡¯s with this filthy act?¡± ¡°You, you¡­!¡± Choi Min-jun came right up to Jeong Sang-soo face. ¡°If you spout such nonsense again next time, I won¡¯t let it slide. Do you understand?¡± ¡°You bastard¡­!¡± When Jeong Sang-soo -soodidn¡¯t answer and just red at him, Choi Min-jun -grabbed his neck. ¡°Urgh!¡± ¡°Answer me. Do you understand?¡± ¡°Guh! I, I understand!¡± After looking down at Jeong Sang-soo struggling for a moment, Choi Min-jun threw him to the floor. ¡°Kheuk, huh, huk!¡± Jeong Sang-soo-soo, fallen on the floor, breathed roughly. ¡°Pay the promised money by today.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Unable to look at Choi Min-jun-, Jeong Sang-soo reluctantly nodded. Seeing this, Choi Min-jun -left the chairman¡¯s office without any lingering attachment. ¡°Kheuk!¡± ¡°Huh, huh!¡± Only then, released from the restraint, the employees fell to the floor, breathing heavily. Hope you enjoyed the chapter! If you would like to support me or read up to 20 chapters ahead, you can do so via Buymeacoffee OR by unlocking chapters. Chapter 36 Chapter 36 ¨C Dungeon Terror (1) The massive guild known as Bait Guild had disappeared. As a result, rumors and urban legends spread like wildfire among the public. However, that was only for a moment. Now is an era of upheaval. With the emergence of new rising guilds and capable individuals, the name Bait Guild quickly faded from people¡¯s memories. ¡°Argh! Die!¡± Kang Hyeon still wandered the dungeons alone. Now that people¡¯s levels had risen, even E-rank dungeons were on the verge of being saturated. In the end, Kang Hyeon had no choice but to move up to D-rank dungeons, partly by his own will and partly by circumstance. ¡°Kieek¡­¡± A monster screamed as it was impaled by a sword. Kang Hyeon looked at it for a moment before heading deeper into the dungeon. How long had he walked like that? It was when he thought he hade quite deep into the dungeon. ¡°Stop hiding ande out.¡± Kang Hyeon suddenly stopped in his tracks and muttered. At the same time, about ten people appeared in front and behind him, surrounding him. ¡°Heheh. What? How did this bastard know?¡± ¡°Wow~ Seems he¡¯s got good instincts?¡± ¡°If his instincts were that good, he would¡¯ve run away.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right? Hahaha!¡± No electronic devices can be used inside dungeons. Also, the moment a dungeon is cleared, everything inside disappears. In other words, there was no ce more suitable formitting crimes than this. ¡°Sigh, this crap again.¡± Kang Hyeon roughly ran his hand through his hair and sighed. It wasn¡¯t justrge guilds that robbed people. Criminals from society enter dungeons, join forces, and attack people who travel in small numbers. They had nothing to fear as no evidence was left behind, and among such people, there were plenty of scum who didn¡¯t hesitate to kill. ¡°While I¡¯m still asking nicely, hand over everything you¡¯ve got and get lost.¡± A man with loosely arranged facial features stepped forward and spoke. ¡°I¡¯ll return those words right back at you. Hand over everything you have and leave, and I¡¯ll spare your lives.¡± Kang Hyeon said with a slight smile. Veins popped on their foreheads. ¡°This crazy bastard!¡± ¡°Boss. Doesn¡¯t something seem off? Maybe we should just¡­¡± ¡°What do you mean ¡®just¡¯? You think this is the first time we¡¯ve seen someone putting on airs like this?¡± ¡°Of course we¡¯ve seen many. But still¡­¡± ¡°Anyway, this bastard¡¯s got guts the size of a bean.¡± Kang Hyeon, who wandered the dungeons alone, was particrly prone to conflicts with such people. The reason Kang Hyeon felt no particr guilt when ughtering the Bait Guild members was that he had already encountered and killed countless such individuals. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you at least coordinate with each other beforeing out? What are you doing after calling people out?¡± ¡°This guy really!¡± ¡°Do you want to die?!¡± The men became highly agitated at Kang Hyeon¡¯s sarcasm. ¡°Everyone, stay put.¡± The man with loose features restrained hispanions. He seemed to be acting as the leader among them. ¡°Phew, we don¡¯t want to see blood either, so let¡¯s end this nicely, shall we?¡± ¡°What? End it nicely?¡± Kang Hyeonughed at the man¡¯s attitude, as if he was doing him a favor. ¡°Ha, aren¡¯t you guys like millstone handles?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°The handle of a millstone is called eoi. Eoi. You¡¯re trying to put something in the millstone to grind and turn it, but! Oh? The handle came off?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°That situation is called unbelievable. It¡¯s frustrating, right? You can¡¯t do what you need to do because of a trivial handle. That¡¯s how I feel right now.¡± It was a famous movie quote that he had always wanted to imitate at least once. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me¡­ You bastard¡­¡± The corners of Kang Hyeon¡¯s mouth curled up. ¡°Isn¡¯t it unbelievable?¡± ¡°Fuck! Just kill him!¡± As their shouts erupted, Kang Hyeon activated ¡®Wayne¡¯s Secret Technique¡¯ and ¡®Entria¡¯s Shell¡¯. ¡°Hyah!¡± The leader at the front swung his sword. A brilliant energy gleamed on the sword, suggesting he had used a skill to increase its power. ¡®It¡¯s unbelievably slow.¡¯ When ¡®Wayne¡¯s Secret Technique¡¯ is activated, the increased agility makes it feel like being in a different time from others. At that time, watching the sword approach like a sluggard, Kang Hyeon reached out his hand. He could have easily dodged it, but knowing his current defense, this was his action. ¡®This should increase my skill experience a bit.¡¯ -Thud! The sword was helplessly caught in Kang Hyeon¡¯s hand. The man was greatly bewildered by the situation that was uneptable by hismon sense. ¡°What the?!¡± When he used his skill, it easily split even fairly tough monster hides. He had a history of bisecting armored people, bones and all. Yet his sword had only managed to pierce a gauntlet. ¡°Give it here.¡± Kang Hyeon, gripping the de, pulled his arm. The man was helplessly pulled forward by that force. ¡°Uh, uh?! Ugh!¡± -Whack! Kang Hyeon kicked the face of the man hanging onto the sword, sending him flying. Name: Knight¡¯s Longsword Rank: D Durability: 210/250 Description: An old¡­ It was a sword not even worth reading the description for. After briefly examining the sword, Kang Hyeon threw it straight at the men. -Swish! ¡°Argh!¡± The sword, flying at tremendous speed, lodged into one man¡¯s chest, and with its power still undiminished, the man¡¯s body flew several meters before crashing. ¡°¡­¡± ¡°What are you doing? Keeping at me.¡± Fear began to fill the expressions of the men looking at Kang Hyeon. *** Ippotrantion *** The dungeon consists of one main core and several regr cores. The ce where the main core is located is generally called the ¡®boss room¡¯, and the ce where the regr cores are located is called the ¡®core room¡¯. Typically, these core rooms have either a powerful mid-boss level entity or an enormous number of monsters. ¡°Grooaar!¡± In this dungeon, the creature guarding the core room was an Ogre. [Violent Ogre] The creature, standing over 3m tall, was covered in enormous muscles. Moreover, it was so tough that it didn¡¯t even bother to dodge ordinary attacks, enduring them with its body as it charged forward. Kang Hyeon was excited by the appearance of such a strong monster for a change. ¡°Uoooh!¡± An overwhelminglyrge hammer. The creature swung a huge iron hammer that looked like it would weigh hundreds of kilograms at a nce, with tremendous force. ¡®Crazy.¡¯ -Woosh! Even for Kang Hyeon, getting hit by such an attack would be dangerous. If he were to be hit on the head, regeneration or not, he¡¯d die instantly. ¡®But at that slow speed, I couldn¡¯t get hit even if I wanted to.¡¯ Kang Hyeon lightly dodged the ogre¡¯s attack and leaped vigorously into the air. ¡°Huh?¡± And like a cicada, he grabbed onto the creature¡¯s face and clung to the back of its head. ¡°Magic Explosion¡± No matter how tough and hard the skin, there are always weak spots. -Boom! It felt like his hand would burst, but Kang Hyeon used all his strength to grab the Ogre¡¯s eyeball. Thanks to this, the explosive power that urred in Kang Hyeon¡¯s hand was fully directed into the Ogre¡¯s head. ¡°Gu¡­ Guuuh¡­¡± Eventually, the explosion inside its head caused the Ogre to have a seizure and fall to its knees. -Thud ¡°Ah, it stings.¡± Kang Hyeon waited for his regeneration to finish, clenching and unclenching his fist. After a moment, when the regeneration wasplete, Kang Hyeon extracted the magic stone from the fallen creature. ¡°Time to move on.¡± As Kang Hyeon was moving to collect the core, he suddenly stopped. ¡°Wait a minute¡­¡± His gaze was fixed on the hammer the Ogre had been wielding. ¡°Should I check it out?¡± Name: Ogre¡¯s Giant Hammer Grade: D Durability: 994/1000 Description: A hammer used by Ogre, who was exceptionally strong even among other ogres. Made solely for durability and convenience, it boasts an enormous weight, so much so that no one other than Ogre was allowed to even lift it. ¡°Hmm¡­ What¡¯s my current strength?¡± After reading the item description, Kang Hyeon checked his strength stat. ?Detailed Stats: Strength 26 (+3.5)(+2) ¡°Pure strength is 26, plus 3.5 from the title, and 2 from the ring. So 31.5 in total?¡± It seemed like a pretty high number to him. ¡°Let¡¯s try lifting it.¡± Standing in front of the hammer, Kang Hyeon rubbed his hands with a strange tension. ¡°Haaaaaah!¡± Kang Hyeon grabbed the hammer with all his might. However, despite using so much strength that his whole body was trembling, the hammer barely moved. ¡°Giant¡¯s Strength.¡± Judging that it was impossible to lift without using a skill, Kang Hyeon this time used Giant¡¯s Strength. Now Kang Hyeon¡¯s strength has be 43.5. ¡°Haaaaaah!¡± Finally, the hammer was lifted, and Kang Hyeon mmed it down on the ground with all his might. -Boom! It was such a tremendous impact that the ground shook. ¡°Ugh¡­ This is still not enough.¡± It¡¯s impossible to use it as a weapon when it¡¯s this difficult to swing. Feeling stubborn, Kang Hyeon used Wayne¡¯s Secret Technique as ast resort. Instantly, Kang Hyeon¡¯s strength shot up to 54. ¡°Uaaah! I can do it!¡± The hammer was lifted rtively easily. With veins popping out all over, Kang Hyeon swung the hammer with all his might. -Boom! Crash! Seeing the dungeon wallpletely shattered after just two hammer strikes, Kang Hyeon smiled with satisfaction. ¡°Not bad! Ugh! Ow ow ow¡­¡± Using such high strength disproportionate to his health put a strain on his muscles. ¡°I can¡¯t keep this up for long. I wonder if I could swing it properly about ten times at most?¡± After pondering for a moment, Kang Hyeon put Ogre¡¯s Giant Hammer into his inventory. ¡°Yeah. This should be enough. I can always increase my strength more.¡± After finishing his organization, Kang Hyeon approached the core. ¡°Now, let¡¯s get out of here.¡± Normally, he would have pushed on to the boss room where the main core was,e what may, but not today. He had a dinner appointment. -Thump! Thump! The core pulsated roughly. Kang Hyeon cut off its support, collected the core, and headed towards the portal. *** Ippotrantion *** Kang Hyeon¡¯s promise was to have dinner with An Yu-seong. The location was a high-end restaurant in Seoul. It was a ce Kang Hyeon had never even imagined in his life, where a single serving cost tens of thousands of won. ¡°It tastes good. Munch munch.¡± ¡°Doesn¡¯t it?¡± Since An Yu-seong was paying for the meal, Kang Hyeon was eating the meat without even breathing. ¡°Don¡¯t they sell beer here?¡± ¡°They do sell it. What do you need?¡± ¡°Something like Hite or Cass?¡± ¡°Oh, geez.¡± An Yu-seong shook his head at Kang Hyeon¡¯s cheap taste. ¡°Hey.¡± Kang Hyeon, who had devoured the steak in less than 5 minutes, called out to An Yu-seong. ¡°You want more?¡± ¡°Uh, no, that¡¯s not it!¡± Kang Hyeon, who had unconsciously nodded, became flustered. ¡°Can¡¯t you dress more normally?¡± ¡°What are you suddenly talking about?¡± ¡°People keep staring because of you, man.¡± In fact, if you only looked at An Yu-seong¡¯s appearance, he was handsome enough to be an idol. On top of that, he was 182cm tall and a rich young master with a personal chauffeur. Just based on this, he was clearly the perfect man you¡¯d only see in dramas. ¡°What are you, some kind of Super Saiyan? Dyeing your hair blonde and all. Tsk.¡± However, his attire looked like something you¡¯d see at a concert venue with a punk look, and his eyes were slightly unfocused, not appearing quite normal. Moreover, his muscles that could rival professional athletes, the tattoos covering his entire body, and all sorts of piercings couldn¡¯t help but draw attention. ¡°You¡¯re surprisingly old-fashioned, Kang Hyeon.¡± ¡°What did you say, you brat?¡± ¡°Kang Hyeon, don¡¯t you know about PR, individuality? What era do you think we¡¯re living in to have such an old-fashioned mindset?¡± ¡°What kind of PR are you doing in a high-end restaurant? You crazy bastard. It¡¯s amazing you weren¡¯t kicked out at the entrance.¡± Come to think of it, with that appearance in a ce like this, he should have been stopped at the entrance, but An Yu-seong walked in as naturally as if it were his own home. ¡°Seriously, why do you always treat me like a crazy person?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Do you think people are staring because of me? I¡¯m a regr here.¡± ¡°Then it¡¯s because of me?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°You wanna die?¡± A vein popped on Kang Hyeon¡¯s forehead at An Yu-seong¡¯s words. ¡°Tsk tsk. You should look in a mirror too, Kang Hyeon. And rx your face a bit.¡± ¡°You think words are everything!?¡± In fact, whether it¡¯s An Yu-seong or Kang Hyeon, their appearances were bound to catch people¡¯s eyes wherever they went. It wasn¡¯t simply because they were muscr. In a world where capable people have be moremon, fit bodies have be quite ordinary. Of course, their muscles were extraordinary, but more important than that was their aura. ¡°Sigh. Forget it. It¡¯s my fault for trying to have a conversation with you.¡± Originally, there was an overflowing aura of madness, but recently, the effect of being a ¡®Cruel Family Destroyer¡¯ was added to it. ¡°Isn¡¯t there something strange about that person¡¯s eyes?¡± ¡°It seems a bit creepy¡­¡± ¡°The dyed-hair guy next to him looks more like a thug, but he seems a bit better.¡± ¡°He¡¯s originally famous for being from a rich family. Honestly, he¡¯s good-looking too.¡± Kang Hyeon had to hear unwanted whispers thanks to his abnormally developed physique. ¡°Damn¡­ Should I wear sunsses?¡± ¡°That won¡¯t be enough, you know?¡± ¡°Shut up.¡± -Buzz buzz Just then. Kang Hyeon checked his smartphone as it suddenly vibrated. [Kim Tae-soo] ¡°What¡¯s this about?¡± When he connected the call, a weing voice was heard. -Oh. Kang Hyeon. ¡°Kim Tae-soo, what¡¯s up?¡± -Do you have some time tonight or tomorrow by any chance? Kim Tae-soo suddenly asked about scheduling time. Kang Hyeon thought for a moment, but realized that as long as he wasn¡¯t going to a dungeon, he was just a hikikomori unemployed person. ¡°I have plenty of time. Why? Is something up?¡± -Then, would you like to meet our guild master once? The guild master wants to see you. ¡°Me?¡± Han Se-yeon, the guild master of the Dangun Guild. She might not know, but Kang Hyeon had seen her when the dungeon wave incident urred in his hometown. The image of her swinging her sword was still vivid in his mind. -Yeah. When you asked me to look after Kang A-hyunst time, the guild master took an interest. So she also knows that the recent copse of the Bait Guild was because of you. ¡°¡­¡± -So it seems she wants to see you for various reasons. What do you think? He certainly owed the Dangun Guild a favor. It wouldn¡¯t be right to just ignore and pretend not to know. ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll go right away this evening.¡± Hope you enjoyed the chapter! If you would like to support me or read up to 20 chapters ahead, you can do so via Buymeacoffee OR by unlocking chapters. Chapter 37 Chapter 37 ¨C Dungeon Terror (2) -In response to the recent series of dungeon terror incidents, the government¡­ A polished announcer¡¯s voice flowed from An Yu-seong¡¯s smartphone. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± Kang Hyeon¡¯s curiosity was piqued as he listened to the news. ¡°Kang Hyeon, don¡¯t you know about this? Lately, someone¡¯s been deliberately destroying dungeons and letting monsters escape.¡± ¡°Ah, that.¡± The inte had been so noisy about it that Kang Hyeon remembered looking into it with interest. ¡°In a way, we might have been the first to experience it.¡± On thest day of the Ability User Cultivation School. Kang Hyeon had experienced such an incident in the dungeon where ¡®Keika¡¯ appeared. ¡°As if things weren¡¯t unsettling enough, what kind of nonsense is this?¡± ¡°I know. There¡¯s no need to do that when we¡¯re living in a world where we don¡¯t know when we¡¯ll die anyway. Heh.¡± Chatting about this and that, they traveled for a while, and finally, Bentley No. 2 stopped at their destination. A building owned by the Dangun Guild, located near Seoul. It¡¯s not thatrgepared to the headquarters of other major corporations. However, the Dangun Guild is like a startuppany that hasn¡¯t even been established for half a year. Considering that, it certainly had an unreasonable amount of financial power. ¡°You seem familiar with this ce?¡± An Yu-seong, who hade along with permission, walked through the building interior quitefortably. ¡°Well, I¡¯ve been here a few times.¡± ¡°You? Why?¡± ¡°Han Se-yeon. I met her at social gatherings even before the dungeon incident.¡± Hearing the words ¡®social gathering¡¯, Kang Hyeon openly made an ufortable expression. ¡°I guess Han Se-yeon was from a rich family too. Birds of a feather flock together, huh.¡± Momentarily recalling the destitute times before the dungeons, Kang Hyeon felt a bit spiteful. ¡°Kang Hyeon!¡± Just then, Kim Tae-soo, who spotted Kang Hyeon, greeted him. ¡°You came earlier than expected?¡± ¡°Yeah, somehow. Thanks forst time.¡± ¡°No need for thanks. That¡¯s what friends do. Let¡¯s go quickly. The Guild Master is waiting.¡± Following Kim Tae-soo, they took the elevator, and soon arrived at the top floor of the building. ¡°Wee.¡± As the doors opened, a somewhat familiar face appeared. ¡°Kim Yi-hyeon?¡± ¡°Yes. It¡¯s been a while, Kang Hyeon.¡± ¡°What? You were with Dangun Guild?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. Let¡¯s save the details forter and go inside. The Guild Master is waiting.¡± Kang Hyeon nodded at Kim Yi-hyeon¡¯s words. After passing through a corridor that felt a bit long, a spacious office with a good view appeared. There, the Guild Master of Dangun Guild. Han Se-yeon was there. ¡°Nice to meet you.¡± Han Se-yeon extended her hand in greeting. Kang Hyeon grasped her hand firmly. ¡°Yes. I¡¯m Kang Hyeon.¡± ¡°Older Sister. It¡¯s been a while.¡± An Yu-seong also greeted Han Se-yeon quite familiarly, proving that it wasn¡¯t a lie that they were acquainted. ¡°Yes, An Yu-seong. It¡¯s been a while.¡± After exchanging greetings, Kang Hyeon sat down on a luxurious sofa. Then, a handsome man approached and elegantly served an unfamiliar tea. ¡°First, thank you for your helpst time. I should have visited earlier.¡± Kang Hyeon expressed his gratitude for Dangun protecting Kang A-hyun. ¡°It wasn¡¯t such a difficult task.¡± ¡°No. I will definitely repay this debt.¡± ¡°You¡¯re more righteous than I expected.¡± ¡°I¡¯m far from being righteous¡­ I just don¡¯t like living in debt.¡± Han Se-yeon smiled lightly at Kang Hyeon¡¯s straightforward words. ¡°If it¡¯s alright with you, shall we get to the main point now? I don¡¯t like dragging things out.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°What¡¯s the reason you wanted to see me?¡± At Kang Hyeon¡¯s words, Han Se-yeon leaned forward, resting her chin on her hand. ¡°How long do you think the current peace willst, Kang Hyeon?¡± ¡°Peace¡­¡± Lost in thought at Han Se-yeon¡¯s sudden question, Kang Hyeon pondered. The current peace. Kang Hyeon also knew that there would be arge-scale monster invasion within at least 5 years. ¡®Certainly, what I saw at the 8th stage was shocking. Han Se-yeon must have seen it too.¡¯ After contemting, Kang Hyeon opened his mouth. ¡°Well, I¡¯m not sure. It¡¯s not a problem that can be solved by worrying anyway.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Just getting stronger myself. For now, that¡¯s the only preparation I can make. Still, we have 5 years left, right?¡± Han Se-yeon shook her head at Kang Hyeon¡¯s words. ¡°I¡¯m not talking about 5 years from now. At most 3 years. Within that time, some countries will find their existence threatened.¡± At these words, somewhat different from what he expected, Kang Hyeon made a puzzled expression. ¡°Is there a reason you think that?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t go into details, but there is a divine being who knows about all of this. And on our side, we have an ability user who canmunicate with them.¡± Divine being. It was clearly a story about the Administrator. Kang Hyeon was inwardly surprised to hear that he could converse with him, but he maintained a neutral expression as much as possible to avoid revealing his inner thoughts. There was no need to reveal here that he was a tutorial graduate. ¡°Hmm¡­¡± ¡°You may think this is a ridiculous story. But just looking at the current increase in dungeon difficulty, we can anticipate the crisis ahead.¡± ¡°Certainly, the difficulty has increased a lot from D-rank onwards.¡± ¡°Yes. And unlike the rapidly strengthening dungeons, the growth of abilities will soon stagnate.¡± The growth of ability users stagnates. Han Se-yeon seemed to be confirming this. ¡®Well¡­ I¡¯ve been finding it harder to level uptely too.¡¯ While Kang Hyeon was lost in thought, Han Se-yeon continued speaking. ¡°Leveling up. The increase in strength is not simply achieved by killing many monsters.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve felt that for a long time.¡± ¡°That¡¯s why to be stronger, we need to be even bolder in the future.¡± Suddenly, Han Se-yeon¡¯s gaze changed. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter how many people Kang Hyeon has killed. Besides, they were just trash. Beings who were not at all necessary for human survival. We need one strong person like Kang Hyeon more than hundreds of such individuals.¡± Kang Hyeon made a troubled expression at Han Se-yeon¡¯s sudden words. ¡°I appreciate the offer, but I¡¯m still morefortable going alone. My fighting style is a bit rough too.¡± ¡°We will absolutely never hold you back, Kang Hyeon. Only the best elites will move together.¡± Despite Kang Hyeon¡¯s polite refusal, Han Se-yeon¡¯s persuasion was persistent. ¡°I appreciate that you think highly of me, but I¡¯ll think about it a bit more.¡± Honestly, joining the Dangun Guild would have more advantages than disadvantages. ¡®Still, the Dangun Guild just doesn¡¯t fit me.¡¯ The hindrance to his growth was a secondary reason. There was a bigger reason. ¡®No matter how I think about it, I¡¯m not the hero type.¡¯ The Dangun Guild¡¯s creed of bing the savior to save the world just didn¡¯t match him at all. ¡°If that¡¯s how you feel, Kang Hyeon, there¡¯s nothing we can do.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry about that.¡± ¡°Still, I hope we can maintain a good rtionship in the future.¡± Kang Hyeon smiled at Han Se-yeon¡¯s words. ¡°I¡¯d wee that.¡± *** Ippotrantion *** After Kang Hyeon left, only Kim Yi-hyeon and Han Se-yeon remained in the office. ¡°What did you think after meeting him in person?¡± ¡°He exceeded my expectations.¡± Han Se-yeon smiled at Kim Yi-hyeon¡¯s question. ¡°When I talked about the Administrator, his eyes definitely wavered. It means he reached the end of the tutorial.¡± ¡°But Guild Master, he¡¯s not simply a good person.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°We can see that just from the recent Bait Guild incident, can¡¯t we?¡± Han Se-yeon stared intently at Kim Yi-hyeon, who was discussing good and evil. ¡°Kim Yi-hyeon.¡± ¡°Yes, Guild Master.¡± ¡°What we need to survive in the future is not good people. It¡¯s stronger people.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Remember this. Nothing can be aplished by gathering only good people.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll keep that in mind¡­¡± An indescribable madness glinted in Han Se-yeon¡¯s eyes as she spoke. *** Ippotrantion *** E-rank dungeons and D-rank dungeons. It¡¯s just one level up, but there¡¯s a huge difference. It¡¯s the diversity of monsters that appear. ¡°Keurk, keurk!¡± Up to E-rank, mostly single entity monsters appear. But from D-rank, it¡¯s different. Various types of monsters appear in one dungeon. The D-rank dungeon ¡®Daience¡¯s Laboratory¡¯ was one of the dungeons where this monster diversity was maximized. ¡°Kieeek!¡± Chimeras, monsters patched together from all kinds of creatures. These hideous-looking creatures screamed. Due to the unpredictable patterns of various monsters, ¡®Daience¡¯s Laboratory¡¯ was ranked as one of the top-tier dungeons even among D-rank. -Screech Kang Hyeon plunged alone into this top-difficulty dungeon again today. ¡°It¡¯s certainly tricky.¡± Kang Hyeon said as he cut an iing monster in half. ¡°Is this really the entrance of the dungeon?¡± It hadn¡¯t even been a few hours since he entered the dungeon, but he had already encountered more than ten types of monsters. Essentially, he met a new monster with every battle. ¡°Kuooo¡­¡± ¡°What¡¯s this now?¡± Kang Hyeon suppressed augh as he looked at the huge monster in front of him. [Chimera Goblin] ¡°This is really ridiculous.¡± The head was clearly a goblin¡¯s. But the body was using the 3m-sized flesh of an Ogre. ¡°¡­¡± Seeing such a creature, Kang Hyeon was quite confused. ¡°If you¡¯re going to attach an Ogre¡¯s body as is, whybine the head? Couldn¡¯t you just leave the Ogre as it was?¡± ¡°Kuaaaa!¡± As if responding to Kang Hyeon¡¯s words, the creature let out a tremendous roar. And then it suddenly spat saliva from its mouth. ¡°Ptui!¡± A bluish color. It looked dangerous at a nce, so Kang Hyeon quickly dodged. -Hisssss¡­ The floor touched by the creature¡¯s saliva rapidly corroded. ¡°Shit. It¡¯s not even funny¡± ¡°Kuaaaa!¡± Kang Hyeon hated goblins. He really hated them. And a goblin with a massive Ogre¡¯s body that spat acidic saliva was even more detestable. ¡°I can¡¯t just let you go.¡± ¡°Kuaaa!¡± Kang Hyeon activated both ¡®Wayne¡¯s Secret Technique¡¯ and ¡®Giant¡¯s Strength¡¯. Suddenly, he felt a surge of power that seemed capable of shattering rocks in an instant. Kang Hyeon grinned at the sensation of his body feeling like it might burst. -Bang! The goblin¡¯s swung fist mmed into the ground. The impact sent dirt flying. ¡°Magic Explosion!¡± In that moment, Kang Hyeonunched a magic sphere towards the creature¡¯s face. -Boom! ¡°Kuaaa!¡± The impact shook its entire skull. The goblin screamed as the magic sphere hit its jaw. Seeing this, Kang Hyeon took out Ogre¡¯s hammer from his inventory. ¡°Sssup¡­ This is perfect.¡± A giant iron hammer that looked incredibly sturdy at a nce. Kang Hyeon smiled maliciously as he gripped it. ¡°Here Ie!¡± And he swung the iron hammer with all his might towards the creature¡¯s genitals. -Thwack! The iron hammer collided with the massive flesh, and a grotesque sound echoed. The giant body of the creature, hit in its weak spot, lifted slightly into the air. ¡°Kuaaaaaaaa-!¡± The creature¡¯s scream was undoubtedly the most pitiful monster cry Kang Hyeon had heard so far. That was itsst. ¡°What? Is it dead?¡± Kang Hyeon nudged the creature¡¯s face with his foot. There was no response. ¡°It really died.¡± Kang Hyeon took out his dagger to extract the magic stone. ¡°¡­¡± But he quickly put the dagger back in his inventory. ¡°This feels really unpleasant¡­¡± Seeing the leather covering its private parts getting soaked with blood, he just couldn¡¯t bring himself to use the knife. Kang Hyeon briefly sped his hands together to pray for the creature¡¯s soul. *** Ippotrantion *** Inside dungeons, it¡¯s impossible to crack down on any illegal activities. Even if serious crimes like assault, rape, or murder ur, all evidence disappears the moment the dungeon is cleared. ¡°Aaagh!¡± Today too, such vile criminal acts were rampant in the peaceful dungeon. ¡°Why are you doing this?¡± A woman with a stern expression said through gritted teeth. ¡°Why are we doing this? Hehe.¡± But the men just mocked her, imitating her words amusingly. ¡°You¡¯re asking because you don¡¯t know why we¡¯re doing this?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°Of course we¡¯re trying to do something good.¡± ¡°If it wasn¡¯t for that, why would we have brought a bitch like you? Use your head if you have one, you fool.¡± The woman, Shin Seong-a, who was ring at the men surrounding her, quickly drew a dagger and swung it. ¡°Argh!¡± A man screamed as a long cut appeared on his cheek. ¡°If youe any closer, I won¡¯t stay still.¡± ¡°You damn bitch!¡± As an enraged man approached, Shin Seong-a swung her dagger again. But that attack was easily caught by the man¡¯s hand. ¡°Say that again. What? You won¡¯t stay still?¡± -p! The man who grabbed Shin Seong-a¡¯s arm roughly pped her cheek. ¡°That¡¯s what you get. What were you trying to do with a toothpick, you archer bitch?¡± ¡°Won¡¯t stay still? hehehe! What are you going to do if you don¡¯t stay still?¡± As if responding to him, hispanions smiled disgustingly and licked their lips. ¡°We¡¯re not bad people, you know? We just want to have fun together.¡± ¡°My thing will make you go ¡®pop¡¯ in one go! hehe!¡± The men no longer hesitated to reveal their eyes glinting with madness. ¡°Shit. I really can¡¯t stand listening to this.¡± It was then. The men hurriedly turned around at the unfamiliar voiceing from behind. ¡°hehehe? What kind ofmeugh is that?¡± The men frowned at the sight of Kang Hyeon, who suddenly appeared. ¡°Who are you?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t mind me and leave. If you don¡¯t want to get hurt.¡± ¡°Hehe. Well¡­¡± A line that only third-rate viins in ancient movies would say. Kang Hyeon chuckled, dumbfounded. ¡°Mister. If you leave now, we¡¯ll let it slide, so just go.¡± A man with a massive build pushed through the gathered men and walked out. The man was unusuallyrge, rarely seen in society, easily over 120kg at a nce. Kang Hyeon wondered how someone with such a build could have made it to a D-rank dungeon. ¡°Hey, mister. Can¡¯t you hear me? I said scram.¡± Kang Hyeon twisted one corner of his mouth at the pig¡¯s words. ¡°Did they set up a ughterhouse nearby?¡± ¡°¡­?¡± ¡°Why do I keep hearing the sound of a pig squealing?¡± Chapter 38 Chapter 38 ¨C Dungeon Terror (3) ¡°Where does this sound of a pig squealing keeping from?¡± Kang Hyeon rubbed his ears with his fingers and blew out a breath. ¡°Whew~¡± The brute¡¯s expression twisted fiercely. ¡°Kill him!¡± When the pig shouted violently, thugs rushed in from all directions. Kang Hyeon calmly watched this and lightly avoided the attack. -Whoosh! ¡°Eek, why can¡¯t we hit him?!¡± ¡°You crazy bastard! Can¡¯t you open your eyes properly?!¡± Kang Hyeon easily avoided all attacks. The desperate guys recklessly swung their weapons. As a result, in the narrow space, their movements became entangled and they ended up interfering with each other. ¡°What are you guys doing?¡± Kang Hyeon approached the thugs and pped one of them hard with his palm. -Smack! The guy who got pped spun three times in the air and copsed on the floor. ¡°D-don¡¯t let your guard down! He¡¯s not ordinary.¡± ¡°Everyone stay calm.¡± When they realized Kang Hyeon had extraordinary skills, the thugs¡¯ attitude changedpletely. ¡°Oh ho¡­¡± Seeing this, Kang Hyeon let out a small exmation. ¡®They¡¯re certainly a bit different from the riffraff I¡¯ve met so far.¡¯ Their reckless behavior from just moments ago was gone, and they quickly regained theirposure. As expected of skilled individuals capable of attacking a top-tier D-rank dungeon. Moreover, the guy who had copsed on the floor had already gotten up, clutching his cheek. ¡°Ptui!¡± When the guy spat, something white came out along with blood. ¡°You bastard. I¡¯ll never just kill you!¡± ¡°What are you going to do if you don¡¯t just kill me?¡± At Kang Hyeon¡¯s words, the eyes of the man who was pped widened. ¡°I¡¯ll peel off all your skin and pull out all your teeth so you¡¯ll never again¡­!¡± *** Ippotrantion *** ¡°What did you say?¡± ¡°I said I¡¯m sorry¡­¡± The guy whose cheek had swollen up like a tiger muttered. ¡°What?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorr¡­ Sorry¡­¡± -Smack! Kang Hyeon mercilessly pped the cheek of the guy who was trying to say something. ¡°Why do you keep whining? It¡¯s annoying.¡± Dusting off his palm, Kang Hyeon made a satisfied expression. ¡®I¡¯ve finally realized the use of Entria¡¯s Shell skill.¡¯ pping with gauntlets feels less satisfying. But hitting with bare handscks power. As Kang Hyeon was pondering, using Entria¡¯s Shell to p felt like finding the perfect bnce between power and satisfaction. ¡°Still, it was quite difficult.¡± Especially the pig who first approached Kang Hyeon took quite some time to catch. It seemed his unique skill was rted to endurance, as he didn¡¯t budge even after a few ps. ¡°Well, that wasn¡¯t bad in its own way.¡± In the end, Kang Hyeon was only able to finish him off after mming him to the ground and delivering dozens of pounding blows. ¡°Phew, anyway, I need to get stronger in the future. To be drained by guys like this¡­¡± In fact, if he had drawn Bilgein¡¯s long sword from the start, this incident could have been easily settled. Knowing this fact, Kang Hyeon deliberately ignored it. ¡®The feel of the hit is important in everything.¡¯ As Kang Hyeon was nodding and rationalizing to himself, it happened. ¡°Thank you.¡± Shin Seong-a, who was in the corner, offered her thanks. ¡°It¡¯s nothing. I just relieved some stress after a long time.¡± ¡°I¡¯m Shin Seong-a.¡± She was trying hard to hide her trembling voice. Kang Hyeon noticed this but pretended not to. ¡°I¡¯m Kang Hyeon.¡± ¡®Not bad.¡¯ He thought she was a strong woman. Despite nearly experiencing a terrible ordeal just moments ago, she maintained herposure and even now refused to show any weakness. ¡°I will definitely repay this favor.¡± As Shin Seong-a bowed her head and spoke, Kang Hyeon waved his hand. ¡°It¡¯s fine. What favor?¡± After exchanging greetings, Kang Hyeon was about to continue on his way when he hesitated. ¡°Can you get out alone?¡± ¡°I cannot.¡± At the crisp answer, Kang Hyeon swallowed a chuckle. ¡®Shouldn¡¯t she normally ask for help then?¡¯ It was funny to Kang Hyeon that she stood firmly even though he was about to leave right away. ¡®What should I do? It feels a bit off to go back now¡­¡¯ He didn¡¯t feel like going back to the entrance now. But it also felt uneasy to leave her here knowing she would die. In the end, they had no choice but to move together, but apart from it being troublesome, Kang Hyeon wasn¡¯t confident he could keep this woman alive all the way to the core room. ¡°Ahem¡­¡± While Kang Hyeon was pondering, Shin Seong-a spoke first. ¡°Are you perhaps nning to clear the dungeon?¡± ¡°I¡¯m thinking of going to the core room for now.¡± ¡°Then may I apany you there?¡± ¡°It will be dangerous.¡± ¡°I can protect myself to some extent. I will make sure not to be a hindrance to you, Kang Hyeon.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°I will follow Kang Hyeon like a shadow and only collect magic stones. Of course, I will give all the collected magic stones to you, Kang Hyeon.¡± ¡°Oh ho¡­¡± *** Ippotrantion *** Kang Hyeon was quite pleased with Shin Seong-a¡¯s answer. She had said she would just follow him and collect magic stones, worried that if she said to go back now, it would be a burden to Kang Hyeon. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s do that then.¡± Kang Hyeon was already making a lot of money from removing cores. Therefore, unless they were from particrly powerful creatures, he left the magic stones alone without collecting them. It was a waste of time and bothersome. But if Shin Seong-a would do that job instead, there was nothing particrly disadvantageous for Kang Hyeon. ¡°When the battle starts, I won¡¯t have the leisure to look after you, so you¡¯ll have to survive on your own.¡± ¡°Yes. I understand.¡± After that, Shin Seong-a strictly adhered to her words. While Kang Hyeon swept through enemies in a trance-like state as he explored the dungeon, Shin Seong-a skillfully concealed herself. And when the battle ended, she would appear and quickly collect the magic stones. ¡®Does she have some kind of stealth-rted skill¡­¡¯ Moreover, she asionally proved helpful to Kang Hyeon in urgent situations. ¡°Grrrr¡­¡± A muzzle emitting a disgusting smell. A creature with an unidentifiable grotesque mouth lunged at Kang Hyeon. Ittched onto Bilgein¡¯s long sword like a tick. Kang Hyeon tried to shake it off by swinging his sword, but it firmly refused to let go, clenching the sword tightly. ¡°How annoying!¡± In a situation so urgent that even a single second was precious, a moment¡¯s confusion instantly transforms into crisis. ¡°Keeek!¡± While his attention was momentarily diverted to the creature, a chimera with sharp ws stabbed at Kang Hyeon¡¯s neck from behind. Just as Kang Hyeon was about to allow the attack, not noticing it, An arrow flew in from somewhere and pierced the back of the creature¡¯s neck. ¡°Kuhek!¡± ¡°Oh my!¡± Startled by the scream from behind, Kang Hyeon checked the arrow lodged in the corpse. ¡°Thank you!¡± After expressing his gratitude, Kang Hyeon finally managed to shake off the creature clinging to his sword. ¡°You bastard!¡± ¡°Kegung¡­¡± The creature, sent flying by Kang Hyeon¡¯s kick, let out a pitiful groan. Having lost its will to fight with its teeth shattered, it fled inside without looking back. ¡°Phew, that was really dangerous this time.¡± Indeed, this is a dungeon ranked in the upper echelons of D-grade. They hadn¡¯t even passed the core room yet, but they had already experienced several big and small crises. ¡°Let¡¯s rest a bit.¡± Kang Hyeony down carelessly on the blood-soaked floor. Only then did the pain surge through his entire body, but pain no longer had much effect on Kang Hyeon. More serious than that was the depletion of magical power. Due to fighting so recklessly, his magical power was already exhausted. It was difficult to even maintain Wayne¡¯s secret technique, let alone magical explosion. Kang Hyeon had no choice but to decide to take a brief rest. ¡°By the way, it¡¯s the first time I¡¯ve seen someone use a bow as their main weapon.¡± Shin Seong-a, who was collecting magic stones even while Kang Hyeon was resting, nodded. ¡°Yes. I¡¯ve been learning archery since I was young, so I¡¯m quite confident with a bow. I was lucky enough to awaken an innate skill rted to eyesight.¡± ¡°Is it okay to tell me that so casually?¡± In the beginning, people used to boast about their innate skills without knowing any better, but not anymore. An innate skill is literally a person¡¯s one and only individual skill. It¡¯s their trump card. That¡¯s why, at some point, ability users became reluctant to talk about their innate skills, and asking about it became extremely rude. ¡°I won¡¯t hide anything from the person who saved my life.¡± Kang Hyeon felt a slight chill, but was inwardly satisfied. ¡®That¡¯s a rare personality these days.¡¯ While Kang Hyeon was resting with his eyes closed, Shin Seong-a spoke to him. ¡°Mr. Kang Hyeon.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°May I ask you something?¡± ¡°Go ahead.¡± ¡°How are you so strong?¡± Kang Hyeon pondered the answer for a moment. ¡°Umm¡­ Because I worked hard?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a bit awkward to say this, but I pride myself on having worked harder than anyone. No, in dungeon battles where life and death are at stake, everyone works hard.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true, but not all efforts are the same, right?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Just work harder. To the point where it wouldn¡¯t be strange if you died right now. Or be born talented from the start.¡± In fact, this was an effort Kang Hyeon could make because he coulde back to life even if he died, but he wasn¡¯t stupid enough to blurt that out. ¡°I feel like we¡¯re getting close to the core room, so let¡¯s take a good rest this time before moving on.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Shin Seong-a silently nodded at Kang Hyeon¡¯s words. [The dungeon¡¯s Main Core has been removed] [A portal to the outside opens] ¡°Huh? What¡¯s this?¡± Suddenly, a message appeared along with a portal in front of Kang Hyeon. ¡°There shouldn¡¯t be anyrge guilds conquering this ce right now¡­¡± Shin Seong-a touched her lips with a serious expression. ¡°Let¡¯s go out and think about it. It¡¯s dangerous if the dungeon copses.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± *** Ippotrantion *** Kang Hyeon came out of the dungeon. What he saw was apletely unexpected sight. ¡°What¡¯s all thismotion?¡± Before Kang Hyeon¡¯s eyes was an incredible scene that made him think he was still inside the dungeon. ¡°Die!¡± ¡°Graaah!¡± All kinds of monsters were rampaging everywhere. And ability users were pulling out their equipment to fight against the monsters. ¡°Let¡¯s clean this up first and thinkter!¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Kang Hyeon and Shin Seong-a jumped into the fray. ¡°Kuhak!¡± Monsters touched by Bilgein¡¯s long sword were sliced apart with screams. ¡®My magic hasn¡¯t fully returned yet. I need to conserve it as much as possible, not knowing what might happen.¡¯ Kang Hyeon moved using only his innate abilities without using skills. Even so, he showed faster movements than any other ability user here. ¡°Aaargh!¡± Most of the monsters were from E and F ranks, so there wasn¡¯t a big problem. However, the situation was different for ¡®Daience¡¯s Laboratory¡¯ where Kang Hyeon had been. The ability users were helplessly pushed back by powerful D-rank monsters they had never encountered before. ¡°Don¡¯t charge at the Chimera, get out of the way!¡± [Roar of the Enraged Lion is activated] [All enemies¡¯ morale and stats have decreased] Kang Hyeon activated the Roar of the Enraged Lion. A huge cry erupted, loud enough to be clearly heard even in the midst of the chaotic battle. ¡°Stick together, maintain formation, and focus on taking down the weaker ones!¡± After giving instructions, Kang Hyeon himself ran around dealing with the Chimeras. ¡°Kieek!¡± -sh Every time the red long sword was swung, monsters were helplessly cut down. Thanks to Kang Hyeon¡¯s storm-like performance, the situation soon began to stabilize. ¡°Who is that man?¡± ¡°Wow, is he from the Dangun Guild?¡± People who now had some breathing room eximed in admiration as they watched Kang Hyeon rampage. ¡°Phew¡­¡± The monsters were cleaned up before long. asionally, powerful individuals like dungeon bosses appeared, but it wasn¡¯t a problem. Kang Hyeon had been defeating bosses alone before. With Shin Seong-a¡¯s support added, they could easily handle even the bosses. ¡°Good work.¡± ¡°Thank you so much.¡± Finally, all the monsters in the vicinity were cleared, and relieved people approached Kang Hyeon to express their gratitude. ¡°Everyone worked hard.¡± Kang Hyeon also smiled and returned their greetings. -I¡¯m fine. I checked the news, and they said only dungeons near Seoul burst open. When he called Kang A-hyun to check on her, fortunately, nothing had happened. ¡°Now I can really take a breather.¡± Kang Hyeon slowly looked around while catching his breath. Around him, only the corpses of monsters were strewn about now. ¡°But why is that still open?¡± At that moment, a man spoke while looking at Daience¡¯s Laboratory, which still had its door open. ¡°Shit! The boss hasn¡¯te out yet!¡± Kang Hyeon, too, had been so preupied that he hadn¡¯t thought about the boss of ¡®Daience¡¯s Laboratory¡¯. ¡°Everyone, step back. The boss wille out soon!¡± At Kang Hyeon¡¯s shout, people hesitated and retreated. -Whoosh! At that moment, an enormous number of Chimeras poured out of the dungeon. And behind them, a Lich wearing a brown robe slowly walked out. Being a skeleton, the Lich couldn¡¯t make expressions. But Kang Hyeon could feel the overflowingposure in its gestures. ¡®Was it gathering Chimeras inside the copsing dungeon until now¡­¡¯ Kang Hyeon shook his head as he watched the Chimeras pouring out endlessly. ¡®We¡¯re screwed¡­¡¯ Even for Kang Hyeon, it was impossible to handle such arge number of Chimeras at once. [Lich Daience] Finally stopping its steps, it spread its arms and raised its head. -Good It wasn¡¯t a voice heard by ears. It was as if thenguage itself resonated inside the head. ¡°What? The monster is talking?¡± People who encountered a monster speakingnguage for the first time became agitated. ¡°Everyone, listen to me carefully.¡± Anxious gazes gathered on Kang Hyeon at his words. ¡°From now on, get as far away from here as possible. And request support from Dangun or the union.¡± Shin Seong-a objected to Kang Hyeon¡¯s words telling them to flee. ¡°No. Are you telling us to abandon you, Kang Hyeon?¡± ¡°Is there anyone here who can face even one of those Chimeras over there? You¡¯ll be helping by not interfering and disappearing.¡± At these undeniable words, people¡¯s expressions became gloomy. It wasn¡¯t a long battle, but they had all survived thanks to Kang Hyeon¡¯s help. Yet now Kang Hyeon was saying he would stay alone, so they couldn¡¯t help but hesitate. ¡°We¡¯ll stay and fight too.¡± ¡°You won¡¯t be of any help! So hurry and go!¡± Seeing the Chimeras flinch, Kang Hyeon shouted urgently. It seemed like they would rush in and start a massacre at any moment. ¡°But¡­¡± ¡°Fuck! Just get out if I tell you to get out! Hurry!¡± As harsh words burst from Kang Hyeon¡¯s mouth, people finally turned and ran. -Who said I would let them go. At that moment, the Lich stretched out its hand. Then all the Chimeras started running at once. Watching them, Kang Hyeon activated Wayne¡¯s secret technique and Giant¡¯s Strength. ¡°Geez, what am I doing¡­¡± He didn¡¯t want to be some cheap hero. He wasn¡¯t a good person, but he wasn¡¯t a hypocrite either. But right now, he just wanted to do this. ¡°I¡¯lle back to life anyway. So¡­ Let¡¯s y properly for once.¡± Having made up his mind, Kang Hyeon pulled out Ogre¡¯s Giant Hammer from his inventory. ¡°Where do you think you¡¯re going! You mongrels!¡± [Roar of the Enraged Lion is activated] Kang Hyeon used his skill and swung the hammer with all his might. Unlike usual, it was a full-force strike without considering the strain on his body. -Boooom! The power was beyond imagination. With a thunderous sound, the concrete floor shattered at once, and dust scattered. The Chimeras hesitated at that momentum. ¡°Hey, you skull face over there.¡± The Lich stared intently at Kang Hyeon¡¯s call. ¡°How about clearing these small fries and having a hot boss battle?¡± For a moment, a sense of bewilderment could be felt from the expressionless Lich. -I refuse. ¡°Didn¡¯t expect you to agree, you bastard. Ptui! Come at me, all of you!¡± Chapter 39 Chapter 39 ¨C Dungeon Terror (4) ¡°Chairman of the union! It¡¯s a disaster!¡± A catastrophe where dozens of dungeons located near Seoul burst open simultaneously. When the incident first urred, Choi Dong-woo was dealing with a backlog of paperwork. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a Monster Wave!¡± This incident,ter called the ¡®Third Monster Wave¡¯, has a clear difference from the previous two waves. Namely, it was caused intentionally by someone. ¡°A Monster Wave?¡± ¡°The gates of numerous dungeons located near Seoul have been opened.¡± ¡°What¡­?¡± ¡°We don¡¯t know the exact reason, but currently monsters are pouring out onto the streets in real-time.¡± ¡°Summon all direct union members immediately! I¡¯ll head out right away.¡± ¡°Yes, sir!¡± The method to open a dungeon is simple. You just remove the main core while ignoring the boss. Then, the monsters remaining in the dungeon had no choice but to jump into the portal leading outside to survive the copsing dungeon. ¡°What in the world is happening¡­¡± Choi Dong-woo, who arrived at the scene leading the union members, looked around with sad eyes. Bodies strewn everywhere. Although they rushed out as soon as they heard the news, countless people had already fallen victim to the monsters. ¡°We must save the remaining people! Hurry!¡± ¡°Yes, sir!¡± Leading hundreds of ability users, Choi Dong-woo took the vanguard and ughtered monsters. Anything that stood in his way was instantly split and pierced. ¡°Kragh!¡± -Kwaaang! A repetition of simple battles. After two hours of fierce fighting, the Ability User union was able to drive the monsters out of one area. ¡°Chairman, it seems this area has been cleared.¡± ¡°Phew, where¡¯s next?¡± Without taking even a moment¡¯s rest, Choi Dong-woo immediately asked for the next destination. ¡°Yes. Now, next is¡­¡± ¡°Chairman!¡± At that moment. Interrupting the branch manager¡¯s exnation of the next destination, someone came running urgently. The woman who ran up was breathing heavily, apparently having rushed over in a hurry. ¡°Chairman. It¡¯s a request for support!¡± ¡°Which branch are you from?! Do you think there¡¯s only one or two ces requesting support right now?¡± ces needing help against the pouring monsters were overflowing. The branch manager looked at the woman making an unnecessary report in an already busy situation with displeasure. ¡°Well, it¡¯s such an important matter¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t mind him, go ahead and speak.¡± When Choi Dong-woo stepped in and spoke, the woman nodded. ¡°They say the door to Daience¡¯sboratory has opened. Many ability users have requested support.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Choi Dong-woo swallowed a groan at the name of Daience¡¯sboratory. ¡®I shouldn¡¯t have left that ce¡­¡¯ It was a dungeon whose conquest he had been postponing, worried about significant casualties among his subordinates. ¡®So ites back to bite us like this.¡¯ In fact, there was no particr reason why Choi Dong-woo himself had to conquer it. However, Choi Dong-woo felt guilty as if this situation was his fault. ¡°I¡¯ll go myself. The rest of you move to the next location as nned and save the citizens.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not eptable. If something were to happen¡­¡± The branch manager tried to stop him, worried that Choi Dong-woo might be in danger, but Choi Dong-woo shook his head. ¡°Enough. I won¡¯t hear any objections. Select 50 elites to apany me.¡± ¡°Understood¡­¡± With a grave expression. The branch manager could only bow his head and answer. *** Ippotrantion *** ¡°Puhoo!¡± Kang Hyeon spat out blood rising up his throat. ¡°Damn, there¡¯s no end to them no matter how many I kill.¡± He wasn¡¯t sure how many he had cut down so far. Around Kang Hyeon, not only chimeras but all kinds of corpses were terribly scattered. -Give up. ¡°Don¡¯t you know that¡¯s usually when the protagonist awakens in stories?¡± Kang Hyeon chuckled at the Lich¡¯s words echoing in his head. -You¡¯ve lost your mind. ¡°Lost my mind my ass. Aren¡¯t you embarrassed as a boss to just p your mouth from behind¡­ Cough!¡± Kang Hyeon, who was speaking to buy time, coughed up blood again. ¡®My magic is bottoming out. Even body regeneration is reaching its limit¡­¡¯ He really felt it was the end. But he didn¡¯t feel too bad. Rather, he felt a bit happy. ¡®It¡¯s quite a worthwhile death, isn¡¯t it?¡¯ He had saved many lives. He had also cut down monsters to his heart¡¯s content after a long time. Looking around, there seemed to be at least 200 monster corpses lying with severed limbs. -I¡¯ll say it onest time. ¡°What?¡± -Don¡¯t resist and be my subordinate. Then I¡¯ll spare your life. ¡°Ooh¡­¡± Kang Hyeon grinned at the Lich¡¯s generous words. ¡°Fuck off.¡± [You resist mental domination] The skill that had been attacking Kang Hyeon since the beginning of the battle struck again. Mental domination was the Lich¡¯s trump card to unite different types of monsters. However, Kang Hyeon had the Ring of Strong Spirit he received in the tutorial. Name: Ring of Strong Spirit Grade: B Durability: 100/100 Ability: Grants the wearer immunity to all mental magic and status effects of grade A or lower. If it weren¡¯t for this, Kang Hyeon might have been attacking other people alongside the monsters by now. -Fool. Die. As magic failed to affect Kang Hyeon until the end, the Lich ordered the final attack. With a light wave of the Lich¡¯s hand, all remaining monsters rushed in at once. ¡°Uwaaa!¡± [Roar of the Enraged Lion activates] Kang Hyeon also charged forward with a shout, squeezing out hisst bit of strength. -Kwaaang! Suddenly, something fell in front of Kang Hyeon, causing a tremendous explosion. ¡°Waaah! Follow the union Chief!¡± At the same time, a huge cheer began to be heard from behind Kang Hyeon. ¡°What¡­?¡± Kang Hyeon wore a dumbfounded expression at the sudden turn of events. ¡°I don¡¯t know who you are, but you¡¯ve done something truly amazing.¡± A baritone voice exuding masculinity. A man with tanned skin, a strong jawline, and broad shoulders that stood out. ¡°Choi Dong-woo¡­?¡± The Korean Ability User Union. Union Chairman Choi Dong-woo. A celebrity Kang Hyeon had only seen on TV was standing in front of him. ¡®Making such an unnecessarily cool entrance¡­¡¯ With that, Kang Hyeon¡¯s consciousness faded. *** Ippotrantion *** Choi Dong-woo and the Ability Users Union pushed back the monsters like a tidal wave. It was offensive by the most elite members of the union, and Choi Dong-woo, who is called the best in Korea. The monsters, already exhausted from fighting Kang Hyeon, had no choice but to be pushed back helplessly. ¡°Union Leader. Thank you for your hard work.¡± ¡°You did well too.¡± ¡°Phew¡­ In the end, he escaped. Should we chase after him now?¡± The Lich left without hesitation when the situation turned unfavorable. Choi Dong-woo tried to pursue immediately, but ended up losing him due to the monsters that interfered recklessly. ¡°No need. It¡¯s already toote. First, take care of the injured.¡± ¡°Understood, Union Leader. But¡­¡± An executive of the alliance looked at Choi Dong-woo and trailed off. ¡°Do you have something to say?¡± ¡°Who is that man?¡± Choi Dong-woo was carefully carrying an unfamiliar man. The executive expressed his doubt at this sight. ¡°Is he someone you know, Union Leader?¡± ¡°I¡¯m seeing this man for the first time too.¡± ¡°Huh? Then why¡­¡± Choi Dong-woo smiled brightly at the executive¡¯s words. ¡°When else would I get to hold a man who¡¯s about to be a hero?¡± *** Ippotrantion *** As I opened my eyes, an unfamiliar ceiling came into view. ¡®This isn¡¯t my room ceiling. Did I¡­ Survive?¡¯ I had been prepared to die. I didn¡¯t think it was a great sacrifice. By now, death was just something a bit unpleasant and ufortable for Kang Hyeon. ¡®I managed to survive, huh.¡¯ Feeling something on his arm, Kang Hyeon turned his head. He saw Kang A-hyun sleeping with her head resting on the bedside. ¡®Kang A-hyun¡­ Did shee back from work? Come to think of it, what day is it today?¡¯ Kang Hyeon had left home after the Bait Guild incident. Since then, he had been fighting nonstop, not knowing what day or even what day of the week it was. ¡°Phew¡­¡± As if hearing Kang Hyeon¡¯s sigh, Kang A-hyun stirred. ¡°Mmm¡­ Huh?!¡± At a distance where their noses almost touched. Kang A-hyun, who faced Kang Hyeon¡¯s face as soon as she opened her eyes, jumped up in surprise. ¡°You¡¯re awake?¡± Kang Hyeon said calmly. Having grasped the situation, Kang A-hyun immediately red up. ¡°You bastard! Is this why you left home?!¡± ¡°What, what?! You meet your brother after a long time and this is how you greet him?!¡± Because Kang Hyeon was wrapped in bandages all over his body, Kang A-hyun couldn¡¯t bring herself to hit him and just shouted at the top of her lungs. ¡°Do you know how shocked I was? A guy who never contacts me suddenly gets hospitalized and makes me worry. What on earth have you been doing?¡± ¡°You know I can¡¯t die anyway.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know! Whether you die ande back to life, or just lie there and I never see you again! How would I know!¡± Kang Hyeon frowned at the lion¡¯s roar right next to his ear. ¡°You call that a mouth?!¡± *** Ippotrantion *** Kim Ji-seon is the nurse on duty today. ¡°What¡¯s this noise?¡± The hospital, which should have been quiet at this hour, was strangely noisy. Listening carefully, she could tell it wasing from a nearby room. ¡°¡­!¡± That ce is a special room with a patient that an important person asked to take special care of. She hurriedly ran down the corridor. ¡°Kyaa¡­¡± ¡°You, this¡­¡± Hearing the noiseing from the room, Kim Ji-seon urgently opened the door. ¡°Patient, is something wrong?!¡± Kim Ji-seon¡¯s face, who opened the door, turned to bewilderment. ¡°Let go!¡± ¡°You let go first!¡± ¡°I said I¡¯d let go if you let go first!¡± In front of her eyes were a brother and sister shouting while grabbing each other¡¯s hair. ¡°¡­¡± *** Ippotrantion *** The next morning. Kang Hyeon, who received the doctor¡¯s confirmation, left the hospital. ¡°Geez, I told them there¡¯s nothing to examine, how annoying.¡± Once magic recovers, all wounds heal with the bodily regeneration skill. However, that¡¯s a fact only Kang Hyeon knows. From the hospital¡¯s perspective, a patient who could have died at any moment insisting on being discharged after just one day, they had no choice but to try to stop him. ¡°Anyway, that¡¯s a relief.¡± As it turned out, two days had passed since Kang Hyeon fainted. In the meantime, the monsters had been cleared up and things had be quite stable now. Although Kang Hyeon had been prepared to die, he ended up surviving, so everything worked out well. ?Name : Kang Hyeon ?Title : Tutorial Graduate and 3 others ?Level : 50 ?Detailed Stats : Strength 27 (+4)(+2) Agility 25 (+3) Stamina 27 (+3)(+2) Magic 26 (+3)(+4) Additional Stats : ¨C ?Unique Ability : Resurrection ?Abilities : Intermediate Swordsmanship(D), Lower-grade Shield Technique(E), Lowes-gradet Crossbow Technique(F), Lower-grade Martial Arts(E), Lowest-grade Blunt Weapon Technique(F), Magic Detection(E) ?Skills : Roar of the Enraged Lion (C), Advanced Bodily Regeneration(A), Bisection(D), Giant¡¯s Strength(B), Magic Explosion(D), Wayne¡¯s Secret Technique(D), Entria¡¯s Outer Shell(E) Kang Hyeon¡¯s status window had changed quite impressively. The ability ¡®Martial Arts¡¯ had risen to Lower rank, and he had acquired new abilities ¡®Blunt Weapon Technique¡¯ and ¡®Magic Detection¡¯. For some reason, Magic Detection started at E rank. In addition, the skills ¡®Entria¡¯s Outer Shell¡¯ and ¡®Wayne¡¯s Secret Technique¡¯ had also increased in rank. ¡°Very impressive.¡± He was particrly pleased that Wayne¡¯s Secret Technique had increased in rank. ¡°Wait a moment¡­ A title has been added?¡± Originally, Kang Hyeon had a total of three titles. One Who Does Not Hold Back. Tutorial Graduate. Cruel Family Destroyer. But seeing four titles appearing on the status window, Kang Hyeon quickly checked. Indomitable Will : A title given to those who have unwavering will even in extreme situations. Effect : All stats +1, concentration increases as the body approaches its limit. ¡°Oh, what¡¯s this?¡± It¡¯s good news that a title that doesn¡¯t consume magic has appeared. Moreover, the effect was also very excellent. ¡°Mr. Kang Hyeon.¡± It was when Kang Hyeon was absorbed in his stat window. Someone approached Kang Hyeon and spoke to him. ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Could you spare some time?¡± A man dressed in a ck suit politely spoke and handed over a business card. ¡°Republic of Korea Special Ability Management Team?¡± ¡°I¡¯m Team Leader Shin Tae-gil.¡± It was the first time someone affiliated with the government had made contact. ¡®I guess it wouldn¡¯t hurt to hear what he has to say.¡¯ Kang Hyeon slowly nodded. ¡°If it¡¯s alright with you, how about we talk over a meal?¡± ¡°Sure, that¡¯s fine with me.¡± As he was feeling hungry anyway, Kang Hyeon dly agreed. ¡°By the way, Mr. Shin Tae-gil.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°I know it¡¯s rude to ask this when we¡¯ve just met, but I must say this.¡± ¡°Go ahead¡­¡± As Kang Hyeon suddenly put on a serious expression and spoke, a nervous Shin Tae-gil swallowed hard. ¡°Dinner.¡± ¡°¡­?¡± ¡°Can we have beef?¡± Chapter 40 Chapter 40 ¨C Guild Establishment (1) Lich Daience, who escaped from Choi Dong-woo. He hid in an F-grade dungeon called ¡®Kurka Vige¡¯ located on a hill in Gyeonggi-do Province. After killing all the ability users who were attempting to clear the dungeon and subjugating all the Kurkas, Daiences fell into contemtion. ¡®Who am I¡­¡¯ When he was inside the dungeon called ¡®Daiences Laboratory¡¯, there was only the instinct to protect the dungeon and kill ability users. But the moment the dungeon¡¯s main core was destroyed, he realized something was off. ¡®I can¡¯t remember anything. And this blind killing intent¡­¡¯ He couldn¡¯t remember anything except his name. His mind constantly screams to kill humans. ¡®Originally, the undead hold grudges against the living, but it shouldn¡¯t be this severe¡­¡¯ It seemed like he was about to find an answer if he thought a bit more, but he couldn¡¯t think of anything as if someone was blocking his memories. ¡®An uninvited guest at a time like this¡­¡¯ Just as he was about to see a clue, he felt the Kurkas under hismand stirring. -Gather everyone. At Lich Daience¡¯s order, the Kurkas with red eyes moved in unison. ¡°Lich Daience.¡± Simultaneously, a man appeared along with numerous ability users. ¡°Come under mymand.¡± Lich Daience, who was sitting in an arrogant posture, raised his bone-white hand. -To utter such nonsense before me. I¡¯ll praise your courage at least. ¡°Who do you think freed you from that dungeon?¡± -Freedom, huh¡­ ¡°What can you do alone? You¡¯ll be hunted down soon. But if youe to me, you can achieve what you want in a stable ce.¡± Lich Daience, irritated by the words of the speaking man, Choi Min-jun, rattled his skull nervously. -What foolish words. There are only two types of humans. Those who will serve me. And those who will die by my hand. Daience used mind control. But the red magical power that rose from Choi Min-jun¡¯s body easily deflected Daiences¡¯ mind control. ¡°I didn¡¯te looking for you to see such trivial skills.¡± -Go. Ignoring Choi Min-jun¡¯s words, Daieens flicked his hand. Then, the lined-up Kurkas rushed out like mad. ¡°Kuruk, Kuruk.¡± ¡°Kuraak!¡± Nearly a hundred monsters were rushing, but Choi Min-jun¡¯s expression was calm. The red magical power that deflected Daiences¡¯ mind control moved again. ¡°Kuruk!¡± In an instant, all the rushing Kurkas were caught by the magical power and struggled. ¡°It seems we can¡¯tmunicate. Let me make you realize your situation.¡± As Choi Min-jun nodded his head, his subordinates began to massacre the Kurkas. *** Ippotrantion *** ¡°The meat here is really delicious! Yum yum¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m d it suits your taste.¡± Kang Hyeon, who hadn¡¯t had a proper meal since entering the hospital, was feasting. ¡°So¡­ You¡¯re saying I should be a government affiliate?¡± ¡°Yes. As I said before, it¡¯s notpulsory.¡± Kang Hyeon pondered, recalling the proposal Shin Tae-gil had made during the meal. ¡°Then specifically, what¡¯s in it for me?¡± ¡°We¡¯ll do everything we can as a government. We¡¯re not just ordinary civil servants. We¡¯re a special organization created by the government to prepare for the future.¡± Special Ability User Management Team. It was an organization created by the government, gathering ability users who passed the tutorial with high scores or those who grow faster than others. ¡°The government thought it would be foolish to control all ability users. It¡¯s also impossible.¡± In a world where about half of all adults are ability users, it¡¯s difficult to rashly regte anything. They couldn¡¯t force dungeon clearance either. So, following the global trend, the government moved ability users as gently as possible by giving rewards. ¡°Instead, we decided to establish organic rtionships with the best ability users. A rtionship where both sides benefit.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t speak vaguely, please be direct.¡± ¡°In case of any issues with your safety, we¡¯ll honor you with a medal and treat you as a person of national merit, taking responsibility for your remaining family members for life.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Besides that, we provide financial support, and to some extent, freedom from legal constraints. The benefits are endless if I were to list them all.¡± The endless stream of benefits. Kang Hyeon, who honestly didn¡¯t expect much, was inwardly surprised. ¡°It¡¯s certainly drastic.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°But great benefits mean there are many obligations, things to do, right?¡± ¡°I won¡¯t deny it, but we won¡¯t make unreasonable demands or force you to do many things.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Mr. Kang Hyeon, you just need to maintain your current lifestyle. Just move when we request help, only then.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± As Kang Hyeon seemed to be considering, Shin Tae-gil drove the final nail. ¡°Choi Dong-woo, the chairman of the Ability User Alliance. Han Se-yeon of the Dangun Guild. They¡¯re all working with us. Besides them, there are many other excellent ability users, so it will surely be helpful for you too, Mr. Kang Hyeon.¡± After hearing everything, Kang Hyeon nodded. ¡°Alright. What the heck, I¡¯ll join.¡± *** Ippotrantion *** After finishing his conversation with Shin Tae-gil, Kang Hyeon was lost in thought as he headed home. ¡°Actually, I think something will happen soon.¡± This was because work hade up as soon as he joined the Special Ability Management Team. ¡°The government has caught the tail of the forces causing dungeon terrorism. Soon, when we uncover their leaders, there will be a major attack. We¡¯ll need your help then, Mr. Kang Hyeon.¡± The group causing terrorism. It was a ce that had quite a persistent bad rtionship with Kang Hyeon as well. ¡®I was nning to deal with them anyway, so this works out well.¡¯ Kang Hyeon vowed that when that moment came, he would definitely take revenge. ¡°For now, I need to go home.¡± As he was looking for his keys to head home, a thought suddenly struck Kang Hyeon. ¡°Ah! Bentley 2¡­¡± Kang Hyeon had fainted in front of the dungeon and was immediately taken to the hospital. His beloved car, Bentley 2, would surely be sleeping in front of Daience¡¯sboratory. ¡°Whatever. Let¡¯s just take a taxi.¡± It was then. ¡°Huh?¡± A woman with long ck hair tied in a ponytail blocked Kang Hyeon¡¯s path. ¡®It was the woman I met at Daience¡¯sb. What was her name again¡­¡¯ After pondering, Kang Hyeon opened his mouth. ¡°Ms. Shin Soi?¡± ¡°It¡¯s Shin Seong-a.¡± ¡°Ah! Yes. Ms. Shin Seong-a.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been looking for you, Mr. Kang Hyeon.¡± Kang Hyeon looked puzzled at the sudden statement that she had been looking for him. ¡°For me? Why?¡± ¡°Here are the magic stones recovered from the dungeon.¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± Come to think of it, he hadn¡¯t received the promised magic stones due to the sudden dungeon explosion. ¡°You could have just kept them.¡± ¡°No, I couldn¡¯t possibly do that after receiving your kindness.¡± In fact, Shin Seong-a had barged into the office of Choi Dong-woo, the president of the Ability User¡¯s Union, to find Kang Hyeon¡¯s whereabouts. Unaware of this incredible background, Kang Hyeon smiled without much thought. ¡°Well, if you insist.¡± Shin Seong-a handed over the magic stones one by one from her inventory. Kang Hyeon received them and transferred them directly to his own inventory. ¡°Is that all?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°It¡¯s more than I expected.¡± Kang Hyeon smiled broadly at receiving more magic stones than anticipated. While Kang Hyeon wasn¡¯t as obsessed with money as he used to be, he thought such free ie was always wee. ¡°Well then, I¡¯ll be going now. Take care.¡± ¡°Mr. Kang Hyeon.¡± As Kang Hyeon was about to leave after finishing his business, Shin Seong-a stopped him. ¡°What¡­¡± Kang Hyeon turned around and faced Shin Seong-a, who hade very close to his face. Seeing Shin Seong-a¡¯s burning eyes, which were almost ufortable, Kang Hyeon took a small step back. ¡°Please take me in!¡± ¡°Excuse me¡­?¡± A moment of brain freeze. And Kang Hyeon¡¯s face contorted grotesquely. ¡®What the hell is this nonsense?¡¯ Contrary to Kang Hyeon¡¯s inner thoughts, Shin Seong-a looked very serious. ¡°Please, I want to be stronger!¡± When Kang Hyeon hesitated without answering, Shin Seong-a knelt down. ¡®I thought she wasn¡¯t normal from the start, but¡­ She¡¯s crazy. I should get away quickly.¡¯ Leaving Shin Seong-a with her head bowed, Kang Hyeon tried to pass by naturally as if he didn¡¯t know her. However, Shin Seong-a quickly caught up and knelt in front of Kang Hyeon again. ¡°Please!¡± ¡°No. What do you want me to do?¡± A young, well-dressed woman was kneeling and pleading on the street. People¡¯s gazes quickly gathered at this scene, rarely seen even in dramas. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°Just ept her!¡± ¡°The woman is pretty too, this is too much.¡± ¡°Look at the man¡¯s expression. Isn¡¯t he a loan shark?¡± Kang Hyeon roughly ran both hands through his hair. ¡®Shit¡­¡¯ He looked up at the sky to see white clouds floating leisurely. ¡°Alright, stand up.¡± As Kang Hyeon reached out his hand to help Shin Seong-a up, apuse erupted from the surroundings. ¡°Woohoo, how cool!¡± ¡°Have a beautiful love!¡± ¡°¡­¡± At that moment, Kang Hyeon¡¯s patience, which was about to return, fled again. Kang Hyeon pulled out Ogre¡¯s Giant Hammer. -Kwaaang! Even though he swung it down lightly, the vibration was strong enough to make nearby people stagger. ¡°Everyone, get lost.¡± A singlemand uttered quietly. ¡°He¡¯s crazy!¡± ¡°Kyaaaa!¡± *** Ippotrantion *** After many twists and turns, Kang Hyeon was finally able to take a taxi home. Of course, Shin Seong-a was with him. Kang Hyeon brought out some simple drinks, offered a seat, and the real conversation began. ¡°What do you want from me?¡± Shin Seong-a bowed her head at Kang Hyeon¡¯s irritated tone. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for being forceful. But I really wanted to be with you, Mr. Kang Hyeon.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°I thought that if I did, I could surely be strong like you.¡± ¡°Look, is there any guarantee you¡¯ll get stronger just by hanging around me?¡± ¡°Well¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m not finished speaking.¡± Shin Seong-a tightly closed her mouth at Kang Hyeon¡¯s words. ¡°You want to get stronger. Fine. I¡¯m not going to dig into your personal circumstances.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°But doing that on the street isn¡¯t right, is it? I¡¯m not particrly polite myself, but this is too much.¡± ¡°I have nothing to say about that. I¡¯m sorry¡­¡± Shin Seong-a seemed genuinely sorry. Seeing this, Kang Hyeon¡¯s heart softened a bit, and he sighed. ¡°Huh¡­ Let¡¯s say we hang out together for now.¡± ¡°Thank you!¡± ¡°Listen to the end, please.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Even if we hang out, you saw how I hunt, right?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Are you confident you can keep up?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Do you have like ten lives or something? Or do you have some skill that makes you stronger just by watching?¡± Shin Seong-a couldn¡¯t say anything in response to Kang Hyeon¡¯s words. Because they were all true. ¡°I don¡¯t go alone for no reason. You¡¯re not nning to just follow me around collecting magic stones for the rest of your life, are you?¡± There was a reason Kang Hyeon had insisted on hunting alone until now. Kang Hyeon recovers when injured and revives when killed. And he grew up in an environment where he couldn¡¯t survive without utilizing these abilities. As a result, Kang Hyeon¡¯sbat inevitably had a different level of toughnesspared to others. ¡°But I¡¯m confident I can do well as support.¡± ¡°What, you think just being my support will make you stronger faster than now? Are you sure?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Then why are you doing this?!¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± Just as Shin Seong-a was about to say something, Kang Hyeon¡¯s smartphone rang. ¡°Sorry. Just a moment.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± The name An Yu-seong appeared on the smartphone screen. ¡°Oh. What¡¯s up?¡± -Bro! I heard you made quite a scene? Hehehe. Hearing the yful voice over the phone, Kang Hyeon frowned at the sudden, out-of-nowhere remark. ¡°Made a scene? What are you talking about?¡± -Making a woman kneel in the middle of Seoul, causing a disturbance with a giant hammer. Is this okay for an ability user? ¡°What¡­?¡± -Wow, they came up with a good headline for this one. After hanging up, Kang Hyeon hurriedly essed a portal site. After a quick search, he found the news article An Yu-seong had mentioned. -Urgent need to reinstate the death penalty -I was there, the woman was kneeling and begging to some guy who looked like a loan shark, it was crazy -The end times are here¡­ -He definitely looks like a thug loan shark. Kang Hyeon¡¯s forehead veins popped as he saw thementsing in real-time. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± Shin Seong-a, who was watching the news beside him, apologized, realizing it was because of her. ¡°Stop. Don¡¯t say anything.¡± Extreme stress and a headache. He felt like this must be how it feels to take out your brain, hammer it, and put it back in. Feeling anger rising sharply for the first time in a while, Kang Hyeon pressed his temples. ¡®Let¡¯s think calmly.¡¯ Shin Seong-a, who caused misunderstanding by kneeling in front of people. Kang Hyeon, who threatened citizens and caused property damage by swinging a hammer in the city center. The journalist who posted spective articles without knowing anything. The inte warriors who babble without knowing anything. ¡®It¡¯s not just one person¡¯s fault. It¡¯s everyone¡¯s fault¡­¡¯ Kang Hyeon nodded slowly. ¡®So I¡¯ll just have to take care of them all.¡¯ Just as Kang Hyeon was vowing to deal with all involved parties, his smartphone rang again. ¡°What now?!¡± -This is Team Leader Shin Tae-gil. ¡°Ah¡­ Yes.¡± -I heard you made quite a scene right after parting ways with me. Kang Hyeonughed dejectedly at Shin Tae-gil¡¯s words. ¡°So you called to make fun of me too?¡± -No. We¡¯ll take care of this matter, so don¡¯t worry about it. ¡°Pardon?¡± -Manipting public opinion is nothing for us. With enough source material on Kang Hyeon, a day should be sufficient. Kang Hyepn nodded with a bewildered face at Shin Tae-gil¡¯s words. ¡°Ah, sorry for being grumpy. Someone just picked a fight with me earlier.¡± -It¡¯s fine. However, your name and face will be exposed to the public. Is that alright? ¡°Yes¡­ I don¡¯t mind, do what you need to do.¡± -Understood. Then, goodbye. After ending the call, Kang Hyeon sighed. ¡°Hah, what a headache¡­¡± -Buzz buzz As the phone rang again, Kang Hyeon irritably picked up his smartphone. ¡°Yes!¡± -Bro. Why did you hang up? I wasn¡¯t finished talking. ¡°What is it now?¡± -Want to go party hunting with us? Chapter 41 Chapter 41 ¨C Guild Establishment (2) ¡°Kieeeee!¡± A sharp high-pitched sound scratched past the ears. Looking up, numerous giant birds could be seen flying in the sky. They were harpies appearing in the D-rank dungeon ¡®Harpy Cliff¡¯. Harpy is a familiar name that appears in various myths. Often depicted as a giant bird with a woman¡¯s upper body, the actual monster was slightly different. ¡°Kiaaaa!¡± ¡°It¡¯sing!¡± One of the harpies wandering in the air spotted Kang Hyeon and quickly descended. A bizarre face, simr to a human but with indistinguishable gender, gradually came closer. -Twang! ¡°Kieee!¡± The sound of a released bowstring was heard and the harpy let out a scream. Suddenly, an arrow was lodged in its right eye. The harpy writhed in pain, shedding bloody tears. ¡°Magic Explosion!¡± While the harpy hesitated momentarily, Kang Hyeon threw a magic sphere towards its face. -Kwang! Half of the harpy¡¯s face was helplessly blown away by the direct hit from the magic sphere. Eventually, the harpy could no longer fly and crashed to the ground. Watching this scene, Kang Hyeon gave a thumbs up. ¡°Nice shot.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Two weeks had already passed since the three of them started hunting together. Kang Hyeon, An Yu-seong, and Shin Seong-a. The three, who seemed unlikely to get along, surprisingly worked well together. ¡°Kieeek!¡± ¡°Die! Die! Hahaha!¡± Theirbat style involved Kang Hyeon and An Yu-seong ying individually while Shin Seong-a supported from behind. The effect of this seemingly insignificant teamy was far better than Kang Hyeon had thought. ¡®The battle has certainly be easier.¡¯ Kang Hyeon knew that his fighting style was quite reckless. So until now, he couldn¡¯t even imagine hunting with someone else. However, hunting with these people was more efficient and satisfying than expected. ¡°Phew, good work.¡± Shin Seong-a said, wiping the sweat flowing on her forehead. More than ten harpies that hade down near them had all fallen by now. ¡°Are you mining magic stones again? I told you, you don¡¯t have to do that.¡± At Shin Seong-a¡¯s strong request, Kang Hyeon had been speaking casually to her since the first day. Shin Seong-a, who was rummaging through the harpy corpses looking for magic stones, shook her head. ¡°No. I¡¯m doing this because I want to.¡± Even without meticulously collecting magic stones, their ie overwhelmed that of ordinary raid parties. This was because they could remove cores that other raid parties couldn¡¯t touch. The current reward for clearing a D-rank dungeon is as follows: Normal Core: 40 million won. Main Core: 200 million won. This was even the minimum amount. ¡°We¡¯re smashing cores almost every day, so why are you so fixated on magic stones? Just restfortably at that time.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Do you need a lot of money or something?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not it.¡± ¡°Then why?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Shin Seong-a didn¡¯t give any answer to Kang Hyeon¡¯s words. ¡°Sigh, fine. Do as you please.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°I can sense the main core nearby. The boss will likely appear soon, so get ready.¡± Kang Hyeon¡¯s magic sensing ability was improving day by day. Now he could sense monsters and cores from quite a distance. ¡°Hyeon. After we¡¯re done with this dungeon, want to try a C-rank dungeon?¡± An Yu-seong, who was wiping blood and debris from his mace, said. ¡°Just the three of us? Are you confident?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not saying we should clear it, just do some light hunting.¡± ¡°And then?¡± ¡°If it seems doable, we could break the core and challenge the boss too. What do you think?¡± ¡°A nice n that puts our lives on the line. Tsk tsk.¡± Kang Hyeon clicked his tongue, shaking his head. ¡®I might revive even if I die, but what is making him to say such things?¡¯ Suddenly, something urred to him. ¡®How has this guy been running dungeons until now?¡¯ An Yu-seong is strong. But that alone is not enough to solo clear dungeons. ¡®There¡¯s a reason why the rmended number for dungeon raid parties is four or more.¡¯ Unless one had lives to spare like Kang Hyeon, they would need a few people to provide support. ¡°Hey.¡± ¡°What?¡± An Yu-seong turned his head at Kang Hyeon¡¯s call. ¡°How have you been clearing dungeons until now? Alone? Or in a party?¡± ¡°Why are you suddenly curious about that?¡± ¡°Just answer, man.¡± ¡°Well¡­ Of course, I hired people with money.¡± Kang Hyeon made an overtly unpleasant expression. ¡°Then why don¡¯t you keep doing that instead of asking to hunt with me?¡± ¡°People kept dying in every dungeon we went to, so they stoppeding. It¡¯s also annoying to keep finding new people.¡± ¡°You crazy bastard¡­¡± Kang Hyeon seemed to see the situation clearly without even looking. ¡®I bet he just jumped into the middle of enemy lines and caused chaos.¡¯ There was something Kang Hyeon had clearly felt while working with An Yu-seong. An Yu-seong always thinks and moves for his own survival in any situation. He never gambles with his life. ¡®At first nce, he seems to charge in recklessly like me, but that guy moves after thorough calction.¡¯ However, that calction doesn¡¯t include the safety of others. Many people probably gave up and left due to the chaos that An Yu-seong repeatedly caused. ¡®No matter how important money is, it¡¯s not more precious than life.¡¯ Kang Hyeon nodded, roughly understanding the situation. ¡°Alright. Let¡¯s move. My magic is also¡­¡± As his magic had recharged to some extent, Kang Hyeon was about to move but hesitated. ¡®There¡¯s something.¡¯ ¡°You felt it too, right Hyeon?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± An Yu-seong looked around with sharp eyes. ¡®I can feel a faint magic.¡¯ This ce was the only path leading to the main core. But something was approaching here. ¡®I can¡¯t see anything though¡­¡¯ But no matter how much he looked, all he could see were steep cliffs and trees. ¡°Hey. What are you doing?¡± ¡°Shh¡­!¡± An Yu-seong had his eyes closed as if meditating. ¡°Don¡¯t disturb me.¡± After staying still like that for a while, he suddenly opened his eyes wide! Then he swung his mace and struck the ground nearby. -Kwang! ¡°Kuaaaa!¡± Along with an explosion, a man of unknown identity suddenly appeared. ¡°What is this?¡± *** Ippotrantion *** D-rank dungeon, Harpy¡¯s Cliff. Jung Young-sik, who was moving towards the main core of that ce, stopped in his tracks. ¡°What are those?¡± The only path leading to the core. He could see two men and woman positioned there. ¡°Hmm¡­¡± From what he had heard beforehand, there were no other routes. A path that must be passed through no matter what. ¡°Well, what could possibly happen?¡± He was in a state of stealth. So far, Choi Min-joon was the only one who had recognized him. It¡¯smendable that just three people are attempting to conquer a D-rank dungeon, but that¡¯s all. ¡®Sorry, but I¡¯ll have to destroy this dungeon.¡¯ If harpies flying in the sky were to be released into the city, it would be quite an entertaining spectacle. ¡®Hehehe. Just imagining it is fun.¡¯ It was when Jung Young-sik was inwardly chuckling as he passed through the path. ¡°You felt it too, right?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Suddenly, two men who were sitting stood up. ¡®What? Why are they suddenly acting like this?¡¯ A startled Jung Young-sik stopped right where he was. ¡°Hey. What are you doing?¡± ¡°Shh¡­!¡± The man covered in tattoos frowned and suddenly closed his eyes. ¡®Could they have spotted me? No way. That shouldn¡¯t be possible.¡¯ Unless it was a monster with a keen sense of smell, there was no reason for him to be detected. But for some reason, an inexplicable sense of unease kept creeping up. Just then, the man suddenly opened his eyes and swung what looked like a vicious mace at him. ¡®What the¡­!¡¯ -Kwang! Before the surprised Jung Young-sik could dodge, the mace came crashing down on his foot. ¡°Arghhhh!¡± ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± The searing pain felt like it was paralyzing his entire body. ¡°Huff, huff!¡± Writhing in pain, Jung Young-sik took rough breaths. Jung Young-sik¡¯s foot waspletely crushed by the mace that hade down with tremendous force. ¡®Damn it! What should I do?¡¯ Jung Young-sik¡¯s mind raced. ¡®It¡¯s no use trying to escape in this state. I¡¯ll deal with them quickly!¡¯ Having made his decision, Jung Young-sik swiftly swung his sword at An Yu-seong. -Tuk! ¡®What!?¡¯ However, that sword was effortlessly caught by Kang Hyeon¡¯s hand. ¡°Who are you?¡± Kang Hyeon¡¯s eyes were filled with intensity. A look as if he could kill someone with just his gaze. Jung Young-sik gulped as he met those eyes. ¡®What kind of guy is this¡­¡¯ He had tried to pass by quietly, but not only was his stealth detected, his sword was caught with bare hands. ¡®Think, think¡­!¡¯ Jung Young-sik¡¯s mind raced once again at an incredible speed. ¡®They say even if you¡¯re caught in a tiger¡¯s den, you can survive if you keep your wits about you!¡¯ ¡°No, never mind.¡± ¡°Huh¡­?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s just get hit first. If I keep getting hit, I might remember something.¡± ¡°W-wait! Just a moment!¡± Jung Young-sik frantically waved his arms. ¡°Yeah, yeah. I get it.¡± Kang Hyeon, clenching his fist as he spoke, didn¡¯t seem to have any intention of listening. *** Ippotrantion *** ¡°Ugh¡­¡± Due to the continued beating, Jung Young-sik¡¯s face seemed to have grown about 1.5 timesrger than before. ¡°Y-yes¡­ That¡¯s right.¡± Jung Young-sik painfully moved his swollen lips. ¡°So you¡¯re the one causing dungeon breaks?¡± ¡°Yes¡­¡± Jung Young-sik nodded vigorously at Kang Hyeon¡¯s words. ¡°You¡¯re confessing too easily. Are you lying?¡± ¡°Where¡¯s the loyalty in this field? I don¡¯t want to die here.¡± Dungeon terrorism, now officially named dungeon breaking. It seemed that even those who cause such terrorism value their own lives. ¡°I hate to say it myself, but I¡¯m a high-quality resource. I know a lot more informationpared to others. I¡¯m sure I can be useful.¡± Kang Hyeon stroked his chin as he listened to Jung Young-sik¡¯s self-promotion. ¡°That¡¯s good.¡± He thought Team Leader Shin Tae-gil would be very pleased to see this terrorist. ¡°Let¡¯s hear the details once we get out.¡± Since they couldn¡¯t tackle the boss with such a lump, Kang Hyeon decided to leave the dungeon right away. ¡°I¡¯m suddenly curious about something.¡± On the way back, Kang Hyeon spoke to Jung Young-sik. ¡°Why do you do this kind of thing?¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°No, I just honestly don¡¯t understand.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t this an era where we¡¯recking even when we all work together? No matter how little sense of crisis you have, you¡¯re still human. Why terrorize fellow citizens of the same country?¡± Jung Young-sik smiled bitterly at Kang Hyeon¡¯s words. ¡°Most of those in the organization were at the bottom of society until the dungeon incident.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°From homeless people to those burdened with huge debts from fraud. Various people dissatisfied with society. You know, right?¡± ¡°So?¡± ¡°When the world changed like this and we gained power, we wanted revenge. We wanted many people to fear us, to look up to us.¡± ¡°Tsk.¡± Kang Hyeon clicked his tongue and shook his head. ¡°That doesn¡¯t justify doing this.¡± ¡®Honestly, it¡¯s not that I don¡¯t understand at all¡­¡¯ Perhaps from their perspective, the world had already ended. In a hellish life that couldn¡¯t get any worse, suddenly being given power made them think they could do anything. ¡°Still, you shouldn¡¯t do that, you bastard.¡± -Puk! Kang Hyeon smacked the back of Jung Young-sik¡¯s head. ¡®Damn. He asks and then¡­¡¯ Jung Young-sik vowed never to answer questions again. *** Ippotrantion *** After exiting the dungeon, Kang Hyeon immediately called Team Leader Shin Tae-gil. -Mr. Kang Hyeon. What¡¯s the matter? ¡°I¡¯ve caught a bad guy.¡± -Pardon? Kang Hyeon exined the situation to a surprised Shin Tae-gil. -I¡¯ll be there right away. Please wait a bit. ¡°Alright.¡± As soon as he hung up, An Yu-seong spoke to him. ¡°What did he say?¡± ¡°He¡¯sing right now.¡± ¡°What should we do until then? Should we eat hamburgers?¡± ¡°Suddenly¡­?¡± While Kang Hyeon was pondering An Yu-seong ¡®s unexpected suggestion, ¡°Hey, isn¡¯t that the person from TV?¡± ¡°Seeing him in person, his aura is no joke.¡± ¡°Those muscles are insane.¡± Until now, when Kang Hyeon and An Yu-seong walked together, the crowd parted like the Red Sea. People avoided them so much that even in broad daylight, the area within 2 meters around them was quiet. However, since that day when they first met Shin Tae-gil, Kang Hyeon had be a national hero in just a few days. -The man who single-handedly stopped a D-rank dungeon -Mystery hero. Actually already famous Goblin yer? -Union Leader Choi Dong-woo¡¯s statement: That man has the makings of a hero! On the day of the massive terror attack. Kang Hyeon had sent people away and faced the monsters alone. -We¡¯ll handle this matter, so don¡¯t worry about it. When Kang Hyeon was being cursed for causing a disturbance on the main street, As soon as Shin Tae-gil uttered those words, suddenly the events of that day became a social issue. And CCTV footage, interviews with ability users, and testimonies literally poured out. Thanks to this, Kang Hyeon rose to stardom in an instant. -That person was really on a different level. I doubted if he was even the same kind of ability user as us. -Was he that good? -Yes. Not only did such a person save us, but he also said he would stay alone until the end to protect this ce. It really brought tears to my eyes. -Outstanding ability and a spirit of sacrifice. He¡¯s an amazing person. -That¡¯s right. Personally, I think he might be stronger than Mr. Choi Dong-woo or Ms. Han Se-yeon. Kang Hyeon¡¯s rampage with Ururg¡¯s hammer was buried as if it never happened, and the whole of South Korea was busy praising Kang Hyeon. It was certainly better than being cursed, but he couldn¡¯t help feeling a bit bitter about it. ¡°Excuse me¡­ Could I get an autograph?¡± Just then, a female student approached hesitantly. Kang Hyeon nodded with a pleased smile. ¡°Yes. Give it here.¡± ¡°No, not you, mister. I mean that handsome brother over there.¡± The student¡¯s finger was pointing at An Yu-seong. The corners of Kang Hyeon¡¯s mouth, which had been forming a business smile, trembled. ¡°Hahaha! What were you expecting, Hyeon?¡± ¡°Shut up.¡± ¡°Even if it¡¯s Kang Hyeon, minors are off-limits.¡± ¡°What nonsense is that?!¡± These days, even Shin Seong-a was starting to enjoy teasing Kang Hyeon along with An Yu-seong. -Puk! An irritated Kang Hyeon smacked the back of Jung Young-sik¡¯s head. ¡°Why are you hitting me?!¡± When Jung Young-sik red fiercely and spoke, Kang Hyeon also tensed his eyes in response. ¡°What?!¡± -Puk! ¡°Shit¡­¡± Realizing thatmunication was impossible, Jung Young-sik cursed and lowered his head. For some reason, his eyes looking at the ground seemed to be moist. Chapter 42 Chapter 42 ¨C Guild Establishment (3) ¡°Wow! Thank you!¡± The student who received An Yu-seong¡¯s autograph ran off excitedly. Seeing this, others who had been hesitating and watching from afar seemed to gain courage and started approaching one by one. ¡°Excuse me, are you the Goblin yer? I¡¯m a fan!¡± ¡°My brother said he¡¯s alive thanks to you. Thank you.¡± ¡°You¡¯re our lifesaver!¡± At first, this kind of attention was awkward and ufortable. But as time passed, Kang Hyeon got used to it, and now he was epting it naturally. ¡°Mr. Kang Hyeon.¡± In the midst of signing autographs, a familiar person made his way through the crowd. ¡°It¡¯s been a while.¡± Kang Hyeon greeted Shin Tae-gil, who was dressed in a neat suit. ¡°Yes, it¡¯s good to see you. Oh, An Yu-seong is here too.¡± The two greeted each other naturally. It seemed Shin Tae-gil and An Yu-seong were already acquainted. ¡®How does this guy know everyone?¡¯ First with the Dangun Guild incident, and now everyone he meets knows An Yu-seong ¨C Kang Hyeon found it quite remarkable. ¡°How do you know An Yu-seong?¡± ¡°Mr. An Yu-seong was also a recruitment target for our team. He politely declined, though, so it couldn¡¯t be helped.¡± There was a hint of bitterness in his tone. ¡°Anyway, thank you. I didn¡¯t expect you to achieve such results so soon, it¡¯s very good.¡± Shin Tae-gil, who had taken over Jung Young-sik from Kang Hyeon, smiled rarely. ¡°Is there any specific reward you¡¯d like? Feel free to ask.¡± At the mention of rewards, Kang Hyeon fell into thought for a moment. ¡°Hmm¡­ I don¡¯t need anything right now. Just set aside any good items if youe across them. Preferably rted to magic power.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± ¡°Then, take care.¡± As Kang Hyeon was about to leave after finishing his business, Shin Tae-gil stopped him. ¡°Mr. Kang Hyeon. I have something to discuss with you.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not appropriate here. How about we move somewhere else?¡± ¡°Sure, why not¡­¡± As soon as Kang Hyeon agreed, the men in suits who hade with Shin Tae-gil cleared a path. ¡°We¡¯re on official business. Please step aside.¡± Kang Hyeon was inwardly impressed, seeing a scene he had only witnessed in dramas and movies before. ¡®This looks pretty cool.¡¯ Soon, a wide path was created through the crowd. Arge van stopped in front of Kang Hyeon as he escaped with the group. ¡°You can get in the car.¡± Following Shin Tae-gil¡¯s words, Kang Hyeon immediately got into the vehicle. ¡°Wow, I feel alive again.¡± The interior maintained a cool temperature like mid-winter. It seemed they had rescued Kang Hyeon, who had been waiting in the scorching August sun. As he sat in the plush seat that enveloped his body, a cool drink from the car¡¯s refrigerator was ced before him. ¡°Don¡¯t you have beer instead of this?¡± With just one word from Kang Hyeon, the drink was promptly reced with a can of beer. -Click ¡°Ahhhh!¡± Cold beer on a hot summer day was truly the best. Kang Hyeon continued to express his satisfaction while drinking the beer for a while. ¡°Ahem¡­¡± After waiting for a moment, Shin Tae-gil cleared his throat, and only then did Kang Hyeon put down the beer can. ¡°Now, tell me. What did you want to say?¡± ¡°Mr. Kang Hyeon. Have you heard the news?¡± ¡°¡­?¡± Kang Hyeon looked confused at the sudden mention of news. ¡°Yesterday, China seeded in the world¡¯s firstplete clear of a C-grade dungeon.¡± ¡°Byplete clear, you mean¡­¡± ¡°It means they seeded in defeating the boss and removing the main core.¡± Kang Hyeon vaguely recalled seeing something about it on the news. ¡°I think I did see news about arge-scale attack to clear a dungeon, so I guess that finished yesterday.¡± ¡°Yes. There were quite a few casualties due to the human wave tactics, but the title of world¡¯s first was worth the sacrifice, I suppose.¡± China is the country with thergest poption in the world. Naturally, there were also that many ability users. ¡°So what do you want to say? Let¡¯s skip the roundabout talk and get straight to the point.¡± Shin Tae-gil nodded at Kang Hyeon¡¯s words. ¡°Yes. Actually, Korea is nning to attempt aplete clear of a C-grade dungeon soon. We¡¯d like you to participate when that happens.¡± It¡¯s been over a month since the first C-grade dungeon appeared. In that time, Korea had seeded in removing the normal core of a C-grade dungeon. If they put all their efforts into it, they might be able to remove the main core as well. ¡°Other guilds, regardless of whether it¡¯s possible or not, are reluctant to take the risk due to potential heavy casualties.¡± ¡°But even if you only remove the normal core, the dungeon won¡¯t copse (open), so why take the risk?¡± Dungeons open their doors and monsters pour out after a certain time. However, if only the normal core is removed, that time is reset, so it can be managed safely enough. ¡°You¡¯re not getting impatient just because you lost the world¡¯s first title, are you?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not it.¡± ¡°Then what?¡± ¡°Actually, there¡¯s one dungeon where we haven¡¯t even removed the normal core yet.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± If they haven¡¯t even removed the normal core, they don¡¯t know when monsters might pour out of the dungeon. ¡°How much time is left?¡± ¡°Two weeks from now.¡± ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll participate.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Shin Tae-gil¡¯s expression brightened at Kang Hyeon¡¯s answer, and he continued. ¡°We¡¯re nning to attack as guild units first. Therefore, your individual participation might be difficult, but how about forming a small guild?¡± Shin Tae-gil looked over at An Yu-seong and Shin Seon-ga as he spoke. ¡°Come on, that¡¯s cunning.¡± It was clear he intended to bring in An Yu-seong and Shin Seon-ga by having them join Kang Hyeon¡¯s guild. Kang Hyeon suppressed augh at the obvious intention. ¡°Well, I was nning to do it anyway, so let¡¯s do that.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°So, have you decided on the rewards for clearing it?¡± ¡°Well, honestly, the only thing we can offer right now is marypensation.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°But when you form a guild or faction in the future, the government will actively support you.¡± The conditions themselves weren¡¯t particrly appealing. Kang Hyeon was already earning plenty of money, and he had no particr desires other than strength. ¡°Alright then.¡± However, Kang Hyeon readily agreed. ¡®Experiencing a C-grade dungeon itself isn¡¯t bad. And more importantly¡­¡¯ Other strong individuals. It was clear that thergest guilds at the top of Korea, including Choi Dong-woo and Han Se-yeon, would gather for this attack. This was an opportunity to learn about others¡¯bat styles. *** Ippotrantion *** The next day. Kang Hyeon¡¯s Bentley No. 2 came to a stop in front of a quiet caf¨¦. ¡°You¡¯re here?¡± An Yu-seong greeted Kang Hyeon as he got out of the car. ¡°Hyeon, how long are you going to drive that piece of junk? Even though you¡¯re making a lot of money.¡± Kang Hyeon¡¯s Bentley No. 2 is a cheap domestic sedan bought second-hand. It¡¯s quite old, and standing next to An Yu-seong¡¯s car, which looked like it was worth hundreds of millions of won at a nce, it appeared particrly shabby. ¡°As long as the car runs, what¡¯s the problem?¡± ¡°Well, if that¡¯s how you think about it.¡± An Yu-seong didn¡¯t seem to care much either, so he let it go. ¡°Where¡¯s Shin Seong-a?¡± As the appointed time approached and Shin Seong-a wasn¡¯t in sight, Kang Hyeon asked. ¡°There shees.¡± -Vroom vroom! Suddenly, a loud noise starteding from the direction An Yu-seong was pointing. ¡°What a noisy entrance.¡± At the end of the sixne road, a huge ck motorcycle was speeding at an incredible pace. As it got closer, the driver wearing tight leather clothes that revealed a slender figure became visible. -Screech! Finally, the bike came to a stop right in front of Kang Hyeon with a sharp friction sound. As the rider got off the bike and took off the helmet, Shin Seong-a¡¯s face with long, flowing hair appeared. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯mte.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay. I just got here too. Let¡¯s go.¡± As everyone gathered, Kang Hyeon boldly opened the caf¨¦ door. Since there had already been loud noise, the group immediately drew attention. ¡°Who are these people?¡± ¡°Ah! I¡¯ve seen them on the inte before.¡± Hearing people¡¯s voices, Kang Hyeon shook his head. ¡°Geez. Are you guys some kind of attention seekers? Please try to be normal for once.¡± An Yu-seong with his super Saiyan hair full of piercings and tattoos. Shin Seong-a in her rare full-body leather outfit with a cold expression. One drove a sports car that¡¯s one of only a few in the world, while the other rode a massive bike rarely seen. They couldn¡¯t help but draw attention wherever they went. ¡°Hyeon, at least try to look pleasant when you speak.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think Kang Hyeon is in a position to say that.¡± Kang Hyeon just quietly clicked his tongue at their retorts. ¡®What¡¯s wrong with me?¡¯ Since bing quite famous, Kang Hyeon had been careful not to stand out too much. Today, too, he wore a cute t-shirt with Ppotongryong (a character) printed on it that he had just bought yesterday, trying to look as ordinary as possible. ¡°What kind of kindergarten clothes are you wearing?¡± ¡°Kindergarten? Don¡¯t exaggerate.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°I just bought it yesterday¡­ But it does seem a bit small.¡± ¡°It seems more than just a bit, though.¡± At that moment, a child approached from afar, seeing the Ppotongryong drawn on Kang Hyeon¡¯s back. ¡°Mom, it¡¯s Ppotongryong!¡± Children¡¯s friend! Children¡¯s president! The child ran towards his idol with a bright smile. However, that bright expression gradually distorted as he got closer to Kang Hyeon. ¡°What is this¡­?¡± Soon, the child who saw the Ppotongryong drawn on Kang Hyeon¡¯s back suddenly started crying. ¡°Mom. Ppotongryong looks weird! Waaah!¡± The giant Ppotongryong on Kang Hyeon¡¯s back looked very different from what the child knew. Due to Kang Hyeon¡¯s excessive muscles, the t-shirt had stretched sideways too much. As a result, Ppotongryong¡¯s eyes, which were originally tiny, werepletely torn and looked like they were ring. ¡°Tsk tsk.¡± ¡°It¡¯s good to see you taking the lead in destroying children¡¯s innocence.¡± ¡°Oh shit¡­¡± Kang Hyeon sighed deeply and roughly ran his hand through his hair. ¡°Hyeon!¡± At that moment, hearing the child¡¯s cry, the mother came running in a hurry. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s okay. These things happen.¡± ¡°Yes¡­¡± The mother was clearly apologizing, but her eyes towards Kang Hyeon were filled with contempt. ¡°Didn¡¯t mom tell you not to approach strange people?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry. Waaah!¡± ¡®Come on, what exactly did I do¡­¡¯ Feeling unfairly used, Kang Hyeon looked at the scene with bitterness. ¡°Sigh, forget it.¡± And so, Kang Hyeon¡¯s n to be a popr star among children came to nothing. ¡°Forget all of this. Let¡¯s get straight to the point.¡± At Kang Hyeon¡¯s words, the other two focused their attention. ¡°You know why we gathered today, it¡¯s because of the guild.¡± ¡°Is it finally starting?! I¡¯m ready anytime.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll join too.¡± The conclusion was reached before the discussion even started. ¡°Listen seriously. You know we¡¯re entering a C-rank dungeon soon, right?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°I¡¯m thinking of creating a guild to participate in it.¡± The two nodded at Kang Hyeon¡¯s words. ¡°Sounds good.¡± ¡°Actually, even D-rank bosses aren¡¯t easy for just us. Obviously, going to C-rank would be life-threatening. So, you two should think carefully¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m in.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll go.¡± Faced with answers that came before he could finish speaking, Kang Hyeon wore an expression of resignation. ¡°What¡¯s the point of me talking to you guys.¡± Chapter 43 Chapter 43 ¨C Guild Establishment (4) ¡°Kang Hyeon.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Are the three of us the only guild members?¡± Shin Seong-a asked with a mysterious expression. ¡°What else do we need?¡± ¡°A guild is like a business. Originally, not only skilled individuals but also assistants, clerks, and many other personnel are needed.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± ¡°Naturally, funds to hire and maintain these people are essential.¡± At the mention of needing money, An Yu-seong tilted his head. ¡°I have a lot of money, so don¡¯t worry about it.¡± ¡°Shut up, will you?¡± Kang Hyeon cut off An Yu-seong¡¯s words. ¡°I understand what you¡¯re saying, but for now, we¡¯ll go with just the three of us.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°I don¡¯t intend to blindly ept someone who doesn¡¯t know anything right away. And it¡¯s not like we¡¯re strapped for cash, right?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°If you¡¯re saying this because you¡¯re tired of collecting magic stones, you don¡¯t have to do it anymore.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not it.¡± Shin Seong-a shook her head as if that wasn¡¯t her intention at all. ¡°Then that¡¯s settled.¡± Kang Hyeon pped his hands to change the atmosphere. ¡°Now let¡¯s think about the most important thing, the guild name.¡± ¡°Guild name¡­¡± At Kang Hyeon¡¯s words, Shin Seong-a and An Yu-seong fell into serious thought. ¡°Have you thought about it roughly?¡± Enough time had passed for the ice in the coffee to meltpletely. The two nodded at Kang Hyeon¡¯s question. ¡°Good. Then first, An Yu-seong.¡± Kang Hyeon gestured with his chin towards An Yu-seong. An Yu-seong, who had been sitting with his arms crossed and eyes closed, opened his eyes wide. ¡°How about Crazy?¡± ¡°Get lost.¡± ¡°Ah, wait a moment. Then how about Lunatic?¡± At the word that seemed familiar from somewhere, Kang Hyeon rubbed his chin. ¡°The sound seems okay, but what does it mean?¡± ¡°Crazy.¡± ¡°You crazy bastard. Get lost. Next, Shin Seong-a.¡± This time, Shin Seong-a rested her chin on her hand and her eyes shone seriously. ¡°How about Kang Hyeon¡¯s Strong Friends?¡± ¡°What?¡± Kang Hyeon asked back with an incredulous expression. ¡°Are you serious?¡± ¡°Yes. Isn¡¯t it cool?¡± ¡°Haah¡­¡± Kang Hyeon let out a deep sigh. ¡®Well, life is lived alone anyway.¡¯ Isn¡¯t that how everything in the world is? Kang Hyeon gave up on receiving help from them. ¡°Forget it. I¡¯ll take care of the name myself.¡± ¡°If you were going to do that, why did you even ask?¡± ¡°Shut up.¡± Ignoring An Yu-seong¡¯s grumbling, Kang Hyeon brought up the next agenda. ¡°Next is the guild¡¯s rule.¡± ¡°Rule, you say?¡± ¡°Yeah. In Korean, regtion! This is very important.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°Actually, I¡¯ve thought of a few things on my way here.¡± At Kang Hyeon¡¯s words, both of their gazes gathered. ¡°There are three in total, first, be stronger than anyone else.¡± ¡°Good.¡± Shin Seong-a nodded. ¡°Second, don¡¯t pick unnecessary fights.¡± ¡°Why are you looking at me while saying that?¡± ¡°You know best.¡± Kang Hyeon, who had been ring at An Yu-seong for a moment, continued. ¡°Lastly, third. Return as much as you receive.¡± ¡°Do you mean to return as much as you receive, whether it¡¯s favor or resentment?¡± ¡°Exactly. I don¡¯t want to be a thug, and I hate being a pushover even more. Any objections?¡± At Kang Hyeon¡¯s words, the two nodded silently. ¡°Good. Then let¡¯s engr¡­¡± ¡°By the way, Mr. Kang Hyeon.¡± ¡°What?¡± Suddenly, Shin Seong-a interrupted Kang Hyeon¡¯s words. ¡°Don¡¯t we need to prepare a lot to establish a guild?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°I know there¡¯s a lot of paperwork besides what I mentioned earlier.¡± ¡°Umm¡­¡± ¡°Moreover, I wonder if it¡¯s possible to establish a guild with just three people.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry about that.¡± Kang Hyeon said as if there was no problem with Shin Seong-a¡¯s tone. ¡°Team Leader Shin Tae-gil said he¡¯d take care of everything.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°He just asked me to tell him the guild members and the guild name?¡± ¡°Power is indeed nice¡­¡± *** Ippotrantion *** -Is what I¡¯m looking at really a guild establishment application? That evening. That was the first thing Shin Tae-gil said as soon as he called. ¡°Is there a problem? If it¡¯s because there are too few people, I¡¯ll add moreter.¡± -It¡¯s not that, it¡¯s the guild name¡­ ¡°Is it because it¡¯s in English?¡± -Haah¡­ Shin Tae-gil let out a deep sigh from the bottom of his heart. -English is not the problem. ¡°Then leave it as it is.¡± -Are you serious? ¡°I am serious.¡± Kang Hyeon answered with a serious face. -Did you form some kind of viin alliance or something? What on earth is Badass?! At Shin Tae-gil¡¯s excited words, Kang Hyeon tilted his head. ¡°Isn¡¯t it cool?¡± As Kang Hyeon chuckled, Shin Tae-gil sighed again. -Is it like, bad ass or something? ¡°What are you talking about?! Ass?¡± -Then what is it? ¡°It means extremely cool, great, very awesome guys.¡± At Kang Hyeon¡¯s yful words, Shin Tae-gil said nothing. ¡°I¡¯m telling you it¡¯s true. Don¡¯t worry, it¡¯s a good meaning.¡± -I know what it means too! Shin Tae-gil was a talent who graduated from an American Ivy League university. ¡°And Mr. Shin Tae-gil.¡± -Yes. ¡°I need a guild office, can you arrange one?¡± -I¡¯ll prepare a suitable ce. ¡°That¡¯s good.¡± Kang Hyeon smiled satisfactorily at the straightforward answer. ¡°What came out of that terrorist guy you sentst time?¡± Kang Hyeon suddenly remembered the guy whose foot was smashed by An Yu-seongst time. -He¡¯s more cooperative than expected. We n to carry out arge-scale operation to wipe them out after the C-grade dungeon conquest. ¡°Is there a reason to postpone it until after the conquest? I think it would be better to deal with it quickly before the dungeon conquest.¡± -Their scale isrger than we thought. To wipe them out all at once, we need to investigate and prepare thoroughly. ¡°I see. When is the dungeon conquest date?¡± -Five days from now. There was more time than expected. Since Kang Hyeon was moving in a small scale, he didn¡¯t need as much preparation as other guilds, so it seemed like he could prepare slowly. -Before that, you need to attend a preliminary meeting. ¡°Preliminary meeting?¡± -Yes. Seven guilds, including the Ability User Union, are expected to participate in this dungeon conquest. We decided to gather the guild leaders in advance to discuss the strategy. ¡°When is that?¡± -Tomorrow. *** Ippotrantion *** In a dark room. A man was buried in a sofa without even turning on the lights. The man shook his messy hair. ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± At the man¡¯s words, a woman standing behind approached. ¡°Jung Young-sik has been caught.¡± At those words, the man on the sofa, Choi Min-jun, narrowed his eyes. ¡°By whom?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a guy named Kang Hyeon.¡± Kang Hyeon. A name that became a big issue recently due to the Daeyeons researchb incident, but Choi Min-jun had known him from before. That¡¯s because it was Choi Min-jun who founded and supported the Bait Guild together with Jeong Eui-hyeon. ¡®He¡¯s been annoying from the start¡­¡¯ Jung Young-sik had an invisibility skill, so he was nning to use him effectivelyter. But because of Kang Hyeon, the n went awry. ¡°How far along is the drug?¡± ¡°We still need more time. We¡¯re also short on test subjects¡­¡± Choi Min-jun¡¯s expression darkened at the woman¡¯s words. ¡°No. Use whatever means necessary to move up the schedule.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± *** Ippotrantion *** ¨C Korea¡¯s first C-rank dungeon conquest! Ability user Union and 6 guilds set to participate. ¨C Han Se-yeon of Dangun Guild. Shows strong will to conquer. ¨C Choi Dong-woo: This will be an event that raises the level of ability users in Korea. ¨C The world¡¯s attention is now focused on Korea¡¯s dungeon conquest. As soon as the government announced the C-rank dungeon conquest, news articles poured out. Complete clearing of a C-rank dungeon. The dungeon conquest, which instantly became the hottest issue, garnered interest not only domestically but also overseas. [Conquest Participation List] ¨C Republic of Korea Ability User Union ¨C Dangun Guild ¨C Immortal Guild ¨C Fire Dragon Guild ¨C Guardian Guild ¨C ck Knights Guild ¨C Badass Guild People¡¯s attention was focused on the dungeon conquest participation list announced together. ¨C I get the Ability User Union and top 10 guilds joining, but what¡¯s Badass? ¨C Is it Bad Ass? ¨C I looked it up, it¡¯s a new guild formed yesterday. ¨C Guild leader¡¯s name is Kang Hyeon. I think that was the real name of the Goblin yer. People argued over the unfamiliar guild name on the list. ¨C Is Kang Hyeon already at that level? Isn¡¯t this too much hype when he just got famous from one incident? ¨C He probably lobbied or something. ¨C Lobby? Do you want to die? If you haven¡¯t seen Kang Hyeon¡¯s ss, shut up before I smash your skull. ¡°Bro.¡± At An Yu-seong¡¯s call, Kang Hyeon quickly put away his smartphone. ¡°What?¡± ¡°We should get going soon.¡± ¡°Is it time already?¡± Today was the day of the guild leader meeting for the dungeon conquest. Kang Hyeon was going to go alone, but An Yu-seong and Shin Seong-a insisted oning along, so they gathered at the guild office. ¡°Alright. Let¡¯s decorate the office a bit when we get back today.¡± Shin Tae-gil provided an office as promised. He gave an entire floor of a building located in Gangnam. But the only furniture inside was the desk and chair in front of Kang Hyeon. The vast interior seemed to add to the bleakness. ¡°Shall I decorate it?¡± At An Yu-seong¡¯s words, Kang Hyeon looked him up and down. His shocking fashion would make even a 70s punk rock band call him ¡®big brother¡¯ and cry. ¡°Absolutely not. I¡¯d rather leave it to Shin Seong-a.¡± ¡°Then shall I do it?¡± Shin Seong-a, who was listening nearby, chimed in with a bright voice. ¡°No.¡± ¡°Tch.¡± I don¡¯t know how they¡¯ve lived their lives, but these guys are of no help except inbat. Kang Hyeon vowed to call a professional remodelingpanyter. ¡°Let¡¯s go for now. We¡¯ll bete.¡± Kang Hyeon hurried out of the office to attend the meeting. ¡°What¡¯s this now¡­?¡± Kang Hyeon had a dumbfounded expression seeing the limousine parked conspicuously in front of the office. ¡°I called it.¡± The ck limousine, which looked longer than a decent-sized bus, seemed overwhelming just to look at. People were constantly pressing their camera shutters, taking pictures of the literally overflowing luxurious appearance. ¡°Young master, you¡¯re here.¡± ¡°We¡¯re about to leave now.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± It was An Yu-seong¡¯s personal chauffeur, whom I had met before. ¡°Hey. Don¡¯t you have any normal cars?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t want to be cramped and ufortable either, right bro?¡± I couldn¡¯t deny it because it was true. ¡°Sigh¡­ Fine. Let¡¯s just go.¡± As he got in the car, Kang Hyeon thought that the guild needed its own dedicated vehicle and driver. ¡®Team leader Shin Tae-gil will take care of it, right?¡¯ Hey back in his seat, thinking thoughts that would make Shin Tae-gil grab the back of his neck from high blood pressure if he heard them. ¡®It is nice though.¡¯ As I felt before, this vehicle was too nice, even for me. Sofortable that you could fall asleep just sitting for a bit. The veteran driver¡¯s skills probably yed a part too. ¡°What time is it now?¡± ¡°1:59 PM.¡± The traffic was worse than expected, making uste. The meeting was scheduled to start at exactly 2 PM. ¨C Please arrive at least 5 minutes early and be seated. Shin Tae-gil¡¯s earnest request echoed in my mind. ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Kang Hyeon, who had been deliberately ignoring his constantly ringing smartphone, finally checked his messages. ¨C Where are you? It¡¯s 5 minutes before. ¨C Why aren¡¯t you answering your phone? Is something wrong? ¨C Where are you, Kang Hyeon? It¡¯s 2 PM sharp. Everyone is waiting. ¨C Answer the phone. You son of a b¡­ He quickly turned off the screen. ¡°Is it far?¡± ¡°We¡¯ve arrived.¡± Not long after, we arrived at our destination, the Dungeon Management Organization headquarters. When the limousine door opened, a huge modern building came into view. ¡°When did they build this?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a newly constructed building.¡± ¡°Really? What a waste of tax money.¡± Kang Hyeon shook his head after briefly admiring the building. ¡°This isn¡¯t the time to be sightseeing. What time is it now?!¡± ¡°2:04 PM.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s hurry!¡± The group entered the building at a quick pace and immediately got on the elevator. As they pressed the 11th floor, their destination, and the doors were about to close, a thick hand grabbed them. ¡°Excuse me, we¡¯re getting in.¡± Soon after, a group of about 10 people who looked like ability users got on the elevator. They were all wearing red-toned equipment, which looked quite shy. ¨C Beep¡­ Capacity exceeded. Perhaps due to the weight of their equipment, the elevator sounded an rm as it exceeded the 1000kg weight limit. ¡°Ahem¡­¡± The rm kept ringing, but the new passengers showed no sign of getting off. ¡®What¡¯s with these guys?¡¯ Kang Hyeon turned his head and stared at them. ¡°Aren¡¯t you getting off?¡± ¡°Huh, really¡­ Don¡¯t you know who we are?¡± Kang Hyeon gave them a look, but they had the gall to look bewildered instead. ¡°We¡¯re the Fire Dragon Guild!¡± The man who spoke dramatically fluttered his ornately decorated cape. A roaring, ming dragon was depicted on the cape. ¡°¡­¡± Seeing this, Kang Hyeon¡¯s expression gradually began to contort. ¡°I don¡¯t care if you¡¯re Fire Dragon or whatever, we¡¯re in a hurry so get off while I¡¯m asking nicely.¡± Chapter 44 Chapter 44 ¨C Dungeon Strategy Meeting ¡°Dragons or whatever, I¡¯m busy, so get off while I¡¯m still being nice.¡± Kang Hyeon said, gritting his teeth. ¡°What did you say? You bastard! Don¡¯t you know the Fire Dragon Guild!?¡± ¡°Who the hell are you?¡± ¡°Haa¡­ Shit.¡± ¡°W-what?! Shit? Are you done talking?!¡± It was a situation where curses naturally came out. Kang Hyeon roughly ran his hand through his hair. He was alreadyte for the meeting, and now he was going to be eventer thanks to these idiots. ¡°Hyeon. It¡¯s okay if I beat them all up, right?¡± ¡°Just stay put.¡± An Yu-seong, also not in a good mood, looked ready to pull out his mace and smash their heads. The cramped elevator was instantly filled with tension and heat. ¡°That¡¯s enough. You guys get off.¡± ¡°But Guild Master!¡± ¡°I said get off.¡± At the words of the man called Guild Master, several people moved out of the elevator. Soon the rm stopped, and the elevator moved upwards. -Woooong The noise of the moving elevator masked a strange difort. ¡°I apologize for earlier.¡± Just before the awkwardness reached its peak. The man called Guild Master opened his mouth. ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± ¡°I see you¡¯re going to the 11th floor, are you participating in this raid?¡± ¡°Yes. Well¡­ That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°I¡¯m Park Ho-yeon, the Guild Master of the Fire Dragon Guild.¡± ¡°I¡¯m Kang Hyeon.¡± When Park Ho-yeon extended his hand, Kang Hyeon reluctantly shook it. His face clearly showed his annoyance. ¡®Such an arrogant bastard¡­¡¯ The Fire Dragon Guild is a mega-guild vying for second ce in Korea along with the Immortal Guild. Although their overall level was lower than the Immortal Guild, they never thought they were inferior, given their title of having thergest number of guild members in the country. ¡®How dare he show such an attitude to me, the Guild Master of the Fire Dragon Guild?¡¯ Park Ho-yeon barely suppressed his rising anger. It wasn¡¯t good in many ways to lose his temper hastily here. -Ding! Finally, the elevator arrived at the 11th floor. When the doors opened, Shin Tae-gil greeted them with a stiff face. ¡°You¡¯re 10 minuteste.¡± ¡°Sorry. Some idiots wouldn¡¯t get off the elevator.¡± At Kang Hyeon¡¯s words, the atmosphere turned icy. The faces of the Fire Dragon Guild members turned red and blue, and Park Ho-yeon could no longer maintain hisposure. ¡°I-idiots?!¡± Sparks flew from Park Ho-yeon¡¯s raised eyes. ¡°Pfft!¡± In contrast, An Yu-seong was giggling for some reason. ¡°¡­¡± Shin Seong-a maintained a poker face from start to finish. ¡°What did you just say¡­? Say it again.¡± Park Ho-yeon spat out the words. ¡°What? Did that upset you? Well, if you don¡¯t want to be called an idiot, mind your manners next time, idiot.¡± Kang Hyeon was unusually sensitive. Seeing the attempt to throw their weight around over such a trivial matter reminded him of the Bait Guild. Shin Tae-gil stepped in to mediate the situation that seemed about to explode. ¡°What are you doing now?¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡± ¡°This disrespectful bastard¡­¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go in quickly. The masters of other guilds are waiting. If we¡¯re anyter, you¡¯ll be excluded from this dungeon raid.¡± Only after the threat of being excluded from the raid did they all start to move. -Thud, thud The corridor, where only footsteps quietly echoed, felt like the calm before the storm. The Fire Dragon Guild members kept ring at Kang Hyeon. It was a situation where one might worry they¡¯d pull out their swords and strike the back of his head at any moment. However, Kang Hyeon, not caring about his surroundings at all, boldly opened the conference room door. ¡°Sorry I¡¯mte.¡± Sharp gazes flew and stuck. They rolled their eyes frantically to assess Kang Hyeon, whom they were seeing for the first time. ¡®Is that man Kang Hyeon?¡¯ ¡®Park Ho-yeon is always like that, but beingte from the start. Tsk.¡¯ ¡®His clothes look like some neighborhood punk.¡¯ No one had a kind gaze, but Choi Dong-woo was different. Upon seeing Kang Hyeon¡¯s face, he greeted him warmly. ¡°Mr. Kang Hyeon. Nice to meet you.¡± ¡°Ah! Mr. Choi Dong-woo.¡± Kang Hyeon, having already received help once before, smiled and returned the greeting warmly. ¡°This is our first actual conversation. Thank you forst time.¡± ¡°I¡¯m honored to hear such words from the hero who saved people. Hahaha.¡± While greeting Choi Dong-woo, Han Se-yeon also acknowledged him. ¡°It¡¯s been a while.¡± ¡°Yes, it has been a while.¡± ¡°I heard you¡¯ve been through a lot.¡± ¡°Ah, it was nothing.¡± Choi Dong-woo and Han Se-yeon. The only two tutorial graduates in South Korea both warmly weed Kang Hyeon. Seeing this scene, people¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡®Well, Choi Dong-woo is famous for being sociable, but¡­¡¯ ¡®He¡¯s even on friendly terms with Dangun, which operates so exclusively?¡¯ Meanwhile, Kang Hyeon sat down in his seat marked with his namete. With that, all 7 chairs found their owners. The chairman of the Ability User Union and the guild masters of the 5 most powerful guilds in the country had gathered. Between them, even though it might have been ufortable, Kang Hyeon showed unwaveringfort. ¡°I¡¯ve waited a long time. We¡¯ll start the meeting right away.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t we introducing the new friend?¡± Just as the meeting was about to begin, a man raised an objection. It was Han Myeong-do, the guild master of the Immortal Guild, whichpetes for second ce along with Fire Dragon. ¡°Umm, Mr. Kang Hyeon. Would you mind introducing yourself?¡± ¡°Sure.¡± At Shin Tae-gil¡¯s words, Kang Hyeon scratched his head and stood up. ¡°First, I apologize again for beingte. I¡¯m Kang Hyeon, the guild master of the Badass Guild.¡± Ceremonial apuse filled the conference room. Soon after, people¡¯s questions followed. ¡°Is it an existing guild?¡± ¡°No. I created it yesterday.¡± ¡°How many guild members are there?¡± ¡°The guild master, which is me, and two vice guild masters. Three in total.¡± As Kang Hyeon¡¯s answers continued, people¡¯s faces gradually distorted. It was because he didn¡¯t have the career to fit in this ce at all. ¡°Are you kidding? Not only is it a new guild, but you¡¯re going to tackle a C-grade dungeon with just three people?! Who the hell are you!¡± Park Ho-yeon of Fire Dragon pointed and shouted angrily. ¡°Ah¡­ Really, you¡¯ve been so annoying since earlier. You called me here, so what do you want me to do?¡± ¡°W-what?!¡± Kang Hyeon answered indifferently while picking his ear. ¡°Hahaha! I like that guy!¡± Han Myeong-do of the Immortal Guild, who was on bad terms with Fire Dragon,ughed heartily at the sight. ¡°This cheeky bastard!¡± ¡°That¡¯s enough.¡± Park Ho-yeon stood up with a reddened face. But when Choi Dong-woo stopped him, he sat down, pretending to give in. ¡®If only it wasn¡¯t the conference room¡­¡¯ None of the people gathered here were to be taken lightly. Even for Park Ho-yeon, it wasn¡¯t a ce to hastily lose his temper. ¡°I¡¯ll see you after the meeting.¡± ¡°That concludes the introductions.¡± Kang Hyeon didn¡¯t even answer Park Ho-yeon¡¯s warning and sat down. ¡°Thank you. Then we¡¯ll start the main meeting.¡± Everyone¡¯s attention focused on Shin Tae-gil¡¯s words. ¡°The dungeon we¡¯re going to tackle this time is the C-grade Forest of Benandi.¡± ¡°Forest of Benandi¡­ Is it a jungle terrain?¡± ¡°Rather than a jungle, it¡¯s a huge mountain range. ording to the reconnaissance team¡¯s report, a wide variety of monsters appear, from goblins to orcs, ogres, and more.¡± As unexpectedly familiar monster names were listed, people looked puzzled. ¡°Then what does Benandi mean?¡± Until now, dungeon names had mostly been derived from the names of monsters inhabiting the ce. Therefore, it could be expected that monsters called ¡®Benandi¡¯ would likely appear inrge numbers in the ¡®Forest of Benandi¡¯ dungeon. ¡°Unfortunately, we haven¡¯t discovered it. So we¡¯re cautiously specting that Benandi might be the name of the dungeon boss.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± ¡°But that doesn¡¯t mean you should let your guard down. The monsters in the forest are on a different level from the ones we¡¯ve faced before. If the monsters we¡¯ve dealt with so far were militia, these ones are regr army.¡± ¡°What does that mean?¡± ¡°Unlike before, they move systematically to hunt, and their individual skills have also improved significantly. You can think of them as a well-trained army.¡± At the exnation of a trained army, people¡¯s faces hardened. It was apletely different problem when monsters moved systematically rather than rushing in recklessly, even if they were the same type of monster. The guild masters could already envision what would happen in the dungeon. ¡°The basic strategy is to move in guild units¡­ But I rmend moving in alliance with other guilds if possible.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll decide that for ourselves.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± They all had strong pride and were full of desire for dungeon rewards and the honor thates with conquering it. Shin Tae-gil was well aware of this fact. Therefore, he didn¡¯t mention the alliance further and moved on. He knew that it wouldn¡¯t change anything even if he said more. ¡°The following is about the scale of the attack. So far, no regr cores have been discovered in the Forest of Benandi.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Therefore, we are preparing under the assumption that there is only one main core in the dungeon¡­¡± It was in the middle of the meeting. ¡®Something seems off¡­¡¯ An Yu-seong, who was standing in the back on standby, had his eyes glowing. ¡®Who is that man?¡¯ The man sitting next to Kang Hyeon. It was Park Se-hyeon, the guild master of the Guardian Guild. An Yu-seong, who was staring at Park Se-hyeon with drowsy eyes, moved slowly. ¡°What are you doing?¡± The people standing with him called out, but An Yu-seong ignored them. ¡®It¡¯s been a while since my intuition rang this strongly.¡¯ His unique skill, intuition, was screaming that something was about to go wrong. ¡°Bro. Something¡¯s not right.¡± ¡°What are you talking about? We¡¯re in a meeting. If it¡¯s not urgent, talk to meter.¡± ¡°No, we need to move right now¡­¡± It was then. ¡°Kruk, kuk¡­¡± Suddenly, a bizarre sound was heard from the side. An Yu-seong quickly pulled out a mace from his inventory. ¡°Hey, you! What are you doing?!¡± ¡°Wait a minute! Doesn¡¯t the Guild Master seem a bit off?¡± Park Se-hyeon of the Guardian Guild was groaning with his head down. Hideous blood vessels could be seen rising on his skin exposed outside his armor. Seeing this, Kang Hyeon frowned as if he had seen something unsightly. ¡°Hey. What¡¯s wrong with this guy?¡± ¡°Bro. We need to kill him now.¡± An Yu-seong tried to swing the mace without warning. Kang Hyeon hurriedly grabbed An Yu-seong¡¯s arm. ¡°Are you crazy!? Suddenly killing the Guild Master?¡± As he spoke, Kang Hyeon realized his mistake. ¡®Ah, he¡¯s originally crazy.¡¯ Even so, that couldn¡¯t be an excuse. They couldn¡¯t just smash the head of a major guild¡¯s master and then make excuses like, ¡®He¡¯s originally crazy. Haha!¡¯. ¡°Get out of the way!¡± At that moment, a Guardian Guild member rushed over and pushed An Yu-seong away. The Guardian Guild member looked at Park Se-hyeon with a worried face. ¡°Guild Master, are you alright?!¡± Hearing the call, Park Se-hyeon slowly raised his head. ¡°Krururuk¡­!¡± ¡°Guild Master¡­?¡± It was the face of a monster. A bizarre appearance that could no longer be called human. ¡°Kuaaa!¡± Park Se-hyeon, whose eyes had turnedpletely red, let out a strange cry. At the same time, his outstretched hand pierced through the guild member¡¯s stomach, spraying blood everywhere. ¡°Kuk. I knew it. Die!¡± An Yu-seong swung his mace without hesitation, as if he had known this would happen. -Thwack! However, Park Se-hyeon blocked the mace using the guild member¡¯s corpse as a shield. Then he swung his other arm to strike An Yu-seong. ¡°Kheuk!¡± It looked like a light gesture, but. An Yu-seong, hit by the arm, flew all the way to the building wall and crashed. ¡°You son of a bitch!¡± Seeing An Yu-seong fly, Kang Hyeon immediately activated all his skills. Kang Hyeon gritted his teeth and threw a punch with all his might. ¡°Die!¡± His fist exploded urately on Park Se-hyeon¡¯s chin. -Kwagwagwagwang! Park Se-hyeon flew at an incredible speed, smashing all sorts of furniture before crashing into the end of the conference room. The eyes of those who saw this widened to the point of popping out. ¡°What kind of power is that¡­?¡± ¡°Was that just a punch!?¡± It was clearly just a simple punch. But its power was enough to make the head of any ordinary monster or ability user explode in one hit. ¡®Shit! I messed up the power control. It¡¯ll be troublesome if he dies.¡¯ He had put too much strength into it, excited by seeing An Yu-seong get hurt. No matter how out of his mind he seemed. It was obvious that problems would arise if he recklessly killed the master of a huge guild. ¡°What? He¡¯s fine?¡± However, contrary to his worries, Park Se-hyeon got up as if nothing had happened. Park Se-hyeon¡¯s neck was strangely twisted as if the bones were dislocated, but he didn¡¯t seem to mind. -Crick, crick crick The chilling sound that filled the conference room every time Park Se-hyeon moved his neck. Finally, when his neck settled back into ce, Park Se-hyeon smiled as if satisfied. Seeing this, Kang Hyeon smiled back. ¡°You¡¯re quite tough, aren¡¯t you?¡± After the incident in the conference room was settled, Kang Hyeon looked indifferently at An Yu-seong as they came outside. ¡°Are you okay?¡± ¡°Yes. It was nothing.¡± Fortunately, there was an ability user with healing skills on standby at the dungeon management facility. An Yu-seong, who had recovered his body with the skill, smiled looking fresh. ¡°By the way, how did you know that guild master had gone crazy?¡± ¡°Intuition.¡± ¡°Tsk.¡± In the end, Park Se-hyeon was captured alive. However, the process wasn¡¯t easy. He was originally strong, but he had be even more powerful after transforming into a monster-like state. In terms of pure physical specs, he felt simr to Kang Hyeon with all buffs activated. ¡®If I was alone, it might have been a bit difficult.¡¯ However, those present were the best ability users in Korea. When all the guild masters stepped in, Park Se-hyeon couldn¡¯t hold out for long and was subdued. ¡°That man. I wonder why he changed like that?¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± At Kang Hyeon¡¯s question, Shin Seong-a rubbed her chin. ¡°The Guardian Guild is, as the name suggests, an organization gathered with the belief of protecting humanity. Guild Master Park Se-hyeon was famous for his upright character, and most of the guild members are his followers.¡± ¡°Sounds like some pseudo-religious group.¡± Shin Seong-a shook her head at Kang Hyeon¡¯s words. ¡°Moreover, it¡¯s ranked 5th among domestic guilds.¡± ¡°Ahem¡­¡± Kang Hyeon cleared his throat unnecessarily at the mention of domestic 5th rank. ¡°Anyway, why did the guild master of such a huge guild change like that¡­ It probably wasn¡¯t through forceful means. He was an extremely strong person.¡± Shin Seong-a seemed to know quite a bit about Park Se-hyeon. ¡°Did you know him before?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°But you know quite a lot?¡± ¡°Protecting humanity! Isn¡¯t it cool?¡± Shin Seong-a Seonga said with sparkling eyes. Kang Hyeon seemed to understand why Shin Seong-a was talking so fluently about Park Se-hyeon. ¡°Alright. The government said they¡¯ll investigate, so they¡¯ll handle it.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°You guys take a break for a while. There¡¯s still quite some time until the C-rank dungeon raid. You¡¯ve been going non-stop until now.¡± ¡°Do you have ns, Kang Hyeon?¡± ¡°No, I don¡¯t. If there¡¯s nothing to do, I should just raid dungeons.¡± Kang Hyeon contradicted what he had said 5 seconds ago. ¡°If it¡¯s alright, I¡¯d like to go with you.¡± ¡°Bro, me too.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Before the C-rank dungeon raid. They decided to take a break by raiding D-rank dungeons. Chapter 45 Chapter 45 ¨C Territory Dispute (1) ¡°Are youing today?¡± -Yes. I¡¯ll be arriving soon. ¡°Thank you.¡± -Are you satisfied with the vehicle? ¡°It¡¯s fine. A van, huh? It makes me feel like a celebrity, which is nice.¡± -I¡¯m d. Then I¡¯ll see you on the day of the attack. After ending the call with Shin Tae-gil, Kang Hyeon opened the refrigerator door. He saw rows of various beers and sodas lined up. ¡°Ah! Great.¡± He downed a can of beer in one go and tossed the empty can into the trash. ¡°No matter how I look at it, it¡¯s too spacious.¡± The office Shin Tae-gil had provided upied an entire floor of a fairlyrge building. Even at a nce, it seemed to be hundreds of pyeong in size. However, the office, which was excessively emptypared to its size, was not just chilly but deste. ¡°Should I install a shower room, and put in a TV and sofa? Maybe make a bedroom too. It¡¯s a guild office, but there¡¯s now saying we can¡¯t install those things, right?¡± ¡°I agree.¡± An Yu-seong was ying a game on a desktop PC he had set up on an expensive wooden desk, though it wasn¡¯t clear when he had brought it in. ¡°We should make a PC room too.¡± If Shin Tae-gil saw this, he would probably yell at them to vacate the office immediately, but that¡¯s something to worry about when the timees. ¡°New guild member applicants will being for interviews soon, so keep that in mind.¡± -Ding dong At that moment. The inte rang in the quiet office. ¡°Are they here already?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll go check.¡± Shin Seong-a walked to the entrance and opened the door to reveal a small-statured man. ¡°Is this the Badass Guild office¡­?¡± ¡°Yes, it is.¡± ¡°I¡¯m here for an interview today¡­¡± ¡°Tell him toe in.¡± Hearing Kang Hyeon¡¯s voice from inside, Shin Seong-a stepped aside. ¡®Wow, it¡¯s really Kang Hyeon. Seeing him in person, he has an incredible aura. Just looking at him makes me feel like I might get hit.¡¯ The man walked towards Kang Hyeon with sparkling eyes. Kang Hyeon, who was sitting arrogantly in the chairman¡¯s chair, pulled out some documents. ¡°You¡¯re Han Jae-mun, correct?¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right!¡± ¡°Name Han Jae-mun, age 27. 169.7cm and 59kg? Why did you include such detailed physical measurements?¡± It was Kang Hyeon¡¯s muttering to himself, but Han Jae-mun felt stung and lowered his head. ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­¡± ¡°No need to apologize. I was just talking to myself. You¡¯ve heard what kind of work you¡¯ll be doing here, right?¡± ¡°Yes. I heard it¡¯s rted to guild operations¡­¡± ¡°Just think of it as running the guild by yourself. But since there are only three people, there won¡¯t be much work.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°And when we move around, you¡¯ll be in charge of driving.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± ¡°I heard from Team Leader Shin Tae-gil that you¡¯re quite an elite. I¡¯m looking forward to working with you.¡± ¡°Yes! I¡¯ll do my best!¡± Kang Hyeon smiled contentedly at the thought of finally having a driver. ¡°Oh, you guys don¡¯t mind either, right?¡± He realized he hadn¡¯t asked for Shin Seong-a and An Yu-seong¡¯s opinions yet. ¡°I don¡¯t mind. If you need money, just let me know.¡± ¡°As long as Kang Hyeon is satisfied, that¡¯s enough.¡± Kang Hyeon nodded at their straightforward approval. ¡°Our deputy guild leaders like you too. The sry is 10 million won. I don¡¯t know about insurance and such, so talk to Team Leader Shin Tae-gil about that. If you need more money, just let me know.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°Then, considering you¡¯ve joined the guild, shall we speakfortably from now on?¡± ¡°Understood!¡± Han Jae-mun¡¯s eyes sparkled even more, perhaps because of the much higher sry than expected. ¡®The real heaven was here all along!¡¯ In fact, he was what you¡¯d call a capable otaku. He had joined the Dungeon Management Agency out of admiration for capable individuals, and waster recruited into the Special Ability User Management Team by Shin Tae-gil. ¡®An Yu-seong and Shin Seong-a are as intimidating as I¡¯ve heard.¡¯ An Yu-seong was ying a game, and Shin Seong-a was just staring nkly out the window. But to his love-struck eyes, even that looked cool. ¡®I¡¯ll definitely make this the number one guild in Korea!¡¯ As Han Jae-mun was making his resolution, Shin Seong-a brought something out. ¡°Kang Hyeon.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°I think if we had guild uniforms, it would deepen our sense of belonging and unity.¡± ¡°Suddenly?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°Do we really need to go that far¡­¡± Han Jae-mun¡¯s eyes widened at the mention of guild uniforms. ¡®Of course we should! That¡¯s an excellent idea!¡¯ It was a moment when his otaku tendencies were growing just as he joined the guild. ¡°Actually¡­ I¡¯ve already prepared something.¡± ¡°Oh really? Let¡¯s take a look then.¡± Shin Seong-a seemed to have already made all the preparations. ¡®Kang Hyeon is already famous for his intense aura, but how cool would he look with a uniform on top of that?¡¯ Han Jae-mun, who was extremely excited, unconsciously red his nostrils. However, that expectation was shattered in less than 10 seconds. ¡°What is that¡­?¡± Han Jae-mun blurted out loud in his sudden bewilderment. It was because the clothing Shin Seong-a had brought out was a leather jacket. ¡®You¡¯re going to use that as a guild uniform?!¡¯ And it wasn¡¯t just any leather jacket, but a monstrous studded leather jacket that looked like something an 80s biker gang would wear. ¡°I had Badass emzoned inrge red letters on the back. I also incorporated An Yu-seong¡¯s suggestion and added a skull logo, which I think turned out quite nice.¡± ¡°Let me see.¡± Kang Hyeon took the jacket and began examining it closely. ¡°You want to use this as our guild uniform?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Are you serious?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Shin Seong-a nodded with a bright expression. ¡°Throw it away.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°I said throw it away. I¡¯m being serious too. Throw it all away.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Her bright expression quickly changed to one of someone who had lost their country. The past few days shed through her mind like a panorama. -How much did you say? -Ten million won. -Isn¡¯t that too expensive? -Come on, miss. Are you disrespecting the artisan¡¯s spirit? If that¡¯s the case, just go find some random people. -No, that¡¯s not it. I¡¯ll have it done here. She hadmissioned the design from a Dongdaemun street vendor for arge sum of money. -This leather is a new material that just came out, you know? It¡¯s so durable that even if you strike it with a knife, it won¡¯t leave a scratch! -So how much is it? -If you buy it now, it¡¯s exactly cost 5 million won. -That¡¯s too expensive. -Then how about 13 million for three sets? I¡¯m giving you a special discount because you¡¯re such a beautiful customer. -Alright. He had it custom-made through an introduction from the father of an acquaintance of a friend¡¯s younger sibling. After that, he desperately pondered how to make it look even cooler. -Hehe¡­ Finally today. When thepleted clothes arrived, she was overjoyed but didn¡¯t show it for the sake of surprise. -Kang Hyeon will be so pleased when he sees this. She had been waiting for this moment, trying to hold back theughter that kept threatening to escape. ¡°Are you crying?¡± ¡°N-No, I¡¯m not¡­¡± Shin Seong-a¡¯s shoulders shook as she turned away. On the back of her leather jacket, the word ¡®Badass¡¯ was written inrge letters. ¡°Why on earth?!¡± ¡°Hyeon, that¡¯s too much. Aunty worked so hard to prepare this.¡± ¡°Shut up!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t¡­ Worry about it¡­¡± Shin Seong-a, barely speaking with a trembling voice, ran out of the office. ¡°I¡¯ll be back from the restroom in a moment.¡± -m! Kang Hyeon roughly ran his hand through his hair and sighed. ¡°Haah¡­¡± *** Ippotrantion *** Kang Hyeon decided to have a group dinner to celebrate Han Jae-mun¡¯s arrival. Not listening to any objections, he immediately went down to the underground parking lot with the guild members. ¡°Are you that happy?¡± ¡°Yes. I am.¡± Shin Seong-a, who always maintained an expressionless face, was now having trouble holding back her smile. ¡°Huu¡­ Alright. That¡¯s good enough.¡± The jacket Shin Seong-a had prepared fit perfectly, as if it had been custom-made. Wearing matching clothes as a group of three seemed better than expected. ¡°Han Jae-mun. Please drive.¡± ¡°Understood¡­¡± Han Jae-mun, who was inexplicably dejected, took the keys. ¡°Where did I park the car?¡± Kang Hyeon looked around the underground parking lot to find the van. ¡°It¡¯s right there.¡± Kang Hyeon¡¯s expression hardened as he looked where An Yu-seong was pointing. ¡°You¡¯re saying that¡¯s our van¡­?¡± It was certainly the same model as the van Shin Tae-gil had sent. However, it was quite different from the van that was originally painted simply in ck. ¡°Is this your doing?¡± ¡°Yes. Isn¡¯t it cool? I called some people yesterday and worked on it all night.¡± ¡°Do you want to die?¡± The van, garishly painted with all sorts of colors, had arge skull pattern drawn on it, just like the jacket. The ¡®Badass¡¯ written on the hood in what looked like burning letters was quite striking. ¡°Sell this to a used car dealer and buy a new van just like the original one.¡± ¡°Sob¡­ I worked so hard on this¡­¡± ¡°Stop pretending to cry. I really want to kill you.¡± ¡°Tch.¡± Kang Hyeon was about to run his hand through his hair in stress but stopped. ¡®If I keep irritating my scalp, I might go bald¡­ That absolutely can¡¯t happen.¡¯ Not wanting to give up on his hair yet, Kang Hyeon decided to think positively. ¡°Shit¡­ Fine. It¡¯s all my fault. Who else can I me?¡± Kang Hyeon shook his head and got into the van. ¡®Something¡¯s not right here¡­¡¯ Han Jae-mun had joined the Badass Guild full of dreams, but those dreams came crashing down in just an hour. The guild and ability users he had imagined were nothing like this. ¡®We¡¯re not some mafia or gang, what is this?! And they¡¯re weirdly stupid!¡¯ Han Jae-mun felt like grabbing An Yu-seong and Shin Seong-a by the cor and demanding to know what they were doing. ¡°But it¡¯s pretty good, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°I put a lot of effort into it.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t open your mouth. I¡¯ll kill you.¡± *** Ippotrantion *** The dinner menu heavily reflected Kang Hyeon¡¯s preference for beef. Kang Hyeon particrly liked beef. To him, who had always been poor, beef was like a symbol of sess. ¡°Hey, look over there. That car is so shy.¡± ¡°Badass? Isn¡¯t that the new guild that was just formed?¡± While waiting for the traffic light, they overheard people talking. Kang Hyeon¡¯s mood, which had improved slightly at the thought of beef, soured again. ¡°It seems like good publicity for the guild.¡± Shin Seong-a said cheerfully, unaware of Kang Hyeon¡¯s mood. ¡°How much further?¡± ¡°We¡¯re almost there.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good. Let¡¯s hurry. I think I¡¯ll go crazy if I don¡¯t eat beef soon.¡± However, contrary to Kang Hyeon¡¯s expectations, the car didn¡¯t move for a long time. -Honk, honk! Car horns were heard from all around, and drivers who had grown tired of waiting started getting out of their cars. ¡°Why aren¡¯t we moving?!¡± ¡°Looks like there¡¯s a fight or something.¡± Kang Hyeon¡¯s expression twisted as he saw people around them starting to murmur. ¡°What now? I¡¯m starting to get hungry, this is annoying¡­ Ugh!¡± Just as Kang Hyeon was about to get out of the van, something flew and crashed into it. As a result, Kang Hyeon¡¯s face collided with the door as he was opening it. ¡°Shit! What the hell?!¡± ¡°It seems something flew and hit us.¡± ¡°Which bastard¡­ Wait, is this blood?¡± ¡°Yes. Your nose is bleeding.¡± Blood was streaming from Kang Hyeon¡¯s nose. While bleeding was an everyday urrence for him, having just a nosebleed while otherwise fine felt strangely unpleasant. ¡°No!¡± An Yu-seong suddenly screamed upon seeing Kang Hyeon¡¯s blood. ¡°It¡¯s okay. I¡¯m not that badly hurt¡­¡± ¡°Move!¡± An Yu-seong pushed Kang Hyeon aside and hurriedly got out of the van. Then he stared nkly at the van with its side door smashed. ¡®This bastard¡­ He was worried about the car, not me?¡¯ Kang Hyeon felt more dumbfounded than angry. ¡°Kuk, kukuk¡­ Hahaha!¡± After staring at the door for a moment, An Yu-seong grabbed his face andughed like a madman. The fact that the van he had poured his artistic soul into was ruined in just a day seemed to be quite a shock. ¡°I¡¯ll kill them¡­¡± ¡°Get a grip, man.¡± An Yu-seong¡¯s face twisted like an evil spirit as his eyes shed. Just then, they saw the man who had crashed into the van getting up from the ground. ¡°What are you looking at?!¡± The man seemed to be quite a strong ability user, as he appeared uninjured despite colliding with the van. He frowned deeply at Kang Hyeon and An Yu-seong. ¡°What¡¯s your problem? Do you want to die?!¡± Despite his threats with a sword, the two just stared at him indifferently. ¡°W-What..?!¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°I said, what¡¯s your¡­¡± He instinctively felt it. That something had gone terribly wrong. Chapter 46 Chapter 46 ¨C Territory Dispute (2) The conflict between the ¡®Haeseon Guild¡¯ and the ¡®Jeong Jin Guild¡¯ dates back to a week ago. ¡°Aren¡¯t you from the Jeong Jin Guild? What brings you here¡­¡± ¡°What other reason would an ability user have foring to a dungeon than to hunt monsters?¡± ¡°But this is Haeseon Guild territory.¡± ¡°So what?¡± ¡°What..? Argh!¡± The Jeong Jin Guild suddenly barged into the dungeon upied by the Haeseon Guild. They ignored the Haeseon Guild members who tried to stop them and recklessly cleared the dungeon. Naturally, Jo Seong-chan, the guild master of Haeseon who lost their main source of ie, went to confront the Jeong Jin Guild. ¡°What¡¯s the meaning of this sudden action?!¡± ¡°Is clearing a dungeon wrong?¡± ¡°I¡¯m asking why you came to Haeseon Guild¡¯s territory when there are other dungeons.¡± ¡°That¡¯s my choice. If you¡¯re weak, it¡¯s natural to have things taken from you.¡± ¡°What did you say?!¡± However, Hong Chae-yeon, the guild master of Jeong Jin, spoke confidently with an attitude of turning the tables. ¡°If you don¡¯t want to lose the little you have, it¡¯s better to stay quiet from now on.¡± ¡°This is different from our agreement!¡± ¡°Agreements are only kept when they¡¯re worth keeping.¡± Anger boiled up, but Jo Seong-chan couldn¡¯t do anything. This was because the Jeong Jin Guild had been growing at an incredible pace recently. The power gap between the two guilds, which was originally simr, had now widened to an iparable degree. ¡°Hey, look over there. Those bastards without pride despite being ability users are passing by.¡± ¡°Hahaha.¡± ¡°Those bastards!¡± ¡°Hold it¡­ Guild Master, don¡¯t you know about the orders?¡± The two guilds with simr activity areas often encountered each other on the streets, and each time, the Jeong Jin Guild would provoke the Haeseon Guild. ¡°Boss! Are we just going to stay like this? They¡¯re openly disrespecting us!¡± ¡°Then what do you want to do¡­ Start a war? Do you want to see everyone die?¡± Even to Vice Guild Master Jo Dong-won¡¯s words, Jo Seong-chan could only tell them to endure. As this precarious situation on the verge of explosion continued, today¡¯s incident finally urred. ¡°I can¡¯t take it anymore!¡± ¡°What are you going to do if you can¡¯t take it?¡± ¡°Aaargh!¡± Finally, Haeseon¡¯s Vice Guild Master Jo Dong-won exploded and pointed his weapon at a Jeong Jin Guild member. Six members from Haeseon Guild. Five members from Jeong Jin Guild. It was clearly a fight where Haeseon Guild had the numerical advantage. However, contrary to expectations, the battle flowed one-sidedly. ¡°Ugh¡­ Damn it.¡± The power of the Jeong Jin Guild far exceeded Haeseon Guild¡¯s expectations. In less than a few minutes, all Haeseon Guild members were lying on the ground. ¡°Ptui!¡± Woo Jin-hyung, the vice guild master of Jeong Jin Guild. The one who nned this incident spat on the ground and made a phone call somewhere. ¡°Did you take care of it?¡± ¡°Yes, Guild Master. We provoked them to attack first, so there shouldn¡¯t be any problems.¡± Woo Jin-hyung answered confidently to Guild Master Hong Chae-yeon¡¯s question. ¡°Well done. Just beat them up enough not to kill them and return.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Especially that vice guild master Jo Dong-won, make sure to beat him thoroughly.¡± ¡°Thoroughly, you say?¡± ¡°Yes. So that he can¡¯t act as an ability user anymore.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± After ending the call, Woo Jin-hyung called his guild members. ¡°Just break one leg each, moderately. I¡¯ll take care of Jo Dong-won personally.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°By the way, where¡¯s Lim Su-beom?¡± During the battle, Lim Su-beom was caught by Jo Dong-won and thrown away. Because Jo Dong-won was an ability user specialized in strength, Lim Su-beom flew several dozen meters. ¡°How stupid to fall for that.¡± But since Lim Su-beom¡¯ endurance was the best in the guild, Woo Jin-hyung wasn¡¯t particrly worried. ¡°Vice Guild Master.¡± ¡°What?¡± Just then, a guild member suddenly approached Woo Jin-hyung. ¡°Someone¡¯s approaching over there.¡± ¡°What?¡± Looking at where the guild member pointed, he saw a group approaching with a slouching posture. ¡°Who are they now?¡± They were dragging a man by the neck, scraping him along the ground. ¡°Wait a minute¡­¡± The appearance of the man cleaning the ground with his entire body seemed somehow familiar. ¡°Ugh¡­¡± ¡°Lim Su-beom¡­?¡± It was clearly guild member Lim Su-beom who had flown away earlier. Lim Su-beom, being dragged like luggage, was covered in bruises all over. If Woo Jin-hyung hadn¡¯t known his outfit, he wouldn¡¯t have recognized him due to the swelling. ¡°Who are you guys?!¡± ¡°¡­¡± Despite Woo Jin-hyung¡¯s words, they just kept approaching slowly. ¡°You bastards¡­ Do you want to die?!¡± *** Ippotrantion *** ¡°So you¡¯re from that Jeong Jin or whatever guild, and you were fighting with another guild?¡± ¡°Yes¡­¡± Lim Su-beom answered Kang Hyeon¡¯s question with difficulty, trembling all over. ¡°Are you guys crazy? Fighting on the streets in broad daylight? What are the police doing?¡± ¡°The¡­ Guilds that have established themselves in an area often have public officials, especially police, covering for them¡­ They¡¯ve probably already been bought off.¡± At Han Jae-mun¡¯s exnation, Kang Hyeon shook his head. ¡°What a mess. Anyway, we need to get an apology. Let¡¯s go.¡± Kang Hyeon grabbed Lim Su-beom by the neck and started dragging him along the ground. Soon, they saw fallen men and others lynching them. ¡°Who are you guys?!¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°You bastards¡­ Do you want to die?!¡± At Woo Jin-hyung¡¯s question, Kang Hyeon scratched his ear with an indifferent expression. ¡°Are you the vice guild master of that Jeong Jin or whatever guild?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. I¡¯m Woo Jin-hyung, vice guild master of Jeong Jin Guild. Who are you guys?¡± ¡°That doesn¡¯t matter, but this guild member of yours wrecked our van.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°So we need to receivepensation as an apology.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°I even got a nosebleed from colliding with this guy.¡± Woo Jin-hyung frowned deeply at Kang Hyeon¡¯s words. ¡°What are you talking about¡­¡± ¡°First, apart from the vehicle repair costs, I should receive at least 100 million won for my nosebleed.¡± Woo Jin-hyung made a dumbfounded expression at this absurd statement. ¡®What nonsense is this?!¡¯ Even if the repair costs were understandable, demanding 100 million for a nosebleed? If that¡¯s the case, the medical expenses for Lim Su-beom, who looks like a corpse over there, should be in the billions. ¡°Vice Guild Master¡­¡± ¡°What?¡± At that moment, a guild member quietly whispered. ¡°I think that guy is Kang Hyeon.¡± ¡°Kang Hyeon¡­?¡± ¡°Yes. The guys behind him seem to be members of the Badass Guild.¡± ¡®That¡¯s the Badass Guild¡­?¡¯ Judging by their appearance, they looked no different from Japanese biker gangs inics. It was hard to believe that such people were on the roster for conquering a C-rank dungeon as the Badass Guild. ¡°Why are you just standing there? Give me the medical expenses.¡± Kang Hyeon was already in a very bad mood today. It was because Shin Seong-a and An Yu-seong had been stressing him out in turns. ¡®And now I¡¯m supposed to bleed because of some strangers?¡¯ Moreover, he hadn¡¯t even gotten to eat beef. There was no way he could be in a good mood. No. He was in a very bad mood. ¡°Are you Kang Hyeon?¡± ¡°I am Kang Hyeon.¡± Woo Jin-hyung, who made eye contact with Kang Hyeon, flinched. ¡°F-fine, I¡¯ll give you the medical expenses, so don¡¯t get involved and get lost!¡± Strangely, the more they talked, the more his body trembled. It felt as if a giant monster was staring him down right in front of him. However, unable to show weakness in front of his guild members, Woo Jin-hyung shouted bravely. ¡°200 million for the van repair, 200 million for my nosebleed. A total of 400 million, hand it over.¡± ¡°Bro, we should add 500 million for the mental damage I suffered.¡± ¡°Our vice guild master says so. Then, let¡¯s make it a clean 1 billion in total.¡± Woo Jin-hyung made a dumbfounded expression at Kang Hyeon¡¯s words. ¡®What kind of crazy bastards are these?!¡¯ They were people who couldn¡¯t be reasoned with. ¡°1 billion just for wrecking a van and a nosebleed, are you kidding me?!¡± In fact, the van only had a slightly dented door. ¡°1.1 billion.¡± ¡°W-what?!¡± ¡°Every time you talk nonsense, it¡¯s an additional 100 million.¡± Finally, Woo Jin-hyung¡¯s patience ran out at this unreasonable attitude. The fear that had been binding his body had long since burned away in the rising anger. ¡°When I give the signal, rush in at once. We¡¯ll take care of Kang Hyeon first.¡± ¡°But Vice Guild Master¡­ That guy is a monster who can destroy a D-rank dungeon alone.¡± ¡°That¡¯s all just media hype. Besides, he¡¯s off guard right now.¡± The guild members reluctantly nodded at Woo Jin-hyung¡¯s whispered words. ¡°What are you doing? Are you going to give the money or not?¡± ¡°Fine. 1.1 billion. I¡¯ll send it now.¡± As he spoke, Woo Jin-hyung slowly approached Kang Hyeon. ¡°How are you going to give it? Bank transfer?¡± ¡°Well, I don¡¯t have the money right now. Instead, I¡¯ll give you this.¡± ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a one-way ticket to hell!¡± With his answer, Woo Jin-hyung swung his sword with all his might. ¡°Huh¡­?¡± However, the sword was futilely caught in Kang Hyeon¡¯s hand. ¡®Catching a sword with bare hands, what kind of nonsense is this¡­¡¯ Kang Hyeon, gripping the de, looked at Woo Jin-hyung with a cold gaze. ¡°What are you doing.¡± -Crackle As Kang Hyeon applied force to his hand, the sword shattered instantly and scattered on the ground. Woo Jin-hyung¡¯s eyes shook as if an earthquake had struck. ¡°T-that¡­¡± He tried to say something urgently, but Kang Hyeon just quietly raised his hand. ¡®Ah¡­¡¯ A huge palm was approaching. It was less than a second, but in that brief moment as the palm drew closer, Woo Jin-hyung¡¯s life shed before his eyes like a panorama. -p! That was Woo Jin-hyung¡¯sst memory. *** Ippotrantion *** ¡°Thank you so much for your help.¡± Jo Dong-won, the vice guild leader of the Haeseon Guild, bowed 90 degrees in gratitude. ¡°No need to thank me. I was just minding my own business.¡± ¡°No, you¡¯re our guild¡¯s benefactor.¡± ¡°I told you, it¡¯s fine. No need for thanks or anything, don¡¯t worry about it.¡± Kang Hyeon said indifferently and started walking towards the beef restaurant. ¡°I¡¯m starving to death. Let¡¯s go quickly.¡± ¡°Mr. Kang Hyeon!¡± ¡°Yes?¡± Jo Dong-won stopped Kang Hyeon as he was about to leave. ¡°I know it¡¯s shameless, but please. Help us just once!¡± Jo Dong-won, who had suddenly knelt on the ground, was bowing his head. ¡°Please, I beg you!¡± Seeing this, other Haeseon Guild members approached and knelt down as well. ¡°Look, I¡¯m kind of busy. For this kind of help, talk to the Ability Users Union.¡± ¡°The Ability Users Union doesn¡¯t interfere in conflicts between guilds! You¡¯re the only one who can help us, Mr. Kang Hyeon.¡± ¡°Why should I help?¡± ¡°Please. Just give us 30 minutes of your time. If you hear me out, I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll change your mind.¡± Kang Hyeon frowned at Jo Dong-won¡¯s words. ¡°If you haven¡¯t eaten yet, I know a delicious Korean beef ce nearby. I¡¯ll take you there.¡± ¡°Then let¡¯s go for now.¡± *** Ippotrantion *** A high-end Korean beef restaurant where a single serving costs over 100,000 won. Kang Hyeon was inhaling the meat, intending to relieve all of today¡¯s stress. ¡°¡­ That¡¯s how it happened.¡± Meanwhile, Jo Dong-won had been earnestly exining the current situation of the guild. ¡°Chomp, chomp¡­ So this Jeong Jin Guild suddenly got stronger?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°And it seems their sudden strength is due to some strange drug they¡¯re taking?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± After hearing the general situation, Kang Hyeon fell into contemtion. ¡®Something does smell fishy¡­¡¯ It started with the Jeong Jin Guild leading the formation of an alliance with five nearby guilds. The alliance, having grown in size, eventually came to upy a certain area in Seoul. Among them, the Jeong Jin Guild and Haeseon Guild were thergest guilds, ying central roles within the alliance. ¡®But that bnce of power was suddenly broken¡­¡¯ At some point, the Jeong Jin Guild started getting stronger at an incredible rate. Eventually, the bnce of power crumbled, and now the Jeong Jin Guild, showing its true colors, was swallowing up the other guilds one by one. ¡°How long until our C-rank dungeon conquest?¡± ¡°It¡¯s in two days.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Kang Hyeon furrowed his brow at Shin Seong-a¡¯s answer. ¡°I¡¯ll help.¡± ¡°Thank you!¡± ¡°But I don¡¯t have time right now. The conquest is right around the corner. Let¡¯splete the dungeon conquest first and then look into it properly.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± A C-rank dungeon conquest would surely take at least a week. However, since they were grateful for any help at all, Jo Dong-won quietly nodded. ¡°In that spirit¡­¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s order one more bottle of beer.¡± ¡°Alright¡­¡± Jo Dong-won calcted the remaining limit on this month¡¯s card with tears in his eyes. Chapter 47 Chapter 47 Forest of Benandi (1) ¡°Did I just hear that wrong?¡± Guild Master Hong Chae-yeon spoke in a chilling voice. ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­¡± Woo Jin-hyung could only keep his head bowed and repeatedly apologize. ¡°I¡¯ll give you a chance to exin. Go ahead and speak.¡± At Hong Chae-yeon¡¯s words, Woo Jin-hyung¡¯s head quickly raised. ¡°To be honest, that guy was on apletely different level! To the point where I doubted if he was even human¡­¡± ¡°Shut up!¡± ¡°Kuhek!¡± Hong Chae-yeon¡¯s kick, mercilessly struck Woo Jin-hyung¡¯s abdomen. ¡°I said shut up because I don¡¯t want to hear it¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± Hong Chae-yeon seemed to be showing the extremes of hysteria. But Woo Jin-hyung quickly stood up like a disciplined new recruit, standing with his hands behind his back. ¡°Haah, Woo Jin-hyung.¡± ¡°Yes, Guild Master.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll get more medicine, so increase your dosage from now on.¡± At the words to increase the dosage, Woo Jin-hyung¡¯s face darkened. ¡°But Guild Master¡­ Even now, we¡¯re barely maintaining the allowable limit they mentioned. If we increase the medicine any more, who knows what might happen¡­¡± -p! Hong Chae-yeon¡¯s palm struck Woo Jin-hyeong¡¯s cheek. ¡°Are those measly side effects important right now? If you can¡¯t even beat one Kang Hyeon, do you think you can take over Seoul?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Stop talking back and do as you¡¯re told. The Badass Guild will soon enter a C-grade dungeon. Inside there, we¡¯ll devour other guilds and strengthen our forces.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± *** Ippotrantion *** Two dayster. ¡°Mr. Kang Hyeon. It¡¯s time.¡± ¡°Has it alreadye to that?¡± Finally, the day of the raid had dawned. Kang Hyeon came down to the underground parking lot to move to the dungeon. ¡°Haa¡­¡± A sigh burst out at the same time. Seeing the noisy van that a rock band might ride in, irritation rose up. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you just buy a new one?¡± ¡°But my artistic soul is in it, I can¡¯t give up on it so easily.¡± An Yu-seong had managed to repair the van with its door smashed. In fact, the interior of the vehicle was fine, so it could be fully repaired, but Kang Hyeon, who had secretly considered this an opportunity to change the car, couldn¡¯t help but be disappointed. ¡°We¡¯ll depart now.¡± Han Jae-mun started the engine and the van with ¡®BADASS¡¯ engraved on it left the underground parking lot. ¡°Kang Hyeon. Aren¡¯t we going to name our van?¡± ¡°What are you talking about all of a sudden?¡± ¡°You call that old car you drive Bentley No. 2, don¡¯t you?¡± ¡°How can youpare that with this? Besides, my Bentley No. 2 is still running strong, you know?¡± On the way to the agreed location. Kang Hyeon and An Yu-seong spent time exchanging silly jokes. ¡°Han Jae-mun. Are we still far?¡± ¡°We¡¯ve arrived.¡± The van finally stopped at its destination. ¡°Good job. Now go.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°You need to go to the office and work, right?¡± ¡°Yes¡­¡± Han Jae-mun¡¯s lips protruded sullenly at the sudden order to leave. ¡®I want to watch too¡­¡¯ Han Jae-mun decided to park the car nearby ande back secretly to watch. ¡°Well then, shall we go?¡± Kang Hyeon checked his appearance and flung open the van¡¯s door. At the same time, camera shes began to pour in from all directions. ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± Kang Hyeon was taken aback by the unexpected tremendous wee. ¡®I was told by Team Leader Shin Tae-gil that there would be reporters, but¡­¡¯ He didn¡¯t expect this many to gather and start filming in earnest. The reporters thrust cameras and microphones at Kang Hyeon as if he were a celebrity appearing at a press conference. ¡°Please share your thoughts on participating in the C-grade dungeon raid!¡± ¡°Is it true that you cleared Daience¡®sboratory alone?!¡± ¡°Is this van your personal property?!¡± Kang Hyeon was already drawing attention with his unique guild name and sudden participation. Adding to that, showing up with such a shy van really caught everyone¡¯s eye. ¡°What¡¯s all thismotion because of you?¡± ¡°Come on, you¡¯re enjoying it too.¡± ¡°Bullshit.¡± Kang Hyeon smirked and walked along the path made by security guards. Although only three people were moving, their presence overwhelmed everyone present. ¡°Thanks to you, Mr. Kang Hyeon, I¡¯m having this kind of experience.¡± ¡°Ah, I forgot. You¡¯re an attention seeker too, right?¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m not.¡± Shin Seong-a slightly raised the corners of her mouth and walked even more confidently. Many ability users were waiting in front of the dungeon, their destination. They looked at Kang Hyeon with curious eyes as he arrived amid themotion. ¡°Are those the so-called BADASS guild or whatever?¡± ¡°What kind of ass is that?¡± ¡°Their attire is no different from some thugs.¡± ¡°Just attention seekers.¡± As these people gathered, the pressure felt from the aura they unconsciously emitted was considerable. ¡°Interesting.¡± Kang Hyeon, who calmly deflected that atmosphere, smiled with satisfaction. ¡®So these guys are supposed to be the best in our country, huh?¡¯ These were all elites at the forefront of dungeons. Kang Hyeon nodded with interest as he examined their faces. ¡°Mr. Kang Hyeon. It¡¯s been a while.¡± As Kang Hyeon stood in his designated position, a familiar face approached. ¡°Mr. Choi Dong-woo. First time since the meeting.¡± Even at this moment, cameras were moving frantically. The scene of Kang Hyeon cordially greeting Choi Dong-woo was being broadcast live to the world. -BADASS is participating with just 3 people? Ridiculous. It¡¯s not like they¡¯re going on a pic. -Look at their outfits. Leather jackets, what kind of guys are they? -Seeing that he knows Choi Dong-woo, he doesn¡¯t seem to be just a rookie? -That¡¯s unknown. Choi Dong-woo is famous for being sociable. Chats were rising at an incredible speed on the broadcasting stations that were live streaming. This reaction was the same not only domestically but also overseas. A rookie who appeared suddenly as if dropped from the sky. His appearance waspletely different from what anyrge guild had shown so far, so it couldn¡¯t help but attract attention. ¡°Nice to see you.¡± ¡°It¡¯s been a while.¡± However, as Han Se-yeon and other famous guild leaders approached Kang Hyeon to greet him following Choi Dong-woo, people¡¯s thoughts changed. -What¡¯s this? Isn¡¯t Han Se-yeon known for being picky? -Even the guild leaders of Immortal me and ck Knights are greeting him. Wow¡­ -For real, what¡¯s Kang Hyeon¡¯s identity? -Meanwhile, Han Se-yeon is pretty. -Kang Hyeon looks like some kind of gangster lol Park Ha-yeon, the guild leader of Fire Dragon, looked at that scene distastefully. ¡°Hmph, look at them all wagging their tails.¡± Park Ha-yeon could clearly see their intentions. ¡°I bet they want to recruit Kang Hyeon into their own guilds.¡± To be honest, the BADASS guild was an organization formed with 4 members, at a level that was embarrassing to even call a guild. A small group like a club that wouldn¡¯t have even been approved if it weren¡¯t for Shin Tae-gil. There¡¯s no way those hyena-like guild leaders didn¡¯t know that fact. ¡°Do they still think they can draw Kang Hyeon into their own guilds?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. Tsk tsk. Being nice to a guy like that will only bring trouble. You need to control him firmly.¡± Regardless of what Park Ha-yeon thought, it seemed clear that Kang Hyeon was the center of attention today. ¡°Ah ah. Please pay attention.¡± It was then. People¡¯s gazes turned to the voiceing from the speakers set up in front. ¡°Nice to meet you. I¡¯m Shin Tae-gil, team leader of the Special Ability User Management Team of the Republic of Korea.¡± Shin Tae-gil was standing on a high tform in front of the ability users. The ability users who didn¡¯t know him yet murmured, but Shin Tae-gil didn¡¯t bother to resolve their questions about himself. ¡°I won¡¯t make a long speech.¡± Shin Tae-gil spoke calmly, receiving the gaze of over 200 ability users. ¡°The world is watching us.¡± The world is watching. It was a phrase with many implied meanings. The ability users unconsciously tensed their shoulders. ¡°I won¡¯t tell you to sacrifice yourselves for the peace and security of the nation.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Win ande back. Come back!¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Proudly grasp wealth and honor. All of it.¡± Kang Hyeon, who heard the speech, smiled with satisfaction. ¡®Whoever wrote it, theyposed a tasty speech.¡¯ Wealth and honor. And strength too. Kang Hyeon was ready to grasp all of it. *** Ippotrantion *** ¡°Inhale~ Exhale. The air is nice.¡± Kang Hyeon took a deep breath as he entered the dungeon. C-grade dungeon ¡®Benandi¡¯s Forest¡¯ True to its name as a forest, the dungeon was overgrown with lush trees. The ability users who entered the dungeon gathered in an open space to prepare for movement. ¡°Attention for a moment!¡± People¡¯s gazes moved at the sudden booming voice. When Kang Hyeon also looked towards the source of the sound, he saw Choi Dong-woo standing on a high rock. ¡°The raid will proceed by guild units as discussed beforehand.¡± Each guild agreed to act independently. The superficial reason was that there were many obstacles to moving as a group in mountainous terrain. However, everyone knew that guild rivalries were behind this. An unprecedentedrge-scale raid. In fact, clearing the dungeon was a foregone conclusion. The real important thing was ¡®who¡¯ would clear the dungeon and raise their reputation. ¡°If a situation urs during the raid, fire a re gun.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°When you see that signal, other guilds will immediately join that location as promised.¡± The re gun was something that came up in thest meeting. It was a means devised for quickmunication in dungeons where electronic devices couldn¡¯t be used. Red re gun for crisis. Green re gun for core. Purple re gun for bosses. Each guild agreed to act independently but to immediately converge on the location if someone fired a re gun. ¡®It¡¯s a futile effort.¡¯ Kang Hyeon didn¡¯t believe in this re gun thing. ¡®What are you going to do if someone doesn¡¯t keep their promise in a dungeon that leaves no records?¡¯ The re gun was just an excuse. Kang Hyeon abandoned any expectations for it from the start. ¡°¡­ Lastly, please prioritize safety above all. That¡¯s all!¡± As the briefing ended, all guilds dispersed. ¡°Shall we go too?¡± Just as Kang Hyeon was about to move after confirming the direction other guilds were heading, Choi Dong-woo, who had approached unnoticed, spoke to him. ¡°How about moving with us, Mr. Kang Hyeon?¡± ¡°Together? Hmm¡­¡± Kang Hyeon showed a contemtive expression at the proposal to move with the ability user alliance. ¡°I¡¯m well aware of your skills. But we don¡¯t know what dangers might be in a C-grade dungeon.¡± Kang Hyeon nodded at Choi Dong-woo¡¯s words. ¡°Then is it okay if we stay together for just one day for now?¡± ¡°You¡¯re wee to stay with us until the end of the dungeon. Haha!¡± Choi Dong-wooughed heartily with a kind smile. A momentter. As Choi Dong-woo left, An Yu-seong approached. ¡°Kang Hyeon. What¡¯s this about?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t we make a guild to move on our own?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. But it¡¯s still C-grade, you know. If we make a wrong move, we might end up dying stupidly. Let¡¯s just observe for a day first.¡± ¡°How wise of you.¡± Shin Seong-a uttered ttery from the bottom of her heart. *** Ippotrantion *** Kang Hyeon, who joined the ability user union. He walked through the forest silently for a while. Just when it was getting boring with nothing happening despite the continued mountain trek, ¡°Mr. Kang Hyeon.¡± Shin Seong-a spoke to Kang Hyeon. ¡°What?¡± ¡°I have a question.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°What does BADASS mean?¡± ¡°What? You didn¡¯t know until now?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Shin Seong-a answered with a confident expression. Kang Hyeon made a dumbfounded face. ¡°Then why are you asking only now?¡± ¡°I thought you would tell us first.¡± Kang Hyeon chuckled at the absurd answer. Shin Seong-a, who was carefully observing his reaction, opened her mouth. ¡°Could it be¡­ Buttocks¡­¡± ¡°No. It¡¯s not!¡± Kang Hyeon¡¯s group continued to exchange jokes after that. Other ability users frowned at their appearance, which showed no sign of tension. ¡°What¡¯s with them?¡± ¡°Do they think the dungeon is some yground? They¡¯ve lost their senses just because the media hyped them up a bit.¡± ¡°Young punks being so arrogant¡­¡± On the surface, it seemed like they were frowning at Kang Hyeon¡¯s behavior, but that wasn¡¯t actually the case. It was just that theirtent displeasure towards Kang Hyeon was being expressed outwardly. A new guild. A suddenly rising super rookie. A somewhat yful guild name. ¡°It¡¯s a shame that such a guy is beingpared to our union leader.¡± Yet his status was so high that he was mentioned alongside Choi Dong-woo and Han Se-yeon. From others standpoint, there was nothing to like about it. ¡°Don¡¯t mind them.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not minding them?¡± ¡°Then why are you taking out your mace?¡± Of course, Kang Hyeon didn¡¯t like hearing the whispers either. But he decided to think of it lightly. ¡®I¡¯ll crush them with skill.¡¯ He decided to be the best so that no one could ignore him. These petty reactions. He was confident he could smash them with one disy of skill. -Pooo! ¡°Enemy!¡± Kang Hyeon grinned at the shouting from the front. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Hope you enjoyed the chapter! If you would like to support me or read up to 20 chapters ahead, you can do so via Buymeacoffee OR by unlocking chapters. Schedule: [Sun ¨C Thur] Anyway¡­ Happy Reading!!! Please rate the series here. Chapter 48 Chapter 48 ¨C Forest of Benandi (2) -Pooo! The sound of horns ring from all directions assaulted their ears chaotically. ¡°It¡¯s a trap! Get ready!¡± At Choi Dong-woo¡¯s shout, the union members quickly formed ranks. -Phhh. ¡°Arrows! Deploy defense wall!¡± As soon as the order was given, blue magic shields rose into the air. -Kaaang! Arrows and magic kept flying in. The union members silently endured the attack that was like a bombardment. ¡°How long is this going to continue?!¡± With someone¡¯s cry, the rain of arrows that seemed tost forever ceased. ¡°Keurk!¡± And the identity of the appearing creatures. [Goblin Light Infantry] Goblins wearing full body armor camouged to suit the forest poured out from all directions. ¡°Kurururu¡­!¡± ¡°These aren¡¯t ordinary goblins. Everyone be careful!¡± The goblins were different from any monsters they had faced so far. Realizing that the surprise attack hadn¡¯t worked, they immediately formed ranks. With movements like well-trained soldiers, they slowly pressured the union members. ¡°Damn it! These no bodies!¡± While the strength of each individual wasn¡¯t that great, when grouped together they showed power beyond their original capabilities. ¡®What are you doing, getting pushed around by mere goblins?¡¯ Kang Hyeon, who had been watching silently, activated all his buff skills. ¡®I¡¯ll break through to the center in one go.¡¯ After all, these creatures wouldn¡¯t be worth a fist if fought individually. ¡°I¡¯m going in first.¡± Kang Hyeon, who leapt from his position, jumped right into the middle of the goblins. ¡°Are you crazy? What are you doing?!¡± ¡°Leave him be! Focus on defense.¡± The union members were shocked at Kang Hyeon¡¯s suicidal act of jumping into enemy lines alone. ¡°All goblins must die!¡± Kang Hyeon shouted, filled with emotion. [Roar of the Enraged Lion has been activated] [The morale and stats of all enemies have decreased] ¡°Keurk?!¡± The goblins were bewildered by the thunderous sound that was like lightning striking. ¡°Magic Explosion, Magic Explosion!¡± -Kwaboom! Boom! Boom! Kang Hyeon, who had entered among the goblins, fired Magic Explosions in all directions. The impact caused dust to scatter, obscuring visibility for a moment. -Screech! Even in the dusty environment where nothing could be seen, Kang Hyeon moved without hesitation. Kang Hyeon, rampaging in all directions and ughtering goblins. Everything caught by his sword was sliced, torn, and smashed. ¡°Kieeek!¡± At that moment, a goblin behind Kang Hyeon swung a long sword. Kang Hyeon noticed it but paid no attention. -Thuk! The goblin¡¯s sword struck precisely between Kang Hyeon¡¯s armor. However, instead of cutting the skin, it made a dull sound like hitting a drum. ¡°Keurk..?¡± ¡°That hurts, you bastard!¡± Kang Hyeon grabbed the goblin¡¯s head and mmed it into the ground. -Crunch! The creature¡¯s head that hit the ground was instantly shattered. Attack. Attack. Attack. That was all that filled Kang Hyeon¡¯s mind. ¡®I can just take most attacks with my body.¡¯ Kang Hyeon¡¯s health, using ¡®Wayne¡¯s Secret Technique¡¯, reaches a whopping 47. On top of that, he further protected his skin with ¡®Entria¡¯s Outer Shell¡¯. ¡®Instead of dodging and blocking, it¡¯s more beneficial to swing the sword one more time.¡¯ In less than a minute after Kang Hyeon jumped in, dozens of goblins fell to the ground. ¡°I¡¯m going in too!¡± Seeing a gap form in the goblin formation, An Yu-seong also flew in. ¡°Hahaha! Goblins are surprisingly satisfying to hit!¡± The goblin¡¯s body that was hit by the swinging mace burst open. The crude armor the creature wore was no match for An Yu-seong¡¯s mace studded with huge nails. ¡°Keurk, keurk!¡± ¡°Keeeek¡­¡± Seeing theirrades die without being able to do anything, the goblins began to waver. ¡°Keek! Keek, kururuk!¡± At that moment, a goblin with a headrger than the others let out a strange cry. The creature, with a height of nearly 2m despite being a goblin, urged on its subordinates. -Phhh! ¡°Ke, keek¡­¡± However, pierced in the neck by an arrow that flew from somewhere, it fell to the ground helplessly. ¡°Nice!¡± Shin Seong-a¡¯s sniping continued after that. She quickly moved around the battlefield, taking out high-priority targets. ¡°Now¡¯s the time! Push forward!¡± Finally, as the goblin formationpletely copsed, Choi Dong-woo ordered a charge. Unable to even think of resisting against that momentum, the creatures turned their backs and fled. ¡°We won!¡± ¡°Waaaah!¡± The union members cheered at their unexpectedly easy first victory. ¡°What¡¯s with those Badass guys or whatever? They¡¯re amazing!¡± ¡°Well, they¡¯re pretty good¡­¡± ¡°The rumors weren¡¯t exaggerated.¡± The union members changed their attitude as if they had never badmouthed them before, and were busy praising them. ¡®I already knew Kang Hyeon was extraordinary, but the rest aren¡¯t to be underestimated either.¡¯ Choi Dong-woo fell into thought while cleaning up the battlefield. ¡®Even if they were goblins, they weren¡¯t opponents to be defeated this easily.¡¯ They were strategic opponents with a certain system. Even though they were goblins, they couldn¡¯t help but be threatening. ¡°Huh huh¡­¡± After pondering for a moment, Choi Dong-woo could onlyugh helplessly. *** Ippotrantion *** After that, the Badass Guild continued to ughter their enemies mercilessly. Whether it was Orcs or Ogres, the opponent didn¡¯t matter. Like people living only for today with a terminal illness, they just jumped into the midst of enemies. ¡°Those Badass guys were incredible today.¡± ¡°Incredible? They werepletely insane.¡± ¡°So, can we do like them?¡± The Union members now fully acknowledged Badass. It was natural since there was no one who hadn¡¯t received their help in the continuous battles. ¡°Good work everyone. Now let¡¯s start preparing for the camp!¡± As time passed, an unfamiliar red moon was rising in the sky. Before it got darker, Choi Dong-woo ordered to set up camp. ¡°Let¡¯s conquer this in one go!¡± The union members gathered and lit a campfire. As they chatted and ate, their expressions showed morefort than fatigue. ¡°Let¡¯s eat.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Kang Hyeon was also sitting with his group, having a meal. ¡°May I join you for dinner?¡± Choi Dong-woo approached with a bowl of soup. ¡°Yes. As you like.¡± At Kang Hyeon¡¯s words, Choi Dong-woo sat nearby. Kang Hyeon cleared his throat awkwardly in the ufortable atmosphere. ¡®Come to think of it, we¡¯ve never talked like this, just the two of us.¡¯ He hadn¡¯t realized the strange sense of familiarity until now. This moment could be considered their first real conversation. ¡°Um, Mr. Choi Dong-woo¡­¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Ah, should I call you union Leader?¡± ¡°Call me whatever you¡¯refortable with.¡± Kang Hyeon nodded at Choi Dong-woo¡¯s words. ¡°Then I¡¯ll just call you Dong-woo.¡± Choi Dong-wooughed heartily, pleased at Kang Hyeon¡¯s direct words. ¡°Or since we¡¯ve met like this, how about we speakfortably as older brother and younger?¡± ¡°That¡¯s fine with me.¡± As they started speaking morefortably, the atmosphere quickly loosened up. After a moment of watching the campfire and eating soup, Choi Dong-woo spoke. ¡°I was really surprised watching you guys fight today.¡± A straightforward and in statement. Choi Dong-woo finally brought up the reason he came to Kang Hyeon. ¡°It was a fight that destroyed mymon sense.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°You¡¯ve been through the tutorial too, so you know? The part about leadership.¡± Tutorial stage 4. Leadership. It wasn¡¯t particrly a good memory for Kang Hyeon. It was clearly a stage of great growth, but it was also a difficult one. ¡°Yes. It¡¯s where we learn about cooperation and leadership.¡± ¡°Right. It¡¯s the stage where I learned the most.¡± ¡°I thought you were involved inbat-rted work even before the dungeon,older brother .¡± Even at the ability user education school, they imitate Choi Dong-woo¡¯s tactics. That¡¯s how excellent hismand and mercenary skills were. ¡°Actually, I was a soldier before.¡± ¡°I see.¡± A man whose individualbat ability was top-ss, but whose ability to lead people was even more outstanding. That¡¯s what brought him to the position of union Leader. ¡°The moment I first saw yourbat, I felt like I¡¯d been hit on the head.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°You guyspletely denied everything I had learned and practiced until now.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°That boldness! That freedom! That purity! Honestly, I was envious. If I could, I¡¯d like to join you, Kang Hyeon, and learn your secrets.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a bit much¡­ haha¡­¡± Choi Dong-woo seemed a bit excited. Kang Hyeonughed, embarrassed by his sincere words. ¡®What secrets? We just don¡¯t care¡­¡¯ Kang Hyeon revives even if he dies, and An Yu-seong is a madman. ¡®And a talented madman at that.¡¯ That¡¯s all there is to it. That was the reality of their secret. ¡°I¡¯m grateful you say that.¡± ¡°But of course, that wouldn¡¯t work.¡± ¡°Yes. A bit¡­¡± Kang Hyeon, rolling his eyes around, hurriedly changed the subject. ¡°Actually, I¡¯ve been really impressed watching you too, older brother.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t need to tter me like that.¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s the truth. Really.¡± Although it was sudden, it was an honest impression. Kang Hyeon was truly impressed by Choi Dong-woo¡¯sbat. ¡®One-on-one might be different¡­ but his mercenary skills are really iparable.¡¯ From the start, Kang Hyeon thought himself to be far from leadership. That was evident just from the violence and oppression-filled Tutorial Stage 4. ¡°cing ability users in the right positions, and calmly responding to any situation.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°It might look easy, but not everyone can do it.¡± Choi Dong-woo¡¯smand focused on just two simple things. Efficiency. And safety. ¡°If I hadmanded the union members, a third of them would already be lying on the ground.¡± ¡°Haha! Don¡¯t exaggerate too much. Anyway, I came to say I look forward to working with you in the future.¡± ¡°I¡¯m always wee.¡± ¡°Good. You¡¯re really a great man!¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°I like you more and more! Haha!¡± ¡°I prefer women.¡± ¡°¡­¡± The conversation between the two, who quickly became close, continued untilte into the night. *** Ippotrantion *** ¡°Aaagh! Help me!¡± Kang Hyeon quickly swung his sword towards the direction of the scream. At that momentum, the Orc who was swinging its sword growled and retreated. ¡°Thank you!¡± The next day. The raiding party advanced towards an even deeper area. As they did, the jungle became denser and the enemies grew stronger. Even Kang Hyeon, who had been rampaging freely on the first day, now couldn¡¯t help but be serious. ¡°Shin Seong-a!¡± As Kang Hyeon shouted, he rushed forward. Then, from a distance came the sound of a bowstring being released, -Swish! An arrow that barely grazed Kang Hyeon¡¯s side pierced through the Orc¡¯s arm. ¡°Kuek!¡± A moment of hesitation due to pain. It was less than a second, a fleeting moment, but it was enough. -sh The Orc¡¯s head was cleanly cut off by Bilgein¡¯s longsword. Kang Hyeon was already running towards another Orc before its head even hit the ground. ¡°Is there really no end to this?!¡± The number of those creatures was increasing as time passed. ¡®I need to conserve my magic.¡¯ Magic is the first thing to run out when Kang Hyeon engages in long battles. That¡¯s why Kang Hyeon didn¡¯t use ¡®Wayne¡¯s Secret Technique¡¯ or ¡®Giant¡¯s Strength¡¯, and moved only with his pure innate abilities. ¡°Not much left. Hang in there!¡± ¡°Yes!¡± The union members who were forming a formation responded vigorously to Choi Dong-woo¡¯s shout. ¡°Quieek!¡± The Orcs pushed against the union members while making horrible noises. However, the firmly established formation didn¡¯t waver under any attack. Eventually, the creatures gradually tired out and one by one knelt before the thick defensive wall. ¡°Quiee¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s over.¡± Finally, Kang Hyeon cut off thest Orc¡¯s neck. ¡°Woohoo! We won again!¡± ¡°It¡¯s aplete victory this time too!¡± The union members cheered at the victory in battle and the joy of having survived. ¡°Brother Dong-woo.¡± When everyone was cleaning up after the battle, Kang Hyeon approached Choi Dong-woo. ¡°Don¡¯t you think this dungeon is a bit strange no matter how you look at it?¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°It¡¯s too easy, isn¡¯t it?¡± Choi Dong-woo¡¯s brow furrowed at Kang Hyeon¡¯s sudden words. ¡°The dungeon is easy¡­¡± ¡°No one has died so far, right?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Thinking about it carefully, there was definitely something strange. ¡°You¡¯re right. Even for the entrance of a dungeon, the difficulty level seems low.¡± ¡°Right?¡± ¡°At this level, it¡¯s more like an upper D-rank dungeon.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± After pondering for a moment, Choi Dong-woo continued. ¡°Anyway, we can¡¯t let our guard down.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Maybe this dungeon itself is ranked low among C-rank dungeons, or there might be a really strong boss.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true.¡± The difficulty of a dungeon is determinedprehensively. Various geographical factors. The number and power of monsters. The power of the boss. If one aspect iscking, the others must be correspondingly higher to match the grade. ¡°So, I was thinking¡­ maybe it¡¯s okay for us to move separately now.¡± ¡°Huh? Why so suddenly?¡± Choi Dong-woo¡¯s expression quickly darkened at Kang Hyeon¡¯s words about leaving. ¡°It¡¯s because of ¡®that¡¯, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Yes. I need to teach Park Ho-yeon a lesson.¡± ¡°Do you really have to make a bet?¡± ¡°He scratched my pride like that, I can¡¯t just leave it be. I¡¯ve already set things in motion.¡± The sudden mention of Park Ho-yeon, the guild master of Fire Dragon, from Kang Hyeon¡¯s mouth. The reason for this goes back to the day before. It traces back to right after they entered the dungeon. Chapter 49 Chapter 49 ¨C Forest of Benandi (3) Right after entering the dungeon. Park Ho-yeon led the Fire Dragon Guild and came to find Kang Hyeon. ¡°Kang Hyeon.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± The Fire Dragon Guild participated in this raid with thergest number of members. That number was as many as 80 people. Perhaps believing in the solid number standing behind him, Park Ho-yeon looked even more confident. ¡°You¡¯re still as insolent as ever.¡± ¡°And you¡¯re still as unpleasant as ever.¡± ¡°You and those thugs of yours. What do you think you can do with just the three of you?¡± As Park Ho-yeon¡¯s provocation continued, Kang Hyeon¡¯s expression gradually became grim. Nevertheless, Park Ho-yeon openly looked down on Kang Hyeon and smiled coldly. ¡°You guys are of no help at all in this dungeon raid.¡± ¡°How would you know that?¡± ¡°I know well. I know what kind of ideology insignificant specimens like you live by.¡± ¡°You bastard, did youe here to pick a fight?¡± Finally, harsh words burst out of Kang Hyeon¡¯s mouth. ¡°Being of low birth, yournguage is crude too.¡± ¡°Shut up! What do you want?!¡± As Kang Hyeon got excited, Park Ho-yeon gestured for him to calm down while keeping his distance. ¡°Whoa, whoa, calm down.¡± ¡°If you wanted me to calm down, you shouldn¡¯t havee to find me suddenly and acted like a jerk.¡± ¡°If you¡¯re so upset, how about making a bet with me?¡± ¡°What¡­?¡± ¡°Let¡¯spete to see who can make a bigger contribution to clearing the dungeon.¡± Kang Hyeon fell into thought at the sudden proposition of a bet. ¡°What kind of bet is it?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it obvious?¡± All the raid parties had gathered around Kang Hyeon and Park Ho-yeon by now. Looking around at them, Park Ho-yeon continued speaking. ¡°Who can defeat the boss and clear the dungeon first.¡± It was truly an arrogant statement. A dungeon clearing bet. In other words, it meant that he would clear the dungeon ahead of the other guilds here. At this tant disregard for others, the expressions of the people gathered there twisted. ¡®It¡¯s the Fire Dragon Guild that I¡¯ve built. There¡¯s no way we can¡¯t do it.¡¯ But Park Ho-yeon didn¡¯t care. ¡®Did you think you¡¯d be so great forever?¡¯ In fact, Park Ho-yeon harbored an inferiorityplex towards the other guild leaders. ¡®Just passing the tutorial with a high score is nothing.¡¯ Park Ho-yeon had only cleared up to the 4th level of the tutorial. Although he was known as the ¡®me Emperor¡¯ and was a renowned me ability user, that inferiorityplex never disappeared. What he chose to ovee thisplex was to grow his guild. ¡®I am the guild, and the guild is me.¡¯ Finally, he had grown the Fire Dragon Guild to be the best in South Korea. Now the guild was just like himself. ¡°Hey.¡± Park Ho-yeon snapped out of his thoughts at Kang Hyeon¡¯s sudden call. ¡°You¡¯ve got some nerve. Youe here with a mob and all you have to say is you want to have a dungeon clearing bet with just three people?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a guild versus guild fight.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°The number of guild members is ultimately the strength of the guild. Is there a problem?¡± Park Ho-yeon looked as if he really didn¡¯t see what the problem was. ¡®Is he serious? This guy¡¯s a nutcase.¡¯ Swallowing a derisiveugh, Kang Hyeon continued. ¡°Ha! Interesting. So what will you give me if I win?¡± ¡°It won¡¯t happen, but if by chance you win, I¡¯ll give you this.¡± Name: Easter Egg Grade: ? Durability: 10/10 Description: An Easter egg created by someone who likes pranks. Activates when destroyed. Ability: ? ¡°You should know what this is, right?¡± ¡°What is this¡­?¡± Despite his calm words, Kang Hyeon¡¯s eyes shook slightly. ¡®This is definitely an item rted to the Administrator.¡¯ A heavy sphere about the size of a fist. ¡®Someone who likes pranks¡¯ was clearly referring to the Administrator who created this dungeon and system. ¡®But Park Ho-yeon didn¡¯t graduate from the tutorial¡­ How does he know about this?¡¯ Kang Hyeon¡¯s concerns were resolved by Park Ho-yeon¡¯s following words. ¡°Don¡¯t y dumb. I know that you¡¯ve already joined the Special Ability User Management Team.¡± Special Ability User Management Team. Team Leader Shin Tae-gil had exined about the Administrator there. Kang Hyeon already knew about the Administrator, but he pretended not to know and listened for a while. ¡®So this guy was also part of that¡­¡¯ Having grasped the situation, Kang Hyeon nodded. ¡°Wow! You! You¡¯re quite sharp, aren¡¯t you!? Hahaha¡­¡± ¡°Hmph.¡± And then came some bad acting. ¡°Anyway, you¡¯re betting that. Good. Then what should I bet?¡± ¡°If you lose, join the Fire Dragon Guild for a day.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ And?¡± ¡°That¡¯s all. But during that time, you must thoroughly act as a guild member and follow my orders. I¡¯ll treat you as a guild member too.¡± The conditions were not as bad as expected. Despite the uncertain value of that ¡®Easter Egg¡¯ item, it seemed like a gamble worth taking. ¡°So, do we have a deal?¡± ¡°Yeah. I¡¯m already excited thinking about getting that Easter Egg.¡± ¡°Haha! Well, we¡¯ll see about that. Then everyone here is a witness.¡± Park Ho-yeon said, looking at the ability users filling the surroundings. ¡°I don¡¯t go back on my word, you bastard.¡± Kang Hyeon responded with a bright smile. *** Ippotrantion *** For a moment, Kang Hyeon recalled an item and smiled contentedly. ¡°But will it really be okay?¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°The Fire Dragon Guild is a huge guild. It won¡¯t be easy to win against them¡­ No, clearing this dungeon with just three people itself is unreasonable.¡± ¡°I have something in mind for that.¡± Kang Hyeon¡¯s words were filled with confidence. Choi Dong-woo reluctantly nodded. ¡°I don¡¯t think you¡¯ll fail, but always be careful.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°As you expected, little brother Kang Hyeon, the re gun is just a formality. It won¡¯t be of any use.¡± Among those participating in this raid, no one thought they would fail to clear the dungeon. And they had no intention of sharing the achievements with other guilds. ¡°If the dungeon difficulty remains low like now, it¡¯s even more certain.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Some might even hope forpeting guilds to fail.¡± ¡°Yes. I¡¯m anticipating that too.¡± ¡°Always be careful. If a crisis urs, fire all three re guns at once. No matter how far I am, I¡¯lle running.¡± ¡°Thank you for saying that, at least.¡± ¡°I mean it. Hahaha!¡± With that final greeting to Choi Dong-woo, the Badass Guild parted ways with the Ability User Union. *** Ippotrantion *** ¡°How many times does this make?!¡± Park Ho-yeon, the guild master of Fire Dragon Guild. Unlike his usualposed and arrogant self, he was extremely agitated. ¡°Huff¡­ How many casualties this time?¡± ¡°Two dead, three severely injured. We¡¯ve healed them enough to keep them alive for now, but it will take time before they can participate in battle again.¡± ¡°Damn it! Damn it! Aaaaargh!!!¡± Park Ho-yeon felt like his blood was drying up day by day. ¡°Because of those rat bastards¡­¡± For the first two days, they hunted with great enthusiasm. Contrary to expectations, the monsters¡¯ level wasn¡¯t that high. The only difficulty for the Fire Dragon Guild in ughtering enemies was the rugged mountain terrain. But on the third day, the situation changed. ¡°Who would have thought that ¡®Benandi¡¯ was the name of a species¡­¡± C-rank dungeon, Forest of Benandi. Here, ¡®Benandi¡¯ wasn¡¯t just a simple boss monster as everyone had expected. Benandi was the name of the species that could be called the masters of the mountain range. ¡°Thosenky bastards. If I catch them, I¡¯ll roast them all alive!¡± The Benandi were about 2m tall and primarily used bows as weapons. They blended into the forest as if they were part of it, and thoroughly engaged in guerri warfare. Sniping with bows. Traps using terrain features. They even lured other monsters to provoke chaotic battles. The arrows that asionally flew during these battles were infused with magic power and were extremely lethal. ¡°What should we do?¡± ¡°Finding and destroying their base seems to be the only solution.¡± At the vice guild master¡¯s words, Park Ho-yeon struck his staff. ¡°Do you think I¡¯m asking because I don¡¯t know that?!¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­¡± ¡°At this rate, it¡¯s do or die.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°If we keep losing guild members like this, we¡¯ll end up annihted!¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°We might as well burn down the entire forest so they have nowhere to hide.¡± The vice guild master¡¯s eyes widened at Park Ho-yeon¡¯s words. ¡°But Guild Master! If we do that, we could be in danger too. Rather than that, perhaps we should ask other guilds for help¡­¡± ¡°Do you really think they¡¯lle if we fire those useless re guns?¡± Park Ho-yeon¡¯s anger rose at the naive vice guild master¡¯s nonsense. ¡°Even if theye, what¡¯s the point? We¡¯ll end up following behind them, being looked down upon.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Then the guild¡¯s honor is finished! Clearing rewards? Ha, it¡¯s obvious we won¡¯t even get a glimpse!¡± Despite people dying, Park Ho-yeon only talked about honor and rewards. ¡®Is that what¡¯s important in this situation?!¡¯ The vice guild master was on the verge of cursing but ultimately said nothing. ¡°Get the guild mages ready. The wind is blowing towards them now, this is our chance. We¡¯ll end this in one go.¡± ¡°Understood¡­¡± Kang Hyeon, who parted ways with Choi Dong-woo. Unlike usual, he showed a cautious appearance and slowly advanced through the forest. ¡°There¡¯s still quite a distance to the core. Let¡¯s conserve energy since we don¡¯t know what might happen.¡± *** Ippotrantion *** The densely vegetated mountain range demanded considerable energy expenditure just from walking. Kang Hyeon felt that the core wasn¡¯t a distance reachable in a day or two, so he decided to advance steadily. ¡°Mr. Kang Hyeon. Wouldn¡¯t it be better to move a little faster, just in case?¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine, don¡¯t worry.¡± Kang Hyeon shook his head at Shin Seong-a¡¯s question. ¡°There¡¯s almost no chance that the fire dragon, who doesn¡¯t know the core¡¯s location, will arrive faster than us anyway.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s right to move as carefully as possible, even if we¡¯re a bitte. Shouldn¡¯t we have some energy left when we reach the core for what we need to do?¡± ¡°I understand.¡± Shin Seong-a nodded, convinced by Kang Hyeon¡¯s exnation. ¡°So, let¡¯s do some reconnaissance.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°You¡¯re the expert in that area, right? I n to move while avoiding monsters as much as possible, but just in case.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go with you quickly scouting our direction of progress and us following behind.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry. It¡¯ll be tiring, but it¡¯s better than continuousbat.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± Shin Seong-a was specialized in stealth, reconnaissance, mobility, and sniping. As such, she had often taken on roles like this, so she didn¡¯t particrly mind. ¡°Let¡¯s move slowly.¡± Kang Hyeon and An Yu-seong slowly walked along the path Shin Seong-a had passed. ¡°Brother.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Are you nning to go all the way to the core like this?¡± ¡°That would be best.¡± ¡°Tsk. It¡¯s going to be boring.¡± ¡°Even so, it¡¯s not that far in a straight course. We¡¯ll probably arrive in about 3 or 4 days.¡± ¡°You¡¯re saying we just keep walking the whole time.¡± ¡°What, do you want the three of us to fight an army of monsters instead?¡± ¡°That doesn¡¯t sound bad either.¡± Kang Hyeon frowned at An Yu-seong¡¯s response. ¡°You crazy bastard. If you want to die, die alone.¡± After that, it was a repetition of the same pattern. Kang Hyeon detects the monsters¡¯ magical energy in advance to determine a safe route. Shin Seong-a checks that route to see if Kang Hyeon missed anything. They walk like this all day, then sleep, and start walking again the next morning. ¡°Phew¡­ Another day of mountain climbing. Climbing. Climbing!¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong with mountain climbing? Enjoy it, man.¡± ¡°Usually, at times like this, something suddenly happens with a bang!¡± ¡°Are you trying to jinx us?¡± It was when Kang Hyeon and An Yu-seong were exchanging jokes to alleviate the tedious mountain journey. ¡°Kekeke. It¡¯s here.¡± Suddenly, An Yu-seong let out augh. ¡°What?¡± Kang Hyeon looked around, feeling a sudden rush of anxiety. ¡®I can¡¯t really sense any magical energy¡­¡¯ ¡°Mr. Kang Hyeon!¡± ¡°What is it?¡± Shin Seong-a, who had been out scouting ahead, came running back breathlessly. ¡°Huff, huff! Enemies!¡± At the same time, unfamiliar monsters appeared between them. ¡°Sigh¡­ This is because of you.¡± ¡°What did I do?¡± ¡°This situation is happening because you kept spouting unlucky words!¡± An Yu-seong ignored Kang Hyeon¡¯s irritation with a slight smile. [Benandi Scout] Kang Hyeon suppressed a groan as he saw the name floating above their heads. ¡°To think Benandi was actually a species name.¡± Everyone¡¯s guess that it might have been a boss monster or ce name was spectacrly wrong. ¡®For now, are they bipedal monsters? Long limbs¡­ And they don¡¯t seem to have particrly developed muscles.¡¯ Their impressive height of over 2m and skin blending forest green and brown colors were striking. ¡°Haak!¡± ¡°Hyaak!¡± The creatures that appeared kept making ¡®haak¡¯ sounds at Kang Hyeon. ¡°Brother. It seems like they¡¯re trying to say something.¡± ¡°Haaak!¡± ¡°To me, it just sounds like growling?¡± But on closer inspection, as An Yu-seong said, it did seem like they were trying tomunicate something. The fact that they weren¡¯t approaching and kept going ¡®Haak! Haak!¡¯ clearly indicated they were attempting some form ofmunication. ¡°My intuition tells me they¡¯re saying ¨C ¡®If youe any further, we won¡¯t leave you alone.¡¯¡± ¡°What kind of intuition has telepathy? That¡¯s nonsense.¡± ¡°It¡¯s true though.¡± An Yu-seong¡¯s expression was serious. ¡°Well, that¡¯s a convenient ability¡­¡± In truth, it didn¡¯t matter what they were saying. Kang Hyeon had to pass through this path to advance towards the core anyway. ¡°Don¡¯t let your guard down, we¡¯ll strike simultaneously when I count to three.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± An Yu-seong and Shin Seong-a nodded at Kang Hyeon¡¯s words. ¡°One, two, three!¡± -Swoosh! The group,unching from their positions exactly on three, rushed towards the creatures at full speed. ¡°Haaak!¡± Then the creatures turned their backs and started to flee. With tremendous speed and agile movements, they climbed up the trees and quickly disappeared from sight. ¡°What the¡­?¡± Chapter 50 Chapter 50 ¨C The Weight of Death (1) What is guerri warfare? After spending a day mingling with those creatures, Kang Hyeon felt like he could write a whole book about guerri warfare. -Whoosh! ¡°Again?!¡± Sniping with a bow. These arrows, flying in just when you start to forget about them, packed considerable power and couldn¡¯t be ignored. ¡°Urgh?!¡± Traps scattered everywhere. As if knowing that Kang Hyeon¡¯s route was the core, they had set up traps at every path. No matter how tough Kang Hyeon¡¯s body was, he couldn¡¯t help but feel his nerves sharpening. -Thud thud thud thud! ¡°They¡¯reing! Get ready!¡± Lastly, luringrge groups of monsters. Somehow, they managed to lead a horde of monsters to appear. Dozens of monsters with arrows stuck in their bodies rushed madly towards Kang Hyeon¡¯s location. ¡°Haah¡­¡± Besides these three tactics, they attacked the group relentlessly day and night, constantly draining their strength and grating on their nerves. ¡°Argh! Let us sleep! You bastards!¡± Kang Hyeon wasn¡¯t just taking it lying down. He had activated all his buffs and hunted them with full force at times. But capturing even one Benandi consumed too much energy. ¡°I¡¯m clearly faster than them¡­ But I can¡¯t chase them easily.¡± As the name ¡®Benandi¡¯s Forest¡¯ suggested, this ce waspletely their territory. The creatures leaping between trees as if it were their home were each like ninjas from a cartoon. In the end, even giving it his all only resulted in catching one at most. That alone wasn¡¯t enough to resolve this situation. -Whoosh! Another arrow flew in from somewhere. Kang Hyeon quickly turned his head to dodge the arrow, but he couldn¡¯t avoid getting the tip of his ear slightly cut. ¡°This won¡¯t end like this.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°If we keep going like this, we¡¯ll run out of energy before reaching the core. Then it¡¯s over.¡± ¡°How about we just ignore them and rush straight to the core?¡± Kang Hyeon shook his head at Shin Seong-a¡¯s suggestion. ¡°We¡¯re still quite far from the core. And that method is too dangerous.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s not a strategy we can attempt on our own, especially in our current weakened state. Maybe if we had someone else¡­¡± At that moment, An Yu-seong quietly raised his hand. ¡°Kang Hyeon.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°How about we try taking a hostage?¡± ¡°A hostage?!¡± Suddenly, Kang Hyeon¡¯s mind sparked. ¡®It¡¯s the kind of idea only someone like An Yu-seong woulde up with, but¡­¡¯ It seemed quite usible. In fact, Kang Hyeon was ready to sell his soul to the devil if it meant getting rid of these creatures. ¡°Alright. Let¡¯s do it!¡± *** Ippotrantion *** Failure! The creatures didn¡¯t care at all whether theirrade was captured or not. No, rather, they attacked even more fiercely as if seeking revenge. ¡°Haah¡­ I¡¯m the fool for believing in you.¡± ¡°You said it was a good idea earlier.¡± Kang Hyeon roughly ran his hand through his hair, feeling the rising stress. ¡°I¡¯m tired.¡± The life-or-death game of tag continued. Moreover, as they felt themselves getting closer to the core, the creatures¡¯ harassment became even more persistent. ¡°What haven¡¯t we tried yet?¡±. Meanwhile, the group had been constantly trying to ovee this obstacle. ¡°We¡¯ve already tried everything I had in mind.¡± Shin Seong-a listed the ns they had executed so far. n 1: Annihtion ¡ú Failure n 2: Hostage ¡ú Failure n 3: Torture ¡ú Failure n 4: Containment ¡ú Failure ¡°This failed, that failed, failure, failure¡­¡± ¡°Stop, stop! I get it, so stop!¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Kang Hyeon, with dark circles under his eyes, threw a hysterical fit. ¡°Can¡¯t you just go ¡®whoosh¡¯ with your bow?¡± ¡°In this terrain, the use of a bow is limited.¡± ¡°But they shoot just fine!¡± ¡°My situation is different from theirs.¡± Kang Hyeon knew this too. It was nonsensical to think of hitting enemies who were hiding and sniping with a bow. He had just said it out of frustration, wanting to do something, anything. ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­ You must be more tired than me.¡± While Kang Hyeon¡¯s fatigue was lessened due to his physical regeneration, An Yu-seong and Shin Seong-a were holding on by sheer willpower alone. Especially Shin Seong-a, who had also been doing reconnaissance, it was a wonder she hadn¡¯t copsed already. ¡°Argh! I¡¯m going crazy!¡± Kang Hyeon shouted in frustration at the situation where no solution seemed in sight. ¡°The sun is starting to rise.¡± ¡°Haah¡­¡± The rising sun in the distance began to illuminate Kang Hyeon¡¯s face. The dark circles under his eyes seemed particrly prominent. -Boom! That¡¯s when it happened. A faint explosion was heard from afar. Looking up at the sky, they saw a red re illuminating the dawn twilight. ¡°It¡¯s a distress signal!¡± There was no time to hesitate. If they stayed like this, they might die of overwork before reaching the main core. ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± Kang Hyeon immediately grabbed his belongings and ran. ¡®Whatever happens, it can¡¯t be worse than our current situation.¡¯ *** Ippotrantion *** Screams wereing from all directions. -Bang! ¡°Vice Guild Master, I¡¯ve fired the re!¡± Han Si-hwan nodded upon seeing the red light. ¡°Hold on a little longer! Support from other guilds will arrive soon!¡± Han Si-hwan, the Vice Guild Master of the Guardian Guild. Due to the absence of Guild Master Park Se-hyeon, he reluctantly took charge of this raid party. ¡®Damn it! If only the Guild Master were here at a time like this¡­¡¯ At thest meeting, Guild Master Park Se-hyeon, who had transformed into a monster, eventually couldn¡¯t regain his senses. And he died. The absence of the strong and charismatic Park Se-hyeon was felt even more acutely now that their lives were in danger. ¡°Aaargh! Help me!¡± A scream came from somewhere. Turning his gaze, he saw another guild member being impaled by a monster¡¯s hand. ¡°Don¡¯t give up! Just hold on a little longer!¡± Han Si-hwan encouraged the guild members. Nevertheless, there was no hope to be found on their faces. Everyone was bloodied and exhausted. They looked like they could copse from fatigue at any moment, but the swarming monsters gave them no respite. ¡°Kyaaaak!¡± ¡°Keeek!¡± The endlessly appearing monsters looked like an army of ants. Han Si-hwan wondered where in this mountain range so many monsters had been hiding. ¡®Damn bastards¡­¡¯ Originally, the situation wouldn¡¯t have deteriorated this badly. But when Park Se-hyeon died, the guild executives all bared their teeth, and eventually, the guild was on the verge of splitting into several factions. -We will proceed with the C-rank dungeon raid as scheduled! Han Si-hwan, who couldn¡¯t ascend to the position of Guild Master due to opposition from other executives. He led this raid party to rebuild the crumbling guild and gain recognition as the Guild Master. ¡°It was just my greed after all.¡± The raid had failed. ¡°Maybe I never had what it takes to be a Guild Master in the first ce.¡± Guilt weighed heavily on his shoulders. He felt as if he had driven innocent guild members to their deaths. ¡°By now, those bastards must be celebrating.¡± His teeth clenched at the thought of the executives back at the guild who were probably hoping for his death. -Thud, thud!. Suddenly, Han Si-hwan¡¯s head turned at the sound of the earth shaking. In the distance, he could see three Ogres emerging from the forest. ¡°Right. They¡¯re really driving the nail in¡­ Hahaha!¡± The already exhausted guild members couldn¡¯t stop them. ¡°O-Ogres!¡± ¡°Shit! We can¡¯t die like this!¡± ¡°Where are you going! Don¡¯t break formation!¡± Watching this, Han Si-hwan gave up on everything. As Han Si-hwan lowered his sword to the ground, a guild member ran up to him. ¡°Vice Guild Master, what are you doing? If this continues, we¡¯ll be wiped out!¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Please lead the guild members! If we hold out a little longer, support from other guilds will¡­¡± ¡°There is no support.¡± ¡°Pardon¡­?¡± ¡°I said there is no support.¡± The guild member¡¯s face contorted in confusion at Han Si-hwan¡¯s words. ¡°Then why the re¡­?¡± He wanted to ask why he had been ordered to fire the re, but he didn¡¯t even have the presence of mind to properly articte it. ¡°That was just to boost the morale of the guild members. There won¡¯t be any support.¡± In a world where everyone preys on each other, where the weak are trampled in pursuit of higher positions, Han Si-hwan wasn¡¯t naive enough to believe in such promises. ¡°We¡¯re finished.¡± At Han Si-hwan¡¯s deration, despair settled on the faces of all the guild members. ¡°Even if I die, I¡¯ll die fighting.¡± ¡°Mom¡­ Sob sob¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t cry! We are the Guardian Guild!¡± At the end of their lives, some burned brightly, while others called for their families. As everyone was marking the end of their lives in their own way, it happened. ¡°Let me get some sleep! You bastards!¡± Suddenly, a roar so loud it made the forest trees tremble and echoed. [Roar of the Lion has been activated] [All enemies¡¯ morale and stats have decreased] Kang Hyeon, running at full speed, jumped right into the middle of the monster horde. -Crash! ¡°Die!¡± Kang Hyeon rampaged as if trying to repay all the frustrations he had endured until now. An Yu-seong and Shin Seong-a, who arrived shortly after, immediately joined the battle. ¡°Mr. Kang Hyeon. The Ogres first!¡± ¡°I know!¡± At Shin Seong-a¡¯s words, Kang Hyeon immediately rushed towards the Ogres. ¡°Uooooh!¡± The three Ogres roared upon spotting Kang Hyeon. ¡°Sorry, but I can¡¯t y with you for long right now!¡± Using ¡®Wayne¡¯s Secret Technique¡¯, Kang Hyeon flew straight towards the Ogre¡¯s face. -Squelch! Bilgein¡¯s longsword pierced the Ogre¡¯s eye in one go. ¡°Magic Explosion!¡± Kang Hyeon fired a magic sphere into the Ogre¡¯s eye and immediately rushed towards another one. This was based on his trust that An Yu-seong would handle the aftermath. ¡°S-Support! Support has arrived!¡± ¡°Waaah!¡± The Guardian Guild members cheered at the sight of Kang Hyeon rampaging among the monsters. ¡®Is that really the Ogre I know?¡¯ While hope was rekindling in everyone, Han Si-hwan¡¯s face wasn¡¯t so bright. ¡®The Guardian Guild needs several people to barely take down one, and yet¡­¡¯ The Badass Guild had taken down three Ogres in barely a minute. ¡°Uaaaah!¡± That¡¯s when it happened. Suddenly, another battle cry was heard from somewhere. ¡°Vice Guild Master! It¡¯s Dangun!¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°The Dangun Guild has arrived!¡± Looking in the direction the guild member urgently pointed, he saw about twenty people running at high speed. At their forefront was a woman with long ck hair flowing behind her. It was Han Se-yeon. ¡°It¡¯s support!¡± ¡°We¡¯re saved! It¡¯s Dangun!¡± Everyone¡¯s faces brightened with the hope that they could survive. But Han Si-hwan felt even more despair. ¡®What¡­ What have I been doing all this time¡­¡¯ Half of his guild members had already been massacred. In contrast, the Dangun Guild and the Badass Guild had maintained their initial numbers. ¡®Is the difference really this severe?¡¯ ¡®What were all my efforts for?¡¯ ¡®Is our Guardian Guild this ipetent?¡¯ He was confused. The feats these others were showing would be impossible even if the deceased Guild Master Park Se-hyeon were toe back to life. ¡®No¡­ We did our best.¡¯ It was because they had done their best that they had achieved the glory of being the fifth-ranked guild in Korea. ¡®They must just be special.¡¯ Badass, who survived with only 3 members. Dangun, with all twenty guild members still alive. ¡°They¡¯replete monsters.¡± Both were monsters that the Guardian Guild couldn¡¯t even approach. The situation quickly resolved with the arrival of Badass and Dangun. All monsters were defeated, and a brief moment of rest was given. ¡°Ugh¡­¡± While everyone was busy copsing and closing their eyes, there were some who couldn¡¯t do so. ¡°A frontal breakthrough is our only answer.¡± The three guild leaders gathered to devise a strategy. ¡°We need to move right now before our strength depletes further.¡± Han Se-yeon was the first to offer her opinion. ¡°Our guild members have reached their physical limits. Wouldn¡¯t it be better to rest a bit more before moving?¡± ¡°We have a member in our guild with a skill that can alleviate fatigue. It won¡¯t be aplete recovery, but it should serve as a temporary measure.¡± Despite Han Se-yeon¡¯s answer, Han Si-hwan¡¯s expression remained troubled. ¡°Even so, we don¡¯t know the location of the core¡­ If we move aimlessly, we¡¯ll all end up dead.¡± ¡°The enemy¡¯s defense is getting fiercer. It¡¯s clear evidence that our current direction is correct.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not definitive proof!¡± ¡°Then do you have any other solution for our current situation?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Struck by the pointed question, Han Si-hwan couldn¡¯t say anything. ¡°Excuse me.¡± At that moment, Kang Hyeon, who had been silently listening to their conversation, raised his hand. ¡°I know the approximate location of the core.¡± ¡°What? What do you mean?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t exin in detail, but I can sense the core.¡± ¡°How is that possible¡­¡± ¡°Moreover, considering that the enemy¡¯s resistance is intensifying as Han Se-yeon said, it¡¯s almost certain.¡± At Kang Hyeon¡¯s words, Han Se-yeon¡¯s expression was noticeably brightened. ¡°Then, do you also know how far we are from the core?¡± Kang Hyeon nodded at Han Se-yeon¡¯s question. ¡°Yes. At most, a day. If we run without rest, we might arrive within half a day.¡± Han Si-hwan nodded at Kang Hyeon¡¯s words. ¡°If that¡¯s the case, we¡¯re really not far. But do we have that kind of stamina left?¡± Normally, running for half a day would just be a bit tiring, but now it was absolutely not the case. ¡°Our guild members haven¡¯t had a proper wink of sleep for two days.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Moreover, it¡¯s not even t ground, but a treacherous mountain range, isn¡¯t it?¡± Han Si-hwan turned his head to look at the guild members copsed on the ground. ¡°Look at them.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Telling them to run through that terrible forest is just asking them to die.¡± ¡°We still have to run.¡± Han Se-yeon said firmly. ¡°There will be numerous dropouts!¡± ¡°Even so, if we move slowly like this, a new horde of monsters will attack us again.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Then, all the Guardian Guild members will die.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°If you want to save even one more person, we have no choice but to run.¡± At these harsh words, Han Si-hwan lowered his head and sighed. ¡°I¡¯ve already abandoned them once. Are you telling me to make another decision that will kill someone?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know about you, but our guild, I, we¡¯re really at our limit¡­¡± ¡°Han Si-hwan, was it?¡± Han Si-hwan looked at Kang Hyeon as he heard his name called. ¡°This is so frustrating I can¡¯t stand it. Why are you whining like this?¡± ¡°Pardon..?¡± ¡°So what if you¡¯re at your limit? Do you have any other solutions?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Should we carry you all on our backs and run?¡± ¡°No, you shouldn¡¯t say it like that¡­¡± ¡°Han Si-hwan. Get your act together.¡± Kang Hyeon¡¯s eyes glimmered with an indescribable madness. ¡°In a dungeon, the weak die. No, you all have already died once because you were weak. You¡¯re only alive because we came. Am I wrong?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°The reason I came here, at least, was to find a solution, not to take responsibility for useless crybabies.¡± Han Si-hwan¡¯s face turned red at these insulting words. ¡°Crybabies¡­ Even if you helped us, isn¡¯t that going too far?!¡± Han Si-hwan shouted, ring up. However, Kang Hyeon was already at his limit with fatigue and irritation. He wasn¡¯t mature enough to consider others¡¯ feelings at a time like this. ¡°Listen to me carefully.¡± ¡°Ugh..!¡± Kang Hyeon lunged forward and grabbed Han Si-hwan¡¯s cor tightly. ¡°This isn¡¯t just about your guild. If we¡¯re not careful, everyone else will die too.¡± ¡°Huff¡­!¡± ¡°So shut up and follow, or just get lost. Make up your mind.¡± ¡°Huff, huff¡­¡± Han Si-hwan, thrown to the ground, breathed heavily. ¡°And¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°If you¡¯ve taken a position to lead others, if you¡¯re really their leader.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Take responsibility until the end like a true leader. Don¡¯t be the first to crumble.¡± There was nothing wrong with Kang Hyeon¡¯s words. In fact, Han Si-hwan knew he was being unreasonable. ¡°You¡¯re right¡­¡± Han Si-hwan looked at his guild members. ¡®That¡¯s right. I shouldn¡¯t be the first to give up. To save as many guild members as possible, we need to run.¡¯ Having made his decision, Han Si-hwan raised his head. Unlike before, his eyes were no longer wavering and were filled with strong determination. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I showed an unsightly side of myself.¡± He nodded with a solemn face. ¡°Let¡¯s give it a try.¡± Chapter 51 Chapter 51 The Weight of Death (2) ¡°Graaah!¡± Sticky saliva dripped from the gaping maw. The monster with fierce eyes looked ready to tear Kang Hyeon apart at any moment. ¡°Close your mouth. You¡¯re spitting!¡± -Whack! Kang Hyeon struck upwards at the monster¡¯s jaw and continued rushing forward. ¡°Huff, huff!¡± The rough breathing of the ability users following Kang Hyeon could be heard. They were out of breath but kept running without stopping. ¡°I can¡¯t¡­ Anymore¡­ Ack!¡± At that moment, a man tripped over a rock and tumbled to the ground. ¡°Get up! If you stop here, you¡¯ll die!¡± ¡°Huff, huff!¡± Han Si-hwan grabbed the man, but he could only gasp for air, without the strength to speak. ¡°Move, I said! Did youe all this way just to die!?¡± ¡°Kieeeek!¡± The screams of the monsters approaching nearby could be heard. ¡°Aaargh!¡± Finally, the man screamed and mustered hisst bit of strength. He had to move to survive. Though he was exhausted to the point where taking even one step was difficult, stopping meant death. ¡°Everyone, get a grip!¡± Kang Hyeon shouted loudly to encourage those following behind. ¡°Haa, how can he move like that?¡± ¡°He¡¯s not human.¡± In fact, the ones bearing the most burden among them were Kang Hyeon and Han Se-yeon at the front. But the distance between them and those following behind was not narrowing, rather it was widening more and more. ¡°We¡¯re almost there! We¡¯ll reach the core soon!¡± The magical waves emanating from the core were gradually getting closer. Kang Hyepn shouted with all his might. ¡°Aaagh!¡± Another person fell, hit by an arrow. The group that had started with 50 people now had less than 40 remaining. ¡°Haaak!¡± It was then. The Benandis, who had only been hiding in the forest, finally revealed themselves. ¡°Did you finally decide to show yourselves?¡± ¡°Haak!¡± ¡°You must be starting to feel scared too.¡± Kang Hyeon smiled with rage as he looked at them. ¡°I¡¯ve been waiting for this, you bastards!¡± A sword strike flew at incredible speed. The Benandi hit by that sword was cut in half along with the bow it was holding. ¡°This is the final push! If we break through these guys, it¡¯s over!¡± ¡°Aaaah! Push forward!¡± The situation quickly devolved into a melee. The group of Benandis desperately trying to protect the core. The ability users fighting with all their might, thinking this was truly the end. Various monsters following those ability users. ¡°Everyone, fire all the res you have!¡± At Kang Hyeon¡¯s words, all the ability users fired their re guns into the sky. -Pop pop pop! Kang Hyeon also fired his re gun and then activated his skill. ¡°Now let¡¯s really have some fun!¡± [Roar of the Enraged Lion is activated] Chaos. The forest was in such a state of confusion that it was hard to distinguish friend from foe. ¡°Haaak!¡± ¡°Your breath stinks!¡± -Whack! Kang Hyeon struck the jaw of a Benandi shouting in front of him. Its jaw shattered into dozens of pieces as it flew through the air. ¡®As I thought, it wasn¡¯t much.¡¯ As expected, thebat ability of the Benandi¡¯s true form wasn¡¯t that strong. In terms of pure physical strength, it seemed a bit weaker than an orc. ¡°Mr. Kang Hyeon.¡± ¡°What?!¡± In the middle of the ongoing battle, ¡°Something seems strange.¡± Shin Seong-a approached Kang Hyeon and spoke. ¡°I¡¯m busy right now,ter¡­¡± ¡°It looks like the forest is on fire.¡± ¡°What?!¡± At the mention of fire, Kang Hyeon¡¯s eyes widened. His gaze quickly moved to where Shin Seong-a was pointing. ¡°Shit, what the hell is that¡­?¡± An enormous ze. A fire that was spreading, engulfing the entire mountain range, was approaching. Although there was still quite a distance, at this rate it would clearly cover this area before long. ¡°Where did that suddenlye from!?¡± ¡°We don¡¯t have time. We need to reach the core as quickly as possible.¡± Han Se-yeon, who had also seen the mes, shouted urgently. ¡°Damn it! We¡¯re so close and now this shit happens!¡± The core could now be felt just ahead. The Benandis, also feeling the urgency, were charging recklessly without regard for anything else. ¡°Waaah!¡± Just then, cheering could be heard from somewhere. ¡°It¡¯s the Immortal Guild! The Immortal Guild is here!¡± Ranked 2nd in South Korea, the Immortal Guild. Led by Han Myeong-do, they emerged from the forest. ¡°Boys! I don¡¯t know what¡¯s going on, but for now, crush them!¡± ¡°Yes!¡± The Immortal Guild members responded with shining eyes at Han Myeong-do¡¯s words. ¡°We¡¯ll greet each other properlyter!¡± Han Myeong-do waved and smiled as he saw Kang Hyeon and Han Se-yeon. ¡°It¡¯s the ck Knights!¡± ¡°The Ability User union is here too!¡± ¡°Choi Dong-woo, it¡¯s Choi Dong-woo!¡± Immortal. ck Knights. Ability User Union. Finally, all the raid parties except the Fire Dragon Guild had gathered. Those who had been moving to escape the mes hade here after seeing the res. *** Ippotrantion *** ¡®Now the end is in sight.¡¯ Kang Hyeon was breaking through the enemies at the very front. Finally, the main core came into his view. ¡°Now let¡¯s get some sleep!¡± Kang Hyeon was running towards the core without hesitation when suddenly, ¡°What the?!¡± A blue light suddenly appeared, approaching at high speed. Just before it touched his head, Kang Hyeon ducked. -Swooosh! An arrow imbued with enormous magical power grazed over his head, emitting a thunderous sound. [Benandi Great Warrior] And then a Benandi appeared. Seeing the name floating above its head, Kang Hyeon smiled. ¡°Are you the boss?¡± A towering physique iparable to other Benandis. Moreover, the bow it was holding looked extraordinary. ¡°Haaak!¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have time, soe at me quickly!¡± It seemed to have confidence in its strength. Unlike the typical Benandis who shot arrows while fleeing, this one drew its sword and charged directly at Kang Hyeon. ¡°Haak!¡± The sword thrust quickly towards his abdomen. -Shuk! Kang Hyeon didn¡¯t dodge the sword, deliberately letting it hit him. ¡°You see, I¡¯m in a bit of a hurry.¡± With the sword piercing him, Kang Hyeon smiled. ¡°Kaaak!¡± ¡°Oh no, stay still!¡± The creature noticed something was wrong and tried to escape, but Kang Hyeon grabbed its head with both hands. ¡°Magic Explosion.¡± -Bang! ¡°Magic Explosion.¡± -Boom! After several explosions on its head, the creature had no choice but to sumb helplessly. It was an anticlimactic death, contrary to its grand entrance. ¡°I¡¯ll make good use of the items.¡± -Puk! Calmly pulling the sword out of his stomach, Kang Hyeon moved again. Both his hands werepletely mangled with bones showing, but he didn¡¯t care as they would heal quickly. ¡°It¡¯s fortunate the boss was so weak.¡± From the start, the reason ¡®Benandi¡¯s Forest¡¯ was C-rank wasn¡¯t because of the Benandi¡¯s true form¡¯s strength. What mattered were their strategies and tactics. The operations unfolding based on their mobility, maximized in the forest setting, had multiplied the dungeon¡¯s difficulty. ¡°Let¡¯s wrap this up quickly and get some rest!¡± *** Ippotrantion *** ¡°Waaaaaah!¡± ¡°It¡¯s over! We survived!¡± As thest monster fell, the survivors shouted in wild jubtion. However, there was no time to fully savor the joy of victory. ¡°May I have your attention, please!¡± Han Se-yeon stepped forward and calmed the people. ¡°First, let¡¯s quickly collect the loot. We¡¯ll distribute it after clearing the dungeon. We need to finish before the mes engulf this ce.¡± Everyone nodded in agreement at her reasonable words. ¡°Then, first the boss¡¯s¡­¡± Han Se-yeon suddenly stopped speaking and looked at the ground. ¡°An earthquake¡­?¡± The ground was vibrating. At the same time, a faint noise could be heard. ¡°Don¡¯t you hear something?¡± ¡°Wait, what¡¯s that sound?¡± Themotion instantly grew in size. -Thud thud thud thud thud The faint noise suddenly turned into a thunderous sound like hundreds of cavalry charging. ¡°What is that¡­?¡± ¡°Monsters, it¡¯s a monster army!¡± The source of themotion was monsters. And it was an enormous army of monsters, possibly numbering in the thousands. ¡°Help!¡± ¡°Aaaaargh!¡± Along with the footsteps of the monsters, screams could be heard. ¡°Isn¡¯t that the Fire Dragon?¡± At the forefront of the approaching monster horde was the Fire Dragon Guild, the origin of this incident. ¡°Park Ho-yeon, you bastard¡­ I knew it was your doing.¡± Han Myeong-do spat out the words. ¡°And I thought we had survived¡­¡± ¡°We need to get out of here right now. Hurry, destroy the core!¡± As the monster horde drew closer, the ability users fell intoplete panic. ¡°Aaaah!¡± One of the men screamed and rushed to destroy the core. -Thuk. Kang Hyeon and Han Se-yeon simultaneously grabbed the man¡¯s hand as he tried to strike the core. ¡°What do you think you¡¯re doing?¡± ¡°You¡¯re asking because you don¡¯t know!? We need to destroy the core and get out of here right now!¡± At the man¡¯s words, Han Se-yeon¡¯s face hardened coldly. ¡°What do you think will happen to all those monsters if we destroy the core now?¡± Han Se-yeon spoke coldly, but the man was alreadypletely out of his mind. ¡°Who cares about that? Do you want to die here?!¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to die either, so stop whining. You bastard!¡± -Thwack! The man who had been screaming like a madman finally quieted down after being hit on the back of the head by Kang Hyeon. ¡°We need to destroy the core right now!¡± ¡°Come out! Come out!¡± Even after seeing this, people who were already in a panic rushed towards the core like madmen. ¡°Quiet!¡± As Han Se-yeon shouted, the Dangun Guild moved. Moving in perfect unison, Dangun quickly surrounded the core. -Shing. They silently drew their swords without saying a word. ¡°What are you doing?!¡± ¡°Are you drawing your swords against us? Are you all crazy, wanting to die?!¡± The ability users kept shouting, but they didn¡¯t dare to charge at the Dangun Guild. ¡°Everyone! We¡¯re the only ones who can stop this now.¡± Han Se-yeon raised her voice, looking at them. ¡°How can we stop that?!¡± ¡°Destroy the core right now!¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to die like this¡­¡± The situation was already exhausting. And trying to block such an enormous army of monsters was a perfect suicide mission. ¡°If we destroy the core now, all those monsters will escape through the portal together!¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°What do you think will happen if that enormous number of monsters is unleashed into the city?¡± The ability users¡¯ momentum subsided a little at Han Se-yeon¡¯s calm exnation. ¡°But we can¡¯t all die here, can we?¡± ¡°We can hold them off.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°They¡¯re running away from the fire to survive. So we only need to endure for that brief moment when they pass through here.¡± Despite Han Se-yeon¡¯s words, the despair on people¡¯s faces showed no signs of lifting. ¡°How can we possibly block that?!¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. How many of us do you think will survive if we try to block that?!¡± ¡°Well¡­¡± Honestly, Han Se-yeon knew too. That they would struggle to withstand the monster army. She and the Dangun Guild members could endure it sufficiently. However, most of the people gathered here would be trampled and crushed to death under that monster army. ¡°See! I don¡¯t want to die like this!¡± The atmosphere seemed ready to explode at any moment. Someone had to step up, but no one did. Han Myeong-na and Choi Dong-woo were just keeping their mouths shut in a situation where no answer was in sight. ¡°Sigh¡­¡± Kang Hyeon, who sighed, roughly ran his hand through his hair. ¡°Everyone shut up!¡± At the sudden shout, everyone¡¯s attention gathered. ¡°There¡¯s a limit to whining. I¡¯m sick of hearing all this chattering.¡± ¡°What?!¡± People¡¯s faces turned red and blue at Kang Hyeon¡¯s words. ¡°I¡¯ll block them.¡± ¡°What¡­?¡± ¡°I said I¡¯ll block them.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°So everyone shut up and step back.¡± *** Ippotrantion *** About 100 ability users were gathered around the core. ¡°Damn it¡­ We¡¯re all going to die. This is crazy!¡± ¡°How can we do this just by listening to that Kang Hyeon guy?!¡± ¡°We should destroy the core even now! Didn¡¯t he say he¡¯d block them anyway?¡± The eyes of the people speaking were trembling ceaselessly with anxiety. ¡°Hey, mister over there. Be quiet, will you?¡± The man¡¯s head turned at the voiceing from beside him. ¡°What?!¡± ¡°I said be quiet.¡± ¡°¡­¡± And he quickly fell silent at An Yu-seong¡¯s fierce gaze. ¡°What are you going to do¡­¡± Shin Seong-a looked at Kang Hyeon with a face full of worry. ¡°Kraaah!¡± Kang Hyeon, standing alone in front of the enormous number of monsters, looked like he could be trampled at any moment. *** Ippotrantion *** ¡°I can do it. Kang Hyeon. You can do it¡­¡± Kang Hyeon kept repeating ¡°I can do it¡± endlessly, like a habit he had developed sometime. He didn¡¯t care if he died. But he absolutely couldn¡¯t fail. If he was breached, the 100 people behind him would be in danger, and if those 100 were breached, thousands and tens of thousands would be in danger. ¡°Hoo¡­¡± Kang Hyeon, holding Ogre¡¯s giant hammer in his hand, took a deep breath. Currently, Kang Hyeon, who had monopolized all kinds of buffs, was in a state where his abilities were inted by about 1.5 times. On top of that, when he used ¡®Giant¡¯s Strength¡¯ and ¡®Wayne¡¯s Secret Technique¡¯, his body felt like it would burst from the overflowing power. ¡°Ugh¡­¡± His body trembled from the power he couldn¡¯t handle. It was such intense pain that even Kang Hyeon, who was used to pain, let out a groan. -Thud thud thud thud ¡°Kyaaah!¡± The monsters wereing with tremendous momentum, shaking the ground. The distance between them was now less than 100 meters. ¡°Come.¡± The worst. Everyone has their own idea of what¡¯s worst. The fall of honor. Physical disability. Death of family. There might be various things, but what most people think of as the worst is set. It¡¯s their own death. ¡°Haa¡­¡± But not for Kang Hyeon. ¡°Ie back to life even if I die.¡± Kang Hyeon, facing the monsters, grinned. ¡°So.¡± -Thud thud thud¡­ ¡°Rather than living shamefully, ufortably¡­¡± -Thud thud thud thud thud! ¡°I¡¯ll die with dignity.¡± The monsters hade right up to his face. Kang Hyeon, holding Bilgein¡¯s longsword, used ¡®Berserker¡¯. In an instant, all his stats shot up to 80, and he felt power as if he had be an omnipotent god. ¡°Uaaaah!¡± No, the power was overflowing to the point where it felt like his entire body would burst at any moment. ¡°Shit! Good!¡± His skin was wriggling as if bugs were crawling inside. All the organs in his body were convulsing like mad beasts. Kang Hyeon screamed at the sensation that surpassed the limit of pain a human could feel. -Whoosh! Ogre¡¯s hammer, which he had been swinging with both hands with difficulty, now felt as light as a twig. ¡°Come on! You bastards!¡± ¡°Kyaaah!¡± Finally, the horde of monsters shed with Kang Hyeon. Chapter 52 Chapter 52 Seong-a¡¯s Day (1) -Boom, bang! The ground kept shaking. Han Si-hwan¡¯s hands, as he looked straight ahead, were trembling without him realizing it. ¡°Is this really human¡­¡± Han Si-hwan muttered with a nk expression. In front of him, a once-in-a-lifetime spectacle was unfolding. ¡°Graaah!¡± -Boom! A giant iron hammer that must weigh hundreds of kilograms. Kang Hyeon, who wielded that hammer lightly, was a ughterer. In front of the massacre Kang Hyeon was creating, the monsters parted like a flood. Those who usually butchered humans were now just weaklings, hoping only that death would note to them at this moment. -Thud thud thud thud thud! Just 3 minutes. That was the time it took for the horde of monsters to pass through the core. In that time, hundreds of corpses were strewn around Kang Hyeon. ¡°Mr. Kang Hyeon!¡± Finally, after all the monsters had passed the core, Shin Seong-a rushed urgently to Kang Hyeon. ¡°Are you alright?!¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Kang Hyeon smiled brightly as he put the giant hammer of Ogre into his inventory. ¡°I think I have about 10 seconds left?¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°If I copse, please carry me out.¡± Shin Seong-a wore a confused expression, not understanding Kang Hyeon¡¯s words. ¡°Ugh, urgh..!¡± However, not long after, seeing Kang Hyeon copse, Shin Seong-a hurriedly embraced him. ¡°Excuse me for a moment.¡± Shin Seong-a carefully lifted the groaning Kang Hyeon onto her back. ¡°You¡¯ve worked hard.¡± ¡°Yeah¡­¡± ¡°And you¡¯re really amazing.¡± ¡°I am pretty amazing, aren¡¯t I¡­ Hehe! Cough!¡± Kang Hyeon chuckled weakly at Shin Seong-a¡¯s words, then coughed up blood. Shin Seong-a¡¯s back became damp with Kang Hyeon¡¯s blood. ¡°Sorry¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Let¡¯s hurry and get out before the mes engulf this ce.¡± Kang Hyeon had arrived at the core, and Han Se-yeon had removed the core as the representative. There were monster corpses of enormous scale, items, and magic stones scattered all over this ce, but it wasn¡¯t the time to collect such things. The mes were now right in front of them. ¡®I¡¯ll have to definitely squeeze a bigpensation out of Team Leader Shin Tae-gil for this one¡­¡¯ As he left the dungeon, Kang Hyeon vowed to receive a veryrge reward for this incident. -Whoosh! As they came out of the dungeon, they saw the bright sun. ¡°We¡¯re out!¡± ¡°We cleared the dungeon. Quick, take a picture!¡± ¡°Why are there so few people? Is that all?¡± The journalists waiting at the dungeon entrance made a fuss upon seeing those who came out. Finally, as everyone came out, Han Myeong-do went to find Park Ho-yeon. ¡°You bastard!¡± ¡°Ugh!¡± The highly agitated Han Myeong-do threw a punch at Park Ho-yeon¡¯s face. ¡°What were you thinking when you did such a thing?!¡± ¡°I, I had no choice!¡± ¡°You call that an excuse?! If it wasn¡¯t for Kang Hyeon, we all would have been annihted!¡± Han Myeong-do¡¯s beating continued incessantly, but no one seemed inclined to step in and stop it. Even the vice guild master of the Fire Dragon Guild turned a blind eye to the scene. ¡°Just a moment. Let me down¡­¡± ¡°Pardon? But¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay, put me down.¡± At Kang Hyeon¡¯s request, Shin Seong-a carefully lowered him to the ground. Kang Hyeon, who seemed to struggle even to stand, slowly walked towards Park Ho-yeon. ¡°Hey.¡± It was a small voice, but it contained an irresistible power. People gulped as they watched this scene. ¡°Bring the items, you bastard¡­¡± *** Ippotrantion *** -tter, tter¡­ Having finished her simple breakfast, Shin Seong-a immediately started washing the dishes. ¡°¡­¡± Her house, where she lived alone, was always quiet. Outside it was bright with the risen sun, but the curtained interior was dark. In that darkness, Shin Seong-a, who finished washing dishes without turning on the lights, looked at a photo hanging in the living room. ¡°¡­¡± In the photo, an aged-looking middle-aged man stood with her, wearing a sullen expression. ¡°I¡¯m heading out.¡± The man in the photo was her father, who was a former national archery representative. Her father, who was known as the ace of the team, was such an outstanding athlete that a medal was practically guaranteed. However, due to an ident that urred right before thepetition, he couldn¡¯t even participate in the Olympics. ¡°¡­¡± After scanning the row of trophies below the photo, she turned and opened the front door. -Click Her house was a shabby detached house located in quite a remote area. She had to travel a long distance to the guild office every day, but she still didn¡¯t want to move. Despite earning more than enough money now, unlike when she was struggling with poverty, for some reason she couldn¡¯t leave this house. ¡®Even though there aren¡¯t even proper memories here¡­¡¯ She wondered why she couldn¡¯t leave, but decided to think of itfortably. ¡®When the timees, I¡¯ll leave naturally.¡¯ -Vroom! Vroom! With a roaring exhaust sound, she pulled the throttle of her bike vigorously. In an instant, the surrounding scenery was pushed back and she felt a strong wind. ¡°Kaaak!¡± ¡°Are you crazy?¡± Life-threatening, risky stunts. Sometimes she could hear curses from surprised passersby. ¡®It¡¯s refreshing¡­¡¯ She knew that her actions were wrong. But if she didn¡¯t do this, she couldn¡¯t feel like she was alive. -Screech! After riding non-stop like that, she came to a halt in front of a building. -Ding-a-ling. ¡°Wee¡± Located in a remote area, this was a calm cafe run by a young owner alone. Shin Seong-a visited this ce asionally when she had time. Today, as Kang Hyeon was hospitalized, she had the leisure to visit this ce after a long time. ¡°It¡¯s been a while since you came.¡± The owner was a woman in her mid-30s named ¡®Kim Seol-a¡¯ with a short bob that suited her well. Shin Seong-a often visited this cafe, enchanted by her smile that made people feelfortable. ¡°Shall I get you your usual order?¡± Shin Seong-a nodded with a smile at Kim Seol-a¡¯s gentle words. ¡°Alright. Please wait a moment.¡± Jazz music flowing softly. Soon, a warm cup of coffee was ced in front of Shin Seong-a. ¡°Here¡¯s your caf¨¦ mocha~¡± Shin Seong-a silently bowed her head and sat by the window. Soft music and fragrant coffee. It was nothing special, but perhaps because it was right aftering out of a grueling dungeon, it felt even more special. -Kang Hyeon. The hero who saved everyone! -Han Se-yeon of Dangun. Grateful to Kang Hyeon. -Number of applicants hoping to join Kang Hyeon¡¯s Badass Guild surpasses hundreds¡­ When she essed the inte on her smartphone, the whole world was buzzing with stories about Kang Hyeon. Some criticized it as ¡®too exaggerated¡¯ or ¡®overly praised by the media¡¯, but that¡¯s something they could say because they weren¡¯t at the scene. In her opinion, this level of reaction was far from enoughpared to Kang Hyeon¡¯s achievements. ¡°Haa¡­¡± The moment Kang Hyeon stood alone in front of everyone to block the monsters. Shin Seong-a¡¯s heart pounded crazily and she felt alive. It wasn¡¯t simply a fluttering from the opposite sex. Respect. Envy. Jealousy. It was something very subtle that contained various inexplicable emotions. -What the hell happened inside the dungeon? Everyone¡¯s busy praising Kang Hyeon. -I guess Fire Dragon Guild is finished now -The damage was so big this time, the top 10 guild rankings might change a lot -Yeah, Guardian Guild will definitely go down and Fire Dragon might be on the edge too. -I think the rising Jeong jin Guild might go up? A terrible situation urred where more than half of the raid party died. Even that would have been a total annihtion if it weren¡¯t for Kang Hyeon, which only increased people¡¯s curiosity. -Shut up, you trash. Lady Han Se-yeon is the best. Kang Hyeon got a little bigger and now he¡¯s trying to rub up against everything. What a piece of shit. Shin Seong-a, who was checking thements while scrolling, stopped. -If you want to see Lady Han Se-yeon in one piece, be careful. Before I gouge out your eyes. As soon as Shin Seong-a posted her reply, another response came immediately. -What the fuck are you talking about? What are you gonna do? Gouge out my eyes? Such a bluff. Her clenched fist trembled. ¡°This bastard¡­¡± Just as her anger-filled fist was about to smash the table, -Ding-dong Shin Seong-a came to her senses at the sound of the bell ringing as the cafe door opened. ¡°Wee¡­¡± Kim Seol-a, who was greeting as usual, paused for a moment. ¡°Are you making good money?¡± The cheapness dripping from their tone. Three men appeared, swaggering their whole bodies and spitting saliva. They seemed desperate to emphasize that they were very delinquent thugs. ¡°Not yet¡­¡± ¡°Have you saved up money for the interest?¡± ¡°No¡­¡± ¡°Are you messing with me right now?!¡± The men scowled and pounded on the counter. Kim Seol-a¡¯s intimidated voice grew quieter and quieter. ¡°When are you going to pay the overdue interest?¡± ¡°If you could just wait a little longer¡­¡± ¡°By the end of this month, the interest alone will be 100 million won. If it¡¯s going to be like this, just hand over the store! Before it gets to the point where you can¡¯t pay back the debt even if you sell this lousy hole-in-the-wall!¡± ¡°What? How can the interest be¡­ When the principal is only 80 million won?¡± ¡°That¡¯s what it says in the contract! So when are you going to pay?¡± ¡°Well¡­¡± Tears began to well up in Kim Seol-a¡¯s doe-like eyes. The thugs snickered, seemingly finding her distress amusing. ¡°Or how about what we talked aboutst time? Huh? Think about it carefully. We¡¯ll consider that month¡¯s interest paid every time youe once.¡± After careful consideration, Shin Seong-a, whom the thugs had judged to be a waste, stood up from her seat. ¡°Who¡¯s this girl? A customer?¡± ¡°Long limbs and a pretty face, looks tasty. Boss. Heheheheh.¡± The thugs spoke loudly as if they wanted Shin Seong-a to hear, even though she was right in front of them. ¡°Give me your ount number.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°I said, give me your ount number.¡± The thugs¡¯ expressions twisted at the sudden demand. ¡°What are you going to do if I give you the ount number? Are you going to pay off the debt instead?! It¡¯s 80 million won!¡± ¡°I¡¯ll pay, so hurry up and tell me, you bastard.¡± Shin Seong-a¡¯snguage had be quite rough after hanging around with Kang Hyeon. ¡°B-Bastard?! Do you have a death wish? Who the hell are you?!¡± ¡°I¡¯m Shin Seong-a from the Badass Guild.¡± As she spoke, Shin Seong-a threw off her leather jacket with ir. -Whoosh! Everyone¡¯s eyes were drawn to the word ¡®Badass¡¯ written in fiery letters on the back of the jacket as it flew through the air. ¡°What the¡­¡± ¡°Boss. She seems crazy. Let¡¯s just avoid her.¡± ¡°Shut up!¡± The boss, pushing away his subordinate who was whispering beside him, was engulfed in thought. As an ability user himself, he couldn¡¯t not know about Badass. ¡®Badass is where Kang Hyeon is, but is this for real? But Badass definitely only has 3 guild members¡­¡¯ The boss shook his head after pondering. ¡®No way! Even if it¡¯s the Badass Guild, they¡¯re all nobodies except for Kang Hyeon, right?¡¯ These days, even in illegal circles, they don¡¯t deal with anyone who isn¡¯t an ability user. That¡¯s because there¡¯s no ce where fists are more important than in that world. So, naturally, the boss who yed the leader role among the trio was also an ability user, and his level was as high as 31. This was considered a top-tier level in the organization. ¡®No matter if it¡¯s Badass, if the three of us attack at once, she won¡¯t be able to do anything.¡¯ Finally finishing his calctions, the boss returned with a confident expression. ¡°So what if you¡¯re from Badass?¡± ¡°Just give me the ount number.¡± ¡°And if I refuse?¡± The boss wore a vulgar smile. Seeing him, Shin Seong-a¡¯s eyes grew cold. ¡°Then I¡¯ll show you the power of justice.¡± ¡°Hahaha! Boys, she says the power of justice!¡± ¡°Hehehe! What are you, a Power Ranger or something? Abracadabra Five Rangers?¡± ¡°Kuhehehe, totally¡­ Kuhok!¡± A tform boot was driven into the stomach of the manughing while holding his belly. The man who copsed to the floor from the impact gasped for breath, coughing. ¡°This bitch dared to hit?!¡± ¡°Get her!¡± In truth, Shin Seong-a¡¯s closebat ability was quite inferiorpared to others of simr levels. It was inevitable as she always moved stealthily and attacked enemies from afar using a bow. But she too had opened her eyes to a new world while traveling with Kang Hyeon. ¡°Haap!¡± Her leg extended smoothly. A clean upward kicknded on the man¡¯s chin. The impact sent the man¡¯s body flying into the air, -Crack And his head was wedged into the ceiling. ¡°Now it¡¯s just you left.¡± Shin Seong-a gave him the sardonic smile that Kang Hyeon often wore. She beckoned provocatively with her finger. ¡°Eek¡­!¡± Seeing this, the boss pulled out a sword from his inventory. ¡°Let me make this clear, this is self-defense. Don¡¯t whine about it in hell!¡± The boss swung his sword frantically. In an instant, the narrow interior waspletely destroyed. ¡°Do you understand the situation now? Huh?! Keep talking like you did earlier!¡± Thinking he had gained the upper hand, the boss swung his sword even faster with reckless swordsmanship. ¡°As expected, even Badass is nothing special¡­¡± That¡¯s when it happened. Shin Seong-a, who had been only dodging the sword until now, suddenly dove into the boss¡¯s arms. ¡°W-wait, what are you doing?!¡± -Squeeze Feeling pressure on an important part, the boss unconsciously dropped his sword. ¡°What are you doing?!¡± ¡°I¡¯m nning to remove something you don¡¯t need.¡± ¡°W-wait a minute! I was wrong. So let go of this and let¡¯s talk! Ugh¡­!¡± Shin Seong-a smiled with satisfaction as she watched the boss break out in a cold sweat. ¡°Don¡¯t worry.¡± ¡°What¡­?¡± ¡°Aphids can reproduce through parthenogenesis.¡± ¡°You c-crazy bitch! Aaaaargh!¡± Chapter 53 Chapter 53 ¨C Seong-a¡¯s Day (2) ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯ll definitelypensate you for the damages.¡± ¡°No, you helped me. I should be the one thanking you.¡± Kim Seol-a waved her hands and smiled at the mention ofpensation. ¡°Still, I¡¯d like to at least pay for the things that were broken because of me. That way I cane backfortably next time.¡± ¡°It¡¯s really okay¡­¡± Kim Seol-a reluctantly gave her ount number after Shin Seong-a¡¯s persistent requests. ¡°Then I¡¯ll be going now.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Shin Seong-a left the cafe, dragging the three thugs along. ¡°Phew¡­ That was tough.¡± Kim Seol-a, normally quiet in nature, waspletely drained from the sudden incidents. -Ding! ¡°What¡¯s that? A text message?¡± Kim Seol-a checked her phone at the sudden alert. ¡°It¡¯s a deposit notification? Wha-?!¡± Kim Seol-a¡¯s eyes widened as she checked her phone. She barely managed to check her phone again with trembling hands. ¡°W-What? One, ten, hundred, thousand, ten thousand, hundred thousand, million¡­ Hundred million? T-Two hundred million?!¡± An enormous sum of 200 million won had been deposited from Shin Seong-a. Kim Seol-a hurriedly called Shin Seong-a. -The customer is currently unavable. Please leave a message¡­ ¡°What should I do? I can¡¯t just ept this kind of money.¡± After pondering, she sent a text message. -I think you sent the wrong amount. Even 20 million won is a lot, but you sent 200 million. Please reply. -It¡¯s the correct deposit. -I can¡¯t ept this kind of money from someone I barely know. -From now on, we can get to know each oth¡­ Shin Seong-a shook her head and deleted the message she was writing. -It¡¯s fine. A delicious cup of coffee next time will do. I hope you run the cafe for a long time. -Thank you so much¡­ Shin Seong-a smiled faintly upon receiving the reply. -Take care then. She had given an enormous sum of 200 million won to someone she barely knew. An action that others might call crazy if they heard about it. But for some reason, Shin Seong-a felt good. ¡°I already have enough money¡­ This is enough.¡± Her father, who always regarded her as merely a proxy for his unfulfilled dreams. He never gave her any affection, but he was her only family. When even that family died and she was left alone. What came to her was not peace, but severe loneliness. The cafe that was the only thing thatforted her then. Thinking of thefort and memories she received there for years, she would have poured out even more money, not just 200 million. ¡°Heh.¡± Swallowing theughter that suddenly burst out, Shin Seong-a mounted her bike energetically. *** Ippotrantion *** On a peaceful afternoon. An Yu-seong was sitting in the office, throwing a dagger. -Thwack! The dagger, precisely stuck in the center of the scoreboard, trembled. ¡°I wonder when Kang Hyeon will wake up.¡± ¡°He¡¯s known for his great recovery, so he¡¯ll be better soon.¡± Shin Seong-a, who was watching the news, answered and carelessly threw a dagger. -Whoosh! Thwack! The dagger that left her hand precisely knocked away An Yu-seong¡¯s dagger and stuck in its ce. ¡°Ooh, older sister, you¡¯re pretty good?¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡± Shin Seong-a raised one corner of her mouth and smiled contentedly. -Ring ring! ¡°Yes? Yes! This is Badass Guild.¡± ¡°The guild master is currently unavable¡­¡± ¡°We¡¯re not epting new guild members now!¡± ¡°How many times do I have to say this? The guild is currently¡­¡± Unlike the rxed two, busy work continued in one corner of the office. Han Jae-moon, who had been wrestling with the phone all day, red at the two fiercely. ¡®These bastards¡­ Would it kill them to help a little?!¡¯ After this recent raid, all sorts of inquiries flooded the guild. From simple advertisements to sponsorships, membership applications, and dungeon raid requests. Han Jae-moon worked almost every night, but it felt like the work was piling up rather than being resolved. ¡°Hey, did you all do well while I was gone?¡± ¡°Kang Hyeon!¡± Just then, the office door opened and a familiar voice was heard. At the same time, Shin Seong-a, who had been rolling on the floor, sprang up. ¡°Did you all spread out like this just because I was gone for a day?¡± ¡°We¡¯re always like this though.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you think you¡¯re being a bit self-conscious?¡± ¡°You guys¡­¡± They were clearly sincerely waiting for Kang Hyeon just a moment ago, but for some reason, they wanted to pick a fight as soon as they saw him. ¡°Anyway, nothing happened, right?¡± ¡°Yes. The guild is quiet.¡± Shin Seong-a nodded her head confidently. ¡°Uh, uh¡­¡± Han Jae-moon, who was in the corner of the office, opened and closed his mouth repeatedly as if he wanted to say something. ¡®It¡¯s not quiet at all!¡¯ However, that cry couldn¡¯t quitee out and just circled in his chest. ¡°Take this.¡± ¡°What is this?¡± ¡°A gift.¡± Kang Hyeon took out an unfamiliar bow from his inventory and handed it to Shin Seong-a. Shin Seong-a, who received the bow in bewilderment, checked its information. Name: Bow of the Benandi Great Warrior Grade: C Durability: 98 / 100 Description: A bow used by a great warrior of the Benandi, a tribe of hunters. It¡¯s light andfortable to use, with high sticity. Ability: Magic Arrow *Magic Arrow ¨C Shoots magic arrows that are less affected by gravity. Shin Seong-a smiled brightly after checking the item information. ¡°Are you giving this to me?¡± ¡°Who else would I give it to? I secretly picked it up during the dungeon clear, so use it well.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Shin Seong-a had passed up to the 3rd stage of the tutorial. Even that was quite a high level, but it¡¯s true that there was some regret. Especially, not having a B-grade weapon given for clearing the 6th stage was a big concern for her. But now that she received a decent weapon, it felt like she had thrown off a heavy burden. ¡°It¡¯s good that even without arrows, it can be substituted with magic.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. I tried it once, and the uracy is amazing. Just be careful because it consumes quite a lot of magic.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± After handing over the item, Kang Hyeon opened his own status window. ?Name: Kang Hyeon ?Title: Tutorial Graduate and 3 others ?Level: 57 ?Detailed Stats: Strength 28 (+4)(+2) Agility 26 (+3) Stamina 29 (+3)(+2) Magic 30 (+3)(+4) Additional Stats: ¨C ?Unique Ability: Resurrection ?Abilities: Intermediate Swordsmanship(D), Lower-grade Shield Technique(E), Lowest-grade Crossbow Technique(F), Lower-grade Body Technique(E), Lowest-grade Blunt Weapon Technique(F), Magic Detection(E), Poison Resistance(F) ?Skills: Roar of the Enraged Lion(C), Advanced Bodily Regeneration(A), Bisection(D), Giant¡¯s Strength(B), Magic Explosion(D), Wayne¡¯s Secret Technique(D), Entria¡¯s Outer Shell(D) ¡°My magical power has certainly increased a lot.¡± It was worth investing in it every time my level went up. ¡°Entria¡¯s outer shell has also upgraded¡­¡± As Kang Hyeon continued examining his status window, his eyes stopped on ¡®Poison Resistance¡¯. Poison Resistance (F) Ability: Strengthens immunity against poison. Description: Reduces the effects of any type of poison on the body. In fact, poison is not a weapon used very often. There was almost no information about ability users or monsters attacking using poison until now. ¡®Still, it¡¯s good to have it as a precaution. Moreover, knowing about the existence of resistance abilities is a big gain.¡¯ Surely resistance abilities are not limited to just poison. Kang Hyeon thought that if he could learn other resistance abilities besides poison, it would be a great help in the future. ¡°I should ask Team Leader Shin Tae-gil to look into it.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°Nothing. By the way, there¡¯s no work for a while now, right?¡± Everyone except Han Jae-moon nodded at Kang Hyeon¡¯s question. ¡°Why does Jae-moon look so busy? Is something up?¡± ¡°After this raid, many people are showing interest in the guild¡­¡± ¡°Hmm, is that so?¡± It was certainly the perfect time to grow the guild, with its fame at its peak. However, Kang Hyeon had no intention of expanding the guild¡¯s size yet. ¡®Someday I¡¯ll create a huge guild, but¡­¡¯ Now is the time to focus more on the growth of his main body. He didn¡¯t want the guild, which was spontaneously created for dungeon raids, to be more important than his original purpose. ¡°Just reject them all for now. I have no ns at the moment.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± Shin Seong-a answered on behalf of the busy Han Jae-moon. ¡°So, what should we do now?¡± Kang Hyeon pondered about future tasks. ¡°The first thing thates to mind is getting essories¡­¡± The ¡®Bilgein¡¯s Longsword¡¯ and ¡®Ronald¡¯s Armor¡¯ that Kang Hyeon wears are both B-grade equipment obtained from the tutorial, which he¡¯s been using without anyck so far. However, in the case of essories, apart from the ¡®Ring of Strong Strong¡¯ and ¡®Goblin Archmage¡¯s Ring¡¯, he was only wearing ordinary rings that increased strength and vitality by 2 each. ¡°If I had essories of grade C or higher, I¡¯d be much stronger.¡± Generally, the number of essories one can wear is 4 in total. There¡¯s no reason to remove the Ring of Strong Mind and the Goblin Grand Shaman¡¯s Ring, so he only needs to get 2 more essories. ¡°Is there anywhere to get good essories?¡± ¡°Won¡¯t they drop if we keep raiding dungeons?¡± ¡°No, the chances are too slim if we just wander around aimlessly.¡± Kang Hyeon had collected over a hundred essories so far. Most of them were stolen goods, but since their owners were no longer of this world, it wasn¡¯t really a problem. However, there were barely any essories that Kang Hyeon could use. ¡°Isn¡¯t it too much that there¡¯s nothing usable even after collecting so many?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Sigh¡­ What should I do?¡± While Kang Hyeon was deep in thought, -Ding dong The office inte rang. ¡°Who is it? Was anyone supposed toe today?¡± ¡°No. I¡¯ll go check.¡± Shin Seong-a picked up the inte. ¡°Who is it?¡± -It¡¯s Han Si-hwan! Please open the door! ¡°Kang Hyeon, it¡¯s a man named Han Si-hwan. Do you know him?¡± ¡°No.¡± Kang Hyeon¡¯s expression showed that he had never heard such a name before. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but we can¡¯t open the door to strangers.¡± -Ah, no! Wait¡­! Han Si-hwan tried to say something, but Shin Seong-a was quicker in hanging up the inte. -Ding dong As soon as the connection was cut, the doorbell rang again. ¡°Who is it?¡± -Han Si-h¡­ Shin Seonga terminated the connection even before he could finish his name. -Ding dong! ¡°Who is it?¡± -Wait! Wait, please! I beg you! ¡°Go ahead.¡± -I¡¯m Han Si-hwan from the Guardian Guild. Ms. Shin Seong-a. Don¡¯t you know me? ¡°I don¡¯t.¡± Shin Seong-a answered without a moment¡¯s hesitation. ¡°Kang Hyeon, he says he¡¯s Han Si-hwan from the Guardian Guild. Do you know him?¡± ¡°No.¡± Han Si-hwan, hearing the conversation through the phone, was on the verge of going crazy. ¡®What¡¯s wrong with these lunatics?!¡¯ Even though his role was minor, he had participated in the raid as a representative of the Guardian Guild. Especially with Kang Hyeon, he had quite a long conversation. ¡°And yet they don¡¯t even remember¡­¡± Han Si-hwan muttered dejectedly, filled with self-loathing. ¡°Huh?¡± Just then, as he was contemting whether to leave, the door opened. The man who opened the door was short with a small build. It was Han Jae-moon. ¡°I¡¯m sorry! Pleasee in.¡± ¡°Han Jae-moon, you shouldn¡¯t open the door to strangers.¡± Kang Hyeon¡¯s voice was heard from afar, but Han Si-hwan deliberately ignored it and stepped in. ¡°What is this¡­¡± The guild office that Han Si-hwan entered, following Han Jae-moon¡¯s guidance,pletely exceeded his expectations. The furniture was scattered haphazardly, and the trash can was piled high with dozens of beer cans. The most striking of all were the numerous weapons lying on the floor. From simple daggers to maces and arrows, weapons of all kinds were strewn about. ¡°Ah, now that I see your face, I remember. You were the vice guild master of that Guardian Guild, right?¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s correct.¡± Kang Hyeon approached Han Si-hwan, who was standing there in a daze. ¡°So, what brings you to our humble abode?¡± ¡°Well¡­ That¡­¡± In truth, Han Si-hwan had intended to join the Badass Guild with some of his guild members. However, not even a minute after entering the guild office, he couldn¡¯t help but reconsider whether his judgment was correct. -Ding dong Just then, the office doorbell rang again. ¡°Who is it now!?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°What¡¯s with today. Open it.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± When Shin Seong-a opened the door, an unfamiliar face appeared. ¡°Mr. Kang Hyeon! Please help us!¡± The man who hurriedly entered looked quite urgent. He was bleeding from wounds all over, looking like he should be in a hospital right away. ¡°Ah¡­ Mr. Jo Younggu?¡± ¡°It¡¯s Jo Dong-won.¡± ¡°Ahem! I¡¯m sorry. You were the vice guild master of that Haeseon Guild, right?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right!¡± ¡°What¡¯s the matter? Suddenly asking for help.¡± In response to Kang Hyeon¡¯s question, Jo Dongw-on fell to his knees with a thud. ¡°Mr. Kang Hyeon. Please save our guild, save my brother!¡± Chapter 54 Chapter 54 ¨C Omen (1) The beginning of ¡®Haeseon¡¯ was a small guild operated by brothers. Jo Seong-chan and Jo Dong-won The older brother, Jo Seong-chan, had excellent leadership and a keen sense formand. The younger brother, Jo Dong-won, had exceptional talent and sense forbat. Combining their strengths to run the guild, it gradually grew in size, and finally reached the level of upying a region of Seoul in alliance with other guilds. In fact, the concept of territory in guilds was merely symbolic. Nevertheless, upying Seoul was an indicator and honor showing the guild¡¯s excellence. ¡°It¡¯s surprising that such a Haeseon guildpletely copsed¡­¡± Han Jae-moon fell into thought after hearing Jo Dong-won¡¯s story. ¡°How many guild members are left?¡± ¡°Most died or scattered due to injuries, and my brother is captured by the Jeong-jin guild.¡± ¡°I see the government didn¡¯t impose much restriction even when people died¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°Han Jae-moon. Who would care about such things in today¡¯s world?¡± It was as Kang Hyeon said. At least in matters concerning ability users, the government has long since withdrawn its hands. Unless there was knife fighting in the middle of a main street, the police did not interfere in disputes between ability users. ¡°The Jeong-jin guild used their suddenly increased abilities to devour all the other guilds they had allied with.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°And theypletely dominated that area.¡± ¡°It¡¯s certainly a foregone conclusion that the Jeong-jin guild will enter the top 10 guild rankings this time, recing the Guardian guild¡­¡± At Han Jae-moon¡¯s words, Han Si-hwan, the vice guild master of Guardian, frowned. However, as it was already a well-known fact, he couldn¡¯t particrly refute it. ¡°Didn¡¯t they say those guys got stronger because of some drugst time?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. As a matter of fact, that drug has started to be distributed in earnest these days.¡± ¡°What do you mean by ¡®in earnest¡¯?¡± ¡°Although it¡¯s not officially approved, it¡¯s being traded at high prices under the table. It¡¯s so essible that even ordinary people are getting their hands on it.¡± Kang Hyeon stroked his chin at Jo Dong-won¡¯s exnation. ¡°Indeed, if it¡¯s a drug that increases abilities, even ordinary people would be tempted.¡± Nearly half of all adults have awakened. Although only a minority of them receive ability user permits and enter dungeons, even those who don¡¯t would be interested in a drug that enhances physical abilities without side effects. ¡°The Jeong-jin guild has been taking this drug since before it started being distributed in earnest. They must be directly connected to the producer.¡± ¡°That¡¯s certainly the case.¡± Kang Hyeon nodded at Jo Dong-won¡¯s exnation. ¡°I don¡¯t even hope to revive the guild now. I just want to rescue my brother safely.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± ¡°Although you¡¯re helping us, I think there will definitely be benefits for you too, Mr. Kang Hyeon!¡± Even though they had already promised to help while eating beef, Jo Dong-won was anxious that Kang Hyeon might change his mind. ¡°Alright. Don¡¯t worry, I was going to help anyway even if you didn¡¯t say that.¡± ¡°Thank you!¡± *** Ippotrantion *** Jeong-jin Guild office. ¡°Why is this week¡¯s ie only this much?!¡± Guild master Hong Chae-yeon shouted, throwing the report. ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­¡± All indicators of the Jeong-jin guild were literally skyrocketing, but it seemed not enough in Hong Chae-yeon¡¯s eyes. The man who got hit in the face with the paper bundle felt upset for a moment, but couldn¡¯t say anything and just bowed his head. ¡®She¡¯s be even more entric recently.¡¯ Hong Chae-yeon wasn¡¯t originally a very gentle person. But recently, as her abilities increased and the guild¡¯s power grew, her personality had be much more vtile than before. ¡°I¡¯ll tell the guild members to run more dungeons. And guild master¡­¡± ¡°What else?¡± ¡°I heard that Kang Hyeon has been discharged from the hospital.¡± ¡°Do I have to care about that guy?¡± ¡°No¡­ I just reported in case. I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°Get out!¡± ¡°Yes¡­¡± The face of the man who bowed and turned around was deeply wrinkled. ¡®What should I tell the guild members again¡­¡¯ It wasn¡¯t just Hong Chae-yeon whose personality had changed recently. Other guild members were also bing increasingly hot-tempered. The symptoms were more severe for guild members with greater ability increases. ¡®Are the side effects of the drug really starting to appear?¡¯ When they first purchased the drug, the seller had warned about side effects. -There may be side effects associated with ability increase. -Side effects? -Yes. There¡¯s no problem yet, but we¡¯re not sure what might happen in the future. -It¡¯s fine, don¡¯t worry about it. As long as it¡¯s confirmed that abilities increase, I¡¯ll transfer the money right away. However, Hong Chae-yeon, blinded by desire, didn¡¯t consider side effects at all. As a result, the guild did prosper and grow at a tremendous pace. But the man¡¯s worries only deepened. ¡®Incidents and idents have increased enormously recently. I thought it was just a phenomenon urring as we epted new guild members, but¡­¡¯ The man¡¯s fist clenched tightly. ¡®If it¡¯s really because of the drug, this is serious. We shouldn¡¯t take it anymore.¡¯ He was just an administrative person, so he didn¡¯t need to take the expensive drug. At first, he felt left out about it, but now he felt rather fortunate. ¡®I need to leave the guild before something worse happens.¡¯ *** Ippotrantion *** ¡°For now, the most important goal is to rescue the man named Jo Seong-chan.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Well, if he¡¯s dead, there¡¯s nothing we can do.¡± At Kang Hyeon¡¯s words, Jo Dong-won¡¯s brightened expression became gloomy. ¡®I don¡¯t think he needed to say that¡­¡¯ Being in a position to ask for help, he couldn¡¯t bring himself to say it out loud. ¡°And we secure the drug.¡± ¡°Is that all?¡± ¡°That¡¯s it. What more do you need?¡± ¡°Nothing.¡± ¡°Okay. But why is Mr. Han Si-hwaning along?¡± ¡°Ah, well¡­¡± Han Si-hwan stuttered at Kang Hyeon¡¯s question. ¡°The motto of the Guardian guild is to protect humanity. We can¡¯t stand by and watch such dangerous drugs being abused!¡± ¡°Still, I don¡¯t think you need to move together¡­¡± ¡°And, maybe it might be rted to Guild Master Park Se-hyeon too. Guild Master also had a sudden increase in ability right before he passed away.¡± In fact, the original purpose was to observe Kang Hyeon¡¯s activities, but the flustered Han Si-hwan blurted out whatever came to mind. ¡®Wait¡­ This sounds usible?¡¯ But as soon as he said it, he thought it might actually be rted to Park Se-hyeon. If he was someone who always longed to be stronger to protect humanity, there was a possibility he might have turned to drugs. ¡°But please don¡¯t interfere, and when you move with me, you need to follow my instructions well.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°And I can¡¯t take responsibility if you get hurt along the way.¡± ¡°I understand.¡± Kang Hyeon nodded at Han Si-hwan¡¯s response and picked up his smartphone. ¡°Before that, let¡¯s gather some information first.¡± ¡°Do you have a method?¡± ¡°What method? I¡¯m just going to call Team Leader Shin Tae-gil and Brother Choi Dong-woo and ask them.¡± After a brief connection tone, Shin Tae-gil¡¯s voice was heard over the phone. -Have you recovered well? ¡°Yes. My body is all I have, you know.¡± -I¡¯m really grateful for your help this time. ¡°We¡¯ll talk about the rewards for dungeon clearingter. For now, I called because I was curious about something.¡± -Go ahead. ¡°Do you know about the Jeong Jin Guild? I heard their rise has been insane recently.¡± -Yes, I¡¯m aware of them. ¡°I heard that guild is a den of junkies. Do you know anything about that?¡± -Junkies..? Shin Tae-gil¡¯s surprised voice was heard at the unexpected word. -What do you mean by junkies? ¡°I heard there¡¯s a drug these days that increases your abilities just by taking it.¡± -Ah! I have heard reports about such drugs being distributed recently. But we¡¯ve been so busy that we haven¡¯t been able to pay much attention to it. ¡°Hmm¡­¡± -Actually, we¡¯re currently focusing all our efforts on catching the group that caused the dungeon terror incidentst time. Even that is not going well as the trail has gone cold. ¡°I see. I¡¯m nning to investigate this, so I¡¯ll ask for support if needed.¡± -I¡¯d be grateful if you could do that. ¡°I¡¯ll contact you againter.¡± -Alright. Kang Hyeon shook his head as he ended the call. ¡°No useful information?¡± ¡°Nope.¡± After that, he also contacted Choi Dong-woo, but he didn¡¯t say much either. -I also think the conflict between Jeong Jin Guild and Haeseon Guild is a serious problem. But it¡¯s not good for the union to interfere in every guild matter. I¡¯m sorry, but I¡¯d like you to investigate this personally. Kang Hyeon sighed, having failed to obtain the information he wanted. ¡°Haa¡­ Can¡¯t be helped.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°In this case, we¡¯ll go with the original n of a frontal approach.¡± ¡°A, a frontal approach? So you did have something in mind?!¡± Jo Dong-won sent an expectant look at the grand-sounding words. ¡°We just go there, smash them, and take it.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°What else can we do? That¡¯s how this world works.¡± ¡°Puhuh. It already sounds like fun!¡± An Yu-seong snickered at Kang Hyeon¡¯s words. ¡°As expected of Mr. Kang Hyeon. A frontal approach means a head-on attack, of course.¡± ¡°Yep. That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Han Jae-moon, Han Si-hwan, and Jo Dong-won quietly exchanged nces. ¡®These guys aren¡¯t normal¡­¡¯ *** Ippotrantion *** E-rank dungeon ¡®Vige of the Dead¡¯ This dungeon, upied by the Jeong Jin Guild, was a ce where undead monsters appeared. Originally, undead dungeons were quite unpopr. This was because they produced few byproducts and weren¡¯t profitable. However, the undead here had a certain probability of dropping precious metals, so the Jeong Jin Guild was managing it with special care. ¡°Did you get anything?¡± ¡°We got about 10 rings and bracelets.¡± ¡°Just 10? Are you kidding me? You can¡¯t even meet the quota with that!¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°Then don¡¯t do things you¡¯ll be sorry for!¡± Lee Pil-gyu, the executive managing the Vige of the Dead, shouted in an extremely agitated voice. ¡°Even if you can¡¯t keep any for yourself, you should at least gather enough to pay tribute to the guild. You idiots!¡± ¡°Urgh!¡± A man who was kicked by Lee Pil-gyu clutched his stomach and rolled on the ground. ¡°Haa, fine. I¡¯ll move myself. Damn bastards. This is why trash like you are useless.¡± The guild members¡¯ eyes turned vicious at the relentless insults, but no one dared to challenge him. ¡®This nobody¡­ If only I had more of the drug..!¡¯ Lee Pil-gyu took most of the drugs allocated to the branch, citing his position as an executive. The pill,monly called ¡®Monster Power¡¯, literally gave you strength like monsters the moment you took it. The guild allocated a tiny amount to each branch based on the number of personnel, but Lee Pil-gyu took more than his share, even touching the drugs meant for other guild members. The guild members knew this fact but had toply because theycked the strength to oppose him. ¡°Oh my, isn¡¯t this a heartwarming sight?¡± At that moment, everyone¡¯s heads turned at the sudden unfamiliar voice. ¡°Who are you!?¡± Then they saw a strange man walking in casually. ¡°It¡¯s me, you bastard. No matter how poorly they perform, is it right to use violence against your guild members like that?¡± Kang Hyeon sneered, raising one corner of his mouth at Lee Pil-gyu, who was ring at him. ¡°I don¡¯t know who you are, but this is Jeong Jin Guild territory.¡± ¡°So what?¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t want to die, get lost.¡± ¡°What? Now threats too? This guy ispletely useless!¡± As Kang Hyeon continued to mock him, veins popped on Lee Pil-gyu¡¯s neck. ¡°I¡¯ve changed my mind. Hand over everything you have right now. Then I¡¯ll spare your life.¡± At Lee Pil-gyu¡¯s signal, the guild members immediately surrounded Kang Hyeon. They seemed very familiar with this kind of situation, as if they had done it many times before. ¡°These guys alwaysck originality.¡± ¡°¡­?¡± ¡°It¡¯s always the same pattern.¡± Despite being surrounded by more than ten people, Kang Hyeon didn¡¯t seem tense at all. ¡°Ba, Badass Guild?¡± Suddenly, a guild member at the back muttered, seeing the ¡®Badass¡¯ letters written on Kang Hyeon¡¯s back. ¡°Branch Manager! This guy is wearing Badass Guild clothes!¡± ¡°Badass or whatever, who cares?! Just beat him up!¡± Kang Hyeon nodded at Lee Pil-gyu¡¯s words. ¡°That¡¯s right. Just beat me up. Who I am doesn¡¯t matter.¡± Hope you enjoyed the chapter! If you would like to support me or read up to 20 chapters ahead, you can do so via Buymeacoffee OR by unlocking chapters. Schedule: [Sun ¨C Thur] Anyway¡­ Happy Reading!!! Chapter 55 Chapter 55 ¨C Omen (2) ¡°No. So, go quickly to that guild master, Hong or whatever his name is.¡± ¡°Ye-es..?¡± ¡°Go and deliver my message well.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°Now, I¡¯ll speak slowly, so repeat after me carefully.¡± Lee Pil-gyu, with all his teeth knocked out and his cheeks severely swollen, nodded his head frantically. ¡°From today.¡± ¡°Fwom today.¡± ¡°This dungeon¡± ¡°Dis dungeon¡± ¡°Belongs to the Badass Guild.¡± ¡°Bewongs to da Badass Guild.¡± Lee Pil-gyu desperately tried to repeat, but his pronunciation was off due to his swollen face. Kang Hyeon, who was listening, pped Lee Pil-gyu¡¯s cheek. -p! ¡°Wh-why¡­¡± Lee Pil-gyu, face nted on the ground, shed tears with an incredibly wronged expression. ¡°Why is your pronunciation so terrible? How can you deliver the message like that?¡± ¡®You made me like this! You bastard¡¯ The essence of Korean swear words unfolded brilliantly in Lee Pil-gyu¡¯s mind. However, life was precious, so he had to bury it in his heart. ¡®I heard rumors, but this guy is aplete psycho!¡¯ The other guild members could only tremble in fear watching this scene. ¡°I¡¯m not asking for anything extraordinary. Just go and deliver a message to your guild master, is that so difficult? Huh?¡± Han Si-hwan, watching this scene from afar, shook his head. ¡°He seems to be enjoying this¡­ Is it just my imagination?¡± ¡°Um¡­ Well¡­¡± Jo Dong-won, standing beside him, couldn¡¯t say it directly and just quietly nodded. ¡°And why do you have so little? There¡¯s nothing useful here. Nothing I like at all.¡± Kang Hyeon, examining the items looted from them, threw them on the ground as if discarding trash. ¡°Anyway, deliver my message well to that Mr.Hong Chae-yeon. Got it?¡± ¡°Yes¡­¡± ¡°Tell him the Badass Guild is taking this dungeon. You guys took it the same way, so you shouldn¡¯t have anyints, right?¡± The Jung Jin Guild members desperately nodded at Kang Hyeon¡¯s question. ¡°Now get lost.¡± As soon as the words fell, they ran away without looking back. ¡°Hey.¡± ¡°Eek!¡± Kang Hyeon caught one of the men. The guy screamed as if he had seen a ghost. ¡°You need to take this trash with you. How can you just leave?¡± As the man shifted his gaze, he saw Lee Pil-gyu whimpering with resentful eyes. ¡°I, I¡¯ll take him¡­¡± *** Ippotrantion *** ¡°What did you say? Say it again¡­¡± Hong Chae-yeon¡¯s eyes trembled as he received the report. ¡°Kang Hyeon attacked the ¡®Vige of the Dead¡¯ and forcibly upied it.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t hear well, can you say it again?¡± Hong Chae-yeon got up from his seat and approached the man. ¡°Kang Hyeon attacked the Vige of the De-¡° ¡°Shut up. Shut up! Shut up!¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Why is that crazy bastard picking a fight suddenly!? Whyyy!¡± Her hysteria level, which had been rising recently, shot to the extreme. Hong Chae-yeon, who was screaming loud enough to shake the office, barely caught her breath and continued. ¡°Haa, so what does he want? He must want something, right?¡± ¡°That¡­¡± ¡°He¡¯s not just causing trouble for no reason, right?!¡± ¡°Yes, yes! That¡¯s right. He wants us to hand over Jo Seong-chan and all the ¡®Monster Power¡¯ we have.¡± ¡°What¡­?¡± Hong Chae-yeon¡¯s eyes widened fiercely upon hearing the demands. ¡°I don¡¯t care if we hand over a moron like Jo Seong-chan. I was getting tired of bullying him anyway.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°But, hand over the Monster Power?¡± ¡°Yes¡­¡± ¡°Do you know how much that¡¯s worth? Who does he think he is to demand we hand it over?!¡± ¡°He says if we don¡¯t want all our other dungeons destroyed, we should hand it over quickly. He¡¯ll be waiting until 12 noon tomorrow at the Vige of the Dead¡­¡± Hong Chae-yeon wasn¡¯t even angry at these absurd words. ¡®Who does he think he is, the police?¡¯ Not only did he suddenly interfere in the matter without being the police, but he¡¯s also demanding we hand over expensive medicine. There had never been such tyranny. ¡°Even Joseon Dynasty corrupt officials were better than this¡­¡± Hong Chae-yeon, who briefly wore a dejected expression, continued speaking. ¡°Prepare the elites among our guild members. About 50 of them.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°Do I have to say it twice?¡± ¡°But Guild Master¡­ Even though our guild¡¯s strength has increased, we¡¯re talking about Kang Hyeon. ¡° ¡°So?¡± ¡°Based on all the rumors about him so far, you should consider him a monster of apletely different dimension.¡± ¡°And? What are you trying to say?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Are you saying we should just let someone who¡¯s messing with our territory like some gangster go? Because it¡¯s dangerous to touch him?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not it, but¡­¡± As the man hesitated, Hong Chae-yeon mmed the desk. -Bang! ¡°Stop talking and get them ready.¡± Her ring eyes gradually turned red. *** Ippotrantion *** ¡°A beer please.¡± ¡°Here you are.¡± Kang Hyeon received the beer can handed over by Shin Seong-a and emptied it in one gulp. ¡°Phew¡­ I should learn some ice-rted magic soon.¡± Summer had long ended and it was the season when autumn leaves were in full bloom. However, Kang Hyeon was not at all pleased with drinking lukewarm beer. ¡®There¡¯s less than thirty minutes left¡­ Is this okay?¡¯ Jo Dong-won¡¯s eyes trembled anxiously as he watched. He thought it might be too carefree, given that his family¡¯s lives were at stake. ¡®He¡¯s certainly strong, but¡­¡¯ Of course, he had seen Kang Hyeon¡¯s skills once before. But if the Jeong jin Guild came prepared and shed head-on, even Kang Hyeon might not fare well. ¡°Hehehe. They¡¯reing.¡± ¡°Yes. They¡¯re starting to appear at the end there.¡± An Yu-seong spoke first, followed by Shin Seong-a. ¡®What¡¯sing?¡¯ Jo Dong-won looked around earnestly at their words but couldn¡¯t find anything. ¡°They won¡¯t just talk nicely. I expected that anyway.¡± Kang Hyeon, who spokest, got up from his seat and stretched. ¡®They¡¯re reallying!¡¯ A momentter, something started to appear in Jo Dong-won¡¯s eyes too. Dozens of armed ability users. People wearing armor with the red sword mark of the Jeong jin Guild were approaching this ce. ¡°Brother!¡± As the distance between them closed, Jo Seong-chan,pletely battered, came into view. Jo Dong-won¡¯s eyes rolled back at the sight of Jo Seong-chan being dragged along the ground. ¡°Stay still.¡± Kang Hyeon held back Jo Dong-won, who was about to rush out. ¡°But¡­!¡± Jo Dong-won, who was about to say something, stopped when he saw Kang Hyeon¡¯s eyes. Eyes sunk impossibly low. It was an appearance unimaginable from someone who had been joking around just seconds ago. ¡°¡­¡± Finally, the two groups got close enough to see each other¡¯s eyes. -Thud The Jeong jin Guild threw Jo Seong-chan down like trash. ¡°Urgh¡­¡± Jo Seong-chan¡¯s condition was much worse up close. If he hadn¡¯t been an ability user, it wouldn¡¯t have been strange if he had died right away. Jo Dong-won was furious, but first aid was important, so he carefully moved his brother to the back. ¡°We¡¯ve handed over Jo Seong-chan, now withdraw from the dungeon.¡± One guild member stepped forward and spoke. ¡°The medicine?¡± ¡°We put it in Jo Seong-chan¡¯s pocket.¡± Kang Hyeon nodded to Han Si-hwan. Han Si-hwan hesitated for a moment but searched Jo Seong-chan¡¯s clothes without a word and found the medicine. ¡°It¡¯s here.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± The medicine in Kang Hyeon¡¯s hand looked no different frommon pills seen in hospitals. ¡°Are you kidding? Just three pills?¡± ¡°Do you know how much each of those pills costs to talk like that?!¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure I told you to hand over everything you had.¡± ¡°You bastard!¡± The Jeong jin Guild member became extremely agitated, thinking they were being disrespected. He was about to rush out, but stopped as he felt a hand holding him back from behind. ¡°Vice Guild Master¡­¡± ¡°Wait for now.¡± Woo Jin-hyung, the Vice Guild Master of the Jeong jin Guild. In terms of pure strength, he was one of the top few in the guild. ¡®Why is he trembling like that?¡¯ But his current appearance seemed somewhat anxious. -Crash¡­ Woo Jin-hyung couldn¡¯t forget. Every time he closed his eyes, he saw the scene of his sword shattering in Kang Hyeon¡¯s hand. To ovee that fear, he had constantly tried. He focused on hunting to raise his level and increased his medicine dosage. Thanks to that, he was able to gain tremendous strength in a short period. ¡®But why. Why is my body trembling like this!?¡¯ As he faced Kang Hyeon again, fear crept up, as if mocking his efforts. ¡°You there. You know me, right?¡± For a moment, Kang Hyeon and Woo Jin-hyung¡¯s eyes met. ¡°I, I don¡¯t know¡­! No, I don¡¯t know!¡± The flustered Woo Jin-hyung blurted out a formal speech. He could feel the guild members around him looking at him strangely. ¡°What nonsense are you talking? You know me. While I¡¯m still asking nicely, bring all the medicine you have.¡± ¡°You crazy bastard! This person is the Vice Guild Master of the Jeong jin Guild. He¡¯s not someone a thug like you can talk to carelessly!¡± Woo Jin-hyung¡¯s whole body trembled regardless of his will. He wanted to cover the mouth of the idiot shouting next to him right away, but he couldn¡¯t move. ¡°I don¡¯t care if it¡¯s Jeongja or Jeong jin. I¡¯ll say it onest time. Hand over the medicine.¡± Kang Hyeon held out his hand as if he had left something in safekeeping, demanding the medicine. The continued brazen attitude started to anger Woo Jin-hyung as well. ¡®That guy just wants to pick a fight!¡¯ From Woo Jin-hyung¡¯s perspective, Kang Hyeon just seemed to want to pick a fight. Even if they had handed over all the medicine they had, he would have found a way to start a fight. ¡®Am I that easy? I¡¯m Woo Jin-hyung!¡¯ Even though the world had changed to one where the words of the strong werew, that behavior was going too far. Woo Jin-hyung vowed to show that justice was still alive in the world. ¡°Fuck! Kill him!¡± The moment Woo Jin-hyung shouted, unfortunately, he didn¡¯t see it. The sight of Kang Hyeon smiling as if satisfied. *** Ippotrantion *** ¡°He¡¯s not human¡­¡± Han Si-hwan of the Guardian Guild stood dazed with his mouth open. His unfocused eyes captured the image of An Yu-seong weaving through dozens of people. ¡°Aaargh!¡± ¡°Gack!¡± Every time An Yu-seong swung his mace, screams and the sound of something breaking could be heard. Attacks were pouring in from all directions, but An Yu-seong avoided them all as if he had eyes on the back of his head. ¡°I didn¡¯t know An Yu-seong was this capable.¡± In the dungeon, there wasn¡¯t time to observe An Yu-seong closely. So he had only thought of him as a subordinate who just followed Kang Hyeon around. ¡°In some ways, he¡¯s more of a monster than Kang Hyeon.¡± Han Si-hwan¡¯s gaze shifted towards Kang Hyeon. ¡°No. That¡¯s a demon¡­¡± Watching Kang Hyeon fight, Han Si-hwan recalled the situation from earlier. -If a fight breaks out, Mr. Han Si-hwan and Mr. Jo Dong-won, please stay back. -But¡­ -Tsk. You agreed to do as I say in exchange foring along, right? -I understand¡­ -And Shin Seong-a, An Yu-seong. If possible, subdue them without killing. -Why? An Yu-seong looked at Kang Hyeon with a dissatisfied expression at his words. -Hmm¡­ Just do as I say. Man! Are you some kind of bloodthirsty murderer or something? Huh? They¡¯re still people, you can¡¯t just kill them recklessly! -Tch. Han Si-hwanughed dejectedly as he thought about that situation. ¡°I wonder who¡¯s calling who a bloodthirsty murderer¡­¡± Kang Hyeon was facing the enemies without wearing any weapons. Kang Hyeon said it was to minimize casualties, but from what he could see now, that was definitely not the case. ¡°He¡¯s just enjoying hitting them with his bare hands¡­¡± Unarmed, Kang Hyeon foughtpletely like a berserker. Clearly, Kang Hyeon was avoiding most attacks, but he couldn¡¯t perfectly avoid all attacks like An Yu-seong. However, Kang Hyeon was busy moving his two fists, not caring whether the enemies attacked or not. ¡°Gahack!¡± Kang Hyeon¡¯s fist exploded on one man¡¯s jaw. With the tremendous impact, his teeth dered independence and flew out, and the man himself flew through the air, defying gravity. And Kang Hyeon¡¯s hand that threw the punch was bare, not wearing a gauntlet. ¡°Hahahaha!¡± ¡°He¡¯s definitely enjoying it¡­¡± *** Ippotrantion *** ¡°Total annihtion¡­¡± ¡°What..?¡± For a moment, Hong Chae-yeon was overwhelmed with the urge to rip apart the mouth of the man reporting. ¡°50 out of 50. All severely injured. Some of them are barely breathing, so they might never¡­¡± ¡°Stop. Stop it.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°I said stop!¡± ¡°Yes¡­¡± Hong Chae-yeon screamed like apletely insane person, pounding on the desk. -Bang bang bang bang! ¡°Stop, stop, stop, stop it, you fucking bastard!!!¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°What¡¯s the reason? Huh? What¡¯s the reason that bastard is doing this to me?!¡± Hong Chae-yeon grabbed the man¡¯s cor, looking at him as if she would strike if he didn¡¯t answer immediately. ¡°I¡¯m not sure¡­¡± ¡°We handed over Jo Seong-chan and gave them the medicine, we did everything! So why? Why?!¡± -Crack, crack! Hong Chae-yeon took out an Ax from her inventory and mercilessly struck the desk. ¡°Haa, haa¡­¡± The man who was reporting swallowed hard at the sight of her madness. ¡®She¡¯spletely crazy¡­ Insane!¡¯ It was clear that the side effects of the drug that had been a concern before were now in full effect. Trembling with fear, he pondered how he could leave the guild. ¡°Fine. I¡¯ll do as he wants.¡± ¡°Pardon..?¡± ¡°I¡¯m saying I¡¯ll do as Kang Hyeon wants. Right now, buy all the medicine we can afford. And look into that new drug I mentioned recently.¡± ¡°Yes¡­¡± ¡°Kang Hyeon. If that¡¯s what you want so badly, I have no choice.¡± Hong Chae-yeon, panting, mmed the Ax into the floor. -Thud! ¡°This is war.¡± Chapter 56 Chapter 56 ¨C Rage Syndrome (1) Two weeks have passed since the ¡®Vige of the Dead¡¯ incident. Although it wasn¡¯t a long time, South Korea had changed so much that it could be thought of as apletely different country. -In recent consecutive violent crime cases¡­ -Today, another ability user went on a rampage. At a bar located in Incheon¡­ -Crime is rapidly increasing even among ordinary people who don¡¯t enter dungeons. Themon point among these individuals is that they are all awakened who have passed at least stage 1 of the tutorial. South Korea was engulfed in rage and fear. Violent crime rates, including violence and murder, were breaking records day after day across society. Dozens of horrific incidents involving deaths and injuries were urring daily. -The government will no longer tolerate the misuse of illegal drugs¡­ -The government has dered war on drugs! This drug, which is currently terrorizing the entire country, is called ¡®Monster Power¡¯¡­ To prevent this phenomenon,monly called ¡®Rage Syndrome¡¯, the government drew its sword. They dered martialw. The repercussions were enormous. Numerous high-ranking figures in politics and business were arrested on charges of drug use, and major guilds whose names were well-known copsed one after another. -How many guilds have gone bankrupt this time? -Is this even a country? -I didn¡¯t expect the government to proceed this boldly. -It¡¯s a good thing. Right now, I can¡¯t even go out in front of my house for fear of getting stabbed blindly. -I thought the Jeong Jin Guild was growing suspiciously fast, turns out it was a den of drug addicts. Hong Chae-yeon¡¯s hands trembled as she read the news articles. -Crackle The smartphone in her hand sparked and turned into a handful of scrap metal. ¡°What did I do wrong to deserve this¡­?¡± All she had done was try her best to be stronger. ¡°I¡¯ve risked my life fighting monsters¡­ How can you do this to me?¡± It seemed that the insect-like humans had forgotten that they were living safely thanks to her. ¡°If I could just climb a little, just a little more, I could have been the best¡­ Why are you interfering with me? Why!? Kyaaaaaak!¡± Hong Chae-yeon screamed and threw whatever she could grab. In the guild office, which most people had already left, there was no one to stop her. ¡°This is all because of Kang Hyeon¡­ It¡¯s because that bastard interfered with me¡­¡± Her hostility, which had been searching for a target, focused on one person. ¡°If it weren¡¯t for Kang Hyeon!¡± *** Ippotrantion *** ¡°Argh! Damn it! Why are you only messing with me?!¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Kang Hyeon, who was ying a game with An Yu-seong, mmed the keyboard shotgun in frustration. ¡°Why do they keep shooting only at me? You were walking right next to me too!¡± ¡°Maybe you looked easier to catch.¡± ¡°I quit! I¡¯m not ying anymore!¡± Although no one had asked him to, Kang Hyeon threw a tantrum for no reason. ¡°Who asked to y games together? You came and asked me to teach you.¡± ¡°What did you say?!¡± ¡°You justck talent. Don¡¯t stress yourself out unnecessarily and put it away.¡± Meanwhile, An Yu-seong had taken down another enemy. Seeing An Yu-seong¡¯s monitor with ¡¯24 kills¡¯ written in red made Kang Hyeon feel even more heated. ¡°You think you¡¯re so great, you bastard!¡± Finally, Kang Hyeon turned off theputer and hurriedly opened the refrigerator. ¡°Phew¡­¡± Seeing the pile of beer stacked up made him feel a bit more stable. Although his body had be unable to feel intoxication from ordinary drinking, just the mood was enough. ¡°Ah¡­ Good! I¡¯m hungry too, let¡¯s go eat.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s just order in.¡± ¡°I want to eat beef.¡± ¡°Tsk, what a hassle.¡± Finally killing thest enemy, the words ¡®Winner Winner!¡¯ appeared on the monitor, and An Yu-seong smiled with satisfaction. ¡°Huh?¡± That¡¯s when it happened. Suddenly, An Yu-seong¡¯s face contorted. His instincts had started ringing rm bells strongly. ¡°Kang Hyeon, wait a moment.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Get out quickly!¡± Kang Hyeon was standing in the center of the office. That ce had a huge ss window that offered a panoramic view of Seoul. ¡°I¡¯m going out even if you tell me not to.¡± ¡°Get out right now! I¡¯m leaving first!¡± ¡°You crazy bastard. What are you talking about?¡± An Yu-seong rushed out of the office urgently. As Kang Hyeon stared nkly at that sight, the area in front of him suddenly brightened. ¡°Huh..?¡± Kang Hyeon turned around hastily. His eyes caught sight of a massive fireball filling his entire field of vision. ¡®Bastard. You could have taken me with you¡­¡¯ He cursed An Yu-seong for no reason. -Boom! As the fireball engulfed Kang Hyeon, the office exploded entirely with a tremendous sound. -Bang! Bang! Kaboom! As if that wasn¡¯t enough, magic attacks followed in session. After about a minute of magic pouring down, the office had be a ruin with nothing left. -Crackle, crackle In the quiet office, only the sound of something burning could be heard. ¡°Arghhhh!¡± -Thud. Kang Hyeon, who had somehow survived all those attacks head-on, shouted as he pushed away the building debris covering his body. ¡°Which bastards are you?! I¡¯ll kill you if I catch you!¡± Over the past 10 months, Kang Hyeon had been through a lot. However, this was definitely the first time he had experienced arge-scale terrorist attack outside a dungeon, and in a public ce at that. ¡°Phew¡­¡± As he slowly looked around, he saw thepletely ruined office. ¡°We just installed the shower room yesterday¡­¡± As he stared nkly at what used to be the shower room, An Yu-seong could be seen approaching from the entrance. ¡°You bastard! If this was going to happen, you should have told me properly! How could you run away by yourself?!¡± ¡°Kang Hyeon. I clearly told you toe out¡­ Puhaha! You look terrible!? Hahahaha!¡± An Yu-seong held his stomach andughed uncontrobly. ¡°Ah, you lunatic¡­ Nevermind. Just go get me some clothes.¡± ¡°Alright. Hehe, heh¡­¡± ¡°Stopughing. You crazy bastard!¡± Kang Hyeon waspletely covered in soot. His clothes must have already burned off, as he wasn¡¯t wearing a single thread. -This is said to be an amazing new material that won¡¯t even get scratched by a knife and won¡¯t burn in fire. The leather jacket that Shin Seong-a had confidently proimed about had disappeared without a trace. ¡°Hah, what amazing new material¡­¡± As Kang Hyeon grumbled while brushing off the ash covering his body, a perfectly bnced physique like a work of art was revealed. ¡°Well, it¡¯s fortunate that Shin Seong-a isn¡¯t here.¡± While An Yu-seong wouldn¡¯t have to worry about dying, if Shin Seong-a had been in the office, she might have been seriously injured. Finally, when the regeneration of his burned flesh wasplete and he could move his body again, it happened. ¡°Ugh¡­ Urgh¡­¡± ¡°What¡¯s that?!¡± Suddenly, a groaning sound came from a corner of the office. ¡°G-Guild leader¡­¡± The source of the groaning was Han Jae-moon, who had been working overtime until evening. ¡®You should have looked out for me too, you bastards¡­¡¯ Han Jae-moon¡¯s tears flowed more from the fact that no one had worried about him than from the pain in his body. ¡°Oh, Han Jae-moon! You were here too. It¡¯s really fortunate that you¡¯re alive. Hey.¡± ¡®Damn it¡­ Just call an ambnce quickly¡­¡¯ Fortunately, Han Jae-moon¡¯s wish was quickly granted. -Wee-woo-wee-woo! Not long after, numerous civil servants arrived at the scene with police cars, fire trucks, and ambnces, apanied by sirens. Also Team Leader Shin Tae-gil, who had heard the news, also came looking for Kang Hyeon. ¡°Sigh¡­ What¡¯s this about now?¡± Shin Tae-gil sighed as he rubbed his face dry. ¡°It¡¯s been a while since I¡¯ve seen you, so smile a bit. I¡¯m already irritated enough as it is.¡± Kang Hyeon responded roughly as he ran his hand through his hair. ¡°Do you have any idea who might be behind this?¡± ¡°What do you mean, any idea?¡± ¡°I mean, have you made any enemies or done anything to warrant this? They wouldn¡¯t have done this without a reason.¡± Kang Hyeon fell into deep thought at Shin Tae-gil¡¯s question. ¡°Nothinges to mind?¡± ¡°Wait. I¡¯m still counting.¡± ¡°Never mind¡­¡± He had underestimated Kang Hyeon. For this person, it would have been more appropriate to ask where he didn¡¯t have enemies. Realizing his mistake, Shin Tae-gil changed the subject. ¡°Anyway, it¡¯s a great relief that there were no casualties.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true.¡± ¡°The government will thoroughly investigate whoever is behind this incident, so for now, Kang Hyeon, please wait.¡± ¡°No need. I think I know who it is.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°It¡¯s written right there, in as day.¡± Looking in the direction Kang Hyeon was pointing, hundreds of sheets of paper could be seen fluttering. Shin Tae-gil picked up one of them and saw the characters for ¡°Jeong Jin¡± written in red. ¡°Could it be the work of the Jeong Jin Guild?¡± ¡°Seems like it. I should have crushed thempletely back then. Tsk.¡± Kang Hyeon had thought they had lost interest in him since they had been quiet since that day. ¡°This time, I¡¯ll make sure to crush them so thoroughly they won¡¯t even be able to lift their heads.¡± ¡°As it happens, we were about to ask for your help because we¡¯re short on manpower to chase down the guilds that have been using drugs.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not really interested in other ces though?¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine if you just take care of Jeong Jin.¡± Kang Hyeon nodded at Shin Tae-gil¡¯s words. ¡°But you know.¡± Kang Hyeon muttered as he looked up at the sky. ¡°The word ¡®Jeong Jin¡¯. Doesn¡¯t it mean to progress through effort?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°It also means to purify the body and cultivate the mind.¡± ¡°Pfft! Come on. This is ridiculous. Hahahahaha!¡± Kang Hyeon tore the paper in his hand to shreds while letting out augh tinged with madness. *** Ippotrantion *** ¡°What are you going to do?¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°This is all because of you! I¡¯ve lost my guild overnight and now I¡¯ve be the leader of a criminal organization!¡± Hong Chae-yeon, her eyespletely bloodshot, screamed as if throwing a tantrum. ¡°I clearly told you about the side effects of the drug. You bought it knowing that, Ms. Hong Chae-yeon.¡± ¡°If I had known things would turn out like this, I wouldn¡¯t have bought the drug. So you need to take responsibility.¡± At Hong Chae-yeon¡¯s signal, the Jeong Jin Guild members standing behind her instantly surrounded the man. ¡°What are you doing?¡± ¡°Since things havee to this, we might as well go all the way, right? Hand over all the drugs you have now.¡± ¡°If you want drugs, you need to pay for them.¡± ¡°Kahahahaha! Are you joking? You¡¯re asking for money in this situation?¡± As if responding to her words steeped in madness, the other guild members also let out roughughter. ¡°I think you¡¯re misunderstanding something here. We have nothing left to lose.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°So if you want to live, you¡¯d better hand over the drugs.¡± ¡°The one misunderstanding here is you, Ms. Hong Chae-yeon.¡± ¡°What¡­?¡± ¡°Do you think we, who make and sell the drugs, wouldn¡¯t have anticipated this kind of situation?¡± As soon as the man finished speaking, dozens of ability users appeared from somewhere and surrounded the Jeong Jin Guild members. ¡°Ha, we¡¯re the Jeong Jin Guild. Right now, only our elites are gathered here. Think you can handle us?¡± ¡°Your self-awareness is seriouslycking. I didn¡¯t know the drug had such side effects. Interesting.¡± ¡°Eek¡­! Kill them all!¡± Hong Chae-yeon swung her Ax towards the man as she gave the order. ¡°What the¡­!¡± But her body, caught by something, couldn¡¯t move an inch. ¡°Why isn¡¯t this working?!¡± ¡°Acting all high and mighty after taking a few pills, I can¡¯t stand to watch this anymore.¡± The man who had been speaking politely the entire time suddenly changed his attitude. As he took off the hood he had been wearing, a handsome man with sharp features was revealed. ¡°Who are you? What have you done?!¡± The man who revealed himself, Choi Min-jun, smiled coldly at the flustered Hong Chae-yeon. ¡°You should be grateful. I¡¯ve made such good use of you lot, who were nothing more than worthless trash.¡± ¡°Let me go!¡± ¡°Thanks to you, I was able to gather sufficient data.¡± ¡°What are you talking about?!¡± Hong Chae-yeon¡¯s expression twisted severely at his iprehensible words. ¡°Consider it an honor that even your corpses will be put to clean use after you die. You¡¯ll be nobly sacrificed for the sake of humanity until the very end.¡± ¡°Kyaaaa!¡± Chapter 57 Chapter 57 ¨C Rage Syndrome (2) ¡°Those who have taken or are currently taking Monster Power, pleasee forward and report yourselves!¡± Soldiers were shouting through megaphones on the streets. -Reward up to 500 million for reporting Monster Power users. Flyers posted everywhere added to the gloomy atmosphere. It was a bleak scene, as if a war had broken out. ¡°Hmm¡­¡± ¡°Is something wrong?¡± ¡°I suddenly feel like eating beef.¡± Kang Hyeon didn¡¯t seem to have any particr thoughts about the situation. ¡°We¡¯ve arrived.¡± Kang Hyeon and Shin Seong-a stopped in front of a building as they were walking. ¡°What? Is this the right ce?¡± The location of the Jeong Jin Guild¡¯s office that they confirmed through Shin Tae-gil was definitely here. However, the building seemed to have suffered a major fire and was left abandoned with burn marks still visible. ¡°It looks like they cut their ties and ran away.¡± ¡°That certainly seems to be the case.¡± Han Si-hwan responded to Shin Seong-a¡¯sment. ¡°Well, it would be strange if they were still here in this situation.¡± Kang Hyeon knew this but came hoping for a slim chance. ¡°What are you going to do?¡± ¡°What else can we do? Let¡¯s go in and see if there¡¯s anything left.¡± If they turned back now, there would be no clues to track down the Jeong Jin Guild. Kang Hyeon entered the abandoned building, grasping at straws. ¡°Phew! After burning down my office, they¡¯ve gone and yed with fire in their own guild building.¡± ¡°Cough, cough!¡± Kang Hyeon frowned as ash floating in the air entered his mouth. The interior of the building,pletely ckened, presented a deste appearance. It felt as if the building itself was rejecting human visitors. ¡°What could possibly be left here?¡± Han Si-hwan said with a frown. ¡°Mr. Han Si-hwan, you can leave if you want.¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s fine¡­¡± ¡°No, really, you can go. Why do you keep following?¡± ¡°¡­¡± As Han Si-hwan hesitated without answering, Kang Hyeon shook his head. ¡°Alright. Let¡¯s just keep going for now.¡± Kang Hyeon¡¯s target was the 5th and 6th floors used by the Jeong Jin Guild. Without bothering to look around elsewhere, Kang Hyeon went straight up to the 5th floor. ¡°It¡¯s worse here.¡± The source of the fire seemed to be this 5th floor used by the Jeong Jin Guild. The interior, which showed much more severe fire damage than below, made it difficult to find any intact furniture. ¡°Wait.¡± Kang Hyeon, who had been looking around while walking, suddenly stopped the group. ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± ¡°I can feel a faint magical energy. This way.¡± Kang Hyeon carefully moved his steps. ¡°It¡¯s here.¡± Finally arriving at the source of the magical energy, Kang Hyeon carefully poked his head out. ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± What greeted Kang Hyeon was a woman in a haggard state. The woman, sitting with her body leaning against the wall, was covered in blood from head to toe. Moreover, blue veins protruding from her body made for a quite grotesque sight. ¡°Is she dead?¡± ¡°Not dead yet.¡± At that moment, the woman raised her head and stared at Kang Hyeon. Her eyes were tinged red, and Kang Hyeon felt like he had seen a simr sight somewhere before. ¡°As expected, you came here. Kang Hyeon.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve be quite famoustely, so many people recognize me, but I don¡¯t know who you are.¡± ¡°I am Hong Chae-yeon.¡± Hong Chae-yeon revealed her name with a proud expression. ¡°Who¡¯s that? Do you know?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure either.¡± Han Si-hwan made a dumbfounded expression after hearing their conversation. ¡®She¡¯s the guild master of the Jeong Jin Guild, you idiots¡­¡¯ Hong Chae-yeon seemed to share the same sentiment, wearing an incredulous expression. ¡°Ha¡­¡± After swallowing a bitterugh, she continued speaking. ¡°I am the guild master of¡­ Cough! The Jeong Jin Guild.¡± ¡°You?!¡± ¡°Yes. I am Hong Chae-yeon¡­ Cough, cough!¡± ¡°Alright! Stop talking!¡± For a moment, Kang Hyeon¡¯s expression suddenly changed. ¡®Is this guy actually worried about me?¡¯ Hong Chae-yeon thought he was telling her to refrain from speaking because he was worried about her seemingly critical condition. ¡°I¡¯m not curious about your name or anything, damn it. Thanks for the fireworksst time. I had a st thanks to that.¡± ¡°Haha¡­ I heard you were crazy, but I didn¡¯t know it was to this extent. Kekek¡­ Cough cough!¡± Hong Chae-yeon, who wasughing loudly, gasped as if she was about to lose her breath at any moment. ¡°Hey, hey, you can¡¯t die yet!¡± ¡°Whew, don¡¯t worry. I don¡¯t n on dying before I finish my story.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°First, I¡¯m sorry aboutst time. I was out of my mind because of the drugs.¡± ¡°Just in case you¡¯re thinking about it, begging for your life won¡¯t help.¡± ¡°I have no intention of doing that, so shut up. It¡¯s hard to talk.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Hong Chae-yeon was already in a state where it wouldn¡¯t be strange if she died right then and there. It was only her willpower, her anger burning until the very end, that was forcibly clinging to life. ¡°To get to the point, we were all yed. By the guys supplying the drugs.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Choi Min-jun! Because of that son of a bitch Choi Min-jun, my guild was ruined! All my guild members are dead!¡± Hong Chae-yeon, who had been speaking calmly, suddenly became agitated and mmed the wall. With that impact, the outer wall of the building instantly crumbled, and wind rushed in. ¡®It seems like she¡¯s still got a long way to go before dying¡­?¡¯ Kang Hyeon tilted his head at her appearance, which still seemed quite robust. ¡°Calm down and continue your story.¡± However, he had to keep listening to the story, so Kang Hyeon carefully waited for Hong Chae-yeon¡¯s excitement to subside. ¡°Haah¡­ Right. That guy named Choi Min-jun. And even his crazy subordinates who follow him. There wasn¡¯t a single one who wasn¡¯t strong. In the end, all my guild members were killed, and I barely managed to escape like this.¡± ¡°Yeah, yeah.¡± ¡°Especially that guy Choi Min-jun, he¡¯s aplete monster. Probably a monster that even Han Se-yeon or Choi Dong-woo couldn¡¯t handle¡­ Cough!¡± Kang Hyeon felt frustrated as the story seemed to be going in circles, but he decided not to upset Hong Chae-yeon. ¡®I shouldn¡¯t provoke her and make her excited again.¡¯ Hong Chae-yeon continued speaking. ¡°What I¡¯m saying is that they¡¯re not just some third-rate organization selling drugs! Choi Min-jun¡¯s goal isn¡¯t some petty conquest of the underworld, it¡¯s much big- bigger¡­ Gah!¡± Hong Chae-yeon, who was speaking, suddenly screamed and twisted her body. The blood vessels that had risen to her skin were wriggling as if they had a will of their own. ¡°Hey! Don¡¯t go yet! Finish the story!¡± ¡°Huff, huff! Don¡¯t underestimate me. This is nothing.¡± Fortunately, the blood vessels subsided, and Hong Chae-yeon, who had been gasping for breath, regained herposure. ¡°So what I want to say is¡­ It¡¯s shameless, but I¡¯d like you to take revenge for me.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°After I die, take my equipment.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry about that.¡± ¡°And I¡¯ll give you information about Choi Min-jun, so I want you to kill that bastard.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll think about it.¡± Hong Chae-yeon let out a hollowugh at Kang Hyeon¡¯s sarcastic response until the end. But thinking that it was more than enough that he was listening to her story, she continued speaking. ¡°The ce where Choi Min-jun is¡­¡± The conversation continued for a few minutes, and finally, after finishing all her words, Hong Chae-yeon wore a relieved expression. ¡°Now, I can die¡­¡± Hong Chae-yeon¡¯s voice became grotesquely distorted as she spoke. ¡°Gruk, kek! Kruruk!¡± And she fell to the floor, writhing and screaming. ¡°Ki¡­ Kek, kill¡­ Keruk! Kill meee!!!¡± Kang Hyeon, who had been watching Hong Chae-yeon shedding tears of blood, took out Ogre¡¯s giant hammer. ¡®Still, there¡¯s something like hateful affection, so¡­¡¯ ¡°I¡¯ll send you off cleanly.¡± Kang Hyeon, using ¡®Wayne¡¯s Secret Technique¡¯ and ¡®Giant¡¯s Strength¡¯, lifted the hammer with all his might. -Thud thud thud¡­. As the enormous weight pressed down on the precarious building floor, stone dust fell. ¡°If you¡¯re reborn, you know¡­¡± ¡°Keak, kek!¡± Hong Chae-yeon looked at him desperately, as if trying to hear Kang Hyeon¡¯sst words. ¡°Don¡¯t be a junkie.¡± ¡°Keruk..! You, you bastard¡­¡± Kang Hyeon, meeting Hong Chae-yeon¡¯s resentful gaze, swung the hammer down with all his strength. -Kwaaang! *** Ippotrantion *** Kang Hyeon quickly left the spot aftering out of the building. Part of the building had copsed due to the impact of the hammer strike. ¡°At least it wasn¡¯t a wasted trip.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Who would have thought the guild master of Jeong-jin Guild would be waiting there?¡± Soldiers who rushed in after hearing the noise were bustling about. After watching them for a moment, Kang Hyeon soon smiled contentedly. ¡°And I got a useful ring too.¡± Being the master of a fairlyrge guild, Hong Chae-yeon had a wide variety of items. Among them, Kang Hyeon was very excited to find an item that was perfect for him. Name: Kamiel¡¯s Ring Grade: B Durability: 500/500 Description: A ring worn by Kamiel, who reached the pinnacle of martial arts in a woman¡¯s body. The ring, which has been with her throughout her life of training, has been imbued with her tenacity and determination. Ability: Mad Dog, Increases Health stat by 8 *Mad Dog ¨C A mad dog never lets go once it bites until it dies. Looking at the rough-shaped ring, it seemed more like a weapon than an essory. The abnormally high durability for an essory also contributed to this thought. ¡°No, it¡¯s all good, but what¡¯s this ¡®Mad Dog¡¯ thing?¡± ¡°Is there something that could be problematic?¡± ¡°Look at this.¡± Shin Seong-a, who took Kamiel¡¯s ring, slowly nodded. ¡°It¡¯s an ability that suits you, Kang Hyeon.¡± ¡°Should I be happy about that?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Haa¡­ Never mind. So what do you think this ability does?¡± ¡°Literally, it means to ¡®chomp¡¯ with your teeth, doesn¡¯t it?¡± Shin Seong-a, uncharacteristically, even used hand gestures to express ¡®chomp¡¯. ¡°Chomp?¡± ¡°Yes. Chomp.¡± ¡°Y-yeah. Ahem..!¡± Anyway, if that was true, Kang Hyeon couldn¡¯t help but seriously ponder about the personality of this woman named Kamiel. ¡°Sounds more like a street fighter than the greatest martial artist¡­¡± Even excluding the special ability, an increase of 8 in health is a great gain. Kang Hyeon took off the D-grade ring he was wearing and put on Kamiel¡¯s ring. ¡°Whew¡­ Feels good!¡± Since the ring he was wearing previously increased health by 2, the actual increase was 6, but even with that, Kang Hyeon felt a significant boost in his physical abilities. ?Name: Kang Hyeon ?Title: Tutorial Graduate and 3 others ?Level: 58 ?Detailed Stats: Strength 28 (+4)(+2) Agility 27 (+3) Health 29 (+3)(+8) Magic 30 (+3)(+4) Additional Stats: ¨C ?Unique Ability: Resurrection ?Abilities: Intermediate Swordsmanship(D), Lower-grade Shield Technique(E), Lowest-grade Crossbow Technique(F), Basic Martial Arts(E), Lowest-grade Blunt Weapon Technique(F), Magic Detection(E), Poison Resistance(F) ?Skills:Roar of the Enraged Lion(C), Advanced Bodily Regeneration(A), Bisection(D), Giant¡¯s Strength(B), Magic Explosion(D), Wayne¡¯s Secret Technique(D), Entria¡¯s Shell(D) With this, the Health stat was the first to reach 40. Now, even if he goes all out using Giant¡¯s Strength, the phenomenon of his body not being able to withstand it like before will be greatly reduced. ¡°So this is what they call item power, huh?¡± In fact, Kang Hyeon had been quite dismissive of items until now. He thought what he already had was enough. But after wearing equipment that substantially increased his stats, his mind changed. ¡°I should be more proactive in acquiring skills and items.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a good idea.¡± ¡°Yeah. Let¡¯s head back for now.¡± Kang Hyeon walked towards the safe house they were using as a temporary hideout. The ce was, of course, provided by Shin Tae-gil. ¡°By the way, why does Mr. Han Si-hwan keep following us?¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°I¡¯m asking why you¡¯re tagging along like a baby duck. Aren¡¯t you the vice guild master of the Guardian Guild?¡± ¡°That¡¯s correct.¡± Kang Hyeon made an expression of utter iprehension. ¡°I¡¯d think a vice guild master would have lots of work and be busy, is it okay for you to be leisurely walking around like this?¡± ¡°Ahem¡­¡± ¡°Why are you the one feeling guilty?¡± Shin Seong-a cleared her throat unnecessarily at Kang Hyeon¡¯s words. ¡°Haa¡­ It¡¯s embarrassing, but may I say something?¡± ¡°Go ahead.¡± While walking, Han Si-hwan nodded as if he had made a big decision. ¡°Yes. The Guardian Guild is essentially finished.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°The initial grand and noble spirit and goals have disappeared, and now only greed remains. So, I¡¯m thinking of establishing a new guild with the guild members who follow me!¡± ¡°That¡¯s admirable. You must be busy then. Well, goodbye.¡± Kang Hyeon waved his hand, uttering words without a trace of sincerity. ¡°Yes. But rather than doing that, I was thinking about joining the Badass Guild¡­¡± ¡°I said no.¡± ¡°No, I mean, I¡¯m still considering whether you¡¯re someone who would fit in with us¡­¡± ¡°I said no.¡± ¡°Mr. Kang Hyeon! You don¡¯t seem to understand, so let me tell you. Actually, my colleagues and I are good enough to be weed in any guild¡­¡± ¡°For fuck¡¯s sake, I said no!¡± Finally, Kang Hyeon frowned, unable to contain his anger. Han Si-hwan, who had seen Kang Hyeon fighting before, unconsciously hunched his shoulders. ¡°Y-yes¡­ I understand¡­¡± Han Si-hwan lowered his head, turned around, and trudged away. ¡°We are the guardians of humanity, Guardian Guild¡± What Han Si-hwan was singing was the Guardian Guild¡¯s anthem. A song that Guild Master Park Se-hyeon hadmissioned from a famousposer. It was a nostalgic song that guild members, who were initially reluctant, eventually came to sing along with. ¡°Viins, step back~¡± The song, which aligned well with the guild¡¯s motto and founding philosophy of protecting humanity, had the power to increase a sense of belonging and elevate spirits. ¡°Tsk tsk¡­¡± Watching Han Si-hwan, Kang Hyeon spoke. ¡°He seems to have gone mad from the shock.¡± ¡°Yes. He certainly doesn¡¯t seem to be in his right mind.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a pity.¡± ¡°Should we restrict his ess to the guild office from now on?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s do that. But we don¡¯t have a guild office anymore, do we?¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± Shin Seong-a nodded with her mouth open at Kang Hyeon¡¯s words. ¡°Anyway, let¡¯s head back now.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± That¡¯s when it happened. ¡°Aaaaaah!¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Kang Hyeon¡¯s head turned at the sudden scream. ¡°Han Si-hwan?¡± The man who had left singing just moments ago was now running back screaming. ¡°Help me!¡± ¡°What are you¡­ Shit! What is that?!¡± Behind him, hundreds of people were chasing Han Si-hwan with drool dripping from their mouths. Chapter 58 Chapter 58 ¨C Rage Syndrome (3) Due to themotion caused by Kang Hyeon, numerous soldiers had gathered at the Jeong-jin Guild building. ¡°Civilians are rioting!¡± ¡°What!?¡± The soldiers who were busy inspecting the building¡¯s interior were startled by the appearance of Han Si-hwan and the madmen, and picked up their megaphones. ¡°Stop right there! Stop!¡± The people withpletely bloodshot eyes did not heed those words. Instead, they attacked everyone around them indiscriminately and moved even faster. ¡°Kyaaaa!¡± ¡°Arghh!¡± People nearby met a terrible fate without even being able to put up a fight. Some people seemed to be ability users as they were seen drawing weapons, but their fate was not much different. ¡°Die!¡± A spear thrust by an ability user pierced through a madman¡¯s stomach. It was an attack that would have instantly drained the strength and killed a normal person, but ¡°Grrr¡­. Gack!¡± ¡°Arghhhh!¡± The madman, with the spear still impaling him, pushed his body forward and eventually bit off the ability user¡¯s neck. ¡°Uh, uwaaa!¡± -Bang, bang! A soldier who couldn¡¯t ovee his fear at that sight fired his gun. ¡°Which crazy bastard fired without orders?!¡± ¡°S-Sorry!¡± ¡°Are you insane? Don¡¯t do anything until we get orders from abo-, Gack!¡± Thepanymander who was spouting nonsense had his neck sliced off before he could finish speaking. ¡°Kill them all!¡± ¡°Uwaaa!¡± -Bang bang bang! In an instant, it turned into a scene of carnage. Amidst the chaos, Shin Seong-a quickly moved positions to provide covering fire, while Han Si-hwan fought valiantly, living up to his title as the vice guild master of a major guild. ¡°Stay still!¡± [Roar of the Enraged Lion has been activated] [The morale and abilities of all enemies have decreased] And Kang Hyeon was frantically running towards one man. The man¡¯s fingers on both hands had grotesquely elongated, clearly very sharp at a nce. And he was swinging those hideous hands towards a young girl. ¡°No matter what, you shouldn¡¯t harm a child. Bastard!¡± ¡°Gaaack!¡± With a clean flying kick to the face, the man instantly shattered the reinforced ss window and flew into the building. ¡°Big brother¡¯s a bit busy, so go find your mom on your own. Okay?¡± ¡°Sob, sob¡­! Uwaaaaang!¡± Kang Hyeon hurriedly pushed the child¡¯s back, but the girl who looked about 10 years old just cried bitterly. ¡°Graaaah!¡± In the meantime, the man who had been smashed into the building rushed out again. ¡°What? You¡¯ve already recovered?¡± ¡°Uaaang!¡± ¡°Graaah!¡± It was a total disaster. The child was crying, and the crazed man was charging forward, drooling. ¡°Oh shit!¡± Finally, Kang Hyeon drew out Bilgein¡¯s longsword and quickly thrust it in. The man with the sword stuck in his neck shuddered once before going limp. -Ssh! As Kang Hyeon pulled out the sword, blood sprayed everywhere like a fountain. ¡°Hic¡­!¡± Faced with this grotesque scene she had never witnessed before, the child couldn¡¯t even scream and just hupped. ¡°Tsk! Close your eyes!¡± Kang Hyeon hurriedly picked up the child, put her down inside the building, and pointed to a corner. ¡°You need to stay still there until big brotheres to find you. Got it?¡± ¡°¡­¡± The child didn¡¯t give any answer, just staring at Kang Hyeon with unfocused eyes. ¡°That¡¯s right. Good girl. Now big brother¡¯s going!¡± Coming out of the building, Kang Hyeon saw the street inplete chaos. ¡°Graaah!¡± ¡°Die! Die! Kuhahaha!¡± Those with red eyes were all insane, though to varying degrees. They attacked people indiscriminately, and sometimes even fought among themselves. The biggest problem with this group of madmen was that they had superhuman, monstrous physical abilities. ¡°Uwaaaa! Don¡¯te!¡± -Ratatata! They continued moving even with their bodies riddled with bullet holes, and ¡°Kyaaah!¡± -Crunch! Some even had their bodiespletely transformed, looking no different from monsters. ¡°Why do I always end up in messed up situations wherever I go?¡± ¡°Kieeek!¡± As Kang Hyeon sighed and muttered, a woman rushed at him. -Thwip ¡°Gack!¡± But an arrow that flew in from somewhere pierced her neck, and she copsed to the ground. ¡°Thank you.¡± Kang Hyeon raised his hand to greet Shin Seong-a and ran forward. ¡°These guys have no chance of rehabilitation anyway.¡± He wasn¡¯t making excuses for his aversion to killing. He was just stating the facts. Park Se-hyeon of the Guardian Guild. Hong Chae-yeon of the Jeong jin Guild. They were all top-tier ability users, but in the end, they couldn¡¯t ovee it and became monsters. ¡°They shouldn¡¯t have messed with that drug in the first ce.¡± ¡°Keeeek!¡± As if to refute Kang Hyeon¡¯s words, a man came charging with a terrible scream. -Crunch! Kang Hyeon grabbed the head of the charging man and smashed it into the asphalt. ¡°Magic Explosion.¡± -Boom! An enormous explosion urred under Kang Hyeon¡¯s hand, and the man¡¯s head instantly burst, turning into a ssh of blood. ¡°So, just die quietly.¡± *** Ippotrantion *** -I really can¡¯t go outside. I¡¯ve been cooped up for two days, just eating ramen lol -At least you bought ramen? I have no side dishes at home, so I¡¯m just eating rice -But isn¡¯t it okay to go out now? -Go out now and regret it when you get a hole in your stomach. It¡¯ll be toote then. Once again, South Korea was turned upside down by a suddenrge-scale riot. People falling into collective madness and inflicting indiscriminate violence. It was fortunate in the midst of misfortune that martialw had been dered and soldiers were on standby. -Has anyone seen Kang Hyeon¡¯s video? -I saw it. He was totally badass lol -Badass my ass. He lookedpletely insane. -Yeah, honestly watching the video was a bit scary. Too brutal. -But in that situation, you can¡¯t move carefully while distinguishing people, it¡¯s natural to be a bit rough. -For real. Hypocrite bastards. They would have run away without looking back. -Nice topic change. -Random, but the leather jacket was surprisingly cool. -That thing? lol Your taste is unique. Kang Hyeon, who was looking at his smartphone, slowly nodded. ¡°Something feels missing¡­¡± After pondering for a moment, Kang Hyeon diligently tapped on his smartphone. -I¡¯m an acquaintance of Kang Hyeon, and he¡¯s actually super handsome in person. Only then did Kang Hyeon seem satisfied and smiled. ¡°Mr. Kang Hyeon.¡± ¡°Huh, what!?¡± Kang Hyeon stuttered in surprise when Shin Seong-a suddenly called him. ¡°Someone is here to see you.¡± ¡°Who is it?¡± ¡°It¡¯s Vice Guild Master Han Si-hwan.¡± ¡°Tell him I¡¯m busy with work.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Kang Hyeon, who was about to focus on work again, put down his smartphone on the desk. ¡°Ah¡­ The mood is ruined.¡± After spinning around in the chairman¡¯s chair for a moment, Kang Hyeon picked up his smartphone again. Then he called Shin Tae-gil. -What¡¯s the matter? ¡°Aren¡¯t you working?¡± -Pardon? ¡°Delete all the maliciousments about me on the inte!¡± -I¡¯m busy. I¡¯m hanging up. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. It was a joke. Hehehe.¡± For some reason, Kang Hyeon felt like ying pranks whenever he heard Shin Tae-gil¡¯s voice. -What¡¯s your business? ¡°I came with high-level information, but your reaction is so cold.¡± -Mr. Kang Hyeon. I¡¯m really busy. Please. ¡°Ah, okay. I got it. You¡¯re so heartless¡­¡± Kang hyeon changed his expression and continued the conversation seriously. It was about the dissolution of the Jeong jin Guild and the man behind it, Choi Min-jun. -That¡¯s really surprising¡­ ¡°I did well, didn¡¯t I?¡± -Yes. You did a good job. We¡¯ve been circling around without getting to the core, but this is a big help. ¡°If you¡¯re grateful, I have a favor to ask.¡± -As long as it¡¯s notment maniption or something like that, go ahead. ¡°I need poison.¡± -Poison¡­ You say? Shin Tae-gil¡¯s voice showed confusion at this unexpected request. ¡°Yes. A very potent one. If possible, the kind that melts bodies or organs. You know, like those biochemical weapons?¡± -What on earth are you nning to use that for¡­ ¡°I¡¯m not going to harm others, so please get it for me.¡± -Sigh¡­ I¡¯ll look into it. ¡°And.¡± -Is there more? ¡°Do you have any information on skills or abilities rted to resistance?¡± -Resistance, resistance¡­ This time, even Shin Tae-gil seemed to be considering it seriously. -Abilities rted to resistance are very rare. They¡¯re not even traded through normal methods. ¡°I thought so.¡± -It¡¯s information that ordinary people don¡¯t even know exists. You¡¯ve done well to find out about it. Is that why you need the poison too? ¡°That¡¯s right. So please get me some other things too. I¡¯ve been helping a lot, like with the C-rank dungeonst time.¡± -Sigh¡­ Shin Tae-gil sighed and continued. -Such rare items can¡¯t be obtained just because you have a lot of money. Though money is needed, of course. ¡°I earn good money. How much do you need?¡± -At least tens of billions of won. Kang Hyeon¡¯s eyes shook as if there was an earthquake at the sudden appearance of this unrealistic amount. ¡°Shit! Why is it so expensive?!¡± -Items for acquiring skills and abilities are originally expensive. A few hundred million to a few billion won ismon. ¡°But you said tens of billions?¡± -That¡¯s the minimum. ¡°Sigh, I guess the government won¡¯t pay for it?¡± -Don¡¯t ask when you already know. I¡¯m hanging up now. Shin Tae-gil hung up before Kang Hyeon could answer. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with this guy? He¡¯s unnecessarily prickly today.¡± -Ding dong Just then, the doorbell rang. -Ding dong ¡°Who is it?¡± ¡°It¡¯s Vice Guild Master Han Si-hwan.¡± Shin Seong-a answered Kang Hyeon¡¯s question. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you let him in?¡± ¡°Because you told me not tost time¡­¡± Kang Hyeon vaguely remembered having such a conversation with Shin Seong-a. -Ding dong, ding dong, ding dong! Kang Hyeon, who was already in a bad mood, got even more annoyed at the noise that seemed to shake his head. ¡°Why keep ringing it? Once is enough!¡± ¡°Kang Hyeon. If we smash his head, he won¡¯t be able to ring the bell. Should I do it?¡± An Yu-seong, who seemed quite annoyed too, threw down his game and took out a mace from his inventory. ¡°Sigh¡­ Let him in.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± As Shin Seong-a approached the entrance and opened the door, Han Si-hwan, soaked in rain, appeared. ¡°Whew! Isn¡¯t it too much to leave me outside in the rain¡­¡± Han Si-hwan, who had hurriedly entered the houseining, stopped talking when he saw Kang Hyeon¡¯s fiercely raised eyes. ¡°No, I¡¯m sorry for rudely ringing the doorbell when it¡¯s raining.¡± ¡°Okay, that¡¯s enough. What¡¯s the matter?¡± ¡°Well¡­¡± Just as Han Si-hwan was about to say something, the doorbell rang again. -Ding dong, ding dong! ¡°Hey. Go out and smash that thing.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°The doorbell, of course. What else?¡± ¡°No.¡± An Yu-seong licked his lips as if disappointed. ¡°Sigh¡­ Just open the door for now.¡± At Kang Hyeon¡¯s words, Shin Seong-a opened the door and an unexpected person entered the house. ¡°Mr. Kang Hyeon! It¡¯s good to see you!¡± It was the Jo Seong-chan and Jo Dong-won brothers from the Haeseon Guild. ¡°What brings you here? No, more importantly, how did you all know about this ce?¡± Come to think of it, this was a safe house provided secretly by the government. It wasn¡¯t a ce just anyone coulde to as they pleased. ¡°I asked Team Leader Shin Tae-gil.¡± ¡°We came here to ask Mr. Han Si-hwan.¡± In the end, it meant this situation urred because Shin Tae-gil had told them. ¡°That guy is really getting on my nerves today.¡± Kang Hyeon sighed and looked at the uninvited guests. ¡°Well, since you¡¯re here,e in. It¡¯s not polite to leave you standing like this.¡± Kang Hyeon, who had guided the uninvited guests to the living room, took out beer from the refrigerator. ¡°This is all I have to drink, so just have this.¡± ¡°Ah, thank you.¡± ¡°By the way, Shin Seong-a, An Yu-seong, it feels like the house has be cramped now that there are suddenly many people when it¡¯s usually just the three of us.¡± ¡°Ahem¡­¡± Kang Hyeon turned his head at the sudden gaze he felt. There was Han Jae-moon, looking at him and clearing his throat. ¡°What do you want?¡± ¡°Ahem¡­¡± When Kang Hyeon red at him, Han Jae-moon couldn¡¯t say anything and turned his head away. ¡°Where were we? I forgot because of you!¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­¡± Han Jae-moon¡¯s eyes became moist as he apologized. ¡®That bastard. Always nagging just me¡­¡¯ Chapter 59 Chapter 59 Special Training (1) ¡°Now, let¡¯s get to the main point.¡± Everyone sat down, and Kang Hyeon spoke first. ¡°Why did youe here? Mr. Han Si-hwan, you go first.¡± ¡°Yes. I want to join the Badass Guild¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s enough. Next, the Jo brothers, Seong-chan and Dong-won?¡± ¡°We also came to join the guild¡­¡± It was the expected answer. Kang Hyeon just nodded, as he had only asked to confirm. ¡°Haa¡­ First, Mr. Han Si-hwan.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°How many people in total want to join the guild?¡± ¡°Including myself, 10 people. They all have good character and excellent skills!¡± ¡°That¡¯s enough, wasn¡¯t the Guardian Guild¡¯s motto originally to protect humanity?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°From what I saw before, it seemed a bit like a cult.¡± ¡°That, that¡¯s¡­¡± Honestly, it wasn¡¯t wrong. In the days when Park Se-hyeon was there. They really believed they were the guardians of humanity. ¡°The guild membersing with you, Mr. Han Si-hwan, They are the real deal in the guild, right?¡± ¡°Yes¡­ It seems so¡­¡± Hearing the answer, Kang Hyeon shook his head. ¡°Does that guy sitting there ying games or Shin Seong-a here look interested in that?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°We¡¯re not people gathered with such noble intentions. Just because we want to be stronger. And because it¡¯s boring to go alone? That¡¯s about the extent of our reasons for gathering.¡± Han Si-hwan nodded at Kang Hyeon¡¯s words. ¡°Yes. I know well because I¡¯ve been watching for the past few days. But I realized that without power, justice and protecting humanity are just empty talk.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°But if I¡¯m with you, Kang Hyeon, I¡¯m sure I can be stronger than now. In the end, we¡¯ll be able to achieve our goals too.¡± ¡°I like your honesty.¡± Kang Hyeon smirked at the sight of him talking about his purpose without hiding anything. ¡°What about the guild members from Haeseon?¡± ¡°First, I don¡¯t think I properly expressed my gratitude for your helpst time, so I¡¯ll say it again.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to go that far¡­¡± ¡°Thank you for saving our lives.¡± Jo Seong-chan, who had a calm impression, bowed his head so low it almost touched the floor. His younger brother, Jo Dong-won, looked quite burly and passionate, which was quite contrasting. ¡°The greeting is done, what¡¯s your purpose for joining the guild? As I said before, the Jeong Jin Guild is already over.¡± ¡°Yes. I know. My reason for joining the Badass Guild is not for revenge.¡± ¡°Then?¡± ¡°It¡¯s because I want to be with you, Kang Hyeon.¡± Quite a cringeworthy line. Kang Hyeon casually took a swig of beer. ¡°If you¡¯re going to gild my face, forget it. There are no bonus points for that. I¡¯d rather you suck up to me like Han Si-hwan over there. I prefer such honest answers.¡± At Kang Hyeon¡¯s words, Han Si-hwan made a sour face. ¡®Did he have to express it like that¡­?¡¯ But since it wasn¡¯t wrong, he couldn¡¯t really refute it. ¡°Then I¡¯ll speak honestly. I thought if I was with you, Kang Hyeon, I could rise to a higher ce. A high ce that we wouldn¡¯t have been able to reach originally.¡± ¡°A high ce, huh¡­¡± ¡°My brother and I are orphans. All our rtives abandoned us, so we grew up in an orphanage. Maybe that¡¯s why we always promised to ovee this world and rise above it since we were young.¡± Kang Hyeon smiled with satisfaction at Jo Seong-chan¡¯s words. ¡°From the outside, it seemed like the younger brother would step up, but as expected, the older brother is the older brother. Good.¡± ¡°So then?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll ept everyone into the guild. I was thinking about expanding the guild size soon anyway.¡± At the mention of expanding the guild size, Han Jae-moon jumped up from his seat. ¡°Are you not hiring for office work?¡± ¡°Why? Aren¡¯t you enough by yourself?¡± ¡°Well¡­¡± ¡°If you need more money, just say so and I¡¯ll give you more.¡± Han Jae-moon shook his head. He had enough money even now. Although he might need quite a bit for stress-induced hair loss treatment soon. ¡°The money is fine¡­ Please, can¡¯t you hire some employees? I get hundreds of emails a day, countless phone calls, and also¡­¡± ¡°Okay, I get it. Don¡¯t worry about the money, you recruit and hire as you see fit. From now on, Han Jae-moon, you¡¯re promoted to office manager!¡± ¡°Congrattions.¡± ¡°Congrats, Han Jae-moon.¡± At Kang Hyeon¡¯s deration, Shin Seong-a and An Yu-seong offered soulless congrattions. Kang Hyeon pped with a pleased smile. -p, p, p, p¡­ ¡®You guys are really bad¡­¡¯ Feeling somewhat mocked, Han Jae-moon was angry, but as usual, he sat down with an awkward smile. ¡°Thank you¡­¡± ¡°Now then, let¡¯s continue our conversation¡­ Where were we?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°I forgot again because of you. Man!¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­¡± After scolding Han Jae-moon, Kang Hyeon finally remembered what he was going to say. ¡°Right. First, wee to the guild, and when you join the guild, there are a few things you need to follow.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± At Kang Hyeon¡¯s words, everyone gulped and nodded. ¡°First. Be stronger than anyone else.¡± ¡°Second. Don¡¯t pick unnecessary fights.¡± ¡°Andstly, third. Return favors or grudges as much as you¡¯ve received.¡± Kang Hyeon recalled what he had said to An Yu-seong and Shin Seong-a when he first founded the guild and exined it to them again. ¡°Is there anything you don¡¯t understand up to this point?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Use whatever form of address you want, and I speak informally to all guild members equally, so I¡¯ll do the same with you all. If you have anyints, speak up now.¡± After waiting for a moment, Kang Hyeon nodded with satisfaction when there was no response. ¡°Good. Now I should get to the main point.¡± ¡°The main point¡­?¡± At Kang Hyeon¡¯s sudden words, everyone made expressions full of questions. ¡°Who here has a lot of money?¡± *** Ippotrantion *** ¡°We need to increase the number of dungeon runs.¡± ¡°How about getting corporate sponsorship?¡± ¡°If we introduce a system to clear dungeons ording to people¡¯s requests¡­¡± The safe house instantly transformed into a conference room. The topic of the meeting was ¡®How do we make a ton of money?¡¯ Specifically, over 100 billion won. ¡°How long will it take to make money that way? Is there anyone here who¡¯s run more dungeons than me?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°And I¡¯ve only saved about 3 billion so far, so how long do you think it¡¯ll take to save 100 billion?¡± It hasn¡¯t even been a year since the dungeon incident started. 3 billion was an enormous amount, and Kang Hyeon no longer had any greed for money. But to buy useful skills, especially resistance-rted skills, and good items, astronomical amounts of money were needed. ¡°Hmm¡­ Kang Hyeon.¡± At that moment, Shin Seong-a raised her hand. ¡°Speak.¡± ¡°How about creating and selling guild merchandise?¡± ¡°Merchandise?¡± Kang Hyeon showed interest in thispletely new idea. ¡°You mean like idols or anime characters selling rted products?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Does that make money?¡± ¡°I think it will definitely make money.¡± ¡°Just in case, you¡¯re not thinking everyone¡¯s a sucker who¡¯ll thoughtlessly blow millions of won like you, right?¡± Recalling the guild jackets that cost millions to make just three of them, Kang Hyeon gave a dubious look. ¡°Ahem, no.¡± ¡°Merchandise, that¡¯s not a bad idea.¡± ¡°Sounds good!¡± Contrary to Kang Hyeon¡¯s expectations, An Yu-seong and Han Jae-moon¡¯s reactions were very positive. ¡°You think selling a few toys for kids to y with will make money?¡± ¡°If we start with merchandise and gradually expand the business scale, I think it will definitely bring in more ie than running dungeons.¡± ¡°And if we go bankrupt?¡± ¡°Then we can just go back to running dungeons, can¡¯t we?¡± Shin Seong-a¡¯s face said ¡®why are you asking such an obvious question?¡¯ ¡°Can¡¯t you just give us some money, An Yu-seong?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to. And I¡¯m not exactly in a position to be coddled at home.¡± ¡°Tch.¡± ¡°Anyway, to make money, we need to do business. How long do you think it¡¯ll take to save 100 billion just by running dungeons?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Like older sister said, trying to sell merchandise sounds good. It¡¯s a high value-added industry and we¡¯re already getting plenty of publicity.¡± At An Yu-seong¡¯s calm words, Kang Hyeon¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°I think this is the first time I¡¯ve seen you speak such a long sentence so calmly and seriously?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Maybe it¡¯s because you¡¯re from a rich family, but you suddenly be bright-eyed when money talkes up. Look at this.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not it.¡± ¡°What do you mean it¡¯s not?¡± At Kang Hyeon¡¯s words, An Yu-seong smiled. ¡°My sixth sense told me that interesting things are going to happen. Hehe.¡± Anticipating what¡¯s toe, An Yu-seong chuckled. ¡°Then Shin Seong-a, An Yu-seong, and Han Jae-moon will n the merchandise sales.¡± -Bang! The sound of Han Jae-moon mming his keyboard was heard from the corner where he was working. Kang Hyeon ignored it. ¡°And you know, I¡¯ve been thinking about this, let¡¯s sell items directly from the guild.¡± ¡°Items, you say?¡± ¡°Yeah. I¡¯ve collected quite a lot so far.¡± Kang Hyeon stood up and moved to one corner. Then he started taking out items he had been storing in his inventory one by one. ¡°Oh my¡­¡± ¡°What is that!?¡± As items endlessly poured out from Kang Hyeon¡¯s arms, people¡¯s eyes filled with astonishment. ¡°Where did you get all of this¡­?¡± ¡°Well¡­ They just umted as I hunted here and there.¡± ¡°Kang Hyeon. There¡¯s even a B-grade weapon here? Where did thise from?¡± Until now, the only way to get B-grade items was through the tutorial. But the B-grade equipment An Yu-seong was holding now clearly wasn¡¯t Kang Hyeon¡¯s. ¡°Don¡¯t ask when you already know, man.¡± Han Si-hwan, who was nkly staring at hundreds of items, suddenly became lost in thought. ¡®Am I perhaps going down a very wrong path¡­?¡¯ It was a moment when he worried if he was bing a destroyer of humanity rather than a guardian. ¡°Anyway, selling on the Radar sitees with high fees. We have a lot of items and high-grade equipment, so I was thinking maybe we should sell them separately ourselves.¡± ¡°As expected of you, Kang Hyeon. You had even prepared this in advance.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right¡­¡± Kang Hyeon nodded glumly at Shin Seong-a¡¯s sincere ttery. ¡°First, if you need anything, take some.¡± ¡°What? Really?!¡± Han Si-hwan and Jo Seong-chan¡¯s eyes sparkled at this sudden generous offer. ¡°At your current level, even going to D-grade dungeons together would be tough. So take what you need and run some dungeons.¡± ¡°Yes¡­¡± ¡°What level are each of you now?¡± ¡°46.¡± ¡°I¡¯m¡­¡± Although he had expected it, hearing their levels made Kang Hyeon sigh. Han Si-hwan Level 46 Jo Seong-chan Level 39 Jo Dong-won Level 42 They were clearly above average high levels, but the difference with Kang Hyeon was too severe. Kang Hyeon Level 58 An Yu-seong Level 53 Shin Seong-a Level 46 An Yu-seong was a once-in-a-lifetime talent Kang Hyeon had seen, so he gets a pass. Shin Seong-a had her own solid character and had achieved tremendous growth while being with Kang Hyeon. ¡°It¡¯ll be hard to hunt with you guys. You won¡¯t be able to help, let alone endure.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°What on earth have you been doing until now? How can you be lower level than Shin Seong-a?¡± Everyone made an aggrieved expression at Kang Hyeon¡¯s words. ¡®That¡¯s just because you guys are abnormal, you monsters!¡¯ They too had been continuously conquering dungeons until now. Especially in Han Si-hwan¡¯s case, he was once the second highest level person after the guild master in the Guardian Guild, which was one of Korea¡¯s top 5 guilds. Moreover, even Park Se-hyeon, the guild master there, was only level 51 before he died. ¡®What on earth are they doing to have such a level difference?¡¯ Whether he knew or not how much they wanted to grab him by the cor and ask, Kang Hyeon sighed deeply. ¡°There¡¯s no helping it. We¡¯ll start special training from tomorrow.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± Chapter 60 Chapter 60 ¨C Special Training (2) Kang Hyeon fell into deep contemtion. ¡°How should I drive these guys to level up quickly?¡± The best method would be to push them to the brink of death. However, unlike himself who cane back to life even after dying, these guys would really die if something goes wrong. ¡°If only they had a physical regeneration skill or something like that.¡± This time, one of the Guardian Guild members did have a simr skill. It was an E-grade skill called ¡®Intermediate Self-Healing¡¯, but hearing its effects, it seemed like a downgraded version of Kang Hyeon¡¯s bodily regeneration skill. ¡°Sigh¡­ Team Leader Han Si-hwan.¡± Feeling frustrated, Kang Hyeon called out to Han Si-hwan. ¡°Yes, Guild Master.¡± Han Si-hwan had been given the position of team leader for the newly formed Strategy Team 1. In fact, it was just gathering the Guardian Guild members and giving him a leadership position, but he seemed satisfied. ¡°You said there was someone with a healing skill among the friends who came this time, right?¡± ¡°Yes. Her name is An Yeon-ha, and she¡¯s a really kind and diligent friend.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not interested in whether she¡¯s kind and diligent. What level is she?¡± ¡°21.¡± ¡°Haa¡­ I expected it, but still.¡± He had anticipated that her level would be low since she rarely participated directly inbat. However, the situation was more serious than he thought. ¡°The healing skill is B-grade, received from the tutorial, right?¡± ¡°That¡¯s correct.¡± ¡°But with such a low level, she¡¯d be panting after just a few heals, running out of magic.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Han Si-hwan kept his mouth shut at these words that hit the mark. ¡°You know that stats can increase through exercise and training, right?¡± ¡°Yes¡­ I¡¯ve heard about it.¡± Han Si-hwan had heard about it but didn¡¯t believe it. He had never experienced his stats increasing no matter how hard he tried. ¡°Magic increases just like other stats if you keep at it, you know?¡± ¡°What? Magic too?!¡± He didn¡¯t believe that strength and stamina could increase. But now he¡¯s being told that even magic can grow. ¡°Um, Guild Master. Even though we¡¯re not sure if that¡¯s reliable information¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯ve raised my stats by about 20 points like that so far, what are you talking about?¡± ¡°What?! You¡¯re saying you raised that much without leveling up?¡± The person in front of him had aplished something he had simply treated as a rumor. ¡®No, this goes beyond aplishing, it¡¯s aplete overachievement!¡¯ Han Si-hwan¡¯s eyes widened in disbelief. ¡°What exactly is the method? And you raised 20 points? The rumors I heard said it was at most one or two¡­¡± ¡°There¡¯s no special method. You just have to work yourself to death. When you¡¯re truly on the brink of death, your stats increase one by one.¡± How could he have raised stats by 20 when others find it difficult to raise even one? This was beyond Han Si-hwan¡¯sprehension. ¡°Actually, the higher your stats, the harder it is to raise them¡­ In a way, it might be fortunate that this An Yeon-ha friend has a low level.¡± A n for the future was gradually forming in Kang Hyeon¡¯s mind. ¡°Alright. Gather all the guild members.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± As Han Si-hwan was about to leave after the conversation, Kang Hyeon held him back. ¡°By the way.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°What happened with asking Team Leader Shin Tae-gil to look for a new office?¡± ¡°I got scolded for even mentioning it.¡± ¡°Tsk. I see. I¡¯ll have to talk to him againter.¡± *** Ippotrantion *** D-grade dungeon ¡®Golem¡¯s Grave¡¯ This was a simple dungeon where only one type of monster appeared. Golems. And these were iplete golems on the verge of being scrapped. Nevertheless, the reason this dungeon was ranked D-grade was clear. Because golems are very powerful. -Kwang! The fist of a 4m tall golem struck the ground. Dust rose everywhere, obscuring vision, but the ability users didn¡¯t stop moving for even a moment. ¡°If you stay still and get hit even once, you¡¯re done for! Move faster!¡± Kang Hyeon, standing far from the battle, shouted enthusiastically. ¡°Uwaah!¡± Led by Jo Seong-chan, Jo Dong-won, and Han Si-hwan, all the former Guardian Guild members moved frantically. ¡°You¡¯re fumbling just to defeat one golem, and you dare talk about protecting the world, you bastards!¡± Kang Hyeon deliberately kept scratching at the pride of the Guardian Guild members. He knew well how anger could be a driving force in battle. -Kurururung Just as the golem was finally destroyed and the guild members were about to catch their breath, suddenly the ground shook. -Kung, Kung! ¡°What? Again?¡± ¡°Damn it! Are you telling us to die? When are we supposed to rest at this rate?!¡± Comints erupted from all around, but Kang Hyeon pretended not to hear. ¡°Next are two of them. Run if you want to live!¡± Shin Seong-a, who hadpleted her task of luring the golem to where the guild members were gathered, stood next to Kang Hyeon. ¡°I¡¯vepleted the mission and returned.¡± ¡°Oh, uh¡­ yeah.¡± She seemed to be enjoying this somehow. ¡®It should be fine¡­¡¯ In fact, Kang Hyeon was also enjoying this situation. ¡°Want to go and lure one more?¡± ¡°Understood.¡± Exchanging an evil smile with Kang Hyeon, Shin Seong-a moved again to lure another golem. *** Ippotrantion *** ¡°Heck, heck¡­ I can¡¯t do this anymore.¡± ¡°Just kill me!¡± The ability users who had destroyed the tenth golemy sprawled on the ground. ¡°Haah¡­¡± Even Han Si-hwan, the strongest among them, was out of breath, so the condition of the other guild members needn¡¯t be mentioned. ¡°You¡¯ve really be soft from peace, huh? Is this how you were babbling about protecting the world and whatnot?¡± ¡°Eek!¡± ¡°And how hard have you worked yourself?!¡± ¡°That¡¯s right! All you¡¯ve done is watch from behind!¡± As Kang Hyeon kept poking at their pride, some guild members started to rebel. Those who had seen Kang Hyeon¡¯s performance in ¡®Benandi¡¯s Forest¡¯ stayed quiet, but the rest of the guild members had never seen Kang Hyeon in battle. ¡®Oh ho, look at these guys?¡¯ The corners of Kang Hyeon¡¯s mouth lifted slightly. Then he took out Ogre¡¯s giant hammer from his inventory. ¡°Wh-what? So what if you¡¯ve taken it out?¡± ¡°These guys have no respect for the Guild Master.¡± ¡°We¡¯re sorry¡­¡± Han Si-hwan ran over to apologize, but the Guardian Guild members didn¡¯t seem interested in listening. ¡°No, Vice Guild Master! Why should we listen to such a thug-like guy in the first ce?!¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. We can do well enough if we just make a guild among ourselves!¡± At that moment, the sound of the Golem¡¯s footsteps began to be heard again. ¡°Watch carefully, kids.¡± Finally, Shin Seong-a, who had lured the Golem, passed by Kang Hyeon¡¯s side. ¡°Good job. You¡¯ve worked hard today.¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll take care of that one, so leave it.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Kang Hyeon, who had activated ¡®Wayne¡¯s Secret Technique¡¯ and ¡®Giant¡¯s Strength¡¯, walked forward. -Thud, Thud! The distance to the golem was about 30 meters. It was a distance that a giant golem could cover in an instant. ¡°Uryaaaaa!¡± [Roar of the Enraged Lion King has been activated] [The Golem does not feel fear.] [The enemie¡¯s abilities have been partially reduced] As Kang Hyeon let out a tremendous roar, he threw Ogre¡¯s hammer with all his might. ¡®It¡­ it flew?¡¯ The hammer, which was clearly too heavy for a human to lift, flew towards the Golem at an incredible speed. -Kwaaang! Hit in the dead center of its body by Ogre¡¯s hammer, the golem shattered like an exploding bomb, scattering into hundreds of fragments. ¡°¡­¡± ¡°You¡¯re resting after defeating just a few of these small fries?¡± The guild members¡¯ jaws dropped at the unbelievable scene, unable to close their mouths. ¡°I-Isn¡¯t this cheating?!¡± ¡°Could that hammer actually be extremely light?¡± ¡°You idiot. Would a Golem be shattered in one hit if it was hit by a light hammer?¡± The atmosphere remained chaotic for a moment, but Kang Hyeon pped his hands to draw attention. ¡°If you have anyints, feel free to speak up. If you can beat me, I¡¯ll give up the Guild Master position without a word.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Until then, shut up and follow my orders.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°No answer?¡± ¡°Yes¡­¡± The guild members responded glumly. ¡°From now on, never rest. Keep moving without rest, and when you feel like you¡¯re about to die! Still move.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°And when you think you can¡¯t even move a finger anymore¡­!¡± Kang Hyeon paused for a moment and looked around at the guild members. ¡°That¡¯s when I¡¯ll personally make you move!¡± ¡°¡­?¡± ¡°After getting hit a few times, strength you didn¡¯t know you had will spring forth.¡± Fear filled the eyes of the guild members as they saw Kang Hyeon¡¯s evil smile. *** Ippotrantion *** Day 2 of Kang Hyeon¡¯s reckless special training. The guild members,pletely exhausted after just one day, gathered in front of the dungeon, moving like zombies. ¡°Is it Golems again today¡­?¡± ¡°Please¡­ spare us.¡± ¡°You idiots. This is a different ce from yesterday. This is¡­¡± D-grade dungeon ¡®Hieros Mountain Range.¡¯ Despite the grand name, the monsters that appeared were simple. It was a ce where everyone¡¯s friends, Goblins, appeared. ¡°Kwon Ji-seop isn¡¯ting, right?¡± ¡°Of course not. How could hee after nearly dying from being hit by a Golem?¡± Kwon Ji-seop was an ability user who had been critically injured by a Golem¡¯s attack yesterday. Fortunately, he was able to save his life, but it would be difficult to see him in the dungeon for a while. ¡°Hey, hey, he¡¯sing.¡± In the distance, a shy van with ¡®Badass¡¯ painted on it was approaching. Finally, as the van stopped in front of the dungeon, a demon from hell got out. ¡°Did you all get a good restst night?¡± ¡°Yesss¡­¡± ¡°It seems there are no brave souls who dared to bete. Good. That¡¯s how it should be.¡± And then, An Yeon-ha and Kwon Ji-seop got out of the van together. ¡°Wh-what?¡± ¡°Kwon Ji-seop, are you okay?¡± ¡°Yeah¡­¡± He seemed to be in a daze. Moreover, An Yeon-ha, who was getting out with him, also looked extremely haggard, which didn¡¯t seem normal. ¡°Everyone, apud! These friends have excellent willpower. To recover from their injuries in just one day!¡± At Kang Hyeon¡¯s words, An Yeon-ha and Kwon Ji-seop shuddered as they remembered the previous night. ¡®I never want to experience that again¡­¡¯ *** Ippotrantion *** The day before. An Yeon-ha, who had been repeatedly using her healing skill all day in the Golem dungeon, waspletely exhausted. That¡¯s why Kang Hyeon caught An Yeon-ha, who was about to head straight home after the dungeon raid. ¡°What is it¡­?¡± ¡°Where are you going? You need to heal this friend.¡± In the direction Kang Hyeon pointed, Kwon Ji-seop could be seen, barely clinging to life. ¡°I¡¯d like to, but I¡¯ve run out of magic today¡­ Besides, injuries this severe with broken bones, if healed incorrectly, could actually be harmful.¡± An Yeon-ha wasn¡¯t simply lying to go home. Both the fact that she had run out of magic and that such injuries could cause bodily abnormalities if the bones were set incorrectly were true. ¡°We have a healing expert here, what¡¯s there to worry about?¡± ¡°Huh? Where¡­?¡± Kang Hyeon pointed at himself. ¡°And I know well about magic shortage, but when you really run out of magic, it¡¯s hard to even walk. From what I see, you still have plenty to spare.¡± ¡°¡­¡± No one depletes their magic to the point where they can¡¯t even move their body. It was mentally too exhausting, and the strong feeling of weakness in the body made recovery much slower. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I really worked harder than usual today.¡± ¡°Remember the promise you made when you first joined the guild?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°As long as you¡¯re in the guild, you follow my orders unconditionally. If you don¡¯t like it, you leave.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°I don¡¯t care whether you be a loser or not, or whether you live apart from Han Si-hwan.¡± The fact that An Yeon-ha was dating Han Si-hwan was a secret that almost no one in the guild knew. But Kang Hyeon, who already knew this fact, deliberately mentioned Han Si-hwan to shake An Yeon-ha¡¯s heart. ¡°So if you want to leave, leave anytime. I won¡¯t stop you.¡± The horrible things that happened after that were something she really didn¡¯t want to recall. Kang Hyeon forcibly inserted his hand into Kwon Ji-seop¡¯s body to set the bones. And in that state, he demanded the use of skills. ¡°Aaaaargh!¡± Kwon Ji-seop writhed in pain, but he couldn¡¯t do anything against the overwhelming physical strength. ¡°Hmm, the bones have gathered here like this¡­ Good.¡± asionally muttering something to himself and nodding, Kang Hyeon performed iprehensible acts. -Crack! He shattered Kwon Ji-seop¡¯s bones that had just been barely connected. ¡°Aaaaargh! Damn it!¡± Eventually, Kwon Ji-seop, who had been screaming, fainted, but Kang Hyeon didn¡¯t even nce at him. ¡°This needs to be healed again.¡± ¡°Huff, huff¡­ Yesss¡­¡± An Yeon-ha, who waspletely exhausted, repeated the healing as if possessed by something, following Kang Hyeon¡¯s words. After the great surgery that continued all night like this, Kwon Ji-seop showed the miracle of moving his body in just one day. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about injuries, you guys. As long as you don¡¯t die in one go, I¡¯ll fix you all up.¡± The face of Kang Hyeon, speaking with a smile, looked like a demon. Chapter 61 Chapter 61 ¨C Special Training (3) The next day. The training became even more dangerous. Today, even An Yu-seong and Shin Seong-a, who had only been observing until now, joined the battle. ¡°Don¡¯t fight alone! Group in threes and eliminate blind spots!¡± Jo Seong-chan excelled at leading andmanding people as he had been taught. The experience he had built up as the leader of a fairlyrge guild called ¡®Haeseon¡¯ still shone even now that the situation had changed. ¡°Understood!¡± Although only a day had passed, the attitude of the guild members towards Jo Seong-chan had changed a lot. Even those who initially resisted his words were now following his instructions withoutint. ¡°Kerarara!¡± ¡°Keurk, keurk!¡± The goblins, now a sight they were sick of seeing, poured out in droves. Originally, this dungeon required facing arge number of enemies, but because Kang Hyeon had driven them all together, many more enemies than usual had gathered. ¡°Aaah! We¡¯re really going to die at this rate.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t this too much?¡± ¡°Damn it! Why am I suffering like this..!¡± The guild members hadn¡¯t even properly recovered from yesterday¡¯s fatigue. Their tired bodies felt like they would copse just from swinging a sword. ¡°Kuaah! Die!¡± But their minds were bing sharper with each passing moment. Without even realizing it, they were changing at an incredible pace. ¡°Hey! Who¡¯s that over there?! It¡¯s dangerous!¡± During the chaotic battle, one guild member broke formation. As he was about to be surrounded, Kang Hyeon, who had been observing, sprang into action. ¡°Move aside! You tiresome things!¡± Kang Hyeon jumped into the air, stepping on a goblin¡¯s head. ¡°Keeek!?¡± Then he dashed forward, using the goblin¡¯s heads as stepping stones. -Puk, puk, puuk! ¡°Kek!¡± Some of the goblins that became Kang Hyeon¡¯s foothold without knowing why had their necks snapped and died on the spot. ¡°Watch out!¡± Kang Hyeon finally reached the vicinity of the guild member. His eyes caught sight of the guild member about to be skewered, surrounded by goblins. ¡®At this rate, I¡¯ll be toote.¡¯ Kang Hyeon decided to first throw a magic orb to repel the goblins. His judgment was quick and his action was faster. ¡°Magic Explosion!¡± -Kwagwagwang! ¡°Aaargh! I¡¯m getting caught up in it too!¡± ¡°Open your eyes properly and get a grip!¡± The guild member floundered in the dust swirling from the magic explosion. -Pusuk! Eventually, a sharp spear pierced the iling member¡¯s side. ¡°Kuaaaaargh!¡± ¡°Kekeke!¡± The spear, which had cleverly struck a spot unprotected by armor, instantly prated the guild member¡¯s flesh. ¡°Kuaaa! Save me!¡± The guild member with a hole in his side screamed in panic. ¡°Stop whining.¡± -Seuk! The goblin that had stabbed the guild member was bisected at the waist in an instant. Kang Hyeon grabbed the injured guild member. ¡°Ugh, uugh¡­¡± ¡°Is this your first time getting a hole in your body? Why are you acting like a baby?!¡± Far fromforting the injured man, Kang Hyeon berated him even more. ¡°Do you think those goblins over there are going to say ¡®Sorry!¡¯ and apologize if you whine about being hurt?¡± The guild member¡¯s face contorted even more at Kang Hyeon¡¯s words. ¡®Damn it. Are you talking trash because it¡¯s not happening to you?!¡¯ If there had been any strength left in his body, he surely would have used it to punch Kang Hyeon in the face. ¡°Haa, haa¡­¡± ¡°Looks like your internal organs aren¡¯t damaged. You¡¯re not going to die right away, so get yourself together and move!¡± ¡°¡­¡± The man red at Kang Hyeon with eyes full of resentment. ¡°What are you going to do by staring? If you hate it so much,e at me! If you win, I¡¯ll make you the guild leader!¡± ¡°Uugh¡­¡± ¡°Feeling wronged? Annoyed? Then go kill some goblins ande back stronger! You bastard!¡± ¡°Uaaaaargh!¡± The power of anger was remarkable. In an instant, the frail child who had been trembling just moments ago turned into a warrior with burning eyes. ¡°What is this¡­?¡± An Yu-seong, who was surprised by the man who suddenly appeared beside him and started massacring goblins, muttered. ¡°Good. Excellent.¡± Only then did a satisfied smile appear on Kang Hyeon¡¯s face. *** Ippotrantion *** The goblin hunt, which had continued all day without rest, finally ended when they reached the core. ¡°Unbelievable. Clearing the core in just one day¡­¡± ¡°Did we really aplish this?¡± Although it wasn¡¯t the main core but a normal core, it still typically took at least 3 days to clear. Those who always prioritized safety and maintained perfect formation while exploring dungeons felt like they had opened their eyes to a new world. ¡°How much did we earn in just one day?¡± The reward for a D-rank normal core was 40 million won. If they had properly collected the magic stones and corpses they had left behind today, the earnings might have reached 100 million won. ¡°Wow! If we just set up a collection team, we could make money in no time, right?¡± ¡°No matter how good the money is, would you want to do this again?¡± ¡°Well, that¡¯s true¡­¡± Everyone who came out of the dungeon was in tatters. Dirty with blood and sweat. Normally they would have been desperate for a shower, but right now all they wanted was to copse on the ground and sleep. ¡°I¡¯ll give the money we earned from today¡¯s dungeon clearing to Team Leader Han Si-hwan, so use it among yourselves as you see fit.¡± All the guild members cheered at Kang Hyeon¡¯s sudden deration. ¡°And I noticed there were some dissatisfied guys today, so let me make this clear. Listen carefully.¡± The cheers disappeared as if they were lying at Kang Hyeon¡¯s following words. ¡°If you don¡¯t want to do it, quit right now and get out.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m not forcing you, so just quit. Go be a basement guardian or whatever the hell you want.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°From tomorrow, only those who want toe should show up.¡± ¡°How can you speak so irresponsibly?!¡± A guild member protested against Kang Hyeon¡¯s words. ¡°You came here because you wanted to, so why should I take responsibility? Even if you die in the dungeon, or be disabled, I won¡¯t take responsibility for anything.¡± ¡°What do you¡­¡± ¡°But! I promise you this one thing.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°You can be strong.¡± Be strong. At those words, the guild members unknowingly swallowed. ¡°Isn¡¯t that what you want? Didn¡¯t you go around saying you wanted to be strong and protect humanity?¡± Something seemed to emanate from Kang Hyeon¡¯s body as he spoke, overwhelming everyone. ¡°I¡¯m going to watch and see how determined those who were shouting about protecting humanity really are.¡± After finishing his speech, Kang Hyeon left alone in a van. ¡°He¡¯s gone¡­¡± ¡°Yeah, he left.¡± Han Si-hwan approached the guild members who were watching Kang Hyeon¡¯s departure with a hollow feeling. ¡°What are you all going to do?¡± At his words, the guild members showed signs of being troubled. ¡°Honestly, I¡¯m not sure. I don¡¯t know if following that man is the right thing to do, if this is correct¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s true that our Guardian Guild gathered with that intention, but I also think this is a bit too much.¡± The Guardian Guild members present here were all essentially followers of thete Park Se-hyeon. It meant they were people united by a sense of mission to protect humanity. But no matter how strong their beliefs were, there was no one who didn¡¯t value their own life. ¡°Let me speak first. I¡¯m going to follow Kang Hyeon to the end.¡± ¡°Me too.¡± The Jo Seong-chan and Jo Dong-won brothers stepped forward and spoke. ¡°We brothers have ambition. And we think there¡¯s no better guild than this one to achieve it.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°We said the same thing to Kang Hyeon-nim, but he said he doesn¡¯t care.¡± ¡°He doesn¡¯t care?¡± ¡°If I repeat exactly what I heard then, it goes like this.¡± Jo Seong-chan cleared his throat and imitated Kang Hyeon¡¯s voice. ¡°Do you think I expect some petty loyalty? You and I can use each other as much as we want, and when we no longer need each other, you can leave. As long as you don¡¯t stab me in the back, I¡¯ll let you do whatever you want.¡± ¡°Hahaha!¡± Han Si-hwan thought it was a very Kang Hyeon-like answer. ¡°So I decided to use each other as much as we can. I¡¯m not sure what you Guardian Guild members will think about this.¡± ¡°Thank you for your words.¡± After Jo Seong-chan finished speaking, the Guardian Guild members¡¯ contemtion deepened. ¡°I¡¯m already grateful that you all trusted me and followed me this far. I won¡¯t resent whatever choice you make.¡± Han Si-hwan spoke to ease the burden on the guild members. ¡°Vice Guild Leader¡­¡± ¡°Honestly, I have many questions about this man Kang Hyeon too. But I realized that if we don¡¯t be strong, we can¡¯t protect anything.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Justice is something we can only seek after we be strong.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°And I¡¯m not the Vice Guild Leader of the Guardian Guild anymore. Just call me Team Leader.¡± The Guardian Guild members thought about it. The reason they joined the Guardian Guild. Their personal goals. And their beliefs. All these things swirled in their minds, causing confusion. [Protect Humanity] There were those who sneered at it as a cheesy and ridiculous phrase. But these people had seriously fallen for that sentence and joined the guild, and in the end, they left the changed guild, following Han Si-hwan, who was the only one still keeping that promise. ¡®Maybe it¡¯s not the guild that has changed, but us¡­¡¯ They had talent and they worked hard. They thought they had be strong enough. People looked up to them. And at some point¡­ Those people started to feel insignificant. As protectors of humanity, they had be great humans different from others. [Protect Humanity] The great belief that had led them. It had somehow made them arrogant and was eating away at them. -I¡¯m going to watch and see how determined those who were shouting about protecting humanity really are. Kang Hyeon¡¯sst words kept echoing in their minds. *** Ippotrantion *** In the van returning to the safe house. Shin Seong-a spoke to Kang Hyeon, who was looking out the window. ¡°Kang Hyeon.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°How many of them do you think will show up tomorrow?¡± ¡°Why? Are you worried?¡± ¡°A little. Yesterday and today. I¡¯m thinking maybe you treated them a bit too harshly.¡± Kang Hyeon smiled at Shin Seong-a¡¯s words. ¡°An Yu-seong, what do you think?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t care.¡± ¡°Come on, give a more sincere answer.¡± ¡°They all look like they¡¯re going to die soon anyway. Why bother caring?¡± ¡°I must be crazy for asking you a question.¡± It was a mistake to expect a normal answer from An Yu-seong. ¡°To conclude, yes, I did treat them harshly.¡± ¡°Is there a specific reason?¡± ¡°I just don¡¯t like seeing people who can¡¯t even protect themselves making a fuss about protecting humanity.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Shin Seong-a, who was waiting for more words, scratched her head. ¡°Is that all?¡± ¡°Yeah. Is there supposed to be more?¡± Honestly, even Kang Hyeon didn¡¯t know why he was doing this much. Originally, he expanded the guild for money. He could have just epted them, had them run dungeons, and taken the profits from that. That should have been the extent of their rtionship. There was no reason for him to waste his time running dungeons with them and expending his emotions. ¡®Surely that should be it, but¡­¡¯ For some reason, Kang Hyeon didn¡¯t want to treat them lightly. He didn¡¯t want to give up on them. ¡°Hey. Why are you asking things like that? It¡¯s bringing down the mood.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s fine. What time is it now?¡± ¡°It¡¯s 7 PM.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go eat some beef. Have a beer too.¡± ¡°Sounds good.¡± Shin Seong-a smiled at Kang Hyeon¡¯s suggestion. ¡°What about you?¡± ¡°I¡¯m a minor, you know.¡± ¡°Oh,e on, cut the crap.¡± It¡¯s still hard to believe, but An Yu-seong should originally be enjoying his freshman year in college right now. Even that is misleading because he¡¯s actually barely 19 years old. ¡°You look like someone who¡¯d be hooked on marijuana, but you¡¯re surprisingly principled in weird ways, huh?¡± ¡°Kang Hyeon. I can enjoy myself plenty without relying on such things.¡± An unexpected deration of happiness. Kang Hyeon looked at An Yu-seong with a surprised expression. ¡®I didn¡¯t know he was such a positive person. I thought he was just a weirdo¡­ Well, he¡¯s just a 20-year-old who recently graduated from school and likes games after all.¡¯ Kang Hyeon realized he had misunderstood An Yu-seong all this time and felt regretful. ¡°Ah, the thrill of smashing something with a mace¡­ It¡¯s probably unbeatable even if you brought all the drugs in the world. Hehehe!¡± ¡°Oh geez, damn¡­ I should¡¯ve kept my mouth shut.¡± Chapter 62 Chapter 62 ¨C A Tough Rtionship(1) A new office was prepared for the Badass Guild. ¡°This time, please don¡¯t blow it up.¡± ¡°Hey, was that my fault? What was I supposed to do when some lunatics suddenly bombed the office?¡± ¡°Sigh¡­ I¡¯m just asking you to be careful.¡± ¡°Alright. Why are you sighing? It¡¯s bad luck.¡± To be honest, Kang Hyeon had done a lot of work. No matter what anyone said, Kang Hyeon was the one who had made the biggest contribution in the Special Abilities Management Team. Nevertheless, Shin Tae-gil seriously considered removing Kang Hyeon for the sake of his hair and happiness. ¡°Oh, and thanks for the poison. I¡¯ll use it well.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Then I¡¯ll hang up now.¡± ¡°Mr. Kang Hyeon.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± Shin Tae-gil stopped Kang Hyeon as he was about to end the call after finishing their business. ¡°What are you up to these days?¡± ¡°Oh, I was thinking of slowly growing the guild.¡± ¡°No. I¡¯m talking about those creepy figure sales.¡± ¡°What? What figures all of a sudden¡­¡± At that moment, Kang Hyeon remembered that they had recently started selling guild merchandise. ¡°We¡¯re selling figures too¡­?¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t know?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t see anything like that when I looked!¡± Kang Hyeon thought they were only selling essories and clothing. He quickly essed the homepage and found the problematic figures. ¡°What is this?!¡± There were detailed figures modeled after Kang Hyeon and An Yu-seong being sold. They were even quite expensive. ¡°What are these disgusting dolls?¡± ¡°That¡¯s what I want to ask. Just in case¡­ was the shirtless idea your own, Mr. Kang Hyeon?¡± ¡°Of course not!¡± Kang Hyeon¡¯s figure, wearing only pants and smirking arrogantly, was quite revolting. ¡°Is this what they call¡­ The uncanny valley?¡± ¡°I won¡¯t tell you to think about your image, Mr. Kang Hyeon. But actions that could cause social disorder¡­¡± ¡°Damn! It¡¯s not that bad!¡± Even so, it wasn¡¯t to the extent of causing social disorder. Feeling offended, Kang Hyeon ended the call right there. ¡°Damn¡­ Why is this guy so popr?¡± An Yu-seong¡¯s figure had already surpassed 6,000 pre-orders. It was over 10 times more than Kang Hyeon¡¯s, which had just passed 500. ¡°This is kind of annoying too¡­¡± Honestly, he knew that An Yu-seong was good-looking. He was tall and well-muscled. Even just looking at his face, he was as handsome as any idol. ¡°But still. If they had dressed me up too, there wouldn¡¯t be this much difference¡­¡± Muttering to himself, Kang Hyeon suddenly startled and pped his cheeks. ¡°No, this isn¡¯t right. These disgusting dolls need to be disposed of immediately.¡± Coming to his senses, Kang Hyeon looked around the office. ¡°Shin Seong-a!¡± ¡°That wasn¡¯t my idea, though.¡± Shin Seong-a, who had already been listening to the call, quickly replied. ¡°An Yu-seong!¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°What were you thinking when you made this?!¡± ¡°I made it exactly like you. Is there a problem?¡± An Yu-seong, who was crouched on the floor busily drawing something, answered halfheartedly. ¡°Why did you take the clothes off?¡± ¡°You always bragged about having a good body.¡± ¡°What does that have to do with this?!¡± Honestly, he did brag a little. Just asking people he knew to feel his arms, and asionally taking his shirt off. ¡°And everyone liked it, didn¡¯t they?¡± asionally someone would say it was too much and ufortable, but those were just people who didn¡¯t understand art. ¡°So I made it 99% identical to you, and made sure the body shape shows well. What¡¯s the problem?¡± ¡°Well¡­¡± ¡°Are you suddenly feeling shy?¡± ¡°You should have at least consulted with me. Man¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯ll do that next time.¡± Kang Hyeon felt like he had a lot to say, but couldn¡¯t think of anything. ¡®This guy¡­ Why does it feel like he¡¯s avoiding the issue today?¡¯ Finally giving up on the conversation, Kang Hyeon essed a portal site. It was to check people¡¯s reactions to the figures. After a few clicks, he saw posts about the merchandise pouring out as expected. -I heard Badass Guild is selling merchandise. -Yeah. It¡¯s mostly pretty niche stuff, but the designs are decent. -And the quality doesn¡¯t seem bad, seems like it¡¯s worth the money. -But are there really people who buy that stuff? It¡¯s not like they¡¯re idols lol. First time I¡¯ve seen a guild selling merch. -That ce is known for being full of weirdos. But the catch is they¡¯re secretly gaining poprity¡­ The reactions didn¡¯t seem as bad as he thought. As Kang Hyeon was sighing in relief, he finally saw the post he was looking for. -Has anyone seen their figures? -I saw them lol -Did you see Kang Hyeon¡¯s figure? -Yeah lol The muscles were way too much. -Seriously lol What is he, some exhibitionist attention seeker? Why is he shirtless? -And the figure looks really scary too. I¡¯m afraid it might appear in my dreams. -For real, it¡¯s not a figure, it¡¯s Satan¡¯s doll. -Lol Satan¡¯s doll! -Satan¡¯s doll, are you crazy lololol -That joke is insane lololol -Lolololololololol Unable to read any more, Kang Hyeon quietly put away his smartphone. ¡°Damn¡­¡± *** Ippotrantion *** A gloomy atmosphere permeated the abandoned factory. In this eerie ce that resembled a horror movie set, a hummed tune echoed. ¡°Hmm hmm~¡± The owner of the voice was An Yu-seong. ¡°Why are you so excited?¡± Kang Hyeon looked at An Yu-seong with an annoyed expression. ¡°Do you know the pain of creation, Kang Hyeon?¡± ¡°What are you talking about?¡± As the Badass Guild¡¯s merchandise sales took off in earnest, An Yu-seong was unknowingly under stress. It was certainly enjoyable to create works infused with his artistic soul. But creation alwayses with pain. Especially for An Yu-seong, who had never sat still and focused on something, it was quite a burden. ¡°What artistic soul are you talking about while making these grotesque skull essories?¡± ¡°How would you understand my artistic spiritual world, Kang Hyeon?¡± ¡°I know well enough that you¡¯re crazy.¡± Kang Hyeon shook his head and checked his smartphone. ¡°Let¡¯s see¡­ This should be about right?¡± The time was 4 AM. Kang Hyeon was waiting to purchase Monster Power. ¡°Ah, just thinking about relieving stress after so long makes me excited already.¡± A battle was imminent. This was also the reason why An Yu-seong was in high spirits. ¡°You¡¯re in and out of dungeons almost every day, what¡¯s so great about it?¡± ¡°Monsters and people aren¡¯t the same, are they?¡± ¡°I should have never associated with a madman like you¡­¡± Kang Hyeon didn¡¯t know the saying ¡®birds of a feather flock together¡¯. ¡°Do you see anything?¡± ¡°Nothing.¡± As Kang Hyeon spoke, Shin Seong-a¡¯s reply came through the tiny radio connected to his ear. ¡°Alright. Report immediately if there¡¯s anything unusual.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Currently, Shin Seong-a was hiding in the darkness, observing the surroundings. It was just before dawn, said to be the darkest time of the day, but her eyes had no problem piercing through the darkness. ¡®It¡¯s certain that I can¡¯t detect anything either.¡¯ Kang Hyeon¡¯s ability to sense magical power had be even sharper. Yet even he couldn¡¯t feel any presence. ¡°About 10 minutes left until the appointed time?¡± ¡°Exactly 13 minutes left.¡± ¡°Got it.¡± Just as Kang Hyeon was about to check his smartphone out of boredom¡­ ¡°Kang Hyeon. A vehicle is approaching.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Not long after Shin Seong-a¡¯s words, Kang Hyeon also began to feel the approaching magical power. ¡°Wait a minute, there¡¯s more than one or two presences? Do you see anything else?¡± ¡°Besides the vehicle¡­ Ah, I¡¯ve spotted someone approaching while hiding.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not just him. They¡¯re approaching from at least three directions. Stay well hidden.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± A momentter, with 5 minutes left until the appointed time, a car stopped in front of Kang Hyeon. Three people got out of the car. Two sturdy men and one seemingly delicate woman. ¡°Mr. Seok Chabin?¡± The alias Kang Hyeon had prepared came from the woman¡¯s lips. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Who is the person next to you?¡± ¡°My bodyguard.¡± The woman nodded at Kang Hyeon¡¯s answer and continued speaking. ¡°Would you mind taking off your sunsses?¡± Both Kang Hyeon and An Yu-seong were wearing dark sunsses. ¡°Is there any reason we need to show our faces?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a matter of trust. The world is such a dangerous ce, after all. Hehe.¡± The womanughed as she continued. ¡°If you stay like that, the deal ends here.¡± After pondering for a moment at the woman¡¯s words, Kang Hyeon took off his sunsses. ¡°Is this okay?¡± For a moment, Kang Hyeon regretteding in person, but he had no choice. He couldn¡¯t send someone else for such a dangerous transaction. ¡°Isn¡¯t he going to take his off?¡± At the woman¡¯s words, Kang Hyeon turned around. There stood An Yu-seong, still wearing his sunsses. ¡°What are you doing, man?¡± Kang Hyeon nudged An Yu-seong¡¯s side. ¡°Kanng Hyeon. That¡­¡± ¡°Hey, I don¡¯t know her either, so there¡¯s nothing to worry about. Take them off quickly.¡± ¡°That woman. I know her.¡± ¡°What¡­?¡± Kang Hyeon was taken aback by An Yu-seong¡¯s sudden words. ¡°What are you talking about!?¡± As Kang Hyeon shouted loudly in that moment, the woman cast a suspicious nce. ¡°Is there a problem?¡± ¡°Haha. No problem at all. Just a moment, please.¡± Kang Hyeon pulled An Yu-seong back. ¡°How do you know her?¡± ¡°You know, from the Ability User Cultivation School.¡± ¡°Why is that suddenlying up?¡± ¡°During the sparring ss there. The woman whose hand I smashed. Don¡¯t you remember?¡± Kang Hyeon vaguely recalled such a memory. ¡°That¡¯s her?¡± ¡°Yes. Actually, I did that back then because I had a bad feeling about her. Seeing her today, it seems I was right.¡± ¡°Shit¡­ I thought she looked familiar.¡± An Yu-seong smiled innocently, but this wasn¡¯t the time for that. Things had gotten seriouslyplicated. He never imagined they¡¯d meet like this at such a moment. ¡°Hey. It¡¯s been ten months, do you think she¡¯ll remember your face?¡± ¡°I remember her.¡± ¡°I guess so.¡± There was nothing more to say. ¡°I don¡¯t know. Let¡¯s go out for now. We¡¯ll figure something out.¡± Kang Hyeon stood in front of the woman again and smiled awkwardly. ¡°It¡¯s a bit awkward to take off the sunsses. This friend has a badly injured eye.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Anyway, you just want the money, right? I¡¯m the one doing the deal.¡± ¡°Yes¡­¡± The woman reluctantly nodded and approached the car¡¯s trunk. As she took out a suspicious-looking 007 briefcase, Kang Hyeon was lost in thought. ¡®But she does look strangely familiar¡­¡¯ It wasn¡¯t just the woman. The men standing on either side of her also looked familiar somehow. ¡®Is it because of the memory from the Ability User School?¡¯ But while that might exin the woman, there¡¯s no way he could have seen the men there. Kang Hyeon kept pondering but couldn¡¯t recall the reason. ¡°The drugs are in this bag.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll check first.¡± ¡°Show me the money first.¡± Kang Hyeon nodded at the woman¡¯s words and called An Yu-seong. ¡°Secretary Ahn. Bring the money.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Fortunately, things were going smoothly. Now they just need to exchange the drugs and money. Then, using the miniature tracker attached to the money, they can find the enemies¡¯ hideout and take them all down at once. That would be the end of it. -Bzzt.. Gang, bzzt.. Kang Hyeon! Just then, Shin Seong-a¡¯s voice came through the radio with some static. But being in the middle of the deal, he couldn¡¯t show any sign of surprise. -We¡¯ve been found out! You need to go to n B! As soon as Shin Seong-a¡¯s transmission came through, everyone present drew their weapons. ¡°What¡¯s the meaning of this?¡± ¡°Kang Hyeon of Badass. You¡¯re as stupid as they say.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°We¡¯ve been watching you for a long time.¡± Kang Hyeon¡¯s brow furrowed at the sudden words. ¡°Are you stalkers or what?¡± ¡°I wonder how that hole in your stomach is doing.¡± ¡°¡­?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know how you survived, but this time I¡¯ll make sure to kill you for real.¡± Kang Hyeon¡¯s mind suddenly cleared at the woman¡¯s words. ¡°Shit, I remember now!¡± Bait Guild. Jeong Eui-hyeon. Thest of the Five Heavenly Kings. It wasn¡¯t even that long ago. The day Kang Hyeon raided Bait Guild¡¯s headquarters and died. There were five men and women standing next to Jeong Eui-hyeon, carrying themselves with importance. And Kang Hyeon met his death at their hands. ¡°Right. You guys. I wondered where you¡¯d gone.¡± Come to think of it, on the day he killed Jeong Eui-hyeon, they hadn¡¯t shown themselves. ¡°I really wanted to see you too.¡± ¡°Hmph. This time, I¡¯ll freeze you so thoroughly you won¡¯te back to life like before¡­¡± The woman speaking suddenly looked flustered. ¡°You, you are¡­?¡± ¡°Hello?¡± She had finally seen An Yu-seong¡¯s face as he removed his sunsses. ¡°How are you¡­¡± ¡°Well, it¡¯s a small world, isn¡¯t it? Hahaha!¡± ¡°Hmph. This works out well. Die, all of you!¡± For the woman, An Yu-seong was an unexpected gift. Remembering her hand that still ached, she used her most powerful magic. -Crackle An intense cold arose, and the ground began to freeze instantly. ¡°How about that? I¡¯ve improved a lot since then, haven¡¯t I?¡± It seemed the woman¡¯s magic had developed considerably in the meantime. If before it only froze the ground and feet a little, now the cold was climbing up from the floor and freezing Kang Hyeon¡¯s entire body. An Yu-seong had already noticed the magic and moved away. ¡°Hmph, running away is useless. I¡¯ll find and kill you soon enough anyway.¡± The woman was smiling smugly when it happened. -Crack, crash! ¡°Huh..?¡± Kang Hyeon, who had beenpletely frozen, broke the ice and moved his body. ¡°H-how¡­¡± Even as his body kept freezing, Kang Hyeon casually brushed it off as if it were annoying. ¡°Whew, that¡¯s refreshing.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°What did you say earlier? I couldn¡¯t hear properly because I was in the ice.¡± Kang Hyeon peeled off some ice stuck to his body and chewed on it. -Crunch, crunch. ¡°Want some?¡± Chapter 63 Chapter 63 ¨C A Tough Rtionship(2) ¡°H-how?!¡± Her most powerful magic had turned into an ice maker. The woman¡¯s eyes looked like they might pop out as she stared at the unbelievable reality. ¡°What do you mean? Back then, I just let myself die on purpose.¡± ¡°Damn it! Everyone attack!¡± At the woman¡¯s signal, enemies who had been hiding revealed themselves. Magic power boiled up from all directions, and soon a magical spectacle unfolded across the dawn sky. -Boom! As more than ten spells exploded where Kang Hyeon had been standing, light burst with a thunderous roar. ¡°He¡¯s like a cockroach! Don¡¯t stop, keep attacking!¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t cockroach a bit harsh?¡± ¡°¡­!¡± The woman quickly moved away from the voice suddenly right next to her. ¡®Oh no, he¡¯s fast!¡¯ However, Kang Hyeon¡¯s movements far exceeded the woman¡¯s expectations. Even though she moved as soon as she heard his voice, her arm was still caught. ¡°Magic Explosion.¡± -Bang! ¡°Kyaaaa!¡± Kang Hyeon used Magic Explosion while holding onto the woman¡¯s arm. The explosion at point-nk range blew off the woman¡¯s arm along with her armor, sending it flying through the air. ¡°Lady Yuri!¡± ¡°Damn it! Don¡¯t stop attacking!¡± The subordinates around were shocked, but only for a moment. She might be their superior, but they would abandon her if necessary. That¡¯s how they had been trained. ¡°Burning mes of¡­¡± A huge mace flew into the head of the man chanting a spell. -St! The man¡¯s head burst like a watermelon upon impact with the mace. The fragments thoroughly soaked his nearbyrade. ¡°Huh¡­?¡± The man who was suddenly covered in hisrade¡¯s blood and brain matter froze in ce. ¡°This is more like it! Kuhahaha!¡± ¡°What in the¡­¡± The man also didn¡¯t finish his sentence before joining hisrade. Thest thing he saw before dying was the hideous mace covered in various internal organs. ¡°An Yu-seong! Don¡¯t kill them all! Capture them alive if possible!¡± ¡°I¡¯ll try my best!¡± ¡°That crazy bastard¡­¡± After that, the enemies continued to be helplessly defeated. They were certainly among the stronger ability users, but they were no match for Kang Hyeon and An Yu-seong. ¡°Everyone, retreat!¡± Finally, unable to hold out, the enemies fell back. ¡°This won¡¯t do. Everyone, take the new drug.¡± Another man who seemed to be a superior gave the order. ¡°What are you doing? Take it now!¡± ¡°¡­¡± But the men hesitated, avoiding eye contact. ¡°That¡¯s right. You shouldn¡¯t take drugs like that. So hand them over while I¡¯m asking nicely.¡± ¡°Take it now!¡± As Kang Hyeon rushed forward, a shout erupted, and the hesitating men finally took out blue pills and put them in their mouths. -Crunch, crunch, gulp! The pills were instantly crushed and swallowed, reaching their stomachs. ¡°Kuaaaaa!¡± At the same time, magic power began to boil up throughout their bodies. ¡°What¡¯s this? Why are they suddenly like that?¡± ¡°Brother, at times like this, it¡¯s best to just watch.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°So the enemies can get stronger, of course.¡± ¡°You crazy fool! Move now!¡± Kang Hyeon had no intention of stupidly watching the enemies get stronger. ¡°Uaah!¡± With a shout, his sword swung, cutting off the enemies¡¯ heads. One, two, three. The enemy heads fell quickly, and as Kang Hyeon swung his sword towards the fourth enemy, it happened. -ng An enemy who hade to his senses caught Kang Hyeon¡¯s sword with his bare hand. ¡°Grrrr¡­¡± ¡°What are you gonna do after catching it, you bastard!¡± Kang Hyeon let go of the sword without hesitation and immediately grabbed the enemy¡¯s face with both hands. ¡°Magic Explosion!¡± Magic spheres generated in both of Kang Hyeon¡¯s hands exploded simultaneously. -Boom! ¡°Ugh, this was supposed to be ast resort.¡± When used at close range, Magic Explosion also damages the user. Kang Hyeon frowned at the impact that prated his B-grade armor. ¡°Kyaaa!¡± Fourrades died in an instant. The panicked enemies rushed in from all directions. ¡°Why are they so fast?!¡± These enemies were different from those who had transformed due to drug side effects before. If those previous ones had transformed into monsters with greatly increased physical abilities, these had be monsters themselves. -ng, ng, ng! Their hands and feet werepletely beyond human. Every time Kang Hyeon¡¯s sword shed with the enemies¡¯ flesh, the sword rang out. ¡°Hey! What are you do¡­ Kuhek!¡± Kang Hyeon, who was calling for An Yu-seong, was sent flying by a hand as big as a hammer. Flying through the air, what Kang Hyeon saw was An Yu-seong going berserk while surrounded by numerous enemies. ¡°Kuhahaha! This is it! Yeah!¡± Kang Hyeon had already allowed several attacks, but An Yu-seong was ravaging the enemies without taking a single hit. Although An Yu-seong¡¯s attackscked power due to his insufficient strength, he was clearly overwhelming the enemies. ¡°Damn¡­ This feels oddly unfair.¡± More precisely, his pride was hurt. ¡°Talented bastards should all die!¡± Throwing off his tattered armor, Kang Hyeon charged forward. *** Ippotrantion *** -Whoosh! Dark dawn. It wasn¡¯t a suitable time to identify fast-moving arrows. ¡°Hmph!¡± Nevertheless, the man could clearly see the arrow flying through the darkness. -ng! The man who lightly deflected the arrow with his dagger continued to chase the woman in front of him. ¡®She¡¯s a tough one.¡¯ Shin Seong-a, who was being chased by such a man, nocked another arrow and aimed at him. ¡°It won¡¯t work!¡± The man¡¯s name was Jeong Seon-gu. He was one of the Five Kings that Kang Hyeon had seen at the Bait Guild. ¡°How long are you going to keep running?!¡± He was already a powerful ability user, but due to drugs, he had gained even more strength. ¡®A mere ordinary ability user¡­ I¡¯ll end it in one strike if I can catch her.¡¯ Unlike the rxed man, Shin Seong-a was quite desperate. ¡®I need to deal with this quickly and help Mr. Kang Hyeon¡­¡¯ Due to her characteristics, she was bound to be weak in one-on-onebat. Although she had made a lot of progress in closebat abilities by following Kang Hyeon recently, that was it. This man was clearly an ability user specialized in closebat. If she thought of him like the riffraff from the cafest time and faced him carelessly, she would be taken down in an instant. ¡°I told you it¡¯s useless!¡± Jeong Seon-gu irritably deflected the arrows that kept flying at him. ¡°Oh, have you finally decided to fight?¡± Jeong Seon-gu smiled as he saw Shin Seong-a finally stop in her ce. ¡°What¡¯s this? Looking closely, you¡¯re quite pretty, aren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯ll have to end this battle quickly. Instead, let¡¯s have an intense battle on the bed.¡± Jeong Seon-gu gave a lecherous smile. ¡°Of course, your role is set in any battle.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Your role is to excite me by screaming for your life. Hehehe!¡± Jeong Seon-gu¡¯s pants bulged as he imagined the battle toe. With drool dripping from his mouth, he was clearly not normal at first nce. ¡°Your protruding snout reminds me of a ¡®goblin shark¡¯. With such a repulsive appearance, it must have been difficult for you to meet women.¡± ¡°W-What?!¡± Goblin shark. A deep-sea fish of the Mitsukurinidae family. Sometimes called a living fossil. It¡¯s a real existing fish. ¡°What is this crazy bitch saying?!¡± Jeong Seon-gu, greatly excited by thement about his appearance, rushed forward without hesitation. -ng, ng! ¡°Stop this nonsense!¡± Sparks flew as the arrows were deflected by Jeong Seon-gu¡¯s dagger. ¡°I¡¯ll fix that shameless mouth of yours first!¡± Jeong Seon-gu¡¯s daggers struck relentlessly. Although Shin Seong-a, with her excellent dynamic vision, could perceive all the attacks, that didn¡¯t mean she could respond to them. ¡°Hehehe! Keep talking like you did earlier!¡± Red lines appeared all over Shin Seong-a¡¯s body as blood seeped out. ¡°Are you running away again?¡± Shin Seong-a drew her bow again as she once more increased the distance. ¡°Magic Arrow!¡± The bow of the great warrior Benandi, obtained after clearing a C-rank dungeon. The ¡®Magic Arrow¡¯ ability that the weapon possessed waspletely different from what she had expected. -Just be aware that it consumes quite a bit of magic. Kang Hyeon¡¯s words when he handed over the great warrior¡¯s bow. While it might have been ¡°a bit¡± for Kang Hyeon, for her, it was a truly murderous level of magic consumption. However, its power was certain. ¡®I¡¯ll end it in one shot.¡¯ Currently, the number of times she could use Magic Arrow was a maximum of 5. She had to end the fight within that. ¡°What is this?!¡± Jeong Seon-gu was startled by the sudden Magic Arrow flying towards him. ¡®I can¡¯t block this!¡¯ Sensing the power contained within, Jeong Seon-gu hurriedly twisted his body. -Swoosh! The arrow narrowly missed Jeong Seon-gu¡¯s chest. ¡°Damn it. Just die without being so troublesome!¡± As Jeong Seon-gu cursed, another Magic Arrow flew towards him. ¡°Magic Shield!¡± The mostmon but useful skill. The Magic Arrow that hit the Magic Shield exploded, causing magic dust to rise. -Whoosh! Then, an ordinary arrow flew through the dust. Jeong Seon-gu failed to notice the sudden regr arrow. The arrow grazed Jeong Seon-gu¡¯s ear, causing a wound. ¡°Argh! Don¡¯t get cocky!¡± Soon, the third Magic Arrow flew, but Jeong Seon-gu easily avoided it by twisting his body. ¡®Now only two left¡­¡¯ However, Jeong Seon-gu had already reached right in front of her. There was no time to leisurely nock arrows. ¡°Die!¡± ¡°Ugh!¡± She avoided the dagger, but was directly hit by the roundhouse kick that followed. Shin Seong-a, blown away by the impact, hit the wall, causing cement dust to fly into the air. ¡°I won¡¯t give you any leeway.¡± Although Shin Seong-a¡¯s figure was obscured by the dust, it didn¡¯t matter. Jeong Seon-gu ran towards the direction where she had been. -Swoosh! Two Magic Arrows flew through the dust cloud. ¡°Hup!¡± The two Magic Arrows flying through the dust cloud were visible. ¡®If I¡¯m hit, it¡¯s over!¡® It was a technique with an ominous power. Jeong Seon-gu focused all his attention. His sense of time slowed down, and the trajectory of the arrows became clearly visible. ¡®First, one arrow.¡¯ He bent his back backwards to avoid the arrow flying towards his head. ¡®The other arrow!¡¯ Another arrow narrowly grazed his side. ¡®Phew¡­¡¯ As Jeong Seon-gu let out a sigh of relief, he saw Shin Seong-a running towards him. ¡®Hmph. She must be out of magic. Now you¡¯re finished.¡¯ His waist, which he had forcibly twisted to avoid the arrows, slowly returned to its normal position. In his slowed sense of time, she was still far away. ¡®Just a little more¡­¡¯ The moment he regained his bnce. He would dash forward like lightning and pierce that white neck, staining it with blood. ¡®What¡¯s that?¡¯ Then he saw her throw something as she was running. ¡®A ss bottle?¡¯ It didn¡¯t matter what it was. Even if an arrow came flying, he was confident he could settle into position and deflect it in that time. ¡®Hmph, useless struggle¡­¡¯ -Crash! ¡°Get rid of it!¡± Finally, his slowed sense of time returned, and Jeong Seon-gu, having regained his bnce, quickly struck away the ss bottle flying towards him. ¡°What is this?!¡± As the ss bottle shattered, the unpleasant green liquid inside covered Jeong Seon-gu¡¯s face. ¡°Huh¡­? Aaaaargh!¡± And then Jeong Seon-gu¡¯s face, covered in the liquid, began to melt. The liquid was part of the poison that Kang Hyeon had received from Shin Tae-gil. -Just in case, you should keep some too. -Understood. Shin Seong-a thought she didn¡¯t need poison, but she kept it because Kang Hyeon gave it to her. That poison saved her from crisis at a crucial moment. ¡°What is this?! Aaaah!¡± Jeong Seon-gu screamed madly while grabbing his melting face. Shin Seong-a approached his side and whispered in his ear. ¡°I still have one bottle left.¡± ¡°What?!¡± Shin Seong-a raised another ss bottle. -Crash! Kang Hyeon had given her two bottles of poison. ¡°Aaaaargh!¡± ¡°Now your face looks a bit better. Yeah.¡± Generally, sulfuric acid and hydrochloric acid dissolve skin immediately upon contact. However, for ability users with much stronger skin than normal people, they were actually not very effective as weapons. ¡°Urrrgh¡­¡± But whatever was mixed in the drug that Shin Tae-gil handed over, it had such strong acidity that even Kang Hyeon¡¯s skin would crumble in an instant. ¡°I¡¯ll kill you. Kill! I¡¯ll kill you!¡± Finally, Jeong Seon-gu raised his head, and his face waspletely crumbled. With his skin peeled off and muscles exposed, he red at Shin Seong-a with murderous intent. However, what entered his eyes were two arrows flying at high speed. ¡°Aaaaargh!!!¡± Jeong Seon-gu, with arrows stuck in both eyes, let out a chilling, desperate scream. ¡°You look much better now than before. Kind of cute in a way.¡± *** Ippotrantion *** The officials who appeared to clean up the scene. Shin Tae-gil, who was leading them, was furious. ¡°Mr. Kang Hyeon. What are we going to do?!¡± ¡°I had no choice! Can¡¯t you see my condition?!¡± It was a fierce battle that even partially destroyed Ronald¡¯s armor after a long time. Although it was a B-grade armor with self-repair function, the armor that rarely broke in the first ce waspletely in tatters. ¡°You should have kept at least one of them alive, shouldn¡¯t you?¡± ¡°How could I keep them alive when these guys took some weird drug and went berserk? I barely survived myself!¡± ¡°Sigh¡­¡± At this rate, the n to catch the enemy¡¯s tail hadpletely failed. It might even drive them further into hiding, creating a sense of crisis. ¡°Mr. Kang Hyeon.¡± Then a familiar voice was heard. ¡°Where have you been¡­ What¡¯s that?¡± Shin Seong-a was walking over, looking quite haggard. She was dragging a man on the ground. ¡°Urp, urp!¡± ¡°Blegh!¡± The employees who saw the man Shin Seong-a was dragging retched. Even for them, who had seen numerous corpses, the man¡¯s condition was disgusting enough to induce vomiting. ¡°He¡¯s one of them. Probably someone in quite a high position.¡± ¡°Ah¡­ I see. Good job.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Kang Hyeon, who responded with a sour expression, continued speaking. ¡°But you know.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Is that thing¡­ Alive?¡± Kang Hyeon asked with an uneasy face, looking at the man whose skin had melted, exposing facial muscles, with arrows stuck in both eyes. ¡°He¡¯s still breathing, so don¡¯t worry.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Kang Hyeon silently nodded at Shin Seong-a¡¯s words. ¡®How can I not worry seeing that¡­¡¯ Somehow, Kang Hyeon was starting to feel a bit afraid of Shin Seong-a. Chapter 64 Chapter 64 ¨C Trap(1) Light and shadow always coexist. Shin Tae-gil always wanted to be the light, but now he knows it¡¯s impossible. The brighter the light shines on the world, the darker the shadows be. ¡°Aaaaaargh!¡± Screams filled the sealed space. The Korean branch of the ¡®World Dungeon Management Organization¡¯. The interrogation room in the basement of its headquarters. In this secret ce, unknown even to employees working in the same building, primitive acts unfit for the 21st century were taking ce. ¡°Let¡¯s not waste each other¡¯s energy and take it easy.¡± Shin Tae-gil, shuffling through documents, looked quite tired. ¡°Fuck! You guys are ruining this country! The world!¡± In contrast, the man being tortured, Jeong Seon-gu, looked quite energetic. ¡°It¡¯s not like some pseudo-religion¡­ Where does that bizarre belief and loyaltye from?¡± ¡°A stupid government dog like you wouldn¡¯t understand.¡± ¡°Sigh, if you could exin it so even this idiot could understand, we could end this nonsense.¡± Shin Tae-gil sighed in frustration. ¡°You don¡¯t know¡­¡± Suddenly, Jeong Seon-gu¡¯s eyes lit up. In his serious expression, a strange madness flickered in his eyes. ¡°Only He can save the world.¡± ¡°Right. That¡¯s why I¡¯d like to have a chat with Him too.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not possible.¡± ¡°Why not?¡± ¡°Because you¡¯re a stupid governmentpdog. Hehehehe.¡± ¡°Damn it¡­¡± Shin Tae-gil rubbed his face dry as the conversation returned to square one. ¡°Let¡¯s continue. Manage him well so he doesn¡¯t die, and when he¡¯s a bit more drained, let¡¯s try administering drugs again.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± After hearing the employee¡¯s response, Shin Tae-gil left the interrogation room. ¡°Aaaaaargh-!¡± From inside the interrogation room, Jeong Seon-gu¡¯s desperate screams continued to echo endlessly. *** Ippotrantion *** -Sizzle The sound of flesh burning. Normally, it would make one¡¯s mouth water, but it¡¯s apletely different story when it¡¯s your own flesh. ¡°Aaaaargh!¡± As the skin melted away, a grotesque scene unfolded. Watching it, a groan involuntarily escaped Kang Hyeon¡¯s mouth. -Sizzle The skin melts away due to the deadly poison, and simultaneously recovers due to the flesh regeneration skill. No matter how ustomed Kang Hyeon is to pain, this was beyond the limit. He gradually began to feel his limits. ¡°This is electrifying?!¡± The bucket filled with deadly poison. Kang Hyeon, who had been soaking his feet in it, suddenly stood up. [The level of the ability Poison Resistance has increased] ¡°That¡¯s right!¡± Poison Resistance (E) Ability: Strengthens immunity to poison. Description: Reduces the effect of any kind of poison on the body. The recently acquired ability, Poison Resistance. It had been a day since he started this special foot bath to increase its level. ¡°Ow, it really hurt for the first time in a while.¡± Currently, Kang Hyeon¡¯s health stat is 40. On top of that, he has poison resistance. To exaggerate a bit, this means he could drink most poisons like health drinks. ¡°But what kind of biochemical weapon is this?¡± However, the poison sent by Shin Tae-gil was a deadly toxin that surpassed normal levels. -Just remember two things. One. It¡¯s a really expensive item, so use it sparingly. Two. Never use it on people. Just remember these. That¡¯s what Shin Tae-gil said when he handed over the poison. That¡¯s why on the day Shin Seong-a turned a criminal¡¯s face into jelly, Kang Hyeon had scolded her, remembering Shin Tae-gil¡¯s words. -I told you to use it discreetly so Team Leader Shin Tae-gil won¡¯t nag if we get caught. -I¡¯m sorry¡­ But Kang Hyeon. -Huh? -That guy wasn¡¯t human, he was a goblin shark. -What..? And the rest of the poison was all poured into Kang Hyeon¡¯s foot bath. ¡°Hmm¡­ Somehow I ended up breaking both things I was supposed to remember.¡± To raise poison resistance further, he needs more poison. In other words, he needed Shin Tae-gil¡¯s help. Moreover, after using it directly, it seemed this poison could be utilized in various ways. ¡°If I can endure it, I could spread it all over my body and just hug someone to death. Or keep it in my mouth and spit it out.¡± For a while, Kang Hyeon continued with these terrible thoughts. ¡°Anyway, the important thing is that I need more poison¡­ I should call. Han Jae-moon!¡± ¡°Yes..?¡± ¡°Ask Team Leader Shin Tae-gil for more of that poison he sentst time. Ask for a generous amount.¡± ¡°Why do I have to¡­¡± ¡°If I do it, I¡¯ll get scolded! That guy¡¯s been irritabletely.¡± Han Jae-moon is currently a member of the Badass Guild, but before that, he was also Shin Tae-gil¡¯s direct subordinate. ¡®I¡¯ll get scolded even if I do it¡­¡¯ Whether Kang Hyeon knew or not about Han Jae-moon¡¯s feelings, he was still engrossed in his foot bath. ¡°Guild Master!¡± At that moment. Suddenly, the office door opened and Han Si-hwan, along with others from the Guardian Guild, burst in. ¡°What is it.¡± ¡°We heard everything. How could you go without us?!¡± ¡°What are you talking about?¡± ¡°The guys rted to Monster Power.¡± In fact, even before executing the operation, Kang Hyeon had anticipated this would happen. It was all too clear that the death of their guild master, Park Se-hyeon, was rted to Monster Power. But when it actually happened, it was more unpleasant than he had expected. ¡°You guys were running dungeons.¡± ¡°If you had told us in advance, we all would have followed.¡± Han Si-hwan spoke as if demanding an exnation. Kang Hyeon crushed the beer can he was holding. ¡°That¡¯s why I didn¡¯t tell you. What would you have done if you had followed?¡± ¡°We would have avenged Park Se-hyeon-nim¡­¡± ¡°Revenge? You? From what I see, you¡¯d just end up dying like dogs, just like Park Se-hyeon.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t your words too harsh?!¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. We¡¯re not pushovers when we go out!¡± Kang Hyeonughed cynically at the guild members¡¯ protest. ¡°Even after getting beaten like that, you still don¡¯t understand reality. You all can¡¯t even beat me together, what revenge? Do you even know what kind of guys they are?¡± ¡°We won¡¯t know unless we fight!¡± ¡°No. I know. So if you feel wronged, go run more dungeons, get stronger, ande back.¡± ¡°Damn it!¡± The guild members who couldn¡¯t hold back any longer stormed out of their seats. ¡°Is it okay to let them go like that?¡± Jo Seong-chan, who had been listening to the conversation nearby, asked worriedly. ¡°What else can I do? That¡¯s just how it is.¡± He knew how they must be feeling. But in a situation without a solution, exchanging meaninglessfort was not his way. ¡°Frankly speaking, am I their babysitter? They¡¯re old enough to take care of themselves.¡± ¡°But you¡¯re still the guild master, aren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Does being a guild master mean I have to coddle them?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not what I meant, but¡­¡± ¡°You should know, but that¡¯s not my style. I run at the front, taking the hits. In exchange, if you can¡¯t keep up, I leave you behind. That¡¯s all there is to it.¡± Jo Seong-chan¡¯s face hardened at Kang Hyeon¡¯s harsh words. ¡°This isn¡¯t the Haeseon Guild. I don¡¯t know how harmonious and family-like the Haeseon Guild that you ran was, and I¡¯m not interested.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°But I do know that the guild was destroyed because itcked strength. I don¡¯t mean to belittle it, but that¡¯s the reality, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°You¡¯re right¡­¡± Jo Seong-chan, who was the guild master of Haeseon. He himself had been in mortal danger due tock of strength. If it weren¡¯t for Kang Hyeon, he would have already met his fate along with the guild. ¡°My first principle is this. ¡®If you¡¯re not strong, you can¡¯t do anything.¡¯ That¡¯s why the guild¡¯s first principle is also to be stronger than anyone else.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°You and those guys joined knowing what kind of guild this is, right? Because you wanted to. As I¡¯ve always said, if you¡¯re dissatisfied, you can leave anytime.¡± As Kang Hyeon spoke in an irritated tone, Jo Seong-chan¡¯s expression darkened rapidly. ¡°Did I speak too seriously?¡± ¡°No¡­¡± ¡°You know the conclusion, right? I believe you didn¡¯te here without knowing what our guild name Badass means.¡± To lighten the mood, Kang Hyeon finished with a joke, half-serious and half-joking, andughed. ¡°I need a beer. How about you, Jo Seong-chan?¡± ¡°If you¡¯re offering, I¡¯ll have one too. And you can speak to me more casually.¡± ¡°Ah, but you¡¯re older¡­¡± Smiling, Kang Hyeon tossed a beer can to Jo Seong-chan. Then he opened his own can and downed the beer in one go. ¡°Ah, that¡¯s good! By the way, Han Jae-moon.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°What¡¯s the status of our guild funds?¡± ¡°Well¡­¡± Han Jae-moon broke into a cold sweat at the sudden question directed at him. ¡°Well? What?¡± ¡°If you¡¯re asking about the financial status¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m asking how much money we¡¯ve saved up.¡± ¡°Currently, our avable funds are about 2.207 billion won¡­¡± ¡°What? Why is there only that much!?¡± The money Kang Hyeon had provided was about 2.5 billion. In just a few days, not only had the money not increased, but it had decreased by as much as 300 million. ¡°Well¡­¡± ¡°I told you to just keep doing what you were doing with those creepy figurines because you said they¡¯d sell well, right?¡± ¡°Yes¡­¡± ¡°And I gave away all the items we had.¡± ¡°Yes¡­¡± ¡°And we¡¯re running dungeons every day, bringing in money! Why has the money decreased?¡± ¡°Well, the time¡­¡± Han Jae-moon tried to say something while hesitating, but Kang Hyeon¡¯s patience was not very good. ¡°Ugh! How frustrating!¡± Kang Hyeon shouted, beating his chest, and roughly opened the refrigerator door to take out a beer. ¡®It hasn¡¯t even been a week since you gave me this job, you crazy bastard!¡¯ Han Jae-moon¡¯s head was full of things he wanted to say. ¡®Manufacturing, promoting, distributing! How many other things are there to do?! You just hired two more employees, and what?! Am I supposed to run the guild, do business, am I omnipotent?! I want to rest too!¡¯ But these thoughts only overflowed in his head. ¡°Right. Han Jae-moon seems a bitzy.¡± ¡°¡­¡± It was An Yu-seong, who was lying on the floor ying a smartphone game. ¡®Should I quit here¡­¡¯ *** Ippotrantion *** Choi Min-jun frowned as he received the report. ¡°This time, the damage is quite significant.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­¡± ¡°23 people dead, including Jeong Seon-gu and Seon Yu-ri. Ah, you said Jeong Seon-gu was captured alive, right?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Choi Min-jun had been running the organization strictly as a cell structure. Because of this, even when the government tracked them down, they could only catch the tail end. But this time, an executive who held an important position in the organization was captured. Although they werebat personnel with limited information, an executive was still an executive. It was obvious that apletely different problem would arisepared to when ordinary members were caught. ¡°The biggest problem is that Jeong Seon-gu knows the location of this ce.¡± ¡°Yes¡­¡± ¡°We¡¯ll have to move our quarters first.¡± Choi Min-jun got up from his seat and paced around the dark room. ¡°This is not good¡­ The n shouldn¡¯t keep getting twisted like this.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll be more careful.¡± ¡°Was it Kang Hyeon who interfered this time too?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not just once or twice¡­ I¡¯m starting to get really annoyed.¡± From the Bait Guild to Dungeon Break, and recently Monster Power. Kang Hyeon was involved in all the major incidents. ¡°We need to deal with Kang Hyeon.¡± ¡°But Choi Min-jun. Looking at that guy¡¯s actions so far¡­ It¡¯s almost suspicious whether he¡¯s not actually immortal.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°This time too, he dealt with twenty high-levelbat personnel almost single-handedly. How can we¡­¡± ¡°I heard that Kang Hyeon is friends with Choi Dong-woo.¡± ¡°What?¡± The woman was taken aback when Choi Min-jun suddenly mentioned Choi Dong-woo. ¡°Is that right?¡± ¡°Yes¡­ It¡¯s reliable information.¡± ¡°Then let¡¯s use Seon Yeon-ho.¡± ¡°You mean Seon Yeon-ho?¡± Seon Yeon-ho, who had already made contact with Kang Hyeon once. He currently held a core executive position in the Korean Ability Users Union. Although he wasn¡¯t abat personnel, he was important enough to be one of the people Choi Dong-woo trusted the most. ¡°Choi Min-jun. Isn¡¯t it wasteful to use Seon Yeon-ho for something like this? We¡¯ve invested a lot in him so far.¡± ¡°No. There¡¯s no reason to destroy the Ability Users Union anymore. Rather than letting him sit idle any longer, we¡¯ll pull him out at an appropriate level.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°As his final mission, we¡¯ll assign him to deal with Kang Hyeon.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± Chapter 65 Chapter 65 ¨C Trap(2) Kang Hyeon. Shin Seong-a. An Yu-seong. Now that the three of them were together, they could easily conquer D-rank dungeons. ¡°Ah, it¡¯s been a while since I leveled up, hasn¡¯t it?¡± As a result, there was a rtive decrease in difficulty. Just as Kang Hyeon was worried that his growth might have slowed down too much, he finally leveled up. ?Name: Kang Hyeon ?Title: Tutorial Graduate and 3 others ?Level: 60 new! ?Detailed Stats: Strength 29 (+4)(+2) new! Agility 28 (+3) Stamina 30 (+3)(+8) new! Magic Power 30 (+3)(+4) Additional Stats: ¨C ?Unique Ability: Resurrection ?Abilities: Intermediate Swordsmanship(D), Lower-grade Shield Technique(E), Lowest-grade Crossbow Technique(F), Intermediate Body Technique(D), Lowest-grade Blunt Weapon Technique(F), Magic Detection(D), Poison Resistance(E) ?Skills: Roar of the Enraged Lion(C), Advanced Bodily Regeneration(A), Bisection(D), Giant¡¯s Strength(B), Magic Explosion(D), Wayne¡¯s Secret Technique(C), Entria¡¯s OuterShell(C) Kang Hyeon smiled contentedly as he checked his status window. ¡°I leveled up, and even gained a stat point.¡± One level up. In addition, his stamina stat also increased by one, separate from the level up. ¡°It¡¯s been a while since my stats increased without leveling up.¡± Initially, he raised his stats through intense exercise. After that, he used ¡®Wayne¡¯s Secret Technique¡¯ to push his body to the limit to raise his stats. Even that method was bing less effective, but now his stats had increased just in time. ¡°My Body Technique and Entria¡¯s OuterShell ranks also went up¡­¡± As Kang Hyeon was examining his stat window, his eyes widened. ¡°This went up too?¡± Atst, Kang Hyeon¡¯s main skill. The rank of ¡®Wayne¡¯s Secret Technique¡¯ had increased. Wayne¡¯s Secret Technique(C) Ability: When activated, all stats except magic power increase by 60%. The body gradually breaks down over time. Description: Wayne, a madman who lived only for battle and dedicated his life tobat. Pursuing ever more intense battles throughout his life, Wayne finally seeded in drawing out extreme power at the cost of destroying his own body. At first nce, it seems no different from before. However, the most important figure had changed. 50% ¡ú 60% One might think it¡¯s just a 10% change, but that¡¯s not the case. Calcting it, the total stat increase is now a whopping 9 points more than before. The burden on the body might increase proportionally, but it had been a long time since he cared about such things. ¡°Good work, everyone.¡± ¡°You too, Kang Hyeon.¡± ¡°Now we should head back. Tell Han Jae-mun to send the van.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± While waiting for the guild¡¯s van with Shin Seong-a and An Yu-seong, it happened. -Woong woong woong A sudden phone call. Checking his smartphone, an unknown number appeared on the screen. ¡°Hello?¡± -Is this Kang Hyeon? ¡°Yes. Who is this?¡± -This is Seon Yeon-ho. Kang Hyeon tilted his head at the unfamiliar name. -You don¡¯t remember, I see. ¡°Pardon?¡± -I¡¯m from the Ability User Union. I once proposed recruitment to you, Kang Hyeon. ¡°Ah! I remember now. It¡¯s been a while.¡± Kang Hyeon recalled the man who had proposed recruitment to him a few months ago. And the business card he had shoved into a corner of his rarely-used Bentley 2. He vaguely remembered it. ¡°I forgot. I lost your business card back then. Haha!¡± It was a tant lie. ¡°So, what¡¯s the matter?¡± -I¡¯d like to meet with you, Kang Hyeon. ¡°For what reason?¡± -It¡¯s rted to Union Leader Choi Dong-woo. The details are confidential, so I¡¯d like to discuss it in person. Kang Hyeon pondered upon hearing Seon Yeon-ho¡¯s words. ¡°Rted to Choi Dong-woo¡­ Do we need to meet right now?¡± -If possible, I¡¯d like to meet today. ¡°Hmm¡­¡± -If it¡¯s alright with you, I can send a car to your current location right away. It¡¯s dinner time, so how about we talk over a meal? Normally, this would be an offer he¡¯d refuse outright. But since it was rted to Choi Dong-woo, it was hard to ignore. ¡°Alright.¡± -Thank you. Is there any particr meal you¡¯d prefer? ¡°Well, I¡¯m in the mood for beef¡­¡± -We¡¯ll provide the best. Kang Hyeon struggled to suppress the corners of his mouth from rising involuntarily. -If you could tell me your current location, we¡¯lle to pick you up right away. ¡°I¡¯m in front of the Crumbling Wall D-rank dungeon.¡± -Ah, as it happens, one of our employees is nearby. They¡¯ll arrive within 5 minutes. ¡°Okay.¡± After ending the call, Kang Hyeon put on a rather serious expression. ¡°Looks like I¡¯ve got some business as a guild leader.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it just that you wanted to eat beef?¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m just worried about Choi Dong-woo¡­¡± Kang Hyeon turned his head away from Shin Seong-a¡¯s doubtful gaze. He then saw An Yu-seong looking at him disapprovingly with arms crossed. ¡°Kang Hyeon.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Why do you look so cheap even when you¡¯re making money?¡± ¡°What the hell?!¡± ¡°It¡¯s true, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Even if it¡¯s true, I don¡¯t want to hear that from a diamond spoon kid like you.¡± And so, Kang Hyeon desperately exined the woes of being from a poor background for a while. ¡°Mr. Kang Hyeon. We¡¯re here to pick you up.¡± At that moment, an unfamiliar man and woman approached Kang Hyeon. ¡°Ability User Union?¡± ¡°Yes. We¡¯re here to escort you to Director Seon Yeon-ho.¡± ¡°Director¡­ Is that a high position?¡± The rank was unfamiliar to Kang Hyeon, who didn¡¯t have much social experience. ¡°If we had topare, it¡¯s right below Union Leader Choi Dong-woo.¡± ¡°Is that so? He¡¯s more of a big shot than I thought. Anyway, let¡¯s go.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± As he got into their car, Kang Hyeon waved his hand. ¡°Go home and rest first. I¡¯ll be back after taking care of some business.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± ¡°Kang Hyeon. Be careful.¡± ¡°Huh? Sure!¡± The car carrying Kang Hyeun drove away quickly. Shin Seong-a couldn¡¯t take her eyes off it until itpletely disappeared from view. ¡°Is something wrong?¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°You seem more serious than usual, Older sister. Though you¡¯re always serious.¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing. It¡¯s just¡­¡± ¡°Just?¡± ¡°I have an inexplicable feeling of unease.¡± An Yu-seong smiled at Shin Seong-a¡¯s words about feeling uneasy. ¡°Older sister, you have pretty good intuition, huh?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Nothing. Phew I¡¯m tired. Let¡¯s go.¡± An Yu-seong changed the subject while stretching. Just then, as the guild van arrived, Shin Seong-a had no choice but to get in the vehicle. But for some reason, her unease wouldn¡¯t subside. *** Ippotrantion *** ¡°The restaurant is in quite a remote location, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Yes. Given the importance of what we need to discuss.¡± Surprisingly, there are many quiet ces on the outskirts of Seoul, away from the city center. The ce Seon Yeon-ho guided him to was a quiet Korean beef restaurant located in such an area. ¡°The meat here is superb. I always use this ce for important meetings, so you can look forward to it.¡± Seon Yeon-ho smiledfortably. ¡°By the way, Seon Yeon-ho. Can I ask you one thing?¡± ¡°Yes. Go ahead.¡± ¡°I heard you hold quite a high position in the Ability User Union. Is that true?¡± Seon Yeon-ho looked a bit flustered at Kang Hyeon¡¯s sudden question. ¡°It¡¯s awkward to say it myself, but¡­ Yes, that¡¯s right. I always work as one of Choi Dong-woo¡¯s closest aides.¡± ¡°But I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve ever seen you in battle.¡± ¡°Ah, that¡¯s because I¡¯m in an office position.¡± ¡°Office position?¡± ¡°Yes. I¡¯m an ability user too, but I¡¯m ufortable with the idea of taking lives. My current level is only 3.¡± ¡°I see¡­¡± Kang Hyeon nodded at Seon Yeon-ho¡¯s answer. ¡°So, what did you want to see me about?¡± ¡°How about we talk over the meal now that the meat has arrived? You must be hungry after justing out of the dungeon.¡± Just then, a white te was ced on the table. On it, bright red beef cuts were neatly arranged by part. ¡°That sounds good.¡± The biggest advantage of beef, in Kang Hyeon¡¯s opinion, is speed. Unlike pork, which needs to be cooked for a long time, beef can be eaten raw or just slightly cooked ording to preference. ¡°Slurp!¡± With each movement of his jaw muscles, fifty thousand won disappeared. ¡°Are you enjoying the meat?¡± ¡°Yes. It¡¯s the best I¡¯ve had recently.¡± ¡°I¡¯m really d to hear that.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you eating, Seon Yeon-ho?¡± ¡°I am eating too. Haha.¡± Unlike the smiling lips, Seon Yeon-ho¡¯s eyes shone sharply. ¡®It should be about time for a reaction.¡¯ The water Kang Hyeon was drinking, the chopsticks, even the dishes ¨C poison had been applied to everything. It shouldn¡¯t have an immediately fatal effect. It would be troublesome if Kang Hyeon noticed the poison and ran away. ¡®Slowly¡­ I¡¯ll kill you very slowly.¡¯ The nerves in the body would be cut off one by one, and by the time he realized something was wrong, it would already be toote. ¡®You¡¯ll die gasping for breath, unable to breathe properly, with your whole body paralyzed.¡¯ Just then, the reaction Seon Yeon-ho had been waiting for came. -Crash! Kang Hyeon, who had been drinking his beverage, dropped the cup he was holding onto the floor. ¡°Huh..? What¡¯s wrong with this?¡± Kang Hyeon¡¯s hand trembled. ¡°Seon Yeon-ho..?¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing personal. You¡¯re just an obstacle to humanity¡¯s survival.¡± ¡°What¡­ What the hell¡­ Shit¡­¡± Kang Hyeon, trembling all over, stood up staggering. -Thud But he seemed to lose strength quickly and copsed back onto the table. ¡°Die quietly for the sake of humanity.¡± Seeing this, Seon Yeon-ho stood up from his seat. His hand, slowly approaching Kang Hyeon, turned purple. ¡°As a final courtesy, I¡¯ll send you off without pain.¡± Seon Yeon-ho¡¯s transformed hand was like a sword. The sharply gathered fingertips shot towards Kang Hyeon¡¯s neck. *** Ippotrantion *** The moment he first entered the meat restaurant. Kang Hyeon noticed something was off. ¡®Why are they all ability users?¡¯ The employee at the counter. The serving staff. The chef in the kitchen. Even the customers at other tables. But even stranger than this was Seon Yeon-ho¡¯s lie. ¡®He says his level is 3?¡¯ At level 3, in many cases, one could be weaker than an average person. This is because the innate difference in magical power varies greatly. ¡®He looks at least level 50, what kind of trick is this?¡¯ The Seon Yeon-ho before him had the strongest magical power among them all. ¡®I¡¯ll y along for now.¡¯ He hadn¡¯t seen anyone else who could sense magical power yet. So Seon Yeon-ho must be lying nonchntly. ¡°The meat is delicious, isn¡¯t it? Chomp chomp.¡± ¡°I¡¯m d you like it.¡± However, even after a long time, nothing happened. The restaurant operated normally, and the customers who came first even paid and left calmly. ¡®Am I being oversensitive..?¡¯ Suddenly, Kang Hyeon¡¯s magical power started to act up. ¡®What¡¯s wrong with this?¡¯ Kang Hyeon¡¯s magical power always moves to regenerate his body. This elerates when he¡¯s injured. ¡®There¡¯s no wound, no pain. So why is my magical power going wild?¡¯ As doubts kept piling up, Kang Hyeon sensed something strange. ¡®Wait¡­ Why is my hand so slow?¡¯ From his body to his sensory organs. Everything was gradually slowing down. ¡®I thought it was fatigue from justing out of the dungeon¡­ But you¡¯re pulling this kind of trick?¡¯ His head felt fuzzy. -Sizzle Only the sound of meat grilling on the hot te filled his head. ¡®My breathing cycle is unknowingly getting shorter too. What the hell did this bastard do?¡¯ If he didn¡¯t have ¡®Advanced Bodily Regeneration¡¯ and ¡®Poison Resistance¡¯, he probably would have been rolling on the floor long ago. ¡®Is this ordered by Choi Dong-woo? Why? Or is it the government? Now they¡¯re after me?¡¯ No matter how much he thought about it, it was hard to guess the background. ¡®I guess I¡¯ll have to beat him up first and then ask.¡¯ Kang Hyeon picked up the ss of drink and slowly released his grip. -Crash At the same time, he heard Seon Yeon-ho getting up from his seat and approaching. ¡°As a final courtesy, I¡¯ll send you off without pain.¡± Seeing a powerful magical transformation ur and an arm swinging towards him, -Grab! Kang Hyeon quickly caught Seon Yeon-ho¡¯s hand. ¡°You¡¯re ufortable with the idea of taking lives?¡± ¡°What..?!¡± ¡°Stop spouting bullshit!¡± Chapter 66 Chapter 66 ¨C Trap(3) ¡°It¡¯s time for the military to take action!¡± It was a parade of stars. Everyone sitting at the huge table was a general. ¡°The Special Ability Management Team was organized for situations like this.¡± In an atmosphere so tense it was hard to breathe, Shin Tae-gil calmly looked at the stars. ¡°What can those mere ability users do when they gather?¡± ¡°Those mere ability users are fighting monsters with superhuman strength.¡± ¡°They¡¯ll all fall with just one bullet anyway.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right! What are ability users in front of the military!?¡± The meeting room was heated. There was one topic of discussion. Who would attack the base of the ¡®Monster Power¡¯ distributors. ¡°These guys are on a different level from the ability users we¡¯ve seen so far. There¡¯s no guarantee that the military can solve this.¡± ¡°Then is there a guarantee that those special ability users you¡¯re in charge of can solve it?¡± ¡°No, there isn¡¯t.¡± ¡°Are you joking right now?!¡± ¡°But we can subdue the enemy with a higher probability and less damage than if the military intervenes.¡± In the middle of the heated debate, the person seated at the head of the table raised his hand. ¡°Enough.¡± ¡°But Mr. President! We¡¯re under martialw now. In a situation that¡¯s practically wartime¡­¡± ¡°I understand. I understand, so that¡¯s enough.¡± Everyone closed their mouths at President Han Seung-hoon¡¯s words. ¡®Sigh, this is giving me a headache.¡¯ It wasn¡¯t simply a power struggle between ability users and the military. The Korean government. The Special Ability Management Team. The World Dungeon Management Organization. What¡¯smonly called the ¡®Dungeon Management Organization¡¯ wasn¡¯t an organization belonging to Korea, but a global organization. The one in Korea was just one of its branches. In contrast, the Special Ability Management Team is an organization directly under the President. ¡®The Dungeon Management Organization is maintaining a bystander¡¯s position.¡¯ However, the military fears losing its footing more and more. Shin Tae-gil is a talented individual who shares the same views as President Han Seung-hoon while genuinely considering the country and ability users. ¡°I think it¡¯s right for the military to step in this time.¡± President Han Seung-hoon was a wise person. He responded quickly to the changing world and had already realized the importance of ability users early on. ¡®This is the right decision now.¡¯ But the power of ability users is not that strong yet. No matter how strong an ability user is, they die if a bullet pierces their head. ¡°This time, we must deal with those groups perfectly. We can¡¯t let society fall into anxiety any longer.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°And¡­ We must capture them alive.¡± The meeting that hadsted for about an hour ended like that. *** Ippotrantion *** At the dark dawn of 3 AM. While everyone was asleep, there were those who were moving busily. ¡°Assault team. Prepare for internal raid.¡± These were the special forces in charge of the operation. At their superior¡¯s order, they formed their ranks. -Ting! With a small noise, the door leading to the interior of the building opened, and simultaneously, the team members entered. ¡°All clear.¡± ¡°All clear.¡± Team members who had searched their designated directions and confirmed no abnormalities reported back. ¡°Assault squad report.¡± -Chik, Assault 2 entryplete. -Assault 3 entryplete. The assault team entered from three directions in total. They all entered the building. The captain, who hadpleted the upation of the first floor, turned on the radio. ¡°Cover team report.¡± -Building rooftop upationplete. ¡°Sniper team report.¡± -No unusual circumstances. ¡°Still can¡¯t see inside the building?¡± -Reporting no identifiable enemies. The captain nodded after hearing reports from all squads. ¡°I¡¯ll say it again, minimize fatalities. Especially, there¡¯s an order to capture a man named Choi Min-joon alive.¡± -Understood. ¡°Assault team, move out.¡± The movements of the team members were stealthy yet agile. It was natural, as they were the elite of the elite who had undergone harsh training for a long time. -Chuk, chuk! Those who entered the building didn¡¯t say a word. Theymunicated all intentions through concise hand signals and moved forward with not a single wasted motion. ¡®This is strange¡­¡¯ Although they were quickly upying the building¡¯s interior, the captain¡¯s expression was dark. ¡®The target is definitely here. But why is it so quiet?¡¯ There were no engagement reports. The entire building was enveloped in silence. ¡°¡­!¡± At that moment, the team member moving in front sent a stop signal. -Unidentified male spotted ahead. He¡¯s wearing a mask. Everyone tensed up at the team member¡¯s voiceing through the helmet. -Oh no, position exposed! ¡°Subdue him!¡± As soon as the captain shouted, the team members sprang into action. ¡°Get down! Hands on your head!¡± The team members who moved in perfect unison surrounded the man. However, the man remained calm even with gun barrels pointed at his face. ¡°I¡¯ve been waiting all this time, and this is all you¡¯ve got?¡± ¡°Get on your knees!¡± ¡°And if I refuse?¡± ¡°We don¡¯t have time. Subdue him quickly and move on.¡± At the captain¡¯s order, the team members approached the man. Or rather, they tried to approach. ¡°Huh¡­?¡± ¡°Captain. My body¡­ My body won¡¯t move.¡± ¡°What¡¯s going on!?¡± Even exerting all their strength, they couldn¡¯t move a finger. All team members¡¯ faces were filled with bewilderment. -Ratatatatat! -Kwang Simultaneously, gunfire began to echo throughout the building. ¡°Has it begun?¡± The man muttered quietly. The captain couldn¡¯t understand what situation was unfolding. ¡®What kind of nonsense is this!¡¯ The captain himself was a high-level ability user reaching level 40. But he had never heard of a skill that could instantly and perfectly subdue multiple people like this. ¡°You¡­ What are you¡­?¡± The man didn¡¯t answer the captain¡¯s question. He simply walked past them. ¡°You bastard! Are you ignoring us!¡± ¡°I never thought you¡¯d still be underestimating the situation like this. I couldn¡¯t have imagined it.¡± The tense captain shouted, but the man just muttered something to himself. ¡°Urgh, ugh!¡± ¡°Urrrgh.¡± The captured team members suddenly started to groan. Team members with pained expressions. -Puk! Puk! Their necks burst open one by one in order. ¡®This can¡¯t be¡­¡¯ Until now, all that man had done was walk quietly. Yet the best of the elite, all ability users, were dying without even being able to use their powers. ¡°Urrrgh¡­¡± His thoughts didn¡¯t go much further. Soon it was his turn. It felt like his neck was about to burst from the tremendous pressure. ¡®I can¡¯t die like this¡­¡¯ *** Ippotrantion *** ¡°What¡¯s the situation?¡± ¡°The entire assault team has justpleted entry.¡± ¡°Good.¡± Major General In Moon-soo, overseeing themand. He was currently monitoring the team members in real-time from themand and control room. ¡°We¡¯ll finish the operation before dawn breaks.¡± ¡°Yes, sir.¡± He was overflowing with confidence. ¡®Ability users? Ridiculous. It¡¯s more fitting to call them social misfits or psychopaths.¡¯ He despised ability users. Although he wouldn¡¯t admit it, it was due to his inferiorityplex. ¡®That so-called tutorial? What¡¯s the big deal about killing a few monsters?¡¯ At times like these, the military should be stronger. The president constantly empowering ability users was tantamount to nurturing a cancerous tumor in society. ¡°They¡¯ll learn something from this incident.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°Nothing. What¡¯s the current situation?¡± ¡°They¡¯ve smoothly entered the building interior. However, they haven¡¯t encountered any enemies yet.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± They had confirmed people inside the building beforehand. He didn¡¯t think they could have escaped through their surveince in the meantime. ¡°Could there be a secret passage leading outside¡­¡± ¡°There¡¯s none in the building¡¯s design.¡± It was when Major General In Moon-soo was deep in thought. Suddenly, an urgent voice was heard. ¡°Commander. It¡¯s the enemy!¡± ¡°Where?¡± ¡°Assault Team 1.¡± ¡°Turn the camera.¡± At themander¡¯s order, the monitor screen switched to the camera worn by Team 1. Then, the figure of an unidentified man walking slowly came into view. ¡°Subdue him!¡± With the shout, the team members rushed out and instantly surrounded the man. However, they did not move after that. ¡°What are you doing? Quickly subdue him and make him move.¡± ¡°We¡¯ve already done that. But, our bodies won¡¯t move¡­¡± ¡°What?¡± Themander made a dumbfounded expression at the baffling answer. At the same time, gunshots were heard from various ces. ¡°Tch, this is Assault Team 3 requesting support¡­ Argh!¡± ¡°This is the Cover Team, we¡¯re under ambush!¡± ¡°Help me!¡± Screams could be heard from all directions. All the cameras and speakers were going crazy. ¡°What¡¯s going on?!¡± ¡°Team 1¡¯s connection is lost!¡± ¡°Team 2 is down.¡± ¡°Team 3 as well¡­¡± In an instant, all connections with the assault teams were cut off. ¡°Damn it! Send in additional support teams!¡± ¡°Yes, sir.¡± The support teams were members who had been surrounding the building outside in case of emergency. ¡°The sniper team is to shoot anything that moves forward.¡± ¡°But sir, it could be civilians¡­¡± ¡°This is war now! Just shoot!¡± ¡°Understood¡­¡± Something was going wrong. Themander bit his lip hard, feeling the oing anxiety. ¡°We¡¯re withdrawing.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± The subordinate made a dumbfounded expression at the sudden order. ¡°I said we¡¯re withdrawing! Something¡¯s gone wrong. We need to pull out now.¡± Themander¡¯s intuition was quite urate. During his long time in the military, his instincts had helped him escape crises more than once. ¡°Prepare the vehicles immediately!¡± The temporarymand post was not far from the scene. Considering the superhuman speed of the ability users, they would surely reach this ce soon. ¡°Commander!¡± ¡°What now?!¡± At that moment, an urgent voice was heard. Commander In Moon-su¡¯s head turned irritably. ¡°We can¡¯t contact the support team.¡± ¡°What¡­?¡± ¡°Sir! The sniper team¡¯smunication is also cut off.¡± His head went nk as he heard the report. ¡®Damn it, damn it! What the hell is going on!¡¯ In an instant, allmunication with the team members was cut off. Over 30 special forces members. Each of them was a veteran with realbat experience. ¡®We need to leave this ce immediately.¡¯ His eyes, which had lost their way, shook violently. The subordinates who met themander¡¯s eyes also had eyes tainted with fear. ¡°Move! We¡¯re withdrawing!¡± The mission. The safety ofrades. Everything was important. But the most important thing was his own life. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Themander was the first to leave themand and control room. He was apanied only by the special task force in charge of security and the driver. The subordinates were still organizing their equipment, but there was no time to wait for them. Woong woong woong As soon as themander got into the vehicle, the driver stepped hard on the elerator. However, only a rough engine sound was heard, and the vehicle didn¡¯t budge. ¡°Sir, the vehicle won¡¯t move¡­¡± Along with the report, an explosion was heard from afar. ¡°What?¡± ¡°It¡¯sing from the direction of the checkpoint!¡± ¡°Th-they¡¯ve already broken through there?¡± Themander, gripped by fear, trembled with both hands. ¡°How did I get to this position only to die?! Damn it, no!¡± Surely it would take some time for them to break through the checkpoint and clear themand post. At that time, they had to escape from here. ¡°We¡¯ll move on foot!¡± Themander hurriedly got out of the vehicle and drew his pistol. ¡°Everyone follow me!¡± Themander with his protruding belly. He couldn¡¯t even remember thest time he ran at full speed. ¡°Huff, huff!¡± But the will to live made even his severely obese body move quickly. ¡°Where do you think you¡¯re going?¡± However, the ugly escape didn¡¯t even make it past ten steps. ¡°Are you themander?¡± A strange man was already blocking themander¡¯s path. ¡°You¡­!¡± Commander In Moon-su recognized him. The masked man. He couldn¡¯t not recognize him, having vividly watched his activities just minutes ago. ¡°As expected, you people, the world is rotten.¡± As he spoke, the man took off his mask. ¡°Whew, I feel a bit better now.¡± Themander recognized him at a nce. Pale skin with sharp eyes. A tall man with a thin body. ¡°Choi Min-jun!¡± The man was none other than the ringleader of the enemies, Choi Min-jun. He matched exactly the description they had received in advance. ¡°Kill him!¡± Choi Min-jun was the number one target to be captured alive. But now was not the time to consider such things. ¡°¡­¡± ¡°What are you doing?! I said shoot him!¡± ¡°Sir¡­ Our bodies won¡¯t move.¡± ¡°What nonsense is that?!¡± The driver and the special task force. They were all frozen in ce like mannequins. ¡°Aaaaah!¡± Themander,pletely panicked, fired his gun wildly. Bang, bang, bang! But all the bullets were deflected by an invisible barrier that appeared in front of Choi Min-jun. ¡°Abandoning your subordinates and running away, you¡¯re trash. Because of people like you, this society is rotting and will eventually head towards mutual destruction.¡± Looking at him, themander tried to run away, but his body wouldn¡¯t move. ¡°Ugh, guh!¡± He could hear the sounds of his subordinates struggling to breathe beside him. ¡°Please, please spare me!¡± Something started to tighten around his body. It felt as if an invisible giant anaconda was wrapping around his body. Themander¡¯s pants became wet with fear. ¡°Spare me¡­ I beg you¡­¡± ¡°Disgusting until the end. Die.¡± ¡°N-no¡­¡± Pung! Themander¡¯s head, which was trying to say something, exploded in an instant. ¡°Now the preparations areplete.¡± Choi Min-jun stared at the blood-stained ground for a while. His eyes were flickering with a bizarre madness. Chapter 67 Chapter 67 ¨C Trap(4) The meeting room was enveloped in silence. No one dared to speak first. ¡°Say that again,¡± President Han Seung-hoon said in a heavy voice. The colonel giving the report cleared his trembling throat. ¡°We¡¯ve lost contact with all deployed personnel.¡± ¡°What about the director?¡± ¡°The same.¡± ¡°Haa¡­¡± In an instant, over 50 elite soldiers had perished. The fact that they couldn¡¯t even report suggested the situation had deteriorated too quickly for them to react. ¡°We don¡¯t know for sure yet. If they¡¯re using equipment to jam our signals¡­¡± ¡°No. That¡¯s enough.¡± President Han Seung-hoon cut off the general trying to view the situation positively. ¡°Team Leader Shin Tae-gil.¡± ¡°Yes, sir.¡± ¡°Can the Special Ability Management Team mobilize?¡± ¡°About that¡­¡± Cold sweat ran down Shin Tae-gil¡¯s back as he answered. ¡®What the hell are they doing?!¡¯ In truth, Shin Tae-gil had judged from the start that the military would fail. That¡¯s why he had already contacted ability users like Han Se-yeon, Choi Dong-woo, and Kang Hyeon. ¡®Please, just answer the phone!¡¯ Han Se-yeon said she couldn¡¯te out recklessly. Choi Dong-woo was in a dungeon. Other ability users weren¡¯t up to the task. The only hope was Kang Hyeon, but he wasn¡¯t answering despite multiple calls. -Guild Leader Kang Hyeon is having dinner with an executive of the Ability Users Union after clearing a dungeon. He hurriedly called Han Jae-moon, but even he didn¡¯t know Kang Hyeon¡¯s exact whereabouts. ¡°Mr. President. I¡¯m sorry, but the situation isn¡¯t favorable right now.¡± ¡°Not favorable? What do you mean?¡± ¡°Contacting the ability users is¡­¡± Just then. -Buzz buzz Shin Tae-gil¡¯s smartphone vibrated. ¡°Hey, what are you doing during an important meeting?!¡± ¡°That fellow, hecks basic manners!¡± The military generals, sensing an opportunity, took turns criticizing Shin Tae-gil. [Bastard] However, seeing the name on the screen, Shin Tae-gil ignored their reactions and stood up abruptly. ¡°He¡¯s here!¡± ¡°What¡¯s here?¡± ¡°Mr. President. I¡¯ve just made contact with an ability user. I¡¯m sorry, but I need to take this call.¡± ¡°Huh, go ahead.¡± With President Han¡¯s permission, Shin Tae-gil quickly pressed the call button. ¡°Kang Hyeon! What took you so long to answer?!¡± -I was busy. Are you always this obsessive? I have over ten missed calls. ¡°This is no time for jokes. Kang Hyeon. It¡¯s an emergency.¡± Kang Hyeon frowned at Shin Tae-gil¡¯s words. -I was in a pretty damn urgent situation myself until just now, you know? *** Ippotrantion *** Kang Hyeon quickly grabbed Seon Yeon-ho¡¯s arm as it flew towards his neck. ¡°Are you squeamish about taking a life?¡± ¡°What¡­?!¡± ¡°Stop this bullshit!¡± Simultaneously, he threw a punch into Seon Yeon-ho¡¯s empty abdomen. ¡°Kuhek!¡± ¡°Face massageing up. Get ready!¡± Seon Yeon-ho was bent over after being hit in the stomach. Kang Hyeon grabbed the back of his head and drove it straight towards the hot charcoal. ¡°Magic explosion.¡± -Kwaaang! And then the magic explosion erupted. With the powerful explosive force, mes rose instantly, and ash flew into the air. The time it took for all this to happen was less than 3 seconds. ¡°Damn it! Everyone attack!¡± The employees who witnessed this quickly drew their weapons. ¡°I knew this would happen. Come in, you bastards!¡± [Roar of the Enraged Lion has been activated] [All enemies¡¯ morale and stats have decreased] Kang Hyeon, who used ¡®Roar of the Enraged Lion¡¯, activated all buff skills. ¡°Good.¡± His condition was at its best due to leveling up. He felt his body was a bit sluggish due to the poison, but considering the magic level he sensed from them, he thought it was sufficient to fight. -Woooong At that moment, he felt his smartphone vibrate in his pocket. ¡°Who is it when I¡¯m so busy?¡± -Chaeng! As he forcefully deflected an iing sword, the opponent¡¯s grip that couldn¡¯t withstand it was torn away. The guy who lost his weapon in an instant had a dumbfounded expression. Kang Hyeon used One sh to blow off the guy¡¯s neck and rushed towards the enemies. -Cheng, Kwadang! ¡°Aaaagh!¡± As Kang Hyeon had expected, the enemies weren¡¯t that strong. No, they were sufficiently capable, but they were no match for Kang Hyeon. -Puk! A sword strike that came from a blind spot that he hadn¡¯t noticed struck Kang Hyeon¡¯s shoulder. It was clearly an attack on bare skin, but only a scratch appeared on Kang Hyeon¡¯s shoulder. ¡®Wayne¡¯s secret technique. It¡¯s just one level increase, but¡­ It feels like a whole different dimension from before.¡¯ A health stat of 60. Now it seemed difficult to even pierce Kang Hyeon¡¯s body with ordinary des. ¡°This bastard! What kind of monster is he?!¡± ¡°Kraaah!¡± It was when the guys were flustered by Kang Hyeon¡¯s unexpectedly strong force. Seon Yeon-ho, who had gotten up from his spot, let out a bizarre cry. ¡°What? You¡¯re not dead?¡± Seon Yeon-ho¡¯s body looking at Kang Hyeon was no longer that of a human. His skin, which had taken on a strange color, looked as hard as steel, and de-like protrusions were visible all over his body. ¡°You guys. Were you drug addicts?¡± ¡°Everyone, enter full awakening state.¡± Seon Yeon-ho¡¯s voice was distorted as grotesquely as his appearance. However, unlike the previous Monster Power users, he seemed to maintain his sanity. ¡°Kruk, krwik!¡± ¡°Kraaah!¡± The other enemies also started to change one by one, letting out bizarre cries. Looking at this scene, Kang Hyeon quickly rushed forward. ¡°Giving time for transformation is stupid!¡± The number of guys was about 20. Considering that the number of guys they fought with An Yu-seong before was about 10, this was a tremendous crisis. ¡®Even though I¡¯ve gotten stronger since then, it¡¯s too much to handle this many people alone. I need to reduce their numbers as much as possible!¡¯ Kang Hyeon reached a guy who hadn¡¯t finished transforming and swung Bilgein¡¯s Longsword with all his might. ¡°Huh¡­?¡± However, the sword that should have cut the guy¡¯s body in half in an instant got stuck on the guy¡¯s bone and stopped. ¡°Kwick, die.¡± A gap created by Kang Hyeon¡¯s surprise. The guy didn¡¯t miss that brief moment. The guy¡¯s extended foot struck Kang Hyeon¡¯s side, and Kang Hyeon quickly flew and crashed into the wall. ¡°Ssseup¡­ That hurts?¡± The guys¡¯ strength was not ordinary. It was lower than Kang Hyeon¡¯s, but it seemed to surpass other top-tier ability users. -Woooong At that moment, the smartphone rang again. ¡°This might break if I¡¯m not careful.¡± Worried that it might break in the intensifying fight, Kang Hyeon threw the smartphone away, sliding it far. ¡°Let me ask you one thing.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± Just as he was about to prepare for the real fight, Seon Yeon-ho spoke to him. ¡°Do you still have no intention of cooperating with us?¡± ¡°Why would I cooperate with the likes of you?¡± ¡°We are not simply a terrorist group as you know.¡± ¡°Your actions certainly look like a simple terrorist group.¡± ¡°All of that is for the sake of humanity.¡± ¡°What?¡± Kang Hyeon made a bewildered expression at this unexpected deration of love for humanity. ¡°What nonsense is that?¡± ¡°How long do you think humanity canst like this? 3 years? 4 years?¡± ¡°How would I know that?¡± ¡°Within 3 years at most, countries will start to copse. Even if they endure, it¡¯s a problem. Do you think this chaos will end if we endure for 5 years?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Seon Yeon-ho¡¯s voice, resonating like a beast¡¯s, added to the sinisterness of his words. ¡°The world will surely perish after 5 years.¡± Hearing Seon Yeon-ho¡¯s words, Kang Hyeon was reminded of what Han Se-yeon of Dangun had said before. -I¡¯m not talking about 5 years from now. Within the next 3 years. Countries will start facing existential crises. Kang Hyeon couldn¡¯t know what information these two based their conclusions on. However, they wouldn¡¯t be speaking based on groundless evidence. ¡°So?¡± ¡°What do you mean ¡®so¡¯? It means the whole world will perish if things continue like this.¡± ¡°And you guys who say you¡¯ll prevent that are causing dungeon breaks and spreading weird drugs?¡± ¡°You may not understand now. But if you join our organization, you¡¯ll understand. And you¡¯ll also gain powerful strength.¡± As if to show off his power to Kang Hyeon, Seon Yeon-ho picked up a sword that had fallen on the ground. -Chaeeeng! The de shattered into pieces in Seon Yeon-ho¡¯s hand and scattered on the floor. Kang Hyeon had been doing this trick for quite a long time, but seeing it performed by another ability user was quite fresh. ¡°This is just child¡¯s y.¡± ¡°Indeed, it is.¡± Seon Yeon-ho¡¯s fist trembled at Kang Hyeon¡¯s sarcastic response. ¡°You¡­ You refuse to listen seriously until the end!¡± ¡°Would you seriously listen to what a monster bastard has to say if you were me?¡± ¡°This drug is the result of countless sacrifices for humanity! We are finally the product! We are saints sacrificing ourselves for humanity!¡± ¡°You¡¯re insane.¡± It didn¡¯t seem like he hadpletely lost his mind like the previous drug side effects. But Seon Yeon-ho was ranting excitedly, suggesting there were some side effects. ¡°For humanity, for humanity, for humanity! All of this is for humanity!¡± Seon Yeon-ho, gradually sinking into madness, now lookedpletely insane. ¡°So you too, die for humanity¡­¡± Kang Hyeon grinned as he watched Seon Yeon-ho muttering with his eyes rolled back. ¡°You gonna kill me with your mouth? Juste at me already, bastard.¡± ¡°Kwaaaaa!¡± *** Ippotrantion *** Kang Hyeon¡¯s talent forbat can be defined in one word. Slow learner. The reason Kang Hyeon, who was naturally weak, coulde this far was due to effort, experience, and the awakenings achieved through numerous deaths. But as he became intimate with death, Kang Hyeon¡¯s mind gradually became twisted, rough, ¡°Die prettily, you bastard!¡± and changed into that of a beast. -Puaak! Kang Hyeon grabbed the man¡¯s arm and twisted it off with all his might. In an instant, the man¡¯s shoulder was torn off, and a fountain show of purple blood unfolded in the air. ¡°Kraaak!¡± Leaving the suffering man behind, Kang Hyeon swung the torn-off arm with all his strength. -Wujikeun! The sound of bones twisting came from the neck of a woman who was hit in the face with herrade¡¯s arm. But the woman immediately raised her arm and turned her jaw to put the bone back in ce. ¡°Haa, haa¡­¡± Was this how the enemies who had faced him felt until now? Kang Hyeon felt like he was fighting a zombie horde. And these were very fast, powerful, and sturdy zombies. ¡®Damn, I¡¯m starting to run out of magic power.¡¯ Bilgein¡¯s Longsword wasn¡¯t very effective against their sturdy bodies. Even when he managed to wound them, they recovered instantly. In the end, Kang Hyeon had no choice but to abandon the sword and resort to hand-to-handbat to tear apart their bodies. ¡°Just die already. Please!¡± ¡°Kaaak!¡± The fight was intensely fierce and ugly. With their defense abnormally stronger than their offense, the only vulnerable spots were weak points like vital organs. ¡°Kaak!¡± The woman who had just set her bone back in ce. When Kang Hyeon struck her jaw again, her head turned a full 180 degrees. As Kang Hyeon kicked and sent her flying, another man rushed at him. He swung his arm, which had transformed into a de, in a quick attack. Kang Hyeon lowered his stance to avoid the attack and grabbed the man¡¯s groin. ¡°Ah, no!¡± ¡°Magic explosion!¡± Those were the man¡¯sst words. Everyone hesitated at the shocking scene of the man losing his manhood. ¡°I¡­ I didn¡¯t want to go this far, damn it! But I have no choice.¡± That¡¯s how serious Kang Hyeon¡¯s situation was. He had only managed to take down nine of them so far. Although all of them were injured and tired, the same was true for Kang Hyeon. Moreover, once his magic power ran out, he wouldn¡¯t be able to use ¡®Advanced Bodily Regeneration¡¯, and naturally, he wouldn¡¯t be able to use ¡®Wayne¡¯s Secret Technique¡¯ either. ¡®When that happens, it¡¯s really over.¡¯ As if knowing Kang Hyeon¡¯s condition, they started attacking again. ¡®Think, think! I¡¯ll really die at this rate.¡¯ It was too risky to use Berserker. He didn¡¯t know what enemies might be behind these guys, and there was no one to take care of him after Berserker¡¯s time ran out. Even if he took out Ogre¡¯s giant hammer, he wouldn¡¯t even be able to reach these quick bastards. -Bang, bang, kwang! A thunderous sound that was hard to believe came from flesh hitting flesh. In a situation where dozens of swords and fists were flying at him every second, wounds were constantly appearing and healing on Kang Hyeon¡¯s body. However, gradually, the rate at which wounds appeared was bing faster than the rate of healing, and the damage was umting. ¡®Do I have no choice but to use Berserker?¡¯ It seemed better to take down a few more bastards than to die stupidly like this. ¡®Damn, but I don¡¯t have Bilgein¡¯s Longsword!¡¯ Realizing that the sword wasn¡¯t effective, he had thrown Bilgein¡¯s Longsword at them during the battle. ¡®There it is.¡¯ He saw the red Longsword lying behind them. But even at this moment, they were fiercely pressuring Kang Hyeon. ¡°Kheulleok!¡± Was it because his concentration was scattered for a moment? Seon Yeon-ho¡¯s hand de hit Kang Hyeon¡¯s stomach. That attack instantly pierced through Kang Hyeon¡¯s skills and skin, embedding itself in his stomach. ¡°Tough bastard. It¡¯s over now.¡± ¡°Damn¡­ Next time, I must remember to put it in the inventory¡­¡± ¡°There won¡¯t be a next time, so don¡¯t worry.¡± Just as Seon Yeon-ho smiled and swung his arm towards Kang Hyeon¡¯s neck, -Sswaeeaek! A blue light flew in from somewhere and embedded itself in Seon Yeon-ho¡¯s temple. ¡°Kuheok!¡± Hit by the arrow, Seon Yeon-ho crashed into the floor at tremendous speed. Seeing this, Kang Hyeon let out augh along with a sigh of relief. ¡°There¡¯s now saying I have to die¡­ Haha!¡± Chapter 68 Chapter 68 ¨C A Humiliating Defeat(1) ¡°Save the Guild Master!¡± ¡°Waaah!¡± ¡°Die, enemies of Park Se-hyeon!¡± Kang Hyeon looked in the direction of the voice. Then he saw the guild members. All the members of the Badass Guild were running towards them, shouting battle cries. Seeing this, the faces of the enemies showed bewilderment. ¡°Grr¡­¡± Seon Yeon-ho, whose flesh had been carved away to the point where his skull was clearly visible, staggered to his feet. ¡°What are you doing? Kill them all!¡± He didn¡¯t think the situation would change just because a few weaklings rushed in. Even if it did change, it didn¡¯t matter. The choice would be the same. There was no escape. It was better to die than to fail the mission. ¡°Fight them as if each one is me!¡± Kang Hyeon warned the guild members as he rushed towards Seon Yeon-ho. ¡°Uaah!¡± The situation quickly turned into a melee. But contrary to Kang Hyeon¡¯s worries, the guild members were performing quite well. The sparring they had done against Kang Hyeon until now was paying off. The current enemies were martial artists like Kang Hyeon. No, they were physical fighters based on overwhelming physical abilities. ¡°After blocking an attack, get away immediately!¡± For those who had fought Kang Hyeon to the point of nausea, enemies with weaker physical abilities than Kang Hyeon seemed rtively easy opponents. ¡°What are these guys? This is a new kind of fun! Hahaha!¡± An Yu-seong was still the same, and -Swish, swish ¡°Urgh!¡± Shin Seong-a, as always, coordinated the battle from an unseen location. ¡°Well, well¡­¡± As the usual scene unfolded, a strange sense of relief washed over Kang Hyeon. Kang Hyeon, who had always thought he was alone after passing the tutorial. He had no choice but to admit that he had been relying on these people without even realizing it. ¡°Uaah! Let¡¯s finish this quickly and have a beef party, guys!¡± *** Ippotrantion *** The battle ended one-sidedly. The already exhausted enemies couldn¡¯t handle the guild members directly trained by Kang Hyeon and An Yu-seong. -You¡¯ll surely regret this. We are the protectors of humanity¡­! -What nonsense are you spouting in front of members from the Guardian Guild? Seon Yeon-homented until the end. Screaming and struggling, he finally quieted down only after his head was turned to mush. ¡°Somehow, every day is getting harder.¡± ¡°That¡¯s how life is.¡± ¡°Tch, acting like you know¡­¡± Shin Seong-a smiled faintly at Kang Hyeon¡¯s words. ¡°By the way, how did you know toe here?¡± ¡°With all thismotion, wouldn¡¯t it be harder not to know?¡± ¡°Ah, I guess so.¡± But the distance from here to the guild office was quite far. Even if they had heard the news and rushed over immediately, it would have been impossible time-wise. ¡°Even so, didn¡¯t youe too quickly? And with all the guild members too.¡± ¡°Actually, An Yu-seong told us in advance.¡± ¡°Huh? What did he say?¡± ¡°That Kang Hyeon would be in danger.¡± Kang Hyeon looked at An Yu-seong upon hearing Shin Seong-a¡¯s words. ¡°I just told Older sister that I had a bad feeling when she said she was worried. It was Older sister who brought all the guild members here.¡± He didn¡¯t quite understand, but it seemed that with the help of Shin Seong-a and An Yu-seong, they hade all the way here. ¡°Thank you. All of you.¡± Kang Hyeon suddenly felt a lump in his throat. He had thought they were just a ragtag group, an organization for mutual benefit. But these people were reliablerades who rushed over in one breath for his sake. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I didn¡¯t know you all thought of me this much. Let¡¯s do well together from now on.¡± Kang Hyeon rubbed the bridge of his nose with an embarrassed expression. ¡°Ugh. Hyeon, that¡¯s disgusting.¡± ¡°Kang Hyepn. Did you hit your head?¡± ¡°¡­¡± As always, the harmonious atmosphere didn¡¯tst more than 10 seconds. ¡°Alright¡­ Alright. Shit.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°What are you looking at!?¡± Even the guild members who had just joined were openly looking at him with strange expressions. ¡®It¡¯s my fault for expecting¡­¡¯ Shaking his head, Kang Hyeon suddenly remembered that he had received a phone call. ¡°Where¡¯s my phone?¡± Fortunately, the smartphone was safe. The custom-made special safety case had done its job well even in the midst of the melee. [16 missed calls] [Team Leader Shin Tae-gil] [Team Leader Shin Tae-gil] ? [Team Leader Shin Tae-gil] The missed calls at one-minute intervals even gave a sense of strange obsession. ¡®What¡¯s wrong with this guy?¡¯ As soon as he called, Shin Tae-gil shouted without preamble. -Kang Hyeon! Why are you answering the phone only now?! ¡°I was busy. But are you always this obsessive? There are over ten missed calls.¡± -This is no time for jokes. Kang Hyeon. It¡¯s an emergency situation. ¡°I was in a pretty damn emergency situation until just now too.¡± -Please, I beg you. It¡¯s really a crisis situation. Kang Hyeon nodded at Shin Tae-gil¡¯s desperate voice. ¡°Okay. Tell me.¡± -Kang Hyeon. ¡°Yes.¡± -Come to the martialw headquarters right now! ¡°No.¡± It was a sharp answer without a moment¡¯s hesitation. -This is no time for jokes¡­ ¡°I¡¯m not joking! I just had a fight with some drug addicts, you know? I¡¯m just about to die¡­ I don¡¯t even have the strength to move.¡± Kang Hyeon then exined the situation up to now. The first meeting with Seon Yeon-ho. How he suddenly wanted to meet him again. That they were drug users. And even about the side effects of the drug. -Hmm, so such an important thing happened. Shin Tae-gil said in a serious voice after hearing the whole story. -I understand for now. I¡¯ll contact you again. ¡°You said it was urgent. Can I note?¡± -Will youe? ¡°No.¡± -You, you bas¡­! Shin Tae-gil, who was about to say something in excitement, sighed. ¡°Bas?¡± -Haa¡­ It¡¯s nothing. I¡¯ll contact you again. ¡°Heheh. Okay. Good work.¡± Kang Hyeonughed triumphantly as he ended the call. ¡°Is something wrong?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°It seemed to be Team Leader Shin Tae-gil¡­¡± ¡°Yeah, he¡¯s been so pricklytely, so I taught him a lesson.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Kang Hyeon didn¡¯t know. How much Shin Tae-gil, who couldn¡¯t call anyone in the end, was sweating to resolve the situation. *** Ippotrantion *** The next day. -Tap, tap, tap¡­ Kang Hyeon, sitting in the guild office, tapped on the table. -Tap, tap¡­ ¡°Do you have something on your mind?¡± Shin Seong-a, who was designing a new jacket nearby, looked at Kang Hyeon. ¡°I need new strength.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°New strength, I mean.¡± Yesterday¡¯s fight had made Kang Hyeon realize something. ¡®I¡¯m still weak.¡¯ Objectively, Kang Hyeon¡¯s stats are top-tier. Add to that various buff skills, and it could be said that his numbers are truly overwhelming. ¡°Aren¡¯t you already strong enough, Kang Hyeon?¡± ¡°No. Right now, I¡¯m just a brute fighter with nothing but strength and toughness.¡± This was Kang Hyeon¡¯s concern. At some point, Kang Hyeon had been resolving all fights with overwhelming physicality. But when he met an opponent with poorpatibility or simr physical abilities, he keenly felt his limitations. ¡°Hmm¡­ Then is there something specific you want?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. Maybe I should seriously learn swordsmanship.¡± After the initial stages, Kang Hyeon hadn¡¯t practiced swordsmanship separately. He had only honed his senses through actualbat and resolved with strength what he couldn¡¯t with technique. ¡°Or maybe more diverse skills¡­¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you always short on magic?¡± ¡°That¡¯s true.¡± All of Kang Hyeon¡¯s magic always goes into recovering his body that¡¯s being destroyed by ¡®Wayne¡¯s Secret Technique¡¯. Therefore, even if he had other skills, there would inevitably be limitations in utilizing them. ¡°In the end, I need to improve my technical abilities.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°How do I increase my technical abilities?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s not like my swordsmanship rank will go up just by attending a kendo dojo, you know.¡± ¡°If you practice¡­¡± ¡°How long would it take to get stronger just by swinging a sword in the air? It¡¯d be more efficient to level up by running dungeons in that time.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Kang Hyeon and Shin Seong-a continued to ponder with their arms crossed, but they couldn¡¯t see an answer at all. ¡°I think it¡¯s best to learn after all.¡± ¡°From whom?¡± ¡°That guy over there.¡± Kang Hyeon nodded towards a spot. Shin Seong-a turned her head to see An Yu-seong, who was ying by throwing daggers. ¡°You mean An Yu-seong?¡± ¡°Yeah. I hate to admit it, but that guy¡¯s a natural talent. He was born with a sense forbat.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°So I should spar with him. Maybe I¡¯ll learn something too.¡± Kang Hyeon stood up from his seat. ¡°Hey.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s have a match.¡± ¡°Suddenly?¡± ¡°Yeah. But no skills, no buffs.¡± ¡°Sounds boring¡­¡± An Yu-seong openly showed a bored expression at Kang Hyeon¡¯s words. ¡°What¡¯s with you? You usually rush in like a mad dog when ites to fighting.¡± ¡°Without your skills, you¡¯re weak, Kang Hyeon. You¡¯re no match for me.¡± ¡°What did you say, you little¡­?¡± For a moment, sparks flew from Kang Hyeon¡¯s eyes. Those sitting in the guild office watched the sudden tension between the two with interested eyes. ¡°It¡¯s the truth, isn¡¯t it? Without relying on your stats, do you think you can beat me?¡± ¡°Of course I can!¡± ¡°Turn off your body regeneration skill too.¡± ¡°Umm¡­¡± Kang Hyeon¡¯s face clouded with bewilderment at the request to not use ¡®Advanced Body Regeneration¡¯. ¡°We won¡¯t know until we try!¡± ¡°Well¡­ Then let¡¯s make a bet if we¡¯re going to spar.¡± ¡°What kind of bet?¡± ¡°If I win, I get to make and sell figurines of you as I please.¡± ¡°Figurines¡­?¡± ¡°Yes. Figurines. Hehehe.¡± An Yu-seong chuckled with an evil smile. ¡°Fine. But if I win?¡± ¡°If you win, I¡¯ll cancel the sale of your figurines andpensate the expected profit from my own pocket. At least double the amount.¡± ¡°Deal. You¡¯re dead. Follow me to the rooftop.¡± *** Ippotrantion *** A lonely autumn wind blew over the rooftop of the building. Brushing back his hair fluttering in the wind, Kang Hyeon picked up an ordinary longsword. ¡°Are you ready?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Across from him, An Yu-seong also smiled and drew his sword. ¡°Why a sword?¡± ¡°This is enough.¡± ¡°Noiningter.¡± ¡°Of course not.¡± About a dozen guild members watched the scene. Their faces were flushed with anticipation for the uing battle. ¡°Hrm, sniff!¡± Among them, Han Jae-moon in particr was in an excited state, his nostrils ring. ¡°There are two rules,¡± said Shin Seong-a, acting as the referee in the middle, holding up her fingers. ¡°One. No use of skills or equipment except for the longsword.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Two. Do not take each other¡¯s lives.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Kang Hyeon and An Yu-seong answered with confident voices. ¡°Then, assuming you understand, let¡¯s begin. Fight!¡± As soon as Shin Seong-a¡¯s somewhat excited shout burst out, Kang Hyeon kicked off the ground and leapt forward. ¡®Even without buffs, my stats are advantageous.¡¯ Even with all items and skills removed, Kang Hyeon¡¯s base stats were extremely high. Moreover, since his level was higher than An Yu-seong¡¯s, there was no way he would lose in terms of stats. ¡°Haap!¡± As Kang Hyeon approached An Yu-seong, he swung his sword along the path he had swung tens of thousands of times before. However, unlike before, the sword futilely cut through the air. ¡°Who would get hit by such a clumsy swing?¡± ¡°Not over yet, you!¡± Undeterred by the miss, Kang Hyeon swung his sword again. -Whoosh, ng. ng, ng, ng! Sword strikes swung more than five times per second. The onlookers let out light exmations. ¡°Even without equipment and buffs, he seems simr to us now?¡± ¡°Yeah. His stats alone are really overpowered, for sure.¡± Sparks flew in all directions each time Kang Hyeon and An Yu-seong¡¯s swords met. Under Kang Hyeon¡¯s relentless onught, An Yu-seong was barely able to defend. ¡°You were so confident earlier, what happened?¡± ¡°Is this all you¡¯ve got?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°It¡¯s too boring. Heh. I think I can do this while ying around.¡± ¡°You bastard¡­!¡± At that moment, An Yu-seong deflected the iing sword at an angle and quickly dove into Kang Hyeon¡¯s embrace. ¡®You dare to engage in closebat?¡¯ Kang Hyeon was irritated by An Yu-seong¡¯s offensive. Hand-to-handbat was something Kang Hyeon was even more confident in than swordsmanship. ¡°Haap!¡± As An Yu-seong dove into his embrace, Kang Hyeon, unfazed,unched a knee kick at his face. -Thud However, An Yu-seong, as if anticipating it, twisted his body to avoid the knee. Then he grabbed Kang Hyeon¡¯s neck with one hand. ¡°Going for wrestling techniques!¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Though lower than Kang Hyeon¡¯s, An Yu-seong¡¯s stats were by no means inferior. With strength over 20, lifting a person with one arm posed no problem. ¡°Chokem!¡± An Yu-seong lifted Kang Hyeon and then mmed him back down to the floor. In an instant, Kang Hyeon¡¯s vision flipped. ¡®This is¡­¡¯ The Undertaker¡¯s finishing move he had seen in wrestling as a child. The chokem. The memory of his younger self running around the living room in excitement whenever the Undertaker used that move shed before his eyes. -Crash! ¡°Cough!¡± mmed head-first onto the rooftop floor, Kang Hyeon couldn¡¯t regain his senses due to the concussion. ¡°You can¡¯t see me!¡± -Wham An Yu-seong¡¯s fist drop came down in that gap! Kang Hyeon¡¯s face, colliding with An Yu-seong¡¯s solid fist, was momentarily deeply caved in. ¡°Arghhhh! Are you messing around?!¡± Kang Hyeon, enraged by An Yu-seong¡¯s yful attack,shed out. ¡°You¡¯re dead!¡± The moment the highly agitated Kang Hyeon got up, ¡°RKO!¡± An Yu-seong, who had been running towards him, grabbed Kang Hyeon¡¯s head and mmed it down to the floor again. -Crash! A loud noise rang out as the cement floor cracked upon impact with Kang Hyeon¡¯s head. ¡°Ugh¡­ Uh¡­¡± Having hit his head hard three times in quick session, Kang Hyeon couldn¡¯t regain his senses. ¡®I can¡¯t, I can¡¯t recover.¡¯ Normally, he would have used a skill to recover from the concussion and regain his senses, but he couldn¡¯t use them now. Experiencing prolonged dizziness for the first time in a while, Kang Hyeon felt nauseous. ¡°Hup, pounding, pounding, pounding!¡± Riding that momentum, An Yu-seong mounted Kang Hyeon and threw punches incessantly. ¡°Hey¡­ Shouldn¡¯t we stop this?¡± ¡°Leave it. Why would you want to get involved and risk getting hurt?¡± ¡°Besides, he¡¯s always been the one beating others. Isn¡¯t it kind of satisfying to see him get beaten like this?¡± ¡°Hmm, it certainly is.¡± Even in the midst of being punched senseless, the guild members¡¯ conversation pierced Kang Hyeon¡¯s ears with strange rity. ¡°Hahaha! Kang Hyeon, are you just going to keep lying there like this?¡± -Thud, thud, thud, thud! Kang Hyeon neither thought of pushing An Yu-seong away nor putting up his guard, defenseless against the punches. ¡°Ah, boring. Let¡¯s end this now.¡± An Yu-seong, his hands covered in blood, sighed and then pressed down on Kang Hyeon¡¯s body. ¡°Referee, countdown!¡± At his shout, Shin Seong-a ran over and pped the ground hard. ¡°One!¡± ¡°Two!¡± ¡°Three! Ding ding ding, the match is over.¡± ¡°Hurray! I won.¡± An Yu-seong raised both arms high and cheerfully shouted in victory. -p p p p! The others apuded vigorously at the sight. ¡®You fucking bastards¡­ just you wait.¡¯ Chapter 69 Chapter 69 ¨C Fencing Master Kergo (1) The government¡¯s operation had failed. The military¡¯s special forces unit,posed of only the elite, was helplessly annihted. This fact spread secretly among high-ranking officials in the political and business circles, and those who heard the news were stunned. The Ability Users. Their power and growth rate far exceeded everyone¡¯s expectations. ¡°What should we do now?¡± President Han Seung-hoon had been advocating for a pro-Ability User policy, raising his voice that Ability Users should be actively fostered. Those who had mocked the President and criticized him for having an incorrect fantasy about Ability Users were now all sitting with their mouths shut. ¡°There are only 2 months left until the World Dungeon Summit in Seoul.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± The second World Dungeon Summit. At this point, with only 2 months left until the event, South Korea was still under martialw. ¡°We¡¯ve been notified that if we can¡¯t resolve this quickly, we¡¯ll have no choice but to move the summit location.¡± At President Han Seung-hoon¡¯s words, all the ministers and generals bowed their heads. ¡°This is a disgrace to South Korea. The reason our country was designated as the summit location is because it¡¯s currently safer and has better public order than any other country in the world.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°If the summit location is moved because of this situation, isn¡¯t that a shameful thing!?¡± ¡°Then¡­ How about lifting the martialw now?¡± ¡°What are you saying?¡± ¡°At this point, the Monster Power that was destabilizing society has been almostpletely recovered. Public order has been restored, and the dungeons are under perfect control.¡± President Han Seung-hoon¡¯s expression hardened as he listened to the exnation. ¡°So?¡± ¡°Since there doesn¡¯t seem to be any external problems, wouldn¡¯t it be better to lift the martialw first and then catch those guys slowly¡­¡± ¡°You call that a suggestion?!¡± Han Seung-hoon finally exploded and mmed the table. ¡°The key figures of the terrorists are still running rampant, and the drug they were developing is nearingpletion! Do you think it makes sense to handle things by turning a blind eye like this?!¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°If we start the event like this and those guys carry out a terrorist attack, can you take responsibility?¡± It was apletely different demeanor from Han Seung-hoon¡¯s usual calm andposed manner. But because his words were clearly right, even the person who had made the suggestion quietly closed their mouth. ¡°Then how about we do this?¡± At that moment, Park Ha-ran, the head of the Korean branch of the Dungeon Management Organization, raised her hand. ¡°Go ahead.¡± ¡°For the next 2 months, we thoroughly manage all dungeons near Seoul and conduct aplete clear.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°We cut off the source of potential terrorist acts, and on the day of the conference, we mobilize all military, police, and Ability Users to thoroughly protect the conference venue.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Even if we find the terrorists in the meantime, there won¡¯t be any national loss.¡± The core of Park Ha-ran¡¯s suggestion was the same as what the general had said earlier. However, it swayed Han Seung-hoon in that it presented specific alternatives. ¡°Is it possible?¡± At President Han Seung-hoon¡¯s question, Park Ha-ran nodded. ¡°It¡¯s difficult in the current state. But if the President can lend a little strength, it¡¯s possible.¡± ¡°What do you need?¡± ¡°As you all know, guilds are currently upying dungeons by force. To clear the dungeons, we need to drive them out first.¡± ¡°If that¡¯s resolved, is it possible?¡± ¡°If we temporarily increase the rewards for dungeon clearing and move together with the Ability User Union, I think we can clear and control at least 80% of them.¡± At Park Ha-ran¡¯s words, Han Seung-hoon stroked his chin, deep in thought. ¡°Alright. Then we¡¯ll temporarily control the guilds¡¯ dungeon upation. You can use somewhat forceful methods against guilds that oppose this.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± ¡°And on the day of the conference, we should mobilize all special ability management teams as well. Is that possible?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll make it possible.¡± At Shin Tae-gil¡¯s straightforward answer, a smile appeared on Han Seung-hoon¡¯s face for the first time. ¡°Then let¡¯s get started.¡± *** Ippotrantion *** It was humiliating. So humiliating that he didn¡¯t even have the strength to walk. ¨C Trudge, trudge¡­ Since that day, Kang Hyeon couldn¡¯t bring himself to enter the guild office. ¨C I¡¯m going to solo dungeons for a while, so don¡¯t look for me. ¨C Bro, are you upset? ¨C Shut up, you bastard! He left the guild saying only that he would tackle dungeons alone. ¡°I can¡¯t go back until I find a solution.¡± He had to tten An Yu-seong¡¯s nose. ¡°If I don¡¯t smash that face that looks like a parasite¡¯s brother, I¡¯ll suffer from insomnia for the rest of my life.¡± Kang Hyeon, walking in a half-dazed state, finally reached his destination. C-rank dungeon ¡®Knight Training Ground¡¯. ¡°This is thest ce I wanted toe to.¡± ¡®Knight Training Ground¡¯ was a dungeon that became famous among Ability Users as soon as it appeared. This was because the monsters appearing there possessed excellent swordsmanship skills. In other words, it was a perfect dungeon for raising Kang Hyeon¡¯s current goal of ¡®Intermediate Swordsmanship (D)¡¯. ¡°Haa¡­¡± Nevertheless, there was one reason why Kang Hyeon was so disheartened. ¡°Keruk!¡± It was because the knights appearing in the dungeon were goblins. ¡°Damn. Later on, they might even have a goblin Sword Master appear.¡± A goblin being a Sword Master, it was preposterous. ¡°Keeek!¡± The goblin that appeared before Kang Hyeon was about the same height as him and was fully armed in armor. Moreover, unlike other monsters, it didn¡¯t immediately rush at Kang Hyeon, but instead surveyed him. ¡°Whew, right. The goal is to sweep through here without using buff skills.¡± Despite being mere goblins, they moved in small elite groups. One to a maximum of three. Even though it was a C-rank dungeon. This meant that each one possessed powerfulbat abilities. ¡°I¡¯m ready, soe on. Don¡¯t put on airs!¡± ¡°Keruruk!¡± As Kang Hyeon took a stance with his sword, only then did the goblin knight swing its sword at him. ¨C ng! As soon as the swords shed, Kang Hyeon could feel it. ¡®Even without using skills, my strength overwhelmingly surpasses it.¡¯ No matter how trained it was, a goblin was still a goblin. Kang Hyeon, who had already reached level 60, possessed physical specs of a different dimension. ¡®But I shouldn¡¯t just overpower it with strength.¡¯ That would defeat the purpose ofing here. He had to subdue it with swordsmanship skills alone. ¨C ng, ng! Kang Hyeon and the goblin¡¯s swords intertwined. Block, sh, dodge, thrust. These simple actions repeated at tremendous speed, wing at each other. ¨C Swish! In an instant, a sword aiming for a gap flew in. Kang Hyeon couldn¡¯t dodge in time and allowed the attack. His tough skin was cut, and blood flowed out. ¡°Keruk!¡± The goblin, thinking it had gained the upper hand, swung its sword again, but was surprised by Kang Hyeon¡¯s quick response and retreated. ¡°What are you imagining with this little scratch?¡± Kang Hyeon grinned. Normally, this wound would have healed in a matter of seconds, but Kang Hyeon didn¡¯t use ¡®Advanced Bodiy Regeneration (A)¡¯. ¡®Relying solely on physical recovery ability can lead to big trouble.¡¯ Right now, he needed to raise his awareness of injuries like other Ability Users. ¡°Alright, here Ie again!¡± With a spirited shout, Kang Hyeon swung his sword again. *** Ippotrantion *** ¡°Kehek¡­ Kehek¡­¡± The goblin knight ¡®Kergo¡¯ was at his wit¡¯s end. ¡°Keheeeek!¡± ¡°Tired? Come on, hang in there a bit more.¡± In his 15 years of goblin life, this human was by far the craziest. ¡°I need to recover once too.¡± ¡°Keeeek!¡± Here it goes again. That human¡¯s body started to recover again. ¡°Whew, done. You¡¯ve rested enough too, right?¡± He didn¡¯t know how many hours, how many times they had repeated this. Just when he thought he hadpletely defeated the human, he would recover in the blink of an eye. Then when he would exert all his strength to make him bloody again, he would recover instantly once more. It was truly maddening. ¨C ng, ng! ¡°Keheuk!¡± And his strength was so ridiculously powerful that every time their swords met, Kergo¡¯s wrist would ache. Even though he deflected the sword as technically as possible. ¡°Keheeeek! Kehek!¡± Feeling wronged, Kergo screamed with his hoarse voice. If tranted, it meant, ¡°Why are you only tormenting me?¡± ¡°What are you saying?¡± Kergo was certain. Clearly, this human could have killed him long ago. But he didn¡¯t. He just kept fighting endlessly as if Kergo was some kind of practice dummy. ¡°Are you hungry? Well, I¡¯m feeling it too. Shall we call it a day?¡± ¡°Keheheheek!¡± He didn¡¯t know what the human was saying, but he needed to make him talk more. That way, he could buy some time to recover his strength. ¡°Right. We should stop here for today.¡± ¡°Kehek, kehek!¡± ¡°I like you. Let¡¯s meet again tomorrow.¡± The human suddenly turned around and started walking away. ¡°Keruk..? Kehek! Kehek!¡± ¡°I got it. You rest well too!¡± He tried to shout threateningly, but the human didn¡¯t seem interested in fighting anymore. ¡°Kehelhel, kehel-kelock, kelock!¡± Goblin knight Kergo finallyughed, thinking he had escaped from the clutches of the devil. *** Ippotrantion *** The next day. ¡°Today I¡¯ll practice with that guy again.¡± Kang Hyeon entered the dungeon with a light heart. ¡°I brought plenty of food too. Great!¡± Yesterday, he had to return quickly because he entered the dungeon without thinking. But today, he brought enough food to practice for a few days. ¡°Where are you¡± Kang Hyeon, who entered the dungeon, looked for yesterday¡¯s goblin. ¡°It must be somewhere¡­¡± He didn¡¯t think it would have been hunted by other ability users in just a day. This ce was unpopr because the rewards were too smallpared to the hardship. Although it was exceptionally designated by the government as a C-grade dungeon for educational protection, it was a ce where no one visited. ¡°Found it!¡± Finally, he spotted a goblin wandering nearby. It was bandaged as if it had been injured in several ces. ¡°Looking at the wound on its cheek, it¡¯s definitely that one.¡± It was the wound caused by Kang- Hyeon¡¯s decisive blow yesterday. ¡°Hehe¡­¡± Somehow, he felt likeughing when he saw it. The fruits of his efforts poured out over a day were contained in its body. ¡°Hey!¡± The goblin turned its head at Kang hyeon¡¯s call. Kang Hyeon, making eye contact with it, grinned and waved his hand. ¡°Ke, kehek!?¡± ¡°What? Why are you reacting like that?¡± The goblin¡¯s eyes widened like a rabbit¡¯s, and its pupils shook as if there was an earthquake. ¡°Alright, shall we start again today?¡± Ignoring such a reaction, Kang Hyeon was unpacking his things when¡­ ¡°Huh, what? Where are you going!?¡± The goblin was running away in a hurry with its back turned. *** Ippotrantion *** Goblin Knight Kergo! He, who had always been dignified, was now running away screaming loud enough to shake the dungeon. ¡°Keheeeek!¡± A knight¡¯s honor? It was better to throw it away than to be toyed with and die like this. As Kergo screamed and rampaged, other goblins began to gather. ¡°Kehuk, kehehek!¡± To those who gathered, Kergo desperately tried to exin the current situation. ¡°Keruruk!¡± ¡°Keruk, keruk!¡± However, the other goblins onlyughed at his words. ¡°Kehuk, kehehuk!¡± ¡°Keruk! Keruru¡­¡± If we were to trante, it would go something like this: ¡®Please, help me!¡¯ ¡®Shut up! You shame of a goblin knight! I won¡¯t forgive you if you keep bbing.¡¯ Kergo was on the verge of going crazy. ¡°Kehehek¡­¡± Just as Kergo, having failed to persuade hisrades, was about to return to his area¡­ ¡°Hey! I¡¯ve been looking for you for a while!¡± ¡°Kehuk, kehehek!¡± The human appeared at just the right timing! ¡°What? Why are there so many?¡± The human seemed flustered at seeing the number exceeding twenty. ¡°Were there this many in this dungeon before?¡± ¡°Keruruk¡­¡± The other goblins also showed hostility towards the human that appeared before them. ¡°Hmm¡­ Too many might interfere with practice, should I reduce the numbers a bit?¡± The human¡¯s words increased. He must have been gripped by fear. Kergo looked at hisrades with a triumphant smile. ¡°Kehehek!¡± ¡°Kruruk! Keruk!¡± Kergo said to tear the human apart immediately, but a problem arose. Hisrades were too rigid. They were insisting on a one-on-one duel, seeking knightly principles even in this urgent situation. ¡°Kehehek! Kehuk!¡± Kergo tried his best to persuade them, but he seemed to be failing. ¡°Why are these things talking so much?¡± Kang Hyeon, looking at the goblins, activated all his skills. ¡°I guess I¡¯ll have to deal with all of them except for one sword instructor.¡± A full power surging through his entire body. Kang Hyeon, who sprang from his ce, rushed towards the goblins. ¡°Teacher, please step aside for a moment!¡± -Thwack! Kang Hyeon delivered a side kick to Kergo, who was at the front. Kergo flew dozens of meters at once and crashed into the wall. ¡°Keeeek!¡± The massacre that unfolded afterwards. The goblin knights, who numbered as many as twenty, had all turned into lumps of meat in less than 10 minutes. ¡°Keru¡­¡± Kergo, who was nkly watching the scene, made eye contact with Kang Hyeon. ¡°Now that we¡¯ve warmed up, shall we start training? Looking forward to working with you today too.¡± Seeing Kang Hyeon speaking with a smile, Kergo closed his eyes. And he smiled. ¡°Keruk, keruru¡­¡± If we were to trante, it would mean, ¡®This must be a dream¡­¡¯ ¡°Kehelhel¡­¡± Now, if he closed his eyes and opened them again, that human would disappear, and he would wake up from this dream. ¡°What are you doing?¡± It wasn¡¯t a dream. It was reality. Tears streamed down from Kergo¡¯s eyes. ¡°Kehuhuhuk¡­¡± Chapter 70 Chapter 70 ¨C Fencing Master Kergo (2) Goblin Knight Kergo. His parents were ves. Naturally, Kergo also became a ve the moment he was born. Kergo never had anyints about it. He had never not been a ve for a single moment in his life. His life changed when he met a knight. ¡°This one has talent.¡± The captain of the royal guard, hailed as the best among knights. He took Kergo in. Despite the objections of those around him, the captain recklessly made Kergo his subordinate. From then on, Kergo opened his eyes to a new world. Literally a different world. He tasted exquisite food that seemed like it would make him faint just by touching his tongue, and he met goblin beauties so stunning that his eyes nearly popped out at the sight. Looking at them, Kergo made a resolution. ¡°Let¡¯s climb to higher ces.¡± Not just to be a subordinate, but to be a knight. To be the strongest knight and enjoy all kinds of wealth and glory. Kergo had potential. As his adopter, the captain, had judged, he truly had an incredible talent for swordsmanship. Unlike other goblins who usually start learning the sword at age 3, Kergo picked up a sword at 8. But he quickly surpassed his peers, and at the age of 9, he was finally able to enter the ¡®Knight Training Institute¡¯. ¡°Kehehehe!¡± It felt like he owned the whole world. It felt like he was the center of the world. But the world was cruel. Most of the trainees at the Knight Institute were children of nobles, and even those who weren¡¯t nobles were children of wealthy families. There was no one like Kergo who came from a ve background. ¡°You worm.¡± ¡°What was the captain thinking, bringing in such trash?¡± There were no allies for him there. Trainees, instructors, even the director of the institute came personally to rebuke him. He was a disgrace to the long-standing and traditional Knight Training Institute. Kergo grew increasingly tired, and his spirit was worn down. He no longer wanted to pick up a sword. Training was just tedious and difficult. The change that came to him in this state was recent. ¡°Uwaah!¡± A human with a fierce appearance. His sword skills were terrible, but he had absurdly strong physical strength. It seemed he had never formally learned swordsmanship. Moreover, his talent was ordinary. For a goblin, it was questionable whether he could be even a mid-level knight with a lifetime of effort. It felt like he was making up for thatck of talent with tremendousbat experience and physical abilities. ng, ng! But the human kept trying endlessly. He seemed to pay no attention to his own life. Although he clearly possessed incredibly strong power, he didn¡¯t use any other techniques, as if improving his sword skills was his only goal. *sh* ¡°What are you thinking!¡± Perhaps because his thoughts had wandered too long. A long sword wound appeared on Kergo¡¯s arm. It would have been a terrifying injury in the past, but now he just silently stared at it. ¡°Keurk!¡± Kergo refocused his attention. Fighting with the human was sharpening his mind once again. The barriers that had been blocking him were quickly crumbling in these life-and-death battles. He felt that other goblins were distancing themselves from him even more these days, but it didn¡¯t matter. They were enemies from the start anyway. He would keep getting stronger like this. Then they wouldn¡¯t even be able to be obstacles for him anymore. ng, ng ¡°Good! Keep pushing!¡± Kergo and Kang Hyeon¡¯s swords tangled wildly. *** Ippotrantion *** [The rank of your Intermediate Swordsmanship skill has increased] Kang Hyeon cheered at the voice he heard. ¡°I did it!¡± It was an achievement reached after ten long days. His Intermediate Swordsmanship had finally risen to C rank, bing Advanced Swordsmanship. ¡°Good job.¡± ¡°Keurr¡­¡± In front of Kang Hyeon stood the goblin who had been with him for the past ten days. Kang Hyeon¡¯s swordsmanship teacher. Thanks to this goblin, Kang Hyeon¡¯s sword skills had increased rapidly. It made a big difference to imitate the goblin¡¯s style instead of his previous wild swinging. Now he had reached a level where he could subdue three goblins using only his sword. But for some reason, he could never beat this particr goblin he first met. ¡°Do monsters get stronger too?¡± The creature seemed to be getting stronger even faster than Kang Hyeon. ¡°Phew, why can I never beat just you?¡± Kang Hyeon said as he slumped to the ground. Kergo, also interpreting this as a break, quietly sat down. ¡°Keurk!¡± Over the past ten days, Kergo had fully adapted to this strange situation. He was secretly satisfied too. His skills were also increasing at an unprecedented rate. ¡°You¡¯re now my swordsmanship teacher. I¡¯ll spare you specially. Don¡¯t die to anyone else. Got it?¡± ¡°Keurk!¡± ¡°Yeah, yeah. Keurk or karuk or whatever. It¡¯s so annoying to hear. Tsk.¡± Kang Hyeon clicked his tongue and got up. Having achieved his goal, it was time to graduate from the Knight Training Institute. As he turned to head towards the entrance, Kang Hyeon stopped. ¡°Hey!¡± Kang Hyeon called out to Kergo and pointed at himself. ¡°Kang Hyeon. It¡¯s Kang Hyeon.¡± ¡°Keurk?¡± ¡°My name is Kang Hyeon, man. Kang Hyeon! Got it? Kang Hyeon.¡± Kergo nodded at Kang Hyeon¡¯s sudden self-introduction. Then he pointed at himself. ¡°Kergo.¡± ¡°Kergo? That¡¯s your name?¡± ¡°Kergo. Kang Hyeon.¡± Kergo repeated Kang Hyeon¡¯s and his own name, moving his finger back and forth. ¡°Okay. Kergo. See you next time if we can. I¡¯m going.¡± Kang Hyeon rubbed the bridge of his nose once and turned around coolly. ¡°Keurk! Kang Hyeon!¡± Kergo waved his hand towards Kang Hyeon. If interpreted, it meant, ¡®See you again, Kang Hyeon!¡¯ This was the first friendship between an Earthling and a monster. *** Ippotrantion *** ¡°An Yu-seong!¡± Guild office. Kang Hyeon burst through the door shouting. ¡°Kang Hyeon. Where did you go? I thought I was going to die of boredom.¡± ¡°Were you that bored?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Thene out, bastard. Let¡¯s have a match.¡± ¡°What?¡± An Yu-seong looked bewildered at Kang Hyeon¡¯s sudden words. ¡°I said let¡¯s have a match. Same rules asst time.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think anything has changed since then¡­¡± An Yu-seong looked Kang Hyeon up and down. ¡°We¡¯ll see about that when we fight.¡± *** Ippotrantion *** Blood dripped with every step Kang Hyeon took. The Badass Guild office instantly transformed into a horror movie set. ¡°How many days has it been now?¡± ¡°He¡¯s been in that state ever since that day¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m so scared I don¡¯t even want toe to work anymore.¡± The now considerably increased number of Badass Guild office workers. They all turned their heads away from the foul smell that emanated whenever Kang Hyeon appeared. But no one dared to speak up. ¡°Haa¡­¡± Kang Hyeon copsed into his chair at his desk. ¡°Shit¡­¡± Kang Hyeon was really confident. He thought that even if he couldn¡¯t win, at least he wouldn¡¯t be defeated as helplessly as that day. The result was 5 losses out of 5 matches. The gap with An Yu-seong was still as wide as ever. ¡°Oh? This is pretty good. I can add this to the Naked Kang Hyeon series.¡± An Yu-seong, sitting on the floor, was fiddling with something. It was a figurine of Kang Hyeon, stripped naked and raising his arms in victory. ¡®That bastard¡­¡¯ Every time Kang Hyeon lost a match, a new figurine was released. In just three days, five figurines had been produced. It was an unbelievable speed, but An Yu-seong seemed to be pouring even his personal funds into it. Of course, the market reaction was the worst. Kang Hyeon was now socially ranked as a pervert. -What is Kang Hyeon thinking these days? I feel like vomiting every time I see the figurines. -For real. I understand wanting to show off a good body, but this is too much. It¡¯s not like he¡¯s an exhibitionist or something. -Sales are poor too, I don¡¯t know what he¡¯s thinking producing such things continuously. -What¡¯s more surprising is that there are people who keep buying them. -I preferred the first Satan¡¯s Doll. Now I get goosebumps just seeing Kang Hyeon¡¯s photos on the inte. Kang Hyeon, reading the posts on the inte, barely resisted the urge to throw his smartphone. ¡°Kang Hyeon. Where are you going again?¡± ¡°Dungeon.¡± ¡°Oh? Then let¡¯s go together.¡± ¡°Get lost!¡± Kang Hyeon, in a fit of petty anger, stormed out of the office. *** Ippotrantion *** ¡°I want to win. I desperately want to win!¡± Kang Hyeon shouted with bloodshot eyes. He seemed to havepletely forgotten his original purpose of improving his weaknesses and strengthening his abilities. ¡®The skill of handling a sword. In itself, there¡¯s not much difference between him and me. The important thing lies elsewhere.¡¯ This was what Kang Hyeon realized after thest few sparring matches. An Yu-seong could quickly understand and handle any weapon well, but there wasn¡¯t anything beyond that. ¡®An Yu-seong is just naturally gifted when ites to fighting. Bnce, dynamic vision, judgment ability, even utilizing his body. He maximizes efficiency beyond simple stats by utilizing everything to the fullest.¡¯ That¡¯s why Kang Hyeon constantly pondered. How could he beat An Yu-seong? Was overwhelming physical prowess and superior strength the only way? ¡®Physical ability and a tough fighting style are certainly strong weapons, but that alone is not enough.¡¯ He couldn¡¯t keep relying on superior body regeneration and resurrection to recklessly push through. Having already tasted those limits, he started this sparring to find a new breakthrough. ¡°What I¡¯m good at¡­ My own strengths¡­¡± Muttering as he walked, Kang Hyeon finally arrived at his destination. ¡°Keuruk!¡± ¡°It¡¯s been a while. Three days, is it?¡± Perhaps because they had been stuck together every day for a while. Although only three days had passed, it felt like they were meeting after a very long time. ¡°But, you look a bit tired?¡± Kang Hyeon said, looking at Kergo. In fact, Kergo¡¯s condition was far worse than just looking a bit tired. He had countless more injuries than when he was with Kang Hyeon, and there was a fierce light swirling in his eyes. ¡°Keurreu¡­¡± ¡°Yeah. No need to exin. I¡¯m frustrated too, so let¡¯s warm up first.¡± Kang Hyeon took his stance, holding Bilgein¡¯s longsword. ¡°Shall we begin?¡± As he spoke, Kang Hyeon dashed forward as if bouncing. At that moment, a faint light enveloped Kergo¡¯s sword. ¡®What¡¯s this?¡¯ Kang Hyeon¡¯s keen senses told him it was magic. ¡®Is he using a skill?¡¯ He had never seen Kergo use a skill before. While there were asionally monsters that used skills, they were mostly magic-type monsters. He had only heard rumors ofbat-type monsters using skills. ¡®It doesn¡¯t matter. I¡¯ll do as I always have.¡¯ If need be, he could use skills himself. Kang Hyeon stopped pondering and shed swords. -ng! The moment their swords met, Kang Hyeon¡¯s sword vibrated greatly. ¡°What the!?¡± As soon as the swords shed, Kang Hyeon could feel it. Bilgein¡¯s longsword had cracked. Kang Hyeon hastily retreated and checked the condition of the sword. Name: Bilgein¡¯s Longsword Grade: B Durability: 287/500 Ability: Berserker, Durability Enhancement ¡°This is crazy!¡± Bilgein¡¯s longsword had barely lost any durability no matter how roughly Kang Hyeon used it until now. ¡°It lost over 100 in one go?¡± The durability of such a sword had decreased by an enormous amount. ¡°You. What did you do?¡± ¡°Keuruk!¡± When Kang Hyeon red and spoke, Kergo grinned. Kang Hyeon didn¡¯t know, but over the past three days, Kergo had been in fierce battles with numerous goblins in the dungeon. The goblins hadpletely recognized Kergo, who apanied Kang Hyeon, as an enemy. But Kergo endured among them, even when his former instructors, the goblins, attacked him en masse. And as a result. He finally reached the level of imbuing his sword with magic. ¡°Keurreuk.¡± Kergo no longer resented Kang Hyeon. After all, he had made him this strong. ¡°Geur, Keurreuk (Now, die).¡± Smiling as he spoke, Kergo charged at full force. -ng! Kang Hyeon shed swords again and stepped back. This time he tried to deflect the sword as much as possible, but still, nearly 10 points of durability were lost. ¡°You bastard. So you learned something, huh?¡± Kergo didn¡¯t answer Kang Hyeon¡¯s words and continued swinging his sword. -sh! Wounds began to gradually increase on Kang Hyeon¡¯s body as he was helplessly pushed back. ¡°Alright. Let¡¯s do this.¡± ¡°Keur¡­¡± ¡°Uaah!¡± [Roar of the Enraged Lion has been activated] [All enemies¡¯ morale and stats have decreased] As soon as he used Roar of the Enraged Lion, Kang Hyeon activated all his buffs. ¡°Clench your teeth tight.¡± -Whoosh! The moment Kang Hyeon kicked off the ground, the floor cracked like a spider web, unable to withstand the impact. Kang Hyeon running down the corridor seemed twice as fast as before. ¡°Keuruk?¡± Kang Hyeon¡¯s fully buffed state. Kergo had seen it before but had never experienced it firsthand. And Kang Hyeon in this state seemed much stronger than Kergo had anticipated. ¡°Keurreung.¡± A flustered Kergo scratched his head andughed as if embarrassed. ¡°Toote, you bastard.¡± -Thud! Chapter 71 Chapter 71 ¨C Fencing Master Kergo (3) ¡°Whew, I feel a bit better now.¡± Kang Hyeon smiled with satisfaction after thoroughly beating up Kergo. ¡°A can of beer would be perfect right about now. Don¡¯t you think so?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Kergo, whose entire body was swollen with bruises, couldn¡¯t say anything. Of course, even if he had answered, Kang Hyeon wouldn¡¯t have understood anyway. ¡°But that technique you used earlier. What exactly was it? Was it really a skill? No. It was somehow subtly different from a skill.¡± As Kang Hyeon became more sensitive to magic, he realized something. There was something oddly awkward about the movement of magic when using skills. Although he couldn¡¯t exin it precisely yet, Kang Hyeon had always thought something was off. ¡°But that technique that guy used had none of that awkwardness.¡± In contrast, Kergo¡¯s technique felt very natural. It felt like the magic itself was exerting all of its inherent power without putting strain on the body. Kang Hyeon was curious about where this difference came from. ¡°Magic, magic¡­¡± Suddenly, an idea struck Kang Hyeon. ¡°Couldn¡¯t I do that too?¡± Kang Hyeon¡¯s talent and sense forbat were, at best, average. However, magic was different. He still hadn¡¯t seen anyone who could sense magic as sensitively as he could. Kang Hyeon felt like he might be able to do it somehow. ¡°Right. I shouldn¡¯t have been clinging to swordsmanship that I¡¯m not even good at. The next goal is that technique.¡± Kang Hyeon gazed at Kergo with eyes full of passion. ¡°Keurk¡­?¡± ¡°So, I¡¯m counting on you, teacher.¡± Although he couldn¡¯t understand, Kergo was certain. That the gates of hell had opened once again. *** Ippotrantion *** One weekter. Kang Hyeon entered the guild office, exuding an ominous aura. ¡°Have you been well?¡± ¡°Mr. Kang Hyeon. You¡¯re here.¡± Shin Seong-a and the guild members greeted Kang Hyeon, who had appeared after a long time. ¡°Um, Guild Master¡­¡± Han Jae-moon, who had been working on one side, approached Kang Hyeon. ¡°What?¡± ¡°Well¡­ Team Leader Shin Tae-gil came to the guild asking why he couldn¡¯t contact you.¡± ¡°Ah, I was a bit busy. If he came in person, is it something important?¡± ¡°Yes. Well¡­¡± ¡°Just a moment.¡± Han Jae-moon tried to say something, but Kang Hyeon stopped him. ¡°We¡¯ll talk about thatter. There¡¯s something more important right now.¡± Kang Hyeon looked around the office. ¡°Where¡¯s An Yu-seong?¡± ¡°I¡¯m here.¡± An Yu-seong raised his hand from a corner in response to Kang Hyeon¡¯s call. ¡°Have you been well?¡± ¡°Of course. The market response to the newly released Mega Muscle Kang Hyeon in the Naked Kang Hyeon series has been goodtely. The hardcore fan base is very solid.¡± ¡°I see. Figurines¡­ Nice. Heheh.¡± Kang Hyeon chuckled like a deranged person. ¡°Let¡¯s have a match.¡± ¡°Are you confident?¡± ¡°Are you kidding me? Don¡¯t ask the obvious.¡± ¡°Kang Hyeon. You look tired right now.¡± ¡°Worry about yourself, man.¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine with it. I just came up with a new design anyway, so this is perfect.¡± An Yu-seong also chuckled at the thought of releasing a new figurine. ¡°Know that today I¡¯m going to kill you and smash all those disgusting figurines.¡± ¡°Disgusting? Isn¡¯t that too harsh? They¡¯re works with my artistic soul in them.¡± ¡°Shut up and follow me.¡± Kang Hyeon and An Yu-seong headed to a nearby training ground for ability users. ¡°Whew¡­¡± After the first day, they no longer fought on the building¡¯s rooftop. Not only because ofints from people on other floors, but also because the roof might copse if they weren¡¯t careful. ¡°Hey, hey. They¡¯re here again.¡± ¡°Lookingpletely battered again today.¡± ¡°Maybe he just didn¡¯t wash up since he¡¯ll be covered in blood anyway when it¡¯s over.¡± ¡°Could be.¡± ¡°But you know, about Kang Hyeon. Seeing him get beaten every day, the rumors seem exaggerated.¡± At that moment. The eyes of the whispering ability users met Kang Hyeon¡¯s. ¡°Kuhek!¡± The ability users unknowingly gasped. ¡®How can his eyes be so fierce¡­¡¯ Unable to maintain eye contact, they quietly turned their heads away. ¡°Are you ready?¡± Having dealt with the nuisances, Kang Hyeon stretched. ¡°The rules are the same.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Then we¡¯ll begin.¡± As soon as the words fell, Kang Hyeon rushed forward at full speed. ¡°Has anything really changed?¡± An Yu-seong smiled wryly at the strategy that seemed no different from before. ¡°You¡¯ll find out when we sh.¡± Kang Hyeon and An Yu-seong¡¯s swords became entangled in a flurry. In the blink of an eye, they exchanged dozens of attacks and defenses. Each of those attacks contained enough power and technique to take down any ordinary ability user in a single blow. ¡°As expected, nothing special.¡± But for these two, this was just everyday life. Kang Hyeon¡¯s sword skills seemed to have improved a bit, but that was all. The gap inbat sense between An Yu-seong and Kang Hyeon couldn¡¯t be bridged by just that much. ¡°I¡¯ll end this now. I should finish quickly and get back to designing figurines.¡± An Yu-seong swung his sword with a bored expression. -Chaeng! A simple swing. But with that, An Yu-seong disrupted Kang Hyeon¡¯s center of gravity and stole his timing. ¡®Now Kang Hyeon will struggle to regain bnce, and I¡¯ll finish him off.¡¯ And then he¡¯ll ce the sword at the fallen Kang Hyeon¡¯s neck. These actions might seem very simple, but everything was meticulously calcted to be fatal to the opponent. Just as An Yu-seong was about to deliver the final blow to Kang Hyeon. ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Had enough fun?¡± At that moment, something burst out roughly from Kang Hyeon¡¯s body. An Yu-seong immediately realized it was magic. ¡°Uh, uh? Kang Hyeon, you¡¯re not supposed to use skills.¡± ¡°This isn¡¯t a skill, kid!¡± The magic that emerged from Kang Hyeon¡¯s body quickly became visible and gathered into his sword. The sword imbued with magic began to emit a bluish light. ¡®Oh no!¡¯ An Yu-seong¡¯s instincts rang out strongly. That attack was not something to be taken lightly. An Yu-seong, who had been swinging his sword, hastily pulled his body back. ¡°Toote!¡± But from the start, Kang Hyeon¡¯s physical specs were superior. He couldn¡¯t escape from Kang Hyeon by stepping back. Kang Hyeon¡¯s sword strike drew a blue line. In the end, An Yu-seong had no choice but to swing his sword to defend. -Kwang! When Kang Hyeon¡¯s sword and An Yu-seong¡¯s sword collided, an explosion urred. At the sudden loud noise, surrounding gazes gathered, and they saw An Yu-seong fallen on the ground. ¡°Kang Hyeon. This is cheating, isn¡¯t it? Haha¡­¡± An Yu-seongughed helplessly as he looked at Kang Hyeon¡¯s sword pointed at his neck. The sword he had been holding waspletely shattered and scattered on the floor. ¡°What is?¡± ¡°Did you learn a new skill this time?¡± ¡°Skill my ass. I told you, it¡¯s an ability I acquired through practice. Ability. Don¡¯t you know? It¡¯s in the status window.¡± ¡°How can I believe that?¡± ¡°Do I look like someone who would tell such a lie without any pride? Do you know how hard I worked to master this?¡± ¡°Sigh, alright.¡± In fact, An Yu-seong also knew that Kang Hyeon hadn¡¯t used a skill. ¡®The movement of magic is different.¡¯ Although he couldn¡¯t sense magicpletely like Kang Hyeon, An Yu-seong could perceive the flow of magic to some extent with the help of his instincts. ¡®It feels unrefined and rough. Did he control the magic arbitrarily?¡¯ Usually, when using a skill, it feels like the magic moves along a predetermined route at the moment of activation. However, what Kang Hyeon just used felt like hepletely ignored that and controlled the magic solely with his will. ¡°Kang Hyeon. That¡¯s notplete yet, right?¡± ¡°Yeah. How did you know?¡± The original goal was to have strong cutting power like Kergo. But Kang Hyeon¡¯s magic control wasn¡¯t that precise yet. In the end, by cramming and clumping the magic together before swinging, it resulted in a strong magic explosion. ¡°Still, do you know how much I struggled to do this?¡± ¡°You must have really hated selling figurines.¡± ¡°You¡¯re asking because you don¡¯t know?¡± An Yu-seong had always known that Kang Hyeon had an excellent sense for magic. But he never imagined that he could move magic arbitrarily, not as a skill. ¡°As expected, you¡¯re interesting, Kang Hyeon. Hehehe.¡± ¡°What are you saying? You crazy bastard.¡± Kang Hyeon put away his sword with a relieved expression. ¡°Fuck! I won!¡± Kang Hyeon shouted so loudly that the training ground shook. Then he immediately copsed onto the floor. ¡°Ugh¡­ My head¡¯s splitting.¡± Controlling magic at will required tremendous concentration. Moving magic when he was already tired made his whole body feel like it was ringing. -Woo woo woo ¡°Kang Hyeon. Aren¡¯t you going to answer your phone?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Kang Hyeon scratched his head and took out his smartphone. ¡°Ahem, so it really was my phone ringing.¡± Checking the screen, Shin Tae-gil¡¯s name was disyed. ¡°Hello.¡± -Yes. Kang Hyeon. It¡¯s been a while. Shin Tae-gil¡¯s voice, sounding more tired than usual, came through the phone. ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± -It¡¯s an important matter. ¡°That¡¯s what you always say.¡± -Sigh, I don¡¯t have the energy for jokes. Are you free tomorrow? ¡°Tomorrow? I¡¯m free.¡± -Then pleasee to the conference room where we had the strategy meetingst time. ¡°Why there again?¡± -Haven¡¯t you been watching the newstely? He hadn¡¯t. He had been so obsessed with swords and magic for a while that he didn¡¯t have the capacity to pay attention to such things. ¡°News?¡± -The whole world is talking about it, but you¡¯re quite carefree, Kang Hyeon. ¡°Well, I am a bit of a pacifist.¡± There was a moment of silence after Kang Hyeon¡¯s words. ¡°What? If you have aint, say it.¡± -I¡¯ll see you tomorrow at 2 PM. Shin Tae-gil ended the call with those words. *** Ippotrantion *** World Dungeon Management Organization. Specifically, the headquarters of the Korean branch. On the 11th floor, there is arge conference room. It was his first visit since the ¡®C-rank Dungeon Strategy Meeting¡¯, but Kang Hyeon found his way to the conference room quite easily. -Click As he opened the door and entered, he saw people already seated. Some faces were quite familiar, while others were new. ¡°You¡¯re here.¡± Shin Tae-gil, standing in front, bowed his head slightly in greeting. ¡°I¡¯m notte this time, right?¡± ¡°Yes. You arrived exactly 1 minute early.¡± ¡°Whew¡­ That¡¯s a relief.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t I ask you toe at least 5 minutes early?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t sweat the small stuff and let¡¯s quickly¡­¡± As Kang Hyeon was speaking, someone tapped his shoulder. ¡°Let me pass for a moment.¡± Turning his head at the familiar voice, he saw Park Ho-yeon, the guild master of Fire Dragon. ¡°What¡¯s this? There¡¯s someer than me, so why are youining?¡± Kang Hyeon said with a frown. Park Ho-yeon raised his eyebrows for a moment but quickly lowered his eyes again. ¡°I don¡¯t particrly want to pick a fight, so let¡¯s stop there. I just want to pass by quietly.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve got some nerve. Is this a default option for major guild masters?¡± Honestly, after the dungeon conquest, Kang Hyeon hadpletely lost interest in the Fire Dragon Guild and Park Ho-yeon. He thought they would copse on their own, but he didn¡¯t expect them to still be robust enough to attend such meetings. ¡°Both of you, that¡¯s enough. The meeting is about to start.¡± At Shin Tae-gil¡¯s words, Kang Hyeon made way. Park Ho-yeon entered his seat quietly without saying a word. It was a slightly different attitude from before when he showed an arrogant demeanor regardless of time and ce. ¡°Now everyone¡¯s here.¡± Finally, all members of the Special Ability User Management Team were gathered. ¡°Since everyone here is busy, I¡¯ll get straight to the point.¡± Shin Tae-gil continued with a serious expression as he looked around at them. Chapter 72 Chapter 72 ¨C World Dungeon Summit(1) As Kang Hyeon entered the conference room, he was observing the other ability users. Ability User Alliance ¨C Choi Dong-woo Dangun ¨C Han Se-yeon Immortal ¨C Han Myeong-do Fire Dragon ¨C Park Ho-yeon These were people he had already be acquainted with in the C-rank dungeon ¡°Benandi¡¯s Forest¡±. Kang Hyeon¡¯s interest, however, was not in them but in the ability users he was seeing for the first time today. ¡®There¡¯s no one with exceptionally outstanding magical power.¡¯ The only way for Kang Hyeon to gauge his opponents was by sensing their magical power. Although magical power itself didn¡¯t representbat ability, it was at least sufficient to serve as one measure. ¡®The highest ones seem to be over the mid-40s¡­ But most are below me.¡¯ Stats are distributed ording to the ability user¡¯sbat tendencies. Therefore, even if levels are simr, there can be big differences in magical power. However, except for a few ability users who seemedpletely magic-oriented, it appeared that no one had higher magical power than Kang Hyeon. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Just then. Kang Hyeon turned his head at the voiceing from beside him. ¡°Huh?¡± Kang Hyeon was surprised to see someone he thought he would never see in a ce like this. ¡°What kind of response is that? Not only are you exuding an unpleasant aura, but you¡¯re also scanning people with magical power. Are you the pervert I¡¯ve heard about?¡± The source of the voice was a woman who caught the eye with her small build and cute appearance. Her costume, which seemed to enjoy cosy, immediately brought to mind an ind country across the sea. ¡°What¡¯s with this loli otaku?¡± ¡°W-What?!¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t know a middle school student could pass the tutorial.¡± While outwardly taunting the woman calmly, Kang Hyeon was inwardly surprised. ¡®She felt me scanning with magical power?¡¯ It¡¯s not that he thought sensing magical power was his exclusive ability. But it¡¯s also true that he had never seen anyone else sense magical power like himself. Moreover, this woman was one of those exuding stronger magical power than himself. ¡°What did you say!? This bastard just¡­!¡± The woman, caught by Kang Hyeon¡¯s provocation, stood up abruptly. Kang Hyeon, not one to stay quiet either, stood up to face her. The ability users around them, far from trying to stop them, rather looked at the two with interested gazes. ¡®I wonder how strong this Kang Hyeon I¡¯ve only heard rumors about is?¡¯ ¡®They say his individualbat power is above Han Se-yeon and Choi Dong-woo.¡¯ ¡®This should be interesting.¡¯ As the stage waspletely set, the woman instead broke out in a cold sweat. ¡®What is this¡­ It feels like I¡¯m facing a monster, not a person.¡¯ An aura she had never felt before. The woman desperately tried to steady her trembling legs. ¡°So what are you going to do now that you¡¯ve stood up?¡± ¡°Ugh¡­ Urgh!¡± Kang Hyeon spoke with an arrogant look, but the woman couldn¡¯t answer. Seeing the woman struggling, a few ability users gathered around her. As Kang Hyeon¡¯s aura dispersed, the woman finally felt at ease and caught her breath. ¡°What¡¯s this? You all want to have a go?¡± Kang Hyeon smiled as he faced the ability users ring at him. In fact, the people gathered here held a sense of caution and displeasure towards Kang Hyeon. To varying degrees, almost all the ability users in this ce felt this way. This wasn¡¯t simply because of the rumors surrounding Kang Hyeon or his fierce impression. There was one reason: Kang Hyeon was truly exuding a threatening aura. Cruel Family Destroyer: It¡¯s a prejudice that monsters don¡¯t have families. A title given ¡®only to you¡¯ who has destroyed countless families in shockingly cruel ways. Effect: Strength +2, Disruphin¡¯s hostility. The title holder instinctively invokes fear in others. An incredible title gifted by someone. With this title¡¯s effect added to his already fierce impression, Kang Hyeon seemed to be picking fights and threatening others just by breathing. The people here are the top ability users specially managed by the state. Naturally, they had rarely experienced such an unpleasant pressure, so they couldn¡¯t help but be hostile towards Kang Hyeon. ¡°Interesting. So I have no allies here, right?¡± Kang Hyeon smiled bitterly at the hostility he felt. ¡°Hmph, of course. Did you think someone who acts like a neighborhood thug would have allies?¡± The loli otaku, emboldened by the support from those around her, spoke confidently. ¡°I don¡¯t want to hear that from a cosy freak like you¡­¡± ¡°Shut up!¡± Someone once said that life is aedy when seen from afar, but a tragedy when seen up close. At first nce, it seemed like a quarrel between a magical girl from aic book and a gang boss, but those present were maintaining full-body tension in the brutal atmosphere that seemed ready to erupt in bloodshed at any moment. ¡®Sigh, here we go again¡­¡¯ Shin Tae-gil, watching from afar, let out a sigh. ¡°Mr. Kang Hyeon. Ms. Yoon Na-rae. Would you mind stopping there? Everyone else, please return to your seats.¡± ¡°But this thug here¡­!¡± ¡°We don¡¯t have much time today.¡± ¡°Kang Hyeon, that¡¯s enough from you too.¡± Yoon Na-rae, the woman arguing with Kang Hyeon, couldn¡¯t help but stop when Shin Tae-gil and Choi Dong-woo intervened. Choi Dong-woo, in particr, looked quite displeased, unlike his usual self who always wore a friendly smile. ¡°This seems important, so let¡¯s stop and start the meeting.¡± Choi Dong-woo is not a rookie who has risen rapidly like Kang Hyeon. He¡¯s an absolute powerhouse who perfectly graduated from the tutorial and established himself as aplete strongman from the early days. Moreover, with his excellent character and high poprity, other ability users couldn¡¯t help but move at his words. ¡°Ahem, who said what?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s start quickly.¡± As the atmosphere settled down somewhat, Shin Tae-gil officially began the meeting. ¡°Since everyone is busy, I¡¯ll get straight to the point. In about a month, the ¡®World Dungeon Summit¡¯ will be held in Korea. The government wants to entrust you with guarding the conference venue on that day.¡± ¡°Guarding?¡± ¡°Yes. As you know, the threat of terrorism hasn¡¯t ended yet. For the next 6 weeks, the government will mobilize all its resources to clear the dungeons in the metropolitan area and block the source of terrorism.¡± ¡°What about the terrorists?¡± ¡°Investigations to track down the terrorists will continue simultaneously. You can think of all this as a precautionary measure.¡± ¡°Just a moment.¡± ¡°Yes. Go ahead.¡± Han Se-yeon interrupted Shin Tae-gil¡¯s words. ¡°So in the end, all of us have to be involved in guarding the conference venue on that day?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°I understand the importance of the task, but I can¡¯t spare time for such things.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m not affiliated here to waste time on something that may or may not happen when the enemy isn¡¯t even clear.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. I¡¯m not that free.¡± ¡°Wouldn¡¯t the military and police be enough for security?¡± A few ability users agreed with Han Se-yeon¡¯s words. ¡°Sigh, I¡¯m only telling you this¡­ The military has already been crushed once. That¡¯s why the President himself said it would be better if you all stepped in.¡± ¡°Even if it¡¯s the President¡¯s order, you can¡¯t force us ording to the contract, right?¡± Han Se-yeon was right. The rtionship between them and the government was contractual. In that contract, the absolute upper hand was with the ability users. ¡°We know we enjoy many conveniences and benefits. But that doesn¡¯t mean we¡¯re an organization that must move ording to orders like the military.¡± ¡°Yes¡­¡± ¡°If this is all you have to say, I¡¯ll be leaving now. I have a lot of schedules piled up.¡± As Han Se-yeon stood up, several ability users who agreed with her opinion also left the conference room. ¡°Sigh¡­¡± Shin Tae-gil sighed at the sudden turn of events. ¡®Everyone¡¯s especially prickly today.¡¯ Han Se-yeon¡¯s sudden action waspletely unexpected. Even Kang Hyeon, who had always seen only Han Se-yeon¡¯s upright image, was inwardly surprised and watched the situation with interest. ¡°Then can I assume that those remaining here ept the proposal?¡± ¡°We¡¯ll have to hear about thepensation.¡± ¡°Right. We can¡¯t do it empty-handed.¡± This was a problem anticipated from the time of creating the Special Ability User Management Team. Gathering such extraordinary individuals without restrictions made control difficult. They decided to use carrots as much as possible to move these people as intended, but it wasn¡¯t as easy as they thought. ¡°Please tell me separately about thepensation part. Whatever you want, I¡¯ll try to match it as much as possible.¡± *** Ippotrantion *** After that, the meeting ended inconclusively. However, quite a few people remained without leaving the meeting room. Not everyone here was famous, but regardless of fame, it was a verified fact that they were strong, so they were getting to know each other. ¡°I¡¯m from a newly established guild this time¡­¡± ¡°Ah, I see.¡± People are chatting quietly. At the center were Kang Hyeon and Choi Dong-woo. ¡°I¡¯m sorry about the Seon Yeon-ho incident.¡± ¡°You have nothing to be sorry for, Brother.¡± ¡°No. It was done by my person, so I¡¯m also responsible. I¡¯m truly sorry. Sigh¡­¡± Choi Dong-woo seemed to be under considerable stress due to the incident rted to Seon Yeon-ho. ¡°By the way, are you participating this time, Brother?¡± ¡°Absolutely. Even if there¡¯s no reward. No¡­ I¡¯m nning to participate even if I have to pay a price!¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°That bastard Choi Min-joon dared to toy with the Korean Ability Users Association and me. I absolutely won¡¯t let it slide.¡± ¡°Yes¡­¡± Kang Hyeon nodded awkwardly at Choi Dong-woo¡¯s stern words. ¡°What are your ns?¡± ¡°Of course, I have to do it. I have several things to pay back to that bastard. And there are some things I want to get as rewards this time.¡± ¡°I see. I¡¯ll be counting on you that day.¡± ¡°Likewise.¡± It was then. Suddenly, hostile magical energy swept over Kang Hyeon¡¯s body. Startled, Kang Hyeon quickly turned his head. ¡°What?¡± There stood Yoon Na-rae, the woman who had been arguing with Kang Hyeon since the beginning of the meeting. Yoon Na-rae was ring at Kang Hyeon with her lips pursed. ¡°What.¡± ¡°Why are you staring at people? It¡¯s unpleasant.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not interested in perverts who sell naked figurines. I¡¯m waiting because I have something to say to the Association President, so don¡¯t mind me.¡± ¡°Hey, this otaku is unnecessarily picking a fight¡­¡± ¡°Both of you, stop it.¡± As sparks were about to fly between the two again, Choi Dong-woo stepped in to mediate. ¡°My Brother Kang Hyeon isn¡¯t that kind of person. He¡¯s a very righteous and admirable man. And Miss Yoon Na-rae is also an excellent magician and a fine woman, so please don¡¯t fight like this.¡± ¡°But selling disgusting figurines is a fact, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°There are circumstances for that¡­¡± ¡°Enough. It¡¯s not good to behave like this when you¡¯ll continue to see each other. Miss Yoon Na-rae, that¡¯s enough from you too.¡± ¡°Tch¡­¡± Kang Hyeon vowed to someday tten Yoon Na-rae¡¯s pridepletely. ¡°So what did you want to see me about?¡± ¡°About joining the Ability Users Association¡¯s direct team that you proposedst time. I¡¯m here to decline.¡± ¡°I see¡­ So that¡¯s how it turned out.¡± ¡°Yes. I¡¯m sorry, but I¡¯m still morefortable working alone.¡± Hearing the conversation, Kang Hyeon immediately understood the situation. ¡®So brother Dong-woo is trying to recruit this kid.¡¯ Although he didn¡¯t know what abilities Yoon Na-rae possessed, it was clear that she at least had an excellent sense for magical energy. Choi Dong-woo also said she was an outstanding magician, so it was clear she wasn¡¯t just an average person. ¡°Haha. Well, can¡¯t be helped then. If you ever change your mind, feel free toe to me anytime. You¡¯re always wee.¡± *** Ippotrantion *** After the conversation, Choi Dong-woo said he wanted to treat Kang Hyeon to a meal as an apology. Kang Hyeon refused, saying he didn¡¯t need to worry too much about the Seon Yeon-ho incident, but after Choi Dong-woo¡¯s persistent request, he finally agreed. It absolutely wasn¡¯t because he changed his mind when told the menu was beef. ¡°After all, when ites to meat, it¡¯s beef, right?¡± ¡°I think so too. Haha!¡± Korean beef short ribs with a nicely browned surface. Kang Hyeon picked up three pieces at once of the glistening meat, lightly dipped them in salt, and shoved them into his mouth. The meat juices flowing in his mouth! Kang Hyeon smiled happily at the meaty aroma filling his nose. ¡°You eat meat very manly too. Hahaha¡­¡± ¡°Yes. I¡¯m more of a big eater than I look.¡± ¡°You look like it too¡­¡± A little whileter. After more than 300,000 won worth of food had entered his mouth, Kang Hyeon, feeling reasonably full, asked something he had been curious about. ¡°Brother Choi Dong-woo.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Is there a reason you¡¯re trying to recruit that Yoon Na-rae kid or whatever?¡± ¡°Ah, you mean Yoon Na-rae.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Kang Hyeon was secretly curious about what Yoon Na-rae¡¯s abilities were. However, he had been holding back because it was clear he would only get cursed at if he asked her directly. ¡°Well¡­ First of all, she excels in healing magic.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Of course, unlike before, there are now many skills and abilities rted to recovery avable in the market.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Healers are rare now as they were before. However, as Choi Dong-woo said, now that healing magic has be quitemon, its value isn¡¯t the same as before. ¡°Just for that, you¡¯re making efforts to recruit her? It doesn¡¯t make sense.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. The really important thing is herbat ability.¡± ¡°Combat ability¡­¡± Kang Hyeon stroked his chin, deep in thought. ¡°Yoon Na-rae doesn¡¯t belong anywhere and conquers dungeons alone. It¡¯s absolutely impossible with just healing magic alone.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. No matter how excellent your recovery ability is, there¡¯s the magic problem. And if you die before you can heal, it¡¯s over.¡± ¡°Exactly.¡± Conquering dungeons alone is something Kang Hyeon has done to the point of boredom. Therefore, he knows well how difficult it is. ¡°She has an excellent sense forbat. Even if her directbat power is a bitcking, she has many things that can supportbat.¡± ¡°Support?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t give you the details due to privacy concerns. Haha.¡± ¡°Tch¡­¡± ¡°To summarize in one word, she¡¯s an all-rounder. She¡¯s a talent who can adapt very flexibly to any organization she joins or any situation she faces.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Kang Hyeon nodded, understanding the story to some extent. ¡®In the end, it means she¡¯s a jack of all trades, master of none.¡¯ Chapter 73 Chapter 73 ¨C World Dungeon Summit(2) ¡°Are the preparationsplete?¡± ¡°Yes, they are.¡± ¡°Good.¡± Choi Min-jun nodded and stood up. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± The long, narrow corridor was dimly lit with only asional lights. The sound of footsteps echoed, particrly clear and loud. ¡°Phew¡­¡± Choi Min-jun quickly reached the end of the corridor and caught his breath. Then, with a click, he opened the door. A bright cavern appeared before Choi Min-jun as he opened the door. Hundreds of ability users with sharp, gleaming eyes were seated there. ¡°Waaah!¡± Cheers erupted as Choi Min-jun appeared. Choi Min-jun closed his eyes for a moment to savor it, then raised his hand. As if by magic, the cavern fell silent. Everyone stared intently at Choi Min-jun¡¯s face. ¡°A candle in the wind. The fate of the world is like a candle before the wind. Yet the fools dulled by peace are deceiving everyone while ignoring the de falling before their eyes.¡± A quiet but powerful voice echoed through the cavern. ¡°These fools have no intention of avoiding the de or grasping it. They only whisper lies that it¡¯s safe to cover everyone¡¯s eyes.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Will you just watch as the world perishes in their hands?¡± ¡°No!¡± The ability users responded loudly to Choi Min-jun¡¯s words. ¡°That¡¯s right. You have chosen. To save the world with me.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°As if heaven is helping us, an opportunity has been given. Tomorrow. The ipetent ones who leave the world in danger will gather in Korea.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°We will kill them. And we must open a new world. Our world!¡± The eyes of those gathered glowed red, and their breathing became rough. ¡°Of course, it won¡¯t be easy. Many will die, and we might even fail.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Are you afraid?¡± ¡°No!¡± A resounding voice shook the cavern. It was a satisfactory response. ¡°The world calls us terrorists. What nonsense. Are we terrorists?¡± ¡°No!¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. Now the world will know that fact. Tomorrow. We will no longer be terrorists, but the world¡¯s saviors. We will be reborn as heroes.¡± *** Ippotrantion *** Incheon International Airport. It was natural to see foreigners wandering around this world-famous airport. Nevertheless, the eyes of many people were drawn to two individuals, a man and a woman, walking through the airport. ¡°Whew, I heard Korea was a small country, but it¡¯s more developed than I thought?¡± The blonde man with a pompadour hairstyle whistled as he looked around. ¡°What era did youe from? Korea¡¯s nationalpetitiveness surpassed that of most European countries long ago.¡± The woman with short brown hair shook her head as she looked at the man. ¡°Really? I didn¡¯t know. Even so, why hold the summit in a country like this? We could have done it in America. Besides, wasn¡¯t it under martialw until recently?¡± ¡°Whether before or after the dungeon incident, Korea¡¯s public safety has been among the world¡¯s best. Even that martialw situation was at a level that would be considered normal in other countries now. And they say the ability users¡¯ skills are quite high here, so it¡¯s worth experiencing.¡± ¡°Are you some kind of spokesperson for Korea? Why are you taking their side so much?¡± ¡°I¡¯m just stating facts.¡± The man frowned, seemingly displeased. ¡°Anyway, let¡¯s go. We shouldn¡¯t keep our President waiting.¡± The man and woman walking through the airport. Nearly a hundred people followed behind them in perfect order. The identity of these individuals, all fully armed and exuding a fierce aura, was none other than America¡¯s top-ranked guild, Warriors. Among them, the blonde man was Eden, the guild master, and the woman with short brown hair was E, the vice guild master. These individuals, considered the best in America, hadnded in Korea to protect the American President attending the World Dungeon Summit. *** Ippotrantion *** The Second World Dungeon Summit. Leaders from as many as 100 countries gathered in Seoul to attend this summit. The rapidly changing difficulty of dungeons. The endless byproducts pouring out of dungeons. The increasingly serious crimesmitted by ability users. This gathering, assembled to discuss these issues and the world that had changed after the tutorial, was one of thergest summits in history. ¡°Quite a crowd has gathered.¡± ¡°Yeah. It feels thrilling after a long time, doesn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Stay still, you madman.¡± And the enormous number of ability users gathered to protect them. As these individuals, each possessing powerful abilities, gathered, even Kang Hyeon struggled to suppress the excitement welling up inside him. ¡°As expected of world-ss, it¡¯s interesting.¡± ¡°Some of them might be tough even in a one-on-one fight.¡± ¡°Yeah. Especially that blonde guy from the American side. Just looking at him, I can tell he¡¯s in our league.¡± ¡°You noticed him too? Heh.¡± At that moment, Kang Hyeon¡¯s eyes met with those of the blonde man, Eden, sitting far away. As Eden smiled and waved his hand, Kang Hyeon smiled back and returned the wave. ¡°Bastard. Acting like we know each other when we¡¯ve never met.¡± Kang Hyeon, who had been moving his hand and mouth separately, soon stopped and looked around. Besides Eden, there were many other strong individuals that caught his senses. ¡°I thought Choi Dong-woo and Han Se-yeon were the biggest monsters, but the world is indeed vast.¡± ¡°Yes. With this level of force, even if a terrorist attack were to happen, it seems it would be suppressed immediately.¡± Kang Hyeon nodded at Shin Seong-a¡¯s words. ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Until now, the terrorists¡¯ method had been to remove the main core inside dungeons to release monsters. However, all nearby dungeons were currently in a perfectly cleared state. Therefore, to attack this ce, they would have no choice but toe directly. ¡°Unless someone¡¯s head ispletely empty, there won¡¯t be any madman attacking this ce.¡± Just the forces gathered here alone would be more than enough to overthrow a decent-sized country. Moreover, an enormous number of soldiers are on standby around the conference venue. The area near the conference hall ispletely controlled, making it impossible to even enter or exit. ¡°What do you think?¡± ¡°About what?¡± An Yu-seong turned his head at Kang Hyeon¡¯s question. ¡°You can do that foresight or prediction thing, right?¡± ¡°It¡¯s neither of those.¡± ¡°Whatever, man. Do you think something will happen today?¡± ¡°Well¡­¡± An Yu-seong grinned as he answered. ¡°You little¡­ Huh?¡± -Bang! A sudden noise. Though it was a very small sound, it was clearly a gunshot. Ordinary people might not have noticed, but some individuals with abilities, like Kang Hyeon, seemed to have caught on, abruptly standing up from their seats. *** Ippotrantion *** ¡°Phew¡­¡± Sergeant Kim shook his waist once and shuddered. ¡°Ah That feels good.¡± ¡°Sergeant Kim. Aren¡¯t you worried at all?¡± ¡°About what, man?¡± Private Park¡¯s face, standing next to him while also urinating, was full of concern. ¡°You¡¯ve heard all the rumors, right? That terrorists mighte today.¡± ¡°Hey, shit. Terrorists or whatever, how could they be more dangerous than monsters? I¡¯ve killed at least ten goblins myself.¡± ¡°How can you joke at a time like this?¡± ¡°Alright, I¡¯m feeling shitty too, so shut up. I¡¯m about to be discharged, and they put me on this crappy operation.¡± ¡°Sigh¡­¡± ¡°If you¡¯re done, let¡¯s go.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Private Park was Sergeant Kim¡¯s immediate junior. With a timid personality, Private Park had struggled to adapt to military life, even beingbeled as a soldier of concern during his new recruit days. Sergeant Kim always helped Private Park. Although Sergeant Kim was often mischievous and sometimes mean, Private Park always relied on him and was grateful. ¡°Um¡­ Sergeant Kim.¡± ¡°What.¡± ¡°Thank you for everything until now.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t say such unlucky things. Who¡¯s dying?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not that¡­ Once this operation is over, you¡¯ll be discharged, right? Then we probably won¡¯t see each other much anymore¡­¡± ¡°So?¡± ¡°I just wanted to properly say thank you.¡± ¡°Hey. Cut out that cheesy talk. And why wouldn¡¯t we be able to see each other? You¡¯ll be discharged soon too, and if we keep in touch, we can meet anytime outside.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not that stupid. I know well that if it weren¡¯t for the military, I wouldn¡¯t be able to meet someone like you, Sergeant Kim.¡± Sergeant Kim got heated seeing Private Park with seemingly no self-esteem. ¡°Hey. Park Yoon-woo. Don¡¯t ever say that kind of thing again.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°I said don¡¯t.¡± ¡°Yes. I¡¯m sorry¡­¡± ¡°Why would you be worthless? Actually, I¡­¡± ¡°Sergeant Kim!¡± ¡°Uh, mmph..?!¡± Suddenly, Private Park covered Sergeant Kim¡¯s mouth. Startled, Sergeant Kim roughly pushed Private Park away and looked at him with a flushed expression. ¡°What are you doing!?¡± ¡°Something¡¯s strange.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°It¡¯s too quiet outside.¡± At Private Park¡¯s words, Sergeant Kim finally came to his senses. And then he carefully listened. ¡®It¡¯s definitely strange.¡¯ The chatter of soldiers and the busy noises of movement that were audible just a moment ago could no longer be heard. ¡°Let¡¯s move quietly. Switch the firing mode to semi-auto.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± The firing mode switch, which was always set to safe, moved to semi-auto. In the past, it would have been unimaginable for a soldier to give such an order at their own discretion. However, after several incidents, the guidelines were changed to allow soldiers to fire ording to their judgment. ¡°What could be happening¡­¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know either. Let¡¯s go out slowly.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t think the terrorists havee, do you?¡± Private Park asked, whimpering in fear. ¡°Hey. Talk sense. If that were the case, would it be this quiet?¡± ¡°Then why is it so quiet?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know, kid! Be quiet.¡± Sergeant Kim, who had slowly moved to the entrance of the public restroom, carefully leaned against the door. Then he slightly poked his head out. ¡°What the hell..?¡± An unbelievable sight unfolded before him. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°Everyone¡­ They¡¯re all copsed.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°I¡¯m saying all the guys copsed like they¡¯re dead.¡± All the soldiers were lying down as if dead. Upon closer inspection, Sergeant Kim could tell that they were actually dead. ¡°Shit¡­ They¡¯re really dead.¡± ¡°Wh-what?! Mmph!¡± ¡°Be quiet, man!¡± Sergeant Kim covered Private Park¡¯s mouth as he was about to shout in panic. ¡°Take a deep breath and calm down. We need to stay cool in times like this. Nod if you¡¯ve calmed down.¡± Private Park slowly nodded, and only then did Sergeant Kim remove his hand from his mouth. ¡°For now, let¡¯s find the toon leader. If we can just get a radio, we¡¯ll contact themand post right away.¡± ¡°Yes¡­¡± Sergeant Kim and Private Park moved quickly. Fortunately or unfortunately, the toon leader¡¯s corpse was not far away. ¡®How horrible¡­¡¯ The toon leader had a pained expression with his eyes rolled back. The petechial hemorrhages, like red spots on his eyes and skin, suggested he had died from strangtion. ¡°Ugh, urgh!¡± ¡°Shh!¡± Private Park, weak-stomached, kept dry heaving at the sight of such a gruesome corpse for the first time. ¡°As expected, it¡¯s here.¡± The toon leader must have had the same thought, as a radio was ced beside him. But he must have died before he could make the call. ¡°Phew¡­ This is Wild Dog Three, Wild Dog Three. Hawk, do you copy?¡± -Screech¡­ ¡°Did I touch it wrong?¡± Sergeant Kim, who had little experience handling radios, tapped it a few times. ¡°No, sir. I¡¯ve closely observed themunications specialist doing this before, and you¡¯re doing it correctly.¡± ¡°Really? Then why aren¡¯t they answering?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know about that, sir.¡± ¡°Phew! This is Wild Dog Three, Wild Dog Three, we have an emergency situation.¡± -Screech¡­ Despite continuous attempts, only irritating static came from the radio. ¡°Shit¡­ What the hell is going on?¡± ¡°Sergeant Kim. I¡¯m scared¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay. Don¡¯t tremble. Let¡¯s go to themand post.¡± ¡°What..? Wouldn¡¯t it be better to hide like this?¡± ¡°No! We don¡¯t know what might happen. Besides, this isn¡¯t just about our lives now. Get a grip.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°If you understand, let¡¯s go.¡± The scene that followed was consistent. Corpses. Corpses. Corpses. The fellowpany members who wereughing and chatting just yesterday were all lying cold and lifeless. Private Park seemed to havepletely fallen into a state of panic. ¡°S-S-Ser-Sergeant Kim! This is strange. Let¡¯s just¡­¡± ¡°Are you suggesting we desert?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°You go. I need to check themand post.¡± At Sergeant Kim¡¯s cold words, Private Park¡¯s eyes welled up with tears. ¡°Then I¡¯ll go too¡­¡± Finally, they arrived at themand and control room located near the conference venue. However, it was no different from other ces. Checking inside, they found officers and generals alike, dead with their eyes rolled back, regardless of rank. All themunication equipment had already been destroyed. ¡°Haa¡­¡± ¡°Sergeant Kim, what do we do now?¡± ¡°What do we do! Just run¡­¡± That¡¯s when it happened. Sergeant Kim¡¯s head quickly turned at the sound of footsteps from the side. ¡°Who¡¯s there?!¡± ¡°Were there still some left?¡± A familiar face entered Sergeant Kim¡¯s view as he quickly assumed a shooting stance. ¡®Choi Min-jun¡­¡¯ A name etched in his memory from hearing it dozens of times during the pre-briefing. He thought he would never encounter someone like this as a low-ranking soldier, but here he was in reality. ¡°Hup!¡± There was no hesitation. He took a deep breath and assumed the shooting stance he had practiced hundreds of times over nearly two years. And without hesitation, he pulled the trigger. ¡°Huh?¡± His finger didn¡¯t move. ¡°Shit, what¡¯s wrong with this?!¡± ¡°Ugh¡­ We¡¯re going to die. We¡¯re going to die!!!¡± ¡°Private Park! Get a grip, you bastard! Quickly, raise your gun!¡± Sergeant Kim shouted, but Private Park was just trembling, sitting down. ¡°What a piece of trash.¡± -Bang! For a moment, Sergeant Kim¡¯s thoughts stopped. ¡®What just happened..?¡¯ Private Park¡¯s head exploded, blood gushing out like a fountain, and flying flesh hit his face. ¡°Park Yoon-woo¡­ Hey¡­¡± Sergeant Kim¡¯s voice trembled as he called out to Private Park. ¡°Park Yoon-woo¡­!¡± Sergeant Kim called out desperately, but Private Park was no longer in a state to answer. ¡°You, you bastard! Aaaah!¡± Kill him. The only thought was to pull the trigger and kill that man. His finger hurt as if it would break, but he moved it with all his might. ¡®Just a little, just a little more¡­!¡¯ -Click For a moment, Sergeant Kim¡¯s finger moved slightly. -Bang! ¡°Hmm?¡± Choi Min-jun stroked his cheek. His palm was stained with his own red blood, something he hadn¡¯t seen in a long time. ¡°Interesting guy. Were you an ability user?¡± ¡°Haa, haa¡­¡± Sergeant Kim slowly caught his breath. He wanted to swear right away, but the overwhelming pain made his head burn white-hot. His broken finger had swollen up to twice its original size. ¡°Geurgh!¡± Suddenly, something began to choke Sergeant Kim. The powerful pressure made it impossible for him to breathe. ¡°You. What¡¯s your name?¡± ¡°¡­ck.¡± ¡°What?¡± Choi Min-jun frowned at the faint sound. He loosened his hold on Sergeant Kim slightly and asked again. ¡°What¡¯s your name? Come answer me.¡± Only then could Choi Min-jun properly hear Sergeant Kim¡¯s words. ¡°Fuck off.¡± ¡°I was starting to like you for having some guts after a long time¡­ But I guess it can¡¯t be helped.¡± Sergeant Kim felt his throat constricting again. ¡®Is this how everyone else died¡­¡¯ The physical pain made his mind hazy, but what hurt more was the pain in his heart. ¡®I curse you even in death.¡¯ All Sergeant Kim could do was re at Choi Min-jun as hard as he could while clinging to his fading consciousness. ¡°I¡¯ll ask onest time. Come answer me.¡± ¡°F-Fu¡­¡± ¡°Fuck off! You crazy bastard!¡± Suddenly hearing a voice from the side, Choi Min-jun hurriedly put up a magic shield. -Crash! However, the hastily made shield shattered like ss, and Choi Min-jun, hit directly by the attack, flew like a cannonball and crashed into the wall. ¡°Nice to meet you. This is our first time, right? I¡¯ve heard so much about you it feels like we¡¯ve been hanging out every day. Fuck.¡± Kang Hyeon, who had delivered a satisfying side kick, smiled contentedly. Chapter 74 Chapter 74 ¨C World Dungeon Summit(3) -Bang! ¡°Did you hear that just now?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t, but¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s gunfire.¡± Kang Hyeon, who spoke, rushed outside urgently. ¡°Where are you going?!¡± ¡°You guys stay here and guard the ce with the guild members.¡± Shin Seong-a tried to stop Kang Hyeon, but he had already left the meeting ce. ¡°Mr. An Yu-seong, aren¡¯t you going after him?¡± ¡°I think it¡¯s better to stay here this time. By the way, sis. Can¡¯t you stop using that creepy formal speech?¡± ¡°Huh¡­?¡± Shin Seong-a was taken aback by An Yu-seong¡¯s sudden words. ¡°You¡¯re older than me, so just speakfortably.¡± ¡°A-ahem¡­ O-okay. An Yu-seong¡­¡± Shin Seong-a, her face reddened, made a strange sound due to the awkwardness that came over her. ¡°Sigh, forget it. Just speak like you usually do.¡± ¡°Yes. I¡¯m morefortable this way too.¡± The two crossed their arms as if they had made a promise. They remained in that state as time passed in silence. ¡°Do you know where Mr. Kang Hyeon went?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not a fortune-teller or a prophet, you know. I don¡¯t know either.¡± ¡°I see¡­¡± Silence fell again. Suddenly, An Yu-seong stood up abruptly. ¡°Oh!¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°They¡¯reing. Sis, get your weapon ready.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± At that moment, the conference hall started to be noisy. People who looked like security guards were bustling about. ¡°Sir, we need to evacuate you.¡± ¡°What do you mean¡­?¡± ¡°Everyone, stay calm!¡± Watching this scene, An Yu-seong smiled. ¡°They¡¯re here.¡± -Boom! With a tremendous noise, the outer wall of the meeting ce was instantly shattered. Hundreds of intruders began to rush into the building that had suddenly be riddled with holes like a beehive. ¡°Graaah!¡± At first nce, the intruders appeared to have a form simr to humans. However, upon closer inspection, they looked more like monsters than humans. ¡°Familiar faces.¡± After confirming the intruders, An Yu-seong looked at the guild members. ¡°You¡¯ve fought them before, right? As you know, their physical abilities are as ridiculously high as our guild master¡¯s, so be careful.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Then I¡¯ll go first!¡± He didn¡¯t think all guild members would survive. Even with their recent rapid growth, they would be in danger if just a few of these guys attacked. ¡°If you die, that¡¯s all there is to it. Hehehe.¡± Screams, the sound of something breaking. The dust floating in the air was settled by the blood being spilled. In the middle of the battlefield where it was hard to distinguish between friend and foe, only An Yu-seong lookedfortable. ¡°Enemy!¡± ¡°Protect the President!¡± ¡°Damn it. Where did these guyse from?!¡± ¡°We have the advantage both in numbers and quality. Let¡¯s defend and take them out one by one¡­¡± ¡°Argh!¡± ¡°These guys are no ordinary enemies!¡± It was a crucible of chaos. Those who were suddenly struck by this bolt from the blue ran around like flies hit with insecticide. ¡®Are those guys the final version or something?¡¯ An Yu-seong¡¯s eyes narrowed sharply as he observed the situation. ¡®Their movements are not ordinary. Most of the guys who act all high and mighty here won¡¯tst long.¡¯ It wasn¡¯t a matter of technique. The overwhelming difference in physical specs. Just as Kang Hyeon had done, they overwhelmed everything with their tremendous physical abilities. ¡°Graaah!¡± Eventually, a man rushed at An Yu-seong too. The guy¡¯s arms had transformed into something like skewers, looking extremely sharp and hard. -Whoosh, whoosh! The sound of his arms cutting through the air grated on the ears. An Yu-seong calmly dodged all attacks, but the guy persistently followed and thrust his arms. One careless moment could result in holes all over his body. Even in this life-threatening situation, An Yu-seongughed cheerfully. ¡°Hahaha! You¡¯re pretty strong indeed!¡± In that instant, An Yu-seong skillfully twisted his body between the guy¡¯s arms and approached him. ¡°Urgh?!¡± The guy was startled by An Yu-seong¡¯s sudden approach. He couldn¡¯t attack An Yu-seong with his hands that had turned into awls at such close range. ¡°Your skin was tough, I wonder if it¡¯s the same here?¡± An Yu-seong, who had burrowed into the guy¡¯s embrace, was holding two small daggers. Without hesitation, he plunged the daggers into both of the enemy¡¯s eyes. ¡°Graaaaaaah!¡± ¡°You¡¯re not dead?¡± Despite being stabbed quite deeply, the guy only screamed in pain without falling. An Yu-seong immediately took out a mace and struck the ends of the daggers again. -Crunch! The daggers went in up to the handles in an instant, and the guy fell silent. ¡°At this rate, I¡¯d have to beat them all day long with just the mace. Why are they so tough?¡± The enemies¡¯ defense was even stronger than expected. It seemed impossible to finish them cleanly with just one blow to the head like before. ¡°If I had more time, I could have enjoyed this more!¡± There wasn¡¯t time to catch and enjoy each one. An Yu-seong focused on incapacitating rather than killing them outright as he moved quickly. ¡°Graaah!¡± -Boom. An Yu-seong dashed through the air without paying any attention to the terrain or obstacles. While doing so, he urately struck the vital points of the intruders. Many enemies seemed to fall from his efforts, but soon after, they recovered from their wounds and stood up again. ¡®Do they recover if I don¡¯t finish them offpletely?¡¯ Powerful physical abilities. Excellent recovery. Reckless disregard for their own lives. ¡°Fortunately, they¡¯re just like Kang Hyeon in that theyckbat sense. Hehehe.¡± Of course, saying that Kang Hyeonckedbat sense was only by An Yu-seong¡¯s standards. ¡°Die!¡± Just then, a particrly sharp cry pierced through the noise of the battlefield. Looking in the direction of the sound, he saw a woman with a small build and unusual attire struggling. ¡°Cosy?¡± Her name was Yoon Na-rae. A second-year university student. *** Ippotrantion *** ¡°Why won¡¯t these things die?!¡± Yoon Na-rae was certainly a talent that Choi Dong-woo would covet. Even with multiple enemies targeting her, she moved swiftly, avoiding fatal blows. Despite the urgency, shebined various spells to attack them, but the power was insufficient. Even when her attacks hit, she couldn¡¯t finish them off due to interference from other enemies. In the meantime, the attacked enemies recovered and rejoined the battle. Eventually, as this vicious cycle repeated, Yoon Na-rae¡¯s magic power was depleting, and she was gradually bing exhausted. ¡°Huff, huff!¡± There seemed to be no way out. In fact, even in a one-on-one fight, it would be hard to guarantee victory against these enemies. The fact that she was holding out against several such powerful foes was already impressive. ¡®So I¡¯m supposed to die like this¡­? No way! There¡¯s still so much I haven¡¯t done!¡¯ She steeled her resolve, thinking of all the cosys she hadn¡¯t tried yet. However, regardless of her determination, the wounds on her body were gradually increasing. ¡°Argh!¡± In an instant, an attack she couldn¡¯t dodge struck Yoon Na-rae. As Yoon Na-rae¡¯s face contorted in pain, the enemies gathered around her. ¡°No¡­¡± This is the end. A hideous w stretched out towards her. In the repulsive, ckened palm, her life shed before her eyes. Behind the slowly approaching hand, she could see the grinning face of the enemy. Just as everything seemed to be moving in slow motion and Yoon Na-rae was about to close her eyes¡­ ¡®Huh¡­?¡¯ Suddenly, a blood-stained mace appeared next to the enemy¡¯s face. The huge spike attached to the mace pierced through the enemy¡¯s temple. At the same time, the eyes of the enemy looking at her widened greatly. -Bang! With a deafening sound that struck her ears, her sense of time returned to normal. The enemy hit in the head by the mace flew at tremendous speed and crashed into the wall. ¡°Grr¡­ Urk!¡± The trembling enemy only stopped moving after an arrow from somewhere lodged in its throat. ¡°What the-?! Thanks to you, I¡¯m alive! Huh..? Who are you?¡± Yoon Na-rae, who was about to express her gratitude, paused. ¡°Where have I seen you before?¡± ¡°Is that important right now?¡± An Yu-seong smiled slightly and swung his mace again at an approaching enemy. ¡°Gwaak!¡± The enemies she had been struggling against were being knocked down in an instant. Seeing this, Yoon Na-rae¡¯s eyes widened. ¡®He¡¯s so cool¡­¡¯ A rather shy leather jacket, as if he also enjoyed cosy like her. Skull essories dangling here and there. Tattoos visible on exposed skin. She liked everything about it, but there was something she liked the most. ¡°He¡¯s handsome¡­¡± ¡°I know that, so how about you help out a bit?¡± Yoon Na-rae blushed and rushed out at the slip of her unconscious murmur. ¡°What are you saying! Hmph!¡± Although they had just met, they quickly synchronized and started taking down enemies together. Both of them had excellentbat sense, and especially Yoon Na-rae¡¯s supportive abilities were outstanding, creating a synergy far beyond expectations. ¡°This is fun too, isn¡¯t it?¡± It was the first time he had synchronized with someone like this, except for Shin Seong-a. But the cooperation with Yoon Na-rae was much more in sync and efficient than that. ¡®What kind of guy is he¡­?¡¯ Yoon Na-rae was also continuously surprised. .¡¯He¡¯s really perfect¡¯ He always looked several steps ahead and moved with optimal efficiency. Moreover, he naturally utilized her attacks as if they were his own, despite meeting her for the first time today. ¡°Gwaak!¡± ¡°Let¡¯s take these ones out first!¡± The magic that made 1+1=3. As enemies fell in an instant to their joint attack, many eyes in the conference hall were drawn to them. ¡°Who on earth are they¡­¡± E, the vice guild master of the Warriors, couldn¡¯t take her eyes off their fight either. ¡°I guess the world is vast¡­ But thanks to them, we survived.¡± *** Ippotrantion *** ¡°Enemy!¡± ¡°Protect the President!¡± Shouts could be heard from all directions, and the solemn conference venue transformed into a devil¡¯s yground in an instant. Amidst the chaos, E quickly gathered her wits and gave orders to the guild members. ¡°Protect the key figures!¡± There were a hundred Warriors guild members gathered here. While most other countries brought about ten escorts, the Warriors were different. They were chosen as one of the five guilds responsible for security at today¡¯s conference venue. Therefore, E had to protect not only the American personnel but everyone present here. ¡°Damn it! Where did Eden go at a time like this?!¡± Just before the enemies barged in, the blonde guild master, Eden, suddenly left the conference venue. -I heard something just now. I¡¯ll be back soon, so wait! And less than 5 minutes after Eden left, this disaster struck. ¡°Vice Guild Master. Don¡¯t worry.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. When have we ever not fought without Eden?¡± ¡°Yeah. We are Warriors.¡± As E became anxious, the guild members smiled and spoke. ¡°Hah. Alright. But don¡¯t go wild like usual. Don¡¯t forget our purpose is protection.¡± ¡°Of course.¡± ¡°Then I¡¯ll move as usual, so I¡¯m counting on you.¡± E, who had spoken, melted into the background in the blink of an eye. She concealed her presence and leapt into the midst of the battle. ¡®I don¡¯t know who these guys are, but they¡¯ll have to pay for interfering.¡¯ If herbat style could be described in one word, it would be assassin. Many enemies perished without even being able to resist her attacks, which involved quietly approaching and striking vital points in one go. Among those enemies were, of course, not only monsters but also humans. ¡®You¡¯re first.¡¯ An attacker was assaulting a man who was trembling pitifully. E approached from behind and swiftly shed at his neck with her dagger. -sh ¡®Damn. Too shallow!¡¯ The dagger, which should have severed the guy¡¯s spine in one go, only managed to graze the skin. ¡°Argh!¡± -Thud, Bang! The result of that very brief moment of confusion and hesitation was fatal. The guy¡¯s swinging arm struck E¡¯s side squarely, and she flew several meters in an instant, crashing into a wall. ¡°Cough! Tougher than your average monster, huh?¡± She spoke calmly, but her insides were a mess. ¡®Damn. What power¡­ My ribs are broken even with armor on.¡¯ It wasn¡¯t that she had let her guard down. The enemy¡¯s abilities were simply beyond her expectations. ¡®If they¡¯re at this level, the guild members are in danger too. We need Eden here.¡¯ Looking towards the guild members with concern, she saw them struggling as expected. ¡°What are these things?!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t face them head-on! Coordinate attacks and take them on steadily!¡± Like veterans who had survived countless battles, they were still holding on, but it was unclear how long they couldst. ¡°Argh!¡± ¡°Over there!¡± The enemies moved in an organized manner, as if thoroughly trained. Unlike our side, where too many guilds had gathered and couldn¡¯t cooperate, they were a single group. Selection and concentration. With quick hit-and-run tactics, there were already numerous casualties. And now their target was the Warriors Guild. ¡°Haah!¡± E, having received treatment from a guild member, quickly rejoined the battle, but the situation wasn¡¯t favorable. ¡°Damn! Not enough power!¡± It wasn¡¯t that the enemies¡¯ skills or level itself was high. But their tremendous physical abilities and recovery power more than made up for it. ¡°We need to kill them in one go withbined attacks! Otherwise, they recover quickly!¡± ¡°Ugh. Don¡¯t overdo it, buy time!¡± E¡¯s brow furrowed at the shout that suddenly erupted from among the enemies. ¡®What? Buy time?¡¯ Because she had been interested in Korea for a while, she was somehow able to understand what they said. ¡®They should be trying to end this quickly and escape¡­ But buying time?¡¯ Her contemtion didn¡¯tst long. Sharp des were flying at her from all directions. -ng! ¡°Tch!¡± There was no time to worry about buying time. At this rate, the damage would be uncontroble. No, they might all die. ¡°Hahaha! Isn¡¯t this fun?¡± ¡°Raaah! Take care of this one first!¡± At that moment, her gaze turned towards a maniacalughter in the distance. There was a man dressed like he was in a rock band, without proper armor, running around like a madman. -Boom! Boom! Bang! ¡°What is that¡­?¡± Even the top-tier ability users in America couldn¡¯t move like that. At a nce, it might seem like he was simply swinging his weapon around, but there was meticulous calction and sense behind it. -Whoosh! Boom! And the magic flying from behind appropriately supported him, helping him exert his abilities to 120% or more. ¡°I guess the world is vast¡­ But thanks to them, we¡¯re saved.¡± Fortunately, the enemies seemed to have agreed to deal with those two first. Some of the guys who were attacking the Warriors turned and rushed towards the pair. ¡°Now¡¯s our chance! Push forward with all you¡¯ve got! We¡¯re leaving the conference hall.¡± Protecting wasn¡¯t important anymore. If they didn¡¯t use this opportunity, the Warriors would be finished too. ¡°This way!¡± E led the U.S. President and the VIPs who could move immediately towards the exit of the conference hall. ¡°Just hold on a little longer!¡± The entrance was visible in the distance. Just as they were about to step out into the bright sunlight, someone blocked their path. ¡°Where do you think you¡¯re going?¡± A man speaking fluent English. He was covered in wounds and bleeding all over. His cold and sharp appearance would have been attractive enough to hit on in normal circumstances, but now wasn¡¯t the time. ¡°Get that man out of the way!¡± At E¡¯s words, the guild members rushed forward. ¡°Hey, idol star. Sorry if we¡¯re a bit rough!¡± Therge Warriors Guild members charged at the man. The man with the slim build looked so precarious that he might fly away with just a brush. However, the man calmly stretched out his hand. ¡°The most important guest can¡¯t leave the party.¡± Simultaneously, something like red threads burst out from him. They instantly constricted the guild members¡¯ bodies. ¡°Ugh, what is this?!¡± ¡°I can¡¯t move my body!¡± ¡°E! Do something!¡± The man smiled coldly at the sight. ¡°It¡¯ll use up some magic power, but I¡¯m in a hurry so it can¡¯t be helped. Die.¡± ¡°Arghhhh!¡± ¡°Guh, gak!¡± America¡¯s number one guild. The best of the elite. Those who belonged there died horribly, their bodies bursting apart without even being able to use their strength properly. ¡°This can¡¯t be¡­¡± E¡¯s legs gave out and she copsed at the unbelievable scene. ¡°Where on earth is Eden¡­¡± Chapter 75 Chapter 75 ¨C First Meeting (1) ¡°Nice to meet you. This is our first time, right? I¡¯ve heard so much about you, it feels like we¡¯ve been hanging out every day. Shit.¡± Choi Min-jun¡¯s face wrinkled as he stared in the direction of the voice. ¡°Kang Hyeon¡­?¡± ¡°Yeah. I¡¯m fucking d to see you too, so unfurrow your brow, you bastard.¡± ¡°You really are persistent till the end. It was my mistake. I should have killed you earlier.¡± ¡°Could you even do that?¡± ¡°We¡¯ll see about that.¡± As Choi Min-jun spoke, about twenty ability users appeared and stood behind him. ¡°I thought you were somewhat capable. But in the end, you¡¯re just amon thug pushing with numbers.¡± ¡°Say whatever you want.¡± ¡°But we¡¯ve also brought some numbers on our side.¡± Kang Hyeon smiled and cleared his throat. ¡°Ahem, Hey! Come here. Help me. Help me!¡± It was rough English at an elementary school level. Now it was clear why Kang Hyeon only did an internship before getting kicked out. However, there was no problem in conveying the meaning, so ability users started appearing one by one. In total, ten of them gathered. ¡°It¡¯s the first time for all of us, but let¡¯s postpone the introductions for now. Okay?¡± These were ability users who, like Kang Hyeon, sensed something wrong outside during the conference and rushed out. Among them was Eden, known as America¡¯s number one. ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re saying, but nice to meet you, Korean friend!¡± They were all of different nationalities and couldn¡¯t understand each other, but it didn¡¯t matter. They were all strong, and they came here to fight. And there were enemies in front of them. In this situation, no conversation was necessary. ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± [Roar of Enraged Lion has been activated] [All enemies¡¯ morale and stats have decreased] As Kang Hyeon shouted, red magical power burst out from Choi Min-jun¡¯s body. ¡°I don¡¯t know what it is, but it looks like it¡¯s better not to touch it.¡± The eleven ability users, including Kang Hyeon, each avoided the magical power and rushed towards Choi Min-jun. ¡°Such petty tricks!¡± Eden deflected the rapidly approaching magical power with his greatsword. He smiled at the tingling impact felt in his grip. ¡°It¡¯s been a while since I¡¯ve had a proper fight.¡± Numerically, Choi Min-jun¡¯s group was about twice asrge, but no one here cared about that. They were all warriors of reversal who had achieved victory even when outnumbered ten to one. However, contrary to expectations, confusion gradually began to appear on the faces of the ability users. ¡°These guys are not ordinary!¡± ¡°Damn! They¡¯re too fast!¡± ¡°What is this? I can¡¯t move my body!¡± Each of the enemies possessed strength beyondmon sense. And if you got caught by that red magical power even for a moment, it was over. The ability users couldn¡¯t move, feeling as if hundreds of kilograms of weights were attached to their bodies. ¡°Oh, shit!¡± Kang Hyeon was also quickly caught by the red magical power. ¡°Did you think something would change if you gathered? You all die here.¡± ¡°Shut up! This kind of thing¡­ Argh!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t struggle. It¡¯s useless.¡± Kang Hyeon tore at the red magical power enveloping his body with all his might. His face turned red, and blood vessels popped up all over his body. ¡°You brute. This isn¡¯t something you can break with brute force¡­¡± Choi Min-jun paused for a moment. The magical power restraining Kang Hyeon was gradually being torn away. Currently, with all skills activated, Kang Hyeon¡¯s strength reached a whopping 65. Choi Min-jun¡¯s magical power couldn¡¯t withstand this nonsensical, brute strength. ¡°What¡­ What kind of nonsense is this?!¡± ¡°Have you been having fun with low-levels until now?!¡± Finally, Kang Hyeonpletely tore apart the red magical power. At the same time, he rushed towards Choi Min-jun with all his might. Surprised, Choi Min-jun hurriedly focused all his magical power on Kang Hyeon. ¡®Such monstrous strength. Is he even human?!¡¯ He had heard about Kang Hyeon beforehand, but he didn¡¯t know it was to this extent. Breaking his magical power with pure physical strength was something that shouldn¡¯t be possible unless it was arge monster. ¡°Argh! It¡¯s useless, you bastard!¡± ¡°Wow! That guy is really tough, isn¡¯t he?!¡± Choi Min-jun¡¯s unique ability was Magical Power Typification. Choi Min-jun had invested almost all his stats in magical power to handle this well. Thanks to that, no ability user had ever escaped once caught by this magical power. Capture meant victory. This truth, which had be like an iron-d rule, was shattered before Kang Hyeon. ¡®Damn it. Thepatibility is not good¡­¡¯ At that moment, blue magical power began to burst out from Hyeon¡¯s hands. ¡°It¡¯s even easier now? What are you going to do?¡± Kang Hyeon was now tearing apart the red magical power as easily as if it were paper. ¡®Magical Power Typification? No, it¡¯s a bit different. Is he emitting magical power?¡¯ Whatever it was, Choi Min-jun¡¯s skill didn¡¯t work on Kang Hyeon. ¡°Great! I¡¯m free.¡± ¡°You. Wait right there.¡± To make matters worse, while he was focused on Kang Hyeon, the others had broken free from their restraints. Choi Min-jun sensed a crisis. ¡°Everyone, break through your limits! Now!¡± At Choi Min-jun¡¯s order, his subordinates nodded with grim expressions. -Crunch! They bit into small pills they had been keeping in their mouths. ¡°Urgh, urgh!¡± ¡°Aaaargh!¡± These creatures already had appearances far removed from humans. But the moment they took the drug, they transformed into something that could no longer even be called human. ¡°Another transformation? What are you, Power Rangers?!¡± Kang Hyeon was dumbfounded by the continuous transformations, but this wasn¡¯t the time for that. He shouldn¡¯t have given them time to transform. ¡°Attack! Attack! Kill! Enemy right now!¡± Kang Hyeon used all the English he had prepared when he first joined, to alert others of the situation. Then he immediately swung his sword at the enemy in front of him. -ng! However, the attack was futilely blocked by the creature¡¯s hand. Contrary to expectations, the creatures¡¯ transformation had ended too quickly. ¡°Huhuhuh¡­¡± Completely erged bodies. Rough steam emitted from their exhaled breath. The towering creatures¡¯ height approached 3 meters, and an ominous aura flowed from their red eyes. ¡°What, is this like their final evolution or something?¡± ¡°Oh! Shit.¡± ¡°What kind of monsters is Korea raising?¡± An immense pressure that even those not particrly sensitive to magical power could clearly feel. Beyond simply being high in numerical value, the magical power itself carried an unpleasant aggressiveness. -Whoosh! A giant hand came flying. Kang Hyeon ducked his head to avoid the attack, feeling the chilling air pressure above him. ¡°Hup!¡± ¡°Argh!¡± He swung Bilgein¡¯s longsword into the opening. The sword tore into the creature¡¯s skin, but not as deeply as expected. ¡°This one¡¯s tough as nails, historically speaking.¡± It wasn¡¯t something that could be cut through by sheer strength and sharpness of the weapon alone. ¡®Should I bring out Ogre¡¯s hammer? No. With these guys¡¯ speed, I might be the one getting hit instead.¡¯ If he brought out Ogre¡¯s giant hammer, it would certainly make an impact. However, considering the creatures¡¯ quick movements, it was clear that evennding a hit would not be easy. ¡®I¡¯ll do what I can for now!¡¯ Infusing the sword with magical power had to be left as ast resort. It wasn¡¯t yet perfected, and the consumption of magical and mental energy was too great. Kang Hyeon first maximized his body¡¯s speed. It seemed there was no other option but to engage directly for now. -ng, ng, ng! ¡°One cut, two halves!¡± Kang Hyeon moved at an incredible speed, pressuring the creature. Soon, wounds began to multiply all over the creature¡¯s body. ¡°What is that?¡± ¡°Such movements. Is his level 80 or something¡­?¡± Other ability users marveled at Kang Hyeon¡¯s speed. ¡°Aaaargh!¡± ¡°Die quietly!¡± Kang Hyeon hadn¡¯t yet achieved perfect control over his stats, but neither had the creatures. The creatures attacked instinctively, but their movements were at the level of strong children, even worse than before. ¡®What?¡¯ That¡¯s when it happened. Kang Hyeon, while swinging his sword, felt something was off. -Crack¡­ Cracks began to appear on the sword. ¡®No way¡­ It can¡¯t be?¡¯ Anxiety crept up, but there was nothing he could do. The enemy was right in front of him, and Kang Hyeon had to kill it. ¡°Die!¡± Kang Hyeon swung his sword with all his might towards the creature¡¯s skull. -Shatter! At the same time, Bilgein¡¯s longsword broke into dozens of pieces, scattering into the air. ¡°Oh, shit¡­¡± Kang Hyeon stared helplessly at the broken sword. ¡°Why the hell? You¡¯re a B-grade weapon, man!¡± Bilgein¡¯s longsword was not only B-grade but also had a durability enhancement function built-in. It didn¡¯t self-repair like Ronald¡¯s armor that he usually wore, but even that rarely failed. Yet Bilgein¡¯s longsword had shattered. ¡°No way!¡± Kang Hyeon remembered fighting Kergo not long ago. At that time, the durability of Bilgein¡¯s longsword had been greatly worn down by Kergo. ¡®You goblin bastard¡­ You¡¯re dead when I get back.¡¯ Kang Hyeon¡¯s contemtion didn¡¯tst long. ¡°Urgh!¡± A momentarypse due to surprise. The creature¡¯s attack, not missing that brief moment,nded on Kang Hyeon. -Whoosh, boom! Boom! Kang Hyeon, flying like a cannonball, crashed into a building, causing the outer wall to copse with a thunderous noise. ¡°Is this the end? Without that Korean friend, the fight might be difficult¡­¡± ¡°Sadly, after taking a hit like that, it¡¯s impossible to endure.¡± The basics of fighting is evasion. Overwhelming strong attacks inflict impacts that are hard to even defend against. Having taken such an attack head-on, the ability users thought Kang Hyeon must have sustained at least severe injuries. ¡°Cough! Ah¡­ Shit. It¡¯s been a while since I took a proper hit.¡± But Kang Hyeon easily shattered those expectations. Pushing aside the concrete debris while expressing annoyance, Kang Hyeon rubbed his shoulder. ¡°What? Why is he so fine?¡± ¡°Hahaha! What an interesting fellow.¡± Ignoring the iprehensible foreignnguages behind him, Kang Hyeon stretched his body. ¡°Right. Anyway, just normal attacks won¡¯t work on these guys.¡± Tough and fast creatures. If they continued fighting with ordinary attacks, it was obvious that everyone would copse from exhaustion even if they won the battle. Kang Hyeon decided to move more boldly. ¡°Graaaah!¡± ¡°That bastard¡­¡± The creature that hadnded a blow on Kang Hyeon was quite satisfied, roaring with its mouth wide open. Seeing this, Kang Hyeon, with veins popping on his forehead, leaped onto the creature¡¯s shoulders in one breath. Then he shoved both arms deep into the creature¡¯s wide-open mouth. ¡°Guurgh?!¡± The creature¡¯s eyes widened in surprise. It tried desperately to close its mouth, but Kang Hyeon¡¯s strength and skin toughness were no less than the monster-transformed creature. ¡°Magic Explosion!¡± The creature¡¯s body swelled up like a balloon from the explosion inside. ¡°Graaaah!¡± -Pop! The massive body burst into hundreds of pieces, scattering into the air. The hot blood and flesh stung Kang Hyeon¡¯s cheeks as they struck him. ¡°Whew¡­¡± Kang Hyeon looked down at his hands. Ronald¡¯s armor, a B-grade equipment, was severely damaged. ¡°A few more times and the armor will bepletely destroyed¡­¡± And after that, his arms would take direct damage. From the beginning, Magic Explosion wasn¡¯t a skill designed for such close-range use. ¡°Tough guy! Awesome!¡± ¡°What a brute.¡± Ignoring the foreignnguages heard around him, Kang Hyeon looked around. ¡°Hey, where did he go?¡± But Choi Min-jun was nowhere to be seen. *** Ippotrantion *** ¡°Whew¡­¡± Choi Min-jun suppressed the anger boiling up inside him. He wanted to settle things with Kang Hyeon right away, but now wasn¡¯t the time. ¡°Just wait a little. Once I deal with those guys, it¡¯ll really be your turn, Kang Hyeon.¡± Finally arriving at the conference hall, Choi Min-jun smiled with satisfaction as he saw thoseing out from the opposite side. ¡®Heaven is on my side.¡¯ It was the Warriors and the U.S. President. While the others didn¡¯t matter, he absolutely had to eliminate the U.S. President. ¡°Where do you think you¡¯re going?¡± ¡°Remove that man!¡± At the words of E, the woman positioned at the back, burly guild members came running. Choi Min-jun looked at them indifferently and raised his hand, emitting magical power. ¡°Urgh, what is this?!¡± ¡°I can¡¯t move my body!¡± ¡°It¡¯ll cost some magical power, but I have no choice since I¡¯m in a hurry. Die.¡± To apply strong pressure in a short time requires even more magical power. Usually, he would let them die slowly to conserve magical power, but now there was no time for that. ¡°Aaaaargh!¡± ¡°Guh, gak!¡± Guild members dying brutally as their entire bodies burst. Satisfied with the sight, Choi Min-jun nodded and walked forward. ¡°Ugh¡­ Die! Aaaack!¡± Whether driven by a sense of duty or unable to ovee the encroaching fear, their reasons for charging didn¡¯t matter. All were equally captured and died. ¡°What¡¯s the reason for doing this?!¡± ¡°I¡¯ll let you know in hellter. I¡¯m a bit busy now.¡± ¡°Aaaack!¡± In truth, if all the guild members here rushed at him at once, even Choi Min-jun would have no choice but to flee. It was impossible to subdue so many strong individuals in one breath. But already overwhelmed by his aura, they only hesitated and retreated. ¡®As expected. Just a bit more pressure, and I¡¯ll deal with the President and leave.¡¯ Eventually, some couldn¡¯t withstand the pressure and started to flee. ¡°Aaah! That¡¯s a monster. Run away!¡± ¡°I can¡¯t die so meaninglessly!¡± ¡°You fools. No! Don¡¯t run away!¡± The vice guild leader E tried to stop them, but the situation was already out of control. As one or two started to flee, unrest quickly spread among the remaining members. ¡°Kuku. Yes¡­ That¡¯s your true insect-like nature.¡± -Tap tap tap tap! That¡¯s when it happened. Choi Min-jun¡¯s head quickly turned at the sound of running footsteps from behind. ¡°Hup?!¡± There was an incarnation of hell, covered in blood from head to toe, running towards him. Seeing the absurdly huge hammer in his hand, Choi Min-jun hastily deployed a defensive wall. ¡°Toote, bastard!¡± -Boom! Kang Hyeon¡¯s hammer collided with Choi Min-jun¡¯s magical defense wall. -ng, ng, ng! ¡®No, no, no!¡¯ The defense wall made of magical power shattered helplessly. The giant hammer approached Choi Min-jun as if in slow motion. ¡®Damn it¡­¡¯ -Whack! Hit by the hammer, Choi Min-jun flew through the air like a bullet. Kang Hyeon watched the scene andughed refreshingly. ¡°Home run-!¡± Chapter 76 Chapter 76 ¨C First Meeting (2) ¡°Home run!¡± Choi Min-jun flew through the air at an incredible speed and crashed into the opposite wall of the conference room in just 1 second. ¡°You have to finish it properly!¡± He didn¡¯t think Choi Min-jun would have survived this attack. However, the finishing touch should always be certain. Quickly running towards where Choi Min-jun had collided, he soon saw him writhing among the concrete debris. ¡°This one is quite tough.¡± ¡°Ugh, kuh¡­ You¡­ Y-you¡¯ll regret this¡­¡± ¡°Regret? What regret? nning to meet me in hell for revenge? Adios! No need, keep it to yourself. Hahaha!¡± Kang Hyeon imitated a famousmercial andughed heartily as if it was really funny. ¡°Well then, farewell.¡± However, as if nothing had happened, he immediately put on a serious face and raised Ogre¡¯s hammer. ¡°Sayonara.¡± -Kwang! The hammer was struck down with full force, and dust rose with a thunderous sound. ¡°Damn¡­ What now?¡± But Kang Hyeon¡¯s expression twisted with irritation. It was because of the unidentified masked person standing in front of him. ¡°I don¡¯t know who you are, but put down the man you¡¯re holding. I was in the middle of a whack-a-mole game, you know?¡± ¡°¡­¡± The masked person remained silent despite Kang Hyeon¡¯s request. ¡®Damn. My magic power is running out too¡­ This guy can¡¯t be dealt with just Ogre¡¯s hammer.¡¯ In a very brief moment, he snatched Choi Min-jun at an incredible speed. It was an action impossible without excellent athletic ability and boldness. ¡®I have to finish him off here somehow. Even if it costs me my life¡­¡¯ Having made up his mind, Kang Hyeon put away Ogre¡¯s hammer. Then he drew out the spare sword he had been carrying. ¡°Give him back while I¡¯m asking nicely!¡± Kang Hyeon quickly rushed forward and swung his sword. The masked person¡¯s and Kang Hyeon¡¯s swords became entangled in a messy sh. ¡®Damn! What kind of guy is this?!¡¯ After shing swords just a few times, Kang Hyeon sensed it. ¡®I¡¯m no match for him in swordsmanship.¡¯ He felt an even higher wall than when he had shed with An Yu-seong. In his current injured state, this wasn¡¯t an opponent he could fight. -Chaeng! Kang Hyeon swung his sword widely and took a step back. ¡®Haa, it¡¯s not a technique I should use in actualbat yet, but¡­¡¯ Kang Hyeon¡¯s magic power began to rise and infuse into the longsword. The longsword emitted a bluish light and burst into bright mes. ¡°¡­!¡± For a moment, the masked person¡¯s eyes widened at the sight. ¡°Don¡¯t be scared. Here Ie.¡± There was no time or leisure left now. Kang Hyeon ran at full speed, prepared to cut down everything with this one strike. ¡®What the-!?¡¯ Suddenly, magic power began to surge in the masked person¡¯s sword as well. It was much more refined and sharp magic power than Kang Hyeon¡¯s. -Chaeng! Kwang! Their swords shed. At the same time, magic power exploded, and a thunderous sound rang out. Realizing his opponent was still intact, Kang Hyeon swung his sword relentlessly. -Cheng, Kwang! Chaeng, Kwang! Kwang! Kang Hyeon squeezed out hisst remaining strength and attacked frantically. However, no matter which path he swung his sword, no matter how powerfully he swung it, the enemy was receiving all attacks. ¡®Where on earth did this monstere from?!¡¯ Clearly, he was overwhelming in physical ability. He was faster and stronger. But all his attacks were futilely blocked by the enemy¡¯s hands. The enemy was either narrowly avoiding Kang Hyeon¡¯s attacks or skillfully deflecting them. ¡°Damn it! Just die already!¡± -Seugek! As he was swinging his sword frantically, finally, the enemy¡¯s attack flew through Kang Hyeon¡¯s opening. ¡°Kugh!¡± A sword strike that urately prated through the gap in his armor torn during the battle. Kang Hyeon smiled at the burning pain creeping up his side. ¡®This is nothing.¡¯ Kang Hyeon swung his sword without hesitation. ¡°Die!¡± Naturally, for the first time, confusion appeared in the eyes of the masked person who thought Kang Hyeon would falter from the pain. ¡°Damn!¡± However, the attack narrowly grazed the enemy¡¯s arm and passed by. ¡°Shit¡­¡± At the same time, the blue magic power swirling around Kang Hyeon¡¯s sword extinguished, and a strong sense of exhaustion swept over his entire body. Finally, all his magic power had run out. ¡°It¡¯s not over yet!¡± Even though his magic power was depleted, Kang Hyeon charged again. The masked person easily dodged that sword and swung his sword at Kang Hyeon¡¯s leg again. -Seuek! It was a wound that should have healed quickly normally, but now that his magic power was gone, blood continued to flow. Kang Hyeon moved, limping with his leg muscle cut. The masked person looked at him coldly. ¡°What are you doing? Not finishing it?¡± ¡°¡­¡± The masked person no longer pressed Kang Hyeon. ¡°Hey! Where are you going!¡± He simply left the conference room, taking Choi Min-jun with him. ¡°Aaaaargh! Damn it-!¡± Kang Hyeon¡¯s scream filled with rage echoed through the conference room. *** Ippotrantion *** ¡°Good work.¡± ¡°You were alive?¡± ¡°I¡¯m capable enough to protect myself at least.¡± Kang Hyeon chuckled at Shin Tae-gil¡¯s words. ¡°It¡¯s a mess.¡± The battle ended in victory. But it was a victory full of wounds. Countless casualties. Most of them were high-ranking officials of the country, and even the President was among them. ¡°Let¡¯s clean your face first.¡± Kang Hyeon received the towel Shin Tae-gil handed him and rubbed his face vigorously. However, the dried blood didn¡¯te off easily. ¡°Ah, I feel a bit better. Thanks.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t mention it.¡± ¡°By the way, what are you going to do now?¡± ¡°About what?¡± ¡°We¡¯ve made such a mess. Won¡¯t you get fired, Mr. Shin Tae-gil?¡± ¡°Is my job the issue right now?¡± ¡°I guess not. Haha.¡± Shin Tae-gil had a somewhat enigmatic expression. He looked like someone who had given up everything, but at times he also looked like a mad person burning with anger. ¡°So you were all gathered here. I see.¡± ¡°Brother Choi Dong-woo.¡± Choi Dong-woo, walking over with a tired look, broke the silence between the two. ¡°You¡¯ve worked hard too, little brother Kang Hyeon.¡± Choi Dong-woo smiled bitterly at the sight of Kang Hyeon covered in blood. ¡°We all have.¡± ¡°Did you let that guy escape?¡± ¡°Yes. I should have gotten proper revenge this time.¡± ¡°Sigh¡­ I wanted to chase after him too, but I couldn¡¯t bring myself to leave the people here.¡± ¡°What can we do? Next time we meet, I¡¯ll really have to tten him.¡± ¡°Hahaha! Well, with that hammer of yours, nothing should be impossible.¡± Choi Dong-woo, who wasughing loudly as if it was funny, suddenly turned serious. ¡°By the way, do you know the identity of that masked person at the end?¡± ¡°I guess you saw it too, brother.¡± ¡°With all thatmotion, how could I not?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know who it was, but their swordsmanship was incredible.¡± Kang Hyeon smiled bitterly, remembering the swordsmanship that protected Choi Min-jun until the end. ¡°Don¡¯t me yourself too much. You did your best.¡± ¡°Save the constion.¡± ¡°Hahaha, that¡¯s right. That¡¯s more like you.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°But you know what? That person¡­ Didn¡¯t they seem like a woman?¡± Kang Hyeon fell into thought at Choi Dong-woo¡¯s words. ¡®A woman¡­?¡¯ Certainly, although they were wearing clothes that concealed their figure, their build didn¡¯t seem particrlyrge. Moreover, the face hidden behind the mask was also quite small. ¡°A strong person capable of stopping you, a woman, and someone not present here. Doesn¡¯t it remind you of someone?¡± ¡°Han Se-yeon¡­¡± ¡°Let¡¯s stop there.¡± Shin Tae-gil, who had been listening, stood up. ¡°We¡¯re not even sure if that masked person was a woman, let alone if it was Han Se-yeon.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. I know that too, but¡­¡± ¡°So such spection among ourselves is meaningless. It might even have negative consequences.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯ll look into matters regarding Han Se-yeon separately, so how about we leave it at that for now?¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Despite Shin Tae-gil¡¯s words, Kang Hyeon¡¯s expression remained troubled. ¡®Han Se-yeon¡­ Han Se-yeon¡­¡¯ Kang Hyeon had witnessed her fighting up close before. On that day when he faced death for the first time after the tutorial. Kang Hyeon had fallen into self-loathing watching Han Se-yeon¡¯s swordsmanship as she weaved through the Orcs. ¡®Was it simr? It seemed alike, but¡­¡¯ He had also fought with Han Se-yeon in the Forest of Benandi. But that was a long time agopared to now. Kang Hyeon¡¯s head became increasinglyplicated. ¡®Sigh, I don¡¯t know.¡¯ In the end, Kang Hyeon gave up thinking about it. Shin Tae-gil would look into the masked person in detail. Besides, now wasn¡¯t the time to worry about such things. ¡°Hey, Mr. Shin Tae-gil.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Are there any renowned item makers or repairmen?¡± ¡°Why are you suddenly asking about that?¡± In response to Shin Tae-gil¡¯s question, Kang Hyeon silently held out Bilgein¡¯s longsword. ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Shin Tae-gil looked flustered at the sight of thepletely shattered red longsword. ¡°Isn¡¯t this the B-grade equipment you received in the tutorial?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°How did it get shattered like this? Equipment of that grade should have basic durability-rted functions¡­¡± Shin Tae-gil looked at Kang Hyeon as if he was looking at an ignorant person. ¡°It just happened while using it¡­ So, do you have someone or not?!¡± Kang Hyeon shouted, getting unnecessarily worked up. ¡°There are some, but¡­ Wouldn¡¯t it be better to get a new weapon?¡± ¡°No. I must have this one.¡± ¡°Ability users who can craft or repair items are appearing, but it¡¯ll be hard to find someone who can handle B-grade equipment already.¡± ¡°Just look for someone, and in the meantime, get me some decent equipment to use as a recement.¡± ¡°You should really do that kind of thing yourself now¡­¡± ¡°How am I supposed to when items don¡¯t drop for me in dungeons?! I¡¯ll look too, so please help me find someone.¡± ¡°Sigh, alright.¡± Shin Tae-gil shook his head, feeling his already aching head throb even more. ¡°Puhahaha!¡± Just then. Kang Hyeon turned his head at the sound ofughtering from beside him. There was An Yu-seong, looking rtively clean, walking towards them. ¡°Kang Hyeon. What¡¯s with that look?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t start with me. I¡¯m already pissed off.¡± Kang Hyeon felt annoyed seeing An Yu-seong, the only one who was clean. ¡°Howe you look so neat? Where have you been ying around?¡± ¡°What are you talking about? I was today¡¯s ace.¡± ¡°Bullshit.¡± At that moment, Kang Hyeon¡¯s eyes met with those of a woman walking behind An Yu-seong. ¡°You, you are?!¡± ¡°The figurine pervert?!¡± ¡°What? Brother Kang Hyeon, you know each other?¡± *** Ippotrantion *** After the battle, a devastating scene unfolded. But apart from that, Yoon Na-rae couldn¡¯t control her pounding heart. ¡®Perhaps¡­ This man and I might be destined for each other!¡¯ Yoon Na-rae had quite a cute appearance. Naturally, she had received countless confessions. But her dating experience was zero. The looks of ordinary people, the abilities of ordinary people, couldn¡¯t satisfy her. ¡®This person is different. I must catch him!¡¯ As she was making this resolve internally, she noticed An Yu-seong leaving without a word. ¡°W-wait a moment!¡± ¡°¡­?¡± ¡°How can you leave without saying anything?!¡± ¡°I¡¯m going.¡± An Yu-seong turned away without lingering after saying just one word. Even that expressionless and cold appearance looked handsome. ¡°No! Well, I mean¡­¡± ¡°What is it? You want to fight?¡± ¡°Ah, no! That¡¯s not it¡­¡± Yoon Na-rae¡¯s cheeks flushed red at his direct words. Of course, An Yu-seong meant it as an invitation to spar. ¡°Your name. Tell me.¡± ¡°An Yu-seong.¡± ¡°I¡¯m Yoon Na-rae.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°No, don¡¯t go! Just stop for a moment!¡± ¡°Sigh, what do you want? I enjoyed fighting with you, but the fight¡¯s over now and I need to get back to my guild, you know? If you have something to say, say it quickly.¡± At Yu-seong¡¯s mention of returning to his guild, Yoon Na-rae¡¯s mind lit up. ¡®He has a guild?!¡¯ Currently, she was unaffiliated. If a man of his caliber belonged to a guild, it probably wasn¡¯t an ordinary one. ¡°Me too! I want to go to the guild too. Is that okay?¡± ¡°Sure.¡± An Yu-seong answered readily. Following closely behind him, Yoon Na-rae repeated to herself. ¡®Yes. It¡¯s true that I¡¯m following him because I like him¡­ But it¡¯s not just that! Aren¡¯t you curious about what kind of guild a man like that belongs to? It must be some small, unknown elite guild!¡¯ Just then, she heard An Yu-seongughing from up ahead. ¡®Finally¡­!¡¯ ¡°Figure pervert?!¡± ¡°What? You know him too?¡± The moment she saw Kang Hyeon, Yoon Na-rae felt like all the puzzle pieces fell into ce. At the same time, her hopes came crashing down. ¡®Small elite guild. That familiar face¡­ This man is the figure guy who was being sold next to that pervert!¡¯ Yoon Na-rae, overwhelmed with despair, covered her face with both hands. ¡®To think this handsome man is of the same ilk as that pervert¡­¡¯ ¡°What brings you here?¡± ¡°¡­¡± I said,¡± What is it.¡± Yoon Na-rae kept her head down and didn¡¯t answer. Then, An Yu-seong next to her spoke with a smile. ¡°She¡¯s a woman I fought with. She kept following me after the fight ended.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± As Kang Hyeon stroked his chin, something started to dawn on him. ¡°I see. An Yu-seong is quite handsome¡­ Right?¡± ¡°W-what?!¡± ¡°Looking at this guy¡¯s face, he¡¯s in a league where even decent idols can¡¯tpete. It¡¯s understandable to be captivated. Right.¡± ¡°No! That¡¯s not it!¡± Yoon Na-rae¡¯s hypersensitive reaction made the corners of Kang Hyeon¡¯s mouth curl up even more. ¡°But what can we do? That handsome man is already in a guild¡­ and I¡¯m the guild master¡­?¡± ¡°Kang Hyeon. That just now was a bit creepy.¡± Sin Tae-gil shook his head after seeing Kang Hyeon¡¯s eyes wide open and gleaming with madness. ¡°Ugh¡­ Stop talking nonsense, you pervert!¡± Yoon Na-rae shouted and hurriedly left the ce. ¡°Hahahahaha-!¡± Kang Hyeon¡¯s boomingughter echoing from afar tormented her even more. ¡°Just you wait¡­ Next time I¡¯ll surprise you all with my new costume! I¡¯ll show you real art, not those silly figurines!¡± Yoon Na-rae clenched her fists, filled with determination. Chapter 77 Chapter 77 ¨C Guild Expansion (1) Kang Hyeon stared at his status window, lost in thought. ?Name: Kang Hyeon ?Title: Tutorial Graduate and 3 others ?Level: 65 ?Detailed Stats: Strength 30 (+4)(+2) Agility 30 (+3) Stamina 31 (+3)(+8) Magic 33 (+3)(+4) Additional Stats: ¨C ?Unique Ability: Resurrection ?Abilities: Advanced Swordsmanship(C), Lower-grade Shield Technique(E), Lowest-grade Crossbow Technique(F), Intermediate Martial Arts(D), Lower-grade Blunt Weapon Technique(E), Magic Detection(D), Poison Resistance(E), Magic Maniption(E) ?Skills: Roar of the Enraged Lion(C), Advanced Bodily Regeneration(A), Bisection(D), Giant¡¯s Strength(B), Magic Explosion(C), Wayne¡¯s Secret Technique(C), Entria¡¯s OuterShell(B) Quite a few changes had urred. The ranks of Blunt Weapon Technique, Entria¡¯s Outer Shell, and Magic Explosion had increased, and a new ability called Magic Maniption had appeared. It was also notable that his level had risen, with all basic stats exceeding 30. ¡°I¡¯m probably the only human whose stats are still increasing without leveling up at this point, right?¡± As seen in his previous conversation with Han Si-hwan, normally people can¡¯t increase their basic stats by means other than leveling up. It¡¯s too arduous and difficult. It¡¯s more beneficial to spend that time hunting monsters to level up and get better equipment. This was especially true when one¡¯s stats were already high. ¡°Advanced Swordsmanship¡­¡± Kang Hyeon¡¯s gaze is fixed on Advanced Swordsmanship(C) at the top of his abilities list. ¡°Should I give up¡­ I¡¯ve been swinging a sword every single day until I¡¯m sick of it.¡± He was about to finally let go of his attachment to the sword, but couldn¡¯t. Another problem had arisen when he met the masked person recently. ¡°I thought I¡¯d found a breakthrough with Magic Maniption, but I overlooked that the opponent could use Magic Maniption too.¡± The Magic Maniption he had obtained with great difficulty along with Kergo wasn¡¯t his exclusive ability. ¡°Right. It¡¯s my fault. With no talent, I swung the sword like a club until it shattered, so of course my swordsmanship wouldn¡¯t improve.¡± In the past, Kang Hyeon paid quite a bit of attention to sword techniques. To gain an advantage when he had simr stamina to others, he needed to excel in at least one area. But now it¡¯s different. ¡°I¡¯ve be too strong.¡± More precisely, his ¡®body¡¯ had be too strong. At some point, his physical specs became overwhelmingly stronger than others. Thanks to that, he just takes most attacks instead of dodging them. It was more advantageous to take a hit and throw one more punch than to dodge. In other words, he would smash through obstacles rather than jumping over them. Kang Hyeon found this more efficient andfortable. ¡°Have I be a strong idiot?¡± It seemed so. ¡°Haa. Shit¡­¡± The swordsmanship of the unidentified masked person who appeared at the end and took Choi Min-jun wouldn¡¯t leave his mind. ¡°Could I catch up if I practice?¡± The status window system might seem fair at a nce, but it¡¯s not at all. Even with the same skill, the growth rate can be drastically different depending on the talent of the person who has it. There¡¯s no guarantee that Kang Hyeon could catch up to that masked person even if he puts in more effort than now. ¡°Aaargh! I don¡¯t know!¡± Finally, Kang Hyeon, frustrated, shouted as he stomped his foot. ¡°What!¡± ¡°Nothing¡­¡± Just as he was ring at Han Jae-moon who was looking at him, his phone rang. ¡°Team Leader Sin Tae-gil?¡± -Yes. ¡°I was about to call you actually, perfect timing.¡± -Then how about we meet and talk? ¡°Let¡¯s do that.¡± *** Ippotrantion *** Shin Tae-gil greeted politely as soon as they met. He was being more courteous than usual. ¡°Thank you foring to meet me.¡± ¡°Why are you suddenly being so cringeworthy?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°You have a favor to ask, don¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Ahem¡­ Let¡¯s sit down first.¡± Though it was a brief moment, Kang Hyeon didn¡¯t miss Shin Tae-gil¡¯s nervously trembling eyes. ¡°You go ahead and speak first, Mr. Kang Hyeon.¡± A momentter. As warm tea was served, Shin Tae-gil began to speak. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you were going to call me?¡± ¡°You also called because you had something to say, Mr. Shin Tae-gil.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll speak after hearing what you have to say, Mr. Kang Hyeon.¡± ¡°Tch.¡± Kang Hyeon decided to speak directly. ¡°Get me some skills and abilities rted to swordsmanship, resilience, and magic power.¡± ¡°You¡¯re saying something incredibly outrageous so casually.¡± ¡°Ahem¡­¡± ¡°Even if we put aside the others, aren¡¯t you already learning swordsmanship, Mr. Kang Hyeon?¡± Shin Tae-gil¡¯s doubt was natural. All ability users naturally acquired skills and abilities rted to the weapons they frequently used. ¡°I don¡¯t mean those basic abilities. Find me some groundbreaking skills that can supplement swordsmanship.¡± ¡°I understand.¡± ¡°And for resilience abilities, anything will do. Whether it¡¯s fire, electricity, or whatever, get me anything you can find.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll try to find those as well.¡± Kang Hyeon was a bit taken aback by the unexpectedly straightforward answers. ¡°I shouldn¡¯t be saying this as the one asking for help, but didn¡¯t you say it was extremely difficult to get thesest time?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°But you¡¯re saying you¡¯ll get them?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll do my best to acquire them somehow.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good.¡± Since he said he would get them anyway, it wasn¡¯t something Kang Hyeon needed to worry about. ¡°Ah, and¡­¡± ¡°What else is there?¡± ¡°What happened with the weapon repair I mentionedst time?¡± ¡°I¡¯m still looking into that. I¡¯ll let you know as soon as I get any information.¡± Kang Hyeon nodded at Shin Tae-gil¡¯s answer. ¡°And also.¡± ¡°Sigh, is there more?¡± ¡°This is really thest one.¡± Shin Tae-gil looked tired from Kang Hyeon¡¯s continuous demands. ¡°A lot of people died this time, right?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°As far as I know, the government collected all the equipment, right?¡± ¡°Yes¡­¡± When an ability user dies, all the equipment they were carrying and everything in their inventory drops at that moment. While the equipment of ability users belonging to other countries or guilds would have been collected by their respective organizations, there was no one to im the equipment of the terrorists, at least nominally. ¡°Let me have a few of those.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Is that not possible?¡± ¡°What kind do you want?¡± ¡°First, weapons. Preferably swords. They must be very sturdy and heavy.¡± ¡°I see.¡± ¡°And essories. Regardless of the type, ones that boost stats as much as possible.¡± In fact, all the items collected by the government this time were supposed to be disposed of and used aspensation for various countries and guilds. Even though that would only cover a small part of thepensation owed, the government¡¯s situation was desperate enough to hold onto even that much. Nevertheless, Shin Tae-gil promised to give some items to Kang Hyeon. ¡°Sigh¡­ Alright.¡± ¡°You¡¯re being unusually amodating today.¡± Kang Hyeon smiled briefly and leaned forward, resting his chin on his hand. ¡°Now, it¡¯s your turn, Mr. Shin Tae-gil. What¡¯s the reason you wanted to meet today?¡± ¡°The current situation of the government is not good.¡± ¡°I imagine so.¡± It was far beyond just ¡®not good¡¯. President Han Seung-hoon¡¯s position was precarious, and it was a great crisis for the entire country. ¡°The wariness towards ability users has also reached its peak. Internally, there are increasing voices saying we should restrict ability users even now.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°There¡¯s even talk of abolishing the Special Ability User Management Team, calling it a useless department that only eats up the budget.¡± ¡°And?¡± ¡°However, the President intends not to change his existing policy.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± It was an unexpected answer. While President Han Seung-hoon had implemented ability user-friendly policies from the beginning, it was hard to understand why he would make such a decision when his own position was in jeopardy. ¡°Anyone with a bit of foresight would know that the future depends on ability users.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true.¡± ¡°The fact that South Korea can still withstand pressure from foreign countries is because this incident showed that we possess ability users of exceptional caliber.¡± ¡°What do you mean by that?¡± ¡°Ironically, this incident has revealed that South Korea is a world-ss power in terms of ability users. Your role in this was significant, Mr. Kang Hyeon. The Warriors Guild of the United States highly praised the Badass Guild. Especially Guild Master Eden, who was very impressed with you, Mr. Kang Hyeon.¡± ¡°What? But I don¡¯t know him.¡± ¡°He¡¯s the blonde man who uses a greatsword.¡± Only then did Kang Hyeon recall who he was. ¡°Ah, that man was indeed exceptionally strong.¡± ¡°Yes. He¡¯s also someone who has perfectly graduated from the tutorial.¡± That was something Kang Hyeon had already suspected. ¡°That¡¯s not all.¡± ¡°¡­?¡± ¡°This incident has shown the world that even armies are useless against truly powerful ability users.¡± ¡°That¡¯s certainly true.¡± ¡°It hasn¡¯t even been a year since ability users appeared. We can¡¯t even imagine how strong they¡¯ll be in two or three years.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± ¡°And what about the monsters? A few days ago, the world¡¯s first B-rank dungeon appeared. So we can expect that there will be at least A-rank dungeons in the future.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Given the current rate of difficulty increase, there are predictions that some countries might copse starting from B or A-rank dungeons.¡± After hearing everything, Kang Hyeon understood to some extent. ¡°To be honest, I¡¯ve never thought about anything other than the need to be stronger, but I can fully empathize with this.¡± ¡°Yes. The President believes that the fate of the country, no, the world, depends on ability users. I believe so too.¡± ¡°So why are you telling me this?¡± ¡°That¡¯s why! We¡¯ve decided to nurture you, Mr. Kang Hyeon.¡± ¡°What?¡± Kang Hyeon was taken aback by the sudden statement about nurturing him. ¡°What do you mean by that?¡± ¡°It means we¡¯ll support you with all avable means.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Haven¡¯t I exined the reasons until now?¡± ¡°No, that¡¯s not what I mean.¡± Kang Hyeon interrupted Shin Tae-gil. ¡°There¡¯s the Dangun Guild, and Brother Choi Dong-woo in the Ability User Alliance. Or the other top 10 mega guilds, right?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be more efficient to support these already massive organizations? Why specifically nurture me?¡± ¡°Hmm, there seems to be a slight misunderstanding. We¡¯re not saying we¡¯ll only nurture you. We¡¯re saying we¡¯ll invest the most in you.¡± ¡°That¡¯s what I¡¯m asking ¨C why invest the most in me?¡± Honestly, Kang Hyeon couldn¡¯t understand. He was well aware that he was strong. But there are limits to what one can do alone. While the Badass Guild is strong, it¡¯s true that it still falls shortpared to the well-established mega guilds. That¡¯s why it seemed much more efficient to utilize the top 10 guilds or organizations like the Ability User Alliance rather than himself. ¡°It¡¯s because of your potential, Mr. Kang Hyeon.¡± ¡°Potential?¡± ¡°Yes. In fact, when we analyzed it, we cautiously predicted that in terms of purebat power, you might already be the best in the country.¡± ¡°Even with Han Se-yeon around?¡± ¡°Yes. And we see a lot of room for further growth.¡± ¡°Hmm, but ultimately, you need to have influence, right?¡± ¡°That¡¯s correct.¡± ¡°But right now, the Badass Guild doesn¡¯t even have 20 members¡­ And honestly, except for An Yu-seong, their level isn¡¯t overwhelmingly superior to other guilds.¡± Shin Tae-gil nodded at Kang Hyeon¡¯s doubt. ¡°You¡¯re right, but¡­ Mr. Kang Hyeon.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± Suddenly, Shin Tae-gil leaned forward with a serious expression. ¡°Do you know what the leaders of the current mega guilds have inmon?¡± ¡°That they¡¯re insanely strong? Ah, excluding Fire Dragon Guild.¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Then what?¡± ¡°They¡¯re ambitious.¡± Kang Hyeon¡¯s brow furrowed at the unexpected answer. ¡°Ambitious?¡± ¡°Yes. The current guild leaders are all strong and excellent leaders. But they also have ambitions to match.¡± ¡°And I don¡¯t seem to have that ambition?¡± ¡°Rtively speaking, yes.¡± Since it was somewhat true, Kang Hyeon didn¡¯t particrly deny it. ¡°But I¡¯m far from being a hero-like person, you know? I don¡¯t even think I¡¯m particrly altruistic.¡± ¡°That doesn¡¯t matter.¡± ¡°What¡­?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not like we¡¯re trying to nurture you to make you move ording to our will. You¡¯re not someone who would move ording to others¡¯ wishes anyway.¡± ¡°You know me well. Heh.¡± ¡°What we want is simply for you and the Badass Guild to grow further. To the point where no one can touch you.¡± ¡°That doesn¡¯t seem like something the government should be saying.¡± ¡°You can think of it however you like. The President just wants to make all possible preparations during his remaining year and a half in office. To the extent that even if he steps down, others can¡¯t overturn it.¡± The conversation continued for quite a long time after that. The tea in their cups had long since gone cold, and the sun was already starting to set. ¡°I understand everything you¡¯ve said today.¡± ¡°So what do you think you¡¯ll do?¡± ¡°What do you mean, what will I do?¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°Is there any reason to refuse when you say you¡¯ll nurture me?¡± ¡°Hahaha. We¡¯re grateful if you think that way.¡± Suddenly, Kang Hyeon¡¯s expression changed from a smile. ¡°However.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯ll move only when I want to, just like I¡¯ve done until now.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t regret it.¡± ¡°We¡¯ve alreadye too far to turn back.¡± Shin Tae-gil nodded with a solemn expression. ¡°Then buy me beef for dinner.¡± ¡°I have another schedule¡­¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you just say you¡¯d support me?¡± ¡°Sigh, let¡¯s go¡­¡± Shin Tae-gil sighed and tried to get up, but Kang Hyeon held him back. ¡°Mr. Shin Tae-gil.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°And beer too.¡± Chapter 78 Chapter 78 ¨C Guild Expansion (2) The next day. Kang Hyeon headed to the guild office early in the morning. Sitting in his exclusive chairman¡¯s chair, Kang Hyeon stared nkly out the window. ¡°The end, huh¡­¡± The day he first met Han Se-yeon. She had said something simr to Shin Tae-gil. -How long do you think the current peace willst, Mr. Kang Hyeon? -I¡¯m not talking about 5 years from now. At most 3 years. Within that time, countries will start facing crises of existence. Actually, at that time, he didn¡¯t think much of it. It was right after the Bait Guild incident had ended, and in a situation where he didn¡¯t know what would happen, he thought the only answer was his own growth. ¡°Well, that hasn¡¯t changed even now.¡± Get stronger. It¡¯s just that now, in addition to his own growth, the guild¡¯s growth has been added. ¡°That¡¯s right¡­ If I get stronger, everything will be resolved.¡± Kang Hyeon emptied a can of beer in one gulp. And he threw the empty can without even looking at it. -Ting, tak! The can that hit the wall once went straight into the trash can. ¡°Jae-moon.¡± ¡°Yes¡­?¡± Han Jae-moon, who was working in the corner, flinched at Kang Hyeon¡¯s sudden call. ¡°Post a guild member recruitment notice.¡± ¡°Pardon¡­?¡± ¡°I said, recruit guild members.¡± ¡°All of a sudden¡­?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°If you do this suddenly¡­ There are budget issues¡­ And also which areas we need people for, so¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯ll take care of it, so just post the notice for now! When I tell you to do something, just do it. Why are you talking so much? Huh?¡± ¡°Yes¡­¡± Han Jae-moon started typing on the keyboard with a tearful expression. ¡°I¡¯ll hire a lot of administrative staff too. Don¡¯t worry about the money.¡± ¡°Um¡­ How many people¡­¡± ¡°We¡¯ll recruit about 100bat personnel, so ept as many applicants as possible.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Han Jae-moon, who was quietly typing on the keyboard, turned his head again. ¡°Guild Leader¡­¡± ¡°What now?¡± ¡°The qualifications¡­¡± ¡°No restrictions on age, gender, level. Just make sure to announce in advance that we¡¯ll only ept tough ones.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°If you have anything else to ask, ask now.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have anything else¡­¡± ¡°Okay. Sorry for getting annoyed.¡± Kang Hyeon, who ran his hand through his hair once out of frustration, approached the refrigerator. When the door opened with a thud, dozens of cans of beer were visible. Kang Hyeon looked at them fondly and took out another can. ¡°Good. This is the taste of life.¡± ¡°Guild Leader.¡± Someone approached Kang Hyeon while he was emptying another can refreshingly. ¡°What?¡± ¡°Um¡­ Someone is here to see you.¡± ¡°Who?¡± The answer came from right behind. ¡°It¡¯s me.¡± ¡°Oh. Loli otaku. What¡¯s up? Your outfit is even more shocking today.¡± Yoon Na-rae. She hade to visit the Badass Guild office. ¡°Hmph. How would a pervert who sells obscene figurines understand my art?¡± Yoon Na-rae was wearing an outfit that looked like an anime character seen somewhere before. ¡°That¡¯s quite a refined art.¡± ¡°What?!¡± ¡°Anyway, why are you here?¡± ¡°I want to join this guild too.¡± ¡°Puhuhuk!¡± Kang Hyeon spat out the beer he was drinking at Yoon Na-rae¡¯s sudden deration. ¡°Kyaaak! What are you doing, that¡¯s disgusting?¡± ¡°Are you crazy? Why would you join here?¡± ¡°Why? When someone as precious as mees to such a humble ce, you should say thank you. Someone like me is a very high-quality personnel, you know?¡± She had an expression that pretended to be angry. But Kang Hyeon noticed that her eyes were ncing at An Yu-seong, who was ying games far away. ¡°Tsk, how obvious.¡± ¡°W-what?!¡± ¡°Anyway. I don¡¯t just ept anyone as a guild member.¡± ¡°..?¡± ¡°If you want to join the guild, of course you have to take a test.¡± ¡°Me?!¡± ¡°Yeah. You. Who else would do it?¡± ¡°You. Do you know how many guilds are begging to recruit me right now?!¡± ¡°That¡¯s none of my business.¡± At Kang Hyeon¡¯s cold words, Yoon Na-rae fell into thought for a moment. ¡°Hmm¡­ Alright. I¡¯ll do it. It¡¯s just passing a test, right?¡± ¡°Good.¡± ¡°So what¡¯s the test?¡± Kang Hyeon, who had been staring at Yoon Na-rae intently, suddenly grinned. ¡°It¡¯s a one-on-one duel with me.¡± *** Ippotrantion *** ¡°Why don¡¯t you put on your equipment while I¡¯m still asking nicely?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t need it.¡± Yoon Na-rae was fully prepared for battle with all her equipment on. In contrast, Kang Hyeon was bare-bodied as if he was in the office as usual. ¡°Your arrogance is through the roof.¡± Yoon Na-rae frowned as if she didn¡¯t like it. ¡®I¡¯m going to tten your nosepletely.¡¯ Of course, Kang Hyeon wasn¡¯t doing this without reason either. ¡®I¡¯ll show you what an overwhelming difference is.¡¯ He had already heard about Yoon Na-rae¡¯sbat style from An Yu-seong. Kang Hyeon was confident he could win easily even without any equipment. ¡°No rules. I¡¯ll pass you if you just show decent sense through the duel.¡± ¡°Hmph.¡± ¡°Well, it won¡¯t happen, but if by any chance you manage to make me surrender, you¡¯ll definitely pass and I¡¯ll give you the vice guild master position.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t go back on your wordter.¡± ¡°With this many witnesses here, do you think I¡¯d lie about that? Juste at me.¡± ¡°Here I go!¡± Yoon Na-rae psyched herself up. ¡®I can do this.¡¯ She had heard rumors about Kang Hyeon¡¯sbat power. But some of them must have been exaggerated. ¡®I didn¡¯t think I¡¯d win originally¡­ But if he¡¯s not wearing equipment, that¡¯s a different story.¡¯ If he just doesn¡¯t have equipment, She can definitely win. -Swoosh Yoon Na-rae shot a magic arrow, intending to test him lightly. ¡®Once I figure out his overall physical abilities andbat style, you¡¯re finished.¡¯ -Bang! ¡°Huh?¡± Kang Hyeon was supposedly a closebat dealer. So as expected, Kang Hyeon should have dodged the magic arrow and rushed towards her. ¡°What are you doing?¡± But Kang Hyeon stood in ce and swatted away her skill with his hand. ¡°Stop fooling around ande at me seriously. Or I¡¯ll go first.¡± ¡°Hmph!¡± Yoon Na-rae, hiding her confusion with a snort, started to get impatient. ¡®What¡¯s going on? Does he have high magic resistance? Or is it a shield spell? Does he have hidden equipment? Or essories?¡¯ She shook her head at the endless worries. ¡®No. I just shot that as a test anyway. Let¡¯s properly use skills again.¡¯ She possessed a wide variety of magic. From basic elemental magic to auxiliary magic useful inbat. Originally, she nned to properlybine them to slowly torment Kang Hyeon, but none of them managed to deal proper damage to Kang Hyeon. Yoon Na-rae¡¯s eyes shook as if there was an earthquake in this unbelievable situation. ¡°You, you, you!¡± ¡°What.¡± ¡°What kind of trick is this?!¡± ¡°What nonsense are you spouting?¡± Kang Hyeon frowned as Yoon Na-rae shouted in excitement. ¡°Why! Why doesn¡¯t my magic work?! Is it equipment? Or a hidden skill?!¡± ¡°Are you going to keep talking nonsense?¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t make sense otherwise!¡± ¡°You seem a bit flustered, but I¡¯m the one who¡¯s really confused, you know?¡± ¡°What¡­?¡± Yoon Na-rae¡¯s eyes widened at the iprehensible words. ¡°I heard from An Yu-seong that you were pretty good, but this is disappointing. Was his standard this low?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Who in this day and age would get hit by such slow and weak attacks?¡± Kang Hyeon looked down at the skill binding his body. ¡°This skill too. It¡¯s some kind of magic binding, right? But the intensity is too weak. At best, it¡¯s E-grade.¡± ¡°How did you¡­?¡± ¡°This doesn¡¯t even need a release skill.¡± -Crack, snap The magic binding broke pathetically at Kang Hyeon¡¯s movement. ¡°I can break it with pure strength? Does this even work on monsters?¡± Yoon Na-rae couldn¡¯te to her senses at all. ¡®What the hell is this¡­? What¡¯s going on here?!¡¯ At first, it was half a joke, butter she poured out magic in all seriousness. Yet Kang Hyeon was fine. If Kang Hyeon had dodged the magic, she could have understood, but Kang Hyeon hadn¡¯t moved a single step from the beginning until now. ¡®More than half of my magic is gone¡­ What on earth is this monster?¡¯ Kang Hyeon, who had taken all those spells, only had slight scratches at best. ¡®No, even those are gone¡­¡¯ Even the small wounds that had appeared were long gone. ¡°Are you really human? Are you actually a monster wearing a disguise or something?!¡± ¡°What the hell. You¡¯re talking nonsense like a shaman in a trance. If this is all you¡¯ve got, you fail.¡± ¡°Ugh¡­ Wait! This is just the beginning!¡± Yoon Na-rae decided to switch to closebat. ¡®If he has high resistance to magic, I can solve it with a sword.¡¯ She was an all-rounder. She possessed above-average abilities in closebat, rangedbat, and support. Even if she fought Kang Hyeon in close quarters, she was confident she wouldn¡¯t be overwhelmed one-sidedly. -Thud! Yoon Na-rae, who had nted her feet, approached Kang Hyeon as if flying. ¡°Haaah!¡± The sword swung quickly horizontally. The bare-bodied Kang Hyeon would have no choice but to dodge backward. -ng. ¡°Tsk. I knew this would happen.¡± ¡°What¡­?¡± But once again, her expectations crumbled miserably. Her sword was pathetically caught in Kang Hyeon¡¯s bare hand. ¡°Clench your mrs tightly.¡± ¡°W-wait¡­¡± Arge and solid fist. That threatening weapon approaching quickly was Yoon Na-rae¡¯sst memory. -Thwack! *** Ippotrantion *** ¡°The effect is better than I thought.¡± Kang Hyeon smiled as he looked at the fallen Yoon Na-rae. ¡°I¡¯ll need to keep developing Entria¡¯s Outer Shell steadily from now on.¡± Kang Hyeon¡¯s strength stat is 31. Activating Wayne¡¯s secret technique brings it to 50. Finally, adding the title and essories, it bes 61. With that formidable strength stat and the B-grade Entria¡¯s Outer Shell on top, most attacks didn¡¯t even hurt. The minor wounds that did ur healed instantly thanks to Advanced Bodily Regeneration (A). The asional dangerous magic could be easily nullified by arbitrarily releasing magical power. ¡°Honestly, it was a good match-up.¡± Yoon Na-rae is excellent in every aspect. But in the end, she didn¡¯t reach the highest level in any field. Especially in terms of attack power, she seemed to fall behind others with simr abilities. ¡°When attacks don¡¯t work in the first ce, there¡¯s no need for sense or anything else.¡± The best sense and powerful destructive force. An Yu-seong had perfectly grasped those two things, but Yoon Na-rae couldn¡¯t. ¡°Tsk. Anyway, I should nurture her.¡± But while she might have a bad match-up against him, it wouldn¡¯t be the same against other enemies. Moreover, there were plenty of ways topensate for weak attack power. ¡°Hey.¡± Kang Hyeon, finished with his thoughts, called out to Yoon Na-rae. -p, p ¡°¡­¡± There was no response even when he patted her cheeks. ¡°Shin Seong-a.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Bring me a bucket of water.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± Shin Seong-a, looking somewhat excited, quickly fetched the water, and Kang Hyeon, taking it, unhesitatingly poured it on Yoon Na-rae¡¯s face. ¡°Puaagh!¡± ¡°Wake up.¡± ¡°Haa, haa. What¡­?¡± ¡°What do you mean, what? You got beat up.¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± Yoon Na-rae, who had been dazed for a moment, slowly began to remember. The sharp pain in her jaw was an added bonus. ¡°Sniff¡­ Sob¡­¡± ¡°Are you crying?¡± ¡°Hic! Waaah!¡± Yoon Na-rae felt wronged. It felt like all her efforts over the past year, teetering between life and death, had been for nothing. ¡°I! I worked so hard! Sob, who are you to¡­!¡± ¡°Enough, you¡¯re out. No matter how I think about it, you¡¯re too weak to join our guild.¡± ¡°What?! How can you say that! How can you talk like that?!¡± Yoon Na-rae cried miserably, tears and snot flowing freely. Her thick makeup smeared instantly. ¡°Let me join too! I want to join!¡± ¡°Do you really want to join?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°Then fix your attitude first.¡± ¡°What..?¡± ¡°From now on, speak politely to me, call me Guild Master, and follow my orders without question.¡± ¡°Th-that¡¯s¡­!¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t like it, don¡¯t join. But if you do join, you can fight me again anytime. If you win, I don¡¯t care if you be the Guild Master or whatever.¡± Yoon Na-rae was conflicted by Kang Hyeon¡¯s words. ¡®Not only do I have to call this pervert Guild Master, but I also have to speak politely and do everything he says..?¡¯ In her mind, she was already imagining figurines modeled after her being sold naked on the inte. ¡°That¡¯s not happening, you pervert!¡± ¡°Are you crazy?! If you don¡¯t like it, just leave quietly!¡± ¡°I¡¯m going! I¡¯m leaving!¡± Holding her swollen face, Yoon Na-rae quickly left the training arena. ¡°Mr. Kang Hyeon.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Weren¡¯t you nning to recruit that woman?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°Are you just letting her go like this?¡± ¡°She¡¯lle back soon. Well, if she doesn¡¯t, that can¡¯t be helped¡­¡± ¡°I see.¡± And the next day. As if by magic, Yoon Na-rae came looking for Kang Hyeon and stamped the guild application form. ¡°I look forward to working with you.¡± ¡°Yes¡­¡± ¡°Who am I?¡± ¡°G-Guild Master¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s right! I¡¯m your Guild Master! Kuhahaha-!¡± Kang Hyeon¡¯sughter, filling the office, was a scene that could only make one suspect he might really be a pervert. Chapter 79 Chapter 79 ¨C Guild Expansion (3) A skyscraper in Seoul. A man was looking down at the city from the top floor of a building that seemed to reach endlessly into the sky. ¡°Hmm¡­¡± The only thing there was the man¡¯s office. It was the epitome of inefficient space utilization, using an entire area that could easily be several hundred square meters. However, the man belonged to a world where he could afford such luxury without concern. ¡°An Yu-seong. That guy has joined the guild of a person named Kang Hyeon?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± The smiling man sat down. A sofa worth tens of millions of won gently embraced him. ¡°So that good-for-nothing has finally found a use.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°What about An Yu-seong?¡± ¡°He¡¯s waiting downstairs now.¡± ¡°Bring him up.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± The secretary bowed slightly and muttered quietly into the connected microphone. Soon, the massive door opened, and a tall man entered. ¡°Sit down.¡± ¡°Yes, Father.¡± *** Ippotrantion *** In a childhood so distant he couldn¡¯t even remember when, he was lying face down on the floor, looking up at his father and crying. -Weak bastard. That was An Yu-seong¡¯s oldest memory. As time slowly passed and An Yu-seong grew, the situation didn¡¯t change. His father always yelled at him. It was always apanied by verbal and physical violence. It was around his early elementary school years when he found his only hobby and sanctuary. It was the day he first saw his own blood after getting injured in an ident. His injured arms and legs stung, but he felt a strange sense of relief. At the same time, he felt alive. -Kekek. Heheheheh¡­ The pleasure that came with the pain of seeing blood. That pleasure quickly spread elsewhere. From himself to small insects. From small insects to small animals. After that, even to people. The pleasure of destroying others and seeing their blood led him to his only sce. Because of this, when the tutorial first started and monsters appeared, While others trembled in fear, he felt an overwhelming rush of excitement. -I can destroy and break as much as I want. He went berserk. He was always holed up in dungeons, using everything at his disposal to collect powerful items and skills. It was possible because even though he was treated like an abandoned child, he was always given plenty of money. -You crazy bastard! What put the brakes on his unstoppable violence was meeting Kang Hyeon. After meeting Kang Hyeon, An Yu-seong realized for the first time what a normal daily life was. He felt like he understood a little bit about what happiness might be. ¡°I hear you¡¯ve be quite capable these days. I heard you¡¯ve been quite busy.¡± Just as he had found some peace in his daily life, his father appeared again. ¡°It¡¯s not that much¡­¡± His father, whom he hadn¡¯t seen in a long time, was still the same. Even at over 60 years old, he maintained an upright posture, and his eyes gleamed with intensity. An Yu-seong clenched his fists as his body trembled just from facing him. ¡°I hear you¡¯ve been hanging around with this Kang Hyeon fellow?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°I¡¯m curious about what kind of person he is to cause such a stir in the world.¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± ¡°Bring him to me.¡± At themand that fell as if it were only natural, An Yu-seong neither obeyed nor objected, but kept his mouth shut. ¡°Answer me.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°After 20 years, you finally have some use, and this is how you act?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­¡± ¡°Right. It was my mistake to expect anything from the likes of you.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Get out.¡± An Yu-seong left the enormous penthouse without a word, his head bowed. The man who had been watching him slowly closed his eyes. ¡°Secretary Kang¡± ¡°Yes, Chairman.¡± ¡°This Kang Hyeon fellow. Bring him before me.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± *** Ippotrantion *** Kang Hyeon and Shin Seong-a. The two, now close friends, were on their way back after demolishing a C-rank dungeon. ¡°Don¡¯t you think C-rank dungeons are quite manageable now?¡± ¡°Certainly. Although boss fights are still quite challenging¡­¡± It¡¯s been about three months since clearing the Forest of Benandi. One thing they¡¯ve learned during this time is that the Forest of Benandi is among the highest-tier C-rank dungeons. Moreover, theirpatibility wasn¡¯t particrly good. ¡°Come to think of it, we were quite unlucky back then.¡± ¡°Indeed.¡± Kang Hyeon, who had been checking his smartphone, looked at Shin Seong-a. ¡°There¡¯s amotion about a B-rank dungeon appearing recently. Shall we give it a try?¡± ¡°Is it okay when we don¡¯t have much information yet?¡± ¡°Information? You learn that by experiencing it firsthand. Life is practical training. Practical.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Life is practical training. Shin Seong-a wondered if that meant they should be more careful, but she didn¡¯t voice her thoughts. She knew what the response would be anyway. ¡°By the way, why didn¡¯t An Yu-seonge out? He¡¯s the type to jump out even from sleep when there¡¯s a dungeon to raid.¡± ¡°I heard he had some business to attend to, but I don¡¯t know the details.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± As they were exchanging such trivial conversation, what they had been waiting for finally arrived. ¡°It¡¯s here.¡± A shy van that was clearly from the Badass Guild stopped in front of them. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± After boarding the van, Kang Hyeon stared nkly out the window. Seeing Kang Hyeon deep in thought, Shin Seong-a spoke up. ¡°Is something bothering you?¡± ¡°Just thinking about how to be stronger.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± ¡°Seong-a.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± It was the first time Kang Hyeon had called Shin Seong-a by her given name without the surname. Caught off guard by the sudden name attack, Shin Seong-a¡¯s face turned slightly red. ¡°Should I practice swordsmanship?¡± ¡°Um, oh, ah, yes.¡± ¡°What are you saying?¡± Kang Hyeon frowned at Shin Seong-a¡¯s strange response. ¡°Are you trying to raise your swordsmanship rank further?¡± Shin Seong-a, having finally regained herposure, continued normally. ¡°Yeah. It¡¯s giving me no small amount of worry.¡± Recently, Kang Hyeon had decided to focus on magical power rather than swordsmanship, but after meeting the masked person, he realized that thought was mistaken. However, practicing swordsmanship again didn¡¯t seem efficient. ¡°I thought your swordsmanship was already C-rank. Isn¡¯t that high enough?¡± ¡°What does it matter if it¡¯s higher than the average ability user when there are monsters all around us?¡± Advanced Swordsmanship (C) It was a rank that ced him in the upper echelons among sword-wielding ability users. Although not exact statistics, it would probably put him in the top 30%. ¡°What¡¯s the point of this when we¡¯re surrounded by the top 0.1%?¡± ¡°That¡¯s certainly true.¡± ¡°Honestly, I know I don¡¯t have a talent for swords. At this rate, it¡¯s questionable whether I could reach A-rank even if I practiced until I died.¡± Kang Hyeon sighed in frustration. ¡°You have archery separately, right?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°What rank is it?¡± Normally, it would be impolite for ability users to ask about each other¡¯s skills and stats, but Kang Hyeon and Shin Seong-a weren¡¯t the type to care about such formalities. ¡°It¡¯s been about two months since it rose to B-rank.¡± ¡°What?! Why is it so high?¡± ¡°When I first picked up a bow, it immediately rose to D-rank. I think my previous experience with archery might have influenced it.¡± ¡°Even so, to reach B-rank. And two months ago at that?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not much¡­ Hehe.¡± Even considering that Shin Seong-a had given up everything else to practice archery day and night, it was clearly a high figure. ¡°I see.¡± ¡®I think I could reach B-rank if I focused solely on swordsmanship too¡­¡¯ Time was precious. Kang Hyeon knew well how much time Shin Seong-a invested in handling the bow. The problem was that he was already investing a simr amount of time in handling the sword. Yet the results were so different. ¡°We¡¯ve arrived.¡± While Kang Hyeon was pondering, the van had already arrived in front of the guild office. As Kang Hyeon got out of the vehicle, he waved at An Yu-seong who was walking towards them. ¡°Where have you been?¡± ¡°Home.¡± ¡°Yeah? Hey, let me ask you something.¡± ¡°What?¡± An Yu-seong looked at Kang Hyeon as if he were crazy as Kang Hyeon suddenly grabbed and shook him. ¡°You have basic skills like swordsmanship or archery too, right?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°What rank are they?¡± ¡°Weapon Skill B, Blunt Weapon Skill A.¡± ¡°What?¡± For a moment, Kang Hyeon frowned, not understanding. ¡°Weapon Skill B and Blunt Weapon Skill A.¡± ¡°What? I can understand Blunt Weapon Skill, but what¡¯s Weapon Skill?¡± ¡°It just appeared and rose on its own. I heard it adjusts any weapon I hold to B-rank.¡± ¡°Crazy¡­¡± Kang Hyeon sincerely thought that all naturally gifted people should die. ¡°Why is your Blunt Weapon Skill so high?!¡± ¡°This one also just kept rising as I fought.¡± A deep anger rose from within Kang Hyeon. Kang Hyeon sighed and roughly ran his hand through his hair. ¡°Hey.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s fight.¡± ¡°Again?¡± ¡°Damn it. Let me try to raise my sword skill too. What? Don¡¯t want to!?¡± ¡°You can¡¯t because youck talent, Kang Hyeon. It¡¯s too inefficient from an efficiency standpoint.¡± ¡°This bastard, just because you have a hole in your face¡­¡± As Kang Hyeon, his eyes rolling back in excitement, tried to take out Ogre¡¯s Giant Hammer from his inventory, An Yu-seong stopped him. ¡°But why are you trying so hard to raise your sword skill?¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°You have other strengths, don¡¯t you? Power, recklessbat. Do you need special techniques for that?¡± ¡°I¡¯m doing this because that alone seems insufficient.¡± Kang Hyeon-do understands his strengths and weaknesses in battle quite well. However, he¡¯s trying to do something more out of a desire to be even a little stronger. ¡°Then you should focus on improving what you¡¯re already good at. There¡¯s no need to try harder at things you¡¯re not good at.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± ¡°At least for you, I think sword training is too inefficient.¡± It was something he had thought about before, but hearing it from An Yu-seong, who had a natural talent forbat, made it resonate even more. ¡°I thought so too, but it seems like I¡¯ve reached my limit with just smashing and destroying things¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s not about that.¡± ¡°Then what?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you know? You have quite a talent for magical power.¡± Talent for magical power. Honestly, until recently, Kang Hyeon thought he was quite talented in magical power. However, after seeing the masked person¡¯s perfected use of magical power, he had long since abandoned that thought. ¡°If you look around, there are probably plenty of guys more talented in using magical power, right?¡± ¡°That¡¯s to be expected. But you should be grateful that you have an area where you¡¯re even slightly better than others.¡± ¡°This guy, from earlier¡­!¡± *** Ippotrantion *** In the empty office after everyone has gone home. Kang Hyeon, left alone, soaked his feet in poison and became lost in thought. ¡°To use magical power directly inbat, you need to release even a small amount of magical power externally, which is apanied by extreme magical power consumption. And extreme mental fatigue is a bonus.¡± In this situation, Kang Hyeon, who usually had to conserve magical power as much as possible, couldn¡¯t help but be reluctant to even consider using magical power inbat. ¡°Magical power¡­ I definitely need to increase my overall understanding and utilization of magical power.¡± As the poison touched his skin, a tingling pain crept up his ankles, but his mind seemed to be clearer. ¡°Come to think of it, all skills are achieved through magical power.¡± The sharpness-enhancing Bisection. The magic-exploding Magic Explosion. The strength-increasing Giant¡¯s Strength. Even Entria¡¯s Outer Shell that hardens the skin. All skills, regardless of type, are achieved by consuming magical power. ¡°Entria¡¯s Outer Shell.¡± Kang Hyeon activated the skill. He could feel the magical power inside his body moving, changing, and hardening near his skin. ¡°It took quite some time just to feel this.¡± In Kang Hyeon¡¯s opinion, this effect wasn¡¯t some inherent power of the skill itself. It was achieved solely through the movement and utilization of magical power. ¡°Wayne¡¯s Secret Technique.¡± As he used the skill, strength surged throughout his body, and he felt a sensation of his flesh burning. It was a pain intense enough to make an ordinary person scream immediately, but for Kang Hyeon, it was just a familiar pain. ¡°But this feels different.¡± He couldn¡¯t understand how his body was being strengthened. Perhaps it was because the magical power was moving violently to recover the body that was being destroyed in real-time. ¡°Haa¡­¡± Kang Hyeon, feeling overwhelmed, canceled all skills. This time, he deliberately moved his magical power and released it through his hand. -Woong It was a small sound, but as the magical power was emitted, he had the illusion that space was resonating. After staring at his hand for a moment, Kang Hyeon struck the desk. -Kwang! Although he struck lightly, the magical power in his hand exploded, instantly shattering the desk. However, unlike when using Magic Explosion up close, there was no direct damage to his hand. ¡°Is it simultaneous body enhancement and explosion?¡± It felt like he was on the verge of grasping something, yet it remained elusive. -Kwang, Kwang! Kang Hyeon struck the desk a few more times. ¡°What if I try it like this?¡± -Bang! ¡°How about this?¡± -Kwang! Kang Hyeon¡¯s explosion experiments, which startedte at night, continued until sunrise. *** Ippotrantion *** Magic Explosion (C ¡ú B) Magic Detection (D ¡ú C) Magic Operation (E ¡ú D) These were abilities and skills that had increased in rank overnight. Kang Hyeon felt extreme fatigue, but the moment he saw the status window, it felt like all his fatigue had vanished. As he was smiling contentedly for a while, suddenly the office door opened. It was Han Jae-moon. ¡°You¡¯re here.¡± ¡°Yes¡­¡± 7 AM. Han Jae-moon, who always arrived first, covered his mouth at the sight before him. ¡®What is this¡­¡¯ The office furniture waspletely destroyed. Han Jae-moon thought that there might have been an attack during the night. ¡°Guild Master. Did something happen¡­?¡± ¡°Huh? Haha! Something did happen.¡± ¡°Could it be those terrorists from before¡­?¡± ¡°No. Just, you know, I was practicing a bit. I should have done it outside, but I felt like I¡¯d lose focus if I went out.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s a refreshing morning. Shall we start by cleaning the office?¡± ¡°Yes¡­¡± The employees who arrived after also silently picked up brooms when they saw the two cleaning. ¡°When we expand the guild this time, we should hire a few janitors. Don¡¯t you think?¡± ¡°Yes¡­¡± Han Jae-moon had a lot he wanted to say but couldn¡¯t bring himself to. ¡°By the way, Guild Master.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°The interviews start tomorrow.¡± ¡°Really? That was quick.¡± It seemed the guild member recruitment he had mentioned was already prepared. ¡°Yes. We had to end it early because there were too many applicants.¡± Kang Hyeon, who hadn¡¯t given much thought to the recruitment, brightened at this unexpected news. ¡°That¡¯s great. How many people applied?¡± ¡°5000 people.¡± ¡°What¡­?¡± Chapter 80 Chapter 80 ¨C Guild Expansion (4) F-rank dungeon, Liker Vige. It¡¯s a dungeon belonging to the Maker Guild, a small to medium-sized guild. ¡°Let¡¯s work hard today too!¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Lee Yoon-hyung, an executive of the Maker Guild, pped his hands energetically while looking at the guild members. Usually, ten Maker Guild members, including Lee Yoon-hyung, hunt here. The average daily wage is 200,000 won. Considering the job characteristics of ability users who risk their lives, it was quite a low ie, but no oneined because they could earn money steadily every day. ¡°I hope we hit the jackpot today.¡± ¡°Yeah. I wonder if anything good will drop?¡± The Maker Guild really worked hard to im this Liker Vige. Recently, due to government policies, many dungeons in the metropolitan area have been cleared, intensifyingpetition. Small and medium-sized guilds like the Maker Guild had to shed a lot of blood just to im one F-rank dungeon. -Whoosh! At that moment, the dungeon entrance opened, and several men and women entered. ¡°Who are you?¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°This is a dungeon owned by the Maker Guild. Please leave.¡± Usually, guilds that own dungeons often engage in plundering, but these people didn¡¯t. They could use force if necessary, but most ability users would quietly leave if persuaded properly, so they didn¡¯t want to cause a bloodshed if possible. ¡°Isn¡¯t this Liker Vige?¡± ¡°It is.¡± ¡°We were told there¡¯s an interview here today¡­¡± ¡°What did you say?¡± This was news to Lee Yoon-hyung. ¡®Is the Guild Master trying to recruit new guild members?¡¯ That was highly likely, but it was a bit unpleasant that he, who manages this dungeon, wasn¡¯t informed at all. ¡°I haven¡¯t heard about this. I¡¯ll contact the Guild Master and get back to you, so please wait outside for now.¡± ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t this the ce for the Badass Guild interview?¡± ¡°It seems that person doesn¡¯t know.¡± Lee Yoon-hyung tilted his head as he heard people murmuring. ¡°Badass?¡± He had also heard that the Badass Guild was recruiting new members. He wasn¡¯t particrly interested, but because it was Kang Hyeon¡¯s guild that had recently be too famous, he couldn¡¯t help but hear news from around. ¡°Are you here for the Badass Guild interview?¡± ¡°Yes. Aren¡¯t you from the Badass Guild?¡± ¡°No, but¡­¡± It was when Lee Yoon-hyung sensed that something was wrong. -Whoosh, Whoosh! The closed dungeon entrance opened again, and people started pouring in like a flood. ¡°W-what¡¯s going on?!¡± The endlessly iing people quickly exceeded 100 and soon filled the dungeon entrance. The number easily surpassed a thousand. Lee Yoon-hyung had never seen so many ability users gathered in one ce before. ¡°When does the interview start?¡± ¡°They¡¯re going to test this many people at once? Is that possible?¡± ¡°Are you the supervisor? When is An Yu-seonging? I¡¯m a huge fan!¡± ¡°Start quickly!¡± ¡°N-no! I¡¯m not from Badass, I¡¯m from the Maker Guild¡­¡± Lee Yoon-hyung felt like he was losing his mind with the noise of a thousand people chattering. ¡°Who are you people?¡± At that moment, Lee Yoon-hyung¡¯s head quickly turned at the voiceing from right behind him. ¡°Kang Hyeon¡­?¡± ¡°Wow! It¡¯s Kang Hyeon.¡± ¡°Hey, hey. Kang Hyeon¡¯s here!¡± Ignoring themotion around, Kang Hyeon wore a fierce expression. ¡°I¡¯ve never seen you before, why are you pretending to be our guild members?¡± ¡°No, you see¡­¡± ¡°What¡¯s this? If you want to join, just take the interview today. Don¡¯t y around.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not it¡­ This is our guild¡¯s dungeon¡­?¡± ¡°Excuse me?¡± Kang Hyeon looked bewildered at Lee Yoon-hyung¡¯s unexpected words. ¡°This dungeon belongs to our Maker Guild¡­¡± ¡°Ah, so this dungeon had an owner. I¡¯m sorry. I didn¡¯t know.¡± ¡°Haha¡­¡± Lee Yoon-hyung felt relieved when Kang Hyeon genuinely looked like he didn¡¯t know. ¡®He seems more reasonable than I thought?¡¯ Originally, guild-owned dungeons can be immediately identified if searched on the radar, but well, it¡¯s possible to not know. ¡®He must have been too busy to check.¡¯ Lee Yoon-hyung, who had been nodding for a moment, continued speaking. ¡°Then, could you please take these people and leave now? We need to work.¡± ¡°Excuse me?!¡± Suddenly, Kang Hyeon¡¯s expression turned grim. ¡°What did you say?¡± ¡°If you could leave the dungeon¡­¡± ¡°Why! Should I! Go somewhere else?¡± ¡°Obviously, this is Maker Guild¡¯s dungeon¡­¡± ¡°From today, this dungeon belongs to the Badass Guild.¡± ¡°¡­?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not like it¡¯s legally determined anyway, and you guys also took this dungeon by force, right? Am I wrong?¡± He wasn¡¯t wrong. Originally, dungeon ownership isn¡¯t legally established, and it¡¯s an implicit division of territories among guilds, so forcefully taking and losing dungeons wasmon. Of course, the Maker Guild also imed this dungeon after a war with other guild members. ¡°But this isn¡¯t right!¡± ¡°What¡¯s not right? I couldn¡¯t sleepst night, so I¡¯m a bit sensitive. If you have a problem, juste at me.¡± The people who gathered for the interview wore intrigued expressions at the sudden verbal confrontation. ¡°Is it okay for a famous person like you to act like this?¡± ¡°F*ck, whether I¡¯m famous or not, what are you going to do about it? Is there a problem with me taking by force what you took by force?¡± ¡°You bastard, you¡¯ve gone too far!¡± Finally unable to hold back, Lee Yoon-hyung drew his sword. -sh That was Lee Yoon-hyung¡¯sst memory. ¡°W-what just happened?¡± ¡°Did he just get pped?¡± ¡°I couldn¡¯t even see it properly.¡± Kang Hyeon didn¡¯t even nce at the fallen Lee Yoon-hyung, instead looking at the other Maker Guild members. ¡°I¡¯ll borrow them just for today, so go quietly. Submit a im to our guild for any unpaid wages.¡± ¡°Y-yes, yes!¡± The Maker Guild members, half-dazed, nodded and immediately carried Lee Yoon-hyung out of the dungeon. ¡°Now then, sorry to keep you waiting. Let¡¯s start the interview.¡± Kang Hyeon calmly looked at the interview candidates as if nothing had happened. ¡°Before the interview, you should have been assigned numbers from 1 to 1000. As exined earlier, please gather in groups of 100. The order doesn¡¯t matter. Just form groups of 100 people.¡± Following Kang Hyeon¡¯s instructions, people started gathering, recalling their numbers. 1-100 101-200 ? 901-1000 A total of 10 teams of 100 people each were formed. ¡°Looks like everyone¡¯s ready. Then, team number 1, please step forward.¡± At Kang Hyeon¡¯s words, 100 people walked forward. ¡°The interview method is simple. If you¡¯re standing here after thirty minutes, you pass the first round. Using debuff skills is prohibited, and running away will be considered an immediate disqualification.¡± ¡°¡­?¡± People were confused by Kang Hyeon¡¯s sudden announcement. ¡°Are you saying that 100 people here should have a survival game?!¡± ¡°This test method is too cruel. There could be casualties.¡± Kang Hyeon smiled wryly at the protests erupting here and there. ¡°It¡¯s not like that, so don¡¯t worry. You are all one team.¡± ¡°What? Then is monster hunting the test?¡± ¡°This is an F-grade dungeon¡­ Isn¡¯t it too weak?¡± ¡°Quiet!¡± As the atmosphere became chaotic again, Kang Hyeon shouted to bring order. ¡°The rules are simple. You 100 people are one team. And the opponent is me alone. If youst thirty minutes, you win. Understand?¡± *** Ippotrantion *** ¡°Is today the guild interview day?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Han Si-hwan , visiting the office after a long time, looked around. ¡°Where¡¯s the Guild Master¡­?¡± ¡°If you mean my brother, he went to conduct the interviews.¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± Han Si-hwan wore a worried expression at An Yu-seong¡¯s answer. ¡°Um, Vice Guild Master¡­?¡± ¡°Just call mefortably.¡± ¡°Then, can I call you Yu-seong?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Yu-seong. I heard about the interview content, and¡­ Is it true that they fight as a group?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Han Si-hwan¡¯s expression darkened further at An Yu-seong¡¯s calm reply. ¡°Aren¡¯t you worried? I think we should go check¡­¡± ¡°You¡¯re worried about Kang Hyeon? It doesn¡¯t matter anyway since the first day is mostly for recruiting lower levels.¡± ¡°Even so, it¡¯s 100 people. Plus, he has to subdue them. What if something goes wrong?¡± ¡°If you¡¯re that worried, go see for yourself.¡± At An Yu-seong¡¯s slightly prickly words, Han Si-hwan quietly nodded and withdrew. ¡°Hmm¡­¡± An Yu-seong, watching Han Si-hwan leave, spoke to Shin Seong-a. ¡°Older Sister.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Why did you stay in the office instead of going with my brother today?¡± ¡°I have work to do today.¡± ¡°That¡¯s unusual.¡± ¡°I need to design jackets for the new guild members.¡± ¡°I should have known.¡± An Yu-seong, who momentarily thought Shin Seong-a was actually working, reflected on his assumption. ¡°And why are you here, Yu-seong?¡± ¡°What¡¯s the point of going? It won¡¯t be fun anyway.¡± ¡°It¡¯s still a battle, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°What kind of battle is that? It¡¯s just ying with kids. I¡¯m not interested in childcare.¡± ¡°I see.¡± *** Ippotrantion *** Han Si-hwan liked his current life. The time he spent with Park Se-hyeon in the Guardian Guild before. Those days filled with a sense of duty were certainly good, but now it¡¯s good in a different way. The free atmosphere of the guild. The pursuit of strength. Guild Master Kang Hyeon wasn¡¯t exactly a good person, but he wasn¡¯t evil either. He always seemed to act on his own, but he had firm principles and knew how to take responsibility for his actions. ¡°Sometimes he¡¯s too willful and makes things difficult, though.¡± Anyway, Han Si-hwan always felt grateful to Kang Hyeon for taking in him and the Guardian Guild members. Thinking that such a person might be in a difficult situation made him feel uneasy. ¡°I¡¯ve arrived.¡± Han Si-hwan, arriving at the F-grade dungeon Liker Vige, immediately entered. -Whoosh The now-familiar sensation of his body rising. ¡®I hope nothing¡¯s wrong¡­¡¯ Finally entering the dungeon, Han Si-hwan¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Is that all you¡¯ve got? What do you think you can do with that kind of guts?!¡± Hundreds of people were already lying on the ground. Most of them seemed to be alive as they were still moving, but at a nce, they looked like they would need to spend quite some time in the hospital. ¡°Those waiting in line behind. If you think you can¡¯t do it, leave now. Don¡¯t waste time.¡± Kang Hyeon was beating the interviewees without even holding a weapon. They attacked him with all kinds of skills, but the difference in basic physical specs was too great. ¡°Alright! I¡¯m leaving! What kind of interview is this?!¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to report you!¡± ¡°You there. I heard that. Make sure you report it. Or you¡¯re dead!¡± The interview seemed to be about halfway through, but most of the people waiting in the back were leaving. ¡°Oh? Han Si-hwan?¡± At that moment, Kang Hyeon noticed Han Si-hwan and called out to him. ¡°Yes, Guild Master.¡± ¡°What brings you here?¡± ¡°I was worried you might be having trouble¡­¡± ¡°It is certainly tiring to watch these stubborn ones.¡± As he spoke, Kang Hyeon checked the time. ¡°There¡¯s still 20 minutes left, and they¡¯re all down already? Next group,e in.¡± At Kang Hyeon¡¯s call, about 20 people came forward. ¡°What? Is this all?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Are these numbers 601 to 700?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Where are the rest?¡± ¡°They all left¡­¡± ¡°Hah.¡± Kang Hyeon suppressed augh at the guild member¡¯s words beside him. ¡°Just gather all the remaining applicants now.¡± Originally, 400 people should have gathered. However, even when all the remaining people were gathered, there weren¡¯t even 100. ¡°We¡¯ll do thest round all at once. The rules are the same as before.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Everyone nodded with solemn expressions at Kang Hyeon¡¯s words. ¡°Then, everyonee in.¡± ¡°Aaaaah!¡± Han Si-hwan had certainlye out of concern for Kang Hyeon. But now he was starting to worry about the remaining interviewees. ¡®This is called an interview¡­?¡¯ He had never heard of such an interview in his life. To Han Si-hwan, this seemed like assault disguised as an interview. ¡°Argh!¡± -Thud ¡°Kyaaa!¡± Men and women, big and small, all were beaten equally. Still, it was impressive that those who remained after seeing the previous scenes didn¡¯t give up and kept charging. At the same time, it was pitiful. ¡®What is the Guild Master thinking¡­¡¯ Somehow, Kang Hyeon¡¯s expression seemed to be quite enjoying it, which made Han Si-hwan even more worried. ¡°That¡¯s it! The people left this time have some grit!¡± People who were covered in blood and fallen on the ground, even those who seemed to have broken bones, were trembling and getting up. Seeing this, Kang Hyeon smiled even more brightly. ¡°If you can hold out for just 30 more minutes, you all pass!¡± *** Ippotrantion *** After the hellish interview ended, government people came to support those who had fainted. Given therge number of about 500 people, the dispatched team was quite substantial. ¡°You came?¡± ¡°Haa, Kang Hyeon. What on earth made you do this?¡± Shin Tae-gil, who came after hearing the news, sighed. ¡°You said you¡¯d support it.¡± ¡°What were you thinking when you nned this kind of interview?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. Even I don¡¯t understand what the Guild Master was thinking this time.¡± As Han Si-hwan chimed in after Shin Tae-gil, Kang Hyeon shrugged. ¡°Curious? If you¡¯re curious, it¡¯s 500 won.¡± ¡°Stop joking. Some were at a level where they could have lost their lives if it had been a littleter.¡± ¡°Haha. They already signed the papers before the interview.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not the point!¡± ¡°Ahem. It¡¯s a joke. A joke. Just in case, I had professional medical staff on standby.¡± When Shin Tae-gil became serious, Kang Hyeonughed in embarrassment. ¡°Anyway, to get to the point. Grit! I wanted to recruit people with tenacity.¡± ¡°Tenacity¡­?¡± ¡°Yes. Tenacity. All the kids gathered today are at low levels, below level 30.¡± ¡°I know that from what I¡¯ve heard.¡± ¡°Shin Tae-gil. You once told me, right? That the growth of ability users is stagnating.¡± ¡°Yes¡­¡± The overall stagnation in the growth of ability users. It¡¯s something Han Se-yeon mentioned a long time ago too. ¡°What do you think is the reason?¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± ¡°In my opinion, the first reason is that they¡¯ve reached the limit of their talent. Those annoying talent-filled guys level up irritatingly fast, you know.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± It was no longer a secret that growth rates varied even when hunting the same monsters. ¡°But there¡¯s an even more fundamental reason than that.¡± Shin Tae-gil unconsciously tensed up as Kang Hyeon suddenly spoke with gravity. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Theyck guts.¡± ¡°Guts?¡± ¡°Guts! In other words, stubbornness, determination, nerve, tenacity!¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°What ability users need now is that grit. At first nce, it sounded like nonsense, but thinking about it carefully, it made sense. At some point, ability users started to settle for the status quo. Stronger bodies than ordinary people. Lots of money. They earn more money than corporate employees just by tackling E-grade dungeons without pushing themselves. Once they get used to a dungeon, they canfortably hunt monsters without any crisis. ¡°Are you saying their growth has stagnated because they¡¯ve settled for reality?¡± Shin Tae-gil, being in the government, knew this current situation better than anyone. ¡°That¡¯s right. Unless you¡¯re naturally talented. To be strong, you need to constantly push and be pushed to your limits. But if you¡¯re just hunting the same monsters you hunt every day, there¡¯s no way you¡¯ll level up even if you hunt all day.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± ¡°So! Looking ahead, I need people who really want to be strong, who will get up and fight again even if their bodies feel like they¡¯re being shattered in the process of bing stronger.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Then you can be strong even without talent. This difference will widen more as time passes.¡± Shin Tae-gil and Han Si-hwan couldn¡¯t help but nod at Kang Hyeon¡¯s words. In Han Si-hwan¡¯s case, he had to agree when he thought about his own growth and that of the Guardian Guild members. ¡°Now healing magic has be much moremon, and it will only get better in the future. In my opinion, there will definitelye a time when all ability users can recover without dying unless it¡¯s instant death, like me now. When that timees, those who know how to stick their heads into a monster¡¯s mouth without caring about their bodies will survive and be stronger. I¡¯d bet on it.¡± ¡°Haa¡­¡± In the end, even Shin Tae-gil was persuaded by Kang Hyeon¡¯s words. ¡°So you¡¯re saying you¡¯ll continue to do this in the future?¡± ¡°If necessary, we should. You told me to grow the guild, right? But I have no intention of epting just anyone.¡± Kang Hyeon turned around to look at the interviewees. ¡°Look at those kids standing there. Aren¡¯t they amazing?¡± Shin Tae-gil, following Kang Hyeon¡¯s gaze, couldn¡¯t smile like Kang Hyeon. There were people standing there, not falling down even though they were covered in blood, with eyes full of determination. Kang Hyeon approached one of the women among them. ¡°There¡¯s no distinction between men and women in this kind of thing. We all get ability adjustments anyway, so what physical difference is there, right?¡± Kang Hyeon said with a smile, but the woman didn¡¯t answer. ¡°Huh?¡± Kang Hyeon¡¯s face hardened as he examined the woman. ¡°What¡­ She fainted while standing?¡± These applicants¡¯ determination had already exceeded Kang Hyeon¡¯s expectations. Chapter 81 Chapter 81 ¨C Wind of Change (1) ¡°Hey. Have you heard the rumor?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°About the Badass Guild interview.¡± ¡°That crazy interview?¡± ¡°Yeah. I heard less than 60 people passed.¡± ¡°Out of 5000 applicants? That¡¯s like 1 in 100. Insane.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it too much? Even though they have Kang Hyeon, they¡¯re not even in the top 10 guilds, they¡¯re practically new. The guys struggling to get in there aren¡¯t in their right minds either.¡± ¡°I know. If it were me, I¡¯d rather apply to a top 10 guild. Why bother with Badass¡­¡± ¡°Hey, hey! Shut up!¡± The man who was chattering away frowned when his friend suddenly covered his mouth. ¡°What? Why suddenly¡­ Huh!¡± But soon the man also held his breath as if he¡¯d seen a ghost and closed his mouth. ¡°Ugh¡­¡± It was because the Badass Guild members who had finished conquering a dungeon were walking by. The men were frozen, barely breathing until the guild members hadpletely passed. A momentter. After all the Badass Guild members had passed andpletely disappeared from view, they finally let out a sigh of relief. ¡°Damn, look at those fierce expressions.¡± ¡°There¡¯s a rumor that they practice killing people in dungeons.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s be careful not to run into them from now on¡­¡± After the interview that had stirred up the entire Republic of Korea ended, finally 56 sessful candidates were selected. Their levels, ages, genders were all across the spectrum, and there were even people of different races. There was only onemon point among these diverse individuals, where the difference between the highest and lowest level exceeded 30. ¡°I guess it¡¯s true that they only picked the really fierce ones¡­¡± That¡¯s right, fierceness. The condition for entering the Badass Guild is simple. You just need to be fierce. Anyone could join the guild if they were fierce, persistent, and reckless enough to make anyone who saw them stick out their tongue. ¡°Ugh¡­ I feel like I¡¯m dying.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a miracle we¡¯re still alive.¡± Even the fierce people who had already been tested by Kang Hyeon and entered the guild were groaning while undergoing the Bades Guild¡¯s training. ¡°Hey. When I joined, the Guild Master trained us directly, and it was even worse than this. You guys are lucky.¡± Kim Jin-seon, the man at the forefront of them. He was one of the members from the Guardian Guild who had suffered greatly following Kang Hyeon in the beginning. ¡°Yes, Team Leader.¡± Kim Jin-seon¡¯s level was 55. It was quite high even among the elite former Guardian members who were currently the guild¡¯s best. Thanks to this, he could show off quite a bit among the new guild members who were all below level 30. ¡°You guys work hard too. My leveling speed has at least doubled sinceing to the Badass Guild.¡± ¡°Having fun?¡± At that moment. Kim Jin-seon¡¯s forehead tensed at the casual voiceing from behind. ¡°Which bastard is being sarcastic?¡± ¡°It¡¯s me.¡± ¡°Gasp! Vice Guild Master¡­¡± ¡°Please, continue what you were doing.¡± ¡°Ah, no, it¡¯s nothing.¡± Kim Jin-seon broke out in a cold sweat,pletely frozen after facing An Yu-seong. ¡®Why is this crazy guy here¡­¡¯ Not much is known to the public about the Badass Guild other than Kang Hyeon. However, Kim Jin-seon knows. That Vice Guild Master An Yu-seong is the real madman, surpassing even Kang Hyeon. ¡°Where are you going?¡± ¡°Just out for a walk.¡± ¡°I see¡­¡± Usually, if An Yu-seong wasn¡¯t in a dungeon, he was cooped up in the guild office. In the office, he mainly yed games and designed guild merchandise, but asionally he would y darts with Shin Seong-a using daggers, chilling the onlookers. A walk didn¡¯t suit An Yu-seong at all, but Kim Jin-seon wasn¡¯t stupid enough to argue or question it. ¡°Then, carry on.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Kim Jin-seon¡¯s waist, bent at 90 degrees, didn¡¯t straighten until An Yu-seong hadpletely left. *** Ippotrantion *** An Yu-seong was wandering the streets aimlessly. ¡°Father¡­¡± The man who he thought hadpletely lost interest in him. He never thought he would draw attention again in this way, thinking he would never face him again. ¡°He¡¯ll probably summon brother directly.¡± He was a man who had grasped whatever he wanted. It was clear he would achieve his goal by any means necessary now that he had a target. ¡°I should tell him in advance¡­¡± He couldn¡¯t bring himself to tell Kang Hyeon first. Pride, guilt, self-loathing. Countless other emotions that couldn¡¯t be exined in words were tangled up. An Yu-seong smiled bitterly at the helplessness he felt after a long time. ¡°Hm?¡± An Yu-seong stopped at the creaking sounding from somewhere. Looking around, he could see a boy alone on a swing in a yground. ¡°It¡¯s been a while.¡± A quite old yground. A ce that seemed like no one but that child would visit. Somehow feeling like he was looking at his younger self, An Yu-seong¡¯s feet naturally led him there. ¡°¡­?¡± The child seemed wary of his sudden appearance. Ignoring the suspicious gaze, An Yu-seong plopped down on a swing. -Creak, creak¡­ As he lightly kicked off the ground, the old chains made a nostalgic sound as they moved. ¡°Did youe to ride the swing too, mister?¡± The child let his guard down quicker than expected. ¡°Ie here every day.¡± Despite An Yu-seong¡¯s lukewarm response, the child chattered away, seemingly happy to have someone to talk to after a long time. ¡°What about your friends?¡± ¡°They all go to academies after school, so there¡¯s no one around.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you go to an academy?¡± ¡°I asked to be sent, but mom said no. So I y here waiting for mom toe.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Mister. The swing here is really¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m not a mister.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Call me big brother. I¡¯m only 19.¡± ¡°Mister. Mom said lying is wrong.¡± The child spoke with a very serious expression. An Yu-seong just chuckled at the absurdity. ¡°Mister.¡± ¡°What.¡± ¡°What are those drawings on your body?¡± ¡°They¡¯re called tattoos.¡± ¡°What about the bead-like things on your face?¡± ¡°Piercings.¡± ¡°Doesn¡¯t it hurt? Mom said only bad people do things like that.¡± ¡°I am a bad person.¡± The child¡¯s eyes widened in shock at An Yu-seong¡¯s words. ¡°Mister, are you a bad person¡­?¡± Just then, someone¡¯s voice was heard calling out. ¡°Tae-hyung!¡± ¡°Mom!¡± At that sound, the child¡¯s face immediately brightened, and he ran off in a hurry. ¡°What were you doing?¡± ¡°I was talking with a mister.¡± ¡°What mister?¡± ¡°That mister over there.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°He has lots of drawings on his body, and he said he¡¯s a bad person.¡± At the child¡¯s words, the woman looked at An Yu-seong with a bewildered expression. ¡®Why is she looking at me like that?¡¯ He hadn¡¯t done anything, but she was looking at him as if he were a kidnapper. An Yu-seong smiled as gently as he could. Somehow, it felt like he should. ¡°Tae-hyung. Let¡¯s go quickly!¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Horrified by An Yu-seong¡¯s smile, the child¡¯s mother hurriedly hugged her son. ¡°From tomorrow, don¡¯te to this yground! Understand?!¡± ¡°Mom, then where should I y¡­¡± Listening to the conversation of the mother and child as they moved away, An Yu-seong chuckled mindlessly. ¡°Haha. Hahaha¡­¡± But theughter was short-lived. -Creak, creak¡­ The yground was soon filled with the creaking sound of the swing. How much time had passed? Before he knew it, darkness had fallen around him. During that time, An Yu-seong had been lost in thought, but no answers came. He was just being drawn deeper into the problem. The ants crossing the sand. Usually, he would have ignored them or crushed them in an instant, but today, for some reason, he wanted to just watch them quietly. ¡°What are you doing?¡± That¡¯s when it happened. A familiar voice came from in front of him. An Yu-seong answered without even raising his head. ¡°You came?¡± ¡°Are you some kind of entomologist Fabre? Why are you staring at ants so intently?¡± ¡°I¡¯m nning to kill them all at once when I get home.¡± ¡°You crazy bastard.¡± Kang Hyeon just shook his head at the iprehensible words. ¡°Stop joking around, what were you really doing here? With your phone turned off too. Do you know how much I¡¯ve been running around looking for you?¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°You told me to try increasing my magical powerst time, remember? I¡¯ve made some progress. I wanted to thank you. And brag a little too, while I¡¯m at it.¡± ¡°Congrattions.¡± ¡°Put some soul into it, man.¡± Kang Hyeon chuckled and sat down on the swing next to An Yu-seong. ¡°Hey. Let¡¯s have a beer.¡± ¡°I¡¯m still a minor, you know.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t give me that crap. I¡¯ll go buy some, so wait here.¡± ¡°Do you see me as a mister too?¡± ¡°What nonsense are you spouting?!¡± Kang Hyeon looked at An Yu-seong as if he were looking at something disgusting, then headed to a nearby convenience store. ¡°I don¡¯t know what you like, so I just bought what I drink.¡± A momentter, Kang Hyeon returned with a ck bag and handed An Yu-seong a beer. ¡°This is my first time drinking alcohol.¡± ¡°Bullshit.¡± ¡°It¡¯s true.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yes¡­¡± Kang Hyeon¡¯s eyes wavered. He seemed quite shocked. ¡°Doesn¡¯t your father usually give you a drink at home? You¡¯ve graduated high school, haven¡¯t you?¡± ¡°No. Nothing like that.¡± ¡°Then learn from me. It¡¯ll be January 1st, New Year¡¯s Day, tomorrow anyway. You won¡¯t die from drinking a day early, will you?¡± So for a while, the two of them drank their beers in silence. The cold December wind swept over their bodies, but neither of them paid attention to it as their bodies weren¡¯t affected by ordinary weather. ¡°Oh. It¡¯s snowing.¡± ¡°So it is.¡± That¡¯s when it started snowing from the sky. There was heavy snow decorating the end of the year. ¡°Brother.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°My father wants to meet you.¡± ¡°Me? Why?¡± ¡°Well, there could be many reasons.¡± ¡°I see.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Is that all?¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± An Yu-seong raised his head at Kang Hyeon¡¯s sudden words. ¡°Is that all you have to say?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Damn, why is the atmosphere so dead, like we¡¯re at a funeral? I thought something big had happened.¡± ¡°You might not realize it, but this is already a big deal¡­¡± ¡°They¡¯re already here.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°I said, people have alreadye. I was wondering who they were, it seems like they were sent by your father.¡± At Kang Hyeon¡¯s words, An Yu-seong¡¯s expression hardened. He knew his father would make a move, but he didn¡¯t expect him to act this quickly. ¡°So what did you do?¡± ¡°What could I do? They kept causing trouble, so I gave each of them a punch in the face.¡± ¡°And then?¡± ¡°And then, well, they were making a fuss about who they were and whatnot, so I gave them each another punch.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°After that, no one else came.¡± It seemed like his father had sent subordinates to find Kang Hyeon. But there¡¯s no way his father would stop here. No, this is just the beginning. He will thoroughly monitor Kang Hyeon¡¯s every move and won¡¯t hesitate to threaten him if it means drawing him in. ¡°Don¡¯t worry.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know why you¡¯re acting so unlike yourself, but you don¡¯t need to feel so sorry. I¡¯m quite popr, you know.¡± ¡°That sounds more like a chronic disease. Heh.¡± The heavy atmosphere lifted at theme joke, and Kang Hyeon, who had emptied his beer can in one go, stood up. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± ¡°Where?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go see your father. He just wants to see my face, and it¡¯s not like I have such an expensive face. It¡¯s no big deal to meet him once, right?¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Kang Hyeon frowned at An Yu-seong¡¯s response. ¡°You crazy bastard. You¡¯re giving me goosebumps. Just act like you usually do, man.¡± Chapter 82 Chapter 82 Wind of Change (2) ¡°Is this the ce?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°It¡¯s insanely tall.¡± Kang Hyeon marveled at the building that seemed to pierce the sky. Its height was a staggering 666m. It was the tallest building in South Korea and the second tallest building in the world. The Comet Group¡¯s Comet Tower. Kang Hyeon and An Yu-seong were standing in front of this epitome of capitalism. ¡°Does this entire building belong to your family?¡± ¡°We¡¯ve sold a lot of it now. Besides, we have many other buildings anyway.¡± ¡°You lucky bastard.¡± Kang Hyeon had long since abandoned his obsession with money. But seeing such a different scale of wealth made his stomach churn involuntarily. ¡°Mr. Kang Hyeon. Is that you?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± As they entered the building, men in suits who had been waiting approached them. ¡°This way, please.¡± The man guided them to a VIP-only elevator. Kang Hyeon, seeing this for the first time, secretly marveled as he stepped into the elevator. ¡°I suppose we¡¯re heading to the top floor?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t understand why Korean gentlemen like the top so much. Is the feeling of looking down on others that good?¡± ¡°Ahem, hmm¡­¡± The men inside cleared their throats at Kang Hyeon¡¯s unfiltered words. Soon after, the high-speed elevator arrived at the top of the building. As soon as Kang Hyeon entered, he was awestruck by the massive door blocking his view. ¡°Couldn¡¯t you live off selling just one of these door panels for a lifetime?¡± ¡°Perhaps so.¡± An Yu-seong¡¯s expression was noticeably tense as he answered. ¡°Hey. Why are you so nervous?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not nervous.¡± Contrary to his words, An Yu-seong¡¯s fists were clenched and trembling. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Kang Hyeon patted An Yu-seong¡¯s shoulder once before pushing the door open. ¡®Quite a gathering.¡¯ Although he had already sensed it with his magical powers outside the door, seeing it in person was even more impressive. A space so vast you could y ball games in it. A man sat on a sofa in the center, surrounded by over 200 ability users. From what Kang Hyeon could sense, each of them seemed to be at least level 40, upper-middle-ss ability users or higher. ¡°Interesting. Are you trying to intimidate me from the start?¡± ¡°Not at all. These people are simply here for my safety, so don¡¯t mind them. Come, have a seat.¡± The man sitting on the sofa spoke. His hair was already snow-white, but his squared shoulders and straight back showed he was still a vigorous man. ¡°It¡¯s a pleasure to meet such a famous person who¡¯s been causing a stir in the country. I¡¯m An Moo-seok.¡± ¡°Haha. If you had invited me more politely, I would have been d too. What a shame. I¡¯m Kang Hyeon.¡± At Kang Hyeon¡¯s response, An Moo-seok¡¯s eyes narrowed sharply for a moment, but he quickly returned to afortable expression as if nothing had happened. ¡°Young man, it seems you need to be more careful with your words and actions.¡± ¡°Tsk¡­ It looks like you need to re-educate your subordinates. If you wanted to bring me in forcefully, you should have at least sent someone worth fighting. Or is this a problem of a superior sending out weak subordinates?¡± Kang Hyeon¡¯s wide-ranging attack made even the faces of the ability users behind them turn red. Surprisingly, An Moo-seok continued the conversation without saying much. ¡°Let¡¯s stop the jokes here. I¡¯m sure you didn¡¯te here today for this reason.¡± ¡°I¡¯m a busy person too, so let¡¯s get to the point. Why did you look for me?¡± ¡°I hear you¡¯re the leader of a guild called Badass now? With that An Yu-seong as your vice-captain.¡± ¡°That¡¯s correct.¡± ¡°That¡¯s enough for me to gauge your level without needing to see more. I¡¯ll be direct. You,e under me.¡± Kang Hyeon snorted at An Moo-seok¡¯s words. ¡°Ha! An Yu-seong. I hate to say this, but is your father mentally unwell?¡± ¡°¡­¡± An Yu-seong¡¯s face hardened at Kang Hyeon¡¯s words. Normally, he would haveughed it off, but now his mind waspletely nk, burning white-hot. ¡°You¡­ You¡¯re crossing the line now.¡± ¡°You¡¯re the one crossing the line. I don¡¯t know what basis you have for iming to know our level, but we¡¯re certainly not at a level to work under you. You¡¯d better rack your brains again.¡± ¡°I¡¯m warning you for thest time. Watch your mouth.¡± An Moo-seok no longer seemed intent on hiding his anger. Revealing his true colors, he exuded an aura like that of a battle-hardened warrior. It was a befitting appearance for a man who had built a global conglomerate from scratch. ¡°Do you know who these gathered ability users are!?¡± ¡°No, I don¡¯t.¡± ¡°Pffft¡­!¡± Kang Hyeon¡¯s nonchnt answer. Augh finally burst from An Yu-seong¡¯s mouth, which had been holding back until the end. ¡°How dare you fools y with me!? An Yu-seong. How dare a mere thing like youugh at me!¡± ¡°A mere thing¡­ As you said, he¡¯s the vice-captain, the sub-master of the Badass guild. He¡¯s my subordinate. It seems you need to be more careful with your words and actions.¡± -Bam! Unable to contain himself any longer, An Moo-seok mmed the table. ¡°Are you joking right now!? The people gathered here are from Kangshin Guild, ranked 6th in South Korea. And they¡¯re going to rise even further and take the ce of Dangun.¡± While An Moo-seok was ranting heatedly, Kang Hyeon sipped the tea in front of him. The tea tasted very good. ¡°Phew¡­ The tea tastes good.¡± ¡°Insolent punk! I already know everything about you. You¡¯re under the protection of the government, aren¡¯t you? Ha! If you¡¯re putting on airs just because of that, you¡¯re in for a rude awakening.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Kangshin has always been a huge guild. And now, with my investment, it¡¯s as if they¡¯ve grown wings. Do you think a nobody like you, who¡¯s just started to make a name for yourself, can be safe in front of Kangshin?¡± Kangshin Guild. It was a massive guild with a solid foundation centered around its guild master. Originally ranked 10th in the country, it was rapidly climbing up since Chairman An Moo-seok started investing. ¡°Damn. That ¡®the likes of you¡¯ crap. ¡®The likes of you¡¯! It¡¯s driving me crazy.¡± ¡°You still dare to¡­!¡± ¡°Hey, Mr. An Yu-seong¡¯s father. Shall we make a bet?¡± ¡°What are you talking about all of a sudden?¡± ¡°You must know that B-grade dungeons started appearing a few days ago.¡± ¡°¡­¡± An Moo-seok couldn¡¯t gather his thoughts due to Kang Hyeon¡¯s inconsistent speech, switching between formal and informalnguage, honorifics and non-honorifics. ¡°Two main cores from B-grade dungeons. Whoever brings them first wins the bet. If we¡¯re really as insignificant as you say, you should easily win this bet.¡± ¡°What are you willing to wager?¡± An Moo-seok didn¡¯t object to the contents of the bet. He naturally thought he would win. ¡°If you win, you can do whatever you want with me. I¡¯ll follow withoutint. But if I win¡­¡± Kang Hyeon leaned forward with a sinister smile. ¡°Let me give you one forehead flick.¡± ¡°What¡­?¡± ¡°Just one forehead flick. Why? Don¡¯t like it?¡± ¡°Are you joking right now!?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not joking.¡± As he spoke, Kang Hyeon raised his hand. He curled his middle finger against his thumb, ready to shoot it like a bullet using sticity. -Kwaaang! The thick wooden table that Chairman An Moo-seok had mmed his fist on earlier, worth over ten million won, shattered into dozens of pieces in an instant. ¡°I said I¡¯m not joking.¡± *** Ippotrantion *** After Kang Hyeon left. The table Kang Hyeon had destroyed was already reced with a new one. However, Chairman An Moo-seok¡¯s wounded pride couldn¡¯t be reced like the table. ¡°Insolent punk¡­¡± An Moo-seok¡¯s face was tense as he sat on the sofa. ¡°To be yed by such a brat. Sigh¡­¡± Contrary to his words, An Moo-seok was highly evaluating Kang Hyeon. The tremendous strength he showed at the end. Whether it was a skill or pure physical strength was unknown, but he had shattered that solid wood with just a flick of his finger. He had other ability users try it as a test, but not a single one showed the same power as Kang Hyeon. Even when they used their skills. ¡°So he¡¯s not just all talk, huh.¡± An Moo-seok was an ability user who had awakened after passing the first stage of the tutorial, but that was it. There was no reason for him to risk his life fighting monsters. But An Moo-seok realized the importance of ability users early on. -The future world order will depend on what kind of ability users one has. With this thought from the beginning, An Moo-seok thoroughly understood ability users. Unique abilities, general abilities, skills, stats. Even their effects and potential. He analyzed everything he was reported, and finally found a suitable guild. There was a reason he brought in already grown individuals instead of raising ability users himself. Initially, he nned to raise new ability users, but their growth rate was much faster than he had thought. Even An Moo-seok hadn¡¯t expected modern armies to be already losing to ability users. ¡°In the end, finding the Kangshin guild turned out well.¡± Amidst all this, the Kangshin guild caught his eye. At first, it was just a nameless mid-sized guild, but at some point, it started rising rapidly and suddenly took a seat among the top 10 guilds. Moderately strong, moderately greedy, and moderately moral. Kangshin had optimal conditions for An Moo-seok to set his sights on in many ways. ¡°It shouldn¡¯t take long to overtake Dangun, the domestic number one.¡± Dangun Guild. The granddaughter of the Chairman of HanShin Group, who leads the thirdrgest conglomerate in the country. In An Moo-seok¡¯s opinion, Dangun could be the domestic number one because of early investment. But that¡¯s all useless now. Because now he has started investing in and researching ability users in earnest. An Moo-seok¡¯s goal wasn¡¯t simply to be the number one guild in the country. A guild respected worldwide, like the Comet Group. That was An Moo-seok¡¯s goal. *** Ippotrantion *** On the way back to the guild office. An Yu-seong and Kang Hyeon were sitting in the back seat, looking out the window. ¡°Brother. Thank you.¡± An Yu-seong¡¯s voice drifted in the car, where only the quiet engine sound could be heard. ¡°For what?¡± ¡°Just because.¡± ¡°If you¡¯re going to say something cheesy, forget it.¡± Kang Hyeon chuckled. ¡°By the way. Did you see their condition?¡± ¡°You mean those Kangshin guys?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°Why? Was something strange?¡± ¡°Just¡­ It¡¯s peculiar. Remember those drug addicts from before? It¡¯s clearly different, but for some reason, I keep thinking about when we fought them. And¡­¡± Kang Hyeon paused for a moment before continuing. ¡°Their average magical power is too high. It¡¯s impossible unless they¡¯re allposed of mages. Especially the one who seemed to be the guild master, I think he had almost the highest magical power I¡¯ve seen so far.¡± An Yu-seong stroked his chin at Kang Hyeon¡¯s words. ¡°Hmm¡­¡± ¡°Hey. That intuition or premonition or whatever you use seems to be all-purpose, didn¡¯t you get anything this time?¡± ¡°It¡¯s the sixth sense, actually.¡± ¡°Whatever it is.¡± An Yu-seong chuckled at Kang Hyeon¡¯s words and opened his mouth. ¡°Certainly¡­¡± ¡°Certainly?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°I said I don¡¯t know. Honestly, my mind went nk there, so I couldn¡¯t think of anything. You should have been more rude.¡± ¡°Damn it. If you don¡¯t know, just say you don¡¯t know. Why build up suspense like that!¡± ¡°It¡¯s fun, isn¡¯t it? Hehe.¡± An Yu-seongughed emptily. ¡®Certainly¡­ Both Kang Hyeon and Shin Seong-a have good instincts.¡¯ But his true thoughts were different. An Yu-seong definitely felt something from them. It¡¯s just that the feeling was too abstract, so he thought it would be better not to say anything. Throughout their conversation, while facing them, his sixth sense kept telling him. Thatpletely new and different events would unfold from now on. ¡®Things are going to get interesting from now on.¡¯ The winds of change were blowing. Chapter 83 Chapter 83 ¨C Research Institute (1) ¡°Alright. Shall we get going?¡± Kang Hyeon got up from his seat after taking a beer can out of the refrigerator. ¡°Where are you going?¡± ¡°To meet Team Leader Shin Tae-gil. I¡¯m going alone, so you don¡¯t need toe out.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± Kang Hyeon left the office, stopping Shin Seong-a who tried to follow him. ¡°Ah, nice weather.¡± The new year had dawned. It had already been a year since the tutorial started and the world changed. Last year at this time, Kang Hyeon would have been shivering in the cold, but now it¡¯s different. The chilly weather of early January had no effect on Kang Hyeon. ¡°Ahh!¡± Kang Hyeon eximed after taking a swig of the cold beer. The sharp taste and cool sensation as it went down his throat. The moderate carbonation always puts him in a good mood. ¡°Hey, you¡¯re here?¡± Kang Hyeon casually raised his hand to greet the ck sedan. As the window rolled down, Shin Tae-gil could be seen at the wheel. ¡°Drinking in broad daylight?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not like I¡¯m driving, so what does it matter?¡± ¡°Sigh, never mind. Let¡¯s go.¡± Kang Hyeon grinned at Shin Tae-gil¡¯s sigh and got into the passenger seat. ¡°As I mentioned before, this is a hard-won appointment.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°You absolutely must not cause any trouble.¡± ¡°Come on. When have I ever caused trouble¡­¡± As Kang Hyeon spoke, various incidents and idents shed through his mind. ¡°Well. I guess I have been involved in a few incidents.¡± ¡°I¡¯m d you¡¯re aware.¡± ¡°But in the end, it was always a happy ending, right?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think you understand what a happy ending means.¡± ¡°Tsk. Let¡¯s just move on.¡± After staring nkly out the window for a while, Kang Hyeon suddenly spoke up. ¡°Mr. Shin Tae-gil.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°I just remembered, what happened to the weapon you were supposed to give me?¡± ¡°I brought it.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± During the recent Choi Min-jun incident, Kang Hyeon broke Bilgein¡¯s longsword. And he had asked Shin Tae-gil to repair the sword and provide a temporary weapon. ¡°What about the essories and resistance abilities?¡± ¡°I brought everything, so don¡¯t worry.¡± ¡°Oh! You said it was hard to get, but you managed it. Haha!¡± Shin Tae-gil¡¯s expression hardened as he heard Kang Hyeon¡¯sughter. -Where am I supposed to get that kind of budget?! -I¡¯m sorry¡­ But investing in Kang Hyeon will definitely be worth it. Items that grant abilities and skills are expensive. And those rted to resistance are even more expensive. Kang Hyeon had no idea of the astronomical effort Shin Tae-gil had put in to secure that budget. Of course, he wasn¡¯t curious about it either. ¡°But there¡¯s a condition.¡± ¡°A condition?¡± ¡°Yes. Just grant me one favor.¡± Kang Hyeon frowned at Shin Tae-gil¡¯s sudden words. ¡°What kind of favor?¡± Usually, as a member of the Special Ability Management Team, Kang Hyeon had been stepping up to solve most problems. Although he moved because the incidents were rted to him, he thought that no one had worked as hard as he did, results-wise. ¡°It¡¯s not confirmed yet. I¡¯ll tell you soon.¡± ¡°Tch, how boring. Fine. I¡¯ll do whatever I can.¡± Just the item for acquiring resistance ability costs over 10 billion won. Moreover, it¡¯s not something you can get just because you have the money. The demand far outweighed the supply. Even the usually shameless Kang Hyeon thought that after receiving such a rare item, it was only right to do whatever was asked withoutint. ¡°And there¡¯s one more thing.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°On the condition of bringing cheap skill books, we agreed to dispatch you when needed.¡± ¡°What?!¡± Kang Hyeon¡¯s eyes widened at the sudden news of overseas dispatch. ¡°There are also many other countries that were affected during this incident.¡± ¡°And?¡± ¡°If they request ability user support from Korea, we agreed to dispatch.¡± ¡°So?¡± ¡°Where else in our country do we have ability users capable of being dispatched?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°It looks like our team will be providing support.¡± ¡°Umm, Mr. Shin Tae-gil.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± After hearing everything, Kang Hyeon sighed. ¡°I think I¡¯ll just quit the Special Ability Management Team.¡± ¡°Kang Hyeon. Are you an ¡®intsu¡¯?¡± ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± ¡°Trash personality.¡± ¡°What?!¡± The car shook violently as Kang Hyeon shouted and thrashed about. ¡°Sigh, let¡¯s talk about thatter.¡± After a while, Kang Hyeon finally calmed down and sighed. ¡°Just tell me where we¡¯re going today.¡± ¡°It¡¯s an item research institute located in Yongin City.¡± ¡°An item research institute¡­¡± ¡°It was originally an institute invested in by the Hanseok Group, but due to session issues in the group, it¡¯s on the verge of closing.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Hanseok Group. The name sounded familiar for some reason. ¡°Anyway, can they fix the sword there?¡± ¡°Yes. We¡¯re going because we recently got in touch with the institute¡¯s director, Jeong Seo-bin.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t there anywhere else that can fix the sword?¡± ¡°As of now, this ce is probably the only one. The Hanseok Group has been passionate about item research from the beginning, so it¡¯s the most sessful ce.¡± *** Ippotrantion *** ¡°Nice to meet you. I¡¯m Team Leader Shin Tae-gil.¡± ¡°Nice to meet you. I¡¯m Jeong Seo-bin.¡± ¡°I¡¯m Kang Hyeon.¡± ¡°Yes. I¡¯ve seen you a lot on TV.¡± ¡°I am quite famous.¡± Jeong Seo-bin was a young woman in her mid-30s. When Kang Hyeon heard ¡®Institute Director¡¯, he naturally imagined an elderly man, so he was impressed by the unexpected appearance of a beautiful woman. ¡°You must be very capable.¡± ¡°Is it strange that a young woman is the director?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a bit awkward, I guess.¡± Jeong Seo-binughed at Kang Hyeon¡¯s honest words. ¡°These days, it¡¯s an era of meritocracy. Just look at ability users like yourself, Kang Hyeon.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± ¡°Ability users don¡¯t care about age, gender, race, nationality. They just crush dungeons and achieve victory with their skills alone.¡± ¡°Now that you mention it, that¡¯s true.¡± Kang Hyeon nodded in agreement with her exnation. ¡°So that means you¡¯re also very capable, Ms. Jeong Seo-bin?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Jeong Seo-bin smiled and answered Kang Hyeon¡¯s question. ¡°Let¡¯s stop the small talk here and get to the main point. Shall we look at the weapon first?¡± At Jeong Seo-bin¡¯s words, Kang Hyeon took out Bilgein¡¯s longsword. ¡°A B-grade weapon. It even has durability enhancement.¡± Jeong Seo-bin recognized the weapon¡¯s characteristics without any exnation. ¡°Were you an ability user?¡± ¡°To research magic stones and items, it¡¯s inevitable.¡± Jeong Seo-bin picked up Bilgein¡¯s longsword and lightly tapped it against the wall. ¡°It wouldn¡¯t be easy to break even if you tried. You must have handled it quite roughly.¡± ¡°Well, just¡­ Haha¡­¡± Kang Hyeon, at a loss for words,ughed awkwardly. ¡°So, can it be repaired?¡± ¡°We need multiple magic stones. And at least one B-grade or higher magic stone. The higher, the better.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± ¡°And the repair cost will be quite high. Our efficiency isn¡¯t that great yet.¡± Kang Hyeon¡¯s expression turned serious at the mention of cost. ¡®The guild¡¯s funds have just turned profitable¡­¡¯ As a result of Kang Hyeon pouring money in until now, the guild¡¯s profit had just turned positive. Even that would take a long time to recover the initial investment. ¡°How much would it cost?¡± ¡°At least 500 million won?¡± ¡°Damn¡­¡± ¡°If you wait a few months, we could repair it at a much cheaper price.¡± ¡°Never mind. Please do it right away¡­¡± Kang Hyeon said with a gloomy expression. ¡°But during the repair, depending on the circumstances, we can slightly improve its performance.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good.¡± Kang Hyeon¡¯s expression brightened again at the mention of performance improvement. ¡°Is there anything specific you want?¡± ¡°Make it as hard and heavy as possible. It¡¯s okay to add options, but the current options must be maintained.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ Alright.¡± Jeong Seo-bin nodded, thinking it was quite possible. ¡°Is that all?¡± After entrusting the weapon and finishing the business quicker than expected, Kang Hyeon looked disappointed. ¡°If this was all, Mr. Shin Tae-gil could havee alone.¡± ¡°There¡¯s still more to do.¡± ¡°¡­?¡± ¡°In a way, we¡¯re just getting to the main point now.¡± Kang Hyeon tilted his head at Shin Tae-gil¡¯s sudden words. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll exin that. Follow me.¡± Kang Hyeon nodded and moved at Jeong Seo-bin¡¯s words. After following her for a while, they came to arge hall. ¡°Hmm¡­?¡± Kang Hyeon felt confused as he looked around the hall. ¡°Longswords, cameras, food, even radios¡­ What kind of ce is this?¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t you check for yourself?¡± At Jeong Seo-bin¡¯s words, Kang Hyeon picked up a hamburger ced nearby. Name: Tasteless Hamburger Grade: F Durability: 1 / 1 Description: A hamburger made with F-grade magic stones. It tastes quite bad. When consumed, it restores a small amount of magic. ¡°What is this¡­?¡± Kang Hyeon looked dazed as he saw the description that appeared when he picked up the hamburger. ¡°Food has be an item¡­?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°Is this possible?!¡± Kang Hyeon wore an expression of disbelief. ¡°It took numerous trials and clinical experiments. Handle it carefully. That hamburger costs over a million won.¡± ¡°Huh¡­ This is revolutionary in many ways.¡± Ordinary food bing an item. The implications of this were simple. ¡°Now we don¡¯t have to worry about starving to death in dungeons. And our luggage will be lighter too.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. Until now, the items that could go into an ability user¡¯s inventory were limited.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Items like weapons and armor. Everything else had to be packed in bags, making for heavy luggage to carry around.¡± As Jeong Seo-bin said, an ability user¡¯s inventory is limited. It couldn¡¯t hold anything that wasn¡¯t recognized as an item. And those items were mostly limited to equipment that came out of dungeons. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me everything here is¡­?¡± ¡°Yes. They¡¯re all items.¡± Hearing Jeong Seo-bin¡¯s words, Kang Hyeon touched a camera. Name: Test Camera 7 Grade: F Durability: 20 / 20 Description: A test camera made by Jeong Seo-bin. It¡¯s a coboration of magic and science, operating on magic stones as fuel. ¡°Be careful. We¡¯ve poured tens of billions into making just one of those.¡± Kang Hyeon quickly put the camera back in its ce. ¡°This is amazing. To think we can use electronic devices in dungeons.¡± ¡°Our current goal is to develop a device that canmunicate inside dungeons.¡± ¡°Wow¡­¡± Apletely new world was opening up. Kang Hyeon had heard about such things being developed abroad, but seeing it in person was truly astonishing. ¡°So. Why did you bring me here?¡± It was good to encounter unexpected new technologies. But Kang Hyeon was curious about the intention behind showing him these things. ¡°How much do you think it cost to develop all of this so far?¡± ¡°A lot, I guess.¡± ¡°It¡¯s close to a trillion won.¡± Kang Hyeon¡¯s eyes widened at the answer, having responded indifferently before. ¡°But we haven¡¯t made any profit from this yet. Some are already at thepletion stage, even though they¡¯re still in testing.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Because the production cost doesn¡¯t match up.¡± Kang Hyeon immediately understood Jeong Seo-bin¡¯s words. ¡°I guess it¡¯s better to just pack a backpack than to pay hundreds of thousands of won for a hamburger.¡± There are over 100,000 actively working ability users in Korea alone. And all of these ability users earn more money than average office workers. But even high-earning ability users don¡¯t want to spend that much money just to conquer one dungeon. ¡°They¡¯d rather save that money and get better equipment instead.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. It¡¯s a problematic situation in many ways.¡± Jeong Seo-bin looked at the items with a loving expression. ¡°I¡¯m a pure researcher and scientist. But the world is entangled in numerous interests. This huge research institute doesn¡¯t operate for free. Everything moves with astronomical amounts of money.¡± ¡°It seems so.¡± ¡°But with our current achievements, it¡¯s hard to gain recognition from investors. While others doing simr research are flourishing, the Hanseok Group, our biggest investor, has pulled out. At this rate, the institute will close within a month at most.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Kang Hyeon stroked his chin, deep in thought at Jeong Seo-bin¡¯s words. ¡°I don¡¯t understand why you¡¯re telling me this. I do have quite a bit of money, but I¡¯m not rich enough to fund a research institute like this.¡± ¡°I know. The only way for the institute to survive now is to find new investors.¡± ¡°And what does that have to do with me?¡± ¡°Kang Hyeon.¡± Jeong Seo-bin looked straight at Kang Hyeon. ¡°Would you like to form a partnership with our institute?¡± Chapter 84 Chapter 84 ¨C Research Institute (2) ¡°Would you like to form a partnership with ourboratory?¡± ¡°A partnership¡­ What do you mean?¡± Jeong Seo-bin smiled at Kang Hyeon¡¯s question. ¡°It means exactly what it sounds like. We form a contract to cooperate and grow together.¡± Kang Hyeon crossed his arms and fell into thought. ¡°What benefits would I gain from this? And what would I need to do?¡± ¡°I like how quickly you get to the point.¡± Jeong Seo-bin held up an item as she continued speaking. ¡°Creating these requiresrge amounts of magic stones.¡± ¡°I imagine so.¡± ¡°Have the Badass Guild supply ourboratory with magic stones.¡± ¡°For free?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Kang Hyeon was taken aback by Jeong Seo-bin¡¯s bold statement. ¡°You know that half of our guild¡¯s iees from selling magic stones, right?¡± ¡°That¡¯s a lower percentage than I expected. It¡¯s usually around 70%.¡± The proportion of magic stones in the Badass Guild¡¯s ie was lower than Jeong Seo-bin had anticipated. This was because the Badass Guild had more diverse ie sourcespared to other guilds. ¡°Well, our guild merchandise has started selling well, we sell monster carcasses, and moreover, when our guild clears a dungeon, we always destroy the core.¡± Typically, ability users who hunt in dungeons don¡¯t proceed to the core. Even when moving as a guild, they only remove the normal core over a long period. But the Badass Guild was different. ¡°When we start clearing a dungeon, we conquer all the way to the main core in one go.¡± ¡°No wonder your ie is higher than other guilds.¡± ¡°Well, that¡¯s true. But without the ie from magic stone sales, it would be difficult to maintain now. We¡¯re constantly expanding the guild¡¯s scale.¡± Hearing Kang Hyeon¡¯s words, Jeong Seo-bin¡¯s face filled with confidence. ¡°Just one month. You only need to hold out for one month. There will definitely be results within that time.¡± ¡°On what grounds?¡± ¡°Badass, currently the hottest guild in South Korea. Once word spreads that they¡¯re using our items, there will surely be many purchase inquiries. As production costs are gradually improving, it won¡¯t be long before we turn a profit.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Kang Hyeon was also aware of the Badass Guild¡¯s current fame. Just look at the number of applicants hoping to join the guild this time. ¡°Actually, those are just additional benefits. The most important thing is that by partnering with the Badass Guild, we can attract investors¡¯ attention.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t this just gambling in the end?¡± ¡°You¡¯re right. It is gambling. If there are no results, ourboratory will have to close anyway. So we might as well take the gamble.¡± Kang Hyeon nodded at Jeong Seo-bin¡¯s words. ¡°So once theboratory stabilizes and items start selling, we split the profits between theboratory and the guild, right?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°What¡¯s the distribution ratio?¡± ¡°7 for theboratory, 3 for the Badass Guild.¡± ¡°Ha, really.¡± Kang Hyeon swallowed a dryugh at Jeong Seo-bin¡¯s words. ¡°Do you know how much our monthly magic stone sales are? We invest that and provide the most important promotion, yet we only get 3?¡± ¡°We¡¯ll provide items needed by the guild at close to cost price.¡± ¡°So you want us to pour the guild¡¯s money into a business with no guarantee of sess or failure?¡± Kang Hyeon and Jeong Seo-bin stared directly into each other¡¯s eyes. Sparks seemed to fly between them. ¡°You¡¯re taking us for fools. 50-50. I¡¯m alreadypromising a lot here.¡± ¡°Do you know how much it costs to run aboratory of this scale? 65-35.¡± ¡°Ms. Jeong Seo-bin. I thought you were only interested in research, but it seems you¡¯re quite interested in business too?¡± ¡°It¡¯s an unavoidable choice to be able to focus solely on research.¡± Kang Hyeon nodded at her words. ¡°Alright. 50-50.¡± ¡°No¡­ Really, at that rate there won¡¯t be any profit¡­¡± ¡°But!¡± Kang Hyeon interrupted Jeong Seo-bin and smiled. ¡°That promotion you mentioned. We¡¯ll do it properly.¡± *** Ippotrantion *** After Kang Hyeon¡¯s exnation that continued for a while, Jeong Seo-bin finally agreed. The final ratio they settled on was 60-40. Although not entirely satisfactory, Kang Hyeon was content, thinking it would be sufficiently profitable considering the future. ¡°Aah! I¡¯m tired. Let¡¯s head back quickly.¡± Kang Hyeon and Shin Tae-gil, who hade out of theboratory, immediately got into the vehicle and headed for Seoul. ¡°Good work.¡± ¡°What do you mean, good work? It was fun.¡± ¡°Was it? Haha.¡± Shin Tae-gilughed helplessly at Kang Hyeon¡¯s words about it being fun. ¡°By the way, when are you going to give me the items you promised? If you¡¯re going to give them, do it quickly instead of dragging it out.¡± ¡°Here they are.¡± Shin Tae-gil took out the longsword, ring, and ability acquisition item (skill book) he had promised to give Kang Hyeon. As Kang Hyeon naturally reached out to take them, Shin Tae-gil suddenly returned them to his inventory. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Kang Hyeon frowned at the sudden situation. ¡°Remember what you said to Director Jeong Seo-bin earlier?¡± ¡°Yes. Why?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been thinking, and it seems like a good idea.¡± ¡°It is, right?¡± Theboratory promotion strategy. Even Kang Hyeon himself thought it was a truly excellent idea. ¡°So hand over the items quickly.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s get the government involved in this too.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve already got approval from the higher-ups.¡± ¡°Huh¡­ You¡¯re incredibly fast only at times like this.¡± Kang Hyeon shook his head. ¡°How exactly are they going to be involved?¡± ¡°That thing you¡¯re going to implement. We¡¯re thinking of making it more systematic and using it as a textbook for monster hunting.¡± ¡°A textbook¡­?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Kang Hyeon fell into thought for a moment. ¡®A textbook¡­ This might create even better synergy with what I originally nned to do.¡¯ After pondering for a while, Kang Hyeon nodded. ¡°Have you decided?¡± ¡°Yes. Let¡¯s do that. But give me production support funds.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°You don¡¯t want to? If not, forget it.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Shin Tae-gil, with a face like he¡¯d eaten something sour, reluctantly nodded. ¡°Now hand over the items.¡± ¡°Tch. Here you go.¡± As soon as he received the items, Kang Hyeon checked their descriptions and let out an exmation of admiration. ¡°Oho¡­¡± Name: Craftsman¡¯s Longsword Grade: B Durability: 398/400 Description: A famous sword made by Haras, a renowned craftsman of the Hasenis Empire. Although made using ordinary iron, it was crafted to near perfection by Haras¡¯s skill. At Haras¡¯s request, an outstanding magician handled the finishing touches of the sword. Abilities: Sharpness, Self-Repair *Sharpness ¨C The sword¡¯s edge is at its peak due to the superior craftsmanship of the artisan. *Self-Repair ¨C After a certain amount of time, the sword restores itself to its original state. ¡°Wow, this is quite something. Where did you get it?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s not ask about the source. I diverted the most suitable equipment for you, Kang Hyeon.¡± ¡°Diverted?¡± Realizing his mistake, Shin Tae-gil cleared his throat. ¡°No, I mean I obtained it.¡± ¡°You diverted it alright.¡± ¡°Ahem¡­ Take a look at the bracelet and skill book too. You¡¯ll like them.¡± Kang Hyeon grinned and examined the bracelet. Name: Orien¡¯s Bracelet Grade: B Durability: 97/100 Description: A bracelet made by Orien, a magician from the Hiosis Kingdom. Orien, whose body had aged to the point where daily life was difficult due to his dedication to magical research, found a solution in magic. Abilities: Increases Strength stat by 5, Increases Health stat by 5. Heat Resistance (F) Ability: Strengthens immunity to heat. Description: Reduces the effect of heat on the body. ¡°These are good too. Are B-grade equipments pouring in like this?¡± ¡°Well, so many ability users died this time. Do you like them?¡± ¡°Yes. I like them all.¡± ¡°I brought only the equipment most suitable for you to use.¡± ¡°It must have been hard to divert them.¡± ¡°Yes, it was really hard¡­¡± Realizing his mistake, Shin Tae-gil got upset. ¡°No! I told you I obtained them by putting in the legwork!¡± ¡°Okay, okay. Why are you getting angry? It¡¯s not like you.¡± ¡°Ahem, anyway, will you start right away when we get back?¡± ¡°No. I still have a lot to do¡­ First, I need to get the magic stones needed for weapon repair. The nes after that. It probably won¡¯t take long.¡± ¡°I understand.¡± While talking, Kang Hyeon acquired the Heat Resistance skill and put on Orien¡¯s Bracelet. Since he could only wear a total of 4 essories, he had to remove the ring that increased strength by 2 stats. ¡°Status window¡± ?Name: Kang Hyeon ?Titles: Tutorial Graduate and 3 others ?Level: 66 ?Detailed Stats: Strength 30 (+4)(+5) Agility 30 (+3) Health 31 (+3)(+13) Mana 34 (+3)(+4) Additional Stats: ¨C ?Unique Ability: Resurrection ?Abilities: Advanced Swordsmanship(C), Lower-grade Shield Technique(E), Lowest-grade Crossbow Technique(F), Intermediate Body Technique(D), Lower-grade Blunt Weapon Technique(E), Magic Detection(C), Poison Resistance(E), Magic Maniption(D), Heat Resistance(F) ?Skills: Roar of Enraged Lion(C), Advanced Bodily Regeneration(A), Bisection(D), Giant¡¯s Strength(B), Magic Explosion(B), Wayne¡¯s Secret Technique(C), Entria¡¯s Outer Shell(B) As Kang Hyeon was smiling with satisfaction at the added stats and Heat Resistance, ¡°We¡¯ve arrived.¡± ¡°Already? Time flies.¡± The vehicle had already arrived in front of the Badass Guild office. ¡°Thank you. See you next time then.¡± ¡°Yes. Please contact me when the work begins.¡± Kang Hyeon waved goodbye to Shin Tae-gil as he left and headed straight to the office. ¡°Phew, it seems like there¡¯s a lot of work and I¡¯m tired¡­ But this is just the beginning.¡± The real work was about to start. *** Ippotrantion *** Upon arriving at the guild office, Kang called for An Yu-seong, Shin Seong-a, and other key executives including Han Jae-moon. He told them about his visit to theboratory and exined the future ns. ¡°Did everyone understand?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Being able to put food and electronic devices in the inventory and even use them in dungeons. It¡¯s truly revolutionary. I heard that results were starting to show in the US, but I never imagined that Korea would move in step like this.¡± Kang Hyeon nodded at Han Si-hwan¡¯s words. ¡°That¡¯s right. I thought it was worth taking a gamble, so I made the contract.¡± ¡°But¡­ Guild Master. If we hand over all the magic stones we¡¯re currently collecting to theboratory, the guild will immediately run short of money¡­¡± ¡°Han Jae-moon. Can¡¯t you say anything other than there¡¯s no money?¡± ¡°No¡­ I mean¡­¡± As Kang Hyeon frowned and spoke, Han Jae-moon¡¯s expression tensed up. ¡°Don¡¯t stutter and speak up!¡± ¡°We¡¯re short on money.¡± ¡°Where are you using all the money I¡¯m earning? You¡¯re not embezzling it, are you?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not it!¡± Han Jae-moon shouted, getting upset. ¡°I¡¯m joking, kid. Why so excited? Hehe.¡± Kang Hyeon chuckled as if he found it really amusing. Han Jae-moon red at Kang Hyeon secretly. ¡°Anyway, things are going to get busy from now on. We¡¯ll also start seriously conquering dungeons, which we¡¯ve been neglecting for a while.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Mr. Han Si-hwan. And Mr. Jo Seong-chan, Mr. Jo Dong-won.¡± The three men whose names were called looked at Kang Hyeon. ¡°You might be a bit confused because you suddenly have to lead new guild members.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± ¡°Please work hard. As I said before, the goal when entering a dungeon is to always destroy the core. That¡¯s how we make money.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± Kang Hyeon smiled at their straightforward answers. ¡°And An Yu-seong, Shin Seong-a.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°You won¡¯t have time to design merchandise for a while. We¡¯re going into dungeons in earnest.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± ¡°Good. Then let¡¯s solve the most important thing first.¡± At the mention of the most important thing, everyone¡¯s attention turned to Kang. ¡°The most important thing?¡± ¡°Yes. We need to clear a B-grade dungeon. Han Jae-moon.¡± ¡°Yes¡­¡± ¡°Some B-grade information should havee out by now, right? It¡¯s been over a month since they appeared.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not much, but some information has been released¡­¡± ¡°Then find a B-grade dungeon where we need to move with a small elite team. We¡¯ll clear it quickly with just the elites.¡± ¡°Understood¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m counting on you by tomorrow morning.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± The current time was 6 PM. ¡°There¡¯s other work piling up too¡­¡± ¡°Does it take that long to find a dungeon? How many B-grade dungeons are there in the whole country anyway?¡± ¡®Then why don¡¯t you find it yourself!¡¯ Swallowing the words that hade up to the tip of his tongue, Han Jae-moon nodded. ¡°I understand¡­¡± ¡°Cheer up! I pay you a lot, don¡¯t I?¡± ¡°Yes¡­¡± Indeed, seeing the bank ount bnce growing by over 10 million won every month did make him feel more energetic. ¡°Now, our real business has begun. The new year has started too. In that sense, we¡¯re having a beef party today!¡± ¡°Woohoo!¡± At Kang Hyeon¡¯s words, everyone rushed out as if there was a fire. The office emptied in an instant. Han Jae-moon was thest to remain, tidying up his things. ¡°Oh, Han Jae-moon!¡± ¡°Yes?¡± Kang Hyeon returned to the office as if he had suddenly remembered something. ¡®So he does think about me after all¡­¡¯ Thinking that Kang Hyeon was considering him, Han Jae-moon rubbed the bridge of his nose. ¡°You¡¯re busy, so stay in the office.¡± ¡°Fuck¡­¡±. Chapter 85 Chapter 85 ¨C Mad Dog (1) A peaceful morning. Unlike the outside where birdsong could be heard, the air in the Badass Guild office was heavy. Kang Hyeon was frowning deeply as if dissatisfied with something, and Han Jae-moon was cowering beside him. ¡°Not only is it a closed dungeon, but it¡¯s also a maze-type dungeon?¡± At Kang Hyeon¡¯s sharp tone, Han Jae-moon cautiously nodded. ¡°Why did you choose such a troublesome ce?¡± ¡°Well¡­ Team Leader Shin Tae-gil strongly rmended it¡­¡± ¡°He did? Why?¡± ¡°He said that the dungeon¡¯s bounty has increased a lot because the core removal has never been aplished yet¡­¡± Han Jae-moon¡¯s drawing tone further provoked Kang Hyeon¡¯s anger, but the content was quite intriguing. ¡°They haven¡¯t even removed the normal core yet?¡± ¡°No¡­¡± It had been over a month since the B-rank dungeon appeared. The top 10 guilds had already seeded in conquering the normal core, and guilds like Dangun Guild and Immortal Guild had even finished conquering the main core. Even if not the top 10 guilds, many mid-sized guilds had also started tackling B-rank dungeons. ¡°And yet nobody has cleared it¡­¡± Kang Hyeon, stroking his chin, grinned. ¡°So how much is the bounty?¡± If a dungeon¡¯s core is not removed within a certain time, the door opens and monsters pour out. Naturally, as that period approaches, the bounty increases. Currently, the bounty for conquering a B-rank dungeon is 300 million for the normal core and 2 billion for the main core. Kang Hyeon was quite expectant, thinking it might have increased by at least 1.5 times. ¡°10 billion for the normal core. 4 billion for the main core¡­ However, we need to be cautious as there might not be a normal core at all, like in the Forest of Benandi¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s enough.¡± Kang Hyeon nodded as if he didn¡¯t need to hear anymore. ¡°That¡¯s the one, no doubt. 4 billion¡­ Crazy!¡± The fact that it was a ce no one had conquered had long been erased from his mind. ¡®Team Leader Shin Tae-gil must have had something in mind when he rmended it. And when ites to a small elite team, who else but us?¡¯ His self-rationalization was faster than anyone else¡¯s. 4 billion. Although the value of money had decreased due to therge amount of money circting among ability users, it was still an enormous sum. ¡°With that money, we won¡¯t have to worry even if we don¡¯t have ie from selling magic stones for a while. Hehehe.¡± It was a good opportunity to fill the money leaking out to the research institute. Kang Hyeon smiled maliciously with eyes brimming with desire. ¡°Sigh¡­ To think I ended up under such a materialistic guild leader¡­¡± Yoon Na-rae, watching him from the side, sighed and shook her head. ¡°What? Materialistic!? You dare say that when you¡¯re not contributing anything to the guild?¡± ¡°Why am I not contributing!?¡± ¡°You¡¯re also participating in this conquest, Yoon Na-rae.¡± ¡°Why should I¡­¡± ¡°An Yu-seong is participating too.¡± At the mention of An Yu-seong¡¯s participation, Yoon Na-rae¡¯s face, which had been looking like she¡¯d eaten a pile of dung, instantly brightened. ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± ¡°Sigh¡­ To think I brought such a materialistic person into the guild¡­¡± Kang Hyeon shook his head. ¡°Anyway, the reward this time is unexpectedly lucrative. That means the risk is probably greater too.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s not like we have no experience with B-rank dungeons, but this is our first time conquering a main core. Moreover, it¡¯s a dungeon that has never been conquered before.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Everyone nodded seriously at Kang Hyeon¡¯s words. ¡°What¡¯s the difference? Let¡¯s do it as we always do. We¡¯ll sweep through the normal core in one go and clear the main core too.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°When we¡¯re done, we¡¯ll have a beef feast!¡± ¡°Woah!¡± Shin Seong-a raised her fist and responded energetically to Kang Hyeon¡¯s words. An Yu-seong was smiling gently, and Yoon Na-rae was busy looking at An Yu-seong. ¡®That¡¯s a relief. Maybe this will align well with what I¡¯m nning to do. Hehe¡­¡¯ Meanwhile, Kang Hyeon secretly smiled, thinking about what was about to unfold. *** Ippotrantion *** B-rank dungeon, Veil of the Maze. It¡¯s a dungeon that gained considerable fame not long after its appearance. ¡°Of course, that fame is more of an infamy¡­¡± ¡°But it¡¯s famous anyway, right?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Then that¡¯s fine.¡± Kang Hyeon smiled as if there was no problem with Shin Seong-a¡¯s words. ¡°What kind of confidence is this¡­¡± Yoon Na-rae looked at Kang Hyeon with an incredulous expression. ¡°Hey now, I don¡¯t tolerate questioning the guild leader¡¯s choices.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°If you¡¯re upset, I told you to defeat me and be the guild leader, didn¡¯t I?¡± ¡°It¡¯s too dirty and unfair, so I won¡¯t.¡± Ignoring Yoon Na-rae¡¯s grumbling, Kang Hyeon took out his equipment. Kang Hyeon¡¯s face was flushed with excitement as he picked up what looked like an ordinary camera. ¡°Everyone, take a look at this.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°What else? It¡¯s a camera. And one that can be stored in the inventory!¡± ¡°Ah, yes¡­¡± ¡°A camera that can be stored in the inventory, isn¡¯t that revolutionary? And it can even be used inside the dungeon!¡± ¡°Tsk tsk, they¡¯ve been filming with those abroad for a while now¡­¡± Kang Hyeon frowned sharply at Yoon Na-rae¡¯s retort. ¡°Shut up!¡± ¡°Tch¡­¡± Meanwhile, Shin Seong-a approached and carefully touched the camera. ¡°Is this the item you mentioned bringing from the research institutest time?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. This will be our breadwinner from now on.¡± ¡°Breadwinner¡­?¡± ¡°Yes. We¡¯re going to do YouTube with this!¡± YouTube. The world¡¯srgest video sharing service. Some ability users were already operating personal channels using their fame, but Kang Hyeon¡¯s idea was a bit different. ¡°We¡¯re going to produce dungeon conquest videos with this.¡± ¡°Hmph, there¡¯s no way that would work¡­¡± ¡°Sounds interesting, doesn¡¯t it?¡± At An Yu-seong¡¯s words that it sounded interesting, Yoon Na-rae hastily nodded. ¡°It will work. Looks good.¡± After ring at Yoon Na-rae for a moment, Kang Hyeon continued. ¡°Not just dungeon conquests, but also strategies for each monster and dungeon information. We¡¯ll systematically spread it all.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± ¡°This is not just for us, but also linked with the research institute, and the government is investing in this project, so we need to do it very seriously and properly.¡± ¡°As expected of you, Kang Hyeon.¡± Kang Hyeon smiled with satisfaction at Shin Seong-a¡¯s heartfelt ttery. ¡°Well then, shall we begin?¡± *** Ippotrantion *** Jo Woon-seong, the guild leader of the Golden Beast Guild, kicked the wall in extreme agitation. ¡°Fuck!¡± It had been ten days since they entered the B-rank dungeon, Veil of the Maze. They hadn¡¯t even discovered the normal core they had initially nned for, and now they hade in so deep that they had forgotten the way out. And the wall that Jo Woon-seong had just kicked was the one he had marked when passing by yesterday. ¡°Guild leader. We¡¯ve been here before too.¡± ¡°I know that already. Shut up!¡± ¡°¡­¡± There are many reasons why the Veil of the Maze has such a bad reputation, but the biggest reason is that it¡¯s an undead dungeon. Generally, there¡¯s no food in undead dungeons. And the water and food an individual can carry in their backpack is limited. It¡¯s already easy to get lost in a maze-type dungeon, but not being able to find food forces a time attack situation. ¡°It¡¯s over. We¡¯re all going to die.¡± ¡°We shouldn¡¯t have blindly listened to a guild leader obsessed with fame¡­¡± ¡°What did you say?!¡± The guild¡¯s situation was at its worst. Undead monsters appearing at random times. Traps scattered everywhere. The only smallfort, if it could be called that, was that they now had plenty of food since many members had died in battle. ¡°You all agreed toe, and now you¡¯re talking nonsense?!¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you say we could definitely clear it, Guild Leader?¡± ¡°What happened to that map you said you bought with the guild¡¯s operating funds?¡± ¡°T-that¡­¡± Guild Leader Jo Woon-seong could only hesitate, unable to answer. He had known that the ¡®expensive map¡¯ was a fraud since the beginning of their conquest. -Something¡¯s wrong with the map¡­? The entrance to the dungeon was certainly urate. For three days, there was no problem with the map. But on the fourth day. When they arrived at the normal core marked on the map, there was nothing there. -We¡¯ve spent so much money on this conquest, we can¡¯t leave without gaining anything. In the end, Jo Woon-seong moved to an even deeper part of the dungeon not marked on the map. It was an action he would never have taken if he had known this would happen, but it was already done. The wrong decision made in a moment of greed was now pushing the entire Golden Beast Guild to the edge of a cliff. Perhaps the map seller had anticipated this situation and sold him the map. After all, no conquest team that had gone deep into the Veil of the Maze had survived until now. ¡°Guild Leader. We need to turn back now!¡± ¡°How are we going to go back? That man who calls himself the guild leader has already lost his way! How are we supposed to go back?!¡± ¡°Ahhh! I don¡¯t want to die like this!¡± The guild fell intoplete panic. Guild members frantically pounded on the walls, but it was useless. ¡°Damn it! Why is this so hard!¡± ¡°Let me out, please!¡± -Bang, bang! The ck, thick walls that made up the Veil of the Maze were not of a nature that could be destroyed. The guild members knew through several attempts that it was impossible, but those who had fallen intoplete panic had forgotten even that memory. -Bang, bang! ¡°Everyone be quiet!¡± At that moment, Jo Woon-seong, who had been standing still, shouted. ¡°You be quiet!¡± ¡°Do you still think you¡¯re the guild leader?!¡± ¡°I said shut up!¡± Finally, unable to bear it anymore, Jo Woon-seong drew his sword. ¡°¡­¡± Jo Woon-seong¡¯s power was overwhelming even within the Golden Beast Guild. Originally, he had even passed the entrance exam for the Dangun Guild, so he was on a different level from ordinary ability users. When he drew his sword, the guild members had no choice but to close their mouths. ¡°Everyone, calm down and listen. Don¡¯t you hear something?¡± At Jo Woon-seong¡¯s serious words, the guild members began to listen quietly. -Thud¡­ Thud¡­ The sound of something breaking could be heard from afar. That sound was gradually getting closer. As they focused, they could even feel the vibration of the ground that they hadn¡¯t noticed before. ¡°I-is it a horde of monsters?¡± ¡°It must be arge monster¡­ This is the end!¡± ¡°Who¡¯s the one screaming?!¡± The guild members fell back into panic, thinking it was the movement of arge-scale or giant monster. ¡°No! It¡¯s getting closer!¡± ¡°Ugh¡­ I want to live. I can¡¯t die like this!¡± ¡°Where is there to escape to here?!¡± Meanwhile, the sound had already reached right in front of them. ¡°It¡¯s toote¡­¡± -Crash! Just as everyone was giving up. With a tremendous roar, the wall copsed and a cloud of dust rose. ¡°Cough, cough!¡± ¡°See. I told you I heard something.¡± ¡°As expected of you, Mr. Kang Hyeon.¡± The Golden Beast Guild members¡¯ eyes widened at the unfamiliar voicesing through the dust. ¡°Are they human?¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t they just say Kang Hyeon?¡± ¡°What are you talking about? Is it possible for a human to break through a dungeon wall¡­?¡± Soon, as the dust settled, the identity of the figures that appeared was revealed. ¡°Yes. We are human.¡± Of course, it was Kang Hyeon and the Badass Guild members, smiling broadly. ¡°It really is Kang Hyeon!¡± ¡°Crazy, did they break through this?¡± ¡°It¡¯s the Badass Guild. We¡¯re saved now!¡± The faces of the Golden Beast Guild members brightened with relief, and they chattered frantically. ¡°Now, everyone calm down. You need help, right?¡± ¡°Yes. That¡¯s right!¡± ¡°Please save us!¡± ¡°Who¡¯s the guild leader here?¡± At Kang Hyeon¡¯s words, the Golden Beast Guild¡¯s leader, Jo Woon-seong, stepped forward. ¡°I¡¯m the guild leader.¡± ¡°We¡¯re going to help you from now on, but we need to do some filming in return. Is that okay?¡± ¡°Huh¡­?¡± Jo Woon-seong wore a dumbfounded expression at the sudden mention of filming. ¡°Filming¡­?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°As long as you save us, anything is fine. Once we¡¯re out of the dungeon, we¡¯ll do interviews or whatever you want.¡± ¡°No, that¡¯s not it. We¡¯re going to film inside here.¡± ¡°Huh¡­?¡± Kang Hyeon held up a camera towards Jo Woon-seong, who was wearing a stupid expression. ¡°Ah! That expression is very good.¡± ¡°Um¡­ What is this¡­?¡± ¡°And this is a token of appreciation for cooperating with the filming.¡± Saying this, Kang Hyeon took something out of his inventory. ¡°A hamburger¡­?¡± As iprehensible situations continued to unfold, Jo Woon-seong looked like he was about to cry. ¡°You must be tired of eating tasteless preserved food in the dungeon all this time? Here, take this fresh hamburger that¡¯s tasty, good for your health, and can be preserved semi-permanently in the inventory.¡± ¡°Uh¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s an amazing hamburger that might even have the effect of increasing magical power.¡± Kang Hyeon said with a very serious expression. Overwhelmed by his intensity, Jo Woon-seong took the hamburger and took a big bite. As he chewed the hamburger, Jo Woon-seong¡¯s expression quickly crumpled. ¡°Ugh¡­ It tastes bad¡­¡± At that moment, Jo Woon-seong looked up and met Kang Hyeon¡¯s eyes. Those eyes were zing like a grim reaper risen from hell. ¡°Ah¡­ It¡¯s delicious¡­?¡± Chapter 86 Chapter 86 ¨C Mad Dog (2) Kang Hyeon whistled as he entered the Veil of the Maze. ¡°Nice atmosphere.¡± Kang Hyeon doesn¡¯t have much experience with maze-type dungeons. So when he first heard about a maze-type dungeon, he expected a very narrow and gloomy space. But when he actually entered the dungeon, he was quite pleased to see unexpectedly wide passages and even stylish interiors. ¡°The material of the walls doesn¡¯t seem to be ordinary stone,¡± said Shin Seong-a, who had been tapping the wall for a moment. ¡°It would be impossible to break through and pass, then.¡± ¡°Older sister, if the walls could be broken, it wouldn¡¯t be a maze-type dungeon, would it?¡± ¡°Hmm, that¡¯s certainly true.¡± Shin Seong-a nodded at An Yu-seong¡¯s words. ¡°Still, since Kang Hyeon has excellent ability to detect magical power, I don¡¯t think there will be much problem finding the way.¡± ¡°Huh. Detecting magical power is just used for scanning others like a pervert¡­ Ouch!¡± Kang Hyeon smacked the back of Yoon Na-rae¡¯s head as she grumbled, then picked up the camera. ¡°Shall we do an operation test first?¡± Kang Hyeon pressed the video recording button with a serious expression. ¡°Oh¡­ it works!¡± The camera actually works inside the dungeon. Although he had already heard about it, experiencing it in person gave apletely different shock and joy. Kang Hyeon fiddled with the camera for a while before handing it over to Yoon Na-rae. ¡°Why are you giving this to me?¡± ¡°Because you¡¯re in charge of filming today.¡± Yoon Na-rae¡¯s face contorted at Kang Hyeon¡¯s words. ¡°What¡¯s the reason?¡± ¡°You¡¯re the weakest one here.¡± ¡°W-What did you say?!¡± ¡°It¡¯s just the truth.¡± Special Ability Management Team. Yoon Na-rae, who belonged there, had received love calls from numerous giant guilds, including Choi Dong-woo, who was said to be the best in Korea. But being treated like a cameraman here made her look dejected. ¡°What? Do you want to be on camera? Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll film youter too.¡± ¡°No thanks!¡± Yoon Na-rae angrily took the camera. ¡°Tsk. Such a drama queen¡­¡± Once everyone¡¯s roles were decided and all preparations wereplete, Kang Hyeon rubbed his hands together. ¡°Then let¡¯s begin.¡± He looked quite excited. Yoon Na-rae frowned and reluctantly focused the camera on Kang Hyeon. ¡°Hello, YouTube viewers! This is Kang Hyeon from the Badass Guild. Well, you all know that already, right?¡± ¡°Ugh. Celebrity disease.¡± ¡°Shut up.¡± Kang Hyeon frowned at Yoon Na-rae and continued speaking. ¡°Today, my guild members and I have set out to conquer a dungeon. It¡¯s the infamous B-rank dungeon, the Veil of the Maze!¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°What are you doing? Hurry up and respond. p too.¡± -p p p p¡­ Kang Hyeon smiled satisfactorily at the sound of halfhearted apuse. ¡°This ce, the Veil of the Maze, known as the grave of ability users and the antlion of ability users, is a dungeon that has never seeded in conquering the core!¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°As you all know, what happens if we can¡¯t destroy the core?¡± ¡°The dungeon opens up.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right! Shin Seong-a student. Very good.¡± ¡°Hehe¡­¡± Yoon Na-rae and An Yu-seong looked at the two of them performing a skit as if they were watching something unbearable. ¡°If the dungeon opens up, monsters will pour out. Then it would be a big problem, right?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°So! Today, our Badass Guild hase!¡± ¡°¡­¡± Kang Hyeon frowned at the ensuing silence. ¡°Sigh¡­ Apuse.¡± -p p p p¡­ Kang Hyeon, returning to his capitalist smile, continued speaking. ¡°If you¡¯re curious about more details of the Veil of the Maze, look it up yourselves. Now we¡¯ll start the conquest in earnest.¡± First, Kang Hyeon used Wayne¡¯s Secret Technique and Giant¡¯s Strength. Then he took out Ogre¡¯s Giant Hammer from his inventory. ¡°ording to my excellent intuition, I can feel the core in this direction.¡± The ce Kang Hyeon pointed to was a wall. ¡°¡­?¡± ¡°Then I¡¯ll make a path.¡± ¡°Wait, what do you mean make a path¡­?¡± Ignoring Yoon Na-rae¡¯s urgent words, Kang Hyeon raised his hammer. ¡°Heuup!¡± -Kwaaang! And the hammer shed with the wall. ¡°Cough, cough! What is this?!¡± ¡°Oh oh. Honestly, I wasn¡¯t sure if it would work, but it does!¡± In front of Kang Hyeon was a huge hole big enough for one person to pass through. ¡°You saw it, everyone? Now don¡¯t struggle in maze-type dungeons anymore. Just feel the core like this, and make a path in that direction.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Easy, right?¡± Yoon Na-rae shook her head as she watched Kang Hyeon speak with a bright smile. ¡®I don¡¯t even know where to start criticizing¡­¡¯ *** Ippotrantion *** The dungeon conquest proceeded smoothly without any hitches. -Kwang, kwang! Kwang! Kang Hyeon smashed every wall that blocked his path. -tter, tter! -Di¡­die, die¡­ ¡°Why are bones walking around!¡± He also smashed any monster that blocked his way. -Rattle¡­ rattle¡­ Yoon Na-rae had a distant look on her face as she watched the undead instantly turn into piles of bones. ¡®I never thought the day woulde when I¡¯d feel sorry for monsters¡­¡¯ The enemies appearing in the Veil of the Maze were of a high level, even considering it was B-rank. But the matchup wasn¡¯t good. The elite small groups that appeared were helplessly defeated by Kang Hyeon¡¯s hammer sweeping through the narrow passages where they had limited space to evade. ¡°Kang Hyeon. There¡¯s a trap.¡± And then there were the traps. They were all extremely dangerous that could cause great harm if there was no one with skills or abilities to disarm traps. ¡°What type is it?¡± ¡°The typical ones. Spears, arrows, and it seems like heavy maces are falling from above.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± ¡°Please wait a moment. I¡¯ll disarm it right away.¡± ¡°Forget it. It¡¯s a waste of time.¡± There was no disarming. Kang Hyeon waved his hand and boldly moved forward. -Swoosh! -Chwajajajang! As soon as Kang Hyeon stretched out his foot, all sorts of weapons came rushing. Kang Hyeon avoided them as much as possible, but because it was so meticulously designed, he couldn¡¯t help but allow many attacks. ¡°Kang Hyeon!¡± The weapons must have been specially treated, as Kang Hyeon¡¯s skin, which usually deflects even decent des, was in a mess. A truly fatal trap that would not be strange if it instantly took the life of an ordinary ability user. ¡°It hurts more than I thought.¡± But to Kang Hyeon, it was just a slightly painful trap. In less than 30 seconds, all of Kang Hyeon¡¯s wounds had healed. ¡°Alright. Let¡¯s go.¡± After that, Kang Hyeon usually triggered traps with his body whenever possible. He trusted his body¡¯s durability and recovery ability. As a result, he was able to achieve a conquest speed several times faster than others. ¡°To jump into traps with bare body just because time is precious¡­¡± Yoon Na-rae was very confused by the situation that couldn¡¯t be understood bymon sense. ¡°Wait, everyone be quiet for a moment.¡± It was then. Kang Hyeon, who was swinging his hammer to open the next passage, stopped. ¡°Is something wrong?¡± ¡°I heard a sound.¡± ¡°A sound¡­?¡± Shin Seong-a listened carefully but couldn¡¯t hear anything. ¡®What sound is he talking about?¡¯ Yoon Na-rae also concentrated but couldn¡¯t hear any sound. ¡°Kang Hyeon. You mean that way, right?¡± ¡°Oh, you heard it too?¡± ¡°No. It¡¯s just my intuition.¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± Anyway, it meant that something had caught An Yu-seong¡¯s sixth sense as well. Kang Hyeon swung his hammer towards the direction where he heard the sound. *** Ippotrantion *** -Kaaang! As the wall copsed, an enormous amount of dust swirled. ¡°Cough, cough!¡± ¡°See? I told you I heard something.¡± ¡°As expected of Kang Hyeon.¡± Kang Hyeon, who had finally arrived at the destination, had a triumphant expression. ¡°It¡¯s really Kang Hyeon!¡± ¡°Crazy, did you break through to get here?¡± ¡°It¡¯s the Badass Guild. We¡¯re saved now!¡± The thirteen people, all looking haggard, were clearly in crisis at a nce. As he looked at those refugees, something shed in Kang Hyeon¡¯s mind. ¡®This is it!¡¯ After finishing his calctions, Kang Hyeon handed a hamburger to the guild master of the Golden Beast Guild with a business smile. ¡°You said your name is Jo Woon-seong?¡± Jo Woon-seong, who was munching on the hamburger, nodded at Kang Hyeon¡¯s words. ¡°Yes. Munch munch.¡± ¡°How¡¯s the taste of the hamburger?¡± ¡°It¡¯s really¡­ really delicious¡­¡± Jo Woon-seong had no choice. If he said it wasn¡¯t tasty, he felt like that huge hammer woulde down on him. ¡°Well, let¡¯s not do this. Everyone else, have a bite too.¡± At Kang Hyeon¡¯s words, the guild members¡¯ faces turned pale. ¡°We¡¯re fine¡­¡± ¡°Yes! That¡¯s right! We¡¯re already grateful that you came like this, we can¡¯t impose on you further. Haha¡­¡± ¡°No. How much hardship have you endured until now?¡± Despite their polite refusals, Kang Hyeon was insistent. ¡°Difficult, harsh, starving! Compared to the hardships you¡¯ve endured in this damn dungeon, this hamburger is nothing. Here, take it.¡± ¡°We¡¯re really okay¡­¡± ¡°Take it.¡± ¡°Yes¡­¡± Those who reluctantly took the hamburgers with gloomy expressions began to eat. ¡®Ugh, it tastes bad¡­¡¯ It was a taste that made them want to curse involuntarily, even though they had only taken one bite. ¡°Now this¡­!¡± For a moment, the man who almost blurted out his true feelings met Kang Hyeon¡¯s eyes. Kang Hyeon was clearly smiling, but his eyes were definitely saying something. Think carefully before you speak. ¡°This¡­?¡± ¡°This precious thing! Can we really eat it?¡± ¡°Of course. How does it taste?¡± ¡°It¡¯s really delicious. A hamburger like this in a dungeon. It¡¯s like a dream. Hahaha!¡± Only then did Kang Hyeon¡¯s eyes curve in satisfaction. ¡°It¡¯s delicious!¡± ¡°It¡¯s the best hamburger I¡¯ve ever eaten in my life!¡± ¡°How can we eat a hamburger in a dungeon? Sob sob¡­¡± After a few more interviews, Kang Hyeon wrapped it up. ¡°This hamburger is an item made by Dr. Jung Seo-bin! It can be stored in the inventory and even has the effect of recovering a small amount of magical power. Not to mention the taste.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°The same goes for this camera! Isn¡¯t it revolutionary that you can use electronic devices in dungeons and put food in your inventory?!¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°If you all had this hamburger, you wouldn¡¯t have suffered and struggled like this¡­ right?¡± ¡°Th-that¡¯s right!¡± Whether it was true or not didn¡¯t matter. These people had to nod even if Kang Hyeon said the President of South Korea was an Arab. ¡°Good. If you¡¯re done eating, shall we move now?¡± ¡°What¡­?¡± After getting all the footage he needed, Kang Hyeon stood up. ¡°We need to go clear the dungeon. Are you nning to live here forever?¡± *** Ippotrantion *** The Golden Beast Guild decided to move together with Kang Hyeon. Kang Hyeon had no intention of taking them to the dungeon entrance, and the Golden Beast Guildcked the ability to return to the entrance on their own. If a normal core had been visible, they could have removed it and opened a portal to send them back. But given that one hadn¡¯t been found all day, it seemed like this dungeon might not have any normal cores. ¡°What did I just see?¡± ¡°Was that really a human?¡± Conquering the dungeon with Kang Hyeon was a series of surprises. Destroying terrain by breaking dungeon walls was already unbelievable, but even more shocking was Kang Hyeon¡¯s approach to conquest. ¡°How many lives does he have¡­¡± The pinnacle of recklessness. Kang Hyeon truly seemed to be some kind of destruction king. Whether terrain or monsters, everything shattered amicably before him. ¡°Phew, we¡¯ve arrived!¡± The Golden Beast Guild had wandered the Veil of the Maze for a full ten days. Yet Kang Hyeon reached the boss room in less than two days. ¡°Ah¡­ I¡¯m a bit tired from overusing my muscles.¡± Kang Hyeon¡¯s muscles seemed quite irritated from swinging his hammer all day. ¡°So there really wasn¡¯t a normal core after all?¡± ¡°No.¡± Usually, dungeons have at least one normal core, sometimes as many as five or more. But the Veil of the Maze didn¡¯t have a single normal core. This was the first time since the Benandi Forest. ¡°This is why everyone fails to conquer it and drops out.¡± The Veil of the Maze itself was an extremely narrow dungeon. A straight path from the entrance to the boss room would take less than a day. But the path there was tangled with countless mazes, and being an undead dungeon where no food could be obtained, this environment had led many capable individuals to their deaths. ¡°I think you all now understand why the Veil of the Maze was such an infamous dungeon. If only the food problem had been solved, the dungeon¡¯s difficulty would have been greatly reduced.¡± Kang Hyeon suddenly started lecturing while looking at the camera. ¡°Fortunately, the Badass Guild had food that could be stored in our inventory, so we were able toe this far without much difficulty!¡± Honestly, it seemed like there would have been no problem even if they hadn¡¯t brought a single grain of food, but no one dared to object. ¡°Now, before we conquer the final boss¡­¡± Kang Hyeon suddenly took out a hamburger from his inventory and started unwrapping it. ¡°Hmm¡­ Eating this hamburger gives me strength. I think we can proceed to conquer the boss without dy.¡± His face was beaming as if the hamburger was truly delicious. ¡®That tough bastard.¡¯ ¡®Money-grubber¡­ self-spawned monster¡­¡¯ ¡®Is he eating a different hamburger?¡¯ The Golden Beast Guild members suspected that Kang Hyeon might be eating a different hamburger, but it was 100% the same hamburger they had eaten. ¡°Ah, I¡¯m full.¡± Finally, all of the hamburger had gone into Kang Hyeon¡¯s mouth. ¡°Shall we go in now?¡± ¡°What? Are we going in already?¡± When Kang Hyeon stood in front of the boss room, Jo Woon-seong was surprised. Only about 30 minutes had passed since they had rested. ¡°What¡¯s the point of resting more? My magic is full, so we should go now.¡± ¡°But shouldn¡¯t we rest as much as possible to relieve fatigue¡­¡± Normally, it was standard practice to rest as much as possible before conquering a boss. ¡°It¡¯s fine. This level of fatigue is nothing. Everyone else okay?¡± ¡°I was dying of boredom just watching next to you, bro. Let¡¯s go already.¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine too.¡± An Yu-seong and Shin Seong-a also nodded, indicating they had no problems. ¡°Alright. Then let¡¯s begin.¡± Kang Hyeon smiled and stood in front of the camera. ¡°Okay, everyone! Now we will begin conquering the boss room.¡± ¡°Looking at him, this really seems to be his true calling¡­¡± Yoon Na-rae wondered how Kang Hyeon had managed to restrain himself from broadcasting until now. He seemed that excited. ¡°I knew Kang Hyeon had attention-seeking tendencies, but I didn¡¯t realize it was to this extent.¡± ¡°Look who¡¯s talking.¡± ¡°Ahem¡­¡± After checking his equipment onest time, Kang Hyeon stood in front of the boss room with a grin. ¡°Alright, here we go for real.¡± ¡°Woah!¡± Chapter 87 Chapter 87 ¨C Mad Dog (3) ¡°Then I¡¯m really going in.¡± ¡°Woah!¡± Kang Hyeon pushed the door with vigor. It had quite a hefty weight. -Kugugugu ¡°For most guys, just opening the door would be a task.¡± A loud noise arose as the massive stone door slowly moved. ¡°That guy seems to be the boss.¡± ¡°Looks like he¡¯s alone.¡± As the door opened, what greeted the party was a vast hall. A dark and gloomy space. Candles burning on candlesticks hung here and there, eerily illuminating the surroundings. ¡°What kind of concept freak is that?¡± A chair ced in the middle of that cavern. A man wearing full body armor was sitting there. ck chair. ck full te armor. Even the scabbard is ck. Kang Hyeon frowned as he looked at the man. ¡°Does he think he¡¯s some dark knight? Unnecessary pompous disy.¡± -I am a Dark Knight. ¡°Huh?¡± It was meant as a joke, but he says it¡¯s true. The man sitting in the chair slowly stood up. -I am Veil the Dark Knight. You cannot pass through here. A voice that seemed to directly pound inside the head rather than being heard through the ears. It felt quite familiar. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re a skeleton too?¡± -That¡¯s right. I became an undead to protect this ce even after death. ¡°For a monster, you¡¯ve got quite a detailed setting.¡± This was the first monster to recite its past history like this. ¡°But you know what? Whatever your circumstances are, I¡¯m not particrly interested.¡± -¡­ ¡°Just quietly spit out the magic stone and get lost.¡± At Kang Hyeon¡¯s words, Veil drew his sword. -That¡¯s a curious thing. ¡°¡­?¡± -I too wasn¡¯t interested in what your circumstances might be. ¡°Huh¡­¡± -The fate of uninvited guests whoe here is only death. I¡¯ve existed for too long to care about those who are about to be undead. Kang Hyeon chuckled at the monster¡¯s joke-like words. ¡°Now that¡¯s a skeleton I like.¡± -I am a knight. ¡°Alright, you bastard.¡± While talking with Veil and loosening up his body, Kang Hyeon gave Shin Seong-a a look. ¡°What do you think?¡± ¡°We¡¯ll have to try to know.¡± ¡°I thought so too.¡± ¡°Yes. Even setting aside the issue ofpatibility, this dungeon was clearly easy. Despite being a B-rank dungeon.¡± Even though Kang Hyeon had practically cleared it by breaking walls and using cheat keys, the dungeon was too easy for its B-rank name. ¡°Considering that the dungeon¡¯s rank is determined by abination of numerous factors¡­¡± ¡°You mean that guy is likely the main culprit that made this dungeon B-rank.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°The magical power I¡¯m feeling is indeed not ordinary, it¡¯s somewhat chilling.¡± At that moment, An Yu-seong stepped forward, cutting off Kang Hyeon¡¯s words. ¡°Brother, stay back for a bit. I¡¯ll engage first.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not a typical monster-type, but essentially a humanoid monster. For opponents like this, reconnaissance is basic. And if I fight together with you, it might interfere, right?¡± An Yu-seong made a somewhat reasonable point. ¡°You¡¯re not just itching to fight because it¡¯s been too boring until now, are you?¡± ¡°I¡¯m going first!¡± ¡°That crazy guy¡­¡± Shaking his head, Kang Hyeon picked up the camera. ¡°Then we¡¯ll start the boss strategy for the Veil of the Maze right now.¡± *** Ippotrantion *** An Yu-seong ran forward, visibly excited. It looked extremely reckless and thoughtless, but in fact, he was being cautious. After all, the opponent was the boss of a B-rank dungeon. Moreover, a boss monster that professionally handles a sword. That¡¯s why he was holding a sword instead of his usual mace. He judged that a sword would allow for more agile responses. -ng ng ng! A sharp noise erupted as An Yu-seong and Veil¡¯s swords shed. -Excellent talent. But stillcking. ¡°Oh ho, the type that fights with words?¡± -I¡¯ll show you what a real warrior is today. Suddenly, Veilunched an unexpected kick. ¡°A real warrior, you say¡­ Kheuk!¡± An Yu-seong instinctively crossed his arms to block, but the difference in physical specs was too great. As the strong impact struck his body, An Yu-seong flew like a bullet and crashed into the wall. ¡°Binding Vines!¡± At the same time, Yoon Na-rae used her magic as if she had been waiting for this moment. Giant tree vines that burst through the ground quickly flew towards Veil. -Interfering in a sacred knight¡¯s battle, I see. Just a light swing. Yoon Na-rae¡¯s magic was helplessly scattered by Veil¡¯s single sword strike. -Swish! Taking advantage of that gap, a magic arrow fired by Shin Seong-a flew towards the back of Veil¡¯s head. -ng! The magic arrow was a considerably powerful technique that also consumed a lot of magical power, but it was helplessly deflected by Veil¡¯s sword. -Light as a fly. ¡°His physical specs are at least on par with Mr. Kang Hyeon¡¯s level. It¡¯s best not to expect things like binding to work.¡± Shin Seong-a quickly made her judgment and shouted. -ng, ng! Boom! The battle flowed rapidly. Thebined attack of An Yu-seong, Shin Seong-a, and Yoon Na-rae. At a nce, it seemed like they were attacking randomly, but everything was happening under meticulous calctions. They knew each other well and had the experience and talent to move considering those factors. ¡°You¡¯re worth the wait, aren¡¯t you? Hahahahaha!¡± An Yu-seong, who was essentially withstanding all of Veil¡¯s attacks alone,ughed like a madman. As the heat of battle rose, his movements became more agile and his mind infinitely sharper. -Do you enjoy battle? Veil¡¯s voice towards An Yu-seong sank heavily. -Battle is sacred. I wanted to show you what a true knight, a real warrior is, but I was foolish. ¡°What are you talking about?¡± -Die. At that moment, Veil¡¯s sword came down like lightning. -ng! The power was much stronger than before. Even though he deflected most of the force, An Yu-seong¡¯s arms tingled. ¡°You¡¯re just stupidly strong. Just like someone I know.¡± -Crack At that moment, cracks started to appear on An Yu-seong¡¯s sword. ¡®What is this¡­!¡¯ The sword was on the verge of breaking. ¡®Damn¡­ I was supposed to have prepared a proper longsword.¡¯ An Yu-seong¡¯s longsword, obtained from Kang Hyeon, was a C-grade and rtively high-quality. In fact, An Yu-seong could have gotten a better sword, but he didn¡¯t. He didn¡¯t feel the need to. To begin with, the sword wasn¡¯t his main weapon, and until now, An Yu-seong had never been pushed in battle to the extent of being constrained by the sword¡¯s performance. After all, when fighting opponents he could beat even with just a tree branch, an ordinary longsword was more than enough. ¡®Damn it¡­¡¯ But Veil¡¯s swordsmanship skills and physical specs ¨C none of them were inferior to An Yu-seong¡¯s. -ng! An Yu-seong deflected the sword and hastily retreated, but Veil immediately followed. -Die. ¡®Too fast!¡¯ Another sword strike flew in. It doesn¡¯t even give a moment¡¯s time to change weapons. The sword is already at its limit. ¡®I can¡¯t block it!¡¯ That¡¯s when it happened. -Boom! Kang Hyeon, who had been watching, ran at an incredible speed and kicked Veil. Veil flew dozens of meters in an instant and crashed into a pir in the hall. ¡°Always putting on airs.¡± ¡°Did you think a guy who seemed like he¡¯d fight with technique would just use brute force like you? Tsk!¡± An Yu-seong spat out sticky saliva mixed with blood and caught his breath. In that short moment, An Yu-seong was soaked in sweat as if he had been caught in the rain. ¡°Is that how you talk to someone who just saved you? Tsk tsk.¡± It was while Kang Hyeon was clicking his tongue. -Ah¡­ Something keeps shouting in my head. Everyone stopped at Veil¡¯s sudden words. -It tells me to kill you. It keeps pushing me! ¡°¡­¡± -But I endured and held back. To maintain a knight¡¯s pride. Following and submitting to such wicked words cannot be called a knight. But now there¡¯s no need for that. ¡°What nonsense are you spouting?¡± -What my head is ringing with and what my will desires have be the same. As Veil spoke, something dark red surged from his sword. -Die. ¡°Magic power?¡± Its identity was magic power. Kang Hyeon, who was in the midst of practicing this technique himself, immediately recognized what it was. ¡°Everyone be careful. It¡¯s impossible to block!¡± -The game is over now. ¡°Absolutely, absolutely do not engage in closebat!¡± As Kang Hyeon spoke, Veil swung his sword. -sh! Yoon Na-rae and Shin Seong-a¡¯s magic and arrows disappeared without a trace the moment they touched Veil¡¯s sword. ¡°An Yu-seong, the same goes for you. Dodge attacks at all costs.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± An Yu-seong, who often sparred with Kang Hyeon, also knew well what this was. Moreover, the monster¡¯s magic power was being utilized more cleanly than Kang Hyeon¡¯s at a nce. -sh, crack! Whatever the sword touched as he swung it was cut off. -Boom¡­ Kang Hyeon swallowed hard at the sight of even a massive stone pir being cut down in an instant. ¡®We¡¯re screwed.¡¯ It was clear that if hit by that magic power, even Kang Hyeon himself would be cut down along with his armor. It wasn¡¯t the kind of attack that could be endured simply with increased health stats or toughness. ¡°Come on! You concept freak!¡± But still, he had to step forward. Right now, he was the only one who could receive the monster¡¯s sword. ¡®It¡¯s fortunate that we¡¯ve somewhat figured him out.¡¯ Kang Hyeon kept thinking incessantly while watching the fight between Veil and An Yu-seong. ¡®A sword won¡¯t do.¡¯ The result was hopeless. He couldn¡¯t beat the monster with a sword even if he died and came back to life. ¡®Then what should I do?¡¯ While Kang Hyeon kept pondering, he quickly rushed towards Veil. -ng! Kang Hyeon¡¯s sword was covered in blue magic power. Veil let out a groan at the unexpected heaviness felt from the sword. -Hmm¡­ You¡¯re not just all talk. ¡°Everyone, don¡¯t mind me and attack! Aim for the head!¡± Undead monsters don¡¯t take damage just from having their bodies slightly destroyed. Since only targeting areas where important magic power is stored was effective, Kang Hyeon aimed only for the skull where strong magic power was emanating. ¡°Hurry! It¡¯s uncertain how long I can hold him!¡± -Boom, bang! Blue light and dark red light moving along the trajectory of the swords. Every time the two lights collided, an explosion of light urred with a loud noise. -Your swordsmanship is sloppypared to your brute strength. ¡°Shut up!¡± Veil clearly had strong power. But he couldn¡¯t match Kang Hyeon who was using all his buffs. ¡°Ugh!¡± However, the fundamental difference in swordsmanship skills was too great. Blood flowed from various parts of Kang Hyeon¡¯s body that were cut by the dark red magic power. Wounds that should have healed within seconds normally, but the monster¡¯s magic power seemed to be preventing recovery. -How trivial. ¡°Kuhek!¡± A sudden kick. Kang Hyeon, directly hit by the attack that came aiming for a gap, flew backwards. ¡°Now!¡± At that moment, the guild members who couldn¡¯t approach the distance between Veil and Kang Hyeon and were looking for an opportunity, moved all at once. -I¡¯ll finish you all off too. Veil was rxed even against thebined attack of three people. Since anything that touched his sword was cut off, the three couldn¡¯t easily rush in and had no choice but to maintain distance. -First, one. Veil Veil rushed towards Yoon Na-rae and swung his sword. ¡°Magic Shield!¡± Yoon Na-rae quickly responded with magic, but it was useless. -sh! Veil¡¯s sword easily cuts through the magic shield along with Yoon Na-rae. ¡°Aaaagh!¡± Yoon Na-rae flew away, spewing blood. At that sight, An Yu-seong rushed in recklessly. ¡°Damn it!¡± However, against Veil who had the upper hand in technique, speed, strength, and magic power, An Yu-seong¡¯s attack achieved nothing. -Two. ¡°Kuhek!¡± An Yu-seong, who quickly allowed an attack, flew far away and crashed into a pir. Shin Seong-a was lost in thought. ¡®We were too rash.¡¯ It¡¯s a B-rank dungeon after all. We should have been more cautious. We should have brought more key personnel like Han Si-hwan, Choi Dong-woo, or the Jo Seong-chan brothers. ¡®At least Mr. Kang Hyeon must survive.¡¯ The door to the boss room is still open. If the boss has a setting that prevents him from leaving this ce, there¡¯s a good chance of survival. ¡®Damn¡­¡¯ In the distance, she could see the Golden Beast Guild members fleeing. Now, only she and An Yu-seong were left to buy time. ¡°Mr. Kang Hyeon! Run away. We¡¯ll buy you time!¡± Hi guys, please check out the second novel by the author of this novel ¡°Not All Heroes From Earth Are Bad¡° Chapter 88 Chapter 88 ¨C Mad Dog (4) ¡°Kuheck!¡± Thrown by a sudden kick, Kang Hyeon only came to a stop after crashing into a wall. ¡°That hurts like hell.¡± The creature¡¯s strength was as powerful as befitting its title of boss. It was puzzling how such a skeletal body could exert such force, but that wasn¡¯t the important thing right now. ¡°What should I do?¡± He couldn¡¯t see any way to defeat this thing. If he had Bilgein¡¯s longsword, he would have used Light Warrior without hesitation, but it was quietly waiting for repairs in theb. ¡°Still, our raw strength is simr.¡± With his own buffs and Yoon Na-rae¡¯s buffs added, his strength seemed to be slightly superior. ¡°Kang Hyeon! Run away. I¡¯ll buy you some time!¡± Shin Seong-a¡¯s urgent shout was heard. This was no time to be lost in thought. ¡°Damn it! I don¡¯t know what to do!¡± Having finished recovering, Kang Hyeon charged at Veil again. -You still haven¡¯t realized? You cannot defeat me. ¡°You¡¯re talking nonsense. Should I just die quietly then?¡± -If you want to struggle and die, I won¡¯t stop you. The two lights intertwined again. But before long, Kang Hyeon¡¯s blue magic power visibly diminished. -When your magic power runs out, you¡¯ll be helpless. Kang Hyeon somehow felt like the creature¡¯s voice wasughing. ¡°I can¡¯t do anything?¡± That¡¯s when it happened. Kang Hyeon threw his sword at Veil with all his might. -Have you finally gone mad? And then he recklessly rushed at Veil. ¡°Kuk..!¡± Though his side was badly cut by Veil¡¯s swinging sword, Kang Hyeon paid no mind. ¡°You say I can¡¯t do anything?¡± Finally reaching right in front of the creature, Kang Hyeon grabbed both its hands. -What are you doing?! ¡°Can¡¯t you tell by looking?¡± For a moment, Veil was flustered by the strength that surpassed his own. ¡°Let me see that fancy face of yours.¡± Kang Hyeon tilted his head back and headbutted the creature¡¯s helmet with all his might. -Kaaang! In one go, the creature¡¯s helmet crumpled and fell off, revealing a skull of pure white bone. -You¡­ Red light zed from the creature¡¯s empty eye sockets. -Is this what an honorable knight does in sacredbat?! ¡°What nonsense! I wouldn¡¯t do that even if you gave it to me!¡± -Kwajik! Kang Hyeon¡¯s forehead collided with the creature¡¯s skull once more. -Kuaaa! Get off! ¡°I¡¯m the mad dog of this area! You bastard!¡± Kang Hyeon activated the Mad Dog skill embedded in Kamiel¡¯s ring. *Mad Dog ¨C Once a mad dog bites, it doesn¡¯t let go until death. At the same time, he bit down on Veil¡¯s cervical vertebrae (neck bones) as it thrashed violently. ¡°Do undead survive even if their headse off?¡± And then he pulled on the neck with all his might. Blood vessels bulged prominently on Kang Hyeon¡¯s neck, which was too thick for an adult man to grasp with both hands. ¡°Kuuuu!¡± -What are you doing! You crazy bastard! The tremendous pressure felt on his neck. Feeling a sudden crisis, Veil struggled with all his might, but it was useless. Kang Hyeon was hugging Veil to prevent him from swinging his sword, and biting his neck with his mouth. ¡°Kuaaaa!¡± -Do you think this will work?! Stop it! ¡°Why is it so tough?!¡± However, Veil¡¯s cervical vertebrae didn¡¯te out as easily as Kang Hyeon had thought. ¡®That¡¯s it!¡¯ Suddenly remembering something, Kang Hyeon began to manipte his magic power. The magic power inherent in Kang Hyeon¡¯s body gradually gathered around his mouth, and blue light began to emit from his teeth. -Kadududuk Cracks started to form on Veil¡¯s neck bones. Feeling the crisis, Veil let out a horrible scream. -Uaaaa! Let go of this! Veil used his only free legs to charge towards the wall. -Pueok! Pueok! -Let go, I said let go! He rammed Kang Hyeon¡¯s body into the wall, but it was useless. -Pueok, Puk! -Let go! Kang Hyeon was still straining to pull out Veil¡¯s neck. -Ttuduk, ttudududuk¡­ Gradually, sounds that shouldn¡¯t being from neck bones began to be heard. -Nooooo! -Pagagak! Finally, Veil¡¯s cervical vertebrae were pulled out from his body. ¡°Uaaa!¡± Veil¡¯s skull dangled from Kang Hyeon¡¯s mouth. Throwing it away, Kang Hyeon roared like a beast. *** Ippotrantion *** -Such cowardly¡­ Veil was still speaking even with his body and head separated. But his body had already stopped moving, and his voice was clearly strained. ¡°What¡¯s cowardly about fighting for your life?¡± -You¡­ ¡°That¡¯s why you¡¯re a skeleton, a ghost in a ce like this.¡± -Kuaaaa! Kang Hyeon took out Ogre¡¯s giant hammer from his inventory. ¡°Farewell.¡± And he struck Veil¡¯s skull with all his might. -Peogeok! Veil¡¯s head shattered instantly, breaking into dozens of pieces. ¡°Ow¡­ My teeth. I almost had to look into imnts at this age. Damn.¡± ¡°Kang Hyeon. The magic stone¡­¡± ¡°Huh? Ah! The magic stone!¡± Kang Hyeon hurriedly searched through the skull fragments. ¡°Haah, thank goodness.¡± Fortunately, he was able to find a marble-sized magic stone emitting a mysterious light. ¡°I almost had to run to the dungeon again.¡± A B-grade magic stone is absolutely necessary for weapon repair. The magic power emanating from it seemed sufficient for weapon repair. [Level up!] [Ability Kang Hyeon-style Brawling (F) is created] [Ability Kang Hyeon-style Brawling (F) merges with Intermediate Body Techniques (D)] [Ability Kang Hyeon-style Brawling (F) transforms into Kang Hyeon-style Life-or-Death Combat (C)] Suddenly, messages filled his vision. ¡°What does this mean¡­?¡± Kang Hyeon, who had been nkly staring at it, checked the detailed exnation. Kang Hyeon-style Life-or-Death Combat (C) Ability: In life-threatening battles, the instinct to eliminate enemies and survive bes even sharper. Description: A gift from someone to Kang Hyeon, who tore apart a B-rank undead boss with his teeth. Kang Hyeon¡¯s dog fighting seems to have reached a new level. ¡°¡­¡± For a while, Kang Hyeon nkly stared at the exnation. ¡°First you make me out to be some Cruel Family Destroyer, and now what? Dog fighting? Are you kidding me?!¡± ¡°Why is he like that¡­¡± Ignoring the contemptuous looks from those around him, Kang Hyeon continued his outburst for a while. ¡°So this is how it¡¯s going to be, huh? Just wait. I¡¯ll get you back someday.¡± Kang Hyeon vowed to punch the administrator in the face before he died. ¡°Whew¡­ Let¡¯s check the dropped items for now.¡± Having finally calmed down, Kang Hyeon checked the items that dropped from Veil. Name: Veil¡¯s Longsword Grade: C+ Durability: 328/350 Description: The longsword used by Veil, Princess Elin¡¯s bodyguard. This sword, which apanied Veil as he trained his entire life to protect the princess, is imbued with his conviction. Abilities: Calmness, Guardian *Calmness ¨C Stabilizes the user¡¯s mind. *Guardian ¨C Enhances the user¡¯s abilities in battles to protect something precious. Kang Hyeon¡¯s expression crumpled as he read the description. ¡°It¡¯s garbage.¡± At first nce, it seemed good with two abilities attached, but they were all vague abilities. ¡°I¡¯ll have to keep using the craftsman¡¯s longsword I gotst time until Bilgein¡¯s longsword is repaired.¡± Kang Hyeon handed Veil¡¯s longsword to An Yu-seong. ¡°You use this.¡± ¡°But you said it was garbage.¡± ¡°It¡¯s better than nothing, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Tch.¡± An Yu-seong reluctantly took the sword. ¡°Next is the armor?¡± Kang Hyeon lifted up a pitch-ck armor. Name: Veil¡¯s Armor Grade: B Durability: 2389 / 2500 Description: The armor used by Veil, Princess Elin¡¯s bodyguard. Designed to emphasize practicality over appearance, fitting for one who always moves to protect the princess from behind. Abilities: Durability Enhancement, Lightweight *Durability Enhancement ¨C Increases the armor¡¯s strength and prevents it from wearing out easily. *Lightweight ¨C Reduces the weight of the armor. ¡°This is quite usable, isn¡¯t it?¡± It had abilities that were essential for armor and applicable to anyone. Moreover, it seemed to have a high-grade lightweight enchantment, as it was the lightest full te armor Kang Hyeon had ever held. ¡°Still, it¡¯s not as good as Ronald¡¯s armor¡­ I¡¯ll have to give it to someone who needs it.¡± Kang Hyeon already had Ronald¡¯s B-grade armor from the tutorial. And Ronald¡¯s armor had self-repair capabilities. For Kang Hyeon, who wrecked his armor almost daily, there was no choice. ¡°Is there anything else?¡± ¡°There¡¯s also a book and a ring here.¡± ¡°Oh, what are they?¡± Just as the rewards were about to disappoint, Shin Seong-a handed over a book. ¡°I hope it¡¯s an ability¡­¡± He was already struggling to maintain his current skills with his magic power. So Kang Hyeon hoped for something rted to abilities that didn¡¯t require magic power. [Veil¡¯s Swordsmanship] ¡°Jackpot!¡± The name alone gave a feeling of hitting the jackpot. Veil¡¯s Swordsmanship (F) Ability: Learn the swordsmanship used by Veil. Description: Veil, renowned as a knight. Although he didn¡¯t reach the highest position, he was enough to be the envy of aspiring knights. ¡°This is good, right?¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ I¡¯m not sure.¡± Veil¡¯s swordsmanship skills were good enough to surpass An Yu-seong, so it would probably be better than basic swordsmanship. ¡°I don¡¯t know! It¡¯s something to learn, so it can¡¯t be worse than what I have now.¡± Kang Hyeon immediately acquired the ability. [Ability Veil¡¯s Swordsmanship is created] [Advanced Swordsmanship (C) merges with Veil¡¯s Swordsmanship (F)] [Veil¡¯s Swordsmanship rises to grade D] Checking his status window, ¡®Advanced Swordsmanship (C)¡¯ had disappeared and ¡®Veil¡¯s Swordsmanship (D)¡¯ had been created instead. ¡°It dropped from C-grade to D-grade¡­ But it¡¯s better, right?¡± It was clear that the grade had lowered to match Veil¡¯s Swordsmanship, which was a higher-level ability. ¡°Yeah. It must be¡­¡± Kang Hyeon still felt uneasy, but he nodded and tried to convince himself. ¡°What¡¯s the ring?¡± ¡°It¡¯s called Elin¡¯s Ring, and it seems pretty good.¡± ¡°Elin? The princess Veil was protecting?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Elin was the name of the princess mentioned in the description of the items Veil had. Name: Elin¡¯s Ring Grade: C+ Durability: 79/80 Description: A ring worn by Elin, the third princess of the kingdom. It has abilities tailored for Elin, who was usually sickly. Abilities: Increases Vitality stat by 6, Magic Shield *Magic Shield (C) ¨C Uses the skill Magic Shield (C) once a day. ¡°The options are pretty good.¡± While it wasn¡¯t particrly necessary for Kang Hyeon himself, the ring boasted quite decent performance on its own. ¡°Who would this suit?¡± ¡°I think it would be good for me¡­¡± Yoon Na-rae, who had checked the item, quietly raised her hand. ¡°You¡¯re right.¡± ¡°Yes¡­¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Kang Hyeon nodded and then put the ring into his inventory. ¡°¡­?¡± ¡°Why are you looking at me like that?¡± ¡°I mean, I said it seems to suit me.¡± ¡°So what?¡± ¡°You son of a¡­!¡± ¡°What did you do in this dungeon?¡± At Kang Hyeon¡¯s words, Yoon Na-rae closed her mouth as if she had eaten honey. Even she had to admit she hadn¡¯t done much in this conquest. ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Puhuhub. I¡¯m joking. Just kidding.¡± Ganghyeon took out the ring again and handed it to Yoon Na-rae. ¡°If you were going to give it to me, just give it. Why tease me?!¡± ¡°It¡¯s my choice, isn¡¯t it? Hehe.¡± ¡°Ugh¡­!¡± ¡°If you¡¯re upset,e at me. If you win, I¡¯ll make you the guild leader, okay?¡± ¡°No thanks!¡± Just as they finished sorting things out and Kang Hyeon was about to remove the main core, the Golden Beast Guild, which had run away earlier, was returning. ¡°What? If you ran away, you should have gone all the way. Whye back?¡± Anyway, the moment the main core is removed, a portal is created for everyone. It meant there was no problem escaping the dungeon withouting back here. ¡®They¡¯re not crazy enough to ask for a share of the rewards, are they?¡¯ Kang Hyeon vowed to p some sense into them if that was really the case. ¡°We¡¯re truly sorry!¡± ¡°Please forgive us!¡± Fortunately, that wasn¡¯t their intention. The Golden Beast Guild approached, knelt on the ground, and bowed their heads until their foreheads touched the ground. ¡°Sigh, it¡¯s fine, get up.¡± The reason the Golden Beast Guild returned was simple. ¡®We can¡¯t get on Kang Hyeon¡¯s bad side!¡¯ At first, they had nned to run all the way to the dungeon entrance, but when Kang Hyeon unexpectedly fought well, they stayed in ce. And watching Kang Hyeon fight, they realized: ¡®If we¡¯re not careful, we could all die¡­¡¯ Rumors said that Kang Hyeon had no blood or tears, and that he had already quietly dealt with several guilds inside dungeons. They were afraid of possible repercussions and felt they had no choice but to return. ¡°Just spare our lives!¡± Jo Woon-seong, the leader of the Golden Beast Guild, apologized as if he hadmitted a mortal sin. ¡°It¡¯s fine. We¡¯re all just trying to make a living.¡± ¡°Thank you¡­¡± ¡°But!¡± Jo Woon-seong¡¯s expression, which had brightened with a smile at Kang Hyeon¡¯s words, hardened again. ¡°But¡­?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s do a few more interviews.¡± Kang Hyeon needed supporting actors to widely publicize his glorious B-grade conquest. *** Ippotrantion *** After the chaotic one-day dungeon conquest ended, Kang Hyeon visited the exchange office to receive his dungeon reward. ¡°What brings you here today?¡± ¡°I¡¯m here to collect the dungeon reward.¡± ¡°Can you show me the core you obtained?¡± At the employee¡¯s request, Kang Hyeon took out the core. ¡°This is¡­?¡± ¡°B-rank dungeon, Veil of the Maze. The main core.¡± ¡°Ah, please wait a moment.¡± The employee made a call somewhere and exined earnestly. ¡°Yes, yes! This is Mr. Kang Hyeon from the Badass Guild.¡± Repeatedly saying ¡®yes¡¯ and nodding, the employee finally ended the call. ¡°Phew¡­¡± ¡°Did something not go well?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s just that this amount is unusual for a dungeon reward¡­ I had to ask my superiors.¡± ¡°Well, I did do something impressive. Haha!¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Ahem, so how much is it?¡± ¡°Yes. The reward is 4 billion won.¡± ¡°Great!¡± With this one conquest, he earned as much as all the money he had saved so farbined. ¡°If I¡¯m not careful, I might be a tycoonl! Hahaha!¡± A momentter. Kang Hyeon smiled contentedly as he looked at the newly inted 4 billion won in his bank ount. ¡°It¡¯s fortunate that dungeons don¡¯t deduct taxes.¡± Kang Hyeon had almost been hit with a tax bomb of up to 1 billion won. -Buzz buzz ¡°Huh? A phone call?¡± Kang Hyeon checked his smartphone at the sudden vibration. It was Team Leader Shin Tae-gil. ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± -Have you already cleared the dungeon? ¡°The news has already spread?¡± -Yes. I thought you would clear it, but I didn¡¯t expect you to clear that infamous dungeon so quickly. ¡°What¡¯s the asion? You¡¯re praising me so much. Do you have a favor to ask?¡± -Sigh, it¡¯s not like that. Please send the boss¡¯s magic stone directly to theb. Director Jeong Seo-bin is waiting. ¡°Alright.¡± -Yes. Then, goodbye. Just as Shin Tae-gil was about to end the call, Kang Hyeon spoke again. ¡°Wait a moment. Remember what we talked aboutst time? YouTube.¡± -Yes. ¡°I filmed a video as a test this time. It¡¯ll be up by tomorrow, so check it out.¡± -Alright. Seeing you tell me this, you must be quite confident. ¡°Just watch it when it¡¯s up.¡± -Then I¡¯ll look forward to it. ¡°Yes. Take care.¡± After ending the call, Kang Hyeon grinned, thinking about how people would react. ¡°This is definitely going to be a hit.¡± *** Ippotrantion *** It was a huge sess. Literally a mega-hit. ¡°Hey, did you see the video Kang Hyeon uploaded this time?¡± ¡°Kang Hyeon? Which Kang Hyeon?¡± ¡°Badass Kang Hyeon, you idiot!¡± ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± ¡°You crazy fool. You haven¡¯t seen it yet? Watch it quickly. It¡¯s on a different level. Completely insane!¡± Everywhere on the streets, conversations about the Badass Guild and Kang Hyeon were overflowing. -He clears Veil of the Maze in just two days. LOL -Do those walls usually break like that? -He just breaks through the maze and enters. LOL But the boss fight is even more shocking LOL -I am Crazy Dog Kang Hyeon! LOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOL -Crazy Dog LOL Everywhere, people were talking about the Crazy Dog. But what gained even more explosive poprity was the hamburger. -A hamburger inside a dungeon? What¡¯s that about? -I hear if you put it in your inventory, it¡¯s preserved semi-permanently. -It seems it even recovers a bit of magic. -Wow, magic recovery and semi-permanent preservation? That¡¯s insane. -And apparently, it tastes amazing too. -Yeah. 2 million won each -Are you serious? 2 million won? LOLOLOLOLOL -When mass production starts, the price will drop a lot¡­ -Still, 2 million is a bit much. There was a lot of discussion about the hamburger among people, but the overall reaction was mostly positive. ¡°How is it?¡± Kang Hyeon struck a proud pose as he met Director Jeong Seo-bin. ¡°You¡¯ve certainly done a good job with the promotion.¡± ¡°When I do something, I do it right.¡± ¡°We¡¯re receiving an enormous number of supply requests from all over the country. Even from overseas.¡± Kang Hyeon smiled contentedly at Jeong Seo-bin¡¯s words. ¡°That¡¯s enough about the promotion, shall we look at the magic stone now?¡± ¡°Ah, right.¡± Kang Hyeon remembered the purpose of his visit today and took out the magic stone from his inventory. ¡°The color is good. Shall we start with measuring the magic?¡± ¡°Oh, that¡¯s possible?¡± Kang Hyeon tilted his head at the unfamiliar term of magic concentration measurement. ¡°With the whole world rushing to research, this much is basic.¡± ¡°Oh¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s not yet known to the public, but quite a lot of research has already been done besides this.¡± As he spoke, Jeong Seo-bin ced the magic stone on a huge machine. -Whiiiiirrrr As noise came from the machine, the numbers on the screen kept rising. ¡°This¡­ The speed of increase is not normal.¡± ¡°Well, I went through a lot of trouble to get this. It¡¯ll probably be quite high.¡± The numbers on the screen continued to rise, already surpassing 25,000. ¡°Wow.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°It just surpassed Korea¡¯s highest record.¡± Kang Hyeon smiled at Jeong Seo-bin¡¯s words. -33,700 ¡°Is it over?¡± ¡°Yes. 33,700¡­ that¡¯s an absurd figure.¡± ¡°Is it that impressive?¡± ¡°Yes. It¡¯s almost close to the currently known official world record.¡± ¡°Then there shouldn¡¯t be any worries about repairs.¡± ¡°Wait a few days. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll get results that will please you.¡± Hi guys, please check out the second novel by the author of this novel ¡°Not All Heroes From Earth Are Bad¡° Chapter 89 Chapter 89 ¨C Father and Son (1) ¡°Have you heard the news?¡± In a chilly space, Chairman An Moo-seok¡¯s wordsnded heavily. ¡°What news do you mean?¡± ¡°Badass cleared a B-rank dungeon. And in just two days, at that.¡± At An Moo-seok¡¯s words, Kim Jun-yong, the guild master of Kangshin Guild, nodded with a smile. ¡°Yes. The whole country is buzzing about it, so how could I not know?¡± ¡°Are you¡­ Joking with me right now?¡± ¡°Not at all. How could I dare to joke with you, Chairman An? Haha.¡± Despite his calm tone, Kim Jun-yong was still smiling. This was an impossible sight under normal circumstances. As if he were intoxicated, An Moo-seok¡¯s voice grew louder at this seemingly drug-induced behavior. ¡°You find this funny!?¡± -BANG An agitated An Moo-seok mmed the table. ¡°When did I order the B-rank conquest, and why haven¡¯t you even started? Do you think this is why I invest in you?! If we lose this bet, you¡¯ll have to face the consequences!¡± It was a matter of pride. Since starting his business, An Moo-seok had never known defeat. But now, for the first time in his life, he was facing the risk of losing. And to an organization led by a young, arrogant upstart, with his ipetent son as a member, no less. ¡°Chairman An. Please calm down. What if you copse from this?¡± Kim Jun-yong maintained his smile, speaking in an unusually slimy tone. Normally, he would have been tense-faced, repeatedly bowing and apologizing. ¡°You¡­ What are you thinking?¡± Only then did An Moo-seok notice something was off. As he spoke, he quietly pressed the emergency call button. ¡°Chairman An. You¡¯ll need toe with us.¡± ¡°What¡­?¡± Suddenly, the ability users standing behind Kim Jun-yong grabbed An Moo-seok. ¡°You think you¡¯ll get away with this? Guards! Where are the guards!?¡± ¡°Those troublesome fellows have already been put to rest. Isn¡¯t it illegal to possess guns in Korea? Well, we¡¯ve made sure they won¡¯t do such things ever again, so don¡¯t bother looking for them.¡± ¡°Kim Jun-yong. You bastard!¡± Ignoring An Moo-seok¡¯s roar, Kim Jun-yong waved his hand. ¡°Take himfortably. He¡¯s a precious guest.¡± *** Ippotrantion *** On the way back to the guild office after finishing the conversation with Jeong Seo-bin. Today too, Shin Tae-gil was silently driving the car. ¡°Mr. Shin Tae-gil.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you use a lower-ranking member for this kind of task?¡± ¡°How can I entrust you to a low-ranking member? Who knows what might happen.¡± ¡°Come on. When have I ever caused any trouble¡­ No, what does that have to do with this?!¡± When Shin Tae-gil didn¡¯t respond, an embarrassed Kang Hyeon looked out the window. ¡°Mr. Shin Tae-gil.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°I¡¯m nning to start YouTube in earnest from tomorrow. The things I mentioned before.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± ¡°As you can see from this result, it¡¯ll definitely be the most talked-about.¡± ¡°It certainly seems that way.¡± ¡°While drawing people¡¯s attention here, we¡¯ll also provide useful education. Isn¡¯t it amazing whose idea this was?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Right?¡± ¡°Kang Hyeon.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Have you noticed you¡¯ve be quite unlikeabletely?¡± ¡°This guy just can¡¯t take a joke.¡± Clicking his tongue, Kang Hyeon turned his gaze back outside. ¡°Kang Hyeon. I¡¯m asking just in case, but what are you nning to start with in the video?¡± At Shin Tae-gil¡¯s question, Kang Hyeon¡¯s lips curled into a grin. ¡°Isn¡¯t that obvious?¡± ¡°¡­?¡± ¡°We have to crush the goblins first.¡± Kang Hyeon was already excited at the thought of teaching the goblins a lesson. ¡°Huh? Who¡¯s that?¡± Just then, Kang Hyeon¡¯s smartphone rang. As he fumbled to take out his smartphone, Shin Seong-a¡¯s name appeared on the screen. ¡°What¡¯s this about?¡± They rarely contacted each other separately, always meeting at the guild office. Kang Hyeon was momentarily confused but collected himself and answered the call. ¡°Hey, what¡¯s up?¡± -Kang Hyeon. It¡¯s a big problem. ¡°What is it?¡± -Chairman An Moo-seok has been kidnapped. *** Ippotrantion *** At the Badass Guild¡¯sbat training ground. In the center of this facility,pleted a few days ago, An Yu-seong was swinging his sword. ¡°Haap!¡± All around An Yu-seong, various items like maces, longswords, shields, and throwing weapons were scattered. An Yu-seong was running around the training ground like a madman, using all weapons to attack the practice equipment. ¡°¡­¡± The guild members of the dungeon conquest team 2, who were training together, stared nkly at the sight. ¡°He¡¯s not human¡­¡± Most of the Badass Guild members had never seen anyone other than Kang Hyeon inbat. Their entrance exam was conducted by Kang Hyeon alone, and after that, dungeon conquests were carried out by teams. From their perspective, even the team leaders were incredibly skilled, but An Yu-seong¡¯s movements were on apletely different level from those team leaders. In fact, just looking at his physical movements, An Yu-seong was far superior to Kang Hyeon, so their amazement was understandable. ¡°Haah¡­¡± After raging for about an hour, An Yu-seong finally stopped. ¡°Still not enough¡­¡± The recent battle with Veil. At that time, An Yu-seong felt his limitations for the first time. It was the first time he had encountered an opponent who surpassed him in strength, skill, and every aspect. ¡°Let¡¯s go again.¡± Just as An Yu-seong was about to resume training after catching his breath briefly. ¡°Vice Guild Master.¡± A guild member approached An Yu-seong. ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°There¡¯s a phone call¡­¡± ¡°Ah, thank you.¡± An Yu-seong received the smartphone and checked the call log. ¡°Secretary Park?¡± Secretary Park Yong-jin, who always assisted Chairman An Moo-seok by his side. The call was from him. Since there was usually no reason for him to contact, An Yu-seong tilted his head and made the call. ¡°Yes, Secretary Park.¡± ¡°Young master. It¡¯s a big problem.¡± ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± ¡°The Chairman has been kidnapped¡­¡± An Yu-seong¡¯s expression hardened. ¡°What do you mean?¡± This was impossible. Chairman An Moo-seok¡¯s security was the best in the country, and the Kangsihn Guild was always on standby by his side. ¡°Wait a moment, could it be¡­¡± Suddenly, An Yu-seong¡¯s intuition kicked in. ¡°Is it the Kangshin Guild?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± His prediction was correct, but he felt no joy. An Yu-seong frowned, touching his forehead. ¡°Haa¡­¡± ¡°Fortunately, the tracking device the Chairman has is still working. But even this could be useless at any moment.¡± ¡°How about the vital signs?¡± The miniature device that Chairman An Moo-seok carries not only tracks his location but also sends his vital signs in real-time. ¡°Fortunately, there¡¯s no major abnormality so far, but we don¡¯t know when those bastards might harm the Chairman. Young master, please help us.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Currently, all the bodyguards have been mobilized to chase them, but they¡¯re also helplessly overwhelmed.¡± The Kangshin Guild was ranked 6th domestically, one of the top-tier guilds. Naturally, no matter how well-trained or capable the bodyguards were, they were no match for Kangshin. ¡°Secretary Park. Can you send my father¡¯s location to my smartphone?¡± ¡°Yes. I¡¯ve already taken care of that.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± An Yu-seong immediately got dressed and left the training room. ¡°Where are you going?¡± ¡°Shin Seong-a. It¡¯s urgent, so please tell Kang Hyeon right away.¡± An Yu-seong briefly exined the situation to Shin Seong-a, whom he met on the way, and gave her Secretary Park¡¯s number. ¡°I¡¯lle with you.¡± ¡°No. Older Sister, please quickly bring Kang Hyeon.¡± ¡°But¡­¡± ¡°We don¡¯t have time to argue now.¡± Suddenly, a fire lit up in An Yu-seong¡¯s eyes. Seeing this unfamiliar side of An Yu-seong, Shin Seong-a could only nod. *** Ippotrantion *** ¡®Where are they going¡­¡¯ The location confirmed on the smartphone was constantly moving farther away. It seemed they would soon leave Seoul. ¡°Damn it!¡± He didn¡¯t know when the tracking device would be discovered. Even if it wasn¡¯t, if those bastards hid in a dungeon, the signal would be cut off. An Yu-seong, who had gotten into a red sports car, stepped hard on the elerator. -Screeech! With a strong friction sound, the car shot forward. -Vrooom! ¡°You crazy bastard!¡± As the sports car raced down the road, endless precarious situations unfolded. The vehicle¡¯s speed had already exceeded 100km/h. ¡°If I can just get out of Seoul, I can catch up.¡± Once out of theplex urban area, the situation would be much more favorable for him with his faster speed. ¡®What am I doing right now¡­¡¯ Suddenly, thoughts rushed in. ¡®Father¡­ Should I be going out like this to save that man?¡¯ Thinking back, there were no happy memories at all. Since An Yu-seong was young, An Moo-seok had been busy with business, and as An Yu-seong grew up, there was only contempt, verbal abuse, and physical violence. ¡®Father. If that man were gone, wouldn¡¯t my life be happier?¡¯ Father, who had only been an object of fear and disgust. Did he really need to save him? Such questions kept flooding in. ¡°Fuck!¡± An Yu-seong shouted to shake off his thoughts and pressed the elerator even harder. The sports car left a red tail as it sped down the road. *** Ippotrantion *** ¡°Where are we going?¡± It was Chairman An Moo-seok¡¯s private sedan. That vehicle was specially manufactured to block external threats. But now, it was rather ying the role of isting An Moo-seok from external help. ¡°Chairman An.¡± Kim Jun-yong, the guild master of Kangshin, opened his eyes at An Moo-seok¡¯s question. ¡°Shut up. I don¡¯t want to bother touching your body either.¡± ¡°You guys¡­ Did you approach me with this intention from the start? Urgh!¡± Suddenly, Kim Jun-yong reached out and grabbed An Moo-seok¡¯s face. ¡°I told you to shut up. Just because I can¡¯t kill you doesn¡¯t mean I can¡¯t hurt you.¡± ¡°Urghh!¡± The strong pressure on his cheeks felt like it might break his bones. ¡°As a smart man, I think you would understand.¡± ¡°Hak, haa¡­¡± An Moo-seok, who had been groaning in pain, was finally able toe to his senses when Kim Jun-yong let go. ¡°Where¡­ Where are we going?¡± Although it was painful, An Moo-seok couldn¡¯t stop. The conversation here was being transmitted to Secretary Park Yong-jin in real-time. ¡®If their goal was my life, they had countless opportunities. But they didn¡¯t kill me. They must want something.¡¯ He had to keep talking endlessly to reveal their intentions, purposes, and identities. ¡°Sigh, was this old man always this talkative?¡± Kim Jun-yong shook his head with a tired expression. ¡°Should I just knock him out and go? Huh?¡± ¡°Try if you can. I¡¯ve lived long enough. Do you think any threat you make will work? Haha!¡± An Moo-seokughed boisterously. Seeing this, Kim Jun-yong¡¯s face twisted severely. ¡°Has he gone senile? Why are you acting up like this!? Huh!? Should I just kill you?¡± ¡°Kill me. If you can.¡± ¡°Arghhhh!¡± Kim Jun-yong, who had been banging his head against the car seat unable to contain his anger, suddenly stopped. ¡°Hey, Chairman An Moo-seok. Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re acting up because of that?¡± ¡°W-Wait!¡± Kim Jun-yong suddenly lunged at An Moo-seok and tore off his skin. Hidden inside was the miniature mechanical device that An Moo-seok had been concealing. ¡°Argh!¡± ¡°This little device. Did you think I wouldn¡¯t know? Aren¡¯t you underestimating me too much?¡± ¡°You¡­¡± ¡°Haha! Finally back to your usual self. It¡¯s really funny that someone like you was acting up just because of this, isn¡¯t it?¡± -Crunch The precision device crumbled helplessly in Kim Jun-yong¡¯s hand. Seeing this, An Moo-seok¡¯s head dropped lifelessly. ¡°I pretended not to know just to see this! Hahaha! It¡¯s so fun. Hey, Chairman An. Nothing left to say now, right? Huh? So just shut up and let¡¯s go quietly.¡± It was when Kim Jun-yong was excitedly chattering away. ¡°Guild Master!¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Someone is following us.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you not to report every little thing? Take care of it.¡± They had already blown away five of An Moo-seok¡¯s escort vehicles that had been chasing them. After that, it had been quiet, and they thought they had given up, but it seemed a new vehicle had caught up. ¡°It¡¯s¡­ Not an escort vehicle.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a red Lamborghini Aventador¡­¡± Hearing those words, An Moo-seok¡¯s head lifted. A red Lamborghini Aventador. It was one of the vehicles his son, An Yu-seong, drove. Chapter 90 Chapter 90 ¨C Father and Son (2) ¡°Found it.¡± An Yu-seong finally spotted Chairman An Moo-seok¡¯s vehicle and increased his speed. -Vrooom! The loud exhaust sound shook the road. At the same time, the signaling from Chairman An Moo-seok was cut off. ¡°So they finally noticed.¡± It was fortunate, if anything. If the signal had been cut off even a little earlier, it would have been difficult to find them. ¡°Huh?¡± Suddenly, he felt magic gathering in front of him. ¡°You want to get serious now?¡± As the battle began, An Yu-seong seemed to be calmer instead. Complicated thoughts are unnecessary in battle. You only need to focus on surviving and killing the enemy. -Screech! As a pit of fire was created, An Yu-seong sharply turned the steering wheel. -Boom! A loud noise erupted as the magic exploded next to the vehicle. He faintly heard a voice saying, ¡°He dodged that!?¡± The enemies¡¯ surprise was natural. It¡¯s virtually impossible to dodge mes flying towards you in a vehicle going nearly 200km/h. It was a feat possible only for a select few people like An Yus-eong who could anticipate and calcte everything in advance. ¡°This is fun!¡± An Yu-seong smiled and increased his speed again. The two vehicles were so close that they could see each other¡¯s eyes. Through the window, he could see his father¡¯s expression, which was unreadable. ¡°Huh?¡± For a moment, he saw the guys in the back seat pull something out. It was a gun. -Screech, Crash! Before they could aim their guns, An Yu-seong swerved and rammed into their vehicle. ¡°This crazy bastard!¡± The voices of the shocked enemies could be heard. -Ratatata! That¡¯s when it happened. Along with the sound of gunfire from behind, the ss windows shattered. It seemed the enemies were split up in at least five vehicles. ¡°I should take care of those first.¡± An Yu-seong smiled wickedly and cast a magic shield. ¡°Magic Shield.¡± A basic and popr skill. Originally, its purpose was simply to block enemy attacks. Even then, it would break helplessly if it received even a slightly strong impact. But An Yu-seong¡¯s utilization surpassed themon sense of ordinary people. -Vroom! Vehicle jump ramp. An Yu-seong cast a magic shield diagonally on the asphalt road he had just passed. The magic shield, which should have shattered upon collision with the vehicle, created a miracle whenid low on the ground with a slight incline. ¡°Ahhh!¡± ¡°We¡¯re flying!¡± The enemies¡¯ vehicles that passed over the magic shield flew through the air as if they had gone over a vehicle jump ramp. -Crash! Of course, since he had also added variations to the slope of the magic shield, the vehicles spun madly like a rotating ball and crashed outside the road. ¡°What was that? What kind of skill is that?!¡± -Boom, Bang! It¡¯s amon magic shield. This feat was possible because An Yu-seong had been flying through the air using magic shields from the beginning. It¡¯s an entricity that ordinary people could never utilize even if they knew the method. The enemies disappeared one by one, not knowing what had hit them. ¡°Using guns when you¡¯re supposed to be an ability user, and in South Korea of all ces.¡± An Yu-seong grinned after dealing with thewless threats to South Korea. ¡°How long do you n to keep driving like this?! Why don¡¯t we get out and settle this?¡± ¡°Aaargh! What are you all doing against that blood clot of a kid!?¡± Kim Jun-yong let out a scream, unable to contain his anger. ¡°Guild Master. We¡¯ve almost arrived at the destination. There are guild members waiting there, so please be patient for a little longer.¡± ¡°Huff¡­¡± Kim Jun-yong caught his breath at the guild member¡¯s words. ¡°Time seems to be running short. Thanks to that bastard, we¡¯ve drawn too much attention. Got it?!¡± ¡°Yes¡­ I¡¯ll proceed as quickly as possible.¡± *** Ippotrantion *** Seoraksan Mountain in Hong cheon, Gangwon-do. It was about 80km away from Gangnam where An Yu-seong had been, a distance that would normally take about an hour and a half. But An Yu-seong arrived here in just fifty minutes. His license suspension was almost certain. ¡°So it¡¯s a dungeon after all?¡± He could see the entrance to a huge dungeon. There were dozens of ability users waiting for him there, armed with weapons. The guys who were with Chairman An Moo-seok seemed to have already entered the dungeon. ¡°I¡¯m in a hurry, so could you move aside?¡± ¡°Your jokes are going too far. Don¡¯t think you¡¯ll enter alive.¡± The one who seemed to be the leader spat out in response to An Yu-seong¡¯s words. ¡°Well, I wasn¡¯t really expecting much when I said that.¡± As An Yu-seong spoke, he threw a dagger. Then he immediately took out a new dagger from his inventory and repeated the throwing. The method of taking out a new dagger and gripping it in his hand as soon as one dagger left his hand. In the blink of an eye, dozens of daggers flew towards the enemies. -Swoosh swoosh swoosh! With a B-grade weapon skill, the daggers flew towards the enemies foreheads without a single error. ¡°This petty trick!¡± At the moment the enemies were blocking and dodging the daggers, An Yu-seong, who had elerated his body, was already right in front of them. ¡°Uh, ugh¡­!¡± -Crunch! An Yu-seong, who had nted a mace in the face of the surprised enemy, pulled out a shield. -Boom! ¡°What kind of crazy bastard is this! I told you not to use area magic!¡± The enemiesunched area magic at An Yu-seong despite the presence of theirrades. But An Yu-seong, who had anticipated this, calmly blocked the attack and used a skill. ¡®Magic Shield.¡¯ In an instant, a nted magic shield was created under the feet of the enemy approaching An Yu-seong. ¡°Ugh?!¡± The enemy who stepped on the sloped magic shield lost his bnce and staggered. As a result, the spear he was wielding was directed towards hisrade next to him. ¡°Argh! What are you doing?!¡± While the enemies were flustered, An Yu-seong quickly dove in. And he amiably nted daggers in the enemies¡¯ chins. ¡°Gurgle¡­¡± The enemies¡¯ eyes widened in shock, and blood flowed from their mouths. An Yu-seong gradually fell into a trance. An enemy using magic in the distance. A dagger leaves his hand. He doesn¡¯t need to confirm the result. He had already disrupted the enemy¡¯s bnce with his skill, so the enemy couldn¡¯t dodge. Naturally, the dagger was lodged in the iling enemy¡¯s nape. An Yu-seong didn¡¯t even check the result and immediately lowered his posture while raising his shield. Magic passes over his head, and several weapons fall on the shield. -ng! A heavy impact pressed down on his arm. At that moment, An Yu-seong had already pulled out a hand Ax and gripped it. From his lowered stance, An Yu-seong swung the hand Ax and struck between the armor of one of the enemies. ¡°Arghhhh!¡± -Thud! And with the force of standing up, he swung his shield and struck the enemy¡¯s face. Where the enemy fell, there was already a sharp magic shield in ce. That sharp-edged thing, which could no longer be called a shield, pierced into the falling enemy¡¯s eye. -Whoosh, whoosh! A sword and arge Ax flew at him again. The Ax is slow and easy to dodge. He moved his body towards the AX, narrowly avoiding it, and used the Ax to block the sword¡¯s path. Simultaneously, he thrust a dagger taken from his inventory into the inside of the enemy¡¯s elbow. It was an unavoidable choice as other vital points were protected by hard metal. ¡°You rat bastard!¡± The enemy must have been quite tough, as he immediately drew another weapon. But in that interval, An Yu-seong, who had pulled out a mace, struck the enemy¡¯s head. -Boom! The enemy¡¯s head, along with the helmet, crumpled like a can. Even the tough guy couldn¡¯t withstand that impact and copsed. An Yu-seong kicked him away before he could fully fall. The enemy who was about to swing his sword hesitated as he caught his flyingrade. -Swoosh! An Yu-seong immediately turned around and threw a dagger. Another enemy who was about to shoot an arrow dodged the dagger in shock. ¡°Phew¡­¡± The archer sighed in relief as the dagger narrowly missed. However, another dagger that flew in session pierced through the enemy¡¯s cheek. -Thud! ¡°Aaaaaargh!¡± He nted a mace in the face of the enemy writhing in pain. ¡°Haah¡­¡± An Yu-seong caught his breath for a moment. Time taken so far: 15 seconds. In just 15 seconds, seven ability users had died. Wind blew across the quiet mountainside, and shock and silence froze the air. ¡°This is fun.¡± An Yu-seong said with a grin. The enemies facespletely stiffened. ¡°Mo-monster¡­¡± A few enemies, ovee with fear, stepped back. ¡°Damn it, what are you doing! Don¡¯t be cowards, you bastards! Are you really the Kangshin Guild?!¡± The enemies leader shouted desperately. ¡°Attack all at once!¡± ¡°Uwaaaaah!¡± Kangshin is not an ordinary guild. Those who don¡¯t follow the orders of the executives die. Escape is not allowed either. If they were going to die anyway, they had no choice but to bet on the option with slightly higher odds. ¡°Die!¡± The enemies began to charge in with their reasonpletely paralyzed. The area magic that had stopped also started to pour in again. They seemed not to care about sacrificing theirrades if it meant killing An Yu-seong. ¡°You should have done this from the start.¡± An Yu-seong¡¯s blood-stained mace cut through the air, -Crunch! New blood was added on top of the dried bloodstains. *** Ippotrantion *** ¡°So, what we see here is Chairman An Moo-seok¡¯s location, right? And An Yu-seong is chasing after this.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± At Shin Seong-a¡¯s answer, Kang Hyeon hurriedly ran to the car. ¡°What are you doing! We¡¯re going after them right now!¡± Shin Tae-gil took the wheel again, and Kang Hyeon and Shin Seong-a got in the back seat. ¡°How long do you think it will take to catch up?¡± ¡°Considering the distance they¡¯ve moved and the time, they¡¯re moving at a very high speed. It will probably be difficult to catch up.¡± ¡°Damn it! Let¡¯s go anyway!¡± Shin Tae-gil stepped hard on the elerator and the vehicle shot forward. ¡°Mr. Kang Hyeon. Here, this¡­¡± ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± Suddenly, Shin Seong-a handed a smartphone to Kang Hyeon. A breaking news report was streaming on it. -This scene, reminiscent of a battlefield, is at Bridge 1 on the Seoul-Yangyang Expressway. Currently, a group is engaged in a car chase, and in the process, there are multiple casualties and 8 vehiclespletely destroyed. These individuals are identified as members of the renowned domestic ability user organization, Kangshin Guild, and they are currently kidnapping Chairman An Moo-seok of Hyesung Group¡­ Shin Tae-gil¡¯s expression darkened as he heard the news. ¡°Sigh, another major incident so soon¡­¡± ¡°Cheer up. That¡¯s why we¡¯re going to resolve it now.¡± Kang Hyeon smiled and offered a not-quitefortingfort to Shin Tae-gil. ¡°By the way, Kangshin Guild¡­ Isn¡¯t that where Chairman An Moo-seok has been investing recently?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. I¡¯ve even met them before.¡± ¡°What?¡± Shin Tae-gil was surprised at Kang Hyeon¡¯s words. ¡°Mr. Kang Hyeon. Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯ve done something again?¡± ¡°Damn it. Why do you say it like that? I just met them because of some circumstances, and this has nothing to do with me!¡± It was then. Shin Seong-a suddenly started to panic. She tapped on her smartphone repeatedly and then wore a dejected expression. ¡°What? What¡¯s the matter?¡± ¡°The signal has been cut off.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°The location is no longer being disyed.¡± ¡°Haah¡­¡± Kang Hyeon sighed and roughly ran his hand through his hair. ¡°We have to keep going for now. We¡¯re still far from the point shown in the news. And turn the car around! It¡¯s probably going to be very congested there.¡± ¡°That was the n.¡± For a while after that, there was no conversation. Everyone was lost in their own thoughts, with only the noise of the speeding vehicle filling the surroundings. ¡®It¡¯s a problem even if we arrive at the point where the signal was cut off.¡¯ There was no way to know how far they had moved on the highway. There was no information at all, and the breaking news seemed to be repeating the same scenes without any new information. ¡°Mr. Kang Hyeon!¡± Suddenly, Shin Seong-a shouted. ¡°I got a text message. It¡¯s from Mr. An Yu-seong.¡± ¡°What? Where does it say?¡± ¡°It says Seoraksan.¡± ¡°You heard that? Step on it!¡± The remaining distance was 25km. It was a winding mountain road, but if they moved quickly, they could arrive within 20 minutes. ¡°Hold on tight!¡± Shin Tae-gil said and pressed hard on the elerator. The vehicle¡¯s speedometer was already showing over 180km/h. Chapter 91 Chapter 91 ¨C Father and Son (3) Alexei Kais. He was a talent specially dispatched by the ¡®Free Ability Users Liberation Alliance¡¯ for this operation. He was an exceptional ability user in many ways, but he was particrly excellent in magic rted to the mind. ¡°Ugh¡­¡± ¡°Why is this old man so persistent!?¡± Alexei was quite excited. Unlike usual, things weren¡¯t going as he wanted. ¡°Alexei. We don¡¯t have time. This old man is just a level 1 ordinary person. Why is it taking so long?¡± ¡°Shut up! I¡¯m almost done!¡± Alexei red fiercely and shouted at Kim Jun-yong¡¯s words. Kim Jun-yong stared at Alexei¡¯s blue eyes for a moment, then silently turned his head away. ¡®Stupid bastard. He¡¯s running wild just because he¡¯s favored by the union leader.¡¯ Kim Jun-yong¡¯s brow furrowed involuntarily, but he didn¡¯t show it like an amateur. ¡°Phew, it¡¯s almost done.¡± A smile appeared on Alexei¡¯s lips as he sweated profusely. He had finally reached the final stage of dominating An Moo-seok¡¯s mind. Now, with just a little more waiting, Chairman An Moo-seok will be in Alexei¡¯s grasp. Along with the Hyeseong Group, one of the world¡¯s leadingpanies. And this won¡¯t end until either Alexei or An Moo-seok dies. ¡®With this job, I¡¯ll rise to a higher position in the union. It won¡¯t be long before the union leader¡¯s position bes mine.¡¯ Alexei was originally just a low-ranking member of the union, but he showed exceptional ability in mind-rted magic and was rapidly promoted to an executive position. But he wasn¡¯t satisfied. Soon, he will turn even the arrogant union leader into his puppet and rise to the highest position. ¡°You¡­ Just kill them!¡± ¡°You still have the strength to talk?¡± Alexei approached An Moo-seok, who was kneeling. He brushed back his brown hair that reached his shoulders and smiled coldly. ¡°Old Oriental monkey. I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re saying, but you¡¯d better give up. You¡¯ll spend the rest of your life dancing in the palm of my hand. Well, an old monkey isn¡¯t a cute doll to y with, but I can¡¯t help it. Hahaha!¡± Alexeiughed as if he was really enjoying himself. Watching this, An Moo-seok gathered hisst remaining strength and opened his mouth. ¡°Ptui!¡± ¡°Ugh..!¡± An Moo-seok spat refreshingly and then buried his head on the floor. ¡°Tsk, how dirty. Anyway, it¡¯s over. This old man is mine now.¡± ¡°Good job.¡± ¡°Now we just need to y with the world economy. Hehe.¡± Besides An Moo-seok, there were two more world-ss entrepreneurs under Alexei¡¯s control. Now with An Moo-seok added, making it three in total, the union won¡¯t have to worry about funding anymore. ¡°Hahaha! I¡¯m already so excited that my lower body is¡­¡± Alexei couldn¡¯t finish his sentence. -St! Because his head exploded. Alexei¡¯s upper bodypletely burst open, hit by a mace that suddenly fell from the sky. ¡°Phew. Fortunately, the mace wasn¡¯t damaged.¡± And An Yu-seong, who calmly jumped down from the sky, picked up the mace that was stuck in Alexei¡¯s body. ¡°¡­¡± In an unpleasant silence, those who were looking at An Yu-seong with shock, as if denying the unbelievable reality. ¡°What are you looking at?¡± *** Ippotrantion *** As soon as An Yu-seong entered the dungeon, he quickly checked his surroundings. ¡°Nothing particrly visible.¡± An open-type dungeon made up of forests. He couldn¡¯t guess at all which direction those who took Chairman An Moo-seok had gone. ¡°I think I roughly know, though.¡± An Yu-seong¡¯s intuition gave him a general idea of where they might be. But it would take too long to move recklessly with just that. ¡°Magic shield.¡± An Yu-seong created a magic shield in the air and stepped on it. ¡°Heave-ho, heave-ho.¡± Magic shields were continuously created, connecting like stairs. This was a technique that required tremendous difficulty, but An Yu-seong had been practicing this since right after graduating from the tutorial, so there were no mistakes. ¡°Now I can see a bit better.¡± An Yu-seong, who had risen over 300m above the ground, started running in earnest. -Tadadadadada If he misstepped even once, he would fall straight to the ground. Although he was a strong ability user, it was uncertain whether he would be safe falling from this height. ¡®I wonder if Kang Hyeon will be fine?¡¯ While continuing these pointless thoughts, An Yu-seong kept running. Not long after, he saw a group of people gathered in a clearing. ¡°Are they using magic¡­¡± A foreign man was extending his hand towards Chairman An Moo-seok, emitting magic. ¡°Their goal was to affect the mind.¡± Now he understood why they desperately tried to keep An Moo-seok alive instead of killing him. ¡°Seeing you like this, father. You¡¯re human after all.¡± He could see An Moo-seok struggling while kneeling. As An Yu-seong had always seen only the strong image of his father, this scene was very strange to him. ¡°Sigh, what should I do now¡­¡± An Yu-seong doesn¡¯t know much about mental magic. What risks are there if it¡¯s forcibly interrupted during casting? How to undo it if the magic seeds? He knew nothing about these things. In a situation where An Moo-seok¡¯s mind could be damaged if he¡¯s not careful, it¡¯s not easy to step forward recklessly. ¡°Is that really true?¡± Father, Chairman An Moo-seok, was a huge wall in his life. No, he was something more than that. Come to think of it, this might be a good opportunity to remove the trauma he¡¯s had since childhood. ¡°No, get a grip.¡± He shouldn¡¯t let him go now. His intuition was strongly telling him. ¡°I should do as I¡¯ve been doing.¡± An Yu-seong stopped pondering. This kind of contemtion didn¡¯t suit him. -Woong An Yu-seong, who had set up a few devices in the air, carefully aimed his mace. ¡°Get ready and¡­¡± Finally, the moment Alexei stopped. ¡°Shoot!¡± An Yu-seong threw the mace with all his might. -Swooosh! The mace thrown with full force from hundreds of meters high flew with a chilling sound. -St! The macended precisely on Alexei¡¯s crown, and his upper body exploded as if hit by a bomb. ¡°Nice!¡± Seeing this, An Yu-seong quickly descended to the ground. ¡°Phew. Fortunately, the mace wasn¡¯t damaged.¡± Fortunately, the precious mace seemed unharmed. Suddenly feeling a gaze, An Yu-seong looked around. ¡°What are you looking at?¡± ¡°You¡­¡± Kim Jun-yong red at An Yu-seong as if to kill him. ¡°Do¡­ Do you know what you¡¯ve just done..?¡± His face was trembling with anger. Seeing that grotesque face that seemed to have facial paralysis, An Yu-seong smiled brightly. ¡°Wait a moment! There¡¯s still something left.¡± -Snap! An Yu-seong cheerfully snapped his fingers. ¡°¡­¡± And nothing happened. ¡°What¡¯s supposed to happen¡­¡± The moment someone opened their mouth. -Swooosh, Kaboom! Dozens of weapons began to pour down from the air. ¡°Arghhhh!¡± Before throwing the mace. An Yu-seong had pre-fixed weapons in the air using magic. -This should be quite a sight. Hehe. Generally, the weight of cold weapons is over 1kg. In some cases, there are ones that easily exceed 5kg. In other words, to put the current situation simply, it¡¯s like dropping a 5kg dumbbell from the top of the 63 Building. As a result, Hell unfolded. -St, Pak! Kaboom! ¡°Arghhhh!¡± ¡°Kuhak!¡± The power of the poured weapons far exceeded An Yu-seong¡¯s expectations. The screams of the Kangshin Guild members echoed all around. ¡°Nice.¡± An Yu-seong smiled as he heard those screams. After a few seconds that were like hell for some, there weren¡¯t even ten people left standing on the ground. ¡°Ugh, what is this¡­. Kuhak!¡± An Yu-seong didn¡¯t give them time to regain their senses. He threw a dagger at one¡¯s neck while swinging his mace simultaneously. In that instant. The opponent¡¯s eyes, tinted with bewilderment, captured the ferocious mace. -Crunch! ¡°Everyone, get a grip!¡± At Kim Jun-yong¡¯s shout, the Kangshin Guild members finally started to move. Although caught off guard by the sudden ambush, they were the elites of one of the top guilds in the country. They were confident they wouldn¡¯t lose even if their opponent was the vice guild master of Badass. No, they thought they could easily handle one person if they didn¡¯t let their guard down. ¡°You won¡¯t be able to rampage anymore!¡± ¡°Really?¡± The remaining enemies rushed at An Yu-seong simultaneously. -Kaboom, Bang! ng! Weapons flying from all directions. Sparks flew as weapons shed chaotically. In that moment when life hung by a thread, An Yu-seong smiled. ¡®I¡¯ve be stronger.¡¯ It felt like his skills, which had been stagnant for a while, had explosively improved. The more he fought, the more he was pushed into difficult situations, the sharper his senses became. He could feel the flying weapons even without seeing them with his eyes. With a single movement, he blocked all attacks and drew the battle to his advantage. ¡®Is this guy a monster!?¡¯ The Kangshin Guild members were going crazy. Clearly, An Yu-seong¡¯s speed and strength were excellent, but it wasn¡¯t an unbridgeable gap. Nevertheless, they couldn¡¯tnd a single effective hit. ¡°Boring?¡± Before the time it takes to drink a cup of tea had passed, all guild members were down. ¡°Good, very good!¡± An Yu-seong, who usually neglected training, had started training in earnest, and his senses had be very sharp. On top of that, his concentration was now pulled to the extreme like never before. If he fought Veil again now, he was confident he wouldn¡¯t be pushed back like before. ¡°What are you doing?¡± An Yu-seong, with a smile on his face, looked at the only man standing, Kim Jun-yong. ¡°Are you just going to watch?¡± ¡°You¡­ You¡­¡± Kim Jun-yong looked somehow strange. He was continuously muttering odd things and trembling. ¡°How dare¡­ To make excuses to the Union leader for what I¡¯ve built¡­ This is bad¡­¡± ¡°Are you feeling unwell?¡± ¡°You, you¡­¡± ¡°Me?¡± ¡°I will surely kill you¡­ I swear¡­¡± Kim Jun-yong¡¯s body was shaking incessantly. It was due to uncontroble rage. ¡°Try killing me now.¡± ¡°Shut your mouth!¡± Suddenly, an enormous magical power burst from Kim Jun-yong. A magical power that emitted a dazzling light mixed with various colors. The rainbow-like magical powershed out in all directions. -ng! At the same time, Kim Jun-yong drew his sword. Two kukris. The kukris gripped in both hands writhed as if they were alive. No, they were actually alive. The grotesque teeth sprouting from the des were voraciously devouring Kim Jun-yong¡¯s magical power like living beings craving flesh and blood. ¡°What cute weapons.¡± ¡°Die.¡± Kim Jun-yong swung his swords, and the swords let out a scream. -Kyaaaa! And with the scream, a sharp de of magical power was spewed out. A jet-ck sword energy. Its color was so dark that it was unthinkable it had devoured Kim Jun-yong¡¯s colorful magical power. An Yu-seong instinctively sensed danger and dodged. -Swoosh! The trees in the forest touched by the ck magical de were torn apart like sheets of paper. Kim Jun-yong¡¯s kukris continued to scream as if spitting out magical power was painful. ¡°I take back the ¡®cute¡¯ment.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll see how long you can remain so rxed.¡± Kim Jun-yong began tounch his attack in earnest. ¡®Damn, I should have learned some magical techniques!¡¯ The tricks of using magical shields as traps like before no longer worked. This was because Kim Jun-yong emitted magical power from his body, causing the shields to melt away before they could even touch him. His use of magical power was extremely inefficient and wasteful, but Kim Jun-yong didn¡¯t seem to care. -Kyaaaa! With a terrible scream, a jet-ck de grazed An Yu-seong¡¯s body. ¡°Ugh!¡± An Yu-seong originally preferred light and flexible armor, so such a powerful attack would be fatal the moment it touched him. ¡®Well, even if it had been thick te armor, I don¡¯t think it could have blocked that attack.¡¯ An Yu-seong¡¯s clothes and armor were torn, and droplets of blood sttered. ¡°Hup!¡± ¡°Another trick¡­¡± In desperation, An Yu-seong threw a dagger. But it was instantly shredded into dozens of pieces by the opponent¡¯s sword energy and scattered in the air. ¡®There¡¯s no way.¡¯ des pouring down without pause. It was impossible to even approach. The only option was to wait until the magical power ran out, but the opponent¡¯s magical power seemed to be pouring out as if it were infinite. Moreover, An Yu-seong was already quite exhausted from the continuous battle. ¡®This is interesting.¡¯ An Yu-seong grinned. It had been a long time since he¡¯d been in a situation this hopeless. At times like this, even An Yu-seong had to give up something. It was time for a gamble. Having made his decision, An Yu-seong got up and ran. ¡°Hahaha! Are you giving up already? Huh? You¡¯re giving up this easily!¡± Kim Jun-yongughed loudly, seeing An Yu-seong approaching him instead. -Kyaaaa! The two kukris let out a scream, and again, streams of ck magical power flew towards An Yu-seong. ¡®Hup!¡¯ In a split second. An Yu-seong focused all his attention on the magical. And he entrusted his body to instinct. -Woong First, he created the strongest magical shield on his path of movement. Simultaneously, he threw the weapons he had stored in his inventory, and An Yu-seong himself leaped into the air. -Swoosh! In a split second. An Yu-seong cleverly altered the path of the magical streams using the magical shields and weapons he had set up in advance. An Yu-seong passed through the gap as if he had predicted it, just barely. It was the result of continuously observing how the opponent¡¯s magical streams moved. He sustained some injuries in the process, but it was sufficiently bearable. ¡®I thought I might lose an arm or a leg, but¡­¡¯ This was a sufficient defense. ¡°You bastard!¡± Kim Jun-yong was flustered. An Yu-seong, who should have been torn to shreds by the magic, had passed through it as if performing a trick. ¡°I¡¯ll give you credit for your tricks!¡± But that was all. The opponent was exhausted, while he was still in top condition. ¡°Die!¡± Kim Jun-yong swung his sword again. But just before the sword came down, An Yu-seong, who had rushed in, grabbed Kim Jun-yong¡¯s hand to prevent him from swinging the sword. ¡°What are you doing!?¡± Kim Jun-yong shouted in confusion as An Yu-seong suddenly grabbed his hand. ¡°Hah, I didn¡¯t want to fight like Kang Hyeon¡­¡± ¡°What?¡± An Yu-seong sighed and tilted his head back forcefully. ¡°W-wait!¡± And he brought down his hard forehead onto Kim Jun-yong¡¯s nose. ¡°Argh! You crazy bastard!¡± ¡°This is all I¡¯ve learned!¡± There was one area where An Yu-seong acknowledged Kang Hyeon. Street fighting. Or brawling. When it came to fighting dirty, Kang Hyeon had truly unparalleled talent. An Yu-seong didn¡¯t particrly like it, but now was the time to borrow that strength. ¡°Ahhh! You scum! How dare you!¡± Kim Jun-yong let out a scream after being hit in the nose. Just as the enraged opponent was about to swing his sword again. ¡°Is this your first time?¡± ¡°Ugh!¡± An Yu-seong quickly tripped the opponent¡¯s leg to throw off his bnce. Then he forcefully drove his knee towards the opponent¡¯s lower body. -Thud. ¡°Ugh, ugh¡­¡± Kim Jun-yong¡¯s face turned pale white after being struck in such a vital area. Watching Kim Jun-yong copse to the ground, An Yu-seong frowned. ¡°Ah, that¡¯s unpleasant.¡± An Yu-seong vowed that he¡¯d rather take a sword hit than feel this disgusting sensation again. Chapter 92 Chapter 92 ¨C Father and Son (4) ¡°Let go of me! Do you think you¡¯ll get away with this!?¡± Chairman An Moo-seok struggled desperately. But the strong arms holding him didn¡¯t budge an inch. ¡°Hey, Chairman An.¡± Kim Jun-yong, who had been watching the scene impassively, approached An Moo-seok. -p! Kim Jun-yong struck An Moo-seok¡¯s cheek without hesitation. ¡°Shut up. It¡¯s all over now.¡± At Kim Jun-yong¡¯s signal, the men holding An Moo-seok forced him to his knees. ¡°Alexei. The preparations areplete.¡± Kim Jun-yong spoke in Russian to a blue-eyed Caucasian man. ¡°Time is short, so start right away.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t order me around, monkey.¡± ¡°What¡­?¡± ¡°Who are you to give orders, when you can¡¯t even properly take over such a small country?¡± Kim Jun-yong¡¯s face hardened at Alexei¡¯s sudden words. ¡®If it weren¡¯t for the Union Leader, I would have torn this bastard apart with one hand¡­¡¯ In terms of pure strength, Kim Jun-yong was among the top in the Union. In contrast, Alexei¡¯s strength was average, yet his position in the Union was on par with Kim Jun-yong¡¯s. In Kim Jun-yong¡¯s eyes, Alexei was nothing but a coward who had risen quickly through underhanded means. Kim Jun-yong gritted his teeth inwardly but put on a smiling face outwardly. Sometimes, one must lower oneself temporarily for the sake of the goal. ¡°Come on, Alexei. Aren¡¯t werades in the Free Ability Users Liberation Union? I¡¯m asking you.¡± ¡°Hmph.¡± Alexei approached An Moo-seok with a frown, as if reluctant. ¡®Free Ability Users Liberation Alliance, huh¡­¡¯ An Moo-seok, who had been listening to their conversation, was lost in thought. They seemed to think he wouldn¡¯t understand because they were speaking in Russian, but they were mistaken. An Moo-seok was fluent in sixnguages, and Russian was among them. ¡®I need to gather more information first.¡¯ There was no need to reveal himself here and now. An Moo-seok continued to pretend he couldn¡¯t understand them, keeping his head down. ¡°Then I¡¯ll begin.¡± At that moment, Alexei, standing in front of An Moo-seok, began to mutter something. ¡®What is this¡­!¡¯ Simultaneously, a searing pain surged through An Moo-seok¡¯s head. It felt as if a long needle was stirring his brain. An Moo-seok screamed at the pain he had never experienced before. ¡°Arghhhh!¡± The extreme pain made him feel like he would lose consciousness at any moment. -Give up! A voice in his head kept telling him to give up. -If you give up, it will be easier. It felt like following the coercive yet sweet voice would free him from the pain, but An Moo-seok endured to the end. ¡°Urghh¡­¡± ¡°Hmm, this old man. Didn¡¯t you say he wasn¡¯t an ability user?¡± ¡°He¡¯s an awakened one, but he hasn¡¯t leveled up separately. He¡¯s just an old man.¡± ¡°Then why is he resisting for so long?¡± Usually, when magic is used on an ordinary person, mind control ispleted within 3 minutes. But it had already been 5 minutes since magic was used on An Moo-seok. ¡°Strange. Is it because he¡¯s a man who built a world-sspany? Haha.¡± But Alexei wasn¡¯t worried. He believed in his magic. In fact, the end was starting to show. ¡°Urgh¡­ Just kill me!¡± An Moo-seok, who had been trembling, shouted with bloodshot eyes. ¡°You still have the strength to speak?¡± Alexei brought his face close to An Moo-seok¡¯s, as if looking at a strange creature. ¡°Just give up. The longer you resist, the more your mind will be devastated.¡± ¡°Ptui!¡± An Moo-seok gathered hisst strength and spat on Alexei¡¯s face. ¡°Tsk, how dirty. Anyway¡­.¡± Alexei¡¯s voice was no longer clearly audible. ¡®I can¡¯t take it anymore¡­¡¯ This was the limit. An Moo-seok wanted to restfortably. As his head was lowering against his will and his consciousness was about to fade, -Crash! With the sound of something shattering, his consciousness returned. At the same time, hot blood sshed on An Moo-seok¡¯s face. ¡®What¡¯s this¡­¡¯ An Moo-seok raised his head with difficulty. Then he saw his son descending from the sky, bathed in sunlight. ¡®An Yu-seong¡­¡¯ The son whom he had stopped considering as his son at some point. The one he had essentially abandoned hade here. For his sake. ¡°What are you looking at?¡± That bold and cheeky tone. Somehow, An Moo-seok felt likeughing at those words that seemed directed at him. ¡°Arghhhh!¡± ¡°Kill him!¡± Soon, a massacre began. ¡®Impressive.¡¯ Over the years, An Moo-seok had watched countless battles between ability users. He wanted to personally confirm how powerful ability users were. Ability user versus monster. Or ability user versus ability user. He had watched tens, hundreds of battles on video, and even witnessed some with his own eyes. Because of this, he thought he would no longer be surprised by ability users¡¯ battles, but he was mistaken. ¡®Overwhelming.¡¯ An Moo-seok couldn¡¯t close his mouth as he watched An Yu-seong¡¯s battle. It was on apletely different level from any fight he had seen before. An Yu-seong¡¯sbat was shy, precise, and technical. No, beyond that, it even looked like a form of art. ¡®I heard he was quite strong, but to think it was to this extent¡­¡¯ He had already received reports about An Yu-seong. Among them was a report stating that An Yu-seong¡¯sbat ability was actually among the top in the country, just overshadowed by Kang Hyeon¡¯s reputation. ¡®So that was true.¡¯ At the time, he had dismissed that report with a smirk, but now An Moo-seok had no choice but to acknowledge it. In the blink of an eye, all enemies were down, and suddenly only An Yu-seong and Kim Jun-yong were left standing. -Screech! That¡¯s when it happened. Kim Jun-yong drew his weapon and began to unleash his magical power in earnest. ¡®That¡¯s dangerous!¡¯ An Moo-seok knew the power of that weapon well. ck magical power like a de. Before it, monsters and ability users alike were mere scraps of paper. An Moo-seok unknowingly gulped. -sh! Boom! Every time the stream of magical power grazed the surroundings, the terrain changed. Overwhelming power. An Yu-seong¡¯s pale skin would surely be torn to shreds the moment it touched that dark energy. An Moo-seok¡¯s hands clenched tightly as he watched the tense scene unfold. ¡®Please¡­¡¯ Fortunately, An Yu-seong didn¡¯t allow any critical hits. But it was visible that he was getting more and more tired. At this rate, he would copse. ¡°What are you doing!?¡± Suddenly, An Yu-seong rushed towards Kim Jun-yong recklessly. An Moo-seok, who was watching, almost screamed, but then he gaped in awe at the acrobat-like movements that followed. ¡®He really surpasses imagination¡­ But even if he approaches Kim Jun-yong, what can he do?¡¯ Then, a familiar name came from An Yu-seong¡¯s mouth. ¡°Hah, I didn¡¯t want to fight like Brother Kang Hyeon¡­¡± An Moo-seok wondered why Kang Hyeon¡¯s name came up, but his curiosity was quickly resolved. ¡°Argh! You crazy bastard!¡± ¡°This is all I¡¯ve learned!¡± An appalling dogfight. An Yu-seong unhesitatingly did things that might be considered cowardly, like biting his opponent and gouging eyes. It was a sight that would naturally make one frown, but An Moo-seok rather liked it. ¡®To win, one shouldn¡¯t be picky about means and methods.¡¯ Kim Jun-yong couldn¡¯t hold out for long and copsed. When An Yu-seong thoroughly prevented the use of weapons and moved, he couldn¡¯t withstand it. ¡°Urgh, urghh¡­¡± ¡°I won!¡± Standing over the fallen Kim Jun-yong, An Yu-seong, covered in blood, roared. And then An Yu-seong too copsed face-first onto the ground. ¡°No!¡± Surprised by this sight, An Moo-seok sprang to his feet. ¡°¡­¡± Lying on the ground, An Yu-seong stared nkly at An Moo-seok. A moment of silence passed. ¡°Ah, this is¡­ Because I¡¯m tired¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± An Yu-seong clumsily got up and sat astride the fallen Kim Jun-yong. An Moo-seok also sat down without a word. A peculiar posture where they neither faced each other nor ignored each other. ¡®What am I doing right now?¡¯ That awkward standoff continued until Kang Hyeon arrived. *** Ippotrantion *** Kang Hyeon arrived at the entrance of the dungeon and frowned at the gruesome carnage spread out from the entrance. Shin Tae-gil took a few photos and hurriedly made a phone call somewhere. It seemed to be to arrange for cleaning up the scene. ¡°Let¡¯s hurry inside.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± There was no time to leisurely look around. Kang Hyeon quickly made his way into the dungeon. ¡°This way!¡± Fortunately, the ce where An Yu-seong¡¯s magical energy could be felt was not too far away. Kang Hyeon hurried his steps, and finally found An Yu-seong there. ¡°You came?¡± An Yu-seong was sitting astride the body of some man. At a nce, he looked abnormal, bleeding all over his body. ¡°What? Is it all over?¡± ¡°Of course. I had a bit of a hard time this time.¡± An Yu-seong¡¯s face was overflowing with fatigue, something that couldn¡¯t be seen usually. ¡°What¡¯s that thing you¡¯re sitting on?¡± ¡°Oh, this?¡± An Yu-seong grinned and flipped the man over. ¡°Ugh¡­¡± Kang Hyeon and Shin Tae-gil frowned and looked away upon seeing the man¡¯s condition. ¡°It was tough catching him. But I¡¯ve kept him breathing, so he should be fine.¡± While the two were talking, Shin Tae-gil approached An Moo-seok. ¡°Chairman. It¡¯s been a while.¡± ¡°Yes¡­¡± An Moo-seok and Shin Tae-gil were acquainted. When the government requested Hyeseong Group to invest in and cooperate regarding ability users, Shin Tae-gil had moved personally. Naturally, the negotiations had fallen through. Although they weren¡¯t close enough to greet each other warmly, they were at least aware of each other¡¯s positions and importance. ¡°Are you alright?¡± ¡°Fortunately, I¡¯m fine.¡± That¡¯s when it happened. A coughing sound was heard from Kim Jun-yong on the floor. ¡°Ugh¡­¡± ¡°What? This thing was still alive?¡± Kang Hyeon said, nudging Kim Jun-yong with his foot. ¡°Of course. We haven¡¯t heard anything yet. Even if we kill him, we should interrogate him first.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true.¡± Nodding at An Yu-seong¡¯s words, Kang Hyeon lifted Kim Jun-yong. Lifted like a child with one hand, Kim Jun-yong groaned. ¡°Urgh¡­¡± ¡°Sigh, thinking about the unnecessary trouble because of this bastard¡­¡± As Kang Hyeon was examining Kim Jun-yong like this, he suddenly frowned. ¡°But you know what? I¡¯ve been feeling this since we first met, but isn¡¯t this guy¡¯s magical energy a bit strange?¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ It does seem different from ordinary ability users. The amount of magical energy is abnormally high too.¡± ¡°There¡¯s some kind of smell to it.¡± ¡°Urgh¡­!¡± Kim Jun-yong, floating in the air with his cor grabbed, continued to struggle. ¡°Kang Hyeon. Put him down. He¡¯ll die at this rate.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Kang Hyeon threw Kim Jun-yong to the ground like throwing away trash and folded his arms. ¡°Hmm, I wonder what this guy¡¯s true identity is?¡± ¡°Have you already forgotten? He¡¯s the guild master of Kangshin Guild.¡± ¡°Who doesn¡¯t know that? There must be another identity. Like a mastermind or something.¡± ¡°Do you think he¡¯d answer right away if you ask that?¡± Shin Tae-gil looked at Kang Hyeon with a pathetic expression. ¡°Geez. Why are you being so critical? I¡¯m just asking!¡± After ring at Shin Tae-gil for a moment, Kang Hyeon continued his questioning. ¡°So, who are you, man?¡± ¡°Heh¡­ Just kill me. Do you think I¡¯d open my mouth because of this?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry about dying. But I need to know what I¡¯m curious about before that.¡± At Kang Hyeon¡¯s words, Kim Jun-yong looked at him as if he was crazy. ¡°Kang Hyeon. If it¡¯s about his identity, I have a few guesses.¡± ¡°Oh really?¡± Shin Tae-gil rubbed his chin in thought for a moment before continuing. ¡°Globally, the number of ability user criminal organizations is increasing. Among those influencing the Asian region, there are groups like the Chinese Federation, Free Ability User Liberation Alliance, and such.¡± ¡°Wait.¡± An Moo-seok raised his head after hearing Shin Tae-gil¡¯s words. ¡°I heard what they were saying. They mentioned the Free Ability User Liberation Alliance.¡± ¡°How did this old man¡­!¡± Kim Jun-yong red at An Moo-seok with wide eyes at his words. ¡°Did you think I couldn¡¯t understand that much?¡± Kim Jun-yong was discouraged but quickly regained hisposure. ¡°Hmph. It doesn¡¯t matter. Knowing that doesn¡¯t change anything.¡± ¡°Yeah, yeah. I got it, so just shut up for a bit.¡± Kang Hyeon struck the back of Kim Jun-yong¡¯s head. ¡°Gah!¡± ¡°Kang Hyeon! He¡¯ll really die if you do that.¡± ¡°Ah, don¡¯t worry. I¡¯m controlling it, I tell you.¡± Kang Hyeon waved his hand dismissively as he spoke. ¡°Heh, hehehe¡­¡± Suddenly, Kim Jun-yong startedughing as if he had lost his mind. ¡°What now?¡± ¡°You¡­ I wonder how long you can stay so arrogant? Huh?¡± Kang Hyeon frowned at Kim Jun-yong¡¯s sudden words. ¡°What nonsense are you spouting?¡± ¡°Acting all high and mighty because you¡¯re a bit strong in your little pond. You¡¯ll pay for it soon. I¡¯m just the beginning. Be careful.¡± Kim Jun-yong said with a sneer. ¡°This guy¡¯s gone crazy.¡± ¡°When the Alliance finds out what you¡¯ve done this time, they¡¯ll definitely seek revenge. Maybe even the Alliance leader wille personally. Then, no matter who you are, absolutely¡­¡± Kang Hyeon reached out and grabbed Kim Jun-yong¡¯s cheek. ¡°Yeah, yeah. Thanks so much for the advice. But you know what?¡± ¡°Urgh!¡± ¡°No matter what you guys do, I won¡¯t lose.¡± An Yu-seong frowned upon hearing Kang Hyeon¡¯s cheesy line. ¡°Come on, I did all the work, why are you showing off?¡± Chapter 93 Chapter 93 ¨C It¡¯s Easy, Right? (1) As always, Shin Tae-gil took charge of dealing with Kim Jun-yong. Kang Hyeon decided not to worry about that and proceeded with filming as nned. The location was an F-rank dungeon infested with those annoying goblins. ¡°Is the camera rolling properly?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Kang Hyeon cleared his throat and awkwardly posed in front of the camera. ¡°Hello everyone! This is Kang Hyeon from the Badass Guild. Thank you for all the interest and love you showed for our previous Veil¡¯s Maze walkthrough video.¡± ¡°Pfft¡­¡± Kang Hyeon¡¯s speech was very clumsy, but he was also excited, which made it funny. Watching this, An Yu-seong chuckled, while Shin Seong-a smiled warmly. ¡°This video is about monster tactics. It will be an ongoing series, so please keep watching.¡± Kang Hyeon tried to give his brightest smile to appear friendly. He thought he looked quite cute, but to others, it was terrifying and horrible. ¡°Now, what¡¯s our first monster to tackle?!¡± As he spoke, Kang Hyeon gave a signal with his eyes. Yoon Na-rae, standing nearby, opened her mouth with an openly reluctant expression. ¡°Drum roll please¡­¡± The cheap sound effect Kang Hyeon had extracted through half-threats. It sounded better than expected. ¡°It¡¯s the goblin!¡± p p p p¡­ Kang Hyeon spread his arms like a presenter on a grand stage, basking in the half-hearted apuse. Then, with a satisfied smile, he continued. ¡°Goblins! They¡¯re quite tiresome creatures. Actually, the name ¡®goblin¡¯ was familiar even before the dungeon incident. They often appear as scrawny, weak monsters in movies and novels, right?¡± ¡°Yes¡­¡± ¡°So in the early days, many people rushed in fearlessly without knowing anything and ended up ¡®swimming the River¡¯, so to speak.¡± Kang Hyeon, who had been enthusiastically mimicking swimming in the River, suddenly stopped. ¡°Of course, I¡¯m not talking about myself.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Absolutely not.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t say anything?¡± ¡°Ahem!¡± Kang Hyeon cleared his throat unnecessarily and continued. ¡°Goblins are verymon monsters, with a wide variety from militia to regr troops to knights. They¡¯re characterized by their annoying ¡®keurk¡¯ sound, and their appearance is quite disgusting¡­¡± As he spoke, Kang Hyeon awkwardly started looking around. ¡°Ah! There¡¯s one right there.¡± He pointed at a goblin that had been wandering nearby for quite some time, pretending to have just spotted it. Shin Seong-aughed at Kang Hyeon¡¯s poor acting and moved the camera towards the goblin. ¡°Keurk, keurk!¡± ¡°That annoying sound always makes me want to hit something.¡± ¡°Keaak!¡± That¡¯s when it happened. The goblin, having just noticed Kang Hyeon, got very excited and started running towards him. It looked as if it had understood the insult directed at it. ¡°Now, I¡¯ll show you how to deal with it.¡± ¡°Keraaa!¡± The goblin, wielding a rusty longsword and drooling, charged forward, but Kang Hyeon¡¯s face remained calm. ¡°You take this stance.¡± The goblin quickly reached right in front of Kang Hyeon. ¡°Hyaap!¡± With a shout, Kang Hyeon¡¯s fist shot went out cleanly. Pueok! The goblin¡¯s head, hit by that fist, exploded like a watermelon dropped from a high-rise building. ¡°That¡¯s it.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Easy, right?¡± ¡°You call that a strategy? I can¡¯t believe this.¡± Yoon Na-rae said with a deeply furrowed brow. ¡°Not at all. This is the advanced course. Of course, there¡¯s a beginner¡¯s course too, so don¡¯t worry.¡± ¡°Ugh¡­¡± Yoon Na-rae gagged at Kang Hyeon¡¯s slimy polite speech. Kang Hyeon shook his fist once and continued the presentation. ¡°Now for the beginner¡¯s course. First, let¡¯s find a goblin, shall we?¡± After saying this, Kang Hyeon gave Yoon Na-rae a meaningful look. ¡°What?¡± ¡°Assistant Yoon Na-rae. Go find one.¡± ¡°Why should I¡­¡± ¡°The guild pays you. Gives you items too.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°You just eat and wipe your mouth clean, is that it?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Your daily routine is just staring at An Yu-seong all day, you should at least do this much¡­¡± ¡°Alright! I¡¯m going! I¡¯m going!¡± With a face flushed red, Yoon Na-rae disappeared into the forest. ¡°That strangely dressed girl who just disappeared is actually a very sick child.¡± As soon as Yoon Na-rae vanished, Kang Hyeon suddenly put on a sad expression. ¡°To say that such a thuggish guy is handsome instead of me. Tsk tsk¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you agree?¡± ¡°Yes¡­¡± Shin Seong-a, holding the camera, nodded reluctantly. Honestly, even to her, Kang Hyeon¡¯s devotee, Kang Hyeon¡¯s looks were nowhere near An Yu-seong¡¯s level. If she had topare, An Yu-seong was a muscr beast-idol (beast + idol). Kang Hyeon was just a beast. And a half-crazed one at that. ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Some timeter. As Yoon Na-rae hadn¡¯t appeared even after a considerable amount of time had passed, the impatient Kang Hyeon started to get annoyed. ¡°Why is this loli otaku taking so long?¡± Fortunately, as if waiting for that moment, Yoon Na-rae emerged from the forest. ¡°Where¡¯s the goblin?¡± ¡°Here.¡± Yoon Na-rae threw a magically bound goblin to Kang Hyeon. ¡°Alright! Now we¡¯ll start the beginner¡¯s course strategy.¡± After that, Kang Hyeon exined in detail about goblins and seriously conducted the lecture. ¡°F-rankmon goblins are nothing special. If you respond calmly, even a single adult male can hunt them sufficiently.¡± While easily avoiding the goblin¡¯s attacks, Kang Hyeon exined the goblin¡¯s main attack patterns and weaknesses. ¡°If you carefully avoid attacks like this, and gradually inflict wounds without overexerting yourself, even non-ability users can hunt safely.¡± ¡°Keurrrr¡­¡± Finally, the blood-covered goblin made a painful sound and copsed on the ground. ¡°Easy, right?¡± ¡°Is it over?¡± As the strategy lecture seemed to be over, Shin Seong-a was about to turn off the camera. ¡°Wait!¡± ¡°¡­?¡± ¡°This video was produced with the support of the Korean government, the Korean Ability Users Alliance, and the Jeong Seo-bin Item Research Institute!¡± ¡°Cut?¡± ¡°Okay! Cut!¡± *** Ippotrantion *** That evening, Kang Hyeon immediately uploaded the video he received from the editor to YouTube. ¡°The reaction will probably be lukewarm for now.¡± Honestly, Kang Hyeon didn¡¯t expect much from this video. After all, goblins were quitemon, and there was already a lot of quality information about F-rank monsters in particr. Moreover, when he looked it up, he found that simr concept videos were already quite prevalent overseas. ¡°Let¡¯s take a look at the reactions.¡± Kang Hyeon essed YouTube on his smartphone to check thements. ¨C What is this? Is this a joke? ¨C Making a lecture video about goblins¡­ It doesn¡¯t seem as fresh as the first video. ¨C Is that sponsorship at the end for real? Lololol ¨C Kang Hyeon blowing off the goblin¡¯s head in one shot is pretty impressive. ¨C If you look around these days, there are many videos with even more devastating scenes than that ¨C Super boring The reactions were as expected. ¨C By the way, who¡¯s that Yoon Na-rae? It¡¯s my first time seeing her, but she¡¯s moving with the Badass executives. ¨C Don¡¯t know who she is, but she¡¯s quite cute. ¨C That costume is killer. Hehe ¨C I lost it when Kang Hyeon called her a loli otaku lololol ¨C I¡¯m getting off the Shin Seong-a coin and boarding the Yoon Na-rae coin. Unexpectedly, the public opinion about Yoon Na-rae was quite good. ¡°Tch, what¡¯s so cute? Just grinning uselessly.¡± Feeling annoyed for no reason, Kang Hyeon took out a can of beer from the refrigerator. ¡°Ah! Refreshing.¡± After emptying the beer in one go, Kang Hyeon crushed the empty can and smiled. ¡°Just you wait. It¡¯s going to get more interesting from now on.¡± After that, Kang Hyeon¡¯s strategy videos continued. Kurka, Redrock, Taranque, Keika, Skeleton Soldiers, Orcs, and so on. Although they weren¡¯t among the strongest monsters, Kang Hyeon showed an overwhelming performance, bursting any monster with a single punch without discrimination. ¨C Isn¡¯t it easy? The so-called ¡°Isn¡¯t it easy?¡± series began to gain poprity gradually, just as Kang Hyeon had expected. ¡°Hey. Do you watch Badass TV these days?¡± And in a bar in Gangnam, Seoul. Even two men drinking untilte were talking about Kang Hyeon, who was a hot issue these days. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± ¡°You know, the one where Kang Hyeon appears and hunts monsters.¡± ¡°Ah, that video where he pretends to give lectures? It was fresh at first, but now, not so much.¡± ¡°Why? It¡¯s super fun.¡± ¡°It feels too much like attention-seeking. The monsters he hunts for his so-called lectures are all weak ones.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°They say he¡¯s like a real-life One-Punch Man because he takes them all out in one hit, but honestly, it¡¯s an exaggeration. There are plenty of ability users who can kill goblins and Taranque in one hit even now.¡± Kim Yeon-su¡¯s continued criticism finally made his friend, Jeong Jae-seon, snap. ¡°Hey! But Kang Hyeon takes them all out with his bare fists. It¡¯s different from using equipment and skills.¡± ¡°He obviously used physical enhancement skills. Does it make sense that monster heads just explode from regr punches?¡± Jeong Jae-seon, being an ability user himself, knew well. It¡¯s virtually impossible to burst monsters with bare fists without the help of skills. ¡°I get that you¡¯re a fan of the Badass Guild, but honestly, I don¡¯t like them, so I don¡¯t really care.¡± But if he didn¡¯t put Kim Yeon-su¡¯s arrogance in check, he felt like he wouldn¡¯t be able to sleep peacefully for the rest of his life. So Jeong Jae-seon decided to spill the information he heard from a friend who belonged to the Badass Guild. ¡°Then what about an ogre?¡± ¡°What are you talking about all of a sudden? An ogre?¡± ¡°I heard that because many people think like you, Kang Hyeon¡¯s next video will be about an ogre.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Will you acknowledge it if he takes out an ogre in one hit?¡± ¡°Well, if it¡¯s an ogre, I¡¯d have to acknowledge it. But¡­¡± Kim Yeon-su, who was flustered at the mention of an ogre, scratched his head. ¡°It could be video maniption, you know.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Even with physical enhancement, taking out an ogre with one punch doesn¡¯t make sense. Since it¡¯s an edited video anyway, how do we know he didn¡¯t beat it up beforehand and just show the final blow?¡± ¡°This bastard, no matter what you say¡­¡± Kim Yeon-su and Jeong Jae-seon were close friends and ability users belonging to the same guild. Their level was around 42, which was quite high within the guild. ¡°Our guild barely manages to take one down in a group, no matter how strong Kang Hyeon is, taking it out in one hit doesn¡¯t make sense.¡± ¡°Hey. Then let¡¯s make a bet.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°I said, let¡¯s bet. Damn it. We can go watch Kang Hyeon film the video in person.¡± Kim Yeon-su frowned at Jeong Jae-seon¡¯s words. ¡°Why should I?¡± ¡°You¡¯re saying Kang Hyeon is lying. So let¡¯s bet. 10 million won on the line.¡± ¡°Geez¡­ How are we going to find out where Kang Hyeon is filming?¡± ¡°You know Woo-jun, right? The guy who recently joined Badass. I¡¯ll ask Woo-jun, so let¡¯s make the bet.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°What? Scared? If you¡¯re scared, just die.¡± ¡°Fine. Fine. Damn it. Does it make sense to take out an ogre in one hit?¡± ¡°Of course it does. Haven¡¯t you seen that huge hammer Kang Hyeon swings?¡± After that, Jeong Jae-seon and Kim Yeon-su continued to bicker for a while. ¡°Bastard. I¡¯ll make you regret it.¡± Eventually, the drinking session fizzled out, and on the way home. Jeong Jae-seon took out his phone. ¡°Hey. What are you up to?¡± ¡°I just finished dungeon raiding in the evening and now I¡¯m resting.¡± The voice of Jo Woo-jun, a friend who recently joined the Badass Guild, came through the phone. ¡°What¡¯s the asion? You rarely call.¡± ¡°Just¡­ How¡¯s the guild treating you?¡± ¡°Every day is hell. Damn it. I knew Badass Guild would be tough, but it seriously exceeds imagination. Just today, I almost died three times in the dungeon, you know? But no one cares. Everyone here is just crazy.¡± Jo Woo¨Cjun rambled on as if trying to vent his frustrations. ¡°Phew, I feel a bit better after talking. So why did you really call? Just genuinely checking up on me?¡± ¡°No¡­ To be honest, it¡¯s because of Kang Hyeon.¡± ¡°Kang Hyeon? Our guild master?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°What about the guild master?¡± ¡°This bastard Kim Yeon-su is saying that the videos Kang Hyeon¡¯s been filmingtely are fake.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± ¡°You said Kang Hyeon¡¯s going to hunt an ogre tomorrow, right? So we want to watch that.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know if that¡¯s okay¡­¡± ¡°Please. I¡¯m begging you. I need to put Kim Yeon-su in his ce, you know? This is also about your guild¡¯s honor!¡± ¡°Sigh¡­¡± Jo Woo-jun¡¯s deep sigh conveyed his dilemma. ¡°We¡¯ve got a 10 million won bet on this, and I¡¯ll give you 5 million.¡± ¡°Forget about the money. I¡¯ll text you the location and details as soon as the guild master leaves tomorrow.¡± ¡°Okay, thank you! I really appreciate it.¡± After ending the call, Jeong Jae-seon smiled confidently. ¡°Kim Yeon-su. Just you wait.¡± The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone! Chapter 94 Chapter 94 ¨C It¡¯s Easy, Right? (2) B-rank dungeon ¡®Panath¡¯s Jungle¡¯ ¡°If you¡¯re scared, you can still back out.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll back out if you admit it and give me 10 million won.¡± Jeong Jae-seon and Kim Yeon-su bickered while hiding in the bushes. ¡°Shh. Be quiet. We¡¯re screwed if we get caught. For real.¡± Jeong Jae-seon and Kim Yeon-su usually hunted in D-rank dungeons. Although ¡®Panath¡¯s Jungle¡¯ was said to have weaker monsterspared to other B-rank dungeons, it was by no means a level where they could feel at ease. ¡°Kyaaaaaah-!¡± ¡°Ugh!¡± At that moment, a terrible scream was heard. It was the scream of Panath, the dungeon¡¯s boss monster. The two silently trembled at the ferocity that felt like it was cutting their skin just by hearing it. ¡°Doesn¡¯t it sound like it¡¯s getting closer?¡± ¡°That won¡¯t happen, so just stay quiet.¡± The reason ¡®Panath¡¯s Jungle¡¯ was B-rank was solely because of that boss monster, Panath. It was a powerful giant monster that had already torn apart numerous raid parties. Among the victims were even mid-tier guilds that had perfectly conquered C-rank dungeons. ¡°If we get caught, we¡¯re just dead!¡± ¡°I know that too. Please shut up.¡± Unlike other boss monsters, Panath didn¡¯t guard a core. This meant there was no fixed spawn area usually called a boss room. In other words, this entire dungeon was its territory. It was essentially one big boss room. ¡°When is Kang Hyeoning?¡± ¡°Wait. He¡¯ll be here soon.¡± ¡°Is that friend of yours in the Badass Guild reliable?¡± ¡°Of course! Man!¡± Jeong Jae-seon snapped at Kim Yeon-su¡¯s suspicious gaze. ¡°He definitely said they¡¯reing to Panath¡¯s Jungle. They left around the same time as us, so they should arrive soon.¡± Despite Jeong Jae-seon¡¯s words, Kim Yeon-su¡¯s stern face showed no signs of rxing. ¡°Kuku. Are you that scared?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not scared, I¡¯m just worried I won¡¯t get your money because Kang Hyeon won¡¯t show up.¡± Kim Yeon-su puffed out his chest, trying to act tough at Jeong Jae-seon¡¯s words. -Whoosh! Just then. Light burst out as the dungeon gate a little distance from them opened. ¡®They¡¯re here!¡¯ Four men and women appeared from there. Guild Master Kang Hyeon and Vice Guild Masters An Yu-seong and Shin Seong-a. ¡®Yoon Na-rae is much prettier in person¡­¡¯ ¡®I heard she¡¯s younger than me.¡¯ The remaining one was clearly Yoon Na-rae, the executive who was bing popr these days. ¡°Shall we start today energetically?!¡± ¡°Yeah¡­¡± Kang Hyeon, who had entered the dungeon, shouted brightly. However, the others¡¯ reactions were far from enthusiastic. Jeong Jae-seon tilted his head, seeing their expressions that clearly showed their annoyance. ¡®What¡¯s this? Is Kang Hyeon¡¯s position not as solid as I thought¡­?¡¯ Usually, a guild master holds absolute authority within the guild. It was rare to see such ack of response to the guild master¡¯s words. ¡°Alright, turn on the camera. Ready?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Okay. Cue!¡± Shin Seong-a turned on the camera and started filming Kang Hyeon. ¡°Hello everyone! This is Kang Hyeon, the master of Badass Guild.¡± Kang Hyeon¡¯s first videos were extremely awkward. It was natural since they did everything from nning to filming to hosting without any help, just as they wanted. ¡°Today¡¯s video is, as previewedst time, none other than!¡± ¡°Drum roll¡­¡± As Kang Hyeon dragged out his words, Yoon Na-rae made her usual mouth sound effects. It was entertaining to watch because she was clearly showing that she really didn¡¯t want to do it but was forced to. ¡°An ogre strategy video!¡± -p p p p. Followed by half-hearted apuse. ¡®It¡¯s even funnier seeing it in person.¡¯ But their unadorned appearance unexpectedly led to good reactions. That¡¯s why Kang Hyeon firmly rejected the government¡¯s offer to provide professionals and continued to produce videos as he wanted. ¡°I think there¡¯s probably no one who doesn¡¯t know about ogres. Because they¡¯re like the epitome of monsters! Huge, ugly, and very strong ogres!¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°They¡¯re quite dangerous, but because they appear frequently in various dungeons, we¡¯ve taken the risk to produce this strategy video.¡± ¡°Wooow¡­¡± Kang Hyeon briefly struck a pose as if savoring the cheers directed at him. ¡°Alright. Now, shall we go find an ogre?¡± And he immediately entered the jungle with hispanions. Jeong Jae-seon and Kim Yeon-su quietly followed behind them. *** Ippotrantion *** ¡°Shh! There¡¯s an ogre over there, everyone.¡± Kang Hyeon, with his finger on his nose, looked ahead with a serious expression. The camera slowly moved to capture a giant green monster. ¡°Now I¡¯ll begin the strategy. And!¡± ¡°¡­?¡± ¡°I heard there are people copying our videos these days¡­ You must absolutely not copy this video. Not with ogres. You¡¯ll really die.¡± As if responding to Kang Hyeon¡¯s words, Shin Seong-a moved the camera angle up and down. ¡°Then let¡¯s go.¡± Kang Hyeon nodded with a solemn expression and approached the ogre. ¡°Uooh?¡± The ogre tilted its head, seeing Kang Hyeon calmly walking towards it. ¡°Hmm, this one seems unusually big?¡± As Kang Hyeon said, the ogre was exceptionally huge. Ogres are known to be around 3.5 meters tall on average, but the one in front of Kang Hyeon seemed to be over 4 meters tall. ¡°Shit, of all the ones to run into¡­¡± Kang Hyeon frowned for a moment, then suddenly changed his expression as he looked at the camera. ¡°Everyone, can you see well?! This one is particrlyrgepared to other ogres.¡± Kang Hyeon spoke while looking at the camera, with his back turned to the ogre. ¡®What are you doing¡­? It¡¯s dangerous!¡¯ Behind him, the ogre could be seen lifting a log. Jeong Jae-seon¡¯s fists clenched tightly in tension. ¡°It looks very strong. Very suitable for this shoot¡­ Kuek!¡± The massive log struck Kang Hyeon directly. -Thud, thud! Boom! Hit by the log swung by the ogre, Kang Hyeon flew through the air, smashing through several small trees before crashing into a boulder. Jeong Jae-seon and Kim Yeon-su¡¯s eyes widened at the sight. ¡®Fuck¡­ What the hell!?¡¯ ¡®He¡¯s dead. Surely dead!¡¯ There was no way he could have survived. Even a skilled ability user would perish from a bare-handed hit from an ogre. But this was a direct hit from a log swung with full force by an ogre muchrger than usual. ¡°Even if it¡¯s Kang Hyeon, this is¡­¡± That¡¯s when it happened. ¡°Cough, cough!¡± A coughing sound came from the boulder where Kang Hyeon had crashed. ¡°Ow, that hurts more than I expected. Everyone, this is how dangerous ogres are.¡± Kang Hyeon walked out calmly, rubbing his shoulder with a pained expression, as if he were really hurt. ¡°Now, let¡¯s start the strategy.¡± ¡°Uwooooh!¡± The ogre seemed enraged that its attack had no effect. It threw away the log it was holding and charged at Kang Hyeon. -Thump, thump, thump! The ground trembled slightly with each step the creature took. ¡°Uooh!¡± In an instant, it approached and raised its fist,rger than Kang Hyeon¡¯s head. ¡°The strategy is simple.¡± And it swung its fist towards Kang Hyeon¡¯s head at incredible speed. ¡°Haap!¡± Kang Hyeon shouted and stretched out his hand to catch the ogre¡¯s fist. -Screech¡­ Immense body and speed that didn¡¯t match its size. Kang Hyeon¡¯s two legs, firmly nted on the ground, kept sliding back from the tremendous force packed in the ogre¡¯s fist. ¡°First, grab its hand.¡± But Kang Hyeon¡¯s face remained calm. Eventually, he seeded in stopping the creature several times his size. ¡°Huaaah!¡± ¡°Uooh!¡± Kang Hyeon began a test of strength with the ogre right there. A battle of strength between a human and a giant monster. The winner was the human monster, Kang Hyeon. ¡°Uwoooh!¡± The ogre, its wrist twisted by Kang Hyeon, let out a pain-filled scream. Naturally, its body twisted and fell to its knees. ¡°Twist the wrist like this.¡± Kang Hyeon used this opportunity to m it to the ground. -Crash! A clean shoulder throw. ¡°After mming it to the ground.¡± ¡°Uooh¡­?!¡± The ogre waspletely disoriented. It had been overpowered by a human much smaller than itself. And not only that, it had been lifted and mmed to the ground. ¡°One puuuunch!¡± Kang Hyeon, who had somehow moved next to the creature¡¯s head, raised his fist. His furrowed brow and the veins bulging in his neck showed he was using all his strength. ¡°Hah!¡± -Smash! Kang Hyeon¡¯srge, solid fist connected with the ogre¡¯s jaw. ¡°Like this, cleanly blow away its snout.¡± That was the end. The ogre, with half its head blown off, died without even making a sound. ¡°Easy, right?¡± Jeong Jae-seon and Kim Yeon-su, watching from afar, had their jaws nearly touching the ground. ¡°Bring me 10 million won.¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± Kim Yeon-su nodded obediently at Jeong Jae-seon¡¯s words. ¡°But seeing it in person somehow makes it feel even less real.¡± ¡°Yeah¡­¡± Not only did he remain unharmed after being hit by the ogre, but he also overpowered it with strength. And then the head exploding from one punch. ¡°What do you think would happen if our entire guild attacked together?¡± ¡°What, against Kang Hyeon?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°Do you think we¡¯d stand a chance?¡± *** Ippotrantion *** Kang Hyeon looked around after finishing off the ogre. ¡°Is something wrong?¡± ¡°No.¡± He shook his head lightly at Shin Seong-a¡¯s question. ¡®What are those guys up to?¡¯ At first, he thought they were monsters. But as time passed, he became certain. Someone was watching him. ¡®What do they want with me? Their magical power is too weak to be assassins¡­ No. They might have items or skills to hide their magic.¡¯ Nothing was certain in this situation. ¡®It would¡¯ve been better if they just came out and attacked¡­¡¯ They were clearly waiting for him in this dungeon. Yet they continued to hide and only watch. ¡®Let¡¯s see who wins.¡¯ Kang Hyeon organized his thoughts and called for Yoon Na-rae. ¡°Loli otaku.¡± ¡°I told you not to call me that!¡± ¡°Alright, alright. Bring the next monster. Let¡¯s finish the ogre video and go back.¡± ¡°Bro, what about the boss?¡± An Yu-seong¡¯s brow furrowed at the mention of leaving after defeating the ogre. ¡°We came to a dungeon and you¡¯re leaving without fighting the boss?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you know how famous the boss here is? How can we fight without preparation?¡± ¡°Since when did you ever prepare?¡± ¡°What did you say?¡± An Yu-seong openly showed an expression of disbelief. ¡°If you¡¯re scared, just say you¡¯re scared. Don¡¯t make suchme excuses.¡± An Yu-seong was provoking him, but Kang Hyeon deliberately ignored it. Honestly, it was true that he hadn¡¯t really prepared for strategies before. ¡°Sigh¡­¡± Kang Hyeon sighed and leaned against a tree trunk. ¡°By the way, why isn¡¯t the loli otaku back yet?¡± Quite some time had passed since Yoon Na-rae left. But only the calm sound of insects could be heard from the forest. ¡°She seems to be dyed looking for an ogre. This dungeon is home to various monsters besides ogres.¡± ¡°That¡¯s strange. Didn¡¯t they say there were tons of ogres here?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. But ogres themselves aren¡¯t thatmon, are they?¡± ¡°True¡­ Then was the first one we found just luck?¡± They had encountered the first one less than 5 minutes after entering the forest. And it was muchrger than other ogres at that. ¡°Tch. I guess that talk about ogre colonies was bullshit.¡± Generally, ogres live in family units or individually. But this dungeon was said to have so many ogres that people joked about there being ogre colonies. ¡°It was certainly said to be like that¡­¡± Just as Kang Hyeon¡¯s patience was running out, -Thud thud thud thud¡­ The ground began to shake. ¡°Huh?¡± At the same time, he felt an enormous amount of magical power rapidly approaching. ¡°Uh¡­Everyone get ready.¡± Kang Hyeon sensed it. Something had gone wrong. ¡°Uoooooh!!!¡± Yoon Na-rae, who should have returned with just one ogre. Behind her, frantically running through the air, was what looked like a hundred-strong army of ogres. ¡°Damn it! I said bring just one!¡± ¡°You think I want to be in this situation?!¡± ¡°Shut up!¡± A hundred ogres. Even Kang Hyeon couldn¡¯t help but get serious. ¡°Uhhhhk!¡± Just then, a scream erupted from behind Kang Hyeon. ¡°Those guys¡­¡± ¡°O-ogre army! Save me! No, please save us!¡± It was the source of the magical power that had been watching him all this time. ¡°Who are you guys?¡± ¡°We¡¯re sorry. Please spare us!¡± The two men were in aplete state of panic at the overwhelming sight of the ogre army. ¡®No matter how I look at it, they don¡¯t seem like assassins, spies, or killers¡­¡¯ After pondering for a moment, Kang Hyeon grabbed them and threw them to Shin Seong-a. ¡°Take these guys and hide. The camera¡¯s expensive, so take good care of it.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± Shin Seong-a nodded, grabbed the men by their necks, and disappeared into the trees. ¡°They¡¯reing! Get ready!¡± By then, the ogres hade right up to their faces. ¡°Hahaha! I told you it¡¯s fun to hang out with you, bro!¡± Kang Hyeon wanted to snap at him but held back. ¡°Yoon Na-rae, we¡¯ll deal with youter!¡± As Kang Hyeon¡¯s irritation peaked, Yoon Na-rae brushed past him, and ¡°Uooh, uooh, uoooooh!¡± Kang Hyeon shed with the ogre army. Chapter 95 Chapter 95 Chaos of Confusion (1) ¡°Uwooh!¡± ¡°Uoh, uoh, uoh!!¡± Normally, just one rampaging ogre is enough topletely devastate the surroundings. When over a hundred such ogres gathered, it felt like a real earthquake had struck. ¡°What the hell is this all of a sudden!?¡± Kang Hyeon, with all his buffs activated, pulled out Ogre¡¯s giant hammer. ¡°Huap!¡± And he swung it with all his might, as if swinging a baseball bat. ¡°Uoh?!¡± The ogre charging at the forefront from the opposite side instinctively felt that something was wrong. The angle of the hammer was strange. It tried to dodge desperately, but other ogres were already pushing from behind. ¡°It¡¯s already toote, you bastard!¡± -Thwack! The massive body of the ogre hit by the hammer rose into the air. ¡°Uooooooooooh-!¡± ¡°That one¡¯s got some good lungs.¡± A scream of agony echoed throughout the forest. The ogre, grimacing in pain, nted its head straight into the ground. ¡°This feels like d¨¦j¨¤ vu¡­?¡± Somehow, the situation felt familiar. Kang Hyeon tilted his head and then tapped the twitching ogre¡¯s tailbone with his hammer. ¡°Come on in. Since it¡¯se to this, today¡¯s treatment is specially free of charge.¡± The ogres who witnessed theirrade die in such a horrific manner hesitated for a moment, but soon their eyes rolled back, and they charged in as if nothing had happened. ¡°Uoooh!¡± Kang Hyeon rampaged between the giant ogres, swinging his hammer incessantly. An Yu-seong and Yoon Na-rae, who had joined the battle at some point, were with him. -Kwang, Bang! Every time Kang Hyeon and the ogres shed, a thunderous sound rang out, and the trees in the forest trembled. ¡°When will this end? I swear, when I get back¡­!¡± ¡°What did I do!?¡± ¡°You sure know when I¡¯m talking about you!?¡± In the midst of battle, Yoon Na-rae responded with an irritated voice to Kang Hyeon¡¯s shout. ¡°Brother. Come!¡± Suddenly, at An Yu-seong¡¯s cry, Kang Hyeon frowned. ¡°What do you mean e¡¯¡­?¡± Kang Hyeon¡¯s body stiffened as he spoke. ¡®Don¡¯t tell me¡­¡¯ An enormously powerful magical energy was approaching. ¡°Shit¡­¡± It was already toote to avoid it. Kang Hyeon quickly resigned himself and prepared. ¡°Kyaaaak-!¡± An enormous roar that shook the heavens. Everyone in the midst of battle stopped and covered their ears. Kang Hyeon turned his head to look in the direction of the sound. -p, p! A giant monster bird, probably about 15 meters long. Panath, the boss monster that had ughtered numerous ability users, was gazing at this ce. ¡°When it rains, it pours¡­¡± *** Ippotrantion *** ¡°Kyaaaa!¡± Panath let out a monstrous cry. ¡°Uwoh, uwoh!¡± The ogres, looking like primitive humans. ¡°Haah¡­¡± Kang Hyeon roughly ran his hand through his hair. The three groups red at each other, locked in a tense standoff. ¡°What are they doing?¡± ¡°They¡¯re in a standoff, obviously.¡± ¡°I have eyes too, you punk. I¡¯m asking why they¡¯re in a standoff.¡± ¡°Why are you asking that?¡± ¡°What?¡± An Yu-seong looked at Kang Hyeon as if he couldn¡¯t understand him. ¡°What are you thinking, unlike yourself? Just st them all away.¡± ¡°I was wrong to ask you. Tsk¡­¡± Kang Hyeon clicked his tongue and continued. ¡°I just thought of something. Monsters of different species fight each other too, right?¡± ¡°Yes. It¡¯smon.¡± ¡°Somehow¡­ That boss monster.¡± Kang Hyeon pulled An Yu-seong¡¯s ear as if he was about to say something that shouldn¡¯t be overheard. ¡°It seems to have bad rtions with other monsters..!¡± ¡°You only noticed that now?¡± ¡°What?¡± An Yu-seong openly showed a dumbfounded expression. ¡°I knew that by instinct long ago. Even without skills, can¡¯t you just see it?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Anyone can see they¡¯re growling at each other because they don¡¯t get along, and you¡¯ve been pondering this for minutes.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°So, brother, don¡¯t think about things that don¡¯t suit you and just go with your body¡­¡± ¡°Alright, shut up!¡± Kang Hyeon, who shouted at An Yu-seong, ran his hand through his hair again. ¡°Uwowu!¡± ¡°Wou! Uwooo!¡± ¡°Uwo, uwo, uuu!¡± ¡°What on earth are they babbling about? It¡¯s so noisy I could die.¡± Kang Hyeon, irritated, cursed at the ogres for no reason. ¡°Woo, wooo!¡± The ogres continued to chatter enthusiastically. They were clearly having an important meeting, using gestures tomunicate among themselves. If one were to interpret, it might mean something like this: ¡®Let¡¯s run away!¡¯ ¡®No. If we run now, we¡¯ll die.¡¯ ¡®That¡¯s right. We¡¯re gathered. This is our chance to take it down.¡¯ Kang Hyeon, listening to themotion, frowned. ¡°Uo, uo! Shut up, you bastards! I¡¯m getting neurotic.¡± Even if Kang Hyeon shouted, there was no way the ogres would listen. ¡°Haah¡­ Can you understand what they¡¯re saying right now?¡± ¡°They¡¯re having a meeting about whether to attack the boss or just run away.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Kang Hyeon fell into thought after hearing An Yu-seong¡¯s words. ¡°I see¡­¡± Kang Hyeon, who had been standing with his arms crossed and eyes closed, suddenly started to grin. ¡°Then I should make it easier for me to decide.¡± ¡°How?¡± ¡°You said you wanted to keep fighting, right?¡± ¡°Huh¡­?¡± Kang Hyeon grabbed An Yu-seong¡¯s shoulder. ¡°You¡¯ve been whining to me every day about wanting to do some proper hunting. Isn¡¯t that right?¡± ¡°Whining is a bit much¡­¡± ¡°You said you wanted to catch a boss today too, didn¡¯t you?!¡± ¡°That¡¯s true¡­¡± For the first time in a while, madness filled Kang Hyeon¡¯s eyes. An Yu-seong, meeting those eyes, reluctantly nodded. ¡°More than that, brother. My instincts are screaming that this is extremely dangerous right now.¡± ¡°Doesn¡¯t it make your heart race?¡± ¡°¡­?¡± ¡°That¡¯s what you like the most, right? Dangerous things. Like, blood sttering and all that, right?! Isn¡¯t it?!¡± ¡°¡­¡± An Yu-seong couldn¡¯t bring himself to deny it. ¡°You have a skill that lets you step on air too. Perfect.¡± Kang Hyeon grabbed An Yu-seong¡¯s waist. His arm muscles twitched and veins bulged, showing how much strength he was using. ¡°W-wait! What are you doing¡­!¡± ¡°Just. Enjoy!¡± And then he threw An Yu-seong with all his might. ¡°Go! An Yu-seong-!¡± An Yu-seong wasunched like a bird towards Panath. ¡°Alright. Let¡¯s y properly!¡± [Roar of Enraged Lion is activated] *** Ippotrantion *** Panath, who had been leisurely flying through the sky, let out a roar. ¡°Kyaaaaa-!¡± At that sound, the monsters in the forest could be felt cowering. In this forest, it was the absolute ruler. It destroys and devours everything in its path. The forest monsters are busy hiding, fearing it. ¡°Kyaa!¡± But there were some annoying ones. The ogres. They were the only monsters that resisted it. Because of this, it had been tearing them apart whenever they were spotted, to prevent them from gathering. ¡°Uooooooo-!¡± Suddenly, an enormously loud scream was heard. It was a voice that seemed to contain resentment, but it was clearly that of an ogre. Panath moved to see what was happening. ¡°Uoo, uoo!¡± There were dozens of ogres gathered there. Panath became very ufortable. Although it wasn¡¯t afraid of them gathering, it was certainly annoying. ¡°Kyaaaaa-!¡± Panath roared to announce its presence. But they didn¡¯t scatter and remained gathered. Moreover, there were humans near the ogres. The fairly strong magical energy felt different from the humans it had been tearing apart so far. ¡°¡­¡± After a moment of standoff. Panath continued to ponder. It could fight them as is, but it would have to endure some damage. Moreover, sensing an ominous atmosphere, other monsters in the forest could be felt gathering. ¡°¡­¡± It seemed better to leave for now. It wasn¡¯t running away out of fear. It just didn¡¯t want to spill its noble blood in an unnecessary fight. ¡°Go! An Yu-seong-!¡± That¡¯s when it happened. Suddenly, a human voice was heard from the ground, and something flew quickly towards it. -Pwhack! And something sharp and heavy stuck into its eyeball. ¡°Uhaha! I don¡¯t care. Let¡¯s y!¡± ¡°Kyaaaaa-!¡± Panath¡¯s scream of pain rang out, and the battle began. *** Ippotrantion *** Aplete melee. A grand brawl with no distinction between friend and foe. -Bang, bang, boom! Kang Hyeon created magic orbs in both hands and threw them in all directions. ¡°Uwooooh!¡± ¡°Shut up!¡± Kang Hyeon¡¯s sword sliced through the neck of an ogre iling in the dust. -Swoosh! The ogre, clutching its neck to stop the gushing blood, went berserk. A passing goblin was sent flying by the ogre¡¯s foot. ¡°Phew¡­ How did ite to this?¡± The surroundings were in utter chaos. There were so many creatures swarming about, it seemed like every monster in the dungeon had gathered. -Crash! Bang! ¡°It¡¯s a mess. A total mess.¡± Panath was like apletely mad fighting rooster. The one that hade down to the ground was continuously stabbing its huge beak into the floor. -Thud thud thud thud! At a nce, it might have looked like a giant chicken pecking at feed, but the results were horrific. Every time the beak struck the ground, monsters were being torn apart regardless of their type. ¡°Keeeeek!¡± But the monsters hadn¡¯t lost their fighting spirit. Normally, they would have been busy running away from Panath, but today was different. Even they had gone berserk and were charging at Panath. ¡°Why are they responding so intensely?¡± This wasn¡¯t the situation Kang Hyeon had intended. Kang Hyeon had actually thought it would be a sess if he just managed to divert Panath¡¯s attention. If Panaths and the ogres fought due to his provocation, that alone would achieve the goal. ¡°Kaaaa-!¡± The start was good. Panath went wild from the attacks of Kang Hyeon and An Yu-seong, and as expected, the ogres charged towards Panath. ¡°It was good up to that point¡­¡± The problem was what came after. As the battle unfolded, other monsters started to join in one by one. ¡°I guess they had a lot pent up.¡± From Kang Hyeon¡¯s perspective, it seemed the monsters thought this was their chance. A chance to defeat the tyrant of the forest and bring peace. -Boom! From somewhere, an unknown monster crashed next to Kang Hyeon. ¡°Sigh, it¡¯s chaotic¡­ Should I just run away like this?¡± He had set the stage, but something didn¡¯t feel right. There was no focus, and the creatures weren¡¯t particrly interested in him. ¡°Honestly, I could probably just leave now ande back tomorrow to catch whoever survives.¡± ¡°Hahaha!¡± ¡°That one seems to be enjoying it.¡± An Yu-seong was really going wild like a fish in water. ¡°Argh! I don¡¯t know. Let¡¯s just clean this all up and leave.¡± At that moment, Kang Hyeon spotted the huge log the ogre had been holding. As if prepared in advance, the end of the log had been sharpened quite keenly. ¡°Hnngh!¡± Kang Hyeon lifted the log and looked at Panath. ¡°To clean up, I guess we should deal with that chicken head first?¡± Kang Hyeon¡¯s muscles bulged as if about to burst as he held the log. Muscles taut like rubber bands stretched to their limit. The log cracked under the grip that exceeded its limits. ¡°Die!¡± With that shout, the muscles that had been stretched to their limit were released. -Whoosh! An incredible gust of wind arose simultaneously. The huge log became a single bullet and was fired. But unfortunately, it just grazed the creature and fell to the ground. ¡°Tch, missed.¡± Although he hadn¡¯t thrown it with great expectations, Kang Hyeon felt a bit disappointed when it missed. ¡°Phew. Then shall we move properly?¡± Just as Kang Hyeon was speaking and stretching his body¡­ ¡°Kiiiaaa-!¡± Panath let out another terrible scream. And an enormous amount of magical power began to gather in its open beak. ¡°Huh..?¡± Kang Hyeon was momentarily confused as he looked at the creature. ¡°Why¡­?¡± Their eyes met. For some reason he couldn¡¯t understand, Kang Hyeon was certain. His eyes had met with those of the Panath, who was holding fire in its mouth. ¡°What is it? Why?!¡± -Hooooooo Panath didn¡¯t answer Kang H yeon¡¯s questions. It just kept gathering magical power. ¡°Why are you suddenly looking at me?!¡± -Fwooooosh! And then the mes erupted. The fire Panath breathed out engulfed the entire area where Kang Hyeon had been. *** Ippotrantion *** ¡°Cough, cough!¡± The goblin Gerson was running frantically through the forest. ¡°Kiaaaa!¡± Panath¡¯s cries could still be heard. It was clear that it was about to have a showdown. ¡°Grrr¡­¡± Today wasn¡¯t the promised day. Nevertheless, hisrades had rushed towards the source of the sound. It was unavoidable since the ogres, their most important fighting force, were gathered there. ¡°Cough, cough!¡± Gerson was fleeing, leaving that battlefield behind. He was running as hard as he could, until he was out of breath. ¡°Cough¡­¡± Gerson knew that running away was cowardly. But he wanted to live. Looking back, he could see Panath showing its might even from afar. Charging at that tyrant of the forest was nothing short of suicide. They must all be crazy. ¡°Cough?¡± That¡¯s when it happened. Something brushed past Panath¡¯s side. And it was quickly flying towards this direction. Gerson squinted to see what it was. ¡°Keek?!¡± A log. It was a huge log! Why a log was flying through the sky didn¡¯t matter. He had to dodge quickly¡­ -Boom! That was goblin Gerson¡¯sst memory. Chapter 96 Chapter 96 Chaos of Confusion (2) ¡°Prhrrrr!¡± Panath, who had spewed out his breath, shook his head roughly. The breath was his trump card that could only be used once a day. He had wanted to save it because using it once drained all the strength from his body, but he had no choice. He hadn¡¯t expected all the monsters in this ce to pounce on him. ¡°Kiaaaa-!¡± Although he was quite tired, the result was satisfactory. A third of them had turned to ashes from the breath he had unleashed after a long time. Moreover, he was able to eliminate the human he hated the most. Although it was the first time he had seen him today, Panath had sensed it. That he was the root cause of all this trouble. Furthermore, he had even thrown a threatening log at him. ¡°Uoooh!¡± ¡°Keurk, Keek!¡± He could see the monsters who had barely avoided the breath trembling in fear. Now everything had returned to its rightful ce. He was the absolute ruler of the forest. The rest were all just insignificant bugs. ¡°Kiaaak-!¡± It was when the satisfied Panath was about to howl again. ¡°Thank you!¡± ¡°Kia¡­?¡± Panath turned his head at the sudden voice. There, the human who had been directly hit by the breath just moments ago was ring at him. Panath¡¯s eyes widened, not expecting that guy to be alive. ¡°Thanks to you, I¡¯ve had my fill of hot saunas for the year. You bastard!¡± And then something tremendous struck his toe. -Pueok! ¡°Kiaaaaa-!¡± *** Ippotrantion *** -Ssssss -Tadak, Tadak The sound of burning wood could be heard. ¡°Ugh¡­¡± As he carefully opened his eyes, he saw ashes scattering in all directions. -Ding, Dang! [The level of Heat Resistance has increased] [The level of Heat Resistance has increased] Messages popped up simultaneously. ¡°Shit¡­ I really almost died.¡± Faced with the mes, Kang Hyeon quickly hid behind a rock and used Entria¡¯s outer shell. Even so, he had almost died. His entire body was burned, and a chunk of magic power had drained out trying to heal it. ¡°Haa, are the others okay?¡± Looking around, all he could see was ashes. He could also see the remains of an ogre that was still burning. ¡°I don¡¯t need to worry about An Yu-seong¡­¡± He¡¯s the kind of guy who somehow manages to save his own life, so he should be fine. ¡°Shin seong-a¡­ Is Yoon Na-rae alive?¡± He carefully used his magic power to sense the surroundings, but it was useless. The magic inside the dungeon was fluctuating due to Panath¡¯s breath. ¡°Kiaaak-!¡± In the distance, he could see Panath howling. ¡°Is he¡­ Laughing?¡± He didn¡¯t know how he understood that a bird couldugh. But Kang Hyeon was certain. The creature wasughing. ¡°You¡¯re dead.¡± The clothes he had been wearing were gone, and Ronald¡¯s armor was half-destroyed, so Kang Hyeon put on his spare armor. Then he quickly moved behind the creature. ¡®I¡¯ll give you extreme pain.¡¯ Kang Hyeon approached the stillughing creature and pulled out Ogre¡¯s giant hammer. ¡°Thanks to you, I¡¯ve had my fill of hot saunas for the year. You bastard!¡± And he struck down on the toe of the creature stupidly staring at him. -Pueok! ¡°Kiaaaaa-!¡± The creature¡¯s toe, as thick as an adult¡¯s waist, ttened as if it had been put in a giantpressor. At the same time, the sharp w attached to the toe waspletely ripped out. ¡°Hahaha! This is great!?¡± Kang Hyeon picked up the ripped-out w and smiled brightly. ¡°Kiaaaa!¡± Seeing this, Panath¡¯s sanity snapped. With eyes rolled back in anger, Panath struck down his beak towards Kang Hyeon with all his might. -Tukwagwagwaga! The creature struck down its huge beak nearly three times per second. Each time the beak hit, the ground shook and caved in. ¡®If I get hit even once, it¡¯s over.¡¯ That was truly dangerous. Even Kang Hyeon would be turned into a rag if he got hit. Kang Hyeon quickly dodged the beak while racking his brain. ¡®Where¡¯s the weak point?¡¯ Even Kang Hyeon had never faced an opponent this massive before. No matter how much he thought, he couldn¡¯t figure out how to attack. -Tukwang! Kwang! For a brief moment, there were several close calls where the beak almost struck near Kang Hyeon. ¡®I don¡¯t know. Let¡¯s get up there first!¡¯ For now, the important thing was to get out of the range of that beak. Kang Hyeon, who had been circling around the creature looking for an opportunity, jumped with all his might. ¡°Magic explosion, magic explosion!¡± And then he caused consecutive magic explosions under his feet. ¡°Uaaaa!¡± Kang Hyeon flew quickly into the air at the cost of the pain of his feet being torn apart. Landing on the creature¡¯s back in one breath, Kang Hyeon grinned. ¡°Chicken head! Try that again!¡± Panath struggled to shake off Kang Hyeon who had climbed onto his back, but it was useless. Kang Hyeon desperately grasped the creature¡¯s rough fur. ¡°Bisection!¡± Kang Hyeon pulled out his longsword and plunged it deep into the creature. ¡°Let¡¯s see who wins.¡± Kang Hyeon shed the creature¡¯s body indiscriminately. It might only be cutting the skin for a creature with such a massive body, but that was enough. ¡°If I keep digging, something will work out!¡± As An Yu-seong said, he wasn¡¯t really the type to think things through. It was just easier to work it out with his body like this. ¡°Die, die, die!¡± -Pushushshuk! Blood gushed out from the increasing wounds, forming small valleys. Panath screamed at the cute pain. ¡°Uwowoeoo!¡± ¡°Keeeee!¡± Life began to return to the eyes of the monsters watching this scene. Because they saw hope, when they had been trembling in fear and about to give up everything. The monsters ran towards Panath with all their might. -Pueok, Puk! -Tududududu! Panath was truly in a frenzy. He wanted to deal with the tick-like guy on his back first, but he couldn¡¯t ignore the hundreds of monsters attacking right in front of him. ¡°Kiaaaa-!¡± Finally, Panath made a decision. He had to roll on the ground! It hurt his pride, but that wasn¡¯t more precious than his life. Panath kicked off the ground with all his might and soared. ¡°Uh, uh? What? Why is this happening!?¡± Panath jumped dozens of meters high in one breath. He then fell straight to the ground. ¡°Uaaaa!¡± Kang Hyeon screamed as he suddenly found himself on an unexpected roller coaster ride. It was a thrilling ride that could be enjoyed for free, but there was no safety bar here. In other words, the cost of riding was your life. -Kwaaang! As Panath fell to the ground, a thunderous noise rang out along with a cloud of dust. ¡°Cough! What the hell suddenly¡­!¡± Just as Kang Hyeon was trying to regain his senses, Panath suddenly started rolling on the ground, face down. ¡°Kiaaaa!¡± -Kwagwagwagwang! Every time the creature rolled, dozens of monsters were crushed and exploded. If Kang Hyeon got caught under this bulk, it was clear that all the bones in his body would be ground up, turning him into an invertebrate. ¡°Uaak! Stop it! You crazy bird-brain!¡± Finally, Kang Hyeon grabbed onto Panath¡¯s wound. And he exerted all his strength until the veins in his entire body bulged. ¡°Keuaa!¡± -Jjijiijik Along with an unpleasant noise, Panath¡¯s flesh started to tear open. As soon as enough space was created, Kang Hyeon jumped in without hesitation. ¡®Ugh, can¡¯t breathe!¡¯ Inside the creature¡¯s skin, Kang Hyeon frowned at the pressure crushing his entire body. The creature¡¯s muscles, sticky yet slippery, pressed against Kang Hyeon as if they would burst him. ¡®What should I do?¡¯ There wasn¡¯t much time left. Both magic power and physical strength were at their limits. Outside, Panath was still rolling around. ¡®At this point, I¡¯ll keep digging deeper inside.¡¯ Having made up his mind, Kang Hyeon twisted his body and thrust his arm in. ¡°Magic Explosion!¡± As he used the skill, with a ¡®Wierd¡¯ sound, the inside of Panath¡¯s muscle opened up widely. Whether it was Panath tightening in pain or not, the muscles squeezed even tighter. ¡°Kheuk!¡± Kang Hyeon was truly on the brink of death. Not only had an explosion urred right in front of his nose, but his entire body was being crushed by the creature¡¯s muscles. Even for Kang Hyeon, who was used to pain, he couldn¡¯t help but let out a groan. If it had been any other ability user, they would have died instantly from being crushed by the muscles upon entering the creature¡¯s body. It was only because Kang Hyeon had overwhelmingly high stamina stats that he could end it with just a groan. ¡°Magic Explosion!¡± Gritting his teeth even harder, Kang Hyeon used Magic Explosion once again. The impact tore Panath¡¯s muscles to shreds, creating holes. ¡°This should be enough.¡± As soon enough space was created to swing a sword, Kang Hyeon pulled out the Master¡¯s Longsword. ¡°Huu¡­¡± He steadied his breath to concentrate and guided the remaining magic in his body into the sword. -Passsss¡­ Blue magic power started to rise from the sword. It looked as if blue mes were burning. Due to Kang Hyeon¡¯s poor condition, he couldn¡¯t control the magic power enough to give it aplete form. ¡°That¡¯ll do. Let¡¯s go!¡± It wasn¡¯t the time to be picky about this and that. Even this magic power could run out at any moment. -Seugeok, Seugeok! Kang Hyeon swung his sword like a madman. Panath¡¯s tough muscles, cut by the sword, were sliced off like tofu. ¡°Kuaaa!¡± Before long, a huge hole was created in front of Kang Hyeon. Through the hole, Panath¡¯s internal organs could be seen, and a foul smell rose. Kang Hyeon,pletely battered,ughed as if he had gone insane. ¡°Kheuk¡­ Now it¡¯s time for real fun?¡± Without hesitation, Kang Hyeon jumped into the creature¡¯s body. *** Ippotrantion *** ¡°Kiaaaa¡­¡± Panath, with a body over 10 meters long, copsed. -Kuung! Blood gushed out like a waterfall from the fallen creature¡¯s mouth. ¡°Puhaha! I¡¯m alive!¡± Kang Hyeon, in aplete mess, came out through that beak. Fresh air. Although only a few minutes had passed, he hadn¡¯t realized how much he had missed this refreshing feeling. ¡°Ugh¡­ I¡¯m dying. Really.¡± His body, drained of magic power and reduced to a rag, wasn¡¯t recovering. ¡°Is it over here?¡± Outside was already devastated. There were countless monster corpses strewn about, and the terrain waspletely wrecked. ¡°I don¡¯t know. Let¡¯s rest for now¡­¡± Kang Hyeony down, using Panath¡¯s head as a pillow. The sky looked particrly blue. ¡°Nice weather¡­¡± ¡°Brother. Were you here?¡± That¡¯s when it happened. Kang Hyeon¡¯s head turned at the carefree voiceing from beside him. There was An Yu-seong, looking quite neat, walking towards him. ¡°What are you doing sitting there?¡± ¡°What have you been doing to show up now¡­?¡± ¡°I had a bad feeling, so I dodged right before the breath came out. Ugh, what¡¯s this smell?¡± An Yu-seong held his nose at the stench emanating from Kang Hyeon. Even An Yu-seong, who was always soaked in blood after a fight, was about to have a fit, so it wasn¡¯t hard to guess how serious the smell was. ¡°Brother. What have you been doing!? It¡¯s worse than a sewer smell.¡± ¡°Enough. I don¡¯t have the energy to talk to you. Please, just go away¡­¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Indeed, even to An Yu-seong¡¯s eyes, it was amazing how Kang Hyeon was even alive in this state. Feeling a bit sorry for Kang Hyeon, An Yu-seong sat down nearby. ¡°Haa¡­ Shit¡­ My life.¡± Lying down, Kang Hyeon muttered weakly. ¡°What kind of wealth and glory was I trying to achieve by doing this?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°I was definitely having fun when I was just filming videos and ying around!¡± ¡°Brother. Did you get the magic stone?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Kang Hyeon took out Panath¡¯s magic stone from his inventory. ¡°Wow, it¡¯s the biggest one we¡¯ve seen so far, right?¡± ¡°Yeah. At least this is some constion.¡± There must be somewhere it could be useful. ¡°Mr. Kang Hyeon. Are you alright?¡± ¡°Oh¡­ You¡¯re here?¡± Turning his head, he saw Shin Seong-a approaching, looking clean. ¡°Ugh¡­¡± ¡°Why? Is the smell that bad?¡± ¡°It seems to go beyond bad to rather nauseating.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Shin Seong-a was someone who couldn¡¯t lie. ¡°You¡¯re safe too.¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Yoon Na-rae appeared next. Fortunately, it seemed she had managed to avoid the chaos well. ¡°Mr. Kang Hyeon! You¡¯re the best!¡± ¡°Please let me join the Badass Guild too!¡± ¡°Huh¡­?¡± Then, frivolous voices making a fuss could be heard from somewhere. Turning his head, he saw the two men who had followed from the dungeon entrance. ¡°Who are you¡­¡± ¡°We¡¯re fans!¡± The eyes of Jeong Jae-seon and Kim Yeon-su, who imed to be fans, were shining brightly. ¡°We¡¯ll dedicate our lives to the Badass Guild!¡± ¡°Haa¡­¡± Kang Hyeon¡¯s face subtly contorted at the sudden situation. ¡°You want to join even after seeing this state today?¡± ¡°We¡¯re convinced. Mr. Kang Hyeon, you¡¯ll be a legend in the future!¡± It was a cheesy thing to say, but it didn¡¯t feel that bad. ¡°You know the guild entry procedures, right?¡± ¡°¡­¡± There was no way they wouldn¡¯t know. It had caused quite a stir in Korea for a while. And they didn¡¯t think they could pass that hellish test. ¡°I, I¡­!¡± Jeong Jae-seon, who had been pondering, suddenly raised his hand. ¡°I have all types of Kang Hyeon figurines too!¡± Hearing this, Kang Hyeon sighed and looked at An Yu-seong. ¡°An Yu-seong.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Get rid of those things.¡± Chapter 97 Chapter 97 Meeting (1) After finishing the raid on the Panath jungle, Kang Hyeon was carried to the guild office in a half-unconscious state. ¡°Ugh, I¡¯m dying.¡± Shin Seong-a approached Kang Hyeon, who was lying on the sofa after taking a shower. ¡°Are you feeling alright?¡± ¡°The wounds have all healed, but strangely I don¡¯t want to move a finger.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve worked hard, so that¡¯s understandable.¡± ¡°Phew, did you send the cleanup team?¡± ¡°Yes. We sent two cleanup teams and assigned the raid team 3 led by Jo Dong-won to escort them.¡± ¡°Well done.¡± In the meantime, the nowrger Badass Guild was officially operating cleanup teams to handle dungeon byproducts. Until now, they had just thrown them away or outsourced to externalpanies, but now that they can handle it internally, it will generate considerable profit. ¡°You must be tired too, get some rest.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± After a brief report, Kang Hyeon opened his status window. ?Name: Kang Hyeon ?Title: Tutorial Graduate and 3 others ?Level: 69 ?Detailed Stats: Strength 31 (+4)(+5) Agility 31 (+3) Stamina 32 (+3)(+13) Magic Power 35 (+3)(+4) Additional Stats: ¨C ?Unique Ability: Resurrection ?Abilities: Veil¡¯s Swordsmanship(D), Lower-grade Shield Technique(E), Lowest-grade Crossbow Technique(F), Kang Hyeon-style Brawling(B), Lower-grade Blunt Weapon Technique(E), Magic Detection(C), Poison Resistance(E), Magic Maniption(D), Heat Resistance(D) ?Skills: Roar of the Enraged Lion (B), High-grade Bodily Regeneration(A), Bisection(C), Giant¡¯s Strength(A), Magic Explosion(B), Wayne¡¯s Secret Technique(B), Entria¡¯s Outer Shell(B) The changes were so immense that even calling them tremendous would be an understatement. Especially the abilities and skills had greatly improved. Looking at them in order, first, heat resistance had risen by two whole levels to be D-rank. This was unprecedented, but in a way, it was also natural. ¡°I almost died bing a real roast¡­¡± Besides that, the skills Roar of the Enraged Lion, Giant¡¯s Strength, Bisection, and Wayne¡¯s Secret Technique each rose by one rank. Kang Hyeon smiled with satisfaction, feeling as if the growth that had been blocked until now had burst through explosively. ¡°It¡¯s all good, but¡­ Why is this one rising so fast?¡± Kang Hyeon red at ¡®Kang Hyeon-style Brawling¡¯, an ability he had acquired rtively recently. ¡°Already B-rank¡­¡± Considering the hardships he went through to raise other skills and abilities to B-rank, this was an abnormally fast growth rate. ¡°It¡¯s strangely unpleasant¡­¡± Kang Hyeon wasn¡¯t entirely happy with the feeling that it seemed to grow faster the more dirty he fought. ¡°Tsk. Whatever.¡± There¡¯s nothing bad about abilities improving. After organizing his thoughts, Kang Hyeon gulped down his beer. ¡°Ahh! That¡¯s refreshing.¡± The sensation of crisp carbonation and alcohol seemed to tingle all the way to his brain. While eximing like a middle-aged man, Kang Hyeon suddenly remembered something and looked around the office. ¡°Han Jae-moon. Where are you? Did you go home?¡± ¡°Yes. Guild Master, I¡¯m right here¡­¡± ¡°Why are you stuck in a corner like that? It¡¯s hard to find you.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­¡± For reference, Han Jae-moon had never moved his seat since the office relocated recently. ¡°Nevermind. The video from this time should be good, so edit it well!¡± ¡°Um¡­ I¡¯m not the video editor though¡­?¡± ¡°Tsk!¡± When Han Jae-moon spoke in a frustrated tone, Kang Hyeon frowned. ¡°You think I don¡¯t know that? I¡¯m telling you because I¡¯m toozy to say do it myself!¡± ¡°¡­¡± Faced with Kang Hyeon¡¯s confident attitude, Han Jae-moon¡¯s lips protruded significantly. ¡®Kang Hyeon, you old fart¡­¡¯ *** Ippotrantion *** On the way to theboratory. A van with ¡®Badass¡¯ inscribed on its hood in fiery lettering was speeding down the highway. ¡°Shall we check it out?¡± Kang Hyeon, sitting in the back seat of the vehicle, essed YouTube. ¡°This one will definitely get a good reaction.¡± Honestly, even he thought this raid was extraordinary. Nowhere in the world had he heard news of hunting such a massive boss monster. ¡°And we moved with a small elite team.¡± Unlike guilds that typically raid with dozens of members, their raid consisted of only four people, which would surely make it even more sensational. ¡°Oh¡­ They really filmed it well.¡± In just one day, the editor had created a video that felt like watching a movie. They must have poured their soul into it. -Crazy! I told you to bring just one! -You think I want to be doing this?! -Shut up! As the video reached its midpoint, when the ogres suddenly appeared en masse, even Kang Hyeon burst intoughter. ¡°Ah, Yoon Na-rae! I should have made here to her senses.¡± Come to think of it, he hadn¡¯t scolded Yoon Na-rae, the culprit behind this incident. He had forgotten because he was too tired after the raid. Kang Hyeon vowed to thoroughly discipline her when he returned to the office. ¡°I¡¯ll have to give her a piece of my mind when we get back.¡± Finally, as the video ended, Kang Hyeon checked thements with a nervous heart. -Is it real that the ogre explodes in one hit? -OMG¡­ Is this really not fake? It doesn¡¯t make sense? -If you watch the next boss hunting video, this is nothing lol. It can¡¯t be fake. While Kang Hyeon was satisfactorily scanning thements, he suddenly frowned. It was because he saw a quite unpleasantment. -Yoon Na-rae is cute. -I prefer Shin Seong-a. -No, Yoon Na-rae is the best. Loli otaku for the win -Lololol -Gotta support the original members. Doesn¡¯t seem right to favor the neer more. Kang Hyeon was very, very displeased. ¡°What, are these guys fighting over such useless things?¡± It was extremely annoying that something else, especially Yoon Na-rae, was intruding on a video where he should have been the protagonist. -Yoon Na-rae is so pretty. Seems wasted on a trash guild like Badass. Among them, there was ament that particrly irritated Kang Hyeon. -A trash guild like Badass? Isn¡¯t Badass actually top in our country right now? Kang Hyeon wrote a reply, and less than a minuteter, a notification sounded. -Yeah right, Badass employee. ¡°This is getting ridiculous¡­¡± He was starting to get heated. Kang Hyeon tapped his smartphone so fast his fingers were barely visible. -Even if not the top, they¡¯d easily be in the top 10 guilds, so Yoon Na-rae is wasted? -Of course. What¡¯scking about Yoon Na-rae? She¡¯s outstanding in looks and ability. It was a mistake for her to set foot in that den of thugs in the first ce. Badass is trash. ¡°This son of a¡­!¡± For a moment, Kang Hyeon couldn¡¯t control his anger and put too much strength into his hand. -Crack¡­ Only after seeing that one side of the screen had shattered did Kang Hyeon regain hisposure. ¡°Phew¡­ So that¡¯s how you want to y it? Then I¡¯ll have to y at your level.¡± Trembling with rage, Kang Hyeon suddenly thought of something and grinned. -Seeing how you¡¯re fawning over the short and t-chested Yoon Na-rae, I can guess your level. Tsk tsk. -F*ck, you done talking? Where do you live? The effect was tremendous! -Why do you want to know? -I said where do you live? Let¡¯s meet up and fight. Scared? Kang Hyeon stifled augh at the other person¡¯s reply. -Lololol Meet up and fight? Do you know who I am?? -You? You¡¯re probably just some loser scratching your balls in your room. Lol. I can tell without even seeing you. As his blood pressure rose again, Kang Hyeon hurriedly grabbed the back of his neck. ¡°Damn¡­¡± Barely regaining his senses, Kang Hyeon posted anotherment. -Let¡¯s do it. Where should I go? -Today at 9 PM, in front of the dolphin statue at Taeseon Park. Don¡¯te if you¡¯re scared. I¡¯m going lol. As it happened, it wasn¡¯t far from the guild office. -I live near there, you know? Just don¡¯t show up. I swear I¡¯ll find you and kill you no matter what. For sure. -Sure sure, so scary. Oh my. Kang Hyeon was on the verge of having difficulty breathing due to anger. He hurriedlyposed himself and carefully put away his smartphone. ¡°Haa, let¡¯s see if you can still talk shit when you see my face. Bastard.¡± *** Ippotrantion *** After finishing the toughest battle ever, Kang Hyeon finally arrived at theboratory. ¡°You¡¯ve made quite an achievement this time too.¡± Research Director Jeong Seo-bin greeted Kang Hyeon with a smile. ¡°That¡¯s right¡­ But I couldn¡¯t properly promote the product. The situation suddenly turned out that way.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine. We¡¯re already seeing enough effect.¡± Kang Hyeon¡¯s videos easily surpass 500,000 views within 24 hours. The video featuring the hamburger has already exceeded 3 million views, so the promotional effect was properly achieved. ¡°Moreover, we¡¯ve attracted a corporate investor.¡± ¡°That¡¯s great news.¡± ¡°It¡¯s Hyeseong Group.¡± ¡°What?¡± Kang Hyeon made a dumb expression at the suddenly mentioned name. ¡°If it¡¯s Hyeseong, then¡­?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. It¡¯s where Chairman An Moo-seok is.¡± ¡°What¡¯s the catch? Doesn¡¯t he know I work with this research institute?¡± ¡°Of course he knows. Chairman An Moo-seok said he¡¯s investing in this ce because Kang Hyeon is here.¡± ¡°Has that old man gone senile¡­¡± Honestly, it didn¡¯t make sense. It¡¯s true that he had destroyed the Kangshin Guild, Hyeseong Group¡¯s main force, and won the bet. But he didn¡¯t think Chairman An Moo-seok would yield just because of that. ¡®I thought it would be fortunate if he didn¡¯t grind his teeth even more¡­¡¯ Kang Hyeon¡¯s worries didn¡¯tst long. ¡°Well, if it¡¯s Hyeseong, they probably have money to burn, so I guess it¡¯s a good thing.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. Thanks to that, we don¡¯t have to worry about the research institute going bankrupt. Haha!¡± Jeong Seo-binughed heartily, seeming genuinely pleased. ¡°Shall we look at the weapon now?¡± After the greetings were over, Kang Hyeon finally mentioned the reason he came to the research institute. He was already excited at the thought of handling Bilgein¡¯s longsword after a long time. ¡°Hehe¡­ The results were much better than expected. Don¡¯t be surprised.¡± Jeong Seo-bin took out the longsword from the inventory. ¡°Oho¡­¡± Originally, it was a simple red longsword, but now there was a strange energy flowing through the sword. Kang Hyeon marveled at the sight, as if a faint red light was flowing down. ¡°First of all, the appearance is perfect, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°The performance will be beyond perfect.¡± At Jeong Seo-bin¡¯s confident words, Kang Hyeon hurried to check the sword. ¡°Wow, the weight is pleasantly heavy.¡± ¡°Because you specifically asked me to pay attention to that.¡± ¡°And the durability has increased tremendously, wait a minute, what¡¯s this?¡± Name: Bilgein¡¯s Soul Longsword Grade: B+ Durability: 799/800 Description: Bilgein¡¯s longsword has been excellently processed using Dark Knight Vile¡¯s magic stone. While preserving and enhancing its existing abilities, Dark Knight Vile¡¯s soul has sessfully settled into the sword. Abilities: Berserker, Durability Enhancement, Self-Repair ¡°Dark Knight Vile¡¯s soul has settled into the sword.¡± ¡°Sessfully settled, yes.¡± ¡°What does that¡­¡± Kang Hyeon¡¯s expression suddenly contorted. ¡°So, you¡¯re saying that Dark Knight¡¯s soul is in here?¡± ¡°Yes. Isn¡¯t it amazing? An ego sword. It was actually apletely unexpected result, but fortunately, it was sessful. If we do research based on this, apletely new world will surely open up!¡± Jeong Seo-bin spoke excitedly, pouring out her enthusiasm. ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Kang Hyeon was quite uneasy, but he had no choice. Kang Hyeon had to use Bilgein¡¯s longsword. -I cannot acknowledge you. That¡¯s when it happened. Suddenly, Kang Hyeon¡¯s head was ringing. ¡°Huh? What¡¯s this sound?¡± ¡°Oh. Can you hear it too, Kang Hyeon? The soul of the sword is even speaking directly. Isn¡¯t it amazing?!¡± ¡°Please, shut up.¡± After calming Jeong Seo-bin down, Kang Hyeon concentrated again. -A knight¡¯s honor. Do you, a vulgar fighter without even a speck of manners, intend to be with me? ¡°Sigh¡­ What nonsense is this now?¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong? What did the sword say?¡± ¡°Right now, this piece of metal is bbering about whether it acknowledges me or not. Isn¡¯t this problematic?¡± ¡°Acknowledgment¡­ Honestly, I¡¯m not sure. I think there shouldn¡¯t be any problem using the sword¡¯s existing abilities, but it¡¯s apletely new case, so I can¡¯t be certain.¡± ¡°So you don¡¯t know, right?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Kang Hyeon roughly ran his hand through his hair and looked at the sword. ¡°You. Can you hear me?¡± -I can hear you, vulgar human. ¡°Acknowledgment or whatever, this was originally my sword, you know?¡± -But it¡¯s also my body now. ¡°Damn. So what? You¡¯re just a sword anyway. You¡¯re just a piece of metal, are you nning to walk around on your own?¡± -That might be difficult, but¡­ I can do this. Suddenly, an enormous magical power burst out from the sword. -Bang! Hit by that pressure, Kang Hyeon flew and crashed into the research institute wall. ¡°Cough! You bastard¡­¡± ¡°Kang Hyeon! Are you okay?¡± ¡°Can¡¯t you just remove that from the sword? I can¡¯t fight like this!¡± ¡°Well¡­ It¡¯s impossible right now. As I said, it¡¯s the first case, and the soul settling into the sword waspletely idental¡­¡± ¡°Sigh¡­¡± Kang Hyeon let out a deep sigh and grabbed the sword again. -Give up, you vulgar and cowardly human. I have no intention of being with you. ¡°Stop adding adjectives.¡± -You¡¯re not only vulgar and cowardly, but also stupid. How long will you¡­ ¡°I said stop adding adjectives, damn it!¡± Unable to contain his anger, Kang Hyeon struck Bilgein¡¯s longsword with all his might. -ng! As he struck the floor with the sword¡¯s surface, the sword resonated with the impact. -Urgh! What are you doing? How dare a vulgar, cowardly, and stupid human like you¡­! ¡°Wait a minute. Are you in pain right now?¡± -Wh-what are you talking about? I am a Dark knight. I¡¯ve long forgotten about pain. ¡°Really? Then let¡¯s try one more time.¡± -Wait! Ignoring the cry, Kang Hyeon struck the sword even harder this time. -ng! -Argh! Stop! Are you out of your mind? -ng. -I told you to stop! Do you really want to regret this? -ng. -Stop, I said stop! -ng, ng, ng! -Argghhh! The newly repaired sword was starting to crack. Kang Hyeon even took out Ogre¡¯s giant hammer, seemingly determined to finish it off. -You! Are you trying to destroy the sword? ¡°It¡¯s okay. I saw it got a self-repair option this time.¡± -Please, you can¡¯t. You mustn¡¯t! ¡°I can!¡± Kang Hyeon grinned wickedly and swung the hammer with all his might. Chapter 98 Chapter 98 Meeting (2) ¡°Mr. Kang Hyeon! Are you determined to destroy the researchb?¡± ¡°It didn¡¯t copse, did it?¡± Kang Hyeon smirked and looked at Bilgein soul Longsword. ¡°That thing repairs itself, right?¡± ¡°Probably.¡± ¡°Why ¡®probably¡¯? It was newly added to the options, wasn¡¯t it?¡± Kang Hyeon was certain he had checked. Self-repair was listed as an option in the sword¡¯s description. If so, it would surely return to normal condition before long. Kang Hyeon could be confident because he already had Ronald¡¯s armor and the Craftsman¡¯s greatsword. Simrly, those two pieces of equipment with self-repair always got fixed quickly even when roughly handled to the point of being half-broken. ¡°So, if we leave it alone, it should fix itself.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± It didn¡¯t repair itself. Kang Hyeon was shocked to see the sword still broken even after he had eaten a meal and had a cup of tea. ¡°What the hell!? Why is it still like this!?¡± Of course, weapons don¡¯t get repaired in an instant within an hour. But there should be at least some signs of repair in progress, yet there was no change at all. ¡°Ms. Jeong Seo-bin. What¡¯s going on with this!?¡± ¡°First, try picking up the sword.¡± Kang Hyeon hurriedly picked up the sword. ¡°Hey, can you hear me? Stop messing around and repair the sword quickly. Before I destroy the remaining parts too.¡± ¡°Mr. Kang Hyeon. Calm down for a moment.¡± ¡°Huff¡­ Do I look calm right now? My sword that I¡¯m seeing after a month. And it¡¯s a sword that I infused with a B-grade boss magic stone, but it¡¯s be useless!?¡± Kang Hyeon ranted while holding the greatsword that waspletely shattered, its de shortened like a dagger. Seeing this, Jeong Seo-bin sighed. ¡®You¡¯re the one who broke it, you idiot¡­¡¯ There was a lot she wanted to say, but for now, it was time to fix the sword. ¡°The self-repair wasn¡¯t an original ability of the sword, but a newly generated ability along with the ego.¡± ¡°So?¡± ¡°It means that the newly added option might need some different activation conditions unlike the existing ones.¡± ¡°Activation condition¡­¡± ¡°Mr. Kang Hyeon. Can you manipte magic by any chance?¡± At Jeong Seo-bin¡¯s sudden question, Kang Hyeon nodded reluctantly. ¡°Yes¡­ Well, it¡¯s not really a secret anymore at this point. I can control it to some extent.¡± The number of ability users who could manipte magic was gradually increasing. Although the number was still very small, and even then, there was a big difference in levelpared to Kang Hyeon, it was clear that magic maniption and magic sensing were no longer Kang Hyeon¡¯s exclusive abilities. ¡°Then let¡¯s try infusing magic into the sword.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a good idea.¡± Kang Hyeon immediately started manipting magic. Blue magic rose from Kang Hyeon¡¯s hand, and the risen magic moved to the sword in his hand. -Wooong Then, surprisingly, the sword trembled and greedily devoured the magic. At the same time, the broken de began to regenerate rapidly. ¡°Oh, this is working?¡± Just as the sword had recovered to some extent. -Kraa! Veil, who had been sleeping inside the sword, woke up again. ¡°Were you sleeping? Why didn¡¯t you answer when I called?¡± -You ask because you don¡¯t know!? It¡¯s because of you! Because of your barbaric actions, I felt the sensation of pain that I hadn¡¯t felt for hundreds of years, and when the sword broke, my soul and mind¡­! As Veil kept rambling on, Kang Hyeon felt his head buzzing. He quickly mmed the sword on the ground. ¡°Shut up. Shut up. Shut up! Why are you so talkative?¡± -¡­ ¡°You should have been quiet from the start.¡± Finally, when Veil became docile, Kang Hyeon smiled with satisfaction. ¡°Anyway, it seems we¡¯ve put out the immediate fire.¡± ¡°Huff¡­ Can I even fight with it in this state? I need to concentrate, but if it keeps chattering like this, or if it releases and scatters magic like before, what should I do?¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Kang Hyeon¡¯s doubts were reasonable. Honestly, Jeong Seo-bin didn¡¯t have much to say, so she decided to brush it off. ¡°Well, you¡¯ve gained a new ability, right? And it¡¯s be an ego sword, meaning it has a soul and will, so it might develop more abilities in the future. The existing abilities might also be able to grow.¡± ¡°So, there¡¯s no solution?¡± ¡°No.¡± When her intention was exposed, Jeong Seo-bin smiled brightly. ¡°Tch. I heard he wasn¡¯t very perceptive¡­¡± Jeong Seo-bin turned her head and muttered in a small voice. ¡°Sigh, I guess they didn¡¯t mention he had sharp ears too.¡± Kang Hyeon sighed and ran his hand through his hair in irritation. ¡°I understand for now. I guess we¡¯ll find a breakthrough as we use it.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°And this is the magic stone I got this time¡­¡± As soon as the words ¡®magic stone¡¯ came out of Kang Hyeon¡¯s mouth, Jeong Seo-bin¡¯s eyes sparkled. ¡°I watched it on YouTube! That huge, fire-breathing¡­ Phoenix? The bird that looks like a chicken?¡± ¡°It¡¯s Panath. Here.¡± When Kang Hyeon handed over the magic stone, Jeong Seo-bin smiled brightly like a child and was delighted. ¡°What are you nning to use this for?¡± ¡°Originally, I thought about modifying Ronald¡¯s armor, but seeing the situation today, I don¡¯t really want to¡­¡± After pondering for a moment, Kang Hyeon continued. ¡°Just use it for research. Use it for repairs next time if needed.¡± ¡°Okay. Thank you.¡± ¡°Then I¡¯ll be going¡­ She¡¯s already gone.¡± Kang Hyeon was about to say goodbye and leave, but Jeong Seo-bin had already run into theb without looking back. ¡°Was she always like this¡­?¡± *** Ippotrantion *** That evening. Kang Hyeon arrived at Taeseon Park, the meeting ce to confront the inte troll. [21:01] The agreed time had already passed. Honestly, he thought the chances of the person showing up were slim. It wasmon to exchange insults online. Kang Hyeon hade out just in case. ¡°Is that it?¡± In the distance, he could see a dolphin statue situated in a corner along with a huge fountain. ¡°Oh?¡± As he approached, someone wearing a cap backwards was smoking. ¡°So you¡¯re an ability user, huh?¡± Examining the magic, he felt quite strong magical energy. At this level, just considering the magic, it was at least on par with his own. ¡°You talked about meeting in person, so I guess you had something to rely on.¡± Realizing that the other person was an ability user, Kang Hyeon¡¯s anger rose even more. ¡°Damn. Completely a thug, aren¡¯t you?¡± An ability user of that level must have gone through many battles, clearly quite a veteran. To use abilities gained through life-and-death battles for mere real-life PK (yer kill)¡­ Kang Hyeon resolved to give a proper lesson this time. ¡®I¡¯ll beat them just short of death.¡¯ Up close, the opponent was surprisingly very small in stature. Short enough that Kang Hyeon, at 179cm, couldpletely look down on them. ¡®Seems it¡¯s a woman.¡¯ But in the world of ability users, gender and physique didn¡¯t matter, so it wasn¡¯t strange. Kang Hyeon maintained his tension without letting his guard down and called out to the opponent. ¡°Are you Goddess Na-rae?¡± At Kang Hyeon¡¯s words, the person in front raised their head. ¡°HandSome K?¡± And the woman¡¯s and Kang Hyeon¡¯s eyes met. ¡°¡­¡± A brief silence flowed. Kang Hyeon was the first to speak. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± ¡°K-Kang Hyeon..?¡± ¡°Do you want to die?¡± Yoon Na-rae just stood with her mouth open, staring nkly at Kang Hyeon. ¡°Put out the cigarette.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Yoon Na-rae quickly threw away the cigarette and rubbed it out with her foot. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± ¡°W-What about you, Guild Leader?¡± ¡°Some bastard called our guild thugs, so I came to teach them a lesson of justice.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Silence flowed again. ¡°I didn¡¯t know you smoked too.¡± ¡°So what? What¡¯s wrong with smoking!?¡± ¡°I just said I didn¡¯t know. Why are you freaking out? Makes me want to kill you.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Increasingly harsh words began to flow from Kang Hyeon¡¯s mouth. ¡°Do you usually meet people like this and intimidate them with force?¡± ¡°This is the first time!?¡± ¡°Why did youe out today?¡± ¡°That bastard talked shit about me being short and t-chested!¡± ¡°What¡­?¡± ¡°No¡­ That¡¯s not it. You left such a harshment, Guild Leader, that I unconsciously¡­¡± That¡¯s when it happened. ¡°Mr. Kang Hyeon?¡± ¡°What? What are you doing here?¡± For some reason, Shin Seong-a was walking towards them. ¡°Some trash left a maliciousment on Kang Hyeon¡¯s YouTube, so I came to break their fingers.¡± ¡°¡­¡± At Shin Seong-a¡¯s words, Kang Hyeon and Yoon Na-rae became dumbstruck. ¡°Maybe gouging out their eyeballs would be good too.¡± ¡°Do you do this often¡­?¡± ¡°Ie out asionally. Consider it a hobby, so don¡¯t worry about it.¡± Cold sweat was now running down Yoon Na-rae¡¯s back. ¡°By the way, Mr. Kang Hyeon. Haven¡¯t you seen any suspicious person here?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°A person using a dirty nickname like Goddess Na-rae.¡± ¡°What¡¯s dirty about it!?¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± At that moment, realizing her mistake, Yoon Na-rae¡¯s eyes shook wildly. ¡°Ah, um, well¡­ that¡­¡± She tried to say something, but her brain wasn¡¯t functioning properly. Watching this, Kang Hyeon realized a new fact. That when a person looks too pathetic, you can feel contempt. ¡°Sigh¡­ Let¡¯s go home.¡± Kang Hyeon sighed and roughly ran his hand through his hair. *** Ippotrantion *** ¡°Ahh! That¡¯s refreshing!¡± In the Badass Guild office. Kang Hyeon, Shin Seong-a, and Yoon Na-rae were having a modest beer party. ¡°So if you have anyints, spill them all out now.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°First, I think I¡¯ve been a bit harsh on youtely. I¡¯m sorry about that.¡± ¡°Yes¡­¡± ¡°So let¡¯s clear everything up here today without any hard feelings!¡± To be honest, Kang Hyeon didn¡¯t dislike Yoon Na-rae that much. She had some cute aspects, and above all, her abilities were excellent. ¡°I think you have many different skills and great potential for growth.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Yoon Na-rae, knowing her own faults, answered politely. ¡°Magicians of your caliber are rare. It might not be easy to sync with us, but if you do it well, there will definitely be tremendous synergy.¡± ¡°Yes¡­¡± The beer cans were piling up. Despite being capable, Yoon Na-rae didn¡¯t seem to have a high alcohol tolerance, as her face was already quite flushed. ¡°Ahem, I think so too. Yoon Na-rae¡¯s abilities are not easily seen anywhere else, and they have very high utility.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. Being a bit boy-crazy isn¡¯t a problem. It¡¯s a naturalw of nature! A principle.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°You never know. If we keep spending time together, you might grow fond of An Yu-seong, and love might bloom. Isn¡¯t that how these things go?¡± This advice came from Kang Hyeon, who had a total of 3 dating experiences. Hisst rtionship was 6 years ago. All 3 ended in disastrous breakups. For reference, he had thoroughly read 3 dating self-help books. ¡°So, if you have anyints today, just let them all out, okay? Let¡¯s try to get along well.¡± ¡°Yes¡­ Then can I say just one thing?¡± ¡°Yeah, go ahead.¡± ¡°Please stop teasing me by calling me a loli otaku.¡± ¡°Of course I won¡¯t. If it bothered you that much, why didn¡¯t you say so earlier? Haha!¡± ¡°I¡¯ve already said it dozens of times¡­¡± ¡°Well! Let¡¯s move past the small stuff. What else? Say more.¡± Something felt off, but Yoon Na-rae, already drunk, nodded and continued speaking. ¡°Stop teasing me about being short and t-chested.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve never done that¡­?¡± ¡°You teased me in thements! Stop it!¡± ¡°No, you started it first by calling us a thug guild!¡± ¡°Can¡¯t a person be a bit short and have a small chest!? How can you hurt someone like that!?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Honestly, you¡¯re not in a position to easily find a woman either. You know that!?¡± Suddenly, a vein popped on Kang Hyeon¡¯s forehead. Kang Hyeon desperately tried to calm his breathing and barely managed to suppress his anger. ¡°So, that¡¯s¡­¡± ¡°Your face looks like a gang boss. And your actions are even worse!¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s why you¡¯ve been single for years, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you think our conversation topic has strayed a bit?¡± Facial dissonance. Kang Hyeon¡¯s mouth was smiling, but the corners of his eyes were twitching. But Yoon Na-rae, already thoroughly drunk, was unstoppable. -Bang! She put down her beer can with a loud noise and pointed her finger. ¡°Besides, it¡¯s wrong to treat people so badly. Always cursing and hitting, is that all there is to being strong?¡± Yoon Na-rae stood up excitedly and started ranting as if possessed. Watching her, the trembling Kang Hyeon received a whisper from Shin Seong-a. ¡°Mr. Kang Hyeon.¡± ¡°What.¡± ¡°Shall we get rid of her?¡± ¡°I sometimes can¡¯t tell if your words are jokes or serious.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know what jokes are, though.¡± Meanwhile, Yoon Na-rae was talking with a cigarette in her mouth, which she had taken out at some point. ¡°Honestly! Someone like me would be treated well anywhere. That¡¯s what I¡¯m saying. But here, I¡¯m treated like wallpaper every day. Wallpaper. At least wallpaper is tall! Whew!¡± The cigarette smoke Yoon Na-rae exhaled hit Kang Hyeon¡¯s face directly. The sharp, stinging scent assaulted his nose. Kang Hyeon put on a serious face and mmed his fist down. -Crack! The thick wooden table instantly split into eighteen pieces, ending its life. ¡°Just do the first verse.¡± ¡°Yes¡­¡± As Kang Hyeon sighed and ran his hand through his hair, ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± There was a sudden vibration, and when he checked, it was a call from Shin Tae-gil. ¡°Yes.¡± -Mr. Kang Hyeon. It¡¯s a big problem. ¡°Oh? Coincidentally, I¡¯m in the middle of a big problem too.¡± -Pardon? ¡°If you know any good hair loss treatments¡­¡± -Mr. Kang Hyeon! At the slightly angry voice, Kang Hyeon¡¯s lips protruded into a pout. ¡°It¡¯s a joke. A joke. So what¡¯s the big problem?¡± -Mr. Kang Hyeon. Unlike usual, he seemed to be speaking with a lot of gravity, which made Kang Hyeon increasingly uneasy. ¡°What is it¡­¡± -You¡¯ll need to y the role of a teacher once. ¡°What?¡± The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone! Chapter 99 Chapter 99 The Merciless Tyrant (1) -You¡¯ll need to y the role of a teacher once. ¡°What?¡± Kang Hyeon was taken aback by the unexpected words. ¡°A teacher? What do you mean?¡± -It¡¯s exactly as I said. The Ability User Cultivation School. You know about it, right? ¡°Of course I do.¡± -We¡¯d like you to take charge of the education at the Ability User Cultivation School this time. ¡°You were talking like it was something really serious, but this is all you have to say?¡± -Ahem¡­ I wanted to set the mood a bit. ¡°Why are you suddenly trying to be funny¡­ No, that¡¯s not the important part.¡± Kang Hyeon regained hisposure and returned to a serious attitude. ¡°Why are you suddenly making such a request to me?¡± -You¡¯ve been involved in many high-profile activitiestely, haven¡¯t you? Your public recognition is high. ¡°And?¡± -This time, children of high-ranking political and business figures will be entering the Ability User Cultivation School. Some of them are your fans. ¡°Ah¡­¡± Kang Hyeon quickly understood the situation. ¡°So, you want me to go and cater to the whims of rich kids?¡± -You could say that. ¡°Mr. Shin Tae-gil. Don¡¯t you know my personality?¡± -I know it well. ¡°Do you think I¡¯m the type of person who will say ¡®Oh! Certainly! I¡¯ll do as you say!¡¯ and eagerlyply when these 21st-century aristocratic brats with wet ink behind their ears start ordering me around?¡± -It would be fortunate if you didn¡¯t knock their heads off. ¡°If you know that, why are you making this request!?¡± Finally unable to hold back, Kang Hyeon raised his voice. -It¡¯s because I know that I¡¯m making this request. ¡°What kind of nonsense is that? Are you asking me to half-kill these kids?¡± -Yes. ¡°Yes¡­?¡± Kang Hyeon wore a dumbfounded expression at the iprehensible words asking him to half-kill the children of important people. -As you know, the current government¡­ I mean, the situation at the Blue House is not good. ¡°That¡¯s what you always say.¡± -Ahem¡­ Honestly, since they had always only talked about difficulties, Shin Tae-gil was at a loss for words. -I¡¯m saying this because it¡¯s really not good. ¡°Yes, yes. And?¡± -So. Currently, the President is in a situation where he has no choice but toply with various demands. That¡¯s how he needs to broaden his base. ¡°I don¡¯t think the President¡¯s position will improve much just because of something like this.¡± -Choi Yeon-hwa. ¡°Who¡¯s that?¡± Kang Hyeon frowned at the unfamiliar name that suddenly appeared. -She¡¯s the only daughter of Chairman Choi Kang-woo. ¡°Chairman Choi Kang-woo, as in the chairman of Sam-oh Group?¡± -Yes. Chairman Choi Kang-woo¡¯s daughter, Choi Yeon-hwa, can be considered the leader of the group, the faction, entering this time. ¡°Hmm¡­¡± -And Chairman Choi Kang-woo is famous for being extremely doting on his daughter. It¡¯s natural since she¡¯s his only child bornte in life. In the end, it meant that Kang Hyeon had to educate them to gain the favor of Chairman Choi Kang-woo. -Choi Yeon-hwa is said to be a hardcore fan of yours. If we can win her favor this time and bring that faction to our side, it will undoubtedly be a tremendous power. ¡°But earlier you said I could do as I please? If something goes wrong with the kids because of that, I can¡¯t take responsibility.¡± -There was a request from Chairman Choi Kang-woo. He wants his daughter toe to her senses. ¡°Come to her senses?¡± -She¡¯s ate child, his only daughter whom he cherishes more than his own eyes. What father would be happy about his daughter mingling with monsters who eat people and ability users who kill as easily as they breathe? ¡°Ah¡­¡± Only then could Kang Hyeon understand Shin Tae-gil¡¯s words. ¡°So, fix her mindset so she can never bring up the topic of ability users again?¡± -Yes. You need to treat them as harshly as possible. However, you must not resort to violence or cause physical disabilities. Obviously, they shouldn¡¯t die either. ¡°Hmm, if it¡¯s like that, it¡¯s fine. It could be interesting.¡± -So, do you ept? ¡°We¡¯re in this together, so I should ept at least this much. When is it?¡± -In 4 days. Next Monday. ¡°Okay. Got it.¡± *** Ippotrantion *** The Ability User Cultivation School, which Kang Hyeon visited again after about a year, was quite new. ¡°Nice to meet you. I¡¯m Jeong Jong-ho, who will be assisting Kang Hyeon this time. I look forward to working with you.¡± Jeong Jong-ho, a man in a neat suit with pomade in his hair, greeted them. ¡°Yes. I¡¯m Kang Hyeon.¡± ¡°Nice to meet you. I¡¯m Shin Seong-a.¡± Jeong Jong-ho was originally the education director of this facility. However, for appearance¡¯s sake, Kang Hyeon had to oversee the education, so it was inevitably decided that Jeong Jong-ho would assist Kang Hyeon just this once. ¡°This ce has really changed a lot, hasn¡¯t it? The facilities have improved significantly.¡± ¡°Yes. Since you were involved in the early education here, I think you¡¯ll feel it even more.¡± Unlike the early days when they hurriedly borrowed public facilities like school buildings and gymnasiums, now there were proper, impressive buildings constructed specifically for this purpose. ¡°The Ability User Cultivation School system is also scheduled for a major overhaul soon. Now that the number of people waiting for education has decreased significantly, we can provide higher quality education. Moreover, I heard there are ns for special training for existing high-level ability users.¡± ¡°Oh¡­¡± ¡°Even now, unlike when you were teaching, the education period has been extended to 2 weeks. It¡¯s really fortunate.¡± ¡°What?!¡± Kang Hyeon was startled as if he had heard something he shouldn¡¯t have. ¡°What did you just say?¡± ¡°Special training for high-level ability users¡­¡± ¡°No, after that.¡± ¡°The education period has been extended to 2 weeks¡­¡± ¡°Shin Tae-gil, you son of a¡­! How dare you backstab me like this!?¡± Education period of 2 weeks. This was something Kang Hyeon had never heard about. Kang Hyeon, who was fuming, looked at Shin Seong-a. ¡°Did you know about this?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Then why didn¡¯t you say anything!?¡± ¡°I thought you knew, of course. It¡¯s been over a month since it changed to a 2-week course.¡± A month ago. That was when they were busy with the World Dungeon Summit. For Kang Hyeon, there was no reason for him to be interested in the educational reforms of the Ability User Cultivation School, which he had long since graduated from. ¡°Damn it¡­¡± Kang Hyeon hurriedly called Shin Tae-gil. -Mr. Kang Hyeon. What¡¯s the matter? ¡°Mr. Shin Tae-gil. Did you know about this!?¡± -Know about what? ¡°That the education period is 2 weeks¡­¡± -Click. The phone call was cut off before Kang Hyeon could finish speaking. ¡°No way. Has this guy really gone crazy?¡± -The person you are trying to reach is unavable at the moment. ¡°Argh!¡± As Kang Hyeon raged, Jeong Jong-ho cautiously approached. ¡°Um, Kang Hyeon¡­?¡± ¡°What!?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be conducting most of the training anyway. You just need to show your face asionally ande out when needed, so you won¡¯t actually have toe in many days. And even that will be over quickly.¡± ¡°Huff¡­¡± Jeong Jong-ho desperately tried to calm Kang Hyeon down. Finally calming down a bit, Kang Hyeon took a deep breath. ¡°Alright. Let¡¯s go in for now. It seems like it¡¯s time.¡± *** Ippotrantion *** As he stepped onto the podium, no less than 200 pairs of eyes converged on him. Kang Hyeon smiled with satisfaction at the intense gazes he hadn¡¯t felt in a long time. ¡°Hehe¡­¡± Just then, he heard a somewhat lewdugh from beside him. Turning his head, he saw Shin Seong-a smiling contentedly. ¡°That attention seeker¡­¡± There was no particr reason Shin Seong-a hade along for this training. An Yu-seong said it was bothersome, and Yoon Na-rae said she didn¡¯t want to go if An Yu-seong wasn¡¯t going. -Mr. Kang Hyeon! I really want to go! I really, really want to go! Only Shin Seong-a had enthusiastically raised her hand saying she wanted to go. ¡°Instructor. We¡¯re ready to begin.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Jeong Jong-ho used the title ¡°Instructor¡± for Kang Hyeon as this was an official setting. Kang Hyeon nodded and approached the microphone. ¡°Ah, I¡¯m Kang Hyeon, in charge of this training. Please take care of me.¡± ¡°Kyaa! It¡¯s Kang Hyeon!¡± ¡°Wow. Holy shit. It¡¯s really Kang Hyeon. What¡¯s this training about?¡± ¡°We¡¯ve hit the jackpot.¡± Unlike when Kang Hyeon used to teach, the overwhelming majority of students were young. Among them, Kang Hyeon could immediately tell who Choi Yeon-hwa, Chairman Choi Kangwoo¡¯s daughter, was. ¡°Kang Hyeon Older brother! You¡¯re so cool!¡± The group that exuded nobility at a nce. The woman making a fuss in the middle of them was definitely Choi Yeon-hwa. ¡®She¡¯s not as young as I thought.¡¯ Of course, the tutorial¡¯s starting condition was to be at least 18 years old. Moreover, it was January now. From what he heard, Choi Yeon-hwa was born in December, so she was 20 years old anyway. ¡°I won¡¯t say much. Since I¡¯m in charge of the training, I have no intention of letting you pass easily. Even if you barely pass, you¡¯ll surely die in the dungeon.¡± The atmosphere in the auditorium cooled suddenly at Kang Hyeon¡¯s unexpected words. ¡°So, those who fail this time, realize your limits and think you¡¯ve saved your life. Don¡¯t stupidly try again.¡± ¡°Wow. That¡¯s so badass!¡± ¡°Oh, I just got goosebumps, you know? Seeing him in person, he¡¯s like a gang boss making threats!¡± Being young students, their reactions were extraordinary. They probably thought they were speaking quietly, but each word was clearly audible to Kang Hyeon. ¡°Hehe¡­¡± ¡°Why do you keepughing like that? It¡¯s creepy.¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing. Hehe¡­¡± Kang Hyeon red at Shin Seong-a, who was smiling for some reason. ¡°Well then, I¡¯ll end this without dragging it out. From now on¡­¡± As Kang Hyeon was about to finish with his closing remarks, he suddenly stopped speaking. ¡°Instructor?¡± Jeong Jong-ho looked at Kang Hyeon in confusion at the sudden situation. ¡°Is something wrong?¡± But Kang Hyeon just stared fixedly at a corner of the auditorium, as if he couldn¡¯t hear anything. ¡°You there.¡± Then Kang Hyeon spoke. ¡°I¡¯m talking to you. You. Don¡¯t lower your head,e out.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Should Ie over there?¡± ¡°Are¡­ Are you talking to me?¡± ¡°Yes. Stop pretending ande out. You bastard.¡± All the trainees looked bewildered at the sudden turn of events. ¡°What¡¯s going on? Is this some kind of event?¡± ¡°Hey, start recording a video!¡± Amidst themotion, the man Kang Hyeon called out came forward. The man looked to be in his early twenties. He had a mild appearance that could be called the epitome of ordinariness from any angle. He was literally an average-looking man. ¡°Why are you doing this to me¡­?¡± The man, who seemed to have quite a timid personality, trembled slightly at the sudden situation. ¡°Stop acting. Who are you?¡± ¡°I¡¯m Park Song-min¡­¡± ¡°Not that. Are you really a trainee here?¡± ¡°Yes¡­ I applied for the training and came in.¡± ¡°How long has it been since you awakened?¡± ¡°I awakened earlIer on, but there were too many people on the waiting list, so I¡¯m just now getting to take the training.¡± ¡°You awakened over a year ago and you¡¯re just now getting training?¡± ¡°Yes¡­¡± The man trembled with doe-like eyes, looking truly wronged. Kang Hyeon looked at Jeong Jong-ho, who was holding documents with the students¡¯ personal information. ¡°Is what he¡¯s saying correct?¡± ¡°Yes. There¡¯s nothing wrong ording to the documents. Name: Park Song-min. Age: 24. He applied for training about 11 months ago. Everything else checks out.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± ¡°There are asional cases like this. Even in thest training session, there was one such trainee.¡± ¡°How was that trainee?¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°Thete-bloomer trainee fromst week. Was he good at fighting? Anything exceptional?¡± ¡°There was nothing like that at all. Apart from being a bit older, he was just like any other ordinary trainee.¡± Kang Hyeon grinned at Jeong Jong-ho¡¯s words. ¡°You heard that too, right?¡± ¡°Yes¡­?¡± ¡°This bastard is still acting. If you think you can mess around because there are a lot of people here, you¡¯re mistaken. I don¡¯t care about that.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°You¡¯re hiding your magical energy from leaking out right now, aren¡¯t you? You¡¯re pulling off a feat that¡¯s almost impossible even for the current top-tier ability users, and you¡¯re saying you¡¯re just an ordinary trainee? There¡¯s a limit to bullshitting.¡± Park Song-min said nothing in response to Kang Hyeon¡¯s words. However, the slight trembling of his body that had been continuous until now had stopped. And slowly, he raised his head. There stood a man with eyes so cold it sent chills down one¡¯s spine. ¡°Why don¡¯t we move somewhere else instead of doing this here?¡± ¡°Finally showing your true colors.¡± A voice that sounded like a beast growling. It was an unbelievable change from the boy who had been trembling just moments ago. ¡°You know, I recently watched an interesting wrestling cartoon? There was this line in it.¡± Park Song-min¡¯s face contorted at Kang Hyeon¡¯s sudden words. ¡°Face. Ground. Perfect!¡± ¡°What nonsense are you spouting?¡± Kang Hyeon grinned. ¡°Your face belongs perfectly on the ground!¡± Chapter 100 Chapter 100 The Merciless Tyrant (2) Park Song-min entered the auditorium and took a seat in the back, trying to be as inconspicuous as possible. ¡°Phew¡­¡± Park Song-min¡¯s true identity was that of a special ability user belonging to the ¡®Free Ability Users Liberation Alliance¡¯. He was a man who hade to seek revenge after the Kangshin Guild, which had been in charge of Korea, copsed. ¡°How dare they mess with the Alliance¡­ Kang Hyeon. I¡¯ll make you regret it.¡± The Free Ability Users Liberation Alliance was an anti-state organization centered in Russia. It emerged as a reaction to Russia¡¯s forceful control of ability users by the state. -For now, the Kangshin Guild is enough. The Alliance wasn¡¯t initially interested in Korea. It started in Russia, but now they were a global organization. Korea, which had adopted a policy of freely allowing ability users from the beginning, wasn¡¯t particrly appealing prey for them. They were already working in many other countries that required their attention. However, when the World Dungeon Summit incident urred, it became widely known that Korean ability users were strong. -The level of ability users in the Republic of Korea is more impressive than expected. The Alliance leader greatly increased support for the Kangshin Guild, which had been nted in Korea as a precaution. At the same time, he dispatched Alexei to control Chairman An Moo-seok, who led a global corporation. Alexei was a talent specially managed by the Alliance due to his unique ability of mental domination. The Great Revolution. He was an essential figure for achieving that grand dream. But Alexei died. And with him, the entire Kangshin Guild that they had painstakingly nurtured. Not to mention the loss of famous capitalists that Alexei had already been controlling. -We¡¯ll make them pay the price. The Alliance leader was furious. And he vowed revenge. In fact, it was An Yu-seong who had dealt with Alexei and Gangshin, but they didn¡¯t know that. After the incident, Kang Hyeon¡¯s name spread publicly, and it was much easier for the Alliance to believe that Kang Hyeon, rather than An Yu-seong, had carried out such an act. ¡®Today will be yourst day.¡¯ Thanks to this, Park Song-min, who was being secretly nurtured by the Alliance, moved in person. The information that Kang Hyeon would attend this training was obtained through a spy, so it should be certain. ¡®He¡¯s here!¡¯ As soon as Kang Hyeon appeared, a fairly strong magical power was felt. ¡®I heard he was a martial artist, but his magical power is higher than I expected.¡¯ Park Song-min, who could sense magical power, sharply lit up his eyes at the strong magical power emanating from Kang Hyeon. ¡®From what I¡¯ve heard, he¡¯s said to have a knack for detecting magical power¡­ But it doesn¡¯t matter.¡¯ The Alliance provided equipment that could somewhat conceal magical power as a precaution. It wasn¡¯t perfect, but it was enough to make the chances of Kang Hyeon noticing him close to zero. ¡°Then I¡¯ll end this without dragging it out. From now on¡­¡± Everything seemed to be going smoothly, but Kang Hyeon wasn¡¯t as easy as expected. ¡°You. Yes, you. You know, don¡¯t you? Don¡¯t lower your head,e out.¡± For some reason, Kang Hyeon had recognized him precisely. Park Song-min carefully stepped forward, hiding his surprise. ¡®Is his detection ability much better than the information suggested¡­?¡¯ As he walked towards Kang Hyeon, Park Song-min¡¯s mind raced quickly. ¡®This is a ce where students, who are practically civilians, are gathered. He won¡¯t be able to move rashly.¡¯ Most of the people here were 18 years old. Under Koreanw, unless in special cases, they were still minors. He didn¡¯t think Kang Hyeon would act recklessly in front of such young students. ¡°This bastard is still acting until the end. If you think you can be cocky because there are a lot of people here, you¡¯re mistaken. I don¡¯t care about that kind of thing.¡± Park Song-min hoped Kang Hyeon was mistaken and continued his act until the end, but ultimately failed. Kang Hyeon was alreadypletely certain that he was suspicious. ¡®First, I¡¯ll pretend to move to another ce. Then I¡¯ll take him by surprise when he¡¯s off guard and escape.¡¯ He was strong. He was a warrior among warriors who had undergone rigorous training with all kinds of support from the Alliance. If it came to a fair one-on-one fight, he was confident he could win against Kang Hyeon. But Shin Seong-a, a member of Kang Hyeon¡¯s guild, was here, and there were many other instructors gathered. Creating an opening was important first. ¡°Instead of doing this here, why don¡¯t we move to another ce?¡± However, Kang Hyeon¡¯s reaction waspletely different from Park Song-min¡¯s expectations. ¡°You know, I recently watched an interesting wrestling cartoon ? There was a line that went like this.¡± What is this guy suddenly talking about? ¨C Park Song-min thought. ¡°Face. Ground. Perfect!¡± ¡°What nonsense are you spouting?¡± A word he had never heard before. For a moment, Park Song-min was taken aback, and that surprise created a small opening. ¡°Your face is perfect for nting in the ground!¡± At the same time, Kang Hyeon lunged forward. ¡®This crazy¡­!¡¯ He couldn¡¯t have imagined that an attack woulde at this time, in this ce. Without even a chance to dodge, the enormous hand approaching grabbed Park Song-min¡¯s face. ¡®What monstrous strength is this!?¡¯ Even though Park Song-min was among the top in terms of physical strength within the organization, Kang Hyeon was far beyond the normal range. Despite desperately resisting, Park Song-min¡¯s body was tossed around like a scarecrow ording to Kang Hyeon¡¯s will. ¡®Ah, damn¡­¡¯ His face was getting closer to the wooden floor. *** Ippotrantion *** ¡°Kyaaah!¡± ¡°Did he really just nt him on the floor?!¡± The trainees went into an uproar at the sudden turn of events. ¡°Kuhaak!¡± ¡°You shouldn¡¯t lose consciousness already!¡± Before Park Song-min could regain his senses, Kang Hyeon mmed his face into the floor again. And then he scraped it across the floor with all his might. -Kwajik! Kwadeudeudeudeu! Park Song-min¡¯s face shattered the wooden floor, sending splinters flying in all directions. Along with it, blood spurted out. Some students fainted on the spot at the grotesque sight they had never seen before. ¡°Kuaah! Let go of this!¡± ¡°Oh? You¡¯re quite tough, aren¡¯t you?¡± But Park Song-min was still struggling, not losing consciousness. ¡®This is the end if it continues. First, I need to use my skill¡­!¡¯ ¡°This bastard. Can¡¯t youe to your senses?¡± -Kwajik! ¡°Don¡¯t move your magical power. You¡¯ll die.¡± -Kwadeudeudeudeu! Kwang! Kang Hyeon never let go of Park Song-min¡¯s head. ¡®If I make a mistake, other trainees might get hurt.¡¯ In fact, this was Kang Hyeon¡¯s n from the beginning. He was confident that once he got his hands on the guy, he could immobilize himpletely. Moreover, showing such a horrific scene in front of the trainees would surely make them tremble in fear. ¡®They¡¯ll get a bit of a reality check.¡¯ If Choi Yeon-hwa left after being shocked by this, everything would be resolved. It was literally killing two birds with one stone. ¡°Kuaaah! Let go of this!¡± ¡°Why are you so tough?¡± If there was one thing different from his expectations, it was that Park Song-min was much tougher than Kang Hyeon thought. In fact, he had controlled his strength a bit at first, but now he was striking with almost full power, and Park Song-min was still enduring. ¡°Kuuu! If you let go now, I¡¯ll spare your life¡­¡± -Kwajik! ¡°Where do you get off being cocky? You¡¯re gonna die.¡± As a result, a much more grotesque scene than Kang Hyeon had originally intended unfolded. Park Song-min¡¯s face, which had already been mmed into the wall several times, was barely recognizable. Naturally, the surrounding walls and floor were all shattered. ¡°Keu, keuhek¡­¡± ¡°Are you thinking of calming down now?¡± ¡°Ju, ju¡­¡± ¡°Ju? Ju what?¡± ¡°Kill me. Ptui!¡± Park Song-min mustered hisst bit of strength to spit. Kang Hyeon wiped off the sticky mixture of saliva and blood on his face and smiled savagely. ¡°Alright.¡± Kang Hyeon grabbed Park Song-min¡¯s head with both hands and mmed it down with full force. -Kwaaaaang! With a thunderous sound, the building¡¯s outer wall shattered, and Park Song-min went limp, all strength drained from his body. ¡°This bastard. Trying to act cool? Does he think he¡¯s some kind of protagonist?¡± Merciless and overwhelming violence. Kang Hyeon¡¯s appearance as he threw down the copsed Park Song-min was enough to make even a demon shake its head. ¡°Umm¡­ Are you alright¡­?¡± As the situation settled, Jeong Jong-ho and Shin Seong-a approached. ¡°Yes. But what should we do about the destroyed auditorium?¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine. We have many other ces for training. More worrying is the state of the students¡­¡± ¡°Ah, it was a bit much for the kids to see, wasn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Yes¡­¡± Everyone here was an awakened one who had passed Tutorial Stage 2. In other words, they had experiencedbat, albeit within the tutorial. Moreover,bat videos were somon these days that most had developed a tolerance for seeing violent scenes. Nevertheless, this was violence that far exceeded the student¡¯smon sense. The fact that the target of this violence was another human also contributed to their shock. ¡°Hmm, was it a bit too much?¡± Some students could be seen copsed on the floor. Most of the remaining students were also contorting their faces as if feeling nauseous. ¡°Well, it can¡¯t be helped. Those who can¡¯t handle it will drop out on their own.¡± While Kang Hyeon was smiling, thinking that although it had proceeded a bit more extremely than intended, the goal had been achieved, it was then that: ¡°Kyaaah!¡± Far away, Choi Yeon-hwa was screaming repeatedly with her eyespletely rolled back. ¡°Kang Hyeon! You¡¯re so cool!¡± ¡°Huh¡­?¡± Something seemed to have gone very wrong. *** Ippotrantion *** That evening. Choi Yeon-hwa, who had returned to the dormitory, was still in a state of unabated excitement. ¡°Uuuu! Isn¡¯t Kang Hyeon so cool?¡± Choi Yeon-hwa eximed with a flushed expression. ¡°To be honest, I found it a bit scary¡­¡± ¡°Me too.¡± ¡°Why? Wasn¡¯t it totally cool?¡± ¡°It¡¯s cruel. Not just hitting someone, but in that way¡­¡± ¡°So what?¡± Choi Yeon-hwa was taken aback when her friends showed an unexpectedly lukewarm reaction. In a way, Choi Yeon-hwa¡¯s question was natural. In this reality where battles with monsters have be everyday urrences. Every day, countless ability users lives are snuffed out meaninglessly. And that¡¯s while being torn to pieces. Compared to that, what Kang Hyeon did today could be seen as lenient, since he didn¡¯t actually kill his opponent. Although the visual effect wasn¡¯t so. ¡°Wasn¡¯t it less cruel than what we see in videos?¡± ¡°The videos have mosaic censoring.¡± ¡°Ah¡­ Is that so?¡± Videos of Kang Hyeon¡¯s battles were particrly widely circted among the public. But most of them were processed videos with mosaic censoring. In contrast, Choi Yeon-hwa always used money to obtain the original versions, so she naturally developed a stronger stomach for such scenes. ¡°Still, it was cool. They say that man who got beaten today was from a really dangerous criminal organization, right?¡± ¡°Yeah. You know that incident that happened on the Seoul-Yangyang Expressway recently? They say he¡¯s from the same organization as the main culprits of that incident.¡± ¡°Kang Hyeon is certainly amazing.¡± ¡°Right? Hehe.¡± Finally in a better mood, Choi Yeon-hwaughed lightly. ¡°I¡¯m d I asked Dad. After this training ends, I should ask him to get me into the Badass Guild.¡± ¡°Badass¡­ Can you? I heard it¡¯s incredibly difficult to get in there.¡± ¡°Badass doesn¡¯t care about your current level or ability, they only look at mental strength, right? I may not look it, but I¡¯m a talent who passed up to Tutorial Stage 5. Couldn¡¯t I get in even without Dad¡¯s backing?¡± ¡°Thinking about it again, Choi Yeon-hwa, you¡¯re right.¡± ¡°Yeah. Choi Yeon-hwa, you can definitely do it.¡± ¡°Right?¡± While Choi Yeon-hwa was all excited, her friends exchanged nces among themselves. ¡®Let¡¯s just humor her.¡¯ In truth, these girls weren¡¯t hanging out with Choi Yeon-hwa because they genuinely liked her. They were only together because their parents had insisted that they follow Choi Yeon-hwa and keep her in a good mood. -It¡¯s a connection you¡¯ll definitely need when you climb to a high positionter. -You need to make a good impression on Choi Yeon-hwa. That helps your mom and helps you too. You understand what I mean, right? These girls had been thoroughly educated about society since they were young. Is the other person stronger than you? Are they beneficial to you? If these two conditions were met, they were prepared talents who could tter at any time with thick skin. Of course, the ability to look down on and ignore those weaker or unhelpful to them came as an option. ¡°Alright. Let¡¯s sleep for now. I¡¯m already excited for the next training session, but we need to replenish our energy to make a good impression on Kang Hyeon.¡± ¡°Yeah. Let¡¯s sleep.¡± ¡°Good night, everyone.¡± And so another day passed at the ability user cultivation school. Chapter 101 Chapter 101 The Merciless Tyrant (3) After the morous entrance ceremony ended, two days of boring theoretical education followed. Dungeons and monsters. All kinds of weapons and the famous ability users who handle them. At first nce, it might seem useful, but for most trainees who had already studied better quality materials through the inte, it wasn¡¯t a particrly meaningful time. ¡°Today, we will be educating you on handling weapons.¡± And on the third day. Finally, the long-awaited practical training began. Kang Hyeon, who came to work after a long time, picked up a longsword from the many cold weapons ced in front of him. ¡°The longsword is the weapon most often chosen by ability users. It¡¯s just versatile. It might feel a bit difficult at first, but as you use it, you¡¯ll find nothing as versatile as this.¡± Kang Hyeon lightly swung the sword. The sound of the sword cutting through the air echoed through the auditorium with a whoosh. ¡°You¡¯re not going to gain any amazing sword skills by training here for just a few days. Just approach it with the mindset of getting a feel for each weapon.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Any questions?¡± A man raised his hand. ¡°Is there any way to quickly improve weapon handling skills?¡± ¡°No. It¡¯s talent.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°I said it¡¯s talent. What someone without talent learns in 10 hours of swinging, those with talent learn in just a few swings.¡± The man made a bewildered expression at Kang Hyeon¡¯s words. ¡°Then is there no need to practice?¡± ¡°If you want to be an ability user without talent, you have to practice like hell. When the talented ones finish dungeon raids and go out for beer together, those without talent have to go back into the dungeon and work their asses off. You can trust me on this, it¡¯s from experience.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°But most of those without talent end up dying while working that hard. Or they just remain as third-rate ability users.¡± With Kang Hyeon¡¯s words that not only crushed their spirits but threw them to the ground and stomped on them, the auditorium¡¯s atmosphere turned into that of a funeral. ¡°I¡¯ll be different! I¡¯m sure I¡¯m born with tremendous ability. I¡¯ll be an ability user better than anyone else! There are probably quite a few people here thinking like this, but it¡¯ll be toote to regret when you¡¯re being torn apart by monsters.¡± ¡°Um¡­ Instructor.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Perhaps you should tone down yournguage a bit¡­¡± Only when Jeong Jong-ho stepped in to intervene did Kang Hyeon stop his attack. ¡°I¡¯ve gone on a tangent, but let¡¯s see. I may not have talent, but I¡¯m damn good at recognizing those who do. Everyone, start practicing on your own.¡± At Kang Hyeon¡¯s words, the trainees each picked up weapons and started swinging. Kang Hyeon couldn¡¯t help but smile as he was somehow reminded of when he was being trained a year ago. ¡®There are some quite sensible ones.¡¯ However, unlike then, Kang Hyeon was now observing them all from the position of an educator. There were certainly a few individuals who stood out, unlike before. ¡®I guess there are talented people wherever you go¡­ But they don¡¯t seem to be at the level topete with someone like An Yu-seong.¡¯ While he was absentmindedly watching the trainees like that, it happened. ¡°Wow¡­¡± ¡°Sister! You¡¯re so cool!¡± ¡°Instructor. How did you just do that?!¡± Suddenly, one side of the training hall started to get noisy. There, Shin Seong-a could be seen continuously swinging her weapon. ¡°Haap!¡± The dagger thrown by Shin Seong-a from quite a distance stuck precisely in the center of the target. ¡®She was always ying that game with An Yu-seong in the guild office¡­ So this is how she¡¯s using it.¡¯ Kang Hyeon chuckled, recalling how Shin Seong-a would have dagger throwing contests with An Yu-seong whenever she had the chance. ¡°How is that possible? Is she even human?¡± ¡°Can all ability users do that like the instructor?¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ Not all, but some skilled ability users can.¡± ¡°Wow! Sister, can I touch your muscles just once?!¡± ¡°Of course¡­¡± In the midst of it all, Shin Seong-a could be seen repeatedly rubbing the bridge of her nose with her cheeks flushed red. It was the happiest she had looked since meeting her. ¡°That attention seeker. How did she manage to hold back until now. Tsk tsk.¡± Contrary to his harsh words, Kang Hyeon also watched the scene with quite a bit of satisfaction. ¡°Excuse me. Can you take a look at my posture?¡± At that moment, a somewhat familiar voice was heard. When he turned his head, he saw Choi Yeon-hwa smiling brightly with her group. ¡°Yes¡­ Go ahead and show me.¡± Kang Hyeon nodded with a somewhat disgruntled expression. ¡®What am I going to do with this girl.¡¯ On the first day of training, Kang Hyeon had unintentionally gotten into a fight and tried to use that opportunity to shock Choi Yeon-hwa into leaving. However, that attempt not only failed miserably but had the opposite effect. Choi Yeon-hwa, more excited after seeing Kang Hyeon, approached the training even more passionately. She never once showed the arrogant attitude or self-centered behavior often depicted by rich daughters in dramas. ¡°How is it? Is this the right way to swing?¡± Moreover, she was even talented. Even now, her posture was noticeably more stable than other trainees. ¡®Do rich kids all have innate talent too¡­¡¯ Han Se-yeon, An Yu-seong, Choi Yeon-hwa. He couldn¡¯t help but think this way when all the rich kids around him were like this. ¡°Oh¡­ It¡¯s good. Have you learned sword before?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been doing kendo since I was little! After the dungeon incident, we even called in ability users to teach me.¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± Indeed, money was the best. ¡°Isn¡¯t it scary or tiring to swing something so heavy and sharp?¡± ¡°No! It¡¯s rather fun, actually. Can I call you Kang Hyeon older brother?¡± ¡°Huh? Ah¡­¡± ¡°You can speakfortably to me too, older brother.¡± ¡°Okay¡­¡± ¡°Older brother, you¡¯re so cool!¡± ¡°¡­¡± There was a strange feeling of being swept away. Kang Hyeon couldn¡¯t gather his thoughts in the face of this happy virus attack he was experiencing for the first time in his life. ¡°If I keep practicing like this, can I be a strong ability user like you, older brother?¡± ¡°Umm¡­ What¡¯s your unique ability?¡± ¡°Blessing of the Sword.¡± ¡°Blessing of the Sword?¡± ¡°When I hold a sword, my mind bes clear and I can concentrate better. My physical abilities also increase.¡± ¡°Ah¡­ I see.¡± ¡°And because I have a high understanding of swords, it greatly enhances my learning ability too!¡± It was cheating. It was clearly cheating. A human who received thorough early education with money and even had an optimized unique ability. Unique abilities are, as the name suggests, abilities unique to that person. Because of this, there are extremely diverse types, but most of them aren¡¯t very useful inbat. But Choi Yeon-hwa was blessed even with her unique ability. Looking at the conditions, it wouldn¡¯t be strange if she reached the level of Han Se-yeon, the Dangun of this era. ¡®At this rate, shouldn¡¯t she just be made an ability user?¡¯ Kang Hyeon felt he understood why Chairman Choi Kang-woo hadn¡¯t tried to dissuade his daughter. ¡®It¡¯s worrying to let her do it, but it¡¯s too much of a waste of talent to hold her back.¡¯ In an era where the status of ability users is rising, such talent is truly an incredible blessing. Since ability users don¡¯t have gender-based differences in physical abilities, with just basicbat sense, she could quickly be a top 1% ability user. ¡°You guys practice too. Kang Hyeon is watching! It¡¯s not every day you get an opportunity like this!¡± ¡°Oh, right.¡± The rest of Choi Yeon-hwa¡¯s friends also started swinging swords. They were all holding the same longswords without exception, and Kang Hyeon thought it might be due to Choi Yeon-hwa¡¯s influence. ¡®The rest don¡¯t seem particrly special.¡¯ Perhaps they might excel with weapons other than swords, but Kang Hyeon didn¡¯t particrly care. *** Ippotrantion *** ¡°Alright. Let¡¯s stop here for today! We¡¯ll be swinging like crazy again tomorrow.¡± As evening came, Kang Hyeon ended the training. The trainees, drenched in sweat, each groaned as they returned to their dormitories. ¡°Did you have fun?¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°You looked quite excited.¡± ¡°Ahem¡­¡± Shin Seong-a cleared her throat at Kang Hyeon¡¯s words. ¡°The future of our country looks bright. With such good kids growing up.¡± Kang Hyeon, not feeling it was even worth responding to, just shook his head. ¡°Alright! Work¡¯s done, let¡¯s go have some beef and beer.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Just as Kang Hyeon was about to leave the training hall. ¡°Brother Kang Hyeon!¡± ¡°Huh?¡± He saw Choi Yeon-hwaing with her friends at the end of the corridor. ¡°Brother Where are you going?¡± Perhaps because the other trainees were gone, Choi Yeon-hwa called out to Kang Hyeon with a somewhat coquettish nasal voice. ¡°I was thinking of having some meat for dinner¡­¡± ¡°Older brother. Can¡¯t you take me and my friends along? Please?¡± Choi Yeon-hwa said, blinking her deer-like eyes. Kang Hyeon was flustered by this aegyo attack he was experiencing for the first time in 29 years. ¡°Well, you see¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s not allowed.¡± It was then. Shin Seong-a, with a face like the grim reaper, blocked Choi Yeon-hwa¡¯s path. The friends standing behind Choi Yeon-hwa shuddered as if they had seen a ghost. ¡°Trainees are not allowed to leave the school during the training period unless apanied by an instructor.¡± ¡°So you¡¯re asking the leader to apany you now? Is that not possible? Please, just this once.¡± However, Choi Yeon-hwa was persistent. She showed no signs of stopping her aegyo attack despite Shin Seong-a¡¯s iron wall. ¡°Sister, brother. Just once Okay?¡± Leaving Choi Yeonh-wa be, Shin Seong-a whispered to Kang Hyeon. ¡°Mr. Kang Hyeon. Are you the type who¡¯s weak to aegyo?¡± ¡°W-What are you saying? No, I¡¯m not!¡± ¡°Should I stop her?¡± ¡°How will you do that?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll rip out her tongue.¡± At those cruel words, Kang Hyeon stared at Shin Seong-a with rabbit eyes. ¡°You¡¯re not serious, right?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know what a joke is, though.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Kang Hyeon sometimes thinks. Shin Seong-a is truly a terrifying human. No, a demon. ¡°Hoo¡­¡± Kang Hyeon sighed and roughly ran his hand through his hair. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but it¡¯s not possible. Go back to the dorm.¡± ¡°What? Why?¡± ¡°Tsk¡­ If you don¡¯t, I¡¯ll have you expelled from the training.¡± ¡°Why¡­ There¡¯s no such rule¡­¡± ¡°There it is here. Go back.¡± In the end, Kang Hyeon used a forceful method. If it were other people, he might have sent them back with threats apanied by violence, but for some reason, he couldn¡¯t do that to Choi Yeon-hwa. ¡®If Kang A-hyun had done that, I might have found it a bit cute¡­¡¯ Kang Hyeon smiled wryly, thinking of Kang A-hyun who was probably spendingvishly with the money he had sent. *** Ippotrantion *** That evening. ¡°Guild Master. Where are you going?¡± Han Si-hwan caught Kang Hyeon as he was leaving the guild office. ¡°Ah, I was just thinking of going out for some beef for dinner.¡± ¡°Can I join you?¡± ¡°Brother. Me too.¡± ¡°Beef?!¡± ¡°Guild Master! I want to go too!¡± At his casual remark, all the guild members in the office stood up. Kang Hyeon red at Han Si-hwan, the cause of this situation. ¡°Ahem, it¡¯s been hard to see the Guild Master these days, and I think it would be good to have a group dinner on this asion¡­¡± ¡°Mr. Han Si-hwan.¡± ¡°Yes¡­¡± ¡°Your skill at being thick-skinned has improved quite a bit.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll take that as apliment.¡± ¡°Hoo¡­¡± Kang Hyeon sighed and grabbed his wallet. ¡°Everyone follow me! It¡¯s on me!¡± ¡°Yay!¡± And so, a total of thirty guild members moved out. The destination was a nearby regr beef specialty restaurant. ¡°Tsk, this is going to cost quite a bit¡­¡± Although it wasn¡¯t a ce that served very expensive premium Beef, beef is still beef. At 20,000 won per 100g, a significant expense was expected. ¡°Don¡¯t eat too much, everyone. Eat moderately!¡± ¡°Yes!¡± The members included Kang Hyeon, Shin Seong-a, An Yu-seong, Yoon Na-rae, Jo Dong-won, Jo Seong-chan. And the guild members from Guardian backgrounds who were currently team leaders and deputy leaders of each attack team. The rest were office workers who had remained in the office. ¡°Hmm¡­ Mr. Kang Hyeon. Han Jae-moon, the office manager, didn¡¯te.¡± ¡°Ah! Jae-moon?¡± For a moment, Kang Hyeon thought of Han Jae-moon who was in the office, but he pretended not to know. ¡°Well, Han Jae-moon is always busy anyway, so it¡¯s fine.¡± ¡°I understand.¡± As it was amon urrence, Shin Seong-a didn¡¯t mention it further. ¡°Ah, everyone, pay attention for a moment!¡± In the middle of inhaling the meat, he suddenly gathered everyone¡¯s attention. All the guild members put down their chopsticks in unison and looked at Kang Hyeon. ¡°As you all know, I¡¯m currently temporarily in charge of the training center, right?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°With the change in the training process this time, we¡¯ve added a dungeon hunting demonstration.¡± As most of them already knew this fact, they nodded silently. ¡°Originally, it¡¯s done by the instructors there, but I¡¯m thinking of pulling out one attack team to show them. I think we need to show some rough scenes.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°It seems most of the attack team leaders are gathered here by chance. Anyone want to volunteer?¡± Silence fell at Kang Hyeon¡¯s words. ¡°What¡¯s this? No one?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Han Si-hwan. Attack Team 1 Leader.¡± ¡°Yes¡­¡± When Kang Hyeon called him, Han Si-hwan responded with a gloomy expression. ¡°Since we¡¯re showing off anyway, wouldn¡¯t it be best for Attack Team 1, the elite team, to move? Absolutely don¡¯t misunderstand that this is revenge for today¡¯s dinner. Really.¡± The way he smiled and spoke made it seem like it was absolutely revenge. ¡°If you don¡¯t want to do it, just say so. I can ask another team. But if you don¡¯t show a satisfactory performance, all team leaders will go dungeon raiding with me. Three B-rank dungeons.¡± Currently, among the guild¡¯s attack teams, only Team 1 was going to B-rank dungeons. Even then, they were only raiding normal cores, excluding the main cores. ¡°As the executives of the Badass Guild gather here, three B-rank dungeons should be a breeze. I¡¯ll make sure you can¡¯t fail, so keep that in mind. You all know my style well, right?¡± The faces of the team leaders who had already seen videos of Kang Hyeon raiding B-rank dungeons turned ashen. ¡°This isn¡¯t all because of Team Leader Han Sihwan! It¡¯s just something I thought of while we¡¯re out for dinner. Everyone, think of itfortably. Comfortably! Still, I¡¯d prefer if Team Leader Han Si-hwan stepped up. That would look better.¡± ¡°Haa, Team 1 will do it¡­¡± Han Si-hwan said in a half-dead voice. ¡°Okay!¡± Chapter 102 Chapter 102 The Merciless Tyrant (4) ¡°As you all know, today is the day for the dungeon raid demonstration.¡± B-rank dungeon, Giant¡¯s Canyon. It was a dungeon boasting an extreme difficulty level where giants over 10m tall appear in a vast terrain that makes you feel as if you¡¯ve entered thend of giants. To be honest, even the elite Raid Team 1 of the Badass Guild would have to push themselves considerably here, but Kang Hyeon chose this dungeon to maximize the visual effect. ¡°Guild Master. Isn¡¯t the Giant¡¯s Canyon too dangerous¡­?¡± ¡°When have we ever raided a dungeon that wasn¡¯t dangerous? We¡¯re not going to take down the boss, just casually hunt some monsters ande out, so it¡¯ll be fine.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°What? Do you have a problem with that?¡± ¡°No¡­¡± Han Si-hwan could only nod with an expression as if he had just eaten a mouthful of shit. ¡°Originally, the training was to observe the instructor¡¯s raid, but who am I! This time, we¡¯ve specially decided to observe the Badass elite Raid Team 1 hunting.¡± Kang Hyeon said with a smile, but the trainees¡¯ stiff faces showed no signs of rxing. ¡°Instructor¡­ Isn¡¯t this ce too dangerous?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. A B-rank dungeon¡­ Even the top 10 guilds risk their lives raiding such ces.¡± The trainees werepletely frozen at the sudden introduction to a high-level dungeon. ¡°Ha! Dungeon raiding is always about risking your life. How can you aspire to be an ability user if you don¡¯t even have this much guts?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°You¡¯re not even fighting anyway, just watching, and in case of any emergencies, I¡¯ll step in myself, so everyone just rx.¡± The trainees, having realized over the past few days that there was no point in arguing with Kang Hyeon, quietly nodded. ¡°Oh, perfect timing.¡± At that moment, a group of people could be seen walking towards the dungeon entrance. ¡°Let me introduce you. The elite of Badass Guild. Raid Team 1.¡± All members of Raid Team 1 had gloomy expressions. It was natural, given that they were suddenly forced to raid a high-difficulty dungeon that wasn¡¯t even on the schedule. ¡°Tsk. All of you, cheer up. If you have anyints, talk to Team Leader Han Si-hwan.¡± This was the epitome of pettiness. Honestly, even Han Si-hwan felt sorry when the dinner bill exceeded 5 million won. ¡®No matter what, isn¡¯t this too much!¡¯ Han Si-hwan vowed never to suggest apany dinner to Kang Hyeon again. ¡°Then, we¡¯ll start the raid. The ravine giants that appear here mostly act alone, so if you maintain a good distance, there shouldn¡¯t be any danger to the trainees.¡± ¡°Yes¡­¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± And so, the dungeon raid that no one wanted began. *** Ippotrantion *** Kang Hyeon set out to find monsters using magic detection. Fortunately, he was able to spot a giant wandering nearby right away. ¡°What is that¡­?¡± ¡°How can a monster be like a building? I¡¯ve never seen such arge monster even in videos.¡± The overwhelming presence of a monster over 10m tall. Most of the trainees had never even seen a monster in real life. So it was natural for them to be shocked when the first monster they encountered in their lives was literally a giant beast. ¡°Everyone knows the formation forrge monster raids, right? Move ording to your training!¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Han Si-hwan¡¯s raid team showed abative attitude as if they had never been worried once they faced the monster. It wasn¡¯t surprising as their daily lives were a series of battles. ¡°Hwaaaaap!¡± -Kwaaang! A battle between humans and a giant. A moment of carelessness could lead to a life-threatening situation. The giant¡¯s overwhelming weight itself was a weapon, so the raid team was careful not to allow any attacks. ¡°Argh!¡± However, battles never go as expected. The giant¡¯s swinging fist hit the Canyon, and the resulting debris swept away several guild members. ¡°It¡¯s not enough to just dodge attacks! You need to be out of its line of movement beforehand!¡± ¡°Team Leader. The attacks are too fast for that!¡± ¡°Use slowing magic!¡± -Kwaaang! The raid team¡¯s battle looked quite impressive. Overwhelming giant monsters versus the warriors facing them. The visual effect Kang Hyeon wanted was being fully achieved. ¡°Amazing¡­¡± ¡°The Badass Guild is certainly strong.¡± ¡°That person, Team Leader Han Si-hwan. I heard he was originally the Vice Guild Master of the Guardian Guild.¡± ¡°What? That Guardian Guild that was ranked 5th?¡± ¡°Yeah. They say he was the Vice Guild Master until it copsed.¡± The trainees were constantly in awe. A breathtaking battle with endless nail-biting situations. The thrill that can only be felt on-site, not through videos. They werepletely immersed in the battle. Among them was Choi Yeon-hwa, her eyes sparkling brightly. ¡®It must be like that for now.¡¯ Kang Hyeon¡¯s goal was to scare Choi Yeon-hwa into quitting. If things continue like this, it would greatly deviate from the original n. But Kang Hyeon wasn¡¯t worried. ¡®Just wait a little.¡¯ It¡¯s still the early stages of the raid. It¡¯s natural for such impressive scenes to unfold when the raid team¡¯s stamina and condition are at their best. ¡®But it¡¯ll be different as time passes.¡¯ Dungeon raids can¡¯t always be done in the best condition. As time passes, stamina naturally drains, and concentration wanes. The more this happens, the higher the probability of unexpected situations urring. In other words, the longer the raid, the more dangerous situations increase, and a moment¡¯s mistake can lead to death. ¡®If you endure that, you be stronger. If not, you die.¡¯ After taking down three giants in a row, it was time for the battle with the fourth giant. Having fought continuously without a single break, the raid team looked quite exhausted. ¡°Oh no, be careful!¡± ¡°Argh!¡± In an instant, one guild member took a direct hit from the giant¡¯s swinging fist. The guild member, thrown dozens of meters in a single breath, flew near the trainees and crashed into the ground. It was the first severe injury since the raid began. ¡°Kyaaaa!¡± ¡°What? Isn¡¯t he dead¡­?¡± ¡°That person ispletely covered in blood.¡± Kang Hyeon approached the guild member with an expressionless face. ¡°Are you okay¡­?¡± ¡°Ugh, kuh¡­ I¡¯m, I¡¯m fine¡­¡± ¡°I see.¡± Kang Hyeon nodded and looked around. ¡°An Yeon-hwa! Where are you? Come save this friend here!¡± An Yeon-hwa. She was a healer from the Guardian Guild who joined early on with Han Si-hwan. ¡°Yes.¡± She, who initially had a quite fragile personality, had now be strong-hearted, not even blinking at most injuries. And her healing skills had also grown exceptionally. ¡°Hey. The bone is twisted here. I told you if you don¡¯t set these properly, we¡¯ll have to break and reset themter, right?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± Kang Hyeon reached out and forcibly moved the guild member¡¯s misaligned bone. ¡°Arghhhh!¡± ¡°Tsk. Stay still.¡± ¡°Haa, haa¡­¡± A momentter. When the injured guild member had recovered to some extent, he got up. ¡°Can you move?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Can you run?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Then go fight.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± And he immediately rejoined the battlefield. The trainees couldn¡¯t close their mouths watching this scene. ¡°What is this¡­?¡± ¡°He¡¯s telling someone who almost just died to go fight again?¡± ¡°It seems like they¡¯re pushing too hard because we¡¯re watching¡­¡± Kang Hyeon looked at the trainees with a grin. ¡°Everyone. On the first day of training, I talked about talent, right?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°The friend who just got hit and flew over here, objectively speaking, is on the better side in terms of talent. At least upper-middle ss? That¡¯s about right.¡± The trainees didn¡¯t seem to believe it at all, but Kang Hyeon continued speaking. ¡°Even someone like that has to keep putting in that much effort just to be a member of the Badass Guild¡¯s raid team. This is not a lie. And if they die while suffering like that? They just die.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°In dungeons, a person¡¯s life is no different from a fly¡¯s life. Law? Do you think such a thing will protect you in here?¡± ¡°But Instructor! If we¡¯re not aiming to be top-tier ability users, but just moderately hunting in E-grade or D-grade dungeons, or even F-grade if not possible, wouldn¡¯t that be fine?¡± At that moment, one student raised their hand and boldly asked. ¡°Good question!¡± A hint of madness glinted in Kang Hyeon¡¯s eyes. ¡°Not challenging difficult dungeons, only doing safe hunts. Sounds easy, right? Yes, it is easy. That¡¯s why in reality, most ability users are doing just that.¡± ¡°Then there¡¯s no problem¡­¡± ¡°But there are too many humans without ambition.¡± ¡°Excuse me¡­?¡± ¡°It¡¯s been a long time since E and F-grade dungeons became oversaturated, and D-grade is almost full too. What does this mean? It means that all the remaining F to D-grade dungeons have be owned by guilds. Newly appearing dungeons are quickly imed by strong local guilds. Without a guild, you can¡¯t even hunt.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Even at this very moment, guilds are brandishing weapons at each other, making threats, and doing all sorts of things just to im a single F-rank dungeon that can make them money.¡± At Kang Hyeon¡¯s words, the expressions of the trainees became heavy. ¡°You think I¡¯m exaggerating? Well, you might think so. After you finish your training and get your ability registration card, try entering a dungeon once. No matter which dungeon you go to, you¡¯ll be cut off at the entrance until you join a guild. If you run into some unlucky jerks, you might even die right away.¡± Just as Kang Hyeon was focused on demoralizing the trainees, Han Si-hwan, who had finished hunting, approached to report. ¡°Phew¡­ Guild Master, the hunt is over.¡± ¡°Okay. No casualties, right?¡± ¡°No, sir.¡± ¡°Magic?¡± ¡°We still have enough left for one more fight.¡± ¡°Then let¡¯s move right away.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± Han Si-hwan looked visibly exhausted. The condition of the regr guild members visible in the distance was even worse. Despite this, the trainees wore disgusted expressions as they watched them move for the next hunt without a moment¡¯s rest. ¡°Come on, you¡¯re supposed to rest while moving.¡± Ten minutester, the fifth battle began. ¡°Uwooooh!¡± ¡°Kuhaaak!¡± The attack team was now fighting with pure malice and brute force. Seeing their desperate appearance, the admiration and passion in the eyes of the trainees hadpletely disappeared, and now most of them looked like they wanted to go home. -Kuung, kuug! ¡°Herees another one!¡± ¡°Team leader! One more has joined!¡± At that moment, another giant could be seen walking from afar. It was something that could have been sufficiently anticipated as they had alreadye quite close to the core. Normally, they would have prepared and responded in advance, but today they were proceeding with the attack more tightly because Kang Hyeon was watching. The already exhausted attack team didn¡¯t have the energy to hunt two giants at once. ¡°I¡¯ll handle that one, so everyone focus on the fight!¡± ¡°Yes, sir!¡± ¡°Mr. Jeong Jong-ho. And instructors! Protect the trainees.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± Kang Hyeon drew out the Craftsman¡¯s Longsword from his inventory. Bilgein¡¯s sword hadn¡¯t been fully tamed yet, so it wasn¡¯t in a state to be used in actualbat. ¡°It sure is big.¡± Standing in front of the giant, Kang Hyeon tilted his head up to look at its face. It reminded him of Panath, whom he had hunted not long ago. Of course, Panath with wings was muchrger overall, but the height was quite simr. ¡°Uwaaaah!¡± The giant roared upon seeing Kang Hyeon at its feet. At the same time, it lifted its foot powerfully to stomp on Kang Hyeon. ¡°Ah¡­ My eardrums might burst.¡± Kang Hyeon rubbed his ears once before quickly moving to the giant¡¯s feet. Then, infusing the sword with a lot of magic, he cut off the Achilles tendon above the giant¡¯s heel. ¡°Kwoooh!¡± The giant, which had been standing on one foot to step on Kang Hyeon, staggered, unable to support its body. ¡°What is this, soft tofu? It cuts so easily.¡± The giant¡¯s skin and outer shell were very rough and hard, befitting its size. It wasn¡¯tparable to Panas, but it wasn¡¯t something that should be cut so easily. However, the reason it was helplessly cut by Kang Hyeon was one thing. Magic. Panath was a giant monster that utilized magic, and its outer and inner skins were always protected by the magic it operated. But this giant was just a monster with a big body that couldn¡¯t utilize magic. Therefore, it couldn¡¯t resist at all against the magic Kang Hyeon had infused into his sword. Kang Hyeon knew this, which is why he chose this Giant¡¯s Canyon. ¡°Fall down nicely.¡± -Kuuung! A thunderous sound echoed as the staggering giant fell to the ground. Amidst the rising dust, Kang Hyeon quickly headed towards the back of the giant¡¯s head. ¡°Hup!¡± Once again, Kang Hyeon shed at the back of the giant¡¯s neck. But because the giant¡¯s neck was so thick, this alone wasn¡¯t enough to kill it. ¡°Kuaaah!¡± ¡°Shut up!¡± Kang Hyeon thrust both his hands deep into the wound he had cut on the giant. ¡°Magic Explosion!¡± -Puung! A magic explosion equivalent to B-rank. Moreover, Kang Hyeon intentionally infused excessive magic to increase the explosive power even more. ¡°Kuhak!¡± With that single attack, the giant let out a death cry and mmed its head into the ground. ¡°Ssup¡­ That hurts a lot.¡± As Kang Hyeon pulled out his hands, Ronald¡¯s armor, which had been destroyed in an instant, could be seen. Fortunately, as Kang Hyeon¡¯s skin had be harder in proportion to the increased power of the magic explosion, his hands weren¡¯t torn apart. ¡°Phew¡­¡± Finally, the battle ended, and all members of Attack Team 1 and the trainees gathered again. ¡°Did everyone see that well?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Team Leader Han Si-hwan and Attack Team 1, good work.¡± ¡°Yes, sir.¡± ¡°By my estimation, if we walk for about an hour more, we should reach the normal core.¡± ¡°¡­?¡± People who thought the attack was over now wore confused expressions at Kang Hyeon¡¯s words. ¡°Aren¡¯t we going home¡­?¡± ¡°What are you talking about? It would take half a day to go back. But if we go to the normal core, even with fighting and resting in between, we can easily arrive in about two hours.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Then if we break the core and take the portal out, it¡¯ll be convenient, right?¡± Everyone fell silent at Kang Hyeon¡¯s words. ¡°Come on, attack team! Let¡¯s work a bit more.¡± ¡°Yes, sir.¡± ¡°Okay. Let¡¯s go!¡± And so, the merciless tyrant¡¯s forced march began again. ¡®Hmm¡­ They should be sick of it by now.¡¯ As he headed towards the core, Kang Hyeon nced sideways at Choi Yeon-hwa, who was following along. And their eyes met. ¡®W-What¡­?¡¯ Choi Yeon-hwa was looking at him with eyes sparkling even more brightly than when she first arrived. ¡°Haah¡­¡± Kang Hyeon sighed as he ran his hand through his hair. It seemed that today¡¯s n had failed again. Chapter 103 Chapter 103 Popr Star (1) That night. The trainees who returned to their dormitory were all exhausted. This was true even for Choi Yeon-hwa, who was considered one of the stronger trainees. ¡°Phew¡­ Tired, right?¡± ¡°Yeah. I feel like I¡¯m dying.¡± Although they hadn¡¯t engaged in directbat, they had maintained tension throughout the raid. Moreover, the B-grade dungeon had an extremely high concentration of magical energy, so those unustomed to it couldn¡¯t help but feel fatigued. ¡°Let¡¯s go to sleep quickly.¡± ¡°Okay. Good night, Choi Yeon-hwa.¡± ¡°Dae-han, you too, good night.¡± And so the lights went out in the dormitory, and everyone fell asleep. -Tick, tick, tick Past midnight. In Choi Yeon-hwa¡¯s room, where only the sound of the clock could be heard, rustling noises began to emerge. ¡°Hey. Wake up. Are you really sleeping?¡± ¡°Ah¡­ Was today that tiring?¡± ¡°Be quiet. You¡¯ll wake up Choi Yeon-hwa.¡± Choi Yeon-hwa¡¯s friends, who were thought to be asleep, started to get up one by one. ¡°Ugh. I thought I was going to die following him around all day.¡± ¡°I know, right? Isn¡¯t Kang Hyeon a total psycho?¡± ¡°I thought about quitting several times. Shit¡­ Geez.¡± After getting dressed and going outside, they started to chat in earnest. ¡°By the way, remember how Choi Yeon-hwa acted cute with Kang Hyeon yesterday?¡± ¡°Ugh¡­ that ¡®Brother Kang Hyeon¡¯ thing? It makes me want to puke. Blegh!¡± ¡°Hahaha!¡± There were five people who came out. In other words, everyone except Choi Yeon-hwa. ¡°Kang Hyeon. That bastard waspletely losing his mind, wasn¡¯t he?¡± ¡°Hey. Why don¡¯t you try seducing him? He might fall for it. That guy would probably go crazy with joy, grinning like an idiot.¡± ¡°What? I don¡¯t like men who look like barbarians. Seeing him in the dungeon today was kind of disgusting.¡± ¡°Pfft. A barbarian, she says. Haha!¡± The one leading them was a man named Jeong Dae-han. Jeong Dae-han was the only son of an elite family with a congressman father and a businesswoman mother. ¡°Let¡¯s go outside for now. Who says we have to be stuck in this crappy dormitory for two weeks?¡± ¡°I know, right? If I told my dad about this, we¡¯d automatically graduate.¡± ¡°Yeah. It¡¯s all because Choi Yeon-hwa insisted we had toe for direct training that we¡¯re suffering like this.¡± Jeong Dae-han and the others took out cigarettes and lit them in the building corridor while chatting. ¡°Ah, shit. I¡¯ve been holding back all day because of the dungeon, and now I¡¯m having serious withdrawal symptoms.¡± ¡°Hey, want to grab a drink?¡± ¡°Should we?¡± ¡°Sehee. Call Secretary Kim.¡± ¡°Why Secretary Kim?¡± ¡°Tell him to buy some alcohol. Let¡¯s not go to a bar, just drink outside somewhere nearby.¡± ¡°Yeah. We still have to attend training tomorrow anyway. It¡¯ll be too tiring if we go to a room and party.¡± ¡°Fuck. All this trouble because of that bitch Choi Yeon-hwa. It still pisses me off just thinking about it.¡± Their behavior was 180 degrees different from when they were with Choi Yeon-hwa. The content of their conversation was hardly believable for students who had just turned 20. Just as these delinquent youths were about to leave the ability user training school. An instructor on night patrol discovered the viins. ¡°What¡¯s going on there!?¡± The instructor who rushed over frowned after confirming their faces. ¡°Trainees. What are you doing here right now?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°I asked what you¡¯re doing.¡± ¡°Mr. Instructor. Mind your own business and leave. Before you get hurt.¡± ¡°Do you know who we are? Don¡¯t act up just because you have some petty position. Just pretend you didn¡¯t see us and move along.¡± The instructor, An Si-hyeong, struggled to maintain hisposure in the face of Jeong Dae-han and the others rude words. ¡°Trainees. If you return to your dormitory now, I¡¯ll pretend this never happened.¡± ¡°Ah¡­ This is really pissing me off.¡± But Jeong Dae-han and the others showed no signs ofing to their senses. ¡°This old fart doesn¡¯t understand words!?¡± Jeong Dae-han scrunched up his face and swung his fist with all his might. -Thud! An Si-hyeong, who was hit in the face by Jeong Dae-han, opened his eyes coldly. ¡°What? What are you going to do if I hit you!?¡± -Thud, thud! ¡°I said, what are you going to do! Fuck!¡± After taking several hits, An Si-hyeong finally couldn¡¯t hold back anymore and grabbed Jeong Dae-han¡¯s hand. ¡°It seems the trainees need a different kind of education.¡± ¡°What? This bastard won¡¯t let go?¡± ¡°Let go!¡± Despite Jeong Dae-han and the others desperately lunging at him, An Si-hyeong didn¡¯t budge. This was natural, as before bing an instructor at the ability user training school, An Si-hyeong had been part of a dungeon raid team in a mid-tier guild. ¡°Then, let¡¯s begin mental education now.¡± And so, Instructor An Si-hyeong¡¯s mental education began. ¡°Arghhhh!¡± ¡°Kyaaa!¡± *** Ippotrantion *** The next morning. After working the night shift, An Si-hyeong returned to his dormitory and started exercising. ¡°Huff, huff!¡± Once ability users reach a certain level, strength training like weightlifting bes unnecessary. Looking around, An Si-hyeong was the only ability user doing this kind of exercise. But this was something he had always done even before bing an ability user, so now it was just a ritual to start his day. ¡°Haah¡­¡± After warming up for about 30 minutes and taking a shower, An Si-hyeong went to work at the ability user cultivation school. He was a bit tired, but there was no concept of duty sleep during training, so it couldn¡¯t be helped. ¡°You¡¯re here.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Casual greetings from colleagues. Although it had been less than two months since he became an instructor at the school, An Si-hyeong was satisfied. His previous guild hadn¡¯t suited him at all. In the guild, it wasmon to fight other ability users to im territory. Fighting and killing other ability users, that is, other people rather than monsters, was absolutely uneptable in An Si-hyeong¡¯smon sense. ¡°Ah, right¡­ I wonder if they¡¯re okay?¡± Suddenly, he rememberedst night¡¯s incident. The delinquent trainees. There were always some in each ss, as if by agreement, but yesterday was particrly bad. An Si-hyeong had reluctantly used force to send them back to their dormitory. He felt uneasy about it, but decided to think positively. It would have been a good lesson for those naive ones too. ¡°Teaching Assistant An Si-hyeong!¡± That¡¯s when it happened. Jeong Jong-ho, with a flushed face, came running urgently. ¡°What on earth have you done!?¡± ¡°Pardon¡­?¡± An Si-hyeong had never seen Jeong Jong-ho so agitated before. It waspletely different from his usual demeanor as an educator, always showing gravitas and seriousness. ¡°Huff¡­ What happenedst night?¡± ¡°Last night¡­.¡± Only then did An Si-hyeong realize what this was about. ¡°Did those delinquent students file aint?¡± ¡°Comint¡­ If only it were just aint, that would be fortunate.¡± ¡°But I followed the proper procedures. When trainees leave the training grounds without permission or pose a threat, ording to regtions¡­¡± ¡°The regtions aren¡¯t important right now!¡± Jeong Jong-ho shouted with fire in his eyes. ¡°Teaching Assistant An, do you know who those children¡¯s parents are?¡± ¡°Excuse me¡­?¡± ¡°Mayor, congressman, CEO of a major corporation, director of a university hospital ¨C they belong to the absolute elite ss of Korea.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°You beat up the children of such families. I¡¯ve received dozens of calls from higher-ups just this morning!¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­¡± ¡°Haah¡­¡± As An Si-hyeong bowed his head in apology, Jeong Jong-ho stopped scolding him. He knew that it wasn¡¯t really An Si-hyeong¡¯s fault. ¡°Anyway, this has gone beyond what I can handle. After this training ends, you¡¯ll be expelled from the school.¡± ¡°But sir¡­!¡± ¡°Be grateful if it ends with just expulsion! And Mr. An. You should be careful personally too.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°This is just what I¡¯ve heard, but¡­ They are frightening people. Who knows what threats they might make. Be concerned for your family¡¯s safety.¡± An Si-hyeong frowned at Jeong Jong-ho¡¯s words. Honestly, he thought this was an overreaction to disciplining some kids. Moreover, he hadn¡¯t done anything wrong ording to the regtions. ¡°I understand.¡± But for now, there was nothing to gain by upsetting Jeong Jong-ho further, so he simply nodded obediently. -Buzz, buzz! Just then, An Si-hyeong¡¯s pocket vibrated. He took out his smartphone and saw ¡®Mother¡¯ written on the screen. ¡°You should answer it.¡± ¡°Yes. I¡¯m sorry.¡± Since his mother never usually called during his work hours, An Si-hyeong tilted his head curiously as he answered the phone. ¡°Hello?¡± -Si-hyeong! His mother¡¯s voice on the phone sounded quite urgent. ¡°Mom?¡± -Si-hyeong. What¡¯s going on!? Who are these people? Huh? ¡°What are you talking about, Mom! Where are you now?¡± -What¡¯s all thismotion? Si-hyeong! Some strange people came today and are wrecking the shop, it¡¯s chaos. ¡°What¡­?¡± At that moment, An Si-hyeong¡¯s eyes shook frantically. -They say our shop is an illegal building and vited some sanitationw, so they¡¯re forcibly demolishing it. The fine is something in the millions¡­ Si-hyeong. What¡¯s going on? Si-hyeong¡­ Oh my! His mother who raised him alone. The mother who had never once uttered aint or dissatisfaction in her life was now crying loudly. An Si-hyeong¡¯s mind went nk at this unprecedented sight of his mother. ¡°Now do you understand the situation a bit better?¡± A voice came from behind then. As An Si-hyeong turned his head, he saw Jeong Dae-han approaching casually. ¡°That¡¯s why you shouldn¡¯t have acted up.¡± ¡°You bastard! I¡¯ll kill you!¡± In that moment, as An Si-hyeong lost his reason and tried to lunge at him, Jeong Jong-ho held him back. ¡°An Si-hyeong! Get a hold of yourself!¡± ¡°Argh!¡± Jeong Dae-han smirked vilely at the sight. ¡°What? You¡¯re going to hit me? Teaching Assistant. Can you handle the consequences?¡± ¡°Shut up!¡± ¡°This is just a little taste. Want to see what really happens when you mess with us?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Your mom¡¯s got her little food stall. Your younger sibling¡¯s working at a decentpany. A big corporation, was it? Now where did I put that CEO¡¯s number?¡± An Si-hyeong¡¯s face hardened at Jeong Dae-han¡¯s words. ¡°Studying hard all their life to finally get into a bigpany, how would your sibling feel about getting fired for no reason? I heard their performance has been quite good, working so diligently?¡± ¡°What do you want¡­¡± ¡°Our Teaching Assistant. So terse now.¡± ¡°What is it¡­ That you want¡­¡± At An Si-hyeong¡¯s words, Jeong Dae-han burst intoughter. ¡°Puhah. Hahaha! Now we¡¯re talking, right?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°First,e with me. My friends are waiting.¡± Jeong Dae-han beckoned with his finger, wearing a shit-eating grin. ¡°You had your fun yesterday, right? Now it¡¯s our turn to y.¡± *** Ippotrantion *** ¡°Kheuk!¡± ¡°Hey. What are you doing? You can¡¯t hit like that. You have to kick like this!¡± ¡°Khaak!¡± In a secluded bathroom within the school. Five men and women surrounding An Si-hyeong took turns kicking him. ¡°Mr. Teaching Assistant. You son of a bitch. Are youing to your senses now?¡± ¡°Nngh¡­¡± An Si-hyeong was covered in blood from head to toe. Although An Si-hyeong was skilled and Jeong Dae-han and the others were no different from ordinary people, their brutal violence using tools was enough to bridge that gap. ¡°You should have just behaved from the start, right? Huh? You should have known who to mess with.¡± ¡°Huff, huff¡­¡± ¡°Why did you do it? Did being a measly teaching assistant at a ce like this make you feel like you were something? Did you think your ve status had improved somehow? Kekeke.¡± ¡°Hah! Dae-han, you¡¯re so good with words.¡± ¡°Hey. Wait, let¡¯s dunk this bastard¡¯s head in the toilet one more time. I¡¯m not satisfied yet.¡± Jeong Dae-han and the others grabbed An Si-hyeong¡¯s head and shoved it into the toilet. They didn¡¯t forget to burn his neck with their cigarettes while doing so. ¡°Glug glug¡­ Puahak!¡± ¡°Die! Just die already!¡± ¡°Hahaha!¡± After torturing An Si-hyeong like that for quite a while, Jeong Dae-han and his friends lit up cigarettes. ¡°Phew, even this is getting tiring.¡± ¡°Hey. Let¡¯s wrap this up and go.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± The students opened their pants, leaving An Si-hyeongpletely exhausted and unable to even lift his head. ¡°For the finale, let¡¯s sprinkle some holy water?¡± ¡°Keke. I don¡¯t think I can pee anymore after going earlier.¡± ¡°If you force it, it¡¯lle out. You bastard.¡± Just as they were snickering like that, it happened. ¡°What are you guys doing?¡± Chapter 104 Chapter 104 Popr Star (2) ¡°What are you guys doing?¡± ¡°What the!?¡± A huge silhouette suddenly appeared while they were in the middle of their business. It was Kang Hyeon. ¡°I asked what you¡¯re doing.¡± ¡°Mind your own business.¡± ¡°You¡¯re Choi Yeon-hwa¡¯s friends, right? What are you doing here?¡± ¡°Ah, just get lost.¡± ¡°What cheeky kids.¡± Kang Hyeon looked at them as if he couldn¡¯t believe their audacity. ¡°Where¡¯s Choi Yeon-hwa?¡± ¡°Why are you looking for that bitch here? I said get lost. You think we care if you¡¯re the Badass Guild Master or whatever?¡± ¡°So this has nothing to do with Choi Yeon-hwa then.¡± ¡°Fuck. I told you to stop bringing up that bitch!¡± Finally, Kang Hyeon¡¯s patience reached its limit. ¡°You little shit, did you put a rag in your mouth? Being nice to you makes you think you can climb all over me.¡± ¡°Ha, just because you¡¯re a bit older¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m not done talking. Didn¡¯t they teach you not to interrupt adults? You punk with no manners whatsoever.¡± ¡°So, why should I¡­¡± ¡°This bastard still can¡¯t get it together. Lack of learning ability? Your head is huge but there¡¯s no thought inside. Is that thing on your neck just for decoration?¡± ¡°Wh-what!? My head is big?¡± ¡°Yeah, you big-headed improper fraction. That cumbersome head on your neck isn¡¯t just there to keep your bnce. Use it to think.¡± Jeong Dae-han actually had a quiterge headpared to his body. It had been aplex for him since childhood, and Kang Hyeon had hit that spot perfectly. ¡°Do you really want to die!? Do you know who I am?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know! You bastard!¡± With that answer, Kang Hyeon pped Jeong Dae-han¡¯s cheek. ¡°Khaak!¡± ¡°I hit you lightly. Don¡¯t exaggerate.¡± ¡°Are you crazy? Do you want to end up like this assistant here!?¡± ¡°What are you doing! Jeong Dae-han, are you okay?!¡± Jeong Dae-han¡¯s subordinates and friends shouted, their necks bulging with veins. ¡°Ah. So noisy.¡± Kang Hyeon frowned, rubbed his ears, and then punched the wall. -Kwagwang! With that force, the concrete wall shattered instantly with a loud noise. Jeong Dae-han and his friends instantly became mute as honebs. ¡°You¡¯re the crazy ones. Little brats learning only bad things, what the hell. Who are your parents?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Do I look like I¡¯m joking? I asked who your parents are.¡± ¡°W-why should we tell you¡­ That?¡± Jeong Dae-han said cautiously, holding his cheek. ¡°You want to know why?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°If I keep hitting you, you¡¯ll understand why.¡± ¡°W-wait! No!¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Kang Hyeon pped Jeong Dae-han¡¯s cheek again. With a crisp sound, Jeong Dae-han¡¯s head whipped to the side. ¡°Khaak!¡± Jeong Dae-han spat blood, but Kang Hyeon didn¡¯t even blink as he pped him again. ¡°Who are.¡± -p! ¡°Your parents?¡± -p! ¡°I said who!¡± -p! His friends stepped in to protect the half-unconscious Jeong Dae-han. ¡°Stop it! He¡¯ll die at this rate!¡± ¡°Then you take his ce.¡± -p! The friend who had stepped up to protect Jeong Dae-han fell to the floor powerlessly. ¡°Kyaaak! Sehui!¡± ¡°Did you just hit a girl!? You¡¯repletely insane!¡± ¡°You¡¯re the insane ones, you trash punks.¡± Kang Hyeon smirked and kicked the friend who had fallen to the floor. ¡°Wannabe ability users talking about men and women. Is there gender in ability users? If a high-level person stabs you with a knife, you just die whether you¡¯re a man or woman.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°And don¡¯t you think that line is a bit cowardlying from trash punks like you who look hard to even recycle?¡± Despite Kang Hyeon¡¯s continued insults, Jeong Dae-han and his friends couldn¡¯t say anything in response. They were just trembling in fear. ¡°Anyway, let¡¯s get hit some more. Time for some mental education.¡± ¡°Wait! I¡¯ll talk. I¡¯ll talk, so don¡¯t hit us.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to.¡± ¡°Huh¡­?¡± ¡°I knew who all your parents were from the beginning. You wrote it so proudly on the application forms, how could I not know?¡± Jeong Dae-han and his friends looked bewildered at Kang Hyeon¡¯s words. ¡°Then why¡­¡± ¡°Just. Because I was bored. I needed an excuse to hit you.¡± ¡°You crazy bastard!¡± Only then did Jeong Dae-han and his friends realize they were truly in trouble. ¡®This guy is just insane, a real psycho!¡¯ ¡®It¡¯s impossible to even talk to him.¡¯ If they could just get out of here, they could call their parents. For that, they needed to persuade Kang Hyeon, but it seemed impossible. You need to be able tomunicate to threaten or persuade someone. -Thud. ¡°Kheuk!¡± -Crack. ¡°Kuek!¡± -p. ¡°Kyak!¡± With each of Kang Hyeon¡¯s hits, there was a crisp impact sound followed by a scream. ¡°I have a knack for punching, you know. Honestly, I think it might be a talent.¡± While talking, Kang Hyeon didn¡¯t stop swinging his hands. ¡°So who did you say your parents were again?¡± After beating them for quite a while, Kang Hyeon suddenly stopped and spoke. ¡°E-earlier¡­ You said you knew¡­¡± ¡°I forgot. Tell me about it.¡± After beating them for over 10 minutes, Kang Hyeon finally seemed ready to talk. After that, Kang Hyeon heard the full story of the incident. However, three were already unconscious on the floor, and the remaining two had swollen faces and missing teeth, so it took quite some time to properly convey the information. ¡°Now I understand.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°The assistant here is quite pitiful. He¡¯s a righteous person, you know. Is this how the world is? Shitty things keep happening endlessly. Don¡¯t they?¡± Jeong Dae-han nodded painfully at Kang Hyeon¡¯s words. ¡®You bastard¡­ Just wait¡­¡¯ Suddenly, Kang Hyeon looked at Jeong Dae-han and grinned. ¡°It¡¯s because of trash like you that the world is a harsh ce to live. Isn¡¯t that right, everyone?¡± ¡°What¡­?¡± ¡°This is a 100% real situation right now. Everything¡¯s being recorded well, right?¡± Everyone was bewildered as Kang Hyeon suddenly became excited and started talking to the air. Jeong Dae-han couldn¡¯t understand what was going on. ¡°Wow, what¡¯s this? 150,000 viewers? This is amazing. Hahaha!¡± *** Ippotrantion *** Kang Hyeon, who arrived at the Ability Users Cultivation School, turned on his YouTube live broadcast. ¡°Ah, hello everyone. It¡¯s been a while, hasn¡¯t it?¡± As Kang Hyeon¡¯s Badass TV channel already had over 2 million subscribers, an enormous number of people started connecting as soon as the broadcast began. -Wow. Kang Hyeon turned on a live broadcast. -I still can¡¯t get used to his face every time I see it. He looks so scary¡­ -He looks even scarier up close. Please move back a bit. ¡°I¡¯m reporting those who arementing about my face.¡± Kang Hyeon and the viewers exchanged light jokes like this. ¡°As I mentionedst time, I¡¯ve be the head instructor at the Ability Users Cultivation School, Seongnam branch. It feels new to be back after a year.¡± -So this is the training center. -The facilities look nice. -Kang Hyeon as the head instructor. This batch hit the jackpot. -Please show us you teaching live! ¡°You want to see me teaching? There¡¯s nothing special about it¡­ I¡¯ll think about it. For now, let¡¯s just chat for a bit¡­¡± Kang Hyeon, who was speaking, suddenly stopped. ¡°Everyone. Didn¡¯t you just hear something?¡± -I didn¡¯t hear anything. -I was listening with my earphones at max volume, and there was a very faint sound. -No fake stuff. It¡¯s not funny. ¡°No. I really heard something. Just wait a moment.¡± Kang Hyeon hurriedly moved towards the direction of the sound. Gradually, the viewers also started to hear something. -It sounds like someone¡¯s cursing? Could there be a fight? -It¡¯s a fight. A fight! Go check it out quickly. -A fight during Kang Hyeon¡¯s training? They¡¯ve got guts lol -For real lol Finally, Kang Hyeon arrived at the bathroom, the source of the sound. ¡°Shh! I think it¡¯sing from here.¡± Kang Hyeon carefully pushed the camera inside the bathroom. -Crazy. What is that? -That¡¯s an assistant instructor¡¯s uniform. Are the trainees beating up an assistant instructor? -Wow¡­ That¡¯s too much. They look like young kids, but this is going too far. -Is this staged? ¡°This is not staged. Everyone, I think it¡¯s time for me to step in. I¡¯ll fix the camera here, so please watch carefully.¡± Kang Hyeon carefully fixed the camera in ce and entered the bathroom. ¡°What are you guys doing?¡± ¡°What the-!?¡± From that moment until the end, the viewers watched every scene live. Moreover, it was gaining fame in real-time through social media, and the number of viewers was skyrocketing endlessly. -Wow! Kang Hyeon-style discipline lol This is crazy! -Now I¡¯m starting to feel sorry for the kids who were doing the beating? -Is this broadcast rated 19+? -Whoa, insane¡­ How does a concrete wall shatter with one punch. After a while of beating scenes, Kang Hyeon finally revealed the identities of Jeong Dae-han and his friends. ¡°So, this one is the son of Congressman Jeong Dae-seok. This one¡¯s mother is some kind of businesswoman? This one is the daughter of Seong-so University Hospital¡¯s director. This one is the son of Yu-san Corporation¡¯s chairman¡­¡± The viewers were shocked as their identities were continuously revealed. -This is historic. Insane. -The top 0.0001% of our country are all gathered here lolololol -What did that assistant instructor do wrong? I really feel sorry for him. -Trash bastards. Just kill them now. -Yeah, if they¡¯re released back into society, they¡¯ll be walking around fine thanks to their parents¡¯ influence. I wish Kang Hyeon would just get rid of them¡­ Finally, after hearing the whole story, Kang Hyeon smiled and picked up his smartphone. ¡°Wow. What¡¯s this? 150,000 viewers? This is amazing. Hahaha!¡± -Just gained 30,000 subscribers lol Crazy speed. -Kang Hyeon¡¯s ss is on another level. -Is it okay for this to be broadcasted like this? I¡¯m worried. ¡°Ah, don¡¯t worry. I don¡¯t care how strong those guys¡¯ backing is. Let theme at me if they dare.¡± Kang Hyeon, holding his smartphone, grinned as he checked the viewer count. ¡°And those oh-so-great parents. They won¡¯t have time to worry about me, right? They should be more concerned about losing their positions right now. Hahaha!¡± *** Ippotrantion *** It was exactly as Kang Hyeon had predicted. This time, South Korea was truly turned upside down, but for a different reason. The ruthless violence of children from high-ranking political and business circles. Bullying the weak using their status. And the following disciplinary action. Kang Hyeon¡¯s poprity soared to unimaginable heights. ¡°Mr. Kang Hyeon. Are you really going to do this?¡± While most people were in a festive mood, there was one man who couldn¡¯t help but be full of worry even today. ¡°Why? Is there a problem?¡± ¡°Are you asking because you don¡¯t know!?¡± The situation was so urgent that Shin Tae-gil came to see Kang Hyeon in person. ¡°I didn¡¯t touch Choi Yeon-hwa. The rest are just trash anyway.¡± ¡°They¡¯re not just any trash! They¡¯re the trash that controls South Korea!¡± ¡°Is that so¡­? Haha!¡± ¡°Huu¡­¡± Shin Tae-gil let out a deep sigh and rubbed his face. ¡°But isn¡¯t it pretty good?¡± ¡°What¡¯s good about it?¡± ¡°My poprity has increased. If we just cut out Choi Yeon-hwa from here and bring her to our side, we can gain everything we want. We can also more actively promote my good rtionship with the government. You know what I mean, right?¡± ¡°Yes¡­¡± Certainly, Kang Hyeon¡¯s words weren¡¯t wrong. Although things didn¡¯t go as originally intended, it was a situation that could be turned to their advantage. Their power might have been strong once, but now it¡¯s on the verge of copse. They just need to extract Choi Kang-woo separately and join forces. And Kang Hyeon, who¡¯s driving the biggest issue in South Korea with his pursuit of justice. If they move well using him, they might be able topletely turn public opinion in favor of the President. ¡°I¡¯ll exin this well to the President.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± ¡°Please, I beg you. Stop causing trouble.¡± ¡°What are you saying now after assigning this to me, Mr. Shin Tae-gil? If you didn¡¯t like it, you shouldn¡¯t have suggested we do something together.¡± ¡°Haa¡­ These days I¡¯m getting a lot of gray hair, and when I wake up, my hair falls out in clumps.¡± Kang Hyeon¡¯s expression darkened at Shin Tae-gil¡¯s sudden confession about hair loss. ¡°Ah¡­ I¡¯m sorry.¡± Kang Hyeon understood his feelings well, as it was a concern he had experienced for a while. ¡°I have a favor to ask.¡± ¡°Yes¡­¡± After a solemn moment passed, Kang Hyeon,ing to his senses, brought up the main point. ¡°What happened to the guy I handed over then? Was his name Park Song-min?¡± It was about the suspicious man who had disguised himself as a trainee on the first day of the Ability Users Cultivation School. That day, Kang Hyeon had knocked the man unconscious and immediately handed him over to Shin Tae-gil, but he hadn¡¯t heard what happened after that. ¡°Kim Jun-yong, who was the guild master of the Kangshin Guild. Do you remember?¡± ¡°Of course I remember, it was just a few days ago.¡± ¡°Park Song-min was also from the Free Ability Users Liberation Alliance, where Kim Jun-yong belonged.¡± ¡°We talked about thatst time.¡± ¡°Ah, did we?¡± Embarrassed, Shin Tae-gil scratched his head. ¡°Never mind the affiliation, so why did hee here? From the situation, it seems he was probably aiming for me.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. He said it was for revenge.¡± ¡°Revenge? What revenge?¡± At that time, all Kang Hyeon had done was beat up Kim Junyong, who was already nearly dead. ¡°It seems he thinks you¡¯re the one who foiled the n to kidnap Chairman An Moo-seok and dealt with the Kangshin Guild.¡± ¡°Shit¡­ There are already plenty of people who hate me, and now even foreign bastards are about to jump in.¡± ¡°Mr. Kang Hyeon. Be careful. From what we¡¯ve investigated, these aren¡¯t ordinary guys.¡± ¡°Of course they¡¯re not ordinary. Would ordinary guys try to kidnap a chairman of a globalpany in broad daylight?¡± ¡°Huu¡­ It¡¯s not just that level. Kim Jun-yong of Kangshin had abnormally strong magical power. When we investigated where he got such power, we got shocking results.¡± Shin Tae-gil dragged out the time, trying to add weight to his words. ¡°Don¡¯t drag it out, just tell me quickly.¡± ¡°It seems they forcibly extracted magical power from other people and continuously injected it into Kim Jun-yong.¡± ¡°What? Is that possible?¡± ¡°We didn¡¯t know such a thing was possible either. It was something we couldn¡¯t even imagine¡­ We don¡¯t know the specific method, but it¡¯s certain that they forcibly took magical power from other people.¡± ¡°No wonder¡­ So that¡¯s why the feeling of magical power was so strange.¡± Only then did Kang Hyeon realize why he had felt so ufortable when he first met the Kangshin Guild. ¡°Anyway, you need to be careful. Those guys won¡¯t stop here. They say they have very strong pride, so they¡¯ll definitelye back for revenge somehow.¡± ¡°Haa, you¡¯ve really be a popr star.¡± As Kang Hyeon sighed, Shin Tae-gil chuckled. ¡°Mr. Kang Hyeon. You really seem to have a natural talent for causing trouble.¡± ¡°What? It wasn¡¯t me this time.¡± ¡°But it¡¯s rted to you, isn¡¯t it?¡± He wasn¡¯t wrong. ¡°Ugh¡­ I can¡¯t even hit him¡­¡± ¡°Excuse me? What did you just say?¡± ¡°Nothing.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure I heard you say something about hitting¡­¡± ¡°I said it¡¯s nothing! Do you want me to really hit you?¡± Kang Hyeon ran his hand roughly through his hair in irritation. ¡°Mr. Kang Hyeon. If you keep running your hands through your hair like that, you¡¯ll go bald.¡± ¡°Damn¡­¡± The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone! Chapter 105 Chapter 105 The Grim Reaper Returns from Death (1) ¡°Choi Yeon-hwa. Please, I¡¯m begging you¡­ Help us out.¡± ¡°Choi Yeon-hwa. Is this all our rtionship amounts to? You don¡¯t really believe that video, do you?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right! It¡¯s all fabricated by that bastard Kang Hyeon. Why would we do such a thing?!¡± Jeong Dae-han and the others were talking non-stop. ¡°Alright, I get it¡­ Stop it¡­¡± ¡°Choi Yeon-hwa. So you¡¯ll grant our request, right?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. Please put in a good word with your father. We should help each other in times like these.¡± Choi Yeon-hwa looked utterly exhausted, but the delinquent youths showed no signs of stopping. It was also evidence of how unstable their mental state was. ¡°I said stop it¡­¡± ¡°So if you just make one phone call to your father, everything will be resolved¡­¡± ¡°Stop it!¡± Finally, Choi Yeon-hwa, unable to bear it anymore, shouted angrily. Jeong Dae-han¡¯s group was taken aback, as they had never seen Choi Yeon-hwa genuinely angry before. ¡°Why are you yelling¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, Choi Yeon-hwa. Don¡¯t get angry.¡± ¡°I said stop it, you bastards.¡± ¡°What¡­?¡± ¡°How can you call yourselves human? Were all the words and actions towards me until now just an act?¡± ¡°Wh-what are you saying, Choi Yeon-hwa. It¡¯s not like that¡­¡± ¡°Shut up!¡± The extremely agitated Choi Yeon-hwa stood up abruptly. ¡°Yeon-hwa. Where are you going?!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t follow me. I might kill you.¡± ¡°Hey! Choi Yeon-hwa. Aren¡¯t your words too harsh?¡± Choi Yeon-hwa didn¡¯t answer and stormed out of the dormitory. ¡°Haa¡­ That bitch¡­¡± As soon as Choi Yeon-hwa left, Jeong Dae-han took out a cigarette and put it in his mouth. ¡°Choi Dae-han, what should we do?¡± ¡°What do you mean what should we do? We have to keep persuading her till the end.¡± ¡°Right. If Choi Yeon-hwa¡¯s father steps in, things will work out somehow.¡± ¡°Haa¡­ This is really bad¡­ How did we end up like this?¡± ¡°How did we end up like this?! It¡¯s because of that son of a bitch Kang Hyeon. Fuck! Aaaaargh!¡± Jeong Dae-han screamed like a madman, shaking his head. ¡°Phew, tomorrow¡¯s thest day of training, right?¡± ¡°Yeah. After the hunting practice, the training ends.¡± ¡°We absolutely must change Choi Yeon-hwa¡¯s mind by then. If you guys want to live, throw away your pride or whatever and cling to her. Got it?¡± The others nodded with gloomy expressions at Jeong Dae-han¡¯s words. ¡°Kang Hyeon. Choi Yeon-hwa. Just you wait¡­¡± *** Ippotrantion *** Choi Yeon-hwa, who had rushed out of the dormitory, ran aimlessly. A suffocating pressure on her chest. She felt like she might go crazy at any moment from the overwhelming frustration. ¡®Where did it all go wrong?¡¯ In fact, Choi Yeon-hwa knew. Jeong Dae-han and the other friends treated her insincerely. But she didn¡¯t particrly take issue with that. After all, everyone else was the same. From kindergarten until high school graduation. She spent all her educational years in South Korea¡¯s best private educational facilities. And all the people she met there were kind to her. ¡®Because I¡¯m the daughter of the Sam-Oh Group chairman.¡¯ Sam-Oh, the secondrgest conglomerate in the domestic business world. The title of being the only daughter of that ce was not something that could be dismissed simply as being happy because of having a lot of money. An education that was ruthlessly thorough. In it, the human ¡®Choi Yeon-hwa¡¯ didn¡¯t exist anywhere. She was the only daughter of the Sam-Oh Group chairman. Jeong Dae-han and the others were rtively decent friends to such a Choi Yeon-hwa. People she could exchange appropriate jokes with and eat together at good restaurants. Although Jeong Dae-han and the others were insincere, Choi Yeon-hwa believed that a kind of friendship had sprouted within that. ¡®Stupid¡­ Talking about friendship.¡¯ As she was running with her head down like that, Choi Yeon-hwa suddenly collided with something solid. ¡°What are you doing?¡± A man looking at her indifferently. It was Kang Hyeon. ¡°What¡¯s this? Your face is a mess. Why are you sobbing?¡± In fact, Kang Hyeon had already anticipated this situation. And he intentionally waited in a ce where Choi Yeon-hwa was likely to pass by. Yet, the reason he asked nonchntly, pretending not to know, was because such artificiality wasn¡¯t important to Choi Yeon-hwa right now. ¡°Brother Kang Hyeon¡­ Sob¡­¡± But when the situation actually arrived, he couldn¡¯t figure out what to do. ¡®Damn it. I¡¯d rather stick my head in a monster¡¯s mouth. What am I doing? Phew¡­¡¯ In the end, Kang Hyeon decided to act as usual. ¡°Want to have a beer?¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°Follow me.¡± The bewildered Choi Yeon-hwa ended up following Kang Hyeon out of the Ability User Cultivation School. The destination was a nearby convenience store. ¡°Do you have a favorite beer?¡± ¡°I like soju mixed with beer¡­¡± ¡°What are you, barely a month into being 20, looking for soju mixed with beer at a convenience store?¡± ¡°Then any beer here¡­¡± ¡°Forget it. I¡¯ll make you soju mixed with beer.¡± Kang Hyeon picked up beer and soju to give to Choi Yeon-hwa, and for himself, he chose the 355ml can beer he always drinks. The reason he insists on the small can is that it¡¯s easy to drink in one shot. ¡°Keuuu! It¡¯s refreshing, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Yes¡­¡± January, when cold winds blow. It was weather that couldn¡¯t affect Kang Hyeon at all, but Choi Yeon-hwa shivered slightly every time the wind brushed against her. ¡°At least wear this.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t people usually refuse once?¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°Never mind. Wear it. Heh.¡± Kang Hyeon¡¯s coat was so big that it was difficult for Choi Yeon-hwa to even drape it over herself. ¡°Are you frustrated?¡± ¡°Yes¡­¡± ¡°Actually, I received a request from your father. He asked me to scare you a bit so you wouldn¡¯t say you want to be an ability user.¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± Though taken aback by the sudden statement, Choi Yeon-hwa soon understood. Indeed, it wouldn¡¯t be strange for her father to make such a request. ¡°I thought about it, and you know what? Just do what you want to do. You seem to have talent.¡± ¡°But wouldn¡¯t that cause big trouble for you, brother Kang Hyeon?¡± ¡°Do I look like someone who cares about such things?¡± ¡°Haha. I guess not.¡± That¡¯s right. Kang Hyeon was always confident and did whatever he wanted. Choi Yeon-hwa became his fan, captivated by that freedom. ¡°You¡¯re 20 now too. It¡¯s only natural to do what you want and take responsibility for it yourself.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°What are you going to do about those hangers-on?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Hangers-on. It referred to Jeong Dae-han and his group. ¡°I don¡¯t know. I don¡¯t know who to believe anymore, or how to live. I can¡¯t think of anything. Maybe I¡¯m destined to never get along with others.¡± ¡°Such a small thing, already talking about destiny.¡± Kang Hyeon raised his hand and lightly flicked her forehead. ¡°I don¡¯t know what kind of life you¡¯ve lived. But if I had to guess, you¡¯ve probably been pushed around, burdened by something like responsibility.¡± ¡°Yes¡­¡± ¡°I may never know the weight of being the only heir to a prestigious family, but one thing is certain.¡± Kang Hyeon, who had emptied his beer can in one gulp, continued. ¡°You can do it.¡± ¡°Pardon¡­?¡± ¡°Whatever is weighing you down, just get rid of it. A situation where you can¡¯t do as you please? That might exist. But nothing is eternal. Do you know what I mean?¡± ¡°Honestly, I don¡¯t really understand¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m telling you not to be a ve to the situation. Otherwise, even when an opportunity to break free from constraintses, you won¡¯t be able to escape and will walk back into the pit on your own.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°And from what I see, that opportunity hase to you right now.¡± Choi Yeon-hwa, who had been quietly mulling over Kang Hyeon¡¯s words, seemed to have made some decision and smiled brightly. ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°But if possible, just go home and inherit the family business.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°That would be easier for me. And don¡¯t you think the life of a conglomerate chairman is worth experiencing at least once?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Kang Hyeon tried to smooth things over btedly, but it seemed toote to gloss over it now. *** Ippotrantion *** The curriculum of the Ability User Cultivation School. Unlike when Kang Hyeon was trained, there had been many changes, but the end was the same. Field practice. To graduate from the Ability User Cultivation School, one had to enter a dungeon and hunt monsters directly. ¡°Ugh¡­ I¡¯m so nervous.¡± ¡°Really? Maybe it¡¯s because I¡¯ve seen B-rank, but honestly, F-rank dungeon seems like it¡¯ll be easy.¡± The trainees, who had be quite close over the past two weeks, chatted as they moved. ¡°Choi Yeon-hwa, where are you going? Let¡¯s go together.¡± ¡°All of us hunting monsters together! It¡¯s so thrilling, isn¡¯t it?¡± And the thugs clinging to Choi Yeon-hwa were still the same. ¡°Yeah.¡± Choi Yeon-hwa replied indifferently. For a moment, Jeong Dae-han¡¯s eyes turned sharp. ¡°Hey, hey. If we coordinate well this time, it¡¯ll be easier when we tackle dungeons on our own next time.¡± But soon, as if nothing had happened, he smiled with his eyes and clung to Choi Yeon-hwa. ¡°Right. That¡¯s true.¡± Choi Yeon-hwa walked heavily, looking only straight ahead. It was apletely different appearance from her usual self, who always smiled and cared for those around her. Jeong Dae-han and his friends quickly exchanged nces. ¡®Is it already over?¡¯ ¡®No. If not today, we won¡¯t have a chance to change her mind. Hang on till the end.¡¯ Today was thest day of training. Once they leave this ce, they might never see Choi Yeon-hwa again. As Jeong Dae-han and the others were busy exchanging nces, it was then. ¡°We¡¯re here.¡± Kang Hyeon, who had arrived at the destination, stopped everyone. ¡°We¡¯ll start the hunt now. You should all know the procedure, but I¡¯ll exin once more.¡± Kang Hyeon spoke in a light tone, and all the trainees looked at his lips like baby birds looking at their mother bird. ¡°The opponent is baby Taranque. About ten of them will be faced by five trainees. Most baby Taranques can¡¯t spit acid, but asionally there are some that can, so be careful.¡± ¡°Instructor.¡± One trainee raised their hand. ¡°What happens if we get hit by the acid?¡± ¡°What do you mean what happens? It¡¯ll hurt a lot. Your skin might peel off and look hideous.¡± At Kang Hyeon¡¯s words, the trainees¡¯ faces turned pale. ¡°Tsk. The healing specialists standing by will take care of it without leaving scars, so don¡¯t worry about it.¡± ¡°Yes¡­¡± ¡°First, the assistant instructors will demonstrate, so watch carefully.¡± At Kang Hyeon¡¯s words, the assistant instructors moved to herd the Taranques. ¡°Here theye.¡± A momentter. Eleven Taranque herded by the assistant instructors gathered in one ce. And five assistant instructors stepped forward to engage inbat. ¡°As you can see, thebat ability of baby Taranque is very, very, very low. If you get hurt trying to catch just this, don¡¯t even think about bing an ability user and go out to study diligently instead.¡± As Kang Hyeon said, baby Taranques are weak. Although they were giant spiders the size ofrge dogs with threatening sharp legs, that was by normal human standards. For ability users equipped with armor, it was at a level where it would be difficult to get hurt even if they tried. ¡°Oh, oh, that one there. It¡¯s spitting poison. Watch carefully.¡± Suddenly, Kang Hyeon pointed at one Taranque. It made a gurgling sound, shivered its mouth, and soon spat out acid. The assistant instructors watched that scene carefully and then leisurely avoided the acid. ¡°As you can see, even when baby Taranques spit poison, they have a long preparation time and short range, so it¡¯s easy to avoid. If you¡¯re going to get hit by that, forget about bing an ability user. It means you have below-average talent.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Who knows. If you have about a hundred lives, you might try.¡± Throughout the battle, Kang Hyeon did his best to lower the morale of the trainees. While doing so, he carefully observed Choi Yeon-hwa¡¯s face. ¡®Haa, that won¡¯t do.¡¯ Apletely determined expression. An expression so resolute that no persuasion would work. Her two eyes held a firm will that was hard to see in a mere twenty-year-old. ¡°Tsk. Assistant instructors. If you¡¯re done, herd the monsters.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± The battle had ended before they knew it, and the assistant instructors moved to herd the Taranque that would fight with the trainees. ¡°Oh no, stop!¡± ¡°Yes¡­? Ack!¡± It was then. Suddenly, Kang Hyeon shouted urgently at one assistant instructor, but it was already toote. A man who appeared from somewhere had grabbed the back of the assistant instructor. ¡°And who are you?¡± The man was Caucasian. Judging by the fact that he didn¡¯t kill the assistant instructor and only held a knife to their neck, Kang Hyeon, thinking there was room for negotiation, spoke. ¡°Are you Kang Hyeon?¡± ¡°Speak Korean, you bastard.¡± Kang Hyeon¡¯s brow furrowed at the man¡¯s English. ¡°Ignorant fool. I asked if you¡¯re Kang Hyeon.¡± ¡°Ignorant fool? Are you crazy? And I understood what you said, you know? I¡¯m from a bigpany! An intern, but still.¡± That¡¯s right. No matter how ignorant Kang Hyeon was, he knew basic English like someone asking his name. He just didn¡¯t like English, that¡¯s all. ¡°Anyway, I am Kang Hyeon. What are you going to do about it?¡± ¡°Good. That¡¯s all I needed.¡± The man who grinned at Kang Hyeon¡¯s words threw something on the ground. At the same time, an enormous amount of magical power began to be sucked in. ¡°Ugh¡­ What the?!¡±n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om And a blue portal appeared. A portal that usually only appears when a dungeon is cleared formed next to the man. ¡°What scheme¡­¡± Kang Hyeon¡¯s expression, as he was speaking, turned to shock. Because an enormous number of foreigners poured out like a flood from thepleted portal. ¡°Haa¡­¡± Kang Hyeon, who sighed at the sight, roughly ran his hand through his hair. ¡°We¡¯re screwed.¡± Chapter 106 Chapter 106 The Grim Reaper Returns from Death (2) ¡°Haa¡­ This sucks¡­¡± Kang Hyeon sighed as he ran his hand through his hair. ¡°What¡¯s going on? Are those people ability users?¡± ¡°Look at that. Is that some kind of portal?¡± ¡°They¡¯re all foreigners.¡± ¡°Hey. Isn¡¯t this bad? Shouldn¡¯t we run away¡­?¡± The trainees, confused by the sudden situation, murmured among themselves. The instructors, equally unprepared for this scenario, could only stand there dumbfounded. ¡°Director. What¡¯s happening here¡­?¡± The former training director, Jeong Jong-ho, approached Kang Hyeon with an anxious expression. ¡°Don¡¯t move at all. Keep the students under control.¡± ¡°Excuse me¡­?¡± ¡°Just do as I say. If you want to live.¡± Jeong Jong-ho couldn¡¯t understand, but Kang Hyeon¡¯s expression was so frightening that he quietly nodded. ¡°Phew¡­¡± The ability users that kept pouring out seemed to number over 100. Each of them possessed considerably strong magical power. ¡®That unpleasant hybrid magic¡­ It¡¯s them after all.¡¯ Kang Hyeon knew the identity of that magic. The Kangshin Guild. More precisely, it was the magic possessed by the members of the Free Ability Users Liberation Alliance. Kang Hyeon looked at the man emitting an overwhelming magical power among them. It was magical power far stronger than any ability user he had seen so far. A level that couldn¡¯t even bepared to his own. ¡®What kind of monster is that?¡¯ Kang Hyeon estimated that the man¡¯s magic level would easily exceed 70. At the same time, Kang Hyeon thought this must be how others felt when they saw his strength and stamina. That¡¯s how overwhelmed Kang Hyeon was by the man¡¯s magical power. ¡°Mr. Kang Hyeon.¡± At that moment, Shin Seong-a, who was there as an instructor, cautiously approached. ¡°What.¡± ¡°Please run away.¡± ¡°What?¡± Kang Hyeon red at her sharply, but Shin Seong-a¡¯s face was serious. ¡°As you know, these are not ordinary people.¡± ¡°So?¡± ¡°To be frank. The life of you alone, Mr. Kang Hyeon, is more important than the lives of all these studentsbined. If we cause confusion by making all the trainees escape at once, at least you will be able to escape for sure.¡± Kang Hyeon smirked at Shin Seong-a¡¯s words. It reminded him of when he once thought about the weight of death. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡­¡± Suddenly, interrupting Kang Hyeon¡¯s words, two men approached. ¡°So you¡¯re Kang Hyeon.¡± ¡°¡­¡± One was the man Kang Hyeon assumed to be the leader, and the other seemed to be an interpreter. ¡°Nice to meet you. I am Bandarenko, the leader of the Free Ability Users Liberation Alliance.¡± Bandarenko spoke with a smile, but Kang Hyeon¡¯s expression remained cold. ¡°I doubt you came just to say hello. What¡¯s your purpose?¡± ¡°Purpose? Isn¡¯t it obvious? Revenge.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°You not only ruined our alliance¡¯s ns but also mercilessly crushed the assassin we sent. And you did it in front of everyone.¡± It was the story of Park Song-min. On the first day of the Ability User Cultivation School. When Kang Hyeon destroyed Park Song-min, some trainees recorded it and uploaded it to YouTube. And it went viral. The video of Park Song-min copsing surpassed ten million views in just a few days, and Park Song-min¡¯s identity was naturally revealed as well. Bandarenko had suffered from insomnia for days after that due to anger. ¡°I must restore the honor of our alliance that has been tarnished.¡± ¡°Haa¡­¡± ¡°Kang Hyeon. I¡¯ll make you a final offer. Come with us quietly. Then we¡¯ll let everyone here go unharmed.¡±n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om ¡°I¡¯ll do as you say, so send these people away right now.¡± Kang Hyeon had no choice. As he said, he would revive even if he died. But for the trainees gathered here, and Shin Seong-a, death would be the end. Saving their lives was the most important thing. ¡°Oh? I heard you were quite rebellious, but this is unexpected.¡± At that moment, Bandarenko smiled with a hint of madness. ¡°Kill them.¡± At Bandarenko¡¯s order, the man who first grabbed the instructor nodded. ¡°Huh, uh..? Aaaagh!¡± The dagger plunged deep into the instructor¡¯s neck in an instant. Kang Hyeon raged as he saw the instructor¡¯s neck cut off without a chance to react. ¡°You son of a bitch¡­ What the hell are you doing!?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it boring if things go too smoothly? Kuhahaha!¡± At the man¡¯s words, Kang Hyeon realized. ¡®This bastard never intended to let the people here go.¡¯ Kang Hyeon¡¯s mind raced quickly. ¡®There¡¯s no choice¡­¡¯ Having made a decision, Kang Hyeon called Shin Seong-a. ¡°Seong-a¡­¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Although it was almost a whisper, Shin Seong-a somehow heard and answered. ¡°When I give the signal, run away.¡± ¡°I refuse.¡± ¡°Listen to me. These bastards intend to kill us all. Someone needs to escape and report this.¡± ¡°Then you should escape, Mr. Kang Hyeon. I¡¯ll stay here.¡± Watching the two whispering, Bandarenko smiled mockingly. ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re plotting, but escaping from here is impossible. Just wait quietly for your death.¡± ¡°Shut up!¡± Kang Hyeon, yelling at Bandarenko, grabbed Shin Seong-a. ¡°Listen carefully. I don¡¯t die even if I¡¯m killed. I revive. It¡¯s hard to believe, but you have to. So, apart from me, the person with the highest chance of escaping from here is you. Do you understand?¡± Shin Seong-a was flustered by Kang Hyeon¡¯s rapid-fire words. ¡°Mr. Kang Hyeon. I don¡¯t understand what you¡¯re saying¡­¡± ¡°Get a grip! We don¡¯t have time!¡± Kang Hyeon looked straight into Shin Seong-a¡¯s eyes. ¡°This isn¡¯t a request, it¡¯s an order as your guild leader. Do you understand?¡± ¡°Yes¡­ I understand.¡± ¡°You must ry this situation to Team Leader Shin Tae-gil. I¡¯m counting on you.¡± Shin Seong-a nodded with a hardened expression. There were slight tears in her eyes. ¡°Is the strategy meeting over?¡± ¡°Yeah. Thanks to you, it ended well. Thank you.¡± Bandarenkoughed heartily at Kang Hyeon¡¯s words. ¡°Hahaha! I¡¯m really curious to see how you¡¯ll struggle. Hey, you¡¯re recording this well, right?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± A subordinate holding a camera responded to Bandarenko¡¯s words. It was a camera capable of filming inside dungeons, purchased at a great expense for today. ¡°Now, let¡¯s begin. The whole world will clearly see what happens to those who mess with our Free Ability Users Liberation Alliance.¡± ¡°You¡¯re talking nonsense.¡± At Bandarenko¡¯s deration, Kang Hyeon made an expression tinged with madness, different from before. ¡°Did you get shot in the head? What¡¯s with this middle school-like concept? And you guys attacked first, to begin with. Shit. Park Song-min? That assassin incident too. Why is it my fault he got beaten? You should have sent a strong guy from the start. You sent such a weak bastard, so that¡¯s what happened. Well, just looking at how you all rushed here, I can tell your level.¡± The interpreter froze, unable to say anything in response to Kang Hyeon¡¯s rapid-fire swearing. ¡°What did he say?¡± ¡°Well, that¡­¡± The interpreter didn¡¯t know what to do, but when Bandarenko red at him, he had no choice but to speak. ¡°¡­¡± Bandarenko¡¯s eyes trembled after hearing the interpreter¡¯s words. ¡°I was going to give you onest consideration out of respect for your manliness¡­ But I guess that¡¯s impossible now.¡± ¡°What are you going to do if it¡¯s not possible? Fuck you. You bastard! Go eat shit!¡± Kang Hyeon raised both hands and extended his middle fingers forcefully. [Roar of the Enraged Lion has been activated] [All enemies¡¯ morale and abilities have decreased] At the same time, Bandarenko also let out a roar. ¡°Kill him!¡± *** Ippotrantion *** The tension peaked to the point where her whole body tingled. Her chest felt like it would burst from the frustration. Irritation endlessly washed over her due to her inability to act as she wished. In the whirlpool of various emotions, Shin Seong-a took a deep breath. ¡°Phew¡­ Haah¡­¡± It was a situation where an ordinary person¡¯s mind would go nk, but Shin Seong-a felt her head bing clearer instead. -Listen carefully. I don¡¯t die even if I¡¯m killed. I revive. It¡¯s hard to believe, but you have to. He revives even if he dies. It was incredibly hard to believe. But she had to believe it. Because Kang Hyeon said so. Shin Seong-a could only believe and follow. -Grr. She must have unknowingly tensed up, as the sound of her teeth grinding could be heard. ¡®Soon¡­¡¯ The psychological warfare between Kang Hyn and Bandarenko reached its peak. ¡°Kill him¡± Bandarenko¡¯s shout finally erupted. As if it were a signal re, chaos broke out. ¡°Trainees! Run if you want to live!¡± ¡°Kyaaah!¡± ¡°Shit. What is this!?¡± ¡°Uwaah!¡± Kang Hyeon created magic spheres and threw them in all directions. It wasn¡¯t his usual movement considering magic distribution. It looked as if he was pouring out everything. With a thunderous sound, dust rose, and the trainees scattered in all directions. But most of them were caught by the enemies before they could go far. ¡®As stealthily as possible¡­¡¯ Shin Seong-a moved quickly between people while hiding her presence. Stealth was a specialty she was quite confident in. Although she hadn¡¯t reached the level of ability users specialized in assassination, when she was determined to hide, she rarely got caught. ¡°Kang Hyeon¡¯s subordinate is escaping!¡± ¡°Catch her!¡± Contrary to her thoughts just moments ago, they immediately noticed her. ¡®Were they watching me from the start?¡¯ Shin Seong-a judged that they had known her identity and watched her carefully from the beginning. -Taat! Shin Seong-a gave up on hiding her presence and ran towards the entrance with all her might. ¡°You there! Quickly chase her!¡± ¡°Surround her!¡± ¡°Block the path!¡± The enemies quickly formed a formation to block Shin Seong-a¡¯s path. There wasn¡¯t time to deal with all of them. ¡®Even if I take some damage, passing through is¡­¡¯ Her thoughts were interrupted. Because Kang Hyeon, who hade running from somewhere, jumped at the enemies. ¡°Get out of the way!¡± ¡°Argh!¡± Kang Hyeon rampaged in all directions without regard for his own body. ncing sideways, she could see that he had been wounded and was bleeding. ¡®I have to do the job given to me.¡¯ She wanted to help Kang Hyeon right away, but she couldn¡¯t waste the opportunity he had created with such effort. Shin Seong-a quickly passed by Kang Hyeon, taking advantage of the confusion. Thank you. I¡¯m sorry. She didn¡¯t say any words. Rather than wasting a breath on a single word, taking one more strong step forward was what she could do for Kang Hyeon. ¡°I believe in you!¡± Kang Hyeon¡¯s shout was heard from behind. Shin Seong-a didn¡¯t look back. She just ran towards the dungeon entrance. ¡°Haa, haa¡­¡± After running like that for a while. Finally, the dungeon entrance came into view. ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± Six ability users were standing in front of it. They were all foreigners. ¡°Phew¡­¡± Shin Seong-a slowed her pace to catch her breath. Checking behind, there were no enemies chasing her. ¡°Oh? A woman ising?¡± ¡°She¡¯s quite sexy!¡± ¡°Hahaha! You idiots! That¡¯s Kang Hyeon¡¯s subordinate, Shin Seong-a.¡± The ability users chattered excitedly among themselves in Russian. ¡°I was annoyed about just guarding the entrance, but to think such an opportunity would present itself! Alliance Leader, thank you!¡± ¡°Hahaha! There won¡¯t be any boring moments!¡± Shin Seong-a couldn¡¯t understand what they were saying, but it didn¡¯t matter. ¡®It¡¯s obvious anyway.¡¯ Just by their tone and atmosphere, she could already grasp enough. Criminals seemed to be not much different whether in Korea or abroad. ¡®What¡¯s important now is how to break through these guys.¡¯ Her specialty was long-rangebat. She was now somewhat confident in closebat after countless practice sessions, but that didn¡¯t give her the certainty of defeating these guys. ¡®These guys aren¡¯t just some random thugs.¡¯ They were clearly powerful ability users ustomed to battle, even at a nce. Their magical power would undoubtedly far surpass her level. In all likelihood, it was an impossible fight. ¡®But I still have to do it.¡¯ Shin Seong-a had been preparing endlessly for days like this. Remembering An Yu-seong who had been teaching her all this time, she drew her dagger. Chapter 107 Chapter 107 The Grim Reaper Returns from Death (3) Objectively speaking, Shin Seong-a¡¯sbat abilities weren¡¯t bad at all. Among all ability users, she could even be considered top-tier. However, Shin Seong-a always considered herselfcking and continuously strived to improve. Given that she was surrounded by monsters, this might have been natural in a way. After a year of such effort, Shin Seong-a was proud of herself. She felt reassured by her rapidly improving skills. At least until a month ago. ¡°You guys are pretty amazing too.¡± The battle with the boss in the Veil of the Maze thoroughly shattered hercency. Extreme helplessness. And anger. The emotions she felt there began to whip Shin Seong-a into action once again. ¡°Mr. An Yu-seong.¡± ¡°Oh, Older sister. What¡¯s the matter?¡± Shin Seong-a approached An Yu-seong, who was in the middle of training, and spoke directly. ¡°I want to be stronger.¡± At those words, An Yu-seong, who had been swinging his sword, came to an abrupt stop. Wiping away the sweat dripping down, An Yu-seong looked at Shin Seong-a. ¡°Why so suddenly?¡± ¡°I realized my shorings in this recent battle. I guess that¡¯s also why you¡¯re training so hard, unlike usual, Mr. An Yu-seong.¡± It was true. An Yu-seong had also received quite a shock from the battle with Veil. Because of that, An Yu-seong, who usually spent his time at the guild office when not conquering dungeons, had been holed up in the training room for days now.N?v(el)B\\jnn ¡°You must be busy, but please, I¡¯m asking you.¡± An Yu-seong was about to refuse, but when Shin Seong-a even bowed her head to ask, he couldn¡¯t bring himself to do so. ¡°Alright. Well, training with older sister might be quite interesting too.¡± And so, An Yu-seong¡¯s one-on-one tailored training began. ¡°Older sister. You have a skill rted to eyesight, right? Or maybe it¡¯s an ability. It could even be a unique ability.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a unique ability. How did you know?¡± Shin Seong-a was taken aback. She had never mentioned it before, but An Yu-seong seemed to have already known about her core ability. ¡°That¡¯s obvious if I watch you fight. To excel in closebat like you want now, we first need to look at what your strengths are.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± ¡°Older sister¡¯s strengths are exceptional eyesight, agility, flexibility, archery skills, cool-headed situation assessment, and decentbat sense.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°That¡¯s how I see it. There are a few more, but those are the main core. Whether it¡¯s close-range or long-rangebat, thinking about how to utilize these strengths as a fundamental basis is where we start.¡± ¡°I understand.¡± Developing based on one¡¯s strengths and specialties. An Yu-seong¡¯s words could be considered orthodox. ¡°Hmm, I just thought about it¡­ Older sister. You¡¯ve seen me fight often, right?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°I think you should move much more acrobatically than me. Very acrobatically! You know what I mean?¡± ¡°Is that possible..?¡± Honestly, she wasn¡¯t confident. Abandoning her existing fighting style and trying something new was challenging enough, but the more serious problem was being told to move more nimbly than An Yu-seong. At that level, even professional circus performers would probably shake their heads. ¡°We won¡¯t know until we try. Still, my instincts tell me there¡¯s a pretty high chance it¡¯ll work.¡± An Yu-seong grinned, uttering words that could be either a joke or serious. ¡°Then let¡¯s start with the basics. Watch carefully.¡± An Yu-seong took out two daggers from his inventory. He throws a dagger with one hand and catches it with the other. It was juggling using daggers. ¡°You can do this easily, right?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Then how about this?¡± Gradually, new daggers began to be added to An Yu-seong¡¯s hands. While juggling, he was taking out new daggers from his inventory and adding them to the mix. The two daggers he started with had now be eight. ¡°Hmm¡­ I think I could do it with a bit of practice.¡± Thanks to her enhanced physical abilities, the juggling itself wasn¡¯t too difficult. The real challenge was instantly taking out new daggers from the inventory and throwing them urately. But even that seemed doable with practice. ¡°Then how about this?¡± Shin Seong-a¡¯s eyes widened at the trick An Yu-seong performed then. ¡°That¡¯s¡­!¡± An Yu-seong was constantly changing the weapons he was juggling. The moment he caught a weapon, he put it into his inventory and simultaneously took out a new one to throw again. Moreover, unlike before, they weren¡¯t even all daggers. All sorts of equipment were flying through the air at incredible speed, going in and out of the inventory. ¡°That¡¯s impossible.¡± While juggling, he was putting two or three items per second into the inventory while simultaneously taking them out. This wasn¡¯t juggling anymore; it was a feat that would be challenging even if you were just asked to do it with weapons spread out on the ground. ¡°Older sister, you need to master this.¡± Even as he spoke, An Yu-seong continued throwing weapons. He even seemed able to control it, changing the types of weapons uniformly. One moment, daggers were cutting through the air in a line, and the next, maces were rising in session. Shin Seong-a stopped trying to figure out the extent of this crazy man¡¯s abilities before her. ¡°Sigh, is there a reason for this?¡± ¡°Youck power. So you have no choice but to create openings through unpredictability and attack vital points.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± ¡°If your talent for magic was at Brother Kang Hyeon¡¯s level, this might have been unnecessary, but from what I see, your magic talent is average. It might even be below that.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°So this is the only way.¡± Shin Seong-a understood the conclusion An Yu-seong reached. However, she couldn¡¯tprehend the content. ¡°Could you show me specifically what method you mean?¡± ¡°Then, I¡¯ll attack, so try to block it, okay?¡± ¡°Alright.¡± An Yu-seong and Shin Seong-a faced each other. Shin Seong-a held a dagger, while An Yu-seong was empty-handed. ¡°Here Ie.¡± Suddenly, three red daggers appeared in An Yu-seong¡¯s hands. Without a moment¡¯s hesitation, An Yu-seong threw the daggers at Shin Seong-a. -Swoosh The daggers flew at an incredible speed. The uracy was needless to say. As soon as An Yu-seong threw the daggers, he began running too. This was a method he often used. Shin Seong-a quickly tried to react. Or rather, she attempted to react. ¡®Oh no!¡¯ A new dagger was flying towards the direction Shin Seong-a was trying to dodge. After drawing attention with the three red daggers at first, he had thrown a dark-colored dagger that went unnoticed. -Ting! Fortunately, Shin Seong-a managed to deflect the dagger with her excellent reflexes. But that was the end. An Yu-seong¡¯s dagger was already at her throat. ¡°How was it?¡± ¡°I¡¯m baffled¡­¡± ¡°Right? You probably think it¡¯s absurd even to yourself. To fall for such a simple trick. But whether you fall for a trick or a serious all-out attack, if you die, that¡¯s the end.¡± Having already witnessed numerous deaths, Shin Seong-a understood this acutely. ¡°Unpredictability. Older sister, you need to constantly create variables. Almost to the point where it bes instinct.¡± ¡°What are some examples?¡± ¡°Could you swing your sword at me once? With full force.¡± At An Yu-seong¡¯s words, Shin Seong-a swung her sword with all her might. -ng! The strength of ability users far exceedsmon sense. An Yu-seong used the strong recoil from the sword sh to propel himself backward. Simultaneously, he created daggers in both hands and threw them. -Thud! The daggers flew past both sides of Shin Seong-a¡¯s head and embedded themselves in the wall. ¡°Like this, you throw daggers while rushing at the enemy again.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± ¡°Ability users are using excessive strengthpared to their body weight. If you use this well, even if the opponent is stronger, you can turn it into your advantage.¡± ¡°I understand what you mean.¡± ¡°You might think, ¡®Is that all? Everyone thinks of that.¡¯ And you¡¯re right. But I¡¯ve never seen anyone truly utilize this properly. Everyone knows it in their head, but their body doesn¡¯t follow.¡± ¡°I see¡­¡± ¡°To add to this exnation, you should use a bow like me throwing daggers, but it would be even better for you to use a bow.¡± ¡°Use a bow in closebat?¡± ¡°Get rid of your preconceptions. We need to use your strengths. A bow is much stronger than daggers. What if, in that moment of jumping back like just now, you switched to a bow and fired an arrow? What if it was a powerful magic arrow? The battle could end in an instant. Moreover, if you dodge an enemy¡¯s attack and simultaneously shoot an arrow right in their face? They¡¯d usually be flustered and create an opening.¡± Shin Seong-a finally realized what An Yu-seong was ultimately trying to say. ¡°It won¡¯t be an easy path, will it?¡± ¡°There are paths that seem rtively easier. Like using poison on weapons. But those things ultimately have limits. You could say they¡¯re meaningless without a foundation in the basics.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± ¡°Someone of your caliber can definitely do it. It¡¯ll take quite some time though.¡± ¡°I understand. Thank you for your guidance.¡± After that, Shin Seong-a devoted herself to training, even cutting into her sleeping time. When her condition was good, she sparred with An Yu-seong, and when her stamina was low, she practiced alone. Days passed like this: training through the night until exhaustion took over, falling asleep, and then sparring with An Yu-seong again upon waking. *** Ippotrantion *** ¡°Hahaha! Hey, what are you nning to do with that cute little dagger?¡± ¡°I doubt it could even draw a drop of blood if it stabbed me.¡± ¡°Hahahahaha!¡± The ability users of the Liberation Alliance exchanged unfunny jokes among themselves andughed boisterously. Most of it was iprehensible, a mix of English and Russian, but that wasn¡¯t particrly important right now. ¡°You there. Your name was Shin Seong-a? Why don¡¯t you just quietly surrender?¡± The bald-headed one addressed her in broken English. Shin Seong-a smirked and raised her hands. ¡°Xuck you. Xtich¡± (Fuck you. Bitch.) The bald man was startled by the sudden burst of quintessential English profanity. ¡°You. mouth is Bitch. You so Xucking Xussy.¡± (You. All talk. Such a fucking pussy.) A barrage of curses followed. Shin Seong-a had a mocking smile on her lips, further provoking the anger of those watching. As expected, the bald man, now enraged to his scalp, turned beet red. ¡°Suka! I¡¯ll tear that insolent mouth of yours right now!¡± The furious baldy charged forward with a roar. Shin Seong-a quickly threw her jacket. -Swish The bald man snorted at the jacket flying towards his face. ¡°What kind of cheap trick is this!?¡± He swung his sword, easily cutting the jacket in two. ¡°Pavel! Danger!¡± A sudden shout from behind. Simultaneously, the face of the bald man called Pavel hardened. ¡®Damn it. To fall for such a cheap trick¡­¡¯ An arrow flew along with the jacket. It was aimed precisely at Pavel¡¯s eye. ¡°Aaargh! Paveeel!¡± ¡°Kill that bitch right now!¡± Hisrades charged forward with angry howls at Pavel¡¯s futile death. ¡°I¡¯ll tear you to shreds!¡± ¡°Ring of Fire!¡± ¡°Bonds of Sin.¡± Although it was a life-or-death situation, Shin Seong-a remained calm. ¡®Five enemies left now. Three are closebat types, and two are proficient in magic.¡¯ Even as she thought this, her feet were in constant motion. ¡°How is she so fast!?¡± ¡°This little rat!¡± Shin Seong-a avoided all attacks with dazzling movements like a circus performer and quickly ran to the back. -Thwack! Arrows flew in rapid session. Her uracy was unbelievable for someone shooting while running. ¡°Mere arrows!¡± The man casting magic from behind calmly deployed a defensive spell despite the sudden attack. -Boom! The magic arrow collided with the barrier, raising dust with a thunderous sound. ¡°Where are you.¡± The man still maintained his barrier, prepared for any eventuality. ¡°Watch out!¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°It¡¯sing from above!¡± He quickly looked up at hisrade¡¯s warning, but it was toote. What he saw was Shin Seong-a plunging a dagger down at his head. -Crack! ¡°You idiots! Wake up!¡± ¡°I told you all not to let your guard down! How could this happen with just one girl?!¡± As tworades fell in an instant, the others became alert. Shin Seong-a and the enemies red at each other in a standoff. ¡®It¡¯ll be hard to use surprise or tricks anymore.¡¯ She had taken out two by exploiting their carelessness, but now they were seriously on guard. It seemed she¡¯d have to break through head-on. ¡®There¡¯s no time to hesitate.¡¯ It would be disastrous if she got caught by thoseing from behind. The precious opportunity Kang-hyeon had created. She absolutely must not fail. Having organized her thoughts, Shin Seong-a nocked three arrows at once. Then she moved her arm at an incredible speed, unleashing a torrent of arrows. She had hundreds of each type of arrow stacked in her inventory anyway. Having practiced countless times to retrieve items from her inventory, her rate of fire was like that of a machine gun. ¡®This will only buy time. I need to get close somehow to finish them.¡¯ But the enemies were also high-level ability users. They easily dodged the iing arrows, and even when arrows did hit, they merely bounced off their armor without prating. ¡°Got you!¡± A man who had broken through the arrow rain lunged at Shin Seong-a with his spear. Shin Seong-a quickly twisted her body to avoid the spear and swung her dagger. -ng! Sparks flew as the dagger scraped against the armor. ¡°Do you know how much this costs? That toy knife of yours won¡¯t even scratch¡­¡± The man speaking smugly in English suddenly yelped and swung his spear. An arrow was flying towards his face. -ng! ¡®Damn, what power this arrow has..!¡¯ But this arrow wasn¡¯t like the previous wooden ones. A solid piece of iron. The heavy arrow, with shaft, tip, and fletching all made of steel, packed apletely different level of power. ¡®This is bad!¡¯ Shin Seong-a had deliberately used only light arrows with weak power. Because of this, the man who had grown ustomed to them couldn¡¯t properly deflect the suddenly powerful arrow. The man¡¯s arm was pushed back, creating a small opening. Shin Seong-a didn¡¯t miss that moment and closed in, thrusting her dagger. ¡°Urk, ugh¡­¡± The dagger pierced the seam of the armor near the man¡¯s neck. ¡°Looks like more than a drop of blood ising out. Don¡¯t you think?¡± The man red at Shin Seong-a with bloodshot eyes. ¡°In your next life, it might be better to improve your skills rather than your armor.¡± Shin Seong-a smirked, meeting his gaze directly. She twisted and pulled out the dagger, and with an unpleasant sound, blood gushed out like a waterfall. ¡°Guhurk!¡± ¡°Dan!! Damn it!¡± As the man, Dan, spewed blood, Shin Seong-a kicked him away and raised her hand, waggling her index finger. ¡°Come on.¡± Chapter 108 Chapter 108 The Grim Reaper Returns from Death (4) ¡°How far have we progressed?¡± ¡°Most have been transported back to our country. We had to kill a few that were difficult to subdue, but¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s enough.¡± Bandarenko shook his head, cutting off his subordinate¡¯s words. ¡°It¡¯s not a problem if we lose a few. More importantly¡­ How long does that guy intend to rampage?¡± Bandarenko frowned as he looked ahead. At the end of his gaze was Kang-hyeon, who was fighting alone against numerous alliance members. ¡°Arghhhh!¡± ¡°What are you doing! He¡¯s just one man!¡± A carpet bombing of magic was unleashed. These were the elite of the alliance. Because Bandarenko had personally imbued them with magical power, they possessed higher magical levels than ordinary ability users. They continuously poured out magic based on their overflowing magical power. -Boom boom boom boom! The magic raining down on Kang Hyeon created blinding light and thunderous sounds. ¡°Is he dead¡­?¡± ¡°Shut up!¡± Someone uttered a foolish line as they watched the rising dust cloud. After a moment. As the dust settled, Kang Hyeon appeared standing unscathed in the middle. ¡°Hah, good job.¡± In Kang Hyeon¡¯s hand was a corpse reduced to rags. After throwing away the corpse he had been using as a shield, Kang Hyeon moved again. ¡°Damn it! Deploy binding magic!¡± ¡°It¡¯s not working!¡± ¡°Warriors. Throw your bodies at him and capture him if you have to!¡± From the perspective of those facing him, Kang Hyeon was truly an irregr. He was a monster outside of normal standards. Even their alliance leader Bandarenko couldn¡¯t show such movements against this many opponents. ¡°It¡¯s over.¡± While everyone was flustered by Kang Hyeon¡¯s unexpected performance, Bandarenko coldly analyzed the situation. ¡°The speed at which his body is recovering has noticeably slowed. It seems his stamina is already exhausted.¡± Bandarenko¡¯s words were correct. Although Kang Hyeon tried his best to act as if nothing was wrong, even that had reached its limit now. In a situation where it was difficult to move even a finger, he was moving solely on willpower. ¡°Ugh¡­¡± ¡°Hah, hah¡­¡± Kang Hyeon, who had just stabbed his sword into another person¡¯s neck, breathed heavily. ¡°You monstrous bastard!¡± ¡°That¡¯s enough. He¡¯s exhausted now too. Just surround him like this.¡± The alliance memberspletely surrounded Kang Hyeon. They too sensed that Kang Hyeon had reached his limit. ¡°Phew, hey. Are you listening?¡± Kang Hyeon muttered in a small voice. -¡­ It was directed at Veil, who was sleeping, or rather pretending to sleep, inside Bilgein¡¯s Longsword in his hand. ¡°I¡¯m asking for thest time. Help me.¡± -¡­ Bilgein¡¯s Longsword had gained even more power when Veil dwelled in it. But that was all. The sword¡¯s control hadpletely passed to Veil, and Kang Hyeon couldn¡¯t use any of his previous abilities at all. The Bilgein¡¯s greatsword in Kang Hyeon¡¯s hand now was just a hard and sharp sword. ¡°Whether you help or not, I¡¯m going to die anyway. But you know what?¡± Kang Hyeon gripped Bilgein¡¯s greatsword tightly. ¡°Aren¡¯t you pissed off? You kept bragging about being a great knight. bbering about honor and protection. But is this it in the end? Is your pride so important when innocent kids are about to be caught and killed by those Russian bastards?¡± As Kang Hyeon was speaking, Bandarenko slowly approached. ¡°Give up. If you surrender quietly even now, we¡¯re willing to spare your life.¡± The interpreter¡¯s words tranting Bandarenko¡¯s speech stabbed at Kang Hyeon¡¯s ears. ¡®Talking nonsense about sparing my life.¡¯ He never intended to live from the beginning. But Kang Hyeon needed to buy time. ¡°Will you really spare me?¡± Excited by Kang Hyeon¡¯s response, the interpreter eagerly exined. ¡°Mr. Kang Hyeon. Listen to me carefully. If you surrender now, Mr. Bandarenko here will give you an important position in the alliance and also¡­¡± While letting the interpreter¡¯s exnation flow past his ears, Kang Hyeon continued to address Veil. ¡°I¡¯m telling you for thest time. Help me.¡± -Even if I help, you¡¯ll die anyway. Finally, a response came from Veil. ¡°Didn¡¯t you hear what I said earlier? Even if I die, I¡¯ll revive.¡± -You expect me to believe such a lie¡­ ¡°What if it¡¯s true?¡± Veil fell silent at Kang Hyeon¡¯s words. ¡°If I die like this and revive¡­ Do you know what I¡¯ll do first? I¡¯ll throw your useless ass into a furnace! You son of a bitch!¡± ¡°Um, Mr. Kang Hyeon¡­?¡± When Kang Hyeon suddenly shouted, unable to contain his anger, the interpreter was taken aback. ¡°I¡¯m thinking, so wait!¡± After snapping at the interpreter, Kang Hyeon addressed Veil again. ¡°Phew, so I¡¯m asking for your help. If you help me now¡­¡± -If I help? ¡°Let¡¯s properly beat those guys together. Let¡¯s revive spectacrly, smash them all, and save the people too.¡± Even at Kang Hyeon¡¯s words, Veil¡¯s response was skeptical. -Is that possible? The magical power possessed by their leader is greater than the magical power I had when I became undead. At that level, it would be someone renowned in a country during the time I was alive¡­ ¡°You talk too much. How did you hold back until now when you were so itching to fight?¡± -Is this the time for such jokes¡­ ¡°Fuck. What are you going to do if it doesn¡¯t work? Are you just going to bury your head because we¡¯re going to lose anyway? Is that the chivalry you talk about?¡± -¡­ ¡°If that¡¯s chivalry and honor, I can see why you were stuck in that dungeon.¡± -Watch your mouth. ¡°If you don¡¯t want to help, get lost. Bastard. I can do it alone without you.¡± Kang Hyeon, who had lightly stretched his body, slowly walked forward. ¡°Hey, interpreter.¡± ¡°Yes? Yes!¡± ¡°Are you Korean?¡± ¡°Yes. That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°Then why are you working under that Russian criminal?¡± ¡°Well, I had no choice¡­¡± ¡°Nevermind. Tell the guy with the biggest nose next to you that I¡¯ve lost.¡± ¡°Understood!¡± The interpreter, his face brightening considerably, excitedly rattled off something in Russian. It was when Bandarenko was smiling triumphantly after hearing those words. ¡°And also tell him that we¡¯ll continue the second round in hell.¡± ¡°Huh..?¡± As the interpreter wore a stupid expression, explosive power surged through Kang Hyeon¡¯s entire body. ¡°You were going to help anyway, why y hard to get.¡± Kang Hyeon grinned as he charged towards Bandarenko, who was staring with disbelief. *** Ippotrantion *** Bandalenko looked down at Kang Hyeon arrogantly with his arms crossed. ¡°What is he saying?¡± ¡°He says he has lost.¡± Bandalenko smiled with satisfaction at the interpreter¡¯s words. ¡°As he should. Tell him not to worry, I¡¯ll spare his life. Heh.¡± It wasn¡¯t a lie. Bandalenko intended to let Kang Hyeon live. ¡®I can¡¯t just kill someone with that level of magical power.¡¯ Thoroughly. He would squeeze out everyst drop of magical power. Until he could no longer be called an ability user. After that, he would sell him for a high price to those who research the bodies of ability users. ¡®Since he¡¯s world-renowned, I should get quite a hefty sum.¡¯ It was while Bandalenko was counting his chickens before they hatched. Kang Hyeon said something again. ¡°Huh¡­?¡± The interpreter¡¯s face showed a dumbfounded expression. ¡°What did he just sa-¡° Bandalenko couldn¡¯t finish his sentence. Because Kang Hyeon flew at him with a speed twice as fast as what he had shown until now. ¡°Hup!¡± Bandalenko hurriedly poured all his magical power into creating a defensive wall. This should easily block most attacks, but it seemed insufficient against Kang Hyeon. -Kwaaaang! As expected, all the defensive walls were shattered with one attack from Kang Hyeon. ¡°To think this is human power¡­¡± Bandalenko, who had already retreated to the back, used all sorts of magic to confuse Kang Hyeon¡¯s vision. ¡°What are you!¡±n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om Kang Hyeon was holding a hammer that looked like it would weigh tons with just one hand. Bandalenko unconsciously swallowed at the sight that seemed to defy thews of physics. ¡°What¡¯s the big nose saying? Speak Korean!¡± Seeing Kang Hyeon rushing towards him again, Bandalenko quickly assessed the situation. ¡®A one-time skill. The power that can onlye from a skill premised on self-sacrifice.¡¯ Having intuited Kang Hyeon¡¯s weakness, he shouted urgently. ¡°Don¡¯t engage, just buy time! Focus on enduring!¡± It was then. Kang Hyeon, who had already broken through the surrounding ability users, was right in front of him. ¡®Too fast!¡¯ It was a speed that was unbelievable for handling such weight. The startled Bandalenko once again poured out his magical power. ¡®This should be enough to endure!¡¯ In that split second. Bandalenkoyered four types of shield magic multiple times and used six spells to strengthen his body, but -Kwaaang! ¡°Kuhek!¡± It was useless. Bandalenko¡¯s bones broke helplessly like twigs when grazed by the hammer. ¡°The Alliance leader is in danger!¡± ¡°Everyone, move!¡± Due to the overwhelming impact, Bandalenko flew over 100 meters. That situation saved Bandalenko¡¯s life. While Kang Hyeon was surrounded by Union members again, Bandalenko hurriedly deployed healing magic. ¡°Huff, huff! That monster!¡± It was a power that Bandalenko¡¯smon sense simply couldn¡¯tprehend. Strong abilities are apanied by corresponding recoil. To eliminate that, one had to raise all abilities and stats evenly, and make the stats truly one¡¯s own through painful effort. Nevertheless, Bandalenko only managed to stabilize his magical power alone. This was because his body couldn¡¯t handle the excessively high magical power. ¡°But what is that guy¡­¡± However, Kang Hyeon now had overwhelming levels of strength, agility, and stamina, all visibly increased. ¡°You¡¯re saying the body can withstand that?¡± No. Forget about the body enduring, the mind would copse. A level of pain that would make being burned by fire or shed by des feel like child¡¯s y would surge. There was no way a human could endure that level of pain. ¡°Kuuk¡­ Kuk. Run away¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s not human. It¡¯s not something we can handle¡­¡± The Kang Hyeon reflected in Bandalenko¡¯s eyes hadpletely transcended the realm of humanity. Now he didn¡¯t even think about avoiding the magic directed at him. A literal berserker. A man crazy for battle. Kang Hyeon focused solely on killing the enemy. Those who could be considered the elite of the Alliance were annihted in less than 5 minutes. No, they were reduced to mere puddles of blood. ¡°¡­¡± Looking around at the subordinates who were still alive, none were unscathed. Bandalenko¡¯s fist, clenched tight with tension, began to tremble. ¡®Even if their bodies were fine, it would have been useless anyway.¡¯ Everyone was terrified. And Bandalenko was no different. ¡®Is he not human¡­¡¯ In his eyes, Kang Hyeon was a grim reaper returned from death. ¡°Kuhek, kuhuhek¡­¡± Finally, after 5 minutes had passed, Kang Hyeon, drained of all strength, could no longer run. Kang Hyeon was walking like a dying person. The huge hammer and the brilliantly glowing red sword had disappeared. ¡°Kukuk¡­¡± But his eyes were still burning. Facing Kang Hyeon¡¯s eyes, Bandalenko was nothing more than a mere herbivore before a beast of prey. ¡°¡­¡± A moment of silence. The only sound was Kang Hyeon¡¯s powerless footsteps scraping the ground. Atst, Kang Hyeon approached right in front of him, and Bandalenko gulped. ¡°Gi, gi¡­ Ra. Da¡­ Onda¡­¡± Korean words heard in a very faint voice. After uttering only those words, Kang Hyeon copsed to the ground. ¡°Huff, huff¡­¡± Only then did Bandalenko take a breath and carefully examine Kang Hyeon. ¡°He¡¯s dead.¡± His heart hadpletely stopped. Upon confirming this, Bandalenko sat down as if copsing. Chapter 109 Chapter 109 Frontal Attack (1) ¡°Ugh¡­¡± Her head was throbbing. Choi Yeon-hwa, who was groaning lightly, carefully opened her eyes. ¡°Where am I?¡± It was a ce she had never been before. A gloomy darkness and a humidity that made her body feel ufortable rose up. Choi Yeon-hwa tried to recall why she was in such an unfamiliar ce. ¡®Strangers appeared during the dungeon practice¡­¡¯ She had resisted them but was ambushed and lost consciousness. And now. She was in a ce she had never been before in her life. Looking around, she could see a few students who had been in training with her gathered together. ¡°Are you awake?¡± A man carefully examined herplexion. Choi Yeon-hwa didn¡¯t know his name, but she remembered seeing him during the training. ¡°Where are we?¡± ¡°We¡¯re not sure either. We haven¡¯t been conscious for long¡­ One thing¡¯s for sure though, it seems to be a prison.¡± ¡°You¡¯re right.¡± From any angle, this ce was a prison. The narrow room was surrounded by solid cement walls on all sides. The door was a thick iron gate, and the narrow iron bars on it were the only passage connecting to the outside. ¡°What happened to the others?¡± ¡°It seems they¡¯re held in different rooms. I heard Korean a little while ago. Mostly curses and screams though.¡± ¡°Screams¡­?¡± ¡°I think they were caught trying to escape.¡± Choi Yeon-hwa quickly understood the situation. The people captured here were ability users. Each carried weapons in their inventory, and some even used skills. There must have been people with enough power to break out of this stuffy prison in an instant. ¡°They tortured the captured people. There were screams for a while, but after that, it seems no one dares to think about escaping.¡± ¡°By ¡®they¡¯, do you mean the foreigners who came to the dungeon?¡± ¡°Yes. From what I¡¯ve heard, they seem to be Russians.¡± ¡°Russians¡­¡± Hearing this, Yeon-hwa thought that they might not even be in South Korea anymore. ¡®Those guys came through a portal back then. There¡¯s no guarantee that the exit leads to Korea¡­¡¯ Just as she was organizing her thoughts. -Click! Suddenly, the thick iron door opened. And two foreigners appeared. ¡°Follow.¡± One man spoke in broken Korean. Choi Yeon-hwa and the people trapped in the room hesitated, not knowing what to do. ¡°Follow!¡± ¡°Argh!¡± In an instant, the man kicked the person in front of him. ¡°Follow.¡± The guy seemed to only know how to say ¡°follow¡± in Korean. For a moment, Choi Yeon-hwa pondered. Should she take out her weapon and resist? But there was no guarantee of escape even if she defeated this guy. The people captured with her were all low-level trainees. In contrast, these guys seemed to be quite powerful ability users. ¡°Let¡¯s just do as he says for now.¡± The man who had woken Choi Yeon-hwa said. The hesitant people nodded and stood up. As they went out into the corridor, they could see quite a lot of people gathered. About 30 people in total. There were 5 people in Choi Yeon-hwa¡¯s room, so people hade out of 6 rooms in total. Among them were Jeong Dae-han and his subordinates. ¡°Wee, everyone.I¡¯m Oh Jeong-su. I know you must be very confused right now, but please follow the instructions well.¡± Waiting for them outside was an Asian man with an arrogant expression. As familiar Korean words were heard, shouts erupted here and there. ¡°Where are we?!¡± ¡°Who are these people? Send us home!¡± ¡°Do you think you¡¯ll get away with this?! Do you know who my father is?!¡± Oh Jeong-su, who had been listening to these words, stretched out his hand. ¡°You there.¡± ¡°Y-yes?¡± ¡°Yeah, you. Come here.¡± ¡°Why should Ie out?!¡± The man reacted with confusion and resistance to Oh Jeong-su¡¯s words. ¡°You said you wanted to go home. I¡¯ll send you. Come out.¡± Oh Jeong-su was suddenly speaking informally. His tone was oppressive and arrogant, but the man, overwhelmed by the atmosphere, couldn¡¯t say anything. ¡°Bring the man¡±. At Oh Jeong-su¡¯s words, white men with sturdy builds approached the man. ¡°W-what? What¡¯s going on!?¡± The man resisted desperately, but it was useless. The difference in strength between the man and these guys was more severe than between a child and an adult. They easily subdued the man and brought him in front of Oh Jeong-su. ¡°You want to go home?¡± ¡°Yes¡­¡± The now cowed man lowered his eyes obediently. Oh Jeong-su, who had been looking at the man indifferently, suddenly pped him. -p! With that one p, the man realized his position. ¡°Kuhek!¡± Blood burst out at once, and his teeth shook. -p, p! ¡°You want to go home? Huh?¡± ¡°N-no¡­¡± -p! ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you wanted to go home?¡± The man¡¯s face swelled up instantly, making it difficult even to open his eyes. The man was now clinging to Oh Jeong-su¡¯s trouser leg. ¡°I¡¯m, I¡¯m sorry¡­¡± The man pleaded, but Oh Jeong-su kicked him away mercilessly. ¡°You want to go home? Huh?! Can¡¯t you read the situation?!¡± ¡°Kueo¡­¡± The man, who had been beaten to a pulp in less than 5 minutes, finally lost consciousness. ¡°Take him away¡±. At Oh Jeong-su¡¯s words, the men took the unconscious man away. Oh Jeong-su pped his hands to clear the atmosphere and looked at the people. ¡°Does anyone else have something to say?¡± No one dared to raise their heads at Oh Jeong-su¡¯s words. They were all ability users, but after all, they were just novices who hadn¡¯t even properly experienced a dungeon yet. The fully armed enemies even had guns, so they didn¡¯t even dare think of resisting. ¡°Good. Please follow along nicely when we¡¯re being this gentlemanly.¡± *** Ippotrantion *** The ce Oh Jeong-su led to was a damp za. Many Koreans were gathered there, most of whom seemed to be in simr circumstances. ¡®What¡¯s that?¡¯ Meanwhile, Choi Yeon-hwa was busy assessing her surroundings. A massive machine she had never seen before. People with countless needles inserted into their bodies and machines attached. Among them were Jeong Dae-han¡¯s group, who used to be Choi Yeon-hwa¡¯s friends. With bizarre devices attached all over their bodies, they showed clear signs of beating and seemed to have lost consciousness. ¡°Now, each of you will need to describe your status window in detail. If you lie, you see those people over there?¡± Oh Jeong-su pointed towards the machines. ¡°You¡¯ll end up like them. Those things stuck in their bodies aren¡¯t for health checkups. They¡¯re specially processed ¡®items¡¯. Do you know what happens to those peopleter?¡± Oh Jeong-su looked around with a sinister smile. ¡°Their magic will be drained until they die. After sucking out everyst drop, we¡¯ll sell them off. The good thing is, being ability users, they fetch a decent price.¡± People¡¯s faces turned pale at Oh Jeong-su¡¯s words. ¡°If you don¡¯t want to end up like that, follow instructions well. Come forward one by one, state your physical stats, skills, and ability list, then step onto the machine in front of me.¡± People didn¡¯t dare to resist. They simply came forward obediently, looked at their status windows, stated their stats, and repeatedly stepped onto the adjacent machine. The machine was arge cylindrical shape, and numbers appeared like a scale each time someone stepped on it. Oh Jeong-su diligently recorded these along with their physical abilities. ¡®That number¡­ It¡¯s proportional to magic.¡¯ Choi Yeon-hwa, who had been observing these numbers closely, quickly realized what they were. It was a magic measuring device. There was clearly a consistent proportional rtionship between the magic figures people stated and the numbers appearing on the machine. ¡°Next.¡± Soon it was Choi Yeon-hwa¡¯s turn, and as she stepped forward, she first checked her own status window. ?Name: Choi Yeon-hwa ?Title: Indomitable Will ?Level: 7 ?Detailed Stats: Strength 12 (+1) Agility 18 (+1) Stamina 14 (+1) Magic 12 (+1) Additional Stats: ¨C ?Unique Ability: Sword¡¯s Blessing ?Abilities: Intermediate Swordsmanship(D), Lower-grade Martial Arts(E) ?Skills: eleration(B), Sword Spirit¡¯s Descent(B) A rather impressive status window. Although she had no dungeon experience, this was the result of growth from passing through five levels of the tutorial. Thanks to this, her level was slightly ahead of most people around her who were levels 2-4. Moreover, evenpared to others of the same level, she possessed considerably higher stats. This was not only a difference in talent but also the result of consistent effort from enjoying exercise since childhood. ¡°Call it out.¡± ¡°Level 3. Strength 9, Agility 12, Stamina 10, Magic 13.¡± Choi Yeon-hwa deliberately called out the lowest possible numbers except for magic. ¡°Quite decent. Skills?¡± ¡°Just one, lowest-grade swordsmanship.¡± ¡°Good. Step up here.¡± Choi Yeon-hwa stepped onto the machine like the others. As numbers appeared, Oh Jeong-su noted them down and nodded. ¡°Next.¡± Early dawn. Bandarenko, who had spent the night sleepless, sighed. ¡°Kang Hyeon¡­¡± The final battle with Kang Hyeon wouldn¡¯t leave his mind. Could he win if they met again? He asked himself, but he already knew the answer. ¡°I can¡¯t win.¡± He was overwhelmed by Kang Hyeon. Saying he couldn¡¯t show his true skills because he was too surprised was just an excuse. ¡°Is he really dead?¡± Normally, he wouldn¡¯t have such doubts. He had directly confirmed Kang Hyeon¡¯s death. But the end was the problem. Shortly after Kang Hyeon died, his corpse disappeared. Moreover, without dropping a single item. Usually, when an ability user dies, they drop all items in their inventory. ¡°If that didn¡¯t happen, it might mean he¡¯s still alive.¡± He clearly confirmed that his heart had stopped, but you never know. Things were so chaotic, and Kang Hyeon might have had some kind of teleportation item just before dying. ¡°Huu¡­¡± If he was alive. If he somehow found this ce, would there be a way to stop him? ¡®I couldn¡¯t even properly handle just Kang Hyeon¡­¡¯ That¡¯s when it happened. -Knock knock A knocking sound was heard. ¡°Come in.¡± The one who appeared opening the door was Oh Jeong-su. One of the quite useful men recruited to take over Korea. Now that the Kangshin Guild had fallen and Kim Jeon-yong was dead, he was virtually the only link to Korea. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°I¡¯m here to report on the Koreans who arrived this time.¡± ¡°Anything special?¡± ¡°No. The magic measurements werepleted as nned, and we¡¯ve started extraction on some of the more resistant ones. The rest of the personnel are scheduled to start leveling up from tomorrow.¡± Bandarenko silently nodded. ¡°I understand. Then I¡¯ll¡­¡± ¡°Wait. I have something to say.¡± Bandarenko stopped Oh Jeong-su as he was about to leave. ¡°Make sure none of these people die.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡±N?v(el)B\\jnn Oh Jeong-su was taken aback by Bandarenko¡¯s sudden words. Usually, captured ability users would be leveled up by any means necessary and made to invest all their stats in magic. After reaching a certain threshold, they would be used for magic extraction, with no regard for casualties in the process. This was the existing method. ¡°I said, make sure no one dies.¡± ¡°Understood. Is there a special reason¡­?¡± ¡°We¡¯ll need to negotiate with Korea using those guys as bait.¡± ¡°By negotiation, you mean¡­¡± ¡°You don¡¯t need to know beyond that.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± Oh Jeong-su bowed his head without further question. ¡°I n to kill them all after the negotiations anyway. Just keep them alive until then.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll keep that in mind.¡± Chapter 110 Chapter 110 Frontal Attack (2) Since the dungeon incident, horrific events have urred daily all around the world. Because of this, most people wouldn¡¯t bat an eye unless it was a significant incident, but this time was different. -This situation was caused by the anti-government Russian terrorist group¡­ -The Guild Master of Badass Guild, who is at the center of this incident. Kang Hyeon has been confirmed to be in hiding until now. -Bandarenko. Who is he? -We have exclusively obtained information from actual witnesses¡­ Not only did a foreign terrorist group attack South Korea, but they also kidnapped citizens. This was apletely different level of problempared to people dying in dungeons almost every day. ¡°Sigh, where on earth is Mr. Kang Hyeon?¡± Shin Tae-gil sighed and red at the woman standing in front of him. ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you say he was definitely alive? Ms. Shin Seong-a.¡± ¡°Yes. Mr. Kang Hyeon is certainly alive.¡± ¡°The dungeon where the incident urred has already been cleared, and no traces remain. If Mr. Kang Hyeon is alive, why on earth isn¡¯t he showing up?! If this continues, Mr. Kang Hyeon will be a public enemy of South Korea!¡± The agitated Shin Tae-gil stretched out his hand and pointed at the TV. On the screen, Bandarenko was speaking with a stern face. -Our Free Ability User Liberation Alliance has no intention of fighting South Korea. Our only target is Kang Hyeon. He abandoned people and ran away cowardly during the fight. We have inevitably taken hostages to find him. However, if Kang Hyeon is handed over, we promise to safely return all hostages to their homnd. Bandarenko directly broadcast the video to all broadcasting stations in South Korea. Bandarenko imed that Kang Hyeon killed their innocent colleagues, the Kangshin Guild and Kim Jun-yong, without any reason. He also said that Kang Hyeon beat up a colleague who entered the Ability User Cultivation School for no reason. As revenge for this, they attacked Kang Hyeon, but he cowardly used other people as shields and ran away. Therefore, he inevitably took hostages. This video was not only broadcast nationwide, but also stered all over the main pages of YouTube and various portal sites. In fact, if one thought about it a little, they could tell that something was odd about these statements, but people were not that rational. -I didn¡¯t think Kang Hyeon was like that, he¡¯s really trash. -He was always famous for being a garbage personality. -Doesn¡¯t Badass Guild have any statement to make? This isn¡¯t something that will be resolved by just hiding quietly¡­ -Send Kang Hyeon to Russia immediately. What did the hostages do wrong? -Seems like we should just send the entire Badass Guild. It didn¡¯t take much to manipte people. Just a usible excuse and a little push to get things started. With just that, Kang Hyeon had be a public enemy of South Korea in less than a day. ¡°Ms. Shin Seong-a. Can¡¯t you see that? Now is not the time to keep your mouth shut! If we don¡¯t move right now, it¡¯s over!¡± Shin Tae-gil was so agitated that it was hard to imagine he was always a calm person. Shin Seong-a could fully understand Shin Tae-gil¡¯s feelings, but she had no other options either. ¡®I really don¡¯t know¡­¡¯ All she knew was that Kang Hyeon would resurrect. In fact, even that wasn¡¯t certain. It could have been a lie Kang Hyeon told to at least save her. In this situation, all Shin Seong-a could do was just believe that Kang Hyeon was alive. ¡®If Mr. Kang Hyeon really died there¡­¡¯ If that really was Kang Hyeon¡¯sst moment, then¡­ ¡®Revenge is all that¡¯s left.¡¯ Wipe out Bandarenko and the Free Ability User Liberation Union. Whether it was realistically possible didn¡¯t matter. She would use every means and method avable. That was the only way she could repay Kang Hyeon, who had saved her life twice. ¡°Mr. Shin Tae-gil. Let¡¯s stop talking about Kang Hyeon for now. What¡¯s important now is how we ovee this difficulty going forward.¡± Han Se-yeon, who had been listening to the conversation, stopped Shin Tae-gil. ¡°Yes¡­ I think I got too excited. I¡¯m sorry.¡± Shin Tae-gil caught his breath and continued. ¡°Regarding what Ms. Han Se-yeon said about future matters, I have something to tell everyone here.¡± All eyes turned to Shin Tae-gil at his sudden words. ¡°Something to tell us?¡± ¡°To be precise, it would be more correct to say I¡¯m introducing someone. The executives of Badass Guild here already know this person.¡± People¡¯s curiosity deepened at Shin Tae-gil¡¯s words. ¡°Hoo, then pleasee in.¡± Just as Shin Tae-gil, who was somehow very nervous, was about to open the door. ¡°You son of a bitch!!!¡± -Kwaaang A familiar voice was heard from outside, followed by the sound of something breaking. ¡°What?!¡± ¡°This voice¡­¡± Startled by the sound, people jumped up and went outside. ¡°Mr. Kang Hyeon!¡± There, Kang Hyeon, his face distorted like a demon, was grabbing someone by the cor. And the person in his grasp was, ¡°Choi Min-jun!¡± It was Choi Min-jun, the man who had be the world¡¯s most dangerous terrorist. *** Ippotrantion *** After experiencing death for the first time in a long while, the first thing that came to Kang Hyeon was an intense feeling of powerlessness. ¡°Haa¡­¡± His level had dropped due to the resurrection penalty, and all his stats were temporarily reduced by half. A sense of lethargy enveloped his entire body, but there was something else that troubled him even more. ¡°I lost.¡± The fact that he had been defeated. The fact that because of this, numerous lives were now in danger. Bandarenko.N?v(el)B\\jnn The Free Ability User Alliance. Shin Seong-a. The students of the Ability User Education School. Even Choi Yeon-hwa. All sorts of thoughts swirled in Kang Hyeon¡¯s mind. ¡°Did they find out about my resurrection ability?¡± He had tried to hide it as much as possible, but now it seemed difficult. ¡°Well, if they found out, there¡¯s nothing I can do about it.¡± Kang Hyeon was no longer in a position to be easily swayed by others. Even if the truth about his resurrection was revealed, it didn¡¯t seem like there would be any particr disadvantages. ¡°More than that, I¡¯m worried if Shin Seong-a is safe. Choi Yeon-hwa too¡­¡± He believed Shin Seong-a would have managed well. Someone like her would surely havepleted the mission, breaking through the enemy¡¯s encirclement. The real problem was the people captured by them. He didn¡¯t know for what purpose they had taken them, but if they were still alive, they needed to be rescued as soon as possible. ¡°For that, I need to recover my body first.¡± In a state where all abilities were reduced by half due to the resurrection penalty, he couldn¡¯t do anything. Not knowing how far the enemy¡¯s influence had spread. Kang Hyeon decided to wait quietly until his body recovered. ¡°Get a grip!¡± Kang Hyeon pped his cheeks hard enough to make a sound. ¡°First, I need to check my status.¡± Kang Hyeon opened his status window to check his physical condition. ¡°My level dropped by one¡­ But have my stats actually increased?¡± Before dying, Kang Hyeon¡¯s level was 70. His current level was 69. This was the expected result of the resurrection penalty. ¡°Tsk¡­ it took me two weeks to raise that.¡± Although he had been busy with the Ability User Cultivation School, it was clear that it had taken a long time to raise his level. Thinking that all that effort had been in vain, Kang Hyeon felt anger rising within him. ¡°Let¡¯s think positively. At least my stats have increased.¡± Although his level had dropped, his overall stats had actually increased. His strength and stamina had increased by 1 due to this battle, so in the long run, it was actually beneficial. ¡°And as for skills¡­ There¡¯s almost no change.¡± All of his skills and abilities remained the same, except for one. ¡°What exactly are you?¡± Kang Hyeon frowned as he looked at the only ability that had increased. Kang Hyeon-style Life-or-Death Combat (A) Ability: In life-or-death battles, the instinct to defeat enemies and survive bes even sharper. Description: Kang Hyeon, the master of fierce battles. His street fighting is now on the verge of reaching an absolute level. This ability was created when the newly acquired ability after the battle with Veil merged with intermediate martial arts. At first, it was clearly C-rank, but it had already reached A-rank. Kang Hyeon was dumbfounded by this unprecedented growth rate, but decided to think of it positively. ¡°Yeah. It¡¯s good if it increases. Whatever.¡± After finishing his general check, Kang Hyeon took out thest thing he needed to sort out. Name: Bilgein¡¯s Soul Longsword Rank: B+ Durability: 800/800 Description: Bilgein¡¯s longsword has been excellently processed using Dark Knight Veil¡¯s magic stone. While preserving and enhancing its existing abilities, Dark Knight Veil¡¯s soul has sessfully settled into the sword. Abilities: Berserker, Durability Enhancement, Self-Repair The sword¡¯s durability was perfect, perhaps having recovered in the meantime. The problem was Veil¡¯s soul residing in the sword. For future battles, it was necessary toe to a clear understanding with Veil. ¡°Hey.¡± -¡­ ¡°I know you¡¯re listening. Answer me.¡± -What is it? ¡°What is it? You sound so damn calm.¡± Kang Hyeon, his face contorted, let out a sigh. ¡°Haa¡­ I won¡¯t say that the situation turned out like this because you didn¡¯t help. Even if we had fought properly from the start, the result would probably have been the same.¡± Perhaps because he had held out until the very end before using Berserker, a better result had been achieved. If he had used Berserker at the beginning of the battle when the enemy forces were still intact, he might not have been able to push them back to that extent. -What do you want to say? ¡°Make it clear. If you keep acting like this in the future, it¡¯ll be troublesome for me too.¡± Veil remained silent in response to Kang Hyeon¡¯s words. ¡°What am I supposed to do if you keep your mouth shut like that?¡± -I have a condition in exchange for helping you. ¡°Condition, what condition?¡± -Since escaping from the dungeon, my mind and memories have gradually been returning. And with that, I¡¯ve recalled one important fact. ¡°Stop beating around the bush and just say it.¡± -The fact that undead souls can be transferred. Kang Hyeonughed incredulously at Veil¡¯s words. ¡°Damn. You¡¯re stating the obvious. That¡¯s possible, that¡¯s why you¡¯re in the sword now, right?¡± -That¡¯s right. So I want to propose something. Sometime in the future, when it bes possible, give me a new body. ¡°What¡­?¡± -I¡¯ve guarded thebyrinth for so long I don¡¯t even know how many years have passed. Long enough to forget what I was protecting. Kang Hyeon recalled that Veil had been a guard knight protecting a princess, but he didn¡¯t mention it. -To be honest, I have no lingering attachment to life. But I¡¯ve be curious. What the new world is like. And what happened to the world I used to live in. I want to walk with my own feet, see with my own eyes. ¡°Huh, really¡­¡± -If you promise me this, I promise to help you from now on. ¡°You should be grateful I¡¯m not throwing you into a furnace. And you¡¯re trying to make a deal?¡± Kang Hyeon was bewildered, but he had no choice. He needed Bilgein¡¯s longsword. -In return, I¡¯ll give you proper help too. ¡°How are you going to help?¡± -Your swordsmanship. ¡°What about my swordsmanship?¡± -It was at a level that was embarrassing to watch. Your body was that of a powerful warrior, but your swordsmanship was at the level of a child. It¡¯s a pity. Kang Hyeon felt a surge of anger, but he couldn¡¯t refute it because it wasn¡¯t exactly wrong. -I¡¯ll teach you swordsmanship from now on. You don¡¯t seem to have talent, but your ability to handle magical power is quite decent. We¡¯ll raise your swordsmanship to a basic level and improve thepleteness of infusing magical power into the sword. If we do that, you¡¯ll be much stronger than you are now. Kang Hyeon pondered the meaning of this for a moment. ¡®Certainly¡­ It¡¯s not wrong.¡¯ Although they hadn¡¯t spent a long time together, Veil¡¯s observation was urate. Kang Hyeon thought that perhaps he had caught a very good opportunity. ¡°Okay. The contract is established.¡± -You¡¯ll keep your promise, right? ¡°I don¡¯t go back on my word. Bastard.¡± -I am an honorable knight. First, that vulgar way of speaking¡­ ¡°Honor my ass. Is that why you just watched people dying, trying to protect your pride?¡± -That¡¯s¡­ ¡°Forget it! Let¡¯s just do our roles well from now on. When you find a body, that¡¯s the end. Okay?¡± -Sigh¡­ Alright. It was the day Kang Hyeon finally got a proper swordsmanship teacher. *** Ippotrantion *** ¡°Ah, it¡¯s smashed again.¡± Kang Hyeon sighed as he looked at his smartphone, now split into dozens of pieces. His smartphone had a specially made case, but it seemed it couldn¡¯t withstand the intense battle after all. ¡°I¡¯ll have to buy a new one.¡± From the early days of the dungeon incident, it wasmon for smartphones to break during battles. That¡¯s why it was typical not to take them into dungeons, but that day, he had gone with a rxed mindset for training, which turned out to be the problem. ¡°Let¡¯s go to the guild office for now.¡± In fact, the smartphone didn¡¯t matter much. Right now, letting others know he was alive was the top priority. Kang Hyeon went outside and quickly hailed a taxi. ¡°Hello.¡± ¡°Yes, wee¡­¡± The taxi driver, who was greeting as usual, suddenly widened his eyes. ¡°K-Kang Hyeon..?¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s me. I¡¯m in a hurry, so please drive quickly.¡± ¡°¡­¡± By now, Kang Hyeon had be more famous than most celebrities, so many people were surprised to see him. But this taxi driver seemed somewhat strange. ¡°Hey. Aren¡¯t we going to start?¡± ¡°Yes, yes¡­ We¡¯re going.¡± A very flustered appearance. In fact, it was u;nderstandable. The whole of South Korea was frantically searching for Kang Hyeon at that moment. Only Kang Hyeon, who had just returned from death, was unaware of this fact. ¡®What a strange person.¡¯ Kang Hyeon dismissed the driver¡¯s reaction as unimportant and nkly stared out the window. ¡°We¡¯ve arrived.¡± ¡°Yes. Thank you for your work.¡± A momentter, Kang Hyeon arrived at his destination, paid the fare, and immediately entered the building. ¡°Seems like everyone¡¯s gathered.¡± As he lightly used his magical power, he could sense many people gathered. ¡°Must be the conference room.¡± A ce where people usually don¡¯te and go. It seemed everyone was meeting due to the incident that had just urred. ¡°Hm?¡± In the hallway leading to the conference room, a ce where people don¡¯t usually pass, someone was standing. A fairly familiar silhouette, even from behind. ¡°Who¡¯s there?¡± At Kang Hyeon¡¯s words, the man standing there turned around. ¡°You are¡­¡± The man who turned around. Kang Hyeon¡¯s face gradually contorted as he made eye contact with Choi Min-jun. ¡°It¡¯s been a while, Kang Hyeon.¡± ¡°You son of a bitch!!!¡± Chapter 111 Chapter 111 Frontal Attack (3) ¡°It¡¯s been a while, Kang Hyeon.¡± Choi Min-jun said with a calm face. As soon as Kang Hyeon saw his face, he lost all reason. Kang Hyeon sprinted down the hallway at full speed and threw a punch. -Kwaaang The fist was blocked by a red magical barrier just before it reached Choi Min-jun. This was an expected situation. Kang Hyeon, unfazed, reached out and grabbed Choi Min-jun¡¯s cor. ¡°Let¡¯s see how long you can hold out!¡± Kang Hyeon flipped Choi Min-jun and mmed him hard onto the floor. The ground shook with a loud ¡®Kwang¡¯ sound. ¡°You¡¯re still as stupid as ever, charging in recklessly.¡± However, Choi Min-jun seemedpletely unaffected. ¡°You bastard!¡± ¡°But why? You¡¯ve be iparably weaker than before.¡± Just as magical power from Choi Min-jun was about to constrict Kang Hyeon¡¯s entire body, ¡°Kang Hyeon!¡± Shin Seong-a, who rushed out of the conference room, grabbed both of them. *** Ippotrantion *** The atmosphere in the conference room was as calm as the eye of a storm. ¡°How long are we going to stay like this?¡± Kang Hyeon looked at Shin Tae-gil with irritation. ¡°Haa, I understand.¡± Shin Tae-gil felt like his head was about to explode from the situation that hit all at once. But he was at the center of the current situation. To resolve this, he had no choice but to slowly unravel the story. ¡°I¡¯ll exin in chronological order. Let¡¯s take questions after I finish the entire story.¡± The story that followed went quite far back into the past. Kang Hyeon¡¯s friend, Kim Tae-soo. He was working in an office job at the Dangun Guild. ¡°Kim Tae-soo had a sick father.¡± While searching for medicine to treat his father, Kim Tae-soo learned of Choi Min-jun¡¯s existence. ¡°In that situation, Choi Min-jun, knowing that Kim Tae-soo was affiliated with the Dangun Guild, contacted Han Se-yeon.¡± After that, the World Dungeon Summit incident broke out, and Han Se-yeon rescued Choi Min-jun. Han Se-yeon informed Shin Tae-gil that she had rescued Choi Min-jun and was protecting him. In other words, a connection chain of Kim Tae-soo ¨C Choi Min-jun ¨C Han Se-yeon ¨C Shin Tae-gil waspleted. ¡°When I first heard the story from Han Se-yeon, I was angry too.¡± Han Se-yeon¡¯s words that she was protecting Choi Min-jun. Shin Tae-gil pondered. After all, the other party was a terrorist. He was the root cause of all this mess. -Haa¡­ What should I do? But South Korea was in a national crisis. Even if what he held in his hands was a ticking time bomb, he had to use even that to ovee the crisis. ¡°I thought Choi Min-jun was worth using sufficiently.¡± In the end, Shin Tae-gil suggested to President Han Seung-hun to employ Choi Min-jun. After much deliberation, President Han Seung-hun agreed, and finally, it led to the current situation. ¡°That¡¯s all. Is there anything you don¡¯t understand?¡± ¡°There¡¯s so much I don¡¯t know where to start asking.¡± ¡°Askfortably.¡± ¡°Haa¡­¡± Kang Hyeon let out a deep sigh. ¡°Howe Team Leader Shin Tae-gil got along so well with that criminal bastard, why you hid it from me, why Han Se-yeon got involved, and what the hell was the President thinking to¡­¡± ¡°Kang Hyeon. Let¡¯s calm down first.¡± ¡°Fuck! Do I look like I can calm down? It feels like I¡¯m the only one being treated like an idiot here!¡± ¡°That¡¯s not true. I¡¯m truly sorry for not telling you in advance¡­¡± Shin Tae-gil seemed genuinely sorry as he bowed deeply in apology. ¡°I will exin the questions you have step by step. However, to resolve the current situation, Choi Min-jun is absolutely necessary. That¡¯s why I took the risk to bring him out in front of you all.¡± ¡°What¡¯s the reason we need that bastard?¡± ¡°Because Choi Min-jun had contact with their leader, Bandarenko.¡± ¡°Bandarenko? That Russian?¡± ¡°Yes. To understand the importance of this, I need to exin about them first.¡± Shin Tae-gil began to unfold everything he had learned about them so far. ¡°The Free Ability User Liberation Alliance didn¡¯t just appear suddenly. It became known in Korea through this incident, but it was already a famous criminal organization abroad, especially in Russia where they mainly operate, causing quite a headache. But they are strictly organized in a cell structure, and their base ispletely shrouded in mystery. There are only rumors ¨C that they¡¯re connected to Chechen rebels, that they¡¯re supported by Imic armed groups.¡± ¡°So, that Choi Min-jun over there knows all these secrets?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t say he knows everything, but it¡¯s true that he knows a lot of information.¡± ¡°I guess criminals just click with each other. Then let¡¯s just get the information and kill him.¡± Hearing Kang Hyeon¡¯s words, Choi Min-jun, the person in question, smirked. ¡°It¡¯s quite a skill to say such things when the person is right in front of you listening.¡± ¡°Should I be considerate of a criminal bastard¡¯s feelings? Huh?¡± ¡°Kang Hyeon. Please¡­¡± At Shin Tae-gil¡¯s restraint, Kang Hyeon sighed. ¡°I¡¯m joking. A joke. Let¡¯s kill that bastard after we finish the job.¡± ¡°If the exnation is over, I¡¯d like to talk about future ns now.¡± Han Se-yeon, who had been listening silently, stepped forward to mediate. Kang Hyeon didn¡¯t like Han Se-yeon, but he had no intention of causing further discord. As Han Se-yeon said, it was time to think about the future rather than the past. ¡°Phew, tell me again what you said earlier. What state am I in right now?¡± ¡°You can consider it simr to the level of a traitor to the nation.¡± ¡°Shit, this is ridiculous.¡± It was literally ridiculous. Kang Hyeon was truly dumbfounded. All he had done was fight his best. Now, he had be a coward who abandoned people and ran away. ¡®Well¡­ I lost in the end. So I guess I am the bad guy.¡¯ A world governed by the logic of power. A world where results matter more than process. The only wrong thing he did was losing that fight. ¡®It won¡¯t be like that next time.¡¯ Having organized his thoughts, Kang Hyeon opened his mouth. ¡°Do you know what that bastard was thinking when he said that?¡± Everyone shook their heads at Kang Hyeon¡¯s words. ¡°Mr. kang Hyeon. That¡¯s what I want to ask you. What happened that day? And why didn¡¯t you show up for a day? If you had returned even a little earlier, the situation wouldn¡¯t have worsened this much.¡± Kang Hyeon nodded at Shin Tae-gil¡¯s words. ¡°That¡¯s right. I was a bitte. But there was a reason.¡± ¡°What on earth is that reason!?¡± ¡°Well¡­¡± After pondering for a moment, Kang Hyeon grinned. ¡°I died that day.¡± *** Ippotrantion *** Everyone froze at the bombshell statement that came out of Kang Hyeon¡¯s mouth. ¡°¡­¡± Kang Hyeon died. Everyone quickly racked their brains to understand the meaning of these words. ¡®Does he mean he was as good as dead because he lost the battle?¡¯ ¡®Was he so injured he couldn¡¯t move?¡¯ ¡®Was he captured by them and barely escaped?¡¯ At this moment, everyone was equally confused. Han Se-yeon, Shin Tae-gil, Choi Min-jun, and An Yu-seong, without exception, mulled over the meaning of Kang Hyeon¡¯s words. ¡°No, Mr. Kang Hyeon¡­ What do you mean you died?¡± Eventually, Shin Tae-gil stepped forward and asked Kang Hyeon. ¡°It¡¯s exactly as I said. I died fighting the day before yesterday.¡± ¡°Mr. Kang Hyeon. This is no time for jokes. How can a person who¡¯s already dead be here?!¡± ¡°Because I was resurrected.¡± Once again, everyone wore expressions of iprehension at Kang Hyeon¡¯s words. ¡°I died that day and was resurrected today. Ie back to life no matter how many times I die.¡± ¡°What does that mean? I don¡¯t understand¡­¡± ¡°Understanding or not! I¡¯m telling you Ie back to life even if I die. Is that so hard to understand?¡± It wasn¡¯t hard to understand. It was just hard to believe. ¡°Ha! Haha¡­ You¡¯re an interesting fellow.¡± Choi Min-junughed hollowly. Usually taciturn, even he couldn¡¯t help but let out a dryugh at this absurd situation. ¡°Actually, I¡¯ve been hiding it until now because I was weak. I thought it could be used for various bad things. But now, well, what does it matter if it¡¯s known? I¡¯ll do what I want no matter what anyone says.¡± As Kang Hyeon continued speaking, people could only wear dumb expressions, unable to say anything. ¡°Your expressions are quite amusing. Wow! I¡¯ve been so itching to tell this secret until now. I really thought I was going to die keeping it! Hahaha!¡± ¡°How can youugh at a time like this¡­¡± ¡°Why not? Why shouldn¡¯t Iugh? How does it feel to be blindsided, Mr. Shin Tae-gil? Quite dumbfounding, isn¡¯t it? Kuhaha!¡± ¡°Huh, really¡­¡± While it wasn¡¯t exactly a situation to say he was blindsided, it certainly was mind-boggling. ¡°Even so, nothing will change from how it¡¯s been until now. It¡¯s not like I¡¯m suddenly going somewhere.¡± An Yu-seong, who had been listening, suddenly thrust his face forward. ¡°I wondered how you¡¯ve managed to stay alive fighting so recklessly, but you¡¯ve been dying all along? Kukuk.¡± An Yu-seong was smiling widely as if he genuinely found it amusing. ¡°Reckless fighting? I move with such meticulous calctions.¡± ¡°Hahaha! You¡¯re really funny, brother.¡± ¡°I¡¯m telling you this is real!?¡± Kang Hyeon pretended to be annoyed yfully, but soon straightened up and returned to a serious attitude. ¡°Enough with the small talk, let¡¯s get to the main point.¡± ¡°Main point?¡± ¡°The conversation we were having earlier. About that Reco or Lego guy.¡± ¡°It¡¯s Bandarenko.¡± ¡°Anyway, I don¡¯t know what he was thinking making such a deration of war¡­¡± Kang Hyeon smiled wickedly as a good idea came to him. ¡°Let¡¯s return the favor.¡± *** Ippotrantion *** -What? Did he just turn on a live video? -Going live at a time like this. He must be out of his mind lolololol -Where is he? Why can¡¯t we see anything? -Drive out the traitor. Kang Hyeon, you trash. We don¡¯t need you anymore. -We should at least hear his exnation. So many brainless people here. -Hey, why is it taking so long!?!??!? Within seconds of starting the broadcast, the chat was scrolling too fast to follow with the eyes. In less than 5 minutes, the number of viewers exceeded 30,000, and that number was still rapidly increasing. -How long are you going to make us wait? -Come out already. What nerve do you have to keep us waiting like this?? -He still hasn¡¯te to his senses. Seems like he can¡¯t read the room. Finally, as the number of viewers surpassed 50,000, Kang Hyeon, judging he had waited long enough, appeared on screen. ¡°Hello everyone. This is Kang Hyeon.¡± Simultaneously, the chat exploded with messages. -Wow, he really showed up lololol -Where have you been all this time? -Gotta admit, he¡¯s got guts to show his face like this in this situation -The fugitive has appeared. -Kang Hyeon. What are you going to do about the hostages? My friend¡¯s brother was taken too. Kang Hyeon quickly scanned the iing messages with his fast eye movement. ¡°First, regarding the reason for my dy, I was severely injured in the battle that day. It was difficult to reveal myself carelessly while being chased by those guys.¡± Despite Kang Hyeon¡¯s exnation, people¡¯s reactions were not favorable. -You say you were injured but you didn¡¯t even fight properly and ran away. -So you¡¯re saying you ran away leaving the trainees behind? -Hey. Think about it coolly. If everyone was going to die anyway, at least Kang Hyeon should escape. -Get rid of the shield idiotsN?v(el)B\\jnn This was the reaction he had expected. Kang Hyeon continued speaking without paying attention to it. ¡°As a result, I lost to that guy Bandarenko and ran away. Yes, that¡¯s correct. So now I¡¯m going to take responsibility for that.¡± As soon as Kang Hyeon spoke, messages asking how he would take responsibility and telling him to bring back the dead people flooded in. ¡°That big-nose guy said it, right? For me toe alone.¡± Kang Hyeon smiled wickedly and red at the camera. ¡°I¡¯m going to tell you what I¡¯m going to do now, so listen carefully. Bandarenko. I know you¡¯re watching too.¡± Kang Hyeon¡¯s eyes glittered with madness as he spoke. ¡°Tomorrow morning. 9 AM Korean time. I¡¯m going alone to the dungeon you mentioned. Be ready to get your head smashed in.¡± Chapter 112 Chapter 112 Extreme Dungeon Escape (1) ¡°Be ready to get your head smashed in.¡± Kang Hyeon¡¯s wicked smile could be seen on the screen. ¡°What is he saying?¡± Bandarenko asked the interpreter beside him. ¡°Well¡­ He says he¡¯lle alone to the agreed ce at 9 AM tomorrow.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Bandarenko let out a thoughtful sound. ¡®I didn¡¯t expect things to turn out like this.¡¯ Honestly, he had carried out this n with some doubt. He had judged that he wouldn¡¯t lose in any case. Whether Kang Hyeon was alive or dead, this would give him justification and insurance. As a bonus, he could even achieve the effect of destroying Kang Hyeon¡¯s status within Korea. If Kang Hyeon went into hiding, that wouldn¡¯t be bad either, and even if he came out, he wouldn¡¯t be able to act recklessly because of the hostages. It was certainly a perfect n. ¡®But I didn¡¯t expect him to say he¡¯de alone.¡¯ Could it be true? Bandarenko couldn¡¯t help but doubt. After all, Kang Hyeon had been defeated once. In such a situation, it was hard to easily believe that he woulde alone again. ¡®Is he being arrogant? Or do I have another n¡­¡¯ Kang Hyeon was certainly strong. If he had to fight him one-on-one, there was a high probability he would lose. But he was the leader of the alliance. If he mobilized the power of the alliance, there were countless ways to deal with Kang Hyeon alone. ¡°Things have flowed ording to n, but I can¡¯t help feeling uneasy.¡± For Kang Hyeon to confront him head-on like this, he must have some other scheme. ¡°Alliance Leader. What will you do?¡± At his subordinate¡¯s question, Bandarenko stood up. ¡°Proceed as nned.¡± Bandarenko decided not to worry anymore. Whatever Kang Hyeon did, it didn¡¯t matter. All preparations were alreadyplete. Tomorrow. Kang Hyeon would die. *** Ippotrantion *** An enormous crowd. An unprecedented number of reporters and cameras had gathered. This was the entrance to an unremarkable F-rank dungeon, but today was different. ¡°Mr. Kang Hyeon! How do you feel right now?!¡± ¡°Do you have a way to fight them alone?¡± ¡°What do you say to the criticism that your statements and actions are irresponsible rather than measures for the safe return of the hostages?¡± This was the ce where Kang Hyeon had promised to meet them. Kang Hyeon passed through the reporters with an indifferent face. ¡°Mr. Kang Hyeon! Please give us onest word of determination!¡± Kang Hyeon stopped at someone¡¯s words. And slowly turned around. Contrary to everyone¡¯s expectations, he looked very rxed. ¡°I won¡¯t say much.¡± Feeling the gaze of many eyes on him, Kang Hyeon grinned. ¡°He will pay the price.¡± Leaving only those words, Kang Hyeon disappeared into the dungeon. *** Ippotrantion *** Feeling the familiar sensation of his body rising, Kang Hyeon entered the dungeon. ¡°They¡¯re hiding inside too.¡± Entering the dungeon is possible for any ability user. He could already sense that many people had entered the dungeon. Their weak magical power suggested they were probably not active ability users. Most likely reporters. ¡°I wonder what they think is going to happen here¡­ They¡¯re amazing.¡± Come to think of it, even on battlefields, there are war correspondents. It must be due to their exceptional passion for their work. Kang Hyeon chuckled, thinking they were truly remarkable people. ¡°Mr. Kang Hyeon.¡± Just then. Kang Hyeon¡¯s head turned at the voice from beside him. ¡°This way, please.¡± The source of the voice was the interpreter who had been standing next to Bandarenko before. ¡°Follow me, please.¡± ¡°What about the hostages?¡± ¡°If you follow me, the hostages will naturally be released.¡± ¡°How can I believe that?¡± ¡°Well¡­ I was told to tell you that you don¡¯t have a choice anyway.¡± At the interpreter¡¯s words, Kang Hyeonughed heartily. ¡°Hahaha! Right! That¡¯s right.¡± The interpreter felt something strange about Kang Hyeon¡¯s exaggerated reaction, but all he could do was guide Kang Hyeon as ordered. ¡°This is the ce.¡± Finally, they arrived at the location. There was the familiar blue portal. ¡°Right. They wouldn¡¯t have called me out without this much preparation.¡± Honestly, it didn¡¯t make sense for them to set the meeting ce in Korea from the start. Kang Hyeon had expected they would use the portal they had used before. ¡°You can enter through here.¡± ¡°But how do you retrieve this?¡± Kang Hyeon suddenly asked about the special device they use to open the portal, catching the interpreter off guard. ¡®Is that what he¡¯s curious about in this situation..?¡¯ Though puzzled, the interpreter exined as much as he knew. ¡°It will probably be discarded after we enter.¡± ¡°Is that so? I see. Let¡¯s go in quickly then.¡± Kang Hyeon had been secretly coveting the item, but it seemed retrieval would be impossible. -Whoosh! As light spread, his body rose, and when Kang Hyeon opened his eyes, a ruined city sprawled before him. ¡°Oh ho.¡± He could sense the presence of many hidden figures all around. Kang Hyeon immediately activated magical power throughout his body and roughly expelled it. ¡°Shall we start properly then!¡± Just then. Something flew at tremendous speed and struck Kang Hyeon¡¯s head. Simultaneously, a gunshot rang out. -Bang! Kang Hyeon put his hand to his head where the bullet had hit. He caught the ttened bullet that had stopped without prating his skin. ¡°Damn, never thought I¡¯d get shot in my life.¡± He probably wouldn¡¯t have been hurt by firearms even without activating his magical power, but Kang Hyeon thought he needed to be careful. -Ratatatatat! The gunfire didn¡¯t stop at one shot. As if the first shot had been a signal re, an enormous amount of bullets rained down. They seemed intent on not giving Kang Hyeon time to think. Mixed in with the hail of bullets were rocketunchers meant to take down tanks. -Boom! Kang Hyeon ran frantically through the ruins. His face scrunched up from the flying dirt and dust. ¡°Enough already, you bastards!¡± *** Ippotrantion *** Kang Hyeon ran fearlessly, piercing through the shower of bullets. Though his body was shielded by a massive shield, just as an umbre can¡¯t keep youpletely dry in the rain, he couldn¡¯t avoid getting hit. Bullets that passed through the uncovered parts dug into Kang Hyeon¡¯s skin. ¡°That stings.¡± It was a battle fought in an unfamiliar ce using unfamiliar methods. Being cornered in a different way than before made him feel even more excited. ¡°Found you.¡± In that moment, Kang Hyeon wore an evil smile. ¡°Ugh?!¡± The surprised face of the guy holding an old-fashioned rifle drew closer. Kang Hyeon swung his shield with the momentum of his run, striking the guy¡¯s head. The result was instant death. With a st sound, the guy¡¯s head burst open in an instant. In front of the grotesque corpse, Kang Hyeon roared. ¡°How long are you going to keep up with these childish tricks!?¡± He couldn¡¯t even remember how many enemies he had taken down like this. His stamina was gradually decreasing, and his magic was heavily depleted from using it recklessly. ¡®There¡¯s an even more serious problem.¡¯ Stamina and magic didn¡¯t matter. Kang Hyeon came here today prepared to die anyway. But he couldn¡¯t just die for nothing. Kang Hyeon¡¯s goal was to die together with his enemy. At the very least, he had to kill Bandarenkpletely to achieve his goal. To aplish that, he couldn¡¯t waste any more time. ¡°Oh, have you finally appeared?¡± Suddenly, the barrage of bullets and magic aimed at Kang Hyeon stopped as if it were a lie. And Bandarenko, apanied by numerous ability users, revealed himself. ¡°I don¡¯t know where your confidencees from.¡± As Bandarenko spoke, an interpreter ryed his words. ¡°Give up now. If you do, I¡¯ll at least spare your life.¡± Kang Hyeon smirked at Bandarenko¡¯s words. ¡°Why is your tongue so long? Forget it, juste at me already.¡± The interpreter was flustered by Kang Hyeon¡¯s blunt words. ¡°What did he say?¡± ¡°Well¡­ He says there¡¯s no need for dialogue and wants to fight.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± It was certain. Something was off about Kang Hyeon right now. He was fighting as if he didn¡¯t care about the hostages at all, battling like someone with nothing to lose. ¡®Has he given up?¡¯ For someone who had resolved to die and abandoned everything, his eyes were shining too brightly. ¡®What¡¯s he plotting¡­¡¯ WhileBandarenko was pondering, something flew towards him. ¡°Commander!¡± It was an enormous piece of building debris. Worried shouts were heard from around, but Bandarenko calmly deployed a shield to block the debris. ¡°Fine. Once you¡¯re dead, there won¡¯t be any need for further consideration.¡± ¡°Stop yapping ande at me, bastard!¡± Kang Hyeon, wielding Bilgein¡¯s Long sword, charged at an incredible speed. ¡°If you think you¡¯ll defeat me like that day, you¡¯re mistaken!¡± Bandarenko, facing him, unleashed an explosion of magical power. It was such an immense amount of magic that even those insensitive to it would feel their skin tingle. ¡®This time, I¡¯ve made all the preparations. I¡¯ve finished analyzing his patterns.¡¯ In fact, there wasn¡¯t much to analyze. Kang Hyeon¡¯s strengthy in his overwhelming physical abilities. ¡®Against overwhelming power, you just need to push back with even more overwhelming strength.¡¯ Bandarenko¡¯s magic power, boosted by all sorts of means, exceeded 80. He possessed over a hundred different skills. Among them were skills that consumed magic power like a monster. ¡®Usually, they¡¯re too inefficient to use often¡­ But now it is different.¡¯ To face an opponent who charges in with the height of inefficiency, one must take on a simr risk. *** Ippotrantion *** ¡°What is this?¡± Kang Hyeon was taken aback by the enormous magical power emanating from Bandarenko. ¡°You were an even bigger monster than I thought, you bastard.¡± He knew from theirst battle that Bandarenko was quite strong, but the magical power he felt now was iparable to then. ¡°I¡¯ll end this quickly.¡± Just as Kang Hyeon made his decision and was about to charge forward, ¡°Argh!?¡± The ground flipped over. There was no other way to describe it ¨C literally, the ground flipped over. Hundreds of square meters ofnd rose up and crashed down on Kang Hyeon like a tsunami. The scale was beyond what could be called a natural disaster. ¡°What kind of overpowered skill is this!?¡± Kang Hyeon immediately activated the Light Warrior embedded in Bilgein¡¯s Long sword. Although it had a time limit of only 5 minutes, now wasn¡¯t the time to be picky. If he messed up, he might be buried alive before he could even use the Light Warrior. ¡°Hraaaaah!¡± Kang Hyeon swung Bilgein¡¯s Long sword in one hand and Ogre¡¯s giant hammer in the other, frantically. The avnche of soil, rocks, and building debris was swept away like leaves before Kang Hyeon. Just as the enemy¡¯s magic was about to end, ¡°Now what?¡± Suddenly, the temperature around him started to drop dramatically. The debris falling on Kang Hyeon began to freeze instantly with a crackling sound. ¡°Damn it, you¡¯re full of tricks!¡± -Crack, shatter! As Kang Hyeon¡¯s body froze, it simultaneously shattered due to his muscle movements, repeating the process. ¡®Where is all this magic powering from?¡¯ This was far beyond what an individual should be capable of. No matter how exceptional Bandarenko¡¯s magic power was, it should be impossible to pour out magic of this scale. ¡°Huh?¡± Kang Hyeon¡¯s question was quickly answered. As the debris finally settled, Bandarenko¡¯s figure came into view. ¡°Shit¡­ What kind of life-sucking technique is this?¡± The ability users standing behind Bandarenko. Each of them, possessing magic power close to Kang Hyeon¡¯s, was infusing their power into Bandarenko. ¡°Argh!¡± Even Bandarenko, enduring this, didn¡¯t lookfortable, but he was in a better situation than Kang Hyeon. ¡®It¡¯s already been 3 minutes.¡¯n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om The way they were gathering magic power was incredibly inefficient and visibly putting a heavy strain on Bandarenko. However, it didn¡¯t look like he would copse in just 2 minutes. ¡®If I can¡¯t resolve this in 2 minutes, it¡¯s over.¡¯ After 2 minutes, Kang Hyeon would enter a state of extreme exhaustion. ¡®Please, hurry up!¡¯ Just as Kanghyeon was getting anxious, as if waiting for something, a message appeared before his eyes. [The dungeon¡¯s Main Core has been removed] [A portal leading to the outside will open] Along with the message, a blue portal appeared between Kang Hyeon and Bandarenko. Bandarenko¡¯s eyes widened in shock at this unexpected situation. ¡°Ah, finally it¡¯s done.¡± Kang Hyeon sighed in relief and grinned. ¡°Hey, big nose. Ever heard of dungeon escape?¡± The copsing dungeon. Failure to escape means death. ¡°Come on in, bastard.¡± Today, Kang Hyeon¡¯s role was to be the boss monster preventing escape. Chapter 113 Chapter 113 Extreme Dungeon Escape (2) [The dungeon¡¯s Main Core has been removed] [A portal leading to the outside will open] An unexpected message appeared. Along with it, a blue portal formed between Kang Hyeon and himself. ¡®What¡¯s going on?¡¯ It didn¡¯t take long for Bandarenko to understand the situation. ¡°Ever heard of dungeon escape?¡± It was because Kang Hyeon was smiling. Though he didn¡¯t understand what it meant, it was clear that this situation was intended by him. ¡°You dare¡­¡± It didn¡¯t matter how he did it. Kang Hyeon had already pulled out his trump card. Recalling theirst battle, it was clear that he would soon fall into a helpless state. If he remained calm and continued to pressure him as he was doing now, there wouldn¡¯t be a problem. The situation was still under his control. ¡°An invitation to hell.¡± Bandarenko immediately used the most powerful fire magic he could. ¡°Kheuk!? Why..!?¡± Suddenly, Bandarenko coughed up blood. An enormous amount of magic power drained out of him while simultaneously reversing. When he turned around, he saw his subordinates in panic. ¡°Everyone, get a grip!¡± ¡°But Commander, if we don¡¯t get out quickly, the dungeon will¡­!¡± It was understandable. The ground was shaking as if there was an earthquake, and space itself was copsing with loud noises everywhere. But in situations like this, one needs to be even more cool-headed. ¡°He¡¯s blocking the dungeon entrance anyway. If you want to get out alive, focus!¡± After speaking, Bandarenko turned his gaze back to where Kang Hyeon was. Fortunately, it seemed the skill had activated properly. An enormous me poured out, melting everything around Kang Hyeon. The heat was so intense that even the ground was melting. Kang Hyeon would soon disappear without a trace, melted away. Just as he thought that, ¡°What!?¡± Bandarenko¡¯s eyes widened in shock. Kang Hyeon was running through the mes. It was possible that he hadn¡¯t died from this attack. But at the very least, he should have been hiding behind the terrain, unable to move. Yet, far from hiding, he wasing out, running towards them while facing the mes. ¡°I¡¯m not interested in anyone but Bandarenko. Everyone else, get lost!¡± At that moment, Russian words burst from Kang Hyeon¡¯s mouth. The pronunciation was clumsy, but there was no problem understanding the content. The subordinate¡¯s unrest grew even stronger. ¡°Kheuk!¡± With the magic power fluctuating unstably, Bandarenko hurriedly ended the spell. As the magic was suddenly canceled, the subordinates coughed up blood from the backflow of magic power. ¡°You useless fools! Do you all want to die!?¡± ¡°We¡¯ll die anyway at this rate!¡± Someone¡¯s rebellion became the spark, and it quickly spread to everyone. ¡°Save me! I don¡¯t want to die yet!¡± ¡°Look at him. We can¡¯t beat him now¡­¡± ¡°He said he¡¯s only interested in the boss. Now¡¯s our chance! We have to run!¡± ¡°Aaaah!¡± The fear of death. It didn¡¯t take much to trigger it. As one person couldn¡¯t endure and started running, fear poured out from everyone¡¯s hearts as if a blocked stream had burst open. The Alliance members all started running towards the portal. ¡°Kukukuk¡­¡± Kang Hyeon was passing through these fleeing people with a smile. ¡°You¡­!¡± Kang Hyeon¡¯s entire body was burned, his skin melting disgustingly. The unextinguished mes were still burning on his body, but the smile on Kang Hyeon¡¯s lips showed no signs of disappearing. It was a sight that sent chills down one¡¯s spine just by looking at it. This demonic appearance must have yed a part in unsettling the subordinates. ¡°I told you, didn¡¯t I? That I¡¯de back, so wait.¡± Bandarenko felt fear and anger rising simultaneously, but he maintained hisposure as much as possible. ¡®He¡¯s exhausted.¡¯ Despite his strong demeanor, Kang Hyeon¡¯s steps were not the same as before. He looked unsteady and precarious. It was clear that the duration of the skill he had used had ended and the side effects were showing. Kang Hyeon was pretending to be calm, but it was clearly visible to Bandarenko¡¯s eyes. ¡®He¡¯s like a zombie. If we keep fighting here, we¡¯ll both die.¡¯ Kang Hyeon was on the brink of death anyway. He would die if he couldn¡¯t escape from here, and even if he got out, he could be killed outside the dungeon. So he needed to quickly push Kang Hyeon aside and get out himself. ¡°A dying man putting on airs. Whirlwind!¡± As Bandarenko used magic, de-like winds shot towards Kang Hyeon. The wind swirled around Kang Hyeon, shing at him. It grew fiercer as it absorbed Kang Hyeon¡¯s blood and mes. ¡®He doesn¡¯t even have the strength left to dodge magic.¡¯ For a moment, Bandarenko considered killing Kang Hyeon on the spot, but soon shook his head. ¡®My life takes priority now.¡¯ It wouldn¡¯t do for a great man like himself to be held back by someone like that. Just as Bandarenko was about to hurriedly pass by Kang Hyeon, ¡°Where do you think you¡¯re going, you bastard!¡± A thunderous shout erupted, and he felt something grab his ankle. ¡°You crazy bastard!¡± There was Kang Hyeon, so damaged that his form was barely recognizable. ¡°Let go of this!¡± He was holding Bandarenko¡¯s ankle with one hand, while the other was thrust into the ground to anchor himself. Bandarenko frantically kicked at Kang Hyeon¡¯s face. -Thud! Whack! ¡°Let go! I said let go!¡± The space that had been copsing from afar was now approaching nearby. That copse would reach here in a matter of seconds. ¡°You madman! de of Death!¡± Bandarenko used the magic with the strongest cutting power among those he could use. Although the situation wasn¡¯t good due to the earlier magic backflow, fortunately, the magic seeded. The crisis of death made Bandarenko exert abilities beyond his limits. -sh. Kang Hyeon¡¯s wrist was cut off effortlessly. As soon as Bandarenko confirmed this, he started running again. No, he tried to run. ¡°Argh?!¡± An incredible pain in his ankle. When he turned his head, he saw Kang Hyeon biting his ankle. Those eyes were clearly smiling. -Rumble rumble rumble! The copse was now right in front of them. ¡°No, no!¡± But the portal for escape was also right in front of him. He could still survive. He absolutely couldn¡¯t die like this. ¡°Die! Die! I said die!¡± Bandarenko pulled out a knife and struck down madly. But it only managed to scratch Kang Hyeon¡¯s skin. From the beginning, Bandarenko was an ability user whose physical abilities other than magic power were not particrly impressive. There was no way Bandarenko could harm Kang Hyeon with a hastily struck knife in such a flustered situation. ¡°de of death..! Kuhurk!¡± At the moment he tried to squeeze out magical power to use magic, it backfired again. ¡®Damn it, damn it! Damn it!¡¯ The backflow of magical power is excruciating pain, but Bandarenko couldn¡¯t even feel it now. ¡°Kheuk, keuk¡­¡± Kang Hyeon was stillughing. ¡°No! Please, I beg you. Let go!¡± The copse point of the ground had reallye right up to the front. Bandarenko made a decision. If he couldn¡¯t detach Kang Hyeon, he had to cut off his own leg. ¡°Kuaaaaargh!¡± After several attempts, Bandarenko¡¯s leg was raggedly cut off. Blood spurted like a fountain from the cut surface. ¡°I did it!¡± But Bandarenkoughed. Now he just had to run towards the portal. Even with one leg missing, he was still a strong ability user. He could reach it sufficiently even if he had to jump with both arms. ¡°Huh¡­?¡± It was then. Something grabbed him. When he turned his head, he saw Ganghyeon holding onto him with one arm and biting onto a protruding steel structure to endure. Those eyes were stillughing like an evil spirit. ¡°You crazy bastard¡­¡± The dungeon copsed. *** Ippotrantion *** Jeong Yeong-sik is a specialist in stealth. He was also a loyal subordinate who had been with Choi Min-jun from the beginning. Jeong Yeong-sik often took on missions that utilized his strengths, and his main job was to cause dungeon breaks ording to Choi Min-jun¡¯s orders. During this, Jeong Yeong-sik was caught by Kang Hyeon in the D-rank dungeon ¡®Harpy¡¯s Cliff¡¯ and handed over to Shin Tae-gil.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om Originally, he should have been locked up in a dark basement that no one knew about, but he was in Russia. ¡°The dungeon haspletely disappeared.¡± In this operation nned by Kang Hyeon, Jeong Yeong-sik was in charge of the most crucial part. It was to forcibly clear the dungeon. Kang Hyeon predicted that when they tried to lure him in, they would definitely use a low-rank dungeon. This was because it was a way to reduce variables in pressuring Kang Hyeon. -Mr. Shin Tae-gil. Remember that subordinate of Choi Min-jun we caught before? The one who was hiding? -Yes. -What¡¯s he doing now? -Actually¡­ He¡¯s currently released and leveling up. Jeong Yeong-sik¡¯s ability is useful. But don¡¯t worry, he¡¯s still under my control. -Let¡¯s use that guy this time. Kang Hyeon demanded from the beginning that Jeong Yeong-sik follow him closely in a hidden state. And once inside the dungeon, destroy the main core of the dungeon as quickly as possible. It was a highly risky operation, but if sessful, he was confident he could definitely catch Bandarenko. -Even if we fail, only Jeong Yeong-sik and I will die. Meanwhile, Ms. Han Se-yeon can enter their empty headquarters. -Won¡¯t you be resurrected, Mr. Kang Hyeon? -That¡¯s right. In the end, only Jeong Yeong-sik will die, so it¡¯s a gamble worth trying. Once the outline of the n was set, Kang Hyeon prepared meticulously. -They will definitely have the ability to detect magical power. -Then even if I hide, I¡¯ll be caught. I have a skill to hide magical power, but it¡¯s uncertain whether it can deceive high-grade detection¡­ -That¡¯s why! From the start, I¡¯ll waste and emit an enormous amount of magical power. So they won¡¯t be able to detect you. Meanwhile, you run without looking back and blow up the core. -Hmm¡­ -Time is of the essence. If you¡¯re even a littlete, we fail. At first, he didn¡¯t want to agree. If Kang Hyeon¡¯s prediction was even slightly off, or if there was even a small mistake, it would mean death. But the conditions were too sweet to refuse. -We will remove the surveince on Mr. Jeong Yeong-sik and simultaneously delete his criminal record. If there¡¯s anything else you need, just say it. I¡¯ll match all conditions within my ability. In the end, Jeong Yeong-sik fell for Shin Tae-gil¡¯s temptation and seeded splendidly. ¡°Phew, I should report.¡± In the distance, he could see the Russian guys wandering around with bewildered faces in front of the vanished dungeon. Jeong Yeong-sik took out a satellite phone and called somewhere. -The mission? ¡°Sessful. Bandarenko and Kang Hyeon. Neither of them made it out of the dungeon.¡± -Good work. Hold on a little longer, we¡¯ll send transportation within 3 days. ¡°Yes.¡± Jeong Yeong-sik, who finished his call with Choi Min-jun, smiled with satisfaction. ¡°I should eat something first.¡± He hadn¡¯t brought anything with him in order to stay hidden. Even for an ability user, it¡¯s almost impossible to endure on the Russian ins in midwinter with bare hands. ¡°Hmm, it looks okay.¡± The hamburger given to him when starting this mission. Strangely, it was an item that could go into the inventory. Perhaps because the tension had eased, Jeong Yeong-sik was hungry and immediately took a big bite of the hamburger. ¡°Blegh! What kind of taste is this!?¡± The hamburger tasted really awful. *** Ippotrantion *** Han Se-yeon and Choi Min-jun. And the top powerhouses from Dangun Guild, Korea¡¯s best elite guild, were gathered. ¡°The primary objective is to secure the safety of the hostages.¡± Everyone nodded with stern faces at Han Se-yeon¡¯s words. ¡°Once we secure the hostages, the Russian government will handle the transportation issue. After that, we collect their equipment.¡± Choi Min-jun knows the location of Bandarenko¡¯s base. Bandarenko probably can¡¯t imagine that Choi Min-jun would have sided with Kang Hyeon. And today is the day Kang Hyeon and Bandarenko have their final battle. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter whether Mr. Kang Hyeon seeds or fails there. We just need to use this opportunity to save people and get what we want.¡± As Han Se-yeon was speaking, a phone rang from somewhere. ¡°The mission?¡± Choi Min-jun, who answered the satellite phone, silently nodded and hung up. ¡°What happened?¡± ¡°He says it was sessful. BandaRenko and Kang Hyeon. Neither of them made it out of the dungeon.¡± Han Se-yeon smiled at Choi Min-jun¡¯s words. ¡°That makes our job easier. How long until we reach the destination?¡± ¡°3 minutes to arrival!¡± The helicopter soon arrived at its destination. ¡°I trust everyone has mastered how to use the equipment. Then first¡­¡± As Han Se-yeon was speaking, ¡°I¡¯ll go first.¡± Choi Min-jun jumped out of the helicopter without any equipment. It was hundreds of meters above the ground, but it was no problem for him. ¡°Hmm, nothing much has changed since then, I guess.¡± Choi Min-jun, whonded softly on the ground, looked around. The ce he was standing was Ben, Russia. It was thend that had shaken the world with the Chechen incident. Chapter 114 Chapter 114 Reunion (1) The weather was clear and warmer than expected. People often think that Russia is much colder than Korea, but because Russia has such a vast territory, there are regions that are simr to or even warmer than Korea depending on the location. And Ben, where Han Se-yeon and Choi Min-jun hade, was one of those ces. ¡°Is this the ce?¡± Han Se-yeon, who hade down to the ground, spoke to Choi Min-jun who had already descended. ¡°Seems to be nearby.¡± Choi Min-jun, holding a phone, contacted somewhere, and not long after, a man appeared. The man seemed to be acquainted with Choi Min-jun. ¡°It¡¯s been a while.¡± ¡°Yes. I hope you¡¯ve been well, Mr. Choi Min-jun.¡± ¡°As you can see. Let¡¯s move immediately. We don¡¯t have time.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± ¡°Oh Jeong-su. After today, you¡¯ll finish your mission in Russia and return to Korea.¡± The man¡¯s identity was Oh Jeong-su. He was an executive in the Free Ability Users Liberation Alliance and had been managing the ability users brought from Korea. In fact, as soon as he learned Bandarenko¡¯s identity, he was a spy nted by Choi Min-jun, and had been operating for nearly half a year while thoroughly concealing his identity. ¡°This is the entrance.¡± After walking for about 10 minutes following Oh Jeong-su. Oh Jeong-su stopped in an empty field. For a moment, Oh Jeong-su fumbled on the ground and pulled something. Then, with a thud, dirt fell away, and a thick iron door opened. ¡°This is one of the entrances to the Alliance headquarters. Regr members don¡¯t know about it, only executives know this ce.¡± ¡°How¡¯s the situation inside?¡± ¡°Most of thebat personnel from the headquarters have gone out to fight Kang Hyeon, and only those managing the facilities and prisoners remain. About 200 people. Among these, there are 50 high-level ability users we need to be concerned about. Lastly, there¡¯s one executivemanding all of them.¡± ¡°Commanding executive?¡± ¡°Yes. A woman with a position right below Alliance Leader Bandarenko. Herbat ability is among the top in the Alliance, so caution is needed.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Choi Min-jun, having heard everything, looked at Han Se-yeon. ¡°Well then, let¡¯s go in.¡± Han Se-yeon and the Dangun Guild members, who had also heard the story, nodded. *** Ippotrantion *** The inside was deeper underground than expected. A dark, damp ce that was the epitome of a viin¡¯sir. Judging by the traces here and there, it seemed to be quite an old facility. When Han Se-yeon asked about it, Oh Jeong-su exined that it was a facility converted from an air-raid shelter used during the war. ¡°What?¡± While looking around the facility, someone called out in Russian. ¡°A face I¡¯ve never seen before¡­¡± The man couldn¡¯t finish his sentence. Because a magic beam shot by a Dangun Guild member pierced through the man¡¯s head in an instant. ¡°Who are you? Outsiders are not allowed in the headquarters¡­ Kheok!¡± ¡°Kuaak!¡± After several disturbances. Finally, as if the intrusion had been discovered, a wee-ing siren sound rang out inside and red warning lights shed. Since it was expected anyway, no one was flustered. ¡°Where are the hostages?¡± Han Se-yeon grabbed Oh Jeong-su and asked. ¡°We still need to walk for about 5 more minutes.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s hurry. I¡¯ll take the lead, just tell me the direction.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Han Se-yeon drew her sword and started running in earnest. ¡°This is C-8 sector! We need support, kuak!¡± ¡°They¡¯re moving towards the hostages. Everyone get ready!¡± ¡°Hold on. Support will arrive soon.¡± ¡°No. We can¡¯t stop them!¡± There was no need for others to step in. On the path Han Se-yeon ran, there were only headless corpses left, spilling blood. ¡®She really is a monster¡­¡¯ Choi Min-jun thought as he watched Han Se-yeon swinging her sword. ¡®It¡¯s apletely different dimension of movement. It¡¯s beyond the level of swinging a sword and avoiding attacks.¡¯ As Choi Min-jun thought, there was something different about Han Se-yeon¡¯s movements. It wasn¡¯t something that could be simply dismissed as ¡°excellent swordsmanship.¡± There was definitely something different about it. ¡®What is it? Is she predicting the enemy¡¯s movements? No. This isn¡¯t just movement that cane from that level of skill¡­¡¯ Choi Min-jun had rarely seen Han Se-yeon fight before. It was natural, as they hadn¡¯t been together for very long. Choi Min-jun tried to carefully observe Han Se-yeon¡¯s movements to understand them clearly, but it seemed impossible to unravel the secret of her strength. ¡°It¡¯s here.¡± Han Se-yeon and herpanions quickly arrived at their destination where the prisoners were being held. Many enemies were already waiting there, with the prisoners in front of them. ¡°Ha! Oh Jeong-su. It was you?¡± The woman at the front addressed him in Russian, looking at Oh Jeong-su with contemptuous eyes. Like Han Se-yeon, she held a long sword suitable for one-handed use. ¡°I told the boss we should get rid of these Oriental monkeys! And look what¡¯s happened now.¡± ¡°Sandra. I thought you were just a stupid woman who only knew how to pant in bed with Bandarenko, but you actually have some sense?¡± At Oh Jeong-su¡¯s words, the woman called Sandra trembled with rage. ¡°Eeek¡­! I¡¯ll kill you!¡± The rtionship between Bandarenko and Sandra was a secret unknown to anyone in the alliance. Rather than wondering how Oh Jeong-su knew this fact, shame and anger dominated her first. The highly agitated Sandra rushed forward at an explosive speed. ¡°You have quite a way with words.¡± ¡°Did you know Russian?¡± ¡°Just basic conversation.¡± ¡°Then I¡¯ll leave it to you. If I actually fought, I¡¯d be torn apart in 3 seconds.¡± Han Se-yeon, who chuckled at Oh Jeong-su¡¯s words, ran towards Sandra. ¡°And who are you!?¡± Sandra roared and swung her sword. As she did, an enormous amount of magical power exploded along the sword¡¯s trajectory, causing the surrounding air to vibrate. For a very brief moment, Han Se-yeon considered whether she should block that attack for the sake of the people behind her, but soon shook her head. ¡®There¡¯s no one here weak enough for me to worry about.¡¯ Although the power of the attack seemed ominous, they were the Dangun Guild. Unnecessary worry would be disrespectful to their abilities. -Whoosh! Han Se-yeon lightly twisted her body to avoid the magic. ¡°You look like an excited monkey iling about,¡± Han Se-yeon said in Russian. ¡°Ugh! You Oriental bastards, how dare you¡­!¡± Sandra, her face flushed red, swung her sword wildly. ¡°Die, all of you!¡± The concentration of magic power emanating from her entire body became so dense it was visible to the naked eye. Sandra seemed to pour out her magic power at full force without thinking of the consequences. ¡°Hahahahaha! I¡¯ll slice you to pieces!¡± Every time Sandra swung her sword, the magic power that burst out wed at the underground bunker. The impact was so strong that it felt like the ground was shaking. ¡°You should have crawled before me earlier, you stupid¡­¡± That¡¯s when it happened. Sandra¡¯s eyes, which had been pouring out magic power, widened in disbelief. ¡°What is that!?¡± Han Se-yeon was twisting all the attacks with her sword. Moreover, she was skillfully guiding the attacks towards the wall to minimize damage to those behind her. ¡°The power is strong, but your actual sword skills are at a child¡¯s level.¡± At Han Se-yeon¡¯s words, Sandra¡¯s face froze coldly. ¡°You dare to say such things to me? Fine. I¡¯ll face you properly.¡± Sandra was confident. She would admit that the Asian woman in front of her had considerable sword skills, but such tricks were fully within her capabilities as well. The reason she was chosen by Bandarenko and given such tremendous magical power was because she was that strong. At the core of that strength was her solid sword skills, honed since childhood. Sandra, her eyes shining seriously, carefully approached Han Se-yeon. ¡°Die.¡± In an instant, Sandra¡¯s sword moved like lightning. Han Se-yeon¡¯s posture. The state of her muscles. Even the movement of her pupils. After calcting everything, she chose the best sword path that foresaw several moves ahead, including the counterattack after the initial strike. Sandra had no doubt that Han Se-yeon would be dead within 3 seconds of her extending her sword. -ng ng ng ng ng! An incredible number of sword strikes were exchanged in the blink of an eye. The two stopped. A thin line appeared on Han Se-yeon¡¯s cheek as she stepped back, and a drop of blood formed. Han Se-yeon wiped the blood with her hand and grinned. ¡°Not bad.¡± At the same time, Sandra grabbed her own head. ¡°Im-impossible¡­¡± A red line appeared on Sandra¡¯s neck, and her body copsed simultaneously. Sandra fell, still holding her head, with only astonishment remaining in her eyes. *** Ippotrantion *** It was a day like any other. As they say humans are creatures of adaptation, Choi Yeon-hwa quickly adapted to her current life. ¡°I feel like I¡¯m going to die from exhaustion¡­¡± ¡°So-yeon, you seemed to get badly hurt today¡­ Will you be alright?¡± ¡°They keep us alive, so we¡¯ll have to wait and see.¡± It was visible that many others were still struggling a lot. Choi Yeon-hwa tried her best to blend in with them, trying not to stand out. ¡°Choi Yeon-hwa, you were amazing today too, weren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± At that moment, a man approached and spoke to her. ¡°You caught so many monsters. Is it because your level is higher than the others?¡± ¡°No, I caught about the same amount. I guess I just stood out because I was in front.¡± ¡°Come on, it wasn¡¯t just that level.¡± Choi Yeon-hwa wanted to immediately shut the man¡¯s mouth as he spoke thoughtlessly, but she barely restrained herself. ¡°Choi Yeon-hwa, what level are you now? You said you were level 3 before, right?¡± ¡°Yes. I¡¯m level 4 now.¡± ¡°Wow, you leveled up in just three days.¡± ¡°Everyone else did the same. Well¡­¡± They pushed the prisoners into extreme situations. They threw people who knew nothing into dungeons and watched them. At first, people tried not to fight the monsters, but after several beatings and assaults, they had no choice but to fight reluctantly. The lower-level monsters seemed more manageable than the ability users watching with cold eyes. -Arghhhh! -Here! Healer. Over here! In exchange, they absolutely prevented people from dying. Excellent healers who could save lives as long as it wasn¡¯t instant death, no matter what injuries were sustained. They were always there, tending to people¡¯s wounds. After fighting like that for 3 days, with nothing but rest in between, people¡¯s levels increased rapidly. Some people increased 2 levels in just 3 days, proving the effectiveness of this method. -Invest all the points gained from leveling up into magic power. Don¡¯t even think about hiding it, as it will be revealed during inspection anyway. The enemies threatened, but Choi Yeon-hwa wasn¡¯t fooled. ¡®I just need to hide the level up itself.¡¯ She didn¡¯t know how long this situation wouldst. That¡¯s why she needed to use this opportunity to strengthen her abilities and prepare for escape. ¡°Take care then.¡± ¡°Yes. You too, Choi Yeon-hwa. See you tomorrow.¡± Choi Yeon-hwa, entering the gloomy room once again, checked her status window. ?Name: Choi Yeon-hwa ?Title: Indomitable Will ?Level: 10 ?Detailed Stats: Strength 13 (+1) Agility 20 (+1) Stamina 14 (+1) Magic Power 13 (+1) Additional Stats: ¨C ?Unique Ability: Sword¡¯s Blessing ?Abilities: Intermediate Swordsmanship(D), Basic Martial Arts(E), Concentration(F) ?Skills: eleration(B), Descent of the Sword Spirit(B) In that short time, her level had increased by 3, and she had also acquired new abilities. It was a growth rate that would make Kang Hyeon¡¯s eyes pop out if he knew, but Choi Yeon-hwa wasn¡¯t satisfied. ¡®More! I need to get even stronger. There¡¯s not much time left.¡¯ She nned to push herself even harder tomorrow. ¡°Huh?¡± Suddenly, the surroundings began to grow noisy. ¡°Everyonee out!¡± ¡°Move quickly!¡± For some reason, the highly excited enemies were driving people into the corridor. ¡®What¡¯s going on?¡¯ Sinceing here, they had never deviated from the set routine. Choi Yeon-hwa tensed her entire body in this unexpected situation. ¡°They¡¯ll be here soon. These aren¡¯t ordinary guys! Everyone, stay alert!¡± From the asional Russian she heard and the atmosphere, Choi Yeon-hwa could grasp the situation. ¡®The rescue team is here!¡¯ Choi Yeon-hwa¡¯s heart began to race. ¡®Could it be¡­ Did Kang Hyeone to save us?¡¯ At thest moment, Kang Hyeon seemed to be in danger, but Choi Yeon-hwa believed in him. She believed that Kang Hyeon would survive ande to rescue everyone, showing them all. ¡°Arghh!¡± Finally, when the rescue team arrived and Choi Yeon-hwa examined their faces, she couldn¡¯t hide her disappointment. ¡®He¡¯s not here¡­ So Kang Hyeon really¡­¡¯ The rescue team consisted of the familiar Han Se-yeon and the Dangun Guild. ¡®Right. It can¡¯t be helped. Even for Kang Hyeon, surviving there would have been impossible¡­¡¯ Tears welled up for a moment, but she held them back.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Now wasn¡¯t the time to be sentimental. ¡®Let¡¯s carefully watch for an opportunity.¡¯ A momentter. The battle between the woman who appeared to be the enemies¡¯ leader and Han Se-yeon began. And Choi Yeon-hwa, in contrast to her earlier disappointment, became engrossed in the battle. ¡®Beautiful¡­¡¯ Han Se-yeon¡¯s movements had reached a state of mastery. The difference in skill level was so great that it was embarrassing to say they wielded the same weapon. Especially in the final exchange, even Choi Yeon-hwa, who had been concentrating, couldn¡¯t understand what had happened due to the level of technique and speed. With that, the enemy leader died. ¡°Lady Sandra!!!¡± The panic-stricken enemies screamed, but such sounds didn¡¯t reach Choi Yeon-hwa¡¯s ears. ¡°Amazing¡­¡± Only Han Se-yeon¡¯s final movement kept reying in her mind. ¡°Don¡¯te any closer! If you approach any further, the hostages¡¯ lives are forfeit!¡± ¡°Hey. Give up. Sandra died so pathetically, didn¡¯t she? Life is precious.¡± ¡°Shut up! Traitor! You think my words are a joke?!¡± Conversations in Russian went back and forth between the alliance members and the rescue team. Choi Yeon-hwa, havinge to her senses, focused on the conversation, but it was so fast and the pronunciation so unclear that it was hard to understand. ¡°Let me show you what happens if youe any closer.¡± Suddenly, a man who had lost his reason to fear and anger grabbed a hostage. ¡°Ahhh! Let go!¡± ¡°You think we can¡¯t kill hostages? That¡¯s a misunderstanding!¡± Before anyone could act, the man raised his sword to strike the hostage. ¡°No!¡± Everyone was shocked by this sudden turn of events and rushed forward. But it seemed toote to prevent the hostage¡¯s death. At that moment, Choi Yeon-hwa, who had been watching this unfold right next to her, activated her skill. ¡°Descent of the Sword Spirit.¡± A sword being drawn simultaneously with the skill activation. Choi Yeon-hwa cut off the excited man¡¯s wrist in one breath. ¡°Arghhhh!¡± Choi Yeon-hwa didn¡¯t give the man screaming in pain time to recover. Her sword strikes followed immediately. The man, whose entire body was shed in an instant, fell to the floor in dozens of pieces. ¡°What the hell!¡± ¡°Boris, Boris is dead!¡± Even as the surrounding enemies were in shock, Choi Yeon-hwa moved relentlessly. On the surface, it looked like a brilliant attack taking advantage of the enemy¡¯s confusion, but in reality, she couldn¡¯t fully control her body due to the skill. ¡°Arghhhh!¡± ¡°How dare you, a mere hostage!¡± The alliance members who soon came to their senses tried to counterattack, but it was already toote. ¡°Sweep them away.¡± Han Se-yeon and the Dangun Guild members who had suddenly approached. They rushed in like a tidal wave. Chapter 115 Chapter 115 Reunion (2) ¡°You think we won¡¯t kill the hostages? Don¡¯t be mistaken!¡± The enemy, in their excitement, killed the hostages. This was an already anticipated scenario. And countermeasures for it had also been prepared. As the man showed suspicious behavior, Choi Min-jun discreetly shot out magic. It was to prepare for unexpected situations. And as the man tried to swing his sword, Choi Min-jun controlled the magic, and simultaneously, Han Se-yeon rushed forward. -Just make them hesitate for a very brief moment. Then I¡¯ll take care of the rest. -Understood. This was the n Choi Min-jun and Han Se-yeon had set up for times like this.N?v(el)B\\jnn However, if there was a problem, it was that the distance to the enemy was farther than expected. ¡®At this rate, we might be toote¡­!¡¯ At that moment, Han Se-yeon¡¯s eyes widened. Choi Yeon-hwa, who suddenly stood up, sliced the enemy in one breath. Han Se-yeon¡¯s eyes sparkled as she watched this scene. ¡®Considerable talent.¡¯ Of course, she knew who Choi Yeon-hwa was. The only daughter of Chairman Choi Kang-woo. She had heard that Choi Yeon-hwa became an ability user out of admiration for Kang Hyeon, but she didn¡¯t know she was this skilled. ¡®She must have just entered the education school.¡¯ Han Se-yeon decided to recruit Choi Yeon-hwa into Dangun after this incident was over. Her talent was so coveted that it was worth breaking the existing policy of only recruiting verified top experts. Almost simultaneously as Choi Yeon-hwa attacked the enemy, Han Se-yeon arrived, ¡°Wipe them out.¡± In less than a minute, all enemies were dealt with. ¡°We¡¯re alive. We¡¯re alive!¡± ¡°Thank you. Thank you so much.¡± ¡°As expected of the Dangun Guild.¡± The freed hostages cheered for the Dangun Guild repeatedly. Ignoring the people¡¯s greetings, Han Se-yeon picked up the satellite phone. ¡°We¡¯ve secured the hostages.¡± -Understood. The Spetsnaz (FSB) are on standby nearby. We¡¯ll have them move in immediately. Choi Yeon-hwa shook her head at Shin Tae-gil¡¯s words. ¡°There might still be remnants left. Tell them not to rush in recklessly, but to wait outside. We¡¯ll send the people out.¡± -Understood. After ending the call, Han Se-yeon called Kim Lee-hyeon, an executive of the Dangun Guild. ¡°Kim Lee-hyeon.¡± ¡°Yes, Guild Leader.¡± ¡°Please take the hostages outside with the guide. I have somewhere to look around.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± Kim Lee-hyeon, the vice guild leader of Dangun, followed Oh Jeong-su¡¯s guidance and took the hostages and guild members back the way they came. The only people left here now were Han Se-yeon and Choi Min-jun. Just the two of them. Nodding at each other, the two entered deeper into the facility. *** Ippotrantion *** With no one else around, the two moved more freely. Choi Min-jun would suppress the enemy¡¯s movements, and Han Se-yeon would behead them in one swift motion. Moving with optimal efficiency, they quickly entered the interior of the base. ¡°It¡¯s here.¡± Before long, they were able to reach their destination. ¡°Is this the machine that extracts magic?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. It seems the performance has improved since before.¡± Over 100 machines were lined up in arge cavity. Each machine had one person attached, with something inserted all over their body, extracting magic. ¡°It was worth taking the time toe here.¡± This was the ¡®real¡¯ purpose for Han Se-yeon and Choi Min-jun¡¯s involvement in this incident. Using Kang Hyeon to disperse and weaken the enemy forces, and obtaining what they wanted in the safest way possible. Some might call it cowardly, but Han Se-yeon didn¡¯t care. ¡®Trust. Honor. Justice. They all mean nothing without power.¡¯ Especially in a world like this where power represented everything. Moreover, Dangun, no, she herself had the grand mission of saving humanity. There was no reason to do unnecessary and inefficient things because of others¡¯ gazes. Besides, this was beneficial not only to herself but to everyone. ¡°It¡¯s being recognized as an item? That¡¯s fortunate. If it wasn¡¯t, it would have been a bit troublesome to take.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s gather what we need first. We don¡¯t have much time.¡± Han Se-yeon and Choi Min-jun began to sweep up the equipment around them. They indiscriminately collected anything that could be stored in their inventory. However, because the magic extraction devices were quiterge and heavy, they couldn¡¯t store too many. ¡°I¡¯ve heard there¡¯s a limit to the inventory, but it¡¯s a shame. It would have been convenient if we could take everything.¡± ¡°We¡¯ve already gathered more than necessary. Let¡¯s get out now.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Originally, they had considered destroying the remaining equipment here, but they didn¡¯t. Han Se-yeon wanted humanity to coexist, not to monopolize and stand at the top herself. If Russia took and researched the equipment they left behind, they would surely achieve different results. *** Ippotrantion *** ¡°What? Why am I here?¡± Kang Hyeon, opening his eyes, looked around. An all-white space. He had returned to a ce he thought he would nevere to again. ¡°I clearly caught Bandarenko, and the dungeon copsed¡­ Shouldn¡¯t I have woken up at home?¡± Thest resurrection point he had set was his home. If so, he should have died when the dungeon copsed and woken up at home normally. ¡°Ah,e to think of it¡­¡± Recalling something, Kang Hyeon furrowed his brow and tried to remember. -You crazy bastard¡­ As Bandarenko muttered something to him and the dungeonpletely copsed. [Easter Egg is activating] ¡°That¡¯s right! It definitely happened.¡± Although he couldn¡¯t open his eyes properly at the time, fortunately, he could hear to some extent. To be precise, his eardrums, which had melted from the fire, had been restored. ¡°Then this ce is¡­¡± At that moment, a familiar voice reached Kang Hyeon. [Kang Hyeon. It¡¯s been a while] ¡°Haha¡­¡± The Administrator. God. Or the Absolute Being. It doesn¡¯t matter what you call it. The source of all this trouble had called Kang Hyeon here again. ¡°Indeed. It¡¯s been a fucking long time.¡± [Why did you do such a thing? It could have been a disaster] Kang Hyeon frowned at the unexpected words. ¡°What do you mean?¡± [When a dungeon¡¯s core is destroyed, everything inside it disappears along with it] ¡°I know that. That¡¯s why I nned this.¡± [No. You don¡¯t seem to understand, Kang Hyeon. If I hadn¡¯t known about this incident, you would have simply disappeared. That¡¯s apletely different dimension from death] ¡°Are you saying I wouldn¡¯t be able to resurrect?¡± [Yes. If you don¡¯t escape from a copsing dungeon, it¡¯s literal disappearance. The end. However, this time you were lucky enough to have the toy I scattered, so I could know] Only then did Kang Hyeon understand what had happened. The C-grade dungeon, Benand¡¯s Forest. The Easter egg he had obtained through a bet with Park Ho-yeon of the Fire Dragon Guild. He had put it in his inventory and forgotten about it, not knowing it would help in this way. ¡°But weren¡¯t you watching all along anyway?¡± [Pardon? What do you mean?] ¡°Seeing as you keep giving me strange skills, titles, and abilities. It seemed like you were paying attention. Thank you very much. Really!¡± [Your words seem to have a bite to them] ¡°How could that be? How dare I.¡± Kang Hyeon needlessly opened his status window to check his ¡®Cruel Family Destroyer¡¯ title and ¡®Kang Hyeon Style Fighting¡¯ skill. [Well¡­ To be honest, it¡¯s true that I¡¯ve seen you often. It¡¯s really fun watching you] ¡°As I thought¡­¡± [But that doesn¡¯t mean I¡¯m always watching only you. I¡¯m busier than I look. Especially this time, I had quite an important matter, so I really didn¡¯t know. If I hadn¡¯t felt the Easter egg disappearing, if I had been just a littlete, you would have simply disappeared. Of course, resurrection would have been out of the question] Not being able to resurrect. It was chilling just to imagine. [So, don¡¯t ever do something like this again] ¡°I understand.¡± [Don¡¯t you have anything else to say? We¡¯ve met after a long time. This is actually the function of the Easter egg] ¡°This?¡± [A meeting with me] ¡°It¡¯s trash.¡± [That¡¯s harsh] Kang Hyeon still hadn¡¯t forgotten what the Administrator had done to him in tutorial stage 5. ¡°As for what I¡¯m curious about¡­¡± Still, since he got this opportunity. Kang Hyeon decided to ask what he had been pondering. ¡°Why me of all people?¡± [What do you mean?] ¡°The resurrection skill. It seems very important, so why give it to someone like me who has no talent?¡± [That was just random] ¡°What?¡± Kang Hyeon made a dumb expression at the unexpected answer. [The reason I watch you is because it¡¯s interesting, there¡¯s no other reason. You didn¡¯t think you were some great chosen one destined to save the world from the beginning, did you?] ¡°Well, that¡­¡± [Perhaps¡­ Have you ever been told you have an excessive self-consciousness?] For a moment, Kang Hyeon almost told him to shut up, but he barely held back. After all, he was talking to a god. ¡°Then another question. What¡¯s the ultimate purpose of all this?¡± [The ultimate purpose? I think I told youst time. I¡¯m the Administrator. I just maintain bnce] ¡°Just maintain bnce¡­ Why, where, what bnce, how are you maintaining it?¡± [That¡¯s¡­] ¡°What is the Harken dimension?¡± On the day the tutorial started. It was said that a unteral connection from the Harken dimension was detected, and Earth¡¯s defense system was activated. And while temporarily rejecting the connection, a 5-year countdown began. ¡°Until now, all I could do was wait for that time and get stronger, but now that I have this chance, I have to ask.¡± [You have an unexpectedly sharp side. I thought you were always reckless] ¡°Compliments won¡¯t get you anywhere, so just answer the question.¡± The Administrator chuckled at Kang Hyeon¡¯s indifferent words. [First, let me tell you about the Harken dimension. The Harken dimension is apletely different ce from Earth. And as you might have guessed, it¡¯s the basis for the dungeons] ¡°Are you saying dungeons are created based on the Haken dimension?¡± [Yes. More precisely, the past Harken dimension] ¡°The past dimension¡­¡± [And bnce means the bnce between the Harken dimension and Earth. More precisely, bncing the magic between the two worlds] ¡°Why do we need to bnce the two worlds?¡± [To prepare for when the two worlds are fully connected] Kang Hyeon¡¯s expression gradually wrinkled as the conversation continued. ¡®He¡¯s beating around the bush, avoiding the core of the matter.¡¯ Finally, Kang Hyeon asked about the most crucial point. ¡°This connection. Who did it, and why is it happening? Did you initiate¡­¡± [It¡¯s not that] The Administrator cut off Kang Hyeon¡¯s words. [The one who connected the two worlds was not me, but someone else] ¡°Who is it?¡± [That¡¯s¡­] ¡°That¡¯s?¡± [A secret!] ¡°Haa¡­ Shit. This isn¡¯t a joke.¡± Gang Hyeon sighed and roughly ran his hand through his hair. [I think I just heard you curse] ¡°No, I didn¡¯t.¡± [I clearly heard it] ¡°I said I didn¡¯t.¡± [I¡¯m quite a significant being, you know] ¡°So what!¡± Kang Hyeon could feel the Administrator enjoying his irritation. [And kang Hyeon. Stop running your hand through your hair so much] ¡°You know about that too?¡± [How could I not know something you do every day?] ¡°Anyway, why that too?¡± [Haven¡¯t you been experiencing hair losstely?] It¡¯s certain. This Administrator. No, this guy was making fun of him. [Should I help you a bit?] ¡°I don¡¯t need it. Get lost!¡± [Okay. Then goodbye] ¡°W-wait! So suddenly¡­¡± [I¡¯ll look forward to our next meeting] Suddenly, Kang Hyeon¡¯s body began to fall. His consciousness gradually blurred. ¡®Just you wait, you bastard¡­ Someday I¡¯ll get you back¡­¡¯ Soon, Kang Hyeon¡¯s consciousness faded away. Chapter 116 Chapter 116 Reunion (3) In the days following Kang Hyeon¡¯s death, many things happened. The biggest event was theplete copse of the Free Ability Users Liberation Alliance. Oh Jeong-su, who had been a spy within the Alliance, provided all the information he had gathered to the government. And the government did not miss this opportunity. They actively utilized the information by broadcasting it on the news, using YouTube, and even supporting the production of rted documentaries. Thanks to these efforts, most of the misunderstandings about Kang Hyeon were cleared up. ¨C I knew I could trust Kang Hyeon all along ¨C For real, it was disgusting how people were so quick to start a witch hunt without properly understanding the situation ¨C I heard rumors that Kang Hyeon can resurrect or teleport even after death. Does anyone know about this? ¨C How is that even possible? LOL ¨C Someone who was at the scene said there was no way he could have escaped¡­ Seems like there might be something to it Instead, new misunderstandings arose, but they weren¡¯t a big problem. ¡°Dae-han! Oh my poor child. How did this happen!¡± ¡°Assemblyman Jeong Man-deuk.¡± ¡°What? Who are you to be here like this?!¡± ¡°You¡¯ll have toe with us.¡± Jeong Dae-han and his gang lost all their magical power and became useless. Additionally, all the illegal activities and corruption their families had been involved in were revealed, and everyone had to face legal judgment. It was unclear how fair the judgment would be, but since Choi Yeon-hwa¡¯s father, Choi Kang-woo, was involved, it was clear they wouldn¡¯t be able to easily escape thew like before. ¡°I understand the feelings of the victims. While this money can¡¯t console them, I hope it can be of some small help.¡± Choi Kang-woo went further and providedrge-scale constion payments to the victims and their bereaved families. The money, given with sincere words that he hoped it would be of some help since he had experienced the same pain while his daughter was held captive, allowed many people to regain hope and stand up again. ¡°Why do they keep calling us back and forth? I¡¯m exhausted.¡± After all those matters were settled, finally today. Those involved in the Free Ability Users Liberation Alliance incident gathered again. ¡°Mr. Kang Hyeon. You¡¯ve arrived.¡± ¡°What did you call me for this time?¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you? It¡¯s for recognition and rewards.¡± ¡°What recognition and rewards? Does the country have anything left to give me?¡± ¡°Ahem¡­ At least words of gratitude.¡± ¡°Not necessary.¡± At that moment, the conference room door opened and Choi Yeon-hwa entered. ¡°Kyaa! Kang Hyeon! I heard you were alive, but I¡¯m sorry I couldn¡¯te see you!¡± ¡°No, there¡¯s no need to be sorry¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been so busy meeting with the victims and sorting things out! I¡¯m so d to finally meet you!¡± Choi Yeon-hwa hadrgely regained her original bright demeanor. Though she still asionally showed a dark face or an excessively cold attitude, that was something time would resolve. ¡°Oh, yeah, yeah.¡± ¡°Do you know how worried I was? I cried all day thinking Kang Hyeon had passed away, but I¡¯m so d you¡¯re back like this¡­¡± As Choi Yeon-hwa was chattering away, there was a click and the door opened. Kang Hyeon smiled fiercely at the people who entered. ¡°Well, look who¡¯s be best friends.¡± Thest guests of the day were Han Se-yeon and Choi Min-jun. Kang Hyeon sneered at them with a rotten smile. ¡°You two seem to be getting along well?¡± ¡°Not particrly. Our needs just aligned rationally. In fact, anyone who doesn¡¯t act as simple-mindedly as you would naturally get along.¡± ¡°You bastard. Are you done talking?¡± ¡°And if I am?¡± Choi Min-jun smirked. ¡°You¡¯re making me want to rip your mouth even more today. Shall I make your mouth stretch to your ears?¡± ¡°You two. Let¡¯s calm down for now.¡± At Shin Tae-gil¡¯s intervention, Kang Hyeon sat down with a thud. ¡°Sigh. I should just stop talking. Let¡¯s get this over with quickly. And you, watch out on your way home at night. If the back of your head gets smashed, you¡¯ll know it was me.¡± ¡°Mr. Kang Hyeon. Please¡­¡± ¡°Alright, alright.¡± Kang Hyeon shrugged as if it was just a joke. ¡°The reason I gathered all of you here today is topletely wrap up this incident.¡± ¡°Wrap up the incident? Then why is Choi Yeon-hwa here?¡± ¡°Ms. Choi Yeon-hwa is the representative of the victims. She¡¯s taking full responsibility for thepensation to the victims. We called her because we needed to finalize that aspect as well today.¡± Kang Hyeon nodded at Shin Tae-gil¡¯s answer. ¡°First, we should talk about the mechanical device we obtained during the raid on their base. Could you take it out?¡± Han Se-yeon took out arge device from her inventory. ¡°What is this?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a device that extracts magical power from humans.¡± Kang Hyeon showed an interested expression at Shin Tae-gil¡¯s words. ¡°Oh ho¡­¡± ¡°Currently, the government is researching methods to extract magical power from monsters or other sources, not humans. If that seeds, the next step would be creating magic potions.¡± ¡°I¡¯m curious about something. You can recover magical power using potions, but you can¡¯t expand the magical power container itself, right?¡± ¡°Correct. Even if you consume magic potions, the effect on your maximum magical power will be minimal.¡± ¡°Then how did those guys get such strong magical power?¡± ¡°That was Bandarenko¡¯s unique ability. In a state where magical power was already full, he forcibly injected more magic to expand the container. Research on that is also ongoing, but it¡¯s unlikely we¡¯ll see results anytime soon.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ I see. So why are you showing us this machine?¡± ¡°To give one each to Mr. Kang Hyeon and Ms. Choi Yeon-hwa.¡± ¡°What?¡± Kang Hyeon was taken aback by the unexpected gift. ¡°Mr. Kang Hyeon, don¡¯t you have a deep rtionship with the research institute run by Jeong Seo-bin? This is the rightful reward for your hard work this time. In Choi Yeon-hwa¡¯s case, we¡¯ve alreadypleted a deal with her father, Mr. Choi Kang-woo.¡± ¡°I thought the constion money seemed excessive.¡± The constion money that poured out from the Sam-oh Group, where Choi Kang-woo was the chairman. Kang Hyeon had thought it was money to gain nationwide support, but there had been an even bigger deal in ce. ¡°In this society, politics, and economy, there¡¯s no favor without a reason.¡± ¡°Um¡­ But my father is sincerely worried about those people.¡± Choi Yeon-hwa cautiously raised her hand to defend her father. ¡°Ah, don¡¯t misunderstand. I¡¯m not criticizing. There¡¯s nothing wrong with helping others while also benefiting yourself.¡± Everyone here had seen the ugly side of human society deeply. They had no intention of criticizing Chairman Choi Kang-woo¡¯s actions, which took care of his inner self, his public image, and his practical interests. ¡°I was wondering why the Dangun Guild and that criminal were involved here. They all had their purposes. Heh.¡± The atmosphere cooled at Kang Hyeon¡¯s words. ¡°Well! If you¡¯re giving it, I¡¯ll dly ept.¡± ¡°I just said it, didn¡¯t I? There¡¯s no favor without a reason. Still, thanks to the information provided by Mr. Choi Min-jun¡¯s side, we were able to quickly turn around the negative public opinion about Mr. Kang Hyeon.¡± ¡°Okay, okay. I get it. You don¡¯t need to defend them so desperately. I¡¯m not going to eat them.¡± ¡°Ahem.¡± Shin Tae-gil, hit right on the mark, cleared his throat unnecessarily. ¡°Whew! I¡¯m tired from using my brain after so long.¡± The meeting continued for over an hour after that. Finally, when it seemed like all the discussions were over, Kang Hyeon stood up. ¡°Is it over now?¡± ¡°Yes. Thank you all for your hard work today.¡± Just as everything was about to end smoothly, suddenly Han Se-yeon grabbed Choi Yeon-hwa. ¡°Ms. Choi Yeon-hwa. Just a moment.¡± ¡°Yes¡­?¡± ¡°Have you ever thought about joining the Dangun Guild?¡± Everyone stopped at Han Se-yeon¡¯s words. ¡°The Dangun Guild¡­¡± Dangun, famous as South Korea¡¯s top elite guild. Dangun,posed of all well-known ability users, had a high status even globally. As a small elite guild, Dangun was known for its strict admission conditions. Constantly changing entry requirements. And you had to pass an interview with Han Se-yeon, known for being picky. Even after entering the guild, if you fell behind, you were immediately sent to the guild¡¯s second team, so they constantly pushed themselves to the limit. ¡°Yes. Ms. Choi Yeon-hwa has potential. If youe to Dangun, I¡¯ll personally take charge of nurturing you.¡± If it became known that such a Dangun was epting a neer who had just be an ability user, it would cause quite a stir. There would surely be bacsh within the guild, and people would certainly say that Chairman Choi Kang-woo had lobbied for it.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Han Se-yeon was willing to risk all of that to recruit Choi Yeon-hwa. ¡®Surely, having Chairman Choi Kang-woo as a backer would be helpful, but it¡¯s not just that.¡¯ If Choi Yeon-hwa had no ability, Han Se-yeon wouldn¡¯t have epted her into the Dangun Guild even if Chairman Choi Kang-woo had asked personally. Han Se-yeon¡¯s desire for Choi Yeon-hwa was solely because of her ability. ¡°What do you think? I think these are quite extraordinary conditions.¡± Han Se-yeon smiled. ¡®I¡¯ve found a good talent.¡¯ Choi Yeon-hwa would ept the offer. There¡¯s no way she could refuse such excellent conditions. In Han Se-yeon¡¯s mind, all the ns for how to nurture Choi Yeon-hwa in the future were being formed. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I¡¯ll have to decline.¡± ¡°Great. I look forward to¡­ What?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll decline. I already have a guild I want to join.¡± Han Se-yeon¡¯s face turned to bewilderment at Choi Yeon-hwa¡¯s refusal. ¡°Pfft, Hahaha!¡± Kang Hyeon burst intoughter, seeing Han Se-yeon make such a stupid expression for the first time. ¡°Pft, Ahem!¡± Shin Tae-gil was also trying to hold back hisughter, but when Han Se-yeon red at him, he immediately cleared his throat and put on a serious face. ¡°Why¡­ What¡¯s the reason?¡± ¡°As I said, I already have a guild I want to join.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t tell me it¡¯s the Badass Guild?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Choi Yeon-hwa answered with a bright smile. ¡°Hey, hey. We¡¯re not such an easy ce that takes in just anyone. You have to go through the proper procedures to join.¡± ¡°Brother Kang Hyeon. We¡¯ve been through so much together, can¡¯t you make an exception~?¡± ¡°No, no. It¡¯s not possible. We¡¯re not like some ce that ignores procedures and just lets people in easily.¡± ¡°Aw¡­ Then I¡¯ll apply and go through the interview.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. That¡¯s how it should be. Hahaha!¡± Kang Hyeon was wearing the happiest smile he¡¯d had in recent times. ¡°Ah, this poprity¡­ It¡¯s tiring. Ms. Han Se-yeon. As a guild leader, you should have some gravitas for people to follow you, but to be so fickle and just¡­¡± Kang Hyeon couldn¡¯t finish his sentence. -BANG! Because Han Se-yeon left the conference room, closing the door with tremendous force. ¡°Hahaha! Ah! It feels like a ten-year-old indigestion is clearing up.¡± ¡°Sigh¡­ Did you really have to do that?¡± ¡°Do what?¡± ¡°Never mind¡­¡± Choi Yeon-hwa smiled as she watched the exchange between Kang Hyeon and Shin Tae-gil. ¡®I¡¯m joining Badass now, but someday I¡¯ll surpass them.¡¯ That day when she saw Han Se-yeon fight. Choi Yeon-hwa made a decision. That someday, she would surpass her. ¡®Of course, I¡¯ll still be by Brother Kang Hyeon¡¯s side after that.¡¯ Choi Yeon-hwa grinned as she thought about her future with Kang Hyeon. ¡°What? Why are you smiling so unpleasantly?¡± Kang Hyeon frowned at the sly smile that seemed familiar from somewhere. ¡°It¡¯s nothing. Haha.¡± Chapter 117 Chapter 117 An Unlucky Day (1)N?v(el)B\\jnn ¡°Haap!¡± ¨C How many times have I told you to use your opponent¡¯s strength against them! Yet you¡¯re swinging around so crudely again. ¡°Shut up! I¡¯m trying my best!¡± Two swords became entangled in a messy sh. A sword strike sharply exploiting the opening. Kang Hyeon quickly raised his sword. ¨C You fool! No matter how many times I tell you, you don¡¯t understand. If your opponent¡¯s strength had been even close to yours just now, your stance would havepletely crumbled. After that, there¡¯s only death. ¡°Then what should I do?!¡± ¨C Do as I taught you! ¡°Damn it. Easier said than done.¡± C-grade dungeon ¡®Knight Training Ground¡¯. It was a dungeon Kang Hyeon had quite a history with. The Knight Training Ground was originally a ¡®protected educational dungeon¡¯ designated by the government. However, it was less popr than expected and facing management issues. Upon learning this fact, Kang Hyeon bought the dungeon at a cheap price through Shin Tae-gil. ¨C Guild Master, even if it¡¯s cheap, investing money in this kind of dungeon is a bit¡­ There was resistance from Han Jae-mun in the middle, but it didn¡¯t affect Kang Hyeon at all. ¨C Ohe on! It¡¯s all for training our guild members! He bought it with a nice-sounding excuse, but as everyone expected, the Knight Training Ground had be Kang Hyeon¡¯s personal training ground. ¡°Keeaak!¡± Kang Hyeon¡¯s sword instructor, Kergo, drove Kang Hyeon back with his sword. ¡°You bastard, where do you think you¡¯re climbing!¡± ¨C Don¡¯t try to overpower with strength. With that attitude, you won¡¯t be able to improve your sword skills until you die of old age. ¡°I know that!¡± Kang Hyeon smoothly received the swordsing at him from all directions. ¨C That¡¯s it! That¡¯s it! ¡°Chatter chatter. It¡¯s driving me crazy.¡± Kang Hyeon got irritated at the voice constantly ringing in his head. ¨C A sword doesn¡¯t work just by swinging it recklessly. Lower right! Aim for the opening! Regardless, Veil kept on chattering. ¨C That was good just now. But it was shallow. Kang Hyeon¡¯s sword shed Kergo¡¯s thigh. But because Kergo reacted quickly, it only grazed the skin. At that moment. [The level of the ability ¡®Veil¡¯s Swordsmanship¡¯ has increased] ¡°It worked!¡± A voice heard along with the message. Kang Hyeon¡¯s eyes opened wide. ¡°It finally went up! Woaah!¡± He didn¡¯t know how much effort he had put into this. Kang Hyeon, with an expression full of joy, put down his sword. ¡°Good job. You can rest now.¡± However, Kergo, already excited from seeing blood, didn¡¯t stop. ¡°I said stop.¡± ¡°Keeaak!¡± ¡°I told you to stop! You bastard!¡± ¨C Thwack! Kergo, hit by Kang Hyeon¡¯s forceful kick, flew dozens of meters and crashed into the wall. ¡°Krrr¡­¡± Kergo felt wronged. It was already hard enough getting beaten up every day, but this human¡¯s attitude was impossible to understand. ¡°Kang Hyeon¡­ Ork. Keaak¡­¡± Tranted, it meant Kang Hyeon, you orc-like bastard. For reference, ¡®orc-like bastard¡¯ was one of the worst insults among goblins. With those words, Kergo fainted. ¡°What did he say?¡± Kang Hyeon smirked at the foaming Kergo and opened his status window. ?Name: Kang Hyeon ?Title: Tutorial Graduate and 4 others ?Level: 85 ?Detailed Stats: Strength 38 (+4)(+5) Agility 37 (+3) Stamina 39 (+3)(+13) Magic 40 (+3)(+10) Additional Stats: ¨C ?Unique Ability: Resurrection ?Abilities: Kang Hyeon-style Fighting(A), Veil¡¯s Swordsmanship(B), Magic Detection(B), Magic Maniption(B), Poison Resistance(D), Heat Resistance(C), Cold Resistance(D)¡­ ?Skills: Roar of the Angry Lion(A), Advanced Bodily Regeneration(A), Giant¡¯s Strength(A), Magic Explosion(A), Entria¡¯s OuterShell(A), Wayne¡¯s Secret Technique(A), Bisection(B), eleration(C)¡­ Kang Hyeon¡¯s incredible growth over the past few months. Most skills had reached A-grade, and abilities were also rising at a rapid pace. ¡°Is there nothing above A-grade?¡± In cases like ¡®Kang Hyeon-style Fighting¡¯, ¡®Advanced Physical Regeneration¡¯, and ¡®Giant¡¯s Strength¡¯, they had reached A-grade quite a while ago. Kang Hyeon thought he would reach the next grade soon after, but there had been no progress since then until now. ¡°Well, it¡¯ll go up someday.¡± Kang Hyeon had experience and patience built up since his lowest days. He didn¡¯t think impatiently just because growth stagnated for a moment. ¡°What time is it?¡± Kang Hyeon checked his magic stone wristwatch that worked even in dungeons. ¡°It¡¯s already thiste? I should get out quickly.¡± *** Ippotrantion *** It was early August. Kang Hyeon strolled down the street, basking in the scorching sunlight. ¡°Hey, it¡¯s Kang Hyeon.¡± ¡°Wow, look at those muscles.¡± ¡°Should I ask for a picture?¡± Since bing an ability user, summer had be Kang Hyeon¡¯s favorite season. It was because he could naturally and freely show off his impressive muscles. ¡°Buttely, it feels like my muscles aren¡¯t growing much.¡± Height 179cm. Weight 102kg. Normally, these physical specs would suggest an enormous muscr pig. But Kang Hyeon¡¯s outward appearance was a bit slimmer than that. It was because his muscle volume hadn¡¯t increased since he passed about 90kg. Instead, only his weight kept increasing strangely, which seemed to be a phenomenon caused by his body changing due to magic. ¡°You¡¯re here.¡± ¡°Oh, have you been waiting?¡± ¡°No, the auction was just about to start.¡± ¡°Good.¡± When Kang Hyeon arrived at the guild office, Shin Seong-a greeted him. On the monitor in front of her, an online auction was being broadcast live. ¨C The 17th Republic of Korea Dungeon Auction. We will now begin! If one had to pick the biggest change in the past few months, it would be this dungeon auction system. ¡®What, didn¡¯t they say humanity, which had regressed to primitiveness, regained its intelligence?¡¯ Before the auction and ownership system was established, all guilds upied dungeons by force. But now, with the system in ce, dungeon ownership was only recognized after winning an official auction. Of course, implementing this system was met with much resistance. ¨C Not only did they remove the dungeon clear rewards, but now we have to pay to buy dungeons? Are they out of their minds? ¨C Money-crazed government, wake up! It was natural for guilds to resist, as they had to pay auction fees on top of losing the previously given clear rewards. ¨C Badass Guild, Immortal Guild, ck Knights. Strongly in favor of the government system. ¨C Han Se-yeon of Dangun Guild. This change will bring great benefits to the country. However, as top-tier guilds actively supported it and magic stone prices soared, other guilds had no choice but to ept. No matter how much they spent on auctions, they could make more profit just by obtaining a dungeon. Currently, the dungeon industry has fully established itself. As a result, the prices of dungeon by-products and magic stones have literally skyrocketed. Moreover, contrary to expectations that it would stop at a certain level, the price explosion of magic stones was ongoing. The reason for this was unknown, but one thing was certain. ¨C The government must have made an enormous profit. ¨C Yeah, they¡¯ve been hoarding since the price was a tenth of what it is now. ¨C A tenth? They collected it much cheaper in the early days. ¨C Do they have some kind of prophet or something? From the time when the use of magic stones was unclear, the government had been buying them with tax money. Thanks to this, they now secured funds several times that amount. The money earned this way was enough to cover the taxes spent on dungeon clear rewards and more. ¡°That dungeon. Are you sure it¡¯sing out today?¡± ¡°Yes. I got the information from Team Leader Shin Tae-gil in advance, so it should be certain.¡± ¡°Good.¡± In the early stages of the auction. It started with F-grade dungeons, so it seemed it would take quite some time before the dungeon Kang Hyeon wanted came up. ¨C Next is a B-grade dungeon. Kobold Fortress. Finally, the auction for the highest existing grade, B-grade dungeon, began. ¨C Kobold Fortress is a maze-type dungeon set in a medieval castle, where multiple kobolds appear simultaneously¡­ The host continued exining the dungeon for a while, and finally, the auction proceeded. ¨C The starting price is 100 million. Immortal Guild, 100 million! Immortal Guild, 500 million! Oh, the price is jumping right away. While anyone can watch the auction, bidding is not possible for the general public. Each guild is given one ID that can bid, and for higher-grade dungeons, the bidding conditions are very strict. ¨C 1.3 billion. We have 1.3 billion. Any more? Dangun Guild! Dangun Guild, 2 billion! As soon as the host spoke, the chat window went wild. ¨C Wow, suddenly 2 billion¡­ As expected of Dangun¡¯s ss ¨C Why are they spending money like that? Isn¡¯t a B-grade dungeon usually around 1.5 billion? ¨C I heard that one of the people who participated in the preliminary survey saw a treasure chamber, that¡¯s probably why. ¨C I thought that was just a rumor ¨C Think about it. If Dangun is eyeing it, it¡¯s not just a rumor¡­ Watching the rapidly scrolling chat, Kang Hyeon fell into thought. ¡°Hmm¡­¡± ¡°Is something wrong?¡± ¡°No. Just¡­ I¡¯m wondering if I should have taken that dungeon.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that not the dungeon we had our eyes on?¡± ¡°Still¡­ If there really is a treasure vault in there, it would be so frustrating. Han Se-yeon, who¡¯s already doing well, getting a treasure vault! If there are a bunch of amazing items in there, she could easily make 10 billion won. Isn¡¯t that a shame?!¡± Shin Seong-a nodded with a gloomy face. ¡°Yeah¡­¡± For a while now, Kang Hyeon had been in a strange pride battle with Han Se-yeon. South Korean Guild Ranking. 1st ce Dangun. 2nd ce Badass. Ability User Ranking. 1st ce Han Se-yeon. 2nd ce Kang Hyeon. Of course, these rankings weren¡¯t official. However, they couldn¡¯t be ignored as they were posted on the site with the highest credibility at the moment. -Now! Finally, today¡¯sst dungeon! The Tomb of the Cyclops! Atst, the auction for the dungeon Kang Hyeon had been waiting for began. -ording to the preliminary survey team, the dungeon type is¡­ Finally, the dungeon boss is confirmed to be a mutant undead cyclops, which reportedly uses a giant hammer as its main weapon. The host continued exining about the dungeon for a while, -We will now start the auction! Finally, the auction began. ¡°Mr. Kang Hyeon. What price would you like to start with?¡± ¡°1.5 billion.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± -Badass Guild! 1.5 billion! Starting hot again today! Kang Hyeon entered 1.5 billion as soon as the auction started. As expected, the chat window exploded. -Looks like Kang Hyeon is personally doing it today lolololol -Agreed. I heard that when Kang Hyeon is seated, he starts by hitting 1 billion units. -No joke, macho man Kang Hyeon. I acknowledge it. Rumors about Kang Hyeon had already spread far during the previous auctions. It was inevitable for rumors to spread, as Kang Hyeon had even conducted a YouTube live stream of his participation in an auction before. -1.5 billion. Any more? Ah! Dangun Guild! Dangun Guild 2 billion. We have 2 billion. Suddenly, veins popped on Kang Hyeon¡¯s forehead. ¡°What!? 2 billion?!¡± He mmed the table without realizing it, making a loud bang. For a moment, all eyes in the office turned to him, but once they confirmed it was Kang Hyeon, everyone looked away. -Lol Dangun immediately goes 2 billion. Today¡¯s auction is super fun lol -Wonder how high it¡¯ll go lololol -Han Se-yeon and Kang Hyeon are fired up today. -No, not yet. They might give up right away. As thement section heated up, the excited host shouted. -Badass Guild 2.2 billion! Oh, scary! Wait a moment. Dangun Guild! Immediately bids 2.5 billion! Will we break the all-time highest auction price today!? ¡°Damn it!!!¡± ¡°Mr. Kang Hyeon? What should we do?¡± ¡°For now, let¡¯s raise the price little by little and buy some time.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± Kang Hyeon hurriedly called someone. -Hello. The voice on the phone was sweet yet chilling to the listener. ¡°Ms. Han Se-yeon. What are you trying to do?¡± -What do you mean? ¡°That dungeon. You know I need it and you¡¯re deliberately messing things up!¡± There was only one reason why Kang Hyeon wanted the Tomb of the Cyclops. It was because of the weapon the boss was holding. The ¡®Ogre¡¯s Giant Hammer¡¯ that Kang Hyeon was using was a D-grade hammer, an old piece of equipment he had obtained over a year ago. Since then, Kang Hyeon had been looking for a new weapon but couldn¡¯t find what he wanted. Then he learned about this dungeon information. Kang Hyeon was determined to get a new weapon from that dungeon. -I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about. Han Se-yeon clearly knew about this fact. ¡°So you¡¯re going to y dirty like this, huh?¡± -Mr. Kang Hyeon. A guild leader should maintain a certain level of dignity for people to follow. You shouldn¡¯t use such vulgarnguage. Kang Hyeon¡¯s brow furrowed at Han Se-yeon¡¯s words. ¡®Don¡¯t tell me?¡¯ The words Han Se-yeon uttered were what Kang Hyeon had said to her a few months ago. On the day Choi Yeon-hwa refused to join Dangun Guild and said she woulde to Badass Guild. Kang Hyeon had teased Han Se-yeon, who was really excited. ¡°Wow! You¡¯re still sulking over that? What a petty person?!¡± -Don¡¯t speak informally to me. Great Badass Guild Leader. I¡¯m hanging up now. ¡°W-wait!¡± Han Se-yeon unterally ended the call. ¡°Phew¡­¡± Kang Hyeon roughly ran his hand through his hair, trying to control his rising anger. -Oh, Badass. Has the guild¡¯s reserve funds run low? They keep raising the amount by small increments. Dangun Guild! Raises the amount again to 2.9 billion! As soon as the host spoke,ments mocking Kang Hyeon for being petty flooded the chat window. ¡°Mr. Kang Hyeon. What would you like to do?¡± ¡°4 billion! Go for it!¡± ¡°Understood.¡± That¡¯s when it happened. A scream came from one side of the office. ¡°Kyaah! Manager!¡± ¡°Manager Han Jae-moon has copsed.¡± Han Jae-moon, who had been anxiously watching the auction, had copsed due to high blood pressure. ¡®Ah, the guild funds¡­¡¯ Regardless, Kang Hyeon was stubborn. ¡°Phew, Han Se-yeon. Just you wait!¡± Chapter 118 Chapter 118 An Unlucky Day (2) Eventually, the dungeon was sold for 4.5 billion won. It was almost three times more expensive than a typical B-grade dungeon. Kang Hyeon vowed revenge while shedding tears of blood. And Han Jae-moon, who was taken to the emergency room at 4 billion, fainted again upon hearing that they spent an additional 500 million. ¡°Han Jae-moon is really something. I told him I¡¯d take care of it.¡± ¡°It¡¯s understandable that he was shocked. Even if we poured all of the guild¡¯s reserve funds, 4.5 billion wouldn¡¯t be enough.¡± ¡°I created this guild with my own money in the first ce! Huh? It¡¯s a guild built with my blood and sweat, can¡¯t I do as I please?!¡± ¡°Brother. I didn¡¯t say anything. Why are you getting so worked up by yourself?¡± ¡°Ahem¡­¡± Kang Hyeon cleared his throat unnecessarily. ¡°I¡¯m telling you, I¡¯ll earn a lot and make our guild members live luxuriously.¡± ¡°Okay, I get it, so let¡¯s just go quickly.¡± Yoon Na-rae frowned and hurried her steps. ¡°Cheeky brats¡­ I¡¯m still the guild leader though¡­¡± Kang Hyeon grumbled as he walked forward. ¡°By the way, Mr. Kang Hyeon. The atmosphere is gloomy, befitting the name ¡®tomb¡¯.¡° At Shin Seong-a¡¯s words, Kang Hyeon looked around and felt a new sense of gloom. Heavy dark clouds. Tombs were scattered everywhere. ording to the preliminary survey team, it was a field-type dungeon with undead monsters. ¡°Well, we could have figured this out as soon as we entered the dungeon even without the preliminary survey, right?¡± Kang Hyeon rubbed his arms, slightly chilled by the eerie atmosphere. ¡°It¡¯s not like we haven¡¯t been crushing skeleton bones before. Let¡¯s go.¡± Just as Kang Hyeon was about to take a step, pretending to be calm, A pale white hand broke through the ground with a ¡®whoosh¡¯ sound and grabbed Kang Hyeon¡¯s ankle. ¡°Aaargh! Damn it!¡± And then the undead appeared. Unlike the name ¡°Tomb of the Cyclops,¡± all sorts of undead emerged from the ground. ¡°You scared me, you bastard!¡± As soon as the skull broke through the soil, Kang Hyeon kicked it with all his might. -Crack! The pale white skull shattered into hundreds of pieces and scattered in the air with that kick. ¡°I should file aint about this. If they¡¯re going to give information, they should have given it in detail. What if I had copsed from a heart attack?¡± ¡°Ah, yes¡­¡± ¡°Delete that surprised look from the video.¡± Kang Hyeon told Yoon Na-rae, who was filming for YouTube. ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°I said delete it.¡± ¡°I said okay!¡± Yoon Na-rae vowed to reveal that unsightly scene to the world, no matter what. ¡°Brother, if you¡¯re done ying around, can you help us out?¡± An Yu-seong, who was smashing undead with Shin Seong-a, shouted. ¡°What¡¯s with you? You usually tell me not to touch your work.¡± ¡°These guys are less satisfying to hit. Theyck personality too.¡± ¡°Ah, I see¡­¡± Kang Hyeon nodded with a sour face and swung his fist. With a loud bang, the head of an unusuallyrge undead orc flew off. ¡°Isn¡¯t this dungeon surprisingly rich?¡± He said as he picked up the ive the orc was holding. ¡°Tell the cleanup team to be careful not to miss even small equipment.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± The cleanup team always follows the dungeon conquest team. It was an era where the value of byproducts from dungeons, such as magic stones and items, was increasing day by day. However, undead monsters don¡¯t fetch a high price for their corpses. So Kang Hyeon didn¡¯t expect much profit, but he was excited to see so many monsters suddenly appear holding expensive weapons. ¡°It feels like when rtives secretly give you pocket money during holidays without your parents knowing.¡± As in any household, if the parents found out, that would be the end of it. ¡°Is it all cleared up?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± By now, the surrounding ground had turned white with shattered bones. ¡®It¡¯s as if it snowed¡­¡¯ Kang Hyeon smirked and nodded. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± *** Ippotrantion *** ¡°What time is it now?¡± ¡°It¡¯s 9:13 PM.¡± Shin Seong-a looked at her watch and answered Kang Hyeon¡¯s question. ¡°Hmm, we entered the dungeon right after breakfast, right?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Then we should take a break soon.¡± Coincidentally, the sun was setting in the dungeon as well. ¡°I thought it had been night for a while because it¡¯s been gloomy all day.¡± The actual night in the dungeon was much darker. The surroundings rapidly darkened and the temperature dropped. ¡°Mr. Kang Hyeon. What should we do about the core?¡± ¡°What else? We have to break it.¡±n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om The group arrived at the dungeon¡¯s normal core and cleared the surroundings before breaking the core. ¡°It¡¯s a shame there¡¯s no reward for conquering it.¡± Until recently, breaking a B-grade dungeon core would yield hundreds of millions of won, but not anymore. Nevertheless, as this was now a dungeon owned by the Badass Guild, they had to break the core for management purposes. Breaking the main core would make the dungeon disappear, but breaking normal cores resets the dungeon¡¯s open time. Whether to keep this dungeon running would have to be seen, but for now, it was right to break normal cores whenever they were found. ¡°Brother, what¡¯s for dinner tonight?¡± An Yu-seong approached after breaking the core and clearing the surroundings. ¡°Beef brisket doenjang jjigae (soybean paste stew).¡± ¡°Ugh, beef again.¡± ¡°It¡¯s soybean paste stew because that¡¯s mentionedst. And what¡¯s wrong with beef?!¡± Dungeon preservation food. It started with tasteless hamburgers, but now it had developed to allow various meals from Korean to Western cuisine. The murderous price was still a problem, but Kang Hyeon didn¡¯t care as he could bring them in almost at cost. ¡°This is delicious.¡± ¡°Yes, it seems edible.¡± The most important aspect, taste, had also improved so it was no longer something to frown upon like before. ¡°If you¡¯re done eating, let¡¯s sleep now.¡± The meal ended quickly. Kang Hyeonid out his sleeping bag and sprawled out. The leftover trash was thrown to one side, as it would disappear anyway once the dungeon was cleared. These days, many ces were using dungeons to dispose of various pollutants like radioactive materials and household waste. ¡°Set an rm. Let¡¯s sleep for just five hours and then move.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± At Kang Hyeon¡¯s words, everyone closed their eyes. 10 PM. It was a bit early to sleep, but no oneined. It didn¡¯t matter if they didn¡¯t actually fall asleep. Those who had already surpassed the limits of ordinary people only needed a brief rest. ¡°An Yu-seong. If anything happens, make sure to wake me up.¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to sleep too.¡± ¡°You always wake up first when something happens anyway.¡± An Yu-seong could sense danger in any situation through his intuition. ¡°Tch.¡± The group fell asleep without even setting up a night watch, which was considered essential for dungeon raids. *** Ippotrantion *** A cycle of rest and battle. The group repeated only these two activities for a while as they moved. Though they should have been tired from the endless battles, no one showed any signs of fatigue. ¡°Hyaaah!¡± Kang Hyeon, wielding Bilgein¡¯s Long sword, concentrated all his nerves to deflect the enemies¡¯ attacks. ¡°I could crush these guys with one punch, why do I have to go through this hell!?¡± -Foolish one. It¡¯s because you approach battles with that attitude that your skills don¡¯t improve. If you want to swing your sword even once when you meet a true strong opponent in the future, stopining and do as I say¡­ ¡°I get it! I get it! Your nagging is worse than my mom¡¯s.¡± The reason Kang Hyeon could be this rxed was that the dungeon was easier than expected. Even among B-rank dungeons, the difficulty levels vary greatly. On top of that, thepatibility of the monsters that appear, the environment inside the dungeon, and various other factors inevitably change the difficulty that an individual perceives. ¡°Bro, isn¡¯t this dungeon too boring?¡± ¡°So what?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s just quickly defeat the boss and get out of here.¡± Even considering all those factors, this dungeon was too easy. ¡°Stop whining. I¡¯ve been looking, but I can¡¯t sense any magical energy.¡± Of course, this leisure is something only Kang Hyeon and his group could afford. In Korea, only two guilds, Badass and Dangun, had cleared a B-rank dungeon with just four members. It was stillmon sense that unless you were a top-tier guild, you wouldn¡¯t even think about attempting a B-rank dungeon. ¡°This is strange. I feel like we¡¯re getting closer to the main core, but why can¡¯t I sense the boss? Could it be a dungeon without a boss?¡± ¡°Use your brain a bit. We came here to take the hammer from the boss, remember? Did you forget already?¡± ¡°Ah, right.¡± Kang Hyeon scratched his head at Yoon Na-rae¡¯s scolding. ¡°And for a B-rank dungeon to be this easy, the boss must be that much stronger. Isn¡¯t thatmon sense? What does the guild leader actually know? Always swinging that hammer mindlessly. If we look closely, you really don¡¯t know anything¡­¡± Kang Hyeon¡¯s expression gradually became grim. Yoon Na-rae, who had been chattering excitedly, nced at Kang Hyeon¡¯s face and changed her words. ¡°Someone as clueless as me should just bang my head and die. Eek! Haha.¡± Yoon Na-rae swung the staff she was holding at her own head. ¡°That was close to being dangerous.¡± ¡°Guild leader is the best!¡± By this time, Yoon Na-rae had be quite adept at social interactions. ¡°Hey, I think the main core is just over that hill we see there.¡± ¡°It¡¯s certainly strange that there¡¯s no boss when we¡¯re this close to the main core. Protecting the main core should be like an instinct for the boss.¡± ¡°Well, we¡¯ll find out when we get there.¡± Shin Seong-a¡¯s words were logical. However, they couldn¡¯t just stand still because something felt off. Having no better options, Kang Hyeon and his group simply walked on. Just as they reached the top of the hill, An Yu-seong spoke up. ¡°Bro.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Doesn¡¯t this hill seem strange?¡± Kang Hyeon looked at An Yu-seong at his sudden words. ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°It feels like it¡¯s shaking a bit.¡± A smile spread across An Yu-seong¡¯s face. ¡°You bastard¡­ Don¡¯t tell me¡­¡± At that moment, the others also noticed something was off. ¡°Kang Hyeon! The ground is moving!¡± ¡°Huh? What¡¯s going on!?¡± The hill was starting to rise. At the same time, the group¡¯s view began to rapidly elevate. ¡°You crazy fool! You should have said something earlier!¡± ¡°It¡¯s fun, isn¡¯t it? Hahaha!¡± Yoon Na-rae flew through the air, while Shin Seong-a and An Yu-seongnded lightly on the ground like cats. ¡°Oh, shit!¡± Only Kang Hyeon slipped in the mud during hisnding and fell on his backside. ¡°It seems the soil inside the dungeon had properties that blocked magical energy.¡± ¡°I guess so. By the way, is this a cyclops?¡± ¡°Such a huge one will be fun to fight. There¡¯ll be plenty of ces to hit.¡± The fully risen cyclops appeared to be over 15 meters tall. The group had hunted cyclopes quite a few times before, but the one in front of them, despite being only bones, dwarfed all the specimens they had hunted so far in size. -Thud, thud, rustling The soil clinging to its bones fell off, scattering in all directions. ¡°How are we going to take down something this big?¡± Recently,rge monsters had been mere punching bags with many target areas for Kang Hyeon. But this one was different. With nothing but bones all over its body, there were no visible weak points, and even those bones looked extremely solid. ¡°Let¡¯s think while we fight.¡± Just as Kang Hyeon had made up his mind and pulled out Ogre¡¯s giant hammer, -St A huge lump of mud fell on top of Kang Hyeon¡¯s head. ¡°Pfft, bwahaha! Bro, I heard you were going bald, but did you get a new wig?¡± An Yu-seong pointed and cackled. The shape looked exactly like ¡®that thing¡¯ in the toilet, which made An Yu-seongugh even harder. ¡°Sigh, today¡¯s really not my day¡­¡± Kang Hyeon frowned deeply as he cleared away the mud. ¡°Just you wait!¡± Kang Hyeon activated all his buffs and swung his hammer with full force, filled with magical energy. -Boom! A thunderous sound as if a dynamite had exploded. The tremendous impact raised a cloud of magical energy and dust. ¡°Don¡¯t me me.¡± He thought this would at least crack the bones, equivalent to an 8-week injury. He was certain of it. Until the dust settled. ¡°What? Why is it so hard?¡± As the dust cleared, the monster¡¯s bones were perfectly clean. Not a single scratch in sight. As Kang Hyeon was taken aback by this unexpected scene, ¡°Kang Hyeon! Watch out!¡± Shin Seong-a¡¯s shout was heard. ¡°Ah, today really isn¡¯t my day¡­¡± At the same time, he saw a giant hammer. -Whack! The truck-sized hammer struck Kang Hyeon directly. Chapter 119 Chapter 119 An Unlucky Day (3) Kang Hyeon, hit by the giant hammer, soared through the sky. ¡°Wow, he¡¯s flying quite far.¡± ¡°Will he be alright?¡± Shin Seong-a asked with a worried face. ¡°He¡¯s the boss, so he¡¯ll be fine. Probably?¡± An Yu-seong answered with a grin. ¡°Mr. An Yu-seong. I was actually referring to the boss monster.¡± ¡°Huh? Haha¡­¡± A flustered An Yu-seongughed awkwardly. He had naturally assumed Shin Seong-a would be worried about Kang Hyeon. ¡°Speaking of the boss, wouldn¡¯t it be more fun without the boss man around?¡± ¡°The monster¡¯s bones are abnormally hard. If even Kang Hyeon¡¯s attack couldn¡¯t leave a scratch, I¡¯m not sure we have any means to attack it.¡± Shin Seong-a¡¯s observation was urate. At first nce, Kang Hyeon¡¯s recent attack might have seemed like a mindless swing, but it wasn¡¯t. It contained all the experience from the battles he had fought so far. Overwhelming brute forcebined with a fatal magical energy control focused on destruction. No monster had ever withstood the attack Kang Hyeon just unleashed. Even if it was a boss monster or arge monster, their bodies would usually be destroyed, and if not killed instantly, they would writhe in pain. ¡°But not even a scratch appeared on its bones.¡± ¡°It¡¯s definitely a problem. Even if he¡¯s a stupid, corrupt guild leader, his power was real¡­¡± Yoon Na-rae, who had somehowe down to their side, nodded in agreement. ¡°For now, let¡¯s go with an exploratory battle while being careful not to get hit by its attacks. The boss might be fine after taking a hit like that, but for us, it would probably mean instant death.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± ¡°No matter how hard the bones are, there¡¯s no way they could be unscathed after that attack. There must be some other secret, so let¡¯s try to find it.¡± Naturally, An Yu-seong tookmand, and the group began the battle in earnest. -Boom, thud! ¡°Is this thing even catchable?!¡± The boss monster ¡®Mutant Undead Cyclops¡¯ had no special features. It just pressured the group with its giant body, overwhelming strength, and unbelievable toughness. ¡°Looking at it this way, it¡¯s like Kang Hyeon got huge. Haha.¡± Though heughed casually on the outside, An Yu-seong¡¯s mind was racing.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om ¡®I can¡¯t find a weak point.¡¯ Even after quite some time in battle, they hadn¡¯t managed to inflict any significant damage on the monster. An Yu-seong¡¯s mace, which he used to strike the monster¡¯s bones, was slightly dented, and his arm was trembling from the recoil of the impacts. ¡®It¡¯s been a while since we¡¯ve been in a crisis like this.¡¯ Moreover, being an undead made of bones, it didn¡¯t even get tired. If the battle dragged on like this, the oue was obvious. ¡°This is interesting.¡± An Yu-seong was getting more and more excited. Although it wasn¡¯t a bloody battle, the thrill of crushing an overwhelmingly strong opponent was no less exhrating. The stronger the enemy, the greater the excitement. ¡°Mr. An Yu-seong. How about retreating for now?¡± It was then. Shin Seong-a, who had approached from the side, suggested a retreat. ¡°Retreat?¡± ¡°Yes. If we keep fighting like this and run out of stamina and magical energy, we might not even be able to escape. It seems better to withdraw while we still have strength left and challenge it againter. The boss won¡¯t leave the vicinity of the core anyway, so it¡¯s entirely possible.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Just as An Yu-seong was deep in thought, ¡°Kyaaak! What are these things!?¡± Yoon Na-rae¡¯s scream was heard from the sky. [Undead Wyvern] There were monsters that looked like skeletal pterosaurs flying around. ¡°Where did these guys suddenly appear from?¡± ¡°Wyverns, huh. As if the boss alone wasn¡¯t enough, now we have more nuisances.¡± Yoon Na-rae engaged in an aerial battle with the Undead Wyverns for a while before finally retreating to where the group was hiding. ¡°Eek, attacks don¡¯t work on them!¡± ¡°It seems they have a magic shield like the boss.¡± ¡°Magic shield¡­ Magic barrier¡­¡± Suddenly, something clicked in An Yu-seong¡¯s mind. He approached Yoon Na-rae, grabbed her shoulders, and asked, ¡°Did you see where those guys appeared from?¡± ¡°They, they just suddenly appeared in the sky¡­¡± ¡°What were you doing at that time?¡± ¡°Since attacks weren¡¯t working, I was flying near its head thinking I might find a magic stone or something¡­¡± Flustered by the handsome An Yu-seong¡¯s faceing close, Yoon Na-rae stammered. ¡°Why are you suddenly¡­?¡± ¡°Kuku. Now I get it.¡± It was then. A presence was felt from behind. ¡°What do you get?¡± There stood Kang Hyeon, who had arrived at some point, looking furious. *** Ippotrantion *** -Ssh! Kang Hyeon, who had flown through the sky,nded face-first in the mud. ¡°Ugh¡­ This is no joke.¡± The entire left arm bone that had taken the attack was shattered. Various other parts were creaking as well, suggesting the impact had been quite significant. ¡°What kind of ridiculous strength is this?¡± Given that it could break Kang Hyeon¡¯s bones, the power behind the attack was beyond words. ¡°It¡¯s been a while since I¡¯ve been hit like this.¡± At some point, Kang Hyeon had stopped wearing armor. Even decent sword strikes couldn¡¯t leave a scratch on his skin. Attacks using magical energy were still threatening, but that would be the case even with armor on. In the end, Kang Hyeon had taken off his armor to move a bit more nimbly. ¡°That was a wise choice.¡± If he had taken that attack while wearing armor, the impact might have been slightly less, but the armor would have been shattered to pieces, rendering it unusable. ¡°I cane back to life even if I die, but once armor¡¯s gone, that¡¯s it.¡± Oncepletely destroyed, it can¡¯t even be repaired. ¡°Let¡¯s walk slowly and think for now.¡± Pain surged with every movement, but Kang Hyeon paid no attention to it. After all, when using ¡®Wayne¡¯s Secret Technique¡¯, Kang Hyeon experiences the pain of his body being destroyed and torn apart. He always maintained this painful skill as long as his magical energy allowed. In other words, the pain of broken bones no longer evoked any particr emotion in Kang Hyeon. ¡°By the way, how far did I fly?¡± Kang Hyeon looked around and cursed. He wasn¡¯t sure, but it seemed he had flown at least 1km. ¡°Haah, since I need to recover my body anyway, let¡¯s think positively¡­ The important thing is how to crush that thing.¡± Kang Hyeon sighed as he recalled the situation just before he flew away. ¡°Logically, can bones be that hard? It¡¯s strange, isn¡¯t it?¡± It was when Kang Hyeon was lost in thought. -It¡¯s a magic shield. A thin, hard magic shield was spread over the entire skeleton. Veil spoke to Kang Hyeon. ¡°Magic shield? Are you talking about that paper-thin magic shield?¡± -Yes. Yourpanions should have noticed by now. ¡°There¡¯s no way it could be that hard. And it covers that entire huge body?¡± -There are many ways. It does require vast amounts of magic that only dragons might possess, but¡­ ¡°What¡¯s the method?¡± -I am a knight. And I¡¯m reluctant to learn magic rted to the undead as it¡¯s considered improper. ¡°So in the end, you don¡¯t know!¡± -Listen to the end! I dealt with many necromancers when I was alive. I gained knowledge from that. Kang Hyeon, who had been agitated, quickly calmed down at Veil¡¯s words. ¡°What¡¯s the method?¡± -When creating undead, if you apply special magical processing and deploy a shield with a magic pattern that cooperates with it, you can tremendously increase efficiency. Skilled necromancers can cover the entire skeleton with a hard shield while reducing magic consumption. ¡°In the end, isn¡¯t it just saying there¡¯s a hard shield? It seems like you¡¯re just going in circles with the same words.¡± Kang Hyeon¡¯s expression became deeply furrowed. -Stupid fool. No matter how efficient, to cast a shield of that size and strength, a necromancer must be present nearby. ¡°So there¡¯s a caster controlling it nearby?¡± -Yes. But even so, it¡¯s strange. Even an exceptional necromancer couldn¡¯t withstand that level of magic consumption¡­ If it were possible, they¡¯d be a big shot capable of threatening an entire country alone. ¡°Then I guess it¡¯s a really powerful big shot.¡± -Tsk tsk. Logically, such a big shot wouldn¡¯t use such an inefficient and troublesome method. They would appear directly and kill you all at once with dark magic. Kang Hyeon fell into thought at Veil¡¯s words. ¡°The conclusion is that only the magic is abnormally strong¡­ Just like Bandarenko, right?¡± Bandarenko, the leader of the Free Ability Users Liberation Alliance. He had demonstrated tremendous power with his exceptionally strong magic. Kang Hyeon felt like he was on the verge of grasping something, but couldn¡¯t quite reach it. ¡°What? We¡¯re already here? My body¡¯s recovered too, good timing.¡± By now, Kang Hyeon¡¯s physical body had fully recovered. Spotting hispanions in the distance, Kang Hyeon hurriedly moved towards them. ¡°Heheh. Now I understand.¡± As soon as he arrived, he saw An Yu-seong with a devious smile. ¡°You came earlier than expected.¡± ¡°You got a problem with that?¡± ¡°Not really a problem.¡± An Yu-seong chuckled. ¡°So tell me what you were talking about. What do you understand?¡± At Kang Hyeon¡¯s words, An Yu-seong continued his exnation. ¡°There¡¯s a mage nearby casting the shield. Seeing how they¡¯re interfering when we try to find the boss¡¯s magic stone, it¡¯s certain.¡± Hearing An Yu-seong¡¯s exnation, Kang Hyeon grinned. ¡°I¡¯ve known that all along, man.¡± ¡°You knew?¡± ¡°Of course, man. Who wouldn¡¯t know that?¡± At Kang Hyeon¡¯s words, the group looked at him with suspicious eyes. ¡°Hey, I¡¯m telling you it¡¯s true.¡± Kang Hyeon wore a smug expression and began to exin. Of course, he left out the part about Veil telling him. ¡°I can¡¯t believe it¡­¡± As Kang Hyeon¡¯s exnation continued, the group¡¯s faces were filled with astonishment. ¡°So the conclusion is that there¡¯s a necromancer nearby.¡± As Kang Hyeon finished his story, Yoon Na-rae rushed over. Grabbing Kang Hyeon¡¯s head, Yoon Na-rae started examining it here and there. ¡°What are you doing?¡± ¡°I thought maybe something happened to your head when you got hit by the boss earlier.¡± ¡°You wanna die?¡± Frowning, Kang Hyeon threw Yoon Na-rae aside. ¡°By the way, why are you guys here?¡± The group was hiding behind a rock a bit away from the boss. ¡°We made a strategic retreat. It didn¡¯t seem like an opponent we could beat by recklessly charging in like you, brother.¡± ¡°What did you say!?¡± ¡°Ah, I take that back. Now you¡¯ve be incredibly smart too, brother.¡± An Yu-seong, who was chuckling, continued. ¡°So where is that necromancer?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know that either.¡± ¡°Can¡¯t you sense any magic or something?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been trying to find it, but I can¡¯t. The boss¡¯s magic is one thing, but the magic flowing from the main core is too strong.¡± ¡°But we found our way here right away, didn¡¯t we?¡± ¡°That¡¯s true, huh?¡± At An Yu-seong¡¯s words, Kang Hyeon stroked his chin. ¡°Maybe it¡¯s because my magic sensing has been improving day by day¡­ I can sense magic quite sensitively even near the main core.¡± ¡°Then haven¡¯t we found the answer?¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°It must be here.¡± Kang Hyeon frowned at the iprehensible words. ¡°Exin so I can understand.¡± An Yu-seong grinned and looked down. ¡°The ground.¡± *** Ippotrantion *** For the first time in a while, a wicked smile appeared on Kang Hyeon¡¯s face. ¡°I¡¯ll end this right now.¡± There was nothing more to see. The location of the enemy was certain. A ce where magic couldn¡¯t be detected but could receive abnormally strong magic. ¡°It¡¯s below the main core.¡± As they approached the main core, the boss discovered the group and charged towards them. ¡°Everyone, draw its attention!¡± At Kang Hyeon¡¯s words, the group scattered in all directions, each attacking to draw the boss¡¯s attention. In that gap, Kang Hyeon rushed straight to the main core. ¡°If I knew it would be like this, I should have brought a shovel!¡± Grumbling unnecessarily, Kang Hyeon hurriedly dug up the ground. ¡®I can feel faint magic.¡¯ As expected, below the main core was the correct answer. The deeper he dug, the stronger magic he felt. -Thump, thump, thump! The boss monster charging like mad also proved that Kang Hyeon wasn¡¯t wrong. ¡°Mr. Kang Hyeon. Be careful!¡± He heard Shin Seong-a shouting. Kang Hyeon ignored it and continued digging. Finally, as the boss arrived at the main core and raised its giant hammer, ¡°You¡¯re toote, bastard.¡± Kang Hyeon shoved his hand into the dirt. -Squelch When Kang Hyeon¡¯s hand emerged again, it was holding an undead wearing a robe. ¡°Did you have fun down there?¡± -Oh no! How did you know¡­! Before the creature could finish speaking, Kang Hyeon applied force with his hand. -Crack With that force, the skull was instantly shattered, and the creature¡¯s body went limp. Chapter 120 Chapter 120 An Unlucky Day (4) With a cracking sound, the Necromancer copsed. It was an anticlimactic end for the mastermind behind the scenes. -Kuuung! Though the Necromancer was killed, the battle wasn¡¯t over. The Cyclops was still intact. Thus, without a moment to catch their breath, the second round began. Kang Hyeon infused magic into Bilgein¡¯s longsword. As blue magic mes burned on the red longsword, a ¡°woong-¡± sound resonated. ¡°I¡¯m going for it in one shot!¡± Kang Hyeon moved to the Cyclops¡¯ feet and swung his sword. The talus, the uppermost bone among those forming the ankle. He intended to target that spot where the body weight is transferred to the foot, aiming to bring down the Cyclops in one go. ¡°What the?!¡± But the resultpletely missed Kang Hyeon¡¯s expectations. The sword, which should have sliced through the bone as easily as cutting tofu, only managed to prate about the length of a finger joint. ¡°Wasn¡¯t the shield broken?¡± -Cyclops bones are famously hard to begin with. It¡¯s natural, given that they support such a massive body. On top of that, it seems the Necromancer applied some special treatment. ¡°But the guy who did that special treatment just had his skull smashed, didn¡¯t he?¡± -I don¡¯t know the details either. Focus on the battle. ¡°And here you were talking like you knew everything before!¡± Even while talking, Kang Hyeon was constantly moving his feet. Every time the boss swung its giant hammer and hit the ground, there was a deafening sound like a bomb exploding, and the ground shook. ¡°If that thing hits from top to bottom, it¡¯s over.¡± Even a side hit nearly shattered his entire body. If struck by a vertical attack, even Kang Hyeon couldn¡¯t guarantee his survival. ¡°One wrong move and we¡¯re dead. Stay sharp!¡± ¡°I know!¡± Yoon Na-rae responded sharply to Kang Hyeon¡¯s shout. ¡°But isn¡¯t this too hard? Our attacks aren¡¯t doing anything at all.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. Even though we dealt with the Necromancer, it¡¯s difficult to inflict damage with our attack power.¡± In fact, the mutant undead Cyclops had no special characteristics. Enormous body. Extreme hardness. It only had these basic traits, which made it all the more troublesome. They couldn¡¯t let their guard down for a moment as a single mistake could cost them their lives, while also having to put all their strength into each attack to inflict damage. It was a fight that inevitably consumed a lot of concentration. ¡°Mr. Kang Hyeon. I think it would be better to find and destroy the magic stone now.¡± ¡°The magic stone is likely in its head without a doubt, but that thing is desperately protecting just that part, so what can we do?¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± ¡°For now, move!¡± Just as they finished this very brief strategy meeting and were about to move again, a thunderous sound came from the boss. -Grrrrrrrrrr Undead,cking vocal organs, use magic to transmit their will directly into one¡¯s mind. Because of this, it was thought that they couldn¡¯t speak unless they exceeded a certain level of intelligence, but now the boss made a sound for the first time. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± As he turned his head, Kang Hyeon saw someone standing at the boss¡¯s feet. ¡°Haaaaaap!¡± -Tang tang tang tang. The owner of the voice was An Yu-seong. ¡°What¡¯s he doing now?¡± Kang Hyeon¡¯s face, which had been speaking, turned to shock. ¡°That crazy bastard¡­¡± An Yu-seong was hammering nails into the boss. From the various types of weapons An Yu-seong always kept in his inventory. He had selected daggers with thick and sturdy bodies and was driving them into the boss like nails. ¡°That¡¯s actually working¡­¡± While dodging the boss¡¯s attacks, he would ce a dagger against the moving giant bones and hammer it in with a mace. It was easy to say, but actually doing it was apletely different matter. Moreover, considering that those bones were harder than any ordinary steel te, and the hammer driving in the ¡®nails¡¯ was a round and bumpy mace, the difficulty increased exponentially. ¡°I thought that talent monster was alreadyplete, but I guess not.¡± Overall battle sense. The ability to control his body. An Yu-seong had been overwhelming in everything from the start. Kang Hyeon thought it would be difficult for him to improve further, but that was his misconception. Just as Kang Hyeon had been getting stronger all this time, An Yu-seong too had been constantly evolving. ¡°Done it!¡± Finally, the dagger skewer wasplete. Nearly a hundred daggers were densely embedded in one of the boss¡¯s feet. ¡°Brother. Come and hit it once!¡± Kang Hyeon immediately grasped what An Yu-seong intended to do. With a grin, Kang Hyeon kicked the ground hard. ¡°Here I go! Yoon Na-rae, cast your buff!¡± Usually, Kang Hyeon doesn¡¯t receive additional buffs. Even using just ¡®Wayne¡¯s Secret Technique¡¯ puts a heavy strain on his body. But now was the time to go all out. ¡°Alright!¡± Along with the overflowing power came pain. Kang Hyeon¡¯s current base strength was 38. In fact, this alone was close to what an ordinary ability user would have with all items equipped and buffs applied. Add to that the A-rank Wayne¡¯s Secret Technique and Giant¡¯s Strength, and it rises to nearly 83. An additional 9 from the effects of titles and items, and finally 7 from Yoon Na-rae¡¯s buff effect. A total of 99 tremendous strength empowered Kang Hyeon, while simultaneously destroying his body. -Buuung! Ogre¡¯s giant hammer felt as light as a baseball bat. Wielding something over 10 times one¡¯s body weight required considerable skill apart from just raw strength, but for Kang Hyeon, it was now as natural as breathing. ¡°Get out of the way!¡± Reaching the boss¡¯s feet, Kang Hyeon nted his foot deep into the ground. And then the giant hammer was swung! -Kwang! Pagagagak! With a sound like a bomb exploding, one of the boss¡¯s feet shattered into pieces. The scattered bone fragments sprayed into the air, creating a spectacr scene like snowkes fluttering. -Kuuung! The boss, having one foot instantly shattered, toppled over. ¡°Crush it all!¡± *** Ippotrantion *** Kang Hyeon and his crew rushed to the fallen boss¡¯s back of the head as if on cue. Each gripping their weapons tightly, they struck the back of the head with all their might, like miners in a quarry. ¡°Hahaha! This is awesome!¡± Kang Hyeon even entered the boss¡¯s empty eye socket and swung his hammer. It was a historic moment, worthy of being recorded as the first human to enter an undead¡¯s skull. In fact, for ordinary humans, even breathing would be impossible due to the death energy filling the space. But for Kang Hyeon, it was merely slightly unpleasant. -Kwang, kwang, kwang! A frenzied party erupted inside the giant skull of the Cyclops as it thrashed on the ground. ¡°Eek! Die, die, die!¡± Yoon Na-rae repeatedly shouted ¡°die¡± as if releasing all the stress she had umted in the guild. Shin Seong-a was quietly shooting magic-infused steel arrows, ¡°Hahahahaha!¡± An Yu-seong was swinging his mace whileughing maniacally. -Grrrrrr! Undead don¡¯t feel pain. But even they knew it was over when a party continued inside their skull. ¡°What the hell is wrong with this bastard!?¡± The final struggle to end the party began. ¡°Huh? Whoa!¡± The Cyclops, still in its fallen position, mmed its forehead hard against the ground. -Thud, thud, thud! Kang Hyeon, inside the creature¡¯s skull, bounced around to the beat. ¡°Yaaaah! How about that, try something!¡± He bit his tongue mid-sentence, drawing blood. The group retreated for a moment, lost in thought. ¡°What should we do?¡± ¡°If we leave it like that, won¡¯t it die on its own?¡± ¡°Leave it. He¡¯lle out on his own.¡± Meanwhile, Kang Hyeon was bouncing around like someone on a wild amusement park ride. ¡°Shit! You, you, you guys! What are you doing!?¡± Customer satisfaction was at its peak. Suddenly, as if struck by an idea, Yoon Na-rae pped her hands. ¡°Guild Master! I¡¯m going to hit it with a big one! Is that okay!?¡± ¡°Hurry up!¡± Kang Hyeon was truly disoriented. It felt like being a cockroach inside a basketball during a game. ¡°Ugh! Urk! Gak! Kak! Wak!¡± Involuntary exmations burst out with each shake of the boss¡¯s head. ¡®Why is this taking so long!?¡¯ He could feel an enormous amount of magic gathering outside. ¡®No. Wait a minute¡­¡¯ Something was wrong. This was beyond the level of what could be described as just ¡®a big hit¡¯. ¡°Hey, hey! You crazy! What are you doing now!?¡± ¡°You said to hurry! Wait. It¡¯s almost done!¡± ¡°No, no! Stop!¡± Hearing Kang Hyeon¡¯s words, Yoon Na-rae hesitated for a moment before nodding vigorously. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. It¡¯s for the guild. You won¡¯t die anyway, right, Guild Master?¡± Despite her words, her voice was full ofughter. ¡°If, if I get out, you¡¯re dead!¡± Hearing Kang Hyeon¡¯s struggling voice from inside made it even more enjoyable. With a big smile, Yoon Na-rae unleashed her most powerful spell. ¡°Meteor.¡± Although it was still an F-rank spell with zero proficiency, its power was exceptional. In an instant, all of Yoon Na-rae¡¯s magic was drained, and a house-sized rock formed high in the sky. ¡°It¡¯ll be fine, right?¡± ¡°My intuition says it might be a bit dangerous this time, but since you¡¯lle back to life anyway, it should be fine, right?¡± An Yu-seong nodded with a smile. Encouraged by this support, Yoon Na-rae swung her hand. Simultaneously, the giant rock fell. -Kuuuung. The boulder lodged precisely in the center of the boss¡¯s body, apanied by a heavy explosion. The boss, already weakened by numerous attacks, couldn¡¯t withstand this one. Its bones shattered into pieces, and the boss stopped moving entirely. ¡°Oh my¡­¡± Unable to bear the sudden dizziness, Yoon Na-rae copsed on the ground. ¡°Are you alright?¡± ¡°Yes. I can¡¯t use magic for a few days after using it once¡­ But it was worth the expensive price.¡± The effect of the spell, bought with all her savings, was satisfying. Of course, the satisfaction was more aboutnding a hit on Kang Hyeon for the first time than defeating the boss. *** Ippotrantion *** ¡°How does it taste!? Ah, that¡¯s not right. Are you okay?¡± Perhaps thanks to everyone¡¯s sincere concern? Kang Hyeon survived. He looked like he could barely move a finger, but at least he managed to stay alive. ¡°By the way, it¡¯s worse than a cockroach. How can you live like that?¡± ¡°You, you¡­ When you get up, you¡¯re really dead¡­¡± Kang Hyeon, lying on the floor, trembled with rising anger. ¡°Hey, Guild Master. Don¡¯t get angry. It¡¯s dangerous for your blood pressure to rise. Look! You¡¯re bleeding more now.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll¡­ Kill¡­ you.¡± ¡°Pfft, kyahahahaha!¡± Yoon Na-raeughed as if she couldn¡¯t contain her joy. ¡°Ugh! Huaah!¡± Suddenly, Kang Hyeon¡¯s eyes shed, and he sprang up from his spot. ¡°Kyaaa! It¡¯s a zombie!¡± ¡°You¡¯re not stopping there?!¡± An Yu-seong, who was watching their skit from the side, shook his head. ¡°Brother. Is he really not a zombie?¡± ¡°What are you talking about?¡± ¡°I think he¡¯ll be walking around soon even if his head is smashed.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t make that expression like you want to experiment. I want to kill you.¡± ¡°Tch.¡± ¡°Besides, zombies die when their heads are smashed, you know?¡± After ring at An Yu-seong for a moment, Kang Hyeon eventually sighed. ¡°Sigh, this is just my fate.¡± Since these were the people he had gathered, he couldn¡¯t me anyone else. ¡°Anyway, let¡¯s look at the items. Did anything good drop?¡± ¡°Various things dropped, but nothing particrly useful.¡± ¡°Really¡­?¡± ¡°Instead, the hammer that the most important boss was holding seems to be very good.¡± Kang Hyeon¡¯s face brightened at those words. ¡°As expected! Let¡¯s see it quickly.¡± Name: Filthian¡¯s Hammer Grade: A- Durability: 9953/10000 Description: A hammer used by Filthian, one of the five heroes of the Ss Kingdom. It was created using orichalcum, a magical metal said to never break, by the best cksmith and archmage of the Ss Kingdom working together. After Filthian died due to the betrayal of arade, it¡¯s said that the kingdom tried to retrieve the hammer, but as it was impossible to move, they covered it with soil and hid it. Abilities: Size Transformation, Weight Control *Size Transformation ¨C It can be changed to any size the user desires. However, caution is needed as the weight also increases as the size grows. *Weight Control ¨C Using magical power, the weight can be decreased or increased by up to 50%. A smile bloomed on Kang Hyeon¡¯s face as he read the description. ¡°This is it. This is enough.¡± He felt like all the hardships he had endured until now werepensated with this one item. ¡°I thought it was a terribly unlucky day, but huk¡­¡± He was so moved that tears welled up in his eyes! ¡°Brother. What is it? Let me see too.¡± The group that had gathered leaned in, all wanting to take a look. ¡°That¡¯s right, that¡¯s right. We all suffered together, so you should let us see.¡± ¡°Won¡¯t you shut up.¡± At Kang Hyeon¡¯s harsh words, Yoon Na-rae quickly hid behind An Yu-seong. ¡°Wow, this is really good, isn¡¯t it? I usually don¡¯t covet items, but this one makes me want it.¡± ¡°Right?¡± ¡°Brother. Just sell this to me. I¡¯ll buy it.¡± ¡°No way, man.¡± ¡°Would about 5 billion be enough?¡± ¡°I said I¡¯m not selling!¡± ¡°I guess 5 billion is too low? How about 10 billion?¡± ¡°Uh, um¡­¡± For a moment, Kang Hyeon¡¯s pupils shook. ¡°We all hunted together, and I¡¯m also the vice guild master in my own right. If I offer up to 10 billion, isn¡¯t it apletely profitable deal for you?¡± ¡°Ah geez. I said I¡¯m not selling! Don¡¯t tempt me. You bastard!¡± ¡°Tch.¡± Money can be earned, but who knows when you¡¯ll get an item like this again. Kang Hyeon desperately resisted the temptation. ¡°Instead, when we go back, let¡¯s farm some items for you guys. We¡¯ve managed with outdated stuff until now, but that won¡¯t do anymore.¡± ¡°Then let¡¯s start with me!¡± ¡°Not you.¡± Yoon Na-rae¡¯s request was tly rejected. ¡°Brother. Then start with me.¡± ¡°Not you either.¡± ¡°Why not?¡± ¡°You already have a B-grade weapon.¡± An Yu-seong already has a B-grade weapon, so he doesn¡¯t really need it. Then Yoon Na-rae raised her hand again. ¡°I don¡¯t have a B-grade weapon though?¡± Kang Hyeon frowned as he looked at Yoon Na-rae. ¡°Still, no.¡± ¡°Why not?!¡± ¡°Because I don¡¯t like it.¡± ¡°Then you shouldn¡¯t have said ¡®you guys¡¯ from the start! Geez! This sucks!¡± ¡°How dare you open that mouth!¡± Yoon Na-rae ran away without looking back. Watching her quickly distance herself, Kang Hyeon smirked. ¡°I¡¯m joking, but we really do need to properly equip you with items. The atmosphere these days isn¡¯t good either. You know what I mean, right?¡±N?v(el)B\\jnn ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Good that you understand. For now, let¡¯s go back and rest today. I feel like I¡¯m dying of fatigue after almost dying a few times.¡± It felt like he really needed to get a proper rest for the first time in a long while. Chapter 121 Chapter 121 [Things That Are Changing] After conquering the Cyclops¡¯ Tomb, Shin Tae-gil visited Kang Hyeon after a long time. ¡°Did you have a good time in the dungeon?¡± ¡°Ah¡­ Well, it was okay.¡± Kang Hyeon frowned for a moment as he recalled the events in the dungeon. ¡°By the way, what brings you here? Coming all this way in person.¡± Shin Tae-gil is always busy with work. Kang Hyeon was curious as to why he woulde in person, which he rarely does. ¡°First, take this.¡± Shin Tae-gil pulled out an unfamiliar mechanical device from his pocket. ¡°What¡¯s this? A new smartphone?¡± ¡°Simr. It¡¯s a prototype of a product being secretly developed in coboration between the government and corporations.¡± ¡°Government and corporate coboration?¡± ¡°Yes. You know how there are many electronic products powered by magic stones these days? This is one of those.¡± ¡°Wow. That¡¯s nice. Products using magic stones don¡¯t need separate charging, right?¡± Recently, there¡¯s been a boom in the market for electronic products using magic stones. Thanks to magic being a highly efficient energy source, products could be used for over a year with just one charge. Moreover, ability users could charge them by infusing their own magical power. Because of this, despite being much more expensive than existing products, they were steadily expanding their market share. ¡°There¡¯s not much difference from existing smartphones just because it uses a magic stone. In your case, Kang Hyeon, the difference would be that you can charge it with your magical power, and it can be used inside dungeons.¡± ¡°Use inside dungeons¡­ But still can¡¯t make calls, right?¡± ¡°Correct.¡± It was still too much to expect calls inside dungeons. ¡°Still, this is pretty good. But why are you giving this to me?¡± ¡°One moment. Take this too.¡± Ignoring Kang Hyeon¡¯s question, Shin Tae-gil pulled out another device. ¡°What¡¯s this now? A hearing aid?¡± ¡°Simrly, it¡¯s a prototype of a product made in coboration between the government and corporations. It¡¯s based on existing trantion magic and allows for mutualmunication.¡± ¡°Allows for mutualmunication¡­ Is it possible to talk with monsters too?¡± ¡°It is possible.¡± ¡°Wow! What the heck?! When were you making something like this? You could have given me a heads up.¡± Communicating with monsters was possible before too. It was done using magic or abilities rted to trantion. At first nce, it seemed very good, but these were shunned by the market. Astronomical prices and limited quantities. Even if you went through the trouble of talking with monsters, there wasn¡¯t much benefit. To begin with, there were very few monsters intelligent enough to have a conversation with. The only usefulness of such trantion magic was that you could understand and speak foreignnguages without learning them separately. But even that was seen as a luxury item used only by the rich, as the money to buy a skill book could hire dozens of interpreters. ¡°Both users need to wear this device formunication to be possible. It¡¯s not yet at thepletion stage, but I¡¯m showing it to you first, Kang Hyeon.¡± ¡°Thank you. I actually had a use for it, so this is great.¡± Kang Hyeon grinned, thinking of his swordsmanship teacher, Kergo. ¡°So, what¡¯s the reason for giving these to me?¡± There¡¯s no such thing as a free lunch in this world. While he would gratefully ept the gifts, Kang Hyeon thought there must be a reason for Shin Tae-gil¡¯s sudden behavior. ¡°It¡¯s not particrly forpensation.¡± ¡°Then?¡± ¡°There¡¯s something I need to tell you, Kang Hyeon. I think you might need it in the¡¯ future.¡± ¡°Something to tell me?¡± ¡°Yes. It¡¯s really important.¡± Suddenly, Shin Tae-gil started to get serious. ¡°Kang Hyeon. Don¡¯t you think electronic products have been malfunctioning more oftentely?¡± ¡°What¡¯s with that sudden question?¡± ¡°It¡¯s exactly as I said.¡± ¡°Malfunctions¡­ Come to think of it, there have been some. Calls getting cut off, and ah, myputer crashes asionally too.¡± ¡°Since your magic power level is high, Kang Hyeon, you probably experienced these symptoms more frequently.¡± ¡°Is there a reason for that?¡± ¡°Yes. Currently, this phenomenon is urring worldwide. It¡¯s just not being mentioned yet because the symptoms aren¡¯t severe.¡± It was then that Kang Hyeon realized the seriousness of the situation. ¡°It¡¯s rted to the dungeons, right?¡± ¡°That¡¯s correct. It¡¯s been about 9 months since B-rank dungeons appeared. Experts predict that A-rank dungeons will appear in the near future.¡± ¡°What does that have to do with electronic devices?¡± In fact, everyone expected A-rank dungeons to appear. It wasn¡¯t really a surprising event at this point. ¡°You might not have noticed, but since B-rank dungeons appeared, residual magic power has started to appear in reality, not just in dungeons. Reality, not dungeons. It means magic power has started to exist on Earth.¡± ¡°So that¡¯s why electronic products are malfunctioning.¡± ¡°Even though A-rank dungeons haven¡¯t appeared yet, the magic power density on Earth is gradually increasing. At this rate, experts believe that all electronic products will be neutralized not long after A-rank dungeons appear.¡± ¡°Huh¡­¡± Not being able to use electronic devices. For humans, it would be like taking away fire from people before the Industrial Revolution. That¡¯s how much all of humanity currently relies on equipment powered by electricity. If all of that suddenly disappeared, it was obvious that society¡¯s systems would copse. ¡°Is that information reliable?¡± ¡°It¡¯s confidential information from the United States. I don¡¯t know the exact source, but I¡¯m certain because their words have never been wrong so far.¡± ¡°So far? You mean this isn¡¯t the first time you¡¯ve heard this information? That.¡± ¡°Ah, that¡¯s¡­¡± For a moment, Shin Tae-gil was flustered by Kang Hyeon¡¯s question. ¡°Well, if you don¡¯t want to reveal it, that¡¯s fine. It¡¯s not particrly important to me anyway. In any case, your amazing information from America has been spot-on so far, so I guess it will be this time too. That¡¯s what you¡¯re saying, right?¡± ¡°That¡¯s correct.¡± ¡°Are we preparing well?¡± ¡°The government is doing its best to overhaul the existing system based on the magic stones we¡¯ve collected so far. I¡¯m not sure if we¡¯ll make it in time, but we can¡¯t just sit idle either.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good enough for me.¡± ¡°Mr. Kang Hyeon. As you know, this is absolutely¡­¡± ¡°Top secret? Don¡¯t worry, I understand.¡± Even Kang Hyeon knew that if this kind of information leaked out, it would cause tremendous chaos. ¡°Are you leaving already?¡± As soon as all the conversation was over, Shin Tae-gil stood up from his seat. ¡°Yes. I¡¯m busy with work.¡± ¡°Wait a moment. I have something to say.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± Shin Tae-gil was taken aback by Kang Hyeon¡¯s sudden seriousness. ¡°I just cleared a B-rank dungeon, remember? The Cyclops¡¯ Tomb.¡± ¡°Yes, I know.¡± ¡°You also know that I bought it for quite a high price at the auction, right?¡± Of course he knew. The whole country was in an uproar when Kang Hyeon spent 4.5 billion won to buy the dungeon. ¡°Yes¡­ I know¡­ But why¡­¡± An uneasy feeling started to creep up. ¡°Mr. Kang Hyeon. Perhaps¡­¡± ¡°That money. I want you to cover it, Mr. Shin Tae-gil.¡± Unfortunately, ominous premonitions alwayse true. ¡°Why should I cover that?!¡± ¡°To be precise, I¡¯m asking the government to cover it. Can¡¯t you do that?¡± ¡°No, we can¡¯t. Didn¡¯t we already give you the C-rank dungeon Knight Training Ground for almost freest time?¡± ¡°Come on. Don¡¯t be so stingy. I¡¯m just asking you to cover 3 billion.¡± ¡°Is the government some kind of charity organization!? No, even a charity organization wouldn¡¯t cover that.¡± ¡°You said it yourself before, Mr. Shin Tae-gil. That we¡¯re in the same boat, remember? Aren¡¯t we?!¡± ¡°That, that¡¯s¡­¡± Shin Tae-gil was flustered by the mention of being in the same boat. Kang Hyeon didn¡¯t miss this opportunity. ¡°Mr. Shin Tae-gil! You live in Namcheon-dong, right?! I¡¯ve eaten with you! Gone to the sauna with you! We¡¯ve done everything togeth¡­¡± ¡°Please stop¡­¡± Shin Tae-gil raised both hands in surrender to Kang Hyeon¡¯s passionate act. ¡°Please! Can¡¯t you stop that weird impersonation?¡± ¡°Then you¡¯ll give me the 3 billion won payback, right?¡± Kang Hyeon asked with a grin. ¡°Sigh¡­ Alright.¡± Shin Tae-gil already felt a headacheing on, wondering what excuse he would have to use to secure the budget this time. *** Ippotrantion *** ¡°Have you been well?¡± Kang Hyeon visited his parents¡¯ home after a long time. It had been half a year since hest saw his parents¡¯ faces. He had been putting it off with the excuse of being busy, but he came because he didn¡¯t know what kind of chaos mighte in the future. ¡°Who is this! Isn¡¯t it the universal superstar, big brother Kang Hyeon!?¡± ¡°Get lost, you¡¯re disgusting.¡± The first to wee him was his younger sister, Kang A-hyun. Kang Hyeon¡¯s family, who had recently moved, was living in a luxury apartment in Seoul, even receiving protection from government agents. Kang A-hyun had also quit her job at a smallpany and had been living off the money Kang Hyeon sent for about 3 months. ¡°Mom kept asking you toe, but you never showed your face. What¡¯s the asion? Did youe to give us an allowance?¡± ¡°Ah, I didn¡¯te to see you! Move!¡± ¡°You crazy bastard! You¡¯re hitting a woman? Do you want to die!?¡± As Kang Hyeon pushed her aside while passing through the front door, Kang A-hyun lunged at him even more fiercely. ¡°Hey, I¡¯m not who I used to be. If you mess with me wrongly, you¡¯ll get hurt badly, so back off while I¡¯m asking nicely.¡± ¡°That¡¯s asking nicely? Huh?¡± At that moment, His mother¡¯s voice was heard from inside. ¡°A-hyun. Who are you making such a fuss with¡­ Kang Hyeon!?¡± ¡°Haha¡­ It¡¯s been a while, hasn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°You ungrateful child! Your mom kept asking to see your face but you never came! Do you know how much I missed you?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I was busy¡­¡± A few months ago, Kang Hyeon¡¯s mother, who had fallen into a brain-dead state, woke up. At first, everyone was happy, but soon they couldn¡¯t hide their sorrow. Her body and mind were so devastated that she could barely move. -Kang Hyeon¡­ Is that Kang Hyeon!? But when she saw that Kang Hyeon was alive, life returned to her eyes. And now, after a few months have passed. His mother appeared to have no outward issues, having improved significantly. ¡°I¡¯m really d you came.¡± At first, his mother pretended to be angry, but soon she hugged Kang Hyeon with a bright smile. ¡°This won¡¯t do. Come in quickly. Have you eaten?¡± ¡°Not yet.¡± ¡°That¡¯s perfect, we were just about to have dinner. Honey! Come out here for a moment!¡± ¡°What is it. Oh, it¡¯s Kang Hyeon.¡± His father came out of the main bedroom and greeted him with an indifferent expression. ¡°Dad, have you been well too?¡± ¡°Of course I have.¡± The father and son soon grinned at each other. Kang Hyeon and his father hugged lightly. ¡°Men shouldn¡¯t hug like that, it¡¯s disgusting.¡± ¡°You like it though. By the way, how¡¯s your arm? Is it usable?¡± Kang Hyeon asked, feeling the hard touch as his father patted his shoulder. ¡°It gets tiring if I use it for a long time, but it¡¯s fine for daily life.¡± Kang Hyeon¡¯s father, who became one-armed during the Orc incident, was using a prosthetic arm. It was a masterpiece from Jeong Seo-bin¡¯sboratory. It moves based on magic stones and gives an item-like effect when worn by an ability user. ¡°Don¡¯t overdo it, increase the usage time little by little.¡± However, Kang Hyeon¡¯s father was not an ability user. He could wear it, but couldn¡¯t exert strong power like ability users. Even that would bring extreme fatigue if used for a long time, requiring frequent rest. ¡°If only I were an ability user like you, it would have been good. I¡¯m causing trouble unnecessarily.¡± The atmosphere suddenly became heavy at his father¡¯s words. Kang Hyeon¡¯s expression also became very dark. ¡°Hey, that¡¯s not like you, Dad! Why are you saying such things? What¡¯s wrong with not being an ability user?¡± Kang A-hyun stepped in to lighten the mood, but Kang Hyeon¡¯s darkened expression didn¡¯t improve. ¡°You too, stop frowning! It¡¯s not like you to pretend to be depressed.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not like that.¡± ¡°What do you mean it¡¯s not? You¡¯re not crying, are you?¡± ¡°Damn it. I said it¡¯s not!¡± In fact, there was another reason why Kang Hyeon¡¯s expression was dark. ¡®A terrible memory came back to me.¡¯ A few months ago, Kang Hyeon had a heated argument and fought with Choi Min-jun. Although the situation was resolved because people around them intervened, Kang Hyeon was still ufortable. ¡®That bastard. I should have finished him then¡­¡¯ *** Ippotrantion *** Not long after Bandarenko and the Free Ability Users Liberation Alliance had fallen, there was an incident. That day, everyone had gathered at Shin Tae-gil¡¯s arrangement to clear up misunderstandings and promote harmony. ¡°What misunderstanding is there with a criminal bastard?¡± Kang Hyeon was consistently sarcastic, and the other participants were the same. Perhaps it was inevitable that an argument broke out in such a meeting. ¡°You don¡¯t know anything.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know? What don¡¯t I know?¡± Kang Hyeon asked with a fierce expression. ¡°Only trials make humans stronger. And only humans who survive like that will survive in the world that¡¯s about to unfold.¡± Kang Hyeon frowned at Choi Min-jun¡¯s answer. ¡°Do you think that¡¯s a valid reason for killing people?¡± ¡°How naive.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Is it arrogance from strength? Do you think you can survive in this world with such naive thoughts?¡± ¡°You bastard¡­ I could tear you apart right now. Watch your mouth.¡± Although Kang Hyeon spoke aggressively, Choi Min-jun¡¯s expression remained calm. ¡°In a changing world, you alone might survive. Because you¡¯re strong. But what about your family? Yourrades? You don¡¯t think you can protect them forever, do you?¡± Kang Hyeon¡¯s face hardened at Choi Min-jun¡¯s words. Honestly, it would be a lie to say he had never thought about it. Kang Hyeon had pondered this issue several times. But because there was no realistic alternative, it was a problem he had ultimately ignored. ¡°So? What are you trying to say? Since they¡¯re going to dieter anyway, let¡¯s just kill them now? Is that it?¡± ¡°If they experience trials and grow, more people will be able to survive.¡± ¡°What about those who haven¡¯t awakened? They can¡¯t grow. For non-awakened, monsters aren¡¯t trials, they¡¯re literally disasters.¡± Choi Min-jun made a firm expression at Kang Hyeon¡¯s words. ¡°They¡¯re those who will be eliminated and die anyway.¡± ¡°Ha, keep talking. I think I need to hear it all before I beat you up to feel better.¡± Kang Hyeon snorted, but Choi Min-jun still looked confident. ¡°In a world where magic power bes a new resource, there¡¯s no ce for humans who don¡¯t pass the test.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you feel it too? Even here where we are, magic power is gradually emerging. The world outside the dungeons is also changing and adapting to magic power.¡± ¡°So there¡¯s no ce for humans who are eliminated in this new world?¡± ¡°Now you¡¯re starting to understand.¡± Choi Min-jun smiled, seemingly satisfied with Kang Hyeon¡¯s words. ¡°I¡¯ve heard your bullshit well.¡± However, his expression quickly hardened at the following words. ¡°Honestly, I¡¯m not exactly a person who values life much. But I can clearly see that you¡¯re an even crazier bastard than An Yu-seong, who¡¯s steeped in chosen people¡¯s ideology.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t take it emotionally, think logically.¡± ¡°Logic my ass!¡± *** Ippotrantion *** ¡°Hyeon. Hyeon! What are you doing?¡± His mother kept shaking Kang Hyeon, who was lost in thought. ¡®Enough. What¡¯s the point of thinking about it now?¡¯ Kang Hyeon decided to push thoughts of Choi Min-jun aside for now. ¡°It¡¯s nothing. Haha. I¡¯m hungry. Let¡¯s eat quickly.¡± ¡°Okay, okay. I understand.¡± Kang Hyeon tried his best to forget about that day¡¯s incident, but he couldn¡¯t help these memories surfacing asionally. When wounds hidden in ordinary daily life suddenly popped up, anger towards himself and the world welled up for not being able to properly refute Choi Min-jun¡¯s words. -They¡¯re those who will be eliminated and die anyway. ¡°That¡¯s bullshit. I won¡¯t let that happen.¡± Everyone turned their heads at Kang Hyeon¡¯s sudden muttering. ¡°Hyeon. Is something wrong..?¡± ¡°Ah, it¡¯s nothing. I just had a different thought for a moment. Haha!¡± ¡°Are you really okay?¡± ¡°I said I¡¯m fine. By the way, what¡¯s for dinner tonight?¡± As Kang Hyeon returned to a bright mood, his mother smiled. ¡°What else? It¡¯s beef, your favorite.¡±n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om ¡°You don¡¯t usually eat meat often. What¡¯s the special asion?¡± ¡°I had a good dream today. Somehow I thought of you, so I bought some earlier when I went shopping.¡± Kang Hyeon grinned at his mother¡¯s words. ¡°We have beer too, right?¡± Chapter 122 Chapter 122 Popr Star Kergo (1) At the training ground of the Badass Guild. All guild members gathered due to an unexpected general assembly order. ¡°What¡¯s with this sudden general assembly?¡± ¡°Sigh, why is the guild master doing something he¡¯s never done before? It¡¯s troublesome.¡± ¡°Still, isn¡¯t it sweet? We get a day off from dungeon raids today.¡± ¡°What¡¯s sweet about it? We need to clear dungeons quickly. I need to get incredibly strong and take the guild master¡¯s position.¡± ¡°You¡¯re crazy. That¡¯s severe.¡± Although it wasn¡¯t too loud, with over 200 people murmuring, it became quite noisy. ¡°Oh. They¡¯re here.¡± ¡°Hey, hey. Be quiet.¡± That¡¯s when it happened. As the doors to the training ground opened, two figures entered. All the guild members closed their mouths as if on cue. ¡°Have you all been well?¡± Kang Hyeon entered with an evil smile and greeted them. ¡°Yesss.¡± ¡°I¡¯m very sorry for bothering you all by doing something I don¡¯t usually do today.¡± As Kang Hyeon spoke, he stared directly at the guild member who had been grumbling earlier. The guild member who met his burning gaze flinched. ¡®He heard that¡­?¡¯ It seemed that from now on, they¡¯d have to be careful with their words when Kang Hyeon was around. ¡°There¡¯s a reason I called you all here, so don¡¯t get too annoyed. I¡¯ll keep it short.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± The guild members answered halfheartedly, but Kang Hyeon didn¡¯t seem particrly upset. From the beginning, Badass¡¯ policy was to act freely outside ofbat and training situations. ¡°Today, we¡¯ve officially brought in a secret swordsmanship instructor for the guild.¡± Some guild members tilted their heads at the strange statement of bringing in an ¡®official¡¯ ¡®secret¡¯ instructor. ¡®Sigh, it¡¯s not the first time.¡¯ Since it wasmon for Kang Hyeon to behave strangely or say stupid things, everyone just went along with it. They were only curious about who this instructor could be, teaching the now top-tier Badass Guild in Korea. ¡°Is it that person wearing a hood in the back?¡± ¡°Looks like it, but who could it be? There are already many skilled swordsmen in the guild¡­¡± ¡°Is there really someone who can teach us?¡± ¡°It could be a foreigner.¡± ¡°Could it be Han Se-yeon from Dangun?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be ridiculous.¡± As the surroundings became noisy, Kang Hyeon pped his hands to get everyone¡¯s attention. ¡°Alright, everyone be quiet. Let me introduce you. This is Kergo, the instructor who will be in charge of sword training for our guild from now on. Kergo,e forward and take off your hood.¡± At Kang Hyeon¡¯s words, the man standing in the back walked forward and removed his hood. ¡°Huh¡­?¡± ¡°Am I seeing things!?¡± Simultaneously, shock filled everyone¡¯s faces. ¡°It¡¯s a goblin¡­?¡± *** Ippotrantion *** The day before the guild-wide assembly. Kang Hyeon visited the C-rank dungeon ¡®Knight Training Ground¡¯ alone. ¡°Will this work?¡± -Don¡¯t ask me. ¡°You came out of a dungeon too. It doesn¡¯t seem impossible.¡± While conversing with Veil inside the sword, Kang Hyeon entered the dungeon. Kang Hyeon strode through the dungeon as if it were his own home. ¡°Keeee¡­¡± However, no goblin dared to approach Kang Hyeon. After long periods of beating, the dungeon¡¯s goblins had learned not to mess with Kang Hyeon. As a bonus, he had gained a title during this time. Goblin¡¯s Nightmare: From humble beginnings to a grand finale. A petty title given ¡®only to you¡¯ who never forgets the initial harassment from goblins and pays it back with interest. Effect: The title holder instinctively instills fear in goblins. A title with quite ridiculous content and a rather useless effect. Honestly, it was infuriating, but nothing would change by getting angry. By now, even Kang Hyeon hade to ept it. ¡°Kergo! Where are you!?¡± At Kang Hyeon¡¯s words, someone came running frantically from inside the dungeon. It was none other than Kergo. He was a very unique goblin who started as amon mob in the dungeon and finally rose to the position of a boss. Kergo, running towards them, waved his hand and greeted them cheerfully. ¡°Keeeek, kek, Kang Hyeon. Keruk!¡± Tranted, it meant, ¡®Orc-like Kang Hyeon. You came again.¡¯ ¡°Yeah, yeah. I¡¯m d to see you too.¡± ¡°Keeeek! Keruk, keeek!¡± ¡°Okay. I get it, so calm down.¡± Kergo babbled something incoherently. Kang Hyeon calmed Kergo down while fumbling to take something out. ¡°Hey. Try this on.¡± ¡°Keruk?¡±k What Kang Hyeon held out was a small ear-worn trantor. It was a gift given by Shin Tae-gil recently. ¡°You put it in your ear like this.¡± Kang Hyeon demonstrated by putting one in his own ear. Kergo, who had been watching intently, likewise put the trantor in his ear. ¡°That stupid fool. I don¡¯t know why he¡¯s doing this. But if he tells me to do it, I have to.¡± Kergo kept muttering as he put on the trantor. ¡°This is ufortable. Pig! Orc-like Kang Hyeon. Always bothering me.¡± ¡°Do I look like an orc?¡± ¡°Yes. Kang Hyeon is an orc. A very stupid orc. Kelkelkel¡­ Kelkel¡­?¡± Kergo, who had been snickering, suddenly paused. ¡°Kang Hyeon? You spoke..?¡± Kergo stared at Kang Hyeon with wide eyes. ¡°Yeah. I spoke. You were talking too, weren¡¯t you? What was that about me being stupid? A pig orc? What does that mean?¡± ¡°Kang Hyeon. Kergo made a mistake.¡± Kergo frantically waved his hands and babbled desperately. ¡°I am Kang Hyeon¡¯s friend. We are friends. Kergo does not insult friends.¡± ¡°Friends? You¡¯re talking nonsense. So you¡¯ve been saying such things all this time thinking I couldn¡¯t understand?¡± ¡°Kang Hyeon. Misunderstanding. Don¡¯t hit.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t hit you, I¡¯ll kill you.¡± After that, Kang Hyeon¡¯s beating continued for a while. ¡°Kang Hyeon. Misunderstanding. Keeeek!¡± At first, he made excuses. ¡°Kang Hyeon. Pig orc. Keeeek! It hurts. Don¡¯t hit. Stupid orc!¡± Then heshed out. ¡°Kang Hyeon. Kergo. Did wrong. Forgive. Will live diligently.¡± After a bit more time passed, Kergo was now clinging to Kang Hyeon¡¯s pant leg. However, Kang Hyeon continued punching until Kergo no longer said anything. A few goblins who had been lurking nearby had all fled in fear by now. ¡°Hey. Wake up.¡± In the end, Kergo hadpletely passed out and was sprawled on the floor. Kang Hyeon used a skill to ssh water on Kergo¡¯s face. ¡°Keeeek¡­¡± The skill Kang Hyeon used was a magic that shot water from his fingertips like a water gun. It was a skill he bought at an auction out of boredom. Actually, the creator of this magic made it for children¡¯s y, but Kang Hyeon was mainly using it to wake up opponents who had fainted from his beatings. ¡°You should have behaved from the start.¡± Kang Hyeon cast an F-rank recovery skill on Kergo, which he had also acquired from an auction. Kergo, in his battered state, began to recover very slowly. ¡°Is there anyone else who helps you like this?¡± ¡°Crazy bastard¡­¡± For a moment, Kergo forgot about the trantor and blurted out his true thoughts. ¡°Seems like you haven¡¯t been beaten enough?¡± ¡°Kergo is crazy. Kang Hyeon is a good human. Kergo who insulted a good human is crazy.¡± ¡°Yeah, yeah.¡± Kang Hyeon wiped the blood off Kergo¡¯s face with a benevolent smile. ¡°Are youing to your senses now?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine. Kergo is okay.¡± A little whileter. Kergo quickly shook off his injuries and stood up. Perhaps due to being frequently beaten by Kang Hyeon, Kergo¡¯s recovery ability was truly exceptional. Kang Hyeon stroked his chin while looking at Kergo. ¡°Hmm¡­ Kergo, do you want toe outside with me?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t know. Where is outside?¡± ¡°What do you mean where? Outside the dungeon, of course.¡± ¡°Dungeon¡­?¡± Kergo had a nk expression at the mention of outside the dungeon. Then suddenly, he screamed as a severe headache hit him. ¡°Outside dungeon¡­ Don¡¯t know¡­ Keek! Head hurts. Kergo hurts!¡± Kergo clutched his head and thrashed on the floor. ¡°Get a grip! Man!¡± Kang Hyeon grabbed Kergo by the cor and pped his cheek. With a sharp sound, Kergo¡¯s face whipped to the side. ¡°Keeeek!¡± ¡°Are you okay? Does it still hurt?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine. Kergo is okay. Don¡¯t hit.¡± Putting Kergo down on the floor, Kang Hyeon fell into thought. ¡°Is there some kind of restriction on him?¡± -That¡¯s quite possible. I was in a daze too when I was in the dungeon. ¡°But you didn¡¯t have headaches like this, right?¡± -The undead can¡¯t feel pain. And that goblin and I arepletely different cases. Stupid fool. Kang Hyeon frowned at Veil¡¯s words. ¡°This one and that one, they both call me a stupid fool whenever they open their mouths. Maybe I should just throw them into a st furnace.¡± -¡­ Veil fell silent at Kang Hyeon¡¯s words. ¡°Anyway, let¡¯s think about what to do with this guy. I want to take him outside.¡± -We need to be careful. If it¡¯s a powerful restriction, that goblin might die or be an idiot. ¡°That won¡¯t do¡­ I¡¯ve been taking care of him for months.¡± Logically, it¡¯s hard to call swinging a sword and beating someone ¡°taking care,¡± but in Kang Hyeon¡¯s embellished memory, he and Kergo were rivals from a boys¡¯ manga, forging friendship and growing together through sweat and tears. ¡°There are many benefits to taking him out. We won¡¯t have toe and go for training. Other guild members can learn from him too.¡± -What about this dungeon? ¡°Once we take Kergo out, I¡¯ll sell this Knight Training Ground to another guild.¡± After much deliberation, Kang Hyeon decided to take Kergo out somehow. ¡°Hey. Kergo. Wake up.¡± ¡°Keek¡­ Kergo is fine.¡± ¡°Do you want to go outside the dungeon with me?¡± ¡°Outside dungeon. Don¡¯t know. Head hurts.¡± As Kergo was about to writhe in pain again, Kang Hyeon raised his palm. Seeing this, Kergo snapped to attention. ¡°Kergo is fine. Fine! Perfectly okay!¡± ¡°Really? Then do you want to go outside with me?¡± ¡°What is outside¡­ Don¡¯t know. Hurts¡­¡± ¡°Then you need to be hit.¡± ¡°I think I know. Let¡¯s go, Kang Hyeon. Kergo is sick of this. Hate dungeon.¡± After a few rounds of ¡°learning,¡± Kang Hyeon was able to bring Kergo outside the dungeon. ***N?v(el)B\\jnn Ippotrantion *** Back to the present. Kang Hyeon smirked at the dumbfounded expressions of the guild members. ¡°This is Kergo, who will be teaching swordsmanship in our guild from now on. Don¡¯t misunderstand, take a good look.¡± ¡°Um, Guild Master?¡± A guild member raised their hand. ¡°What?¡± ¡°That¡¯s a goblin.¡± ¡°I have eyes too. I can see clearly.¡± ¡°How can a goblin teach swordsmanship!?¡± ¡°Why not? Don¡¯t be prejudiced. I learned from him too.¡± The guild members looked at Kang Hyeon with suspicious eyes. ¡°Tsk! I brought him here with difficulty, so treat him with respect.¡± ¡°Even if it¡¯s you, Guild Master, this doesn¡¯t seem right.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. What can we learn from a goblin?¡± ¡°Has he really lost his mind?¡± ¡°You there.¡± Suddenly, Kang Hyeon pointed out one guild member. ¡°The one who just said something about losing my mind.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°You usually use a sword, right?¡± ¡°Yes¡­¡±; The guild member nodded, inwardly surprised at Kang Hyeon¡¯s words. ¡°Let¡¯s make a bet.¡± ¡°What kind of bet all of a sudden¡­¡± ¡°Fight him using only swords, no skills.¡± The guild member shook his head at Kang Hyeon¡¯s words. ¡°Are you telling me to fight that goblin over there?¡± ¡°Yes. If you win, I¡¯ll give you 10 million won from my own pocket and chant ¡®I am a lunatic¡¯ three times.¡± A wicked smile appeared on the guild member¡¯s face at Kang Hyeon¡¯s words. ¡°10 million won and you chanting ¡®I am a lunatic¡¯ three times. No take-backs?¡± ¡°Have you ever seen me go back on my word? But if you lose, you have to wear a sign saying ¡®I am a moron¡¯ on your forehead for a week.¡± ¡°That won¡¯t happen.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll see about that. Are you in or not?¡± ¡°Of course I¡¯m in if there¡¯s free money. Also, can I record you chanting and post it on YouTube?¡± ¡°Do whatever you want. Then I¡¯ll take that as agreement.¡± The guild members¡¯ eyes sparkled with excitement at the sudden bet. ¡°Kergo.¡± ¡°Why call?¡± ¡°You see that guy over there? Take care of him.¡± ¡°Take care?¡± ¡°Teach him a lesson. Don¡¯t kill him though.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t want to. Why Kergo fight? Many humans here. Scared.¡± ¡°Do you want to die? Will you do it?¡± ¡°Will do.¡± Kergo was top-notch when it came to changing his stance. ¡°You. You die if you lose.¡± At Kang Hyeon¡¯s following words, Kergo nodded with a determined expression. ¡°I¡¯ll turn him into mush.¡± Chapter 123 Chapter 123 Popr Star Kergo (2) Kim Seong-sik originally belonged to a very ordinary small guild called ¡°The Retirees.¡± It was a guild where ordinary people who had jobs gathered to hunt safely and earn a moderate amount of money. While other guild members were satisfied with the gradually umting money, Kim Seong-sik was different. ¡®How long will it take to level up and be stronger if we fight like this?¡¯ Kim Seong-sik was always dissatisfied. He wanted to be stronger, faster. He thought that if he continued hunting safely and earning day by day like this, he would eventually fall behind. ¡®I want to be ahead of others.¡¯ At that time, he saw the recruitment notice for the Badass Guild. ¡®This is it!¡¯ Kim Seong-sik was confident. Not much was needed to apply for the guild. Just determination, perseverance, and guts! They say that if you endure with sheer willpower, they¡¯ll ept you regardless of level or ability. Without a moment¡¯s hesitation, Kim Seong-sik left his guild and applied, and was proudly epted. He became an official first-generation member of Badass. Except for Guild Master Kang Hyeon and a few executives, he was the first person to set foot in the guild. That was Kim Seong-sik. ¡°You¡¯re saying I can¡¯t defeat a goblin like that?¡± He had been ying goblins to the point of boredom until now. The goblin brought by the Guild Master would surely be something special, but he didn¡¯t think he would lose. Kim Seong-sik¡¯s level was 66. Among the guild members who use swords, he¡¯s one of the strongest, countable on one hand. Having graduated from C-rank dungeons and currently tackling B-rank dungeons, the highest difficulty, Kim Seong-sik had nothing to fear. ¡°Now, I¡¯ll exin the rules. No use of magic power or skills. No killing. Try to avoid dismemberment, and it ends when the opponent surrenders or faints. Okay?¡± ¡°Keruk!¡± (Understood) ¡°Understood.¡± Kergo and Kim Seong-sik responded to Kang Hyeon¡¯s words. ¡°Hey, hey. Want to bet on who¡¯ll win?¡± ¡°Obviously Kim Seong-sik. He¡¯s a first-generation member. When ites to swordsmanship, he¡¯s one of the best, excluding the executives, right?¡± ¡°I¡¯m betting on the goblin. If the Guild Master brought him, there must be something special.¡± ¡°One vote for Kim Seong-sik. Don¡¯t you know how tough he is? He¡¯s the type who would never surrender even if he¡¯s about to die.¡± The guild members were chattering noisily, cing bets with each other. The betting results showed an overwhelming 80% of the stakes on Kim Seong-sik. Seeing this, Kang Hyeon quickly ran to bet on Kergo and came back. ¡°By the way, there¡¯s no time limit, so it ends even if someone copses from exhaustion first.¡± ¡°It won¡¯t take long.¡± Kim Seong-sik¡¯s confident statement! ¡°Yeah. I think so too.¡± Kang Hyeon responded with a smirk. ¡°Then, begin!¡± At Kang Hyeon¡¯s signal, Kim Seong-sik kicked the ground hard. ¡®I won¡¯t kill you. But¡­¡¯ Kim Seong-sik¡¯s specialty was relentless chain sword techniques. Without skills, it would be impossible to withstand his barrage of attacks unless one was at the Guild Master¡¯s level. ¡°I¡¯ll end this right away!¡± Kim Seong-sik¡¯s sword swung at an incredible speed. Kergo hurriedly defended and gradually retreated. ¡°Oh, his speed is indeed fast.¡± ¡°He swings at that speed without even resting. What¡¯s his stamina stat?¡± ¡°Ah¡­ I shouldn¡¯t have bet on the goblin after all.¡± Kergo seemed to be on the defensive right from the start. Seeing this scene, most guild members nodded as if they had expected it. ¡°For a goblin, you¡¯re holding up pretty well!¡± Kim Seong-sik increased the speed of his sword swings even more. ¡®I was going easy in case I might kill him, but¡­¡¯ Seeing that his attacks were being well-received, he thought he could use his full strength. ¡°Huaaaaah!¡± Kim Seong-sik¡¯s sword moved along a sharp trajectory, bing even faster. The sound of metal shing filled the training ground as sword met sword. Kergo looked like he could copse at any moment. ¡°Hey. Kergo, stop ying around and end it.¡± At that moment, Kang Hyeon¡¯s voice was heard. ¡°Keruk!¡± (Understood) Kim Seong-sik couldn¡¯t understand. ¡®Stop ying around and end it?¡¯ Was the goblin, who looked like he could fall at any moment, actually ying around? That couldn¡¯t be. But there was no other way to interpret those words. Kim Seong-sik¡¯s confusion was quickly resolved. -ng! ¡°Wow! What was that just now!?¡± Kergo, who had been only defending, suddenly changed his posture and swung his sword. With that single strike, Kim Seong-sik¡¯s arms were flung wide open as if cheering. The surrounding guild members all widened their eyes in admiration, while Kim Seong-sik quickly thought even in that moment. ¡®What!? Damn, I can¡¯t end it so pathetically. I¡¯ll dodge first.¡¯ Using the force that flung his arms, he rolled on the ground. ¡®It¡¯s not the time to worry about appearances.¡¯ Thanks to this, Kergo¡¯s sword only grazed his side slightly. ¡°Kehek, keruk. Kelkel¡­¡± (What a fool. How amusing. Kelkel.) Kergo chuckled as he watched Kim Seong-sik rolling on the ground. ¡°Whew, alright. So you¡¯re quite skilled, huh?¡± Kim Seong-sik, who had rolled on the ground and stood up, showed no sign of embarrassment. Instead, he burned with even more fighting spirit. In Badass, they say to use any means necessary to win. Rolling on the ground? He could do it a hundred times more if it meant winning. ¡°Huaaaah!¡± Kim Seong-sik once again kicked the ground hard. Simultaneously, he focused all his attention to find the opponent¡¯s weakness. He could see a total of eight openings. ¡®I¡¯ll target them all at once.¡¯ He pushed forward with overwhelming speed. The fact that this was just a sparring match had already disappeared from Kim Seong-sik¡¯s mind. His sword swung solely to kill the enemy. ¡°Keruk, keruk.¡± (Human. Stupid.)n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om Facing this, Kergo also swung his sword. At that moment. Everyone was astonished once again. ¡°What is this¡­?¡± ¡°What kind of goblin is this!?¡± ¡°It¡¯s like an adult ying with a child.¡± Kim Seong-sik¡¯s sword-swinging posture becameically distorted. Kergo didn¡¯t simply block the sword but skillfully deflected Kim Seong-sik¡¯s attacks. As a result, Kim Seong-sik¡¯s stancepletely crumbled as his force was dispersed. ¡°Ugh! What is this!?¡± With each sword swing, Kim Seong-sik ended up iling in the air. His face turned bright red. ¡°What are you doing?!¡± ¡°Keruk, kelkel.¡± (Funny. Kelkel) Moreover, Kergo was doing all of this while standing in one ce, using only one arm. ¡°Kuaaaah!¡± Finally, unable to contain his anger, Kim Seong-sik used a skill. Suddenly, Kim Seong-sik¡¯s speed increased even more, and simultaneously, light burst from his sword. ¡°What? Isn¡¯t that dangerous?¡± ¡°Hey! Stop it!¡± As one guild member tried to step in to stop Kim Seong-sik, Kang Hyeon blocked them. ¡°Guild Master?¡± ¡°Just watch.¡± A very rxed smile hung on Kang Hyeon¡¯s face. ¡°Die!¡± The sword Kim Seong-sik swung was like a bolt of lightning. ¡°Keruk.¡± Kergo swung his sword to meet it, with a sneer on his face. Kergo¡¯s sword glowed blue. Its true nature was sharp magical power honed over a long time. -aang! Finally, their swords shed, ¡°It¡¯s over.¡± Kim Seong-sik¡¯s sword was cleanly cut. ¡°Impossible¡­¡± Looking at the smoothly severed sword, Kim Seong-sik copsed right there. ¡°Kergo. Good job. Let¡¯s go eat something deliciouster.¡± ¡°Delicious. Kergo likes. Meat.¡± ¡°Yeah. You know something. Meat is indeed the best. I¡¯ll buy you some beef.¡± After chatting with Kergo, Kang Hyeon approached Kim Sung-sik. ¡°A bet is a bet, so it¡¯s okay, right?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Despite Kang Hyeon¡¯s question, Kim Sung-sik was just staring nkly at his sword. ¡°Let¡¯s see¡­ Hey! Can someone bring me a pen and paper! And some tape.¡± ¡°Here it is.¡± ¡°Good. I should write it big so it¡¯s visible¡­ Done.¡± ¡®Jatbap¡¯ written with a thick pen on pure white paper. It has a very wholesome meaning of rice cooked with pine nuts. ¡°Sung-sik will be ¡®pine nut rice¡¯ for next week. Be careful not to let it fall off.¡± Kang Hyeonughed heartily after sticking the paper on Kim Sung-sik¡¯s forehead. ¡°Hahaha! It would be a hit if we uploaded it to YouTube. If any of you want to make a bet, just say so anytime. It doesn¡¯t have to be about swords. Got it?¡± Kang Hyeon looked around, speaking loudly. ¡®I could never do such a humiliating thing¡­¡¯ Everyone was busy avoiding Kang Hyeon¡¯s gaze. ¡°Well, if there¡¯s nothing, forget it.¡± ¡°Excuse me, Guild Master.¡± At that moment, a guild member raised his hand. ¡°What¡¯s the deal with that goblin?¡± ¡°He¡¯s our guild¡¯s swordsmanship instructor.¡± ¡°No¡­ I don¡¯t understand how a goblin can be that strong¡­ Is he like a B-rank dungeon boss or something?¡± Kang Hyeon smirked at the guild member¡¯s words. ¡°He¡¯s a C-rank dungeon mob.¡± ¡°What¡­?¡± The guild member who heard Kang Hyeon¡¯s answer made a dumb expression. It was natural not to understand. Even Kim Sung-sik, who just got beaten, was skilled enough to handle monsters in a typical C-rank dungeon like children. Kergo had been fighting desperately with Kang Hyeon to survive and for revenge. He originally had talent in swordsmanship, but to beat the physically overwhelming Kang Hyeon, he had to hone his skills even more, and this is the result. Kang Hyeon was at a loss for how to exin these processes. ¡°Ah, I don¡¯t know! It¡¯s a long story, just treat him well from now on. Sincemunication doesn¡¯t work, education will be conducted only through sparring. It will be on a reservation basis, so if anyone wants to do it, tell Han Jae-moon.¡± ¡°Yes¡­¡± It was the moment Han Jae-moon¡¯s workload increased by one more task. *** Ippotrantion *** The next day. Kang Hyeon headed to the Item Research Institute with Kergo. It was to talk with Jeong Seo-bin and incidentally show Kergo around the world. ¡°This is called a car.¡± ¡°Kang Hyeon. Car. Crappy. Ugly.¡± In the meantime, Kergo had learned many bad words from Kang Hyeon. ¡°You little! You¡¯re disrespecting my Bentley 3. Despite its looks, it runs well, you punk!¡± ¡°Kang Hyeon¡¯s words. Difficult. Crappy.¡± ¡°If you keep talking nonsense, I won¡¯t buy you beef anymore.¡± ¡°Kang Hyeon is cool. Car is cool.¡± It was when Kergo was quickly adapting to human society. -Thud. Someone crashed into Kang Hyeon¡¯s car while waiting at a signal. ¡°Shit! Who the hell is it!?¡± ¡°Shit. Shit. Bad guy.¡± Kang Hyeon, who had been shouting that seat belts could go to hell, naturally headbutted the steering wheel. ¡°This piece of junk doesn¡¯t even deploy airbags!¡± ¡°Kergo hurts.¡± Unfortunately, in just 1 minute, Bentley 3 went from a well-running car to a piece of junk. ¡°Man! How do you drive? What if you stop so suddenly?!¡± Kang Hyeon¡¯s blood pressure rapidly rose at the shouting from outside. ¡°Hoo, let¡¯s calm down¡­ If it¡¯s a civilian, I¡¯ll scold them a bit, if it¡¯s an ability user, I¡¯ll just half-kill them.¡± Either way, he meant to teach them a lesson. Kang Hyeon roughly opened the door of Bentley 3. ¡°Do you know who I am? I¡¯m the brother of the Taeshin Guild¡¯s Guild Master. You¡¯re dead now. Aren¡¯t you going to crawl out quickly!? Huh!?¡± The shameless man who had crashed into Kang Hyeon was now kicking Bentley 3 with his foot. -Bang! Bang! ¡°Crawl out quickly, you bastard!¡± The car shook left and right every time the man kicked it. Unable to bear it any longer, Kang Hyeon got out of the car. ¡°Whose brother did you say?¡± ¡°Uh¡­?¡± The man¡¯s eyes shook as if there was an earthquake when he saw Kang Hyeon. ¡°Are you¡­ Mr. Kang Hyeon?¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯m Kang Hyeon. And who might you be?¡± The man rolled his eyes here and there at Kang Hyeon¡¯s words. ¡°I¡­ I¡¯m sorry. I drank alcohol in broad daylight.¡± ¡°You look like an ability user. What was it earlier? Taeshin Guild? Guild Master?¡± ¡°No! I¡¯m just a civilian, I have nothing to do with ability users!¡± Kang Hyeon¡¯s notoriety was already famous. Even if it wasn¡¯t Kang Hyeon specifically, there was an unspoken rule among ability users that ¡®the Badass Guild should not be messed with.¡¯ They were all entrics who somehow always got their revenge. ¡°I heard it all earlier, where do you get off talking nonsense?¡± It was when Kang Hyeon was frowning deeply. -Crash! Suddenly, there was a loud noise from the Bentley behind. When he quickly turned his head, he saw Kergo who hade out after smashing the Bentley¡¯s door. ¡°Kang Hyeon. Kergo opened the door.¡± Kergo had broken ande out because he didn¡¯t know how to open the door. ¡°Is that¡­ A goblin? Is it?¡± The man who saw Kergo wondered if his drinking had been too much. Originally, goblins are about 160cm tall and don¡¯t have particrly well-trained bodies. But the goblin in front of him seemed to be at least 180cm tall and had muscles and sword scars all over his body that looked like they might burst. It didn¡¯t seem like something a level 10 man could handle, at least. ¡°You bastard! How can you break it like that!?¡± ¡°Kang Hyeon. Don¡¯t hit. Sorry! Kergo hurts!¡± While the angry Kang Hyeon rushed towards Kergo, the man hurriedly made a phone call. ¡°Quickly¡­ Answer quickly!¡± Today, the dial tone seemed endlessly long. ¡°Finally!¡± The phone finally connected. -What¡¯s the asion? You¡¯re actually making a call. ¡°Brother, help me. I¡¯m screwed! You need toe quickly!¡± -What happened? The person on the other end was Lee Baek-seo, the Guild Master of Taeshin and the man¡¯s older brother. ¡°I got into an ident, and it was with Kang Hyeon¡¯s car. And then a monster goblin jumped out from there. I might die! Shit,e quickly I said!¡± -What nonsense are you talking about? Are you drunk again? What¡¯s this about Kang Hyeon and a goblin? ¡°Shit! Juste quickly! Do you want to see me die!?¡± While the man was on the phone, Kang Hyeon, who had dealt with Kergo, was approaching. ¡°Haa¡­ Shit. Today¡¯s fortune is bad.¡± Kang Hyeon¡¯s muscles all over his body were twitching as if they might burst. Judging by the veins popping on his forehead, he was clearly very angry. ¡°Brother. Pleasee quickly¡­¡± Chapter 124 Chapter 124 Popr Star Kergo (3) Lee Baek-seo, the Guild Master of Taeshin Guild. He matured early due to losing his parents in an ident. Living with rtives along with his only family, his younger brother Lee Nam-soo, he always grew up walking on eggshells. ¡®I¡¯ll seed and live proudly.¡¯ Lee Baek-seo had no choice but to be a persistent hard worker. As if heaven was helping Lee Baek-seo, his talents weren¡¯t bad either. As a result, Lee Baek-seo was able to live a quite satisfactory life. He always maintained top grades in school, and continued to be what¡¯smonly called the ¡®boss¡¯. In college, he saved money by doing various part-time jobs with his handsome face, and after graduation, he got a job at argepany. After the dungeon incident, he boldly quit hispany job and established a guild. Taeshin Guild, which started from the bottom, finally rose to be arge guild with quite a reputation. It couldn¡¯t be called a perfect life, but he prided himself on not having done anything he would regret when looking back. Except for one thing. -I have to protect my younger brother. Lee Nam-soo, Lee Baek-seo¡¯s only family and younger brother. He was quite different from Lee Baek-seo. The death of their parents. Living with rtives. The unbearable reality made young Lee Nam-soo go astray. Even when it was time to mature, Lee Nam-soo remained the same. He was used to being treated well thanks to his brother, Lee Baek-seo, who was always the best wherever he went. Lee Baek-seo knew that his brother was wrong, but he couldn¡¯t bring himself to do anything about it and was always troubled. ¡°What? You¡¯re actually calling?¡± Nevertheless, when his brother called, Lee Baek-seo was honestly d. ¡°You were too busy partying to even answer calls.¡± Not long ago, Lee Baek-seo couldn¡¯t resist his brother¡¯s request and gifted him a sports car worth about 200 million won. As soon as his brother Lee Nam-soo received the car, he cut off contact as if nothing had happened. When he checked, he heard that his brother was meeting women every day and living soaked in alcohol. ¡°What¡¯s the asion? You¡¯re actually making a call.¡± Lee Baek-seo asked with a hint of a smile as he answered the phone. -Brother, help me. I¡¯m screwed! You need toe quickly! ¡°What happened?¡± His brother¡¯s urgent voice. A sense of unease crept over him. ¡®What kind of trouble did he cause this time..?¡¯ Although his brother often caused trouble, this time it seemed a bit more serious. ¡°What nonsense are you talking about? Are you drunk again? What¡¯s this about Kang Hyeon and a goblin?¡± Until this point, Lee Baek-seo couldn¡¯t even imagine that Kang Hyeon was Kang Hyeon from Badass. ¡°Haa¡­ Alright, just wait. I¡¯lle right now.¡± -Come quickly! Ahhh! A crazy bastard is trying to hit me! Lee Baek-seo¡¯s heart also became urgent at the desperate voice heard over the phone. ¡°Guild Master, where are you going?¡± ¡°Something urgent came up. Don¡¯t look for me!¡± Lee Baek-seo, who rushed out of the office, immediately got into his vehicle. *** Ippotrantion *** ¡°Is it over there?¡± It was easy to find where his brother was. Because vehicles were stopped and many people were gathered. ¡°Excuse me, I need to pass through.¡± ¡°Ugh. Who¡¯s pushing? Huh!¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯ll pass through.¡± People who were forcibly pushed aside frowned, but soon saw Lee Baek-seo¡¯s face and hurriedly turned their heads. This was because Lee Baek-seo and Taeshin Guild were quite famous in the area. ¡°Hey! Lee Nam-soo. What kind of trouble did you¡­¡± Lee Baek-seo¡¯s face froze coldly as he was speaking. His brother Lee Nam-soo was being grabbed by the cor and beaten by someone. ¡°Which bastard dares¡­¡± He had raised his brother like a son, with a six-year age difference, without everying a hand on him. Although he¡¯s a bit wayward now, he believed that someday he would be upright like when he was young. ¡°You darey hands on my brother!?¡± Seeing his brother being beaten, Lee Baek-seopletely lost it. ¡°Finally here?¡± It was then. The man beating his brother turned around. That man was someone Lee Baek-seo knew very well. ¡°Kang Hyeon¡­?¡± ¡°Are you this trash¡¯s brother?¡± Kang Hyeon spoke with an extremely arrogant expression. ¡®I can¡¯t fight with Badass, who¡¯s at the top level domestically.¡¯ Lee Baek-seo desperately suppressed the rising anger. ¡°Calling a person trash¡­ Isn¡¯t that going too far?¡± Lee Baek-seo spoke as calmly as possible. ¡°Ah, was I too harsh from the start? I¡¯m sorry. You seem to have educated your younger brother very nicely. Perhaps you didn¡¯t teach him that life is practical experience?¡± ¡°Why did youy hands on my younger brother?¡± ¡°This cute guy here not only rammed into my precious Bentley but also came at me swearing. I¡¯m quite sensitive about my car.¡± ¡°Does that give you the right to hit someone!?¡± Hitting someone over a minor fender bender. Lee Baek-seo thought Kang Hyeon must be out of his mind, just like the rumors said. ¡°Seeing the foreign car, you look quite wealthy. A guy like this would just pay the fine and get outughing.¡± ¡°How can you say that¡­¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you¡¯re the guild master of the Taeshin Guild?¡± ¡°Sigh, that¡¯s right. I¡¯m Lee Baek-seo, guild master of the Taeshin Guild.¡± ¡°So that¡¯s why such a weak guy was running around. Taeshin was quite famous in this neighborhood, right? A guild like that should be more careful about its conduct. What if I had been a civilian?¡± As Kang Hyeon¡¯s arrogant words continued, Lee Baek-seo found it increasingly difficult to contain his anger. ¡®Do you have the right to say such things?¡¯ Although Kang Hyeon¡¯s words weren¡¯t wrong, he was thest person who should be saying them. ¡°You¡¯re not in a position to tell others to be careful about their conduct, are you?¡± In simpler terms, he meant, ¡®Aren¡¯t you the one causing more trouble?¡¯ ¡°What?¡± Kang Hyeon¡¯s face wrinkled upon hearing Lee Baek-seo¡¯s words. ¡°I¡¯m just stating the facts. I¡¯llpensate for my brother¡¯s mistake. In return, you should apologize for hitting my brother.¡± He had finally said it. Even this was something Lee Baek-seo had said after holding back as much as he could. ¡°10 billion won.¡± Suddenly, the words ¡°10 billion¡± came out of Kang Hyeon¡¯s mouth. ¡°I¡¯ll need 10 billion won inpensation.¡± ¡°What are you talking about!?¡± ¡°Your brother rammed into my car. 10 billion won for settlement.¡± ¡°Your car looks like it¡¯d be hard to exceed 20 million won, what do you mean 10 billion!?¡± Lee Baek-seo shouted after checking Kang Hyeon¡¯s car. ¡°Ah, you don¡¯t have to pay for the wrecked car.¡± ¡°Then¡­.¡± ¡°Do you see that goblin copsed over there?¡± Following Kang Hyeon¡¯s gaze, Lee Baek-seo could indeed see something lying there. ¡®A goblin¡­ Is it?¡¯ It took a while to recognize it as a goblin due to its battered state andrge build. ¡°That goblin¡¯s worth is quite expensive. It should be at least 100 million won.¡± ¡°Sigh¡­ Let¡¯s say that¡¯s true. Then what about the remaining 9.9 billion?¡± Kang Hyeon had clearly said 10 billion. Even if that strange goblin was worth 100 million, there was still 9.9 billion left. ¡°That¡¯s obviouslypensation for mental distress. I¡¯m quite sensitive, so I was very shocked. My heart is still pounding.¡± ¡°Are you joking right now!?¡± Finally, Lee Baek-seo exploded. Even for Taeshin, 10 billion won wasn¡¯t an amount they could easilye up with. No, even if they could, they couldn¡¯t spend 10 billion on such an absurd demand.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om ¡°Does this look like a joke to you?¡± Suddenly, Kang Hyeon¡¯s demeanor changed. Unlike before when he had been wearing a sly smile, he was now ring at Lee Baek-seo with cold, fierce eyes. ¡°Actually, I did some research while you wereing. Turns out this guy is quite a famous piece of trash.¡± While Lee Baek-seo was on his way, Kang Hyeon had looked into the Taeshin Guild and Lee Nam-soo. ¡°From drugs to sex crimes. He¡¯smitted every crime possible except murder. Did you know that?¡± ¡°What¡­?¡± This was the first time Lee Baek-seo had heard of this. He had believed that although his brother had gone astray a bit, he was still maintaining at least a minimum level of decency. ¡°Is this how you protect family members? No wonder this bastard neveres to his senses. I was going to let it slide, but I can¡¯t anymore. You¡¯re also responsible for this situation.¡± Lee Baek-seo didn¡¯t know what to say. He was just shocked and confused. ¡°There¡¯s no way Lee Nam-soo would¡­¡± ¡°No way? What bullshit.¡± At that moment, Lee Nam-soo, who had been unconscious, opened his eyes. ¡°B-brother¡­¡± ¡°Nam-soo! Are you okay!?¡± Lee Baek-seo hurriedly checked on Lee Nam-soo. Although his body was covered in bruises, it didn¡¯t seem life-threatening. ¡°Phew, thank goodness. Nam-soo, first get yourself together¡­¡± Lee Baek-seo tried tofort his brother, but Lee Nam-soo pushed him away forcefully. Lee Baek-seo looked at his brother in confusion. ¡°Why are you¡­¡± At that moment, Lee Baek-seo¡¯s eyes met his brother¡¯s. Lee Nam-soo¡¯s eyes were glittering with intense killing intent. ¡°Brother. Kill that bastard right now. That fucking bastard¡­¡± ¡°What..?¡± ¡°You can do it, brother¡­ If I were a bit stronger, I would have killed him myself¡­ Damn it.¡± Lee Nam-soo¡¯s words didn¡¯t sound like a joke. Lee Baek-seo had encountered and fought countless people with such eyes, so he was certain. His brother, Lee Nam-soo, genuinely intended to kill Kang Hyeon. ¡°You¡­ How did you end up like this¡­¡± It felt like everything was crumbling down. Watching this scene from the side, Kang Hyeon clicked his tongue. ¡°Tsk tsk. Look at how this bastard¡¯s eyes are bulging. Anyway, I can¡¯t apologize to someone like him, so if you want an apology, pay up to 10 billion. If you don¡¯t like it, sue me.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Oh, and for the record, I won¡¯t apologize. I can¡¯t bow my head to trash like this.¡± ¡°D-die! You orc-like bastard!¡± ¡°What? Are you crazy for death!¡± As an angered Kang Hyeon approached Lee Nam-soo, Lee Baek-seo moved. -p! Lee Baek-seo roughly pped Lee Nam-soo¡¯s cheek. ¡°Brother..?¡± The physical violence didn¡¯t end with one p. -p, p! ¡°Cough, brother! Stop hitting me! What¡¯s wrong with you!?¡± The beating continued for a while and only ended when Lee Nam-soo spat out a tooth and lost consciousness. ¡°C-cough¡­¡± Lee Baek-seo stood up after seeing Lee Nam-soo cough up blood and faint. With a hardened face, Lee Baek-seo approached Kang Hyeon and knelt down. ¡°What¡¯s this all of a sudden?¡± ¡°I¡¯m truly sorry. I willpensate for this incident in any way I can.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s all my fault.¡± Lee Baek-seo acknowledged that he was to me. He had been busy with guild affairs. He thought his brother woulde around eventually. He had neglected his brother with various excuses. Those actions had led to terrible consequences. ¡°Now that I know, I will make sure this never happens again. Of course, I will ensure that my brother faces legal judgment for the crimes he hasmitted so far.¡± Kang Hyeon grinned at Lee Baek-seo¡¯s sincere words. ¡°I like that.¡± ¡°Pardon¡­?¡± Lee Baek-seo was taken aback by the unexpected response. ¡°Are you confident you can keep everything you just said?¡± ¡°I will keep my word no matter what happens.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yes¡­ I¡¯ve been thinking wrong until now. Thanks to you, Mr. Kang Hyeon, I¡¯ve realized this, so things will be different from now on.¡± ¡°That¡¯s enough then.¡± ¡°What do you mean¡­¡± ¡°The 10 billion won was a joke. It¡¯s not like I¡¯m short on money.¡± Lee Baek-seo waved his hands and stood up at Kang Hyeon¡¯s words. ¡°No, I intend to resolve this matter cleanly. To ensure this never happens again. 10 billion might be too much, but I will provide appropriatepensation to you, Mr. Kang Hyeon.¡± ¡°Then just treat me to some beefter.¡± ¡°How can that be enough¡­¡± As Lee Baek-seo tried to protest, Kang Hyeon had already moved away. ¡°Hey, get up.¡± ¡°Urgh¡­¡± Kang Hyeon roughly threw the fallen goblin into the back seat. Then he crumpled the smashed car door with his hand and stuffed it into the back seat as well. ¡°Well, I¡¯m off. Call me if you want to drink beer.¡± Kang Hyeon waved his hand as he got into the driver¡¯s seat. ¡°Wait, just a moment¡­¡± A confused Lee Baek-seo tried to stop Kang Hyeon, but he left without looking back. ¡°So that thing can actually move¡­¡± It wasn¡¯t amon sight to see a car with a crushed rear bumper and a missing door driving away. ¡°¡­¡± After staring nkly at the scene for a while, Lee Baek-seo suddenly burst intoughter. ¡°Ha, haha¡­ Hahaha!¡± He had thought the rumors about Kang Hyeon were somewhat exaggerated, but today Lee Baek-seo realized. ¡°He¡¯s truly a strange person.¡± That Kang Hyeon was even more of an oddball than the rumors suggested. And that he was also a little bit cool. *** Ippotrantion *** After the incident between Kang Hyeon and Lee Baek-seo, the inte heated up once again. -Kang Hyeon-style Discipline Season 2 now showing to great acim. People were excited about another disciplinary incident following the past incident with Jeong Dae-han and the children. As there were quite a few people at the scene at the time, rted videos and photos spread endlessly. -I live in that neighborhood, and that guy is really a famous piece of trash. I feel so relieved. Whew¡­ -Kang Hyeon seems a bit crazy, but his personality seems okay -Looking back at Kang Hyeon¡¯s actions so far, he doesn¡¯t seem like a bad person -Kang Hyeon fans are excited again. Tsk tsk. What¡¯s so great about a guy who just fights, isn¡¯t all of that illegal? -Your trash life raging here is legendary^^ Public opinion wasn¡¯t entirely favorable towards Kang Hyeon, but the majority of people supported his actions. -My friend is a member of the Taeshin Guild, and they say Lee Baek-seo handed over the guild¡¯s most important item after that incident. -What¡¯s the important item? -They say it¡¯s confidential¡­ -Brain rumors again -Another person desperate to show off what they know -No, it¡¯s true¡­ Numerous rumors and so-called insider information spread and disappeared again. In addition, there was someone who rose to stardom in an instant, and that was Kergo. -Recent news on Kang Hyeon¡¯s pet? A post that reached number one in real-time rankings. Clicking on it revealed a photo of Kergo just after smashing the Bentley. -Pet lol. -You¡¯re done if you mess with it wrong¡­ But is that really a goblin? -No way, what goblin is that big and fierce-looking? -Is it okay to walk around outside with that¡­ What if it causes an ident -Kang Hyeon will handle it. -The head is clearly a goblin¡¯s, but the lower body is more ferocious than an orc¡¯s¡­ -I think it looks like that because it resembles Kang Hyeon, they say pets resemble their owners. -Agreed, if you look closely, it does seem to resemble Kang Hyeon. -The people above are in big trouble¡­ Be careful on the streets at night. In addition, as the video of Kergo¡¯s match with Kim Seong-sik hit YouTube, Kergo¡¯s fame spread even overseas. ¡°Heheh. The response is good. See this? This is all about you.¡± Kang Hyeon watched all of this while sitting in his office, giggling. ¡°Kergo doesn¡¯t know. Human letters are hard.¡± Kergo shook his head as he looked at the smartphone Kang Hyeon held out. ¡°You stupid thing.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t hit. Kang Hyeon keeps hitting.¡± ¡°There¡¯s always a reason for it. If you behave wellter, I won¡¯t hit you.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Kergo brightened at Kang Hyeon¡¯s words. ¡°No. I¡¯m still going to hit you.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t like it,e at me. I¡¯ll make you the boss.¡± ¡°Kang Hyeon. Orc-like bastard¡­¡± ¡°What? You little¡­!?¡± Chapter 125 Chapter 125 The Approaching Darkness (1) A few dayster. Kang Hyeon visited the Item Research Institute where Jeong Seo-bin was again. ¡°You¡¯re a bitte. You said you¡¯dest time.¡± ¡°I had some business that day.¡± ¡°Ah, was it perhaps what was on the inte?¡± Kang Hyeon nodded at Jeong Seo-bin¡¯s question. ¡°Then is the person behind you possibly that goblin?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. Kergo. Take off your hood.¡± Kergo took off the hood he was wearing. ¡°It¡¯s fascinating. Usually, names appear above monsters, but nothing shows up for this goblin.¡± ¡°Huh? You¡¯re right?¡± Surprised by Jeong Seo-bin¡¯s words, Kang Hyeon¡¯s eyes widened. It had been so natural that he hadn¡¯t noticed. When they were in the dungeon, the name ¡°Goblin Knight¡± floated above Kergo. Later, it changed to ¡°Goblin Knight Commander,¡± but now even that hadpletely disappeared. ¡°Was it when I brought him out of the dungeon? Anyway, at some point, it stopped showing.¡± ¡°Oho¡­ How are youmunicating? It seems like you can talk if you¡¯re able to bring him around like this.¡± ¡°This.¡± Kang Hyeon handed the trantion device he was wearing to Jeong Seo-bin. ¡°So if you wear this, you can talk even with monsters. Where did you get it?¡± ¡°Mr. Shin Tae-gil gave it to me. Can¡¯t you make something like this, Ms. Jeong Seo-bin?¡± ¡°I¡¯m developing something simr, but this one seems to have a high level ofpletion. How did they make it so quickly?¡± ¡°Actually, isn¡¯t Ms. Jeong Seo-bin not that capable?¡± Jeong Seo-bin narrowed her eyes at Kang Hyeon¡¯s words. ¡°Why are you saying such disappointing things so bluntly? This must have involved someone who is extremely proficient in magic. As far as I know, there¡¯s no one who can make something like this in the government or otherpanies.¡± ¡°Someone proficient in magic¡­¡± ¡°There have been rumors about this before. That the government is hiding something. I dismissed it as groundless rumors, but seeing this, I think it might not bepletely baseless.¡± Kang Hyeon knew well about this. Shin Tae-gil had told him before. -Lich Daiance. Do you know? -Daiance? What¡¯s that? -That¡­ The skeleton wizard who fought with you before. The one controlling the monsters. Didn¡¯t Choi Dong-woo appear and save you then? -Ah, I remember now. We should have finished that bastard off. But why suddenly bring this up? Did you catch him? -Well¡­ Actually, that lich was with Choi Min-jun. -What!? -Currently, he¡¯s helping our research in various ways. I thought I should tell you, Kang Hyeon¡­ At that time, Kang Hyeon had already settled things with Choi Min-jun, so he didn¡¯t say anything more and let it pass. ¡°Is something wrong?¡± Jeong Seo-bin woke Kang Hyeon from his memories. ¡°Ah, I just had something to think about¡­ Well, I guess the government could hide such things.¡± ¡°What is it? If you know something, please tell me. We¡¯re business partners.¡± ¡°There¡¯s nothing like that.¡± ¡°Tch.¡± When Kang Hyeon tly refused, Jeong Seo-bin quickly gave up. ¡°Forget it, let¡¯s talk business. How are things these days?¡± ¡°Of course, it¡¯s the best. Research is going smoothly, production has stabilized, and as demand has increased recently, we¡¯ve be quite financiallyfortable. Although it¡¯s a bit tough because the price of magic stones has skyrocketed¡­¡± ¡°Oh, but the guild provides magic stones cheaply, don¡¯t they?¡± Jeong Seo-bin smiled slightly at Kang Hyeon¡¯s words. ¡°That¡¯s right. Thanks to you, we can get magic stones cheaply, so we¡¯re morefortable than others. But it¡¯s true that it¡¯s still harder than before because they¡¯ve be much more expensive.¡± Her words were not a lie. The current price of magic stones was indeed skyrocketing. It was natural since all infrastructure that moves society was being reced to operate with magic stones. ¡°Honestly, I think the government is pushing too hastily, but they must have their reasons.¡± ¡°I heard a bit about that from Mr. Shin Tae-gil. He said that all electronic devices could be useless soon.¡± ¡°So it was true.¡± Jeong Seo-bin nodded as if she had expected it, in response to Kang Hyeon¡¯s words. ¡°Looks like you knew?¡± ¡°I have quite a name globally in this field. I¡¯ve been making such predictions for a long time.¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t seem like you¡¯re at a global level though.¡± ¡°Stop nitpicking!¡± As Jeong Seo-bin frowned and shouted, Kang Hyeon retreated with a chuckle. ¡°Okay, okay. Why are you getting angry?¡± ¡°Sigh¡­ Never mind. I shouldn¡¯t say anything. Anyway, is that all you came for? You said you had some other business.¡± At Jeong Seo-bin¡¯s words, Kang Hyeon pped his hands as if he had just remembered. ¡°It¡¯s nothing else. The magic absorption device I gave youst time. I was wondering how the research was progressing.¡± Magic absorption device. It was equipment that extracts magic from people, which the ¡®Free Ability User Liberation Alliance¡¯ had possessed. When carrying out the operation to rescue Choi Yeon-hwa and the hostages, Han Se-yeon and Choi Min-jun had retrieved it. They handed the device to Shin Tae-gil and also gave one to Kang Hyeon, who immediately passed it on to Jeong Seo-bin for research. ¡°Last time you said there wasn¡¯t much progress.¡± ¡°This is equipmentbined with innate abilities and contains a lot of magical elements, so it¡¯s difficult to analyze with modern technology.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± ¡°Still, we¡¯ve made quite some progress this time. The government helped us.¡± Government. Government. That damn government was involved in everything. Kang Hyeon shook his head with a smirk. ¡°The government seems to be omnipotent.¡± ¡°Sigh¡­ What can we do if that¡¯s the reality? I wonder if they really have some other-dimensional wizard in there. It¡¯s bewildering, I tell you.¡± Kang Hyeon was inwardly perplexed but didn¡¯t show it. ¡°So what kind of progress have you made?¡± ¡°We¡¯ve managed to extract magic from magic stones and even inject it into other living beings, but¡­ The results aren¡¯t particrly good. The side effects are too severe, and even if they adapt, the level of magic control ispletely impossible.¡± ¡°It seems it¡¯s still not feasible for actual use.¡± ¡°Yes. But it looks like we¡¯ll have something soon, so just wait.¡± Kang Hyeon, who hadn¡¯t really expected much in the first ce, nodded calmly. ¡°Is that all the business you had then?¡± At Jeong Seo-bin¡¯s question, Kang Hyeon fell into deep thought. ¡®There was something else I needed to do¡­¡¯ Then, as if suddenly remembering something, his eyes lit up. ¡°Ah! I almost forgot. Here, could you repair these?¡± Kang Hyeon started rummaging through his inventory and pulling things out. The items that came out one by one soon piled up into a small mountain. ¡°What is all this¡­?¡± ¡°Things to repair and sell. I¡¯ve collected quite a lot.¡± ¡°How many times do I have to tell you this isn¡¯t a cksmith shop!?¡± Jeong Seo-bin was irritated, but Kang Hyeon just smiled. ¡°This ce does the best repairs in the country, doesn¡¯t it? And fixing and selling these will be quite profitable. You¡¯re not going to do it?¡± ¡°Ugh¡­¡± The benefits gained from repairing and disassembling items weren¡¯t just financial. In the process, they could obtain various information helpful for research and conduct diverse experiments. In other words, it was advantageous to ept unconditionally. ¡°Please divide the sales profits ording to the ratio, and I look forward to your continued cooperation.¡± Kang Hyeon left the research institute, chuckling. The remaining Jeong Seo-bin and researchers looked at the mountain of items with nk faces. ¡°When are we going to fix and sell all of this¡­¡± *** Ippotrantion *** Badass Guild office. ¡°Ahh! That¡¯s refreshing. Indeed, cold beer is the best in summer.¡± These were Kang Hyeon¡¯s words, who drinks cold beer all year round. There were many employees working diligently like ants in the office today, but Kang Hyeon didn¡¯t care. ¡®It¡¯s not like it¡¯s the first or second day the guild master has been like this.¡¯ The employees were now used to it, so they were all busy focusing on their own work. ¡°Good, good. What else would you do when you¡¯re young? You should work!¡± Kang Hyeon, armed with an old-fashioned mindset, nodded his head vigorously. ¡°Nice weather.¡± As Kang Hyeon was taking out a new beer can and looking out the window, he suddenly remembered something. ¡°Ah! I was supposed to hand this over.¡± What came out of his possession was a single sheet of A4-sized paper. ¡°I forgot to give this to Director Jeong Seo-bin.¡± The identity of this was an item received from Lee Baek-seo of the Taeshin Guild. -What is this? -It¡¯s an item I brought after thinking about what I could give to Kang Hyeon as a token of gratitude. Since you probably have much more money and equipment than I do, I thought it would be better to give you something else. -Oh¡­ What kind of item is it? -It¡¯s an item that came from defeating a B-rank boss, a device that instantly binds the surrounding magical power. As Kang Hyeon is a martial artist, you¡¯ll probably be able to use it in various useful ways. An item that binds surrounding magical power. It seemed that using this would probably prevent the use of skills. Kang Hyeon checked the item¡¯s description once again. Name: Magical Power Fixation Scroll Rank: B Durability: 5/5 Description: A scroll mainly used when hunting wizards. It activates as soon as the scroll is torn. However, be aware that wizards capable of powerful magical control can ignore the magical power fixation. Ability: All magical power within a 100m radius is fixed for 5 minutes. ¡°It seems like it could be useful if used well.¡± It seemed like he would know exactly what kind of ability it was if he used it once, but he couldn¡¯t waste the only scroll. ¡°I¡¯ll use it when the opportunityes someday.¡± Just as Kang Hyeon was about to put the scroll back into his inventory. ¡°Brother. What were you doing?¡± An Yu-seong, who had approached without notice, spoke to him. ¡°I was working?¡± ¡°What kind of work?¡± ¡°Supervising the employees.¡± ¡°Wow. It¡¯s not my ce to say, but your personality is quite something, brother.¡± ¡°Why are you suddenly picking a fight, you bastard?¡± Kang Hyeon¡¯s expression crumpled at the sudden provocation. ¡°Brother. These days you¡¯re always going around alone or just with that goblin.¡± ¡°So what?¡± ¡°I feel like I¡¯m going to die of boredom, so let¡¯s solve a case together.¡± ¡°Shouldn¡¯t it normally be ¡®feel like I¡¯m going to die¡¯?¡± ¡°That was a mistake.¡± They decided to overlook the minor mistake.N?v(el)B\\jnn ¡°So what¡¯s the matter?¡± In response to Kang Hyeon¡¯s question, An Yu-seong held out his smartphone. As he took the smartphone, a brief news article appeared. ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± ¡°It¡¯s an article about a dungeon break.¡± ¡°Again, again! A dungeon break?¡± Kang Hyeon, who was now sick and tired of dungeon breaks, openly showed a displeased expression. ¡°The government should step in to solve such incidents. Why do we have to move?¡± ¡°Because it seems interesting?¡± ¡°What¡¯s the point of talking to you¡­¡± As Kang Hyeon sighed and seemed to lose interest, An Yu-seong hastily continued. ¡°This is different from other incidents, I¡¯m telling you?¡± ¡°How is it different?¡± ¡°Small and medium-sized guilds bought dungeons recklessly and can¡¯t clear them.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not different at all.¡± This was an incident that asionally urred in the early days after dungeons changed to an auction format. For various reasons, guilds with capital beyond their capabilities would recklessly buy dungeons and fail to manage them, leading to dungeon breaks. Usually, they would request government aid before a dungeon break urred, but asionally they would miss the timing and incidents would happen. And guilds where incidents urred would never be allowed to participate in dungeon auctions again. ¡°That¡¯s all old news. Are there still guilds like that these days?¡± However, this was something that only happened in the early days. It was an incident that hardly ever urred now that the system had been established. ¡°Just looking at it, it doesn¡¯t seem like a big deal. It¡¯s not like people are dying, and they managed to prevent it well. What¡¯s there for us to get involved in?¡± ¡°Listen. Recently, these incidents have been urring unusually often in just one area.¡± ¡°So?¡± ¡°It smells fishy. My intuition is telling me we need to go solve this.¡± An Yu-seong¡¯s eyes gleamed with madness. ¡®He must have been quite bored.¡¯ It was true that he had been neglecting to spend time with the guild members for a while. Partly because he had been busy with various misceneous tasks, but the bigger reason was that his level hardly increased from dungeon raids anymore. Now, Kang Hyeon couldn¡¯t feel like he was growing unless he was fighting battles where he truly had to risk his life. Therefore, he had been clearing dungeons just enough to maintain hisbat sense, waiting for the A-rank dungeon that was expected to appear soon. ¡°It doesn¡¯t sound very interesting¡­¡± ¡°Kang Hyeon! We must do this!¡± At that moment. Shin Seong-a, who had been listening to the conversation from the side, stood up abruptly. ¡°Why? Are you bored too?¡± ¡°Yes. I¡¯m bored.¡± Shin Seong-a nodded with a serious face. ¡°Is this something to be so serious about¡­¡± Kang Hyeon felt a piercing gaze, but Shin Seong-a maintained her pace. ¡°So far, there hasn¡¯t been a time when a case An Yu-seong got involved in didn¡¯t turn out to be big. An Yu-seong has an uncanny ability to sense what will be interesting.¡± ¡°You do realize that what you just said is synonymous with ¡®a very troublesome situation will ur,¡¯ right?¡± ¡°I want to solve this case splendidly this time too. We are the Badass Guild after all! People will be thrilled!¡± The conversation wasn¡¯t getting through. In the end, Kang Hyeon nodded his head in resignation. ¡°What¡¯s the point of talking to you guys¡­¡± It was the moment when the next destination of Kang Hyeon¡¯s group was decided. The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone! Chapter 126 Chapter 126 The Approaching Darkness (2) When did it start¡­ My husband has be a bit strange. It¡¯s hard to exin in words, but the atmosphere has changed subtly. There have been some difficult times recently, but it¡¯s odd to say he changed because of that. Not long ago, he suddenly took me somewhere, saying we were going to a nice ce. I went with a fluttering heart, thinking it might be some kind of event, but the ce we arrived at was a strange religious group. It¡¯s a ce where even the neighborhood aunties go often these days, but I¡¯ve always refused invitations because I found it creepy. I got angry momentarily and snapped at my husband, asking if he frequents such ces. Then my husband looked at me with a terrifying face. It was the first time I¡¯d ever seen my husband make such a scary face.N?v(el)B\\jnn Since that day¡­ I get goosebumps every time my husband looks at me. I¡¯m scared of my husband. It might be that I¡¯m being oversensitive, but if this continues, I really ¡°Huh?¡± Park Ha-seon, who was writing in her diary, hurriedly closed the notebook at the sound of the front door opening. Just as she hid the notebook deep in the bookshelf and stood up, a voice came from behind. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± ¡°You¡¯re home?¡± ¡°I asked what you were doing.¡± ¡°Come on. What would I be doing? I was just looking at my phone.¡± ¡°I see¡­¡± Her husband nodded with an expressionless face. Park Ha-seon let out a sigh of relief and calmed her startled heart. At that moment, -Thump. Thump. Her husband strode over and stopped right in front of Park Ha-seon¡¯s face. Expressionless. Park Ha-seon swallowed hard as she faced her husband¡¯s serious face. ¡°What¡¯s wrong¡­ You¡¯re making me ufortable¡­¡± Park Ha-seon carefully tried to push her husband away. No, she tried to push him away. ¡°Do you think I¡¯m a fool?¡± *** Ippotrantion *** Taehan City was a small city located in the countryside. It was a very quiet city where most areas were fields except for a few regions where shops were gathered. -Screech! A vehicle with BADASS written in ming letters on the hood stopped in the middle of a country road. ¡°Phew¡­ Haa. The air is nice.¡± The man who got out of the vehicle was Kang Hyeon. As he took a deep breath, he felt the fresh air filling his lungs to the deepest part. ¡°You made such a fuss about not wanting toe, but you seem the most excited.¡± ¡°Shut up.¡± Kang Hyeon frowned at Yoon Na-rae¡¯s quip as she got out of the vehicle next. ¡°Why did youe along then?¡± ¡°Hmph. It¡¯s my choice whether I follow or not, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Fine. The reason is obvious anyway.¡± Soon after, An Yu-seong, the reason Yoon Na-rae came along, got out of the vehicle. An Yu-seong smiled contentedly as he watched Kang Hyeon and Yoon Na-rae bickering. ¡°You two look good together. Like close siblings.¡± ¡°Are you picking a fight as soon as we arrive?¡± Finally, Shin Seong-a got out of the vehicle,pleting Kang Hyeon¡¯s group. ¡°Kang Hyeon. This town definitely seems strange.¡± ¡°Already? What¡¯s strange about it?¡± ¡°The smell of conspiracy, plots, and criminals is stinging my nose.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you to stop watching detective dramas?¡± Kang Hyeon shook his head as he watched Shin Seong-a muttering with a serious face. ¡°Anyway, we came because you insisted¡­ What are we going to do now?¡± They hade down impulsively due to An Yu-seong and Shin Seong-a¡¯s strong insistence, but there was no answer. In fact, this incident wasn¡¯t attracting much attention. It wasn¡¯t arge dungeon break, and most cases were resolved cleanly without human casualties, so people weren¡¯t interested. ¡°Sigh, how did I end up taking on this kind of job¡­¡± Just as Kang Hyeon was sighing and roughly running his hand through his hair, ¡°Kang Hyeon. There¡¯s something here.¡± Shin Seong-a, wearing a cotton hunting cap synonymous with detective hats, pointed at something with a magnifying ss. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Footprints.¡± ¡°So what¡­¡± In the ce Shin Seong-a pointed, there were faint footprints that were surprising to have been discovered. ¡°There¡¯s not just one or two footprints. There are quite a lot visible.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure there are.¡± It was beside the road, even if it was a country road. There was nothing strange about there being many footprints. ¡°Kang Hyeon. This is outside, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Are you going to keep stating the obvious?¡± ¡°Look at this.¡± Just as Kang Hyeon¡¯s brow was furrowing to the point of crumpling, Shin Seong-a pointed at something. ¡°What is this?¡± ¡°These are barefoot prints. And they look oddly different from human ones.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t really tell¡­¡± If what Shin Seong-a said was true, it was certainly strange. After all, there were barefoot prints on the dirt road beside the paved road, not shoe prints. However, it seemed a stretch to connect this to the current case. ¡°I know you¡¯ve been into Sherlock Holmestely, but just grabbing onto anything and walking around doesn¡¯t make it a clue¡­¡± Ignoring Kang Hyeon¡¯s words, Shin Seong-a was already moving along the footprints. ¡°Hey! Where are you going!¡± ¡°Pfft, you got ignored.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you to shut up?¡± ¡°Ack! The orc is hitting people!¡± Kang Hyeon gave Yoon Na-rae, who was giggling, a knock on the head and hurriedly chased after Shin Seong-a. ¡°Phew, can you see anything?¡± Shin Seong-a was walking like a duck, crouched down on the ground. ¡°Yes. Someone tried to erase the traces, but they did a sloppy job. It¡¯s getting more and more suspicious. There must be some kind of conspiracy.¡± ¡°Is that so¡­¡± And so, led by Shin Seong-a, the group walked down the quiet country road. August, the tail end of summer. The sunlight was particrly harsh, and the cicada sounds pierced their ears. Just as Kang Hyeon¡¯s patience was reaching its limit with sweat starting to trickle down, ¡°Kang Hyeon. It¡¯s over there.¡± Shin Seong-a, who had finally discovered something, whispered in Kang Hyeon¡¯s ear. ¡°Can¡¯t you just speak loudly?¡± ¡°The culprit must be in there.¡± ¡°Alright, alright. You really are a great detective¡­¡± Detective Shin Seong-a nodded with a serious face. ¡°Fine. Then let¡¯s just go in.¡± ¡°Ah! We should block the escape routes and then go in¡­¡± ¡°Just do the first verse.¡± Kang Hyeon suddenly turned serious. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°What escape routes in a cave?¡± Kang Hyeon frowned deeply and strode into the cave. ¡°There¡¯s definitely a smell.¡± The cave was filled with a musty odor and the smell of something rotting. There was also a somewhat familiar smell mixed in. ¡°Wait a minute, this damn smell¡­ I¡¯ve smelled it a lot somewhere¡­¡± As Kang Hyeon was sniffing, ¡°Cough¡­¡± A familiar voice was heard from deep inside the cave. ¡°Shit, is it goblins again?¡± *** Ippotrantion *** Inside the cave, three goblins were having a lively drinking party. There was one goblin shaman and two goblin warriors. ¡°What a wild party. What¡¯s all this?¡± The food they were eating was clearly human food. Familiar green bottles of alcohol. A feast of meats spread out, including all varieties fromnd, sea, and air. It was literally a sumptuous banquet. ¡°Kurk? Kekeke.¡± Perhaps because they were drunk, the goblins showed no hostility as Kang Hyeon approached. They just giggled and held out their hands. ¡°What is it?¡± Since he had left the trantion device with Kergo at the guild training grounds, he couldn¡¯t understand what they were saying. When Kang Hyeon showed no reaction to his outstretched hand, the goblin shaman abruptly stood up. Then, putting his hands on his hips, he started babbling something. ¡°Keeeeek! Kurk, kerurk!¡± He seemed to be chanting something solemnly, but to Kang Hyeon, it just looked like he was begging to be hit. -p! A palm flew so fast that there wasn¡¯t even time to react. ¡°How dare you yell, you scoundrel.¡± The goblin hit by Kang Hyeon¡¯s p was instantly smashed into the cave wall. The two goblin warriors hurriedly got up, but nothing changed. -p, p! In an instant, the three goblins were down. Kang Hyeonid them out side by side on the ground and stepped on them methodically. ¡°Who do you think you are? Huh? Just die. All goblins should die.¡± ¡°Mr. Kang Hyeon. Could you wait a moment, please.¡± Shin Seon-a grabbed Kang Hyeon. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t we need to find out something? I¡¯m serious, not joking.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. Stupid guild master, can¡¯t you see the food here? Anyone can tell it¡¯s human food¡­ Right?¡± Kang Hyeon red at Yoon Na-rae, then stroked his chin. ¡°You¡¯re certainly right about that.¡± ¡°Given the footprints outside, it¡¯s possible they raided somewhere, but I couldn¡¯t find any reports of incidents online. And we found traces of multiple peopleing in and out of this cave.¡± ¡°Are you saying people brought food to the goblins?¡± ¡°That seems to be the case, given the circumstances.¡± Kang Hyeonughed in disbelief. ¡°Has the world finally gone mad?¡± This also exined the goblins¡¯ nonchnt attitude when he arrived. They clearly thought he was just another humaning to offer tribute as usual. ¡°What should we do?¡± ¡°Should we wait here? Sigh, if we had the trantion device, I could just beat them up while questioning them.¡± ¡°How about we hide here and wait for someone toe?¡± After pondering for a moment, Kang Hyeon nodded. ¡°Might as well. If we wait long enough, someone¡¯s bound to show up.¡± *** Ippotrantion *** The next day. Unbelievably, no one showed up. ¡°Brother. I told you we should just leave, didn¡¯t I?¡± ¡°Shut up. I¡¯m pissed off too.¡± The group waited in hiding in front of the cave for a full day but didn¡¯t even see a squirrel. ¡°Ah, if only we had the trantor!¡± ¡°Instead of waiting here stupidly, guild master, why didn¡¯t you go to Seoul and back? You could have made two round trips by now!¡± ¡°You¡¯re really going to die.¡± ¡°Aaagh! An orc is hitting a person!¡± Kang Hyeon didn¡¯t even have the energy to hit Yoon Na-rae who was being annoying. Since they couldn¡¯t even eat for fear of being discovered, Kang Hyeon really didn¡¯t want to move a finger. ¡°Mr. Kang Hyeon. How about learning the trantion magic on this asion?¡± ¡°What? There was such a thing?¡± Shin Seon-a nodded at Kang Hyeon¡¯s question. ¡°Yes. Skill books sometimese up for sale.¡± These days, with the auction house being active, you could easily get skill books if you had the money. Although trantion was ssified as an ability rather than a skill, they were all learned in book form, so they were uniformly called skill books. ¡°Why have I never seen one?¡± ¡°Despite the incredibly high price, they disappear instantly the moment they¡¯re listed. So it¡¯s not a well-known ability among ordinary people.¡± ¡°You really have a lot of random knowledge.¡± ¡°Hehe.¡± Shin Seon-a scratched her head at Kang Hyeon¡¯spliment. ¡°For now, since we can¡¯t do anything, contact Han Jae-moon and tell him to take away the goblins inside.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± As Shin Seon-a contacted the guild, Kang Hyeony on a rock and stared nkly at the sky. ¡°Still, it feels unsettling to go back without any results¡­¡± Just as he was sighing, something suddenly urred to him. ¡°I guess I¡¯ll have to use the Team Leader Shin Tae-gil chance after a long time.¡± Kang Hyeon immediately called Shin Tae-gil. -Yes. Shin Tae-gil¡¯s short answer. ¡°Why are you so chic today? I thought you were a cool city guy.¡± -If you¡¯re going to joke around, I¡¯m hanging up. I have a mountain of work. ¡°As expected of the cool city m¡­¡± Before he could finish speaking, the call was disconnected. Kang Hyeon called again. -Yes. ¡°You¡¯re making this really expensive. I called because I have something to ask.¡± -Go ahead. ¡°Do you know about the frequent dungeon breaks happening around Taehan City recently?¡± -I¡¯m aware. Why are you asking about that? ¡°I want to investigate it a bit.¡± At Kang Hyeon¡¯s words, Shin Tae-gil¡¯s voice tone went up a notch. -We¡¯ve been having trouble because we¡¯ve been investigating buting up empty. If you could take this on, we¡¯d be really grateful¡­ ¡°What will you do for me?¡± -Whatpensation between us¡­ Ahem. In the meantime, the thickness of Shin Tae-gil¡¯s face had be quite substantial. ¡°Never mind that, just get me a skill book to learn the trantion ability.¡± Shin Tae-gil sighed at the mention of the trantion ability. -Hah, how did you know about that too? ¡°Is that important? I need it to solve this case, so get it for me as soon as possible.¡± -Mr. Kang Hyeon. Trantion skill books are something you can¡¯t get even if you have money. ¡°Why?¡± -Because the world¡¯s richest people buy them for their children. After all, you can learn any ability once you pass Tutorial Stage 1. Indeed, being able to understand allnguages without any cost was an enormous merit. It was an ability worth coveting if you had a lot of money. In a way, it made sense that it was hard to obtain. ¡°Ah! So are you going to get it for me or not!?¡± -I¡¯ll try to get it¡­ Kang Hyeon smiled with satisfaction. ¡°We¡¯ll talk about otherpensationter, now tell me about what you investigated earlier.¡± At Kang Hyeon¡¯s request, Shin Tae-gil exined for a while. The summary of the content is as follows: The dungeon breaks urring in this area happened in two main ways. One was due to failing to clear the dungeon within the time limit. The other was due to identally breaking the main core during the raid. ¡°Both are strange.¡± -Yes. I don¡¯t understand how dungeon management could fail in today¡¯s system-equipped situation. ¡°And it¡¯s even stranger to identally shatter the main core during a raid.¡± -So I¡¯ve been meeting with guild masters and members who caused breaks, but I haven¡¯t found much. I couldn¡¯t find any evidence that they did it on purpose either. ¡°You¡¯re past your prime too, Mr. Shin Tae-gil.¡± Shin Tae-gil sighed at Kang Hyeon¡¯s sarcasm. -These days, just investigating and moving on recing electronic equipment with magic stones is more than we can handle. Honestly, these aren¡¯t high-grade dungeons, and there hasn¡¯t been significant damage, so it¡¯s been difficult to allocate much manpower. With the budget already tight and money continuously going to you as well¡­ ¡°Okay, okay. You were acting all chic earlier, but now you¡¯re full of excuses. And why are you bringing me up as an excuse?¡± -¡­ Shin Tae-gil fell silent at Kang Hyeon¡¯s pointed words. ¡°Alright, justpile and send over the information you¡¯ve gathered so far.¡± -Yes¡­ I¡¯ll send it right away¡­ Shin Tae-gil¡¯s voice was much more subdued than before. ¡°Are you upset?¡± -I¡¯m not that kind of person. Kang Hyeon grinned at Shin Tae-gil¡¯s response. ¡°You are upset.¡± -I¡¯m hanging up. I¡¯ll send you the data now. ¡°You¡¯re upset, right? I think you¡¯re definitely upset.¡± Shin Tae-gil hung up without answering. Kang Hyeon looked at the guild members who had been listening to the conversation on speaker. ¡°Do you think he¡¯s upset?¡± ¡°Yes. He¡¯s definitely upset.¡± Everyone nodded in unison. ¡°He¡¯s upset. He really is.¡± The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone! Chapter 127 Chapter 127 The Approaching Darkness (3) A leisurely weekend lunch. Jo Min-hyun sat in front of a carefully prepared meal. ¡°Mom, aren¡¯t you eating?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not hungry. Honey, I¡¯ll be going out for a bit.¡± ¡°Okay. Take care.¡± It was clearly an ordinary day, no different from usual. But Jo Min-hyun couldn¡¯t shake off a nagging feeling. ¡°Where are you going?¡± ¡°I have an appointment nearby.¡± ¡°I see¡­¡± After his mother went out, only the sound of chewing remained in the living room. ¡°Chew, chew.¡± His father was eating as usual. For some reason, Jo Min-hyun couldn¡¯t swallow his food. ¡°Is something wrong?¡± ¡°No¡­¡± He felt anxious. It felt like an inexplicable sense of difort was creeping up from his toes. ¡°You¡¯re at a growing age, you should eat well.¡± ¡°Yes¡­¡± Jo Min-hyun picked up his spoon, then put it back down on the table. Taking a deep breath, Jo Min-hyun looked at his father. ¡°Dad, don¡¯t you think Mom¡¯s been acting a bit strangetely?¡± ¡°What do you mean? Your mom being strange.¡± ¡°Just¡­¡± In fact, it was his father who had first started acting strangely. Jo Min-hyun had even had a serious conversation with his mother about his father in secret. But at some point, his mother¡¯s attitude suddenly changed. At first nce, she seemed as kind as ever, but sometimes she looked like an emotionless doll. ¡°Sigh¡­ It¡¯s nothing.¡± In the end, Jo Min-hyun couldn¡¯t say anything. ¡°Looks like you have something on your mind.¡± His father smiled at Jo Min-hyun. ¡°It¡¯s not like that.¡± ¡°Let me help you.¡± ¡°What?¡± Suddenly, his father stood up abruptly. ¡°No, it¡¯s okay. You don¡¯t need to¡­¡± At that moment, something strange flowed out from his father¡¯s body. ¡°Ahhh! What is this?!¡± Jo Min-hyun screamed in terror at the sight. ¡°It¡¯s okay. I¡¯ll help you.¡± Jo Min-hyun tried to run away, but his father¡¯s strong hand grabbed him by the nape of his neck. ¡°Ahhh! I¡¯m sorry! Please spare me!¡± Jo Min-hyun struggled frantically. But resistance was futile. ¡°It¡¯ll be over soon. You¡¯ll feel at ease.¡± *** Ippotrantion *** ¡°Who are you people?¡± ¡°I¡¯m Kang Hyeon from the Badass Guild.¡± ¡°Kang Hyeon!?¡± A middle-aged man, thoroughly drunk. Kang Hyeon handed his business card to the man. ¡°Oh, you were a famous person, I¡¯vemitted a grave sin by not recognizing you~¡± The middle-aged manughed weakly and mmed his head on the table. ¡°Mr. Kim Bae-soon. Is that right?¡± ¡°Yes. I am indeed Kim Bae-soon.¡± The middle-aged man, Kim Bae-soon, rubbed his hands together and sneered like a beggar from a historical drama. Seeing this, a vein popped on Kang Hyeon¡¯s forehead. ¡°Sigh, this guy really¡­¡± ¡°Mr. Kang Hyeon. Please be patient.¡± Kang Hyeon was in the process of meeting nearby guild leaders based on the information provided by Shin Tae-gil. ¡°Mister. Try to sober up a bit. I have some questions to ask.¡± ¡°Yes, yes. Ask away.¡± Most of them were not in good shape. In a way, it was understandable, given that their once-thriving guilds had copsed overnight. The moment a dungeon break urs, the life of that guild is over. No matter how well they handled the situation afterward or how cleanly they wrapped things up, that fact doesn¡¯t change. As a result, most guild leaders had gone mad. ¡°Mister. Do you remember the day the dungeon broke?¡± Kang Hyeon asked, looking straight into Kim Bae-soon¡¯s eyes. ¡°The dungeon broke¡­?¡± ¡°Yes. The dungeon break.¡± Suddenly, anger shed in Kim Bae-soon¡¯s unfocused eyes. ¡°That¡­ That bastard!¡± Kim Bae-soon suddenly shouted and mmed the table. ¡°Lee Man-seok! It¡¯s all that son of a bitch¡¯s fault! I¡¯m innocent!¡± Perhaps because he was once a guild leader, the table shattered with one punch. ¡°Sigh¡­ he¡¯s starting again.¡± A woman¡¯s sigh could be heard from inside. ¡°Lee Man-seok? Who¡¯s that?¡± In response to Kang Hyeon¡¯s question, Kim Bae-soon unleashed a torrent of words. ¡°That pimp-like bastard! I shouldn¡¯t have let him into the guild from the start. He should¡¯ve just done his hunting well. Why did he suddenly break the main core without being told to! Making me like this!?¡± ¡°This Lee Man-seok broke the main core? Suddenly?¡± ¡°Yes! I need to beat that son of a bitch right now!¡± Now that Kim Bae-soon seemed to have regained his senses, Kang Hyeon needed to extract as much information as possible. He continued his questions without pause. ¡°This Lee Man-seok. Where is he now?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t know.¡± Suddenly, Kim Bae-soon slumped down in his chair. ¡°You don¡¯t know?¡± ¡°He suddenly disappeared. That bastard¡­¡± Frustrated, Kang Hyeon grabbed the man and asked. ¡°Where did he go?¡± ¡°I said I don¡¯t know! Honey! Bring more alcohol!¡± ¡°Get it yourself! Ugh, this household. I knew it from the start when you started raving about being an ability user or whatever. You should have just kept your regr job. Why did you have to quit that! You never do anything right.¡± ¡°What did you just say? Are you done talking!?¡± ¡°I am. What are you going to do about it!?¡± A sudden marital dispute broke out. The startled group¡¯s eyes widened like rabbits¡¯. ¡°Hey, let¡¯s go.¡± ¡°Are we just leaving them like this?¡± ¡°Put the consultation fee in an envelope and leave it.¡± An Yu-seong interjected at Kang Hyeon¡¯s words. ¡°Bro, aren¡¯t we going to watch?¡± ¡°No! Are you crazy?¡± Kang Hyeon put 1 million won in cash into an envelope, ced it on the chair, and hurriedly left the house. ¡°Sigh¡­ No progress. No progress at all.¡± Kim Bae-soon, whom they had just met, was the fourth guild leader. The day was drawing to a close, and everyone was getting tired of these fruitless meetings. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t we call it quits soon? What¡¯s the point of meeting these drunkards?¡± ¡°If you have nothing to do, just stay quiet. Don¡¯t make me angry.¡± ¡°You always hate on me.¡± Ignoring Yoon Na-rae who was pouting, Kang Hyeon fell into thought. ¡®It¡¯s definitely fishy¡­¡¯ All the guilds they had met so far were small-scale, managing E and F-grade dungeons. Then suddenly, one guild member went berserk and caused a dungeon break. It was certainly very suspicious. But in the end, that was all there was to it. The guild members who caused the dungeon breaks had all either died or disappeared afterward. They either died at the hands of the dungeon boss the moment they destroyed the main core, or vanished without a trace. ¡°Sigh¡­ Racking my brains isn¡¯t really my style.¡± As Kang Hyeon was scratching his head in this seemingly hopeless situation, ¡°Mr. Kang Hyeon. How about we meet just one more person?¡± Shin Seong-a approached him from the side and handed him a document. ¡°Who is it? Jo Yu-sik?¡± ¡°Yes. He was running thergest guild among the affected guild leaders. And he¡¯s reportedly still operating the guild without disbanding it.¡± Guilds are operated with the profits earned from conquering dungeons. And guilds that cause dungeon breaks are no longer allowed to purchase dungeons. As time passes, they inevitably fall behind other guilds, and no guild member wants to stay in such a guild. Therefore, it¡¯s normal for them to naturally disband. ¡°How is it still operating?¡± ¡°It seems they were originally a fairly sizable mid-tier guild with quite a few dungeons they had purchased before. It looks like they can maintain their current state, so some guild members are still staying.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ I suppose that¡¯s possible.¡± It wasn¡¯t particrly strange. After all, if they can hunt stably and earn better money than average office workers, some people might be satisfied and stay if it¡¯s a guild of considerable size. ¡°I don¡¯t think meeting this person will make much difference.¡± As Kang Hyeon responded indifferently, Shin Seong-a shook her head. ¡°The guild that Jo Yu-sik is currently operating has exactly 336 members.¡± ¡°What? Why so many?¡± ¡°I found that strange too, so I looked into it. Apparently, they originally had about 300 members. After the dungeon break, the number gradually decreased, but at some point, it started increasing again.¡± ¡°Is that even possible?¡± For a general guild that doesn¡¯t aim for a small elite force, about 300 members is almost at the level of a medium torge guild. Even so, it¡¯s a guild with no future due to the dungeon break. It didn¡¯t make sense for the number of people to increase. ¡°Mr. Kang Hyeon. Doesn¡¯t this seem suspicious?¡± ¡°This is definitely tantly suspicious. Shin Seong-a, have you finally made a breakthrough?¡± ¡°Thank you. Hehe.¡± Shin Seong-a smiled brightly at Kang Hyeon¡¯s words. ¡°Let¡¯s go and see. We¡¯ll know when we meet him.¡± Kang Hyeon immediately dialed the number written on the document. *** Ippotrantion *** On the way to the cafe, the meeting ce to meet Jo Yu-sik. People gathered like clouds around Kang Hyeon and his group. ¡°Didn¡¯t I say we should go around normally?¡± ¡°Bro, what¡¯s normal? Wearing a t-shirt with squinty-eyed Pororo on it?¡± ¡°Shut up.¡± Kang Hyeon in a ck rider jacket that anyone could tell was from the Badass Guild. An Yu-seong with his eye-catching appearance and fashion sense wherever he goes. Yoon Na-rae in her magical girl cosy. Lastly, Shin Seong-a in her specially made detective edition guild uniform. With four people who could outshine even the most attention-seeking individuals, it was impossible not to draw attention. ¡°Please give me an autograph!¡± ¡°Kyaaa! Sister Seong-a! I¡¯m a fan!¡± The corners of Shin Seong-a¡¯s mouth, who was trying to look cool with sunsses on, twitched slightly. ¡°You like it, don¡¯t you?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know what you mean.¡± ¡°Oh, I should just stop talking.¡± Currently, the number one ranked guild in South Korea is the Dangun Guild. However, Dangun pursues an extremely small elite force and doesn¡¯t show themselves publicly. In contrast, the Badass led by Kang Hyeon was very open to the public. Although Badass also aimed for a small elite force, they weren¡¯t a closed group. As a result, even though Badass was ranked second, they were undoubtedly first in terms of public interest. When the executives of such a famous guild appeared in a region other than the capital area where they usually operated, it caused an even bigger ripple effect. ¡°Phew, we finally got away.¡± Kang Hyeon and his group managed to shake off the crowd after quite a struggle. ¡°Hmm¡­ I think it was around here.¡± A momentter. As Kang Hyeon arrived near the meeting ce and was looking around, ¡°Anyone who believes can enjoy eternal life. Come visit us once.¡± He saw a middle-aged woman with a warm appearance handing out flyers. On her back hung a crude picket with words like ¡®Immortality¡¯, ¡®Eternal Life¡¯, ¡®Comfort¡¯ written in red letters. ¡°Is this evangelism from a church?¡± Kang Hyeon muttered thoughtlessly. ¡°It doesn¡¯t seem so, as there¡¯s no cross visible.¡± Shin Seong-a said, narrowing her eyes sharply. ¡°Must be a cult or something.¡± ¡°Oh? Isn¡¯t that the cafe?¡± ¡°You¡¯re right. Let¡¯s hurry.¡± Just then, they spotted the cafe where they were supposed to meet Jo Yu-sik. The group took their eyes off the picket and headed towards the cafe. *** Ippotrantion *** ¡°It¡¯s an honor to meet someone I¡¯ve only seen on TV.¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m more grateful that you came out so readily.¡± In person, Jo Yu-sik was a man in his early 40s who exuded a calm and gentle impression. ¡°I dislike beating around the bush, so I¡¯ll ask directly. The day the dungeon break urred. Do you remember it?¡± ¡°Yes. I remember.¡± ¡°Could you tell me about it in detail?¡± At Kang Hyeon¡¯s request, Jo Yu-sik continued his exnation for a while. ¡°Hmm¡­ So you¡¯re saying it was an ident?¡± ¡°Yes. Fortunately, all the guild members were local residents, and thanks to sticking together even after the incident, we were able to keep the guild from falling apart.¡± ¡°What about the guild member who caused the ident?¡± ¡°They¡¯re still part of the guild. They¡¯re hunting all day long, trying to make up for their mistake somehow, but we¡¯re extremely worried.¡± Kang Hyeon was taken aback by Jo Yu-sik¡¯s words. ¡°The guild member who caused the ident is alive?¡± ¡°Yes. For us, the dungeon break really urred due to a ¡®mistake.¡¯ Didn¡¯t I mention that the spell cast by that friend went astray and destroyed the main core? That¡¯s why they¡¯re still hunting hard, trying to revive the guild somehow.¡± ¡°It wasn¡¯t going berserk, but a mistake?¡± ¡°It was a mistake.¡± Jo Yu-sik emphasized once again in response to Kang Hyeon¡¯s question. ¡°Even now, all the guild members are united like a family, tackling the dungeon.¡± Kang Hyeon nodded with a somewhat dubious expression at Jo Yu-sik¡¯s seemingly confident words. ¡°Yes¡­ Thank you. Here¡¯spensation for your time.¡± ¡°No, no! We just had a brief conversation. I¡¯m not in such a difficult situation¡­ Rather, I had a rare experience meeting a famous person. Haha!¡± Jo Yu-sik adamantly refused the money Kang Hyeon was offering. After Jo Yu-sik, who had been responding to the conversation with such a friendly attitude, left, the group remaining at the cafe all fell into thought. ¡°It¡¯s strange, isn¡¯t it?¡± Kang Hyeon asked, and ¡°You felt it too, brother? It is strange.¡± An Yu-seong replied. ¡°Kang Hyeon. It¡¯s definitely strange.¡± Shin Seong-a chimed in. Yoon Na-rae was confused by the sudden exchange between the three. ¡°What are you suddenly talking about? Strange? He seemed like apletely nice guy.¡± In response to Yoon Na-rae¡¯s question, everyone opened their mouths with serious expressions. ¡°He refused the money. That¡¯s strange.¡± ¡°I just feel bad about it.¡± ¡°I¡¯m somewhat good at reading faces, and that¡¯s a typical con artist face.¡± ¡°Huh¡­¡± Yoon Na-rae looked at the three with a bewildered face. ¡®What kind of weirdos are these?¡¯ *** Ippotrantion *** -Ding dong, ding dong Hearing the doorbell, Jo Yu-sik opened the front door. ¡°Who is¡­¡± Before the door could fully open, someone abruptly stuck their head in. ¡°Mr. Jo Moon-seok. Sorry foring suddenly.¡± ¡°It¡¯s Jo Yu-sik, but¡­¡± ¡°Yes. Mr. Jo Yu-sik. If it¡¯s alright, may Ie in for a moment?¡± Jo Yu-sik¡¯s brow furrowed at Kang Hyeon¡¯s unexpected request. ¡°This is sudden and inconvenient. My family is resting at home, so let¡¯s talk outside.¡± ¡°Is that so? Let¡¯s see.¡± Despite being told to talk outside, Kang Hyeon forcibly pulled on the door. Jo Yu-sik tried to stop him but was no match in terms of physical strength. ¡°Hey, what are you doing!?¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± As Kang Hyeon poked his head inside the door, he saw a mother and son looking at him from the living room. ¡°Your wife is beautiful. And your son is handsome too! You must be very happy!¡± ¡°What are you doing! If you keep this up, I¡¯ll call the police. No, should I post online that Kang Hyeon is going around breaking into people¡¯s homes!?¡± Jo Yu-sik looked genuinely angry. ¡°Oh my, I¡¯m sorry. I thought Mr. Jo Yu-sik¡¯s impression was so good today that we could have dinner together, but if you don¡¯t want to, there¡¯s nothing I can do.¡± ¡°If you understand, please leave now.¡± ¡°Let me ask just one thing before I go. Mr. Jo Yu-sik. How old is that son over there? He looks quite young.¡± ¡°He¡¯s in second year of middle school. Satisfied?¡± At Jo Yu-sik¡¯s words, Kang Hyeon grinned. ¡°Ah! Second year of middle school! 15 years old! It¡¯s a great age. I was quite something at that age. When did time pass like this.¡± ¡°Stop talking nonsense and leave! If you keep this up, I won¡¯t be able to hold back!¡± At Jo Yu-sik¡¯s shout, Kang Hyeon retreated while chuckling. ¡°Alright, alright. I¡¯m going. I¡¯m leaving. Have a good night.¡± Finally, as the door closed and Kang Hyeon¡¯s face disappeared, Jo Yu-sik immediately locked the door with a chain. ¡°What kind of crazy bastard¡­¡± At that moment, -Crash! With a thunderous sound, the door was shattered. Hit by the flying door, Jo Yu-sik was thrown into the living room and crashed into the dining table. ¡°Ugh¡­ What is this¡­?¡± Looking towards the front door, he saw Kang Hyeon standing casually with his hands in his pockets. ¡°What are you doing! Do you really want to die!?¡± Finally unable to hold back, Jo Yu-sik shouted. ¡°Hey, Jo Yu-sik. I was about to go home quietly, but suddenly something curious came to mind, so I came back.¡± ¡°You crazy bastard! This is crossing the line! You know that!?¡± Jo Yu-sik yelled, but Kang Hyeon calmly picked his ear. ¡°Let me ask one thing.¡± Kang Hyeon looked at Jo Yu-sik while picking his ear. ¡°Is your son perhaps an ability user?¡± ¡°What nonsense is that!?¡± ¡°How could a 15-year-old have magical power? And quite a strong scent at that.¡± Suddenly, Jo Yu-sik¡¯s face was tinged with bewilderment. ¡°Wh-what are you¡­¡± ¡°And with all thismotion, those two are too calm? Must have nerves of steel, huh?¡± It was as Kang Hyeon said. The living room, which should have been filled with screams, was eerily quiet. Jo Yu-sik¡¯s wife and son were both staring at Kang Hyeon with expressionless faces, without saying a word. No, they even seemed a bit angry. ¡°Jo Yu-sik. What have you done?¡± Suddenly, Jo Yu-sik¡¯s face contorted like an evil spirit. ¡°You son of a bitch! Kill him!¡± At Jo Yu-sik¡¯s words, his wife and son grabbed kitchen knives and rushed forward.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Watching the knife tips approaching in real-time, Kang Hyeon smiled contentedly. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it have been better if you came out like this from the start?¡± Chapter 128 Chapter 128 The Approaching Darkness (4) ¡°If only I hade out like this a little earlier, wouldn¡¯t that have been better?¡± Leaving his wife and son running towards Kang Hyeon, Jo Yu-sik opened the window. ¡°Hey, it¡¯s on the 7th floor, so it should be fine, right?¡± Kang Hyeon said with a mischievous expression. ¡°We¡¯ll see!¡± Jo Yu-sik jumped out of the window, spewing a clich¨¦d line. Kang Hyeon didn¡¯t chase after him, but calmly watched the scene. The guild members were already waiting outside. Jo Yu-sik entrusted them and Kang Hyeon had to deal with what was happening to him. ¡°Hmm¡­¡± The sharp de was approaching right in front of him. The kitchen knife that had just been used to make a delicious dinner was now reaching out to slice Kang Hyeon. It seemed like he should immediately evade, but Kang Hyeon just stood there dumbfoundedly watching. -Crash! The kitchen knife that touched Kang Hyeon broke into pieces and scattered. ¡°I can feel the magic power, but in terms of physical strength, he¡¯s no different from an ordinary person?¡± The woman stretched out her hand again, despite the knife being broken. -Thud! Her delicate fist struck Kang Hyeon¡¯s face. Of course, the broken part was the fist. Kang Hyeon stroked his chin and continued the analysis. ¡°Judging from the way he¡¯s hitting hard enough to shatter bones, it seems like he¡¯s squeezing his muscles to the limit¡­¡± Jo Yu-sik¡¯s son also attacked Kang Hyeon, but there was nothing special about it. ¡°Is their consciousnesspletely gone? Why can I feel the magic power? They¡¯re clearly ordinary people.¡± Lost in thought, Kang Hyeon suddenly grabbed the two. ¡°At this rate, you¡¯ll end up dying. Tsk, tsk.¡± Due to their reckless attacks, the mother and son¡¯s bodies were in a mess. Their entire bodies were covered in wounds, and there were numerous swollen areas where bones were broken. Despite this state, they were still solely focused on attacking Kang Hyeon. ¡°Just lie down for a moment.¡± Kang Hyeon lightly struck the back of their necks to make them faint, andid them on the floor. ¡°I should go check now. They must have caught Jo Yu-sik by now.¡± Kang Hyeon thought as he was about to jump out the window, but the fallen mother and son started convulsing. ¡°What? Why are they like this?¡± Kang Hyeon was puzzled by the sight of them trembling like someone possessed by a shaman. ¡°They can¡¯t die. Come to your senses!¡± Suddenly, he thought about trying to wake them up with a finger water gun spell, but for some reason, it didn¡¯t feel right. Fortunately, the mother and son soon settled down. With their eyes rolled back, they remained motionless. Kang Hyeon brought his face close to examine their condition. ¡°Hmm¡­ Are they okay?¡± At that moment, the woman¡¯s mouth suddenly opened wide, and a huge insect crawled out from it. ¡°Aaah! Shit!¡± A life form hundreds of times more disgusting than a cockroach, the size of a fist. Kang Hyeon flinched and fell on his butt. ¡°What a nasty surprise. Phew¡­ what is this disgusting thing?¡± Kang Hyeon frowned at the insect. ¡°Huh? What¡¯s wrong with this?¡± The crawling insect suddenly moved at an incredible speed and clung to Kang Hyeon¡¯s body, trying to sink its sharp fangs into his flesh. ¡°Where did this filthy mouthe from?¡± Of course, Kang Hyeon¡¯s tough skin didn¡¯t even get a scratch. Kang Hyeon crushed one of the insects under his foot, and holding the remaining one in his hand, he went outside. It was unpleasant, but he couldn¡¯t think of a safer way to transport it. ¡°Looks like you¡¯ve handled it well.¡± Outside, Kang Hyeon saw the guild members who had captured Jo Yu-sik. ¡°Yes, I¡¯ve knocked them out for now.¡± ¡°Good job. Call Team Leader Shin Tae-gil and tell him toe clean up here.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± Jo Yu-sik was lying on the floor, foaming at the mouth. ¡°Didn¡¯t that uncle have any insectse out of his mouth?¡± ¡°Insects, you say?¡± ¡°Something like this.¡± Kang Hyeon shoved the warm insect he had just caught at Shin Seong-a. ¡°Hmm, it¡¯s quite peculiar-looking. Where did you find this?¡± ¡°It came out of Jo Yu-sik¡¯s family¡¯s mouths.¡± ¡°Interesting¡­¡± As Shin Seong-a was examining the insect with interest, a scream came from behind. ¡°Kyaaaa! What is that disgusting and gross thing?!¡± Yoon Na-rae made a fuss, contorting her face. ¡°My eardrums almost burst. Why are you screaming and making a fuss? I feel like hitting you.¡± ¡°Does it look like I¡¯m screaming for no reason? Get rid of that disgusting insect right now! Crush it! Kill it! Hurry!¡± ¡°Who do you think you are, ordering me around?!¡± Kang Hyeon, frowning deeply, threw the insect he was holding at Yoon Na-rae. Yoon Na-rae panicked and quickly drew her sword, slicing the insect in half. ¡°Eww! Green blood! Disgusting!¡± Yoon Na-rae was disgusted by the blood on her sword. ¡°Ah, no¡­ This is bad¡­¡± Seeing this, Kang Hyeon made a stupid expression. ¡°Kang Hyeon. Is there another one of those insects left?¡± Shin Seong-a asked with a serious expression. ¡°No¡­¡± The important clue, the insect, had been regrettably destroyed. An Yu-seong, who was watching nearby, clutched his belly and chuckled. ¡°Damn it¡­¡± Kang Hyeon sighed heavily and roughly ran his fingers through his hair. ¡°Since it¡¯se to this, the only one left is Jo Yu-sik.¡± Kang Hyeon approached the unconscious Jo Yu-sik and used a finger water gun spell on him. The water flowed down Jo Yu-sik¡¯s face. ¡°Brother, what are you doing that for?¡± ¡°I have to wake him up and interrogate him. Now that there¡¯s no other clue left.¡± At that moment, Yoon Na-rae, seeing Kang Hyeon shooting water, came running in a hurry. ¡°Let me see your hand.¡± ¡°Why again?¡± ¡°You know how sticky that insect blood is? If it sticks to the sword, ugh! I might go crazy!¡± Yoon Na-rae shuddered at the mere thought. ¡°Ah¡­ I see.¡± Veins started popping out on Kang Hyeon¡¯s forehead. Unaware of this, Yoon Na-rae grabbed Kang Hyeon¡¯s hand and brought it to her sword. The flowing water washed away the blood, and Yoon Na-rae let out a sigh of relief. ¡°Phew, can¡¯t the water pressure be a little stronger than this?¡± ¡°It can. It can.¡± Kang Hyeon smiled contentedly and increased the water pressure even more.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om Now Kang Hyeon¡¯s eyes werepletely rolled back, showing only the whites. Yoon Na-rae still didn¡¯t notice. ¡°Whew, I¡¯ve finally cleaned it all up. Why did you throw that disgusting thing? I thought I was going to die from the grossness, you know?¡± ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it have been better if you just died?¡± ¡°What did you say?¡± Yoon Na-rae turned her head when Kang Hyeon spoke. Their eyes met, and Yoon Na-rae finally grasped the situation. ¡°If you had just died, both you and I would have been better off.¡± Smiling with his eyes rolled back, Kang Hyeon spoke. Yoon Na-rae awkwardly smiled. ¡°Haha¡­ I¡¯m screwed¡­¡± *** Ippotrantion *** ¡°Jo Yu-sik has been captured.¡± -Is that the man named Kang Hyeon? ¡°Yes¡­¡± -What a nuisance. The voice ringing in his head had to be devoid of any emotion, but the man felt deep anger within it. -What happened to the goblins that he found? ¡°We eliminated them all. We also thoroughly silenced the vigers, so there won¡¯t be any problems.¡± The man exined desperately. -The power hasn¡¯t gathered enough yet. This is just the beginning, so things can¡¯t go wrong now. ¡°What should we do with Jo Yu-sik?¡± -Jo Yu-sik must not be caught right now. Send his guild members. ¡°That may not be enough¡­¡± -What do you mean? I heard there were only four of them. It was impossible for him to argue with the owner of the voice under normal circumstances. But now he had to. The man gathered the courage to voice his opinion. ¡°Kang Hyeon and his group are not ordinary people. They¡¯re on a different level from the capable ones around here.¡± -Are you saying even those more than 300 of them are not enough? ¡°It may be difficult¡­¡± -Then I¡¯ll send an Apostle. The man was startled by the word ¡°Apostle¡±. ¡°Are you going to send one of the revered Apostles!?¡± -Yes. Make sure to finish it off properly. ¡°Understood. Thank you so much!¡± The anxiety that had filled him just a moment ago was gone, and the man¡¯s face was now full of trust and awe. *** Ippotrantion *** In the abandoned factory near Jo Yu-sik¡¯s house. ¡°Huh! As if I¡¯d open my mouth like this! No way in hell!¡± Jo Yu-sik, his body bound to the chair, spat and ranted. ¡°Uncle, don¡¯t get ahead of yourself. I haven¡¯t done anything yet.¡± Kang Hyeon looked at Jo Yu-sik with a puzzled expression. ¡°Hmph! You¡¯re on top of the world right now, aren¡¯t you? Wait and see. The day of your regret wille soon. By then, you¡¯ll be trembling and begging for salvation, but it will be toote.¡± ¡°Geez, these viin types never change their repertoire. It¡¯s so cliche it¡¯s sickening.¡± Kang Hyeon frowned, scratched his ear, and continued. ¡°Uncle, let¡¯s just get along nicely, okay? Shall we fight? Or just talk? If you answer well and don¡¯t make me feel bad, I might even spare your life. Probably just kill you, though.¡± Hispanions looked at Kang Hyeon with a strange gaze. ¡®But who¡¯s the real viin here¡­¡¯ Oblivious to this fact, Kang Hyeon looked at Jo Yu-sik indifferently. ¡°Just kill me! The result will be the same no matter what you do.¡± ¡°Hey, I¡¯ll handle that however I want.¡± ¡°Kill me! I have an immortal body anyway. I¡¯m not afraid of death!¡± ¡°Geez, you talk too much.¡± Kang Hyeon pped Jo Yu-sik¡¯s cheek. In an instant, his pure white teeth flew out along with blood. ¡°Ack, ack¡­¡± ¡°Jo Yu-sik, from now on, only speak when I tell you to. Otherwise, your teeth will keep falling out like this. Nod if you understand.¡± ¡°Kill me!¡± ¡°Sigh¡­¡± He wasn¡¯t getting through to him. Seeing Jo Yu-sikpletely consumed by madness, Kang Hyeon sighed. ¡°What the heck are they doing at the church these days to make people go this crazy?¡± ¡°Kang Hyeon, that¡¯s not a church, it¡¯s a cult.¡± ¡°Oh, I see. Well, this is getting annoying.¡± While Kang Hyeon and Shin Seong-a were conversing, Jo Yu-sik kept babbling without pause. ¡°It¡¯s not much longer now. When that person arrives, everything will be purified, and this world will be reborn!¡± ¡°Uh-huh. Okay, let¡¯s talk about your family then. Your family must be important to you, right?¡± Kang Hyeon brought up his family, but Jo Yu-sik didn¡¯t budge. ¡°After death, I¡¯ll enjoy eternal life. My wife and son will understand.¡± ¡°This guy ispletely out of it.¡± ¡°Brother, what are we going to do?¡± At An Yu-seong¡¯s question, Kang Hyeon shook his head. ¡°What can we do? We just have to keep beating him until hees to his senses. Most likely, he¡¯lle to his senses after taking some hits.¡± ¡°Makes sense.¡± With his thoughts organized, Kang Hyeon approached Jo Yu-sik. ¡°Do you think I¡¯ll be afraid of that!? No way in hell!¡± ¡°Yes, yes, I understand.¡± Kang Hyeon grabbed Jo Yu-sik¡¯s head. ¡°Ack, ugh¡­ Aaaaah!¡± ¡°Talk. Or else your head will split open.¡± Faced with the immense pressure on his head, Jo Yu-sik let out a scream. ¡°Looks like he has a decent level and is pretty tough. I could keep at it all day if I treated him properly, but can¡¯t we just get along nicely?¡± Just as Kang Hyeon spoke softly¡­ ¡°Brother, I feel somethinging.¡± The approaching An Yu-seong grabbed Kang Hyeon. ¡°Huh? What¡¯s that¡­¡± Suddenly, Kang Hyeon could also feel the magic power approaching. ¡°Ah, I see. Wait a minute, how many are there?¡± ¡°What? Uh, are we supposed to run away now?¡± Feeling the approaching magic power, Yoon Na-rae panicked. ¡°An opportunity to take care of them all at once hase, so why run? If you want to flee, you can go alone.¡± ¡°Get a grip! Thoseing can¡¯t be less than 300! Hurry, let¡¯s get out of here!¡± ¡°300 is just about right. It¡¯s been a while since I had a good fight.¡± At Kang Hyeon¡¯s words, An Yu-seong smiled. ¡°Brother, I said it would be fun, didn¡¯t I?¡± ¡°Detectives have their trials, you know.¡± The final line was from Shin Seong-a. ¡°Phew, I wonder why I came to this hellish ce¡­¡± Yoon Na-rae shook her head and sighed. ¡°I don¡¯t know either.¡± She couldn¡¯t just run away on her own. ¡°Give me a bonus when this is over! I need to buy the limited edition sorceress costume to relieve this stress!¡± Yoon Na-rae gripped her wand, burning with determination. ¡°I¡¯ll think about it if you survive.¡± Of course, Kang Hyeon had no intention of actually giving her a bonus. 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