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Chapter 86
A few days later.
“Does this make sense?”
Suho thought it was absurd.
“How can I only go up 3 levels while going through 10 dungeons?”
[The magic beasts were too weak in the first place.]
“As expected, I need to make a guild soon.”
If the dungeon they entered was at the guild level, his leveling up speed would be faster.
Fortunately, his stats steadily rose daily thanks to the training with Ammut- daily quests.
However, daily quests could only be completed once a day.
Ammut also said that repeating SBM training more than that would only harm the body. Without the daily quest reward ‘Recovery from Abnormal Status’, he would neither have the confidence nor the stamina to repeat it twice anyway.
‘Why does it seem like the level of difficulty in SBM training increases day by day?’
The powerful gravitational field created by Ammut made him feel as if his body would explode if he made a mistake.
According to Suho’s growth, the intensity was gradually increasing.
However, the reward of working so hard was clear.
[Spiritual Body Manifestation Lv.4]
Even though his level had not risen much, his skill level did.
Suho’s SBM level is already level 4.
Now, he was at a level where he could cover both hands with black energy like armor.
“Woah.”
Ammut nodded with a bloody smile at the sight of Suho holding a pair of swords enveloped in black energy.
[That’s quite the way. Applying Spiritual Body Manifestation technique to increase sword skills. However, there is still a long way to go compared to where Tarnak has reached. We will stop here for today.]
Even if he pretended to be bummed out, he had no intention of doing more.
Suho quickly got up and ran out of the Shadow Dungeon.
[You have exited the Shadow Dungeon.]
“Suho.”
After training, Esil spoke to Suho who came out of the Shadow Dungeon as if she had been waiting.
“Where did you say our next dungeon was?”
In Esil’s hand was the latest cell phone she had just bought.
If Suho’s strength training skill increased, Esil had also become a master of mobile phone skills.
Her socialization skill also improved to the point where she could buy and eat pork belly with confidence like any decent human being, even when she goes out.
Suho answered Esil’s question.
“The 3rd dungeon in Pyeongtaek. Why?”
“I don’t think we can get in there for some reason?”
“What? Why?”
“Right now, the Hyeonmu Guild is encamped in front of it.”
At Esil’s words, Suho made a puzzled expression.
“Hyeonmu Guild? How did you know that?”
“I followed other guilds on social media.”
Esil held out her phone screen in front of Suho’s eyes.
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Then, the account of the Hyeonmu Guild really popped up in it.
The most recent post there…
“Really?”
Suho tilted his head.
Just as Esil said, the current address in the photo posted by the Hyeonmu Guild was tagged with the dungeon they were planning to enter there.
“Why are those people there? Also, aside from that, can they just upload something like this? Wasn’t such information confidential?”
“What happened to privacy and security in the world these days? Do people just upload it? These could all be used for guild promotion, but seriously?”
Esil shrugged her shoulders as if it were natural to wonder as if she had become so accustomed to the ‘world these days’.
“How did you learn these things?”
Suddenly thinking about it, Esil was a demon.
It was only a few days ago that she bought a cell phone.
Even though it is said that there is no language barrier due to the devil’s unique ability, her speed of adaptation was a little surprising.
“Is it supposed to be difficult?”
Esil flipped through her phone screen and showed it to Suho.
There are all the trendy apps these days.
Suho couldn’t recognize any of them.
“What is this again?”
“I heard it’s an application that predicts the probability of a dungeon occurrence in advance using AI?”
“Then what about this?”
“A second-hand marketplace exclusively for hunters.”
“…”
Suho reflected a little.
Perhaps, Esil was more hunter these days than he was.
He felt embarrassed, but it couldn’t be helped.
Suho stared intently at the photo Esil showed him with a firm expression.
“Chief Lee Youngho.”
In the corner of the picture was a familiar face.
* * *
Pyeongtaek 3rd Dungeon.
That place was originally a military base, and it became a field dungeon due to the dungeon break. Fortunately, the damage was not too bad.
It was thanks to the appropriate response from the soldiers stationed there during the dungeon break.
But because of that, it was also a dungeon that was pushed back from the priority of the Hunter Association.
There were a lot more dungeons that needed to be raided urgently.
So, it was not popular with ordinary hunters.
There were many dungeons where they could make money aside from that place. Although, it was a natural result because the area accessibility was poor.
That was the reason why Suho bid for that dungeon.
It was easy to bid only when the competition rate was low, and it would possible to go in and raid without hassle in many ways.
“Why is a large guild like Hyeonmu interested in a place like that?”
Lim Dokyoon, who heard about the situation, looked really agitated.
“Let’s go. There’s bidding talks on this, so anyone can just cut in line first.”
It hasn’t been long since the dungeon bidding system was created in the first place.
Even though that method was established, there was a high possibility that such a system would be lightly ignored in Pyeongtaek, especially because the locals wanted the hunters to come and attack as soon as possible.
“Let’s go first.”
“I will drive…”
Lim Dokyoon hurriedly grabbed the steering wheel and focused his eyes forward.
Beru, who always glared at him from behind Suho with his eyes wide open, made sure that he would use honorific words.
They arrived at the Pyeongtaek Dungeon, but the heavily armed Hyeonmu Guild was camped out just as in the picture Esil showed them.
A government official from Pyeongtaek City Hall was discussing something with the Hyeonmu Guild.
“We really appreciate you stepping up first, but from our point of view, ignoring the procedure is a bit…”
“Oh, man! There is a dangerous dungeon right in front of you. Shouldn’t we raid it as soon as possible?”
“Yeah, but there are no casualties in this area, and it’s a place where other hunters have already bid first…”
“Who are those people? Are they better than Hyeonmu Guild? Huh?”
“T-That’s….”
In front of Lee Youngho, the civil servant was at a loss.
As someone who had been bullying for a long time, Lee Youngho began to threaten the employee by wrapping his big forearm around his neck this time.
“Of course, since you are a civil servant, procedures may be considered important. But if we ignore it a bit… especially that it’s for the benefit of Pyeongtaek. It’s dangerous here, so why don’t you sign the permit and get off work?”
“I think it’s your forearm that’s in danger.”
At that familiar voice, Lee Youngho looked back with a stern expression.
It was as if he had been waiting for that moment.
“Hey, look who’s here. What did the rookie hunter who had a boastful uncle come here for?”
“…”
The clear hostility in his eyes convinced Suho.
‘Is it revenge for what happened last time? So childish.’
It was ambiguous to say that it was simply childish because their business that involved a lot of money had collapsed.
[How dare you look at someone with those snake eyes! I should treat you badly…!]
Suho grabbed the back of Beru, who was protruding forward, and pressed him into his shadow.
[Khickk… Just wait and see… I remembered your face…]
Suho ignored Beru for a moment.
He looked up at the face of Lee Youngho, who strode forward to him.
He was a hand taller.
Even though Lee Youngho does more work dealing with people, he is also a B-Class hunter on active duty.
When he made up his mind and showed his energy to Suho, the feeling of intimidation made the complexion of the public servant beside them pale.
Of course, Lim Dokyoon, who was standing behind Suho, fled far away and was diligently checking the bidding documents.
“Hmm. What’s your name? I think I remember it, but it also seems like I don’t.”
Lee Youngho looked at Suho’s face mockingly, deliberately provoking him.
However, Suho didn’t care and just smiled and replied.
“Section Chief Lee Youngho, we bid on this dungeon. What is Hyeonmu Guild doing here?”
“Ah, Sung Suho! I remember now.”
“Are you doing this because of what happened last time?”
“Last time? What do you mean? We came here with a good heart just because there is a dangerous dungeon here.”
The conversation kept going in vain.
At that intentional and blatant sarcasm, Suho turned his gaze toward the dungeon for a moment.
A field-type dungeon where a dungeon break has already been triggered.
In many ways, it was a loss for the Hyeonmu Guild to have a large guild to raid a D-Class dungeon with no casualties.
‘Looks like they were only brought here by money in the first place.’
The energy of the hunters standing behind Lee Youngho was quite weak to say that they were at the level of a large guild.
Although they went there to interrupt him, it was clear that they were hunters with weak combat power.
‘Did he only gather guys with weak impressions?’
Suho let out a big smile.
They look too great compared to their mana power.
Their impression seemed like they would be able to beat Quay with one hand.
“… You find this funny?”
Lee Youngho’s expression became even more stern, as if he was offended by Suho’s smile.
At the same time, the hunters of the Hyeonmu Guild surrounding the dungeon all glared at Suho, exuding bloody energy.
A conflict in front of a dungeon that has already been bid.
What this meant was clear.
“Sung Suho, since you’re still a rookie hunter, you don’t seem to understand, so I’ll explain it to you.”
Chief Lee Youngho pointed at Suho’s chest with his fingers and glared at him.
“Dungeons are too dangerous. Truly a lawless land. Once you set foot in there, it doesn’t matter if accidents happen. Especially for beginner hunters.”
He gestured, slitting his neck with his thumb and smiled meaningfully.
“If you let your guard down a little, you will become food for the monsters and not even a corpse of yours will remain.”
Truly blatant and overt threats.
At that, he faced the hunters of the Hyeonmu Guild as they giggled at each other.
“Hehe. Right, right.”
“The job of a hunter is so dangerous.”
“It’s a job that’s perfect for a violent death anytime, anywhere.”
“It’s especially dangerous for a well-grown young boy.”
Even though he didn’t say anything, the corners of Lee Youngho’s mouth twitched as he provoked a fight along with his subordinates.
Was it that rewarding to bring some of the guys who are off duty with some pocket money?
The possibility of murder in the dungeon was the most frightening part for beginners.
In particular, if other groups give off that kind of an atmosphere openly, even if it was a dungeon one bid for, they would be afraid to enter.
Because they were afraid of what’s going to happen there.
“So… Huh? Where did he go?”
Lee Youngho turned his head towards Suho but ended up making a puzzled expression.
Suho, who was standing in front of him, was nowhere to be seen.
The public official answered Section Chief Lee Youngho, who was looking around.
“He already entered the dungeon since a while ago though.”
Chapter 87
The 3rd dungeon in Pyeongtaek had already turned into a bizarre jungle.
A field-type dungeon that became a completely separate world from the Earth’s ecosystem.
However, that place was not labeled as D-Class for nothing.
The level of the magic beasts wandering around was weak, and their number was small.
What was tricky was the jungle itself.
[There are traps everywhere, Master.]
“Hee!”
When Quay appeared from Suho’s shadow, Lim Dokyoon was frightened and stepped back.
He was quite fast, but fearing that he would fall into a trap if he moved too much, he quickly returned and hid behind Suho’s back.
“Esil, come out, too.”
Suho opened the door to the Shadow Dungeon, and Esil, who was waiting underneath, also appeared.
“Is it going to be here this time?”
Seeing Esil looking around, Lim Dokyoon looked at Suho’s shadow with a strange expression.
“Suho. I mean, guild leader. Can I get in there too?”
“You can go in. But…”
[It is the world of death. If a living person recklessly sets foot in it, they could be stripped of their vitality and become a dead person and wander in nothingness.]
“Oh. Gee, really?”
[I’m joking, of course.]
“…”
Seeing Lim Dokyoon’s cold expression, Beru giggled.
[But that’s not entirely wrong. It wouldn’t be very healthy for a normal human being. In many ways.]
“Ah.”
Realizing something at that moment, Lim Dokyoon shuddered.
‘Esil looks like a human, but after all, she’s a summoned beast…’
Lim Dokyoon only knew Esil as a demon summoned by Suho.
Finally…
Am I the only ordinary person here?
Of course, Suho was also human, but it was no longer normal being able to bring those strange guys out of his shadows.
“Hmm. Then I’ll be moving around as I normally do…”
Lim Dokyoon’s position is a miner and collector.
However, when such a task was really needed, Suho called the shadow mummies to work for him, so Lim Dokyoon could guide Suho instead with information he knew from his experience in dungeons.
“Guild leader! In a dungeon like this, it shouldn’t be too difficult if you don’t get lost. Usually, in places like this, the way is marked by dropping stones on the floor from time to time…”
“You already said that before.”
“…”
His informativeness was gradually declining.
‘When the guild is established, I’ll have to ask him to return to office work.’
When the monster hunt began, Lim Dokyoon had nothing to do.
He just dodged around so as not to get in the way of the fierce Shadow Soldiers’ battle.
But that was then…
Lim Dokyoon’s expression became serious when he discovered something.
“Suho, look.”
“What is it?”
“… Isn’t this a human corpse?”
It was common for human bodies to be found on the dungeon floor.
But the problem was its form.
“It’s a dead body that turned into mist burn.”
Charred corpses.
Mist Burn was mainly a product of a phenomenon when civilians with low mana adaptability were exposed to mana power for a long time.
When fuel runs out after running around, it collapses and dies.
“But this…”
“It sure is strange.”
Suho also made a serious expression.
The corpses turned to ashes were piled up in one place.
As if someone had brought the corpses there and dumped them all at once.
For a moment, only one thought popped into Suho’s head.
“This…”
“I know. I guess that’s right.”
It was Esil who responded to Suho’s words.
“I guess demons have made a nest here.”
Factory.
Those discarded corpses were left over by demons making stardust.
Realizing that fact, Esil’s eyes flared calmly.
Esil was the eldest daughter of the Radiru Clan, which was thoroughly ruined by demons.
Lim Dokyoon quickly ran back as the thick blood leaked out of her body.
* * *
Lee Youngho gritted his teeth.
“How dare he ignore Hyeonmu?!”
It was absurd.
“Could it be that he has no sense at all?”
He never imagined that Suho would just go inside, despite such an outright threat.
‘Wouldn’t it be a waste of life?’
Lee Youngho ran his head for a while.
After all, Sung Suho was a relative of Yoo Jinho.
If Sung Suho were to ‘disappear’, Yoo Jinho would instantly realize that they had done it.
‘Will there be any harm to us in that case?’
No.
The business with Hyeonmu Guild and Ajinsoft has already been completely over.
Besides, no matter how famous Ajinsoft is, it was just a place to make games.
Unless it’s a hunter game-related business, it wasn’t such a loss from a Hunter Guild’s point of view.
‘It’s you who should be careful on the road at night.’
Whatever the case, the hunters were a powerful armed group.
Especially in times like that, arguing with hunters means losing life.
No one knew when and where the gate would open and when the monsters would attack, and there were many cases where the assets of rich conglomerates were destroyed in an instant.
That was why every conglomerate was trying to set up a hunter guild recently.
‘This time CEO Jinho Yoo also tried to establish a guild with Sung Suho.’
Everything has been settled.
Chief Lee Youngho’s eyes were on fire.
‘Sung Suho. Today is your memorial day.’
His gaze turned to the official in charge of the Pyeongtaek Dungeon.
“No matter how much I think about it, I can’t figure it out.”
“Excuse me? What do you mean…”
Chief Lee Youngho showed a fake concerned expression toward the flustered employee.
“I am so worried about the newbies who entered first. Does it make sense for only two of them to enter the dungeon knowing they were too new?”
“That’s true, but…”
The hunters began to worry.
Since it was a field-type dungeon, even two hunters could enter, but if it was a normal gate, at least 10 people should enter.
“Can’t several raid groups attack the field-type dungeon at the same time anyway? We’re worried about the newbies, so we’ll follow them right away. This is possible under regulations, right?”
Since Suho’s raid was the first to bid for that dungeon and entered, it was not a big problem for a second team to enter.
“B-But it’s a rule that…”
“Ugh! How could you be an inflexible person?! It’s just the two of them who went in. Aren’t you worried? Will you take responsibility if they have already become monster’s food?! Do you even know who the young man talking to me just now was?”
“Huh? W-Who is it?”
“A very close relative of Yoo Jinho, CEO of Ajinsoft! If I don’t go in to rescue him right away, that young boy might already be dead!”
“Oh my.”
The employee’s eyes widened.
After all, he was only a low-level civil servant.
When a problem arises, the first to take responsibility is…!
“I-I’ll write you a permit right now!”
Lee Youngho smiled when the employee hurriedly turned over the files.
“Let’s go, everyone.”
‘You have to take the price directly for ruining our business.’
His smile was even more cruel.
* * *
“This way.”
Esil led the way, searching for signs of the devil.
Suho was hunting the monsters and following them.
It was a D-class dungeon, so the level of monsters was also low.
As a result, there was low cost, so it was pushed out of the priority of hunters. Civilian access was also controlled.
‘It’s a perfect area to secretly build a factory.’
In fact, all the dungeons that Suho went through to add to his experience were similar.
However, it was the first time that traces of demons had been found.
Suho held power in his hand with the ‘Vulcan’s Horn’.
[Item: Vulcan’s Horn]
Difficulty to obtain: ??
Type: Sword
Attack +40
A sword crafted from the horns of the greedy demon Vulcan.
Vulcan’s powers are imbued, dealing more damage.
-Effect ‘Destruction Desire’: Increases physical damage by [40%].
-Effect ‘Demon Devourer’: The power of Vulcan becomes stronger as it devours the demon’s soul.
[Devoured Demon Soul: 10]
Vulcan’s Horn gradually increases its attack power as it devours demon souls.
‘I hope there will be more demons in this factory.’
Suho slowly licked his lips and explored the surroundings.
Right then…
Swish-!
Suddenly, an arrow flew from behind at great speed and aimed at Suho’s back.
Sensing a presence, Suho tries to look back.
[Who dares…!]
Crack!
Quay appeared first and grabbed the arrow and broke it.
He then glared at the direction the arrow had come from.
[Are you aiming for Master’s back?]
“What is that, a summon?”
Those who appeared from behind the trees in the distance were none other than the Hyeonmu Guild.
“They said you were a summoning hunter. Such a good summon right there. You would be pretty useful if you joined our team.”
Lee Youngho, standing behind them, leisurely crossed his arms and looked at Suho.
Suho’s smirked.
“You’ve crossed the line this time.”
“What? Coming from a bastard like you? You crossed the line first.”
From the moment he entered the dungeon, Lee Youngho had removed all his social pretense.
He glared at Suho with a cruel smile.
“Kid, didn’t you know? In this world, the strong man is the law. You know what the weak ones are?”
“They’re snacks…”
That was a familiar phrase.
[The King of Beasts, Fang Monarch, reveals that he knows something.]
Ring.
[An urgent quest has occurred.]
The proof of Chief Lee Youngho’s murderous intent appeared in front of Suho.
[Urgent Quest: Defeat the Enemies!]
There are people around who have the intent to kill the ‘player’. Kill them all to be safe.
Number of Enemies to Kill: 10
Number of Enemies Killed: 0
“Your intentions have been confirmed.”
The moment Suho nodded, his eyes suddenly changed.
Chills.
Seeing those eyes, Lee Youngho suddenly felt nervous and his pride got hurt.
‘Am I against a C-Class?’
He was trying hard to get rid of the ominous feeling, saying that it was because he had neglected dungeon hunting these days and only ran sales.
“Look at those eyes. You know, these days…”
It was the moment he was about to order the guild members to attack Suho.
Swoosh!
“…!”
Suddenly, a tremendous presence poured out from all sides, and screams erupted.
“W-What is this?!”
The hunters of the Hyeonmu Guild were bewildered and became wary of their surroundings.
Demons were coming out of the jungle.
Suho’s eyes widened in a different way.
‘Nice! Here goes the demons!’
After all, there was a factory nearby.
Lee Youngho fought against the demons that suddenly came upon him and gritted his teeth toward Suho.
“You bastard! Did you summon these guys too?!”
Chapter 88
A three-way battle began with the sudden appearance of demons.
Suho and Esil looked at each other momentarily.
Their eyes light up.
Thud!
They jumped out in opposite directions and started hunting the demons.
If Suho sliced ??the bodies of demons whole with Vulcan’s Horn, Esil stuck her spear into the demons’ bodies like a skewer.
There was a stark difference between the two.
The demons killed by Suho were horribly disintegrated, sprinkling black blood, and Vulcan’s Horn devoured the ‘demon’s soul’.
Meanwhile, the demons killed by Esil’s spear sucked all the blood from their bodies and dried them up like mummies.
“Ha. After all, demon blood is the best.”
The eldest daughter of the Radiru Clan, the pinnacle of all demons.
Esil, the only remaining demon noble.
She continued to suck the demons’ blood with a most ecstatic smile.
Even when she first set foot on Earth, Esil’s power was only at the level of a C-Class monster.
The reason was that she had been chased by other demons for a long time and had her own blood got sucked. The lost power could only be recovered through blood as it is now.
[You have defeated a lower level demon!]
[You have defeated a lower level demon!]
[You have defeated a lower level demon!]
[‘Item: Vulcan’s Horn’ devours the demon’s soul.]
…
“Can I level up a bit this time?”
Suho hoped there was at least one more demon lurking there.
“Kyaaaaaagh!”
[These are extremely weak and humble servants. It’s such a shame that I tried to do business with these guys in my lifetime.]
Quay looked at the demons as if they were filth, and brutally slaughtered them with the feeling of erasing one by one his dirty past.
In that melee, Lim Dokyoon…
[…]
“…”
He was hiding behind the palm-sized Beru, trembling.
“Sung Suho! I asked if these were all summoned by you!”
“What kind of nonsense was that person talking about?”
Even in the midst of that, Esil clicked her tongue as she watched Lee Youngho yell at Suho in the gaps between defeating the demons.
However, as the number of demons gradually increased, Lee Youngho eventually realized it.
“No, wait! These guys are demons!”
It was a bit late to realize.
Seeing all of those guys’ faces covered with crow masks, an information came to his mind.
The stardust factory that the Hunter Association was eagerly looking for.
Accordingly, the ones who made it were demons.
“Hahaha! It’s here! There’s probably a reward for finding this place, right?”
“Oh! Would you like to make some pocket money?”
Upon confirming that the identities of the monsters that appeared were demons, the eyes of the members of the Hyeonmu Guild gleamed with greed.
They came all the way there because of their manager. It was such a pity to kill a kid and go back empty-handed, but it rather turned out so well.
“Listen everyone! For now, leave Sung Suho alone and deal with the demons first!”
“Got it!”
“Besides, that kid will die on his own even if we don’t touch him… Huh?”
They belatedly discovered Suho hunting demons and their eyes widened.
“… T-That’s…brutal.”
“Chief. Didn’t you say he was a C-Class summoning hunter?”
“Is he holding a pair of knives and cutting them?”
Slaughterer.
The only thing that came to their mind was that word.
Suho, covered in black blood all over his body, was slaughtering demons like he was a demon himself.
Grumble!
Above their heads, lightning struck in the dry sky.
“Oh my…!”
Everyone looked up.
Surprisingly, there was a huge demon looking down on them from above that jungle.
“Hey, wait!”
“Just what’s in this D-Class dungeon…?!”
Lee Youngho was frightened and surged the mana through his whole body.
“Everyone, stay alert! It’s at least B-Class! No, it’s an A-Class beast!”
His gaze was precise.
[Transcendent Mid-Level Demon]
“Crazy.”
Suho’s senses stats were sending out warnings violently at the overwhelming energy that made his whole body shudder.
‘This is at least Quay, no, it’s at Lee Minseong’s level.’
As the current Quay became a shadow soldier, he was in a weakened version compared to Lee Minseong.
But the aura he felt from that gigantic demon was at a similar level to Lee Minseong.
‘What does it mean by transcendent?’
“How could this happen…”
Beside him, Esil was gritting her teeth more ferociously than ever before.
“That guy is a demon who ingested the blood of a demon noble.”
“Your blood?”
Suho’s eyes widened and he looked back at Esil.
“Even if it’s not mine, it must be the blood of someone in my family.”
Esil’s whole body gushed out a tremendous amount of aura, and it was shot straight toward the mid-level demon.
Swish-!
The tip of Esil’s spear flew toward its heart, but the demon pulled out a whole tree beside it and swung it at her.
Swoosh!
“…!”
Unable to dodge the attack, Esil’s body bounced off to the side.
However, even the Hyeonmu Guild was swept away by the attack. Nearby trees hit them in a chain reaction.
“Eh?!”
“Move away!”
The members of the Hyeonmu Guild were frightened and they scattered.
Even at that moment, low-level demons were attacking from all sides.
“Ack!”
In the end, several members of the Hyeonmu Guild were decapitated.
Seeing this, Lee Youngho’s eyes lit up with rage.
“How dare you!”
Lee Youngho’s sword tore the demons apart.
Even though he was taken aback by the sudden situation, those demons were only at C-Class level.
As a B-Class, he had the confidence to deal with any number of those guys.
Besides, no matter what, it would be a disgrace for the Hyeonmu Guild to be defeated by those.
“That’s why I usually told you to train hard! Those who die from things like this are idiots!”
Even when his men died, he rather blamed them for their weakness.
The problem was the big beast.
‘I can never catch that on my own.’
It would be possible if the subordinates pulled some time up front.
Cooperation of several hunters against strong monsters.
That was the basis of the raid, and the most important final blow was what the strongest of them had to do.
To do so, they needed tanks to take the lead and withstand the attack instead.
“Attack all at once!”
“What?! That beast?”
“I will take him down! Hold on for one minute!”
As soon as he gave the order, Lee Youngho began to concentrate all his mana on one area.
Even if it took some time, he was confident that he could cut off at least one of the monster’s legs with his skill.
‘The basic plan is to attack that big guy from the legs first!’
“Aaaaaaah!”
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As mana began to surge on Lee Youngho’s body, the members of the Hyeonmu Guild rushed towards the ‘transcendent mid-level devil’ with all their might.
Grumble!
Lightning struck again in the dry sky.
It wasn’t just an abnormal climate.
The lightning strikes straight at Lee Youngho.
“Ahhhhhhh…!”
A tremendous electric shock struck his whole body from head to toe.
If it had been a real thunderclap, he would have lost his life at that moment.
‘It’s a skill…!’
He instinctively realized that and gave up attack skills and changed to defense skills.
He found a healer and tried to get himself healed.
Bang!
“…!”
The mid-level demon began to hit the ground randomly with the tree he was holding in his hand.
“Ack!”
The Hyunmu guild members who rushed forward took the attack.
They bounced all over the place like bowling pins.
Non-tanks fell to the ground and broke their necks to death.
‘I have to run away!’
Lee Youngho immediately turned to the opposite direction.
His body was still trembling from the aftermath of the electric shock, and the number of his subordinates to act as tanks in front of him had been reduced by half.
‘We can never beat that! We have to escape quickly and ask for support from the 1st Army…!’
Just as he turned away…
His feet were cut off by low-level demons who were lying flat on the ground and hiding in the jungle.
“… Huh?”
Tilt.
He got out balanced.
This time his other foot was amputated.
Thud.
His body collapsed on the floor.
The smiles of mad demons attacking him was the last thing he saw.
Kyahahaha!
Why?
Of all things, he remembered what he said to Suho in front of the dungeon.
-If you let your guard down a little, you will become food for the monsters and not even a corpse of yours will remain.
It would be the same no matter how high-ranked the hunter was.
Because everyone has only one life.
“…!”
He couldn’t even scream and just died.
* * *
Meanwhile, Suho, who was frantically fighting the demons, suddenly realized that the Hyeonmu Guild was no longer in sight.
“Are they all dead? Dokyoon!”
“Oh! I’m okay!”
“…”
Surprisingly, Lim Dokyoon escaped without a single wound.
Unlike the Hyeonmu Guild fighting with demons, he was completely focused on running away.
‘Looks like I picked one guild member well.’
As expected, even if he could only do one thing very well, Suho could be so reassured.
Suho smiled and called Esil.
“Esil! Once you’ve sorted it out, come over here!”
“Okay!”
Slash!
Esil, who had been beaten and cornered by the mid-level demon earlier, got up and was hunting the nearby low-level demons.
She pulled out her spear stuck in the bodies of those demons and ran towards Suho.
Then, together with Suho, she raised her head and glared at the ‘transcendent mid-level demon’ who was running out of control.
“Since we’ve dealt with the small ones roughly, let’s hunt the bigger one now.”
‘Did he understand that?’
For a moment, the body of the mid-level demon, which was indiscriminately destroying everything in sight, stood still.
Then, he slowly turned his head and looked down at Suho with an extremely berserk gaze.
[Are you going to hunt me?]
For the first time, words flowed from his mouth.
He summoned all the low-level demons he was commanding.
In an instant, his entire field of vision was filled with demons.
However, his gaze suddenly widened when he saw Esil next to Suho.
[Wait. No way… Are you a demon noble of the Radiru Clan?]
After summoning all the demons that were everywhere in one place, it was only now that he realized that the aura he felt from Esil was distinctly different from that of the other demons.
[Kuhuhhahaha! I never thought I would make such a windfall here!]
The mid-level demon, eyes wide with greed and was bursting into laughter, ordered his men to charge.
[Catch them! If I drink Radirus’s blood, I can become stronger!]
Demons attacked with saliva dripping from their mouths.
In front of them, Suho smiled faintly.
He was confident.
An order came from Suho’s mouth.
“Arise.”
Black shadow began to sway from the corpse of the dead Hyeonmu Guild members.
Chapter 89
[Shadow release is possible.]
[Shadow release is possible.]
[Shadow release is possible.]
…
Black steam was raging over the corpses of the Hyeonmu Guild, refusing to die.
And the moment Suho’s order was given.
Swoosh-!
Creepy sounds echoed in the air.
Along with that, the black shadows of the corpses began to form new bodies as they raged furiously.
Swoosh!
[Shadow Soldier Lv.1]
General Class
[Shadow Lancer Lv.1]
General Class
[Shadow Shield Lv.1]
General Class
Even if they were the 2nd Army of the Hyeonmu Guild, they were hunters made up of a perfect combination as a raid.
Of course, when released as a shadow soldier, there was a downside to slightly weakening their powers compared to their previous lives, but there was a strong advantage that was worth considering.
Immortality!
The moment they became shadow soldiers that never die, they turned into a demon-like army that did not hesitate and rushed only to slaughter the enemy.
[Kyaaah!]
[Kyaaaah!]
A thunderous roar erupted from their mouths, even if they lost the ability to speak.
[T-This can’t be…!]
The transcendent mid-level demon who saw Suho’s shadow soldiers could not help but be astonished.
Nonsense.
Something really unbelievable happened.
All the demons still alive after the Outer Gods War was over, were in fact defeated soldiers who had fled and hid from the war.
That’s why none of the demons there properly saw the victor of the war, the Shadow Monarch.
However, the mid-level demons, who were superior to the general low-level demons, instinctively noticed the identity of the death aura spreading around Suho.
[Shadow Monarch…!]
No, the Shadow Monarch wasn’t on Earth right now.
If the Shadow Monarch was still on Earth, they would never have dared to invade the place.
[Yes, it can’t be! If you were the true Shadow Monarch, you would have annihilated us as soon as you saw us!]
The mid-level demon attacked mana power toward Suho.
Along with him, all the low-level demons attacked Suho’s soldiers.
[Kill them all! These guys will be used as valuable materials for our great fight!]
Grumble!
Lightning strikes again from the sky.
‘As expected, it’s a skill.’
Suho mercilessly cut down the demons and continued to watch the sky.
The lightning tore the shadow soldiers to pieces.
But it didn’t matter.
Swoosh!
[Kihahaha!]
The torn bodies of the Shadow Soldiers returned to their original form along with the black steam.
Like a demon, they cut the throats of the enemies in front of them again and pierced their hearts.
[Hahaha!]
Chief Lee Youngho, who was reborn as an armored knight, bursts into madness at the forefront of them all.
The moment he became a soldier of death, he poured out his cruelty on the demons as a faithful servant of Suho.
“Was he always such a tough old man?”
Suho smirked at his vicious fighting method, cutting off the heads of the demons and even using them as his weapon.
‘Then, I can leave these little ones.’
His mana was being sucked out as the Shadow Soldiers regenerated over and over again.
[You purchased ‘Item: Mid-Level Mana Potion’.]
Suho called Esil while drinking a mana potion.
“Esil!”
“I got it!”
Even if he didn’t say anything, she knew right away.
Vulcan’s Horn had greatly amplified its attack power thanks to the souls of the demons Suho had killed so far.
But even that was not enough.
To defeat the gigantic demon, a stronger demon’s soul was needed.
Esil immediately transformed into a spiritual body and flowed into Vulcan’s Horn.
[Vulcan’s Horn devours the demon’s soul.]
Swoosh!
At that moment, an extremely powerful and ominous energy rushed into Vulcan’s Horn blade.
“Rakan!”
When Suho shouted while holding up the ‘Rakan’s Fang’ in his other hand, an answer came from far away.
[The King of Beasts, Fang Monarch, nods his head.]
At that moment, Rakan’s Sword was enveloped in a mystical aura.
A smile appeared on Suho’s lips as he raised those two swords.
“Now, giant’s armor.”
[Use ‘Skill: Giant’s Armor’.]
Swoosh!
It wrapped around Suho’s body!
As his body grew bigger and bigger, the size of the twin swords he was holding in both hands grew accordingly.
Suho immediately jumped at the mid-level demon.
[Ack!]
The mid-level demon reached out and threw a thunderbolt at Suho.
However, Suho did not stop attacking even after being hit by the thunderbolt with his bare body.
[Use ‘Skill: Blade Storm’.]
Lightning and storms began to tear apart the sky.
At the center was a fierce clash between Suho and the mid-level demon.
The demon, who was on the defensive side due to Suho’s sudden onslaught, took something out of his arms.
Purple powder enveloped his body like smoke.
At that moment, Esil’s voice came to Suho’s mind.
[Oh my god! Isn’t that bloodstone?!]
“Bloodstone? What is that?”
[It’s highly refined devil’s blood! You can think of it as a much more powerful mana booster than stardust!]
“Stardust? Will it make you stronger?”
[Of course! Kill him before the bloodstone is absorbed! It’s not a perfect bloodstone anyway, so the effect will be slow!]
Even while the conversation continued, Suho continued to attack.
[Haha! Even though it’s still not the best version, it’s enough! Not a problem! If I catch the demon noble, I will be able to make a better bloodstone!]
The mid-level demon was intoxicated with his rapidly rising power, showing an ecstatic expression.
Blocking Suho’s attack with one hand, he mercilessly shook off his body.
Blag-!
“Ack!”
Blood gushed from Suho’s mouth.
[Young Master-!]
Beru hurriedly flew. He was worried, but Suho immediately got up and put a potion in his mouth.
“I’m okay. It’s still worth doing.”
If the other side used bloodstone to gain strength, his side had potions.
The speed of HP filling in was a little slower, but because of the increased amount of physical strength, it was possible to take that much time.
It was rewarding to deliberately push himself to the limit.
Ring.
[The level of ‘Skill: Tenacity’ has increased.]
[Physical defense +80% → +100%]
Sigh.
Suho watched his first soldier fight while he was feeling the sensation of his increased defensive power.
Up in the sky, whenever the mid-level demon showed an opening, Quay would become a ray of spear and ambush him.
The beam of light was like a spider’s web, cluttering his vision.
[Do you dare to see blood, Master?]
[Ack!]
As Quay became a shadow soldier, he could no longer use Royal Jelly.
It was the poison that brainwashed his own corps, and now that he had become a mere shadow soldier, he was not qualified to lead the corps.
But that didn’t mean his extreme aggression was gone.
Lee Minseong, who had been conspiring behind people’s backs all his life, had established himself as a leader who took the lead in slaying enemies.
Quay was quite satisfied with his appearance.
[It’s fun.]
He was also never intimidated by the giant demon.
[Really fun.]
The power of immortality that he so longed for, and the power to slash the enemy with pure power without resorting to trivial moves from behind.
[This is really fun…]
Quay’s spear eventually thrust into the shoulder of the mid-level demon.
[Is this my strength?]
[Aaah!]
[Die. Die. Die. Die! Die and vomit up ten million times more blood than my Master! Ha ha ha!]
Eventually, the energy of the bloodstone began to leak out again through the wound pierced by Quay.
That was a huge clash, but it only lasted less than 5 seconds.
In that short time, Suho had recovered at least enough energy to be able to move his body.
The mana power allows him to freely use SBM technique.
[Use ‘Skill: Strong Body Manifestation’.]
Swoosh!
Both of Suho’s arms were covered with black energy.
Due to the high level of the skill, the amount of mana consumed to maintain it also increased.
Moreover, the attack power was also increased.
[…!]
“Gotcha.”
In the end, Suho’s black hand pierced the energy of the bloodstone and grabbed the mid-level demon’s neck.
At that moment, the demon’s eyes met Suho’s and, it trembled.
W-Wait…! This energy!
He was seriously mistaken.
He mistook Suho for the shadow monarch!
[You were a descendant of the Iron Body Monarch…!]
Slash!
He couldn’t even finish his words and his neck broke.
[You have defeated a transcendent mid-level demon!]
[‘Item: Vulcan’s Horn’ devours the demon’s soul.]
[Your level increased!]
[Your level increased!]
Numerous messages appeared in front of Suho.
But the message that followed was surprising.
Ring!
[‘Title: Demon Slayer’ has been acquired.]
“Oh.”
Suho’s eyes sparkled.
After catching a lot of demons, he just got a title that was just right.
[Title: Demon Slayer]
It was a title given to hunters who are good at catching demons. All stats increase by 40% when facing demon type monsters.
“It would have been much more convenient if I got it sooner.”
Swook!
Suho’s body became smaller again, and Esil came out from within Vulcan’s Horn.
She shuddered at the energy of ‘Title: Demon Slayer’ that she could feel from Suho.
Her instinct as a demon made her recognize Suho as a predator.
“Why are you so far away?”
“Oh, nothing.”
When she came to her senses, Esil found herself hiding behind Lim Dokyoon.
Suho checked the message that he hadn’t been able to check because he was busy earlier.
[You have completed ‘Emergency Quest: Defeat the Enemies!’]
[Do you want to check the reward?]
( Y / N )
“Yes.”
[The following rewards are prepared.]
Reward 1. Recovery from abnormal conditions
Reward 2. ‘Buff: Battle Roar’
“Buff?”
Suho looked confused.
‘I’ll have to use this at an important moment.’
Suho, who put off obtaining the reward, turned his eyes to the surroundings.
Before he knew it, Esil was standing on top of the corpse of a mid-level demon.
Red energy flowed from the corpse and was sucked into Esil’s hand.
“…. Suho.”
Esil called out with a firm expression.
“This was a bloodstone made with my blood.”
“Your blood?”
“Yes. It seems that there are some people who hunted me in the Demon Realm somewhere here.”
[Young Master.]
Beru looked at Suho with a serious expression.
[If this is true, it will not be an easy fight.]
Beru clearly remembered the Radiru Clan he had seen during the War of Outer Gods.
Those who destroyed the family and amplified their strength with their blood would never be friendly to the Shadow Legion.
Suho also nodded his head with a serious expression.
“I’m pretty sure there’s a factory here somewhere.”
“That’s right. The guys who made even bloodstone beyond stardust are somewhere here…”
The problem was that there was no way to find out where the factory was located.
“Should I have left one alive?”
Suho looked disappointed.
The demons were contaminated with mana, so he couldn’t even release shadows.
“For now, let’s look around this place…”
Right then, he heard Lim Dokyoon, who had been running around here and there.
“Suho! It looks like there’s something here.”
Chapter 90
“….”
“….”
Swish-
A gust of wind blew past.
What Lim Dokyoon found was a totem made by demons.
Esil immediately recognized the meaning of the totem.
“It’s like the sign demons use.”
“Did they make it so they wouldn’t get lost in this jungle among themselves?”
“I think so. There must be their hideout at the end.”
“Wait. Hey, guys? I mean, guild leader?”
Lim Dokyoon, who was listening to the conversation between Esil and Suho, was getting pale.
“You’re not saying you’re going there right now, are you?”
A moment ago, a tremendous tragedy was about to happen because of the sudden intrusion of demons.
Now, the conversation between the two, as if they were trying to step into the demon’s den, sounded like a death sentence to Lim Dokyoon.
“Ah, I guess it’s a little dangerous for you. Would you like to step into my shadow for a moment?”
“Huh? For a moment. I thought it would be bad for my health?!”
[That was a joke, too. It will be worse for your health to keep following here.]
“Hey…”
Lim Dokyoon stiffened like a living corpse at Beru’s words.
“Alright. Stay in for a while. It wont take that long.”
Suho laughed and took out the key to the Shadow Dungeon.
Clack.
[Entering the Shadow Dungeon.]
“Huh?!”
Lim Dokyoon was the only one who entered.
Suho’s shadow suddenly rose up and swallowed Lim Dokyoon’s body like a curtain.
Suho reassured him.
“Don’t worry too much. That’s where everyone survives.”
“W-Wait…!”
Swoosh!
At that moment, Lim Dokyoon’s vision was blackened, and when he opened his eyes again, in front of him…
[Ehh? What are you?]
Ammut, a giant crocodile, was looking down at Lim Dokyoon with an intrigued expression.
“Uhh…”
Lim Dokyoon sat down on the spot with an expression as if he was going to lose his mind.
However, that pathetic and weak appearance was Ammut’s preference.
[Kehehehe. Are you the human guild member my disciple talked about? Reminds me of Tarnak’s childhood.]
The corner of the giant crocodile’s mouth rose and gave a meaningful smile.
With a voice more devilish than a demon, he quietly whispered to Lim Dokyoon.
[Weak human, don’t you want to become stronger than now?]
“No.”
[… Hmm?]
Lim Dokyoon was stern.
He walked to the corner of the pyramid and sat quietly.
“I’ll just stay here quietly.”
[…]
A bewildered look appeared on Ammut’s face.
* * *
After sending Lim Dokyoon, Suho and Esil immediately went to the factory, tracing back the demons’ totems.
They ran into a few demons along the way, but it didn’t matter too much.
Since Suho was given the title ‘Demon Slayer’, low-level demons could no longer compete with him.
“… Something is strange.”
Having discovered a new totem, Esil looked around with a hard expression.
“What’s the matter?”
“This totem is not a directional sign. The road is cut off from here.”
“It’s the end of the road? Hmm.”
Suho widened his senses and detected signs around him.
However, there was no sign of demons or beasts anywhere.
‘Not even the wind blows.’
The still, stagnant air created an atmosphere of fear.
It was a place where demons lurked, so it was not strange no matter what happens.
[Young Master.]
[Master.]
At that time, Beru and Quay called Suho at the same time.
They pointed at Suho’s feet and said.
[I can feel a crack in the dimension just below this.]
“Is there a gate?”
[Yes. It seems so, Master.]
Suho’s gaze went down.
“Beru, find a way down to the basement.”
[Yep.]
Beru flew so fast.
Meanwhile, rather than moving his body, Quay calmly scanned the surroundings with a cool look.
[Master, if the traces of the demons have disappeared here, there is a possibility that the entrance was hidden using some kind of magic or skill.]
“You have a point.”
Suho nodded and raised his twin swords.
“Then…”
[Use ‘Skill: Blade Storm’.]
Swoosh!
“If I destroy everything, something might come out.”
Centering on the last totem he found, Suho indiscriminately popinted his sword into the empty space.
An amazing sight unfolded.
“…!”
The earth and sky split apart, and a dimensional rift began to appear before their eyes.
Seeing that, Esil’s eyes widened in surprise.
“I can’t believe this energy!”
Surprisingly, the energy flowing from beyond the rift was too familiar to Esil.
“It’s a gate connected to the Demon Realm!”
“The dimension you lived in?”
“That’s right! This gate will be connected to the dimension I escaped from!”
“I see.”
Suho nodded.
The reason why the 3rd dungeon in Pyeongtaek was only designated as a D-Class dungeon was because the number and level of monsters in there were not high.
It turned out that those from the gate were demons, not mages.
‘Did they hide quietly to build up their strength rather than attacking humans because they are intelligent demons?’
It also used a method to block humans from approaching by releasing a moderate level of monsters and creating a jungle where it was difficult to find the way.
“Looks like we found the main base while trying to find the factory.”
“Didn’t I tell you before? The world defeated in the War of Monarchs is torn to pieces and wanders through the dimensional rift. What exists beyond this must be fragments of the ruined Demon Realm.”
“Ruined?”
“Yeah. All the demon nobles who ruled the Demon Realm are dead, so all that’s left is probably the small puppets who hid from the war.”
“Did they get stronger by drinking the blood of demon nobles?”
“Maybe? It’s clear that they want to increase their power and become the new Demon Nobles.”
“What’s good about being a demon noble?”
“That…”
Esil was about to open her mouth to answer Suho’s question.
Swook!
Due to Suho’s indiscriminate attack, a tremendous suction power suddenly occurred inside the gate.
Strangely, however, that suction power only attracted Esil, not Suho.
“Kyaah!”
Esil floated in the air and struggled with her hands. Suho had to grab her hand because of the suction power generated by the gate.
[Young Master!]
[Master! It’s dangerous!]
Beru and Quay urgently grab Suho’s body from behind.
Esil shouted while holding Suho’s hand.
“It looks like the Demon Realm is trying to drag me away by force! It was like this before!”
A world that has lost its monarch must find a new one.
The moment the Demon Realm seized the energy of Esil Radiru, the only existing demon noble, it was about to forcibly take her.
“That was what it meant?”
Suho, who grasped the situation, smiled rather meaningfully than panicked.
“Then, you should be happy to go!”
Suho held Esil’s hand and was willingly sucked into the gate.
It was a ruined Demon Realm…
‘There must be a lot of demons.’
It was a great opportunity to strengthen Vulcan’s Horns.
The moment he passed through the gate, Suho’s vision changed dramatically.
“… Huh?”
He landed on the floor and looked straight ahead with his eyes wide open.
A large, majestic mine.
Numerous demons with shackles on their feet and pickaxes were roaming all over the place.
“What’s this?”
“I don’t know either.”
The sound of pickaxes were resonating loudly here and there.
Even Esil was perplexed by a situation that she could not have imagined outside the gate.
“Ack!”
At a distance, a terrifying sound of whipping and screaming was heard.
“These lazy bastards! Do not think about tricks, do the work! Work!”
“Ack! I-I’m sorry! I’m sorry!”
A huge demon that appeared to be an overseer was brutally trampling the slave demons.
Slave demons let out screams of pain as they got whipped with mana powers.
In order not to receive more beatings, they somehow got up and started pulling the cart.
Suho and Esil hid themselves behind a rock pillar, avoiding the supervisor’s gaze.
“Is it a workhouse?”
“… Something is off.”
Esil put on a serious expression.
“How can they be so organized when there are no demon nobles?”
“How was it supposed to be then?”
“The Devil Realm is thoroughly strong, but at the same time, a weak snack. It can be overturned at any time. We become strong by eating each other.”
“Eating each other?”
“That’s right. No matter how strong you are, if you catch and eat regardless of means and methods- even if it is a surprise attack, you will become stronger. So, if the overwhelming existence of demon nobles doesn’t hold the system in place, the demons really become abusive.”
Eat or get eaten.
That was the system of the Demon Realm.
It’s like their own version of societal class.
“A system like this is only possible if a demon noble reigns here, but I am the only noble who survived.”
“Definitely strange.”
Suho also felt something strange.
If the demons, who were now working pickaxes like slaves, joined forces at once, they could kill and eat any number of supervisors like that.
Even so, the eyes of the slaves were already filled with a deep sense of defeat and fear.
“Oohhhh!”
Just then, a huge cow monster was passing in front of Suho and Esil, pulling a huge cart full of ore.
[Raised Minotaur]
‘Minotaur?’
The neck and legs of the gigantic cow monster were attacked with shackles and thick chains.
They even had saddles on their backs that made them comfortable to sit on.
However, the Minotaur wasn’t the only animal pulling the cart.
Bizarre, gigantic horse-like monsters were carrying ore carts, with chains and shackles on their bodies.
“… Huh? Who is that guy?”
Esil’s eyes widened when she spotted one of them, a sleek-looking horse.
“Do you know him?”
“My servant.”
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