Chapter 25 Lizard Lair (2)
Poisonous Iguanas are B-grade monsters. True to their name, they possess poison and are reptilian monsters known for their agility. Especially with the [Agile Agility] rare rune, they become dangerous creatures if one does not focus on attacking.
‘Not good…’ I muttered, slightly biting my lip as I drew my sword immediately. It was expected that B-grade monsters would appear in the middle section since C-grade ones appeared in the early stages, but I hadn’t anticipated being swarmed like this.
Despite both Park Jin-woo and I rapidly growing stronger, dealing with multiple B-grade monsters was still a challenge. The Poisonous Iguanas were five in number, and one of us had to handle three of them.
“Park Jin-woo!” I called out.
“I know what to do without you saying it!” he replied, rushing out without hesitation.
I, too, held my breath for a moment, unsheathing the daggers at my waist. “Hweup…!!” I used the combo I had been practicing consistently in previous battles – throwing the [Quarter knives] with my throwing dagger, and then rushing in with my sword to tank the enemies. This strategy was effective when dealing with multiple monsters, as it allowed me to draw their attention and limit their movements. While I didn’t expect to incapacitate them like the Lizardmen in the previous battle, even restricting their movements slightly would be a success.
“……?!”
However, this time, my ambush had no impact on them. The Poisonous Iguanas had high base speed and the assistance of the [Agile agility] rune, enabling them to evade my surprise attack with ease.
-Kiiii….
The roar of the Poisonous Iguanas was relatively quiet, not as loud as the Sizzling Salamander’s but still dangerous. They were ready to attack us at any moment.
-Kiiii…!!
In an instant, they were on the move. Instead of me rushing at them, they charged at me first. Two Poisonous Iguanas engaged with Park Jin-woo, while the remaining three headed straight for me.
“Crazy.”
I kept my bewildered emotions hidden as I brandished my sword. To be honest, I didn’t have much confidence in my current toughness and strength. I could only try to hold them off for as long as possible, hoping the backline dealers would quickly take them down.
Clang-
Choi Yoo-min’s personally crafted longsword collided with the tough teeth of the Poisonous Iguana. As her Scale Rune was still in its early stage, the equipment did not display any special effects or information. Nevertheless, her weapon was strong enough not to break against the creature’s teeth.
“Ugh…” I grunted as I parried their attacks.
Clang- Kkakang-
Cold sweat trickled down my face. I managed to block their attacks somehow. If this continued, the backline dealers would come to our aid soon. However, unlike Park Jin-woo, the problem for me was that I had to face a total of three Poisonous Iguanas.
While I managed to fend off two with my sword and dagger, the third one was completely free to attack me.
In this dire situation, I quickly recalled a solution. ‘Hardening!’
[Hardening] was a derivative skill of [Lizard’s Scales] that reached level 6. Though its name sounded ridiculous, it was a powerful skill that temporarily doubled the Holder’s toughness, enhancing their defense.
Clang-
It made a sound as if hitting steel. The sound of my body resisting their attack after activating [Hardening]. For a moment, it felt like the Poisonous Iguana was biting into steel, but it quickly regained its strength and attacked again.
“Huh?” Something felt odd.
[Hardening] was supposed to increase my toughness for 5 seconds, which should be enough time for the backline dealers to finish them off. However, before the 5 seconds had passed, I felt the damage from the Poisonous Iguana’s attack.
In my desperate situation, I hurriedly checked what was going on. I noticed that the Poisonous Iguana was using sharp ‘teeth’. I quickly figured out its identity once, ‘It’s a rune!’. Just like how I blocked their attacks with rune power, they were breaking through my [Hardening] with a specific rune power of their own.
My shoulder, which was unprotected without any equipment, was a vulnerable spot. The Poisonous Iguana targeted it and rushed toward me. At least the situation around the waist with protective equipment is fine.
It did it without the slightest hesitation.
‘Fucked… .’
It bit my shoulder with its shiny teeth.
“Quaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah… !!”
In this extremely dangerous situation, I desperately tried to come up with a solution.
“Jae-hyun!” Kim Chae-eun’s urgent voice barely kept my consciousness from slipping away.
D-damn… I couldn’t help but curse. It hurt like hell. Their teeth were as strong and sharp as any daggers.
The pain from the bite on my shoulder felt like a piercing stab, and if it weren’t for my willpower strength of 17, I wouldn’t have been able to endure it. On top of that, I felt my strength leaving my body, most likely due to the Poisonous Iguanas specialty, ‘Poison’.
“Hey… Die…!!” Kim Chae-eun’s freezing magic engulfed the Poisonous Iguana. Her main skill, [Frozen Fog],quickly eliminated the others, but the one that bit my shoulder was frozen in place.
…Wait, is it freezing me as well?
Huuk- Huuurr- Shiiik, Shiiiiii-!!
Her magic had turned into a signal flare. Intense arrows and flames burst forth everywhere, just like the overwhelming firepower used against the Sizzling Salamander during our hunt. This time, it was directed at the Poisonous Iguanas.
“Argh….”
I had no time to stare in awe. Taking advantage of the immobilized Poisonous Iguana due to [Frozen Fog]. I thrust my sword into its body.
-Kii, Kiiii….
It seemed like I was challenging the creature to the extreme. The Poisonous Iguana groaned and collapsed, having been pushed to its limits. The battle was over.
The other monsters were not much different. Kim Chae-eun and Kang Juyeon’s magic struck the creatures around me, while Moon Ga-eun’s support fire was directed at Park Jin-woo’s Poisonous Iguanas. The monsters were burnt, frozen, and pierced like kebabs, leaving them in pitiful states.
“Jae-hyun! Are you okay?”
Kim Chae-eun hurried over to me and asked. Kang Juyeon and Moon Ga-eun also had concerned expressions on their faces.
…It was quite a dangerous moment. If I had been bitten in a vital area instead of my shoulder, it could have been a real crisis. I reassured them by raising my hand.
“I’m fine. Chae-eun, how about the antidote?”
“Oh, yeah. Here.” Kim Chae-eun handed me a health potion while blood continued to flow from my shoulder. It was clear that the pain I felt was due to the poison of the Poisonous Iguana. The creature was known for its potent poison even among poison-using monsters.
As I was about to gulp down the antidote, the information windows that I had momentarily forgotten caught my attention.
[You have directly experienced the poison of a monster! Your resistance to poison is increasing.]
[The rune level has risen.]
[Through the rune’s affinity, you have gained 1 poison resistance.]
[You have won the duel! Due to your high contribution in the duel, the victory is acknowledged. With the mysterious power of the Rune Hunter, you can replicate one of your opponent’s runes. Please choose the rune you want to replicate.]
“1. Venom (Not selectable) 2. Agile Agility 3. Sturdy Fangs”
Before entering the Academy, I acquired the [Venom] as an unexpected gain during the extermination of the OutHolders. It was a rare rune, which seemed excessive for a bunch of punks, but the Poisonous Iguanas had it as well. Considering that their name even had ‘Poison’ in it, it wasn’t surprising.
‘I wish I could have chosen Venom.’
The runes acquired by the [Rune Hunter] are adjusted in level based on the opponent’s level. Since the OutHolders at that time had a level 1 [Venom], the [Venom] I gained was downgraded to level 0 upon registration. However, Poisonous Iguanas had a deep understanding of poison, and their poison’s potency was high. Naturally, their [Venom] should be of a considerable level—probably around 4 or 5. It was a chance to acquire a [Venom] with at least level 4, but it was confirmed that it was not selectable, which was disappointing.
At least I experienced the poison firsthand, and I was relieved that I had increased the level of [Venom].
‘Now for the remaining ones…’
[Agile Agility] and [Sturdy Fangs], both were pretty good rare runes. Especially [Agile Agility], which Park Jin-woo also had. It provided support to all actions related to speed. I had always wanted this rune, and luckily, I obtained it through this hunt.
As I was about to choose the rune…
“Kang Juyeon, watch out!” Park Jin-woo’s urgent cry reached my ears. I quickly turned my head…
One of the Poisonous Iguanas that Park Jin-woo was dealing with had regained its stance and was about to attack.
‘Oh, what’s this again?’
The creatures Park Jin-woo dealt with were not completely finished off since Moon Ga-eun had been in charge of their attacks.
The battle seemed over, and everyone relaxed. However, if Kang Juyeon hadn’t reacted, she would have been hit by the Poisonous Iguana’s poison spit attack.
I hurriedly chose the rune and activated my skill.
[You have chosen Agile Agility. As a level 4 rare rune, it will be downgraded to level 2 upon registration.]
[Through the rune’s affinity, you gain a speed of 2.]
With the rune acquired, I instantly gained an additional 2 points of speed, reaching a total of 30, which surpassed my strength for the first time. It was the moment when my speed exceeded my strength.
With this and the bonus support from [Sprint], I could reach Kang Juyeon in an instant. The Poisonous Iguana’s poison stinger was aimed at her, but if she couldn’t react in time, she would have taken the attack.
“Sigh… !!”
My whole body loses strength, and a stinging pain gnaws at my shoulder.
… It really hurt to turn around.
“ah… !”
Kang Juyeon’s surprised face is visible.
Hey, you know how to make a face like this.
“Ah, Jae-hyun!”
“Hey, Do Jae hyun! Are you okay?”
“What are you doing, Park Jin-woo! Catch that iguana first!”
“Oh right. I should.”
Amid the loud shouts of the party members.
While I was pondering these thoughts, I noticed Kang Juyeon’s hands. Her hands were gathered in the center, surrounded by powerful magic.
When I saw that, a question arose amidst the severe pain in my shoulder.
‘…Could she have blocked it?’
It was clear that she had a strong grip on her [Magic Control], and in the previous real battle, she had used her derivative skill, [Magic Barrier], to great effect. It was entirely possible that she could have easily blocked the Poisonous Iguana’s attack. If she had done so, it was such a waste of an opportunity…
[You successfully blocked the Poison Spit head-on. The potent poison is coursing through your body.]
[The level of the rune has risen.]
[You gained poison resistance by 1 due to the rune affinity.]
I had my doubts as the information windows continued to bombard my vision.
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