Chapter 39: Ground Zero (4)
The Punisher exhibited its own tenacity.
It endeavored to hold on and launch a counterattack.
It clenched its teeth, attempted to ignore the pain, and twisted its body with all its might to strike back at Kang-hoo.
The effort was extraordinary.
Any other monster would have succumbed to injuries and perished by this point.
Yet, its resolve to defend the Mad Solarkium at all costs endowed the Punisher with exceptional strength.
Thud!
Regrettably, the Punishers combat spirit was thwarted by a mere flick of Kang-hoos finger.
Blood Flower had been unleashed.
Like a paper doll in a gust of wind, the Punishers body convulsed uncontrollably before toppling forward.
The Blood Flower, emerging amidst the spurting blood, dealt crippling damage instantly.
Despite the Punishers attempts to persevere through sheer willpower, it could not withstand the force that exceeded its physical boundaries.
Sigh.
Kang-hoo let out a heated sigh.
Without Blood Flower, subduing it would have been a challenge, considering the intensity of its defiance.
The situation had been quite tense.
For the first time in a while, his assurance of victory was not absolute but wavered between 90% or slightly less.
Nevertheless, with the Punishers demise, no one remained to protect the Mad Solarkium.
Kang-hoo ascended the cliff using powerful leaps, occasionally grasping rocks to rest and conserve energy.
He interspersed breaks amidst the continuous jumps to prevent overstressing himself.
His enhanced strength made supporting his entire weight with just an arm or two effortless.
This was a feat unimaginable during his escape from the Cheongmyeong Detention Center.
Now, with his significantly increased strength stat, it was as simple as performing push-ups.
Upon reaching the midpoint of the cliff, Kang-hoo confronted the Mad Solarkium directly.
It bore such a stark contrast to the typical Solarkium that one might question if they were related at all.
Whereas the common Solarkium resembled aloe, the Mad Solarkium looked more akin to a tulip.
Without prior knowledge, one would find it impossible to recognize them as related.
Swoosh!
With just a slight effort, the Mad Solarkium was easily plucked.
Finally.
Kang-hoo wore a satisfied expression on his face.
For the next 30 minutes, this little flower would make him complete. It freed him from all constraints and worries.
Of course, there was a backlash proportionate to the strain after the 30 minutes of tranquility.
But the ability to focus undisturbed on battle for 30 minutes was significant.
This was especially true since congenital mana hypersensitivity made maintaining a mana supply a constant concern.
In other words, with Mad Solarkium, he effectively had unlimited mana for 30 minutes. It was akin to having unlimited skills.
A single flower worth 100 million won more valuable than gold, he mused.
He couldnt help but chuckle at the thought.
Of course, he had no intention of selling it.
Moreover, not many hunters actively sought Mad Solarkium.
Drugs and other substances were far more effective for pain relief and awakening than Mad Solarkium.
Additionally, in terms of cost-effectiveness, drugs were much more affordable than the million-won Mad Solarkium.
Nonetheless, the first Mad Solarkium was now in his possession. There were still five more flowers to gather.
He needed to move quickly.
Huh?
Then, after a brief delay, something sprang out from the body of the deceased Punisher.
It was a green magic stone.
Also worth 100 million won.
The profit from magic stones seemed quite substantial.
Encountering magic stones was normally rare, but the characteristic strong negative energy of Ground Zero appeared to play a part.
It suggested that he was in an area less explored, untouched by other hunters.
Both dungeons and such external spaces offered better rewards when they were less conquered.
It was a verified statistic.
However, there was one thing that had been bothering him for a while.
The sensation that an eye was watching him.
Interestingly, the owner of the gaze moved freely among the trees.
Moreover, they did so without making any sound, quietly changing positions.
Had Kang-hoo not had night vision, he wouldnt have noticed he was being watched.
Kang-hoo didnt react because the observer maintained a safe distance.
The presence seemed more curious than hostile, as if simply observing.
Well, theyll make their move when the time comes.
Kang-hoo, without giving it much thought, started moving to the next point.
If necessary, they would reveal themselves first, and if they wanted to fight, they would close the distance.
Then, he would respond accordingly. There was no need to overthink it.
Late at night,
the dense darkness of Ground Zero was filled only with silence and stillness.
Occasional screams of monsters or hunters were heard, but they garnered no attention.
People indifferently thought that a monster or hunter must have died and moved on.
Usually, these sounds occurred only when other hunters were present; most of the time, they were unaware of what was happening.
Thus, she, who had been observing Kang-hoo from a distance, could focus solely on him.
Her name was Jung Yuri.
At a level of 250, she was a hunter who had lived in Ground Zero for quite some time.
She had no trouble surviving in the wild.
In fact, she felt much safer here than in a crime-ridden city where danger was unpredictable.
Hating sunlight, she found the dense foliage and trees of Ground Zero to her liking.
Following Kang-hoo discreetly wasnt particularly hard for her.
With her ability to transform, she could change her body to a form of black smoke.
This allowed her to move lightly through the air, free from gravitys pressure.
If needed, she could even use her spatial manipulation ability to create shortcuts.
Doesnt he ever get tired? He seems flawless even against the tricky Punisher.
Kang-hoo busied himself moving to obtain the Mad Solarkium, constantly engaging in battles with Punishers.
Having observed all these conflicts, Jung Yuri marveled at Kang-hoos prowess.
Punishers posed a challenge for anyone, as they adapted to an opponents skill and level.
Thus, defeating a Punisher demanded clever strategies to exploit weaknesses.
Regardless of a hunters skill, there was a limit to the number of techniques they could employ.
Yet Kang-hoo continued to introduce new variables into the situation.
She had already tallied over ten different skills just by observing.
To possess that many, his level had to be at least 200.
At that tier, one typically acquires basic skills at levels 1, 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 100, and 200, adding up to eight.
Factoring in roughly three additional skills unique to ones class, the total approached eleven.
Jung Yuri herself had amassed ten skills. Therefore, she surmised his level was comparable to hers.
His transition from offense to defense is seamless.
What Jung Yuri particularly noted was the absence of unnecessary movements in Kang-hoos maneuvers.
This rendered his attacks and defenses smooth, and crucially, his moves and routes were efficient.
He was the most adept hunter she had encountered lately in Ground Zero.
He doesnt appear to be a fugitive.
Jung Yuri felt certain.
He wasnt a criminal hiding out here, but an outsider who had come with a specific objective.
That piqued her curiosity even more.
As if guided by an innate compass, how did he manage to locate only the spots containing Mad Solarkium?
Once again, Jung Yuri shrouded herself in shadows, maintaining a gap as she tailed Kang-hoo.
There was plenty of time left before the break of dawn.
Thirty minutes later.
Now Im beginning to sweat a little.
After vanquishing the Punisher and securing the sixth Mad Solarkium, Kang-hoo at last took a moment to sit on a rock, resting for the first time.
He had reached the extent of his knowledge regarding the locations of Mad Solarkium.
What lay ahead was unknown territory.
He could have found more if he had searched, but it wouldnt have been easy since it would involve scouring the entire Ground Zero.
Looking at the six Mad Solarkium flowers, he felt as if he owned the world.
In terms of time, three hours had passed. Considering one battle took about 30 minutes, these could ease six battles without much burden.
They would be strategically useful in the future, especially for creating variables.
Level 42.
His level had steadily increased.
Having dealt with six Punishers and a few minor monsters, the experience points were certainly significant.
If he hadnt come alone or at a time when the Yin energy was strong, he would have barely crossed level 41.
Kang-hoo was reminded of the advantages of solo play and the importance of timing.
Swoosh.
Kang-hoo glanced up at the top of a towering tree.
Someone had been watching for a long time.
Either they would show themselves eventually,
Or he thought they would lose interest and leave, but the owner of the gaze continued to watch him steadily.
Should I play a little trick?
Immediately, Kang-hoo deployed illusions and Shadow Step, scattering his clones in all directions.
This caused the observers gaze to become confused, unable to focus on one spot, and to start wandering.
It must have been even more disconcerting since they were watching from the darkness.
Images exactly resembling Kang-hoo scattered in every direction.
Meanwhile,
Thud! Thud!
He forcefully stabbed a dagger into the tree, rapidly climbing to the top.
Using leaps and acceleration, he reached the top of the 40-meter tree in just a few seconds.
Hey.
Ah!
Why so surprised? Did you think I didnt know about you?
That, thats not it! But how long have you known?
From the beginning. I just didnt respond because you didnt seem hostile. But youve been watching too long, havent you?
An assassin, I get it, but climbing up a tree like this?
Curiosity killed the cat.
Kang-hoo sat down beside her.
From this high up in the tree, it should have felt dizzyingly high.
But both Kang-hoo and Jung Yu-ri sat comfortably, without worry.
At that moment,
Kang-hoos eyes sparkled as he carefully observed her face.
A face and a name came to mind, matching the description from the original work.
Distinct facial features with clear lines.
A stylishly done updo and heterochromic eyes of completely different colors.
From the side, her nose appeared sharp enough to cut paper, and she had rather full lips.
And the strong scent of acacia emanating from her body. There was a character in the original work that matched all this:
Jung Yu-ri.
A female hunter living in Ground Zero, a character who detested the Jeonghwa Guild to an extreme.
She harbored a deeper grudge than An Yeong-ho, having been betrayed by a hunter from the Jeonghwa Guild.
Her story was long.
To put it simply, she aspired to kill Chae Gwanhyeong, a key figure in the Jeonghwa Guild in the future. Her entanglement with him was so deep that her resentment seemed unending.
Destiny intertwines in such ways.
Kang-hoo nodded to the strange progression of fate and destiny, accepting the coincidence.
Thats how human encounters are. Theyre not always inevitable.
Meeting important people in unexpected placessuch coincidences happen.
For Kang-hoo, who had decided to strategize against the Jeonghwa Guild, Jung Yu-ri was a significant figure.
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