Chapter 94: Proving Worth (1)
The assault on the dungeon had begun.
Though the dungeon had an official name, the trio affectionately called it The Maze Dungeon.
As the level rose,
the dungeons they encountered often twisted in such complex ways, making each experience quite memorable.
This was actually a dungeon concept heavily influenced by the original authors intentions.
Creating a maze-like dungeon was a way to increase the difficulty, which from a creators standpoint, was quite fun.
However,
Being on the challenging side, it sucks.
Experiencing it firsthand wasnt exactly pleasant. One had to be constantly on alert.
Hmm.
Upon entering the dungeon, they immediately spotted three snipers in strategic positions, dominating the entrance.
While not exceptionally skilled, their status as snipers meant they were not to be underestimated.
In sync with their plan, Kang-hoo immediately initiated his rush. The closest one became his target.
Leap
Acceleration
Leap
He combined the most basic skills in a sequence. Quickly closing the distance to the target was the priority for now.
Though it momentarily strained his body, there was nothing better than the simple combination of acceleration and leap.
Bang!
First, Ban Se-yeongs gun barrel erupted in fire.
One of the snipers, positioned in a triangular formation, was hit in the right shoulder by Ban Se-yeongs sniping.
Then, Jeon Se-hyuk, known for his archery, held off his attack and instead drew the snipers fire.
Pretending to aim at the sniper on the right rear, he stepped back two paces.
The next moment.
Bang! Thud!
Where he had just been standing, sparks flew, and a misfired magic bullet dispersed into nothingness.
Jeon Se-hyuk chose to lure instead of attack, and his strategy proved successful.
Now it was Kang-hoos turn.
Swoosh!
No sound was heard, yet the unmistakable sensation of a snipers gun being precisely aimed lingered in the air.
A very slight pain was felt as the flow of mana, guiding the magic bullet, concentrated on a single point.
Ordinary people, let alone most hunters, could never detect this.
But for Kang-hoo, endowed with innate mana hypersensitivity and heightened senses, it was easily perceivable.
Shadow Step
Whoosh!
In that instant, Kang-hoos shadow split into three.
Caught off guard by the sudden development, the sniper wavered, now forced to aim for the real Kang-hoo.
It was soon confirmed that the shadows were mere decoys, and the real Kang-hoo remained in his original position.
Kang-hoo had taken cover behind a tree in his path.
Vrooom!
The sniper increased the mana output.
Determined to obliterate Kang-hoo along with the tree trunk, the sniper, wearing a triumphant smile, pulled the trigger.
Bang! Crack!
As expected from a high-output magic bullet, the tree exploded into pieces. Naturally, Kang-hoos fate, supposedly hidden behind it, was presumed to be sealed.
But then.
?
Expecting to see Kang-hoos flesh and blood scattered, the sniper tilted his head in confusion when none were in sight.
At that moment.
One of the figures, previously thought to be a shadow, transformed back into Kang-hoos form, a sight that was witnessed.
By then, Kang-hoo had already prepared to throw the Blood Tear at the sniper.
Blitz Blade
Kuwaah!
Due to the incredibly short distance and Kang-hoo putting his full strength into the throw, a loud noise emanated from the dagger.
The Blood Tear, slicing through space in an instant, embedded itself in the snipers forehead before he could react.
Not only that, but another sniper, who had noticed Kang-hoos approach and attempted to target him instead of Jeon Se-hyuk,
Pffft!
Died instantly, following his comrade.
When Jeon Se-hyuk managed to draw the snipers fire away by opting for evasion instead of an attack,
Kang-hoo had already prepared a sequence. Knowing that Jeon Se-hyuk hadnt attacked first, he had thought ahead.
It means he didnt just assume Jeon Se-hyuk would handle it because it was his responsibility.
Wow.
Neat, right, oppa?
Indeed. Assassins usually rely on skill, but Seon-kyu always incorporates a bit of strategy.
Doesnt that put a lot of pressure on you, having to outsmart your opponent? If theyre smart, I could be in danger.
Se-yeong, think of it this way. If Im confident Im smart, theres nothing more fun than a battle of wits.
Im really bad at that
Imagine youre Zhuge Liang from the Three Kingdoms. It would be fun to toy with someone dumber, right?
Jeon Se-hyuk patted Ban Se-yeongs shoulder, offering encouragement.
She was definitely more of a fighter who relied on her body and instincts rather than her brain. Of course, that was also a strength.
Anyway, thats how the entrance obstacle was taken care of.
When they had come with Park Dong-jae before, Ban Se-yeong was the only one capable of immediate long-range sniping.
Even if they managed to take out one sniper, dealing with two required time for a strategic approach.
Although Jeon Se-hyuk was skilled with a bow, he couldnt fire arrows as swiftly as magic bullets.
However, this time, thanks to Kang-hoo stirring up trouble among them, their path was cleared too easily.
Its my first time coordinating with a proper assassin, so its thrilling.
Without realizing it, Ban Se-yeong already regarded Kang-hoo as a proper assassin.
She had teamed up with numerous hunters before, but there was always one or two things that didnt sit well with her.
But not with Kang-hoo.
Before she could even think of a complaint, he had already taken action.
Just now, as well.
The moment Kang-hoo took out his designated sniper, his next attack was already targeting the sniper aiming at Jeon Se-hyuk.
With another hunter,
Ban Se-yeong would have had to provide supporting fire or at least shout a timing cue.
The concept of clicking right away is hard to achieve without having previously synchronized well.
Do your best. I still believe youll make a great partner. Make the most of it while you can.
Jeon Se-hyuk said with a smile.
Although he hadnt known Kang-hoo for long, a hunters skills and fundamentals could be quickly assessed.
Kang-hoo not only had the basics down as an assassin but also showed remarkable potential for growth.
It made one wonder if the job title assassin was sufficient to describe him.
If informal titles were allowed perhaps names like dual class, or triple class would be fitting.
This was because the skills he possessed were not solely assassination-oriented but had different directions as well.
From now on, Jeon Se-hyuk planned to focus solely on opening rooms, not on gaining experience.
That was the agreement.
Later, during the boss monster strategy, he would lend his strength, but even then, in a supporting role.
The person in charge of leading and ordering in this trio was Kang-hoo, the one with the lowest level.
It might seem laughable from the outside.
But as a team member looking from the inside, it was an obvious and undeniable setup.
The first room, if cleared quickly, opens up a shortcut.
Right. As we discussed in the briefing, the faster the dungeon is cleared, the better the rewards.
Then we should dope up a bit.
Crunch! Crunch!
Kang-hoo took out a Solarkium and chewed it vigorously.
He would have liked to eat a Mad Solarkium and use mana freely in battle, but
Mad Solarkium was too precious for such use. He wished he could obtain it indefinitely.
One of the reasons he wanted to meet Master K was precisely because of the issue tied to Mad Solarkium.
Since its not something that can be bought just with money, he wanted to seek his advice.
Whats that?
Solarkium.
Isnt it just for calming effects? I heard its not that great for pain relief.
Well, think of it as a routine, like chewing gum.
I see. To each their own!
Unaware of Kang-hoos unique physical condition, Ban Se-yeong had no idea how crucial Solarkium was to him.
Kang-hoo was certain.
Without Solarkium, he wouldnt have been able to grow so freely up to this point.
It transformed what could have been a severe handicap, innate mana hypersensitivity, into an advantage.
Both of you, please raise your hand when youre ready. The dungeon count will start the moment the door opens,
Jeon Se-hyuk kindly guided.
If he was left alone in the starting room, the next room would open.
Since one person must always remain in the previous room to maintain the passage,
He was set to take on this role until the end.
And only in very critical situations, upon request from Kang-hoo or Ban Se-yeong, would he provide long-range support.
Until then, unless requested, no matter how dire the situation appeared, he decided not to intervene.
For the sake of improving their skills, Kang-hoo and Ban Se-yeong shared a desire to avoid easy help.
Before starting,
Kang-hoo said to Ban Se-yeong,
I wont look back. Ill run, trusting you, so support me. Then, Ill definitely do more than my share of the work.
Should I trust you?
You wont be able to not trust me.
Ban Se-yeong nodded and smiled brightly at Kang-hoos confident words.
It might seem like baseless confidence, but she liked Kang-hoos confidence.
And always, Kang-hoo had proven the reasons for his confidence himself. So there was no distrust.
The moment the door opened.
Whoosh!
Kang-hoo disappeared from Ban Se-yeongs sight.
He had already entered the center of the room in an instant by consecutively deploying Acceleration and Leap.
Especially towards the end, he used Shadow Step to push his shadow deeper and change his position.
Thanks to this, Kang-hoo was already in the middle of the room before the door had fully opened.
This was the spot in the room teeming with the most monsters.
The monsters were Awakened Orcs, not particularly durable but with high attack power.
Bang!
Kwaaah! Waaah! Kweeek!
Ban Se-yeongs magic bullet, spewing fire, obliterated the heads of four orcs in a single shot.
Given their low durability and high density, a single attack proved significantly effective.
The goal of clearing this room wasnt to showcase power but to eliminate all monsters as swiftly as possible.
Kang-hoo immediately set the stage.
Wind and Thunder Formation
He boldly initiated the Wind and Thunder Formation.
Entering it meant enduring a barrage of electric currents and blade winds, essentially a death zone.
Positioned at the center of the Wind and Thunder Formation, Kang-hoo cast a protective barrier around himself in anticipation of the impending chaos.
This place was about to turn into a zone of death.
He intentionally became bait, knowing that without doing so, the monsters wouldnt converge.
Knowing he would survive within the Wind and Thunder Formation allowed him to take such a risk.
Strategy often involves sacrificing a part of oneself to completely take the enemys life.
Kang-hoo smiled triumphantly.
There truly is no end to strategy and mind games.
And the thrill of drawing in naive foes to obliterate them in one fell swoop was the most exhilarating.
It was a pleasure unmatched by any other, perhaps even more gratifying than sexual pleasure.
Th𝗲 most uptodate novels are published on free(w)ebnov(e)l.𝒄𝒐𝙢