CHAPTER 114………………………………..
Kang Kwon-ho didn’t stop there—he pulled out what seemed to be an item and shoved it into the elder’s mouth.
“What… is this?”
The answer came quickly due to my consciousness immediately blurring. It was a sedative that could only be described as brutal. If I didn’t keep my mind sharp, I would collapse to the ground and fall asleep instantly. I dug my fingernails into my flesh to force myself to stay conscious.
[The elder’s form is changing again!]
But the next sudden development wasn’t favorable. Perhaps due to losing focus, the elder’s form was increasingly collapsing, and correspondingly, my awareness was gradually returning. The latter was welcome, but the former was dangerous.
“If this keeps up, I won’t even be able to prepare for the explosion and might kill the elder outright.”
From afar, Baek So-hyeok and Ryu Ji-soo, who had been waiting for a chance to attack, sprinted toward the elder. The elder’s human form had completely collapsed, but the speed of transformation into the next species had slowed significantly. The grotesque sight of flesh-like lumps clumping together and scattering was almost nauseating.
[The intervals of transformation are getting longer.]
Baek So-hyeok’s sword, shining like the sun, pierced the elder’s body. As he said, when the elder transformed under accumulated impact, the speed gradually slowed. It hadn’t even been thirty seconds, but to experienced hunters, it was a surprisingly long time.
“My paralysis is completely gone.”
It was clear that the connection with the elder had been completely severed.
“I might still be lacking in mana, but if I don’t move now, it’ll be too late.”
The four guild members of Jupiter, acting as lookouts, kept their eyes fixed on me. But they were human too, so their concentration wavered as they reacted to the commotion around them. The one standing to the east was particularly distracted—every time a loud sound appeared on the screen, he twitched and barely resisted turning his head, making him a perfect target to exploit.
“Now.”
As Ryu Ji-soo attacked the elder with a deafening roar, he lost focus again. Seizing the moment, I pulled a smoke bomb from my inventory. I carefully ensured it was drawn from an angle invisible to the other lookouts.
Bang, pop!
Holding my breath and closing my eyes, I set off the smoke.
“This bastard!”
“He’s using a smoke bomb! Get him!”
[Skill 「Blessing of Lightning Lv29」 activated. Blue lightning courses through your entire body.]
Apparently expecting me to run toward the door, the Jupiter guild members leaned forward.
“You think I’d be stupid enough to get caught immediately?”
I moved diagonally backward, put on a gas mask, and waited for the smoke to take effect. Thanks to moving my hands without wasting a second, I successfully slipped out of their surveillance.
“Damn, this is tricky!”
Even those with detection skills were struggling. Those wearing glasses couldn’t focus due to the poisonous gas seeping in through their noses.
“I still need to finish this as quickly as possible.”
Yet for proper hunters, it wasn’t an impossible situation. If they weren’t watching the screen closely, they wouldn’t have even noticed such a small opening. I followed the wall and reached near the door. The Jupiter guild members, who had gathered to block me, were flustered.
Some had reacted quickly and recovered, but missing me even once in their line of sight was their downfall. Within the smoke, I was enveloped in the Blessing of Lightning, moving continuously—hard to find.
[Characteristic “Pioneer” activated. 「Spear Swordsmanship Lv30」 merges with 「Moon Swordsmanship Lv37」. You have gained a new, previously non-existent skill: 「Moonlight-Infused Spear Swordsmanship Lv34」 manifests.]
I threw the extended spear at the clustered enemies. Enchanted with magic, the massive spear glowed silver and knocked them down one by one.
“This isn’t a spear—it’s basically a cannon.”
The spear boomeranged back along the silver path I had created. I was about to draw another sword, but the skill’s convenient feature made it unnecessary.
“Extreme situations make me pull off everything, huh.”
Unlike last time, I consciously activated the characteristic. Since I had been experimenting with spear swordsmanship, I thought this might now work. Practice had always failed, but this time, it triggered successfully.
What surprised me was the magic that I thought hadn’t fully recovered—it now explosively enveloped my entire body. In truth, it felt like it was running wild beyond my control. Even if I used up all my magic, I was prepared to flee if necessary.
Whoooosh!
Seo Go-gyeol’s scythe targeted my neck again. Thanks to my heightened senses, I managed to deflect it. I briefly met his gaze—he was still smiling.
“I don’t know what he’s thinking, but if he isn’t serious about stopping me, that’s good for me.”
[Kaboom! Boom!]
On-screen, the guild members were on the verge of killing the elder. Judging by its original Planariant form, it seemed the fight would end after two or three more attacks.
“It’s not too late yet.”
I threw the door wide open to warn them about the explosion. At the same time, Seo Go-gyeol’s clear, teasing laughter pierced my ears.
[I didn’t mention it, but there’s actually a delay between where Woo-jin’s guild members are and what’s shown on the broadcast.]
Bang! Kaboom!
Through the doorway, it wasn’t my allies’ faces I saw—it was a spectacular explosion. My heart, which had been swelling with pride at what I had just accomplished, plummeted into the mud.
“No!”
[Skill 「Blessing of Lightning Lv29」 activated. Blue lightning courses through your entire body.]
It might already have been too late, but I had to stop the second explosion. If someone injured were hit, it would be the end. I rushed toward the Planariant’s corpse at the center of the explosion.
“Where do you think you’re going?”
A hand shot out from the smoke and grabbed my waist. I struggled, but the familiar scent made me stop resisting. Turning my head, I saw a bright smile directed at me.
“Didn’t I tell you not to do anything dangerous?”
It was Kang Kwon-ho. Lifting me, he guided me instantly toward where the guild members were.
Boom! Kaboom!
The second explosion followed. At the front, Baek So-hyeok absorbed the blast directly. Behind him, Kang Kwon-ho’s shield held steady, and Ryu Ji-soo, a step back, had layered a thin barrier. Kim Jun and Ryu Ji-soo even wore items specifically for blast protection—heavy items usually kept off during combat but now quickly equipped for the explosion.
“Did they anticipate this? Do they have an informant? Or…”
I surveyed each guild member in a daze. Small scratches were visible, but no one had serious injuries. Relieved, I finally relaxed a bit.
“Woo-jin, are you crying?”
Kim Jun, still wearing his protective gear, smiled mischievously and asked.
“I’m not crying.”
My vision blurred and my throat tightened, but no tears fell. If I cried here, I might collapse, and the situation wouldn’t be resolved.
“Your eyes are a little watery. Hey, Woo-jin, you’re crying because you’re happy to see us, right? You’re not crying because you’re moved by our dramatic entrance?”
Kim Jun seemed to want me to cry, which made my tears disappear. It was like being touched by a surprise party, then hearing “Cry! Cry!”—completely ruining the moment.
“Oh my, Woo-jin, why is your face all battered?”
As the second explosion subsided, Ryu Ji-soo looked genuinely concerned. Thankfully, we could now focus on minor injuries.
“Your face is your treasure, Woo-jin… what a waste…”
Ryu Ji-soo covered his mouth in shock at what he said, clearly speaking his mind unintentionally.
“He’s worried because I’m hurt… right? Sure, even if it were my limbs, he’d worry the same way.”
I decided to interpret Ryu Ji-soo’s ambiguous reaction positively.
“Bro, are you hurt?”
Hearing this, Baek So-hyeok ran up and grabbed both my cheeks, inspecting me. His eyes sharpened as he noticed each wound.
“Who did this to you?”
I started to worry how serious my condition looked.
“Who did it doesn’t matter. Just take down everyone over there.”
Kang Kwon-ho scanned me head to toe, his words chilling.
Clap, clap, clap.
Seo Go-gyeol, standing beyond the door, clapped as if watching an excellent performance.
“How did you handle the explosion? Honestly, I thought at least one person would get hurt, but you were perfectly prepared.”
This man, with a thick face, found being stared at this piercing. Naturally, none of our guild members answered him.
“You’re arrogant. Now you’ll pay for stealing from me.”
Kang Kwon-ho drew his staff.
