Chapter 50

Chapter 50.

 

“......”

Park Jun-ho stood there with a blank expression for a while.

As though he had been struck once by a hammer.

Soon, several Awakened approached and spoke to him.

“Boss, we will return to position.  The Tanks have started drawing aggro.”

“Why are you telling me that? If you want to go, then go.”

“Because you are the Deputy, Hyung-nim.”

“Ah...”

Park Jun-ho squeezed his eyes shut.

His acquaintance’s sharp remark pierced deep into his lungs.

A strange sense of shame swept over him.

Then, all of a sudden, he looked at the Raiders Guild members.

Every one of them had a stunned expression.

Park Jun-ho muttered quietly,

“When you think about it, none of us ever fought with the Defense Unit Captain.”

To the Master and the executives, Ha-kyung was a terribly irritating thorn in the eye.

However, most ordinary guild members should not have held any hostility toward him.

The one who had fought the Champion’s Duel was Kim Tae-gwang.

And the only ones who had lost to him in the Ranking Tournament were Jang Do-su and Choi Su-ho.

So why on earth had they engaged in such petty scheming?

In the middle of a national crisis, no less.

Park Jun-ho let out a long sigh.

“Whew! Let us return too.”

***

Ha-kyung ultimately saved every Awakened who had been blown away.

If it had not been for the Refinement Ropes, it would have been impossible to even attempt.

The combined weight of fifteen or so Awakened would easily reach two tons.

And they had even been thrown away by the shockwave.

Moreover, Ha-kyung’s tremendous physical ability also played a part.

‘I really have become much stronger. In the past, even saving five people was difficult.’

Suddenly, he recalled the Abyss of Collapse, where he had been with Seo Jun-hyuk.

It had been his first dungeon after the Ultimate Abyss.

That was probably the turning point.

To think he had grown enough in just a few months to become a Defense Unit Captain.

After rescuing the Awakened of the Raiders,

Ha-kyung returned without the slightest hesitation.

Then he saw Seo Jun-hyuk with a dazed expression.

—Team 5 does not have enough support. Where did all the Healers go?

—We destroyed the Outer Shell, so why are no attacks coming in? Are the ranged damage dealers sleeping?

—Stop whining. People are dying on this side too!

—No, who makes sarcastic comments over the Whisperer? No matter how frustrated you are, keep some boundaries.

—In any case, we are providing the maximum support possible, so do not demand more.

—I am saying this because it is not enough, am I not?

—What do you want us to do, then?

It was no wonder he had that expression.

The radio traffic through the Whisperer was an utter mess.

When Ha-kyung arrived, Seo Jun-hyuk looked at him as though he had seen a savior.

“Ugh! Leader, I really cannot do this. I feel like I am going to suffocate from being crushed in this power struggle!”

“You have worked hard. It was so urgent that I left without saying anything.”

“Ah, I saw you save the people who were flying off over there. That was truly incredible.”

“Let us sort this out first.”

“Haaah! Thank you.”

Even now, subtle voices of mutual blame could still be heard over the radio.

That meant the pressure being placed on the Eastern Defense Unit was that intense.

Ha-kyung immediately picked up the Whisperer.

“The Defense Unit Captain has returned. From this point on, refrain from needlessly excessive expressions.”

—......

Amazingly, the radio fell silent.

At that low rebuke, everyone tucked their tails between their legs. Ha-kyung scanned the battlefield.

‘The situation is worse than I thought.’

It seemed that Park Jun-ho’s group being blown away had been a fairly major blow.

In that case, there was only one breakthrough.

Ha-kyung activated Soul Brand’s thermal imaging function.

[‘Soul Brand’ expands your senses]

Since he actively used the skill, the system message appeared a little differently.

Ha-kyung carefully observed the world that had turned black and white.

The Awakened were pale pink.

The monsters were red.

And the bosses glowed violet.

Ha-kyung stared at the faintest one among the four before him.

‘Night Stalker. That bastard is the weak point.’

It did seem to be Unknown Grade.

However, it felt slightly inferior to the others.

Perhaps because its scale was small, it appeared faintly.

Ha-kyung drew his karambit.

‘If I melt that thing down in an instant, we will gain that much breathing room.’

After his first words,

he hung the Whisperer over his shoulder.

At that, Seo Jun-hyuk said with a puzzled expression,

“Were you not going to take command, Leader?”

“I have to step out for a moment again.”

“Pardon?”

“I will ask you for a favor. From what I saw earlier, you seemed to be doing well.”

“No, what are you talking about? I was just desperately trying to stop them while they did whatever they wanted.”

“Then do that again.”

“Ueh?”

While Seo Jun-hyuk made a baffled expression,

Ha-kyung suddenly launched himself forward.

He heard a scream from behind him, but his movements were relentless.

‘Even if I take command, nothing will change much anyway.’

Right now, they needed a powerful blow that could overturn the battlefield.

Ha-kyung stared at the Night Stalker.

It looked like a black panther, ten meters in length.

On top of that, it seemed as though a spider’s body had been attached to its back.

Eight sharp legs were striking the area around it as though stabbing down.

Although it was smaller than the other bosses, it was not something that could be taken lightly.

Ha-kyung smacked his lips in regret.

‘If John were here, he could have sent me there in one shot.’

However, it was difficult to ask the other Tanks.

All of them were defending with all their strength.

Even so, approaching it was not completely impossible.

No matter how bothersome or difficult it was, he simply had to go around.

Ha-kyung immediately cut across the Defense Unit.

Tap-tap-tap!

“Huh? What was that?”

“Was the person who just passed by us not the Defense Unit Captain?”

“I think it was. Why is he suddenly doing that?”

“Wait, then who is taking command?”

Just as someone said, the Whisperer was silent.

The Defense Unit members could not hide their anxiety.

To be honest, four boss monsters alone were not an impossible problem.

There were quite a few Awakened below the highest rank, but there were also many people.

If they pushed with numbers, they could win.

However, the opponents were strangely powerful.

Far more so than ordinary Unknown Grade bosses.

That was why, despite their numerical advantage, the Defense Unit was at a slight disadvantage.

In such a difficult situation, their captain had left his post.

The hearts of the Defense Unit members could not help but falter.

“Are we really going to get broken through at this rate?”

“This is driving me insane. The Gate Break may not end with just those four.”

“Ah, damn it. We are doomed.”

Then, just as everyone was overcome with disappointment,

pat!

Ha-kyung kicked off a protrusion on the wall and leapt into the air.

Toward the Night Stalker.

However, the height was slightly lacking.

At this rate, he would crash straight into the boss’s jaws.

Just as the nearby Defense Unit members were about to smack their foreheads, amazingly, Ha-kyung stepped on the air and leapt once more.

[Crosswind activated]
[Two-Stage Midair Leap is now available]

PAT! WHOOSH—!

His figure shot more than ten meters higher.

Ha-kyung stared at the Blight Reaver, whose violet light had been the clearest.

[Kin-Eater skill target set]
[Target: Blight Reaver]

RIIING—!

A sharp noise struck his ears.

And an enormous amount of Abyss Energy flowed into his body.

Perhaps because he had grown so accustomed to it, an Unknown Grade opponent now felt easy.

Ha-kyung immediately plunged toward the Night Stalker’s back.

‘I will send one of them off with this and begin from there.’

But at that very moment,

SLASH-SLASH-SLASH!

The Night Stalker’s spider legs aligned themselves.

Then they shot toward Ha-kyung, who was falling almost vertically.

By the structure of its joints, that should not have been possible.

It was quite a surprising reaction.

Ha-kyung, who had been about to drive Transformed Soul-Sever into it, had no choice but to change his plan.

‘If I do not block them, I will lose the chance I went to the trouble of creating... This is troublesome.’

Ha-kyung tried to change his posture in midair.

Then a brilliant idea suddenly came to him.

He took out the Resonance Pillar he had been carrying on his back.

“With this?”

It was sturdy enough to be used as a power-measuring device.

So it should be able to withstand a fairly powerful impact.

Ha-kyung immediately threw the Resonance Pillar.

WHIRL! CLANG-CLANG!

The Night Stalker’s spider legs collided with the Resonance Pillar.

Then an astonishing result came out.

The metal rod that had been flying while spinning became fixed in the air.

The Night Stalker unleashed attacks at the Resonance Pillar again and again.

THUD-THUD-THUD! WOOOOONG!

Each time, only sound waves burst out.

The Resonance Pillar remained intact.

Ha-kyung cheered inwardly.

‘That is it!’

While its aggro was drawn by this unexpected use, he plunged down onto the Night Stalker’s back.

While swinging a fifteen-meter Transformed Soul-Sever.

CLANG-CLANG-CLANG! SCREECH!

With a sharp metallic sound, the Night Stalker’s body was ground away.

Even its Outer Shell, as hard as a crustacean’s, was useless.

After all, the attack power of Transformed Soul-Sever strengthened by Kin-Eater was beyond imagination.

Ha-kyung turned the Night Stalker’s body into a piggy bank.

He had carved a massive straight slit through its back.

“Kweeeek!”

The Night Stalker howled in agony.

Then it glared at Ha-kyung with eyes that had turned blood-red.

It held a powerful will to land one strike, even if it died immediately after.

A thrilling sense of danger felt as though it pierced his heart.

[Night Stalker Ultimate activated: Darkness Claim]
[An unstoppable wave of Abyss Energy is detected]

Shhh!

There was no presence, and no phenomenon.

It simply felt as though darkness was seeping into his body.

Ha-kyung tilted his head.

‘What on earth is this?’

Even by the time he landed on the ground, he could not identify the Ultimate’s true nature.

During that time, the Night Stalker breathed its last.

It collapsed before Ha-kyung, its head slamming into the ground.

It was a scene where victor and loser were revealed with perfect clarity.

[Field Boss, Night Stalker, has been slain]
[‘Night Walker’ is given as a reward]

Soon, concentrated cheers erupted from atop the wall.

“Waaaaaaaah!”

“That is insane! This is truly insane!”

“An Unknown Grade Field Boss died in one blow? Does that make any sense?”

“So he is not called the Undying One for nothing.”

“No, does this have anything to do with being undying? He just tore it apart with sheer power.”

“Either way, he is worthy of being called a ‘god.’”

“That is true.”

Everyone rejoiced at the battlefield being overturned in an instant.

However, at that very moment,

Seo Jun-hyuk’s urgent voice rang out through the Whisperer.

—The Night Stalker’s Ultimate has been placed on the Captain! At this rate, he will die in approximately one minute!

At that, all the Defense Unit members were swept into shock.

An Ultimate that caused instant death after a certain amount of time passed.

What kind of absurd cheating ability was that?

Soon, Seo Jun-hyuk’s shout continued.

—He must receive treatment from the Healers right now. Anyone with a curse-removal skill, gather immediately!

At that very instant,

Ha-kyung let out a faint laugh.

‘A curse?’

[The curse encroaches upon your entire body]
[If it is not removed within 1 minute, you will certainly die]
[Curse Breaker activated]
[The curse’s effect is removed]

The result came out exactly as he had expected.

With a calm expression, Ha-kyung lifted the Whisperer.

“I am fine. Do not leave your positions. Focus on the raid.”

—But...

“That is an order.”

Seo Jun-hyuk resisted, but he had no choice but to back down.

On this battlefield, Ha-kyung’s will was absolute.

And so, one minute slipped away helplessly.

Everyone failed to focus on the fight.

They only kept glancing at Ha-kyung.

Then someone suddenly spoke in a puzzled voice.

“But why is he not dying? Is he really an Undying One?”