Chapter 26
[SYSTEM] You have entered the hidden area, [Small Dragon from Hell]!
▸Dragons each have one weakness. Let’s identify the weakness of the [Small Dragon from Hell] and escape the hidden area!
My dark vision changed in an instant.
The area I entered was like a red desert.
‘No, rather than a desert, it reminds me of hell…’
Damn it. Before I could even finish the thought, a curse instinctively came out.
Looking at the fluffy bundle calmly nestled in my arms made me feel even more desperate.
“Mungchi, I’m sorry…”
Oblivious to the extremely dangerous situation he was in, he just tilted his head innocently.
As I was internally crying from the intensified guilt weighing on my chest, something suddenly writhed beneath the ground as if it had been waiting. As cold sweat ran down my spine, a familiar yet strange figure emerged.
‘This time, it’s a dragon head, of all things?’
Famous as a legendary animal… well, there’s no need for long explanations, it was a dragon.
💎
[SYSTEM] You have entered the [Fish Swarm in the Mist] area
Everything around was covered in fog.
Cha Si-hyeon looked at the only noticeable system window.
It wasn’t the first time he’d seen a system window operating inside a dungeon, but this was, how should he put it…
‘A game? No, more precisely, a guide?’
Yes, it was like a guide that assigns missions to help users enjoy the game.
‘Well, putting that aside…’
Cha Si-hyeon turned his gaze to the swamp dimly visible through the fog. The fish thrashing about there were 5th-grade monsters, [Red-eyed Dace].
“Nothing special.”
“I don’t want to go in, so let’s eliminate them from here.”
5th-grade monsters were no threat to S-ranks.
If this was 5th-grade, then where Lim Yuchan and Yoo Yi-joo went might be around 8th-grade.
‘No need to worry then.’
Shing, the sword revealed itself at Cha Si-hyeon’s waist. The blade naturally exuded an aura, intimidating its surroundings.
‘If it were the boss, he’d be done and out by now.’
Given that this is 5th-grade, they should be safe, having chosen the lowest difficulty.
While that should be fortunate…
Cha Si-hyeon tightly gripped the hand holding his sword.
‘Why do I feel so uneasy?’
💎
Bang!
A huge tail struck the ground.
The force was so strong that not only was I sent rolling on the ground, but the entire area shook.
With trembling hands, I barely managed to get up. Mungchi, whom I had tightly hugged to avoid losing, was covered in red sand.
‘Fighting while holding Mungchi is impossible.’
It was hard enough to take care of myself, let alone while holding Mungchi.
Before the monster, or rather the ‘small dragon’ head, could spot me, I put Mungchi down on the ground.
“Mungchi, can you wait?”
Mungchi tilted his head.
“Wait here for a bit. I’ll come back for you soon.”
I was worried because there was no leash, but I figured he wouldn’t rush towards the monster, sensing the danger himself.
After dusting off my knees, I kicked off the ground. I moved as far away as possible from the corner where I left Mungchi. The priority was to keep the dragon’s attention away from Mungchi.
‘First, I’ll divert its attention to the back, and then…’
And then.
“…..”
I was at a loss.
Naturally, I had never faced a dragon before, and there were no S-ranks nearby to help.
Can I win alone? Can I even be a match?
In this desperate situation, I suddenly remembered something I had forgotten.
‘Come to think of it…’
[SYSTEM] Checking previous notification!
I hurriedly opened the previous notification. A flood of system messages appeared, enough to cover my entire vision, but I checked the topmost one first.
[SYSTEM] You have entered the hidden area, [Small Dragon from Hell]!
▸Dragons each have one weakness. Let’s identify the weakness of the [Small Dragon from Hell] and escape the hidden area!
As if toying with people in this damn situation, there was just one hopeful phrase.
‘Dragons each have one weakness.’
After staring at it for a moment, I took a short breath and drew my sword. As if sensing the sound, the monster’s head turned towards me.
I couldn’t immediately tell what its weakness was, but the fortunate thing was that this monster wasn’t a ‘flying dragon’.
It was more like a snake body with a dragon’s head attached. Anyway, it was glaring at me with an ambiguous appearance that made it hard to tell if it was a dragon or a snake.
Of course, being ambiguous doesn’t make it any less scary.
Gripping my sword tightly, I charged straight in.
I first attacked its front legs, furthest from its mouth, but with a thud! My sword blade was deflected by a single downward kick.
Naturally, as the ground shook greatly again, my body rolled once.
Before I could regain my senses, its tail swept through the air. Even though it was just a tail swipe, the destructive power was immense.
Boom! Crash!
Instead of me, who had dodged the tail, the trees and rocks that had been standing still were shattered with a tremendous noise.
The tail, which sounded incredibly heavy just from the noise, seemed to disregard balance and was also incredibly fast, so it surged toward me in an instant.
Seeing the huge tail charging straight at me, I almost reflexively used a skill.
[Using skill, ‘Boundary Line (C)’!]
Kwaang!!!
The creature’s tail barely hit the boundary line I had used.
[SYSTEM] The boundary line has been destroyed!
‘Crazy.’
And it was broken.
With a massive explosion, the tail that had shattered the boundary line then struck the ground.
In the process, my body was also helplessly pushed back. As I rolled on the ground several times, I stared in bewilderment at where the boundary line had been destroyed.
‘Isn’t this insane? It breaks that in one hit?’
Although it’s C-rank, this is the first time that boundary line has been destroyed in one go.
It’s a skill I’ve used well so far, but is it not even dust on the nails to this thing from the hidden area?
Still, the important thing was that I survived for now.
If I had taken that single blow that could shatter even a C-rank skill in one hit, I would have been reduced to ashes by now.
I managed to stand up, leaning against a fallen tree and steadying myself on the ground.
The first 7th-grade monster I saw, [Sand Python], had a weakness in its back of the head, and [Deep Cave Spider (Intermediate)] had a weakness in its eyes.
So, for this one…
[Skill, ‘Extraordinary Brain (E)’ is automatically activated.]
Powerful but simple attacks. Swinging its tail or kicking.
‘Crucially, it doesn’t move around much.’
No quick charges or agile movements.
My dim vision clears, and my mind becomes sharp.
Now I know how I should act. Just as I firmly gripped the handle of my sword.
Woof!
A cute bark echoed through the air, huh?
Creaking, I turned my head and faced the worst possible situation.
“Damn it.”
Mungchi was standing proudly in front of the monster, wagging its tail.
“Hey, that’s not your friend!”
I shouted in frustration, but my voice didn’t seem to reach. Oblivious, Mungchi barked once more, woof.
It was quite a sharp bark, but… look at the size difference.
If that thing rolled its foot once, it would be nothing for Mungchi to fly to the edge of the universe. And at that moment, the creature opened its mouth.
From its enormous and deep mouth, its tongue dripped out.
The beast is clearly slow in movement. However…
‘Its size is overwhelming!’
Even if Mungchi tried to run away, it would be like a mouse trapped in a bottle.
‘Ah, I didn’t want to use a skill.’
Gritting my teeth, I rushed towards Mungchi with all my might.
[Unique skill, ‘What’s Yours is Mine (-)’ is being used!]
And at the same time, the monster’s tongue that came out to greet us put me right into its mouth.
💎
Thud!
A huge fish monster collapsed onto the corpses of numerous baby fish.
Its once-sharp teeth were nowhere to be seen, pulled out, and its bright red eyes were already closed and invisible.
Amidst the space covered with piled corpses and mist, the silhouette of a man appeared.
“I think that’s the exit over there?”
Cha Si-hyeon said, brushing off the dust that had settled on his hair.
Following him, Baek Doha also walked out of the mist.
“That was easier than expected.”
“It’s 5th grade after all.”
Although it took a bit longer than expected due to the large number of fish, that was all. The two S-rank hunters who had easily defeated the monster walked towards what they assumed was the exit.
“If our stage was this level, they probably got out faster than we thought.”
[SYSTEM] You have cleared the area, [Fish Swarm in the Mist]!
▸Remaining personnel (3/4)
As they opened the door and stepped out, a blue light enveloped the two.
They squinted at the bright light for a moment, but soon found themselves outside the area.
As Baek Doha looked around, wondering if another monster might appear.
Bang!!!
The sound of something striking hard echoed throughout the space.
Surprised, Cha Si-hyeon and Baek Doha opened their eyes wide and turned their heads. And at the end of their gaze…
“Hyung-nim?”
There was Lim Yuchan, his fist driven into a door.
Lim Yuchan, too, seemed to have just noticed their arrival, as he stopped his action and turned around.
He was someone whose emotions rarely showed on his face, but Lim Yuchan now wore a strangely urgent expression.
Having known each other for years, both Cha Si-hyeon and Baek Doha were surprised by this unfamiliar side of Lim Yuchan.
However, something else was bothering them even more.
“Where’s that C-rank?”
The other person who should have been beside Lim Yuchan was nowhere to be seen.
💎
Thank you for reading! ♡
