The fight between Awakened Ones of the same rank is known to favor the physically enhanced types.
Whether they are ranged dealers, debuffers, or sorcerers, it’s extremely tough to face a hunter who has focused their training on enhancing their physical strength—this is why Kang Yeon-su is considered one of the strongest in our country.
The fact that such a hunter was defeated in just a few minutes was shockingly terrifying.
However, after struggling to rise again, Kang Yeon-su confidently walked up to the monster, which was striking an absurd pose while laughing, and face it boldly.
She raised her hand and signaled with her fingers.
I nodded instinctively at that sign.
“Right. We’re not playing a sport, are we?”
There was no need to look for romance in pinning down the monster in a one-on-one.
In accordance with her signal, hundreds of hunters unleashed their skills all at once towards Kang Yeon-su.
– Beneficial effects stack multiple times.
– The effect of the stacked skills is significantly reduced.
Perhaps that message was continuously popping up in Yeon-su’s mind.
Just as there is a limit to how many times the Orc race skill, [Warrior’s Roar], can stack, there were clear limits to applying hunter support skills.
Still, as hundreds of support skills manifested around Kang Yeon-su, her body continued to glow brightly.
This meant she hadn’t yet reached the limit for receiving buffs, which was quite unreasonable.
– To think she can accept all this… Who’s the real monster here?
– I thought it would be fortunate if around a hundred stacked, but it seems she’s received at least over 70%.
– No matter how many support skills are activated, the power diminishes greatly with each stacking, so we need to keep an eye on her.
Kang Yeon-su had fought the monster entirely with her own power, but as soon as she judged that it was insufficient, she had accepted help from the other hunters.
– Everyone, get ready!!
But the experience of piling hundreds of support skills onto one person was uncharted territory for the hunters. Though it wasn’t unprecedented, there had been instances where it caused side effects.
Park Yong-hwan signaled to the hunters.
Just in case Kang Yeon-su got defeated.
Gulp-!
“Ugh… is this a bit too much?”
Black blood burst from Yeon-su’s mouth.
Seeing this, Park Yong-hwan hurriedly washed his face dry.
[Kaahhhh…? Kiki-kik!!]
As Kang Yeon-su returned significantly stronger after accepting the unknown power, the black being raised its lips and began flicking its long tongue again.
“Indeed… Its destructive instincts have dulled. What a peculiar creature.”
Usually, monsters are known for slaughtering living beings and destroying everything in sight without hesitation.
But that creature seemed far from those characteristics, resembling more of a powerful child with uncontrollable strength.
“Well… technically, it’s just been born, right?”
Then I confirmed the Flame Mark hovering above its head and the Flame Mark still lingering on the massive creature’s main body.
“Leaving marks on the main body means the offspring born from it will also come out with the marks stacked. That’s an unexpected harvest.”
It might be a hidden setting that could be useful when facing the “Devouring Creeper.”
“*Huuuuh───*”
The black creature crossed its arms and awaited Yeon-su to wrap up her power gain.
“What a well-mannered fellow. Thanks for that.”
But just as I momentarily turned my gaze, Kang Yeon-su’s new form vanished.
“?!”
Even my highly condensed sensory waves couldn’t catch her movement, and soon, Yeon-su’s aura briefly flashed past behind the black creature.
Bang──!
Bam Bam Bam!
Boom Boom Boom───!!
– I can’t see… Damn, this level of combat?!
The scale of battle between Kang Yeon-su and the black creature expanded significantly, causing the watching hunters to involuntarily lean back in shock.
Every collision between the two caused the ground to distort, and even distant barriers began to crack.
“Kang Yeon-su…”
Not as much as Yeon-hee, but Kang Yeon-su was also an incredibly unusual hunter.
Unlike other hunters, she had grown stronger by gradually erasing skills she had activated early on.
So now, nearly at her final form, she was fighting without using any skills, relying solely on her physically enhanced magic power.
[Hehehehehe! Hahaha!]
“Looks like she’s really getting into it!”
The black creature couldn’t contain its rising excitement and let out a buoyant laugh.
However, the dynamics had drastically changed from the first round.
Kang Yeon-su, who had been defensive, had long since switched to an offensive stance, while the creature’s laughter was diminishing.
After a fierce exchange, Kang Yeon-su landed a meaningful blow to the creature’s face.
Bam Bam Bam Bam!
The black creature’s face had been perfectly struck by her counter, and after being shoved deep into the ground, it trembled for a while, unable to rise.
“…… Insufficient.”
Kang Yeon-su’s “Divine Transformation” was powerful, but it wasn’t a state that could last all day. Quick resolution was necessary.
However, despite being heavily injured, the monster lightly jumped to the ground, nodding its head and grinning widely.
[Pwha- Gaaaah!]
The creature muttered something towards Kang Yeon-su, but there was no way to understand what was said.
“Still, that creature has lost a lot of strength.”
While watching the monster, I kept an eye on its slime-shaped main body, which, after producing a small one, showed no signs of life, as if entering hibernation.
“…… If I hit it twenty more times, I can kill it.”
Even if it has the ability to store skills received, if I unleashed five Flame Explosions in succession, calling forth that immense unknown entity must give me a fighting chance. No, I will definitely kill it.
As Kang Yeon-su and the black creature exchanged glances, they each took a step toward each other, clasping their hands for a test of strength.
– Ohhh… Isn’t she holding her own against the monster?
– Incredible. Her reputation is well earned.
– Kang Yeon-su… She might really succeed the “Sword Master.”
The watching hunters nodded, seemingly engaged in light conversation, but among them, about twenty who were the strongest were preparing to intervene in the battle.
“They will seize the moment when that test of strength ends.”
Everyone must have been thinking that.
And I was no exception.
*Guguguguguguguk──!*
Boom-!
[Gaahhh!]
“Wahhh!! Yeon-su unnie made it kneel!”
At the moment Yeon-hee exclaimed in exhilaration, the powerhouse hunters, who had been waiting for an opportunity, disappeared and a flicker occurred twenty times.
[Flame Explosion]
Kawaaaaaaaang──!!
– Huh?!
– What the hell is that magic?!
The powerhouse hunters who dealt a fatal blow to the monster were taken aback upon witnessing an explosion at such a sudden moment.
They must have assessed that the capabilities of those who activated skills had peaked at that moment.
“Is there a ranged mage among the hunters who haven’t joined yet?”
They would have thought as much. And it was true.
Yet, they seemed to sense nothing unusual, only rolling their eyes into a defensive posture.
“Is that really not much destruction to you? Why are you so surprised?”
Not exactly something I should say, considering I secretly inserted my skill, but compared to the skills they activated, my attack was truly minimal.
– ‘I contributed weakly to defeating the small black monster!’
– Experience points have greatly increased!
– Level has risen!
– Level has risen!
– Level has risen!
– Level has risen!
“Haha… contributed weakly yet I leveled up three times. What a steal.”
It seemed like landing a hit against an opponent of such a significant disparity earned me considerable recognition.
I maintained the expanded sensory values for a moment and invested stats into strength, agility, and wisdom.
Strength: 316(+11)
Agility: 345(+11)
Wisdom: 336(+11)
Tingling—
Leveling up by three levels at once, I could distinctly feel the difference in power, causing a smile to creep up.
The hunters gazing at the pillar of black flame still soaring toward the sky.
And Kang Yeon-su, who had widened the distance from the monster along with the explosion.
Without checking the creature’s status, she immediately canceled her [Divine Transformation].
[Garururururu──]
The black creature, still making its unique sound, stood upright despite its entire body being engulfed in flames and grinned at Kang Yeon-su.
Suddenly, its body began to shatter into hundreds of pieces.
Warrng——!
The creature’s body, now divided into hundreds of pieces, was engulfed in flames, sending vast amounts of smoke soaring high into the sky.
“Huh?! What’s that?!”
Instinctively, I flew toward the smoke and unfolded a spatial dimension to suck it all in.
Fwooosh──
– Huh?!
– What the hell is that!!
– It sucked in the smoke?!
– How is that possible?!
– That’s Yeon-hee’s summoned creature. Somethings make our spatial structure different from theirs?
In fact, things that can’t enter spatial dimensions include not only living organisms but also solid objects firmly fixed to the ground or gaseous forms like smoke.
“But I can do anything.”
I tested this when I received the possibility from ‘Ran’ at dawn and had no hesitation rushing in. After sucking in the smoke, I returned next to Yeon-hee and pretended like nothing happened.
*Puhuhuhu… Hehe-*
At that moment, Kang Yeon-su, who had just reverted from her divine form and regained her consciousness, burst into laughter upon seeing me.
“Hahahaha- That’s just too funny. What is that guy?”
As Kang Yeon-su suddenly started laughing crazily, the people were bewildered while Yeon-hee cautiously followed alongside her with a smile.
“Vice Guild Leader, can you keep going?”
The practical leader of this hunt, Park Yong-hwan, asked worriedly to Kang Yeon-su, who was sprawled out on the ground, and she shrugged her shoulders with a smile as if to say it was no problem.
“By the way, was that Drake and the friend controlling the armor from your side?”
“Yeah. Why do you ask?”
“Haha, I’m just impressed by that. Everyone was busy fleeing, yet you stayed back, even collecting that unidentified smoke.
Looking at the direction the smoke was flying, it was likely trying to absorb back into the main body. That’s quite a relief.”
“Oh… Right! Our Yeon-hee’s summoned creature has a unique spatial dimension!”
“Seems so. Being the only class Summoner… that’s fascinating. Now, we need to think about the next plan, but the problem is—”
“What?! The barrier is collapsed?!”
Yeon-su just learned that the barrier had gotten tangled.
And the S-rank hunter who was leading the installation of the barrier had seemingly vanished from sight.
“Tsk… there’s no way that person made a mistake?”
There was only one person who could raise suspicion, but then again, the S-rank barrier mage was someone with an excellent reputation.
Since the barrier mage was nowhere to be seen, everyone set aside their suspicion toward him for now and, concentrated on solving the pressing issue at hand.
Park Yong-hwan and the powerhouses began gathering again, while other hunters formed groups of three or five to enter strategy meetings.
“*Hooey-* At least they didn’t say much, thank goodness.”
Without much thought, I had stolen the smoke, but that could also be seen as part of the reward for hunting the monster.
However, thanks to Park Yong-hwan’s statement, it was framed as if we had prevented the monster’s strength from recovering.
“Honestly, I didn’t mind that intention either. Obviously, that smoke contained immense magic power.”
I’d have to find that smoke once I entered the Dark Space later.
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