[Sensitive Sense]
Among the countless species in the Demon Realm, the ‘Crocsius’ species is so wicked that even other demons avoid them.
They accidentally discovered a path created by the ‘Meroetuna’ species and sneaked into another dimension, committing numerous heinous acts. Unfortunately, the Were Crocs born from their lineage were rejected by other species and had to survive in swamps, deep rivers, and dark, damp caves.
Over the years of being oppressed, they acquired an incredible ability to sense enemy intrusions before they occur.
“Hmm… So there was a backstory after all.”
It wasn’t exactly a beautiful tale worth reading.
Trash causing havoc in another dimension and even birthing dirty offspring, how delightful.
“Both the Diva and the Were Crocs are real problems.”
Of course, not all demons are like that, but after consistently receiving such information, it’s hard not to develop preconceived notions.
At least I’ve seen ‘Azraelon,’ so I’m trying to maintain some objectivity. If not for him, my aversion to demons would have grown.
– [Sensitive Sense] integrates into my existing abilities.
– I gain a more acute sense.
– Sense +30
“Wait?! Am I going crazy? It boosted my sense by 30?!”
It’s the first time my stats have increased this much from gaining a skill.
[Sensitive Sense] absorbed into me without even registering as a passive skill. Not only did my stats rise, but I also felt a wider range and sharper quality to my existing senses.
“I guess there could be cases like this. I did well to dig at the cliff. I should try other dungeons too.”
And concurrently, I obtained a new skill.
[Water Weapon]
– You can create various types of weapons using water.
– There is no resistance when using them underwater.
“That doesn’t stray from what I expected.”
While it’s just the ability to create weapons from water, being able to fight without resistance in underwater combat is a very interesting option.
I immediately activated [Water Weapon].
– Not enough resources to create a weapon.
“Wait… is water necessary for this?”
It clearly states in the skill description that it requires water, yet I was surprised that it consumes resources other than magic power for activation.
I took out a jug from my Space and soaked the ground with water, then activated the skill again. The water started to coalesce into a shape the size of a soccer ball and spin around.
“Hmm… what should I create?”
After a moment of thought, I visualized a throwing spear in my head.
A firm spear shaft and a sharp, single-edged spearhead.
It’s the simplest form, but it’s perfect for throwing.
Whoosh—
As soon as I completed the image, it materialized in an instant with a smooth line.
Tap— Tap!
I held the translucent water spear and struck the ground a few times; surprisingly, it had good durability and sharpness.
Whoosh—
Throwing it with a flame enveloping it, it flew much faster than I expected, reaching the target point.
“Not bad at all.”
Even with ample offensive options, being able to maintain combat capability in any environment is a big advantage.
Clank—
After amusingly watching the message, I was sucked back through the door to find myself facing Wang-wang’s rear, which was surrounded by enhancement stones.
It seemed Yeon-hee had come to my house to summon me this time.
Looking outside, it was darker than usual; it seemed like they had coffee with companions before summoning me.
“Hehe, Il-wol! Wang-wang is making enhancement stones again. I think he’s making two a day nowadays!”
“Clap, Clap, Clap.”
As soon as I appeared, I didn’t want to smell Wang-wang’s backside, but Yeon-hee was around, excitedly saying, “Look at our Wang-wang!”
Wang-wang was still only producing low-grade enhancement stones, but that alone was quite impressive.
Speaking of which, I need to go to the blacksmith, but I keep putting it off. I guess it’s because I don’t feel any shortage of equipment.
“Wow…!”
The cuter Wang-wang becomes, the more I think that if the dungeon’s balance collapses entirely, I should go to an F-rank dungeon and fetch an Earth Puppy.
After giving Wang-wang’s rear a light tap, I made my way to the front yard, burned away any impurities on my body, and proceeded with Irmana’s ritual out of habit.
This time, Irmana showed no particular reaction.
Once the ritual was over, Yeon-hee casually moved next to me and leaned on my shoulder.
“Isn’t it strange? Whenever I meet Yeon-hee, my unease disappears.”
When I was alone, my heart raced like a drum, but being with her felt like lying in the warm sun and taking a deep nap; it’s truly amazing how my mood shifts so quickly.
“Ultimately, summoned creatures are happiest when they’re with summoners.”
“Uh?”
“Clap, Clap, Clap.”
Even though it’s a relationship created by some system, I really liked things just the way they were.
*
While Il-wol was indulged in happiness.
In the middle of the gigantic dungeon ‘Nando’ located in Jeju Island, strange phenomena were stirring.
“Another massacre, huh?”
“Hell… How is this possible?”
The ‘Lesser Hellacne,’ known for having killed the most hunters in ‘Nando.’
This monstrous creature, a subservient form of the ‘Sea Serpent Hellacne,’ was found dead in droves.
“I thought the balance of the dungeon was at least maintained here?”
“It was fine up until yesterday.”
“They all fell to a single person. And they were all one-hit kills.”
“Dammit… Am I dreaming right now?”
Nam Han-gil, an elder of the Dwarf Guild, one of Korea’s top three guilds, and his party members were carefully examining the corpse of the Lesser Hellacne with serious expressions.
Lesser Hellacne is a monster that can only be encountered underwater, and its speed is ridiculously high, making it difficult for even an S-rank hunter to catch it alone.
But now, there were not just one but a staggering thirteen of them dead, forcing even the top A-rank hunter, Nam Han-gil, to feel tense.
“The person who did this… is slaughtering every monster they encounter and doesn’t even seem to care about the byproducts.”
“It seems they’re looking for something, but it’s still hard to tell. They’re leaving signs on purpose, it seems?”
The Dwarf Guild has multiple teams stationed in ‘Nando’ to gather quality materials, and with these events occurring for the past few days, everyone was feeling uneasy.
“Should we ask for help from that person?”
“No… They’re only killing monsters for now, we shouldn’t contact them yet. Let’s gather information with just our team for now.”
“Phew— But we’re taking all of this with us, right?”
One of the party members pointed at the glinting scales of the Lesser Hellacne, and seeing that, a flush appeared on Nam Han-gil’s face.
“Surely. I can’t just leave such great materials behind.”
“This one’s so big, it’ll take days just to skin it.”
“For now, let’s fill up as much as we can and leave the rest to the storage keeper. Let’s hire the hunter with the most storage space by marketing my name.”
“Yes!!”
However, at that moment, a noise they shouldn’t have heard vibrated in their ears.
Shuffling—
The dwarves, who were grinning at the corpse of the Hellacne, all turned their heads towards the right passage.
“……”
Silently drawing their weapons.
“Haha… I didn’t realize the owner was nearby.”
The one who made their hearts tremble with just his footsteps was an extraordinarily handsome man who, for some reason, emitted a chilling vibe.
“Continue what you were doing.”
The mysterious man revealed himself, his vertically split pupils flashing as he gestured to them. As if telling them not to mind him and just carry on with their work.
“Uh, if we apologize… will you spare us?”
The most cautious of them, Nam Han-gil, asked hesitantly, having gauged the unknown man’s level accurately.
In response, the man waved his hand dismissively as if it were insignificant.
“I have nothing to apologize for, nor do I wish to accept any. That would be correct since I abandoned those.”
The implication that they hadn’t done anything wrong left the dwarves sweating profusely as their faces turned red.
If it was indeed abandoned, there would be no reason for him to show up again.
“I have a single question: If you give me an answer that satisfies me, I’ll hand over the corpse of this creature.”
Demon Jo Gi-man, in his human form maintaining [Disguise], presented to the dwarves a Mana Stone from the ‘Sea Serpent Hellacne.’
A special monster’s mana stone, eminently distinct from the chilly Lesser Hellacne lying on the ground.
“This… this is…”
“This is a monster we’ve only managed to hunt twice in our guild…”
The probability of encountering it is so low that the ‘Sea Serpent Hellacne’ is held as a dream among all dwarves.
He was offering to hand over its byproduct.
“What… what are you going to ask?”
Surprisingly, the dwarves, who had just moments ago been shaking in fear, now had their eyes glistening with greed.
Their blacksmith instinct was overpowering their instinct to fear.
Jo Gi-man nodded, as though it was only natural, and casually asked.
“Do you know of the deity ‘Ryun’, or A-rank hunters who wield water attributes, or the existence of ‘Aquakanum’? Have you heard of any of these?”
“Ryun… water attribute hunter… Aquakanum…?”
Nam Han-gil and his companions scratched their heads, pondering it for a long while, but no one could spit out any actual information.
However, Jo Gi-man’s thoughts seemed different.
“Hehe… I found it.”
Jo Gi-man was enjoying the thrill of discovering something new, something he hadn’t felt in a long time.
Originally, he would never have sought out ‘Nando’ at this time, making everything feel refreshingly new. On top of that, he had encountered someone holding the key to the clues he was looking for.
“Hey, red-haired woman, tell me everything you know.”
Jo Gi-man pointed toward the woman who had been nervously sweating behind Nam Han-gil.
“Uh? Little star, do you know something?”
“Uh, um…”
The red-haired woman, singled out, didn’t even ask how he knew she was hiding information.
In a world where hunters could split the sky and carve the sea, it wouldn’t be surprising if one had the ability to discern lies.
“I promise. I will never harm anyone related to the information you provide.”
Seeing the hesitant woman, Jo Gi-man waved his hand to reassure her.
“…… Please, promise. I want you to swear.”
However, the cautious woman couldn’t trust him even a little.
Jo Gi-man stared quietly at the woman asking for a vow, thinking to himself.
‘This stubborn woman is so bothersome.’
Despite wanting to rip her apart and pour her warm blood down his throat, extracting information through coercion would require more troublesome procedures against a hunter of her caliber, so he had no choice but to exercise patience.
In the end, Jo Gi-man made the vow with the woman and was able to acquire the information about the A-rank hunter who wields water attributes.
“Got it, right?”
“Fine. You can go.”
The vow made in the name of the deity of oaths is something even the Seven-Headed Dragon cannot break.
Just as he had tricked Yeon-hee, the same shallow deception wouldn’t work on these people, so he couldn’t help but let the dwarf party go.
Then, based on the information he had collected, Jo Gi-man briefly left ‘Nando’, where he had stayed for a considerable time.
Despite having invested significant effort following the lead, he found no solid clues from the water attribute hunter the dwarves mentioned.
Finally, a few days later, he decided to return to this place again.
He had only scouted out a minor part of ‘Nando,’ and he wanted to make the woman who led him in circles pay for it.
But unexpectedly, he found a small clue at the entrance of ‘Nando’, allowing Jo Gi-man to expedite his journey toward ‘Aquakanum’.
*
“Kyaa— Il-wol, it’s been such a long time!”
The long-eared Ah-rin and comrades welcomed me enthusiastically.
In front of a dungeon called ‘Weasel Cliff,’ we finally reunited, and my comrades bombarded me with questions while examining me from head to toe.
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