A-Rank Hunter Jinwoo Lee.
Although he was currently assigned to the Dungeon Rear Support Team, his ability ‘Holy Enhancement’ allowed him to deal effective damage to the undead.
So, he inwardly scoffed when Yerin Jeong brought out the Skeleton.
‘Just a Skeleton.’
And who was Yerin Jeong, anyway?
Wasn’t she the half-sibling of the Vice Guild Leader of the Fire Bird Guild?
More importantly, Yerin Jeong’s suspension and her act of entering the dungeon was no different from a coup against the guild.
‘I’ll subdue Yerin Jeong and climb the Vice Guild Leader’s ladder!’
In the first place, the Vice Guild Leader, Taeyoung Jeong, disliked Yerin Jeong. If he could achieve merit here, his future standing would naturally rise.
With such a bright future in mind, he charged at a mere undead monster, a Skeleton.
“Holy Enhancement!”
As Jinwoo Lee shouted, radiant light filled the dungeon.
Any normal undead would have turned to ash and scattered with this amount of Holy Power.
However, when the light cleared, an unbelievable situation occurred.
The Skeleton, hit by the holy attack, was unharmed.
“Th-this is even possible?!”
Jinwoo Lee’s voice trembled.
Of course, this happened because Maru was not an ordinary Skeleton but a Skeleton Paladin, but Jinwoo Lee, unaware of this, was flustered.
“H-Holy Enhancement!”
In his panic, he began attacking indiscriminately. But the result was obvious.
The Holy Power emanating from Jinwoo Lee was being absorbed by Maru’s bones.
Golden light wrapped around each bone joint, and the light gradually spread.
Finally, armor made of light formed over Maru’s skeleton.
A Skeleton clad in holy armor. It was no longer just a simple undead.
“Th-the Skeleton… absorbed Holy Power?”
“Impossible!”
The other Hunters around Jinwoo Lee were also astonished. A being whose very existence was a contradiction, a holy Death Knight, stood before them.
“…Kanghyeon, is this right?”
Yerin Jeong, also surprised by Maru’s power, opened her eyes wide and looked at Kanghyeon Lee.
* * *
‘Maru had that kind of ability?’
Maru absorbed the Holy Power and a light armor appeared.
Everyone, including me, stared at Maru, lost in thought, witnessing something they’d never seen before.
“…Kanghyeon, is this right?”
Yerin Jeong asked with a bewildered expression.
“…….”
I hadn’t seen it before either, so I had no explanation to give her.
It felt like, ‘This is my monster, but it’s not my monster.’
It was usually best to play it off shamelessly in such situations.
‘Come to think of it, Maru fought with Paladins on the El Dorado Continent once, didn’t he?’
At that time, he evolved into a Skeleton Paladin after receiving holy attacks from the Paladins.
‘Is it the type that gets stronger the more Holy Power it receives?’
It made sense.
Perhaps Maru was absorbing Holy Power and converting it into his own strength.
It was just that such situations hadn’t happened often until now.
‘If that’s the case, isn’t that quite an attractive ability?’
The opposing Hunter realized that Holy Power was useless and drew his sword to swing it, but it was also to no avail.
‘Maru is holding the Demonic Sword, so there’s no way he’ll lose in strength.’
A Skeleton Paladin wielding a Demonic Sword. And now with light armor.
Even I thought it was a bizarre combination, but I couldn’t help but feel reassured by Maru, who was on my side.
As the opposing Hunter swung his sword, a golden trajectory was drawn in the air.
At the same time, the moment it collided with Maru’s sword.
KWAANG-!!
A shockwave shook the entire dungeon. I felt a faint tremor beneath my feet.
“Krrrh!”
The opponent cried out in pain.
He was sent sprawling against the wall, his armor shattering into pieces.
“How… How could this happen…!”
The Hunter muttered in terror, clearly overwhelmed by Maru’s overwhelming power.
As Maru slowly approached to finish the battle.
“That’s enough.”
I commanded. Maru immediately stopped and looked at me.
The opponent had already lost all will to fight. There was no need to push further.
In the first place, Yerin Jeong’s sole objective was to take over the Fire Bird Guild by surpassing her brother.
There was no need to reduce the guild’s strength through unnecessary killing.
And I just had to help her with that.
Most importantly.
“What is that Hunter’s name?”
I asked Yerin Jeong.
I coveted that Hunter who could grant Maru the light armor.
‘He’d be perfect as a dedicated charger for Maru!’
He was a Hunter who could make Maru, who was already 5-Star, even stronger.
Why would I eliminate such a valuable resource? I should utilize it well.
“He’s a Hunter named Jinwoo Lee. His Rank is A, and as you can see, he possesses Holy-type abilities.”
Yerin Jeong replied.
Her voice trembled slightly. She seemed shocked by the fact that an A-Rank Hunter of the guild, moreover one with Holy-type abilities, had been so easily defeated by a Skeleton.
“Jinwoo Lee… Give me that Hunter.”
“What?!”
Seeing her react so strangely to my casual remark.
Why is she acting like this?
“H-how about… Kanghyeon, maybe your taste is…”
Her voice trembled subtly.
“…….”
This woman is saying things that could cause big trouble.
What on earth is she thinking?
This situation needed to be clarified quickly.
“…It’s nothing like that. Seeing this battle, I think he’d be helpful to Maru, so I want to keep him around.”
“Ah…”
With my calm explanation, Yerin Jeong let out a sigh of relief.
I don’t know why she was relieved, but I didn’t have time for that.
“Let’s capture them first.”
Yerin Jeong had not yet taken control of the guild. This matter would only end by apprehending Vice Guild Leader Taeyoung Jeong within the Minotaurus Dungeon.
Until then, I couldn’t trust anyone except Yerin Jeong’s team members.
“Hunter Jinwoo Lee. Surrender.”
As Yerin Jeong shouted, her team members moved forward.
Jinwoo Lee sat leaning against the wall. His eyes were still a mixture of fear and confusion. Blood flowed from the broken armor and pooled on the floor.
“I have no intention of fighting any further… Team Leader Yerin Jeong.”
His voice carried the weight of defeat. The Hunter who had looked down on Yerin Jeong just a moment ago had now decided to comply with the situation.
Honestly, it wouldn’t be easy if he, an A-Rank Hunter, resisted, but he was already in shock.
However, a Hunter next to Jinwoo Lee suddenly stood up and tried to escape.
“I can’t be a part of this treason! I have to inform the Vice Guild Leader—”
Maru moved in an instant, blocking his path. Seeing Maru standing threateningly with his Demonic Sword raised, the Hunter slumped down.
“Wh-what are you doing! Violating guild rules and betraying the Vice Guild Leader!”
It seemed he still had some will to resist.
Jinwoo Lee stopped such a Hunter.
“Stop it, now…”
Then he suddenly coughed and spat blood. It seemed he had suffered internal injuries from Maru’s blow.
Yerin Jeong, the healer, approached him and activated her healing skill. A gentle green light enveloped Jinwoo Lee’s body.
Not only that, but she also healed the Hunters with minor injuries beside him.
“You’re healing even your comrades…”
Jinwoo Lee looked at Yerin Jeong with surprised eyes, as if he didn’t expect it.
“You are all valuable resources. I don’t want unnecessary sacrifices.”
Yerin Jeong replied calmly.
“More importantly, this dungeon is dangerous. The Fire Bird Guild at its current level cannot possibly subjugate it.”
At those words, Jinwoo Lee and the Hunters widened their eyes in surprise.
“Therefore, I will stop the Vice Guild Leader.”
Come to think of it, Yerin Jeong was the first person to enter this dungeon.
For her to say it was a dungeon that the Fire Bird Guild couldn’t subjugate.
For them, who were in the rear support team, it was difficult to understand.
However, her actions now held sincerity.
Jinwoo Lee asked no further questions. He merely lowered his head.
What if Yerin Jeong’s words were all true?
His comrades and guild members inside were all in danger.
And it was the Vice Guild Leader who had driven these Hunters into such a dangerous situation.
Assuming her words were true, Jinwoo Lee said:
“…Go.”
Oh.
I was impressed by that sight.
The opponent had already shown recognition of Yerin Jeong.
At least, Yerin Jeong seemed like someone qualified to lead the guild.
‘So it’s not for no reason that her team members follow her well?’
However, time was running out.
Even though the monsters in the dungeon were mine, I didn’t know what unexpected situations might arise.
Yerin Jeong and I exchanged glances and nodded.
“Let’s continue.”
Now, It was time for the real battle. No, the real play.
* * *
Taeyoung Jeong, Vice Guild Leader of the Fire Bird Guild.
He was annoyed right now.
“Is this path really the right one?”
The Vice Guild Leader’s cold voice echoed through the narrow passages of the maze.
An A-Rank Hunter, acting as a Pathfinder, stood before him. He could feel the cold sweat trickling down his back, but he tried to speak calmly.
“Yes, Vice Guild Leader. According to confirmation…”
“Confirmation? But we keep encountering mazes!”
Taeyoung finally erupted in anger.
He had expected something immense, but it was natural to be annoyed when they had been wandering through mazes for hours.
What kind of dungeon keeps producing only mazes?
Minotaurus Dungeon?
They hadn’t encountered a single monster, let alone a Minotaurus.
Only endless mazes awaited them.
“It must be that Yerin Jeong deceived me!”
His frustration then turned to Yerin Jeong.
“Once I get out of here, I’ll get rid of her!”
Just then.
KU GUGUGUGUNG-
Everyone was startled by a sudden vibration and looked around.
“What is it, a trap?!”
The walls of the maze vibrated, and cracks began to appear. Tiny stone fragments started to fall.
Tock- Tock- Tock-
A dull sound was heard from beyond the wall. It sounded like someone was knocking on the wall.
CRACK-
Thin cracks began to form on the maze walls. The cracks gradually widened, and eventually, a part of the wall crumbled down.
“Everyone, fall back!”
The Hunter who was acting as the Pathfinder shouted. Amidst the thick dust, dark figures were revealed beyond the collapsed wall. Several figures holding pickaxes walked out slowly.
As the dust settled, Taeyoung’s eyes widened in terror.
“D-Death Knight?!”
A knight in black armor walked out from between the collapsed walls. His eyes glowed red, and various undead monsters like Skeletons, Ghouls, and Zombies, holding pickaxes, followed him.
“W-what is that!”
The Death Knight is an A-Rank Monster. This was not a monster that should be in the Minotaurus Dungeon.
“Everyone, form ranks!”
But this was a maze.
Engaging in combat with an A-Rank Monster like the Death Knight in such a confined space?
No matter how much A-Rank Hunters they were, the physical conditions of monsters and humans were fundamentally different.
Fighting here would be a foolish death.
Moreover, there was a bigger problem.
Behind the Death Knight were Hunters from the Fire Bird Guild, holding pickaxes.
“Namgung Hyuk?”
It was Hunter Namgung Hyuk, the Team Leader in charge of another extermination team.
Why were his guild members with the Death Knight?
“Why with the Death Knight…”
Could it be treason!
Treason. That was the word that filled Taeyoung’s mind at that moment.
Just then, a being in front of the Death Knight said something.
“Tap! Tap!”
A Skeleton wearing a robe must have been a Lich.
The Lich said something and then threw a pickaxe towards the Vice Guild Leader.
“……”
What is going on?
As everyone was confused, Hunter Namgung Hyuk, standing behind the Death Knight, scratched his head and spoke.
“Uh… Vice Guild Leader, do you want to join us…?”
At those words, the Death Knight nodded and patted Hunter Namgung Hyuk’s head.
It was a positive affirmation.
After all, there were plenty of pickaxes.
