Chapter 119: Park Dong-jae (5) |
30 seconds later.
“What a poor sight.”
Kang-hoo grimaced as he collected items from the deceased Park Jun, valued at around 500 million won.
Had he sold these items to fund the reorganization of his group?
The items he wore did not match his level and status, being cost-effective rather than powerful.
Among hunters, it was called a “commoner setup,” meant only for appearances.
Park Jun’s fate was sealed the moment his evasion skill was blocked, exactly what Kang-hoo had aimed for.
Had Park Jun used a leap or acceleration skill, he might have narrowly avoided the attack.
However, “evasion” or “quick evasion” were skills judged as spatial movement.
This is why evasion was completely blocked by the fifth constellation’s privilege.
Park Jun, who had prepared to evade as usual, hesitated at the moment.
His hesitation proved fatal. Had he instinctively moved, he could have saved his life.
Upon closer inspection, the fifth privilege allowed for excluding allies from its effect.
At first glance, it could seem useful for preventing friendly fire, but the system was not that flawed.
Anyway, Kang-hoo thought he should review the tooltips of all skills when he had more time.
Going into detail often revealed differences from what he initially knew.
For instance, with teleportation. Until now, he thought it always had to include himself.
“Hmm.”
The severed head of Park Jun on the ground.
His eyes, unnoticed, carried the resentment of his final moments.
After executing a beheading, Kang-hoo immediately cast Blood Flower, leaving the head no chance to survive.
Park Jun’s death allowed Kang-hoo to plunder a significantly useful constellation contract.
It was why he had been interested from the moment they met; he desperately wanted this constellation.
【Merciless Assassin】
【You can designate one of the basic skills to change into an ultimate skill.
【You can change the designated skill up to 3 times. After that, changes are impossible.】
It seems Park Jun had converted his level 40 assassin’s basic skill, evasion, into an ultimate skill.
That’s why he tried to use evasion as soon as he noticed Kang-hoo’s movement.
The transformation into an ultimate skill, called 궁극기 in Korean or Ultimate in English, was significantly impactful.
Kang-hoo had previously used a skill enhancement opportunity to turn Blood Flower into an ultimate skill for the same reason.
Thanks to that, Blood Flower, which was limited to one-on-one, could now affect multiple targets.
As long as they were within range, even hundreds could be affected by Blood Flower.
“I need to think about which basic skill to touch.”
Leap. Lateral movement. Bleeding stab.
Acceleration. Quick evasion. Shadowless. Clone technique.
So far, these 7 basic skills were automatically acquired by Kang-hoo as he leveled up.
While the Clone technique was most appealing, the calculation changes if other basic skills become ultimate skills.
Since there’s no immediate need to choose, he decided to put it on hold for now.
“I expected a fierce battle. It seems I overestimated the opponent.”
Kang-hoo felt the desolation of the entire building as the cold wind blew.
He had expected a fierce battle with the remnants of the Osho Mercenary Corps, mingling hot sweat and blood for escape.
By the time Park Jun died, they had already fled through a pre-prepared emergency exit.
If they had defended with determination, they could have recaptured some hostages and put Kang-hoo in danger.
However, the mere survival instincts of those unworthy made things too easy.
It worked out well for Kang-hoo.
Thanks to that, he not only plundered the highly valuable constellation of the Merciless Assassin.
Because of Kang-hoo, Park Dong-jae was made to owe his life. This was the “debt of the heart” Kang-hoo had been contemplating.
The cleanup was finished by dawn.
The escaped hostages were picked up by Kim Su-kyung’s mercenary group, who had agreed to cooperate after being contacted by Jeon Se-hyuk.
They personally escorted them back to the safety of their families or acquaintances.
And agreed to receive compensation for it. It was a savvy move by Kim Su-kyung, who highly values local reputation.
Meanwhile, they didn’t pursue the fleeing members of the Osho Mercenary Corps.
It wasn’t worth it, and there was a risk of being ambushed since this was essentially their home ground.
After the battle,
Thus, everyone rested or slept in the accommodations Jeon Se-hyuk had reserved for the whole day.
However, Jeon Se-hyuk, Ban Se-yeong, and Park Dong-jae, drowned in the joy of their reunion, had no thoughts of sleeping.
And naturally, Kang-hoo, who usually sleeps little, ended up staying awake as well.
For that reason, the four gathered in the room Jeon Se-hyuk had reserved for himself.
It was a small drinking session with a bit of beer and snacks, modest but without the pressure.
After taking a shower, Park Dong-jae immediately grabbed both of Kang-hoo’s hands as soon as he saw him arrive late.
“Thank you so much. Truly, thank you! Because of you, Mr. Sun-kyu, I was able to live!”
Park Dong-jae, holding Kang-hoo’s hands, cried endlessly as if greeting a savior, a messiah.
Kang-hoo knew he was an emotional person but was surprised to see him cry this much.
“It’s good that nothing happened.”
Kang-hoo replied with an awkward smile.
He was about to say something brash like, “Well, I had to make the dungeon worth the money,” but fortunately, he paused and chose a different response.
Sometimes, it’s important not to counter the other’s emotions with your own but to simply accept them.
“I thought I was surely going to die. You really are a lifesaver. I will never forget this for as long as I live.”
Tears streamed down from Park Dong-jae’s deeply bowed head.
Kang-hoo could feel his sincerity. He hoped the tears would wash away all the hardships he had endured.
“Thank you, Sun-kyu oppa. If it weren’t for you, I wouldn’t have even thought to save Dong-jae oppa.”
“Well, I could do it because I’m an assassin. You trusted me, and that’s why I proved it.”
“That’s not it! Which assassin uses a teleportation skill? Only you can do that!”
“I agree with Se-yeong. He was joking about it earlier, saying he’s a genius assassin who does everything on his own.”
Jeon Se-hyuk chimed in.
Kang-hoo involuntarily nodded upon hearing the joke Ban Se-yeong made.
It wasn’t incorrect.
While he started as an assassin, Kang-hoo’s abilities were continually expanding in various directions.
Indeed, he aspired to grow into an all-rounder capable of handling everything on his own.
“If I can, I do want to handle everything by myself.”
Kang-hoo admitted honestly.
It’s not a vain desire.
As long as he continues to strive and challenge himself, he can plunder skills and constellations, so the path is always open.
Kang-hoo finally took a relaxed look at Park Dong-jae’s constellation information.
【Mother of the Beginning】
【Improves the efficiency of all buff skills by 25%, and one main buff skill by 55%.】
【Adventurer of Passion】
【Increases the chance of getting an item of one grade higher from middle and main bosses by 33%.】
【Priest of Altruism】
【Increases the experience gain of allies maintaining three or more of your buff skills by 5%.
And the increased amount of their experience gain also adds to your own.】
‘It seems like the constellations are telling him to be a buffer for life.’
Seeing Park Dong-jae’s constellation information, it became clear why he had no choice but to diligently follow the path of a buffer.
Though the original story wasn’t written in such detail, Park Dong-jae’s fate seems perfectly filled in.
‘Park Dong-jae must not be given up on.’
Kang-hoo resolved internally.
If his constellations are this impressive before his true power has fully emerged,
once he starts forming more official constellation contracts, he will become an unmatched support.
There’s absolutely no reason to give up on Park Dong-jae, who is a surefire asset when on your side.
That must be why Jeon Se-hyuk and Ban Se-yeong also want to be by his side.
Of course, their interest isn’t driven by a mercenary desire to exploit him, but rather it highlights his significant value.
Then, Park Dong-jae said,
“The guy guarding the fourth underground level claimed he was level 150. So, when I learned Mr. Sun-kyu had subdued him, I assumed he must be at least level 200.”
The jailer who was beheaded as soon as they emerged from the ventilation duct was level 150?
Kang-hoo tilted his head in doubt.
That seemed improbable, given his mediocre abilities and, more crucially, his absence of constellations.
It was probably a bluff, but it appears Park Dong-jae was misled by it.
“But now you’ve surpassed level 100. I can hardly believe it. No, nobody will.”
“Level is just a number, after all.”
“Exactly. I’ve truly come to understand the meaning of those words now.”
“Be cautious in the future. Ground Zero isn’t a place for the merely curious.”
“Yes. Even if I’m asked to go, I won’t. I have no reason to be there.”
“You’ve endured a lot.”
“I owe you my life today, and I’ll spend the rest of my life repaying that debt. I’m truly grateful, Mr. Sun-kyu.”
Park Dong-jae bowed deeply to Kang-hoo once again.
He reminded Kang-hoo of An Yeong-ho, who also continuously expressed gratitude out of a sense of indebtedness.
It wasn’t a burden.
After all, wasn’t he a lifesaver?
For such a person, giving up even a liver or gallbladder wouldn’t be considered too much. Indeed, that would be the case.
The drinking session that extended through the first, second, and third rounds ended after Jeon Se-hyuk and Park Dong-jae passed out.
Park Dong-jae fell asleep, blissfully intoxicated by the alcohol he hadn’t tasted in a long while.
Jeon Se-hyuk, overwhelmed with joy at having saved his cherished younger brother, threw caution to the wind and drank until he passed out.
The matter of transferring dungeon ownership was to be finalized before Kang-hoo and Jeon Se-hyuk parted ways.
Jeon Se-hyuk had provided a list of dungeons he owned, and a few of them caught Kang-hoo’s interest.
Kang-hoo was newly impressed by Jeon Se-hyuk’s wealth.
Of course, he mentioned that the cost for the dungeons to be transferred to Kang-hoo would be billed to Park Dong-jae, but that was likely said in jest.
He is definitely not the petty type to demand the cost of saving a life from the person he saved.
Meanwhile,
Kang-hoo and Ban Se-yeong were drinking beer for the fourth round in Kang-hoo’s assigned room at the lodging.
Unlike Ban Se-yeong, whose face had turned a shade of pink, Kang-hoo’s complexion hadn’t changed at all.
In fact, it seemed even paler than before he started drinking, as if he had applied powder.
While sitting quietly by the window overlooking the dawn valley, sipping beer in the dim light,
Ban Se-yeong cautiously broached the subject.
“Have you ever been in a relationship, oppa?”