Chapter 121: Preparation (2) |
The conversation with Jin Hyo-young was brief.
It couldn’t be helped since they weren’t searching together; rather, she was a watcher for cross-verifying information.
Thus, they decided to meet at a designated spot in the dungeon every 12 hours to re-examine each other’s covered areas.
However, even if it wasn’t for the déjà vu felt at the beginning of the conversation, Jin Hyo-young’s suspiciousness was definitely perceived.
Considering her role as a hunter whose main position is searching, her perfectly fitting combat uniform could be chalked up to personal preference.
The strong perfume and excessively applied makeup could also be seen as a matter of personal taste.
But throughout the conversation with Kang-hoo, Jin Hyo-young kept groaning.
She lamented her inability to join the combat team due to being level 85.
Moreover, she expressed her long-time admiration for assassin classes like Kang-hoo’s and even inquired about skills she pretended not to know.
In fact, her style was quite appealing.
Aside from the strong scent of perfume, she had many qualities that could attract men.
However.
The constellation scan by Kang-hoo revealed two constellations for her.
Unless she was a talented hunter who awakened her powers early, such a level definitely indicates she’s surpassed level 200.
If she had the capability to contract with constellations early, she would have been assigned to a combat team, not a search team.
It seemed she lied, thinking Kang-hoo would never find out. It was quite a slick lie.
Kang-hoo considered that she might be a watcher sent by the Jeonghwa Guild.
Or it was possible that she was planted by outsiders.
After all, such team formations are arbitrarily done by insiders.
It’s unlikely that the Jeonghwa Guild’s executives would be involved in every team composition.
Bribes might have been used to tailor the team to someone’s liking during the team formation stage.
‘Maybe I’ll play along. Since the approach seems intentional, it wouldn’t hurt to see what lies behind it.’
Kang-hoo decided to go along with Jin Hyo-young’s suspicious approach, convinced there was a 100% chance of a hidden agenda.
6 PM.
The search team’s entry commenced.
Team 132, consisting of Kang-hoo and Jin Hyo-young, was assigned the southeast route, exactly the direction Kang-hoo had initially requested.
The terrain was rugged, and the variables were many, deterring most.
For Kang-hoo, that only made it more appealing. The opportunity he sought lay precisely in that direction.
Upon entering the dungeon, they were greeted by an endless expanse of black earth – a veritable feast for the eyes.
It was clear why it was named the ‘hell’ of judgment.
The ground was a black lava land formed from cooled lava.
With not even a trace of minor vegetation, only irritating and unpleasant smoke rose from the ground’s crevices.
Regrettably, there appeared to have already been casualties, as decomposing corpses were visible up close.
“Wow, look at the size of that giant.”
“It’s quite large.”
“About 15 stories of an apartment building?”
“Could be more.”
In the direction Jin Hyo-young pointed, a battle between a giant and a raid team was already in progress.
A middle boss? Main boss?
No.
It was merely a member of the giant species, a regular monster.
The giant species of monsters were all unbelievably massive in size.
And the rewards they offered were very generous, enough to satisfy hundreds of people attacking them.
Of course, the Jeonghwa Guild’s hunters would naturally contribute the most and take almost all the prime rewards.
The rest of the members were essentially just extras, though they likely weren’t aware of this fact.
At that moment, Jin Hyo-young shouted.
“Jang Si-hwan is there too!”
Indeed, Jang Si-hwan was seen in the air, frantically casting magic, just as she had said.
Was it because he lost the Dark Arbiter?
He seemed to be using white magic skills rather than dark magic skills, which require a mix of darkness and magical power.
‘He does look cool.’
The performance of a mage often includes flashy elements, captivating even those who are merely spectators.
But inside, he must be rotting away. Nothing feels as terrible as losing what you once had.
“See you in 12 hours.”
“Yes. Stay safe.”
“You too.”
Kang-hoo lightly bid farewell to Jin Hyo-young and moved in the opposite direction.
Throughout his movement, he meticulously recorded the surrounding terrain, even sketching some parts.
He didn’t postpone his assigned tasks, irrelevant to his main objective.
Ku-woong, Ku-woong.
Despite the great distance, the shaking of the earth caused by the giants’ movements was felt even here.
With each movement, likely many hunters were losing their lives in vain, like flies.
Most of them, over ninety-nine percent, would be mercenaries who joined without knowing any better.
Like the point of opportunity in the Gold Goblin’s Mine was under a hidden thorn bush at the base of a mountain.
In the case of Judgment’s Hell, the point was located where hot magma continuously flowed nearby.
Technically a point, but in reality, entering without knowing meant certain death.
Because occasionally, eruptions occurred less than 100 meters away.
Although magma eruptions followed a slight pattern, it wasn’t perfectly predictable.
【The reason Jang Si-hwan came here was due to a sense of dissonance he felt since entering the dungeon.
His highly sensitive senses were constantly drawn to a hole just big enough for one person to enter.
It seemed to be not just a simply dug hole but a hidden space covered with loosely solidified lava.
He guessed that in such imperfectly formed mega-dungeons, there could indeed be a twisted space or two.】
The details of the original content vividly came to mind without missing a beat.
Seeing the comments full of complaints about Jang Si-hwan’s slow growth on the day it was supposed to be finished left an impression.
That day, while finalizing the manuscript, he impulsively added a new point of opportunity.
It was meant to be the main storyline of conquering Judgment’s Hell, but it veered off into this opportunity route instead.
The readers’ reaction was unexpectedly positive.
However, from that point on, the planned storyline became twisted, causing trouble up until the deadline.
‘I did give quite a bit. No, actually, it was an upgrade much needed by the protagonist,’ he thought.
Kang-hoo nodded to himself in agreement.
This point of opportunity was meaningful even for Jang Si-hwan, who was already quite developed.
For Kang-hoo, who had a much longer journey ahead and higher potential, it held several times more significance.
“It’s definitely more comfortable,” he mused.
It seemed he was truly suited for going it alone.
Walking alone, unconcerned with anyone’s gaze, his steps felt lighter and more comfortable.
Since it would take some time to reach the point, it was time to diligently observe the surrounding terrain.
Having been provided a good location, it was natural to fulfill the assigned tasks accordingly.
While moving,
Kang-hoo browsed through some skills he hadn’t favored much until now.
Increasing the number of skills is important, but utilizing what you have is equally crucial.
There wasn’t a single useless skill among those Kang-hoo had acquired so far.
Even the Cute! skill, obtained from the Slime King, was surprisingly useful for blocking long-distance attacks.
The slime’s inherent cuteness is a bonus. It’s so cute that you don’t even feel like popping it.
“Quick Evasion.”
Despite being a basic skill for assassins at level 40, it was seldom used.
He was accustomed to short-distance lateral movements and leaps, so the slight pre-concentration required for Quick Evasion felt bothersome.
The advantage of Quick Evasion lay not in how much distance it could cover but in its side effects.
【During evasion maneuvers, a Barrier of Resistance effect is activated, increasing your evasion rate against skills.】
This effect.
An increased evasion rate means there’s a higher chance to deflect attacks, much like how like poles of magnets repel each other.
Effectively, it causes skills to seem to miss. That’s the principle behind evasion rates.
“When faced with complicated skills coming from all directions, relying on the Barrier of Resistance effect seems like a good strategy.”
An apt analogy is drawn.
Sometimes, minimal effort can yield the greatest efficiency. The Barrier of Resistance is a prime example of this.
“Protective Barrier.”
Similarly, the Protective Barrier was either selectively used or nearly ignored altogether.
However, this skill also has a valuable aspect in its side effects.
【If the Protective Barrier is destroyed, a 'Desolation' effect is triggered, evaporating all mana within a 10m radius.】
It’s highly effective at instantly severing the magical power supply when facing a magic-oriented opponent.
Especially in situations where mana is scarce, the Desolation effect can significantly disrupt the mana supply in the affected area.
It’s useful for creating unpredictability.
The reason Kang-hoo hadn’t really needed to use the Protective Barrier was straightforward.
He had always engaged in extreme offense mode, often referred to as ‘extreme attack’ mode.
He even defeated Jeon Jong-du, who possessed tremendous brute strength, without retreating in a direct confrontation.
But against someone like Kang Dong-hyun, or more cunning opponents, its utility value would increase significantly.
“I’ve really used illusions and manipulation techniques very sparingly. No, no, that’s not good. Sticking to a fixed set of tactics isn’t advantageous.”
Snap! Just like that!
Kang-hoo snapped his fingers as if to remind himself.
A predictable set of tactics can be quickly exploited by an observant opponent.
Hasn’t Kang-hoo overpowered many enemies in such a manner? There’s no reason the opposite couldn’t happen to him.
Two hours passed.
Ten pages of the plain notebook Kang-hoo brought to record his exploration were filled to the brim.
Electronic devices are unusable inside dungeons, necessitating such old-fashioned record-keeping.
It had a certain old-school charm and was enjoyable. Both text and drawings have their own flavor to savor.
Reviewing the contents, it seemed he had documented all relevant information discovered during his journey here.
Adding a bit of personal bias, it seemed like a perfect 100-point record.
And then.
“Finally.”
The point of opportunity he had been anticipating from the start was now in front of him.
Indeed, hot magma was ceaselessly flowing down the already formed path.
About 30m apart, with magma flowing above and below, there was a pit in the middle.
Without further thought, Kang-hoo jumped into the pit. After all, there was a separate exit.
Since no battle was necessary, he entered without tension.
What welcomed Kang-hoo inside was a landscape entirely different from what the name ‘Judgment’s Hell’ would suggest.
Yes, it was a place full of light and warmth, fitting words like heaven or paradise.
The familiar landscape he had described in his writing.
With this landscape, memories of the original story began to resurface as well.
Along with the ‘luxuries’ enjoyed by Jang Si-hwan.
Running horses, growth stimulants necessary to give wings to the protagonist, Jang Si-hwan.
Now it was time for another being in this world, the true protagonist Shin Kang-hoo, to take them.
On the field, where a gentle breeze was blowing, there was an elegantly shaped wooden round table.
On it.
There were two books.
Each book was different, containing a kind of ‘essence’ that leads to an opportunity.
Though they appeared as books, simply touching them activates their contents.
Kang-hoo’s hand naturally reached for the book on the right.
He was more curious about the outcomes related to this book.
That was precisely it.
“Hidden Skill.”
A special skill, one of only 77 kinds that exist in the world of hunters! It was about one of those skills.