Chapter 1193

<Chapter 1193> Test

I spotted the guy.

He was sitting on a rock, wearing a cloak, with curly black hair reaching his shoulders and sunken eyes. He lowered the wooden flute from his lips as he noticed us.

“B-Rank Hunter Sung Yoojin, and Ha Seunghee of Sejin Group. Is that correct?”

His sharp voice spoke Korean with an awkward accent—maybe on purpose.

“If you knew who we were when you came, why are you confirming now?”

“I once mistakenly killed an innocent hunter who wasn’t my target. I thought they were the target… but they weren’t. Korean faces all look similar to me.”

“I’m Sung Yoojin. And you?”

“It’s none of your business.”

“Damn brat!”

I swung my Hwalyeon Sword at him. The blade’s energy slashed through the Neutral air. With a backstep, he effortlessly dodged it.

After observing his movements, I clicked my tongue. He’s definitely no less than B Rank (Concept).

“You sure are quick-tempered.”

“Is that something a killer should say?”

“Calm down first. I don’t intend to kill you guys.”

“That’s rich coming from someone who nearly got us killed! What country are you from?”

“…”

The guy clammed up, clearly determined to conceal any personal info.

‘If he really didn’t intend to kill us by sending those Fog Snakes… then his purpose must have been to wear me down just a little.’

Of course, I don’t trust his words. I remain cautious of him until the end.

‘What country is he from? Not Southeast Asia… maybe China or Japan? Or could he be Korean, deliberately speaking broken Korean?’

I cut off my thoughts. Doubts breed more doubts. Continuing this train of thought won’t help. Anyway, the answer is right in front of me. All I need to do is capture him and interrogate.

His gaze shifted toward Ha Seunghee.

“I only want one thing: the drug that instantly grows plants. Hand it over, and I’ll leave you alone. We can walk out of this dungeon without any trouble.”

“Bullshit.”

If we hand over the HB-1 here, Ha Seunghee’s plans and dreams will crumble. I didn’t want that. She risked her own body for ambition and made a deal with me. That was part of what made her attractive. If we submit to this guy now, her value and charm will be damaged.

‘In an instant.’

Kicking off the ground with all my strength, I leaped. His eyes trailed behind me a beat too late, unable to fully grasp my movement.

He tightly gripped the wooden flute with both hands. The crimson blade of my Hwalyeon Sword descended onto his right shoulder.

BOOM!

An impact wave erupted. My body was sent flying backward. I spun mid-air and landed gracefully.

‘…Wind?’

Right before the shockwave, I saw it—the presence of wind enveloping his body. It was the wind protecting him.

He brought the wooden flute to his lips.

Zzzt!


Current surged through my body.

Immediately afterward, a bolt of lightning struck from Heaven and hit the bastard. He didn’t even spare it a glance, didn’t bother to dodge. The armor of wind protecting his body had blocked even the lightning.

“Is this wind manipulation ability the same as Jin Se-young’s?”

The bastard blew on a wooden flute.

It wasn’t some annoying sound like when controlling a Fogsnake; it was a performance. The wind passing through the flute turned into music, and the music burrowed into our heads through our ears.

“Aaaaaaaaaaah!”

Ha Seung-hui screamed and grabbed her ears. Losing her balance and staggering, she collapsed onto the ground and tightly shut her eyes.

“What the hell is this guy doing?!”

I had to save Ha Seung-hi first.

I gathered lightning in my palm.

Yeongcheonryu (Shadow Heaven Style) Ultimate Technique: Scattered Thunder.

I scattered the lightning into the Neutral space. It wriggled and spread in all directions. The mana fluctuating in the area disappeared under pressure from the scattered thunder. Ha Seung-hi lowered her hands that were covering her ears, and her expression looked more relieved than before.

“You’ve temporarily driven away the mana around here, huh? Impressive.”

The stoic bastard started playing the flute again.

The sound was different from earlier. The wind wrapping around his body burst out like releasing compressed air, moving in rhythm with the music.

I glanced at Ha Seung-hi who was still sprawled out. Protecting her from freely moving wind—whether straight or curved—was looking impossible.

‘Stormbreaker.’

A grand spear appeared in front of me. I grabbed it with one hand and hurled it toward Ha Seung-hi. She was startled. She extended her hand as if trying to block it. Just before piercing her hand, the spear shattered into pieces, sticking to her body and forming an armor.

I acknowledge the defensive power of Stormbreaker. This should ease my concerns about Ha Seung-hi.

“…Senior Yoo Jin. If this thing existed, you should have told me beforehand. I thought you were trying to kill me.”

“No time for that.”

Wind blew.

The skin on my sword-holding hand was cut by the wind, and blood splattered. I quickly mobilized mana to reinforce my body.

“Senior, this is armor but surprisingly comfortable. It doesn’t feel like armor. Would you consider selling it to me?”

“No. There’s only one.”

The bastard’s performance became more intense. The wind grew stronger in response.

‘Heavenly Eye.’

[Opening Heavenly Eye.]

I could see the mana mixed within the wind. That was the cause of the wind’s generation. The wind and mana were spreading in sync with the flute’s melody.

If I can see formless wind, then I can cut it.

I raised my sword. Woooom. Hyoryeonbitto trembled. A blue blade energy shrouded the red blade.

Even though wind has no shape, if I can see it, I can slash it.

I swung my sword.

The wind in front of me disappeared. A path opened up. Without hesitation, I charged down the path.

The look of panic on the bastard’s face was visible. His trembling pupils reflected me. His fingers frantically played the flute.

A wind barrier formed. But what I needed to sever wasn’t the wind—it was the flow of mana.

‘Right here.’

I swung my sword. The wind barrier easily vanished.

Peeeeeeeeeek!

A sharp sound rang out. The ground beneath me shot upward. Thanks to Heavenly Eye, I noticed it in advance. Barely evading the rising ground, I continued dashing toward him.

‘Fleeting Moment.’

The surroundings slowed down.

I confirmed the starting point of the wind armor enveloping his body. His wind armor began at his chest.

‘This guy’s ability isn’t wind, it’s sound. He controls wind, earth, monsters, and people using sound. There must be conditions involved.’

The true nature of the wind armor is his heartbeat. That steady yet subtle sound maintains the wind armor.

‘This punk underestimated me too much. Sure, I’m B-rank, but that doesn’t mean my skills are B-rank too.’

I swung my sword at his shoulder.

The wind armor tried to push the blade away. A shockwave occurred. Even though I knew it was coming, I couldn’t avoid it. Forcing myself to hold steady, I exerted strength, and the blade pierced through the wind armor toward the bastard…


The right shoulder of the body was cleanly sliced off.

“Guh….”

The monster swallowed the scream that tried to escape.

“…Hm?”

It wasn’t swallowing the scream.

It was gathering it. The thing’s throat twitched several times, and its chest swelled up. Then it opened its mouth wide and let out a scream.

“GAAAAAAAAAAHHHH!!”

The sound turned into a physical force. I was sent flying backward along with some nearby trees, tumbling on the ground.

I’m fine. This is just a few bruises. I got back up.

Vines burst from the ground next to my feet and grabbed my ankles.

“…Monster?”

I lifted my foot and tore the vine away.

KWA-KWANG!

Red flower buds erupted from the ground. A 10-foot-tall giant flower bloomed. Inside the flower were sharp teeth, and below it, 20 vine tentacles whipped around like whips.

Arakks.

A plant-type monster.

This dungeon’s boss-level monster.

BEEP! BEEEEEPP, BEEP!

It kept blowing its flute. Following its rhythm, Arakks approached me. Arakks was also being controlled by it.

Tsk. I clicked my tongue. While Arakks was coming closer, it was getting farther away. It plans to use Arakks to hold me while escaping.

‘It’s hard to kill a boss monster in one shot… but if I let it go, the info about HB-1 will spread to the World.’

Which is more urgent?

There’s nothing to think about. Ignoring Arakks, I ran toward it. Arakks’ vines aimed for my back.

CRACK.

Just as I was about to burn Arakks’ vines with lightning, Ha Seung-hui appeared behind me and cut the vines with her ability, “Invisible Nails.”

“That guy. Catch him. I’ll take care of this monster.”

“A boss monster? Are you sure you’ll be okay?”

“This armor is amazing. I feel so powerful wearing it.”

Stormbreaker’s performance varies depending on the user’s skill.

Even though Ha Seung-hui wears Stormbreaker, I am still its true owner. My mana sustains Stormbreaker, and its performance is slightly lower than if I wore it directly.

Even so, she should have no trouble handling Arakks.

“I leave it to you.”

I entrusted Arakks to her and chased after the fleeing figure.

‘Acceleration.’

Even with acceleration, catching it wasn’t easy. It was practically flying using wind currents and altering the ground trails to lose me. If I didn’t have Heavenly Eyes, I might’ve been fooled.

‘With an arm missing, it can’t run far.’

The distance closed gradually. Its back came into view.

Yeoncheon Ryu (Shadow Sky Style) Rai-Sen (Lightning Flash).

I launched a sword technique imbued with lightning. Cutting through obstructing tree branches, it struck its back. Coughing up blood, it collapsed. Its wooden flute rolled on the dirt.

“Now we can have a proper conversation.”

I approached it. Kicking its side, I flipped it onto its back.

“Cough, cough!”

It coughed up blood. Its face turned pitch black as it began dying. I frowned. Even though I severed its arm and slashed its back with my sword technique, these injuries shouldn’t be fatal for a hunter at least B Rank or higher.

“Did you poison yourself?”

“Information… I won’t give it.”

Even if I had potions, they wouldn’t heal it. Potions don’t remove poison. Antidote? There’s no way it would carry something so simple for self-destruction. Besides, its heart was already destroyed—by its own ability. Poison and heart destruction. Using both shows how cunning it is.

“Why go this far? You won’t get to spend all the money you earned if you die. Or is there a reason worth doing this?”

“You won’t obtain any information.”

“I’ve seen your face. Your corpse will tell me a lot. DNA testing, you know?”

“There’s no record of me anywhere. I exist… yet I don’t.”

It died.