Chapter 38 - Pro Hunter and Hero
That Time.
As soon as Soyeon entered the dungeon, she quickly searched the dungeon.
So-yeon searches the dungeon while moving almost as if she is running around.
Anyway, since speed was important, it was necessary to move quickly, and since 2-star monsters were not a big threat to Soyeon, there was no need to hide her momentum.
Considering that most of the students struggled with 2-star monsters, So-yeon's skills were in the upper ranks.
So, of course, So-yeon had no doubts that she would be the winner of this contest.
Because Lee Seok-man had entered the contest for that purpose in the first place.
However, the existence of Seo-jun intervened without warning.
For some reason, Seo-joon showed off his ridiculous ability and overwhelmingly took the lead.
Of course, Lee Seok-man, the father, slowed down due to various sabotage, but eventually broke through even that and brought the situation to this point.
The more you think about it, the more unknown the participant named Seo-joon.
However, Soyeon did not continue to think further.
What matters is who wins. Because that was all.
‘I will definitely win.'
Of course, I know it's an unfair victory.
I also know that it is an embarrassing result.
But Soyeon didn't care about those things at all.
No, I thought it was foolish to care.
This world doesn't remember the process.
A dirty world that only remembers the so-called first place.
Over time, the process is forgotten in people's memories, leaving only the result.
When people evaluate someone, it doesn't matter ‘how' they got there, only ‘where' they got there.
[Winner of the 24th Dungeon Clearing Contest - Lee So-yeon.]
Therefore, only this single phrase remains meaningful in this contest.
The process is sacrificed only for the result.
A process without results is a facade without any meaning or purpose.
‘So-Yeon-ah, since ancient times, a professional hunter must have something in his heart that must never be compromised.'
That's why So-yeon's brother, Jin-seok, was foolish.
An idiot who risked his life to save a stranger.
An idiot who thinks he is a hero from a childish cartoon movie, and an idiot with no skills and only a mouthful.
Getting older means getting to know the world.
It's the same thing as being cold-hearted and cold-hearted.
Jin-seok was so stupid and stupid that he didn't realize it, and that's why he died.
‘I never do.'
Soyeon moved her body as if to shake off the thoughts that were flooding her.
“Kreuk?”
Without thinking about why there were no monsters in this wide dungeon.
cooong!
With its neck soaring into the air, the manticore collapsed with a heavy sound.
Manticore fell in one blow.
Compared to the academy competition, Seo-joon had grown tremendously, but Seo-joon couldn't afford to think about it now.
That's right, because now this is the final game to determine the winner of the contest.
Although the manticore was processed quickly, it was true that it was much later than raiding a normal 2-star dungeon.
On the other hand, Lee So-yeon must be raiding a normal 2-star dungeon.
Maybe... Lee So-yeon might already be raiding the remaining dungeons.
Seo-Jun left the Manticore's corpse behind and quickly headed out of the dungeon.
Whoops.
Seo-joon came out like that.
The first thing he saw with his reversing vision was Shin Young-seok slowly approaching him.
“Participant Seojun Kim.”
As they got closer, Shin Young-seok slowly opened his mouth to Seo-joon.
However, Seo-joon opened his mouth as if to intercept Shin Young-seok's words.
“There was a manticore in the dungeon I chose.”
“...Manticore?”
Shin Young-seok tilted his head for a moment, then replied in surprise.
“Wait a minute. Are you saying there was a 4-star monster inside?”
“yes. The one I faced in the dungeon was a manticore. You can check it yourself.”
“What is this...”
Shin Young-seok looked at the dungeon behind Seo-joon with an expression of disbelief.
“A measurement error dungeon?”
And a word from him.
It seemed that he did not doubt Seo-joon's words.
It seemed like he was thinking that Seo-jun couldn't lie because it was enough to go inside and check.
Then, Shin Young-seok looked at Seo-joon with a surprised expression and a surprised look.
“...So you're saying you took care of the manticore? Seojun Kim himself?”
Seojun nodded calmly.
He knew why he was surprised, but that wasn't what was important to Seo-joon.
Seo-joon said to Shin Young-seok.
“So I would like to have a match again. This is so unfair.”
“Um...”
Shin Young-seok seemed to think for a moment before opening his mouth.
“I fully understand Kim Seo-joon’s request.”
And his next word.
“But it doesn’t seem like it will break the confrontation itself.”
“yes?”
Seo-joon didn't know whether he was dumbfounded or surprised.
Maybe this one too?
Seo-joon opened his mouth to protest strongly.
“Because contestant Lee So-yeon hasn’t come out yet.”
He immediately closed his mouth,
“You won despite the bad conditions, so why do we need a rematch? If you really want it, we will consider it.”
Shin Young-seok said with a smile as if he understood Seo-jun's appearance.
“Now, if you clear the remaining dungeons, you will win.”
Youngseok Shin pointed to the remaining dungeons with his finger.
Now that Lee So-yeon has not appeared, if Seo-joon clears that dungeon, he is the winner.
However, Seo-joon stood there without saying a word.
It was strange.
no that's really weird
In fact, Seo-joon was convinced that the measurement error dungeon was not an accident, but a trick done by Lee So-yeon.
So, as soon as Seo-joon came out, he complained to Shin Young-seok that it was unfair for that reason.
But now this situation.
If Lee So-yeon had bet on a trick, of course she should have left the dungeon before Seo-jun did.
If it was his plan to win the championship by delaying Seo-jun's time.
But why didn't you come out?
Wasn't Lee So-yeon playing tricks?
Could it be that the iso-year measurement error dungeon?
‘I'm sure not.'
Seojun quickly shook his head and brushed it off.
There's nothing more stupid than missing out on a championship by fussing around.
Above all, considering what Lee So-yeon had done in the meantime, it could be said that it was a good thing.
“Kim Seojun?”
“Ah yes. I will go deal with it right now.”
So Seo-joon turned to the remaining dungeons to confirm the championship.
And it was then.
“uh? what. Why is this happening all of a sudden?”
Suddenly, an embarrassed voice came from behind.
However, Seo-joon did not stop walking.
“Dae-ri Kim? What is it?”
“Horsepower meter is weird. He suddenly pointed to 3 stars... 4 stars again this time?”
“what? Look where you are.”
Shin Yeong-seok approached Dae-ri Kim and almost snatched the horsepower meter.
After checking the meter, Shin Young-seok said.
“It really is. what? Is it broken?”
“Is the horse power meter broken?”
“Sometimes that happens. No matter how precise demonic sorcery is, it is also a machine after all.”
tall.
Seo-joon had no choice but to stop.
This cold feeling that I keep feeling.
Now, the conversation with the swordsman from the past flashed through Seo-jun's head.
It was a conversation that stemmed from a certain question that Seo-joon asked Geomseong after the last meeting with Kali.
‘Swordsman. What do you mean the dungeon is twisted?'
‘It means that the mana has been twisted. If the dungeon is distorted, it means that the magic wave inside the dungeon is distorted.'
‘The magic wave inside the dungeon is distorted? what is that?'
‘At the time of the formation of the dungeon. This means that it differs from the measured value. This kind of distortion has several ripple effects, but most often the dungeon's grade suddenly rises or the dungeon explodes before the time has come.'
“By the way, Chief. Have your horsepower metrics ever gone wrong?”
“Okay. I've been working for over 20 years, but it's the first time I've ever seen a breakdown like this...”
‘This is a phenomenon that can't be seen now. But during the Cataclysm, it happened every once in a while.'
“Hmm... I think it's right to call in pro hunters to investigate just in case.”
Shin Young-seok turned his head and said to Seo-jun.
“Participant Seojun Kim! Something went wrong. The dungeon will be later... Huh?”
however.
“Where... did you go?”
In Shin Young-seok's field of vision, Seo-joon was nowhere to be seen.
Kwaaang!
“Cool!”
With a tremendous explosion, Soyeon's body flew through the air.
After a fairly long glide, So-yeon slumped to the ground.
Her mind flickered and she seemed to faint at any moment, but So-yeon held on to her spirit until the end.
“Shit!”
However, unlike the mind, the body did not lift a finger as if it were now the limit.
Soyeon lowered her gaze and examined her body.
Blood continued to ooze from the wounds that had formed between the torn clothes.
More blood was gushing out of his severed left arm in time with his heartbeat.
It is using mana to block it somehow, but it is also at its limit.
Most of all, I couldn't feel anything down the lower part of my body, wondering how my legs had gone wrong because of the recent crash.
Soyeon raised her eyes again and looked straight ahead.
“Kwaaaaaa!”
Then, the scream of the guy who was roaring towards the sky reverberated in his eardrums.
6-star monster Nercula.
Huge body up to 15m tall and a huge horn hanging from its forehead.
If the devil takes the form of a gigantic beast, it must be about Nercula.
“Kwoaaaaaa!!”
Shouts mixed with anger and hatred as well as joy and delight.
To So-yeon, it was like a scratching scream that attracted thousands of demon spirits.
Soyeon didn't know why Nercula, a 6-star monster, was in a 2-star dungeon.
And to Soyeon now, those things didn't matter.
The important thing for Soyeon right now is that Soyeon doesn't have the strength to deal with Nercula.
thud. thud.
And there was only the fact that he was waiting for his approaching death.
Soyeon quietly closed her eyes.
The end of life approaching without the strength to even lift a finger.
food.
At the end of her life, So-yeon suddenly burst into laughter.
“this... Is that the gwonseonjingak that my brother was talking about?”
If that's true, the current look was the most fitting end for him.
So-yeon's life was always for the sake of results.
I didn't care about the process if I could produce results, and the means and methods were literally means and methods.
It is not only silky here in the contest, but also in countless places, and there are countless people who have been trampled by it.
So-yeon was more suited to evil out of good and evil, so her current appearance also suited punishment.
“It can’t be.”
But Soyeon shook her head.
There is no such thing as winding good and evil in the world.
That kind of stuff comes out of fairy tales.
The world seen by So-yeon is a world in which the better the better, the more one hears the voice of an asshole.
It is the world to hear that the more evil you are, the more powerful and cool you are.
So-yeon's brother, Jin-seok, was the best example.
The end of Jin-seok, who always spoke cheesy words and nonsensical voices, did not come true like his words.
Jin-seok always wanted to become a professional hunter who makes people's hearts beat.
‘haha! Laugh at stupid! Because I will become a hunter who puts into practice those fa?ades!'
Jin-seok, whom So-yeon saw, was more a hogu than anyone else and an idiot more than anyone else.
So, he died trying to save someone else's life without even knowing what he was doing.
Literally like an asshole.
“Still, I won’t die stupidly like you.”
So, So-yeon lived a life opposite to Jin-seok.
Because he lived the ‘wrong' life.
“Kwaaaaaa!”
That's why death is approaching right now.
Kang!
For So-yeon, the man in front of her is so foolish.
“Keugh!”
stupid again
Soyeon thought.
“Kwoaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!!”
Nercula let out a roar at the unexpected guest.
There was madness in that terrible scream, as if it had been squeezed out of every vein.
Even holding on and standing is difficult.
A feeling of pressure that is on a completely different level from Manticore.
Seojun struggled to open his mouth.
“Keugh! Can you... move?”
“You... what are you...”
Soyeon muttered blankly.
I couldn't understand this situation.
“why...?”
So-yeon couldn't understand why Seo-joon was here now, leaving everything else behind.
“It looks difficult to move, but as much as possible... Keugh! Run away...! I'll drag you out of time!”
However, the man in front of him faced Nercula and only spat out nonsense.
Seo-jun tries to get away from So-yeon little by little, as if he was really trying to drag his time.
“What... What... What are you! Why are you here!”
Die. I'm not joking, I really die.
No matter how much Seo-joon showed his skills, he was not Nercula.
6-star monsters are really on a different level.
If it was a 4-star monster, how could Soyeon even try it?
However, Nercula had Soyeon's left arm cut off after she couldn't resist once.
At the student level, those who have enough skills to catch Nercula are counted among the fingers.
However, Seo-joon did not respond to So-yeon's words.
“Kwoaaaa!!”
“Keugh!”
Seo-jun bit his teeth and let go of Nercula's attack, then leaped to the side.
Then, Nercula caught up to Seo-Jun at an incredible speed and swung her claws at Seo-Jun as if not to let go.
Kang! Kakak!
There was a sound like metal clashing and sparks flew.
Each attack leads to fatal wounds.
Seo-joon let go of those attacks as much as possible and lured Nercula.
However, as if he had read Seo-jun's thoughts, he changed his attack pattern.
shhh!
Suddenly, Nercula's large horn rushes in with its claws.
Seo-joon hurriedly tried to avoid it, but he couldn't completely avoid it, probably because it was right after his posture had already deteriorated.
Fu-wook!
“Cuck!”
A large horn was driven into Seo-jun's shoulder, and red blood gushed out between them.
Nercula immediately threw Seo-joon, who was stuck in her horn, in So-yeon's direction.
Kwa Dang Tang!
Seo-joon plummeted to the ground with pain that seemed like his mind would be cut off.
“Kwoaaaaaa!!”
Nercura's roar followed.
Seojun hurriedly straightened his posture and said.
“Cool! He's smarter than you think. I don't think it will last long. Are you still having trouble moving?”
Seo-joon speaks calmly with blood pouring out of his pierced shoulder.
Soyeon said.
“Why… why are you doing this?”
Seojun slightly turned his head back and looked at Soyeon.
“Why did you come to rescue me! What good is this for you?”
There was an inexplicable emotion on Soyeon's face.
Soyeon shouted again.
“It has nothing to do with you! If you just do the rest of the dungeon raid, winning is enough!”
Soyeon continued to scream.
And at the same time as Seo-joon in front of her eyes, it was a cry for a certain man.
“I thought you were going to be anything like this, but don’t get me wrong! After all, you entered this competition for money, too!”
“that's right. I entered this contest to earn money. You don't know, but I need a lot of money.”
“Then go like this! go out and win! What the hell does this have to do with you! Most of all, you wouldn't know what I did? Do you think I will thank you for being like this? Do you think you will regret it? You really want to talk nonsense like that...!”
“no.”
Seo-joon turned his head, which had been facing So-yeon, back to the front.
“What you did was obviously wrong. You've probably done a lot of things in the past, not just this one. I have no intention of forgiving it.”
Seojun said.
“But I don't think that's why you should die.”
So-yeon momentarily went blank.
While So-yeon's eyes were looking at Seo-joon, they were also looking at the man in her memory.
Come to think of it, So-yeon had frequent quarrels with the man in her memory.
‘It's not even the heroes of the Cataclysm era. Cataclysm is over. Heroes died too. Now is the era of pro hunters. There is no such person in the world anymore.'
‘there is. Just as there is a conscientious and incorruptible politician somewhere.'
‘Heng. You look funny.'
So-yeon always laughed at the man. Now that I think about it, I think I did it on purpose.
So, although he might feel bad once in a while, he always said this with a light smile.
‘It must be hard to believe now. But, So-yeon, the day will surely come when we will meet you too.'
The man in my memory and the man in front of me speak.
“In addition, I don't see any reason why I shouldn't help you. And above all.”
‘Acting without considering any interests. Not mentioning any reason.'
“What prize in the world is as valuable as saving a person?”
.
.
‘So-yeon is your own hero.'
“Kwoaaaaaa!!!”
At that moment, Nercula savagely attacked like a starving beast.
An animal covered in pitch-black hatred and madness, like a beast created with blind murderous intent.
Can't win. don't be fooled
Instinct warns us to run away even now.
Kwaddeuk!
However, Seo-jun grabbed the spear to break it.
Then he raised his eyes and looked directly at Nercura, who was running towards him.
“Kwoaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!”
An insatiable thirst for blood. It seemed that the desires of hunger would tear Seo-jun apart at any moment.
A trembling body.
between them.
[Intuition is the realm of thinking. However, most of the students did not understand the meaning of this word well.]
Chiron's words penetrated like instinct.
[The realm of thinking means judgment after all. Then someone will ask Didn't the instructor say the other day that if you think, judge, and move, it's too late?]
[That's right. If you think, judge and move, it will be too late. But most of them understood this to mean not to judge and think. you're welcome! Didn't I tell you in the first place?]
[Intuition is the realm of thinking.]
[Make your thoughts and senses match! To leave judgment to the senses is to unite your thoughts and senses!]
[That is the intuition of a true transcendent.]
It is visible.
shhh!
which direction, where.
Nercura's attacks are visible.
It is felt.
You can feel each movement of Nercula's muscles and feel what type of attack and where to attack.
Information from all five senses, including visual information, is transmitted, and at the same time, thoughts and judgments are made.
Chow.
Nercula's claws brushed the tip of Seo-jun's cheeks.
Nercula's muscles can be felt as if they are twitching.
All of that information is put together to form a single idea.
‘Continuous horn attack.'
Wedge liquid!
don't close your mind
Seo-joon twisted his body with all his might.
The sound of muscles breaking.
Nercula's horn passing through the air.
Seojun thinks.
At this rate, I should be able to hold out until the pro hunter comes.
Shin Young-seok asked for the support of pro hunters, so the pro hunters will come soon.
but.
“Why... why are you doing this...!”
Soyeon didn't have much time.
The pale complexion and the blood gushing from the severed left arm.
I don't know how long So-yeon can hold out.
There is no time to waste time.
So now.
We have to take it down now.
Seo-jun took a step forward and floated into the air.
At the same time, I grabbed the window to break it.
visible loopholes.
Seo-jun threw the spear with all his might.
reverse divergence. Power pulls mountains.
spirit world. Momentum covers the world.
Aaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!
bursting momentum.
“Kwoaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!”
The roar of Nercula erupted at the same moment.
As if Seo-jun's momentum was nothing, Nercura leaped fiercely like a starving beast.
So Seo-joon knew instinctively.
Can't win.
Reverse divergence spearmanship could not defeat Nercula in front of him.
It's different from Lee Jun-hwan's time. The spearmanship of reverse divergence is not enough.
But Nercula was right in front of him, and it was already too late to avoid it.
A 6-star monster with a different dimension.
But now how?
Right then.
[Superhumans connect the world and their mental world by deceiving the world with their individual will.]
Merlin's words penetrated like senses.
[Bring things that are mere imaginations of individuals, deceive and twist the world, and descend into reality as if they were the laws of the world.] [The
representative case has never existed anywhere else, but the absurd power that exists.] [
That is, mana. A embodied Auror.]
I can't see anything.
no sound whatsoever
In Seo-jun's eyes, he only sees Nercura.
My only thought was that I had to cut down Nercula.
If Nercula was a monster that was generated by the Dungeon's Distortion.
then.
PSuu...
At that moment, a bluish aura drifted through the window.
It gradually became darker in color and was clearly formed on Seo-jun's window as if it formed a single shape.
“Aaaaaaaaa!!!”
“Kwoaaaaa!!”
and momentarily
Seojun and Nercula clashed.
Fuhua Hahak!
Between them, red blood of unknown origin gushed like a fountain.
However, So-yeon, who was watching it, was able to see whose it belonged to.
“Cool!”
Seo-joon's side is cut for a long time and blood pours out.
Seo-joon was struggling to stand with the spear pole as support as if he was about to collapse.
That's why Soyeon could also see it.
Seruk.
cooong!
The figure of Nercula crumbling as her body is cut in two.