Certainly, because he came prepared, it turned out to be a profitable deal.
Had he wandered by unknowingly, he might have forfeited his life, his most valuable asset.
This is why even adventure-seeking hunters usually avoid Ground Zero. Its unpredictability of death is a constant threat.
Consequently, only criminals with nothing to lose flock here. Only those unafraid of death dare to roam around Ground Zero.
As he looked around, skeletons began to appear more frequently.
Even without the mutant sunflowers, numerous dangers could claim a hunter’s life.
The skeletons bore silent testimony to the severity of this place.
Any items or wallets their original owners might have possessed were nowhere to be found.
It seemed someone had simply taken the valuables and left the bodies untouched.
Of course, such occurrences were typical here, so they hardly surprised him.
Observing the vast array of skeletons, reminiscent of an enormous graveyard, he ventured deeper.
He still had about 1km to go to reach Area 5.
Given Ground Zero’s expanse, merely traversing one area took considerable time.
Moreover, the proliferation of thick bushes, uncurbed by any weeding or logging, posed an additional problem.
Nonetheless, as he neared Area 5,
Kang-hoo spotted something unusual.
‘Why hasn’t anyone touched this?’
Beside a rock lay a hunter’s corpse.
It was slightly decomposed, clearly indicating death.
However, what remained near the rock was a dagger emitting a red glow, firmly grasped in the corpse’s hand.
While the nearby skeletons had been stripped bare to the point of taking their clothes,
This particular body was strangely intact.
It was evident that several days had passed since the hunter’s demise, yet there were no signs of disturbance.
Rushing towards it would be the act of a rank amateur.
Yet to disregard it out of fear was the behavior of a middling hunter.
A cautious, perhaps overly safe decision.
‘The Black Inducer.’
Kang-hoo immediately grasped the true nature of the situation.
He detected a faint trace of mana emanating from the swollen clothes of the corpse, which lay dead with its head bowed.
His mana-tracking ability, far more sensitive than that of other hunters, had proven its worth.
It was a trap.
The deceased hunter’s belongings were deliberately laid out to entice other hunters.
Then, the trap would swiftly assault any hunter who came near, leading them to their demise.
“Let’s give up.”
He shook his head, rejecting the idea, and turned in the opposite direction.
To an onlooker, he would have seemed the very picture of a ‘coward,’ overwhelmed and retreating.
But as he prepared to change course by circumventing a thick tree,
Ssssh!
He activated Shadow Step.
Kang-hoo’s shadow extended from him, taking a wide arc towards the corpse.
Whoosh!
He timed the switch with his shadow precisely.
In a moment, he transitioned from the tree’s concealment to the front of the corpse.
His maneuver was executed flawlessly.
Taah!
He swiftly grabbed the dagger clutched in the corpse’s hand.
Then, employing Shadow Step once more, he traded places with his shadow, which had surged forward.
“Ugh.”
He bit down hard on his lip.
The Shadow Step skill not only drained mana but also imposed the greatest physical toll of all his abilities.
In other words,
There was a limit to the strain his body and mind could withstand before mana hypersensitivity set in.
Surpassing this limit would induce mana hypersensitivity, with the consequences of Shadow Step being the most severe.
Using the skill twice consecutively pushed him past this limit, triggering immediate mana hypersensitivity.
Nevertheless, it was the double use of Shadow Step that allowed him to pull off such a cunning feat.
Kihehehek! Kihehehek!
The incensed Black Inducer, a creature resembling a fiend, gave chase to Kang-hoo.
Yet it failed to catch Kang-hoo, who persevered with physical and mental fortitude and chained his movement skills together.
The Black Inducer, wearing a furious expression, strangled a thick tree and finally gave up the chase.
After ensuring safety,
he examined the dagger he had retrieved from the corpse.
[Boundary of Massacre - Weapon]
[Grade: 4th]
[Strength +100]
[Grants the ability of Predator's Track. Any opponent wounded by this weapon will leave a trail for 1 minute, even if they conceal their presence.]
“Good.”
A valuable weapon.
Of course, it wasn’t a ‘graduation’ weapon to use indefinitely, but a temporary measure until he could purchase a 3rd-grade dagger.
It boasted much better options, stats, and grade than his current Spear of Sky Joy.
Later, when he could afford a 3rd-grade dagger, he figured he could sell both the Spear of Sky Joy and the Boundary of Massacre.
In any case, it was an unexpected windfall.
A 4th-grade weapon was worth at least a billion won.
“Hmm. Should I head back?”
Kang-hoo shifted his attention.
The hunter who had carried such a dagger must have possessed considerable skill.
They might have been a criminal, but if not, it might be worth tracking the location of the corpse and gathering any belongings.
Items such as a hunter’s license, smartphone, and identification.
Perhaps this person was a missing individual, sought by family or acquaintances through the official hunter community.
Just as there are bounties for criminals, rewards exist for finding missing persons, so he didn’t want to overlook the opportunity.
Upon returning to the location, the Black Inducer was nowhere to be seen.
Since Kang-hoo had taken the bait item, the corpse had apparently lost its value to the creature.
Thus, Kang-hoo was able to effortlessly gather the belongings from the body.
“Park Min-sung. Not a familiar name.”
He noted the real name of the late hunter.
Having collected everything but the corpse, he intended to investigate further upon his return to Seoul.
While moving, he alternated between the use of illusion and Shadow Step, staying alert for any unforeseen events.
Ground Zero was teeming with monsters that used darkness as their cloak.
Finding monsters that didn’t utilize darkness was even more challenging.
Yet the monsters lacked intelligence; many fell for Kang-hoo’s illusions and shadows, lunging at him in response.
As a result, Kang-hoo steadily accumulated experience on the move.
He aspired to hit level 40 before encountering the first Mad Solarkium, and his wish was fulfilled.
He achieved level 40 just as he was about to enter the designated area.
[Swift Evasion]
[Skill Proficiency: Lv. Max]
[Allows you to dodge up to 5m in any cardinal direction: north, south, east, or west.]
[At maximum proficiency, a 'swift' effect is added for instant evasive action.]
[During evasion, a resistance barrier is activated, enhancing your evasion rate against skills.]
‘The bonus from max proficiency feels fresh every time. It’s a whole different ballgame compared to the basic skill.’
A subtle smirk played on the corners of Kang-hoo’s mouth.
Even the skill’s name had transformed.
The original level 40 basic skill for the assassin class was simply ‘Evasion.’
But with maximum proficiency, it had evolved into ‘Swift Evasion.’
Similar to the way the ‘Accelerated Stab’ skill had advanced to ‘Bleeding Stab.’
The range for evasive maneuvers had significantly increased from 1m to 5m.
In addition, a new evasion rate bonus was introduced during evasion, bolstering resistance against skills.
This implied a greater likelihood of skills missing or only causing a glancing blow.
These were skills that refined an assassin’s craft.
His satisfaction was palpable.
“This location is really something else.”
Kang-hoo’s expression contorted as he caught sight of the blooming Mad Solarkium flower.
The optimism that had lit up his face moments ago vanished, replaced by an air of discontent.
A Mad Solarkium flower was perched precariously in the center of a cliff towering over 30 meters high.
And there was more.
True to the original narrative, a guardian known as an ‘Enforcer’ stood vigil near the Mad Solarkium.
Its official title was ‘Punisher.’
The nature of the Punisher was determined by an arbitrary type, and the type guarding this place happened to be an assassin.
Ssssh!
Red energy swirled around the Punisher’s body, and its overall aura seemed stronger.
A characteristic of the Punisher was that its power changed depending on the composition and level of the hunters nearby.
Of course, this only applied within a 50m radius of the Mad Solarkium, so it was a special condition.
There was nothing to be wary of anyway.
All the dungeons Kang-hoo had conquered were always two to three times more challenging than his level.
The Punisher would become stronger, but as long as it was within predictable limits, it wouldn’t be a problem.
Whoosh!
As expected of a guardian protecting the Mad Solarkium, it lunged at Kang-hoo first.
Its movement was faithful to the basic belief of the assassin class: ‘strike first to win.’
[Swift Evasion]
Kang-hoo used Swift Evasion immediately.
There couldn’t be a more fitting situation for this skill.
The Punisher’s attack was so sharp that it drew an orange line in the dark night sky.
Whoom!
The Punisher’s attack only brushed past Kang-hoo’s afterimage, as he had swiftly moved away.
The energy, full of anticipation, was disrupted by the suddenly enhanced evasion rate.
The battle between two assassins was thrillingly intense.
The moment an attack failed, the attacker was exposed to a counterattack, creating a hellish situation.
Timing was crucial, and now the Punisher’s first gamble had completely missed its mark.
So, without delay, Kang-hoo mixed acceleration with a leap, charging directly at the Punisher.
A counterattack in a situation where there was no chance to escape, completely cornered.
Kang-hoo, already induced with overload, decided to add another skill to the mix.
Shadow Step.
Shadows extended from behind Kang-hoo, forming a large circle toward the Punisher.
He focused the Punisher’s sight on one point and thrust the dagger straight.
Then,
Swish!
The Punisher pulled out another dagger and crossed them in the air, forming an X.
‘As expected.’
The Punisher was no fool.
He tried to turn Kang-hoo’s counterattack, resulting from his failed attack, into another counterattack.
Truly, it was a sensible response worthy of his name.
Had Kang-hoo rushed in thoughtlessly, it could have been the end for him.
But,
Ssssh!
At the moment the X-shaped energy was released, Kang-hoo had already moved behind the Punisher.
It was a masterful change in position.
It seemed even the Punisher hadn’t anticipated this, hesitating to locate Kang-hoo’s new position.
That moment.
“Here I am, friend.”
Thud! Thud-thud! Thud!
Kang-hoo, perfectly positioned behind the Punisher, began thrusting his dagger into its neck, shoulder, and back of the head without hesitation.
Hell was…
Much closer than expected.