Sixth day of Dungeon Survival.
I hacked into the Alliance's plans and learned they intend to attack at 1 PM, three hours from now.
They know Kang Seoksu's location, likely due to surveillance.
They also suspect we formed an alliance after our encounter in the Rest Area.
"Senior, should I review the plan again?"
"...I know it. No need."
"Just give up if it gets too dangerous."
Han Harin glared at me, clearly annoyed by my words.
"That won't happen. You focus on doing your part."
I suppressed the urge to touch Han Harin's ample chest. Damn it, eight cameras were filming us from all angles, leaving no opportunity.
"Let's get started. Make sure you time it right."
"...Worry about yourself. I can fly, so I'll be fine, but you can't. This is no ordinary danger."
I grinned. Despite her words, Han Harin was clearly worried about me. In the past, she wouldn't have given a damn about me, let alone listen to anything I said.
"Don't worry. I have a plan."
We parted ways. She headed north, while I went south. Four Association staff members were assigned to follow each of us, aware of our operation.
Using B-Class Hunters for this? How much are those Association bastards betting on Dungeon Survival Reforged?
Still, I was confident this broadcast would become a sensation. Since the Republic of Korea's first Dungeon Survival show had spectacularly failed, no similar programs had aired since.
"Let's go, then."
I moved confidently, following the map on my tablet. Han Harin would be doing the same, using a tablet she'd snatched from some Hunter to navigate to the designated location.
I arrived at W-7 District, a lake with a massive waterfall.
Waterwalking.
Activating the skill, I walked across the lake toward the waterfall. As I approached, the temperature noticeably dropped.
Beyond the waterfall lay a cave, half-submerged in water.
This was the treasure I'd obtained earlier. The Real-Time Map showed not only human locations but also monster positions.
Our Survival Points were critically low, so even if we actively hunted monsters, we couldn't hope to defeat the Aqua Stone Team. Instead, we ambushed Hunters to reduce their numbers.
The Real-Time Map displays not just ordinary monsters, but even Boss Monsters.
A Boss Monster lurked within the cave beyond the waterfall.
I hurled the stone in my right hand into the cave.
Thwack!
Instead of a splash, I heard the sound of something being struck.
Kuggggrrr.
The cave trembled, and the lake's surface churned into violent waves. I braced myself against the shaking ground, glaring into the cave.
A white squid tentacle snaked out. Without hesitation, I turned and fled.
One mistake, and I'm fucked.
Soon, the creature revealed itself:
A colossal squid over 10 meters long.
The C-Rank Boss Monster, the Little Kraken.
Kraken vary in size, and their rank and name are determined by their dimensions. The S-Rank Boss Monster, the King Kraken, is a monstrous behemoth exceeding 50 meters in length.
The Kraken hesitated, as if unsure whether to follow me.
Was one stone not enough to draw its aggro?
Fzzzt.
I hurled a Thunderbolt at the Kraken. Struck by the lightning, it paused momentarily before glaring at me with its eerie yellow eyes.
More than a dozen thick tentacles writhed and began swimming across the lake toward me.
Now it's really pissed! Just as planned!
Without looking back, I sprinted across the lake's surface, fleeing for my life.
Acceleration!
Acceleration activated. Duration: 10 minutes. Remaining stacks: 4
The Kraken was swimming too fast; I had no choice but to use Acceleration. Reaching the shore, I turned to check if its aggro had worn off and it would return to its cave.
That wasn't going to happen.
It was splashing after me, its intent to kill me palpable.
"Ha ha! This way!"
I grabbed a nearby branch and hurled it at the Kraken.
It couldn't possibly hurt the creature, but that wasn't the point. I wanted to provoke it, and the plan worked perfectly.
The Kraken lumbered onto the shore, and I bolted into the forest.
I need to maintain just the right distance here.
While the Kraken could move on land, its speed was sluggish. It would undoubtedly retreat back into the lake if it lost sight of me.
Every so often, I tossed stones or branches at the Kraken to keep it agitated.
"Here I am, Squidward!"
The Kraken spat acidic ink at me. I dodged back just in time. The tree struck by the ink dissolved completely in less than three seconds.
Ugh. If that hit me head-on, my bones would melt.
The Kraken was terrifying. Though it moved slowly, its power was monstrous, rivaling Superman's. It didn't bother avoiding trees or rocks in its path, simply smashing through them as it charged after me.
Talk about a thrill ride!
F-3 Area. A grassy plain with a rest area.
I arrived at my destination on time. A battle was already raging there.
The Aqua Stone Team, outnumbered by 25 members of the Hunter Alliance, was surprisingly holding their own.
...They've laid down a ridiculous number of Magic Circles.
Kang Seoksu's pre-set trap magic was the reason the Aqua Stone Team could fight on equal terms.
"Sung Yujin of the National Heaven Hunter Team is here!"
"He's here? Wait! What's that behind him?!"
"Little Kraken! He brought a C-Rank Boss Monster, the Little Kraken! That crazy bastard!"
I grinned and sprinted toward the battle. The Hunters panicked, trapped by the Magic Circles that covered the area, making escape nearly impossible.
"L-let's retreat for now! We're not prepared to face both the Kraken and the Aqua Stone Team simultaneously!"
A tall man with four arms shouted. His voice revealed him to be Seo Ojun, the Alliance's leader. His four arms were likely a manifestation of his unique ability.
Thump! Thump! Thump!
"They're coming from behind too!"
Han Harin soared through the air using Gravity Manipulation, a massive, pitch-black Golem towering five meters tall lumbering after her.
"It's the Basalt Golem, a C-Rank Boss Monster!"
The Basalt Golem, also known as the Basalt Golem, was a Boss-level monster.
"National Heaven Great Hunters! Those bastards are deliberately trying to screw up the situation!"
The statement was accurate.
If you're going to have fun without me, I can't let that happen.
If they hadn't excluded me, I wouldn't have gone this far.
If you need more allies, just summon them. Well, the downside is they can't communicate and are trying to kill me.
The Kraken and Golem began attacking the Hunters. Monsters instinctively prioritize attacking humans, and neither the Kraken nor the Golem possessed high intelligence.
Since we're all wearing similar outfits provided by Dungeon Survival, they can't tell me apart.
Just as it's difficult to distinguish between multiple dogs of the same breed, monsters struggle to differentiate humans wearing identical clothing.
I moved swiftly through the Alliance members, swinging my sword relentlessly.
I discreetly checked Han Harin's position. As planned, she was guarding the entrance to the Rest Area cabin.
Entering the Rest Area would complicate things.
Kang Seoksu likely chose this location not only for its distance and the wide-open view of the plains but ultimately because of the Rest Area.
If things went south, he could simply retreat to the Rest Area a no-combat zone. That must be his plan.
We can't let him get in there.
If Kang Seoksu or any other Hunter entered the Rest Area, it could mean our defeat.
Our current Survival Points stood at -4825.
If any Hunter entered the Rest Area and stayed there until the end of the Dungeon Survival, we would almost certainly lose.
Fortunately, the chaos has kept most Hunters from even considering heading toward the Rest Area.
Some were trying to reach the Rest Area, but magical traps and Basalt Golems blocked their path. Han Harin stood guard at the entrance, her eyes blazing, so there seemed little cause for concern.
My job is to kill anyone who tries to flee. If they manage to hole up in another Rest Area, everything will fall apart.
My priorities were clear: first, those attempting to escape; second, those launching ranged attacks.
I scanned the surroundings once more before moving.
I swung my blade at the back of a Hunter trying to flee.
"Such a cowardly act... Did you really have to go that far?!"
"This was the only way. Besides, you all formed an Alliance to capture Kang Seoksu, didn't you? Why pretend to be righteous all of a sudden?"
I swung my blade at the crown of his head. The Energy Protect prevented it from cutting through.
His Energy Protect turned crimson, and an Association staff member darted forward like a bullet, whisking him away from the battlefield.
The situation was far too dangerous. Even the Association staff were visibly on edge.
If anyone dies here, the entire broadcast will be ruined, and the Association will face fierce criticism.
They had no choice but to act to prevent casualties.
Well, they say a crimson Energy Protect is useless, but in reality, about 10% of its energy remains.
It's a kind of insurance.
I'm sure some other perceptive Hunters know this too.
I continued to chase down fleeing Hunters, eliminating them one by one.
With the cameras rolling, I can't use Full Recovery. I need to be careful with my energy distribution.
Kang Seoksu would ultimately survive. The situation was unfolding that way. Therefore, I needed to conserve my strength to face him.
"...!"
I jerked my head sideways to dodge an incoming arrow. If I hadn't been on edge and constantly scanning my surroundings, it would have struck me.
I whirled around. About 300 meters away, Yu Jeongmi stood aiming her bow at me.
I'd been right.
This place had descended into chaos. The Alliance had crumbled, and the Hunters were now fighting each other. They'd finally realized that whoever survived this free-for-all would be the victor.
Currently, Kang Seoksu and I were the most ruthlessly eliminating Alliance members one by one. From Yu Jeongmi's perspective, I was an enemy who absolutely had to be eliminated.
Ting!
I deflected the incoming arrow with my sword and charged toward Yu Jeongmi.
"Yu Jeongmi can't use Mana. In the end, I'll be the one to win."
Ting! Ting-ting!
The arrows flying straight at me held no fear.
The distance began to close rapidly: 200 meters, 150 meters, 80 meters...
A golden tiger materialized before Yu Jeongmi and charged toward me.
This was her ability, Golden Light Animals summoning golden creatures to attack.
Having hacked her abilities beforehand, I remained unfazed. I leaped onto the tiger's back and brought my sword down. The tiger's body crumbled and vanished.
I didn't slow down.
When I reached 30 meters, dozens of golden pigeons appeared and dove toward me.
Those pigeons will latch onto me and explode.
This was one of Yu Jeongmi's combat tactics. A single explosion wasn't particularly powerful, but when over thirty pigeons were involved, the situation changed drastically. Getting hit meant certain elimination.
I extended my hand forward.
Manroe...!
Manroe materialized before my hand, condensing Thunderbolt energy. The pigeons were now mere inches away.
Discharge!
Thunderbolt energy erupted in all directions, sweeping through the pigeons. Unable to explode, they vanished.
One meter.
I swung my sword with all my might at Yu Jeongmi. After five strikes, her Energy Protect glowed crimson.
"...Haa... Are you really an E-Class Hunter?"
"Yeah. I haven't even been a Hunter for a year yet."
"...What?"
A staff member from the Women's Association tried to carry Yu Jeongmi away.
I quickly called out to her.
"Wait! Give me the bow and arrows!"
"Here you go."
The Association staff member immediately handed them over. Since Yu Jeongmi had been eliminated, these were now considered spoils of war, and I could claim them before she disappeared simply by asking.
"I know you're strong, but you'll never beat Seoksu. He has something truly extraordinary."
I knew what that was, but I couldn't reveal it.
"Don't worry. I'm extraordinary too. Sister Jungmi knows that, right?"
As I spoke casually, Yu Jeongmi's gaze drifted downward before snapping back to its original position. She seemed about to say something, but the Association staff member whisked her away in an instant.
I nocked an arrow and aimed at Kang Seoksu, firing.
Even a little interference might drain some of his energy.