The arrow I fired flew toward Kang Seoksu.
The distance was approximately 500 meters. In the past, this would have been impossible, but now I possessed the Archery Mastery skill. This had recently given me a newfound confidence in my ability to hit targets with thrown objects.
I had even imbued the arrow with Mana. As a Magician, Kang Seoksu wasn't the type to move around much, making him an easy target.
Just hit him once, properly.
Contrary to my expectations, Kang Seoksu raised his hand and conjured a magical barrier. The arrow I fired bounced harmlessly off the barrier.
His reaction speed is too fast. He must have been watching me from the start.
This was hardly surprising. After all, I was the one who had thrown the situation into chaos. Kang Seoksu couldn't afford to ignore me, not knowing what I might do next.
I continued firing arrows. All seven were blocked by the magic barrier.
Kang Seoksu's mana isn't infinite. Maintaining the barrier while dealing with the others must be draining him. This is to my advantage.
Having exhausted my arrows, I discarded the bow without hesitation and chased down the fleeing Hunters, eliminating them one by one.
Where do they think they're going, with me watching them like a hawk?
I surveyed the surroundings.
The once chaotic grassland had grown eerily quiet.
Only three Hunters remained: myself, Kang Seoksu, and Han Harin. The rest had been eliminated. Kang Seoksu's strategy of prioritizing the Alliance Hunters had proven decisive.
What about those troublesome monsters...?
The Basalt Golem was currently engaged with Kang Seoksu. Cracks spiderwebbed across the golem's black body, leaving it on the verge of collapse.
The Little Kraken, which had just eliminated a Hunter, spotted me and approached. Only four tentacles remained, and crimson blood gushed from a wound on its head. The overwhelming presence it had exuded earlier was now gone.
At this state, I can handle it alone.
Since there was no way to control the Kraken, it seemed best to eliminate it cleanly before facing Kang Seoksu. Leaving it alive might allow the Kraken to interfere at a crucial moment.
?... ?... What was that idiom? There's a four-character idiom for this situation, but I can't remember it. Ah, damn it. This sudden mental block is distracting me and making it hard to focus on the battle.
Desperately racking my brain, I finally remembered: ???? (????). The hunting dog is boiled and eaten once it's no longer useful.
Squid. Let's see what you taste like.
I gripped my sword and charged toward the Kraken.
Dungeon Survival Reforged Studio.
"The National Heaven Hunter Team is bringing the C-Rank Boss Monsters, the Little Kraken and Basalt Golem, to the final battleground! How could they even think of such a thing...?" Jo Seok-hu clicked his tongue in disbelief.
Moments later, the Little Kraken and Basalt Golem began wreaking havoc in the final battleground.
Jo Seok-hu's jaw dropped slightly. The chaos was even worse than he'd imagined.
"I-it's utter pandemonium! The battle has spilled onto the grasslands! The fighting never stops! The Alliance has become meaningless! Even Hunter Kang Seoksu, the strongest contender for victory, can't hide his shock!" Jo Seok-hu shouted excitedly. The situation was a complete mess, but from a viewer's perspective, it couldn't be more thrilling or entertaining.
Dungeon Survival Reforged was nearing its end. Jo Seok-hu felt it with an intense certainty.
He suddenly glanced at the director. What must the director be thinking of this situation? Was he watching the chaotic scene with a rigid expression?
Contrary to Jo Seok-hu's expectations, the director was watching the screen with a satisfied smile.
Dungeon Survival Reforged wasn't a true survival game; it was merely a broadcast program.
A smooth, uneventful survival? That wouldn't attract much attention. Why else would they have gathered 150 Hunters? It was all for the sake of combat.
This chaotic situation, with its twists and turns, was far more dramatic and stimulating than a predictable victory by the Kang Seoksu Team.
The director instinctively knew: this scene would be remembered as one of the greatest moments in Dungeon Survival Reforged.
"...Hah. Was it really necessary to go to such extremes? It's far too radical," Hong Su-won sighed, sounding frustrated. Baek Ji-eun immediately retorted.
Everyone present knew about the ongoing conflict between Hong Su-won and Baek Ji-eun.
"The National Heaven Hunter Team has been ostracized by the Alliance. Frankly, I thought they were finished the moment the Alliance was formed. But they turned the situation around with a brilliant idea. Who else would have thought to lure the Little Kraken and Basalt Golem into this situation?"
"I admit their ingenuity, but strictly speaking, this is a Monster Shift. It looks terrible, and it's far too dangerous. Two C-Class Boss Monsters in one place? An accident is inevitable."
Monster Shift.
This refers to the malicious act of transferring a monster to another hunter. It's a clear crime, and getting caught doesn't end with just a fine.
"This is Dungeon Survival. The hunters here are competitors. In this context, it's more accurate to view it as a strategy rather than a crime. And there are Hunter Association staff present at least C-Rank Hunters, with many B-Class Hunters and even a few A-Rank Hunters. Even with all that, Mr. Hong Suwon, do you still think it's dangerous?"
Hong Su-won paused, carefully choosing his words.
His Bluebird Guild was one of the Republic of Korea's top ten guilds, but they couldn't afford to ignore the Association's influence. After all, the Association effectively controlled the hunter world. Completely antagonizing them was something to be avoided at all costs.
"...I meant that accidents could happen. Of course, the Association's presence minimizes the risk."
Baek Ji-eun smiled.
"Our Association staff are working tirelessly to eliminate even the slightest possibility of accidents. I, Baek Ji-eun... no, I pledge the name of the Korean Hunter Association to guarantee the safety of Dungeon Survival Reforged."
Hong Su-won fell silent.
If it had been Baek Ji-eun's personal guarantee, he would have challenged her at every turn. But with the Hunter Association's name at stake, he couldn't afford to antagonize them over such a minor matter, no matter how distasteful it was.
The situation on screen began to unfold rapidly.
"The Alliance has collapsed! Alliance Hunters are attacking each other, prioritizing their own survival above all else!"
"Hmm. That's the right move. In this situation, the one who survives has the highest chance of winning. The best strategy would be to retreat to the Rest Area and wait for the chaos to subside. But... the situation is so urgent that few are thinking that far ahead."
"The National Heaven Hunter Team has devised a brilliant strategy. Hunter Sung Yujin is prioritizing hunting down and eliminating fleeing Hunters, while Hunter Han Harin is guarding the entrance to the Rest Area. They know this is their last chance."
"Ah! The final Alliance Hunter has been eliminated!"
"This... Hunter Kang Seoksu really came prepared. Normally, the Little Kraken and Basalt Golem should have completely devastated the area, but Kang Seoksu spent over 30 hours preparing a Magic Circle that weakened the monsters to critical condition. There's a saying: 'The best magician is the one who comes prepared.' Seeing Hunter Kang Seoksu, I think that saying holds true."
"Hunter Kang Seoksu's Ice Strike magic is shattering the Basalt Golem into pieces! And Hunter Sung Yujin finished off the Little Kraken by stabbing it in the eye with her blade. Now, only three survivors remain. The National Heaven Hunter Team has the numerical advantage, but as you all know, Hunter Kang Seoksu possesses the 'Resurrection' treasure."
"Using Resurrection doesn't restore lost stamina or consumed mana. It only replaces the Energy Protect with a new one. Hunter Kang Seoksu will undoubtedly remember this and continue fighting."
"You're right! Ah! But Hunter Han Harin is staggering!"
Thwack!
I plunged my sword into the Little Kraken's golden eye. The creature writhed briefly before its struggles weakened, and it went limp. It was dead.
The Basalt Golem is also dead. Now only Kang Seoksu remains. We can take him down with a coordinated attack with Han Harin.
I glanced toward Han Harin to signal her.
My face froze. Han Harin was staggering. Even from a distance, it was clear she was in terrible condition.
Han Harin is completely exhausted.
Using gravity manipulation, I had flown Basalt here from the volcanic region and tasked him with guarding the entrance to the Rest Area. Unlike me, Han Harin had been continuously using her abilities.
She was already at her limit.
I can't give up now that I've come this far. I'll face Kang Seoksu alone if I have to.
Drawing my sword, I charged at Kang Seoksu. Fortunately, most of the magic circles in the area had been deployed against the Kraken and Basalt.
A one-on-one fight gives me a chance. Acceleration.
Acceleration activated. Duration: 10 minutes. Remaining stacks: 3.
My body accelerated. While using Momentary would have been more efficient, I needed to reach Kang Seoksu quickly without giving him time to react.
"So you're the last one. I never expected you to bring the Little Kraken and Basalt Golem here."
"It was quite a struggle to bring them."
As I ran, I glanced to my right. Mana surged, and an ice sword materialized.
"No matter how hard you try, I'll be the one who wins in the end."
The ice sword shot forward.
I swung my blade, easily deflecting the ice sword. If I couldn't deflect a straightforward attack like that, I might as well quit being a Hunter.
"There's a limit to how much you can underestimate me. You think you can stop me with something like this "
I couldn't finish my sentence. The ice sword I had clearly deflected was now flying back toward me.
"This is the Isperus spell. There are only two ways to stop the ice sword: shatter the ice or defeat you."
"Then I'll just shatter it."
This time, I channeled an excessive amount of Mana into my strike, shattering the ice sword.
Clang!
The ice sword didn't shatter. It was far more durable than I'd anticipated.
"The ice sword's strength surpasses even steel. You can't break it with your power. Accept your defeat quietly."
"Now that I think about it, I don't necessarily need to break it."
Kang Seoksu stood right in front of me.
I swung my sword in a dance-like motion, parrying the ice sword hurtling toward me while simultaneously attacking Kang Seoksu.
Kang Seoksu frowned and dodged my blade. This wasn't luck.
He's not just reacting to my sword; he's predicting my moves. He must be using Sensory Amplification.
His movements were clumsy, yet he evaded every attack. It couldn't be explained without Sensory Amplification.
"..."
Kang Seoksu subtly flicked his left hand. I caught the faint signal and swiftly retreated. A wall of flames erupted where I had stood moments before.
"Your instincts are sharp."
"And you have excellent senses."
Clang!
I parried the incoming ice sword. It wasn't particularly threatening, but it was annoyingly persistent.
Let's end this quickly, even if it means pushing myself a bit.
Just then, I noticed Han Harin at the edge of my vision, gesturing subtly. Without moving my eyes, I deciphered her signal.
Clang!
I deflected another ice attack, pushed off the ground, and closed in on Kang Seoksu. As he retreated, Han Harin activated her Gravity Field, making both of us feel heavier.
I spar with Han Harin regularly. I'm used to the Gravity Field.
Moreover, I had anticipated this move thanks to her signal.
Time to finish this. When I resurrect, I'll use Momentary three times in a row...
My eyes widened as I prepared to strike. Kang Seoksu was grinning triumphantly. I immediately sensed that something had gone wrong.
Could it be... he didn't need to see Han Harin's signal? Did he read it through Sensory Amplification?!
Kang Seoksu extended his left hand toward me, a crimson Magic Circle etched into his palm.
Momentary!
The Accelerated World sped up. There was no time to conserve Momentary. My blade hurtled toward Kang Seoksu's neck.
Kang Seoksu leaned back, narrowly evading my strike. He had dodged even with Momentary activated.
I knew his physical abilities surpassed mine, but to evade like that... Did he read that split-second through Sensory Amplification?!
Gritting my teeth, I activated Momentary again. I couldn't retreat now, not after coming this far.