<Chapter 30. Hero Hunter - 5>
[Lloyd H.K.: The monsters’ movements in the level 4 danger zone are a bit strange.]
Lloyd said, and Lee Shin Woo realized that it was about time.
[Lloyd H.K.: It’s like they’re being chased by something, and it’s becoming more difficult to hunt, as more and more monsters are grouping together.]
[Prince Altania: They’re just scared of you.]
[Yasunori Akira: It’s not like that over here. Maybe it’s just localized.]
Of course it was localized. Since it’d only been two days since Lee Shin Woo had entered the level 4 danger zone.
[Lloyd H.K.: It’s still too much, even if we write it off as localized movement. There’s definitely something incredibly powerful moving around over here. It might even be one of the 12 generals...]
[Ethan Cruz: Want me to go over there?]
[Lloyd H.K.: No, it’s not a big enough issue for you to... Mm, could you please come over here?]
[Ethan Cruz: Of course.]
As he left the chatting channel, Lee Shin Woo felt like he was breaking into a cold sweat. He and Jin had hunted such a large quantity of monsters that it seemed like they’d been discovered.
He’d killed thousands of monsters a few times already, so the other monsters found out. Then, unfortunately, those monsters left in droves to avoid them. The undead monsters! In order to escape them!
"I thought I’d be able to go wild in the level 4 danger zone, as there are so many high level monsters here, but..."
"The other heroes aren’t hunting the high level monsters like we are..."
Unfortunately, after his fight in the training facility, he had learned how to fight against a large quantity of enemies, so Lee Shin Woo had become fond of fearlessly charging into enemies, regardless of how many there were.
Though it was a level 4 danger zone, Lee Shin Woo and Jin trusted in their immortal bodies and slaughtered the monsters, as they only needed to be wary of the level 7 monsters, as even the level 6 monsters were no match for them. That’s why Jin’s stats had increased by more than 100 in just two days.
"If we just keep at this for another 2 weeks, you should be able reach level 7..."
"Isn’t that damn Necromancer coming? Let’s avoid him and just do what we need to."
Jin obediently accepted Bone Reinforcement, and Lee Shin Woo hunted diligently, like a mother bird bringing worms for its newborn, yet they’d lost such a good opportunity because of Ethan Cruz!
"Damn it, I guess it can’t be helped..."
Of course, they hadn’t just been killing monsters. They’d found a hidden undead hero and had given him eternal peace.
The undead hero had been only level 6, but he had possessed an incredible proficiency in combat, so once he absorbed the bone following his defeat, Lee Shin Woo’s High Rank Bursting Thunder skill leveled up by 1, and his Intermediate Shadow Horn skill by 3. It was quite a significant development.
"He seemed like a good senior, so I really wanted to keep him alive..."
"Why do they awaken when they hear your voice...?"
"I want to know that too. Rem, do you know?"
[I can only affect golems for now...]
Yeah, of course that’s how it was. Lee Shin Woo sighed and patted Jin. When he’d heard about Ethan in the chatting channel, they avoided the monsters and ran away. They were preparing for the inevitable fight against him, but they weren’t ready. Not yet at least.
"We’ll find another one soon."
"We’re in the flatlands right now, though... Which means it’s in a dungeon."
"Let’s go in carefully, so that we’re not discovered by the flying monsters."
"Ok."
It had been two days since they’d entered the level 4 danger zone, and they already looked quite dignified. Then again, they risked their lives more so than any other hero in order to explore the area, so it seemed obvious that they would accumulate that much experience.
"I hope we find someone that we can actually talk to this time... Mm."
Lee Shin Woo found the entrance to the dungeon and opened it. He opened it so naturally, like flowing water. There was a considerable amount of magic and monsters within the dungeons in the high level areas. And that’s exactly what all the undead want!
Thus, if they were noticed the moment they opened the dungeon, then they might experience a barrage of undead monster attacks.
To be honest, his seniors had suggested that he ’be careful when entering dungeons’ when he had entered the level 3 danger zone, but whenever the undead swarmed him, he’d say ’Hut, nice’ and just kill them, so he hadn’t worried about it.
"Nice, it’s clear."
Lee Shin Woo skillfully opened the dungeon before the monsters could swarm them, and entered with Jin. The opening of the dungeon closed instantly. They had finished things perfectly.
[Level 6 Elite Dungeon - You have acquired the permit for Mole Heaven. All stats are increased by 30 within the dungeon. The dungeon’s information is added to your minimap. All actions are buffed within the dungeon.]
"This is our first time in a level 6 elite dungeon. Will we be ok?"
"If it were a level 7 elite dungeon, I might be concerned, but a level 6 elite dungeon should be fine. Our problem’s the senior who’s inside..."
The dungeon was so silent that they felt uneasy. Which meant that all of the monsters had been killed already. So it was highly likely that the hero was safe when he had first entered the dungeon. Yet, he still died. Most likely to an elite monster, or the boss...
"He was so meticulous in clearing, so much so that I don’t feel any presences in the entire area. Yet he still died, which means that the dungeon boss must be no joke."
He might even have to fight against the undead hero and the boss simultaneously, and tightly gripped the Breath of the Lightning God. The six fully charged Breath of the Lightning Gods were summoned behind him and shook.
Jin wondered whether anyone could survive the barrage of the Lightning God... or Lee Shin Woo’s secret name for it, Lightning God’s Breath, but Jin didn’t say it out loud.
"Let’s go slowly, shall we?"
"Ok."
Lee Shin Woo silently blew up the Breath of the Lightning God that had been in his hand. The thundercloud spread out in every direction instantaneously, and he continuously inhaled and exhaled through his Mana Breath, causing the environment to remain filled with lightning energy. He was forcing his surroundings to become tinged in lightning energy through his authority!
"Good. It’s become more stable."
"It always feels like my Lightning Resistance will level up..."
[I as well.]
This was one of techniques he’d learned once he’d reached level 7. Immediately changing the environment into one advantageous to him was a high level technique that wouldn’t lose out to a level 8. It was only possible because of the balance among the Bone Armory, Rule of Bone, and Mana Bone skills.
’Though I can do the same thing with Mana Breath, without any explosions...’
However, not only did that approach take much longer, but the energy emitted from the Breath of the Lightning God doing it this way was more powerful as well.
Because his mana recovery rate was much greater than before, he could now re-summon the Breath of the Lightning God without much difficulty and fully charge it as well, so this method was much better for him.
"But even so... Jin?"
"We’re using Assimilation to its max right now. I feel like what I feel, you feel too."
"Mm."
After Lee Shin Woo had re-summoned another Breath of the Lightning God, infused mana into it, and was fully prepared for battle, he noticed that their situation hadn’t changed and felt embarrassed.
Of course, this level 6 elite dungeon had several side roads here and there, and as it was Mole Heaven, there were several big holes as well. It was also a considerably large dungeon, but even taking all of that into account, there were too few presences.
At Jin’s level, his crawl was as fast as a train, but even at that speed, there was nothing that they found!
"Where’s that senior? Is he really here? Maybe this is an empty dungeon that someone already cleared."
"He’s definitely in here, but... there’s only one undead senior inside of an empty dungeon...? If I were to make sense of this, then...
Lee Shin Woo’s goblin fire burnt gently and gripped his Breath of the Lightning God more tightly. Jin, inspired by Lee Shin Woo’s fighting spirit, followed suit and became cautious. They went deeper into the dungeon, exploring every nook and cranny, and in the end, they arrived near the boss room.
"He’s not here..."
"Shin Woo, are you ok?"
Lee Shin Woo finally came to the conclusion that there weren’t any monsters within the dungeon. He had been suspicious when he hadn’t felt any living energy within the dungeon, but he hadn’t expected the boss to be dead as well, and felt dejected.
"They really did go to heaven."
"You’re terrible. So what are you going to do now? ...Are you going to go in?"
At the very least, Jin could tell that Lee Shin Woo was wary of the senior inside. Lee Shin Woo just nodded his head... at Jin’s question.
"We’ve come this far, so we can’t just turn back. If they’re one of Ethan’s agents, then all the more reason for us to take him down."
"...Yeah, if need be, we can just kill him I guess."
"Nah, I’m not going to kill him."
Lee Shin Woo was sure that Jin hadn’t forgotten about their encounter with the Archmage the other day, and his resulting death. He softly gave Jin a dutch rub and then... placed his hand atop Jin’s head.
"Let’s go, Jin."
"Alright."
Dozens of lightning arrows appeared in the air. It was the Breath of the Lightning God’s option, Thunder Arrow. It was quite an efficient skill, as it only consumed a small amount of mana to consume a large quantity of controllable arrows.
"Heup!"
Lee Shin Woo controlled the thunder arrows telekinetically, and shot them at the boss room door. The arrows battered the door together, and although they didn’t break through the giant stone gate, the arrows managed to weaken the sides, allowing them to enter.
There was a calm-looking skeleton within.
[I didn’t think an undead would come into the dungeon.]
The skeleton’s bones had turned black, and wore a robe adorned with luxurious gemstones above them. And in the place of eyes, he had green gems... emeralds embedded. It really looked like a Lich that came out of a game. Whether it was fortunate or not he couldn’t tell, but it wasn’t a Lich. If he destroyed its main body, it would die.
[You seem to be quite a high level... Are you as powerful as one of the 12 generals?]
"Nope."
Considering the fact that he could talk to it, the skeleton had definitely retained its intellect. Even though it retained its intellect, he had no proof that it was still sane, so Lee Shin Woo didn’t drop his combat readiness. But it wasn’t like he could attack it right away. First off, he would have to show his respect to his senior.
"I’m someone who opposes them."
[Opposing the 12 generals? It’s been a long time since I’ve heard something so funny. An undead that opposes the Empire... Are you perhaps connected with Ethan Cruz? No, if you were working together with Ethan, then you wouldn’t have been able to find this place...]
The undead raised its staff, embedded with a large emerald, and aimed it at Lee Shin Woo while speaking cautiously.
[Are you a hero?]
"...It seems like you’re still self-aware."
Lee Shin Woo hadn’t met an undead hero until now that had been self-aware (that they were a hero) and acted accordingly before he could even convince them. He’d thought that perhaps a case like this would come up in the future, but... He couldn’t feel relaxed yet. At least now he had a chance to figure out how to approach this situation.
[Then, you too?]
"I’m Paul Zero. ...If you’re not hostile, then I’d like to talk to you. How about it?"
Lee Shin Woo withdrew his Breath of the Lightning God and spoke (though of course, the second he saw something strange, he was prepared to counterattack). The skeleton likewise withdrew its staff. He was definitely a lot different from the undead he’d met until now. No... perhaps it was different from any of the undead he had met.
[Well, well. This is quite surprising for me as well. Alright. Let’s talk... Oh, right. My name.]
It stroked its face with its free hand and replied.
[...My name is Lee Man Bok.]
A familiar name popped up!
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