114 – 114. Attacking the Knight’s Tomb (1)
Overrank Dungeon .
Originally, the dungeon was an erosion type dungeon in the original work. The characteristic of erosion-type dungeons was that the size of the dungeon beyond the gate was extremely small, but the surrounding environment around the gate was changed to resemble the inside of the dungeon.
A representative example was the Cheonji Dungeon where Ahn Soo-ho stopped by to meet Yeo In-hyeok. Due to the existence of the Cheonji Dungeon Gate, powerful snowstorms and magic storms blow in the Cheonji of Mt. Baekdu all year round. Originally, the knight’s tomb should have been a dungeon that affected the surrounding environment in that way.
However.
Unlike the original, the knight’s tomb that appeared this time was a double dungeon that occurred inside the existing C-class dungeon. As a result, the change and erosion of the environment caused by the knight’s tomb became confined to the inside of the dungeon.
As a result, the area around the gate was as peaceful as ever, despite the prevalence of unprecedented overrank erosion dungeons. Considering the damage caused by erosive dungeons, it was truly fortunate.
However, I couldn’t just leave the dungeon unattended. If you leave the created dungeon unattended, a monster inside the dungeon will flow out of the gate and a crysis will occur. Even if there was no damage right now, considering the possibility that monsters from overrank dungeons would roam outside, they had to attack the dungeon as soon as possible and close the gate.
So.
April 15, 2020.
In front of the C-class dungeon gate, which had a knight’s tomb inside, a raiding party was gathered to conquer the Overrank dungeon.
“…… It’s really amazing.”
The Gates Bureau employee stuck out his tongue. Like that said, the hunters gathered there were so outstanding that it was not an exaggeration at all to say that they were the best ever.
Twenty-four raiding parties carefully selected from the five S-class guilds in Korea. All of them were A-class superhumans or higher, and thirteen of them were S-class. However, most of those powerful superhumans today were just sidekicks to clear the way to Wilhelm.
The center of the gathering raid.
There were five hunters and one student to deal with Wilhelm, the main monster and the core of the Knight’s Tomb raid.
The submaster of the S-rank 1st guild Royal Knights. Oh Ji-hoon, the dragon slayer.
Jin So-wol, the team leader of Team Ceres, the most elite unit of the second-ranked S-class guild, Asteroid.
The guild master of the S-class 3rd place Black Dragon Association. The black dragon lord, Seol Ah-hyun.
The Submaster of the S-rank 4th Guild Winter Alliance. Mad dog Seong Yu-jin.
The guild master of the 5th rank S guild brave men. Salt Emperor Park Chul.
And until Midsummer, a student intern of the Asteroid Guild and the youngest in Korea to be promoted to S-class.
Every superman who belonged to the raid team was an excellent hunter, but those six were the strongest of the strong, who were different from other supermen.
Even the main figures of the S-class guilds, who are usually busy competing, gathered in one place, and the superhumans around them were looking at them with feelings close to awe.
However, their gaze soon turned to a man standing next to the task force team. To a dark-haired security guard whose name I don’t even know why he’s with them.
“But who is that guy who keeps snooping around our Lord?”
“I don’t know. He’s the first one I’ve seen.”
“You gentlemen. What if you guys don’t know? You guys said that Hoeju was the person he hired himself this time.”
“??? Is that true? Are you a proselytist?”
“This is the guy the Hansung Group heir girl brought to the meeting last time. From what I heard, that guy almost planned the strategy to deal with that Wilhelm or something this time.”
“What?? Who is that guy, who is planning all the plans? What do you believe in?!”
“I don’t know the circumstances, but they must all have ideas. There are only four guild master class members in the task force. Isn’t there a reason to believe something?”
As he listened to the other hunters talking about him, Ahn Su-ho shamefully scratched his cheek.
The only people who know the identity of Ahn Su-ho are some executives who participated in the meeting at the time. At least, because they were ordered to keep silent, other hunters who did not know the circumstances were raising all sorts of speculations about the identity of An Su-ho.
“Ahn Suho is very popular. Everyone seems to be going crazy because they’re curious about who you are? Uh, don’t you know why your mouth is itchy today?”
Hayeoreum laughed and sarcastically. At this, Ahn Soo-ho spit out the sound of bolmen.
“…… Midsummer students, do you have anything else to prepare? Everyone else seems to be busy with the final order, equipment checks.”
“As a student intern, it’s not something I care about. Mr. Ahn Su-ho is the one who planned this operation, but he seems to be free.”
“What is the planner? I only gave you an idea, but you came up with the tactics together, didn’t you? And if that person is a student intern, then I am an outsider. No matter what I want to do, I can’t.”
“Yes. That’s it.”
A leisurely silence falls between the two. Unlike the other five members of the task force who were giving orders, the two of them had nothing to do now, as Midsummer said.
“Would you like to chat while you have free time?”
“…… You don’t like wasting time like small talk, don’t you?”
“I don’t have anything to do right now. As soon as the preparations are over, I will rush in, but I can’t be looking at the company work separately. If time is going to be wasted anyway, it would be a good way to spend it by chatting with talented people like you.”
“A competent person. That’s too much praise.”
“Humility is.”
Ahn Su-ho said that sincerely, but in mid-summer, he couldn’t help but look humble. The Ahn Soo-ho she knows is at least as strong as an S-class superman. He or he was someone who had a secret power that others didn’t know about.
“Anyway. There was one thing I wanted to ask you before. Don’t worry too much about it because it’s a small talk where there’s still time left. You can just answer comfortably.”
“Good.”
“Then ask. Ahn Soo-ho Mr. What do you think of my sister, Midwinter?”
“…… Yes?”
Ahn Soo-ho was surprised at the question that could be interpreted in many ways.
“What do you think… …. That, in what sense?”
“Hmm. My question was a bit unclear. It was how I felt as a superman. Specifically, I was curious about how you view his qualities or talent. Didn’t you fight with my brother the other day?”
“Aha… ….”
I wonder if that was the case, Suho Ahn let out a sigh.
When I asked him what he thought of midwinter, he thought he was asking what he was like as a member of the opposite s*x. After receiving Kang Ha-neul’s confession the day before, he had no choice but to interpret it that way.
“The qualities of a midwinter student… …. As a security guard, I wonder how accurate my eyesight must be, but I think I am an excellent student who is talented and puts effort into it.”
“This is a very lukewarm review. It’s like a comment that a teacher writes appropriately in the student record book when he has nothing to praise.”
“It’s because I don’t speak well. But I think the real Midwinter student has outstanding qualities. …… Maybe not as much as midsummer students.”
“…… I’m surprised. I thought you were far from flattery like that.”
“I am just telling the truth.”
“Ha.”
Midsummer smiled softly, as if full of energy, but with an expression that didn’t look too bad.
“Well, you saw it correctly.”
“You mean the qualities of a midsummer student?”
“No. My brother is good in his own way, but he is inferior to me.”
What is my intention to suddenly bring up such a story? As Suho Ahn listened silently, Midsummer continued to speak.
“I may sound a bit cocky, but I am a genius.”
“…… I know.”
“That is also an unsalted genius. Not only the qualifications as a superhuman, but also the knowledge of academics and the ability to manage a company. Maybe after 30 years or so, it will be included in textbooks? No, what is thirty years? As long as I get promoted to S-class this year, starting next year, I will be teaching new students three letters of my name as the youngest S-class introductory class for all academy hunters and first-year students.”
“… ….”
It was all true, but it was strangely jarring to hear, so An Su-ho kept his mouth shut. Perhaps the attitude was so funny that Midsummer ate and laughed.
“But my sister, Kyeol-gyeol, is not that tidy. Of course you have to be great. But it’s not extraordinary. It’s too much to be called a genius, but it’s about half a step behind to be called a genius. I don’t know what others may think, but at least I think so.”
“I think even mid-winter students are genius enough… ….”
“I told you. No matter what other people think.”
Even if the standards were harsh, they were too harsh. Seeing my younger brother competing for first or second place at the best academy in Korea, he is at best a genius. Ahn Su-ho stuck out his tongue at Midsummer’s excessively high standard of genius.
“People use the word genius too much these days. Genius. Heaven-sent talent is not a word to be taken lightly. Even if you gather a lot of outstanding people, the genius is the law that shines especially among them. Like me And like those four people who will fight together today.”
Maybe it includes you too. Midsummer, who added that, made a fishy sneer. Ahn Su-ho didn’t say anything and just listened to her words.
“In that context. Winter is a genius after all. Just like the other Hunters gathered here. Talent and quality are great, but by no means extraordinary.”
“…… What do you mean by saying that to me?”
“I told you. I was curious about how a superman named Ahn Su-ho would see the qualities of mid-winter.”
“Midwinter students are excellent students.”
A repetition of what I said earlier. However, Ahn Su-ho’s words had an afterthought.
“Student Midsummer said that his younger brother would not be able to become a guild master level superman of the task force……. My opinion is a bit different. Midwinter students can grow to that extent. …… If only I could overcome my current weaknesses.”
“…… What is that weakness?”
“Conceit.”
As if Ahn Soo-ho’s cool answer was unexpected, Midsummer shut her mouth. Suho Ahn continued.
“If you can let go of your pride and face your weaknesses head-on, Midwinter students will definitely become stronger. Perhaps in the distant future, instead of her current Flame Emperor Park Chul, she may take the title of Flame Emperor.”
Ahn Soo-ho, who secretly leaked the contents of the original story, smiled softly. As the saying goes, in the original work where the flame emperor Park Cheol died, Midwinter inherited the title of the flame emperor as the nation’s best fire-type ability. I don’t know what will happen in this world where he is still alive.
“Conceit, it is… ….”
Han Yeo-reum, who was chewing on Ahn Su-ho’s words, smiled.
“Is that why you trampled winter teeth like that in Dalian?”
“To trample, the expression is a bit like that.”
“If you had seen Winter’s expression when he returned home that day, wouldn’t you have said that?”
I fought because the Midwinter side asked me to fight, but it was a little unfair to An Su-ho to see how his expression looked like he was trampled on. The moment he shamelessly scratched his cheek and tried to refute something.
“In 10 minutes, the dungeon raid begins! Hunters, please check your equipment and supplies!”
As if the preparations for the rush were over before I knew it, an employee from the Gate Management Bureau was walking around shouting that. Hanyeoreum, who was watching that scene, said as she headed towards the Asteroid Guild.
“I enjoyed the conversation. I’ve heard what you think of my brother. It was kind of interesting. That didn’t change my opinion, but…….”
Then see you later.
After adding that, Midsummer left Ahn Su-ho behind and turned her steps. Seol Ah-hyun ran from a distance to Ahn Soo-ho, who was left alone.
“Suho. Are you finished with your preparations?”
“I finished it right away. What about Ahyeon and the others?”
“All done. Unless someone suddenly has a stomachache, we will return to the top in 10 minutes.”
Ahn Su-ho laughed at the joke that seemed to relieve tension. Despite that consideration, Ahn Su-ho was not nervous at all. Until yesterday, there was no anxiety in my heart, but not anymore.
On the contrary, Seol Ah-hyun seemed to be more nervous. Ahn Soo-ho, sensing the uneasiness peeking through her calm-looking face, put a hand on her shoulder.
“Eh? Su, Suho?”
“Don’t worry. It will work out. I heard that you saw them succeed in targeting future cities.”
“That, that was a lie to convince others of Suho’s opinion, wasn’t it?”
“Still, when you saw the future related to me, didn’t you say that we were close? If today’s attack had failed, Ahyeon and I wouldn’t have been on good terms.”
“That, that’s right…” ….”
For some reason, Ahn Su-ho tilted his head at the sight of Seol Ah-hyun, who blushed and avoided his gaze. However, Seol Ah-hyun could not bear to explain the reason.
The two moved to the side where the members of the Black Dragon were gathered and prepared to rush in. And 10 minutes later, 24 hunters and one guard entered the gate.
“Oh. As I heard, it’s terribly cold, but this!”
Beyond the gate was a labyrinth identical to the existing C-class dungeon. However, the entire stone labyrinth was covered with white snow and frost. It was because of the environmental erosion caused by the knight’s tomb.
“If this erosion spreads to the outside of the gate, the farming around here will all be ruined.”
“But can erosion-type dungeon erosion cross the gate?”
“I don’t know. In the first place, this is the first time that a double dungeon has occurred.”
“Okay, let’s work hard today too! After all, it’s an overrank dungeon with plenty of government subsidies!”
“Ow! Whether it’s Wilhelm or Bismarck, they’re telling me to fight!”
The hunters entered the labyrinth, making a lot of noise as if they were proud of their leisure. Eight forks that existed in the existing labyrinth appeared in front of them.
The Hunters split their teams into three teams as set beforehand and entered a crossroads. The team Ahn Soo-ho belonged to was a mix of the Black Dragon and Asteroid guilds, but coincidentally, both Seol Ah-hyun and Han Yeo-reum were on the same team.
-Jerebuck. That buck that buck
Eight superhumans advanced through the labyrinth passages covered with snow. Han Yeo-reum, who was in the middle of the line, approached Ahn Su-ho, who was in the lead.
“Mr. Suho.”
“What is it?”
“I have a sudden curiosity about something after the conversation we had earlier.”
It was a situation where you didn’t know when the monster would appear, but the midsummer’s attitude was quite relaxed.
No, not just midsummer, but everyone there. It was thanks to a preliminary investigation that he had already figured out that it wasn’t that dangerous except for the deepest part where Wilhelm was.
“Ahn Su-ho said that. If my sister can just let go of her arrogance, she will be able to grow even more.”
“Yes. He obviously said that.”
“I just had some doubts. Whether you have conceit or not, your set talents and qualities are the same anyway. I wonder if a person can grow so dramatically with just a little change in mindset.”
“That’s it… ….”
– Cheekyong. Chunk.
At that time, the party came to a halt at the sound of metal coming from the other side of the labyrinth. All at once rushed into a battle posture without a relaxed attitude. Midsummer also raised cold air from her hands and watched her in front.
“The Ghost Knight… ….”
The ones who showed up were five knights whose whole bodies were covered in pitch-black armor. It looked similar to the living armor that appeared in the existing dungeons, but its identity was completely different.
Wraith Knight. They were knights who had served under Wilhelm, the Frost Knight Commander, who had been revived by the power of the dungeon.
The estimated grade was A. It was an enemy that the hunters who participated in this attack could easily catch, but it was not an easy opponent.
“…… A midsummer student said that a person cannot become stronger beyond a certain set of talents or qualities. Isn’t that what you mean?”
At that time, Ahn Su-ho said to Han Yeo-reum. She didn’t know that she would continue the conversation from earlier in this situation with enemies in front of her, so Midsummer replied with a puzzled look on her face.
“That’s right, that’s right. Everyone has a limit to growth, so-“
“But isn’t that something you don’t know about?”
“Yes?”
“This world is full of ways to become stronger.”
Ahn Suho said that and slowly moved forward step by step. A look of bewilderment appeared on the faces of the hunters who saw him stepping out alone facing the five specter knights.
“Ahn Soo-ho? What does that mean…….”
“It’s just like that. It doesn’t mean much.”
After answering that, Ahn Su-ho looked ahead. To be precise, the blue system message that popped into his field of vision.
—–
You have become the target of the second effect of [ . Would you like to activate the effect? Y/N]
—–
A system message he had been deliberately ignoring had been in the center of his field of vision for about an hour.
“…… Activate.”
As Suho Ahn chanted softly, the system message disappeared and new letters came to mind.
—–
The second effect of [ Has been activated. ]
[ Jisoon’s love that can give everything! For 120 minutes from now, skill user ‘Kang Ha-neul”s ‘all abilities as a superman’ will be ‘rented’ to target ‘Ahn Su-ho’! ]
[ Compensate the body stats of the target ‘Ansuho’ as much as the stats of the user ‘Kang Ha-neul’! ]
[ Strength stat increases from D+ to C+. ]
[ Agility stat increases from B+ to A+. ]
[ Durability increases from D to C. ]
[ Magic stat increases from C to A. ]
[ Skill stat increases from C to A. ]
[ Luck stat increases from B to S. ]
[ Avatar (E) is added to your superpowers. ]
[ Please be very careful as ‘all abilities as a superman’ borrowed from user ‘Kang Ha-neul’ will be permanently lost if the target ‘Ansu-ho’ does not return them within 120 minutes. ]
—–
The system messages that filled his vision were deactivated, and at the same time black smoke began to swirl in Ahn Su-ho’s hands.
-Tuhwaaa!!!
The smoke that swelled up and swirled was compressed to the limit and took the shape of a long sword. At that moment, the five ghost knights, who had been slowly approaching, rang a metallic sound and started running all at once.
-Kung Kung Kung Kung Kung Kung!
“Whoa.”
An imminent situation. Ahn Soo-ho let out a big breath. Immediately after, his hand holding the sword made of smoke swung wildly from top to bottom.
That moment.
-Quagagagagagagagagagagagagakgak!!!!
Dozens of black thorns extending along the trajectory of the swing attacked the knights at once. More and more! The knights, whose whole body was pierced with a heavy metal sound, fell to the ground without being able to take two more steps.
-Kooung!
A clean blow beyond words.
The hunters who accompanied Ahn Su-ho’s inaction were astonished. Not only those who did not know his true identity, but also Han Yeoreum and Seol Ah-hyun, who had high regards for his skills, could not help but be surprised by that blow.
Although the ghost knights are said to be enemies that can easily defeat all of them, defeating not one but five in one blow was a completely different dimension.
‘…… Crazy.’
And what surprised me was Ahn Su-ho as well. Looking at the pitch-black sword that was still showing off a solid presence in his grasp, Ahn Su-ho swallowed his dry saliva.
‘…… Is this really great?’