Chapter 32

00032 Boss Monster.

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As the boss monster lunged forward with its terrifying fangs wide open, my left arm was already aimed at its upper body. I could fire a total of three arrows in quick succession. And now, my arrows were infused with a sharp magical power that could pierce even the toughest steel.

I took aim and fired.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

The arrows cut through the air with a much more powerful whistling sound than before. There was a slight delay, but I could see them hit the exact center of the monster’s forehead. However...

Clang! Clang! Clang!

The arrows I had fired fell uselessly to the ground, making a loud metallic sound. They couldn’t penetrate the boss monster’s hide. Of course, there was some impact. The boss monster flinched, likely feeling the shockwave of magical energy that penetrated its body.

Even with a small amount of magic, it was impressive that it could withstand such force with just its hide. I wondered what kind of twisted logic the angels had in placing such a creature in the initiation trial, but for now, it seemed I had achieved my goal. I had successfully slowed down the monster, which had been accelerating towards us.

The boss monster’s body was hunched, as if it was still reeling from the impact. I decided to leave this issue to Seraph for now and turned to follow the group.

Looking ahead, the group was running hard. They were close to entering the 100-meter mark. At this distance, the kids would be safe, even if it was a close call for me.

Just as I was about to sprint, I felt something odd. The monster hadn’t been seriously injured, and it had plenty of time to recover from the shock, yet I couldn’t hear its footsteps. The thudding sound was gone. Suddenly, I remembered the hunched posture and the way Monkey had leaped at me during our battle yesterday. The thought that it might do the same crossed my mind, and at that moment, I heard a gust of wind from behind.

Whoosh!

My worst fears were confirmed. The boss monster was cunning and calculating. It knew that if it continued like this, it wouldn’t catch any of us. Its hunched posture wasn’t from the impact of my arrows but from preparing for a massive leap.

A giant shadow fell over the open space around me. The boss monster was looking at the group ahead, with Ahn Hyun in the lead, Hanbyeol and Yoojeong close behind, and An Sol lagging a bit due to her lower stamina. The other three were safe, but An Sol was in a dangerous position.

Before I could warn them, the boss monster, drawing a long arc in the air, landed with all its might at the rear of the group. The ground shook, and the earth trembled with a deafening sound. Even Ahn Hyun, who was running ahead, staggered from the massive shockwave. The sight made my mind go blank, and I couldn’t think of anything.

At that moment, a message appeared before my eyes.

『The latent ability, True Sight (Rank A+), has been activated. This ability allows you to see beyond the surface and perceive the inner essence of a target. It refers to the ability to observe and sense the world or oneself with a clear mind. A mind that has been refined to the extreme can maintain composure even under the influence of mental pollution magic of S-rank or lower.』

...

...

...

“Huh...”

My hot head cooled down instantly. My mind, which had been blank, was now filled with cold, rational thoughts. My narrow perspective expanded, and I began to see things I hadn’t noticed before.

And I smiled. I couldn’t help but laugh.

What had I been worried about all this time? This situation was nothing. I had faced far more dangerous, painful, and heart-stopping moments before.

I wasn’t afraid, and I wasn’t scared. I wouldn’t push myself beyond my limits. I would always stay within my capabilities and do my best. This was the creed I had lived by when I first played the Hol Plain.

In the Hol Plain, superficial strength didn’t cut it. I had seen people with great talent and ability die before they could fully bloom. Witnessing this, I vowed never to reveal myself. I lived in the shadows so thoroughly that no one knew I was a Sword Master with only 48 magic points. Over the ten years I spent in the Hol Plain, this attitude had become a compulsion.

Of course, I still believed it was necessary to hide myself if the situation demanded it. But doing the same thing would only yield the same results.

When I failed to protect my older brother and lost the clan lord I trusted and loved, I deeply regretted it. I didn’t want to repeat those mistakes, and that’s why I had come back to change the inevitable. I wanted to be different now.

In an instant, I analyzed the entire battlefield and calculated the optimal action. I precisely calculated the necessary magic and channeled it to find the most efficient solution. I no longer wanted to hide my true self. If needed, I would act. Of course, it could be risky, but the solution was simple: don’t get caught. I had the ability and the confidence to do so.

In less than a second, I completed my analysis. I confirmed An Sol’s position and her survival status. The first thing I needed to do was draw the boss monster’s attention. My figure was hidden from the group by the monster’s massive body. I channeled enough magic to penetrate its hide into an arrow and immediately drew the bowstring.

Swoosh! Swoosh! Swoosh!

The monster, startled by the intense killing intent from behind, turned its head. But the arrows were flying at a speed far beyond what it had experienced before. Without time to react, three arrows embedded themselves in the boss monster’s chest. But that wasn’t all.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

The magic-infused arrows exploded, easily breaking through the monster’s hide. The effect was immediate.

Roar!

It hurt, didn’t it? The boss monster let out a painful scream. I ran swiftly, using my Third Eye to see that Ahn Hyun, Hanbyeol, and Yoojeong were staggering but still running. They seemed unaware that An Sol had fallen behind. Good. This was better for me...

Wait. Ahn Hyun stopped.

“Sol! Sol! Sol, answer me!”

Ahn Hyun’s desperate cries echoed as he realized An Sol was missing. I thought he was a fool and increased my speed. The distance between me and the monster closed quickly. The boss monster, seeing me running towards it, raised its massive right hand high into the sky, trembling with rage.

I had deliberately weakened the attack to keep it alive, but it showed no gratitude. Of course, it couldn’t read my thoughts and struck at me without hesitation. Its fingers, sharp like a reaper’s scythe, aimed to slice me down. To a normal person, it would be terrifying, but to me, it was slow enough to yawn.

I accelerated, planted one foot on the ground, and quickly bent my lower body to become parallel with the ground. The monster’s fingers grazed above my face, cutting a few strands of hair that flew into the air. But I had successfully dodged its attack and slid inside. It was a clean slide, and in that direction, I saw An Sol, coughing and supporting herself with both hands on the ground.

“Cough! Cough!”

Dust and dirt filled the air, likely from the monster’s landing. In the past, I would have comforted An Sol, but now, I had no time or thought for that. I quickly picked her up and carried her in a princess hold. She looked startled, then spoke with a trembling voice.

“Su... Suhyun-oppa...?”

“Be quiet. Let’s get away from this thing first.”

I fired three more arrows while running, without checking the results, and immediately started running through the dust. Another mournful scream from the monster suggested I had hit a vulnerable spot.

An Sol’s face was a sight to behold. Tears streamed down her cheeks as she looked up at me, as if I were a savior. Ahn Hyun, who had been about to turn back despite the protests of Yoojeong and Hanbyeol, saw me through the dust and opened his mouth in shock.

What was funny was how Ahn Hyun’s expression changed dramatically. First, he looked stunned, then relieved, and finally, on the verge of tears. As a fellow man, it made me feel uncomfortable.

It seemed like the siblings were about to have a crying party. I continued running, thinking it was a ridiculous scene.

Then, Kim Hanbyeol shouted something urgently. A cold feeling came from behind, and it was clear the monster wasn’t going to let us go easily. The boss monster’s tail, like a whip, swung towards me. If I were hit, I might be fine, but An Sol couldn’t withstand the shock that would penetrate my body.

I suddenly wanted to capture this monster. If I could capture the boss monster that no one else had, it could be a significant achievement and might even earn me a reward. As a user, I also wanted to capture the boss monster. To do that, I needed to separate from Ahn Hyun and the group for a moment. I decided to take the hit.

The monster’s tail struck my back with a loud thud, sending a massive shock through my body. It didn’t hurt, but my body would be forced to fly back due to the impact.

I channeled magic to absorb the shock internally. The principle was based on the concept of "using a small force to control a great one," but I had adjusted it to my liking. It was a technique to control and distribute the incoming force. Originally used to spread and mitigate an otherwise overwhelming impact, I had also used it in this way before.

I transmitted a manageable shock to An Sol and threw her forward, then directed the remaining force to the side and rolled. Before we both flew away, I whispered in her ear.

“Run to the warp gate as soon as you get up.”

Before An Sol could respond, our bodies were forcefully thrown. I flew to the left, and she flew towards the group. By some (useless?) luck, her body landed directly in Ahn Hyun’s arms.

I also fell to the ground and rolled but had to get up immediately. The boss monster was clearly different from the other creatures in the initiation trial. It recognized me as a threat and, instead of relaxing after taking a hit, immediately charged towards me, emitting a thick aura of killing intent. It was clear I had its attention.

Boom!

Another cannon-like sound echoed, and the earth shook again. I dodged, but my body was still jolted. The monster, even angrier that I had dodged, continued to stomp towards me.

Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!

Crack. Crack. Crack. Crack.

Phew.

“Oppaaaah!”

“Haaaaa!”

I wanted to shout back, “Whyyyyy?” but managed to keep my mouth shut to maintain my silent, cool image. Normally, I would have waved and smiled, but not now. I waved my hand to signal them to run faster, but the group didn’t budge. Finally, I shouted at the top of my lungs.

“Run, you idiots! Head for the warp gate!”

There was a moment of chaos, and then I saw Ahn Hyun dragging a resisting Hanbyeol. That guy. When An Sol was captured, he had run towards her, but now he didn’t even pretend to run. I clicked my tongue in annoyance and quickly jumped to the side to avoid another stomp from the monster.

I was frustrated that I was just dodging a monster that was within arm’s reach, but I held back. Since I had decided to capture it, I wanted to deal with it properly once the kids were safe. The area was now filled with dust again due to the monster’s indiscriminate stomping.

To clear the view, I used magic to erase my presence and moved behind the monster. My presence vanished instantly. The boss monster, lacking eyes, was frantically searching for me. I watched its tic-like movements with a indifferent face and then turned my head.

Fortunately, Ahn Hyun had managed to drag Hanbyeol, and all four of them had just reached the warp gate. Ahn Hyun’s hair was disheveled, indicating she had struggled a lot. Honestly, it was a bit funny to see.

As the group arrived, the warp gate activated, surrounding them with a translucent barrier and making the central blue magic sphere vibrate. The teleportation to the summoning room had begun. Seeing the gentle blue light envelop their bodies, I sighed in relief. My part was done.

Now, all that was left was...

I quickly fell to the ground as the dust began to settle. I expected to be scolded later for not running to the warp gate sooner. Since Hanbyeol was good at nitpicking, I planned to use the excuse that the impact from the tail had been too strong for me to get up at the time.

The dust had cleared, and the group’s figures, now surrounded by a stronger blue light, were visible. They were being teleported from the ground up, just like in the preparation room. I raised my upper body slightly from the ground and waved at them. It was a signal to say goodbye and see them off, nothing more.

However, suddenly, Ahn Hyun wiped his eyes with one hand, Yoojeong collapsed and burst into tears (it was a bit strange to see her collapse without her feet visible), Hanbyeol covered her face with both hands and sobbed, and An Sol waved her hand in my direction, tears streaming down her face.

What, what? I didn’t mean to make them cry...

============================ Author's Note ============================

1. Fixed typos.