Chapter 6

5

Swordmaster Healer Chapter 005

Chapter 2: Our Healer Has Changed (1)

In the spacious hall, the man was not alone. He was accompanied by three knights in chainmail armor, who were looking at him with worried expressions. Seungjun calmly assessed the situation.

‘If this is a memory from my past life, it will surely be helpful.’

Seungjun's eyes sparkled. One of the knights in chainmail armor took a step forward and spoke to the man.

“Lord Lowkel, the vampire duke Akels massacred 1,500 knights and 20,000 soldiers in the Great Plains Campaign. Please wait until our brigade is ready!”

Seungjun learned the man's name, or rather, his name from his past life.

“Akels has devastated my territory. I cannot tolerate this. It’s no use trying to stop me, so don’t follow me.”

Lowkel turned away from the three knights and started walking. The scene then changed. It was a dark night, and in a grand, gothic castle, Lowkel was facing a handsome man with a pale face, their swords drawn.

“Are you the Sword Saint Lowkel? I didn’t invite you, but welcome to my castle. Is your business here to avenge your territory?”

“You know well, Akels… Your journey will not be easy.”

“Interesting! I look forward to it… cough!”

Akels couldn't finish his sentence. In an instant, Lowkel had closed the distance and cut off his left arm with a swift sword swing.

‘So fast…!’

It was too quick to follow with the naked eye, but Seungjun knew what had happened. The sword techniques Lowkel used were etched in his soul.

It was a lightning-fast strike, but it was enough to revive the imprinted memories.

‘The question is whether I can use them…’

Seungjun frowned. No matter how he thought about it, he concluded that his current body couldn't handle it.

‘Let’s focus for now.’

Shaking his head to clear his mind, he focused on Lowkel. Lowkel, instead of flashy moves, used deadly sword techniques to overwhelm Akels.

The battle was decided in just a few seconds. Akels, with his body in pieces, finally breathed his last.

“A vampire duke can’t regenerate from this extent.”

A smile spread across Lowkel’s lips, and Seungjun, watching him, also smiled.

‘I remember.’

Some of the memories from his past life had returned.

*

On the morning of Seungjun’s solo play schedule, a new post appeared on Hunter.com.

The post went viral and became the top post in just 10 minutes. Unaware of this, Seungjun took a shower, visited Hunter Mart to get some basic supplies for his solo play, and arrived at the dungeon entrance, where dozens of hunters had gathered.

“The Legend has arrived.”

“Wanna bet? I bet he’ll give up or die.”

“Even if what happened yesterday is true, I think a D-grade dungeon solo play is too much for The Legend.”

The hunters’ murmurs were not quiet.

‘Was yesterday not enough…?’

Seungjun shook his head.

‘Let’s see if they’ll still call me The Legend after I come out of the dungeon.’

A cold smile spread across Seungjun’s lips. His goal had changed. Originally, his aim was to complete a D-grade dungeon solo play, but now…

‘I’ll aim to be in the top 10 for completion time in the country.’

His plan to surprise everyone was perfect. He calmly managed his expression and approached the management office staff waiting at the dungeon entrance.

“Are you C-grade recovery hunter, Kang Seungjun?”

“Yes, I’m Kang Seungjun.”

“I’ll check your license for a moment.”

Seungjun handed over his hunter’s license. After a brief verification, the staff member returned it and said,

“You can still give up if you want.”

“No, I won’t give up.”

The staff member’s dismissive tone only fueled Seungjun’s determination. Impressed by his resolute voice, the staff member nodded with a stern face.

“I’ll open the entrance. Good luck.”

“Thank you.”

Seungjun smiled slightly and approached the closed door.

‘It’s time to settle the past. From now on, I’ll live for myself without worrying about others.’

The door finally opened. Seungjun, with renewed resolve, entered the dungeon. As with most underground dungeons, it was dark.

Without hesitation, Seungjun took out a ‘lighting drone’ from his bag and threw it into the air. The drone activated, illuminating the path ahead.

‘Good purchase.’

Satisfied with the drone’s performance, a smile spread across Seungjun’s lips. Holding a magic lamp in one hand to light the darkness would limit combat, so hunters who specialize in solo play often use lighting drones.

The 800,000 won price tag could be a concern, but most solo play hunters have good income, so it’s not an issue.

Seungjun considered this a worthwhile investment. Dungeons are dangerous places, and saving money could cost you your life.

“Let’s get started.”

With the awakening, he regained some of his past life’s memories, and a few new abilities emerged. One of them was the ability to sense presence.

‘Small size, five in number.’

His sharp gaze swept the area. Just as something seemed to move in the darkness, Seungjun’s body moved like a bullet, closing the distance.

‘Goblins!’

He targeted their weak points with agile movements.

“Keeek!”

The five goblins fell helplessly. Goblins, the lowest-level monsters that appear in F-grade dungeons, are a source of fear for newly awakened hunters.

“This much is manageable.”

No aura had manifested, and there was no sign of the unique pain that usually accompanies overexertion.

With renewed confidence, Seungjun advanced. After dispatching about 20 goblins, orcs appeared.

“Three of them…”

D-grade monsters, orcs are fearsome creatures that have claimed many hunters’ lives. Typically, two orcs can match a combat hunter of the same level.

“Kyaah!”

The orcs moved first. Seungjun adjusted his grip on his sword. In the tense atmosphere, memories from his past life suddenly surfaced.

Lowkel stood alone, facing an army of thousands. With a single strike, he shattered their formation, costing hundreds of soldiers their lives.

Recalling this memory, Seungjun momentarily forgot the fear that had crept up on him.

“Beheading an orc is easier than breathing.”

Muttering to himself, he swung his sword at the nearest orc.

Swish.

It might look like a simple horizontal slash, but it was a precise technique aimed at a vital point, capable of dealing fatal damage.

Slice.

“Kwooo!”

The vital point was deeply cut. Seungjun then targeted the other orcs. The remaining two orcs attacked from different directions.

“Monsters like you…!”

Despite his restraint, his past life’s personality emerged. At the same time, memories of how to gain the upper hand in battle resurfaced.

‘They are protecting their vital points completely.’

The orcs, witnessing their comrade’s futile death, adopted a thorough defensive stance and launched their attack.

‘Then I’ll cut off their arms and legs!’

With a swift swing, he cut off the arm of the orc charging from the front, blocking its attack, and then struck the left foot of the orc attacking from the left.

“Kwooo!”

The orc, having lost its left foot, collapsed helplessly. Seizing the moment, Seungjun’s sword pierced the orc’s neck.

“Ku, kwooo!”

Blood spurted out like a fountain. The orc with the severed arm tried to pick up its dropped weapon, but Seungjun didn’t let it.

His sword pierced its heart.

Seungjun’s efficient and precise movements in dispatching the three orcs would make even an experienced combat hunter mistake him for a seasoned veteran.

“Grr!”

As he moved, a mild pain spread through his body.

‘At my current state, this level of movement is reaching my limit.’

Based on his combat experience, Seungjun clearly understood his limits. The pain wasn’t severe, so he used a ‘heal’ and it quickly subsided.

After dispatching a few more groups of orcs, he reached the boss room. He didn’t forget to collect the mana stone.

Activating the mechanism, the iron door opened, revealing the interior.

“Kwooo!”

A roar accompanied a thick aura of killing intent as it closed the distance.

“Fast!”

Seeing something fly towards him, Seungjun twisted his body to dodge. A spear grazed his shoulder, drawing blood.

The wound was quite deep. Seungjun blamed himself for letting his guard down and bit his lip. He felt uneasy.

“A spear?”

Memories of efficient spear usage from his past life resurfaced. Seungjun pulled the spear embedded in the stone floor.

Focusing his gaze, he could see the faint outline of the orc in the darkness.

“An orc berserker.”

He remembered seeing it in the bestiary. Seungjun threw the spear with all his might.

Whoosh!

“Kwooo!”

“Why is it so fast!”

Seungjun was surprised to see his thrown spear fly through the air like a missile. He had failed to control his strength. The spear pierced the orc berserker’s chest and embedded itself deeply into the stone wall.

-Clearance confirmed, measurement complete. You have cleared the D-grade dungeon.

The measurement device in his pocket confirmed the clearance. Seungjun approached the fallen orc berserker.

-New item detected.

As he approached the corpse, the measurement device confirmed the presence of an item. Seungjun took out the device and scanned the corpse. The spear reacted.

He used the item appraisal function of the measurement device.

D-grade.

Acceleration effect confirmed.

Penetration effect confirmed.

The stats were decent.

‘Come to think of it, I haven’t appraised Roel yet.’

He had forgotten in the midst of the action. Seungjun used the appraisal function on Roel.

“What is this…”

Seeing the stats, he couldn’t continue speaking.