Chapter 26

Volume 2

Chapter 1. Cannibalizing Kin (1)

Boom!

Like a stone thrown into a calm lake.

The heat wave blew several times, creating ripples.

The group found it difficult to even stand.

In fact, the heat brought by the heat wave was so intense that it almost caused burns.

Yeonwoo and Kan hid behind fallen rocks and tree stumps, respectively.

The rocks sizzled, and the trees dried up and burned.

Doil hid far away, using a shield made from a swarm of ephemeral insects to protect himself.

‘This is driving me crazy.’

Yeonwoo slightly frowned, peeking at Hargan, who was still emitting intense heat waves from behind the rock.

The creature was devouring Taragan as if performing a sacred ritual, in a reverent posture.

Crack.

Crack.

Each time, Hargan's skeleton visibly changed, and the intensity and temperature of the heat wave increased sharply.

‘Second phase, huh?’

A message he had never expected.

Yeonwoo frowned deeply.

Originally, the second phase was a behavior exhibited by quite strong boss monsters in areas beyond the beginner zone of the tower.

For a tutorial boss monster to do this was unprecedented.

Was it that frustrating for him?

At that moment, Yeonwoo's gaze met Kan's, who was looking at him.

A question: What are you going to do now?

The goal, Hargan's crown, was already in their hands.

It seemed they could just run away, but it wouldn't be easy.

‘He'll probably chase us. Besides, it's hard to escape from such a heat wave.’

The desertification was rapidly spreading not only in Hargan's nest but also in the surrounding forest.

The undergrowth dried up, and flames shot up.

The strong wind made escape seem impossible.

Kan, thinking along similar lines, frowned deeply.

His eyes seemed to ask if there was a way out, given that they had caught Taragan with an unconventional method.

But Yeonwoo, unable to come up with a solution to this crisis, shook his head.

Or, rather, was about to shake his head.

‘Wait. Maybe...?’

Suddenly, something else came to mind.

‘We're either going to die or faint here. Might as well try something.’

Yeonwoo's mind raced.

But how to convey this to Kan and Doil?

- Ah, ah. Brother, can you hear me?

Yeonwoo suddenly turned his head to the side at the sound in his ear.

But there was no one there, only a tiny insect buzzing around.

The insect landed on Yeonwoo's right shoulder.

Yeonwoo narrowed his eyes.

“Is that you, Doil?”

- Hehe. I'm glad. I wasn't sure if it would work, but it seems to be working well. I can hear you clearly.

“Is there an insect that can transmit voices?”

- It's called a Semeochong, a bug that transmits the owner's will... but that's not important. Just think of it as you like.

Yeonwoo nodded silently.

- So, brother, what plan did you come up with?

Yeonwoo smiled.

It was good timing to convey his plan to the two of them.

It seemed Doil had already noticed and initiated contact.

“Can you also relay my message to Kan?”

- Just relaying it is no problem.

“Great. That's perfect.”

Yeonwoo smiled and moved his lips.

* * *

Boom!

Hargan finally finished all the rituals and slowly stood up. Taragan's corpse was no longer there.

Instead, a Hargan as large as Taragan remained.

Standing at a towering 3 meters tall.

In one hand, he held a scimitar, and in the other, Taragan's club. He roared fiercely.

Roar!

The forest trembled as if it were about to collapse.

“Human! Come out, Ingaan!”

Hargan's eyes were bloodshot as he moved.

Thud.

Thud.

The ground shook, and the heat wave became even more intense. The ground sizzled, emitting white steam.

“Human, if you don't come out, I'll come for you!”

Hargan frowned and turned his gaze to one side.

A place littered with broken rock debris.

The place where the enemy who had taken the life of his queen and children was hiding.

Just as he was about to charge to break the rocks.

Thud!

Suddenly, Yeonwoo, who had been hiding behind the rocks, came out.

He stood on the rock, looking at Hargan through a white mask, and wiggled his fingers.

“Come.”

“I'll kill you!”

Hargan kicked the ground fiercely.

Boom!

Hargan's body shot straight to where Yeonwoo was.

The ground shook, and the heat wave blew in all directions. Flames shot up from the ground, creating a sense of oppression.

The heat was so intense that it felt like his skin would dry up and burn.

But Yeonwoo remained standing in place, even as the flames approached.

He simply narrowed his eyes and stared at Hargan.

At that moment, something thin emerged from near his heart.

Magic power, for the first time, stirred to protect its master, activating a skill.

[Enhanced Senses]

[Combat Will]

Instantly.

Time around Yeonwoo slowed down.

Or rather, his concentration intensified, and his thought processes accelerated, making everything around him, except for his consciousness, seem slower.

Thanks to this, he could clearly see Hargan running, the flames and heat waves surrounding him.

Under normal circumstances, the pressure would have been overwhelming, but his body, enhanced with the Heart of Flame and Frost Sigil, could withstand it.

Yeonwoo added one more skill.

Magic power circulating in his body gathered around his eyes.

Vertical pupils, reminiscent of a snake's eyes, opened.

[Dragon Eye]

In the infinitely slowed world, Yeonwoo observed the material world, filled with intricate patterns.

Hargan, the heat waves, and the flames all swirled with these patterns.

At that moment, Yeonwoo moved.

Boom!

He kicked the ground fiercely and charged at Hargan.

An action that would seem suicidal to anyone else.

But Yeonwoo, cutting through the flames and heat waves, slashed his greatsword along the thick patterns.

It felt as if the world was slipping along a fault line.

Swoosh!

The flames blocking Yeonwoo's path were extinguished along with the fault line.

The heat waves were similarly torn apart, colliding to the side to avoid Yeonwoo.

Boom!

A scene that was hard to believe even with one's own eyes.

“Ingaan!”

Hargan, thinking it was a mere coincidence, swung his scimitar relentlessly.

Each time, flames shot up and heat waves swept the ground like waves.

Swoosh! Worst!

Yeonwoo, cutting through the flames and heat waves several times, tore them apart.

It looked as if the flames were avoiding Yeonwoo alone, even though he was trapped in a sea of fire.

And.

Before long, Yeonwoo reached Hargan and clashed with him.

Boom!

Hargan's strength, having inherited Taragan's power, was formidable. A downward slash from above seemed capable of splitting Yeonwoo in two.

But the scimitar stopped just in front of Yeonwoo's forehead.

A small crack appeared where the greatsword and scimitar collided. The greatsword began to penetrate the scimitar's pattern, slowly pushing inward.

Though he couldn't break the scimitar itself, it was enough to counter the overwhelming strength.

That alone was a significant achievement.

“Roar!”

But Hargan, unwilling to accept this, roared again and put all his strength into the scimitar.

The heat wave blew again.

Yeonwoo did not engage in a strength contest. He pushed the greatsword to the right and dodged to the left.

The scimitar plunged helplessly into the ground.

Taking advantage of the moment when Hargan lost his balance.

Pfft! Pfft!

Kan and Doil moved quickly.

Kan, with his sword raised, swept deeply past Hargan's ankle. Doil detonated a series of insect bombs made of flame insects.

“These humans!”

Hargan, feeling mocked by mere humans, tried to pull out his scimitar and swing it horizontally.

He was about to activate his unique skill, the heat wave.

Boom!

But each time, Yeonwoo rushed in and severed the pattern.

“Dare you! Dare you!”

Then Hargan would try to catch Yeonwoo, and during that time, Kan and Doil would attack again.

Boom! Bang!

Boom!

The three of them engaged Hargan in a thorough relay battle.

Yeonwoo would sever the heat wave's pattern, and Kan and Doil would exploit the opening. When Hargan moved to catch them, Yeonwoo would rush in from behind to draw his attention.

As a result, Hargan's focus was constantly divided, and his skills were repeatedly nullified, driving him to the brink of madness.

And as his injuries increased, his health rapidly declined.

But Yeonwoo and the others did not let their guard down.

If their control faltered even slightly, it would be over. They had to stay focused.

Moreover, they were also exhausted, and they had to endure with sheer willpower.

“I won't forgive you! I will avenge Taragan!”

Then, at some point.

Boom!

Hargan's attack speed began to slow, and the temperature of the heat waves surrounding him noticeably decreased.

“Vengeance for Taragan... vengeance for my children... I will...”

His voice was tinged with exhaustion.

At that moment, Yeonwoo moved.

‘Now!’

Swoosh!

Yeonwoo slipped between Hargan's legs and slashed his ankle, severing the artery.

Hargan staggered.

Under normal circumstances, he would have regained his balance and stood up.

But he was already exhausted, and he only managed to regain his balance by planting his scimitar in the ground.

During that time, Yeonwoo climbed onto Hargan's shoulder and opened his left hand.

A black lump formed along his palm, spreading out to reveal sharp, jagged teeth.

Yeonwoo inserted the jagged teeth into Hargan's neck, which was full of wounds.

It was the fourth skill he had activated while fighting Hargan.

“Eat.”

[Vampiric Blade of Batory]

Scream!

The jagged teeth emitted a terrifying scream, something one might hear only in nightmares.

“Let go! Let go!”

Hargan, feeling his soul being ripped out, struggled fiercely.

He moved around, trying to shake off Yeonwoo, but Kan and Doil cut his wrists and severed the remaining tendons to prevent him from moving.

[Draining Vitality and Energy.]

[Strength increased by 3.]

[Agility increased by 2.]

...

[Skill proficiency of 'Vampiric Blade of Batory' increased to 5.4%.]

Hargan's energy was so immense that even after draining so much health, messages kept appearing in Yeonwoo's vision.

“Somehow! I will kill you!”

Realizing the danger, Hargan poured all his remaining energy into a final attack. Flames erupted along his skin, engulfing Yeonwoo.

Flame!

“Kain!”

“Brother!”

The flames were so intense that Kan and Doil had to stop their attack and move away.

They watched Yeonwoo with anxious eyes.

He still hadn't let go of Hargan.

Despite the pain of his body breaking, Yeonwoo pushed the jagged teeth deeper.

He endured, healing his body with the energy drained from Hargan.

Then.

Thud!

Hargan finally knelt on one knee.

The last will to stand, using his scimitar as a cane, was evident.

But the jagged teeth consumed even that.

His hand slipped from the hilt and fell to the ground.

“Vengeance for Taragan... vengeance for my children... I must...”

Hargan's head dropped as he finished speaking.

[Defeated the second-phase boss monster, Hargan (Lizard King). Additional contribution points are awarded based on each party member's contribution.]

[Acquired 2,000 contribution points.]

...

[Completed the quest.]

[Achieved a feat that few can easily accomplish. Additional contribution points are awarded.]

[Acquired 1,000 contribution points.]

[Acquired 500 additional contribution points.]

...

Messages flooded his vision.

Yeonwoo finally managed to detach himself from Hargan, whose body had been drained of all fluids and turned into a mummy.

‘This is driving me crazy.’

He felt nauseous and dizzy from the aftereffects of the unfamiliar skill combination.

His eyes and brain, which had been overworked, felt like they were burning.

‘But, did it somehow succeed?’

The plan using the Vampiric Blade of Batory.

He had taken a chance, hoping that a top-tier skill, ranked 66, would somehow work.

Fortunately, it did succeed.

If he had made even a slight mistake, it would have been over.

But seeing the messages about completing the quest and defeating the boss monster, his heart finally calmed down.

However, what truly made Yeonwoo happy was something else.

The last message that appeared after a long list.

[The Vampiric Blade of Batory successfully drained the essence of the opponent and partially stole a skill.]

[The skill 'Heat Wave' has been created.]

...