Chapter 45

After the hunt, the attack unit delved deeper.

Their faces were completely different from when they first arrived.

They had hunted monsters on their own.

That single fact had given them immense confidence.

And after that, there were several more hunts.

Even amidst those, the attack unit fought without any retreat.

Their coordination grew better with each passing moment, and even without Kang Yuseong’s specific instructions, they themselves found and exploited the monsters’ weaknesses.

Though their numbers were only about thirteen, a seasoned attack unit was forming, one that wouldn’t fall behind any guild.

They unpacked their gear and rested halfway to the temple.

The energy they had expended to get this far was considerable.

“Hoo…”

They cleaned their weapons, chewed energy bars, and drank Stamina Potions to replenish their energy.

The temple was now just ahead.

“Hmm? Do you smell that?”

However, some of the Hunters resting sniffed the air, tilting their heads.

Indeed, a strange odor was wafting from somewhere.

“Ugh! That’s the smell of rotting corpses!”

The Hunters recoiled in horror, clutching their noses at the disgusting stench.

But even as they rose, they didn’t forget to grab their weapons.

“It seems… a tough battle awaits us.”

Kang Yuseong said softly, gripping his sword.

He sharply scanned his surroundings.

Everything was silent, only the smell grew stronger.

In this situation, only one monster fit the description.

‘Corpse Predator.’

It was stealthy.

And vile.

But extremely cruel and ferocious.

It had probably detected the Hunters and was approaching.

‘Damn it, here of all places!’

Kang Yuseong gritted his teeth.

The Corpse Predator was a high-tier monster.

One might even say it belonged in an A-rank dungeon.

Yet, such a formidable creature was appearing right here.

“Under no circumstances should you approach it!”

There was a good reason why the Corpse Predator was a high-tier monster.

If one got too close, they could be drenched in its bodily fluids, which were full of corpse poison.

Exposure to those fluids could cause one to simply melt away.

It was the worst opponent for Chakra Users, who relied on close-quarters combat.

*CRACK!*

At that moment, a massive tree nearby snapped, and something with an enormous physique burst out.

The creature that appeared, reeking disgustingly, was repellent to behold at first glance.

Its eyeballs were twisted, and its entire body was covered in stitch marks, as if it were a patchwork of corpse hides.

And what permeated the air around it was…

“Ugh!”

Not only the Hunters, but even the Porters couldn’t stand it and began retching.

A thick green gas was emanating from around the creature.

The gas was rising from the numerous severed heads of corpses hanging from the Corpse Predator’s waist. These corpses, with their eyes rolled back and rotting, dripped black, viscous putrid fluids, and it was the decomposition of these fluids that generated the gas.

*Hiss-s-s-*

All the plants touched by the gas withered away.

It was a terrifyingly potent poison.

“Fall back!”

The Hunters couldn’t possibly deal with this creature.

If they approached, they’d end up just like those plants.

But they couldn’t flee now either.

Despite its massive size, it was incredibly fast.

The moment they turned to run, the large iron scythe in its hand would fly towards them.

A rusty chain was attached to the end of the scythe, allowing it to attack over incredibly long distances.

Only one being could face it here.

Kang Yuseong.

Kang Yuseong furrowed his brow slightly, deep in thought.

‘It couldn’t have just appeared. Something felt off earlier… This temple, there’s something about it!’

Even the warning from the skeletons was unusual.

And this Corpse Predator…

Corpse Predators most commonly inhabited execution grounds.

Because that’s where a large number of corpses accumulated.

But this temple…

Kang Yuseong’s eyes gleamed sharply.

‘No doubt about it! This place… was where human sacrifices were offered. Otherwise, a Corpse Predator of this magnitude wouldn’t have appeared.’

Some monsters originated in different places according to their characteristics.

The Corpse Predator was one such case; it was born by feeding on human blood and flesh, which is why it was found in execution grounds or graves.

But there was another place.

A temple.

If the temple ahead was one that worshipped an evil deity, then countless human sacrifices would have occurred there, making it an ideal habitat for such a creature.

Countless corpses, with severed necks or gouged-out hearts, would have piled up, decaying and rotting.

‘An evil deity… If this goes well…!’

Kang Yuseong actually smiled.

A temple that worshipped an evil deity.

In Kang Yuseong’s experience, such places yielded incredible artifacts.

Just as treasures poured out from the lairs of evil dragons rather than good ones, so too did temples. They were tainted by greed, accumulating countless treasures, and likely claiming them for themselves under the guise of offering them to their evil deity.

High risk, high reward.

That’s why so many Hunters sought out these ancient dungeons.

If it had been a temple of a benevolent god, Kang Yuseong might have been disappointed.

Such places tended to yield more scriptures and ritualistic tools.

They were helpful for meditation but offered little aid in hunting.

Seeing the Corpse Predator’s appearance, the Hunters and Porters had already retreated far back.

Kang Yuseong raised his sword.

Beyond it, the temple would be visible.

*Whoosh-*

Kang Yuseong kicked off the ground.

With such immense rewards before him, he was not one to hesitate.

Chakra, Wind Run!

With a single leap, he surged right in front of the Corpse Predator’s eyes.

“KROOOAAARGH!”

The Corpse Predator opened its reeking maw and threatened Kang Yuseong.

But Kang Yuseong didn’t take his eyes off it.

*SWISH!*

Instead, he swung his sword fiercely, grazing its side as he passed.

‘Too shallow!’

The blade tried to pierce its hide, but Kang Yuseong realized from the sensation in his fingertips that it was too shallow.

Its hide was simply too thick.

*Shing-*

Kang Yuseong withdrew his sword and adjusted his stance.

With his current sword, there was a limit to how much he could cut through its hide.

If there was a way, it was to concentrate Chakra Force and unleash it in a single burst.

That meant using Chakra, Critical Strike or Chakra, Lightning Wedge, but to do so, he’d have to get within the shortest possible range.

But Kang Yuseong had another method.

*Whoosh!*

Kang Yuseong moved instantly.

*CRACKLE!*

A strange energy began to gather in his left hand.

It was scorching flames!

At this very moment, he intended to hurl a fireball at the creature.

The Hunters who witnessed it wore expressions of shock.

“Th-that’s!”

They doubted their own eyes.

What was rising from Kang Yuseong’s left hand was undeniably flames.

As soon as Kang Yuseong generated the fireball, he threw it directly at the creature.

*WHOOSH!*

The fireball, its accuracy honed through countless training sessions, fiercely slammed into the creature.

*BOOM!*

And it exploded, shaking the surrounding air.

“KWEARGH!”

The Corpse Predator’s massive body reeled.

But at that moment, a vivid blue radiance flashed and surged from within the explosion.

*CLANG!*

Even after being hit by the fireball, it had still thrown its chained scythe.

*CLANG!*

Kang Yuseong parried the scythe with his sword.

The scythe bounced off, and Kang Yuseong launched another fireball at the creature.

*POW!*

*WHOOSH!*

The fireball, launched with enough force to shake Kang Yuseong’s own body, struck the Corpse Predator.

*CRASH!*

This time too, the Corpse Predator was engulfed in an enormous explosion.

“KWAARGH!”

But it seemed to have suffered little damage, as it roared like a mad beast.

Kang Yuseong frowned.

‘What is this?’

Corpse Predators were inherently weak to fire.

That’s why Kang Yuseong had used fireballs.

But this one…

*SWISH!*

At that moment, the chained scythe flashed and lunged at Kang Yuseong.

‘Ugh!’

Kang Yuseong, whose mind had been momentarily elsewhere, realized he couldn’t possibly dodge it.

He used Chakra, Wind Flow to evade as much as possible, then gathered all his Chakra Force into his sword and brought it down hard on the chained scythe.

*CLANG!*

But this time, Kang Yuseong also had to stagger back from the considerable recoil.

As it grew enraged, its attack power had become immense.

*SWISH!*

But then, the chained scythe, which had been deflected by Kang Yuseong’s sword, suddenly twisted in mid-air and plunged straight down towards him.

‘Urgh!’

Kang Yuseong hadn’t even fully recovered his stance, and as the scythe fell, a look of dismay crossed his face, but then his legs pushed off the ground.

Chakra, Wind Run!

In an instant, his leg strength enhanced, and he darted out of that spot.

*CRASH!*

The chained scythe shattered the spot where he had been before retracting.

Kang Yuseong frowned, looking at the Corpse Predator.

‘That thing… it’s no ordinary Corpse Predator!’

It was strangely unique.

Powerful defense that withstood fire and even blocked his sword.

‘If that’s the case!’

A faint blue glow settled in Kang Yuseong’s eyes.

And a smile appeared on his lips.

‘Of course!’

Several patterns floated above the Corpse Predator’s head.

Among them, he focused on one particular pattern.

[Tier 1, Defense] Mutated Stonhide, Karma Power required to acquire: 500

‘That’s it!’

[Corpse Predator’s Mutated Stonhide] Increases the target’s defense by 250%. Grants significant immunity to various acids, poisons, and flames. Duration: 3 minutes.

‘So that was your shield!’

Mutated Stonhide.

Indeed, it was no ordinary Corpse Predator.

A unique mutation, capable of blocking even fireballs, which were considered its bane.

A wry smile played on Kang Yuseong’s lips.

‘I’ll snatch your shield away!’

His Karma Power was sufficient.

*Whoosh-*

His vision seemed to brighten for a moment, then a translucent window appeared.

[Tier 1, Defense] Mutated Stonhide acquired.

Now, it was shield against shield.

The mention of immunity to poison was very welcome to Kang Yuseong.

*WHOOSH-*

As he activated the Mutated Stonhide, his entire body immediately began to harden.

His skin became as hard as steel, to the point where he didn’t need separate armor.

‘Three minutes remaining.’

This would allow him to withstand a certain amount of the creature’s poisonous bodily fluids.

Just as it had withstood the fireballs.

*Shing-*

Kang Yuseong gripped his sword anew.

Now, he had to pour everything he had into these three minutes.

‘Here I go.’

*Whoosh!*

His body soared through the air.

*CLANG!*

And he brought his sword straight down.

The Corpse Predator blocked his attack with its chained scythe, but its body was greatly shaken.

*Sizzle!*

As he engaged in close combat, the creature’s bodily fluids splattered across Kang Yuseong’s body and face, but they quickly oxidized and vanished.

They couldn’t penetrate Kang Yuseong’s stonhide.

Kang Yuseong smiled triumphantly.

*WHIRRR!*

A fierce energy gathered around his sword.

*CRACK!*

And the sword relentlessly dug into the Corpse Predator’s stonhide.

Chakra, Critical Strike!

The formidable attack, combined with Chakra, Carapace Melt, had pierced the Corpse Predator’s stonhide.

But it didn’t go deep.

“Haaah!”

Kang Yuseong swung his sword like a madman.

If once wasn’t enough, then twice; if twice wasn’t enough, then thrice!

*STAB! STAB! CRUNCH!*

In an instant, the sword pierced through the Corpse Predator’s hide and plunged in.

Kang Yuseong smirked.

“I’ll kill you.”

*VRRRRRROOOM!*

No sooner had he spoken than the sword in his hand rotated fiercely.

Chakra, Blade Twist.

That terrifying attack was unleashed.

*CRUNCH!*

Its skin was torn to shreds, and its muscles ruptured, turning into pulp.

Though the terribly poisonous bodily fluids splattered all over Kang Yuseong’s body and face, he paid it no mind. Even if it landed on him, it had no effect.

As long as he could get close, the creature couldn’t do anything to Kang Yuseong.

“Haaah!”

Having pierced through the Corpse Predator’s disgusting hide and completely shredded its insides, Kang Yuseong pulled out his sword and plunged it straight into its nape.

*CRUNCH!*

Blood vessels burst, spewing rotten blood into the air.

*GROOOOAN!*

In that opening, Kang Yuseong directly embedded a fireball.

*WHOOSH!*

“KWEAAARGH!”

As powerful flames spread inside, no longer protected by the stonhide, the Corpse Predator thrashed wildly.

In an instant, Kang Yuseong rotated his body in the air and slashed with his sword.

*SWISH-*

The sword blade, sharpened to an extreme degree by Chakra Force, sliced past the Corpse Predator’s neck.

*Thud-*

*THUMP!*

Its disgusting head fell to the ground and rolled.

*WHOOSHING FLAMES!*

And behind it, its torso was burning away, giving off a nauseating stench that made one want to vomit.

*CLANG!*

After everything had burned away, the chained scythe it had been holding fell to the ground.

Kang Yuseong’s eyes gazed at it.

Spoils of war.

Truly befitting an ancient dungeon.

The smile on his lips gradually deepened.