Chapter 50

Siyoon had constantly observed the creature from the moment Ascent appeared.

As a result, he identified similarities with the previous Ascent.

‘As expected, it’s composed of the same wooden body.’

The fact that it was a plant remained unchanged.

If so, it would certainly be vulnerable to fire.

“Do you have a plan?”

At that, all the party members turned to look at Siyoon.

None of them hastily offered their opinions; they were waiting for him to speak.

It was thanks to the abilities he had demonstrated while exploring together, albeit for a short time.

His judgment had been accurate during combat and while navigating the path.

They had waited rather than speaking first and clouding their thoughts.

‘Not bad.’

Siyoon thought to himself.

He had actually exerted himself to the fullest to establish himself as the focal point of the party.

He was naturally pleased to have taken the central role at a faster pace than expected.

“I’ll explain quickly, so listen carefully.”

Looking at them, Siyoon opened his mouth.

It was a lethal scheme—a poison to kill the mutant Ascent.

* * *

The plan Siyoon conveyed to the party members was complex yet simple.

Summarized in one line, it could be called a ‘pruning operation.’

The mutant Ascent’s attacks were threatening.

It would extend thin, long thorns from a distance to pierce its target and absorb the fluid within their body.

In other words, the moment one’s body was pierced even once, the probability of death was extremely high.

However, attacking the branches first was useless.

Ascent was fundamentally a magic beast with considerably fast regeneration.

It would likely recover quickly.

‘So there’s only one thing to focus on. Ascent’s Core.’

Plant-type magic beasts like Ascent usually possessed a Core within their bodies.

Since this was the source of their life, destroying it would kill them.

Siyoon intended to target the Core.

To do so, a preparation phase was necessary.

Tat!

Jang Taeju, the most durable among the party members, charged forward.

Every time his metal greaves struck the ground, his armor clanked and rang.

It was only natural that Ascent’s gaze was drawn to the sound and sight.

Swaeeek!

Ascent immediately extended its branches toward Jang Taeju.

A total of twenty branches surged from all directions.

The sight was akin to a rain of arrows pouring down.

“Heup!”

Just before the branches reached him, Jang Taeju gathered his spirit.

A faint light then shimmered across his shield and the surface of his body.

Kakakang!

The branches bounced off without piercing Jang Taeju’s shield.

This was thanks to his skill, Iron Wall of Mount Tai.

A skill that temporarily greatly increases defense and envelops the user in a protective barrier that reduces some damage.

The skill synergized with the performance of the equipment he wore.

-Gureureu.

When its attack proved ineffective, Ascent showed a reaction for the first time.

However, the current situation itself was a trap.

With Ascent’s attention focused on Jang Taeju…

Jin Baekseon and Seo Eunhyun were running toward its main body.

This was Siyoon’s plan.

Among the party members, only Jang Taeju was sturdy enough to block its attacks head-on.

The rest focused on attack and mobility.

While they held its attention, Jin Baekseon and Seo Eunhyun would set fires.

For reference, the fire would be handled with Fire Sticks.

Though called Fire Sticks, they were actually hunter-exclusive items made by processing Magic Stones.

They were products designed for convenient use when fire was needed in dungeons or outdoors.

After enhancing them to +6, they were good enough to be called high-output flamethrowers.

Naturally, he didn’t openly reveal the Enhancement.

Instead, he claimed he had an item that temporarily boosted firepower.

For reference, he had also lied about having a restoration item when he restored the pillar.

“Hmm… to prepare even something like that, you’re quite thorough.”

“I guess I am.”

Naturally, some suspicion arose.

However, no one dug too deeply.

Dealing with the magic beast before them was the priority right now.

Anyway, the preparations were complete with this.

All that remained was to burn Ascent and the jungle.

Hwareureuk.

Jin Baekseon, who had run toward Ascent, set fires in all directions.

This was a jungle where trees and thickets were connected like a spiderweb.

Once a fire ignited, it spread in an instant.

The flames that spread in a flash swept through the jungle like a tidal wave.

The forest that had appeared peaceful on the surface now burned like an inferno of hell.

-Geoeoeoeo!!!

These flames also reached Ascent.

The fire that transferred to the roots it had exposed gradually burned Ascent’s body.

‘As expected, it catches fire easily.’

Using fire was the most textbook countermeasure against plant-type magic beasts.

Jin Baekseon and Seo Eunhyun used the Fire Sticks.

Of course, this meant the two were completely exposed to the fire.

But this was fine.

Siyoon had given them fire-attribute resistance potions beforehand.

+5 ones at that.

Tat!

Between the billowing flames of the thickets, Jin Baekseon and Seo Eunhyun dashed swiftly.

Behind them, the fire that flared up from the Fire Sticks spread to the surrounding plants.

It transferred to adjacent plants, and the flames gradually grew larger.

-!

At that moment, Ascent’s eyes all turned toward the two simultaneously.

It was then that it discovered the cause of the fires.

-Kaaaaaak!

Ascent shrieked and swung its roots.

Seo Eunhyun leaped to dodge, and Jin Baekseon blocked with his scabbard.

As his body floated up, the trees swept by the roots toppled down in succession.

Jin Baekseon, who landed on top of them, leaped again.

Kwakwakwakwakwa!!

Ascent extended its branches to kill Jin Baekseon.

Jet-black branches poured down like a rain of arrows.

It was a ferocious movement that seemed as if it would tear through his skin and pierce his internal organs at any moment.

Tung.

At that moment, Siyoon pulled the trigger.

Through the scope, the bullet that exited carried the wind, drawing a straight line.

It reversed the opposing air currents, pushing from behind to further increase its speed.

Furthermore, the wind enveloping the bullet was rotated at high speed in a spiral shape.

This was to maximize penetration and damage.

Peopeopeopeopeok!

The bullet, rotating at high speed, ground the branches away entirely.

Sparks flared up along the circular trajectory that had been punched open.

-Euwoeoeeoeo!

The fire that transferred along the cross-section gradually increased its area.

In the fierce flames, the branches began to char gray and crumble away.

Siyoon clicked his tongue as he watched this.

‘It was a good idea to enhance the equipment before coming to the dungeon.’

It was the effect of the Wind of Horus, enhanced to +6.

Not only had his sense of manipulating wind become more sensitive than before, but it had also become much easier.

But more important than that was the increase in range.

Previously, he could only manipulate wind within about a 1-meter radius.

Now, it was 4 meters, four times wider than that.

In other words, it meant he could apply more manipulation to the bullets.

This was the reason his sniping power had grown stronger than before.

Seogeok!

Jin Baekseon slashed away the remaining branches that the sniping hadn’t reached.

Seo Eunhyun slipped his body through the revealed gap as if bouncing off.

Leaping off the burning roots, he moved by alternatingly stepping on trees.

Even as he did so, the fire spread more and more fiercely.

To the point where it could entirely swallow the base of Ascent’s trunk.

It was probably focusing all its nerves on regenerating this.

Otherwise, it would have already been consumed by the fire and died.

However, they couldn’t drag out the battle for too long.

‘Five minutes at most.’

It was the duration of the potions Seo Eunhyun and Jin Baekseon had drunk.

They had to deliver a fatal blow before this time ran out.

Seogeok.

Jin Baekseon slashed away the roots all at once with his sword.

However, burning branches poured down from above.

Siyoon sniped and struck down the branches as he shouted.

“Charge!”

Hearing those words, Jin Baekseon immediately charged toward Ascent.

Tututututung.

Twelve bullets covered his back.

Jin Baekseon, receiving cover, had already arrived at the place with the largest fire—

Beneath Ascent’s main body.

“Now!”

The moment he thrust his sword, Seo Eunhyun appeared from the other side.

At his sudden appearance, Ascent’s eyeballs all turned simultaneously.

In fact, Jin Baekseon’s approach was itself a feint.

The most important thing was for Seo Eunhyun to safely approach Ascent.

Hwak!

Seo Eunhyun threw the three Fire Sticks he was holding.

It was the combined number of what Jin Baekseon and Jang Taeju had.

Sensing a crisis, Ascent tried to stop Seo Eunhyun.

However, most of its branches and roots had already headed toward Jin Baekseon.

The remaining branches couldn’t deflect the Fire Sticks he threw.

Hwareureureureuk!

-Geuwoeoeeoeoeok!!

The Fire Sticks embedded in its trunk began to burn it.

The magic beast’s body, engulfed by the fierce flames, boiled like lava and melted away along with its surface.

It was an incredibly gruesome sight.

But Siyoon remained calm.

‘The conditions are met.’

The fire that had transferred to its trunk, and the Fire Sticks still suspended in the air.

This was more than enough to kill it.

Cheolkeok.

Siyoon aimed at Ascent, which was twisting its body, through the scope.

And pulled the trigger.

Tung.

A single bullet.

The moment it exited the barrel, he condensed wind into it.

Right now, destructive power or penetration wasn’t needed.

Just wind.

More precisely, he only needed a detonator to ignite the fire.

The bullet, condensed with wind, headed straight for Ascent.

And it accurately struck the Fire Stick that Seo Eunhyun had thrown.

At this, Ascent flinched and twisted its body, but…

‘Reacting too late is still too late.’

Ppok.

The bullet shattered the Magic Stone located inside the Fire Stick embedded in its trunk.

At the same time, the condensed wind was released, causing a temporary gust.

The flames swept up by the gust engulfed the Fire Stick that was falling through the air.

As a result.

Kwaaaaang!

The fire transferred to the Magic Stone of the Fire Stick, and a massive explosion occurred.

* * *

The explosion was powerful enough to shake the entire forest.

The flames that surged with the gust detonated the Magic Stones inside the sticks simultaneously.

It was only natural that a shockwave like dozens of bombs going off was generated.

-Keu…reureuk…

But surprisingly, Ascent was still alive.

Of course, its appearance made it somewhat of a stretch to say it was alive.

More than half of its trunk had been blown away by the explosion, and its roots and branches had burned and withered.

Siyoon aimed at the fully exposed Core to finish it off.

Tung.

-!

When he pulled the trigger, Ascent’s gaze turned toward Siyoon.

It seemed to have known his location for quite some time.

After all, he had been irritatingly disrupting its attacks since earlier.

It was natural for it to instinctively know Siyoon was dangerous.

Kakak!

Ascent wove its branches together and blocked the bullet.

It would die if the Core was destroyed, so it was instinctively trying to protect it.

Siyoon pulled the trigger again.

He hadn’t expected one shot to do it anyway.

‘Then I just need to keep pumping rounds in until it’s done.’

Three bullets, carrying wind, exited the muzzle.

Following the exact trajectory of the previously fired bullet, they embedded themselves into the stems in succession.

Peoong!

The branches couldn’t withstand the power of the continuous fire and burst apart.

Ascent stacked other branches behind them in layers.

But it was useless.

Tututututututu!!

Because countless bullets flew in after that.

Siyoon stopped breathing and poured all his nerves into the shooting.

The bullets, which maximized penetration and destructive power using the Wind of Horus, flew along the exact same trajectory without a single inch of error.

‘I can’t let my concentration slip for even a moment.’

With Ascent’s Core exposed now.

If he missed the chance, it might move the Core to another part of its body.

Not finishing it now meant they would have to continue a dragging battle.

When they needed to conserve their stamina, that was the worst-case scenario.

Therefore, he would kill the mutant Ascent here.

Tukwang!

At that moment, the bullet completely pierced through the branches.

It penetrated all the branches Ascent had added.

Siyoon pulled the trigger as he looked at the completely pierced path.

Pakak―!

The bullet finally struck Ascent’s Core, which had no more defensive measures left.

The Core, which had shone like a bright red fruit, shriveled as it scattered its sap.

-Keuoeoeoeoeo!!

Ascent, whose Core—no different from a heart—had disappeared, screamed.

Fire quickly transferred to the branches and body that made up the creature.

It meant it had completely lost the regenerative power that had barely been holding back the fire.

Siyoon confirmed Ascent was collapsing helplessly and let out a breath.

“Huu.”

Perhaps because he had poured all his concentration into the sniping.

Sweat he hadn’t noticed flowing gathered along his chin.

He wiped the sweat and stared at the message that appeared.

[ 100 / 100 ]

[ Conditions have been met. ]

[ Mutant Ascent has died. ]

[ ‘Enseodotar’s Heart Pillar +6’ pulsates greatly! ]

[ The Hidden Route is fully opened. ]

Paaaaat!

The kill count reached one hundred as they killed the mutant Ascent.

Along with the message that the conditions were fulfilled, a beam of light surged from the pillar.

Siyoon looked at the light that soared as if to pierce the sky.

With this, the first step toward the Hidden Route was safely taken.