Chapter 54

The party unanimously agreed with Siyoon’s proposal.

In theory, there was a high probability it would work.

Of course, it could end up being a pointless waste of effort.

But if it succeeded, they might be able to conserve their stamina.

To do that, they first needed to enhance the pillar.

[ Using ‘Skill: Enhancement’ to enhance ‘Enseodotar’s Head Pillar’. ]

Siyoon enhanced the pillar as planned.

Unlike the entrance area, which had borne a heart symbol, this one featured a head symbol.

‘A heart, then a head. I wonder what symbol is engraved in the next zone.’

Dungeons never placed things without purpose.

This symbol too likely pointed to something significant.

He could figure it out by delving deeper into the dungeon’s lore, but now was not the time.

Paaat!

[ Enhancement successful. ]

[ ‘Enseodotar’s Head Pillar +6’ ]

After multiple rounds of enhancement, the pillar finally reached +6.

The previous scratches and corrosion had largely faded, and a faint glow now surrounded it.

“As expected of restoration equipment. To be cleaned up this thoroughly.”

“Of course—it’s not exactly cheap.”

“Enough chitchat. It’s time to move.”

Siyoon promptly cut short his party members’ banter.

“I’ll take the lead this time.”

He also adjusted their formation.

Conventionally, a marksman positioned at the rearguard was the standard.

However, doing so now would reduce their efficiency.

Leading from the front was far more intuitive than relaying commands like a command center.

The party members raised no objections to Siyoon’s judgment.

The fact that Siyoon was no ordinary marksman certainly played a part.

Thus, an unconventional formation was established with both marksman and warrior advancing together at the vanguard.

It was the right call.

Tu-tu-tu-tung!

Whenever Siyoon spotted a magic beast, he signaled and opened fire.

Four bullets, their destructive power amplified through the application of Wind of Horus.

They were potent enough to pierce straight through three magic beasts lined up in a row, killing them instantly.

“You’re killing them all before we even get a chance to step in.”

Jang Taeju was astonished by the situation.

Before they could even detect the magic beasts’ positions, Siyoon was already picking them off with his sniping.

He couldn’t help but be dumbfounded.

“Seems like you’re using too many bullets.”

“Wouldn’t it be better to conserve them for later?”

Unable to hold back, Seo Eunhyun and Jin Baekseon chimed in.

Siyoon glanced sideways at them and spoke.

“Replenish your stamina while you have the chance to.”

“But…”

“Just handle the ones that get close. That’s enough.”

There was no need for everyone to move inefficiently.

Sniping the magic beasts was actually the optimal approach.

Besides, there was no need to conserve bullets.

He had packed a considerable amount in his bag for emergencies.

If anything, the current situation worked to Siyoon’s advantage.

‘As expected, the Path Finder skill provides a significant boost to marksmanship as well.’

His senses, sharpened further by the skill’s effect.

Path Finder allowed him to perceive his surroundings as a three-dimensional map.

As a result, the time it took to aim at enemies had shortened even further.

But Siyoon couldn’t handle everything alone.

-Keuwooooo!!

-Kkigik, kkireureureuk!

The moment Siyoon shot and killed a lone Aindar, the surrounding aggro was drawn.

There were at least twenty Aindar by rough estimate.

The three members who had been monitoring the magic beasts’ movements reacted swiftly.

“How dare you!”

“Die!”

Eudeudeuk.

A mace crashed down like lightning onto the magic beast that had closed in on Siyoon.

Between the surfaces of the thick iron slab, the carapace shattered and blood seeped through.

Jin Baekseon slashed at an Aindar charging from the flank.

Kakakakakak!

While the two covered Siyoon, Seo Eunhyun charged at the magic beasts.

Weaving between the magic beasts, he steadily reduced their numbers with his dual reverse-grip daggers.

And through those gaps, Siyoon’s bullets rained down without cease.

Peopeopeopeok.

A single bullet pierced through three Aindar.

With each impact, a body part of an Aindar vanished—a testament to their devastating power.

The twenty magic beasts were hunted down without even putting up much of a fight.

“Definitely more manageable fighting like this.”

“Stamina consumption is relatively low too.”

Twenty mid-rank magic beasts was no small number.

Even seasoned hunters couldn’t dispatch them this effortlessly.

But Siyoon’s presence made the impossible possible.

Marksman, pathfinder, and even close-range damage dealer when needed.

He was practically single-handedly handling the entire hidden route progression.

The pillar restoration alone would have been impossible without him.

‘I’m glad we came with Siyoon.’

‘We might actually be able to fully conquer the hidden route with minimal casualties…’

‘Volunteering for the first party was a stroke of genius.’

Each member silently praised Siyoon as they moved on to find the next magic beasts.

* * *

Following Siyoon’s directives, the number of hunted magic beasts had climbed to nearly a hundred.

This had happened in less than an hour.

With things reaching this point, the dormant System finally began to respond.

[ The population of magic beasts in ‘Central Tropical Rainforest’ is rapidly decreasing. ]

[ Objective changed. ]

[ Hunt 200 magic beasts and 1 elite entity within 1 hour. ]

[ 101 / 200 ]

[ 0 / 1 ]

“This is unbelievable.”

Upon checking the message, each member let out a different exclamation of awe.

“I never thought it would actually work.”

“I figured it was fine even if we failed, but it actually worked.”

The hidden route’s objective had been changed.

Although it was now a time attack, with roughly a hundred beasts still remaining.

‘Thank goodness.’

Siyoon felt inwardly relieved upon seeing the message.

The number of magic beasts listed was no joke.

Not a hundred, but a full two hundred.

At the entrance zone, they had hunted roughly seventy before facing the Ascent.

It had been doable, but the stamina drain was severe.

And now they were being asked to break through a Monster Wave of two hundred.

It was nothing short of madness.

‘It wouldn’t have been impossible, but someone could have sustained serious injuries.’

That would have made conquering the dungeon even more difficult.

This was a stroke of good fortune for them.

“Let’s hunt the rest quickly and return to the pillar.”

“Understood.”

Siyoon utilized both his skills and senses to locate the magic beasts.

Picking off small groups of stragglers wasn’t difficult.

They averaged four to five at most.

However, larger clusters were hard to come by.

That was why they sought out the Kised.

Resembling hornets in appearance, Kised were mid-rank magic beasts that lived in massive hives.

A single hive typically housed between twenty and thirty individuals.

Their pincer-like mandibles were sharp as scissors, and they possessed deadly venom—making them quite dangerous.

But before Siyoon’s marksmanship, they crumbled like sandcastles.

Peopeopeopeopeok!

From a distance, Siyoon rapid-fired his sniper rifle at the hive.

Holes punctured the structure the creatures had built, sending fragments scattering in all directions.

Enraged Kised poured out all at once through the openings.

-Kieeeeeek!

-Kaaak!

The Kised took flight in unison.

Their numbers easily reached forty by rough estimate.

And moreover…

-Kyaraaraarak!

One individual rose among the Kised and let out a roar.

More aggressive than the others and noticeably larger in size.

Its bifurcated stinger identified it as the queen bee—their leader.

Yet none of the party was surprised.

“Just as you said, there was a queen bee after all.”

They had known in advance and planned the ambush.

Completing the objective required hunting an elite entity anyway.

So targeting the Kised, which had larger populations, was a natural choice.

Wiiiiing!

The Kised beat their wings even harder in response to the queen bee’s roar.

Moving so fast their wings became invisible.

It was an attack signal.

Swaeeak!

The moment the queen bee’s antennae moved, the Kised swarm surged forward like bullets.

The cloud-like mass scattered in an instant.

Their intent was to use their numerical superiority to encircle and kill.

“I’ll break through the front.”

Jang Taeju raised his shield.

A transparent barrier formed over the massive shield, large enough to cover his upper body and part of his lower body.

“Hah!”

With a sharp exhale, he charged straight ahead.

Teoteoteoteong!

Jang Taeju’s strength sent the Kised scattering to either side.

They bared their stingers and fangs, but his formidable defense held firm.

A human tank, in every sense.

Seogeok!

Papapaat—!

The ones deflected away were dealt with by Seo Eunhyun and Jin Baekseon.

And Siyoon followed closely behind the path they had carved.

‘It might seem fragile, but it’s not.’

This strategy relied on Jang Taeju’s high defense to deliberately breach the front.

It turned the Kised’s wide-spreading attack pattern against them.

However, failure to break through quickly would result in being swarmed from behind by the converging Kised.

But Siyoon pushed forward with this plan.

‘Found it.’

Just then, the queen bee hovering alone entered his field of vision.

The Kised queen bee typically didn’t participate in combat.

It served as a command center, merely issuing orders to the Kised.

In other words, taking down the queen bee would collapse their command structure, leaving them temporarily disoriented.

“Siyoon!”

“I know.”

Tang!

Siyoon launched himself through the path his party had carved.

That was when it happened.

Chwaaaak!

A purple liquid splashed down in front of the leaping Siyoon.

The queen bee had read his movement and released its venom in advance.

‘More cunning than I thought.’

For it to be this perceptive and strategic, its intelligence was high.

Which made it all the more valuable a catch.

An ordinary hunter would have been drenched in venom.

They would have become the queen bee’s meal, poisoned and paralyzed.

But it had picked the wrong opponent.

Huuung!

-Kirik?!

Wind gathered at his fingertips, swirling into a vortex that split the venom in half.

Simultaneously, he spread a thin wind barrier to prevent any splashes from reaching his body.

“Too bad for you.”

-Kyaaak!

Siyoon hurled the cartridge casing he had been holding at the queen bee roaring in his direction.

Then he rapidly and repeatedly used Enhancement.

[ Enhancement failed. ]

[ Enhancement failed. ]

[ Enhancement failed. ]

Kwakwakwakwakwakwang!!

-Kieeeeeeek!

An explosion erupted without warning in midair, striking the queen bee directly.

It was an explosive attack utilizing the ranged Enhancement that had been unlocked when his Enhancement level increased.

Siyoon slammed the stock of his rifle down onto the reeling queen bee’s head.

The impact drained the queen bee of its strength and sent it plummeting to the ground.

-Kiiiik…

The queen bee, smashed into the earth, clicked its mandibles and glared at Siyoon.

Even with half its head crushed, it still radiated murderous intent.

-Kyak!

-Kiririk!

-Kiheeeeee!

At that moment, the Kised that had been surrounding the party swarmed toward Siyoon all at once.

The clicking of mandibles had been their signal.

But Siyoon didn’t panic.

Instead, he calmly aimed his sniper rifle at the queen bee from midair.

‘All I need is to force in one final blow.’

The queen bee’s hard head was already cracked.

A single bullet through that fissure would be the end of it.

Tung.

Siyoon pulled the trigger.

And faster than the wind, the bullet embedded itself into the queen bee’s crushed head.

With a sound like bursting brain matter, the Kised’s movements momentarily stuttered.

[ Elite entity hunted. ]

[ 1 / 1 ]

The confusion was likely because the command structure had vanished with the queen bee’s death.

And the party wasn’t about to miss the opening Siyoon had created.

Jang Taeju, Jin Baekseon, and Seo Eunhyun unleashed a barrage of attacks on the Kised without discrimination.