Chapter 170

A window appeared before everyone’s eyes.

[A boss monster has appeared!] [Defeat the boss monster and save this world!]

Everyone stared blankly at the system window, which contained information they had never seen on Beondo Island. Next, what they saw was a red body. The lower body was that of a Red Mantis, and the upper body was…

“Choi Hyeon…?”

It was clearly Choi Hyeon. Her skin was pale with blue veins bulging, and red mantis legs protruded from her shoulders and pelvis, extending their joints in various directions. Its size was twice that of an adult male. Its eyes were rolled back, making it impossible to tell where it was looking. A boss monster? That? Everyone was speechless. Yeonhan Kim stammered as she asked Taehyeok Sa,

“Guild, Guild Master, what on earth is that?”

“I don’t know either…”

Taehyeok Sa was equally at a loss for the situation. Taeyang Kang’s hand, holding the spear, trembled. Choi Hyeon, or rather, the entity that could no longer be called Choi Hyeon, was looking at the floor with her arms hanging loosely. Then, hearing the sound of people’s voices, she slowly raised her head.

“Choi Hyeon!”

Taeyang Kang called her. There was no answer. Choi Hyeon, no, the entity, smiled, her mouth tearing open.

“So it comes to this.”

It was a rough voice.

“I knew it would come to this. In the end, I couldn’t escape that curse and became your Calamity.”

However, as the rough voice continued, it gradually began to sound more and more like Choi Hyeon’s voice. Slowly, gradually, its resemblance to her voice sent shivers down the listeners’ spines.

“Then, if we cannot change the fact that we are the Calamity.”

The Entity did not stop speaking. Everyone could only stare at the Entity, tense.

“I will become a complete Calamity and take over this world.”

Because the Entity was the only way to continue the species. It was a terribly selfish remark. But the Entity wished for their lineage not to be broken. They couldn’t give up here. The Entity straightened their back, feeling intense jealousy. Yes, the Entity freely moved Cho-i Hyeon’s body, which had now become theirs.

“You will not be able to protect this world.”

This was akin to saying that they would not be able to clear the dungeon. And that the dungeon would burst, and this world would become the Red Mantises’ and slowly perish. Everyone raised their weapons at those words. A strong intuition that they couldn’t avoid a fight came over them.

“Guild Master, what should we do?”

When Suui Kim asked, Taehyeok Sa bit his lower lip once, then opened his mouth.

“There must be a way to bring Cho-i Hyeon back.”

“Even in that state?”

“Judging by the fact that Cho-i Hyeon’s appearance remains, I want to believe it’s not completely over.”

“That’s just wishful thinking.”

“No, there must be a way.”

Just then, Taeyang Kang interjected. Taehyeok Sa quietly looked at him.

“…There has to be.”

Taeyang Kang said through gritted teeth. While they conversed, the Entity, with the lower body of a Mantis and the upper body of Cho-i Hyeon, remained motionless. They merely stared at them conversing, as if observing the situation.

“You can’t save her.”

The Entity interrupted their conversation. The Entity extended a long Mantis foreleg and spoke.

“Because her mind would never overcome me.”

And at that moment, the Entity vanished from sight. Everyone froze. And the Entity reappeared right behind them.

“Just give up.”

The Entity raised its gigantic foreleg and slammed it down in the very center of where they stood.

“Die, all of you.”

CRASH-!! A colossal sound erupted, and the floor shattered. Everyone urgently scattered in all directions. Long cracks in the floor were visible from where it had been slammed. They swallowed hard. Taehyeok Sa and Taeyang Kang tried to check the Entity’s rank.

[???????(??)]

“…It’s far above us.”

“……”

Taeyang Kang conjured a blizzard without a word. Now able to control the blizzard properly, Taeyang Kang focused the blade-like snowflakes on the Entity, avoiding his companions. It was like a whirlwind made of snow. Kang, Kagang- Kang! The sound of sharp snowflakes scraping against its hard shell could be heard. Everyone had stepped back and was watching Taeyang Kang. Then, at some point, a Mantis leg, completely unharmed, stretched out from the blizzard and struck Taeyang Kang, who was standing closest.

“Ugh!”

It was so fast that Taeyang Kang couldn’t dodge in time and was hit on the shoulder. As the rough protrusions grazed his skin, a wound appeared as if it had been torn open. Taeyang Kang quickly retreated, raising his spear. But the Entity didn’t stop there and burst out of the blizzard. Surprisingly and despairingly, there was no wound on the Entity’s body. Not even on its upper body, which resembled Cho-i Hyeon.

“It’s all useless.”

The Entity quickly chased after the retreating Taeyang Kang and swung its massive leg. Kagagak! Taeyang Kang raised his spear to block the attack, and while he was blocking, Yeonhan Kim and Dongju Kim rushed in to attack.

“Guild Master!”

“Yes!”

Dongju Kim and Yeonhan Kim leaped up and aimed for the Entity’s head. However, one of its forelegs on its shoulder immediately swatted them away. Dongju Kim blocked the foreleg with his sword and was sent flying far away. Taehyeok Sa caught the flying Dongju Kim with Telekinesis. Yeonhan Kim put her foot on the Entity’s shoulder and raised her sword. But.

“Devil’s Hand.”

A Black Hand shot out from behind the Entity’s back and snatched Yeonhan Kim’s neck.

“Gasp!”

Yeonhan Kim gasped, immediately grabbed the Black Hand, and hung in mid-air. She choked, unable to breathe due to the Black Hand tightening around her neck. She tried to grab the Black Hand’s wrist with one hand and pull it away, but it didn’t work well.

“Yeonhan Kim!”

Taehyeok Sa shouted her name and used Telekinesis to pull the Black Hand away. The Black Hand trembled while holding Yeonhan Kim’s neck, then was flung away by Taehyeok Sa’s Telekinesis. Yeonhan Kim, with Taehyeok Sa supporting her feet with Telekinesis, stepped on air and leaped far back. She landed on the ground and shouted.

“What should we do, Guild Master?!”

“……”

Taehyeok Sa thought for a moment. He believed they weren’t prepared to take on the boss monster right now. And he hadn’t even thought that the boss monster of this dungeon could be defeated solely by Paehyeok members.

‘Moreover, I never imagined that Cho-i Hyeon would mutate into a boss monster… ‘

The party’s core was, after all, Cho-i Hyeon. Without her, they couldn’t continue the fight immediately. He judged that it would be better to retreat now and hold out until other Hunters gathered.

‘But… ‘

If other Hunters gathered, they wouldn’t fail to recognize Cho-i Hyeon’s face.

‘I think it would be best for us to explain first.’

Boss monsters normally cannot go beyond a certain range of activity. It was clear that the boss monster that Cho-i Hyeon had transformed into would not be able to leave this dome. And as if they all had the same thought, they exchanged glances. But there was one person uniquely excluded from this. That was Taeyang Kang.

That bastard looks insane.

Taeyang Kang gritted his teeth, not taking his eyes off the Entity. Taehyeok Sa gestured to everyone. He would take care of it, so they should take care of themselves and run away. Everyone nodded and slowly backed away. But for some reason, the Entity didn’t attack first if they didn’t attack it. It just stood in the middle, watching them quietly. They all turned their backs, taking advantage of the Entity’s stillness. And they started running towards the only passage, which was both the entrance and exit. Taehyeok Sa strongly pulled Taeyang Kang with Telekinesis.

“Let go of me!”

He struggled, but Taehyeok Sa pulled him even harder and shoved him towards the passage. That’s when it happened.

“Aaah!”

Nara Shim’s scream was heard. The Entity, which had approached her from behind at some point, plunged its sharp foreleg into Nara Shim’s shoulder. Everyone stopped dead in their tracks. Nara Shim reached out her hand.

“Help me!”

Suui Kim, who was slower than Nara Shim, turned around.

“Hunter Suui Kim!”

Myeongok Shin called out to him. Unfortunately, going back for Nara Shim was a reckless act. But Suui Kim didn’t hesitate and went to save Nara Shim, and for some reason, the Entity didn’t move even when he approached. And it slowly pulled its foreleg out of Nara Shim’s shoulder.

“…Gasp.”

Nara Shim frantically ran forward. Suui Kim pulled her arm. Nara Shim’s shoulder wound burned, but she gritted her teeth and ran. Then she looked back. The Entity was still not moving. But then, the Entity opened its mouth. Nara Shim, who looked back, saw the Entity. Nara Shim’s eyes widened. The group all escaped out of the dome. They came out into the forest through the passage. Everyone gasped and looked inside the passage, but the Entity showed no sign of following them. As everyone was catching their breath, Nara Shim clutched her wounded shoulder.

“Oh, I’ll heal you.”

Myeongok Shin stepped forward.

[Casting skill, heal!]

Shhh- The wound on her shoulder gradually healed. Nara Shim stood with her lips tightly pressed together, then her eyelashes fluttered, and she barely managed to speak.

“Cho-i Hyeon…”

Everyone fell silent. The fact that Cho-i Hyeon had changed was certainly shocking. But it was also something they had to accept. Suui Kim placed a hand on Nara Shim’s shoulder. He thought that since she was closest to Cho-i Hyeon, the shock would be the greatest for her. But for some reason, Nara Shim shook her head.

“Did you hear Cho-i Hyeon speak?” “Speak?” “At the end…”

Nara Shim looked up, her face on the verge of tears.

“She asked us to come save her.”

Nara Shim’s face crumpled. Nara Shim recalled the shape of the Entity’s mouth as it muttered at the end.

“……Go.”

The Entity, or rather, Cho-i Hyeon within it, spoke. Go, escape from here. The reason the Entity didn’t move at the end was because of the Entity. Cho-i Hyeon was controlling the Entity, if only slightly.

“And come save me.”

I’ll wait. Nara Shim covered her face with both hands.