Chapter 155

Madam Maiden’s fan wasn’t just adorned with feather decorations.

I should have realized that sooner!

—Shrrrk!

But I never expected her to launch a ranged attack with the gems embedded in it!

—Kaboom!

Shin Jae-heon, who blocked dozens of gems fired at point-blank range with his sword right from the start of the battle, was already suffering from severe status ailments.

His health bar wouldn’t rise above half no matter what.

Even with Joo Yian the hunter pouring heals into him, it stayed flagged as critically injured and refused to recover.

There was no way to fix it without a skill like Intensive Treatment.

And on top of that…

‘Hunter Joo Yian, the gloves please.’

After clashing swords a few times, Shin Jae-heon took the gloves from Hunter Joo Yian.

Joo Yian froze for a moment but seemed to understand immediately what they were.

I was the same.

The gloves we’d gotten from defeating the hidden boss Ephe before.

Gloves of Struggle (SS).

[Special Buff ‘Will of Struggle (SS)’: Even with fractures or critical injuries, feel no pain and move at peak condition (applies until death).]

He’d taken those brutal gloves with their savage special buff.

But even with the Will of Struggle buff, facing off against Madam Maiden was tough.

—Boom!

The floor beneath Shin Jae-heon’s feet cracked once more as the fan clashed with Maletia.

I’d lost count of how many times I’d seen that alert window.

I’d lost count of how many times Joo Yian had saved Shin Jae-heon when his health bar was about to hit zero.

It had been quite a while since the Responsibility skill hadn’t vanished from Shin Jae-heon’s buff window.

Of course, that didn’t mean he’d stopped taking hits.

To block Madam Maiden’s monstrous attacks, I had no choice but to use my skills.

I was the only one with a 99% damage reduction skill.

“Get out of my sight right now!”

Every time I blocked the fan she swung with that sharp cry head-on…

…

My vision turned bright red amid countless afterimage release messages.

But it was only for a moment.

Thanks to Joo Yian’s insanely overpowered Field Hospital skill, Damage Recovery and Hand of Recovery brought me back to life in no time.

Then I could block a few more attacks.

The problem was that we weren’t machines—we were human.

And unfortunately, Madam Maiden showed no signs of tiring, to the point where I suspected she might actually be a machine.

—Kaboom!

She remained pristine even as we fell apart.

Shin Jae-heon’s full-buff attack, which should have leveled the study and the entire mansion, only shaved off 2% of her health.

6% down so far. Seventeen more like that and she’s dead, right?

But we were too battered to entertain such optimistic thoughts.

This was our first time facing a boss that was clearly beyond L-rank, even if labeled as such. We’d brushed against L-rank bosses in dungeon clears before, but never this.

Are we all gonna die here?

…It had been ages since I’d worried so realistically.

An overwhelming stat gap.

A gap that skill synergies or items couldn’t easily bridge.

“Hmph!”

Madam Maiden swung her fan again.

But Shin Jae-heon unhesitatingly raised his sword to block.

—Bang!

Due to Madam Maiden’s ‘How Dare You (L)’ skill, Shin Jae-heon’s form distorted again.

The party window flashed with Shin Jae-heon’s name, signaling massive damage in one hit.

Shin Jae-heon was using Sixteen Bone Slash every time he attacked.

It consumed 50% of remaining health, but he used it without hesitation for one reason.

Otherwise, the damage wouldn’t go through.

And he didn’t hesitate to use it.

The same went for Joo Yian healing and me tanking unintentionally.

This was hands-down the most dangerous moment in my ten years as a hunter.

Still, my mind was clear enough to focus entirely on fighting Madam Maiden.

Maybe because I knew I’d die otherwise.

“The stat gap is astronomical.”

Joo Hunter Yian finally spoke up.

He rarely said anything hopeless, but this situation was unavoidable.

“Yeah.”

I replied while Shin Jae-heon blocked one skill.

I was preparing to use I Am Always in Front of You (SS) again.

Fortunately, Madam Maiden’s skill pattern was simple.

So I knew she’d soon roar and swing her fan wide.

An attack too much even for Shin Jae-heon without damage reduction.

I had to block it.

—Boom!

“You insolent things!”

Sure enough, the roaring Madam Maiden put distance between her and Shin Jae-heon.

Wrapped in layers of buffs, I gritted my teeth and leaped in front of Madam Maiden.

I knew an immense shock would soon engulf my vision.

—Thud boom!

The moment her fan clashed with my sword, the countless overlapping afterimages unraveled, and my vision went black.

MP and health had both hit rock bottom, no doubt.

But it wasn’t for nothing.

In the midst of it, Shin Jae-heon struck her from behind, carving off a chunk of health.

Wow, nine more like that and she’s down! Hopeful!

That’s when I gritted my teeth.

The moment I thought even heals weren’t clearing the darkness from my vision.

Suddenly, Hunter So Yeri’s name flashed in the party window.

Her missing buff and debuff windows reappeared, of course.

“Huh?”

As we let out something between a scream, gasp, and cheer…

“Hunter, ahead!”

Hunter Joo Yian’s shout rang out.

Me, Shin Jae-heon—we snapped to attention simultaneously.

—Clang!

Shin Jae-heon’s sword and mine crossed in an X, blocking the fan.

Whatever the fan was made of, a piercing metallic screech tore at our ears.

“!”

In that instant, Shin Jae-heon boldly released Maletia.

He grabbed the plunging sword in a reverse grip and swung it downward.

—Bang!

The unexpected full-buff strike sent Madam Maiden flying into the corner of the study.

Her health dropped more hopefully than expected. Above all, Hunter So Yeri was clearly moving.

I really thought she was alive?

I’ve believed it since the system didn’t send a death notice?

A smile crept onto my face involuntarily.

If you ask if I’ve lost it in front of an L-rank boss, I’ll just say yes.

Maybe thanks to the good news, power surged into Shin Jae-heon’s sword.

Seizing momentum, Shin Jae-heon’s sword assaulted Madam Maiden relentlessly.

I prepared skills to counter her attacks while thinking of something.

‘If the four of us were stranded on separate deserted islands, who do you think would survive the longest?’

It was a topic Hunter So Yeri had brought up once.

Even on a deserted island, S-ranks are S-ranks; survival wouldn’t be an issue.

But we all agreed on one thing: ‘Hunter So Yeri wouldn’t last long on a deserted island.’

Why?

‘Hunter So Yeri would find some way to escape the island no matter what.’

Isn’t that obvious for a support hunter capable of all sorts of wild methods?

As Hunter So Yeri laughed her head off, we’d all clung to her, clamoring.

Save me first if you escape! Me too! Me too!

I thought it was just a joke, but she must have taken it seriously back then.

The system probably never imagined it either.

A hunter buried underground in an SS-rank special dungeon, given an instant death judgment, would crawl out alive.

How she did it could wait.

Our expressions brightened.

“Can we escape from here?”

At my question, Hunter Joo Yian quickly scanned the surroundings.

With Hunter So Yeri safe, we didn’t need a frontal showdown with Madam Maiden.

We could regroup with her, devise another plan, or at least lure the fight out of this study into a better spot.

“Where do you think you’re going!”

—Boom!

Of course, the problem was whether the fan’s owner, who could shake the building with one swing, would let us.

Just like those Eastern Empire guys vanished mid-fight, maybe we could slip away somewhere?

That’s when it hit me—a bad premonition.

Hunter So Yeri’s Flight skill hadn’t disappeared.

And moreover…

Her name flashed again in the party window, meaning she was close.

No way, seriously?

“She’s coming this way—”

Shin Jae-heon blocking attacks, Joo Yian spamming heals, even me—we all froze in disbelief.

—Click.

“Madam Maiden?”

Hunter So Yeri’s voice echoed in the wrecked room, which hadn’t collapsed only by sheer luck.

She was peeking through the door we’d entered, holding something with a calm expression, as if she couldn’t even see the fight in front of her.

“My guests are far too late!”

The excited Madam Maiden swung her fan at her.

“!”

The moment Shin Jae-heon and I lunged forward…

“Hm?”

Madam Maiden paused.

Her gaze was fixed on the item in Hunter So Yeri’s hand.

It read just that.

Madam Maiden’s expression slowly twisted.