Day 6 of Dungeon Survival.
Through hacking, I uncovered the alliance's plan. They were set to attack in three hours, at 1 p.m.
They must have been keeping watch because they knew Kang Seok-soo's location.
They also knew about our encounter in the safe zone and suspected we had formed an alliance.
"Senior. Should I explain the plan again?"
"…No need. I already know."
"If it seems too dangerous, just give up."
Han Ha-rin glared at me, as if my words had rubbed her the wrong way.
"That won't happen. Just focus on yourself."
I resisted the urge to grope Han Ha-rin's ample chest. Damn it, eight cameras were filming us from every angle, leaving no opening.
"Let's begin. You need to keep track of the time."
"...Worry about yourself. I can fly, so I'll be fine, but you can't, right? This isn't just some ordinary danger."
I smirked. Despite everything, Han Ha-rin was still concerned about me. In the past, she wouldn't have even acknowledged my words, let alone worried about me.
"It's fine. I have a plan."
We split up. She went north, I went south. The association staff, who were aware of our plan, divided into groups of four and followed us.
'Using B-rank hunters for something like this… Just how much is the association banking on Dungeon Survival: Reprised?'
Still, I was certain this would become a hot topic if broadcasted. After the first Dungeon Survival in Korea flopped spectacularly, there hadn't been any similar programs.
'Well then, let's go.'
I moved swiftly while checking the tablet's map. Han Ha-rin would also be heading to the designated location using the tablet she stole from some hunter.
I arrived at Area W-7—a lake with a massive waterfall.
'Water Walk.'
Using the skill, I walked across the lake toward the waterfall. The closer I got, the colder the temperature became.
Behind the waterfall was a cave half-submerged in water.
The treasure I had obtained earlier, the Real-Time Map, showed not only human locations but also monsters.
Since our survival points were rock bottom, hunting monsters wouldn't be enough to surpass Aqua Stone Team. Instead, we reduced the number of hunters by ambushing them.
'The Real-Time Map displays not just regular monsters but also boss-level ones.'
Inside this cave beyond the waterfall was a boss monster.
I picked up a stone with my right hand and threw it into the cave.
Thud!
Not a splash, but the sound of something alive being hit.
Grrrrr…
The cave trembled, and the lake's surface rippled violently. I steadied myself to avoid falling and glared into the cave.
A white squid tentacle stretched out. Without hesitation, I turned and ran.
'If I mess up, I'm screwed.'
Soon, it revealed itself.
A giant squid over 10 meters tall.
A C-rank boss monster—Little Kraken.
Krakens vary in size, and their rank and name depend on their scale. The S-rank boss monster, King Kraken, is a monstrous being over 50 meters tall.
The kraken hesitated as it tried to follow me.
'A single stone wasn't enough to draw proper aggro.'
Zap!
I hurled Lightning at the kraken. Struck, it paused for a moment before locking its eerie yellow eyes on me.
Over a dozen thick tentacles writhed before it began swimming toward me across the lake.
'It's properly pissed now! Just as planned!'
I sprinted across the water without looking back.
'Acceleration!'
[Acceleration activated. Duration: 10 minutes. Remaining stacks: 4]
The kraken was fast, forcing me to use Acceleration. Once I reached the shore, I turned to check if it was still following me—worried it might lose interest and return to the cave.
No such luck.
It was splashing after me, determined to kill me.
"Haha. This way."
I picked up a nearby branch and threw it at the kraken.
It couldn't possibly hurt it—just provoke it further. And it worked.
The kraken emerged onto land. I bolted into the forest.
'I need to maintain the right distance here.'
The kraken could move on land, but it was slow. If it lost sight of me, it would surely return to the lake.
I periodically threw stones or branches to keep it enraged.
"Over here, squid!"
The kraken spewed acid ink at me. I dodged backward swiftly. The tree hit by the ink melted away in under three seconds.
'Yikes. A direct hit would dissolve my bones.'
The kraken was terrifying. Though slow on land, its raw strength was monstrous, reminiscent of Superman. It didn't bother avoiding trees or rocks—it just bulldozed through them in pursuit.
'Talk about a thrill!'
***
Area F-3. A grassy plain with a safe zone.
I arrived on time at my intended destination. A battle was already underway.
Aqua Stone Team vs. 25 hunters from the alliance.
Surprisingly, despite being outnumbered, they were holding their own.
'…They've laid down an absurd number of magic traps.'
Thanks to Kang Seok-soo's pre-set trap spells, Aqua Stone Team was fighting evenly.
"It's Seong Eugene from Gukcheon Hunter Team!"
"That bastard's here? Wait—what's that behind him?!"
"A Little Kraken! He brought a C-rank boss monster! That insane bastard!"
I grinned and charged toward the battlefield. The hunters panicked. The magic traps scattered everywhere made retreat difficult.
"L-Let's retreat for now! We're not prepared to face both the kraken and Aqua Stone Team at once!"
A tall man with four arms shouted. From his voice, I recognized him as Seo Oh-jun, the alliance leader. The four arms must be his ability.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
"They're coming from behind too!"
Han Ha-rin was flying toward us using gravity manipulation, followed by a 5-meter-tall black golem.
"That's Basalt Golem, a C-rank boss monster!"
Basalt Golem, also known as Volcanic Rock Golem, was another boss-level monster.
"Gukcheon Great Hunter! These bastards are determined to turn this into chaos!"
He wasn't wrong.
'If you're gonna have fun without me, I can't let that slide.'
If they hadn't excluded me, I wouldn't have gone this far.
'If you lack allies, just summon some. Sure, they can't communicate and are trying to kill me, but that's a minor flaw.'
The kraken and golem began attacking the hunters. Monsters instinctively prioritize humans. Plus, neither the kraken nor the golem were particularly intelligent.
'Since we're wearing similar outfits provided by Dungeon Survival, they can't distinguish me either.'
Just like how it's hard to tell apart multiple dogs of the same breed, monsters struggle to differentiate humans in identical clothing.
I weaved through the alliance hunters, slashing with my sword.
I glanced at Han Ha-rin's position. As planned, she was guarding the safe zone cabin's entrance.
'If they enter the safe zone, things get complicated.'
Kang Seok-soo likely chose this location for its open plains and visibility, but ultimately because of the safe zone.
If things went south, he could escape into the no-combat zone. I was sure of it.
'I can't let them in no matter what.'
If any hunter, not just Kang Seok-soo, entered the safe zone, it could mean our defeat.
Our current survival points: -4,825.
If even one hunter holed up inside until the end, we'd likely lose.
'Luckily, the chaos means few are thinking about the safe zone.'
Some tried heading that way, but the magic traps and Basalt Golem blocked them. Han Ha-rin was also guarding the entrance fiercely, so it seemed fine.
'My job is to eliminate fleeing hunters first. If any escape and hide in another safe zone, it's game over.'
Priority targets: runners, then ranged attackers.
I scanned the area and moved.
I slashed at the back of a fleeing hunter.
"This cowardly act… Was this really necessary?!"
"It was the only way. And you allied just to take down Kang Seok-soo, too. Don't act all righteous now."
I swung my sword at his head. The Energy Protect prevented decapitation.
His Energy Protect turned red, and an association staffer rushed in like a bullet to evacuate him.
The situation was too dangerous. Even the staff were tense.
'If even one person dies here, the broadcast will be ruined, and the association will face fierce backlash.'
So, they had to ensure no casualties.
'Well, the Energy Protect is supposed to be unusable once it turns red, but in reality, 10% remains.'
A sort of insurance.
A few sharp hunters probably knew this too.
I kept chasing down fleeing hunters, eliminating them one by one.
'Since cameras are rolling, I can't use Complete Recovery. I need to manage my stamina.'
Kang Seok-soo would survive this. The situation was leaning that way. So, I had to conserve energy to face him.
"…!"
I tilted my head, dodging an incoming arrow. If I hadn't been alert, it would've hit me.
I turned. About 300 meters away, Yoo Jeong-mi was aiming her bow at me.
Just as I thought.
This place was a mess. The alliance had collapsed, and hunters were fighting each other. They'd realized only the last ones standing would win.
And right now, the most cold-blooded players thinning the alliance's numbers were me and Kang Seok-soo. From Yoo Jeong-mi's perspective, I was a threat to eliminate.
Twang!
I deflected the arrow with my sword and charged at her.
'Yoo Jeong-mi can't use mana. In the end, I'll win.'
Twang! Twang! Twang!
Arrows from the front didn't scare me at all.
The distance closed rapidly. 200m, 150m, 80m…
A golden tiger materialized in front of Yoo Jeong-mi and lunged at me.
Her ability—'Golden Beasts'. As the name suggests, she could summon golden animals to attack.
Thanks to hacking, I knew her abilities and didn't panic. I leaped onto the tiger's back and stabbed down. The tiger crumbled and vanished.
I kept running.
At 30 meters, dozens of golden pigeons appeared, diving at me.
'Those pigeons will latch onto me and explode.'
One of Yoo Jeong-mi's combat tactics. A single explosion wasn't deadly, but over 30 would guarantee elimination.
I thrust my hand forward.
'Thunderstorm…!'
Lightning condensed in my palm. The pigeons were right in front of me.
'Discharge!'
Lightning surged outward, frying the pigeons before they could explode.
1 meter.
I swung my sword at Yoo Jeong-mi with all my strength. After five slashes, her Energy Protect turned red.
"…Haah. Are you really E-rank?"
"Yeah. I've only been a hunter for less than a year."
"…What?"
A female staffer moved to evacuate Yoo Jeong-mi.
I quickly called out to her.
"Wait! Can I have her bow and arrows?"
"Here."
The staffer handed them over immediately. Since Yoo Jeong-mi was eliminated, they counted as spoils of war. If I asked before she vanished, I could claim them.
"I know you're strong. But you won't beat Seok-soo. He's got something insane."
I knew what it was but couldn't let it show.
"It's fine. I'm insane too. Right, Jeong-mi Noona?"
I smirked subtly. Her gaze flicked to my crotch before snapping back up. She tried to say something, but the staffer whisked her away instantly.
I nocked an arrow and aimed at Kang Seok-soo.
'Even if it's just a distraction, I need to chip away at his stamina.'
***
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