The Hunter Returns Chapter 8

008 – 3rd floor (2)

Kim Yun-do, who had finished maintenance at Ongdal Spring, was looking around the forest.

There were rabbit and turtle tribes on either side of this spring located in the center of the forest.

Outside the spring, carnivores took over the herbivores.

This spring is one of the largest springs that can be used by the few herbivores.

The glands used by other herbivores were so small that they could not practically fit into the mouths of either tribe.

Given the circumstances, if we were to look for a substitute, it would be the outer springs used by carnivores.

This side had its own set of problems.

“That won’t work. All the good springs are far away. They are all occupied.”

Jeong Eun-ji sighed after checking the outskirts of the forest.

She must have been out quite a distance, because there were all sorts of twigs stuck to her clothes.

“There must have been a formation chosen by another successor.”

This is another formation that Baekja first presented.

Outside the forest, tiger, wolf, and eagle tribes took their places in turn.

In short, if you want the well that can save both tribes, take it by force.

It’s not as simple as it sounds.

These are herbivorous turtles and rabbits. Carnivorous animals that cause pressure even with their small presence.

That alone is stressful, but there are other successors inside.

In normal circumstances, you can never win.

Not only is there no engagement, but how can the successor, who has just started learning how to walk, turn the tide of battle?

In other words, if you have the ability, fight, and if you don’t, just take the side of the rabbit or the turtle, one of the two tribes.

“How did you know?”

“It’s a common story. This tower is that kind of place.”

“So you’re saying you did it even though you knew?”

Jeong Eun-ji frowned as if she thought it was absurd.

I just can’t understand why I was suddenly given quests from two tribes without even consulting them.

“I accepted it because I knew.”

“…yes?”

I think it would be better to explain it slowly.

Now that I’ve come this far, I can’t leave her out and go forward alone.

At least until this field ends, we should hang out together. If so, it would be better to utilize it to your full potential.

“Then why didn’t you just take the easy way out? Why did you choose the difficult way?”

“Those who have eaten meat know how to eat better. Nothing will be solved if you just wait. Since you have entered the tower, you had better realize that fact quickly.”

Those who take greater risks get greater rewards.

The tops don’t lie about the trials they’ve put before them.

Give everyone an equal opportunity and the chance to choose what to do.

After all, the starting line may have been the same for everyone.

The growing difference is all due to the successor’s choice.

“… Okay. I know now that I can’t go back on my decision.”

Jeong Eun-ji is not stupid either.

I know exactly what Kim Yun-do is talking about.

If you choose the easy way, you may not know what will happen right now.

This means that you will inevitably encounter difficulties as you progress through the tower.

“So you have some kind of belief, right? Tell me. How can we take this tribe and steal the spring from another tribe?”

“You’ve been thinking wrong for a long time. There’s no need to fight other tribes. We’re going to catch monkeys.”

“…Monkeys? You’re not talking about those things inside, are you?”

Jeong Eun-ji asked with her eyes wide open.

When it comes to monkeys, I’m talking about the Elder Moneky, who are kept inside the forest rather than on the outskirts.

They were guys who had set up base in a forest that was densely filled with trees like a birch forest. For some reason, Jeong Eun-ji couldn’t approach their base.

“T-Don’t do that. Why don’t we just look for an easy formation? Yes, the eagle. If it’s the eagle, wouldn’t it work out somehow? If Yoon-do and I join forces… .”

“If you don’t like it, you can move separately.”

“No. It’s not a matter of whether you like it or not. You fight them. Are you serious?”

Jeong Eun-ji shook her head as if the mere thought was terrifying.

Kim Yun-do knew very well why she was reacting so violently.

This is because of the characteristics of the Elder Monkey, a monster with an abnormally long arm that resembles a monkey.

Because their attacks stimulated physiological disgust.

“Yes. Originally, you had to side with one formation and grow by defeating the other formation. But if you choose this method, that will become impossible. The guy’s lair is halfway up the forest.

 You know what I mean? You have to slaughter the Elder Monkeys that are plentiful in an area that the average Successor wouldn’t even approach. No EXP. No items. And on top of that, there’s the filthy Landmine Monster.”

“It’s a useless worry.”

“I envy your thick nerves. If it were me, I would avoid it even if I could. Well, since your opponent is an Elder Monkey, be prepared for some inefficient hunting. You can expect a reward. The item that Uncle Jana obtained was something that could not be obtained from the lower floors.”

It’s the exact same reaction as Dantalian in my memories.

It was a new experience for Kim Yun-do, but he realized once again that he was different from others.

“The bait has been prepared in advance. Now, it’s time to go hunting.”

“No. No. I’m not going! I said I’m not going!”

“Okay? Okay. Then I’ll go alone.”

There’s no need to force someone to go if they don’t want to.

Kim Yun-do coolly gave up on her and walked into the forest.

“uh?”

Are you really leaving me alone? We’re at the same party?

Jeong Eun-ji shouted urgently at the sight of Kim Yun-do leaving without looking back.

“Hey, wait a minute! If you ask me, I can help you out… .”

“… … .”

“Oh, really! Got it! I’ll go with you. Don’t leave me alone. Excuse me, Mr. Yoon-do? I told you to wait!”

*&*

Kim Yun-do, who arrived at the birch forest, took out the bait.

These are carrots I received from the rabbit tribe. I cut them into bite-size pieces and place them on the floor one by one. On the other side, Jeong Eun-ji was putting down turtle eggs. Her expression was dark, as if she was not at all interested.

This is enough for advance preparation.

The two people who had laid out the carrots and turtle eggs quietly left.

…

… … .

How much time has passed?

The elder monkey on the tree carefully came down to the ground.

The cautious guy didn’t approach the prepared food right away.

Pick up a stone from the ground and throw it.

The stone that hit the carrot fell to the ground.

Let’s throw it one more time.

This time too, there was no response.

The human figure that left this behind is no longer visible.

After confirming that there were no traps, Elder Monkey moved forward while keeping a wary eye on his surroundings.

The one holding the carrot and turtle egg in his long arms quickly turned around. His feet were headed towards a nearby tree. It was the moment when the elder monkey climbed onto the tree with his long arms stretched back.

The hunter hiding behind the bushes drew his sword.

Crunch.

The guy’s long arm was cut off.

Ukki!?

Blood gushed out, having lost its place.

He comforted the man who was writhing in pain. The hunter’s sword cut him down with a single stroke.

The only thing that falls is a foul-smelling filth.

It was a natural result. Elder Monkeys not only gave little experience, but also dropped only a few items.

Excluding the magic stone that all monsters drop with a low probability, the only consumable item given was monkey dung, which causes abnormal status.

Ukki?

Ukkikki!

There was an uproar on the tree top as they confirmed what had happened to their comrade.

A few of the impatient ones immediately threw their waste at the two people, even though they were not within striking distance. They were waving their hands as if to tell them not to come near.

“Ugh.”

Jeong Eun-ji covered her mouth and nose with her hands and retched.

I had a hope, but it was as expected.

The elder monkey, who was watching from a distance, threw the waste just like that.

That’s why she couldn’t go inside the birch forest.

What woman would want to enter a habitat full of monkeys throwing excrement at her?

You don’t avoid poop because it’s scary. You avoid it because it’s dirty.

I came here somewhat prepared.

In reality, when I was faced with this real thing right before my eyes, my resolve was completely shaken.

The only silver lining is that you don’t have to fight the Elder Monkey directly.

“This way, this way. You dirty bastards!”

Jeong Eun-ji shouted.

“Since you’re in my party, do at least one person’s share. Make a scene here and get their attention. It doesn’t matter what you do. Just avoid coming into the forest. I don’t think you’ll be able to handle it with your abilities.”

The distance from the Elder Monkey is the Maginot Line.

The filth the guys throw doesn’t reach. But even though it doesn’t reach, everything else is transmitted as is.

Or a foul smell that keeps rising to the tip of your nose.

Like, “thud, thud,” and other unnecessarily lively sounds.

The filth that splashed over my feet was horrific.

“Hey, I said come here! Ugh.”

But what can I do?

This was all she could do here.

Because I didn’t have even the slightest desire to fight them.

“Come at me, you guys!”

Jeong Eun-ji, half-sad, kept raising her voice.

*&*

The hunter was watching the situation.

How well can Jung Eun-ji lead this situation? If she ran away right away, a new plan would have to be made. However, she was fulfilling her role more faithfully than expected.

It’s like squeezing out a voice that doesn’t come out well.

That’s also why he’s drawing the attention of the Elder Monkey with his sad face. 

It’s still a bit too much to be considered one person’s share, but it’s still usable.

“Then is it my turn?”

If you want to catch a tiger, you have to go into the tiger’s den.

The hunter climbed up the tree in one breath.

The view widens. The view above the trees is different from the view below the forest.

A strange bird flying through the blue sky and an elder monkey living in a house on a tree. They were confused when they suddenly saw a human appearing on top of the tree.

Ukkikki?

Ugh!

Ukki?

Quite a lot of talk.

Even if we roughly count them, it would easily be over 40.

There is no need to give time to recover from the accident.

Get the most out of your long-armed opponents before they can react.

Knock knock. The hunter rolled his feet and jumped to a nearby tree.

Iron Buck.

A filthy slurry poured down the tree he had been standing under just a moment ago.

The hunter who jumped to the opposite tree did not step on the branch. Underneath his feet was the head of an elder monkey. The moment the arm rose toward the hunter, the Labyrinth Sword cut off the creature’s head.

Crunch.

It’s light.

The feeling of running in your hand is very smooth. As expected, you have to use a good weapon.

Use the fallen as a stepping stone.

The hunter jumped up another tree.

All over the place.

The hunter’s new form, which swung through the trees, was incredibly fast. The time it took to fall and jump up was literally a split second. The thrown waste didn’t even touch his collar.

The elder monkey’s head falls off at the moment of contact. By the time the elder monkeys, who had been reflexively throwing only waste, felt the need to come up with a different plan, their number had already been reduced by half.

Stop throwing garbage and aim for the hunter who is flying towards you.

Fortunately, they have a longer reach than anyone else on the tree. Right arm. They wait for a human to approach with their long, filthy arm stretched out. Even one person is fine. If this filth even brushes against them, it can cause an abnormal status.

If it was poison, it could eat away at the guy’s health, and if it were to cause paralysis, it could kill him. The hunter stopped when he saw the elder monkeys’ movements change.

Did you think it was right to engage in close combat?

The idea was good. If there had been another successor here, their response would have definitely been correct.

“There’s no need to run around.”

But what is here is a hunter.

Engaging him in close combat is a very wrong way to deal with him. The correct answer would have been to keep throwing waste at him and drain his stamina.

Even if you are a hunter, your stamina is not infinite.

Ukki!

Woof woof!

After a while, only the elder monkey’s pitiful scream could be heard from the tree.

*&*

Kim Yun-do, who had annihilated the elder monkeys in the forest for several days, was checking the loot.

The number of Elder Monkeys killed by his hand is at least 200. However, only two magic stones fell into his hand. The drop rate is 1%. It is a ghostly drop rate, as if someone was doing something behind the scenes.

Kim Yun-do

Level: 8

Strength: 25

Agility: 24

Stamina: 38

Physical Resistance: 10

Magic Resistance: 10

Skill: None (Not learned)

Successor’s Essence: 422

I invested all the essence I gained from hunting Elder Monkeys, but I only reached level 8.

It’s a really trash mob that gives you only a tiny bit of experience. Its agility and strength are incomparable to other monsters. It’s a monster that gives you little in return for the effort it takes.

All we know from the indiscriminate slaughter is that the Elder Monkey is a garbage monster with no room for salvation. No matter how you think about it, it is not a monster created to be hunted.

This is a monster that a normal successor must absolutely avoid.

“Ugh, what do I do with this?”

Next to her is Jeong Eun-ji, who is still vomiting.

In the end, it seemed that she couldn’t avoid all the filth thrown by the elder monkey, as her clothes were stained with filth here and there. Her face was yellow and dead from the strong stench rising up.

“Don’t joke around. You won’t die from just getting covered in filth.”

“The woman is dead!?”

Kim Yun-do looked at Jeong Eun-ji’s answer with a pitiful look.

Even though it had only been a few days since she entered the tower, this woman was having an accident.

It seems that his thoughts did not change even though he was faced with such a shocking scene on the first floor.

“Whether you’re a man or a woman, once you’ve entered here, you’re just one successor. If you don’t want to die, you’d better realize that fact quickly.”

“What nonsense are you talking about?”

If you have no intention of changing, there is no need to continue the conversation.

Kim Yun-do sighed as if in relief and started walking.

“Let’s go together!”

“It stinks. Walk away.”

“Ugh!”

Anyway, I secured the path with this.

As they advanced into the birch forest, the two could see a clear lake.

The lake nestled deep in the forest presented a peaceful sight.

A waterfall flowing down from the mountainside makes a refreshing sound. It is a water source guarded by an elder monkey. It is incomparable to the Ongdal Spring that the rabbit and turtle claimed ownership of.

“It was worth the effort. I think both tribes will have more than enough left over.”

Perhaps because the field was clear in front of her eyes, Jeong Eun-ji, who followed behind, was delighted.

While the other formations were fighting over each other’s lakes, these two were just hunting this dirty monkey.

How anxious I must have been, wondering if another successor would come and demand that I hand over that little spring.

You don’t have to worry about that anymore.

This quest ends when you drive out the Elder Monkey and give the lake you obtained to the two tribes.

Kim Yun-do’s voice fell behind Jeong Eun-ji’s back as she washed her clothes with clean water. 

“If this lake has no owner.”

“Master? Wasn’t the Elder Monkey the master?”

Up until now, it was just a simple warm-up.

To get hold of this lake, one had to overcome the greatest hurdle.

Kim Yun-do stared at Jeong Eun-ji.

“Why, why are you like that?”

Would it make sense to take her?

It’s different from when you’re dealing with trash mobs like Elder Monkey. The one in front of you is a boss monster. If what Dantalian said is true, even if there’s another successor here besides her, it won’t be of much help.

When you look at it with this attitude of no return, there is a high probability that it will just become a burden.

Above all, there is the possibility that the rewards will be shared.

In that case, it would be better to put this woman somewhere else.

“Go and bring the rabbit and the turtle.”

“You’re going alone? Hmm. Are you planning on resting alone, Mr. Yoon? I haven’t seen you like that, but it’s lethal.”

“Then I’ll go. I’ll leave the rest of the elder monkey cleanup to you.”

“You have to listen to what people say until the end!”

As she spoke, her hand grabbed Kim Yun-do’s shoulder.

It’s better this way. While I’m at it, I’ll take care of this garbage too.

“I’ll go and come back. No. Please let me go and come back.”

“… … .”

Jeong Eun-ji’s eyes were shining frighteningly.