The Hunter Returns Chapter 9

009 – 3rd floor (3)

Kim Yun-do, who had sent Jeong Eun-ji away, headed toward the waterfall without saying a word.

An empty space where cool air rises.

The sunlight blocked by the waterfall did not reach the inside. Kim Yun-do floated a small ball of light.

A soft glow dispelled the darkness.

It was a cave with a fairly wide width.

How high is it? The ceiling is so high that there is no end in sight.

All over the cliff, stalactites and stalagmites covered in moss were visible.

Kim Yun-do followed the halo of light into his pupil and was finally able to see the guy he was aiming for.

The thing that occupied the inner part of the common was literally like a mountain.

It seemed like hundreds of obsidian stones were connected together, each with a shiny sheen. The even breathing sound was creating a single wind. The cool air that hit my whole body seemed to be the thing’s breath.

It’s difficult to even see the guy’s overall outline with the halo created by the small ball of light.

The owner of this pupil.

A hidden boss monster on the third floor of the Sky Tower.

A body like a jewel rose and fell repeatedly.

There are no official quests.

When provoking the rabbit and turtle, they mention this being, but no one thinks they will catch this monster.

「Even if it’s Yoon-do hyung, you’d better be careful. If he’s active, give up without hesitation. I think you know this, but the guy with the water is almost invincible. It might be different if there are a few high-level successors. Now, it’s not a monster that a successor who’s going through the tutorial can deal with.」

Its true identity is Imoogi.

It is a dragon species waiting for the day to ascend to the sky.

Kim Yun-do, who confirmed that the snake was sleeping soundly, sat down.

Take out the filth that the Elder Monkey dropped in abundance.

He poured all the waste into the few water bottles he had brought from the first floor. The total number of waste bottles he had brought out was five. Finally, he put the waste on the beginner’s sword he had received in the starting room.

“When Jana Ajusshi faced the Imoogi, it was almost fully grown. It just hadn’t become a dragon. An Imoogi that had reached the end of its training wields terrifying powers. However, the Imoogi that Yoondo Hyung would arrive with wouldn’t be like that.”

“It’s just a snake that’s a few hundred years old.”

「Yes. If I may borrow what Sister Three said, that’s right. An imoogi that can’t control its powers is just a big monster. Putting it in one compartment means that it can be killed depending on an individual’s ability. Rather than telling them to catch it alone, it seems like they’re telling them to bring the entire tribe to catch it… .」

The weak points of the guy that Dantalian mentioned are his eyes, his mouth, and his treasure, the Yeouiju.

Given the strength of its shell, it would be impossible to wound it with the sword provided in the tutorial. The sword would most likely break before it could even pierce the scales.

But what about the sword of the labyrinth?

Although it is a weapon obtained from the 2nd floor, it is a monarch-grade item that is treated as an exception within the tower.

Kim Yun-do, who had evenly applied dirt to the beginner’s sword, stood up from his seat.

You’ll know when you try it.

If it works, it’ll be a bit easier, if not, it’ll just take time.

I follow the sleeping snake and keep walking.

The Yeouiju that Dantalian spoke of is not visible. Is it hidden under the large body? Or is the Yeouiju not yet complete? If the training of the Imoogi is not complete, the Yeouiju cannot be handled.

A snake that can drop, but cannot use Yeouiju. The odds of winning have increased noticeably.

Kim Yun-do, who carefully looked around the common area, took out a beginner’s sword.

The preparations are complete.

All that remains is to hunt the prey.

He takes the sphere that was illuminating the surroundings into his hand and points it at the Imoogi’s eyes.

He placed the sphere before his eyes, which were covered with thick eyelids. Perhaps it was because the sparkling light was getting closer. The boy’s breathing had changed. Something was disturbing his sleep. And it was right in front of him.

Kim Yun-do stared into the guy’s eyes, holding his breath.

「… … .」

And then the golden eyes of the snake opened wide.

It was the moment when the guy saw the ball of light in front of his eyes.

Kim Yun-do’s hand moved.

“Kooooh!”

A beginner’s sword, heavily coated in elder monkey filth, was thrust into the guy’s eye.

The snake screamed in surprise. Red veins gushed from its golden eyes. Its body writhed in pain. With a thud, the snake’s body collided with the wall. The shock spread throughout its pupils.

A stalactite hanging from the ceiling fell to the floor.

Kim Yun-do ran between the falling stalactites.

I slapped the elder monkey’s filth directly into the guy’s eyes.

No matter how high the guy’s tolerance is, he will still suffer from abnormal status for a while.

Poison? Paralysis? Either is fine.

It would be nice if it had more status effects, but it’s still a boss monster even when it’s rotten.

It’s also a snake that’s training to become a dragon. It won’t be long before it falls into confusion.

I’m going to finish this hunt before the guy comes to his senses.

He jumped up onto the wall and climbed onto the snake’s back.

The scales of the glossy creature were not so much slippery as hard as ore. It was more than enough to serve as a support. He couldn’t stay still for even a moment, and he jumped up and down on top of its swaying body. 

Kim Yun-do started running as if he was performing a trick.

It’s not just the snake that can be used as a stepping stone.

All the stalactites that fall as he sways are his path.

When you decide that you can’t hold out any longer, you use the falling stalactites as a stepping stone to buy time. Even though the sphere of light illuminates your vision, this is a move that a normal human wouldn’t even think of doing.

Movements that are closer to those of a beast than a human.

This is truly a wolf hunting its prey.

A deep smile spread across the mouth of the hunter who was hunting. If he were to collide with a falling stalactite, he would not be able to withstand it with his current stats. The same would apply if he were to fall from the body of an Imoogi. If he were to be crushed by the body of a writhing creature, there would be no death worse than that.

A life-or-death decision.

One mistake and you’re dead.

That is why mistakes are not tolerated.

At this very moment.

The hunter was trembling.

The hunter jumped over the snake’s head and grabbed the Labyrinth Sword with both hands.

A man with one eye hit is unable to think normally. If not now, there is no chance. His sword was fired at the other eye, which was shedding tears in agony.

The sensation of piercing through something soft and squishy was at my fingertips.

「!?」

There is no time to savor the taste.

The mouth of the snake that had lost both eyes opened wide. The hunter pulled out his sword from its eyes in one breath and jumped inside. He stabbed the bleeding sword into the snake’s nose. The sword barely pierced the snake’s scales and made a squeaking sound. The speed of its fall was halted as its outer skin was torn.

The hunter’s hand went to his waist.

He throws all the sewage cans he has prepared at his waist into the creature’s mouth. If it were just one, it would be fine. There are five. Even if it is a snake, it is unlikely to be armed with internal defenses.

There is no time to move forward after seeing the results.

The hunter who pulled out the Labyrinth Sword jumped to the ground.

As soon as I landed, I quickly stepped back.

The body of the snake fell on top of him. The creature’s movements increased. It flailed with the force of almost breaking its pupils. The hunter, who had widened his distance so as not to be hit by the blind tail, watched his prey.

The snake does not move to target the hunter.

They are indiscriminately sweeping away the surroundings as if they are writhing in pain. It is not easy to approach. However, they must not let go of the string of attacks. If not now, there is no other chance to push them forward.

A sphere of light followed him as he started running again.

“Kuaaaah!”

The angry howl of the snake shook my pupils.

He is the king of this place.

No one can defeat the king, even if they can figure out who the insolent usurper is. The falling stalactite stopped in midair. The stalactite, under the control of the Imoogi, headed towards the galloping usurper.

You can’t dodge all the bullets.

It is inevitable that scars will form.

What you give is flesh. What you take is bones.

The hunter approached the snake, bleeding, and drew his sword.

Kang!

The sword of the labyrinth bounced off.

The blow from the outside was meaningless. There was no need to be disappointed. The large snake’s body was aiming at him. The wall of the pupil was broken. The tail struck the ground. However, the hunter was not there.

The hunter’s body, freed from the danger zone, was floating in the air.

He jumped up, stepping on the debris, and was staring at the snake’s body.

Is it still there? I released the poison into the guy’s body. If he were just resting, I wouldn’t know. He’s still moving violently. His tolerance will be lower than usual, and this will soon show up in his body in some way.

A twitching tail and a body writhing in pain.

Blood-red eyes search for the usurper. Stalactite fragments fly.

Even as the stones scattered before his eyes, the hunter’s eyes watching his prey did not waver.

As if the guy is the king of this place.

He was the predator here.

What unfolds in my mind is the body of an Imoogi.

Where is the problem? Where should I aim to end his suffering?

The snow is already over?

No. That’s not a good choice. It’s the weakness of a guy who’s already been targeted twice.

You must be fully prepared. If you jump in aiming for the eyes, you will be impaled by the stalactites at that moment.

Mouth? No need. If it’s valid, you’ve already done enough. Now, approaching with your mouth is not like entering the tiger’s den, but walking into the tiger’s mouth.

So where are you aiming?

There was no need to worry. Why should you be anxious? It is not the hunter who should be anxious. That emotion is something only the prey should feel.

And the hunter’s eyes caught the prey’s weakness.

The hunter holding the sword laughed.

This moment of chasing down his prey was the most enjoyable for him.

The hunter rushed into the battlefield.

The tail of a falling snake. Slow. The sword of the labyrinth scratched at its outer skin.

There are no wounds. The hunter’s weapons cannot penetrate the creature’s outer skin.

Knock knock!

The hunter’s eyes never leave the snake’s body.

The black tail swung toward the hunter several times.

It’s hard to see and avoid.

No, even if you see it in the first place, you can’t avoid it.

It’s not a move that can be followed with his current stats.

It is an attack that can cause death even with a simple brush.

Receiving it is impossible in the first place. The only option is evasion. 

So read it.

The experiences and memories that remained in his body after decades of fighting on battlefields and climbing towers. It could be said that they reached the realm of the divine. He could anticipate the movements of a guy a few seconds ahead and take over the space.

Confidence without a single doubt. Avoiding the tail by a sheet of paper.

That’s no coincidence.

The snake’s tail doesn’t reach that far.

The hunter dodged the bastard’s tail as if it were a given and stabbed with his sword.

If the snake was in its normal state, it would have been impossible for the hunter to avoid its tail. 

The difference in level and stats within the tower is absolute. However, the Imoogi’s body was exposed to poison.

The only thing that looked normal was the exterior. The movements of the snake were creating an unnatural rhythm. The attacks of the creature suffering from extreme abnormal conditions did not reach the hunter.

The only thing that grazes that body is a stalactite fragment. There’s no need to worry about a wound of this magnitude.

I’ll give you as much flesh as you want. The important thing is to cut off the bastard’s bones.

The hunter’s movements became faster and faster.

The passion of the hunt burns my whole body.

It’s like a fever called love.

Nothing else around you becomes visible.

There is only one thing reflected in those eyes. A lover to whom he must devote blind love.

Cut through the flesh of your prey and plunge your fangs deep into its interior.

So that this dance of death can end quickly.

The hunter’s black sword doggedly aimed for the snake’s tail.

A cracking sound came from the tail that was as solid as steel. A crack. A crack appeared in the outer shell that had shone like obsidian. The tail could no longer hold on. The head of the snake that had noticed the change came down toward the hunter.

The fangs are aimed at the neck of the arrogant usurper.

This move was made with the intention of ending the fight.

A deep smile spread across the hunter’s lips as he raised his sword toward the tail.

I waited.

A small sphere of light that had been circling around him flew in front of the snake.

A hazy light spread across the red-tinted Imoogi’s field of vision.

For a moment, the guy’s body trembled. If we were to count time, it would have been less than a second. However, the hunter did not miss that moment.

A mouth that opened to devour the usurper.

The number of decisive battles planned by Imoogi has returned as the worst number.

“It’s only when the hunter gets impatient that he writes.”

The sword of the labyrinth pierced the roof of the Imoogi’s mouth.

With a “scream”, the Labyrinth Sword sliced ​​through the bastard’s mouth. It tore along the scar carved into his nose in one breath.

“Keeeeeek!”

It’s falling apart.

The head of the snake, with its mouth and nose completely torn off, fell to the ground. The hunter did not miss his prey. The sword of the labyrinth was thrust between the skin that completely exposed its flesh. Run. The hunter, with his sword extended, ran straight to the tip of the snake’s head.

A red stream of blood shot up to the ceiling.

The terrible pain that tore through his mind. The snake that had been screaming in unbearable pain soon became unable to make a sound. The hunter took the life of his prey without showing any mercy.

“A snake that couldn’t become a dragon.

 – The Imoogi was a being that waited for the day it would ascend to the dragon in the Lake of Promise. The Imoogi, which had been training for hundreds of years, has now fallen to the hands of one successor! The constellation of the tower, impressed by the ability of the successor, Kim Yun-do, who achieved unbelievable feats, has prepared a reward.

 Your achievement will be known to all NPCs on the third floor of the tower. This is an achievement that no one has ever achieved before, and the name of the successor, Kim Yun-do, will be praised forever.

“Build trust with all NPCs on the 3rd floor of the Sky Tower.”