Chapter 27: Light Bringer (6)
It was a truly fascinating sensation.
It felt as though he had become a computer, running a program in his brain.
He could perceive every action, every sensation, even the blood flow and breathing of the Nacheonryeo she had honed for decades in incredible detail.
No matter how brilliant a teacher is, none could teach with such precision.
He was learning things that could only be understood by entering and leaving one’s own body.
Hyun Suho swung his lightsaber as if he were a seasoned swordsman.
Boom!
Outwardly, the only changes seemed to be the angle of his sword’s trajectory, the control of force and timing, and the slightly quicker swing.
The changes were small, but the results were dramatic.
The heavy attack from the Bone Dragon that had felt like it would shatter his shoulder was noticeably lighter.
His timing in targeting the dragon’s weaknesses left no room for counterattacks, and his attack accuracy more than doubled.
It felt like becoming an absolute master straight out of a martial arts novel.
[“It’s the importance of software, you see.”]
The unfortunate thing was the lack of mana.
As Nova who couldn’t feel mana, he couldn’t understand the flow of internal energy that had to accompany each move.
The result was that, compared to the flawless movements of Na Yeon-sil, Hyun Suho’s actions felt like they were buffering, stuttering along.
Expecting a perfect copy was too much to ask.
Although not perfect, he could compensate for slight gaps with the power of his plasma lightsaber.
Boom!
While Na Yeon-sil’s level was 8, Hyun Suho’s was only 3.
As a hunter’s level increases, their stats inflate almost twofold.
Even a one-level difference creates an insurmountable gap in combat power.
Depending on combat sense and technique, even those of the same level could see significant differences in combat power.
However, in reality, Hyun Suho and Na Yeon-sil’s stats weren’t that far apart.
Thanks to his battle suit, which enhanced the strength and physical abilities of monsters through body modification skills.
Considering that, Hyun Suho’s stats easily surpassed level 3, effectively reaching levels 6 or 7.
If he could get the Dragon Heart or Dragon Bone, as Nova often hoped, he could defeat a level 9 warrior with pure strength.
Thinking about it that way, it was fortunate that Hyun Suho’s original stats were heavily invested in mental power.
Unlike other parts of the body, the brain couldn’t be replaced.
“What are you doing?! Are we on a picnic?! Help me out!”
At Hyun Suho’s shout, Na Yeon-sil finally snapped back to reality and joined the battle.
Even though the Bone Dragon was staring them down with its fierce blue eyes, she still had questions.
“You! Were you from our sect? I’ve never seen you before, so how did you use that technique?”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about. I just moved on instinct.”
In times like these, playing dumb was the best option.
No matter how suspicious she is, how could he prove Nova’s existence?
Fortunately, the Bone Dragon didn’t allow Na Yeon-sil to dwell on her thoughts any longer.
[ROAAAAAR!!]
This Bone Dragon was distinctly different from other undead.
Undead, with their decayed flesh and brains, couldn’t think.
All that remained were lingering regrets and the most basic instincts in the corpse.
They were nothing more than puppets that moved as their necromancer commanded.
But this Bone Dragon was different.
It didn’t just rely on instincts; it thought, judged, and analyzed as if it were truly alive.
It felt that way during the fight.
As Na Yeon-sil leaped back to avoid the incoming claws, she shouted to Hyun Suho.
“I’ll take the front! You find the openings!”
With those words, Na Yeon-sil charged head-on at the Bone Dragon.
Earlier, Eun Hwi-kwang had tried to face it head-on and was miserably forced to retreat, but she was different.
Even in the face of the Bone Dragon’s overwhelming power and weight, she stood her ground without flinching.
‘Amazing. This is what it means to be a ranker.’
No matter how much Hyun Suho strengthened his body with monster materials and copied Na Yeon-sil’s techniques, she still far surpassed him in combat power.
Currently, Hyun Suho’s combat power was, at best, around level 6 or 7. However, his plasma-based attacks exceeded level 8.
He had used the immense offensive power of plasma to defeat boss monsters in a single blow.
In fact, taking down boss monsters had been easier than dealing with regular mobs.
But now that an enemy like the Bone Dragon, who could withstand that power, had appeared, the situation had changed.
His tricks no longer worked.
On the other hand, Na Yeon-sil was a classic martial artist.
Her extensive martial arts training was no different from mastering a systematic field of study.
She could combine countless techniques she had learned to counter any type of attack.
Simply copying her techniques wasn’t enough to follow her to that level.
Hyun Suho couldn’t help but admire Na Yeon-sil’s skill.
Then, a thought crossed his mind.
‘Why was she given the nickname Nacheonryeo?’
He could tell just by watching her fight.
She was the most diligent martial artist and warrior.
Despite being a ranker, she wasn’t arrogant and remained humble.
Nova explained the reason in detail.
[“It wasn’t because of her usual behavior, but rather because of the fierce determination she showed in practice and training.”]
‘Practice?’
[“She’s a B-rank warrior. For someone like her to reach level 8, it would have required a bone-crushing effort.”]
Rankers who are level 8 and above, or those with ranker-level strength, almost always possess an S-rank or higher class.
At level 9, most are SS-rank.
And at level 10, every single one of them had an EX-rank class without exception.
[“It’s only natural. Rank is a measure of potential.”]
From level 5 onward, what is needed to level up isn’t just experience points.
An insight that allows one to take a leap forward.
To achieve that, talent is of the utmost importance.
However, occasionally, there are those who break through the limits not with talent but through sheer effort.
Na Yeon-sil, a B-rank, had broken through such limits by two levels.
How much must she have worked?
How much blood and sweat must she have shed?
Though I haven’t seen it, her nickname “Nacheonryeo” is certainly well-deserved.
[“To reach transcendence, you, too, must break through your limits. Even level 10 won’t be enough to fight the Death Star.”]
This means you need to be at least level 11.
She is asking me to reach an unprecedented, unexplored realm.
I know about the Death Star.
That something so terrifying that even a cosmic entity, which could destroy Earth on a whim, would fear it and retreat.
‘Can I manage to reach at level 11?’
I shuddered at the skill of the Guardian Angel that covered the entire Geumgang Mountain.
The strength of a top ranker would seem laughable by comparison.
And the Death Star…
‘I don’t know. Let’s just do what I can.’
When my mind is spinning, moving is the best remedy.
Fortunately or unfortunately, there was an enemy right in front of me that I could freely fight.
Boom, boom, boom!
Na Yeon-sil kept her word.
She relentlessly swung her sword at the Bone Dragon, creating openings.
Hyun Suho didn’t miss a single opportunity, striking with his lightsaber each time.
Boom!
The Bone Dragon, an 8-level monster, was incredibly strong, but Na Yeon-sil was just as much of a monster.
Although her overall stats were far behind the Bone Dragon’s, she made up for it with her skill.
[“So, as I was saying, software is just as important as hardware.”]
‘I’ll keep that in mind.’
By now, the Bone Dragon’s skeleton was so thin it was practically within reach.
But Hyun Suho’s expression was grim.
‘My mana’s almost gone. I need to finish this quickly.’
Even after drinking a large mana potion, his mana had rapidly depleted.
This was because maintaining the lightsaber required an enormous amount of mana.
‘It’s like a mana-guzzling beast…’
Na Yeon-sil was demonstrating the strength befitting a ranker, but the Bone Dragon was still slightly stronger.
Without Hyun Suho’s assistance, Na Yeon-sil might have already been defeated.
Ultimately, they needed a decisive blow.
But it wasn’t just Hyun Suho who thought that.
The Bone Dragon, which had been gradually taking damage in the prolonged fight, suddenly spread its wings and took flight.
Flap! Flap!
Each time the Bone Dragon flapped its wings, a fierce windstorm erupted.
The powerful gusts were enough to push Hyun Suho and Na Yeon-sil back.
“Ugh!”
As they were blown back by the wind, the Bone Dragon opened its mouth wide.
Seeing this, both of them shouted simultaneously.
“Dragon’s Breath?”
“Damn it! Breath of Fire!”
The dragon, known as the master of magic.
Though dragons could use various methods and spells, the most powerful one was surprisingly the simplest.
Breathing fire from its mouth.
The fire pouring straight from the Dragon Heart.
It wasn’t just spewing hot flames, but a kind of power that could obliterate matter and laws alike.
Even Dragon Fear paled in comparison to its Breath.
The dead have no rights to claim.
All qualifications and powers are stripped away.
That’s why it was common sense that a Bone Dragon couldn’t use its Breath.
Unfortunately, that rule was broken right before Hyun Suho’s eyes.
The Bone Dragon didn’t give them time to react and unleashed its breath.
Rooooaaaarrr!!
Perhaps because it was undead, it wasn’t fire that spewed out.
The purple smoke that flowed was a deadly poison that drained the life out of everything it touched.
Breath of Poison.
If it needed a name, that would probably be it.
Though it wasn’t flames, its destructive power was in no way inferior.
In fact, it was far scarier because even the slightest touch would cause one’s entire body to rot and dissolve.
[Grrrr!]
The Bone Dragon, an undead with the ability to think.
When its breath engulfed the two humans, it was certain of its victory.
It even regretted not using this method sooner.
But because the Bone Dragon was so confident, it momentarily failed to comprehend the blue light cutting through the purple poison.
Flash!
“Haaah!”
Hyun Suho, who charged through the poison, added the power of a plasma engine to his leap and soared through the air.
As he flew, creating a powerful whirlwind, the poisonous smoke that had been spreading also got sucked into the sky.
His lightsaber pointed directly at the Bone Dragon’s ribcage.
To be precise, it was aimed at the Mana Core squirming inside.
No matter how powerful a Bone Dragon was, after unleashing its breath, a significant opening was inevitable.
Moreover, it was even more vulnerable because it assumed its enemies were already dead.
It wasn’t a calculated move, but luck was on his side.
While the Bone Dragon flinched and retreated, Hyun Suho’s lightsaber pierced the Mana Core.
Boom!!
Just like a balloon that had expanded to its limit, the Mana Core of the Bone Dragon, which had contained immense willpower, exploded.
[Grrraaaarrrr!!]
The Bone Dragon flailed its limbs as if trying to gather its scattered will, but it was in vain.
As the fiery glow in its eye sockets dimmed, the bones of the Bone Dragon, which had been dead all along, lost their strength and collapsed to the ground.
The Bone Dragon had finally fallen.
Seeing it collapse, Hyun Suho let out a deep breath.
“Phew!”
After landing on the ground, Hyun Suho checked his body.
It had been a gamble.
Relying on the Battle Suit that covered his entire body and the Troll’s Liver, which could purify any poison.
As soon as he realized the breath wasn’t fire but poison, he moved without hesitation.
‘It seems like I’m fine.’
He had created the whirlwind not just for himself but also to protect Na Yeon-sil and the other government agents who had fainted due to Dragon Fear.
He couldn't predict what would happen if even a tiny amount of the poison smoke touched them.
When he turned to check, fortunately, no one seemed to have melted.
Hyun Suho sighed in relief and approached Na Yeon-sil.
“Are you alright?”
“I… I think I’m okay.”
Even if it wasn’t because of the poison smoke, Na Yeon-sil’s physical condition was not good.
Although she had managed to dodge many attacks, she had to fend off a massive opponent multiple times.
Even among rankers, there weren’t many who could accomplish this with just a sword.
“At least we took down one.”
Hyun Suho turned his gaze to the dark fortress.
A fierce battle was still ongoing there.
The fight between the six high-rankers and the dark sorcerer.
Surprisingly, the battle was evenly matched with no side giving an inch.
“What kind of monster is that? How can it fight against six high-rankers”
Could it be a level 10 sorcerer?
Nova then provided an explanation.
[“It’s a level 9 lich.”]
‘A lich? That skeletal mage?’
[“Yes.”]
‘Is that why it’s so strong?’
[“The issue lies in its undead immortality. The high-rankers have already destroyed the lich’s body several times, but it keeps regenerating as if nothing happened.”]
Hyun Suho was reminded of a Hydra.
A monster that regenerates even after all its heads are severed.
‘No, if it’s a lich, that’s not the kind of ability it would have.’
As Hyun Suho pondered the lich’s immortality, he deduced the answer.
‘It must have hidden a phylactery somewhere.’
A lich can remove its life force and store it in a container outside its body.
Until that container is destroyed, the lich is essentially immortal.
Hyun Suho’s mind worked faster.
‘It appeared with the dungeon break. That means the phylactery must be hidden somewhere in that fortress.’
When the Guardian Angel’s area-of-effect spell was cast, the sorcerer only protected that fortress.
So, the phylactery must be hidden somewhere within it.
‘Can you find its location?’
[“Of course.”]
Based on Hyun Suho’s reasoning, Nova began calculating the phylactery’s location.
It was a similar method to how it had previously located the mana cores of the monsters.
Nova searched for an area that remained undamaged in the battlefield where the six high-rankers were rampaging.
[“After reviewing the sorcerer’s previous movements, it appears that it avoided this specific area. The phylactery is likely within this zone.”]
‘The area is still too large. Can you narrow it down further?’
[“Of course, Master.”]
In the end, Nova significantly reduced the area and informed Hyun Suho of its location.
‘Good! If it’s this much…’
Hyun Suho moved to a spot with a clear view of the dark fortress.
A hill with an unobstructed view.
“Bipo! I need your help.”
*Beep beep!*
At Hyun Suho’s command, Bipo, which had been in the form of a Battle Suit, slid out and transformed into a firmly grounded plasma cannon.
Na Yeon-sil, who was checking on her fallen comrades, was startled and asked,
“What is that?”
“It’s my skill.”
Hunters had it easy.
They could just say it was a skill and it would explain away anything.
Of course, Bipo being a skill wasn’t entirely untrue.
Hyun Suho drank the last mana potion he had.
Gulp! Gulp!
“Let’s push it to the max.”
[“Output fixed at 120%.”]
The dark fortress was still quite a distance away, but it didn’t matter.
At 120% output, it could even reach space.
“Ready.”
[“Target locked. Awaiting your command, Master.”]
“Alright then… fire!”
At that moment, a massive beam of light burst from the plasma cannon.
Boom boom boom boom!!
The plasma, unleashed like a broken faucet, lit up the darkened earth as it flew through the air.
The dark sky turned completely blue, creating a breathtaking scene.
The hunters, who were engaged in fierce battles with the undead, looked up at the sky without realizing it, as a part of the dark fortress was obliterated without a trace.
Crack!
The spot where Hyun Suho had suspected the lich had hidden its phylactery.
Once again, Nova’s calculation was spot on.
Boom!!
A massive explosion of magical power erupted from the dark fortress.
It wasn’t caused by the plasma.
It was the result of the phylactery, filled with the lich’s life force, being destroyed.
And soon after…
《Dungeon Break Cleared》
《Calculating Quest Contribution》
Moments later, a system window appeared before Hyun Suho’s eyes, and the result was satisfying.
▶Contribution 46%: 1st Place
