Chapter 16

Mental illness

you want to hear about the dungeon reward?

Then wait until we finish our fight with them!

If you don't like that.

Go to hell!

"......"

A moment of silence followed my bold declaration.

Kang Jaeho group seemed baffled and burst into laughter.

The A-class assassin merely looked at me with cold eyes.

"Um, excuse me... What are you planning to do?"

The porter siblings clutched onto my clothes with anxious expressions.

I smiled faintly and nodded.

Then, I locked eyes with the assassin.

"Please understand. I have some kind of mental illness. No matter how precarious my life may be, I can't stand being humiliated. Those bastards who hit me in the back... I Will definitely deal with them personally......"

"Hmmm."

Tap.

The assassin spoke.

His expression was still firm.

"By any chance, you're not making up a tale, are you?"

"Come on."

I clapped my hands.

Although his gaze shot toward me like an icicle, I tried to stand my ground.

"After all, we're inside a dungeon. There's no way for me to escape from of them."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes. Even if I hid a dagger or played tricks, could I deceive the senses of an A-class Hunter?"

"That's true."

The assassin nodded.

Then he closed his eyes.

It seemed like a cool reassessment.

'i think i'm almost there'

They are heinous criminals from a vicious group.

Such people hardly have any sense of friendship. 

They are individuals who, can stab their comrades or subordinates at any time, if they see personal gain.

If I were to bluff about "dungeon reward", and would rather die than being humiliated

would he really protect the lower-ranked members? Or would he prefer to hear about "the reward"?

"To be honest" 

I spoke up again, driving the nail deeper. 

In the assassin's eyes, I must appear as someone who has nothing to lose. 

"I'm already in a situation where I'm going to die. Isn't that right? There's a whole shadow group right in front of me. Who would dare to think of surviving?"

"......"

"But even if I die, I can't stand the sight of those bastards living well. The kind who approach with a friendly expression and stab you in the back. So, if you don't want to accept it, just kill me. Or should I end my own life?"

"......Hold on, wait."

As I held the knife to my throat, a sense of urgency crept into the assassin expression.

The calmness he exuded when he first appeared, the same one that allowed him to throw a dagger at my neck, had now vanished.

Brother what are you worried about....? Are you really planning to fall for something ridiculous like this?"

Kang Jaeho looked perplexed.

"Oh, quite the cunning method indeed. Exploiting the opponent's greed. Is this what they call the strategy of the weak? Haha, I've learned something new."

The old man, who had bet against me, watched with amusement.

"Brother?"

"Shut up."

The assassin's icy voice caused Kang Jaeho pupils to dilate.

Ignoring such a fellow, he looked at me.

"If, by chance, they overpower you, what will you do?"

The essence of the question is this: It's fine to fight. But what if I lose?

"Then, I'll gracefully accept defeat."

"Accept defeat?"

"Yes, regardless of the outcome, I'll tell them everything about the reward and how it can be of help to them. I won't hide anything."

"Hmm, very well."

The assassin nodded, then tapped his wristwatch.

"I'll give you exactly 30 minutes. However, if you're caught fooling around in the middle... you'll live in agony, unable to die for the rest of your life. I have the ability to do that."

"No Problem, thank you."

I nodded and bowed my head.

Swish!

The assassin sheathed his dagger at his waist and stepped back, clearly accepting my proposal.

"You..."

Kang Jaeho's face contorted in anger.

"Do you really think you can beat me like that?"

"Well."

I smirked.

Simultaneously, I organized the skeletons.

"I won't know until I try."

Click! Clack!

The bones clattered as they gripped their weapons.

Whenever.

It meant they would charge out as soon as I gave the command.

The old man who had been watching nodded in agreement.

"Alright, the board is set. I should join in as well. Let's substitute this training with practical combat drills for facing that assassin over there. So, how should we proceed from now on?"

"We need to conserve our strength as much as possible."

"Correct, it's about achieving great results with minimal effort. I'll now teach you a technique that take advantage from your opponent's strength."

"Thank you, sir."

I blinked my eyes.

With the old man's advice, it should be more than possible to subdue Kang Jaeho group.

I enjoyed the slightly bewildered expressions on Kang Jaeho's group.

"Wipe them out."

I commanded.

And so, the clash began.

* * *

"Hmm..."

Within the desert dungeon, a hooded man stood with crossed arm.

He was Kang Jaeyoung, an A-class assassin from the Shadowbreakers.

"His movements are precise."

Kang Jaeyoung closely observed the movements of a man fighting Kang Jaeho before him.

A necromancer who controlled five skeletal figures as if they were part of his own body.

"He's definitely not a novice."

But that wasn't all.

His fighting style was also enigmatic.

While each skeletal figure appeared sturdy, they moved with a certain fluidity.

It was as if they were even reversing the opponent's strength, while moving with a smooth grace.

In regard to the bone creatures, Kang Jaeyoung was sure.

"What Kang Jaeho say was right. He's acquired 'an oportunity'."

he didn't know, What form the dungeon reward took.

It could be an item, or it could be a skill book.

Perhaps it was an awakening of a new unique ability.

"But."

Kang Jaeho had clearly said to himself.

The reward from that dungeon would likely be the teachings of a certain eccentric old man who overwhelmed the Shadow Empress. 

Given the circumstances, it was the only plausible explanation. 

"I was quite surprised." 

What kind of person Shadow Empress was? 

A Ranker. 

weren't she the romance and role models of hunters? Especially those with assassination-related abilities.

At first, I didn't believe it. 

A dungeon boss treating her like a toys. 

A dungeon boss that seeking for a disciple. 

"But..." 

Kang Jaeho written 'Pledge of Secrecy' in Parang made him certain.

The usually stoic Kisoyul making a contract to protect someone? 

She even Going through the trouble of silencing the survivors' mouths? 

"Perhaps, it might be true." 

My Hope arose. 

The hope to fulfill a dream he had held for a long time. 

"If only I could get my hands on her neck...!" 

Shiver. 

Kang Jaeyoung was excited and trembling for a moment. 

Assassinating Kisoyul, known as the Emperor among assassins, and taking the alias of the Shadow Emperor. 

It was Kang Jaeyoung ultimate goal and dream. 

And finally, his chance had come. 

A guy with a 'gift,' hidden by Kisoyul. 

He had to seize that 'gift' from that guy. 

Whatever its form, whatever the method.

He had to make it his own. 

To achieve that, he might have to forsake Kang Jaeho, his direct subordinate. 

But what did it matter? 

Kwaang! Crash! 

"Argh, this damn bug!" 

"Damn it! The skeletons are weird! Were they always like this? They're evading all my attacks!" 

"Party leader! I'm surrounded here! Send reinforcements!" 

The course of the battle was swiftly turning.

While Kang Jaeho group was in a frenzy and breathing heavily,

the guy controlling the bones appeared much more composed.

"Ah, did he win in the end?"

Even as his subordinates were being overwhelmed, Kang Jaeyoung didn't budge. 

There was no need to worry. No matter how much this guy struggled, he was like a mouse in front of him, an A-class hunter.

"He'll have to keep his promise."

It was a chilling moment as he watched the battle with such a sinister expression.

"Hmm?"

Kang Jaeyoung raised an eyebrow. 

He sensed the presence of a comrade near the entrance of the desert dungeon. 

It was another A-class hunter from the Shadowbreakers who had been keeping watch outside the dungeon.

"Why did he enter?"

His eyes trembled slightly.

***

"Ugh!"

Exhausted, Kang Jaeho desperately raised his sword. 

In order to finish him off, bone 1 swung its sword with vigor.

Swhoosh!

With the sound of the air tearing apart, the blade snapped! 

"Damn it!"

Kang Jaeho was kicked by the bone 1 full force.

"Aaah!"

The crumpled figure was covered in sand all over.

And it wasn't just Kang Jaeho who was incapacitated.

["Bone 5" uses the skill "Fireball (Lv.1)."]

Fwhooooosh!

"Block it!"

"Ouch! It's hot!"

"This is cheating! Where's the skeleton that uses magic?"

The onslaught of Bone 5 fire.

["Bone 3" uses the skill "Rapid Shot (Lv.2)."]

"More arrows!"

"Deflect them! Shields up!"

Bone 3 arrow baptism.

"Don't just defend, counterattack! After all, they're just skeleton...!"

["Bone 4" uses the skill "Basic Blocking (Lv.1)."]

"Damn it!"

The skeletons systematically subdued the hunters one by one. 

Their bodies were full with scratches.

And signs of exhaustion were evident in their movements.

"Hehe, not bad."

The old man chuckled.

"While they may be too weak to call this a real combat experience, for a first attempt, they did well."

'The real combat experience will come when I face that assassin.'

"Don't get too cocky. If you want to face him at your current level, you'll have to risk everything."

"My life has been at stake since earlier, sir."

As I conversed with the old man, I walked towards Kang Jaeho at a leisurely pace.

"This, this is... Don't come any closer! Spare me!"

The sight of the panicked guy stumbling backwards was comical.

Was this a typical example of 'The strong do what they will, and the weak suffer what they must'? 

It was completely different from the attitude he had towards the porter earlier.

"Now that the fight is over..."

It was time to finish this.

Swoosh!

In response to my signal, bone 1 raised its sword high. 

The sunlight beaming down on the desert iluminating the blade like a flash.

"If you intend to take someone's life, you should have been prepared to lose your own."

Just as i was about to strike down my sword with a resolute heart.

"Hmm?"

I sensed a chilling presence. 

Clearly, someone with immense power was approaching at an incredible speed.

"Ugh, this guy."

The old man next to me sighed. 

I asked, "Why is that?"

"Why, you ask? Another guy similar to that assassin has joined in."

"…?!"

"Now I don't even know. Sigh! You guys are all fine, but the problem is we don't have a solution."

"Ah…"

It was absurd. 

Everything was progressing smoothly according to the plan. 

What on earth was happening now?

"Even if I don't want to admit it…"

I had to admit it. 

What confidence led me to venture into this dungeon alone? 

I should have been more cautious and suspicious. 

After all I'm still a 'weakling.'

"Kukuku. Khahaha!"

Perhaps he noticed my situation. 

Kang Jaeho burst into laughter.

"Did you think there was only one senior member of the Shadow Clan? Heh, you punk. This is comical."

The guy mocking me with sneer.

Swoosh!

Another A-class hunter appeared in thin air. 

The hood clearly bore the spider-shaped emblem of the Shadow Clan.

"…?"

However, his expression seemed off. 

It wasn't a relaxed demeanor but rather one of urgency.

He shouted towards his comrade, "Hey, get down! Kisoyul has appeared!"

"…?"

Kisoyul? A ranker, Kisoyul, in this dungeon?

I blinked my eyes. 

The assassin also tilted his head as if asking what he was talking about.

Frustrated, the A-class hunter smacked his chest as if to gather himself.

"First, let's avoid it! If we get caught, we'll all die too!"

"…No matter how much of a ranker she is…"

"Shut up! You know, right? Rankers are different! How can we face a monster that's among the top of S-class?"

"That's true… Alright, then what about them?"

The assassin pointed at Kang Jaeho's group.

In response, the A-class hunter made a face as if to say, "Since When did we bother with those scrubs?"

"Sir?"

Kang Jaeho, who had been laughing cheerfully, looked puzzled.

But reality was cold.

Ssusk!

the Shadow Clan hunters vanished like shadows, Leaving him alone

"...."

The once bustling surroundings fell silent.

Only I, Kang Jaeho's group, and the porter remained in the boss stage.

"What is this situation?"

I took a deep breath, while dumbfounded.

At the same time, I realized. 

'Is this the power of a ranker?' 

The two hunters, who had been so powerful that it made my heart race.

were now cowering just at the mention of Kisoyul.

Indeed, it was impressive.

"This... darn it!"

Kang Jaeho shouted in despair with a voice full of hopelessness.

Even I was overwhelmed by just one of them. 

With Kisoyul appearing, it was only natural for them to react this way.

'But, separate from that...'

Step by step, I walked towards him. 

Kisoyul might be Kisoyul, but this guy belonged to me.

"We still have unfinished business, don't we?"

My settlement was not yet complete.

***

At that moment, in front of a C-class dungeon, a woman stood, deep in thought.

"Hmm, am I overthinking this?"

Wearing a golden nameplate at her waist, she was none other than Kisoyul, the ranker.

"Following this far... it feels too much like stalking."

Having spent the night consumed by curiosity about Joo Dong hoon, she ultimately used the information from 'Parang' to find her way to this dungeon.

For about ten minutes, she pondered at the entrance of the dungeon. And her conclusion was clear.

"It's as I thought, it's not."

He had clearly said it would be difficult to give an immediate response. 

He promised to organize his thoughts and tell her later.

It seemed impolite for her to come all the way to this dungeon. 

Besides, didn't it feel like she was imposing herself a bit too much?

'Perhaps later. If he comes out, I should go see him.'

After a brief moment of contemplation, Kisoyul finally turned away.

(Tn: this chapter doesn't really make sense)

(Tn: by the way i Made this meme bcs i see some funny review on NU and i agree with him, why does a necromancer(mage jobs) use sword and do CQC?)

(Tn: OH by the way i think i Will just translate this series up to chap 20 or maybe less)

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