Ch. 39 - Chapter 39

[Arcanus Bat (BOSS)

Type – Combat, Flying 

Difficulty Level: 5-star (★★★★★)

Physical Level: ‘C’-rank 

Other Level: ‘A’-rank 

Unique Skill - Stealth: Ability to conceal itself while flying. 

Exclusive Ability - Ambush: When descending to attack a target, deals damage exceeding its physical level.]

Deals damage that exceeds its Physical Level.

Looking at the crater it left in the ground, it clearly far exceeded what a 'C' rank should be capable of.

The reason its Other Level was 'A' was probably because it could use Stealth.

It was a tricky opponent in many ways.

Flying type with Stealth and Ambush abilities.

If Yuk Cheolwan had come here alone, he probably would’ve been toyed with until his last breath and then killed.

—Screech.

The Arcanus Bat's eerie howl echoed from an unseen location.

From left to right.

From bottom to top.

As if mocking us while we were blind to its position, moving about in circles around our heads. Which it might actually be doing.

“Hunter Chun Haesun, what should we do?”

If we had a stealth detection device, we could fight.

But we didn’t have one.

It was an insanely expensive piece of equipment.

In Bisu’s case, she got caught by Brie because ‘Stealth’ was the only thing she could do, but the Arcanus Bat was quite formidable in terms of physical level as well.

“……!!”

Again, I felt a sharp sensation behind me.

Like before, I kicked away Yuk Cheolwan with my foot and used ‘Poison Steps' to leap to the ceiling.

Boom!!!

‘Now’s my chance…!’

Flying types are vulnerable to attacks from above.

Since they’re the ones soaring through the sky, it never occurs to them that something could be above them.

The bat bastard still hadn’t spotted me yet, so I exploited that psychological vulnerability and swung the Exa the moment I landed.

Whoosh.

However, the Arcanus Bat, realizing it too late, activated its Stealth skill, and my attack sliced through empty air.

“Damn it…”

It would be nice if I could fly.

No, even if I could fly right now, that didn’t mean I’d be able to catch it.

That thing only revealed its form when it attacked.

“Hunter Chun Haesun, I’ll be the bait.”

Yuk Cheolwan made the proposal with a grave expression.

“The moment its claws tear through my body, strike. Your weapon is no ordinary weapon, so it’ll definitely work.”

“That’s not a very good idea. Taking an attack like that right after I’ve just finished healing you will only make the damage worse.”

“But there’s no other way. Use me as a shield.”

Tankers are mostly kind-hearted.

To put it harshly, they’re immensely resilient.

Whenever a crisis hits, they always show a spirit of self-sacrifice.

Well, if he’d wanted to be a hero, he wouldn’t have chosen to be a tanker in the first place.

“And besides, I think that’d be better than getting kicked away every single time.”

Yuk Cheolwan rubbed his butt and added,

“……Ah.”

So that was part of the reason.

Under the pretext of protecting the oblivious Yuk Cheolwan, I had already kicked his ass twice.

What should I do?

Should I use him as bait and pounce on him the moment it attacks, as Yuk Cheolwan suggested?

But if it used Stealth immediately after the attack, there was no guarantee of landing a successful hit.

If only I could bind its feet, even for a single moment…..

‘Bind its feet..…’

Suddenly, a clever idea struck me.

A way to tie up its feet.

“Let’s do it that way. It’s going to hurt a lot, but hang in there just for a moment.”

“Leave it to me!”

Yuk Cheolwan exhaled sharply and spread his arms wide.

By increasing his own hit zone, he was volunteering to become the target.

“Come on, you damn bat brat!”

—Screech!

Perhaps Yuk Cheolwan's provocation worked.

I could hear the high-pitched cry of the Arcanus Bat, accompanied by the sound of metal.

Judging by the malice in its voice, the next target was very likely to be Yuk Cheolwan.

Moreover, I was pressed tightly against Yuk Cheolwan’s back, so my hit zone wasn't very wide.

“Localized Strengthening. You know how to do it, right?”

"Huh? Yes, a little..."

It probably wasn't just ‘a little’.

'Localized Strengthening’ was a skill that involved activating Aether in a specific area of the body to harden it.

It was a skill that could be learned even at the D-rank level.

“Right after you take the hit, focus your mind and use Localized Strengthening.”

“Huh, where should I?”

“Your ear.”

At the same time I answered, a chilling force crashed down from the front.

Slash.

“Ugh!!”

The iron-hard claw pierced Yuk Cheolwan’s chest.

It was truly a lightning-fast attack.

While the movement itself was quick, the fact that it was fundamentally in a 'Stealth' state made it feel even faster.

"You damn bat...!!”

I quickly drew the Exa and moved to stand in front of Yuk Cheolwan.

As expected, the cunning Arcanus Bat was already in the midst of its Stealth process.

I activated the newly learned ‘skill’ toward the creature.

[Don’t mess with me!]

—Squeak?!

The Arcanus Bat, which had been vanishing quickly, suddenly froze in its Stealth.

No, rather, its ongoing Stealth was actually unraveling.

A skill that was even more effective against bat-type monsters with keen hearing.

Lion's Roar (獅子吼).

The unique skill gained after absorbing the core of the Singing Harpy.

[Lion’s Roar (獅子吼) – Level 1

Channels Aether into the voice to bind the opponent’s mind.]

Normally, it’s used to inflict pressure during conversations between humans, but the effect is entirely different when the target is a bat-type monster.

Being a species with extremely sensitive hearing, even Level 1 could deal them a considerable blow.

Since the Lion's Roar (獅子吼), its vulnerable weakness, had hit it at close range, it wouldn't have a chance to resist.

"Now is the time, Hunter Chun Haesun!!"

Yuk Cheolwan shouted to me even as blood poured from his chest like a waterfall.

I knew it better than anyone else.

There would never be a better moment than this to bring the creature down.

I closed on the creature that was trying to get away in an instant and swung the Exa like lightning.

Shing.

—Screech!!!

The Arcanus Bat, floundering like a dragonfly that had lost one of its wings, was struck by the white blade of the Exa and plummeted straight down.

Oh, damn.

I’d love for it to just die already, but no not yet.

I dashed forward in a single stride and caught the falling Arcanus Bat.

“Safe!”

“H-Hunter Chun Haesun…?”

Yuk Cheolwan looked at me with wide, bewildered eyes.

I’d just been pointing my blade at it like I meant to kill it, and now here I was saving it, no wonder he was surprised.

But I couldn't kill this thing. Not yet.

No, under no circumstances should it die now.

Sparkle.

Something in a similar brown shade, but shining clearly enough to be distinct, was hanging there.

“I know it hurts, but bear with it.”

Yuk Cheolwan wasn't in immediate danger of dying just yet.

But that thing hanging over there needed to be retrieved immediately.

The rare herb that loses its power as the boss monster's condition worsens.

The object hanging there was none other than the Eternal Cuprum Bloom (銅永花).

Whoosh.

I focused Black Aether to the fullest in my legs and leapt upward.

If I changed the Exa into its ‘booster’ form, it would have been easier, but there was no time for that now.

Practically running along the wall, I managed to extract the Eternal Cuprum Bloom and barely made it back to my original spot.

“Oh my. Look at all this blood. I’ll fix you up quickly.”

“H-Hunter Chun Haesun… th-that…?”

Yuk Cheolwan’s whole body was trembling.

It was not from the poison like before.

It was not even because he had lost a lot of blood.

He was experiencing a surge of intense passion, enough to render his body unable to remain still.

The item he'd been searching for for over a decade.

A rare herb.

The emotion of having finally found that clue was beyond anything I could even imagine.

“Yes. A rare herb.”

“My goodness…”

As if completely forgetting the agony in his chest, Yuk Cheolwan sank to his knees, his face soaked in devout emotion.

***

“Then I’ll go ahead first!!”

Having finished his healing, Yuk Cheolwan dashed through the dungeon cave, his eyebrows practically flying.

There was only one reason he was leaving the cave first.

It was because of the Cuprum Bloom in his hand.

Yuk Cheolwan held the Cuprum Bloom as carefully as if he were holding a sacred vessel, then rushed out at full speed.

I warned him that if he didn't leave the dungeon immediately, the Cuprum Bloom would wither.

Of course, that was a lie.

The Cuprum Bloom would never wither as long as the boss monster in the dungeon remained alive.

There was still considerable time left until the bat woke up, but I hurriedly sent Yuk Cheolwan away.

Because there was something I needed to check on my own.

Thud.

Leaving behind the Arcanus Bat sleeping, blissfully unaware, I leaped toward the cave wall from where I had plucked the Cuprum Bloom.

I had to cling onto a protruding rock nearby and hang, but for a ‘D’-ranked strong body, it wasn’t much of a strain.

"Sniff, sniff."

When I reached the dungeon entrance, I could sense two distinct smells.

The pungent, nauseating stench of monster poison, and the unique fragrance emanating from the rare herb.

At first, I was skeptical, but seeing the spot where the Cuprum Bloom had grown, I could be certain.

A unique scent that only a rare herb could emit.

I could now identify that scent with precision.

‘This is an unexpected gain.’

Being able to confirm the presence of a rare herb carried significant meaning.

Because it allowed me to decide whether to prolong the dungeon or finish it quickly.

How much time had I wasted searching for a rare herb that never existed in the first place?

But now, from the moment I entered the Poison Dungeon, I could clearly establish the direction of my strategy.

If I detected the scent of a rare herb, I would search for it; if not, I would go straight for the boss monster.

“In a way, I guess this guy has actually made things easier…”

A wry smile escaped me as I looked at the sleeping Arcanus Bat.

While meticulously searching for the hidden creature, the location of the Cuprum Bloom naturally came to mind.

If it had been a typical combat-type, I’d have spent much more time searching for the Cuprum Bloom while fending off its attacks.

"Goodbye."

By now, Yuk Cheolwan must have already exited the dungeon.

The blade of the Exa had by now taken on the color of Black Aether.

Shing.

The creature’s ashen complexion instantly turned to a clay-like hue.

The Arcanus Bat, still in a deep slumber, had perished just like that.

I drew the Exa straight out from the chest where it had been embedded.

Soon, the Black Core of the five-star (★★★★★) boss monster revealed itself.

Glint.

Despite being called a ‘Black’ Core, its surface gleamed with a glossy shine.

It felt like looking at a massive black pearl.

Whether because it was a dungeon-guarding boss or simply because it was a high-ranking creature, I was not entirely sure.

One thing was certain, this core is now a part of me.

Ssshhh…

The fatigue built up from clearing the dungeon seemed to vanish all at once.

Boss-level cores definitely have a potent effect.

After absorbing the core, I returned to peak condition, just as I was when entering the dungeon.

[User Information

Black Aether Obtained: 3,012BA

Body Enhancement Ability: 'D'-rank

Self-healing Ability: 'S'-rank

Psychokinesis Sensitivity: 'F'-rank 

Skills: 

Poison Steps - Level 2 

Beast Communication - Level 1 

Lion's Roar - Level 1]

My Black Aether level had surpassed 3,000.

And a previously nonexistent psychokinesis stat had newly appeared.

It was a minuscule amount, meaning I wouldn't be registered as an Esper of an 'F'-rank, but considering that there wasn’t even such a stat before, it was undeniably a real growth.

Could it be because it was a boss monster that used Stealth?

Its type was clearly ‘Flying/Combat’, but after absorbing the core, it seemed my psychokinesis stat had increased.

"Hunter Chun Haesun. Thank you for your hard work."

As I passed through the dungeon entrance, Yuk Cheolwan approached with a deeply moved expression.

For him, it was probably the first time he had cleared a four-star Poison Dungeon and discovered a rare herb.

The hand holding the Cuprum Bloom trembled slightly.

The rare herb that could cure his wife wasn’t in his hands yet, but simply discovering one of the same kind must give him great hope.

“Be prepared, Clan Leader.”

“Eh?”

"We'll continue to increase the difficulty of the Poison Dungeon."

"What do you mean...?"

Facing Yuk Cheolwan’s bewildered expression, I showed a toothy grin.

"Aurum Bloom. We are gonna find it.”

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