RG 28

“Hoo….”

As I took deep breaths and opened my eyes, I saw Kwon Taehyeok and Ryu Seonghyeon fiercely battling monsters in the center of the room.

Kwon Taehyeok was breaking through the horde of monsters in the center, while Ryu Seonghyeon took care of the ones Kwon Taehyeok couldn’t catch or missed. Monster corpses scattered around from the blades flying and explosive orbs bursting in all directions.

The monsters couldn’t even get close to Cha Sahyeon and me due to the relentless attacks from all directions, causing them to perish. Struggling to keep my eyes clear amidst the accumulating bodies, I forced strength into my trembling limbs.

‘So far, it’s as I expected.’

As soon as I thought that, the Ogre roared, opening its massive mouth wide.

“Uwoooo!”

The chilling aura emitted by the Ogre’s roar sent shivers down my spine. The Ogre slammed the ground forcefully with its massive fists. The floor shook like an earthquake, and a hazy cloud of dust rose.

The problem was the Ogre. If it were just a matter of numbers, there wouldn’t be much concern. However, dealing with the Ogre was no easy task.

Originally, the Ogre was supposed to be the final boss monster in this dungeon. Normally, if approached conventionally, he would have been defeated within ten minutes after taking hits from dozens of Hunters. However, in this chaotic situation, facing it became even more challenging.

Above all, the Ogre’s rampage drew the attention of Kwon Taehyeok and Ryu Seonghyeon, making it inevitable that their focus would shift to the Ogre. If that happened, there was a high possibility that the monsters could breach our defense, reaching Cha Sahyeon and me.

To prevent that, our fate depended on how much attention Kwon Taehyeok and Ryu Seonghyeon would pay to us. I was just a weak B-class support who couldn’t even take down a single monster, and Cha Sahyeon was a child experiencing such a harsh environment for the first time.

“Hunter Kwon Taehyeok, on your left!”

Reacting to Ryu Seonghyeon’s warning, Kwon Taehyeok swiftly evaded. The excited Ogre’s indiscriminate punches came down, crushing only the unfortunate monsters.

“Can you increase the intensity of the light?” With a graceful landing on the floor, Kwon Taehyeok asked. Ryu Seonghyeon, who had effortlessly pierced through the spider monsters that had come dangerously close with a spear made of light, simply nodded in response to the question.

“It’s possible. It might have been difficult at another time, but…”

One didn’t need to hear the rest to understand. Having replenished the energy needed for his skills and even benefitting from a stability buff, he could use his skills more than usual and withstand it.

“Anything that can control the Ogre’s movements works. I just need a brief opening.”

Although Ogre was somewhat foolish, its movements were quite fast, and its regenerative and vital abilities were exceptionally strong. Unless you stabbed its neck or completely severed its head, it wouldn’t die easily.

Knowing these characteristics of Ogre well, Ryu Seonghyeon immediately understood that Kwon Taehyeok would aim for Ogre’s neck. “Understood.”

“Please.”

Walking past Ryu Seonghyeon, Kwon Taehyeok drew three additional new blades. Kwon Taehyeok, who usually used around nine blades, had increased the number to twelve.

Holding two blades in each hand, Kwon Taehyeok released ten blades around him and dashed forward again. Monsters blocking the path were mercilessly shredded at high speed as the ten blades rotated crazily around Kwon Taehyeok, who headed straight for Ogre.

Meanwhile, Ryu Seonghyeon also emitted a stronger light to restrain Ogre further. A humming sound filled the air, and Ryu Seonghyeon’s hair fluttered gently as the light spread out.

Surrounded by a powerful light that illuminated the dark dungeon as if it were broad daylight, Ryu Seonghyeon’s pupils looked like golden orbs. As he raised his hand in that state, a yellowish cluster of light began to take shape.

What…?

The mass of light converging towards Ogre turned into instant chains, binding Ogre’s wrists.

Suddenly restrained, the bewildered Ogre twisted its body. The tremendous strength of Ogre’s hands barely held back the golden chains and iron chains.

“Ugh…!”

As the Ogre struggled, Ryu Seonghyeon’s face gradually contorted. While single-handedly enduring Ogre’s struggles to break free from the chains, Ryu Seonghyeon remained focused on killing the monsters approaching Cha Sahyeon and me.

Not only Ryu Seonghyeon but also Kwon Taehyeok, who rushed towards the Ogre at a frenetic speed, didn’t miss a single monster slipping through the gaps. Both of them were attentive to our safety, having received support.

‘Yeah, I believed they would handle it like this.’

Unlike other Hunters, I trusted Kwon Taehyeok and Ryu Seonghyeon. They were people who fought on the front lines, risking their lives to prevent disasters, individuals who fought for the world without expecting gratitude or assistance. Therefore, there was no way they would abandon their principles in such a place. As I pondered this, a bitter feeling crept in.

‘I may not have the right to say this, having tested and used them for personal gain.’

Nevertheless, thanks to my support, I enhanced the limits of their skills, which couldn’t have been a bad experience for them.

“I can’t hold on much longer!”

In the situation where the Ogre couldn’t move freely, it seemed to get angrier and twisted its body even more violently, emitting a scream.

Reacting to Ryu Seonghyeon’s strained shout, Kwon Taehyeok gave a final burst of energy, jumping off the ground right in front of Ogre.

Kiiing!

As Kwon Taehyeok crossed the blades he held in an X shape behind him, ten blades unfolded in a circular pattern.

Feeling the aura emanating from Kwon Taehyeok, the Ogre raised its right hand. Clang! Simultaneously, unable to withstand the pressure, the right iron chain snapped.

Despite the colossal fist swinging towards him, Kwon Taehyeok wielded his blades without hesitation. Between the white trails left by the blades, Kwon Taehyeok’s pupils flashed a deep blue.

Chwaak!

An X mark was engraved on the center of the Ogre’s neck, and blood gushed out like a fountain. Unable to scream, it swayed as the remaining ten blades poured down onto its body.

Thud!

The massive figure collapsed in an instant. As the dust, which had billowed up, settled, the fallen Ogre and the surrounding heap of monster corpses on the floor were revealed.

“Whew…”

Ryu Seonghyeon, finally relieved after confirming that all the monsters were dead, let out a breath and relaxed his shoulders. Kwon Taehyeok, too, recovered the blades embedded in Ogre’s body and breathed a sigh of relief.

I shared the same sense of relief. While we expected to win, there was still that lingering worry until the very end, wondering if any issues might arise.

‘Though telling Kwon Taehyeok that I’m an S-class support wasn’t part of the plan.’

Hopefully, he won’t make a big deal out of it.

Honestly, if you have a conscience, shouldn’t you keep my S-class status a secret? Ryu Seonghyeon, well, he’s not the type to go around spreading such things, so it’s okay.

“Hunter Cha Seohu.” Ryu Seonghyeon, now without the light, walked over to me, trying to conceal his exhausted appearance. “How are you feeling?”

“Sitting down and resting made me feel better.”

With all the monsters dealt with, the only thing left was to exit this place. As I rose with a groan, Ryu Seonghyeon spoke with a concerned expression, “You don’t need to overexert yourself. I’ll help.”

“No need.”

To avoid making Ryu Seonghyeon uncomfortable, I subtly nudged him aside and pulled Cha Sahyeon’s shoulder, who was standing beside me. “It’s enough for my brother to support me. Hunter Ryu Seonghyeon must be tired too.”

“Well, I understand.”

Ryu Seonghyeon, recognizing my refusal, gave a faint smile and took a step back. I discreetly glanced down to confirm that Cha Sahyeon’s ears were turning red.

‘Still…’

I wondered why he felt irritated, but it seemed like Cha Sahyeon wasn’t comfortable when I had physical contact with others. I didn’t catch on to this, and it caused unnecessary trouble. Well, I guess I have some degree of affection deprivation.

‘This could be tricky.’

Clicking my tongue inwardly, I slowly moved forward. Watching Cha Sahyeon, who was trying hard to embrace and support me with his petite stature, I couldn’t help but sigh.

There are many places to go with this little one, and if he’s bothered by such a small thing as holding hands with someone else, it’s going to be challenging.

Feeling a sense of frustration, I checked Cha Sahyeon’s status.

User Information: Sahyeon (Antagonist)

Age: 22

Primary Skill: Living Shadow (Class B)

Title: The Master of Shadows

Attack Power: Class B

Attack Speed: Class B

Movement Speed: Class B

Agility: Class B

Special Note▼

ㄴ Seed of Calamity (37% Progress)

‘It’s gone up by another 1%.’

There were no other noticeable changes, but somehow, he seems a bit taller than before… Is it just my imagination?

One thing is for sure; no matter how much he tries to act like a child, this little one is a destined calamity. Just because he felt a little upset, he decided to attract all the monsters in this vast dungeon.

If Cha Sahyeon were to get angrier, and as a result, the Seed Progression increased by 5% or 10%… I could only imagine the unimaginable consequences.

“Kid.” I tightened my grip on Cha Sahyeon’s shoulder, pulling him closer to me. Then, I leaned down and whispered into his ear, “When we get back home later, let’s take a few days to rest and have a deep conversation, okay?”

[Main Quest: Successfully conquer a dungeon of B-class or higher with the antagonist. (Remaining time: 3 days 5 hours 34 minutes)]