Chapter 201. It Looks Like There's Nothing, But There Is. (3)

This is why you shouldn't carelessly buy equipment just because it's used by a famous person.

"Aaack!"

"W, what kind of power is this...?"

"Ah, crazy! It's only made it harder to catch now that it's going berserk!"

Despite the powerful attempts to restrain it from the hunters, the Green Dragon continued its relentless attacks without stopping.

Boom!

With a heavy sound, the spearhead crumpled instantly.

Boom!

When the sound came again, the hunter's arm was twisted backward because they had raised their shield half a beat too late.

"Aaargh!"

The peaceful moment by the stump suddenly turned chaotic. And at this moment, amidst the jumbled noise, someone's calm voice suddenly flowed in.

"...What is this?"

Although it was just a single sentence, the other person's words had a strangely captivating effect on one's hearing. It was probably because his pronunciation and tone were so distinctly clear and characteristic.

"Did the Green Dragon ever have such an aggressive pattern?"

It was the appearance of Kim Giryeo. Along with him stood Korea's number one ranked hunter, who was preparing fire magic.

***

A few minutes later.

"T, thank you for saving us..."

"A, as expected, S-rank Hunters are different. You handled that in an instant."

I shamelessly accepted the gratitude from the others, even though I hadn't directly defeated the dragon myself. Haseong was too busy checking on the safety of the other hunters around us. By the way, I had purposely kept my distance to prevent any secondary damage from the S-rank, so why was I suddenly here?

"Then, the fact that Kim Giryeo Hunter has arrived means..."

"Yes. I just finished dealing with all the dragons on the southern side of the dungeon. Now, all that's left is the leader's group."

As you can see, there was this reason.

We had agreed to split up before entering the dungeon and reduce the number of minions as much as possible. Afterward, we planned to regroup once we were left with just the boss battle. As for me, I've always been good with tracking abilities. It was a feasible plan because the Korean Magic Tower's raid team also had Searcher, who was highly skilled in detection.

"Then, should we finish our meals and head out?"

"Yes!"

"Please wait a moment"

We then set off towards the north of the dungeon, where the owner of this dungeon resides.

"Let me see, the leader of the Green Dragons..."

According to the information I heard from Choi Jin, in this world, the bosses of dragon species are always called 'Kings'. Green Dragon King, Black Dragon King, and so on. It means that the naming convention for specific individuals has already been systematized.

And these dragon kings share certain characteristics that are almost identical.First, they have an enormous size. Second, it's the special organ attached to their heads, resembling a rooster's comb. However, unlike the usual red and protruding rooster comb, the special organ they possess looks more like a 'crown' at first glance.

"Is that why they're called Kings?"

Regardless of its form, that organ gathers a large amount of mana, so destroying it brings multiple advantages. Anyway, it's never a bad idea to remember the weak spot well.

"Ah, everyone. Stop. Stop."

Sak.

I gathered my thoughts and raised my clenched fist, signaling to my team.

"There's the boss up ahead."

At this, the hunters of the Korean Magic Tower began to swallow dryly.

Although its appearance was still hidden due to its invisibility, just knowing that the peak of an A-rank dragon was right ahead created a tremendous sense of pressure. The Green Dragon's breath was highly acidic, and if it were to land a direct hit...

"Ugh."

It was really painful until it was cured with a potion.

"This is why inferior Earthlings are useless."

I looked back at the hunters groaning in pain, recalling the suffering they had experienced before. I clicked my tongue quietly and then stared straight ahead. Before me lay a strange tangle of thorny brambles, within which curled a massive reptile, its form blending into the environment as if it had grown there from the very beginning.

"Hmm."

I felt the same way in Japan, but the leaders of the dragonkind are truly of a size that the expression "as big as a house" really fits. With a body this size, I wonder how much it weighs, and what the amount of mana flowing through its bloodstream could be.

"Alright, then let's go with the plan we made."

Still, I didn't need to worry. My role wasn't part of the plan we had made outside. There were strong, 'real' S-rank hunters here, so what would it mean for us low-ranking grunts to struggle?

"Jung Haseong."

"Yes."

As I gave the signal with a call, the hunters slowly stepped back from Haseong's side. At the same time, external mana began to sharply gather around the body of a sorcerer. The S-rank hunter, the highest rank, drew in the surrounding mana and soon manifested the rising desire.

As for us, these wizards were always beings who prayed to something in nature.

'According to the skill name registered in Pixy, this is [Hellfire]...'

The pyromancer's attack soon extended toward the dragon.

It was none other than Jung Haseong, who released the flames at full power without hesitation. So how powerful was this?

The red undulation, as its name suggests, advanced while boiling the dungeon floor like a river flowing through hell, and before long, it swallowed the even wooden nest containing the dragon.

"Kuaaaaaa!"

Whoosh!

The Green Dragon King reflexively spread its wings in surprise at the fierce initial strike. However, the hunters' attacks didn't stop there. We were eagerly waiting for that thin membrane to give.

"Now!"

"Right! Focus on the right!"

Boom, boom!

As soon as the elite hunters of the Korean Magic Tower caught sight of the dragon, they fired their skills at its wings. Not only was its body already engulfed in flames, but now, what kind of sudden misfortune was this?

"Kaaah!"

The king of the skies, with its green body, failed to succeed even once and fell pitifully to the ground. Flight failure. The dragon's right wing was torn and full of holes. However, since the Green Dragon rarely uses its breath while airborne, what we really need to be cautious about is the upcoming ground battle that is about to unfold.

"Grrr..."

"Kaaak!"

"Kaaah!"

Boom, boom, boom!

Soon, the minions guarding the nest began to rise one by one, recognizing their enemies. A chilling tension, created by the other-worldly presence of the dragon, filled the air. However, the outcome of this battle would inevitably unfold just as expected.

Because, in this place, the Archmage of Alaphuri...

"Ha."

...had a disciple that he had carefully trained.

"Well then, shall we see your skills?"

I stepped back and said to Haseong. Then, the young hero nodded and drew his sword. For him, it was merely a sturdy red longsword. Yet, for an S-rank Hunter, even this simple blade was enough to cut down the neck of a myth.

"I will do my best."

Jung Haseong left behind those polite words and leaped toward the King of Monsters. What unfolded next was the scene of a dragon hunt being carried out by Korea's top awakened individuals.

***

Crackle, crackle...

A crackling sound, like the embers of a fire you'd hear on a fall night at a campsite, fills the air.

"Ugh, it's so smoky." 𝒇𝓻𝓮𝓮𝙬𝙚𝒃𝒏𝓸𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝓬𝓸𝒎

After quite some time, I watched from a distance as the King of the Green Dragons, now reduced to a ragged state, collapsed. The dull thud of its body hitting the ground marked the final moment, and at last, the dragon hunt came to an end.

Sparkle.

As always, the rewards for defeating the boss were given to the top performers.

"Cough, cough."

But right now, with the smoke constantly blowing into my eyes during the reward and all, I'm about to die from it.

'Holding my breath can only last for a day or two. As expected, Jeong Haseong can't be used recklessly like Kang Changho.'

I covered my nose and mouth with my hand and scanned the surroundings. As the hunt came to an end, some of the Korean Magic Tower members headed toward the exit to call the transporters who had been waiting outside. And since this group wasn't part of the team tasked with maintaining the dungeon, we just had to quickly gather the spoils and leave.

'Let's see, first, the results I got from being next to Jung Haseong...'

I worked so hard, but in the end, the only reward I got from the regular monsters was this [Compass of Greed].

Well, it's true that it's rare for the rewards from regular monsters to be given in the form of a light orb, so in a way, it was an expected result.

However, getting such a disappointing item still left me feeling bad. This small gem called the [Compass of Greed] was supposed to indicate the location of nearby treasure chests... Unfortunately, I had a body that could track artifacts on my own without needing such help.

'At best, it's probably going to the market.'

Then the only remaining reward is from the Green Dragon King I just defeated. I checked the orb that was still shining next to me, showing off its presence.

When the boss hunt was well underway, I threw my main weapon, the Hydra, into the dragon's wound, barely managing to land a spot as one of the top contributors due to the poison status effect. However, despite the effort it took to earn the reward, I didn't have high expectations. The magical energy emanating from it was at best in the rare-to-unique tier. I didn't even need to see it with my eyes to know it was a junk item...

[Dragon's Lungs]

...

Paused.

I observed the magic tool floating in the light once more. Inside the translucent, small orb lay a serene cluster of beautifully intricate alveolar cells. Red, blue, and luminous. At the same time, it was a delicate structure eerily resembling a creature's lungs.

"--Hunter Kim Giryeo."

I quietly placed the given raid reward into my item box. At that moment, Jung Haseong, having finished the hunt, approached me with a somewhat exhilarated expression. However, our conversation didn't last long.

"Excuse me, just like you told me, I tried fighting by compressing the fire, and it really kept the A-rank hunters from getting hurt..."

"Haseong-ah."

"Yes."

"I just remembered it now, but I think I left the gas on at home."

"Yes?"

"Then, take care of the magic stones and leather, and keep them for yourself. I'll collect my share later. Anyway, I'm going now. Make sure to have a good dinner."

After firing off my words like a rapid-fire gun, I left the dungeon at a faster pace than ever before.

.

.

.

.

The fortunes and misfortunes of life cannot be predicted lightly. In a way, this situation perfectly fits the old saying 'blessing in disguise'.

The dragon's lungs... Lungs, of all things. The new lungs I had dreamed of were finally in my hands. No, even though I went on this hunt aiming for exactly this--Was this really, truly just going to fall right into my grasp like this?

"Keuk..."

The corners of my mouth twitched upward. This time, I didn't even have the chance to control my facial muscles. Honestly, I wasn't confident I could transport the acquired excitement right this second, but this was an old one-room apartment with poor soundproofing--so I was already holding back as much as I could.

"Heh heh heh."

Ahh--it truly has been such a long, long wait.

[2.0.00 Update Changes]

Removal of respiratory system penalty

I'll get straight to the point. With the power of the magic tool [Dragon's Lungs], I restored the mana exchange function of my deteriorating lungs.

Now, I can cast magic multiple times-- No, in truth, I can perform far more spells than some F-rank sorcerer from Earth could ever dream of. Only now have I finally become someone worthy of being called a 'wizard'.

'I bought Blueshell for nothing.'

Moreover, in my current condition, I can use body exchange techniques without the need for additional stimulants.

Now, all that's left is to find a suitable vessel and gradually upgrade to a higher rank.

"Finally!"

Come to think of it, I had already gotten a hint from Brooklyn and Choi Jin's [Dragon's Heart]. Dragon organs didn't completely replace the previous ones as I had initially expected. To put it simply, it felt more like powerful new cells grafting onto the existing organs, almost like tumors spreading in between them.

'I was hoping for at least some kind of dragon breath function... But maybe because my lungs were too damaged, it looks like that's out of reach.'

It seems like I could range of these biological tissues one by one if I wanted to. That's good news. It means that even if I switch bodies, I can always reuse the Dragon's Lungs.

Now then, with my range of usable magic greatly increased... What should I try first?

'Getting the corpse isn't something that can be done right away anyway...'

After a brief moment of consideration, I decided to prioritize creating a dummy to deceive Kang Changho. As a high-level spell, body exchange magic required a large space to draw a medium-sized magic circle. Even if I had such a space, I wasn't confident I could transport the acquired body, but this was an old one-room apartment, where too many eyes were watching. A place to perform the technique, hiding the body, a way to deceive the movement, an alibi, etc.

'Who would have thought I'd see a day like this!'

Hahaha!

Despite all the bloody thoughts that came to mind, my face couldn't help but break into a bright, contrasting smile.