The strongest skeleton soldiers Kim Woo-jin knew of were the ones summoned by the King of the Undead.
He was the second highest level player next to the Messiah, Lee Se-joon. He possessed a boundless dominating mana. His mana was accumulated through countless achievements and the support of his halo. Johann Georg's skeleton soldiers were also strengthened by a countless number of powerful skills to form an overwhelming foundation. His creations were monsters among monsters that made even monsters in the dungeons tremble in fear.
Their combined combat power was so great that even Kim Woo-jin could not afford to ignore them.
However, their combat techniques were lacking.
Their moves were easy to predict.
If skeleton soldiers with strong combat power were supported by advanced combat techniques, Johann Georg would have dominated the world long ago.
Unlike Johann Georg, the skeleton soldiers that Kim Woo-jin summoned didn't have awful combat techniques.
The skill rank is F, the summoner's level is 3, and the size of his mana pool is almost negligible.
It was a combat power that could not be described as strong.
Kieeehh!
However, Kim Woo-jin's skeleton soldier covered for its lack of combat power with good combat techniques when dealing with the goblin.
'I'm sure now.'
It was after the skeleton soldier killed its third goblin.
'It's my style.'
Kim Woo-jin noticed that his skeleton soldier was fighting like him.
In short, the combat skills of skeleton soldiers imitated their summoner.
In a way, the way it worked was obvious.
Although the world has changed to be like a game, there was no artificial intelligence controlling the summons like an actual game. Moreover, wasn't it the summoner's mana that allowed that brainless skeleton soldier to move?
'It's not unexpected at all.'
It is no wonder that the combat techniques of skeleton soldiers also come from their summoner.
'I didn't think that this would be the result though.'
In Kim Woo-jin's mind, it was unthinkable, let alone expected.
At the same time, it was a very important surprise.
There were no skeleton soldiers in any of Kim Woo-jin's plans.
'This is going to change how I proceed.'
Of course the plan had to be changed.
'I can get rid of my obstacles a lot faster.'
Kim Woo-jin's plan shifted to a direction that would be more devastating for those who became his prey.
There were complaints that Kim Woo-jin heard a lot back when he was a part of the Messiah Guild. "Woo-jin oppa, please get in sync."
"Seriously, please be considerate of the person behind you."
"Hey, Kim Woo-jin! We're can't do things the way you do it!"
"Be considerate of the people fighting with you."
That was just how Kim Woo-jin was.
He was different.
If everyone else was driving down the road in a normal car, it was like he was driving an F1 race car.
There was only one person in the Messiah Guild who could follow Kim Woo-jin's pace.
The Messiah Lee Se-joon, he was the only one who was able to keep pace with Kim Woo-jin.
No, to be more accurate, Kim Woo-jin was the one that kept pace with Lee Se-joon.
Lee Se-joon was always the one who walked in front of Kim Woo-jin and led him.
Therefore, he learned how to fight more efficiently, hunt faster, and optimized his hunting strategy.
Naturally, he did not listen to his team's complaints.
He didn't even try.
He thought it was strange for them to complain when he was trying his hardest to save the world from this damn game.
He thought that Lee Se-joon, the hero who will save the world, would agree with him.
'I understand what they were saying to me now.'
However, Kim inevitably had to reflect on himself after trying to assist a skeleton soldier that fought like him.
'It has no consideration for its ally.'
The skeleton soldier that Kim Woo-jin summoned never backed out despite its small size and fleshless bones.
Kieeehh!
Kya!
When they found a group of goblins, it rushed in without hesitation. Instead, they avoided attacks and fought a fierce melee amidst its enemies.
'This is just a mess...'
It resulted in an utter mess.
That was Kim Woo-jin's style.
Head-on engagements were a disadvantageous to him due to always being againsts a large number of enemies.
He would initiate a brawl, killing them one by one until all his enemies were finished.
In other words, it meant that those who fought along with him were also forced into a brawl.
'No, I'd say it's utter chaos.'
This kind of chaotic fight was dangerous for those who lacked individual combat skills.
Kim Woo-jin's skeleton soldier verified this truth with the result on its body.
Although it knew how to fight like Kim Woo-jin, there was a limit to the capability of the goblin skeleton. The chaotic fighting ultimately had a dire toll on the goblin skeleton's body.
Kyaah!
Kieehhh!
The attacks of the goblins chipped away at the body of the skeleton.
The skeleton paid the price for wanting to fight a brawl without the necessary ability.
It was then.
Jjwaak!
The sound of a whip cracked over a goblin's back.
It formed a wound deep enough to see the spine.
However, the pain was even worse than the wound.
Kkeuk!
The goblin, slashed by the whip, fainted with its eyes rolled without even letting out a proper scream.
Jjwaak!
In the meantime, Kim Woo-jin's whip tore the neck of another goblin.
Kkeuk!
Again, a goblin fell where it stood. It died in excruciating pain, briefly screaming before dying.
One goblin left.
Kieeee!
Upon confirming the sudden death of its colleagues, the goblin's eyes immediately fixed towards Kim, and then froze.
Puk!
At that moment, a sword held by the goblin skeleton penetrated into the side of the goblin.
Kieehhh!
That concluded the battle.
[You Have Leveled Up]
At the same time, a notification sounded to announce his level-up
After the sound, Kim looked around. He was on guard before raising his stats.
'Hmm?'
Then he saw the goblin skeleton staring at him.
It had fiery, burning eyes as if it belonged to a hunting dog that was still hungry.
Those eyes even installed fear in its owner.
Lee Se-joon, I can vaguely understand how you felt when you looked at me.
Kim Woo-jin felt deep satisfaction from what he felt.
'You fucked me over because you were afraid that I would be a hunting dog that turned on you and shred you apart.'
No, he wasn't just satisfied.
Kim Woo-jin's eyes also began to look similar to his goblin skeleton.
'I'll gladly become that hunting dog.'
His eyes expressed violence like that of a hound.
For the players, their nicknames were, in a way, an indication of their value.
In that sense, the nickname "hunting dog" was inappropriate.
Was it possible to describe Kim Woo-jin's value that defeated even the so-called "king" players with the words "hunting dog"?
Nevertheless, Kim Woo-jin had many reasons to be nicknamed the "hunting dog."
One of them was the lack of time.
Literally.
Players with nicknames that gave off admiration proved their value over a long period of time to earn their nickname.
Johann Georg, the King of the Undead, was not a king from the beginning.
Brain Janna, the King of Deadly Poisons, were not called that from the beginning either.
Their nicknames were developed steadily and firmly over course of many years.
Kim Woo-jin, on the other hand, became strong faster than anyone else.
They simply didn't have enough time to give him a new nickname.
Kim Woo-jin's hunting ability was that fast.
Even though he became a player much later than Lee Se-joon, he caught up to Lee Se-joon before anyone else.
Eventually, Lee Se-joon felt threatened enough to stab Kim Woo-jin's heart with a sword.
[You Have Leveled Up]
When Kim Woo-jin began hunting in earnest, naturally, his pace was unparalleled.
[The Emissary of the Underworld Is Astonished By Your Ability.]
Kim Woo-jin's halo showed him greater favoritism than anyone else, even the Emissary of the Underworld admired his abilities.
[The Emissary of the Underworld Delivers to You Some of His Power.]
By his achievements, Kim Woo-jin won favor from his halo.
[The Rank of The Skeleton Soldier Skill Is Increased By One.]
Originally, it was only possible to increase the rank of his Skeleton Soldier skill by killing monsters with this skill until he reached at least level 20. However, the increase in rank was possible right away due to the halo's gift.
'I am better than Johann Georg, I guess?'
The fact that Kim Woo-jin's proficiency with his Skeleton Soldier skill was better than Johann Georg was the evidence.
It was a great deed.
Yet Kim Woo-jin was not pleased by this level of accomplishment.
There was no reason to be particularly pleased.
'I have to at least maintain this pace to beat Johann Georg.'
His opponent was still running at a pace similar to him but at a distance too far ahead to compare.
In order to catch up to his enemies, Kim Woo-jin had to do much more.
He had to deal with all the players who didn't intend to end this game and he had to also finish this game.
There was no reason to make a fuss over such a small gift.
Kim Woo-jin quickly settled the situation.
"Status Window."
[Kim Woo-jin]
'Two.'
Now, the number of skeleton soldiers he could summon was two.
It was already enough for them to be able to grasp his combat skills. Kim Woo-jin immediately prepared for his next hunt.
If possible, he intended to hunt until he exterminated all the goblins in the dungeon.
Kim Woo-jin's piercing eyes surely suggested so.
It was then.
Ppiyiyikk!
A sharp sound reverberated in the sky, rocking everyone's eardrums.
It wasn't a sound that could be produced from the body of an animal. It also wasn't the sound of a monster either.
'A rescue signal...'
It was a signal used by players when requesting a rescue.
With that, a party got in contact with him.
As soon as he heard the sound, Kim Woo-jin's expression changed.
It was a look of intrigue.