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Kill the Hero
Chapter 41
TL: Uncle Choi
Most lizardmen are unarmed.
They do not wear armor, helmets, nor weapons.
This reason for this was two-fold.
For lizardmen who live in swamps or water, armor or weapons were obstacles in their daily lives.
Even an unarmed lizardman was strong enough to kill an orc equipped with armor and weapons.
Of course, it wasn't because they couldn't wear them.
If they wanted to wear armor, they could wear it. If they wanted to wield a sword, they could wield that as well.
Naturally, the combat ability of an armed lizardman couldn't be compared to an unarmed one.
Kaa!
That's how a lizard warrior became the boss monster of this 2 floor dungeon.
"Arrg!"
At this moment, that lizard warrior was in battle with none other than the players sent from the Skull Guild to kill Kim Woo-jin!
Kim Woo-jin was watching from a distance while pulling on a bow, unsurprised.
"As expected."
Rather, the scene was as Kim Woo-jin expected to see.
It was also something he intended.
'They have no choice but to take out Plan B when they get sent to the 2nd floor unexpectedly.'
Kim Woo-jin swiftly completed the condition for clearing the 1st floor dungeon after taking care of Jung Hoon-young's team.
He killed the hidden goblin he had captured and unexpectedly switched the stage to the 2nd floor. There were two benefits that came from this.
'They won't know how skilled I am until they find me.'
One of them was that he could hide his skills.
If he remained on the 1st floor, there was a high probability that his abilities would have been revealed, even if he tried his best to hide them.
'And I'm sure they will imagine the worst case scenario.'
The second benefit was that the Skull Guild would try to imagine the worst possible situation in their minds.
'Since it's not unusual for a traitor to betray again.'
For example, a situation where Jung Hoon-young did not betray Kim Woo-jin but betrayed them instead.
In other words, from the Skull Guild's standpoint, they couldn't help but think about the possibility of Jung Hoon-young and Kim Woo-jin being on the same side.
A lack of information, a sudden change in circumstances, and the possibility of the worst-case scenario… due to such disadvantageous factors, their top priority could only be to leave this place alive.
And to do that, they had to kill the lizard warrior.
'Three people.'
Three people from there Skull Guild were now fighting with the lizard warrior.
'The other one's probably in the back.'
And that was why Kim Woo-jin quickly turned around.
Sss!
Something sharp flew toward Kim Woo-jin.
Kim Woo-jin lowered his posture in order to dodge it and immediately fired his bow toward that direction.
Ting!
The arrow that flowing toward Kim Woo-jin created a sound as if it were blocked by a hard object.
That was it.
There were no notifications indicating that the target had been affected by his blood poisoning.
It was not difficult to ascertain why it didn't work.
Since the man in front of him, who looked like he was in his early 30s, used the thick gloves he wore to protect himself from the arrow.
Naoki Matsumoto, the assassin who flew from Japan to make sure Kim Woo-jin dies.
Such a man appeared in front of Kim Woo-jin.
In other words, the Skull Guild also predicted how Kim Woo-jin would behave.
They knew that Kim Woo-jin would try to go for them once he knew they switched to Plan B and tried to kill the lizard warrior.
They tried to capture both of them at the same time.
"I've got you now, you fucking rat!"
Their targets were in front of them.
Of course, Naoki Matsumoto did not hesitate to rush toward Kim Woo-jin.
Siig!
Naoki Matsumoto, who was running toward him, swung his sword while still in the distance.
Slashing from below to above, a crescent-shaped sword energy was released from a Japanese sword.
'It's Crescent Sword.'
Crescent Sword(閃劍)!
At the sudden attack created by the skill only available to a Holy Guardian of Light, Kim Woo-jin threw his body sideways.
Seuguk!
Then a thick tree behind Kim Woo-jin was cut in half instead of him.
But there was no time for him to be surprised.
After narrowing the distance while Kim Woo-jin wasted his time trying to avoid the crescent sword skill, Naoki Matsumoto swung downward with his sword.
Even if Kim Woo-jin dodged backwards, he would use his crescent sword once again.
Damage would be unavoidable.
Therefore, Kim Woo-jin ran toward Naoki Matsumoto.
Before the sword hit his body, he tackled him.
Kuang!
Kim Woo-jin and Naoki Matsumoto collided and began rolling on the ground.
Then they pushed each other away as if they had a previous agreement, and the two faced each other again after separating.
Surug!
Kim Woo-jin pulled out the scimitar hanging on his back.
The confrontation resumed.
They gazed at each other.
"Damn you fucking Korean bastard."
Then Naoki Matsumoto vented his anger at Kim Woo-jin in Japanese without hesitation.
"I will dig out your eyes while you're still alive, cut off your ears, and soothe the souls of my dead comrades. Then after getting you to spill everything you know, I'll cut off your tongue."
It was a terrifying statement.
However, it wasn't meant to be a provocation for Kim Woo-jin.
For it wouldn't be much of a provocation since he didn't think Kim Woo-jin knew Japanese.
It was more accurate to say that he was merely venting out the anger in his chest.
However, Kim Woo-jin knew Japanese.
Not only Japanese but Kim Woo-jin was also proficient in languages of various countries when it came to listening.
Of course, Kim Woo-jin did not want to talk to the other person just because he knew Japanese. 'He's a bastard with a shitty personality unlike in Park Yi-yeon's memories. Did he act like a gentleman in front of Park Yi-yeon?'
Instead, he hunted.
Such a man was more vulnerable to provocation.
The usual procedure to distract the prey was to provoke them.
He didn't need words.
Kim Woo-jin held his middle left finger firmly toward Naoki Matsumoto and beckoned him to come.
The provocation made Matsumoto Naoki's face under the helmet extremely ugly.
Seeing his provocation, he immediately rushed toward Kim Woo-jin.
'I will kill you!'
Inside Naoki Matsumoto's head, who was charging towards Kim Woo-jin, 'defeat' did not exist.
The Holy Guardian of Light, a halo that was better than all other halos. As someone who carried such a halo, he couldn't imagine himself losing a one-on-one battle against Kim Woo-jin.
'The fact that people who have the Holy Guardian of Light as their halo are overflowing with pride is the same even if they are low level or high level.'
Kim Woo-jin did not back down either.
He also charged forward.
The distance between the two narrowed in an instant and their swords clashed for a moment!
The scimitar and the Japanese sword clanked, reverberating with sounds of vibrating steel.
Puhu!
Kim Woo-jin vomited what was in his mouth.
What he vomited was none other than his blood.
Kim Woo-jin's blood, which was released by biting off flesh in his mouth, soaked Naoki Matsumoto's face.
"Keuk!"
Matsumoto Naoki groaned.
But he did not close his eyes.
With bloodshot eyes flared up due to Kim Woo-jin's blood, he put more strength in his sword to break the deadlock with Kim Woo-jin.
He intended to beat Kim Woo-jin by force.
Kkigigik!
The swords in their hands screeched due to the contest of power.
But the power struggle didn't last long.
Immediately one side began to lose ground.
'Th, this is…'
Naoki Matsumoto, he was pushed back by Kim Woo-jin.
This was why Kim Woo-jin invested all of his stats into constitution so far.
No matter how much a rat tries, it can't catch a lion.
At that moment, the confrontation was virtually over.
"Keuuuu!"
The only thing Naoki Matsumoto could do now was to struggle.
No, he was not even allowed to struggle.
'First I have to escape the deadlock…'
As soon as Naoki Matsumoto stepped back to escape from the deadlock with Kim Woo-jin, Kim Woo-jin noticed his movements and matched his direction.
When Naoki Matsumoto moved his legs to take a step backward, Kim Woo-jin kicked his stomach.
Koong!
Matsumoto Naoki fell right back.
And he swung down his scimitar between Naoki Matsumoto's eyes.
Ppagik!
With a gruesome sound, Naoki Matsumoto's body went limp.
Kim Woo-jin received a round of applause from his halo.
However, Kim Woo-jin never basked in glory or appreciated a fight.
Since it was just hunting in the first place.
No predator will feel appreciation for the fate of its prey after a hard hunt.
Such was the case for Kim Woo-jin.
Like all hunting dogs, the only thing he had in mind was to get what he wanted from his prey.
At that moment, Kim Woo-jin's eyes turned black.
In a moment, he read the memories of Naoki Matsumoto.
There were many familiar faces.
Within his memories, Naoki Matsumoto had many faces that Kim Woo-jin recognized.
Most of them were memorable faces because they belonged to his prey.
Kim Woo-jin's memory was not good enough to remember someone that wasn't his prey.
It was also evidence telling Kim Woo-jin, who was pulling their tails, that he arrived at the body.
In other words, he no longer had to search for their tails and did not need to get a sense of them.
'Now I have to change my methodology.'
He changed his hunting method.
Kim Woo-jin, who read the necessary memories, took his eyes off of Naoki Matsumoto. Kim Woo-jin's eyes immediately turned to Naoki Matsumoto's sword.
As soon as he grabbed the sword, he could see the attributes of the sword.
Iron Turtle.
As a boss monster that only appeared on 3floor dungeons and above, items made from melting its shell became a unique item higher than level 20 without exception.
It's existence literally was a mass of unique items.
Its value was enormous and the biggest advantage was not the quality items themselves but the fact the attributes of the items stayed the same even if the shapes were changed.
A favorite item among brokers who handled stolen goods. Therefore, the market price for such items were much higher.
However, what intrigued Kim Woo-jin's was not the price of the item.
What came to mind was a player's nickname 'Master Swordsman' that was mentioned in Naoki Matsumoto's memory.
'Master Swordsman…'
Master Swordsman.
The strongest player born in Japan, who had the same halo, Holy Guardian of Light, as Messiah Lee Se-joon.
At this time, he was an internationally recognized player that was shaking the world.
'An unforgettable face.'
He was also the person that made hunting dog Kim Woo-jin famous.
'If it is Master Swordsman's weapon, it's more than enough to scratch the nerves of the Yamato Federation.
After a few moments, Kim Woo-jin took the rest of the items.
He stowed away the ring, necklace, helmet, and armor. He put all of them in his inventory.
The only thing he did not store away was his sword.
After walking for a while, he heard a sound.
Kayaa!
"Damn it!"
And when he arrived at the source of the sound, players and the lizard warrior, who were fighting against each other until a short while ago, were now facing against a black-boned orc skeleton and 4 lizardman skeletons.
Puk!
And one other skeleton soldier was shooting the two fallen players to ensure their deaths.
"You, you are!"
At that moment, the person who discovered Kim Woo-jin's presence shouted in amazement.
"Ha, how?"
He couldn't help but be startled.
'Ma, Mr. Matsumoto was beaten? No, it can't be! To think that a mere person like him defeated Mr. Matsumoto who is an heir to Master Swordsman…'
It was because it was Naoki Matsumoto who went to capture Kim Woo-jin, an expert capable of killing anyone below level 30.
Instead of answering him, Kim Woo-jin drew his bow.
Like how an archery athlete would aim his bow at a target, he aimed his bow at the player.
The player's face, which had been tarnished with terror due to Kim Woo-jin's appearance, turned completely white.
"No, no… !"
As soon as the cry ended, Kim Woo-jin let go of the bowstring and the arrow flew straight toward the player's face.
As expected, the player lifted his arm to block the attack.
The problem was what came afterwards.
Tteolgeuleog! Tteolgeuleog!
The skeleton soldiers, who saw an opening, threw themselves at him without hesitation.
They thrust their swords into a crevice in the broken armor that was created by the repeated skirmishes from earlier.
"Keuk!"
Blood spilled.
Kayaa!
Faced with such a situation, the lizard warrior also let out a terrified shriek.
And Kim Woo-jin aimed his bow at the lizard warrior.
A man appeared in the midst of an abandoned golf courses.
The dungeon, which had made the golf course even more desolate after it was abandoned, was cleared.
"It's cleared!"
"Dungeon clear!"
And it was also time for people to return to their homes from this pitiful place.
"Woaahhh!"
Everyone cheered.
An employee of the dungeon management team was waiting, and approached the player with a welcoming smile.
"Thank you, Mr. Kim Woo-jin. Please tell me if you need anything."
The employee of the management team treated the player very respectfully.
A player who cleared a 1 floor dungeon and a player who cleared a 2 floor dungeon were as far apart from each other as amateur and professional baseball players, this was why he was being so respectful.
Kim Woo-jin told the courteous employee.
"Let me tell you something important first. Everyone except me are dead."
"What?"
"Everyone got wiped out except me. I'll tell you more about it after I take a break."
"Wha, what do you mean…"
Hearing this unexpected news, the management team employee made a surprised expression.
And as soon as he began to understand the situation, his face turned white.
"Oh my god."
Only one out of ten players survived. Nine players who had the skill to clear 2 floor dungeons died. Such a result overshadowed the dungeon clear itself.
The dungeon management team employee turned deathly pale.
Putting the management team behind him, Kim Woo-jin immediately moved to the clubhouse. Kim Woo-jin's steps were more deliberate than usual.
Before long, Kim Woo-jin arrived at the club house and headed to the VIP room, which had been prepared for the players after clearing the dungeon.
Unlike the abandoned ruins, food, drinks and even champagne were prepared. Kim Woo-jin stood in front of the safe and opened the one on the far right.
Kim Woo-jin took out a flip phone from the safe filled with Kim Woo-jin's personal belongings.
Kim Woo-jin took out the phone and dialed a number.
Piik! Piik!
Unlike a smartphone, the sound of a button being pressed reverberated around the quiet interior of the room.
Cheobeogcheobeog!
Kim Woo-jin's footsteps followed the sound, filling the interior.
Kim Woo-jin's footsteps stopped in front of a TV set he thought was there as a decoration.
Kim Woo-jin looked at the TV.
"It's me."
At that moment, the call started.
"Yes, it's all been taken care of. Yes, that's right."
Kim Woo-jin continued speaking as he lightly leaned against the TV.
"It was as expected of Mr. Park Yong-wan. The Yamato Federation seem to be borrowing the Skull Guild's name. Since the assassins who were after me had an item belonging to Master Swordsman. We couldn't find anything else. However, if we keep knocking on the Skull Guild, I'm sure that we will get results."
Kim Woo-jin remembered something from the Skull Guild as he was speaking.
Matsumoto. Kim Woo-jin, who recalled his memory, had a sardonic smile.
'Park Yong-wan, I will make it so that you'll become the person who saved the country from Japan.'
Kim Woo-jin, he finally set up a big match.
A big match where neither side can finish without one of them dying!
Of course, Kim Woo-jin did not forget.
"I think we can do it if Mr. Je-hoon tries hard one more time."
While the big match is going on, he will make his prey come out to the hunting field.