Episode 66
Taehyun used the skill.
It was to hunt the monster in front of me.
Tiring.
[Use the skill Lord's Heart (B). We identify 4 subjects. Strength increases by 5. Stamina increases by 5. Speed increases by 5. Magic power increases by 5.]
Crack.
Grumbling. Chii Iik.
bang. bang. Tatang. Ta-ta-tang.
'Everyone is pretty. I'll be able to deal with at least two A-ranks somehow.'
It doesn't seem like it's a raid team for Onsaemi for nothing.
Even though there were only three people, excluding the guide, there was no feeling of being outmatched in dealing with two A-grade monsters.
"Uh… !!"
At that moment, a monster turned back and targeted Choi Won-seok.
The Pathfinder class has the same combat abilities as an ordinary person.
Still, I just took a moment to catch my breath.
Soon, I naturally took out the dagger from my waist.
It was an instinctive move.
But before that.
Suddenly.
Taehyeon's Aslan passed by, cutting down the monster.
It is truly a movement worthy of the word lightning fast.
"Are you okay?"
Taehyun asked Wonseok Choi, who had a dark expression.
"Thanks to you, I survived. "If I had made a mistake, I would have died."
"Let's finish this quickly."
Taehyun left his greeting and rushed towards the newly appeared monsters.
Nine B-grade Minotaurs and one A-grade Knight Minotaur leading them.
It's a power that would put an average player at a crossroads between life and death.
For Taehyun, he was already just a light warm-up opponent.
Suddenly. Suddenly. Phew.
There was no need to use 'Knight King's Awesomeness' and 'Chains of Binding'.
It moves zigzagly at incredible speeds, cutting again and again.
Cheaeng!!
Even if you use Battle X to block the attack.
Kagagagak!!!
He poured magical energy into Aslan and cut down the Minotaur with Battle Ax.
"… … ."
"… … ."
"… … ."
Shin Jin-ho, Miranda, and Park Seong-ho, who were just three people holding down two A-class monsters, were at a loss for words.
"What are you doing?"
Taehyun, who had taken care of his share of monsters in an instant, pointed to the monsters trembling in fear and asked.
"Ah yes."
"Well, we'll handle it quickly too."
"Tch."
Three men and women with strong fighting spirit cornered two A-class monsters.
With Taehyun's support, the hunt was successful.
In terms of time, the battle lasted less than ten minutes.
"Phew~ I survived thanks to Taehyun. After all, monsters with commanders are difficult to deal with."
Shin Jin-ho said, wiping the sweat from his forehead.
If it weren't for Taehyun's help, the battle would have continued for another thirty minutes.
"okay. "Is everyone hurt?"
Taehyun asked indifferently. The normal interest a party leader has toward party members.
Nothing more, nothing less.
The party members weren't stupid enough to not notice such signs.
"This is easy."
"But if this battle continues, your stamina will quickly deplete."
Taehyun put on a friendly expression as he looked at Miranda exhaling heavily.
"But everyone is great. "It looks like Won-seok can use a sword a little too."
Taehyun pointed to the dagger on Choi Wonseok's waist and praised him.
Due to my experience as a porter in my past life.
This is because I know very well that it is not easy for a guide to muster that level of courage.
"oh. brother. "Don't overexert yourself and run away."
"Yes, Miranda is right. A guide helps you survive."
"sorry. I'm trying to help too... ."
Choi Won-seok scratched the back of his head, saying he was sorry due to Miranda and Shin Jin-ho's concerns.
Park Seong-ho, who was watching this, opened his mouth as if he did not like it.
It was towards Taehyun.
"Why didn't you use the skill?"
"What does it mean?"
Taehyun pretended not to know what it meant.
Seongho Park asked again.
"With the wide range of skills you have, you could have taken care of this level of monsters on your own. is not it?"
"Seo, Seongho… ."
"Oppa Seongho… "You are so rude to Taehyun."
"Yes, Seongho. No matter how S-rank you are, there is no need to push yourself... ."
The party members, excluding Park Seong-ho, surrounded Tae-hyun.
No matter how Taehyun is, it is burdensome to deal with three A-grade monsters and over ten B-grade monsters.
That was the reason.
However.
Eat.
Taehyun laughed.
What they wanted to say was clear, and it was Taehyun who induced this situation by understanding the tendencies of the party members.
so that.
The words spoken did not have the same kindness or mercy as before.
"no. Seongho Park is correct. "If I had put my mind to it, it would have taken less than five minutes to deal with the monsters just a moment ago."
"… … ."
"… … ."
"Taehyun… ?"
Embarrassment appeared on the faces of Shin Jin-ho, Miranda, and Choi Won-seok.
"you… ."
Park Seong-ho also glared at Tae-hyun with an angry expression.
"But why should I do that?"
"what?"
"Everyone here knows that we are an elite attack team belonging to Onsaemiro. "Why are you trying to rely on me, who has no experience with the Abyss for the first time?"
"hey! That's what I mean... ."
Taehyun clicked his tongue at Park Seong-ho, whose voice continued to rise.
"Don't be mistaken. "I have no intention of sacrificing myself to deal with monsters."
"You are the party leader… ."
"The party leader is also just a member of the party."
Taehyun stopped talking as if there was no point.
Park Seong-ho clenched his fists, and Shin Jin-ho and Choi Won-seok, who were listening, opened their mouths with dark expressions.
"Taehyun. But having that much power and not using it... "It is also difficult for us to understand."
"If this battle continues, we too… "You could lose your life."
The trust in their eyes as they looked at Taehyun disappeared and distrust began to sprout.
It was not that I did not know the meaning of what Park Seong-ho said.
Nevertheless, the reason I stayed quiet was because I thought Taehyun, the party leader, had something else on his mind.
But with this kind of thinking.
It was difficult to completely entrust my life to him anymore.
"Even S-rank players are not invincible. Moreover, shouldn't we conserve our magic power in a situation where we don't know what else will come out in the future? "We don't have many potions left."
As he said, there was no porter in Taehyun's party, and all the potions were in the individual's possession.
Still, it was difficult to justify selfish remarks.
"… … ."
"… … ."
"… … ."
"You bastard."
The silence was broken by Park Seong-ho's last swear words.
"Once you understand the situation, stick to your role. "In the Abyss, you protect your own body."
There was no longer a friendly atmosphere anywhere.
Everyone remained silent in the subdued atmosphere.
Among them.
"Okay then, shall we take a break and then go?"
Only Taehyun acted brightly as if nothing had happened.
* * *
There was no change in Taehyun's attitude after that.
Perform your role as party leader, but do not use excessive force.
The party members, who understood what Taehyun was thinking, had no choice but to face the monster with life or death.
This is because if you decide to rely on the power of an S-rank player, you never know when you might lose your life to a blind attack from a monster.
If Taehyun showed what he did, that would be enough.
'Now it seems like I'm finally doing some research into the labyrinth.'
In the Abyss, there is nothing more dangerous than letting your guard down.
In that respect, they lost some of the tension simply because Taehyun was an S-rank player.
This would not have happened if we had been in the same party as Kwon Kang-hyuk.
'It is the standard of a party to correct any lax discipline.'
He looks like he's in his late teens, but in reality, he's been a porter in the Abyss for just over a dozen years.
I have watched from the sidelines how many talented players and awakened people ended their lives.
Is that why?
He was more sensitive to teamwork than anyone else.
'Still, at this tempo, it will only be a matter of time before someone falls.'
The number of monsters encountered by this party has already reached a hundred.
There is nothing more crazy than sitting quietly in a labyrinth and waiting to be surrounded by monsters.
We keep moving forward... .
The level and number of monsters appearing were gradually increasing.
As Taehyun expected, the first casualty occurred not long after that.
Miranda developed dehydration symptoms immediately after using the skill.
A minotaur had attacked her.
"Aaaah!!"
Miranda flew through the air with a scream.
and.
Kwasik.
There was the sound of Miranda's bones breaking as she fell to the floor.
This happened when Taehyun was in the midst of fighting the Royal Minotaur.
'That must be a deep wound?'
Only then did Taehyun, who had not given his all, release his magic power.
"Kruk?"
The Royal Minotaur flinched and took a step back due to the unexpected force.
The S-class monster instinctively felt fear.
"Let's stop playing here."
Ssssssut.
Taehyun's appearance after using 'Stone Skin' and 'Stealth' disappeared for a moment.
Quad deud deuk.
Before I knew it, Taehyun's hand was on top of the head and had grabbed the Royal Minotaur's horn and ripped it off.
Without even a moment to scream.
PPP PIT.
The huge body of the Royal Minotaur, with all of its vital points cut, fell down.
Hiss.
Phew.
Aslan left Taehyeon's hand and got stuck in the head of the Minotaur, who was trying to hit Miranda.
"Everyone gather around Miranda!"
Taehyun shouted with magical energy.
Shin Jin-ho and Park Seong-ho, who were busy blocking the Minotaur group, quickly fell back.
Choi Won-seok was pouring healing potion on the collapsed Miranda.
Tiring.
[Use the skill Knight King's Tempest (B). Specifies the target.]
Wow!!
A huge magical power began to weigh down the surviving Minotaurs.
It was a Minotaur trying to block the intangible power with the Battle Ax.
Kwasik. Kwasik. Kwazijic.
In the end, I couldn't bear it and broke bones all over my body.
That was the end of it.
"Miranda!! are you okay?!!"
"shit! "It's impossible to use a healing potion!!"
"… … ."
"How is it?"
Taehyun, who arrived late, looked at the gathered party members and asked.
Their faces were twitching as they looked at Taehyun, unable to hide their hostility.
Either that or not.
Taehyun took out a low-level healing potion from his backpack and poured it into Miranda's mouth.
Choi Won-seok poured healing potion on the wound in advance, so the bleeding stopped.
Miranda moaned, as if she couldn't help but feel the pain.
"What should I do with this? "Healing is impossible without a healer."
"We need to join the rest of the party right away."
"But if you move in this state, there is a risk of the wound opening further."
Shin Jin-ho, Choi Won-seok, and Park Seong-ho looked at Tae-hyun's face.
Responsibility was passed on to the party leader, who was the final decision maker.
Normally, this would have been a problem that would have made me rack my brain quite a bit, but Taehyun's answer was already decided.
"If we leave it like this, Miranda will definitely not last more than an hour."
Shin Jin-ho and Park Seong-ho nodded at those words.
This is because, as physical awakened people, they know better than anyone else that Miranda, a magic awakened person, has a weak body.
Even if he were to be a multi-skill awakener, he would be slightly better than the guide Choi Won-seok.
"But if you stay here, it will only be a matter of time before you are surrounded by monsters. "At this rate, you may have to risk the annihilation of your party."
"then… ?"
"no way… ?"
"so."
Taehyun, who had made a decision, calmly opened his mouth.
After a while.
"You bastard!!"
Park Seong-ho couldn't bear it anymore and grabbed Tae-hyeon by the colar