Evolution Theory of the Hunter

I parried away both of my opponents’ swords with one strike from the Honcheon sword.

After a dozen more of these same strikes, the one holding a broadsword yelled out, “Grand Attack!”.

Level 3 Skill (Gwangpok) Grand Attack. This skill produced an energy destructive enough to destroy a car.

But all I needed to do was dodge it.

And that was that.

I kicked at the ground and jumped to toward the ceiling. The attack plowed into the ground I had just been previously.

I did feel a bit of pressure against my skin as it passed by, but that was it.

Both of my opponents’ eyes travelled up to the ceiling where I was, and they struck at me with their swords.

They were fast.

One of the swords briefly grazed my left arm.

“Keuk.”

I dropped to the ground and checked my arm to assess the damage. It was much more shallow than I had expected.

This was the reward for raising up my defense.

Guy wielding the broadsword stood at my left. And the one standing at my right had a longsword and shield.

I decided to go after broadsword guy first.

I ran to the left.

“Where do you think you’re going!”

Shield guy saw what I was doing and moved to block me.

Shwing.

Behind the shield, the guy with the broadsword poked out his sword to try and stab me.

I grabbed the Honcheon sword with both hands and struck against the broadsword.

Though they were both level 3 swords, the one I held was a named item.

My strength was now over 300%, not including the buff. Using my strength in addition to the explosive damage option, I easily pushed both of them back with one shove.

I felt like my strength was overflowing. Every time I used the Honcheon sword’s explosive damage option, it felt like my heart was about to burst.

“Shit! How is he so damn strong!”

“That bastardhe’s a monster.”

Both of them finally realized what they were up against. But that didn’t mean I would go easy on them at all.

I wielded the Honcheon sword and ran at my opponents.

I could see the fear filling their eyes.

“Spare, spare us…!”

Slam!

As the Honcheon blade slammed into the shield, there was a small explosion. Just as I evaded one of their blades stabbing at my side, I threw the bloodysword.

Plop came a sound just as sword lodged into one guy’s forehead.

[+300]

“Huh?!?!”

The remaining guy tossed the shield, turned around, and started to run for his life.

I felt a little bad for him because I was much much faster than him when it came to running.

I picked up the shield.

***

“Keuk!”

Helmet guy’s fight ended the moment he cut off the head of the enemy who had an arrow poking out from one eye.

We had gained the Honcheon sword and a no named shield. I now understood why they were trying to steal our items. In order for a regular person to attain a level 3 item, they had to spend several years hunting while risking their lives. I was able to attain these level 3 items so easily. What should have taken arduous hunting again and againcame into my possession in a matter of a few strokes of my sword.

But we were not finished just yet.

Helmet guy brought the remaining porter and dropped him to his knees.

“Please, please spare me.”

He had a black blindfold on. When I had made up my mind to kill those other guys, what had worn on my heart the most was this fellow right here. But he had to die. We couldn’t leave any witnesses.

But would I be able to extinguish the life of someone who couldn’t even defend himself?

“If it’s too hard for you, I can do it in your stead.”

Helmet guy walked up to me and said. It was an attractive offer.

But I shook my head.

“Wait a minute.”

“Party head. It will be more dangerous if we keep dragging the time.”

Han Joonseok said. He was right. If we didn’t hurry up, the dungeon operator would get suspicious and wander in. The moment the dungeon operator stepped in was the moment we lost all ability to hide the evidence of our deed.

“I just need a quick minute.”

“What on earth…”

“Those people, will you look at them carefully?”

I pointed at the five bodies piled in a heap on the ground. Everyone was avoiding the pile and so did not notice.

“Ah…?”

The dead bodies were starting to evaporate.

Tap.

An item had dropped.

***

“How many years have you been working as a porter?”

“I’m sorry? Oh. 10 years.”

“How long have you been a porter for those bastards?”

“It was my first time! After the leisure parties were just reinstated again, this was the first job that I was able to secure. I swear!”

“Please show me your credentials.”

“Overhere..here.”

He passed over his credentials with shaky hands. He was definitely a certified porter. His 10 years’ experience was the truth as well.

“Will you please take out a level 2 equipment from the backpack?”

“Ohok! Yes!”

He dug through the backpack and pulled out an arrow.

It was a level 2 arrow, the “Stalker”. It was an arrow with a tracking spell option that had a cooltime as well. Once every minute, no matter which direction it was shot, it could track and hit its target.

The price was 350,000 dollars. An expensive item.

“You must never reveal what happened here today. Do you understand?”

“Yes. I, I understand.”

He nodded his head so violently it looked like it might just snap off.

“If you add up the cost of all the ores in that backpack, it should be a value of over 20,000 dollars.”

“That, that’s…”

“Keep it.”

“What?”

To a porter, 20,000 dollars was a tremendous amount of money.

I was giving it to him in trade for his silence.

***

My first thought was to get rid of all evidence and blame the deaths on the irregular. In order for that to work, I had to get rid of the Honcheon sword and shield. Being in possession or these items would only serve to cause suspicion. Killing the porter would have been necessary too.

But when the bodies disappeared, all my worries evaporated with them.

Not a shred of evidence was left behind and all we had to do was argue that the Honcheon sword and shield were ours.

Soon enough the dungeon operators came in to get us. They did question us a bit regarding going over our time, but we weren’t suspected of anything. Since they disappeared in the dungeon without a trace to be found, this would probably end up being an unsolved case.

“But what the hell do you think happened?”

Han Joonseok asked.

“It’s probably the same reason the irregulars appear. Something is changing.”

“To think that an item would appear from killing a person..”

Han Joonseok said with disbelief as he stared at the item I was holding in my hand.

It was a run of the mill pair of glasses.

I put it on.

“Hm?”

I could see a green number floating in the air. As I examined each party member, I could see their individual skill level and proficiency above their heads.

“Ohthis is…”

Pretty damn good. In order for someone to be able to see other people’s skill level, they had to use up their only skill lot. But this….

Just in case, I closed my left eye. I wondered what would happen if I checked for my stats while I had these glasses on.

As soon as I did this, the numbers in front of my closed eyelid shattered and then began to gather together into a pile in the middle to reform as a sentence.

“What’s wrong?”

I guess I didn’t look ok because Han Joonseok asked in a worried tone.

“It’s nothing. Would you like to try it on?”

Han Joonseok put on the glasses and nodded his head.

“So you can find out other people’s skills with these glasses. How fun.”

“Hey. I want to see too.”

They passed the glasses around from one person to the other, starting from Cho Youngoo.

There was an atmosphere of wonder coming from everyone.

So, I guess I needed to do what I needed to do.

“We were able to acquire two items from the dungeon this time. An arrow and these glasses. I plan to put them up for auction. Since there are two people here who use a bow, please name the price you are willing to pay.”

“HmI will buy it for 100,000 dollars.”

“Hey. Too cheap. You should at least say 300,000 at the least. If we sell it outside, we can get it for 350,000.”

Cho Youngoo started to grunt..

“That’s all I have. Jerk.”

“I won’t bid. To be honest, I don’t have the money…”

Glasses girl said. I nodded my head and said to the other members.

“There is one person who has bid for the stalker at 100,000 dollars. Is there anyone else who is against this bid?”

If there was anyone who did not accept this price, we would place this item up for sale at the hunter market.

“Well….it doesn’t matter much to me. It’s not like I need the money that bad.”

Jung Sooah said. Helmet guy had no interest in money from the start. Cho Youngoo was definitely not of a mind to keep his friend from getting stronger, and the same was for glasses girl. Manager Kim did grumble a big but he didn’t say anything.

Everyone felt it.

If they didn’t all get stronger, the next time something like this happened, it might be them who evaporated instead.

“Ok good. I will then say my piece. I am against it.”

“Wow. I didn’t see you like that kind of person, but you kind of suck.”

Cho Youngoo said with a smirk. Since the ruling was based on majority, my opinion held no water. I just felt like saying it anyway. Why not?