At first, it was slow, but soon the vibrations shook the ground at a rapid pace.
‘Has it started tracking us already?’
High Orcs have a good sense of smell.
It must have already sensed our scent and is chasing after us.
At this rate, it was only a matter of time before it caught up to us at our speed.
‘For that size, it sure is a fast runner!’
There was also the option of using the Invisibility Artifact I had on hand and running away.
But only one person can use the artifact, no more than that.
Does that mean we have no choice but to fight?
‘Stay calm, rack your brain and find a way!’
[You share a sense of crisis with a person affiliated with you.]
[Acquires the Teacher Trait ‘Selfless Absorption’ from ‘The Talents Who Saved the World’.]
I was dumbfounded by the release of the trait, as if it was tailor-made for the situation.
After reading the description of the trait, I found a possibility to overcome the current situation.
If we can’t avoid it, we fight and clear the dungeon.
In the end, I chose to slow down and fight.
I prepared for the plan before the Orc arrived.
Just in time, the High Orc appeared, shaking the ground with its heavy body and knocking down trees.
“That’s intense.”
A stiff laugh came out involuntarily.
The only thing I could trust right now was this sword.
Reflexively, I bent over, and the giant Orc’s sword cut through the air.
The trees that had been protecting me until just now were cut down like tofu.
I could only let out a hollow laugh at the wondrous power.
‘If I get hit, there won’t be anything left of me.’
If I were the original me without the trait, I wouldn’t have been able to avoid it.
[Trait: Selfless Absorption]
[Description: Shares everything, including senses, with one of the talents who will save the world.
*Activated only when emotions are heightened upon contact.]
Right now, I am sharing Han Yoosung’s combat abilities.
The combat skills he used to take down Orcs, even with low stats.
With a single leap, I closed the distance and slashed at its ankle.
Green blood droplets scattered into the air.
‘Damn it! Too shallow!’
Due to the unfamiliar sensation, the wound was shallow.
Even so, I had cut its leg, so it should have been in pain, but the Orc twisted its wrist and swung a second strike.
I had no choice but to awkwardly bounce back and roll on the floor to avoid it.
‘Brutishly strong.’
If you have a huge body and power, shouldn’t you at least be slow!
‘It’s a relief that I’m getting more and more used to Han Yoosung’s senses.’
The High Orc’s reflexes exceeded my expectations.
Is this what an Orc’s evolution looks like?
‘Wait… is that?’
The flesh on the Orc’s ankle that I had slashed began to ripple.
Soon, the wounds healed at a rapid pace, leaving not even a small scratch.
This kind of recovery is why even excellent Hunters often fall victim to High Orcs.
“It’s even more of a pain in the ass in person!”
The Orc’s attacks were simple.
It had never learned swordsmanship, so it was just mindlessly smashing with brute force.
“It’s so hard to hold on!”
As I leaned back, the Orc’s sword barely passed over my face.
I can avoid it now, but as time goes on, I’ll be at a disadvantage.
The more my stamina decreases, the slower my speed will become.
‘I haven’t landed a single critical hit.’
I repeated the action of taking a step back and dodging the Orc’s attacks. The High Orc started to scream as it continued to miss its attacks.
‘I’m already cornered…’
A tree hit my back. There was no more space to go back, I was like a loach caught in a trap.
The endless game of tag was over.
The High Orc puffed out its nostrils and grinned, its mouth stretched wide.
‘It must be excited at the thought of cutting my head off.’
If I moved even a step from here, my head and neck would be separated. Of course, not if I had a plan.
“It’s a good thing you’re stupid. You son of a bitch.”
Only then did the High Orc realize that there was a mark drawn with a sword under its feet.
It must have been too busy swinging its sword in anger to notice the mark.
‘Even if it evolved, its brain is still at the level of a child.’
A High Orc could easily escape from here. But what if its movements were blocked?
“It should start reacting soon.”
The High Orc couldn’t make a move to finish me off.
Its legs had hardened like stone.
No matter how hard it tried to move, it would have barely felt anything.
[Name: Jormungandr’s Fang]
[Rank: A]
[Description: A sword made using Jormungandr’s Fang. Temporarily paralyzes the opponent. Provides continuous bleeding damage.]
The second artifact that Yoon Ganghyun told me to take.
It was Jormungandr’s Fang, which had a grandiose name.
It was a cheat weapon that could paralyze the opponent and inflict bleeding damage with just one scratch.
“To think it can paralyze even an evolved species.”
Before I could even feel relieved, the High Orc’s flesh was rippling, covering the paralyzed area.
‘…No way!’
My ominous premonition was right.
The High Orc’s toes were gradually moving, breaking free from the paralysis.
Normally, it would take the risk and rush at me right away.
‘Now is not the time for me to step in.’
Just before the paralysis was completely gone, Han Yoosung, who had been hanging from a tree branch, landed on top of the High Orc’s head.
The Orc seemed surprised and its movements froze.
Well, it was focused on the scent of blood, so it wouldn’t have noticed that someone was right above it.
Without any hesitation, Han Yoosung tore apart the High Orc’s eyes with a small dagger.
“Kuaaaaagh!”
The Orc thrashed in pain, but it wasn’t threatening.
No matter how powerful the attack, if it loses its sight, it’s an easier opponent than any other monster.
‘Even a low-level Hunter like me could hunt it!’
I pulled up my leg muscles taut and rushed my sword towards the High Orc’s heart.
Jormungandr’s Fang delivered the final blow to the High Orc.
Disgusting green blood ran down the blade and stained my hand.
The High Orc’s body twitched a few times and then slumped down.
[You have defeated the High Orc.]
[Gained experience.]
[Level up.]
[Level up.]
I only felt relieved after confirming that it was dead one more time.
‘I thought I was going to die.’
I exhaled the breath I had been holding back at the High Orc’s spirit.
If even a slight detail had gone wrong, it would have been us lying on the floor, not the High Orc.
All of this plan was possible thanks to ‘Baal’s Eyes,’ which even hid our scent.
‘Of course, my skills played a part too.’
+++
Name: Han Yoosung
Characteristic: Regressor
Trust: 3%
[Stats]
Strength: 17 Agility: 15 Stamina: 7 Magic Power: 13 Senses: 20
Investment Limit: 10 points
Current Investment Points: 10 points
+++
Before fighting the High Orc, I had raised Han Yoosung’s stats as much as possible.
Thanks to that, Han Yoosung was able to move quickly.
‘It feels strange now that the senses are gone.’
The senses that had been dominating my body until just now had disappeared.
But I felt like I could imitate the movements from just now to some extent.
Han Yoosung grabbed the necklace hanging around the High Orc’s neck and tore it off.
It seemed like that necklace was the item Han Yoosung was looking for.
“This is mine.”
When I kept staring at it, he put the necklace away and gave me a wary look.
He looked like a cat guarding its fish.
Ha! I wouldn’t take it even if you gave it to me?
“Don’t worry, I’m not going to take it, so relax your face.”
I invested 10 points in you, can’t we just end this on a good note?
Jormungandr’s Fang shrunk to the size of a palm when I pulled it out.
It was so small that other people would mistake it for a keychain.
‘What an amazing artifact.’
It’s amazing that it has paralysis and bleeding effects, but it’s also small enough to carry around easily.
I was sure that I could live comfortably for three generations just by selling this one item.
“Ugh! Maybe it’s because I cut an Orc, but it smells terrible.”
My face contorted at the terrible smell that stung my nose.
The smell vibrating from my hands alone was enough to make me want to throw up, so I wanted to go back quickly and wash my hands.
“Then let’s go back now.”
I wish it could have ended peacefully like that.
In an instant, Han Yoosung’s dagger was thrust at my neck.
A chilling gaze was directed at me.
“Until just now, I had no choice but to cooperate, but what is your identity?”
Han Yoosung’s suspicious eyes were a bonus.
[“No matter how I look at it, he’s suspicious. After that guy touched me, my body is overflowing with power. Plus, he knows about the dungeon behind the mountain.”]
I guess it wasn’t going to be that easy.
This was a place that only the regressor Han Yoosung should know about.
It was only natural that he would be wary since I had suddenly appeared in such a place.
The quickly approaching dagger grazed my cheek.
With a burning pain, red blood flowed down my cheek.
“Don’t think about anything else, if you do anything stupid, your neck will be next.”
It wasn’t a bluff or a joke.
Han Yoosung’s chilling eyes were filled with the will to cut my neck off at any moment.
I saved his life, but instead of thanking me…
[“Could he be a regressor? No… that doesn’t make sense. Then it’s more likely that he’s a minion of the system. If so, I have to kill him now.”]
In a way, Han Yoosung’s actions were understandable.
The fact that he had regressed 8 times meant that he had witnessed the world’s destruction 8 times.
The pain of death that others couldn’t understand, the death of loved ones.
It was only natural that anyone’s personality would wear away.
“I just came to help you.”
“What…?”
“I’m a teacher and you’re a student. Han Yoosung, I saw you going into the forest and I was worried about my student as a teacher, so I came.”
It was a statement mixed with half-truths and lies.
If I said that I read his mind and followed him, he would be even more wary.
It was important to be as bold as possible right now.
So that he couldn’t distinguish between truth and lies.
Han Yoosung seemed to hesitate for a moment at my confident gaze.
“The artifacts and strength you have are not something that ordinary people can have.”
“That’s because I’m not an ordinary person. I used to work for the Hongyeom Guild and I received the artifacts as gifts from the guild leader.”
Han Yoosung would also know the status of the Hongyeom Guild well.
[“The Hongyeom Guild… that’s where Seol Ahyeon was, so his skills are understandable enough. If it’s the Hongyeom Guild, they could definitely get items of this power.”]
Wait… he knows Seol Ahyeon?
Judging from Han Yoosung’s thoughts, he seemed to be close to Seol Ahyeon.
Han Yoosung’s expression softened slightly when he thought of Seol Ahyeon.
Maybe they were comrades, or perhaps something more. [“Maybe the difficulty of the dungeon was increased because of this guy’s intervention.”]
I thought he was finally letting go of his suspicions, but once he started suspecting me, it didn’t end.
[“It’s better to keep this guy alive until I have solid information. If it becomes clear that he’s a minion of the system, then I can kill him then.”]
“I’ll believe you.”
Han Yoosung put away the dagger.
I risked my life to stop the world’s destruction, but the person I saved is threatening me…
Taking advantage of the fact that Han Yoosung had turned around, I pressed hard on his temple.
Han Yoosung stumbled back in surprise at the sudden pain.
“What are you doing!?”
“What am I doing? Shouldn’t you at least thank the person who saved you?”
……Thank you.”
“And use honorifics.”
This time, he shut his mouth tightly.
He was expressing with his whole body that he didn’t want to use honorifics with me.
‘Okay, what am I going to do by having an emotional fight with a kid?’
This much of a relationship was enough for now.
It was valuable enough just to have put him in debt.
[The dungeon has been cleared. Rewards will be distributed according to contribution.]
[Calculating…]
[Contribution Ranking 1st: Han Yoosung]
[Contribution Ranking 2nd: Kim Onyu]
As a result, Han Yoosung caught the Orcs and I only contributed to catching the High Orc.
The contribution ranking was a natural result.
[Rewards will be distributed.]
The reward given for clearing the dungeon was not an item.
…Is this the reward?
“Jackpot?”