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[Translator - Pot ]
[Proofreader - Kawaii ]
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Chapter 7: Hunter Reawakening, Explosive Spirit Power (2)
TADADADAK!!!
A woman ran frantically down the road, supporting a man who was covered in blood.
Screeeeech!!
Kyarrururuk!!!
And chasing after her from all sides, more than twenty kobolds screamed as they relentlessly pursued them.
"Hahh!! Hahh!"
Her face was filled with terror as she panted desperately, her voice exhausted.
She wore light armor, and a scabbard that should hold a longsword hung from one side of her waist, but the sword itself was nowhere to be seen, perhaps lost during the escape.
"Haa... Hahh!!"
Crash!!
"Kyaaah!!"
Her pace faltered as she ran, and she lost strength in her legs while trying to turn, tumbling to the ground.
The man she was supporting was also flung away and bounced off a wall before collapsing to the ground like a rag doll.
He must have already lost consciousness, his body flung like a doll and now limp.
"No... No!"
Panicked, she struggled to rise and reach for him, but kobolds had already swarmed around them.
Screee!!
Kerrrk kerrk!!
"Why is it like this..."
Sung Jihee, a hunter specializing in physical enhancement, had finally graduated from her beginner status and was advancing toward becoming a seasoned veteran, an E-rank hunter.
Her rank and experience might not be impressive, but she was someone who always took the front lines, drawing the monsters' attention so ranged dealers could hunt comfortably from behind.
That was her role.
So how did things end up like this?
Of the six hunters who initially entered together, only she and the unconscious and blood-soaked man remained.
Something was off about this place.
"Why did it turn out like this..."
She muttered with a despairing expression, slumping to the ground.
Normally, escaping from those creatures wouldn't have been a problem.
Even if there were many, if she had the strength, she could outrun them easily, they're melee types after all.
But that only applies when she's in full condition.
Now, she was on the brink of collapse, barely holding on.
She had no energy left to flee.
The man who ran with her was no longer visible, obscured by the swarm.
Most likely, he was torn to pieces by their frenzied claws.
He wasn't a tank like her, he was a dealer type, far less durable.
There was no way he could survive attacks from monsters of the same rank.
"Oppa..."
With a voice on the verge of tears, she called out to the first person that came to mind.
Then, seeing the pickaxe swinging at her, she shut her eyes.
KYEEEEK!!
Whoooosh!!!
The sound of iron being swung, accompanied by the kobold's scream, rang out.
She clenched her teeth, bracing herself for the agony that would soon follow.
She was ready to give up everything.
THWACK!
Keek!!
"Rude little fuckers, same now as always."
If not for the relaxed tone of the man who clicked his tongue as he spoke, she would have…
***
A particularly large kobold collapsed on the ground, groaning in pain.
In Yeonwoo's hand was a small pebble he had picked up on the way.
This was more than enough to redirect their attention.
They might be small, but kobolds had a huge sense of pride.
After throwing a rock and knocking over their boss, it was pretty obvious that they wouldn't let it slide.
Eyes gleaming with hostility, drooling, they stared daggers at Yeonwoo.
They looked ready to pounce and tear him apart at any moment.
But Yeonwoo, as if familiar with such murderous intent, didn’t even flinch.
These were kobolds, after all, bottom-feeders in the monster hierarchy.
Even in large numbers, he knew their weaknesses well enough.
Due to the way their bodies were structured, the inner part of their ears was especially fragile.
And if you're wondering how that helps,
Shockwave.
BOOM!
KIEEEEEK!!
Even with a weak 1st-circle shockwave spell that usually did little, if applied correctly, it could induce intense dizziness.
GUURGH!
Maybe trying to win favor with the boss, a nearby kobold charged at Yeonwoo but got hit squarely with the spell and stumbled, its pupils shaking, groaning incoherently as it suffered disorientation.
Yeonwoo swiftly twisted the creature’s arm to disarm it, and slammed the back of its neck with its own hand axe.
SPLURT!
Blood sprayed as the kobold crumpled.
Seeing one of them down in an instant, the others swarmed toward Yeonwoo.
Despite their agile movements and sudden charge, Yeonwoo calmly stepped forward.
He stunned the nearest one with another shockwave spell, then smashed its head with the axe without hesitation.
There was no hesitation in his strikes.
WHACK! THUMP!
At first, it was one, then two.
Any kobold that entered Yeonwoo’s range was swept up in his rhythm and quickly cut down.
One kobold even accidentally struck a fellow monster in the head while trying to attack Yeonwoo.
As their numbers rapidly dwindled, Yeonwoo frowned.
He displeased even as he felt some satisfaction.
Now wasn’t the time to be leisurely.
‘I’m definitely low on mana.’
The spell's short duration meant he had to keep casting it repeatedly.
Even using such a basic 1st-circle spell nonstop was enough to tire him out.
Severe mana depletion was normal for Yeonwoo, who hadn’t studied magic extensively.
He rarely used magic in combat, and without a contracted spirit, the burden felt even greater.
Maybe the woman had relaxed when she saw him arrive, because she looked like she had completely lost all strength and was now limp.
Fortunately, it seemed she hadn't seen him fight.
KYAARRRGHH!!!
After the brief skirmish, Yeonwoo grabbed the last kobold by the neck and slammed it into the ground, crushing its skull with the back end of the axe.
As the final kobold turned to ash and disappeared, Yeonwoo threw the axe aside.
As if waiting for that, the axe also disintegrated into ash.
Confirming that not a single kobold remained, Yeonwoo wiped a small bead of sweat from his forehead and clicked his tongue toward the unconscious woman.
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[Translator - Pot ]
[Proofreader - Kawaii ]
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