Chapter 64

The hunters were thrown into confusion but tried their best to remain calm, carefully observing the interior of the boss room.

The entire floor was covered in cold gray stone slabs.

The walls were filled with eerie patterns you’d only expect to see in ancient tombs.

A few chandeliers faintly illuminated the boss room.

It looked like a royal audience chamber from medieval times.

There was even…

“Grerrrrk…”

“Keehee!”

Numerous undead monsters had taken their positions, waiting for the hunters.

Most of them were elite-level monsters.

Among the monsters were members of the Cheongrim Guild rescue team, including Hunter Yu Byeong-jun.

One person was missing from their numbers.

Huhuhu—

An ominous and eerie female laugh tickled the hunters’ ears again.

Involuntarily, the hunters glanced toward the far end of the room.

At the center of the room stood a tall black marble throne.

Seated there was a beautiful woman who ruled like the queen of the dead.

Her pitch-black dress that absorbed all light enveloped her body, its hem flowing down like shadows over the stone slabs.

Her cruel blue eyes scanned the hunters from her pale, lifeless face.

The gaze of a predator eyeing its prey.

As she slowly surveyed the hunters, her head stopped at one point.

Frowning, she glared at someone standing at the back.

The veiled figure also looked at the woman.

Their gazes met.

“…”

The woman’s expression darkened.

Si-hyun also frowned intensely under her veil.

Because they knew each other…

“…Oh my, isn’t that the puppet of the hero?”

The woman spoke in an eerie voice. Since it was in another world’s language, none of the hunters understood her words.

Only Si-hyun did.

She alone comprehended the meaning and gritted her teeth.

She had felt a sense of déjà vu.

Still, she never expected this.

To actually meet here…

‘No… maybe I already knew.’

Maybe she didn’t want to acknowledge it.

The fact that she would face an old connection again.

“…”

Si-hyun stared grimly at the woman.

A former member of the hero’s party and one of the women who constantly tormented Si-hyun.

The one who found new power in death – the necromancer.

She was the true master of this space and the real boss of this dungeon.

“Hmm…”

Standing next to Si-hyun, Ji-a turned her head when she felt an intense gaze.

Hunter Yu Byeong-jun was glaring fiercely at her.

“Sister.”

“…?”

“Is that undead?”

Nod nod.

Ji-a confirmed by asking Si-hyun, recalling their conversation over wine.

“[Simple corpses are weak, but he makes these zombie-like things.]”

“[He binds souls through contracts or something.]”

“[They retain most of their former strength, but they’re still corpses in the end.]”

Ji-a instinctively realized those zombie warriors would be her opponents once battle began.

“…?”

Someone tugged at her sleeve.

Turning back to Si-hyun, she saw her communicating through hand gestures.

Ji-a immediately understood – “2:2”.

Meaning she shouldn’t worry since Si-hyun was with her.

Pfft.

Ji-a couldn’t help but smile slightly.

Looking at the situation, the woman on the throne was likely the necromancer.

The necromancer-empowered Yu Byeong-jun versus herself, boosted by Si-hyun’s powerful buffs.

This seemed to be shaping up as a proxy battle.

Ji-a resolved not to lose under any circumstances.

Huhuhu—

The necromancer woman rose from her seat with an eerie laugh, picking up her ornate staff that had been leaning against the throne.

Watching her move, the hunters immediately prepared for battle.

A brief silence.

Then…

Bang!

The moment the necromancer struck the floor with her staff…

“Raaaargh!”

“Creeeek!”

“Keehee!”

Massive combat erupted.

“Haha! Undead scum like you, where do you think you’re going?!”

“Hmm…”

Strong Tankers from the Cheongrim Guild and Seolbyeok Guild charged forward as countless undead swarmed them.

The hunters calmly began fighting the monsters.

And as Ji-a predicted…

Whoosh!

“Aaah?!”

The undead Yu Byeong-jun rushed toward Ji-a at high speed.

Ga-eul screamed shrilly, startled.

‘This is dangerous.’

Ji-a quickly made her decision. To protect the backline, she moved away from the hunters.

As she ran, power surged through her body – Si-hyun’s buffs were stacking.

Though she had received Si-hyun’s buffs before, today’s were especially powerful.

She could feel Si-hyun’s sincerity regarding her battle against Yu Byeong-jun.

“Thank you!”

With renewed vigor, Ji-a clashed with Yu Byeong-jun.

Swish! Clang!

Sparks flew each time their spear blades collided. The sharp metallic clangs cut through the air.

Both being speed-focused hunters, they moved faster than the naked eye could follow, exchanging blows with great tension.

Clang! Clang! Screech!

The rhythmic sounds of metal clashing repeated regularly.

‘…Still so strong!’

Ji-a’s heart raced as she frowned. Of course, being A-rank while facing S-rank, there was bound to be a difference.

But. Absolutely, absolutely cannot lose.

This wasn’t just her own fight.

Si-hyun’s pride was on the line too.

Ji-a narrowed her eyes sharply, keeping her mind cool.

Focusing her concentration to the limit.

“Raaaagh!”

Yu Byeong-jun roared sharply and slashed with his death-infused spear tip.

Boom!

Ji-a countered with a skill of her own, creating a loud explosion that sent her reeling back from the shockwave.

‘Can’t lose!’

Ji-a pushed forward again.

She swiftly swung her spear. The frosty spear blade traced a blue arc aiming for Yu Byeong-jun’s neck.

But Yu Byeong-jun was faster. He blocked her attack by spinning his spear.

From that position, he naturally transitioned into a counterattack.

Ji-a barely dodged by twisting her body.

“Keheh.”

The undead Yu Byeong-jun smirked at Ji-a, confident in his superiority.

His speed, the power behind his attacks – nothing about him was inferior.

Losing almost all rational thought as undead, yet within his remaining instincts…

Yu Byeong-jun felt intense pleasure while continuously attacking.

Clang! Kaclang!

Suddenly, Yu Byeong-jun’s spear tip grazed Ji-a’s shoulder.

Though a long wound appeared and blood splattered, it quickly healed thanks to Si-hyun’s assistance.

Yu Byeong-jun continued his relentless assault, pressing Ji-a harder with increasing momentum.

Continuous exchanges left new wounds on both of their bodies.

Yu Byeong-jun’s injuries were regenerated by the necromancer’s mana.

Ji-a’s wounds were healed by Si-hyun’s blessings.

Two opposing forces created similar effects.

As a result, a literal bloodbath ensued.

“Guh…”

“Kukuku…”

Listening to Yu Byeong-jun’s laughter, Ji-a clenched her teeth. She was definitely being pushed back.

But she had no intention of giving up.

Maintaining unwavering determination in her eyes, she looked for an opening to counterattack.

Ssssk! Plop plop.

Another wound appeared on Ji-a’s arm, splattering blood.

But Ji-a didn’t stop moving.

She returned the favor to Yu Byeong-jun.

Without retreating, she took another step forward.

Pushing herself to her limits, using all her strength, she kept moving.

‘Can’t lose!’

Even amidst the pain, she continued thinking and burning with fighting spirit.

She needed to move faster.

She needed to swing her spear stronger.

Her desire to become stronger and protect people drove her forward.

And…

‘I have Si-hyun!’

Didn’t Si-hyun say it when they were clearing dungeons together?

“Don’t worry, I’ll keep you alive.”

Si-hyun had never lied to her, not even once.

“Huff!”

Ji-a made her decision.

Any injury short of fatal would be fine.

Whatever wounds she sustained, Si-hyun would surely heal immediately.

This wasn’t dependence. This was “trust.”

“Let’s go!”

Ji-a began changing her fighting style.

* * *

The necromancer watched Ji-a and Yu Byeong-jun’s battle.

She sensed the longing of her newly created undead, Yu Byeong-jun.

His strong desire to handle this woman himself.

Moreover, the target seemed close to the “puppet of the hero.”

So she didn’t interfere.

Deliberately creating a proxy battle scenario.

Preventing other undead from approaching them.

As a result, an intense spear battle between the two unfolded.

The more Yu Byeong-jun dominated, the greater her vicarious satisfaction and pleasure became.

However…

“Whew…”

“Raaaah…”

Things started changing at some point.

Which side was even undead anymore?

The female spearfighter didn’t seem to care about her injuries, trading blows.

Getting slashed two or three times but landing precise counterattacks every time.

And it seemed like she was growing stronger during the fight, gradually shifting the balance.

The necromancer frowned.

Clearly, Yu Byeong-jun had the upper hand initially based purely on skill.

Definitely.

Yet…

“Ugh!”

“Kyaah!”

Something changed.

To the point where it was unclear which side was undead.

The female spearfighter ignored her injuries and traded blows.

Even if cut multiple times, she always landed decisive counterattacks.

And it seemed like she was growing stronger during the fight, gradually shifting the balance.

The necromancer frowned deeply.

This couldn’t stand.

Pouring massive amounts of mana into the channel connected to Yu Byeong-jun.

To the extent that she neglected other battles.

But it was only temporary.

Swoosh!

A long gash appeared on Yu Byeong-jun’s arm.

Eventually, he was caught up again and began losing ground.

“Useless…”

Trying to stomp on the “puppet of the hero” through proxy battle.

Only to get stomped on instead – her pride took a major scratch.

The necromancer cut off the mana flow to Yu Byeong-jun.

As a result, the intense duel finally came to an end.

Crack!

“AAAAAHHH!”

“Huff!”

The corpse abandoned by the necromancer was deeply slashed by Ji-a’s spear.

With regeneration halted, the body collapsed.

The necromancer cast a wicked spell on the corpse.

The medium of her magic, Yu Byeong-jun’s body, grotesquely swelled up.

BOOM!

With a loud noise, the corpse exploded.

“Ugh…”

Chunks of the exploded body scattered everywhere.

It was a powerful explosion that shattered the stone slabs beneath.

But it was anticipated.

The opposing spearfighter woman escaped the explosion’s danger with a powerful protective barrier.

The necromancer shifted her gaze to the source of the barrier.

The level of the maiden she remembered wasn’t this high.

Just how much had she grown in these few years?

However, what she had shown so far was merely personal enhancement.

What she truly excelled at was quantity warfare.

“…Let me show you the true terror of a necromancer.”

Her eyes gleamed menacingly with rising spirit.

Her staff slowly ascended.

Bang!

The moment the staff struck the floor!

A massive shockwave rippled out, followed by explosive mana dispersing everywhere.

Wooaaaaaah!

Like an incoming tsunami, waves of pitch-black mana radiated outward from the necromancer’s body.

Powerful mana that could drain the life force of living beings just by brushing against them.

The air in the boss room grew murky and heavy.

“It’s time to finish this.”

The necromancer’s voice echoed ominously.

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