Chapter 7 Part2 (1/2)
<chapter 7.=”” three=”” way=”” -=”” 2=””>
Lee s.h.i.+n Woo accepted the quest, left the clearing and approached the sewer's ceiling.
He had gone through the entire sewers over and over again for several days, so he knew the structure of the sewers well. There were other ways besides the official entrance to get into the dungeon, so the opposite was also true.
'Good, as I expected, there's a crack.'
He used his Bone of Thunder Lasting to shatter a drain pipe. No matter how tough the drain pipe was, it wouldn't be able to endure a hardened, Lv3 weapon's Power Slash.
- Kwaaaa
A heap of dirt spilled out and fell, but Lee s.h.i.+n Woo didn't let it bother him. It had been a long time since these sewers had lost their original purpose. He wasn't going to complain just because of some dirt.
'It shouldn't be blocked to the point that I won't be able to come back, right?'
Of course, it didn't matter, even if it were blocked. He would just break through it and go on his merry way. Like right now! He returned his weapon, and like a mole, violently dug through the dirt, and procured a route to the surface.
He couldn't have even dreamed of doing this when he was still human, but since he was an undead that didn't need to breath now, it was quite simple. Since the sewers weren't that deep, he was able to escape rather quickly.
”Hoo.”
Lee s.h.i.+n Woo, who had gotten outside, sensed a huge presence straight in front of him. Would it take around 2 minutes by running? It was a distance close enough that could be seen with the naked eye. A black haired Asian girl was in the middle of running hectically; behind her, a huge three meter giant undead was quickly chasing her...
[Lv4 Acid Ghoul - Edward L. Baker]
[You have found the target of your revenge. When you initiate battle, all abilities increase by 20%. Flames of Revenge receive an additional 20% increase.]
”Ha, really.”
The one he had encountered, and succeeded in barely running away from was none other than that Giant Zombie! Moreover, it had grown to become a level 4 Ghoul!
[Human...! It's been a long time since I've seen... a human possessing such appetizing flesh...!]
”Ggyaaaaaaaahk! Save meeeeeeee!”
Though its body was smaller than the last time, considering how the Acid Poison it spread was getting stronger and stronger, as well as how its movement speed seemed faster than a normal monster's, it was certain that it had leveled up.
He had thought that it wasn't a normal monster, but why did it have to be the one to rise to level 4, and why did it have to be the one attacking another hero...
'Should I run away?'
Lee s.h.i.+n Woo naturally thought. However, he soon shook his head.
It wasn't because he pitied the girl, who was weeping and ran while dragging her injured leg. It wasn't sympathy, contempt, goodwill, or regret either.
Rather, he didn't feel anything for the girl, to the point that he felt like he'd start feeling contempt for himself. He would've readily helped her if it wasn't very difficult, but it was also a situation where he didn't really want to actively help her. It made him realize that he was a completely different person from before.
Despite that, there was only one reason why he couldn't easily back down. He coveted this quest reward so much that he was ready to sacrifice a life or two to get it.
'Moreover, I have the Avenger skill right now, as well as the Flames of Revenge...'
All of his abilities increased by 20%, so even though the zombie had amplified its stats by reaching level 4, he thought it was definitely worth a shot. He hadn't been aware that the Avenger skill would additionally buff his Flames of Revenge skill, which was a happy miscalculation. He had procured a surefire way of inflicting damage to it.
Moreover, the fact that it was a monster that used Acid Poison was another reason that made Lee s.h.i.+n Woo so bold. He had already cleared the slimes' den and come out, and in the process, his Acid Poison Resistance had gotten to the low rank level! He was sure he wouldn't be helpless against its Acid Poison this time.
Now that his mind was made up, there was only one problem left.
'Can I take care of this issue without exposing my ident.i.ty to that girl?'
Ideally, he would act as an aloof Skeleton Knight, who wandered around following the collapse of the Empire; he would take care of the Acid Ghoul, receive the quest reward, and leave worry free... He wasn't sure if that would actually work, but for starters, Lee s.h.i.+n Woo decided to run with that concept for now.
Of course, even if he is exposed, it wouldn't be too much of a problem. He was an undead, but it was undeniable that he was also a hero. He had all the evidence in the world to prove that he was one.
”Alright, then...”
Lee s.h.i.+n Woo finished all of his calculations and raised his index finger. A black flame wrapped around his finger and softly burned.
He carefully raised his finger and aimed at the Acid Ghoul, whose heavy feet stomped onto the floor, and ran quickly. Perhaps it was by chance, or perhaps it was necessity, but the girl was running towards him, and because of that, it became much easier to aim at the Ghoul.
”Ready... Aim... FIRE!”
His index finger was launched, accompanied by a simple, short, and powerful pain.
The black flame engulfed the index finger and it went afar, faster than any bullet; it cut through the air, advanced, and burrowed into the Ghoul's shoulder!
'Tch.'
Lee s.h.i.+n Woo briefly clicked his tongue. It was obvious, but he had originally aimed for its head. Of course, even if he had hit its head, he probably wouldn't have taken it down in one hit, but he was disappointed it didn't work out.
[Guwoooooooh!]
”An undead...!? But that attack just now...?”
While Lee s.h.i.+n Woo was busy complaining, the Ghoul, as well as the girl, inspected him. The Ghoul shrieked, filled with pain and anger, and the girl was incredibly fl.u.s.tered at the unprecedented sight of an undead attacking another undead.
”Oh, ggyaahk!”
Because of that, she sprained her ankle and fell to the floor. That dumba.s.s!
[Human! Eating!]
Rather than punish the skeleton that attacked it, it seemed like the Ghoul decided to eat the human in front of it first. Lee s.h.i.+n Woo inwardly wanted to get rid of her of right now, and exploded the index finger burrowed in its shoulder!
[Ggaaaaaaaaaaahk!]
”Euguk, Euuk, heuggeuk...”
The effect was amazing! The Ghoul was about to grab the girl's head with its rough arm, but its shoulder joint burst; it wasn't able to endure the horrific pain and stood in place, roaring in pain.
Whereas it seemed like the girl had realized that she had just escaped death, and even while crying, desperately moved her body and escaped the Ghoul. She had already been afflicted by its Acid Poison, so about half of her clothes had been melted, and she truly wasn't dressed decently. However, Lee s.h.i.+n Woo wasn't agitated by that at all. It should've been alright if he'd been a little uneasy, though...
[Kuwaaaaaaaah! Annoying, a mere skeleton!]
”Jeez, you burn well. It's hot enough to cook a sweet potato!”
The satisfying result of his attack soothed his regret of losing something important. It was because above the Ghoul's tattered shoulder joint, the clear black flames still blazed on, and gnawed at the Ghoul.
He knew it was an amazing combination, but he didn't think it'd be this effective. If he could repeatedly use this technique from afar, whether it be an Acid Ghoul or anything else, they would die all the same.
[Annoying guy, die!]
”Tch.”
However, that was still only the ideal situation. There was no way that his opponent would take that kind of horrific pain and idiotically stay put. The Acid Ghoul seemed to be really p.i.s.sed, as it even let the appetizing human go, and sprinted at full speed towards him!