n

nChapter 7: Gangnam Station (3)

n“Wait a moment!”

n“What is it?”

nTaesoon, who was already annoyed due to Hansoo’s slow movement while he checked the walls and the ground carefully, replied bluntly.

nHansoo ignored Taesoon and searched the surrounding ground.

nMonsters are living beings too.

nThey were dragged along with them into this world but their life habits or markings existed.

nAs Hansoo checked the ground he found a mark that looked like something had been dragged across the floor.

nIn the tutorial area, the monsters that drag their body across the floor are 17 kinds.

nPlus if you take into account the mucus then it is reduced to three kinds.

nIt isn’t the Black Snail. A unique sour smell was not in the air and the markings are only on the ground. If it was the black snail you would see the mucus on the walls as well.

nIt isn’t Chopped Up Zombies either. Because then the markings on the ground would be half mucus and half intestines.

nThen only one choice remains.

n‘Land Mermaid?’

nLand Mermaid.

nThis is actually more like a nickname.

nTheir upper body was a unique shaped human and their lower body was like a grub, from one angle it would look like a mermaid that had been dropped onto the land.

nTo drag their heavy lower body across the floor with their hands, the strength of their hands was very developed and the paralyzing poison that came out of their lower body was dangerous.

nTheir lower body was heavy and the speed of dragging themselves across the floor was only slightly faster than walking but if you aren’t ready and get shot by the paralysis poison, you will witness the sight of your body getting ripped apart by these guys.

nHansoo made an unsightly face after seeing the overall state.

n‘This is a tutorial area with a high difficulty’

nIf every tutorial area’s monsters were different then their difficulties were different as well.

nIt’s not an opponent that you cannot win against but it was indeed a problem to deal with.

nThe Goblin and the Green Worm are similar in terms of physical ability and aren’t that bad when dealing face to face but the consequences could be dire if you don’t know about them.

nAnd because it’s the the first day newbie adventurers not knowing was definite.

nWhen he had first come here, the tutorial stage ended before he came to the train station so he didn’t know but it was set up with rather troublesome mobs.

n‘I guess I need a little more preparation.’

nHansoo stopped and then returned back to the convenience store.

nThe three who had been following mumbled quietly.

n“…It is that psychic power again.”

n“You guys come and help too.”

nHansoo returned, gathered all the Soju (Korean Alcoholic Beverage), flipped them upside down and started to empty them.

nGluglugluglug

n‘They did say it would be here…. but why is something like this here.’

nHe did heard it from the team he made the plans with but after seeing the paint thinner in the corner Hansoo smirked and laughed. (*TL: Paint Thinner is Extremely Flammable and EXPLOSIVE)

nAfter he emptied the Soju bottles, he filled them with the paint thinner.

n‘Is there no diesel around.’

nHansoo just replaced it with a cheaper version and poured some of the sesame oil in the corner then plugged the top with tissue.

n“…Where did you learn how to make a molotov cocktail?”

n“If you live in Korea you should at least know this much. We need to make as much as available.”

nWhen the four made it together, it was done quickly.

nHansoo got the lighters from the side of the counter, handed them one each then gathered the molotovs in two backpacks and another bag and talked to the three.

n“One will throw the molotov and the three will stand in the front. The Rune displacement will be less for the person on the back who is on the safer location. Anybody up for it?”

nTaesoon, who heard that the rune displacement was low, stood without words but Sangjin and Mihee raised their hands slowly.

nHansoo looked at the two and spoke.

n“Get into a consensus, as to who will throw.”

nSangjin knitted his brows for a moment but since he couldn’t bicker with the beauty he was about to lower his hand.

nWhen Mihee was about to make a sigh of relief Hansoo threw out another word as a bonus.

n“As a reminder, it will become much more dangerous from now on. Instead of saying let’s trade during the fight decide carefully now.”

nAt those words Sangjin, who was about to lower his hands, stopped and Mihee looked at Hansoo with a resentful face.

nMihee looked at Sangjin with a desperate face but when Sangjin had no looks of backing down she just gave up.

n“Let’s take turns with it.”

n“…Alright.”

nSangjin thought for a moment but since he didn’t want to bicker around he agreed with those terms.

n‘Should I just go up…’

nSangjin pondered for a moment after hearing that it was dangerous but then shook his head.

nIt felt like if you followed Hansoo something amazing will come out. He also wanted to be part of that.

n‘It seems like he shares it fairly so…’

nIf he lent a hand, would they throw him out.

nHe did say it was dangerous but he could easily run from the molotov throwing position in case of danger.

nSangjin gulped his saliva then slowly headed into the darkness.

n………………………………

nKuduk

n“Uaaak! Throw it! Throw it this way!”

nTaesoon screamed as he saw the monster crawling towards him over the stones.

nHansoo’s poison was very strong.

nEven if they were scratched they would still turn and twist around their bodies.

nIt definitely was worth paying runes for it.

nBut the problem sprang out somewhere else.

nWhilst fighting joyfully, a paralysis poison sketched by his leg.

nTaesoon had already been shot in one of his legs so his movements were not completely free.

n‘Goddamit! I fell for it even though I knew about it!’

nEven though Hansoo had gone out to the front and showed how they spat it out but since the look of them crawling over the ground was funny, he was caught off guard.

nThankfully the location he got shot didn’t melt or anything but the mobs who spread out their long arms and approached in strides were fear itself.

nThem, who had looked slow before, are now almost like grim reapers.

n“uaaaah…”

nSangjin who had been fumbling around, barely lit the fire then threw it towards the location where the Land Mermaids were gathering.

nChuuuung!

nAs the molotov exploded, pieces of flame scattered everywhere.

nKeeeeeeeek!

nAs their skin dried up, they twisted their bodies as if it was painful.

nKudududuk

nAnd at that moment Hansoo ran around between the Land Mermaids and smashed the heads.

nSince the edge was dulled it didn’t cut well but when the Podao was swingged with enhanced strength, it had no problem getting through the skin and muscle.

nOne strike One kill.

nHonestly it didn’t matter if they didn’t die in one strike.

nThe poison on the blade stimulated their nerves and gave them insane amounts of pain.

nThe Land Mermaids still shot out paralysis poison and stretched out their arms but Hansoo dodged most of it and the rest he deflected with a piece of goblin leather.

n‘Does that guy have eyes on the back of his head?’

nTaesoon spun his tongue around as he looked at Hansoo.

nAs Hansoo finished them off and all the enemies disappeared they finally sat on the ground as if the tension was released.

n“Huuah… Huaahhh”

n“Rest a while then bring the runes.”

nTaesoon walked towards Hansoo who was distributing the runes though he was tired.

nAt first he was suspicious that he would cheat them but as he perfectly distributed them he stopped worrying.

nAs if he was looking at the whole warfield the whole time, he knew exactly how many one killed and how much one contributed.

n‘Goddamit, it isn’t much.’

nAfter getting shot by the paralysis shot, he fought while dragging his foot so the amount of runes he acquired was much less in comparison to the floor above.

n‘Fuck… the physical difference between us is increasing.’

nThe one who killed takes the runes.

nBut the combination of the kills of the three was not even a quarter of what Hansoo killed.

nAnd thanks to that the speed at which he hunted increased more and more.

nAs Hansoo’s physical stats rose, it was like he cast off iron chains and was flying around.

n“Eey, **tard!”

nWhen Taesoon felt something boiling up from this chest, he looked at Sangjin and then shouted at him in anger.

nSangjin couldn’t even throw a molotov properly because he got scared by a Land Mermaid that was walking towards him.

nEven though he was a friend since he couldn’t even do that properly while they fought with their lives on the line, Taesoon’s anger exploded.

n“Uuuu…”

nAs Sangjin made a sorry expression Hansoo spoke while looking at Sangjin.

n“Come and take the runes. The recovery will be faster after you raise the stamina”

nAnd after Hansoo concluded his words, he started to cut the belly of the Land Mermaids.

n‘Let’s see. If you open the area between their rear end and the belly button… it’s here.’

nHansoo took out the paralysis poison sac from between the slit of the stomach, carefully shrouded with goblin leather then started to carefully squeeze it out as if he was making medicine and poured it into an empty shampoo container he brought.

nThough it wasn’t useful against the Land Mermaids it was definitely useful against the life forms of the third floor.

nTaesoon then looked at his and Sangjin’s runes by Hansoo’s side.

n‘If I take those runes too… I can somewhat catch up.’

nTaesoon’s eyes shone as he screamed and marched on.

n“Why would you give it to a bitch like him! It’s better for me to take it and fight!”

nA sword stopped his way when he stomped towards the runes in anger.

n“…Are you really going to be like this.”

n“The distribution must be fair. You’re not supposed to touch the food line.” (*TL: Food line = a way for someone to survive)

nAt those words Sangjin, who had been trembling in the back, slowly came to the front and took the runes that were considered his.

nMihee, who was sighing, asked Hansoo cautiously.

n“Isn’t it annoying or anything?”

nThough they were fighting zealously but to Hansoo it was probably frustrating to no end but he did not get angry a single time and kept on heading down steadily.

nHansoo merely shrugged his shoulders.

n“If it’s this much it could be considered gentlemanly.”

nNormal College students. They didn’t even go to the military.

nHalf were female.

nAnd they were dragged here with no form of preparation.

nWill it make sense to fight like a special forces warrior on the first day here against monsters who want to rip them apart.

nTo those who were living a normal life before, that was a normal reaction.

nIf it wasn’t such a dire situation like this they would have never thought of holding a sword.

n‘Well I was crazy in the past so…’

nEven if he knew that he could only learn 7 skills he would have still learned Dororo Lizard’s Essence.

nBecause he was not in a situation where he could afford to not learn it.

nThe days where he ran around barely holding onto his lifeline after learning a Lizard Essence were still remembered by him.

nHansoo, who had finished his thoughts, looked at the three in front of him.

nHansoo didn’t have any plans about saying anything about things they couldn’t do.

nAs he lived through the abyss life, he found out that the ones that latched onto your ankles in the end were not the ones who were scared or weak near the beginning.

nRather it was the ones that were fearless and strong that made problems.

n‘It doesn’t matter if they can’t do it”

nAs long as they have a limit to what they can’t do.

n“You aren’t abandoning us, right?”

nMihee watched Hansoo with teary eyes and at those words Sangjin and Taesoon both jerked.

nBecause they felt it through their body.

nThe only reason they can remain friends and talk leisurely like this was due to Hansoo.

nThen Hansoo smirked.

n‘It seems like they’ve got the wrong idea.’

nHe never took them in so what would he be abandoning?

n“You three are doing well enough so don’t worry. Since we’ve rested somewhat let’s continue forward.”

nThese were not empty words, the three were not at the level of grabbing onto ankles.

nEven if Hansoo fought alone the speed would’ve been around the same. From another point of view he was able to move about more freely because the three took away some of the attention.

nIf the number of monsters were limited it would be different. The only thing that they weren’t short of were monsters and the important thing was how many runes you took in the limited time.

n‘Let’s see’

nHansoo checked his stats as he picked up his runes.

nKang Hansoo Strength: 25.3

nStamina: 24.5

nAgility: 14.1

nPerception: 15.2

n‘As I expected’

nThough it was random you couldn’t ignore the specialties of the entity.

nThe Land Mermaids had high strength and stamina. It seemed like he had gained a lot of strength and stamina in a short amount of time.

n‘It isn’t bad’

nRather strength and stamina were more important right now.

nAgility and perception runes had a good effect but he can replace them with battle skills and experience.

nBut on the other hand the strength to get through the armor and the stamina that helped with healing and the duration of how long one swings their sword was more important during the fight.

n‘And another thing’

nHansoo moved his hands towards the last stamina rune on the ground anxiously.

nAnd that moment Hansoo’s stamina rose from 24.5 to 24.8.

n‘It’s above 50’

nThe moment the addition of Strength and Stamina rose above 50 the air suddenly stretched apart.

nAnd that the same time a familiar yet unsightly face came out.

n‘A mission has been given.’

nHansoo smiled at the Fairy that had appeared in front of his eyes.

n