The dragon's wings that sprouted, tearing the back.
It was the set effect 'Heavenly Dragon' of 'Mikela.' The effect activates when the sword, armor, and helmet are all obtained, but in the early stages, acquiring them was as difficult as plucking stars from the sky. I managed to buy them through a secret auction.
‘Fortunately, I had the hardest-to-get Mikela’s sword.’
The armor and helmet were relatively easier to obtain compared to the sword. That’s why the immediate purchase price for the armor and helmet was 200,000 gold in the secret auction.
‘There were many trap items with the twin talismans equipped.’
Twin Talismans.
These talismans have an option that allows them to share each other's location.
If you buy them without knowing, you end up revealing your location to the seller.
Some even hid the name of the twin talismans as ‘Secret Scroll.’
These were mainly found in items that should be used from level 1 to 5, and their low prices made them perfect for luring beginners.
‘No matter how I think about it, I can’t shake the feeling that they are looking for me.’
But I can’t shake the feeling that these ‘phishing’ items are targeting me.
The top players in the hall would have known that I cleared Main Quest 2, and they would have understood that I need a lot of equipment to complete Main Quest 3 with excellent results.
They would have listed the necessary equipment at very low prices to pinpoint my location through phishing and then move to kill me.
It might be an overreaction, but it’s better to be cautious.
Of course, the secret auction is too tempting to give up.
‘... I managed to get this.’
I smiled faintly as I looked down at the ground.
I was lucky to get this at this timing.
Instantly, related information appeared before my eyes.
【Hermes' Shoes (Epic) (1)】
★ Shoes modeled after the feet of the ‘God of Wind’ Hermes. It is said to have flowed into the Golden Temple. When worn, you can run as fast as the wind, but you cannot enter the ‘Temple of the God of Wind’ while wearing them.
★ Wearing restriction: All stats 40 (50-10) or higher
★ Talisman (Fairy Queen's Tears): Reduces the wearing restriction (all stats) by 20%.
★ Agility +3
★ ‘Swift’ skill available
An extremely rare item with a socket at the Epic level.
It can be equipped with a talisman, and it has both stat options and skills, making it a versatile piece of equipment. However, due to the wearing restriction, it was originally something beginners couldn’t use.
All stats 50.
Even with a decent talent and class, you would need to be at least level 8 to meet this condition.
Usually, the main stat increases significantly, while the less relevant stats only increase slightly.
But my stats increase by 12 each time I level up. Moreover, I reduced the wearing restriction significantly with the Fairy Queen's Tears.
‘The performance is a bit lacking for level 8, but for me now, there is no better equipment than this.’
Most importantly, ‘Hermes' Shoes’ work perfectly with Mikela’s set option, ‘Heavenly Dragon.’
- I’ll melt everything.
Chid Mamba spewed a thick cloud of poison, which corroded and melted everything it touched.
Flutter!
Whizz!
But the acid couldn’t spread due to the strong wind.
The combination of the Heavenly Dragon’s wings and the Swift skill created small whirlwinds.
Whoosh!
The whirlwinds not only dispersed the poison cloud but also blew away the Chid Worms. Chid Mamba frowned as it faced the intense wind.
- Wind magic? Then try this!
Chid Mamba pulled out its hidden tail. Like a scorpion’s, the tail was coated with a deadly poison. It shot out at an incredible speed, making it impossible to see and avoid.
But.
‘Right.’
If you know which direction it will shoot before it’s fired, you can easily avoid it.
Before shooting, Chid Mamba twists its hands. There are exactly 26 twisting patterns, and each one subtly changes the direction of the shot.
‘Roll.’
I rolled, flew, and ran, avoiding all of Chid Mamba’s poison stingers.
- You little rat!
Chid Mamba’s anger flared.
But with neither the poison cloud nor the stingers working, Chid Mamba was powerless.
I quickly ran up and was now in a position to strike Chid Mamba’s neck.
‘Stop.’
I poured all my strength into my thighs to bring my entire body to an abrupt stop.
Instantly.
Squish!
Numerous thorns sprouted right in front of me.
Hidden poison stingers in the ground.
- You, you avoided even that?
Chid Mamba’s eyes widened in shock.
‘Charge.’
After using all its patterns, Chid Mamba falls into a ‘Confusion’ state for a short time.
A very short time. If you don’t finish it off in one go, Chid Mamba will only get stronger over time.
Squish!
I raised my greatsword and expanded all the muscles in my body.
I approached the confused Chid Mamba slowly while charging.
‘Swift.’
The speed at which I swung the greatsword increased dramatically.
Swish!
I cleanly beheaded Chid Mamba like water flowing smoothly.
The moment Chid Mamba’s eyes, filled with despair, touched the ground.
《Elite Monster ‘Chid Mamba’ has been defeated!》
《Contribution 100%》
《Absorbing ‘Fragment of the Broken Golden Rule’ (10 minutes).》
《Remaining time for ‘Fragment of the Broken Golden Rule’ is 47 hours 56 minutes 39 seconds.》
《Darkness recedes for a moment.》
《Pangea’s collapse: 9.1%》
《‘Lucky Dice’ obtained.》
*
“Screeech!”
Hearing Kim Seo-yeon’s scream, Kim Hana finally regained her senses.
Blood splattered on the floor.
Jung Jin-woo’s severed arms.
And...
‘That man from back then.’
The man who saved her from the Giant Mantis was right there.
Wearing a helmet and armor she had never seen before.
Behind him, red-brown wings sprouted.
He looked a bit different, but it was definitely him.
“A, Ah...”
Kim Seo-yeon collapsed to the ground, trembling uncontrollably.
A vague fear. She couldn’t move at all.
Crack!
“Snap out of it!”
Kim Hana slapped Kim Seo-yeon’s cheek and shouted.
Staying here any longer was dangerous.
Those who could survive had to survive.
Kim Hana hoisted Kim Seo-yeon over her shoulder and looked around.
‘Where’s Hyun-myeong?’
Park Hyun-myeong.
He was nowhere to be seen.
‘Could he have run away...?’
Instantly, a deep frown appeared on Kim Hana’s forehead.
She hadn’t even sensed him running away. He was right next to her when the insects appeared, but he vanished without a trace after the female monster appeared.
Better to die than to stand there dumbly, but even so, to run away alone...
Kim Hana grumbled as she led Kim Seo-yeon.
The priority was to get as far away from this place as possible.
“The back door is also swarming with monsters! Come up to the second floor!”
As Kim Hana was about to head for the back door, a staff member on the second floor shouted.
The building’s exterior was already occupied by giant insects.
“Please help!”
Kim Hana’s cry prompted a few people on the second floor to come down.
Whoosh!
Rattle! Rattle!
A strong wind blew.
The man had instantly dispersed the poison cloud the monster was spewing.
Kim Hana, barely holding onto the railing, turned her gaze.
‘Ah...!’
The monster was shooting poison stingers.
At a speed too fast to see.
If the man didn’t defeat the monster, the remaining people would be massacred in an instant.
There was no way out.
With their hands clasped, they could only pray.
“Please, please...!”
“Is that person also a Dimension Warrior? Right?”
“But, but another Dimension Warrior, Jung Jin-woo, suddenly went crazy and attacked people. It’s too early to be reassured!”
People swallowed their saliva and watched the situation on the first floor with tension.
That man was their last line of defense.
But another Dimension Warrior, Jung Jin-woo, had suddenly gone mad and attacked people.
They couldn’t just assume this person was safe.
“It’s okay. That person is on our side.”
Kim Hana reassured the people.
In the current situation, increasing confusion would only make things worse.
Every time the poison stingers were shot, people flinched.
They were worried that the man might get hit and something terrible might happen.
Squish!
But the man easily avoided the poison stingers, and with a single strike, he beheaded the monster.
The moment the monster’s head hit the ground, another change occurred.
“D, Did we win?”
“The monsters are melting!”
“We, we’re alive!”
People cheered.
With the queen monster dead, the other insect monsters melted away.
“...”
The man turned his gaze to the people hanging on the railing of the second floor.
Then.
Flutter!
He flipped his cloak, and the man vanished without a trace.
“Where did he go?”
“He just disappeared?”
It felt like they had seen a ghost.
Could a person really vanish like that?
Such thoughts were fleeting.
“Are you okay?”
Kim Hana turned her head at the familiar voice from the side, frowning.
“... Hyun-myeong? Where were you?”
“I was in the bathroom.”
In the bathroom?
‘Blood...?’
Kim Hana had keen eyes.
She noticed a small drop of blood on Park Hyun-myeong’s ankle, where his sock had rolled up.
Of course, in this situation, having blood on you wasn’t unusual.
It was from someone else, not an injury.
But the only person who had been seriously injured was Jung Jin-woo.
And Park Hyun-myeong had already hidden himself before