Sung Joon thought it was strange, but he recalled Rishubaltâs explanation and simply shook his head. He couldnât waste time thinking about that issue.
He could sense more enemies.
The âmonstersâ in the Awakening Dungeon were a lot more proactive than the ones in the normal dungeons. Rather than guard a specific location, they actively moved to intercept the trespasser.
â[email protected]$%!â
â%!^%$!â
He entered the large hall, and was met with five archers and three knights.
The overwhelmingly confident knights elatedly drew their swords, likely due to the five archers behind them, on the guardrail of the second floor.
â[email protected]%%@!â
He could recognize laughter, even if they spoke a different language.
âIt appears that theyâre mocking you, my lord,â Rishubalt said.
âI already know that. You donât have to tell me,â Sung Joon replied.
The archers drew their bowstrings. Sung Joon reacted by drawing his dagger that hung on his waist, and threw it at one of them.
The dagger pierced the archerâs chest and the archer fell flat on his face, while the other archers released their bowstrings. Sung Joon focused on the coming arrows, but felt that they were way too slow.
He evaded two arrows and swung his sword to deflect the other two.
â!%@$!â
â%!$^!â
âReturn!â he said.
Sung Joon could hear the astonishment in the archersâ voices. When they went to draw another arrow from their quivers, Sung Joon threw his dagger, and toppled another archer.
â$!%!$!â
The knights intervened, approaching Sung Joon with their heavy armor clanking on the ground.
Koong! Koong! Koong!
Their steps were heavy, though their movements were conversely quite nimble. As expected of skilled knights. The knights pulled Sung Joon into close quarters combat in order to stop him from attacking the archers.
Rishubalt retreated a few steps back so he wouldnât hinder Sung Joon.
âI can see you!â said Sung Joon.
It was time to end this. Sung Joon raised his sword and cut off their heads in order. Though the knights raised their swords to defend themselves, Sung Joon had already read their movements, and cleverly aimed for the gaps in their defense. The archers were clearly flustered after he slaughtered the knights.
Sung Joon aimed and threw his dagger at them, taking them down one by one.
âAbsorb.â
He ordered his dagger to return, and immediately absorbed the mana. He felt his fatigued body recover.
He looked at Rishubalt and said, âMana Absorption is quite⌠convenient.â
âItâs a technique that you invented, my lord. Itâs more efficient than the one most Mages use,â replied Rishubalt.
âReally?â asked Sung Joon.
âYes. If your synchronization rate increases, itâs possible for you to use the skill at a higher efficiency,â Rishubalt said.
Sung Joon was shocked. It could have a higher efficiency?
âAre you saying itâll recover more?â
âThatâs correct.â
He had been surprised when he had heard that his synchronization rate was only at 5%, and even now⌠Today was full of surprises.
âAnyway, letâs go.â
Sung Joon walked down the hallway.
It felt like he had spent several hours in the Awakening Dungeon. Other Hunters would have taken a ramen break here but Sung Joon used his Mana Absorption skill to recover his mana and stamina following each fight. Thus, he didnât need to take a break.
âEh, I guess I should eat a little first,â he said to himself.
Still, Mana Absorption wouldnât solve hunger, so he had to eat something. He took out a few pieces of beef jerky and chewed on them as he walked down the hallway. After all, he thought it would waste time to sit down and eat.
Monsters ceased to appear, so he arrived at the end of the hall unimpeded.
There was a wooden door in front of him with an old pattern etched into it. Sung Joon concentrated.
âThereâs one presence.â
He felt a restrained killing intent, so it seemed like whoever was in there was preparing for battle.
âWhatâs wrong, Rishubalt? Is there an ambush?â Sung Joon asked, but Rishubalt shook his head.
âNo. Itâs just, the symbol carved on the door⌠itâs familiar from somewhere.â
âWas it a symbol that existed in our land?â
âIâm unsure. I apologize.â
Sung Joon had asked but Rishubaltâs memory wasnât clear. He was right in front of the Boss Room, so he couldnât afford to waste any more time.
He forcibly opened the doors and went inside.
Although the office was worn out, it still gave off a feeling of high rank. He thought it was office, but it was large enough to run around in.
â[email protected]$%!â
Sung Joon had become somewhat familiar with the language after listening to it for several hours, yet he couldnât decipher what the man was saying. However, Sung Joon could tell that he sounded angry when he looked at him.
âIt looks like heâs angry,â Rishubalt commented.
âYou donât have to explain it to me,â Sung Joon said crabbily and took a defensive posture.
The knight in front of him calmed his breathing. Then, his body shot out like a bullet towards Sung Joon.
There was a blue aura around the blade.
The knight was so quick that Sung Joon couldnât completely track him with his vision. However, he wasnât so fast that Sung Joon couldnât predict his next move.
The knightâs attack went the way he had predicted and Sung Joon protected himself with his sword. A blue aura shone on his sword as well.
âUgh!â
âMy lord!â cried Rishubalt.
It had been a feint.
Sung Joon groaned at the dizzying pain at his abdomen. He felt a frightening force from his opponent and took a few steps back. If he hadnât retreated, his organs wouldâve spilled out of his body.
âItâs a swordsmanship that Iâm familiar with.â
Sung Joon withdrew his sword and widened the distance. In general, if he crossed swords with someone, he was able to read his opponentâs movements, but his opponentâs swordsmanship just now⌠it was way too familiar.
He had feinted at aiming for a vital point and aimed for somewhere else. Plus, it was used so skillfully that it didnât allow Sung Joon to counterattack.
âMy lord!â
âI know!â Sung Joon responded to Rishubaltâs warning.
Although the swordsmanship his opponent used wasnât refined, it seemed like it was based on his past lifeâs, or Roukelâs combat swordsmanship.
â[email protected]%%!â
The knight attacked him continuously. Sung Joon had gotten hit once, but he carefully protected himself now. However, he was unable to properly utilize his combat swordsmanship due to his poor synchronization rate. Thus, his wounds continued to increase.
His stomach wound was gradually getting deeper.
âShit, heâs not giving me an opening.â
Sung Joon felt extremely anxious. If this kept up, it would get really dangerous.
The knight kept up a continuous flurry of blows. If Sung Joon concentrated on protecting a vital area, the knight would feint and aim for a different area.
If not for his past lifeâs battle experience, he wouldâve already received a fatal injury and collapsed, a testament to the ferocity of the knightâs swordsmanship.
â[email protected]#%!$â
The knight withdrew his sword and tried to stab Sung Joon. ThenâŚ
Was it luck?
Suddenly, Sung Joon could completely read his opponentâs movements. He struck the side of the sword with the back of his hand. The knightâs sword spun in the air like a wheel and ricocheted to the side.
The knight had only clad his aura around the bladeâs edge, so Sung Joon didnât sustain any injuries.
âUgh!â
Sung Joon kicked the knightâs thigh with a muscular strength that surpassed that of humanity. His kick crushed the knightâs armor and broke the bone.
Now, it was time to make a decisionâŚ
Should he aim for the neck?
Or should he retreat and regroup himself?
âIâve decided!â
Sung Joon quickly made his decision. The knight had already reclaimed his sword, so aiming for the neck wasnât an option. Thus, he decided to retreat.
The knight couldnât pursue Sung Joon easily, as his left thigh bone was broken.
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Sung Joon smirked and raised his hand. Due to the knightâs continuous attacks, he hadnât been able to do this before, but now it was possible.
Sung Joon brought his white light covered hand to his stomach, and saidâŚ