The centipedes that appeared in the Centipede’s Lair were graceful, wild, and venomous. However, their defense was surprisingly poor, completely unlike their hard-exterior appearance.
“Hup!”
[Kishaaaaah!]
“Haa!”
[Kugegekh!]
Jung Si-woo swung his hammer, killing the centipedes appearing all over the cave without even giving them a look. The sledgehammer took each centipede’s life, one by one, every time he swung it. Nevertheless, over half of them were overkill.
[Quest Condition – Target Overkill of Centipedes: 78/150]
[This is strange?]
Knowing the average level of a centipede soldier was over 80, the spirit became even paler as he watched Jung Si-woo slaughter them one by one in a relaxed manner. There was no way anyone could do it this easily. An overkill cannot be achieved so effortlessly, but why was it possible for Jung Si-woo!
[Perhaps, your level…?]
“It’s ten.”
[…]
The spirit pushed his curiosity to the back of his heart and refrained from asking where the hell did a level 10 like him come from. Only the terrifying sounds of the sledgehammer breaking the monsters could be heard in the otherwise silent cave, as contrary to how Jung Si-woo lightly swung it. If a ghost-like him got hit by that, wouldn’t he be sent straight to the afterlife? Meanwhile, Soo Ah-rin, who was observing Jung Si-woo clearing the dungeon, felt thrilled, flustered, and hollow inside all at once.
“I should have taken into account that just receiving a D++ rank weapon would’ve made him absurdly strong…”
It wasn’t surprising that he was able to locate and attack the centipede so quickly. However, she never expected him to kill them only by lightly swinging the hammer and even achieving an overkill in the process. However, Jung Si-woo proudly raised his shoulders at the surprised Soo Ah-rin.
“If you’re able to grasp the center of gravity on this hammer, you could easily wield it without having to use all of your strength.”
She thought he was simply a predator, but he was a monster who could instinctively pull out the greatest power from a weapon he wielded. He was a genius monster! It wasn’t known what standard the difficulty setting was based on when entering the dungeon, but if you considered the centipede’s level and the specifics of their abilities, the difficulty of [Normal] was based on Jung Si-woo’s physical ability, mana, and equipment level. After observing him like this, that seemed right. In the end, it seemed that the only reason the dungeon could be cleared so easily like this was due to his skill or his natural ‘battle sense,’ his weapon, and his body.
It was indeed an absurd conclusion.
“Anyway, what I don’t like about this dungeon…”
[Kahk!]
Jung Si-woo swung his hammer and neatly struck away a centipede that was falling over his head. It hit another centipede crawling out of the gap in the ground, exterminating both at once.
[Amazing, to kill both monsters at once…]
“Not yet!”
Jung Si-woo dismissed the spirit’s fierce praise to turn around and throw his sledgehammer.
Clank!
Another two centipedes protruding from under the rocks around the cave were crushed by his flying hammer to the point that their family won’t even be able to recognize them. Three to four of them were overkilled.
“…is that I probably won’t have a chance to use mana on these monsters.”
Even with a normal blow, it was already overkilled, and if he was lucky, looting was completed as well, so there was no reason to use mana! Soo Ah-rin almost fainted hearing him.
“I guess I was overly worried about it for nothing.”
“No, we came into an unknown place, so it is natural to prepare thoroughly. So, it’s not your fault. It’s this dungeon’s fault.”
Soo Ah-rin just laughed at Jung Si-woo’s unyielding take on responsibility. The spirit then spoke hurriedly.
[T-then why don’t you try to make a little more fuss?]
“To announce to all the centipedes that I’m here?”
[If you are against a large number of centipedes, won’t you be able to try mana against them?]
“It’s too dangerous.”
Soo Ah-rin dismissed him, shooting a fierce glare toward the spirit.
“I think we could give up on the quest now, Si-woo. This spirit keeps on distracting you, and now he wants you to provoke all the other monsters which are taboo in the dungeon…it seems like this spirit has an intention to harm you instead. I don’t think his grudge is for the centipedes, but you.”
[No, that’s a preposterous misunderstanding. I really want you to kill all the centipedes here!]
Soo Ah-rin was flabbergasted by the spirit’s shameless rebellion. Perhaps if she could use the attack spell, she would have attacked him already. However, Jung Si-woo, ignoring Soo Ah-rin’s words, nodded happily toward the spirit.
“Be assured, I never suspected you for a moment.”
“Si-woo!”
[I knew you would believe me. I sincerely only want the quest to be completed!]
Of course. There wasn’t a moment where Jung Si-woo doubted this guy as his ally. To Jung Si-woo, he was just a mob to catch if he did something else, nothing more or less. What did it matter if you were a Player in your past life? The world was overflowing with humans who act even worse than monsters. But this spirit had nothing to gain from hurting him, so he would just let him be for now as he wasn’t even a threat. Make a fuss and call all the monsters? If they were about the same level as the centipedes right now, it would be too easy; it wasn’t even funny. Even better if they were stronger than these guys.
He didn’t know what the ghost wanted, but he didn’t need to know either because nothing would go according to his will.
“Okay, let’s do it. Hold on tight.”
“Ugh, he’s really stubborn.”
Soo Ah-rin pouted, but she couldn’t stop Si-woo. That’s because she also thought that nothing in this dungeon could harm Jung Si-woo.
“Fuu.. HAAAAAAAAAAAH!”
Jung Si-woo’s yell shook the entire dungeon. Not only that, he swung his hammer-like crazy and started to hit the walls. The wall of the dungeon collapsed due to the tremendous impact, opening the other side of the passage, and failing to overcome the shock wave; the next wall overturned as well. Jung Si-woo ignored the wiggling centipedes in the room and struck down the wall on the other side.
[W-w-what…?]
“The dungeon wall could collapse?!”
The spirit froze, and even Soo Ah-rin was frightened.
“Ooh!”
Nevertheless, there were no useless movements from Jung Si-woo. Every time he moved, the walls and ground shook and collapsed! Even during his endless rampage, he decided that he would only use mana for monsters; thus, Jung Si-woo was breaking down the dungeon with pure physical strength.
“T-the centipedes are coming!”
[You destroyed the places to hide as well!]
The hammer was constantly moving, breaking the walls around them. His voice reverberated throughout the dungeon without a break, destroying everything around him. The ghost, who was observing the scene in front of him, though that whether shouting or swinging his hammer, the scale was beyond his imagination.
[How did you have this power, no, even better than that, without any fear…!]
“Si-woo, the centipedes are here! Centipedes!”
There were no unscathed centipedes. Every time Jung Si-woo swung his hammer, the wall collapsed, but the receiver of that impact and the fragments of the wall were the centipedes.
“It’s still not enough!”
[Kyaaaaaaaaaaah!]
Jung Si-woo hit the falling centipedes above him lightly with his hammer. Just like playing a whack-a-mole game, the centipedes were sent flying all over the place, and Jung Si-woo whacked them in order from the closest to himself!
“Ha!”
[Kii!]
[Kiikik, kiiiik!]
Every time the sledgehammer that was larger than a human head cuts through the air, the body of every centipede in its track exploded violently. The centipedes, rushing to the afterimage created by the swift passing of the hammer, persistently bit into the empty air as Jung Si-woo continued. Shortly after, their heads were crushed in turn by the hammer swinging from the opposite direction.
“Now I feel like I’m fighting!”
“Be careful not to be bitten!”
“Rest assured; I have no intention of getting…bitten!”
[Kshaaaaahk!]
Even though he was swinging the hammer lightly, it moved fast and accurately. It seemed like a skills test. Never missing, no excess movements, moving right to the next target after he annihilated the first, his movement looks like a sophisticated dance. Nevertheless, if there is something that was hard to believe, it was the fact that he still wasn’t using mana. When the walls all around him had collapsed, he searched for a slightly wider area and smashed through, breaking the walls beyond and effortlessly dealing with the centipedes gathered inside.
Whenever he crushed the centipedes, he threw the non-looted centipedes on one side.
[He’s not human…]
It was a different scene than what the spirit expected, and while he was feeling disorganized, he astonishingly blurted what he was thinking out loud. When Jung Si-woo acted ignorant and played by his words, he was relieved, but now this sight was strongly beyond his imagination and plan!
[How did this…but I could barely feel any mana…]
“There were times when I thought mana was the absolute standard of power too.”
Soo Ah-rin muttered silently, looking at Jung Si-woo. There was no doubt to the success of their quest now. The clear dungeon time was unknown. Whether it is the Sky Castle or the Ant Cave, it was impossible to constrain Jung Si-woo. Jung Si-woo’s natural innate force, and the skills he had raised, wouldn’t allow it.
‘Huu…’
On the other hand, Jung Si-woo was halfway into the dungeon’s wall, swinging his hammer against the centipedes appearing from beyond it.
‘This is fun. Did all players live this fun life?’
Due to the absurd strength, he was born with, Jung Si-woo had never done his best in anything related to physical activity since he was a child. It would be more accurate to say that he couldn’t do his best. If he did play to his heart’s content, then there surely would be someone left dead as a result. As a result, Jung Si-woo had to learn how to suppress his power and endure it. Nevertheless, he did receive special treatment for his strength, but people really couldn’t figure out what would happen if he released all his power.
It was no exception even for the martial arts instructors who taught him. When he practiced, he was able to let out some of his strength, but that wasn’t enough. He wanted to make himself known to others, and yes, he did have a good ability that could be shown off. He just wanted to express himself. He wanted to reveal his own power. He wanted to run as hard as possible. Behind the strong desire to be a player, there was certainly not much to be said about what he felt on the inside.
And now, only by reaching the Centipede’s Lair, Jung Si-woo could do his best. In fact, this was still not enough, but he couldn’t be happier that he could jump freely, without the need to avoid harming anyone. Then, Soo Ah-rin shouted in fear.
“Si-woo! A centipede much bigger than the others! Three, three of them!”
[It’s finally here!]
Jung Si-woo, who was deep in his thought while slaying the other centipedes, couldn’t hear Soo Ah-rin’s voice. Soo Ah-rin grabbed the hem of his shirt and tugged at it, causing him to raise his head.
[Kaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!]
[Kugak, Kugagagagagagahk!]
He saw three giant centipedes, 10 meters in length, just like the one Soo Ah-rin mentioned before they entered the dungeon. Originally, due to the limitations of the passage, they would be forced to deal with them one at a time, but now that he crushed all the walls around them, he needed to fight three of them at once.
[Finally!]
“You…!”
At the time when the spirit exclaimed in joy, Soo Ah-rin saw his biting and burning anger.
“Huu.”
Jung Si-woo measured the strength of the centipedes with only his natural senses and smirked while lifting the hammer. And with all his might, he crushes the heads of all three centipedes in the path of the hammer at the same time.
[…]
“…”
The spirit and Soo Ah-rin became quiet. No more centipedes rushed to Jung Si-woo. He realized that there weren’t any enemies left, and he woke up from his trance, finally confirming that the one he had hurt was stronger than the others.
“Mm.”
And said.
“I guess I will just use mana in the boss battle.”
