Jeonga shouted while looking up at the ceiling.
Rock Spiders, naturally, don’t just come from the ground like humans.
To prove that, the first wave of attacks started from the ceiling.
“I’ll aim for its forehead!”
Ping-
Into the darkness, where it was hard for ordinary people to see, Jeonga shot an arrow.
Having leveled up, her skills were much cleaner than before, and the arrow’s speed was noticeably faster.
“Kyaak!”
She hit it.
However, she didn’t hit the forehead.
She hit near one of its eyes, which seemed painful, but the rest of the eyes became even more fierce.
Its movements didn’t seem hindered at all.
In the end, it seemed like Jeonga might be the biggest victim in this party.
Thanks to Sunhyung’s laziness, she wasn’t dealing with opponents weak to fire.
Anyway, while Jeonghyun was thinking about this, the spiders were approaching rapidly.
“Jeonghyun, get ready for the collision!”
Sunhyung, holding a shield, said to Jeonghyun without turning around.
“Yes!”
The Rock Spider’s nickname was ‘Head-hunter’ because it would sneak up from above and quickly snap the neck.
Even though it couldn’t be called a surprise attack now, its basic instincts hadn’t changed.
Jeonga’s second arrow hit one of its legs, but it wasn’t the third leg.
Hitting the exact leg on a target moving at such speed was a challenging task.
Before she knew it, a Rock Spider had reached Sunhyung from behind and suddenly shot up towards his head.
Thud-
The sound of the spider colliding with Sunhyung was unbelievable.
Sparks flew as its sharp pincers clashed with the shield.
This was already expected.
A series of planned actions had to unfold.
“Suck!”
First, they had to detach the spider clinging to the shield.
Jeonghyun, with a mace, forcefully struck the spider’s third leg, making its leg wobbly.
Feeling that, Sunhyung slammed the shield into the ground, throwing the spider off.
“Sangsoo, now!”
“Okay!”
At that moment, along with Sunhyung’s call, a flash shot from behind.
It was Sangsoo’s lightning magic.
Zap.
It seemed to pass close to Jeonghyun and Sunhyung, but it was probably just an illusion.
Despite the Rock Spider having strong lightning resistance compared to other monsters, living creatures couldn’t be completely free from electricity.
“Kigik-”
The spider writhed in pain, upside down.
However, there was no sign of it dying immediately.
“Isn’t it dying even from this?”
Seeing that, Sangsoo, somewhat surprised, made another magical attack.
After taking the follow-up hit, the Rock Spider slowly curled its legs and died.
The smell of burning filled the narrow cave.
Jeonghyun shifted his gaze from the spider to Sangsoo, who had attack two consecutive lightning spells.
‘Do you have some mana to spare?’
Usually, mage have powerful firepower but often struggle with endurance.
Using magic not only consumes a significant amount of mental energy but also requires a considerable amount of mana.
Mage were known to avoid using magic when they could, especially when their mana was not plentiful.
While Sangsoo was seemingly participating without minding his own mana, there was a hint of competence.
‘Probably, he didn’t bring anyone with him from Jungjin, huh?’
Thinking about that, Jeonghyun had an internal doubt.
As soon as he confirmed the spider’s defeat, he made eye contact with Sangsoo.
Even though Sangsoo made eye contact with Jeonghyun, he didn’t avoid it but rather put on a proud smile.
‘Look at this guy.’
He seemed to have gained confidence after almost single-handedly defeating the spider in the first battle.
For Jeonghyun, who had received tips from the workshop’s Team Leader, this was somewhat repulsive.
Originally, igniting such competitiveness against an F-rank hunter was despicable.
Although it wasn’t entirely hopeless in terms of skills, it was still pathetic.
Of course, to Jeonghyun, who had confronted the skills of Jucheol and Heesoo, it was trivial.
“Wow, Sangsoo, you seem more skilled.”
“Hahaha, I got some tips from Senior Cha Junwon.”
“Cha Junwon? The B-rank Mage from Jungjin?”
“Yeah, he’s also a scout for me, and we’re in the same magic system, so it was simple.”
Meanwhile, Sangsoo, having received praise from Jeonga, seemed to be smiling that reach up to his ears.
To hunters who fought close combat, mage were like a fantasy.
Their performances were flashy, and even if they were hunters, they fought with entirely different mechanisms.
Jeonghyun himself admired Heesoo’s magic when he first saw it.
‘He seems like a decent guy as long as he does what he’s supposed to.’
Leaving behind the cheerful Sangsoo, Jeonghyun took out his work knife and approached the Rock Spider.
Sunhyung quietly added a comment.
“How we dissemble the Rock Spider?”
“For now, its claws are popular. After that, the belly shell. If it’s a female, we can take the venom sac too.”
“The belly? Isn’t the shell a harder part than that?”
“Um… According to the team leader, its appearance isn’t suitable for making equipment… It’s too bulky, so the belly is the best.”
“Oh, I see.”
Having briefly questioned it, Sunhyung quickly accepted Jeonghyun’s answer.
Certainly, the body shell of the rock spider was tough.
Even though Jeonghyun had struck it with a mace, there were marks, but it wasn’t shattered.
But who would want to wear such an ugly piece of equipment?
Demand wasn’t nonexistent, but the price was too low compared to the volume.
“But you’ve leveled up, and it seems like you’ve gotten much stronger than last time. Not only did you notice things first, but even though you mentioned weaknesses, these guys are notorious for being cunning, yet you took them down effortlessly.”
As Jeonghyun handled the claws, his hand paused for a moment.
‘I wonder if Sunhyung, who’s fighting alongside me, has noticed to some extent?’
A lot happened in the middle, but it was just for a short period.
However, Jeonghyun had already thought of some excuses.
“Oh, I handle a lot of monster carcasses, you know. Now I’m sure where to hit to unleash the power.”
“Right. Jeonghyun, you’re hardworking, huh? Against zombies and skeletons too?”
“Yes, of course. I even gathered the courage to replace all my equipment. This is no joke.”
Jeonghyun rotated his shoulders to show off.
The effectiveness of the equipment wasn’t a baseless claim.
Although he didn’t move extensively, Doyle’s equipment was truly remarkable.
Unlike the stiff rental equipment, it felt like he was wearing everyday clothes. The joints were sturdy too, making it much more comfortable to use strength, and it reduced the worry of unexpected injuries.
Sunhyung also scrutinized Jeonghyun’s armor with great interest.
“Indeed, your appearance is quite unusual. Is it Tandan Orc leather? Where did you get it?”
As a Tanker, Sunhyung preferred metal armor. Currently, he was wearing armor made partly of chainmail and partly of leather.
However, judging by the quality of the leather armor of Sunhyung, one could see the quality of the metal armor.
It wasn’t unreasonable to ask about the place of purchase.
“Do you know the Association Workshop?”
“Workshop? Ah…”
Sunhyung’s enthusiasm quickly faded upon hearing Jeonghyun’s response.
For those who had some experience in hunting, the Association Workshop was a place they had probably heard of at least once. The problem was that most of what they heard was negative.
Perhaps Sunhyung also heard stories about the workshop and was currently thinking about how much of a rip-off it was.
“You’re indeed not ordinary. Normally, people just buy from the internet or stores.”
“Well, I don’t have much money.”
Sunhyung’s gaze towards Jeonghyun now was sympathy.
“Let’s somehow earn a lot today and hang out. What do you say?”
“…? Yes. Whatever.”
Although he wondered why Sunhyung was looking at him so pitifully, anyway, he nodded his head because it was true that they needed to earn a lot of money.
To allow Jeonghyun to concentrate, Sunhyung moved aside, and he soon started humming a tune.
“Shall we try tearing apart a rock spider~”
Anyway, a Rock Spider was roughly around 800,000 won (around 615 USD) each.
It was a profit incomparable to dealing with zombies or skeletons, even though it was a bit more dangerous.
Moreover,
‘These Rock Spider are somewhat manageable.’
Although they were weaker than the inner spiders, he could handle their movements quite easily.
‘If it’s a boss-level monster, it might be a bit challenging.’
Thoughts about the boss-level monster he heard before coming here briefly crossed his mind, but he quickly dismissed them.
The purpose of this hunt was not to delve so deeply into such matters.
Unless something unexpected happened, they wouldn’t encounter any serious trouble and would return without seeing any hidden parts.
Instead,
‘I should try using this.’
Jeonghyun looked down at the daggers hanging from his waist.
He had practiced throwing them for a while, although he obtained the D-rank attribute, and he had not practice them yet due to lack of time.
“So, were you amaze by my magic? My skill level is better than you’d think.”
“Well, well, you’re amazing.”
Constantly engaged in explaining his story to Jeonga from behind, Sangsoo was still not giving up.
Jeonghyun smirked.
Could he still speak confidently even after the daggers were thrown?
***
The Rock Spider not only looked formidable but each of their actions also had a knack for annoying people.
Sagagak-
For example, the sound of them running hard from a distance was one such thing.
Especially for Jeonghyun, who sensed their approach much earlier than others, it was more nerve-wracking.
He’d rather hear the sound of nails scratching a blackboard.
Not only the spiders attacking them to approach but also the sounds of movement far away in the cave were vaguely audible, causing additional stress.
‘This time, three of them?’
The number had increased a bit.
Until now, the spiders that came out separately from the group attacked one by one.
“They’re coming. This time, it’s three.”
“Everyone, get ready!”
Before they found Jeonghyun’s words strange, but now, the party members believed in Jeonghyun’s words without a doubt.
Even Sangsoo, despite his constant nagging, prepared his magic without a word as soon as Jeonghyun alerted them about the approaching spiders.
Now, Jeonghyun seemed to have proved his ability to a point where he could be considered a great scout.
However, from now on, things would be a bit different.
Dealing with all three of them in close combat would be quite challenging.
It was not easy to attack their third leg, and their relentless attacks made it difficult to land a hit.
Therefore, it was necessary to intercept one of them in advance.
“Oh? Are you using a dagger?”
Seeing Jeonghyun holding a dagger in one hand while gripping a mace in the other, Jeonga asked.
“Yes, I haven’t done anything special so far. I thought I’d help Jeonga too.”
“Well, even with a dagger, it’s good to increase your contribution.”
Sangsoo continued to sneer whenever there was an opportunity.
Regardless, Jeonga, watching Jeonghyun taking a dagger in preparation, also prepared to throw her own arrow.
Although Jeonghyun couldn’t precisely gauge the range or how to correct his aim like the Decent Combat Sense did, he had a vague sense of it.
Like this, throwing it like this, and hitting it like that.
‘If this doesn’t work, I should file a complaint.’
Recalling the nightmare-inducing adaptation pain, Jeonghyun shivered for a moment.
Adaptation pain was the pain that came from changing his body to match his special skills.
Just as sensory skills naturally engraved themselves into his body, he assumed that the same was true for his stealth skills.
’30m, 25m, 20m…’
Quietly measuring the distance in his mind, Jeonghyun contemplated. While he felt confident he could hit the target if he threw it now, since it was his first attempt, he decided to wait until he could visually identify a suitable spot.
Moreover, it made practical to wait for Jeonga to shoot her arrow first.
“This time, aim for the leg!”
Ping-
As expected, Jeonga’s arrow was the first to soar through the air. The first few times were close calls, narrowly missing, but now she seemed accustomed to the Rock Spider’s movements, and the arrow gradually approached the third leg.
And this time,
Kiri-lick!
“Hit!”
Jeonga’s arrow successfully pierced the joints of the third leg and the torso with precision.
Soon the spider came from the ceiling and it couldn’t withstand the shock to its nerves and tumbled to the ground. It would probably stay in that state for about 10 seconds. Enough time for a decisive move.
And as soon as Jeonghyun confirmed this, he immediately sent his dagger flying.
Splat-
A slashing sound comparable to an arrow piercing through. The dagger, tearing through the air and darkness,
Swish!
“Huh?”
“What?”
Not only did it precisely tear through the spider’s forehead, but it also pierced through until it stopped at the handle.
And the spider seemed to have died instantly,
Thud-
Leaving only the sound of its fall without any further movement.
Moreover,
[You have acquired 1 coin.]
Accompanied by the cheerful sound.
“What’s going on? How… Ugh!”
Having failed to grasp the situation in time, Sunhyung hastily exerted force on the arm holding the shield when the spider approached at close range.
Ironically, the most surprised was Jeonghyun, the one who killed the spider.
‘Is this… the power of D-Rank?’
The effects of the D-Rank were much stronger than he thought.
