My Very Own Skillbook
Chapter 16
Jung-gu, Seoul, Dungeon No. 3.
I had no information about this dungeon.
I had never lived around here, and even if I had, there was no reason for a D-Rank Hunter to have any connection to a 4-star dungeon.
If I had known in advance, I would have looked into what monsters appeared here, but the examiner kept it a secret, saying they couldn't reveal the test contents, so I only found out today that this dungeon was the exam site.
So I didn't know a single thing—what monsters appeared, what characteristics they had, what the dungeon's structure was like—and anxiety took precedence.
But that anxiety didn't last long.
"Hiyah!"
The axe swung by the man cleaved through the torso of a humanoid monster with wings instead of arms—a harpy.
The sight of the massive axe, which I had wondered if he could even swing, splitting monsters in two with the sound of tearing air was overwhelming.
The problem was that each heavy, powerful strike left him wide open afterward.
Even now, a harpy in the rear was diving through the air, targeting the man's back.
'Fireball!'
I hurled a ball of fire at the harpy.
Screech!
The harpy, engulfed in flames, screamed and crashed to the ground. I plunged my spear into the back of the harpy as it tumbled across the floor.
[You have acquired 30 EXP.]
Only after the harpy died did the man turn around.
"Oh, thanks. Hmm… Hwajin, you're over there, right?"
"Yes, that's right."
I answered deliberately in a louder voice. There was no way the man could see me with his eyes right now.
"That's a very convenient skill, that [Invisibility] thing."
"You're telling me. I wish I had a skill like that too."
Following the man, Hyeri also spoke in an envious voice.
She seemed like a timid person, so she probably really wanted a skill that could hide her body from monsters.
Progressing through the 4-star dungeon was much smoother than I had expected.
The dungeon selected as the exam site was a labyrinth made of wide, large corridors, and the monsters that appeared were all things that looked like half-human, half-animal mixtures.
The monsters' vitality itself was stronger than those in the 2-star dungeons I had run so far.
Unlike the monsters in 2-star dungeons, which would die with a single spear thrust, these half-human, half-beast creatures kept moving even with their stomachs or chests pierced.
It would have been incredibly difficult if I had to face them alone, but fortunately, the exam was taken as a group.
The man drew the monsters' attention by swinging his axe with powerful attacks, and while hidden, I struck the monsters focused on him with [Fireball] and [Flame Spear].
Hyeri's support skills were also a great help. She used skills that enhanced the man's attack power, sped up my mana recovery, and even slowed the enemy's movements from time to time.
She seemed somewhat intimidated and frightened, so I had worried she might get in the way during battle, but standing in the rear, she used her skills when needed and warned us of monster movements we hadn't caught, making combat very comfortable.
The first party I had ever formed showed me how much smoother battle became when facing monsters as a group.
"We work very well together. Want to start our own guild once we reach A-Rank?"
The man joked after we had felled all the harpies.
"Ah, I'm sorry. I'm already in a guild……"
Hyeri rejected the proposal with a face that looked truly sorry. The man's expression stiffened.
I laughed silently.
'Good thing he can't see my face while I'm invisible.'
After stiffening for a moment, the man let out an awkward laugh.
"No wonder you looked so used to fighting in a party. So you were guild-affiliated. Too bad, I'll have to give up on that. Hwajin, are you in a guild too?"
The man asked, looking in the wrong direction.
"I'm unaffiliated."
"Well, competition is fierce these days, so you need to be at least A-Rank to get into a guild smoothly. Still, someone like you would be scouted even at B-Rank. I'm sure of it."
I couldn't bring myself to say that I was D-Rank.
Scratch, scratch.
From behind came the sound of a pen scratching paper. I turned to see the examiner who had followed us moving his pen busily, perhaps writing down scores.
When combat began, the examiner would hide in the rear, and when it ended, he would follow us again.
We left marks on the walls as we headed deeper into the dungeon.
"The boss is somewhere in this dungeon. If you find and defeat it, the exam ends at that point."
The examiner told us.
In dungeons with floors, the boss was always at the very bottom or top, but in this labyrinth-type dungeon, the boss seemed to appear randomly.
When exploring the dungeon, I took the lead instead of the man. The reason was that in my invisible state, the monsters couldn't see me.
We repeated the cycle of fighting monsters, taking brief rests, and moving forward several times. It had been nearly two hours since we entered the dungeon.
'!'
I lightly tapped the wall with my spear to make a sound. After confirming that the people following behind had stopped, I peeked around the corner.
In the middle of the corridor beyond the corner sat monsters with the bodies of horses and the upper halves of humans—centaurs.
All six centaurs held long spears.
The centaur in the center was twice the size of the others and wielded a golden halberd that emitted a mysterious light.
I had no information about the dungeon, but I could tell at a glance just by looking at the monsters.
Without a doubt, it was the boss and the elite group guarding it.
I relayed what I had just seen to the man and Hyeri, who were waiting behind me.
"I think we need to check first whether [Invisibility] works on them. If it does, it'll be easier to start by whittling down their numbers with a surprise attack."
The man nodded with his arms crossed.
"Hmm. It certainly is dangerous to take on six of them head-on."
"We also need to check if my skills work. They might not against elites or higher, even if they work on normal monsters."
After finishing our strategy meeting, we moved into action.
Before battle, Hyeri used her skills to buff the man's attack power and my mana recovery.
Confirming whether [Invisibility] worked was the first priority. I cautiously approached the centaurs.
I saw the boss centaur stand up.
"Ukra!"
The boss's eyes were staring straight at where I was.
'Damn it.'
It was clear that [Invisibility] didn't work.
Meanwhile, the elites seemed unable to understand why the boss was acting that way, looking only at the boss instead of me.
"Looks like your skill isn't working."
The man, who had been behind the corner, approached with his axe. At that, the elites blocked the path in front of the boss.
"The elites don't seem to be able to see me. Please draw their attention for a moment. While they're focused on you, I'll neutralize as many elites as I can."
To gain an advantage in battle, we had to reduce the number of monsters as quickly as possible.
"It seems like it'll be a bit tough, but let's give it a shot. Hrrmph… Wooooah!"
The man let out a roar that seemed like it would tear his ears off and charged with his axe. The elites also ran toward him.
I held my shield and spear forward.
'Charge!'
I used my skill to overtake the man.
'Flame Spear!'
"Kraaack!"
I swung my blazing spear with all my might at the front leg of the lead elite.
The centaur with its front leg cut toppled over, and the charging elites halted.
BANG!
A thunderous roar followed by the man's shout came from behind. I turned to see the upper body of the centaur whose leg I had just cut split vertically.
'Nice!'
His attack power was truly incredible.
Taking advantage of the elites' attention returning to the man, I ran to the nearest one and swung my spear at its neck.
Slash!
The one with its neck severed spewed blood and fell. I could see the other elites staggering back in shock.
[You have acquired 60 EXP.]
'No matter how strong their vitality is, they can't do much with their necks cut.'
I tried to approach the remaining elites.
"Has! Hureki!"
Then the boss in the rear shouted.
The elites split to the left and right.
'Ugh!?'
Sparks were flying from the golden spear held by the boss.
'Dangerous!'
The moment I saw the boss bring down its spear, I rolled my body to the side.
KABOOM!
Everything turned white as a deafening explosion, incomparable to when the man swung his axe, shook my body.
I turned my head.
The floor where I had been standing moments ago was cratered deeper than my knees. Sparks were crackling and jumping from the spot.
'Good Lord.'
I couldn't even imagine what would have happened to my body if I had been hit.
"Hwajin! Are you okay!?"
The man's voice came from behind.
"Yes! I'm fine!"
I could see the boss raising its spear again. The sparks on the spear it held were growing stronger. It was undoubtedly preparing the same attack as before.
'I have to close in!'
It had ordered its subordinates to step aside so they wouldn't get hit. That meant if I stuck close to the elites, it couldn't attack recklessly.
I immediately approached the elites.
"Kard! Rekeg Ren!"
"Ugh!"
But I could no longer approach the elites.
The elites were wildly thrusting their spears forward. The boss, which could see me, had likely given orders to block my approach.
'Then……!'
I used the [Hypnosis] skill. As mana drained from my body, a wave-like pulse spread toward the centaurs.
However, the centaurs were unharmed. [Hypnosis] did not work on targets with Mental Strength of 5 or higher.
'Damn it. Did I think too simply?'
"Woooah!"
The man roared and ran in, swinging his axe at an elite. The elite tried to block the attack with its spear.
Crunch!
However, the heavy blow of the axe shattered the elite's spear.
I could see the other elites targeting the man to protect their comrade.
'Fireball!'
I created fireballs in both hands and threw them at the elites approaching the man. As the fireballs exploded, the elites staggered.
Squelch.
In the meantime, the man attacked the elite holding the broken spear. Its upper body was severed by the massive axe blade.
'Only two left!'
The man raised his axe to attack the next elite. I also ran, targeting another elite.
"Watch out for the boss!"
Hyeri's scream came from behind.
Golden light was flashing from the boss's spear.
'Damn it!'
I had been too focused on the elites.
'Who is it aiming at?'
I raised my shield and prepared [Charge], thinking I would push the man aside and dodge if necessary.
But the boss's attack was completely different from before.
Instead of swinging its golden spear, it raised it high.
KABOOM!
Golden spiderwebs spread out in all directions with it at the center. The range was too wide to dodge.
"Keoheok!"
"Uwaack!"
An overwhelming pain as if my entire body were being pierced by countless awls.
For an instant, I couldn't think at all.
[An intense electric shock pierces your body!]
[You have acquired the new Word
[You have acquired 30 EXP.]
Even so, that voice alone rang out clearly.