Chapter 38: Ground Zero (3)

Chapter 38: Ground Zero (3)

Certainly, because he came prepared, it turned out to be a profitable deal.

Had he wandered by unknowingly, he might have forfeited his life, his most valuable asset.

This is why even adventure-seeking hunters usually avoid Ground Zero. Its unpredictability of death is a constant threat.

Consequently, only criminals with nothing to lose flock here. Only those unafraid of death dare to roam around Ground Zero.

As he looked around, skeletons began to appear more frequently.

Even without the mutant sunflowers, numerous dangers could claim a hunters life.

The skeletons bore silent testimony to the severity of this place.

Any items or wallets their original owners might have possessed were nowhere to be found.

It seemed someone had simply taken the valuables and left the bodies untouched.

Of course, such occurrences were typical here, so they hardly surprised him.

Observing the vast array of skeletons, reminiscent of an enormous graveyard, he ventured deeper.

He still had about 1km to go to reach Area 5.

Given Ground Zeros expanse, merely traversing one area took considerable time.

Moreover, the proliferation of thick bushes, uncurbed by any weeding or logging, posed an additional problem.

Nonetheless, as he neared Area 5,

Kang-hoo spotted something unusual.

Why hasnt anyone touched this?

Beside a rock lay a hunters corpse.

It was slightly decomposed, clearly indicating death.

However, what remained near the rock was a dagger emitting a red glow, firmly grasped in the corpses hand.

While the nearby skeletons had been stripped bare to the point of taking their clothes,

This particular body was strangely intact.

It was evident that several days had passed since the hunters demise, yet there were no signs of disturbance.

Rushing towards it would be the act of a rank amateur.

Yet to disregard it out of fear was the behavior of a middling hunter.

A cautious, perhaps overly safe decision.

The Black Inducer.

Kang-hoo immediately grasped the true nature of the situation.

He detected a faint trace of mana emanating from the swollen clothes of the corpse, which lay dead with its head bowed.

His mana-tracking ability, far more sensitive than that of other hunters, had proven its worth.

It was a trap.

The deceased hunters belongings were deliberately laid out to entice other hunters.

Then, the trap would swiftly assault any hunter who came near, leading them to their demise.

Lets give up.

He shook his head, rejecting the idea, and turned in the opposite direction.

To an onlooker, he would have seemed the very picture of a coward, overwhelmed and retreating.

But as he prepared to change course by circumventing a thick tree,

Ssssh!

He activated Shadow Step.

Kang-hoos shadow extended from him, taking a wide arc towards the corpse.

Whoosh!

He timed the switch with his shadow precisely.

In a moment, he transitioned from the trees concealment to the front of the corpse.

His maneuver was executed flawlessly.

Taah!

He swiftly grabbed the dagger clutched in the corpses hand.

Then, employing Shadow Step once more, he traded places with his shadow, which had surged forward.

Ugh.

He bit down hard on his lip.

The Shadow Step skill not only drained mana but also imposed the greatest physical toll of all his abilities.

In other words,

There was a limit to the strain his body and mind could withstand before mana hypersensitivity set in.

Surpassing this limit would induce mana hypersensitivity, with the consequences of Shadow Step being the most severe.

His satisfaction was palpable.

This location is really something else.

Kang-hoos expression contorted as he caught sight of the blooming Mad Solarkium flower.

The optimism that had lit up his face moments ago vanished, replaced by an air of discontent.

A Mad Solarkium flower was perched precariously in the center of a cliff towering over 30 meters high.

And there was more.

True to the original narrative, a guardian known as an Enforcer stood vigil near the Mad Solarkium.

Its official title was Punisher.

The nature of the Punisher was determined by an arbitrary type, and the type guarding this place happened to be an assassin.

Ssssh!

Red energy swirled around the Punishers body, and its overall aura seemed stronger.

A characteristic of the Punisher was that its power changed depending on the composition and level of the hunters nearby.

Of course, this only applied within a 50m radius of the Mad Solarkium, so it was a special condition.

There was nothing to be wary of anyway.

All the dungeons Kang-hoo had conquered were always two to three times more challenging than his level.

The Punisher would become stronger, but as long as it was within predictable limits, it wouldnt be a problem.

Whoosh!

As expected of a guardian protecting the Mad Solarkium, it lunged at Kang-hoo first.

Its movement was faithful to the basic belief of the assassin class: strike first to win.

[Swift Evasion]

Kang-hoo used Swift Evasion immediately.

There couldnt be a more fitting situation for this skill.

The Punishers attack was so sharp that it drew an orange line in the dark night sky.

Whoom!

The Punishers attack only brushed past Kang-hoos afterimage, as he had swiftly moved away.

The energy, full of anticipation, was disrupted by the suddenly enhanced evasion rate.

The battle between two assassins was thrillingly intense.

The moment an attack failed, the attacker was exposed to a counterattack, creating a hellish situation.

Timing was crucial, and now the Punishers first gamble had completely missed its mark.

So, without delay, Kang-hoo mixed acceleration with a leap, charging directly at the Punisher.

A counterattack in a situation where there was no chance to escape, completely cornered.

Kang-hoo, already induced with overload, decided to add another skill to the mix.

Shadow Step.

Shadows extended from behind Kang-hoo, forming a large circle toward the Punisher.

He focused the Punishers sight on one point and thrust the dagger straight.

Then,

Swish!

The Punisher pulled out another dagger and crossed them in the air, forming an X.

As expected.

The Punisher was no fool.

He tried to turn Kang-hoos counterattack, resulting from his failed attack, into another counterattack.

Truly, it was a sensible response worthy of his name.

Had Kang-hoo rushed in thoughtlessly, it could have been the end for him.

But,

Ssssh!

At the moment the X-shaped energy was released, Kang-hoo had already moved behind the Punisher.

It was a masterful change in position.

It seemed even the Punisher hadnt anticipated this, hesitating to locate Kang-hoos new position.

That moment.

Here I am, friend.

Thud! Thud-thud! Thud!

Kang-hoo, perfectly positioned behind the Punisher, began thrusting his dagger into its neck, shoulder, and back of the head without hesitation.

Hell was

Much closer than expected.