Chapter 71: Limitless Mana Dungeon (1)

Chapter 71: Limitless Mana Dungeon (1)

Swoosh!

In the not-so-spacious corridor of the 7th basement floor, Kang Dong-hyuns Fist Wind devoured all the space.

[Protection - Stage 2]

Thanks to the quick deployment of Protection Stage 2, I managed to withstand the first wave of the most powerful Fist Wind.

But it was released in five stages, each slightly weaker than the previous one.

I had to block four more attacks that followed.

Combining protective barriers, rapid evasion, and leaping, I dodged the attacks with all my might.

Indeed, it was Kang Dong-hyun.

I thought to myself that even one direct hit by any of those five Fist Winds would have been devastating.

This was evident as the iron leg of a small desk next to me was bent into a shape.

It was a clear indication of what would have happened to human bones.

But in the end, I took no damage. I dodged all of Kang Dong-hyuns attacks, injecting more mana.

[Lightning Speed Blade]

Kang-hoo, pulling out a practice dagger, cast the Lightning Speed Blade skill and hurled it at Kang Dong-hyun.

An ordinary hunter would have either dodged or found a way to block the fiercely approaching dagger.

But Kang Dong-hyun, without hesitation, thrust his fist towards the flying dagger.

Haap!

The dagger and fist collided in an instant.

Although it was a practice dagger, it was an attack loaded with considerable momentum.

Apart from a few sparks from Kang Dong-hyuns fingertips, there was no change.

I half-expected his body to be pushed back slightly, but he only flinched.

Hes ridiculously strong.

While not underestimating his abilities, Kang-hoo had a simple image of Kang Dong-hyun.

Of course, he wasnt just brutishly strong. He had his strategies and tactics.

But compared to other hunters of the same level, his physical prowess was indeed superior.

Eurgh! Eryahh!

Kang Dong-hyun, trying to hit Kang-hoo, who remained in stealth, thrust his fists everywhere.

Each time, strong shockwaves spread out, crumbling and shaking the inner walls, but he seemed unconcerned.

[Thunderstorm Array]

To complicate Kang Dong-hyuns judgments, Kang-hoo laid a Thunderstorm Array, intentionally provoking him.

It was unlikely that the array would hurt Kang Dong-hyun, but it served to distract him with its triggered attack effects.

A lot of tricks up your sleeve, huh! Lets see how long you can keep up that stealth!

Kang Dong-hyun had a point.

Maintaining stealth required mana. It was impossible to remain invisible indefinitely.

Thus, if Kang-hoos attacks were effectively blocked while he spread attacks in all directions in the confined space,

eventually, Kang-hoo would either deplete his mana or find it difficult to keep up his stealth, potentially ending the standoff.

Unfortunately, Kang Dong-hyun underestimated Kang-hoos abilities.

He thought he had gauged Kang-hoos skills highly, but in reality, his estimation fell far short of Kang-hoos true capabilities.

Feasting on a Mad Solarkium, mana consumption was Kang-hoos least concern.

Maintain stealth?

As long as Kang-hoo avoided direct impact, maintaining it for 30 minutes was effortless.

Kang Dong-hyun had not considered that under certain conditions, Kang-hoo could utilize mana without limit.

This was a critical oversight.

Kang-hoo continued to channel the mana that gathered endlessly into the dungeon, and the end began to come into view.

Good. Im getting the hang of this.

The 7th basement dungeon, voraciously consuming mana, was now absorbing significantly less.

This reduction signaled that the climax was near.

The dungeon was self-sufficient, not requiring more mana than a predetermined amount.

[Shadow Step]

[Illusion Technique]

[Sight Stealing]

Kang-hoo then unleashed several skills he had been conserving towards Kang Dong-hyun without hesitation.

Once the conquest was over, the same benefits wouldnt be available in this reset dungeon.

It would revert to its original state, offering only half the experience points it now did.

Then.

Boom! Boom!

A middle boss, standing about 3 meters tall with a muscular build, emerged from the darkness.

I approached a bamboo area, on high alert, when I spotted it.

But then.

[Ad]

[In this special dungeon environment, you can definitely obtain one Red Jewel.]

The content displayed alongside the middle bosss name was something you wouldnt normally see.

The message implied that special rewards had been added due to the dungeons accumulated energy.

And that reward was a Red Jewel.

Red Jewels were essential materials needed to upgrade skills; without them, upgrading a skill couldnt even begin.

Kang-hoo already had one Red Jewel.

Possessing a Red Jewel allowed for the upgrading of the Protection skill to Stage 3.

Furthermore, it enabled the upgrading of complex skills requiring more than two Red Jewels.

The fact that the middle boss was offering one suggested that main bosses might yield at least two.

I could potentially amass a significant stock of Red Jewels here.

The problem is that guy.

Crack! Crunch!

Growl.

Kang-hoo, irritably snapping bamboo, fixed his gaze on the middle boss named Ad.

An bipedal crocodile-like monster, it had one of its arms sharpened like a blade.

Part of its body served as a weapon.

Getting a Red Jewel is like reaching for the stars, but its worth a shot.

Kang-hoo prepared for battle, emboldened by the effects of Mad Solarkium coursing through him; there was nothing to fear.

Meanwhile.

Seems like nothings wrong.

Yun Sang-mi, engrossed in the pleasure-filled atmosphere of Hades, shifted her gaze.

Kang-hoo had been inside for quite some time without any news, which suggested he had entered safely.

Who am I to worry about him?

Yun Sang-mi briefly contemplated her concerns for Kang-hoos wellbeing.

Whenever she saw Kang-hoo, she harbored a conviction that he wouldnt succumb to danger, despite it being an indistinct feeling.

This might have stemmed from her knowledge of Kang-hoos journey thus far.

Kang-hoo always appeared to have a backup or even a third plan. When he failed, he never seemed to panic.

Frankly, she envied that.

Strategic thinking required confidence in ones capabilities, an impossibility without such confidence.

Yun Sang-mi was certain she couldnt face crises as adeptly and calmly as Kang-hoo.

Thus, her awe and admiration for Kang-hoos abilities came naturally.

Moreover, her personal fondness for him remained unchanged. He certainly possessed the charm of a suave city man.

Then

Rumble! Rumble!

The sound of hurried footsteps echoed from outside the closed emergency exit on the 6th basement floor.

The footsteps, heading downward, indicated movement toward the 7th basement floor.

She felt a twinge of worry.

The Kang-hoo who had entered was beyond her help.

But were they intending to capture Kang-hoo as he emerged from the dungeon?

Despite Kang-hoo mentioning he had an escape plan, she couldnt quell her anxiety.

The brief tally of footsteps she heard suggested the involvement of at least twenty people.

How could he possibly evade a siege by so many hunters?

And with Kang Dong-hyun also in the club could Kang-hoo truly make it out alive?