Chapter 84 – Blooming in the Swamp (1)

===================

Translated by Heavenly Cat

Read it only at Novelbyu.com & Utoon.net

===================

[Swampland of Predators]

[Recommended Level : Lv.500]

[Rift Collapse Rate : 0.9%]

The coordinates of the rift were the northernmost tip of the Scandinavian Peninsula in Europe.

Although it was a place thousands of miles away from South Korea.

Since there is the portal of the Mage Tower.

Distance did not become a problem.

“Achoo! What the hell is this weather, why is it so cold?”

“Cold attribute resistance or whatever. What’s wrong with this wind.”

“Ugh, I’d rather fall into the swampland. Really!!”

Right, the problem is expectedly the icy, cutting wind.

Swampland of Predators.

A base camp for the Players was already set up in front of the rift.

According to the information from the Players who entered first, the scale of the rift was vast, fitting the name Predator Zone.

“It’s good news, I guess. Since it means there are a lot of mobs spawned.”

“Is it good news? The recommended level is level 500. This rift.”

“High risk. High return. You don’t know? Scared?”

“It’s not my place to say, but Players really have no fear.”

Naturally, a considerable amount of time would be consumed until it’s cleared.

It means a base camp where one can take a rest is essential.

Of course, even before the base camp arrived.

There were also those who entered the rift first.

Either they couldn’t endure the cold.

Or their motivation was burning to the fullest.

Swoosh

An environment of a swampland where feet sink with every step.

At the same time, a message popping up before the eyes.

[Movement speed slightly decreases.]

But there is no time to grumble.

As has been said several times.

This place is the Predator Zone where the strong gather.

It means every single monster in sight is absolutely not easy to deal with.

Wiiiiiing

That soon meant the guy that looked like an insect was also not ordinary. A giant mantis flying in the sky, Sky Blade. The guy’s forelegs flashed.

Swaaaaack!

They clearly dodged it but.

It was to the extent they felt their bodies being pushed back by the strong wind pressure.

But there was no hesitation.

“Yeah. It has to be at least this much to be worth hunting.”

The strongest Barbarian, Nam Tae-min.

Thanks to that, he had been diligently carrying out the class quest that had started.

[Call of the Wild], which was overwhelming just to activate at first, was now controllable to some extent.

Phat!

Such Nam Tae-min kicked the swampland and leaped up.

Due to the decreased movement speed.

His jumping power couldn’t help but be lowered too but.

“Hyungnims. Nam Tae-min is just flying around?!”

As if such things were just minor problems.

Nam Tae-min tracked the prey with explosive speed.

A movement like an animal swept up in wildness.

The guy was inadequate to stop Nam Tae-min’s approach.

“This is Nam Tae-min who even beat up a demon corps commander, you see!!”

A Predator Zone where the strong gather?

Wasn’t Nam Tae-min someone who fought guys even worse than them while chasing after Ho-yeol?

The demon corps commander, Horykan, was also one of those formidable enemies.

So the battle was not long.

Puck

Wings were pulled out, forelegs were pulled out, and then…….

There was nothing more to explain.

The man who was broadcasting that sight shouted into the camera.

“I told you, right? That your eyes would properly feast today!”

-Real lol Nam Tae-min just got wings on seriously *shiver*

-Even before the class quest popped up, he went toe-to-toe with Hisagi, right??

-It didn’t make sense considering the level gap lol since back then

-He’s just good at fighting lol

Viewers immersed in the battle.

They had no choice but to be.

Because every single monster appearing in the Predator Zone had the combat power of a named monster-class. It meant they couldn’t help but feel a sense of thrill even in a simple hunt.

“Crazy. The very next mob lunged at Nam Tae-min?”

To think such battles take place without rest on top of that.

It means the NetTubers didn’t catch the smell of content for nothing.

The situation on the other side was not much different either.

“Wow. The Berserker is not called a crazy berserker for nothing…….”

Continuous battles.

The more damage she takes, the stronger the Berserker actually becomes.

For Leonie, the Predator Zone was the optimal hunting ground.

“Shining and Unification of the World are definitely moving efficiently. The way they move guild members in party units. The way they don’t give the monsters an angle to attack. Everyone is falling into formation scarily well.”

Guild ranking 1st and 2nd.

Shining and Unification of the World, there was no need to say.

They moved systematically and hunted monsters down.

Moreover, considering the location where the rift appeared.

Even the guilds of the EU, which were receiving attention for the first time in a while.

Looking at their battles.

No, their endless, continuous death struggles.

It was natural to think that this was truly a colosseum.

Indeed, who will be the gladiator left standing until the end?

“I guarantee whoever it is, it’ll be hard for them to stand perfectly fine.”

Puoook

Since this was a swampland anyway.

Just standing still would make them stagger.

What you gain from living as a NetTuber is only glibness.

It means it was a wordplay he could spit out thanks to that.

However, leaving jokes aside, one shouldn’t overuse guarantees.

Whether exhausted from repeating battles.

Or the swampland where feet sink deeply.

A man who had no choice but to stand nobly, going beyond perfectly fine.

“……H-He appeared!”

Because Ho-yeol was there.

The Swampland of Predators.

Having entered the rift, Ho-yeol was looking down at the swampland.

Why does his expressionless gaze look even colder than usual?

The NetTuber who was watching while holding his breath whispered.

“His resolute expression, it looks exactly like he came to take over the Predator Zone, doesn’t it?”

The moment he spat out the words.

The pouring chat.

“Oops. I’m sorry for the slip of the tongue.”

At that reaction, the NetTuber quickly took back his informal speech.

He politely maintained formalities.

“I will correct it! Doesn’t it look like he made a royal procession to take over?!”

*

Constancy.

My attire was the same as usual.

The location of the rift being right in front of the North Pole?

Now the cold wasn’t a problem.

Because I had the [Warmth] buff.

[Jewelry Box Imbued with Warmth]

[Rank : Unique]

[Limit : None]

[Effect : Imbues the stored accessories with ‘Warmth’ for a certain period.]

[Description : A jewelry box passed down in a noble family. A mother’s heart feeling for her daughter has been handed down from generation to generation.]

The battle with the Demon King Decarabia.

An item I offered as a sacrifice for the Exorcism Ritual, along with the longsword and Duke Swalin’s treasured item.

Its effect was imbuing accessories with the [Warmth] buff.

[Warmth maintains the body in optimal condition.]

That effect was simple but.

The perceived effect was truly amazing.

Even without wearing a thick coat, even without wearing functional tights, it really wasn’t cold.

It meant that I no longer have to deliberately endure the cutting wind while suffering miserably……!

Still, I have grown this much.

Even though I entered the rift with a majestic stride.

I had to stop right away.

The swampland reaching around my waist.

Naturally, my clothes would get dirty.

That is a heavily unbefitting state for formalities.

It means everything is because of this tiring personality.

This me, who lived perfectly fine even in a studio apartment dirtier than a swampland.

Still, stepping into a swampland in this attire does feel a bit unpleasant.

Because of that, I was in the middle of having an unexpected staring contest with the swamp.

Something entered my vision.

“!”

It was a lotus leaf floating on the swampland.

If it were just up to yesterday, I would have passed it off as ‘Ah, a lotus leaf,’ but. Now it wasn’t. Because I had the [Pentagram of Pure Knowledge].

“An exceptionally large leaf.”

The Arcana continent.

It means I acquired knowledge about all minerals and plants.

“It is a Black Lotus.”

Thanks to that, I could recite the exact name and characteristics of the lotus leaf. The meaning of those words was simple.

To the extent of skipping the process. That lotus leaf is a familiar target for exploration to me.

‘Actually, if it were up to my feelings, me too.’

I wanted to spam teleport like Marcelo or Bangrit.

If wanting to become like the Chief and Senior Mages of the Mage Tower is too big of a wish. Well, I wanted to even levitate like Jesica Highness at least.

‘Like a real mage, you know.’

But merely level 296.

Could such a thing be possible with a meager mana amount worse than that?

Maybe if [Natural Enemy] was activated, but I had to conserve my mana.

Moreover, this was the Predator Zone where battles never cease.

‘This means this is my best.’

I can’t help it even if it’s complicated and wretched.

The reality where I have no choice but to consider mana cost-effectiveness.

Exploration is skipped.

I immediately interfered with the lotus leaf.

To the extent it could support my weight.

An interference simply at the level of adjusting its strength.

Rather than changing mana into fire or electricity.

It’s natural that the mana consumption is less.

Lightly.

I climbed onto that lotus leaf.

I am someone who goes up and down the stairs of the Mage Tower casually.

This kind of thing is nothing.

“It is not bad.”

Stinging gazes are felt.

Right, to the Players who couldn’t know my complicated inside story.

“……What, what is that skill again?!”

Well, they’re probably wondering what the hell that is.

However, this body is someone who doesn’t consider the gazes of others.

To put it bluntly, I wasn’t even intimidated in front of the Elder Mages of the Mage Tower.

‘No, beyond that, I even interrogated them shamelessly.’

So.

“Impatience as I heard.”

The only thing that is a problem for me is monsters.

Indeed, the Predator Zone said to only have monsters crazy for battles.

As soon as it felt my presence, one monster lunged.

Wriggle, wriggle

Blood-red pupils emitting bloodthirst.

A giant body swaying beneath the swampland.

Up to the tongue darting in and out restlessly.

A name I saw in the update details comes to mind.

[Beast Predator Anaconda : Lv.530]

It’s not easy right from the start. Really……!

Its level, it wasn’t to the extent of making a fuss.

Wasn’t it a rift with a recommended level of 500 in the first place?

There were plenty of guys boasting higher levels than the Beast Predator Anaconda in the update details. Anyway, it was an appearance befitting the modifier Beast Predator.

‘Just what did it swallow?’

Is it a snake, or a snake-shaped jar.

Just how much did it swallow, this.

An already giant size bloated even more.

But is its stomach still not full?

Kiaaaaaa!

The guy opened its giant maw towards me.

“As expected, not a trace of formality can be found.”

That is my impression of the threat.

“Before anything else, it would be best for you to learn dining etiquette first.”

I raised my mana.

The thing that should be considered as top priority is mana cost-effectiveness.

That I must continue the battle while minimizing mana consumption as much as possible.

To do that, I had to utilize everything I had and didn’t have.

In the right place at the right time at that.

‘I really thought well. Past me.’

The level difference between the guy and me is roughly 230 levels.

The guy isn’t even a demonic monster.

The Arcana system where the gap of 1 level, 1 level is huge.

Considering that point, a 1-on-1 battle with the guy would be no different from suicide.

Moreover, my class is Demon Hunter, which has nothing exceptional.

But my specialty is grasping my standing.

Because I know that fact.

I am someone who had been putting effort from before to overcome such a situation.

Improving the [Strength] and [Agility] stats by repeating the class quest every single day.

As if that wasn’t enough, those past days of reading magic books randomly. I’m telling you, I didn’t suffer like a dog for nothing.

Of course, that dog-like suffering also included swordsmanship training.

I took out a sword from my inventory.

[Unnamed Blacksmith’s Posthumous Work – Longsword]

[Rank: Unique]

[Limit : Lv.280]

[Effect : Upon attack, activates abnormal status ‘Bleeding’ on the target with high probability.]

[Description : It is the final work of a blacksmith. It recovered its true worth only after the lingering attachment akin to a grudge vanished.]

Does Granfel’s talent not go anywhere?

The feeling of the hilt sticking to my hand was incomparably familiar.

Even though I hadn’t held a sword for a while, that sensation was clear.

The meaning of that was simple.

“Beast Predator.”

I lowered my body and continued my words.

“Do you have the confidence to swallow a lion?”

Lion Heart.

The flawless posture the knights of the Lion Heart aim for.

Naturally, there was no such thing as an intermediate process leading up to acquisition for me.

Because I just saw Harkon’s posture and copied it.

So this posture where I simply seemed to aim my sword.

Why, and how amazing it is.

I don’t know the reasons or anything like that.

However.

Sshiiiiiit?

Well, as long as if it has an effect, isn’t it fine?

As if it was going to swallow me any second.

The approaching guy hesitated.

And then stopped moving entirely.

Kiyaooooo!

It was a guy who survived fighting countless beasts and predators like itself.

With the experience of crossing the line of death. Did it feel Harkon’s presence from my posture?

By the way.

‘……This is pretty important information?’

Just by holding a sword and taking a stance.

Being able to restrict the opponent’s movements.

……Its practicality is no joke, is it? This?

In a word, it’s a bluff.

Even though I couldn’t even understand why the flawless posture gets to be flawless.

I was able to properly use its effect at least.

Why, just like now.

Search, Interference, manifestation.

Magic pouring down on the guy who couldn’t carelessly move.

Is it because it’s still guarding against me aiming my sword.

The guy was taking damage helplessly.

[‘Burn’ occurs to Beast Predator Anaconda.]

[‘Bleeding’ occurs to Beast Predator Anaconda.]…….

I looked at that sight with a posture of constancy.

“It is formality to refrain from unnecessary conversations during meals.”

Just in case my posture crumbles and I get counterattacked…….

.

.

.

The lotus leaf floating on the swampland.

Ho-yeol standing on such a lotus leaf.

Not a little bit of instability is felt from that appearance.

There was no sense of incongruity, just like a lotus blooming on a lotus leaf.

“……What, what is that skill again?!”

That alone was surprising enough but.

“T-That is a sword, right? Huh? Not a staff, but what’s with the sword?!!”

To think an unexpected blade bloomed from such a lotus.

Astonishment couldn’t help but pop out.

Furthermore.

-Crazy lolll

-No, he just held out his sword but the mob stopped???

-Just Homen

The moment they realized that the blade is not just ordinarily sharp.

-Wait, me, that posture!! I saw that in Harkon’s analysis video!!!

-Real??? What does that mean???

-Don’t tell me Lee Ho-yeol can even use swordsmanship at Harkon’s level?!

It was a matter of course for the world to turn upside down