Ch.3333. Lightning Beast Raiki

The rumors were spreading quickly.

[I heard Doh Jonghyun from the lower class got a scout offer from the White Dragon Guild.]

[Who’s Doh Jonghyun?]

[You know, that guy without a summoning spirit.]

[Really? If the White Dragon Guild is interested in him, isn’t that amazing?]

[Apparently Aerial likes him too. She even went to the lower class to see him.]

[Aren’t they dating?]

It was none other than the White Dragon Guild. That prestigious organization.

They had their eye on Doh Jonghyun. Not Aerial, not Seol Yuhwa, not Gu Sangheon, not Geum Dohyun, but someone from the lower class.

Seol Yuhwa also took note of the rumors spreading throughout the school.

‘It’s because he did well.’

Unlike other students, Seol Yuhwa didn’t express much inferiority when looking at Doh Jonghyun.

‘I’m envious.’

She was simply envious.

‘Of course he’s not dating Aerial, that’s just a misunderstanding.’

What actually bothered her was the relationship between Aerial and Doh Jonghyun.

At first, she was a bit taken aback by the news they were dating.

‘But that doesn’t make sense?’

No matter how she thought about it, even if Aerial was dense about romance, she wasn’t the type to hide such things.

[Don’t be ridiculous! Why would I date someone like him? This guy is just teasing me like a raccoon!]

Aerial’s reaction was genuine too. It was almost certain they weren’t dating.

But as a woman, Seol Yuhwa found it suspicious how often Aerial kept bringing up Doh Jonghyun.

‘Surely not… no way.’

It wasn’t simple dislike. Seol Yuhwa saw through this fact.

If that was the case, there was no real issue.

‘What am I thinking? It’s none of my business if Aerial dates Doh Jonghyun.’

After collecting herself, she couldn’t help but think about money again.

She was currently receiving a modest sum and support through a preliminary contract with the White Dragon Guild.

So at least she wasn’t living in misery anymore.

But she couldn’t be satisfied with just that.

Above all, she had a debt to the Association. With the contract money from the White Dragon Guild, she could pay off all her debts.

Seol Yuhwa looked at those who had contracted with the White Dragon Guild.

[Academy’s 22nd graduate Lee Chaerin recruited by White Dragon Guild with a signing bonus of 1 billion won.]

[Magician Guild recruits second-ranked graduate Ra Jinseok for 500 million won!]

These were dream figures for her. The top graduates got that much, and even those below them received around 500 million won.

‘So I need to show them something.’

To convert from a preliminary contract to a formal one, she needed achievements.

But what kind of achievements should she show? She needed information.

So she carefully observed the conversations of the upper-class students.

“A small guild was trying to court us.”

“Small guild? Is ‘Cheonun’ Guild small? They’re decent among mid-tier guilds!”

“Hey! Unless it’s a guild like White Dragon or Magician, they’re all the same. Upper-class students like us should aim for the top.”

But even among upper-class students, very few get into guilds like White Dragon or Magician.

Literally, one must be chosen.

In that sense, Seol Yuhwa was fortunate, but her ambition was boundless.

‘No. Should I ask Gu Sangheon or Geum Dohyun?’

She felt hesitant about approaching Aerial and Geum Dohyun. That left Gu Sangheon or Yu Jia.

‘Han Minwoo is… too quiet…’

The massive Han Minwoo was intimidating even to Seol Yuhwa.

He was actually kind, but Seol Yuhwa, not being close to him, wouldn’t know that.

She approached Gu Sangheon.

“Sangheon.”

“Well, Yuhwa’s actually talking to me. The noble lady herself.”

Though Gu Sangheon was sly, compared to Geum Dohyun, he was practically hospitable.

‘It’s not like he has anything special like Geum Dohyun.’

If Geum Dohyun was uncomfortable because his intentions were too obvious, Gu Sangheon was relatively less so.

“What do you think is best to really stand out to a guild?”

“Yuhwa, you’re also concerned about the White Dragon Guild, right? It’s obvious. Results.”

“Yes, results, but specifically…”

“First is information. Guilds fight monsters on the field, risking their lives. If a new species appears, casualties spike dramatically. That’s why some guilds monopolize information on rare monsters. Knowing rare information is the first priority.”

“Second is taking down strong monsters, right?”

“Right! You catch on quick. It’s about proving your strength. This is second because for a guild like White Dragon, just being strong isn’t enough.”

“I see, thank you.”

Seol Yuhwa bowed politely.

“Come on, no need to be so formal for something like this.”

Satisfied, Seol Yuhwa was leaving when she ran into Aerial entering the classroom.

She had a somewhat irritated expression.

That’s when Seol Yuhwa recalled Aerial giving Doh Jonghyun an enhancement suit as a gift.

[Doh Jonghyun, isn’t he so annoying? I don’t know what else he’ll ask for with this. In the end, he didn’t even finish it himself. Such a commoner.]

Despite grumbling, she still gave the gift.

‘I can at least return the favor.’

If Aerial did something like that, she needed to have the financial means to match up.

‘Besides, I received a gift, so it wouldn’t be right to take it for free, would it?’

Her dented self-esteem stirred again. That’s why Seol Yuhwa set out to find conditions.

New species + strong monster.

Raiki caught her eye. A fresh, new species of monster.

The media and Association temporarily estimated it to be at least B-rank. The media reported it as a minimum B-rank monster.

‘That should be manageable, right?’

With the new technique of Brisingamen she learned, a B-rank might be susceptible to her abilities.

[New species not only have high casualty rates but also trade at high prices, and guilds desperately seek strategies for them, making them incredibly valuable.]

Seol Yuhwa recalled what was said in class.

Raiki was a new species, but such types would be dealt with within a week once powerful Jaegers started searching.

She called the White Dragon Guild’s scout, Jeon Sejin, with whom she had a preliminary contract.

“I want to ask for something. What do I need for a formal contract?”

“You have three years, yet you’re impatient. Is something wrong?”

The scout was carefully observing Seol Yuhwa’s reaction.

Seol Yuhwa didn’t hide anything.

“I’m going to catch Raiki.”

“Raiki? The new species?”

“Yes. If it’s B-rank…”

“You might be capable. But there’s too little information. As a scout, I judge it dangerous.”

“But I need something else to break the preliminary contract, right?”

Seol Yuhwa revealed her intentions without reservation.

Jeon Sejin was silent for a moment.

“Indeed, if you capture Raiki, we’d have to discard the preliminary contract and come to recruit you properly. That would be quite an achievement, along with the information.”

Just as Gu Sangheon had said, the response was immediate.

“It’s worth a try. With Brisingamen, I can at least escape if not attack. I don’t think I’ll lose anything.”

“If you insist. Then please wait a moment.”

Seol Yuhwa calmly waited for contact in her dormitory.

Her wait was soon rewarded with permission.

“The guild master has approved. There are two conditions: you must share information about your encounter with Raiki, and if you die, our guild takes no responsibility. The White Dragon Guild will not be involved.”

“If I bring back information about Raiki, what happens?”

“As soon as you capture it, we’ll offer a formal contract with a signing bonus comparable to a top graduate. That’s how valuable information on new species is. The guild master guarantees these terms. Fight to your heart’s content.”

“That’s enough.”

Filled with enthusiasm, Seol Yuhwa finally smiled. Now, the important thing was information. That’s when she thought of Doh Jonghyun.

‘He probably wouldn’t know, would he?’

Yet with a sense of expectation, she picked up her phone.

*

For whatever reason, Seol Yuhwa suddenly decides to go after Raiki.

“I’m not her boyfriend, so I can’t stop her.”

It’s clear she’s doing this for a contract with the White Dragon Guild.

She may be poor, but is money that urgent? She should have received her salary by now.

She might need a lot of money because of family debt, but going after such a dangerous monster?

Did they offer her something in exchange for information about Raiki? There’s no need to rush like this.

No, let’s think rationally. It’s a matter of luck whether Raiki will even appear before her.

Anyway, compared to future monsters like ‘Tyranno,’ ‘Sara Mami,’ and ‘Horus,’ Raiki is relatively tame.

Those three monsters I mentioned have such destructive power they’ll be recorded in history.

And if you include the aberrants in between…

It’s giving me a headache, so let’s sort this out later. All I can do is ask Seol Yuhwa when she’s going.

-Why are you asking? Don’t worry about it. You don’t need to feel indebted.

-I’m also interested in Raiki and want to learn more. It’s not a loss for you either. It’s good to know information in advance.

-I’ll let you know when I go

“Phew. At least now I can track which day she’s going.”

That way she won’t die unexpectedly. What I’m hoping for is that Raiki gets caught by others before Seol Yuhwa goes.

“Raiki’s weakness…”

Raiki is a beast-type monster with fur standing up like static electricity.

Its body is surrounded by electricity, making it resistant to mental attacks (not immune) and challenging at both long and short range.

The information I know about Raiki was released three years after it appeared.

The reason was that Raiki was no longer just one or two but pouring out like water from a tap, causing too much damage, so the government released the information.

Its weaknesses are primarily its belly, and ironically, right before and after it attacks.

Raiki emits lightning from the upper part of its back, but it doesn’t shoot continuously.

It gathers energy. If you understand this word, you’ll see the strategy.

While the electric discharge is fast, the moment it gathers energy is when this monster is defenseless.

At this time, mental attacks work, and it becomes vulnerable to physical attacks.

And the belly is relatively weak, so it easily takes damage there.

Now, this might sound easy, but conversely, Raiki’s strengths make exploiting these weaknesses difficult.

1. It’s agile, making timing difficult.

2. Its attack speed is incredibly fast.

3. It can disrupt vision with lightning.

4. While the belly is a weakness, the rest of its body has guaranteed durability.

5. It can inflict status effects on humans with electric attacks.

Combining everything, it’s a solid A-rank monster. Most predict that even the higher-ranked Minotaur would be at a disadvantage against it due to compatibility. Though monsters don’t fight each other unless controlled.

In short, Seol Yuhwa can’t win. Maybe later, but currently she can barely defeat a low B-rank monster.

Four days after memorizing the weaknesses, Seol Yuhwa contacted me.

-The White Dragon Guild gathered information and told me where Raiki is likely hiding. They told me to flee immediately if it’s dangerous.

-That’s good. Are you going alone? They usually don’t help this much.

The White Dragon Guild must be tempted by information about Raiki.

They even helped with the search. Why don’t they just catch it themselves if they find it? Is it a win-win situation?

Perhaps the painful truth is that Seol Yuhwa doesn’t have enough “value.” If she were truly valuable, they would never send her alone. The White Dragon Guild is overflowing with promising talents.

Seol Yuhwa’s true worth will be revealed two weeks later when she properly handles her Brisingamen and makes a significant contribution.

If they waited until then, the White Dragon Guild would recognize her value, but instead, they’re sending her to a place where she might die.

“Even if it was initially reported as B-rank…”

It’s actually an A-rank monster. Even knowing the strategy, Seol Yuhwa lacks the specs to catch it.

“Let’s go.”

I grabbed my cards and headed out.

*

-I’ve been looking into it, and it seems its inner abdomen is relatively weak. And it twitches whenever it uses lightning attacks, suggesting there’s a timing pattern.

Seol Yuhwa read Doh Jonghyun’s message.

‘He’s going this far to help.’

The information might not be certain, but it’s from Doh Jonghyun.

‘He does have good eyes.’

Taking note of this, Seol Yuhwa sent a thank-you message.

-Thanks, I’ll treat you to a meal if I catch it.

-Are you really going to catch it? It seems like it might be a high B-rank.

-Sorry, but I have to catch it.

‘Partly because of you.’

With no money and pretending to be noble, what she needs is skill and honor.

And just as Aerial gave Doh Jonghyun a gift, she also needs enough funds to give something in return.

Seol Yuhwa spread Brisingamen widely, thinner and broader than its usual range.

‘This way I can definitely find the enemy.’

Although Brisingamen’s ability is limited to detection in this state, it’s a much better approach in this situation.

In the future, she would realize this ability after an aberrant attack, but working with Doh Jonghyun, she discovered her abilities earlier.

Because she’s a genius.

Sensing something unusual, she changed direction.

‘It’s coming!’

In an abandoned factory area at sunset, Seol Yuhwa instinctively retreated as lightning struck.

“!”

Lightning so fast it was hard to react to. When Seol Yuhwa turned her head, she saw a muscular arm over 5 meters tall.

Black and gray fur stood straight despite the wind, glistening.

Facing this figure that embodied lightning, Seol Yuhwa trembled.

Suddenly, the monster vanished before her eyes.

She realized Brisingamen was reacting from the left. As she stepped back, a tingling sensation wrapped around her wrist. With a burning smell, her clothes scattered.

‘It’s fast.’

Seol Yuhwa simultaneously dropped to the ground.

Lightning swept over her.

‘Can I really catch this?’

Seol Yuhwa realized she had made a mistake in her choice.

‘But here…’

She couldn’t retreat. Thanks to using Brisingamen’s ability for detection, she could narrowly avoid attacks.

‘What if I concentrate this at high speed?’

Like when she caught the Giant Living Armor, focusing intensively on a small area.

Another lightning bolt grazed her, making her whole body tingle.

‘It’s too late once it attacks.’

Seol Yuhwa recalled Doh Jonghyun’s advice. It twitches before attacking.

Watching her opponent, Seol Yuhwa saw Raiki’s body tremble.

‘That’s it! It’s charging electricity!’

Having figured out this movement, Seol Yuhwa narrowly avoided again.

But this time, she launched an attack.

She compressed Brisingamen’s waves and shot them in a range.

Sound is free-form.

The wave attack aimed at the abdomen made Raiki scream.

A scream like a dog hit with a club. Seol Yuhwa went in for a mental attack.

“Keeek!”

Raiki was in agony. As Seol Yuhwa was about to attack with mana, she met Raiki’s fierce eyes.

‘It recovers quickly.’

In that moment, sharp claws raked across her body.

With clothes and blood dripping, Seol Yuhwa retreated.

‘I can’t catch this alone.’

She had successfully attacked its weakness and done well. If there was a reason she lost, it was just one.

Simple difference in specs. If her ability stats were just a bit higher, she could have dealt significant damage.

Realizing this, Seol Yuhwa prepared to flee.

“Ugh…”

When she tried to get up, pain filled her body. Her injured body was hard to move as she wished.

A buzzing sound came from somewhere, like a wasp flying. Raiki began to move again before her eyes.

As her death approached, a gust of wind passed in front of her.

“?”

Surprised, Seol Yuhwa saw Raiki being flung far away.

Who had done it? When she turned her gaze, there was a half-insect monster with black exoskeleton flapping its wings.