Ch. 8 Warrior Han Chanseong
by AfuhfuihgsChapter 8 – Warrior Han Chanseong
Late in the evening, a cool breeze gently brushed against my cheeks, carrying a faint scent of grapes. The wind in Foxtail was refreshing.
The reason I ventured out of the inn at such a late hour was to gather various pieces of information.
I wanted to know which players to avoid, which hunting grounds and quests offered the best rewards, places to steer clear of, and where to recruit party members.
Moving my short legs diligently, I approached players wandering the night streets and casually asked questions. With a slight lift of my toes and a soft smile, I at least avoided being ignored.
“Hello?”
“Ah, hello…?”
“Could you recommend any monsters or quests suitable for a newbie who just arrived in this city?”
“Ah, if it’s something like that…”
This routine repeated itself. Whenever I spotted a player nearby, I approached them and asked random questions. If they showed even a hint of interest, I made plans to meet them again.
Of course, whether those plans would be kept was another matter.
Sitting on the large fountain, I swung my short legs. I had encountered numerous players, but none had invited me to join their party. It seemed the priest class was that common.
“Sigh…”
Finding players to replace Zeblin and the Palm tree warrior wasn’t easy. Venturing out with an unreliable frontline always felt like walking a tightrope.
A suitable party member. Where could I find one…
As I sighed and looked around the vast square, I felt a cautious presence approaching.
Swish—
Turning around, I saw a person draped in a thick robe.
The large shield on their back and the sword hanging at their waist revealed their class: a warrior.
[Level 14]
[Neukmam]
“Um, are you looking for party members?”
“Ah…”
The moment I saw their nickname, the grotesque appearance I had seen earlier that day came to mind. I quickly stood up and took a step back.
The long limbs hidden under the thick robe caught my eye. The slightly exposed hand had the same glossy purple hue I had seen before.
If the robe hadn’t covered half of their face, I might have screamed and collapsed.
Neukmam jumped back in response to my reaction and urgently called out.
“W-wait! I won’t hurt you! Don’t go!”
“Ah, I wasn’t planning to leave. I was just a bit startled…”
“I see…”
A sigh filled with relief, anxiety, and an inexplicable anger escaped Neukmam. It seemed their unusual appearance had caused them much hardship.
“My name is Han Chanseong. Level 14. Warrior.”
“Han Chanseong…?”
“That’s my real name.”
“Ah…”
There are occasionally people like that. Those who prefer to use their real names over their in-game nicknames. Han Chanseong seemed to be one of them.
Though it was likely out of necessity.
“I’m Supreme. Level 5. Apprentice Priest.”
After introducing ourselves, a brief silence followed. Han Chanseong broke it by pulling his hood lower and continuing.
“Um, if it’s okay with you, could we party up…?”
“Hmm.”
“I’m not asking for a fixed party… Just for an hour, or even 30 minutes.”
I looked up at the sky in response to his offer. The night sky was clear, without a single cloud.
A level 14 warrior. A high-level player rarely seen in this area. Why he was wandering the streets late at night without a fixed party was clear from his appearance.
A high level likely meant considerable skill. Perhaps this strange person could replace the unreliable frontline.
I nodded.
“Alright. For about an hour…”
“Wow…!”
Neukmam—no, Han Chanseong—let out a small cheer at my acceptance.
Priest Supreme LV.5
Warrior Neukmam LV.14
The two-person party, consisting of a warrior and a priest, left the city and headed to the hunting grounds. The area Han Chanseong and I arrived at was a wide field near the city.
“I’ll warm up a bit. Just cast your buffs, and I’ll handle the rest.”
Whoosh— Whoosh—
Han Chanseong swung his sword without even drawing his shield. The blade reflected the faint moonlight.
[Holy Armor]
[Sacred Blessing]
A damage-reducing buff and a stat-boosting buff were cast in quick succession. Seeing the faint light envelop his body, Han Chanseong dashed forward without a word.
[Level 6]
[Red Fox]
Han Chanseong’s target was a red fox that was sleeping in the field.
Crash—!
-Yelp!
The wide swing of his blade scattered a faint glow, deeply cutting into the fox’s side. The fox, startled awake, tried to counterattack by leaping up, but it was swiftly cut down by the following strike.
Slash—!
A clean hit.
The fox fell without chance to survive.
“Wow…”
He took down a level 6 monster in just two hits.
Are all level 14 warriors this strong?
Han Chanseong’s playstyle was highly efficient. A sneak attack for a decisive blow. He minimized unnecessary movements by not using a shield. Whenever his sword swung, monsters invariably shed red blood.
“Shall we go deeper?”
“Uh, is that okay?”
“Just trust me.”
Han Chanseong moved further in. Leaving the red foxes’ habitat, we arrived at a vineyard where level 12 bears appeared.
I swallowed dryly as I looked at the massive bear. The bear, staggering on its feet, was enormous. A swipe from its paw could easily send my head flying.
“Are you sure…? Can you handle that big guy alone?”
“With heals, I can manage.”
Han Chanseong replied lightly as he drew his shield. His grotesque face peeked out from under the hood.
“Here I go!”
“Ah, okay.”
Han Chanseong charged at the bear without hesitation.
-Roar!
His sword was threatening, but it couldn’t cut through the bear’s thick hide in one strike. The bear immediately counterattacked.
Thud—!
A heavy paw strike slammed into Han Chanseong’s shield. Just as his stance seemed to falter, his sword swiftly swung.
Slash—!
-Roar!
The relentless exchange of attacks continued. Each time the bear’s sharp claws grazed Han Chanseong’s body, chunks of flesh and blood fell.
I frowned as I watched. While healing spells would restore the lost blood and wounds, it didn’t mean he didn’t feel pain.
The bear’s sharp claws raked across Han Chanseong’s chest. Yet, he didn’t scream. He didn’t even let out a groan.
He just glared at the bear with venomous eyes and swung his sword.
Han Chanseong was relentless.
“Phew…”
The fight between the bear and Han Chanseong ended, unsurprisingly, with Han Chanseong’s victory. Having relentlessly slashed the bear until it fell, he waved at me, reeking of blood.
“The heals were great!”
With my experience in RPGs, I knew this much: the bears here weren’t meant to be hunted alone. They were clearly designed for group parties.
“Um, Chanseong. Wouldn’t it be better to hunt other monsters?”
“Why?”
“Well, isn’t it too exhausting…?”
“Not at all. You know, Supreme, we don’t get out of breath no matter how much we run.”
“No, I mean…”
“Let’s move on to the next one!”
Was he really not tired? Physically, perhaps not. What worried me was his mental state.
The party hunt continued for about another hour. During that time, Han Chanseong never lost aggro. If his sword couldn’t reach, he threw his body to push the bear away, and when close, he even bit the bear.
After the promised hour, it was time to settle. Han Chanseong handed me the dropped bear hide and gold, smiling lightly.
“Good work today. If you have time, could we hunt together again?”
I nodded as I stored the heavy bear hide in my inventory. Since I didn’t have a fixed party yet, hunting briefly in the evenings wouldn’t be bad.
Though his grotesque appearance still bothered me.
On the way back to the city, I finally voiced the question I had been holding back.
“Hey, Chanseong.”
“Yes?”
“Why do you hunt such tough monsters?”
“Hmm. Tough monsters?”
“Yeah, wouldn’t it be more profitable to hunt weaker monsters quickly for gold…”
“My goal isn’t money. It’s leveling up.”
“Leveling up… Then wouldn’t it be better to hunt safer monsters, even if it’s slower…”
“That would be too slow. To keep up with the vanguard, I need to hunt stronger monsters, ones that give more experience.”
Was the vanguard that important? In RPGs, it was. Being in the vanguard meant more benefits.
“Is the vanguard that important?”
“Yes. It’s important. To me. It’s the only way I won’t be ignored.”
As we talked, we neared the entrance of Foxtail. At that moment, Han Chanseong, who had been walking at a distance, stopped.
“Good work today.”
“Ah. Aren’t you coming in?”
“I’ll hunt a bit more.”
“Ah…”
Han Chanseong turned and walked away. His retreating figure looked somehow lonely.
“Ah!”
Watching him walk away, I remembered a question I hadn’t been able to ask.
Why had he set his character’s nickname and customization like that?
Wouldn’t it have been better to make it look nice, pretty, and cool…
It was an aesthetic I couldn’t understand.
That night, I had a dream. A nightmare where the grotesque Neukmam chased me, licking his lips.
(tl: What a dream man..)
When I woke up in the morning, my body was drenched in cold sweat.
Vrslop_translator
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