Chapter 28 – Twin Big Snake

The Twin Big Snake was moving slowly.

It was so large that its entire length was difficult to capture in one glance.

Its appearance, crushing all trees and undergrowth as it crawled, was truly overwhelming.

Nevertheless, Min Do-jun was not afraid.

‘I can’t believe the Twin Big Snake appeared.’

He cheered instead.

Because encountering a boss in a dungeon was not an easy feat.

And for Min Do-jun, a boss was nothing short of a bonus.

Min Do-jun raised his sword.

Woong-

He didn’t forget to apply buffs and prepare Charge Lightning.

Crack- Crack-

He aimed the tip of the sword at the body and fired off the skill.

Crackle!

The lightning scattered weakly as if hitting a wall.

It had the effect of pushing back enemies, but it didn’t work on the boss.

‘Of course, with that body size, it’s impossible for it to be pushed back.’

Moreover, there was almost no damage.

The creature had considerable toughness to match its enormous size.

Its health was comparable to that of a B-rank boss.

But even such a creature wasn’t completely insensitive.

Rumble-

It turned its head towards Min Do-jun’s direction.

‘I can’t tell which side is the real head though.’

It didn’t matter anyway.

Because there was no need to target the head.

A moment later, the giant snake’s eyeballs fixed on Min Do-jun.

‘Incredible.’

A gaze as if asking if it was you who dared to disturb me.

Shick-

Min Do-jun answered by raising his sword.

Then.

Shrik- Shrik-

After flicking its tongue as if ridiculing him, in an instant.

Shwaaak!

It shoots out like a frog.

Whoosh-

But Min Do-jun dodged it as if he had expected it.

‘The creature’s attack pattern is obvious.’

Like this, the boss tries to catch its prey with its tongue like a frog.

Then it bites with its fangs to paralyze before swallowing whole.

Of course, being bitten by those huge fangs would easily split a body in two.

Shwaaak!

The tongue shoots out again.

Whoosh-

Min Do-jun avoided it with high agility and ran straight towards the creature.

Thwack!

Thwack!

The Twin Big Snake kept trying to grab him with its tongue, but it only hit the empty ground.

As Min Do-jun kept dodging by a hair’s breadth, at some point he reached right in front of the boss and then.

Stab-!

He thrust his sword into its nostril.

Then.

Groooan-

The boss opened its mouth wide as if in pain.

‘Now!’

At that moment, Min Do-jun entered its mouth as if he had been waiting for this.

He was unmistakably eaten.

But he didn’t come in just to be eaten by the boss.

‘It’s easier to kill by tearing from the inside than striking from the outside.’

Most hunters avoid the Twin Big Snake when they encounter it.

Not because they’re afraid.

Because it’s disgusting.

They avoid it because that toughness that doesn’t even get scratched no matter how much you hit it is disgusting.

‘Its skin is unimaginably tough after all.’

It would take at least three B-rank hunters working together to inflict a wound.

‘Three C-ranks wouldn’t stand a chance.’

That’s why to attack the Twin Big Snake, you need to go inside its body.

While its skin is tough against external impacts, it tears easily from internal impacts.

‘First, it’s important not to dissolve in the gastric acid.’

Being swallowed by a snake doesn’t mean instant death.

As long as you avoid the point where gastric acid is secreted, you won’t die.

But if you touch the gastric acid?

‘It’s over.’

You’ll dissolve without even leaving bones behind.

That’s why Min Do-jun cast Charge Lightning with a tense face.

The dark interior was illuminated by blue lightning.

Crack- Crack-

He moved while maintaining the skill at the sword tip to use as a light.

He knew exactly where the gastric acid secretion points were.

‘The internal structure of the Twin Big Snake is well-known.’

Of course, that was from before the regression.

Drip- Drip-

Min Do-jun went deeper inside, carefully avoiding the gastric acid dripping from above and rising from below.

The reason for continuing to advance deep into the snake’s body like a tunnel was none other than:

‘They said the most vulnerable spot is over 50 meters from the mouth.’

Reaching around 50 meters by his stride, Min Do-jun stopped in place.

‘Here.’

After identifying the gastric acid secretion points, he positioned himself in a safe spot.

Woong-

And he swung down the buffed sword hard on the wall.

Thwack!

Once more.

Crack-

And again.

Thwack-!

He kept striking the skin.

Perhaps due to high damage, the sword sank in deeply even though he was striking with it.

‘If only I had an axe at a time like this.’

If there wasn’t the restriction of one-handed sword for the buff skill, he would have chopped like cutting wood.

Then it would have dug in much better.

Thud!

Thud!

Thud!

Blood splattered with each sword strike, but he paid no attention.

He could endure this unpleasantness if it meant killing the monster.

Thud!

Crackle-

Thud!

Groooan-

As the skin split, light seeped in.

Once he tore it open, it didn’t take long for the dark interior to brighten.

Thud!

Crack-!

The Twin Big Snake’s skin split and the outside became visible.

But Min Do-jun didn’t go out.

‘I need to cut it into pieces completely.’

Not stopping there, he struck the torn area with his sword to tear it even more.

Thud-

Riiip-

Thud- Thud!

Riiip-

He tore the bottom while avoiding the gastric acid, tore the sides, and tore the top part too.

Then.

Rip-

The body was completely separated.

When the Twin Big Snake’s body is severed, all nerve bundles are cut and it dies.

This is information revealed through research.

[You have defeated the Twin Big Snake!]

[Experience +27,900]

[You have leveled up!]

[You have acquired Fang Venom.]

[You have acquired Fang Venom.]

[You have acquired C-rank Magic Stone.]

[You have acquired C-rank Magic Stone.]

[You have acquired Low-grade Random Box.]

[You have acquired Low-grade Random Box.]

[You have achieved an achievement!]

“Phew.”

Min Do-jun, who came out of the body, wiped the sweat from his forehead.

Indeed, tackling a C-rank boss alone is not an easy task.

‘I gained quite a lot of experience.’

He gained quite a lot of experience thanks to the necklace and characteristics.

‘Plus, I got the items I wanted.’

Min Do-jun checked his inventory.

[Fang Venom]

-Category: Collectible

-Grade: C

-Feature: Bound item

-Description: Venom extracted from a snake’s fangs. The toxicity is strong, so careless handling can lead to big trouble.

As you reach higher levels, monsters occasionally drop such byproducts.

But they’re not equipment, and their use is unknown.

You want to sell them to make even 10 won, but they’re bound so you can’t sell them.

That’s why most hunters frown when they get such collectibles.

Because they were useless.

But not Min Do-jun.

‘If you know how to use them, there’s nothing more useful.’

People don’t know the use of collectibles yet, but it will be revealed in time.

The fact that Fang Venom is needed to unseal items as well.

‘I also got two C-rank Magic Stones.’

Perhaps because it was twins, two 42 million won items dropped.

That wasn’t all that was worth money.

[Low-grade Random Box]

-Category: Consumable

-Grade: C

-Effect: Randomly acquire D~B grade item

-Usage restriction: Level 350 or higher

-Description: A carefully wrapped gift box. Contains an unknown gift.

‘Low-grade Random Box…’

Two 100 million won items dropped.

It was more valuable than Magic Stones and also hard to obtain.

‘Gambling items are popular everywhere.’

Random boxes sell out within minutes even when listed in wholesale markets.

Because with good luck, you can get a 400 million won item.

Of course, in the worst case, you might just get a 5 million won skill book.

That’s why it’s a popular item for people looking to make easy money.

‘It might synergize well with the Lucky Charm.’

With the effect of the charm that increases luck, the random box could bring unparalleled benefits to Min Do-jun.

‘I should open one when I reach level 350.’

Min Do-jun, who postponed using the box, opened the achievement window.

[Achievement – Solo C-rank Boss Hunt!]

-Condition: Hunt a C-rank boss solo

-Reward: Experience +93,000

An enormous amount came in despite the experience amplification not applying to achievement rewards.

[You have leveled up!]

[You have leveled up!]

[You have leveled up!]

Upon receiving the reward, his level rose 3 steps at once.

‘I’ve achieved my goal, so I’ll clear quickly.’

Min Do-jun advanced again, gripping his sword.

The Little Snakes couldn’t even scratch him, who had defeated the boss alone.

* * *

Park Dong-yun was startled by Min Do-jun’s appearance as he came out after hunting.

“H-Hunter! Are you alright?”

It was because Min Do-jun’s entire body was covered in blood.

“Don’t worry. It’s just snake blood.”

“Phew, I was scared you were badly hurt.”

“How could that be?”

“Well, someone who took down the Armored Mantis alone wouldn’t fall to mere snakes. By the way, are you going straight to the next dungeon?”

“No. I’ll stop hunting for today. I want to wash up quickly.”

“Okay! Then I’ll guide you home.”

The two got in the car and headed home.

“By the way, Hunter. Did you know?”

“Hm? What?”

“The video of you stopping the dungeon break. It hit 10 million views on YouTube!”

“Ah…”

It seems the middle school students he saved then uploaded it.

“So my face has been exposed to 10 million people?”

“Isn’t that good? You’re about to become famous.”

“Good? It’s just troublesome.”

He had foreseen it, but he didn’t expect to become famous this quickly.

‘Should I learn an invisibility skill?’

As he was thinking that, Park Dong-yun cleared his throat and said casually.

“Hunter. Some guilds will probably contact you.”

“Contact?”

“Yes. Guild officials have heard rumors about you. That you took down the Armored Mantis alone…”

“Ah…”

An exclamation escaped Min Do-jun’s lips, but it wasn’t because he didn’t know.

He had expected the fact that he defeated a boss would spread.

He exclaimed simply because he realized Park Dong-yun’s intention.

‘He seems worried other guilds might snatch me away.’

A guild refers to a kind of management that supports hunters.

If you belong to a guild, you can receive various support such as item rentals or hunting ground matching.

In that respect, it was similar to the Hunter Management Center, but there was one big difference.

It’s that you can engage in efficient party play.

Guild members run dungeons together daily, building teamwork.

On the other hand, hunters not affiliated with guilds meet like blind dates, playing with new people each time.

Naturally, guilds are superior in all aspects such as hunting speed and safety.

That’s why most hunters want to join a guild.

It’s also why the Hunter Management Center fails to attract capable hunters.

‘But not just anyone can join a guild.’

Guilds are selective about which hunters they accept.

They don’t accept hunters without perseverance or potential for growth in the first place.

In that respect, Min Do-jun was a talent worthy of consideration.

Defeating the Armored Mantis alone was that great a feat.

It wasn’t unreasonable for Park Dong-yun to be anxious.

“Guilds will probably offer to recruit you. But it’s not time for you to go to a guild yet. I can take care of you sufficiently, and I’d hate to send you away… So, um…”

“Don’t worry. I have no plans to join a guild yet.”

“Ah! Really? Thank y… Huh? But ‘yet’ means you’ll go someday…?”

Min Do-jun held his tongue.

You never know what will happen with people.

Anyway, what’s certain is that now is not the time to join a guild.

‘Solo play earns much more experience, so there’s no reason to join.’

To see the experience amplification effect of the Solo Conqueror’s Necklace, he needs to hold off for now.

That’s why Min Do-jun rejected all the phone calls he received that evening.

-Hello, is this Hunter Min Do-jun? This is Song Min-seop from Taehwang Guild. Our guild…

“Not interested.”

-Hello, this is Team Leader Kim from Dawn Guild. We…

“No thanks.”

-This is Team Leader Park Hyun-min from Flame Guild. Just come over! We’ll offer the best conditions…

“No need.”

Three calls came in, and he rejected them all.

“They should at least show the sincerity to visit in person.”

Of course, they might not know Min Do-jun’s home address, but it wouldn’t be hard to find out if they wanted to.

That’s when.

Ding dong-♪

“Hm?”

The doorbell rang in Min Do-jun’s otherwise quiet house.

‘I’m not expecting anyone?’

Looking at the intercom screen, he saw a woman standing in front of the door.

‘Huh? That person is…’