Chapter 7 –  Giant Eared Monkey

Kiiik! Kiiiik!

Six monkeys attacked Min Do-jun.

Kkang-! Kkaaang-!

Even with spears thrusting in from all directions, Min Do-jun calmly blocked or dodged with his shield.

And when there was an opening, he even counterattacked.

Piiit!

Kiiiik!

While the injured monkey retreated in surprise, Min Do-jun blocked another monkey’s attack.

Kkang!

And then he counterattacked.

Piiit-!

As he gradually inflicted wounds like that, the monkeys seemed to think they were at a disadvantage and chose to retreat.

Min Do-jun did not chase after the retreating monkeys.

He was hoping they would call more of their companions.

‘It seems I’ve adapted to doing this continuously.’

At first, it was a bit tough dealing with six of them.

But after trying a few times, he could now handle them with ease.

‘Twelve would be difficult though.’

Before long, Min Do-jun was surrounded by twelve monkeys.

It was a situation that anyone could see was hopeless, but his expression was relaxed.

Because he had the answer called Lion’s Roar.

“Kr-heo-eo-eo-eong-!!!”

As the monkeys turned to stone, Min Do-jun raised his shield and charged.

Ppeouk!

Kung!

Wareureu-!

[Experience +90]

[Experience +90]

[Experience +90]

[Level up!]

[Promoted to E-rank!]

[One skill slot added.]

[Achievement unlocked!]

[Achievement – E-rank Monster Slayer!]

-Condition: Hunt 1,000 E-rank monsters

-Reward: E-rank Magic Stone

Min Do-jun took the magic stone as a reward and opened his status window.

-Name: Min Do-jun (Born 2000)

-Level: 50

-Rank: E

-Combat Power: 3,012

-Korean Ranking: 31,752nd

-Global Ranking: 4,702,088th

-Strength: 3, Stamina: 20

-Agility: 30, Magic Power: 9

-Unassigned Stats: 1

-Traits: Revenge(S), Hunter Hunter(EX)

-Skills: Lion’s Roar(F), Shield Charge(F)

Min Do-jun initially invested in stamina.

Thanks to that, he could run dungeons all day without getting tired.

But that was only up to a certain point.

Just investing in stamina made it difficult to conquer other dungeons beyond the monkeys.

So Min Do-jun capped stamina at 20 and raised agility to 30.

Agility also affected skill accuracy, so he had to invest a certain amount.

After that, he started investing in magic power.

‘Magic power is essential to become a magic swordsman.’

Games had classes like warrior, archer, and mage.

But Awakeners had no such settings.

With no fixed classes, they could freely learn any skills they wanted.

They could use swords while casting magic, and shoot arrows while using Shield Charge.

But most don’t do that.

Because it’s inefficient.

‘There are hardly any skills that require two stats.’

Most skills increase damage based on stats.

Skills using swords require strength, while skills using magic require magic power.

‘There’s no reason to split between strength and magic power when investing in one is not enough.’

So rather than raising stats halfway, Hunters invest only in their main stat and learn related skills.

And according to that training method, the industry categorized job types like in games.

‘There’s no magic swordsman job.’

No, it’s not that there wasn’t any.

It’s just that no one did it, so it became obsolete.

Nevertheless, the reason Min Do-jun chose the unpopular magic swordsman job was not for any other reason.

‘Shim Jin-seop. That b*st*rd was famous as a magic swordsman.’

Shim Jin-seop was one of the 15 people Min Do-jun had to take revenge on.

Currently at level 141, he was the easiest and quickest enemy to encounter.

‘To think such a guy would later rise to 3rd in the rankings.’

He was amazing in many ways.

Not Shim Jin-seop, but his trait.

‘Magic Swordsman trait. With just that, I can grow much faster than now.’

Right now it’s nothing special, but Shim Jin-seop later becomes famous as a magic swordsman.

And while drunk, he tells his colleagues about his trait.

That’s when Min Do-jun heard it too.

‘There’s no reason not to be a magic swordsman if I can steal traits.’

Originally, Min Do-jun was going to become an assassin.

To backstab those guys, nothing was as perfect as poison or ambush.

But after seeing the Hunter Hunter trait, he had no choice but to modify his plans.

Because he knew well the fearsome potential the magic swordsman job had.

‘I’m no longer doing the warrior thing.’

Before regression, Min Do-jun was a one-handed sword warrior.

Despite starting later than Shin Gyeong-min, he showed an overwhelming growth rate with his Chest Revenge trait.

And in the midst of meeting and marrying his beloved, that incident happened.

‘Those dog-like b*st*rds.’

He never dreamed of being backstabbed by the Hunters who were like family, running dungeons and eating together.

‘Now it’s my turn to backstab them.’

Having decided to become a magic swordsman, Min Do-jun invested his remaining stats in magic power.

An additional skill slot opened up upon reaching E-rank, but he left it empty for now.

There was no need to learn other skills yet.

Because until reaching level 120, he had to run the Big-Eared Monkey Dungeon like now.

At that moment.

Kung!

‘Hm?’

At the sudden sound, Min Do-jun surveyed his surroundings.

A giant monkey 7 meters tall was pushing through the undergrowth with a spear as tall as itself.

‘Giant-Eared Monkey?’

It was the boss of the Big-Eared Monkeys.

At that fact, Min Do-jun smiled faintly.

‘I hit the jackpot.’

Bosses are fundamentally not easy to encounter.

Even if you run through ten dungeons, you might not see a glimpse of a boss.

Their spawn rate was low, but bosses also gave huge rewards to match.

‘It’s not an easy opponent, but I can catch it.’

The Giant-Eared Monkey was no pushover.

As evident from its house-sized body, it took five level 50s sticking together to barely defeat it.

‘That’s only when there’s no Lion’s Roar though.’

With just Lion’s Roar, there was a chance of winning.

Without it, he definitely wouldn’t have challenged it.

No matter how skilled Min Do-jun was, he couldn’t solo a boss that five people struggled to catch.

Sreung-

Gripping his sword, Min Do-jun charged toward the boss.

He put the cumbersome shield into his inventory.

If he allowed attacks anyway, he wouldn’t even leave bones behind, so it was better without it.

The Giant-Eared Monkey didn’t notice Min Do-jun even when he was underfoot.

Being large and sluggish was the Giant-Eared Monkey’s weakness.

[Revenge trait effect doubles damage.]

‘I’ll strike first!’

Min Do-jun slashed the monkey’s Achilles tendon at his running speed.

Piit-

Despite the double damage effect, he couldn’t cut deep, likely due to low strength.

Kiit?

The monkey looked down at the stinging pain.

Spotting Min Do-jun, it raised its spear.

Pak!

The spear stabbed down, but Min Do-jun wasn’t there.

Nimbly dodging, he aimed for the monkey’s Achilles tendon.

Piit!

Kiik!

The enraged monkey stabbed its spear.

Pak!

It kept stabbing.

Pak! Pak!

Each time, Min Do-jun dodged skillfully.

Not only was Min Do-jun agile, but the monkey was also slow.

Its movements were sluggish, matching its huge body.

Instead, its defense was considerable.

Pit- Pit-!

Despite slashing the same spot several times, the monkey’s Achilles tendon remained intact.

‘Should I have changed weapons?’

He was still using the longsword he bought at level 20.

It’s not that he wasn’t dealing damage though.

Even with low strength, he could inflict some damage with the weapon’s attack power.

The proof was that the boss’s Achilles tendon wound was gradually widening.

Kiik! Kiiiik!

While being careful not to get stepped on by the thrashing monkey, Min Do-jun watched for an opportunity.

‘Now!’

He thrust his sword into the widened wound.

Puuk!

Due to low strength, it didn’t even go halfway in.

But that didn’t matter.

‘Shield Charge.’

Min Do-jun, who had taken out his shield at some point, charged toward the sword hilt.

Kkang!

Puuuk!

Pushing it all the way in with Shield Charge, the sword popped out the other side.

A hole was pierced through the Achilles tendon.

Kiieeeeek!

Unable to endure the pain, the Giant-Eared Monkey collapsed.

Seeing it lying down, grabbing its ankle and wailing, it seemed to be in a lot of pain.

‘That bit of pain is nothing.’

Thinking of his parents sacrificed to monsters, he still felt angry.

Min Do-jun approached the monkey’s ear with cold eyes.

Finally, their eye levels were similar.

“Kr-heo-eo-eo-eong-!!!”

Shocked by the eardrum-rupturing sound, the monkey turned gray.

‘1 minute.’

If he couldn’t shatter the monkey within that time, the statue would revert.

‘Then it would be a pain.’

Min Do-jun beat the monkey’s neck with all his might.

Kwang! Kwang-!

Jjeojuk-

After several collisions with Shield Charge, cracks began to form on the monkey’s neck.

’20 seconds left.’

Not much time remained.

Min Do-jun immediately thrust his sword into the crevice.

Then, like when cutting the Achilles tendon, he charged toward the sword.

Kkaang!

Jjeojuk-

Kkaang!

Jjeojeojuk-!

Kkaang!

Jjeojeojuk!

Kuung!

He managed to sever the neck before the statue reverted.

[You have defeated the Giant-Eared Monkey!]

[Experience +1,350]

[Obtained E-rank Magic Stone.]

[Obtained E-rank Magic Stone.]

[Obtained Diamond Ring.]

[Achievement unlocked!]

Seeing the notification, Min Do-jun widened his eyes.

‘A Diamond Ring?’

[Diamond Ring]

-Category: Ring

-Rank: E

-Effect: All Stats+3

-Durability: 900/900

-Usage Restriction: Level 120 or higher

-Description: A ring made of diamond. Perfect for a wedding gift.

Among accessories, rings are popular everywhere.

Not only are they versatile, but they are also rare and precious items.

‘Who knew the Giant-Eared Monkey would drop a ring.’

Among them, the Diamond Ring boasts consistent popularity.

Not only for its options but also for being great as a wedding gift.

‘The price is a bit different though.’

The price of a 1-carat diamond is about 4 million won.

On the other hand, the Diamond Ring exceeded 6 million won.

Despite the same appearance, the price difference was because it was Hunter equipment.

‘Achievement window.’

[Achievement – Solo E-rank Boss Hunt!]

-Condition: Hunt an E-rank boss solo

-Reward: Experience+9,000

The reward for soloing a boss that took five people to catch was quite substantial.

[Level up!]

[Level up!]

Min Do-jun, who instantly gained 2 levels, raised his magic power and went hunting again.

There were still many monkeys to catch to reach level 120.

‘Level up quickly and take revenge on Shim Jin-seop.’

The day he aimed for arrived earlier than scheduled.