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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 13
Chapter Title: An Unwelcome Meeting
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The frantic flapping of wings echoed loudly through the cave.
The inhabitants of the Red Cave, the Big Bats.
'I can only hear them.'
The sound of flapping grew closer.
There was nothing luminous in the cave.
Unless there was some Potent Moss, piercing through the darkness was impossible.
'No, even with light, it would be a problem.'
Big Bats possessed a disorienting ability.
That's why the ability of [Thorned Carapace] was essential to hunt them.
I crossed my arms in an X and forged ahead blindly.
"Screee! Screeech!"
The screams of the Big Bats shook my eardrums.
[You have been exposed to an ultrasonic wave.]
[It is difficult to maintain your balance. You are losing your sense of direction.]
I swayed as if drunk.
I planted my feet firmly and stood my ground.
As long as I didn't fall, it would be fine.
I clenched my teeth and held my position, and a moment later, a heavy thud struck my thigh.
A Big Bat had charged me.
'They knock their prey down before tearing into it.'
Disorient with [Ultrasonic Wave].
When the prey staggers, they crash into it, knock it over, and then swarm it. That was the Big Bats' method of attack.
A much trickier foe than the Thorned Boars, which only charged head-on!
But here's the thing: I'm pretty strong.
As long as I keep my balance, there's no way a Big Bat can knock me over.
And that's not all.
Squelch!
The gruesome sound of tearing flesh and splattering blood echoed.
The source of the sound was the Big Bat.
The monster spasmed, trembling.
It had flown at full speed and crashed into the carapace densely packed with thorns.
"Scree, scree."
The Big Bat gasped in pain.
Don't worry.
Your friends will be joining you soon.
Thud! Thud! A swarm of Big Bats crashed into me one after another.
My shoulders, legs, abdomen, and chest.
They struck anywhere they could to break my balance.
"Screeech!"
"Scree!"
The Big Bats shrieked as they willingly threw themselves onto the sharp thorns.
Wasn't there a saying about jumping into a fire pit after dousing yourself in oil?
'Glad I looked up the strategy guide.'
Before my regression, I never entered the Red Cave.
To be precise, I *couldn't*.
I wasn't strong enough.
That's why I had gathered all the known information on Big Bats and devised my own method.
"It's certainly effective."
I made some noise to draw their aggro, and the swarm of Big Bats rushed toward the thorns and smashed their heads against them.
A few were impaled on the thorns, twitching.
The rest collapsed to the ground, gasping for breath.
"Why are you making me feel sorry for you?"
In times like these, ending their pain is the best I can do.
My nails shot out, growing over twenty centimeters long.
With a merciful heart, I ended the Big Bats' suffering.
Where else would you find such a kind person?
[Predating the essence of the Big Bat.]
[Grade: Normal]
[Essence Predated: 1.5% → 3.2% → 6.1%....]
Ah, look at all this sweet essence.
I had defeated a whole swarm of Big Bats just by standing still.
It was all thanks to obtaining [Thorned Carapace] and entering the Red Cave.
I smiled in satisfaction.
* * *
I roamed the Red Cave without hesitation.
Whenever I stomped my feet as I walked, the sound of Big Bat wings would answer before long.
Vwoooom-!
The ultrasonic waves emitted by the Big Bats hit me in succession.
"This damn ultrasonic wave is a bit annoying."
I frowned and braced my legs.
I was grateful that the Big Bats were rushing to their deaths on their own.
But the experience of losing my balance as if drunk was far from pleasant.
After a few repeated battles.
A faint green light illuminated the passage.
[Potent Moss]
Grade: Magic
Classification: Miscellaneous
A type of moss found only in certain caves.
Its tenacious life force enhances the effects of potions or healing-related skills when used as a catalyst.
Potent Moss.
It was a plant needed to craft high-grade potions.
My main goal was to obtain the Big Bats' essence, but there was no harm in earning some extra income, right?
I scraped off the Potent Moss.
"Look how much this is all worth."
Hehehe.
A laugh escaped my lips.
As long as society's structure was maintained, money was also a form of power.
Right after I regressed, I was so broke I had to take a pickaxe and dig up a Tyrannosaurus fossil myself, didn't I?
If my wallet were thicker, I could just buy a fossil in good condition instead of doing the legwork.
So I should save as much money as I can, while I can.
'Killing two birds with one stone.'
The Red Cave had a linear structure.
There was no risk of getting lost just because my vision was obscured.
I moved forward, simultaneously gathering Potent Moss and hunting Big Bats.
[Predating the essence of the Big Bat.]
[Essence Predated: 100%]
[You have perfectly absorbed the essence of one species.]
[Agility + 2]
[Mana + 2]
[Skill - Ultrasonic Wave has been added.]
[Ultrasonic Wave]
Grade: ★
Classification: Active
Emits an ultrasonic wave to perceive the surrounding terrain.
Consumes a small amount of mana.
*Range: 100 meters
Finally!
I had achieved my purpose for visiting the Red Cave.
'With Ultrasonic Wave, I can improve my spatial awareness.'
The sense humans rely on most to process information is 'sight.'
But if you add ultrasonic waves to the mix, 'hearing' can also be used to read the space.
Even a place filled with darkness like the Red Cave…
[Using Ultrasonic Wave.]
[Reading the terrain structure within a 100-meter radius.]
Just like this.
The ultrasonic waves spread out around me, telling me the shape of the terrain and objects.
Should I call it the visualization of sound waves?
Not a single ray of light penetrated this place, so I couldn't see a thing, but the terrain read by the ultrasonic wave unfolded before my eyes like a black-and-white screen.
'Now I don't have to worry about the dark.'
Truly, the [Predation] ability is the best.
I turned around and headed for the entrance.
My business in the Red Cave was finished.
On the way back, I didn't have to feel my way forward as before.
With [Ultrasonic Wave], I could see through the darkness as if wearing night-vision goggles.
After walking for some time, I saw light seeping through a crack in the cave wall.
'To think it was this close.'
I thought I'd been walking for hours, but it only took twenty minutes to get back to the entrance.
As I was about to squeeze through the crack to get outside.
'What's this?'
A murmur of voices.
I sensed the presence of people outside the cave.
I paused for a moment and pressed my ear against the rock.
The tutorial just started, and they're already targeting the Red Cave…?
'They must be promising rookies from a top guild.'
Thorned Boars weren't easy opponents to face on the first day of the tutorial.
It was best to be cautious.
I used [Ultrasonic Wave] simultaneously, focusing on grasping the situation outside.
"There are traces of someone passing through here."
"Yoo Jinho. It must be him."
"What makes you so certain?"
"He hunted Wolf King Serin. The next place he'd target is obviously here."
"If you say so, Player Park Jongwon…"
"I must get first place in this tutorial. You know that, right?"
"You're a rising star of Hwarang, so of course."
Oho. Listening to their conversation, I was starting to get the picture.
I checked the stage status board.
[You are currently on the 0th Floor, Rainbow Island.]
*Field Bosses
Giant Snake Ness - Alive
Wolf King Serin - Deceased (Killed by Player: Yoo Jinho)
Respawn in 159:44:21
Deep Slime - Deceased (Killed by Player: Yoo Jinho)
Respawn in 151:32:09
Rage Ape – Deceased (Killed by Player: Park Jongwon)
Respawn in 155:39:21
....
*Points Acquired
1st - Park Jongwon (207 points)
2nd - Oh Jiwon (152 points)
3rd - Jung Shinho (137 points)
4th - Lee Doyoung (108 points)
5th - Jang Miji (96 points)
This guy, Park Jongwon, seems to have predicted I'd target the Red Cave after hunting Wolf King Serin.
He's racked up a fair number of points in just one day, too.
I mulled over the familiar-sounding name, stroking my chin.
'I don't know him.'
Before I regressed, I competed with famous rankers from all over the world.
Park Jongwon.
If he had made a name for himself in the future, there's no way I wouldn't remember. He didn't seem to be that kind of person.
Well then, shall I go see what these uninvited guests look like?
I squeezed my body through the crack in the rock and went outside.
* * *
A human shadow was cast at the entrance of the Red Cave.
Park Jongwon's eyes narrowed.
He knew instinctively that the player emerging from the cave was Yoo Jinho.
'I have to be number one. I can't lose to some no-name player!'
Squeeze!
His grip on his dagger tightened.
The players with him also tensed, gripping their weapons.
"Player Park Jongwon, what are you going to do?"
"I'll persuade him."
"And if the talks don't go well?"
"I'll make him rest for a while. If that doesn't work, I'll just have to eliminate him."
Park Jongwon wasn't satisfied with ordinary rewards.
'I will become the best player in Hwarang, no, in our country!'
He had been chosen as the next rising star of Hwarang, the undisputed number one guild in the country.
It wasn't an impossible dream.
Park Jongwon desperately wanted to achieve that goal.
First place in the tutorial stage was the first step toward realizing that grand dream.
'If he won't listen to reason, I'll have no choice but to break an arm or a leg.'
Park Jongwon's gaze deepened.
Finally, Jinho emerged from behind the red rock and let out a sigh. "Hoo—"
Park Jongwon's eyes quickly scanned Jinho from head to toe.
His clothes were so tattered you couldn't tell their original shape.
And he was bare-handed.
Was that man really the first-ranked player?
Doubt soared as he looked at Jinho, but he suppressed the feeling and opened his mouth.
"Are you Yoo Jinho?"
"You came here knowing who I am, so why bother asking?"
Jinho let out a short, mocking laugh.
Park Jongwon pushed down his boiling emotions.
"Then this should be quick. I have a proposal for you."
"Give up first place. That's it, right?"
"Correct. In return, I'll give you a rare-grade item."
"Player Park Jongwon, even so, a rare item is a bit…"
A player next to him tried to stop Park Jongwon.
[Rare] grade items were traded for at least hundreds of millions, sometimes even billions.
It was an excessive price for simply giving up first place.
But that was how serious Park Jongwon was.
"Eh, a single rare item is too cheap."
"Are you refusing the offer, then?"
"Yeah. So what are you going to do about it?"
"Then I suppose we'll have to have a physical conversation."
Shing— The blade in Park Jongwon's hand let out a cold ring.
It was the unique-grade item he received from Hwarang, the [Whispering Dagger].
"Perfect."
Jinho smiled when he saw the blade.
"What do you mean?"
"A physical conversation? I like those too."
Park Jongwon understood Jinho's words a moment too late.
In that instant.
[Agile Hind Legs]
Kicking off the ground, Jinho charged toward Park Jongwon.