Strike 93

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Riding on a horse, Hyun-soo heard the story from Belia.

“The fifth disaster?”

Hyun-soo wore a puzzled expression.

“Isn’t that quite different from me?”

The fifth disaster, though among the weakest of those who worship the disaster cult, was clearly a different entity from Hyun-soo.

“Disaster Jack used the scripture of the evil god.”

Belia explained that it was accessible only to those below level 200.

“Because the power was too strong, Jack and his followers also received a penalty. Jack, who was at level 365, dropped to 270, and his followers to around 180.”

The gap had significantly narrowed.

‘If it was deemed impossible, the god of blacksmiths wouldn’t have given me this mission.’

Yet, the difficulty seemed nonsensical. For now, he quickly brainstormed while riding.

Hyun-soo slowly nodded his head.

“It’s not entirely impossible.”

A thought flashed through Hyun-soo’s mind. Before long, they were nearing the sanctuary of wolves.

“Passing through the sanctuary of wolves is the fastest way to reach the temple. If you are the chosen savior by the god, passing through there should be quite easy for you.”

The two arrived in front of the sanctuary of wolves.

“Wolves have faster legs than horses, so it’s better to go hunting on the way.”

Hyun-soo dismounted and released the horse.

“Also, the wolves here are much stronger relative to their level. But to you, the descendant of Sword Saint, they are just kids, right?”

“The descendant of Sword Saint?”

Hyun-soo looked puzzled.

“I am not from the descendant of Sword Saint job class.”

“What? Then… perhaps the hidden descendant of the Sword King…?”

“No, I am a blacksmith.”

Belia’s head went blank as if it had been hammered by a strong force.

“A, a blacksmith?”

Then.

Screams and ferocious howling came from deep within the sanctuary of wolves.

But for Belia, there was something more important at the moment.

“Your level?”

“120.”

Something was wrong.

Belia, confused, saw users with stunned expressions passing by.

She wanted to deny this reality, so she asked again.

“A blacksmith at level 120? Not a descendant of Sword Saint?”

“Yes, but it will be okay. I am a blacksmith, but also a user with exceptional martial prowess, plus you have your holy power, Belia.”

“Mr. Hyun-soo. Is it really okay to go in? When the Ash Wolves appear, many wolves gather around.”

Hyun-soo looked into her eyes with determination.

Belia, unable to stay still, made a decision.

‘It’ll be too late to find someone else.’

They had no choice but to go.

Belia was stronger than she thought.

Instead of sitting idly by as the saintess was sacrificed, she chose to chase after the 1% chance.

The two dashed further inside.

“How to save the saintess from the fifth disaster was something I had thought about; there are a few methods.”

Hearing Hyun-soo’s voice, Belia, who had entered, froze.

It was a mistake.

Just moments ago, most users had fled while hunting.

The aggroed monsters had desperately chased after the users.

Because of the users who had escaped to the safe zone, the monsters were left to loiter around the entrance.

About twenty giant wolves were showing their teeth at the two of them.

Especially, a giant wolf that had just torn apart a user who had fallen behind from the party had blood all around its mouth.

[Giant Wolf Lv.179]

Belia had been playing a completely different game from ordinary people.

She, who liked to perform good deeds, had helped those in trouble.

One day, people from the Church of Ares came to her and granted her the epic class of the Child of the Saint.

The level-up process for the Child of the Saint was special.

It was achieved through good deeds, prayer, and praise.

She was one of the users who had done the least amount of hunting relative to her level in the game of Ares.

Facing a giant wolf, taller than herself and smelling of blood, was a terrifying experience for her.

As the wolf leaped at her with drool dripping, her thoughts froze.

At that moment, Belia felt a man brush past her.

[King of Wolves.]

[Exudes the dignity of a king towards monsters identified as beasts.]

[Causes fear for 4 seconds in those of higher levels.]

The leaping wolf changed direction. After passing Belia, it crashed into the ground.

“Keeeeng, Kking…!”

“Kiiiiing…”

Belia’s eyes shook.

‘Who, who is this…?’

Seeing the man step forward, Belia wore a puzzled expression.

‘Fenrir?’

The symbol of King Fenrir, the wolf king, was drawn on the red cloak, and the helmet seemed to mimic Fenrir’s face.

His back was broad and massive.

Dozens of giant wolves bowed before him as if in worship.

Belia thought to herself upon seeing this unknown man.

‘A descendant of Fenrir…?’

Yes, he seemed like a descendant of Fenrir.

An unknown thrill ran through her.

‘Could it be…?’

Did God not only give Hyun-soo but also Rookie, a supposed descendant of Fenrir, a mission?

The descendant of Fenrir slowly turned his head.

“Thank you for believing in me, Lady Belia.”

Belia was taken aback. When he turned his head, she could see it was Hyun-soo.

“Let’s handle this quickly.”

Hyun-soo struck down the bloodied wolf that was right in front of Belia.

[6 consecutive damages applied.]

The sword Baekya.

A masterpiece of the blacksmith Per, gifted to Hyun-soo.

The 6 consecutive damages were a passive skill imbued in Baekya.

It activated at a low chance, manifesting the power to deal six additional damages in a single attack.

Koo-kuh-kuh-kuh-kuk-!

With a single swing, one of the wolves was completely dissected, turning to ash.

[You have hunted a Giant Wolf.]

[You have gained 886 experience points.]

[You have leveled up.]

The level gap between Hyun-soo and the giant wolf was significant, so hunting just one allowed him to level up.

“Lady Belia, do you have a buff that increases experience points?”

“Yes.”

Regaining her composure, Belia clasped her hands and prayed.

[The Blessing of the Child.]

[For 30 minutes, the experience point gain rate increases by 18%.]

Hyun-soo was surprised.

[Belia Lv.201]

Despite not being at a very high level, Belia had significantly increased the acquisition rate.

‘Isn’t it usually a 6% increase for a level 200 healer…?’

Hyun-soo quickly slashed through the wolves worshipping him with Baekya.

Hyun-soo’s stats were similar to those of users around level 180.

Added to this, the nearly legendary Baekya.

The unique artifacts, Fenrir’s Helmet and Fenrir’s Cloak, made Hyun-soo a hunter with extraordinary power.

[You have leveled up.]

Instantly leveling up 4 levels.

The wolves, done with their worship, rushed at Hyun-soo.

Kwajak-

One of the wolves smacked his chest with its front paw.

“Kyaaaak!”

Belia screamed, certain that the armor Hyun-soo wore would tear and blood would spurt from his chest…

But to her astonishment, not only did the armor not tear, but it also only got a small scratch, and Hyun-soo’s HP dropped by just 2%.

‘What exactly is this person?’

Then.

[A new story begins.]

[With the appearance of a new challenger to the Wolf King, wolves start to gather.]

Wolves began to rush in from all directions without end.

‘I didn’t know this… But what’s with the Wolf King?’

Hyun-soo had to hunt the wolves as he passed through, anyway.

Seeing Belia panic as wolves appeared from all directions, Hyun-soo smiled.

“Do you remember what I said?”

“That there are a few methods?”

Belia recalled his words.

‘I did think about how to save the saintess from the fifth disaster, and there are indeed a few methods.’

A level 120 blacksmith’s methods to save the saintess.

“Let’s hit level 160 or higher here. You have heals, right? Please give me a ride on your bus.”

Hyun-soo needed to grow.

Not just as a blacksmith, but he also needed the strength to protect himself.

The best healer provides the heals.

Meaning, Hyun-soo was leveling up fast with the help of the best healer’s boost.

The rationale was clear.

“I will do my best to heal… Let’s hit level 170!”

She had to rescue Saintess Aria, and the higher Hyun-soo’s level got, the higher the likelihood of success.

‘Is that really possible?’

That small doubt.

When dozens of giant wolves rushed at them simultaneously.

Peeeeing-

[The Sword’s Cry]

Seeing wolves turned to ashes as they were sliced by the swordsmanship of the Sword King, Belia thought it might be possible.

‘I wished he was a descendant of Sword Saint.’

Not anymore.

‘Maybe this person can really save the saintess…!’

Hyun-soo listened to the notifications of explosive leveling up.

[You have leveled up.]

[Leveled up…]

By leveling up 15 levels in one go, Hyun-soo approached level 140, and a notification appeared.

[You have hunted many wolves in a short time.]

[A new episode like none before will soon begin.]

[If you hunt the Ashen Wolf, you can become the Wolf King.]

Hyun-soo wore a puzzled expression.

Just before, there had been a notification about a new challenger to the Wolf King.

‘What exactly is the Wolf King?’

Then.

[The appearance of a boss monster!]

[Ashen Wolf Lv.212]

[Whoever hunts the Ashen Wolf will become the Wolf King.]

Suddenly, a massive ashen wolf appeared.

Kwaaaang-!

[Wolf Strike]

[You are blown far away by a strong impact.]

The moment the ashen wolf leaped like a flash and collided with Hyun-soo, he began to fly about 50 meters away.

***

At the office of Blue Corp.

CEO Lee Se-jin wore an interested expression.

He had pondered whether Hyun-soo could really stand against the fifth disaster while drafting several stories.

No matter how he arranged it, that direction didn’t seem plausible. But then the possibility of becoming the Wolf King changed his thoughts.

‘The Wolf King, huh…’

The Ashen Wolf had never been hunted before, and killing it would trigger a hidden piece.

The Wolf King’s hidden piece.

“Once obtained, you can command the wolves in the sanctuary of wolves.”

This thought crossed Lee Se-jin’s mind.

‘There are hundreds of followers blocking the temple, it would be difficult for user Hyun-soo to break through.’

However, becoming the Wolf King changes the narrative.

Of course, the Ashen Wolf was not easy to hunt and was very cunning.

As if to demonstrate this, the ashen wolf that appeared like a flash knocked Hyun-soo away.

“Indeed smart.”

Why did it blow him away? Wouldn’t it be better to go for the throat?

No, it’s different.

Even though just a monster, the Ashen Wolf decided it needed to eliminate the healer first.

By blowing Hyun-soo away, it could then bite Belia’s neck.

‘Wrong.’

Hyun-soo cannot become the Wolf King.

It would be possible with Belia, but now she is about to die.

‘You can’t hit the Ashen Wolf, also known as the Flash Wolf, from that distance.’

Just as Lee Se-jin was convinced of this, he was surprised.

A hologram mineral began to smelt above Hyun-soo’s head as he was flying backward.

***

The Ashen Wolf sensed a challenger to the Wolf King.

Someone killing its minions and targeting its authority.

It cunningly plotted.

After separating the man and the woman, it decided to bite the woman’s neck.

Kwaaaang-!

As the ashen wolf, fast as light, saw the man flying and approached the woman.

“Hy, Hyun-soo? Kyaaaaaak!”

It moved to bite her neck but then witnessed a strange sight.

A mineral erupted above the tumbling man in mid-air.

The mineral melts.

Smelting.

Impurities disappear.

Refining.

The mineral forms into a single spear.

Forging.

The moment the man who had flown far landed on the ground.

Teuuuuruk-!

Sliding on the ground, he grabs the spear.

Ridiculous.

Pitiful.

Even if he threw the spear, he would have already missed him.

Just bite the woman and feast elsewhere.

“Ugh, ughaaaa…”

The weeping woman in its mouth, the Ashen Wolf leaped powerfully.

Taaat-!

The man threw the spear.

However, the Ashen Wolf had already leaped, evading the trajectory of the spear.

But then.

Swhhhhk-!

The spear, with a mysterious howling sound, changed its course and accelerated, shooting up into the sky.

“……!?”

The Ashen Wolf lost its grip on the woman.

It couldn’t read the inscription on the spear, which read:

‘Gungnir.’

The spear said to be held by Odin.

This spear is known to never miss its mark.

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