Chapter 113

The total number of stone soldiers blocking the path was three. The weapons they are carrying are the same as before: bow, sword, and staff.
Whew!
Sure enough, as soon as Ming Hu was in range, the sword began to fly. Of course, on either side of the sword, arrows and chunks of stone were flying as well.
Sigh
Ming Hu moved sideways first, out of the arrow’s path. He parried the swords and boulders that swerved toward him. Then he started running straight toward the stone soldier.
Siaak
A magic circle appeared in front of Ming Hu as he ran, and a three-meter-high wall rose up. Ming Hu, who had expected the wall to appear the moment he saw the magic circle, quickly smashed through it and dodged the flying swords and arrows as if he had been waiting for them. Unlike before, Ming Hu was closing the distance quickly, he thought.
‘This is why experience matters.
It had only happened once, just once, but unlike before, it was so much easier to deal with. Ming Hu, who was about to use a skill, realized that he didn’t need to.
“This far away…
Of course, that didn’t mean I didn’t use skills. Using skills helped me finish the hunt faster.
“Moving Strike!”
When he had gotten a good distance between them, Ming Hu attacked the one in front of him with a moving strike, then walked forward past the crumbling gargoyle, shouting, “I’m going to kill you.
“Life Explosion!”
[Gain 20% increased damage for 20 seconds].
[Gain 20% attack speed for 20 seconds].
Oooooh!
A ripple spread out from Ming Hu’s body and scattered past the two stone soldiers in front of him.
Tsk!
The two stone soldiers pulling the casting and bowstring were instantly shattered. Ming Hu looked up from the fading remains of the stone soldiers and glanced at the inner city, before turning his attention back to picking up the dropped items.
-You have earned the Mark of the Advanced Gargoyle Soldier.
-You have mastered advanced marble carving.
“Let’s go.”
After picking up the item, Ming Hu began to walk toward the inner sanctum.
* * * * *
After entering the black castle, the foursome made their way to the inner castle, hunting down the gargoyle soldiers.
“Wow, that’s crazy!”
Vante, the tank in the party, shouted as he blocked the flying swords, arrows, and rocks with the massive shield he held. Even with the shield, Vante was pushed back a bit.
“Leren! Super Armor!”
Seeing it, Fabien, the leader of the party, cried out. Hearing Fabien’s cry, Leren stretched out his hand toward Vante and shouted, “It’s not here.
“Unyielding strength to thee, Super Armor!”
Siaak
A thin transparent membrane formed around Vante, who was being pushed back. Swords, arrows, and rocks continued to pound the shield, but Vante was no longer pushed back. Seeing that, Fabian immediately began casting magic.
“Ice Shot!”
While Fabian was casting his spell, Ice, the archer and ranged dealer, began shooting arrows at the gargoyle soldier. The gargoyle soldier’s body began to partially crack as he continued to take damage from the arrow attacks.
“Ice Cutter!”
Fabian’s eyes flashed as he finished casting, and five sharp blades of ice appeared around him, flying toward the stone soldier.
Squeak squeak squeak squeak squeak
The icy blade sliced through the stone soldier.
tweet
The stone soldier, who had been taking damage from the arrow attack anyway, cracked and shattered as the ice blade sliced through his body.
“Huh.”
Looking at the shattered remains of the stone soldier, Vante let out a short sigh. Then he turned back to look at Fabian.
“Hey, is there a big difference between a senior soldier and a junior knight?”
“Hmm.”
At Vante’s words, Fabien thought for a moment, then opened his mouth to speak.
“It’s going to make a difference.”
“How much?”
“One monster fox for a superior soldier, three monster foxes for a junior knight?”
“What?”
Vante looked surprised at Fabien’s words. Then Fabien smiled and continued, “I’m sorry.
“It doesn’t mean that a lesser knight is as strong as three monster foxes, but it does mean that the difficulty increases dramatically.”
“Oh. I thought. I thought you were only going after junior drivers.”
So while Fabian and Vante were talking, Ice and Leren, who had gone to pick up the items, returned and said.
“I got two proofs.”
“Okay.”
After Ice hands him the token, Fabian puts it in his inventory.
“Let’s go.”
They then began to walk back toward the inner castle, but not long afterward they spotted a superior gargoyle soldier and stopped.
“They’re really sticking together.”
“Sure.”
With that muttered, Fabian’s party prepared for battle.
“Leren, can you put on the super armor?”
“Okay, brother.”
Siaak
A thin transparent membrane formed around Vante, and upon seeing it, Ice let go of the bowstring he had drawn. The arrows quickly flew toward the gargoyle soldiers, and so the battle began, ending shortly afterward when the gargoyles were shattered by Fabian’s magic.
“Oh, this time I have three proofs!”
“I’ll take some credit.”
After collecting the item, Fabian’s party set off again toward the inner city. After a few more battles, Fabian’s party was able to reach the walls of the castle.
“Finally!”
“But where’s the entrance?”
But when I looked around, I couldn’t see the entrance to the inner sanctum.
“There’s a group of users near the entrance… I don’t see any users, so maybe we should walk a bit?”
At Fabian’s words, his party began to walk along the ramparts.
Woof, woof, woof
“Uh, is that it?”
“Yeah, that’s it.”
After some time, Fabien’s party was able to arrive near the entrance.
“I’m joining a hunting party for a Lesser Knight. I’m level 220, I’m a tank, and I’m confident of up to three animals.”
“Party wanted, 233, fighter, can support.”
“Get a party member, I’m on my way to the healer!”
Users gathered near the entrance were looking for a party or party members. Fabian’s party, not looking for a party member, walked right past them and headed for the entrance. That’s when it happened.
Stop!
Fabian stopped walking. Vante looked at Fabian with a puzzled expression as Fabian stopped walking abruptly.
“…What’s wrong?”
“Well…”
Fabian trailed off, staring off into the distance. Vante looked where Fabien was staring, and there stood a user.
“…It’s a user. Why? Do you know him?”
“Well…”
Repeating himself, Fabien shook his head and continued.
“I’m sure I’ve seen this before…”
I thought I recognized it. Leren, who had heard Fabien’s words from the side, opened his mouth to speak.
“I think I’ve seen that guy before…?”
“Eh? You too?”
At Fabian and Leren’s words, Vante looked once more at the user standing in front of the entrance, and that’s when Ice called out.
“Ah! It’s him!”
“Who?” asked Fabian, and Ice opened his mouth to speak with a smile.
“You know, that blacksmith from the latest hot video, the one where he was killing combat class users with a single hammer blow?”
“Oh, that guy? Come to think of it, I think we look alike. Hey, celebrity!”
Vante, who had watched the video, nodded in agreement, but Leren shook his head.
“But I didn’t watch that video.”
“Huh? So I’m not just confused with someone else?”
“No. I’m sure I’ve seen it somewhere.”
As Ice, Vante, and Leren talked, Fabian pondered Ice’s words and looked at the user.
“…Peek-a-boo? Ah!”
Fabien looked at you in surprise, then remembered where he’d seen you before.
“It’s him! It’s him!”
Fabien exclaimed in surprise.
“…Who?”
“…?”
Vante, Leren, and Ice looked at Fabian with puzzled expressions. Fabian’s face was filled with surprise, then excitement.
“You know, that time we caught the great fox, don’t you remember?”
“…?”
“When you catch the great fox?”
Vante and Ice shook their heads at Fabian’s words, but Leren looked surprised that he remembered.
“Oh, it’s him!”
“Who is it?”
Vante asked, frowning slightly. Fabien looked at Vante with excitement in his eyes.
“You know, the guy who killed the great fox with a single blow!”
“Ah, him!”
“Huh!”
At Fabian’s words, Vante and Ice looked at the user in surprise, as if they remembered. Fabian furrowed his brow slightly and muttered, “You’re right.
“You told me your name then… what was it?”
“Minghu! I said Minghu.”
Leren opened his mouth to speak. Fabian muttered at Leren’s words, looking at the user standing in front of the entrance, Ani and Ming Hu.
“Yes, he was a master, but how strong is he now?”
“Well…”
“…Hmm.”
“…”
No one answered Fabian’s mutterings. He had already killed the Great Fox with a single blow back then. It was hard to imagine how much stronger he must have become after so much time had passed. Then Fabian opened his mouth to speak.
“I didn’t get to say sorry then.”
“I didn’t even get to say thank you.”
As if waiting for Fabien to speak, Leren continued. Hearing Leren’s words, Fabien smiled.
“I know it’s late, but do you want to go say hi?”
Fabian was already walking toward the palace, and at the sight of him, Vante, Leren, and Ice smiled sheepishly and hurried after him.