The beasts belatedly grew wary, but it was already too late.
The momentum of their charge was such that they felt as if Min-hyuk’s sharp blade would slice through their necks the moment they tried to stop; his killing intent was that palpable.
Deciding it was better to take their chances in a fight, they charged forward, pouring out their fighting spirit with everything they had.
‘Cheetah.’
It was a creature that charged with terrifying speed despite its weak fighting spirit.
However, Min-hyuk had already reacted to the falling speed of a giant bird before, so he had more than enough time to respond.
Then, a lynx launched a surprise attack.
Clang!
He used the sword he had summoned at some point to block the claws of the creature that had leaped at him from behind like an assassin, then spun around and cleaved it apart in a single blow with his Zanbato.
A wildcat aimed for the gap created by that movement.
“Hup!”
Sensing he might not be able to dodge, Min-hyuk urgently released his fighting spirit to induce a momentary stiffness.
The monsters, unable to withstand his aura, froze, and he cut through them all at once.
Back during the conquest of the 4th floor, his proficiency was so low that even his own movements would stop for a moment after using his fighting spirit.
Now, having completely overcome that weakness, he swept the beasts away with ease.
“Whew…”
He calmed his breathing for a moment and looked straight ahead, only to find an even larger number of beasts had gathered.
A pack of hyenas huddled together.
A pride of lions positioned on the opposite side.
A pack of wolves situated in the center.
Just these three groups alone looked far more dangerous than the beasts he had just dealt with.
The problem was the presence he felt behind them.
A grizzly bear revealed its massive body as it knocked down giant trees.
A Siberian tiger with a massive frame that rivaled the bear.
A black panther that looked smaller than the tiger but far more agile.
Looking at them, he felt like he finally understood why the hunters had unanimously warned that the 5th floor was truly dangerous.
‘I guess there isn’t one specific boss.’
It felt like they each had their own territories, and the king of the pack was the boss of that respective area.
As if to prove it, many of the beasts he had hunted earlier reappeared from various places.
As if to show they were proud members of the 5th floor guarding their territory, they released a murderous aura toward the intruder, Min-hyuk.
However, they did not attack immediately.
‘It’s as if they’re giving me a chance.’
Having met the conditions, the beasts stood still, emitting killing intent as if telling him to go back now while he still could.
As if to confirm Min-hyuk’s thoughts, a system window appeared in the air.
[Clear Rate: 35%]
[Conditions met. You may leave the tower at any time.]
[Would you like to leave now?]
The system window asked if he would exit.
“No.”
Answering firmly, he released his fighting spirit toward the beasts.
It would be dangerous.
Nevertheless, as he stared straight ahead with the will to see this through to the end, the beasts that had been watching silently began to move slowly.
Min-hyuk also stepped forward toward them.
The first to move was the wolf pack in the very front.
‘They’re different from the ones that just rushed in recklessly.’
Unlike the creatures that lunged at any opening, the wolves formed a perimeter and tried to slowly drain Min-hyuk’s strength.
And at the center was the alpha wolf.
Their strategy was to have the other wolves aim for gaps and wear him down while the alpha wolf somehow endured Min-hyuk’s attacks.
The lines visible to Min-hyuk’s eyes became intricately tangled due to the attacks of the wolves, who utilized their numbers well.
‘I wanted to save more of my strength, but I have no choice.’
Min-hyuk’s movements, which had been conservative to save his energy, began to change.
By utilizing the subtleties of the Rabbit Captain’s Magic Combat Arts, Min-hyuk’s movements, which were already fast due to physical enhancement, became even swifter.
“Yelp!”
As a dog-like whimper escaped the alpha wolf whose flank was pierced by the Zanbato, Min-hyuk’s movements accelerated.
Consequently, the complexly tangled lines began to stretch out simply, delivering death to the wolves.
“Yip!”
“Awooo-ack!”
“Whimper!”
The power of the Zanbato, moving as if beating a dog on a midsummer day, was destructive.
This was because he didn’t strictly try to cut with the blade.
The sheer power was enough to crush bones even when striking with the back of the blade, so the moment a wolf was hit by the Zanbato, it was essentially on its way to the afterlife.
Is that why?
Before long, dozens of wolves lay scattered around Min-hyuk.
“Next.”
As he shouted and moved forward, the pride of lions began to charge.
Having a relatively larger territory than the hyenas, the lionesses were the first to move, unable to tolerate their territory being invaded.
True to being lions, they were much stronger and more difficult to deal with than the wolves.
Furthermore, the strategy guide prepared for him might have included hyenas or wolves, but it didn’t mention lions.
Therefore, he had no choice but to pull out another hidden card.
“Haaa…”
The moment he exhaled a long breath, the lionesses, judging that an opening had appeared, lunged all at once.
At the moment they pounced from all directions so he couldn’t respond, the bluish power gathered on Min-hyuk’s Zanbato fanned out in all directions following his spinning movement.
It was the discharge of compressed mana that had finished off the giant bird.
It spread out in a more refined form, slicing through all the pouncing lionesses in an instant.
Thud.
Leaving behind the corpses of the lionesses whose eyes were wide as if in disbelief, Min-hyuk stared at the growling male lion.
Releasing an intense killing intent over the death of his entire family, the lion charged.
The moment it rushed in with a speed incomparable to the lionesses, Min-hyuk’s feet moved quickly.
“…Grrr?”
Because it was a surprise attack, the lion expected to hit something, but contrary to its expectations, there was nothing for its paws to catch.
Min-hyuk wasn’t in its sight either.
Then, there was only one answer.
As the male lion looked up instinctively, it saw Min-hyuk descending with his Zanbato.
Crunch!
Min-hyuk, who had pierced through the male lion’s mana-infused mane and severed its neck in one go, released his fighting spirit toward his surroundings.
Then, the hyenas that were rushing to invade the territory as soon as the lions were wiped out hesitated for a moment, and for the current Min-hyuk, that brief moment was enough time to fix his stance.
“Hup!”
He immediately poured in both mana and fighting spirit and rushed toward the pack of hyenas that was charging at a fierce speed.
Instead of waiting for the enemy to fully form a perimeter, he dove inside to induce confusion.
It was a judgment that could have been dangerous, but there was no hesitation in Min-hyuk’s eyes.
This was because the moment he decided to rush into the enemy lines, the numerous lines reflected in his eyes became clear.
[Proficiency in Rabbit Captain’s Magic Combat Arts is increasing.]
As he slaughtered the hyenas, a mechanical voice rang in his ears.
Since he couldn’t look during the battle, it informed him via voice.
However, Min-hyuk, already focused on the battle, was only concerned with killing the enemies.
[Proficiency in Rabbit Captain’s Magic Combat Arts is increasing.]
[Proficiency in Rabbit Captain’s Magic Combat Arts is increasing.]
[Proficiency in Rabbit Captain’s Magic Combat Arts is increasing.]
He twisted his body to dodge,
Attacked with all sorts of weapons,
Injected mana to accelerate,
And concentrated mana on the impact points to increase the power.
As he fought while actively applying the Rabbit Captain’s Magic Combat Arts to everything, his proficiency increased every time he moved his mana.
The movement of mana carried out during a life-and-death struggle was inherently designed to increase the proficiency of the Magic Combat Arts.
Is that why?
Crack!
The moment he drove the Zanbato into the head of the last hyena, a system window popped up.
[Proficiency in Rabbit Captain’s Magic Combat Arts has reached 100%.]
[The skill ‘Rabbit Captain’s Magic Combat Arts’ has been created.]
[1. Able to double physical enhancement effects temporarily]
[2. Power amplification through mana condensation]
Even as the newly engraved skill effects listed down, Min-hyuk’s eyes remained fixed forward.
This was because all the enemies had not yet vanished.
“Huff… Huff…”
Something soared out from the dark forest toward Min-hyuk, who was breathing heavily.
In response, he squeezed out all his mana and swung his Zanbato.
[Proficiency in Slashing has increased.]
Along with the reappearance of the system window, a screeching sound like steel being scraped rang out followed by a monstrous cry.
The black panther, though agonizing with its body half-cleaved by the slash, pounced once more to bite him.
Min-hyuk finished it off by tearing its maw apart with the swords held in both hands.
“Huff… Huff… Let’s take a break.”
Min-hyuk muttered to the bear and the tiger—the final boss-tier monsters—who had appeared on either side, and hurriedly summoned a campfire.
As the safe zone was established, the bear threw trees while releasing a displeased fighting spirit.
The giant tiger even continuously swatted wooden fragments toward him.
He quickly lit poisonous incense to buy time, and in the meantime, he shoved the 1st-floor potions and rabbit meat he had prepared into his mouth.
“Phew… Now I can finally breathe.”
After eating various meats and washing it down with a 1st-floor potion, Min-hyuk stood up.
As the two monsters glared at him as if he were being unfair, Min-hyuk spoke as if it were absurd.
“And you think it’s fair to make me fight one after another alone?”
Muttering that, Min-hyuk picked up his Zanbato again and channeled his mana.
They were enemies he had to fight anyway.
Knowing that resting more wouldn’t dramatically improve his condition, he didn’t waste firewood and let the campfire go out.
As the fire died and the safe zone gradually shrank, the giant bear and tiger charged from both sides as if they had been waiting.
He had already used all his hidden cards while fighting the previous enemies.
Now, all that was left was to put everything on the line and fight.
Boom!
Ducking his head to dodge the bear’s swinging forepaw, Min-hyuk swung his Zanbato, only for it to be blocked by the bear’s guard.
“…Crazy.”
It was a solid guard, as if the creature had learned boxing.
Then, realizing the tiger was pouncing from behind, he hurriedly widened the distance.
At that moment, the tiger delivered a roundhouse kick.
K-boom!
Min-hyuk, who was sent flying far away with the sound of an explosion, exhaled raggedly as he looked at the two boss monsters.
“These bastards… what are they?”
The two monsters fought as if they were practitioners of martial arts.
As the two monsters pressed him, even using coordinated attacks as if they had practiced together, Min-hyuk used all his strength to leap into the air.
Concentrating mana into his wind-touched legs to leap high, he scattered slime bottles filled with poison.
He even sprayed slime liquid full of acid.
Sizzle! Sizzle!
Min-hyuk poured out everything he had while fleeing through the air.
It wasn’t entirely ineffective; unlike at the start, their movements clearly became sluggish.
“This isn’t cheating. There are two of you.”
Muttering toward the two monsters who glared at him resentfully, Min-hyuk clashed with them with all his might, as if he finally felt he could fight on equal footing.
The tiger and bear also poured everything they had into Min-hyuk.
The bear kept him in check, standing on two legs and throwing punches like a boxer.
The tiger aimed for a finishing blow, launching long-reaching kicks.
Though he was certainly bewildered at first, he gradually adapted as the fight went on.
The same went for the powerful fighting spirit that seemed to constrict his body.
That seemed to be the case for his opponents as well; claw marks from the bear and wounds from the tiger increased all over Min-hyuk’s mana-strengthened body.
And finally….
“It’s over!”
Min-hyuk roared with his arms wide open as if declaring victory over the two martial artists.
As if to celebrate his victory, system windows filled the sky.
From that moment on, the value of Min-hyuk began to skyrocket among all the hunters who saw these system windows.