Chapter 36: The Five-Minute Bait

Kim Hyun-jun, who was running forward, suddenly changed direction.

It was to draw the attention of the boss monster.

Because the situation was so urgent, the soldiers, except for the platoon leader, didn't even realize Kim Hyun-jun had broken away from the formation.

The method for drawing a monster's attention varies depending on the situation.

In a case like this, one just needs to land a single attack on the monster.

When a monster attacks first, aggro can usually be diverted in this manner.

Kuwaaaaah!

It was just as Kim Hyun-jun had expected.

The moment he thrust his mana-infused spear into the gap in its shell, the creature immediately changed direction.

'Ugh. Even though I coated it with as much mana as possible, it feels like my hands are going to shatter.'

Of course, it wasn't easy.

In an instant, an impact as if his hands were being struck by a giant hammer was transmitted through the spear.

Attacking a massive body moving at high speed meant a significant recoil was inevitable.

'If it were before my regression, I would have died here.'

His physical training during that time had not been in vain.

If he clenched his teeth, it was bearable.

"Over here! I've got your brat, you bastard!"

Kim Hyun-jun raised his voice even more, running in a calculated direction as if daring the beast to follow him.

Kwang! Kwajik!

The enraged Great Lava Tortoise charged recklessly into structures, closing the distance.

Giant stones that had grown like stalactites were smashed into pieces.

'Yeah. Keep following me like that.'

No matter how skilled Kim Hyun-jun was, he would die if he was hit by that massive body.

Even if it was a C+ rank dungeon, it was still a boss monster.

However, that did not happen.

Puk! Puk!

It was because Kim Hyun-jun didn't just run; he used the terrain to his advantage by wedging his spear into the structures.

Sometimes high. Sometimes low.

He dashed through narrow, single-plank paths without hesitation.

He even lightly crossed paths that ordinary soldiers couldn't traverse by using his spear.

From a distance, it almost looked like he was performing a circus act.

The Acrobatic trait was showing its true value.

Kuooooh!

The Great Lava Tortoise followed while letting out monstrous roars, but it couldn't catch up to Kim Hyun-jun.

This was because Kim Hyun-jun was actually moving at a speed much faster than just running.

"I didn't know I could do this well..."

Kim Hyun-jun himself hadn't expected to be able to move so flexibly in actual combat.

However, there was one thing he had overlooked.

And that was stamina.

It felt like his stamina was being consumed at an unbelievable rate while utilizing the Acrobatic trait.

[1:01]

"Damn it. It's only been four minutes, and I'm already this exhausted?"

Only a few minutes had passed since the timer for the sudden quest began, yet his breath was already hitching in his throat.

Even though he had been drinking stamina recovery potions along the way, he was in this state.

'No wonder the rewards for the sudden quest were so good.'

Considering that the reward for the first sudden quest, which involved clearing snow, was 50 gold, it seemed that mission rewards increased in proportion to the difficulty.

"Just how great is the stamina of circus performers?"

They would perform even more intense acrobatics for much longer periods.

This was the thought that crossed his mind even in this urgent situation.

"The sudden quest will be over in one minute. Support will arrive within three minutes at the latest."

Even with a hidden trait, defeating the Great Lava Tortoise alone was not easy.

His stamina was already depleted.

The right choice was to hold out until reinforcements arrived.

***

"Everyone, reorganize! Check everything from your health and mana to any damage to your armor or weapons, and do it fast!"

"Yes, sir!"

"Understood!"

Meanwhile.

The raid team, which now had some breathing room thanks to Kim Hyun-jun, finished their reorganization according to the platoon leader's orders.

"Corporal Han Ji-han! Inspection finished!"

"Sergeant Yoon Sung-jin! Inspection finished!"

"Corporal Goo Ye-chan! Inspection finished!"

The reorganization ended quickly.

With grim expressions, the soldiers prepared for battle against the boss monster.

They had heard from the platoon leader that Kim Hyun-jun had volunteered to act as bait.

They were already certain that Kim Hyun-jun was dead.

'That damn fool. Does he think he's some kind of hero?'

'How does a fresh corporal think he can draw the attention of a boss monster?'

'I thought our unit finally produced an ace after a long time. Damn it.'

An ordinary Great Lava Tortoise is about the level of a sturdy sandbag.

The environment inside the dungeon is what's harsh; the boss monster itself is relatively weak.

However, if it were in a frenzied state like just now, it wouldn't be strange for several people to die.

The problem was that the frenzied boss monster had appeared in a space where movement was restricted.

It was a case of bad luck.

"Everyone, remember. If it weren't for Corporal Kim Hyun-jun, some of us might not be standing here right now."

"...Yes, sir!"

Even the platoon leader, reflecting on the situation, seemed to feel that Kim wouldn't have made it.

At the very least, let's make sure we avenge him.

With that thought, they all headed toward the location of the boss monster...

"Huh?"

"...He's alive?"

Kim Hyun-jun was alive.

With both arms and both legs intact.

Except for some singe marks and scratches on his face, he wasn't seriously injured.

That wasn't all.

Kim Hyun-jun was using his spear like a tool to dodge and weave around the boss monster.

He was close enough to be touched but never was.

He wasn't simply using the spear as a weapon; he was using it to increase his mobility.

From a distance, it almost looked as if he were toying with the creature.

'Has he been doing that this whole time?'

'Can a spear even be used like that?'

Everyone was puzzled, but only for a moment.

They soon entered combat stances.

They had to support Kim Hyun-jun even a second sooner.

"Magic soldiers, prepare high-output magic! We're pulling that thing over here!"

"Yes, sir!"

"Be careful not to hit Hyun-jun, and wide-area magic is prohibited!"

"Understood!"

"Swordsmen, charge the moment the magic soldiers' attack ends!"

"Yes, sir!"

Following the platoon leader's orders, the magic soldiers prepared their attacks.

Unlike before, since they had completed their preparations, high-output magic surged toward the Great Lava Tortoise.

"Sergeant Yoon Sung-jin! Fire away!"

"Got it!"

Corporal Han Ji-han cast a support spell on Sergeant Yoon Sung-jin, who was preparing his magic.

Thanks to the temporary increase in his mana capacity, Sergeant Yoon Sung-jin rained down spells without hesitation.

Kuwaaaaah!

The massive body of the boss monster, struck by magic all over, staggered.

The magic had landed properly.

"Now! Swordsmen, charge! Magic soldiers, prepare your second set of spells! Don't stop!"

"Yes, sir!"

In the meantime, the charging swordsmen rained blade strikes upon the Great Lava Tortoise.

From the head to the legs, they slashed anywhere they could reach.

'They arrived just in time. I was really starting to get tired.'

Thanks to the opening, Kim Hyun-jun was able to catch his breath for a moment before joining the battle.

[You have cleared the sudden quest.]

[You have obtained a moderate amount of experience.]

[You have obtained 800 gold.]

The sudden quest had already been cleared.

Now, it was just a matter of defeating the boss monster.

'Why is everyone looking so vicious?'

Was it just his imagination?

The soldiers seemed particularly spiteful today.

Their expressions looked as if they were angry about something.

Kuwaaaaah!

No matter how frenzied the boss monster was, it couldn't possibly be fine after being hit by high-output magic while defenseless.

Furthermore, this time even the platoon leader, Second Lieutenant Kim Dong-woo, joined the fray.

Usually, he only handled the command of the soldiers, but in emergencies, he would jump into battle himself.

With an officer's attacks added to the mix, even a frenzied boss monster couldn't possibly hold out.

Koong!

Soon, the boss monster collapsed, and a hologram appeared before the soldiers announcing the monster had been defeated.

As soon as the platoon leader declared the situation over, the soldiers rushed toward Kim Hyun-jun.

"Hyun-jun! Are you okay?"

"You crazy bastard! What were you thinking, doing something like that to save us!"

"Hey! Get the potions out, hurry!"

Everyone was making a fuss, pulling out health recovery potions and pouring them all over Kim Hyun-jun's body.

'I'm not even hurt. What a waste of potions.'

At most, he had a few scratches.

Kim Hyun-jun said he was truly fine and stopped Corporal Han Ji-han, who was about to pour a second bottle.

"I'm really okay. And I moved only after calculating everything."

"Calculating? What kind of calculation is there in a situation like that, man?"

"Do you have three lives or something? Don't ever do that again."

He was a bit surprised by how much they were worrying about him, but it was true that he had only done it because it was doable.

If it hadn't been for that situation, he wouldn't have been able to complete the sudden quest either.

"Hyun-jun. How on earth did you do it?"

A moment later.

Even Second Lieutenant Kim Dong-woo approached with a look of disbelief and asked the question.

Well, it made sense.

It was nonsensical for a single soldier to hold out against a frenzied boss monster alone, especially without any significant injuries.

It was an awkward situation to explain with words.

However, there was a good answer for times like this.

And that was,

"To be honest, I acquired a trait while I was trying to draw its attention."

To answer that a relevant trait had manifested.

It was the truth, and it was the best excuse in this kind of situation.

"Acrobatic? What kind of trait is that?"

"I heard some of the female soldiers who used to be dancers or did ballet have it. Doesn't it improve flexibility and things like that?"

"No wonder. I thought your movements were very different from usual."

A trait is something that can manifest anytime, anywhere.

The same went for skills.

Therefore, the soldiers and the platoon leader no longer harbored any doubts.

"Aside from that, did you see? Hyun-jun was sneaking in and stabbing the boss monster while we were fighting."

"Crazy. He was a persistent one until the very end."

The soldiers were impressed by Kim Hyun-jun, but at the same time, they shook their heads as if they were fed up.

They said it wasn't something one could do with just guts.

"Platoon leader. I'd like to search for the last remaining monster. Would that be possible?"

Kim Hyun-jun didn't stop there and went one step further.

He was saying he would catch the last remaining baby lava tortoise.

It was a good sample to use as a research material or to raise as a training monster, so it was a waste to let it go.

Especially since it was a creature that provided performance points and a reward bonus.

"Hyun-jun. That thing is small and hard to find. It's better to leave it to the dungeon exploration team after we return."

"If it hides deep inside like this, it might actually become more troublesome. I think now, while it's still in sight, is the chance."

The platoon leader tried to dissuade him, considering Kim Hyun-jun's stamina and injuries, but eventually gave in to his confident response.

"I'll give you 20 minutes. If you can't find it by then, we're heading back. Keep that in mind."

"Yes! Thank you!"

Kim Hyun-jun eventually found the baby lava tortoise with three minutes to spare.

***

On the way back to the base after completing the dungeon raid.

"No luck, zero luck."

"How does a boss monster just pop out like that?"

"The fact that it was such a crappy location was also a problem."

The soldiers vented their frustrations about the raid being harder than usual.

It wasn't originally such a difficult dungeon, but because bad luck piled up, the difficulty had increased several times over.

Looking at the extent of the damage to the heat-resistant suits the soldiers were wearing, one could tell how fierce the battle had been.

'I was lucky.'

Of course, "difficult" was only from the perspective of the other soldiers.

Kim Hyun-jun had gained quite a lot from this dungeon raid.

The gold and experience rewards from completing the sudden quest.

He had taken the experience from the lava tortoises and even the experience from the boss monster.

Thanks to that, he could feel his experience bar had filled up by about 30%.

'To think I'd gain this much experience already, so soon after reaching level 4.'

Going from level 4 to level 5 could take over two years at the longest.

It was essentially the first wall for general hunters.

Kim Hyun-jun had made a crack in that wall with a single dungeon raid.

'And I even succeeded in capturing the baby monster that's usually hard to see.'

Although he had pushed himself a bit, it was a dungeon raid where he gained a lot.

***

As soon as Kim Hyun-jun returned to the base and handed in his equipment, he headed straight for the private training room.

His body felt as heavy as lead, but there was something he absolutely wanted to check.

'Now that I've gathered this much gold, it's about time to buy it.'

With the 700 gold obtained as a reward for the sudden quest plus the earnings from this dungeon raid, he had accumulated a significant amount of money.

He intended to use that money to purchase a skill.