Chapter 73: Chapter 73

The users were overwhelmed with shock at the scene unfolding before their eyes.

“I-Is it over?”

“Dragonia has fallen…”

A common-grade martial artist.

Judging by his second class advancement, he hadn’t even reached level 200 yet.

When everyone was trying to run away, they thought he was just a crazy fool showing off when he was the only one approaching Dragonia.

Surely he would die without a fight.

His health, along with magic and divine power, the sources of his skills, had been reduced to 1%.

Furthermore, he couldn’t even recover for 30 seconds.

But what was this?

The martial artist suddenly pulled out a bow and drew the string, out of nowhere.

“What…? He doesn’t have any magic power, so how is he using a magic arrow?”

A magic arrow was created on the bow that had nothing on it.

No, wait.

That wasn’t the only surprising thing.

“How can a martial artist handle a magic arrow…?”

It didn’t make sense that a martial artist, not an archer, had created a magic arrow.

If it had ended there, they would have been surprised, but that was it.

“Kaaagh…”

The level 175 Dragonia, which had made everyone tremble, collapsed.

“Crazy… What is this?”

It was beyond surprise, it was shock.

A common-grade martial artist had single-handedly hunted down a level 175 Dragonia.

“What the hell is that martial artist?”

“How did he defend against Extinction? Can we get a skill that nullifies abilities at our level?”

“No wonder… There was a reason he was with Yeo Min-ji.”

At this point, they were curious about the martial artist’s identity.

Who on earth was that martial artist?

“Kaaagh! Not yet! Not yet!”

Dragonia, who they thought was dead, raised its head and roared.

“Eek!”

“Damn it! It’s not dead yet?!”

The users flinched and backed away in fear.

‘What? Its heart was completely destroyed, but it’s still alive?’

Jeong-hoon drew his bowstring with a puzzled look.

He had completely damaged its heart with nine arrows.

So it shouldn’t be able to open its eyes.

Could Ling Ling have played some trick?

The drawn bowstring was released, and the arrow shot out.

The arrow flew in a parabola towards Dragonia’s forehead.

[Dragonia uses ‘Final Breath’.]

Dragonia opened its mouth and unleashed a different kind of breath, like a laser.

It was a breath created by squeezing out the remaining life force and magic power.

The breath attack instantly engulfed Jeong-hoon.

“Jeong-hoon!”

“Hoon!”

Yeo Min-ji and Ha-jin shouted urgently.

Kwaaang!

[The base is being destroyed!]

[Damage: 0.782%]

Nothing remained where the breath had swept through, and acrid smoke was rising.

“Heh heh… Let’s go together…”

Dragonia muttered softly and lowered its head.

It was dead.

“Phew, that was a bit dangerous.”

But Jeong-hoon walked out unscathed.

The users were so surprised to see him unharmed after being hit directly by the breath attack that they could only gape.

“How did you survive…?”

Anima, riding on his shoulder, also asked with a shocked expression.

“Ah, I got a skill.”

[Block]

-Type: Active

-Level: 1

-Grade: Legendary

-Consumes 50% of magic power to absolutely block any attack (1 time)

-Cooldown: 24 hours

The Block skill obtained from the hidden theme.

He didn’t expect to use it so soon, but without this skill, Jeong-hoon would have been in danger.

‘It’s a good thing the 30 seconds passed.’

His magic power had dropped to 38% due to handling Anima.

Jeong-hoon quickly used healing to recover some of his magic power and immediately activated Block to defend against the breath attack.

If Extinction had been maintained, he would have died from that breath attack.

If that had happened, he would have lost the bet with Ling Ling.

It had pretended to make a bet with all the users, but in reality, it was a bet with him.

“Jeong-hoon!”

“Hey! Are you okay?!”

Yeo Min-ji and Ha-jin ran to Jeong-hoon and checked his body.

“I’m fine.”

Jeong-hoon chuckled and shrugged.

“…You’re fine after being hit by that breath attack?”

Ha-jin asked in disbelief after confirming that he was okay.

“I got a skill that defends against the opponent’s attacks.”

“Damn it! He has it all.”

Ha-jin looked at him with envious eyes, and Yeo Min-ji’s pupils trembled madly.

“What grade is it to be able to block that breath attack…?”

“I don’t know?”

Yeo Min-ji frowned at Jeong-hoon’s lukewarm answer.

But she didn’t ask again.

It seemed like he wouldn’t answer even if she did.

[The 4th Monster Wave has ended.]

[Since the base damage did not exceed 1%, you have successfully defended the siege!]

With Dragonia completely dead, the long siege event came to an end.

Clap. Clap. Clap.

At that moment, the NPC Ling Ling, who had proposed the bet, appeared again.

“Well done. I didn’t expect you to defeat Dragonia unscathed.”

Ling Ling was staring solely at Jeong-hoon.

It was Jeong-hoon who had hunted Dragonia and surprised Ling Ling.

“It wasn’t that surprising.”

Jeong-hoon shrugged.

The bet with Ling Ling.

He had proposed a bet that was more difficult than the eerie dark streets.

Extinction, and even the Final Breath, an ability that shouldn’t have existed.

Despite Ling Ling’s best efforts to win the bet, Jeong-hoon emerged victorious, and Ling Ling smiled brightly, seemingly in a good mood.

“Hehe, you’re really interesting. That’s why I can’t stop betting.”

Ling Ling snapped her fingers.

Then everything around them disappeared, and the users were transported to the settlement area.

The event was over, so they had to be rewarded accordingly.

However, each individual was transported to the settlement area, not as a party.

“Why did you call me separately?”

“Huh? I never intended to give rewards to the others anyway. They’ll just hear the results, get some trivial rewards, and leave.”

“Is that so?”

“Of course, I’m going to give them some trash items in the name of random boxes. Hehe.”

Ling Ling said with a playful expression.

“That seems like a scam.”

“A scam?! I said I would give it to you if you successfully completed the 4th wave.”

“Then everyone succeeded, didn’t they? They all survived until the end.”

He had to set the record straight.

Even if the other users didn’t matter, he wanted to take care of Ha-jin.

“…Ah, that’s true.”

“Then you should give them equal rewards now.”

“W-Well, that’s a bit difficult. I meant to offer it as a reward for hunting Dragonia…”

Ling Ling stammered an excuse with a flustered expression.

“Then at least take care of the party I’m in.”

“Ah, three people?”

“Yes.”

“Hmm… Alright! That’s possible!”

Ling Ling nodded and snapped her fingers.

With this, Yeo Min-ji and Ha-jin would receive upgraded rewards.

It was a bit annoying that Kim Bong-goo would also get a reward, but he had faithfully carried out the instructions Jeong-hoon gave him, so he would let it slide this time.

“Then shall we hear what the rewards are?”

“First, take the heavenly energy!”

[You have acquired 5% heavenly energy.]

First, 5% of heavenly energy.

This was what Ling Ling had offered before entering the siege event.

And now it was time to receive the reward for defeating Dragonia.

“I heard there are some pretty tempting rewards.”

He couldn’t upgrade his job class any further at the moment.

However, the unique-grade items and skill books containing rare skills were quite tempting.

“Hmm, then I’ll give you one. Choose!”

Several holograms appeared in front of Jeong-hoon.

Unique Equipment Random Box.

Epic Skill Random Skill Book (Rare).

2 Unique Enhancement Stones.

And so on…

It consisted of items that were difficult to obtain at the current level.

‘One of these.’

Honestly, it was a bit difficult to choose just one.

It wasn’t that he was greedy, but rather that they were all a bit ambiguous.

‘The randomness is a shame.’

Jeong-hoon knew about future values.

Therefore, if it were a selection box, he would have chosen the unique equipment without hesitation.

However, if it was a random box, the story was different.

It was 100 times better to get something else than to get useless unique equipment.

“If you’re having trouble choosing, I’ll make you an offer!”

While he was pondering, Ling Ling made a new proposal.

“What is it?”

“That ring on your finger. I’ll restore it so you can use it permanently.”

“Really?”

Jeong-hoon’s eyes widened.

The Stat Amplification Ring was so powerful that there were virtually no permanent items like it.

To make such an item permanent…

“Yes. Of course, the effects will be greatly reduced… but wouldn’t it be better than using it once and throwing it away?”

“…Alright.”

Even with reduced effects, a stat amplification item was a cheat item no matter what.

“Good! Then you forgive me!”

“Excuse me?”

“Ahem, I was a bit spiteful because you didn’t deal damage. This is my way of asking for forgiveness.”

Ling Ling had proposed a bet to all the users because Jeong-hoon didn’t deal damage.

It was a way to force Jeong-hoon to participate in the bet by getting the majority to agree.

It seemed like Ling Ling felt guilty about that.

“Then you shouldn’t have set it up in the first place.”

“…So you’re not going to forgive me?”

“Sigh, fine. I’ll let it slide this time.”

Since the outcome was good, he would let it slide this time.

“Thank you! Then put the ring in this restoration device!”

A restoration device made of holograms appeared in front of Jeong-hoon.

“Yes.”

Jeong-hoon took off the ring from his finger and placed it on the restoration device.

Then a transparent membrane covered the restoration device, and it started working with a loud noise.

Whirr!

Whoosh!

Soon, smoke erupted, and the restoration device stopped working.

The membrane was removed, and a ring was placed in front of it.

It wasn’t the ring that had lost its light after being used once, but a ring with a red glow.

===

[Stat Amplification Ring]

-Type: Ring

-Grade: Epic

-Special Ability (1): When the ring’s magic power is drawn out, the wearer’s all stats are increased by 15% for 1 hour. (Cooldown: 2 hours)

-Special Ability (2): For 1 hour, all of the opponent’s abilities and damage from attacks are reduced by 20%. (Cooldown: 2 hours)

===

It was the moment a permanent ring, not a one-time use item, was born.

* * *

Whoosh-

The capsule door opened, and Ha-jin stepped out.

As if on cue, Lee Hyun-woo approached and asked,

“Is it over? How did it go?”

Ha-jin nodded with a dazed expression.

“Yes… We got first place!”

“First place?”

“Yes! And I’ve been promoted to Aura Knight.”

It wasn’t just first place.

‘Congratulations! You’ve reached the rare grade with this!’

Ha-jin had chosen to raise his class by one tier, and as a result, he became an Aura Knight from a regular knight.

It was a very satisfying result.

Moreover, since they won first place as a party, all party members would receive personal capsules.

“Really?! Congratulations, buddy.”n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

Lee Hyun-woo congratulated Ha-jin with a happy face.

Ha-jin had always wanted a personal capsule.

He had even hinted at buying one for him, but Ha-jin had adamantly refused, saying he couldn’t accept such an expensive capsule for free, and had been using the capsule room instead.

So now that he had fairly earned it through the event, there was no need to use the capsule room anymore.

“Hyung… Thank you.”

Ha-jin’s eyes welled up.

The luckiest day since he started New World was when he got a unique weapon.

And now, that day had been replaced by today.

———