Chapter 148: BlACK★LEOPARD SHOOTER (1)
『Everyone, quickly eat one each and prepare for battle. And, Deputy Leader, please equip the Ice Demon Claw. Ceram, hold onto this bow for a bit. -Kyung-joon-』
Now that he looked, next to the note were the Ice Demon Claw 『Ice Demon Claw』, which emanated a chilling aura, and the 『Wild Canine Bow』, which was both a bow and a spear.
” ……?? “
Ceram and the wolves tilted their heads in confusion at Kyung-joon, who had vanished, leaving behind only the unique bread and items.
No, they didn’t even have the time to be puzzled.
“Growl…… I can feel his presence…… “
Thump, thump.
At the end of the wide-open, gray path, a jet-black beast was approaching.
“Black Leopard…… “
No, it was definitely not the same one he had seen before.
Its entranced eyes were filled with a yearning desire, and the ominous black energy that crackled fiercely around it seemed to writhe in agony from thirst.
[You are under pressure.]
[You cannot move properly.]
[All stats are reduced by the amount of fear received.]
It felt like he was about to be devoured.
Ceram and the Whale Forest wolves froze in place, gripped by a primal fear that left them no choice but to feel that way.
However, Kyung-joon was different.
[You have the Anti-Mana Resistance stat.]
▶Anti-Mana: 110
[Resisting.]
In the space dominated by fear, a ray of light shone.
[Unique skill 『Photon Strike (Lv.2)』 ]
Flash―!
A strike of photons , capable of swallowing even the demonic, cut through the air.
Literally through the ‘air’!
[Unique skill 『Extrasensory Perception』 ]
[Every single hair on the Awakened Black Leopard is an eye, an ear, and a nose. Therefore, it can detect any surprise attack.]
“Grrr……!”
The Black Leopard, having evaded the surprise attack with its incredible extrasensory perception!
One.
But another attack closes in around it!
Woooong.
Woooong, woooong.
Woooong, woooong, woooong.
Countless magic circles began to appear in a 360-degree hemisphere, even reaching the sky.
[Unique skill 『Multi Mana Control: Nano (Lv.4)』 ]
[Advanced skill 『Energy Shooter (Lv.4)』 ]
[150 energy bullets.]
The energy bullets, shot without a break, were aimed at the Black Leopard at the center of the circle!
At the same time, black lightning discharged from the center outwards, and the two attacks collided!
Booooom!
Crackle, crackle, crackle!
…….
Fizzle…….
Before the dust and dirt, stirred up by the bleak wind, could even settle…….
[Unique skill’s unique Auxiliary Trait 『Sylph Fly (Lv.1) – Shadow Step 』 ]
Whoosh!
Kyung-joon, piercing through the dust cloud, drew a straight, blue line.
It was a line of mana.
A relentless line that vibrated 40,000 times per second!
[Unique skill 『Ultrasonic Vibration Mana Dagger (Lv.3)』 ]
Crackle!
Crackle, crackle, crackle!
Kyung-joon’s blue mana and the Black Leopard’s jet-black demonic mana clashed chaotically!
The Black Leopard was blocking Kyung-joon’s Ultrasonic Vibration Mana Dagger with its claws, imbued with thick demonic mana!
“Grrrrrrr!”
While the two were in a heated confrontation.
“……!”
Kyung-joon sensed something.
[Unique skill 『Black Lightning』 ]
[The Awakened Black Leopard releases powerful demonic lightning forward through its fangs.]
Crackle, crackle, boom!
The jet-black lightning tore through the atmosphere and exploded on the ground.
Fortunately, Kyung-joon had just barely dodged it by a hair’s breadth.
[The mythical skill 『Dimensional Study Room』 is currently in effect.]
▶Time Dilation: 3.75 times
“What is this guy. Munch, munch. It’s reacting to my speed? Gulp.”
Kyung-joon muttered as he swallowed the contents of his mouth.
[The effect of the unique item 『Deep Mana-Infused Organic Croissant』 is applied.]
▶Increases stamina/mana by 10% and recovers 0.5% per second
▶Tenacity increases by 50% and then decreases steadily
▶Duration: 1 hour
This was the first time since BlackChef that someone had reacted properly to Kyung-joon’s attacks.
Moreover, BlackChef had at least lost an arm at the beginning, but this guy’s defense was flawless.
<It seems like an opponent against whom Master’s attacks are ineffective has finally appeared.>
“You’re right. I’ve been too weak lately.”
No, come to think of it, there were many people stronger than Kyung-joon.
“TikiTiki was like that before, and so were the rankers…… “
BlackChef 11th place.
DPSPaladin 6th place.
…….
Thinking back, the players of The World didn’t seem all that great.
“Well, those in the top 5 might be much stronger than me.”
Kyung-joon said as he took his stance.
“Grrrrrrr……. “
As if responding, the Black Leopard also lowered its body, on full alert.
In any case.
This was the first appearance of an enemy that could be considered almost on par with Kyung-joon.
🔷🔷🔷🔷🔷🔷
[Awakened Black Leopard]
▶Black Leopard, consumed by an unknown evil energy. The factors from its past life as a demon’s pet have awakened, making it even stronger.
▶Level: Lv.337
▶Attribute: Darkness
▶Characteristics: Named Monster, Black Lightning Bolt, Black Fur, Extrasensory Perception, Heart of the Demon
Crackle! Crackle!
Kaboom!
Kyung-joon’s various magic spells and the Black Leopard’s dark attacks collide fiercely.
Sometimes they engaged in close combat, and when they were at a distance, they relentlessly cast spells like mages in a fierce battle.
Shhh.
Just as there are highs and lows in everything in the world, battles also have a certain flow.
Thud.
The clash momentarily stopped, and the moment came when they faced each other again, catching their breath.
“Phew.”
Kyung-joon’s clothes were scorched here and there by lightning, but he had no major injuries.
“Growl.”
But the same was true for the Black Leopard.
The Black Leopard dodged or blocked all of Kyung-joon’s continuous attacks one by one.
“Does it have precognitive abilities too?”
It’s as if it knew in advance where the attack would come from.
“No…… It’s a little different.”
The Mutated Minto Morco also had a similar ability called 『Learning Precognition』, but this was a completely different kind.
<It didn’t predict it. It just felt and reacted. It’s probably because of its special ability, 『Extrasensory Perception』.>
“Extrasensory Perception?”
<Black Leopard has the characteristic of ‘Sensitivity’. This is why most surprise attacks don’t work on high-level monsters.>
Feeling the attack before it even comes close.
That’s a completely different realm from precognition. It’s literally the realm of senses.
“Growl……”
It seemed like the Black Leopard in front of him possessed that ability.
<The current Black Leopard, like the previous mutated individuals, has evolved by one level due to something, and its sensory characteristic seems to have been upgraded to Extrasensory Perception.>
Black Leopard wasn’t predicting anything.
It just felt the attacks and dodged them.
That was all.
Even though Kyung-joon’s speed was incredibly fast thanks to the Dimensional Study Room, he had never even learned proper dagger techniques.
Kyung-joon’s attacks, which were simply fast, were bound to be blocked by the Black Leopard with Extrasensory Perception.
‘Besides, unlike the bear-like Mutated Minto Morco, it’s a leopard, so its agility stat is also quite high. I can’t overwhelm it with speed alone. Should I try creating a variable through stat point allocation like before?’
Mutated Minto Morco, who ‘learns’ and reads the opponent’s movements.
He was about to bring back the counter strategy that took advantage of that characteristic in reverse.
By allocating agility while fighting, he creates a variable in speed and exploits that gap.
‘……No, that only worked against Learning Precognition.’
Black Leopard is not learning Kyung-joon’s movements.
It’s just reacting to what it feels at that moment.
Of course, if he were to significantly increase his agility in the middle of an attack and instantly increase his speed, it would work to some extent……
‘It’s not enough to gain a complete advantage.’
If he can’t gain a complete advantage, it will eventually turn into a long and drawn-out battle.
If he drags it out and wins, it’s another matter, but if it runs away, it’s a big headache.
It’s clear that it will level up later and come back to bother him.
An enemy, from the moment you meet them, is one of two things.
Either you make them your ally completely, or you kill them.
He had to do one or the other.
“Teemo , there’s absolutely no chance this guy will become an ally, right?”
<Yes. There seems to be absolutely no chance. We’ve exchanged numerous blows so far, but it hasn’t shown the slightest interest in the words Master has spoken.>
Kyung-joon continued to talk in between his battles with the Black Leopard.
He thought that maybe, just maybe, he could reason with it like other monsters.
But it was in vain.
<Ah, of course, it seems to have a keen interest in the ‘item’ that Master possesses.>
Black Leopard was more interested in the ‘item’ Kyung-joon possessed than in Kyung-joon himself.
“His energy…… I can feel it…… I will consume it…… Consume it, consume it, consume it…”
The black energy that was spewing out like tree branches around the Black Leopard began to distort violently.
It was thirsty for power.
And it was enraged at Kyung-joon in front of it.
“Consume…… And kill…… kill everyone…”
No, not just Kyung-joon .
“By his will…… Humans…… Kill them, kill them, kill them……”
It was enraged at the very existence of humans.
Kyung-joon let out a deep sigh at the Black Leopard’s mutterings, which he had heard dozens of times now.
“What is his will that makes you so angry? You don’t even speak the language.”
“Die……!”
Crackle!
Black Leopard, cloaked in black lightning, leaped high into the air towards Kyung-joon !
The battle resumes!
But Kyung-joon had no intention of continuing the same fight as before.
“If you won’t listen to reason, then I have no choice.”
An enemy that won’t listen to reason can only be killed.
Having made up his mind, Kyung-joon chanted loudly, imbuing his voice with mana.
“Ow~!”
In truth, he had been chanting all along.
When the Black Leopard seized the first move with its Black Lightning Bolt, and right after, when Kyung-joon launched his surprise attack.
Afterwards, even in the midst of their fierce battle, exchanging countless blows.
And just now, for a brief moment, as they caught their breaths and faced off.
“Ow~! As you’ve witnessed all this time! And just like I’ve been saying, execute the plan!!”
Kyung-joon had been chanting non-stop.
“……??”
However, all those sounds were canceled out and blocked for the Black Leopard, not a single one reaching its ears.
But.
‘Now’s the time…!’
‘Growl! Now!’
‘Orders received, Ow!’
It was different for the Whale Forest Wolves who had been waiting outside the battlefield.
They could hear Kyung-joon’s shouts.
From the very beginning, they had been carefully observing the battle according to Kyung-joon’s instructions.
And they had been waiting.
Waiting for Kyung-joon’s final order.
And finally.
“5 minutes! Just buy me 5 minutes!”
That order had been given.
Whoosh!
From the bushes all around, the Whale Forest Wolves, who had been lying in wait, sprang out simultaneously.
Having watched Kyung-joon’s battle without missing a beat, they had grasped the Black Leopard’s patterns to some extent!
Furthermore, they had all eaten Kyung-joon’s unique bread, so they wouldn’t die from some injuries.
However, there was one problem: the fear of ‘never being able to win’, which they couldn’t help but feel instinctively.
They had to overcome that.
“Remember what you saw in the mock battles! No matter how strong the enemy, no matter how disadvantaged and weak we are, if we just strategize, if we just plan well, we can win! Just trust and follow me, as I’ve said! We can do this!”
The Whale Forest Wolves, hearing Kyung-joon’s words, felt their fear momentarily vanish.
No, it wasn’t that their fear disappeared.
It was overshadowed by something bigger.
Just like they had seen in the mock battles, if they trusted and followed him, they could win even in the most unfavorable situations.
If they could just hold out for these 5 minutes, that human, Kyung-joon , who had shown incredible fighting prowess until now, would take care of everything.
That intense faith enabled them to overcome their primal fear.
“Growl!! 5 minutes!! We’ll hold out!!”
Their goal was one.
To do their best to buy time for Kyung-joon to finish his 『preparations』!
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