Leveling Up Alone

Chapter 198: The Phenomenal Hunter (4)

Mujahid bent down and clenched his fists, channeling his mana. Then, he retracted his Psy Blades before infusing his clenched fists with mana. A smile formed on his face as he looked up at the monsters.

[Bye-bye~]

He bid goodbye to the monsters before slamming his fist into the ground.

Whoosh… Baaam!

It was one of the powerful skills that Mujahid could use once he had obtained three embers: Compressed Punch. The ground cracked as mana slithered across the terrain, finding its way to the two Ice Trolls.

Pukeok!

“Kieeeeeek!”

“Kyaaaaaaok!”

The Ice Trolls were already damaged from their brawl with Mujahid, rendering them unable to withstand the sudden impact of Compressed Punch. As a result, they started bleeding profusely. Their cries filled the air as they slowly succumbed to their agony and met their demise.

[Phew!]

“Kyaong!”

Mujahid focused on calming his breathing after expending a tremendous amount of mana with the use of Compressed Punch. This powerful skill heavily drained both his mana and stamina. If only he had four embers on his back, using it would have been much easier. However, progressing from three to four embers proved to be an incredibly arduous task for him.

Tak!

Han-Yeol placed his hand on Mujahid’s shoulder.

[Good job.]

[Haha! I still have a long way to go compared to you, hyung-nim!]

[You still did good. Haha!]

[Hahaha!]

Both of them smiled at each other.

A bromance was gradually blossoming between the strongest Hunter in Korea and a Prince of Egypt, and the female viewers of Han-Yeol's channel were already rushing to fan fiction sites to write various BL stories about them.

However, it was unfortunate that ordinary people had no way of joining them in this hunting ground, which even experienced Porters found challenging to navigate. As a result, the Mulan film crew was currently at their office, carrying on with their day.

[Alright, start working!]

[Yes, sir!]

Whiiiiiing!

The Egyptian Porters busily moved about and started their work.

‘Hmm… It’s quite good to bring trained Porters, and we don’t have to worry about their safety because they’re military-trained. On top of that, they’re quite quick on their feet and efficient with their work… I should probably create a department that trains Porters once I start my group of companies… or I can just hire veteran Porters to work for me,’?Han-Yeol made up his mind.

He couldn't help but feel a twinge of jealousy as he witnessed the remarkable speed and efficiency of Mujahid's Porters.

Finding Porters that met his specific requirements had proven to be quite challenging, leading him to the decision of training them himself. While a normal Hunter would settle for any randomly-trained Porter, Han-Yeol's hunting speed was known to be on the extreme side, as he frequently ventured into demanding hunting grounds.

Moreover, having Porters who were capable of looking after themselves would be advantageous for him, considering he had the responsibility of protecting numerous individuals during his hunts, particularly the Mulan film crew.

‘I’d probably have to pay them a lot, but that’s not really burdensome for me.’?He was a bit put off by the cost, but he easily shrugged it off.

Han-Yeol now stood shoulder to shoulder with the world's elite, having increased his wealth to eighty trillion won. Not only that, but his future prospects promised even greater financial gains. As a result, he technically had the means to hire F Rank Hunters as his Porters, rather than ordinary individuals.

‘Hmm… Should I do that?’?he suddenly came up with a brilliant idea.

He gave serious consideration to the idea, but he soon realized that implementing it would be redundant.

‘It’s going to be good in the short term, but there’s no growth in the long term. Besides, that’s not my style at all,’?he thought with a smirk.

Han-Yeol spent the remaining time playing with Mavros while awaiting the completion of the Egyptian Porters' dismemberment of the corpses. Meanwhile, Mujahid experimented with different attack patterns alongside Furion. The Egyptian Porters displayed impressive dedication and worked together like a well-oiled machine.

However, a notable issue with the team was that nine of its members seemed idle, with only the Hunters providing a modest three percent buff actively involved in the work. These Hunters often participated in Mujahid's hunts and intervened when he appeared to require assistance. Yet, it seemed unlikely that Mujahid would require help anytime soon as long as he hunted alongside Han-Yeol.

Moreover, Mujahid didn't particularly appreciate it when the Hunters stepped in to aid him, although there were times when he reluctantly accepted their assistance in dangerous situations.

‘Where am I…?’

‘Who am I…?’

‘Am I really a Hunter?’

‘I’m doing less work than Porters…’

‘My life is futile…’

The Hunters began to feel demotivated due to their lack of involvement. While ordinary Hunters might have been content with being paid despite minimal work, the Egyptian Hunters were highly skilled professionals. Although they weren't combat-class Hunters, they took pride in being among the best in Egypt when it came to supporting skills. Furthermore, their warrior nature ran deep within them.

The sight of standing idly by and observing a battle unfolding before their eyes ignited their warrior blood, causing frustration to boil within them. The inability to participate in the fight slowly gnawed at them, eating away at their spirits.

‘I want to fight too…’?

At that precise moment, as Han-Yeol was engrossed in playing with Mavros, he coincidentally glanced toward one of the Egyptian Hunters who let out a sigh, his head hanging low.

Han-Yeol's curiosity was piqued, and he immediately sensed that something was amiss with the Hunter. Deciding to tap into his Telepathy ability, he aimed to delve into the Hunter's thoughts and gain insight into his concerns.

Wooong!

“Haa…”

‘It’s quite effective,’?he thought.

Despite the fact that Han-Yeol's Telepathy II might not be as potent as Mariam's ability, he discovered that he was unable to penetrate Mujahid's thoughts. His skill was promptly repelled by Mujahid's mana, preventing Han-Yeol from delving further into his mind.

However, in an ironic twist, Han-Yeol's Telepathy II effortlessly read the mind of the Egyptian Hunter. It was during this moment of testing his skills that Han-Yeol stumbled upon the thoughts that had cast a gloomy shadow over the Egyptian Hunters.

‘Wow… These guys are quite diligent…’?Han-Yeol was amused by their work ethics.

Han-Yeol observed with surprise that the Egyptian Hunters were complaining about their lack of work, which was a rare sight for him. In his life, he had encountered many individuals who would be ecstatic to receive payment without having to exert much effort. Though there were exceptions, such as people deliberately being denied work at the office to force them to resign, they were uncommon cases.

‘I wonder if they will have anything to do when we kick things up a notch?’

Currently, they were only at the outskirts of the Cheolwon hunting ground, and as they ventured closer to the center, there would undoubtedly be an increase in the number of monsters. In other words, the hunt would become more challenging as they delved deeper into the hunting ground.

‘Just wait a while. I’ll make it so that you’ll want to come back to such a relaxing time,’?Han-Yeol flashed an evil smirk with that thought.

Meanwhile, Mavros tilted his head in confusion and wondered why his owner was acting strange once again.

“Kyu?”

***

The hunting speed could only be described as extremely fast.

“Gwuooooh!”

.

An endless wave of Yetis, Snowmen, and Ice Trolls charged at them.

“Kieeeeek!”

Mavros wasn't luring just one group of monsters at a time; instead, he was scouring the vicinity and drawing in every single monster he could find, bringing them toward the team. This action was not an independent decision of the black dragon, as he would never engage in such behavior without Han-Yeol's command. Thus, Han-Yeol was undoubtedly the mastermind behind this monster stampede.

Having hunted the monsters in this hunting ground multiple times, Han-Yeol had come to the conclusion that they were no longer a formidable challenge for him. Seeking to make things more exciting, he decided to "kick things up a notch" by orchestrating this monster frenzy.

Kabooom!”

“Kieeeeek!”

[Bwahahaha! This is fun! This is the best stage for such an intense battle!]

This time, Han-Yeol even summoned Balrog to further enhance the effectiveness of hunting monsters in large numbers. Balrog proved to be a cost-effective ally as he desired nothing more than to have fun and showed no interest in coveting mana stones.

Moreover, the demon possessed an innate fire attribute, which happened to be the critical weakness of the monsters in the Cheolwon hunting ground. This allowed Balrog to inflict significant damage upon them, making him a valuable asset in the hunt.

Ratatatata!

[Fire! Empty your cartridges!]

[Hahaha! How long has it been since we were allowed to let loose like this?!]

The presence of Balrog brought immense delight to the Egyptian Porters, who could now shoot at the monsters to their hearts' content while the demon expertly tanked all of the aggro. Although the bullets they fired didn't inflict significant damage, there was no risk of the monsters suddenly redirecting their attention.

Nonetheless, the Porters took extra precautions and only targeted the monsters that Balrog was actively engaging, ensuring their safety by avoiding drawing any aggro toward themselves.

In essence, this method of hunting was considered the best and safest way for a Porter to awaken their abilities. As the Egyptian Hunters observed this remarkable scene, their mouths were left agape in awe and astonishment.

‘H-How is this possible…?’

‘Impossible…’

‘The monsters aren’t reacting even though the Porters are shooting at them?’

It was common knowledge that Porters were advised not to use their guns while monsters were actively engaged in battle. This was due to the risk of drawing the monster's aggro toward them or the possibility of the bullets accidentally hitting the Hunter instead. Such distractions could prove fatal in critical moments.

However, the situation was different when it came to Balrog.

[Kwahahaha! Bring it on! Shoot at me all you want and scratch my itch!]

[Balrog]

Level: 45

Rank: Intermediate

Experience Points: 44,231/1,845,000

Innate Skill: Absorb Flames

Stats:

STR: 120

VIT: 177

AGI: 95

MAG: 195

TEN: 330

Skills: Fire Shield, Hell Spear, Breath of Fire, Fire Explosion.

Invoke Required: 100

The skill that allowed the Porters to shoot to their hearts’ content was ‘Fire Explosion’ which he had acquired at Level 30.

Kaboom! Kaboom!

Although the skill might sound like an active skill, it was, in fact, a passive skill that frequently triggered during battles, causing flames to erupt around Balrog. This fiery display effectively diverted all of the aggro toward the demon, making it an incredibly valuable skill for Tankers.

[Bwahahahaha!] Balrog let out another burst of boisterous laughter.

Bam!

[Hap!]

Thud! Chwaaak! Whoosh!

Mujahid was forcefully flung by an Ice Troll, and propelled toward the astonished Egyptian Hunters, who couldn't help but gape at the sudden escalation of the hunt.

Swiftly recovering, Mujahid rose to his feet and fixed a piercing gaze upon the Hunters. [What are you guys doing?!]

[P-Pardon…?!]

[Hyung-nim lured these monsters and even summoned Balrog for you! What are you doing, just standing around and doing nothing?!]

[Y-Yes, sir!]

[Move!]

Tak!

After issuing a command to the Hunters to assist Furion, who was engaged in a solo battle against two Ice Trolls, Mujahid swiftly leaped back into the fray.

[Hap!]

Chwak!

“Gwuooook!”

Mujahid stabbed his Psy Blade into an Ice Troll’s shoulder while Furion was distracting the monster.

[How dare you try and hit my cute pet?!]

Despite the intensity of the battle, Mujahid appeared remarkably content and even found amusement in the chaotic events unfolding around him.

‘It’s really fun to hunt with hyung-nim!’?he exclaimed inwardly in pure joy.

Mariam's statement about their abilities being boosted by ten percent while hunting with Han-Yeol turned out to be no exaggeration.

Additionally, Mujahid had his own group of Buffers, effectively increasing the total buff percentage to thirteen percent. While it might not seem like a substantial figure at first glance, it was certainly not a factor to be dismissed lightly. The mere fact that a formidable Hunter like Mujahid was receiving a ten percent buff was a significant advantage in its own right.

‘It’s fun! This is too fun!’?he smiled brightly while…

Sukeok! Sukeok! Whoosh!

“Kwuooooooh!”

He was simultaneously fighting against three Ice Trolls this time… Well, it was more accurate to say that he was getting a one-sided beating…