Leveling Up Alone

Chapter 283 – Tamra and Gurkha (6)

Wooong!

“Heok!”

Whoosh!

Kim Tae-San was forced to dodge after his attack was amplified and reflected back at him, but this proved to be a mistake on his part.

“Heh.”

Han-Yeol was proficient in fighting at close, mid, and long-range, so Kim Tae-San's decision to widen the distance between them was akin to inviting an attack.

“Oh? You avoided it?” Han-Yeol said with a smirk.

“Keuk!”

Of course, Kim Tae-San had no idea that he had just made a mistake. His assessment of Han-Yeol's strength was way off since Han-Yeol had not live-streamed for a long time, keeping his current strength a well-guarded secret.

‘Mana Explosion!’

Chwak! Shwooong… Kaboom!

Han-Yeol's shoulder cannons had undergone a complete makeover, with their efficiency and design entirely revamped. Yoo-Bi had diligently studied combat videos of the shoulder cannons to create an upgraded version for him.

The shoulder cannons came equipped with the function of storing battle data and videos, which were then sent directly to Yoo-Bi's email, helping her keep track of them. It's worth noting that the internet used by the shoulder cannons wasn't public but instead operated through a secure private server, ensuring protection against hacking.

The private server used by Han-Yeol and Yoo-Bi formed a direct, unhackable connection between them, impervious even to attempts by organizations like Anonymous.

The newly upgraded shoulder cannons featured a slender and sharp design, minimizing firing delays as they seamlessly extended from his back and aimed at Kim Tae-San.

“Ha! Your petty tricks won’t work on me!”

Kim Tae-San appeared remarkably composed, even in the face of the sudden firing of the shoulder cannons.

“Do you really think those puny toys are faster than the speed of sound?!”

Whoosh!

Lee Han-Yeol attempted to catch Kim Tae-San, but the speed of his mana shells proved insufficient to reach him. Kim Tae-San's ability to propel himself with soundwaves allowed him to move at an incredibly fast pace, making it impossible for the mana shells to catch up.

“Heh.”

‘Hmm?’

However, Kim Tae-San could clearly see that Han-Yeol was smiling right now.

‘He’s laughing?’

The mana shells failed to hit their target, but Han-Yeol was currently wearing a leisurely smile.

Whoooosh!

“W-What?!”

Kim Tae-San was confident that he had evaded the mana shells, but to his surprise, they abruptly changed direction in mid-air and began hurtling back toward him.

‘Damn it!’

It was only then he realized that Han-Yeol possessed some sort of homing skill.

“Keuk! Eat this!” Kim Tae-San grimaced as he shot his soundwaves at the mana shells.

Kaboom!

A powerful explosion occurred.

Shwiiiik!

“…!”

The explosion was followed by the sound of metal slicing through the air. Kim Tae-San recognized this sound. As much of an annoyance as it had been for him, he had watched Han-Yeol's combat videos to uncover his weaknesses, and this sound was a familiar occurrence in those recordings.

Shwiiiik! Chwak!

Kim Tae-San quickly leaped out of harm's way, narrowly avoiding a chain with a claw at its end that struck the very spot he had stood on just 0.01 seconds ago.

“Tsk… I failed to catch him,” Han-Yeol grumbled.

“Damn it!” Kim Tae-San roared in anger.

He was acutely aware that if the chain were to ensnare him, it would spell the end, as Han-Yeol's chain skills were undeniably fearsome.

Ziiing! Ziiing!

What further irked him were Han-Yeol's shoulder cannons, which swiveled left and right, almost taunting him.

‘Hmm… It's challenging to catch him because of his speed,’ Han-Yeol mused, rubbing his chin. A battle between two Master Rank Hunters was destined to be a close one.

Meanwhile, Kim Tae-San seethed with anger.

Crack...!

He clenched his teeth, and a throbbing headache began to set in due to his mounting fury. This marked the first time in twenty years that he had been so enraged that it caused him physical distress.

'This pest dares! He actually dares!'

Kim Tae-San's eyes turned bloodshot, and he even burst a few blood vessels in his agitation.

'Tsk tsk… I suppose this is the end.' Han-Yeol inwardly clicked his tongue, realizing that the fight was all but over.

Bzzt! Bzzt! Bzzt! Bzzt!

'Huh?'

Just as Han-Yeol prepared to conclude the fight, something astonishing occurred with Kim Tae-San.

'W-What?!'

"Grrr…! Grrr…!"

Kim Tae-San’s bloodshot eyes rapidly darkened until they became pitch-black, and dark patches began to emerge all over his body.

‘What’s going on?!’

But that was far from the end.

The teeth he had been gnashing abruptly transformed into fangs, while his nails elongated, becoming razor-sharp claws. Moreover, a horn sprouted from the center of his forehead, and scales began to appear on his cheeks and arms.

However, the most astonishing development was the mana Kim Tae-San started emitting.

‘Ha… We’re fucked…’ Han-Yeol let out a sigh.

“Grrwaaaah!”

Boom!

Kim Tae-San gathered his mana, striking a pose reminiscent of a superhero from a cartoon, before soaring into the sky. He then unleashed his newfound mana in every direction.

‘Ha… Why is this happening to me…?’ Han-Yeol grumbled with a sigh.

His sole purpose was to eliminate the number one Hunter in South Korea, but regrettably, Kim Tae-San couldn't live up to his reputation, as he proved to be no match for Han-Yeol.

While Kim Tae-San undeniably possessed strength and formidable skills, his mental fortitude was far weaker than anticipated, causing him to fall into Han-Yeol's trap more easily than expected.

For his own amusement, Han-Yeol leisurely pushed Kim Tae-San into a corner, ultimately breaking his resolve.

‘But why did he transform all of a sudden? Haa…’

It was understandable that Han-Yeol would let out a sigh at the sudden turn of events.

“Grrr…!”

Kim Tae-San was growling at Han-Yeol, and it was definitely not a sound that a human would make.

It was then.

[Han-Yeol-nim! We have a problem!]

‘What is it?’

[T-This mana… It is the Dragon of Destruction!]

‘What?!’

Han-Yeol's nonchalant demeanor instantly shifted to seriousness at Karvis' words.

‘Are you sure?!’

[Yes, there is a significant disparity in the Dragon of Destruction's mana from back then, but the mana does exhibit similarities.]

'B-But are you absolutely sure? All I can discern is that his anger has overwhelmed him, causing his mana to go haywire. Could you be mistaken, Karvis?'

[I initially paid no attention when that human underwent his transformation, but something about his mana troubled me, so I conducted an analysis. It turns out that the mana differs slightly from the Dragon of Destruction's, but it undeniably employs the same mechanism.]

'What...?'

Han-Yeol was left speechless.

His new mission on Earth was to ready himself for the impending arrival of his mortal nemesis, the Dragon of Destruction. The Bastro Dimension had struggled to 'seal' the Dragon of Destruction, even though it was a weak dimension, thanks to the dragon not fully awakening its true powers and Harkan's sacrifice.

But what if the Dragon of Destruction descended upon Earth, a dimension even weaker than the second?

‘Kim Tae-San might’ve become much stronger, but he’s nowhere near the Dragon of Destruction.’

It was an insult to compare him to the overwhelming power of the Dragon of Destruction.

[Yes, I agree with you. However, I have come up with a theory after seeing that human.]

‘What is it?’

[The Dragon of Destruction does not simply manifest one day; it seizes control of a creature's body when specific conditions are met. Subsequently, that creature gains the dragon's powers and gradually matures until it becomes potent enough to serve as the new vessel for the Dragon of Destruction.]

‘…’

Han-Yeol was once again left speechless, considering it a plausible theory.

It was during this exchange with Karvis that Kim Tae-San successfully completed his transformation.

“Keuk…! Haa…! Haa…!” Kim Tae-San bared his fangs and smiled after completing his transformation. "This... This power is incredible...! I don't know what's happening, but I can sense this overwhelming force surging through my body!"

Boom!

“Keuk…!”

Kim Tae-San's power paled in comparison to the true Dragon of Destruction, but Han-Yeol's power also fell short of the Level 800 Harkan.

Consequently, Han-Yeol even felt pressure from the newfound abilities that Kim Tae-San was displaying.

“Kekeke! What’s wrong, Lee Han-Yeol? Why the long face?”

“…”

"You seemed to be relishing showing off a moment ago, didn't you? What happened to that confidence?"

'Ugh... What on earth is happening? How did Kim Tae-San acquire the powers of the Dragon of Destruction...?'

[E-Even I have no idea how this happened, Han-Yeol-nim...]

'Well, I'm sure you wouldn't have known.'

The Dragon of Destruction wasn't some stray dog on the side of the road, so it was only logical that Karvis had no prior knowledge of it.

Nevertheless, it was a relief that it had chosen to reveal itself in front of Han-Yeol. After all, he could prevent the rebirth of the Dragon of Destruction if he succeeded in killing Kim Tae-San before he completed his transformation into the dragon.

‘One thing’s for sure, I need to kill that guy,’ Han-Yeol steeled his resolve.

[Weren’t you trying to kill him regardless?]

‘Shut up! I was upset that time, but this is for the safety of the world! I’m doing something righteous right now!’

[Oh, I see.]

‘Why does it feel like you’re being sarcastic right now?’

[You are mistaken. Mis. Taken.]

Kwachik!

Karvis had become quite proficient after her intelligence had been enhanced, but the issue was that she would occasionally take a jab at Han-Yeol.

“Haa…” Han-Yeol let out a sigh before steeling his resolve.

Now, this was the real battle.

"Kekeke! Hey, you piece of trash. Why don't you start begging for mercy? Who knows? I might spare you after severing your limbs," Kim Tae-San taunted with an arrogant smirk.

He appeared rather content now that power coursed through his body. He had once believed that Master Rank was the highest level a human could attain, but he had come to realize he was mistaken.

“Let me, the Hallasan Monster, show you what true power is!”

Rwaaar!

His roar thundered across the air and shook the heavens.

‘I have no chance of winning in a direct confrontation.’

Han-Yeol took pride in his strength but never made the mistake of overestimating himself or becoming arrogant due to it. His innate instinct was sharper than anyone else's, enabling him to assess his opponent's mana more accurately than others.

Any Hunter with excellent mana control possessed the ability to gauge another's mana, but Han-Yeol was particularly gifted in this regard. This talent was unrelated to his abilities.

‘Then, that means…’

“Mavros!” Han-Yeol exclaimed.

“Ah, you must be calling that little dragon,” Kim Tae-San said with a smirk.

“Kieeeek!”

Mavros perched on a tall tree in the distance, observing the battle. He responded immediately with a shriek when Han-Yeol called him, flying over to Han-Yeol and rubbing his head against his face before fixing a hostile glare on Kim Tae-San.

“KIEEEEK!” Mavros let out a threatening shriek at the enemy.

However, Kim Tae-San dismissed the threat with laughter. "Keke! Do you truly believe you can defeat me with that lizard by your side? How pitiful! That lizard might serve as a useful ally, but it's still nothing more than garbage!"

“Kieeeek!” Mavros retorted.

The one word he hated the most in this world was none other than ‘lizard’.

“Not yet,” Han-Yeol muttered.

“Hmm?”

“Arch Lich-nim… Asus…”

Woooong!

[Ah, excellent…!]

[Fwooo!]

Arch Lich and Asus appeared at Han-Yeol's summons. The Arch Lich now appeared far more extravagant than when he was initially summoned, and Asus seemed stronger after spending some time in the company of the Arch Lich.

The Arch Lich was the only demon capable of both combat and crafting, owing to his origin as a human magician before becoming a demon. In his home dimension, magicians served as soldiers during times of war but reverted to research or crafting during times of peace. While some magicians specialized solely in combat and others solely in crafting, the majority of magicians in that dimension possessed the ability to do both.

“Keke! So, you managed to get a few new demons too? But that doesn’t mean they can do anything against me!”

“Wow, you’re quite impatient, aren’t you?”

“What?”

“Balrog-nim.”

[Bwahahaha! My name is Balrog, and I’m here to FIGHT!]

Chwak!

Balrog emerged from the magic circle, bearing a noticeable change from his original appearance.

Both he and the Arch Lich shared the same human contractor, leading to a natural friendship that eventually evolved into one where Balrog would ask questions and request the Arch Lich to acquire magical items for him.

Through numerous battles alongside Han-Yeol, Balrog came to the realization that there was a limit to what he could achieve with his physical strength alone. Consequently, he began exploring ways to enhance his overall strength.

[So you’re the filthy human!]

Boom!