[Skill Proficiency Increased]
Spearmanship LV.1 → LV.2
New Techniques Acquired:
▸ Piercing Enhancement: Increased defense-ignoring effect
▸ Consecutive Thrusts Enhancement: Increased consecutive attack speed
Proficiency Bonus:
▸ Spear-type weapon power +15%
It was a message that made all the hard work worthwhile.
"Why are you smiling?"
Park Jeongsu asked.
"Oh, I leveled up."
Kim Dohyeon and Lee Seoyeon joined in from beside us.
"Oh, so did I."
"Me too. My Archery went up."
Apparently, I was not the only one to level up after we killed so many.
'Piercing Enhancement. Consecutive Thrusts Enhancement.'
I repeated the new techniques silently. I looked forward to my next battle.
"But if you leveled up from that battle, does that mean a combat-type skill increased?"
"Ah, yes. Something like that."
Lee Seoyeon tilted her head.
"Huh. So you weren't born with your combat ability—it was a skill? A Development-type can gain combat skills?"
All three pairs of eyes turned to me. How could I explain it? The Planetary Ruler System? Buying skills with points? They would never believe me.
"It's a little... complicated."
In the end, I gave them a vague answer.
"Complicated?"
"Yes. Development and combat. I think I'm that kind of type."
It was not a lie. I really did both.
"That's rare."
Kim Dohyeon murmured in admiration.
"If you're Development-type and you're strong yourself, doesn't that make you completely overpowered?"
Lee Seoyeon spoke half in jest.
'She's not wrong.'
Instead of answering, I merely shrugged.
Clap. Clap. Clap.
Park Jeongsu lightly clapped her hands. She seemed to be bringing the conversation to a close.
"All right, that's enough chatting. We're not finished yet."
She jerked her chin toward the inner part of the temple. Following her gaze, I saw a massive stone door. It looked at least 5 meters tall.
"If you've recovered some stamina, let's go."
Park Jeongsu raised her shield again. It was dented and cracked, but still looked usable.
Kim Dohyeon rose with his spear resting on his shoulder, and Lee Seoyeon took out a spare quiver and equipped it. Apparently, she had brought another one.
I tightened my grip on my spear. The shaft settled familiarly into my hand.
'Piercing Enhancement. Consecutive Thrusts Enhancement.'
The skills I had just acquired passed through my mind. This was the perfect time to try them on a boss.
We headed toward the stone door.
***
It was dark beyond the stone door. There were no torches or windows. Only the magic lantern Park Jeongsu had taken out faintly illuminated the way ahead.
At last, the end of the passage came into view. The path opened into an enormous chamber.
It was a circular room. The ceiling towered far overhead, and blue crystals were embedded along the walls. Light radiating from them softly illuminated the entire chamber.
At the center sat a Golem.
It was on a completely different level from those we had fought so far. Even seated, it looked a good 5 meters tall, and its shoulders alone were as wide as an ordinary room.
Its two lower arms rested neatly on its knees, while its two upper arms were pressed together before its chest. It sat like a monk. Its eyes were closed, but its mere presence radiated suffocating pressure.
"Guardian Asura."
Park Jeongsu murmured.
"So it is the boss here."
Kim Dohyeon nodded. Lee Seoyeon looked tense, but not surprised.
'Is this a known boss?'
It seemed to be fairly famous.
"Isn't there already a strategy for that thing?"
Lee Seoyeon asked.
"Yes, other teams have killed it a few times. Its patterns are known too."
Park Jeongsu turned to me.
"This is your first time, Mr. Lee Junhyeok, so I'll explain it briefly."
I nodded.
"Asura has two phases. In the first phase, it uses only its two lower arms. It's slow, but each blow is heavy. Ground slams and sweeps are its main patterns."
"What about the second phase?"
"When its health drops to half or below, it releases its upper arms too. It uses all four, so its attack speed doubles and it starts using consecutive attacks. That's when the real fight begins."
Kim Dohyeon added.
"Its weak point is the core in its chest. But its clasped arms are blocking it, so we can't target it during the first phase. Once the arms separate in the second phase, we focus our attacks there."
"Understood."
I carved the information into my mind. Endure the first phase. Focus on the core during the second.
"Let's prepare for battle."
Park Jeongsu spoke.
"I'll draw its aggro from the front. The three of you attack from the sides or rear. Once it enters the second phase, I'll give the signal. Focus all your firepower on the core then."
"Understood."
Kim Dohyeon answered as he pulled a small bottle from his belt. He uncorked it and downed the contents in one gulp. Red energy rose from his body, and his muscles visibly swelled.
Lee Seoyeon coated her arrowheads with blue liquid. Then she plucked her bowstring once. TWANG. The entire bow turned blue.
'So those are buffs.'
It was my first time seeing them in person. Apparently, they had saved them for the boss fight.
"Mr. Lee Junhyeok."
Park Jeongsu called to me. A small glass bottle was in her hand. It held a red liquid, and a faint light seemed to swirl inside.
"Drink this. It's an attack-enhancement potion. The effect lasts for 5 minutes."
I accepted it. The bottle felt warm in my hand.
"It's single-use, so drink it all at once. The effect will be halved if you split it into doses."
"Understood. Thank you."
"It's quite expensive, so make sure we get our money's worth."
Warm energy traveled down my throat and spread through my body. Strength filled my muscles. The spear in my hand felt noticeably lighter.
Thump... thump.
That was when it happened.
My heart suddenly began racing.
CRACKLE... BZZZT!
At the same time, the space before my eyes distorted. Sparks flew, and a new dimension appeared.
HUM!
Before I could even react, it felt as though something inside my body was being pulled out.
At the same time.
THUD!
"I... greet the Ruler!"
A familiar figure appeared before me and knelt.
"You're... the Awakened...?"
He was the one I had entrusted with the tribe and the chief who led the Primitive Humans inside my body.
He had appeared before me.
***
I was speechless.
The man who was supposed to be on the planet inside my heart was kneeling in the middle of a Dungeon.
My mind could not keep up with the situation.
'A summon?'
No. I had no such skill. There had been nothing resembling a summoning option anywhere in the Point Shop. I had never learned or bought one.
'Since when was this possible?'
One thing was certain: I had not summoned him.
"How did you get here?"
He was not the one who answered.
DING!
[The Awakened has performed a Dimensional Transfer through his own power.]
[Remaining duration: 20 minutes.]
The system messages floated in midair.
I looked around.
The three Hunters stood frozen. More precisely, they were staring at the Awakened kneeling before me, their mouths open.
"......"
"Wow."
Park Jeongsu turned to me.
"Mr. Lee Junhyeok. Didn't you clearly say yesterday that you couldn't summon anything yet? That you were still raising it?"
Fortunately, she did not sound accusatory. She seemed genuinely curious.
"Ah, I definitely couldn't before... It just appeared."
"Summoning skills can just appear out of nowhere?"
"You all leveled up earlier, didn't you? This is what I got."
"Didn't you say you gained a combat skill earlier? I thought you said your skill tree was complicated."
"And now you already have a summoning skill..."
Lee Seoyeon gave a hollow laugh.
"I'm jealous. Seriously..."
There was no envy or jealousy.
She looked at me with eyes full of genuine longing.
"Then again, you were already far from ordinary when you killed the Great Chief yesterday."
The conversation ended there.
Hunters had no obligation to reveal all their skills.
It was not as though I was harming or betraying the team.
Meanwhile, the Awakened at the center of it all remained on one knee with his chest proudly thrust out.
'Sorry, but this is the best I can do.'
It was not a lie. This really had happened right before my eyes.
"But your summon is... a person?"
Kim Dohyeon was the first to speak. He looked unable to believe it.
"Is he really a person? Not a doll or an illusion?"
Lee Seoyeon asked as well, her eyes wide.
As she said, Development-types normally summoned spirits or monsters. Summoning a person was exceedingly rare.
Park Jeongsu silently looked the Awakened over. She seemed to be assessing something with a Hunter's unique instincts.
"...He's extraordinary."
Park Jeongsu murmured.
"What is?"
"That summon. He isn't an ordinary person. His energy is unusual."
Kim Dohyeon and Lee Seoyeon looked at the Awakened again, this time more seriously.
"He definitely... has something. That's an F-grade summon?"
"I don't know. Wouldn't he be at least D-grade?"
The two whispered to each other.
"But he's wearing hide."
Park Jeongsu pointed at the Awakened's clothes. They were crude garments woven from animal hide.
"He doesn't have any armor. Won't he get hurt like that?"
"He'll be fine. He's tougher than he looks. And his armor will change as he develops."
It was not a lie. I had not yet transmitted armor-making technology to the Primitive Humans. It would change eventually, as their civilization advanced.
"It's a somewhat unusual skill."
I decided to omit the details.
"The summon will be released in 20 minutes."
I pointed at the system message. Of course, only I could see it.
"Then let's begin the raid immediately."
Park Jeongsu changed her attitude the moment she heard that. With a time limit, we could not afford to stand around watching.
Still, she did not stop glancing at the Awakened. She seemed curious about how he fought.
"Ruler."
The Awakened raised his head. Flames burned in his eyes.
"I wish to fight as well. Please put this body to use."
His voice was filled with longing. He had crossed dimensions to find me. I could imagine how badly he wanted to help.
"All right."
I drew the spare spear from my waist and handed it to him. It was only basic equipment issued by the center, but it was better than nothing.
The Awakened accepted the spear with both hands.
"Mm!"
He handled it carefully, as though holding a treasure. He swung it a few times to judge the weight, then nodded in satisfaction.
He slowly stood and glared at the Golem. His gaze changed. The eyes of a guardian who protected the tribe. The eyes of a hunter stalking prey.
"Is that guy... really a summon you're calling for the first time?"
Kim Dohyeon murmured under his breath. I did not answer.
"Here we go."
Park Jeongsu raised her shield and charged first, running straight toward the Golem.
THUD. THUD. THUD.
Her footsteps echoed through the circular chamber.
At that moment.
The Golem's eyes opened.
Dark red light blazed in its eye sockets. Its two upper arms slowly began to separate. As its massive body moved, the entire chamber shook violently. Stone dust showered from the ceiling.
RUUUMBLE...
Guardian Asura finally awakened.
"Battle begins now!"
Park Jeongsu shouted.
I tightened my grip on my spear and charged. The Awakened ran beside me. Our first battle together. My heart burned hot.
CRASH!
Asura stood. It had been large while seated, but even more so on its feet. It looked a good 7 meters tall. Its head nearly touched the ceiling.
HUUUM...
A low resonance shook the entire chamber. It was the Golem's roar. The dark red light pouring from its eye sockets grew even more intense.
BOOM!
Its lower right arm slammed into the floor where Park Jeongsu had stood. But she had already rolled aside.
"Phase one! It only uses the lower arms!"
Park Jeongsu shouted. She stood before the Golem with her shield raised.
"Over here, rockhead!"
Her shield shone blue.
[Taunt]
The Golem's gaze fixed on Park Jeongsu. She had drawn its aggro.
THUD. THUD. THUD.
The Golem advanced toward her. It was slow, but every step felt like an earthquake.
WHOOSH!
Its left arm swept sideways. The sweep pattern.
"Get down!"
Park Jeongsu shouted. I ducked. The massive arm passed over my head, and the wind struck my cheek.
SWISH!
"Piercing Arrow!"
The arrowhead blazed blue and buried itself in the Golem's shoulder. This time was different. Instead of bouncing off, it sank deep. That was the power of a skill.
CRUNCH.
Cracks spread through its shoulder. But it was not a fatal wound.
"We can't do much damage unless we hit the core! Focus on keeping it occupied for now!"
Park Jeongsu answered.
Kim Dohyeon moved around its flank. He lowered his spear to waist height.
"I'll target the joint!"
Red energy wrapped around the spearhead.
"Blazing Spear!"
THUD!
This time was different. The spear sank deep. Red energy seeped inward, charring the joint black.
"It went in!"
Kim Dohyeon shouted.
The Golem staggered. Its left leg became unstable.
'My turn.'
I charged in. The Awakened came with me.
[Weak Point Detection activated.]
Red dots appeared across the Golem's body. The largest was in the center of its chest. The core. But its clasped upper arms covered it. We could not target it during the first phase.
I lowered my gaze. A small dot was visible behind its knee. The joint. It was not precisely a weak point, but it was relatively vulnerable.
"Awakened! Behind the knee!"
I shouted. The Awakened nodded. He understood me.
We attacked simultaneously, one from each side.
THUD! THUD!
Our spears drove into the back of its knee. The Awakened's went in deeper. He was stronger than me.
"Uuuugh..."
The Golem groaned. One knee buckled, and it pitched forward as it lost its balance.
"Now! Focus your attacks!"
Park Jeongsu shouted. She channeled blue energy into her sword.
"Guardian's Strike!"
Her sword flashed and struck the Golem's lower right arm, gouging a deep wound.
SWISH! SWISH! SWISH!
Lee Seoyeon's arrows struck in rapid succession. The same spot. The wound deepened.
"Rapid Fire!"
Five arrows flew in an instant. Every one struck the same place.
CRUNCH. CRUNCH.
Cracks began spreading through the arm. Kim Dohyeon charged in.
"Take this!"
He drove his spear deep into the weakened spot. Stone shattered with a loud crunch.
CRASH!
The right arm broke off. Dust billowed as it struck the ground.
"We destroyed one of its right arms!"
Kim Dohyeon shouted.
Good. We would win at this pace.
Then.
"Uwaaaaaah!"
The Golem roared. It sounded different than before, filled with rage. Dark red light erupted from it.
CRACK. CRACK.
Its clasped upper arms began to separate.
"It's entering phase two! Fall back!"
Park Jeongsu shouted.
I retreated. The Awakened followed.
The Golem rose to its full height. All four arms had been released. Its lower right arm was destroyed, but the other three were intact.
Its chest was exposed.
The dark red core pulsed like a heart. Thump. Thump. Light leaked through its cracks.
'I can see it.'
Weak Point Detection placed a vivid red dot over the core.
"The real fight starts in phase two! It gets faster, so be care—"
Park Jeongsu did not even finish speaking.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
The Golem swung its arms wildly. Three arms attacked in every direction. Its speed had increased dramatically. It was incomparable to the first phase.
"It's fast...!"
Kim Dohyeon barely dodged. The glancing blow alone dented his armor.
SWISH!
Lee Seoyeon aimed for the core when she found an opening, but the Golem seemed constantly vigilant. Her arrow bounced limply off an arm.
"It's attacking while guarding the core!"
"Keep your distance!"
Park Jeongsu blocked an attack with her shield.
BOOM!
A heavy impact. She was driven backward, her feet dragging grooves across the floor.
"Urgh...!"
Even a D-grade could only block it like that. A direct hit would be the end.
'Now.'
The core was open. This was our only chance.
"Awakened!"
The Awakened looked at me.
"We go together. Aim for the core."
Before I even finished speaking, the Awakened charged.
I followed.
The Golem detected us. Its upper left arm swept toward us.
"Up!"
The Awakened leaped first, landing on the arm. Using it as a foothold, he jumped again. His movements had been honed in the wild. He was as agile as a beast.
'This guy...!'
I stepped on the Golem's arm and climbed as well. Perhaps because the potion was still in effect, my body felt light.
WHOOOSH!
Its lower left arm rose to strike us.
The Awakened hurled his spear in midair.
SWISH!
The spear struck the wrist joint with perfect accuracy. The arm faltered and froze in place.
'Got it!'
The core was right before my eyes. A massive dark red stone, pulsing as darkness swirled within it.
[Piercing Enhancement activated.]
[Consecutive Thrusts Enhancement activated.]
Power filled my spear. It felt heavier than usual. A vibration traveled into the hand gripping its shaft.
"Haaaaah!"
THUD!
The spearhead pierced the core. Deep. Deeper. Until the shaft itself struck.
It was hard. But Piercing Enhancement drove through it, ignoring its defense as it bored inward.
At the same time.
THUD!
The Awakened slammed his fist down beside my spear. He had thrown his weapon, so he was barehanded. But the impact was no weaker than a spear. No, it was stronger.
CRACK!
Fractures spread across the core like a spiderweb.
"One more time!"
I twisted the spear. Consecutive Thrusts. Once. Twice. Three times.
THUD! THUD! THUD!
It was fast. A speed that would ordinarily have been impossible. It was thanks to the enhancement skill.
The Awakened kept striking as well. With his fists. His elbows. Crude, but effective. He was breaking stone with his bare body.
CRAAACK!
The core split completely. Light leaked out, growing brighter and brighter.
―!!!
The Golem screamed. Its entire body shook.
BOOOOM!
The core exploded. Dark red light spread in every direction, then vanished.
RUMBLE...
The Golem's massive body began to collapse. Its arms, its legs, and finally its torso cracked apart into fragments.
CRAAASH!
The last fragment struck the ground. A dense cloud of dust billowed up.
Silence.
"Haa... haa..."
I gasped for breath. My heart was pounding wildly.
Beside me, the Awakened knelt. Blood ran from his fists. That was only natural after breaking stone with his bare hands.
"Are you all right?"
"...Yes. I'm fine, Ruler."
The Awakened raised his head. He was smiling. His face shone with joy that we had fought together. Blood dripped from his fists, but he showed no sign of pain.
I could not help but smile.
'This profession might be even more broken than I thought.'
Would I be able to produce space battleships once their civilization advanced far enough? I found myself wondering.