Interest - (3)

[Chapter 11]

'Individual or team play. A skill that's flawless no matter how it's applied. Too skillfully used for it to be just luck.' 

Afterward, as she watched Sanghyun's outstanding solo defense, Kim Miso couldn't help but be amazed. 

When players entered a dungeon, their top priority wasn't a specific class. 

They wanted a player who possessed multiple status effect skills capable of incapacitating monsters. 

Stun, stiffness, freezing, sleep, zero gravity, or gravity enhancement—any player who could inflict various status effects was highly valued. 

But even more desirable was a player who could inflict a long-lasting status effect in one hit, even if it was only one type. 

To Kim Miso's eyes, Sanghyun's stiffness-inducing skill lasted incredibly long. 

When she timed it using a dungeon-exclusive stopwatch she had brought along, it caused a guaranteed 4.4 seconds of stiffness against the Silver Wolves. 

Of course, most Silver Wolves died before the 4.4 seconds were up—nearly 99% of them. 

'What's even scarier is that, apart from triggering stiffness, he knows the Silver Wolves' weak points exactly.' 

That was what surprised Kim Miso the most. 

He only targeted weak points like the upper abdomen, right foreleg, and around the kneecap of the Silver Wolves. 

It was too consistent to be mere coincidence—he relentlessly aimed for those spots. 

If it had been just once or twice, it could have been dismissed as luck, but by now, he had already taken down a hundred Silver Wolves that way. 

At this point, it was clear that he was deliberately exploiting their weaknesses with precision. 

'His ability to maintain status effects surpasses even Jinho oppa, and his weak-point targeting is almost on par with Taeri unni.' 

She came to her own conclusion. 

Jo Jinho and Shin Taeri were both top-tier players in the Eden Guild, ranked third in their respective roles of swordsman and assassin. 

In other words, they ranked among the top three within the guild's job hierarchy. 

Moreover, both of them were experts with player levels exceeding 450. 

The fact that she was comparing Sanghyun to them showed how highly she rated his skills. 

At that moment— 

KAAAAA! 

A black wolf burst through the dense underbrush, letting out a powerful roar. 

Shhhhaaa. 

At the same time, an orange aura surrounded Kim Miso's body. The artifact for status effect resistance had activated. 

Until now, Sanghyun had shown an impressive performance, but what mattered was what happened from this point onward. 

The Black Wolf's roar was an irresistible skill—it should trigger stiffness without fail. 

But Sanghyun charged toward the Black Wolf without any noticeable change. 

'Did he shake it off? How is that possible?' 

Kim Miso's mouth fell open in shock. 

Wasn't this an absurdly overpowered combination? 

He could inflict long-term stiffness on his opponent while having a means to instantly free himself from the same status effect. 

A selfish exchange, where he could disable others while remaining unaffected himself. 

Fsssh! 

In an instant, Sanghyun closed the distance and slid under the four-legged Black Wolf's body with precision. 

It wasn't a mistake or a reckless move—it was a purposeful, calculated maneuver. 

She was sure of it because Sanghyun was gripping his greatsword tightly even as the sand dust swirled around him. 

It was a risky situation—slipping too far or too little could result in being devoured instantly. 

But instead, Sanghyun's eyes shone with relaxed confidence. 

Thud! Rippp! 

KEEEEEEK! 

The Black Wolf, which had just been roaring triumphantly, let out a scream that sounded almost like a death cry. 

The mere fact that the sound of tearing flesh came from beneath its body indicated the severity of the attack. 

Splatter! 

Moments later, the Black Wolf's entrails and blood spilled all over Sanghyun's face and body. 

It was a perfect death scene—undeniably fatal by anyone's standards. 

'Unbelievable.' 

Kim Miso unconsciously shut her gaping mouth and kept her eyes locked on Sanghyun's every movement. 

Thud. 

Then, as if preparing for the unexpected, she lowered both her bow and arrow. 

It didn't seem like Sanghyun would need any help for the time being. 

* * * 

'My level's skyrocketing.' 

Before he knew it, he had reached level 25. 

Thanks to taking down not only the Silver Wolves but also the Black Wolf that had appeared later, his level had increased significantly. 

On top of that, the newly activated title made Sanghyun, who was sweating profusely, feel even more accomplished. 

[No Fear!]

■ Title Grade: D-grade 

■ Title Effect: Grants resistance to all status effects caused by the roars of wolf-type monsters. However, this does not apply to boss monsters. 

'It's limited to wolf monsters, but it's still an incredible perk—no need for recovery.' 

Guaranteed. 100%. Absolute certainty. 

In any advantageous combination, words like that ensured there was never a downside. 

Since he fought without flinching against wolves and immediately shook off stiffness through recovery, it likely contributed to earning the title. 

■ Wolf-type Monster Elimination Quest.

■ Monsters Defeated: 299. 

■ Monster Goal: 300.

The last one remaining was the boss monster. 

Wolf Lord. A fearsome werewolf-like creature. 

"Hoo." 

He had been tense throughout the battle, but now, more than ever, he needed to maintain peak concentration. 

Gulp. Gulp. 

Sanghyun took a quick break to drink a Vitality Potion. 

A refreshing sensation washed over him, sharpening his vision and clarity of judgment. 

When he glanced behind him, Kim Miso was watching him intently, her eyes filled with curiosity. 

Not long ago, she had been ready to draw her bow, but now she was just an observer. 

'When opportunity comes, you have to seize it.' 

In his ordinary, uneventful past life, Sanghyun had learned just how vital it was to recognize opportunities. 

When someone of importance or status took an interest in you, seizing that attention was everything. 

Unfortunately, back then, he lacked the charm, skills, or qualifications to take advantage of such moments. 

But now, he believed this connection with Kim Miso would open an entirely new path—different from anything before. 

'Since it's a level 100 quest, taking down the Wolf Lord should give me a solid Artifact reward.' 

The artifact reward was guaranteed, and it was about time the Luck stat he had diligently raised began to shine. 

If he managed to complete this solo defense flawlessly, even Kim Miso's perception of him would change—dramatically. 

Thud. Thud. Thud. 

As soon as he felt the earth-shaking footsteps, Sanghyun took a deep breath. 

'Demon Bash. Sacrifice. Recovery skill. Plus aggressive swordplay.' 

Sanghyun gathered his thoughts. If he lost his nerve and retreated just because it was a boss monster, he'd be pushed back endlessly. 

Boom! Boom! Boom! 

Soon, the Wolf Lord, its entire body swollen with bulging muscles, began charging toward Sanghyun. 

The sight of the Wolf Lord, resembling a muscular bodybuilder, was intimidating at a glance. 

Cheok! 

Sanghyun raised his greatsword at an angle, holding his breath as he waited for the Wolf Lord to approach. 

At first glance, it seemed like it was preparing for a head-on collision, but the beast was smarter than it appeared. 

Sanghyun had already seen through the Wolf Lord's traits and tendencies. 

Woooaargh! 

The Wolf Lord roared and powered up its legs, thrusting out its left elbow. It was like a prelude to a car crash. 

'This won't be easy.' 

Kim Miso's expression darkened as she watched. No matter how skilled Sanghyun was, it seemed like he would struggle against the Wolf Lord. 

The issue was that Sanghyun appeared to be responding too straightforwardly against an opponent known for using unorthodox attacks. 

But then, something unexpected happened. 

Just before reaching Sanghyun, the Wolf Lord suddenly leaped, aiming for Sanghyun's head from above. 

Puk! 

Sanghyun's sword shot upward with force from an entirely unforeseen angle—right above his head. 

'He knew…?' 

Craaaagh! 

The Wolf Lord screamed, clutching its abdomen as it crashed to the ground. 

It was a reaction of sheer shock, unable to comprehend how Sanghyun had predicted its move. 

Kim Miso was well aware of the various unpredictable tactics the Wolf Lord could employ. 

But she didn't say a word. 

Sanghyun wanted to prove his worth and didn't wish for even the slightest help. Yet, he had seen through the Wolf Lord's strategy on his own and struck precisely where it hurt. 

From the Wolf Lord's perspective, it was a miracle that it hadn't been hit with Demon Bash's stiffness effect during the attack. 

"Damn. Its skill resistance is high, as expected." 

Sanghyun let out a bitter laugh. 

He had hoped that Demon Bash would inflict stiffness, but a boss monster was still a boss monster. 

Grrr! Grrr! Grrr! 

Furious from the unexpected blow, the Wolf Lord slammed its fists into the ground in rage. 

It was pride—wounded by the fact that it had been hurt first. 

"Stop thinking and just come at me." 

Sanghyun taunted, gesturing mockingly with his palm up and down, provoking the Wolf Lord into another charge. 

'I need to replenish my stamina.' 

After continuously defending without rest, his stamina had noticeably dropped—below 50%. 

If he took a surprise hit in this state, it could lead to temporary exhaustion or even shock if things went wrong. 

The proper strategy was to attack aggressively but defend and account for variables cautiously. 

Sanghyun pointed his greatsword sharply forward and immediately countered. 

'Its midsection guard is weak!' 

As the clash with the Wolf Lord neared, Kim Miso noticed the loosened defense around its waist and stood up again. 

Whether it was from accumulated fatigue or something else, the Wolf Lord's posture made it vulnerable to a claw strike. 

'Give flesh to take bone.' 

She saw the Wolf Lord's strategy clearly—it was willing to expose its shoulder to Sanghyun's blade in exchange for delivering a fatal blow to his abdomen. 

In that case, with its superior regeneration, the Wolf Lord would have the advantage. It was an unfair exchange on the brink of completion. 

Swaaaak! 

Puuuuk! 

The timing was almost simultaneous. The greatsword and claws both aimed for their desired targets. 

'Got it!' 

The moment the Wolf Lord suddenly froze, unmoving, it was clear that stiffness had taken effect. 

But so what? 

If those long claws—easily the length of two finger joints—had pierced his abdomen, at least one organ would be ruptured for sure. 

Kim Miso knew all too well how terrifying the word certainty could be, given her experience. 

"...How?" 

But then, a scene unfolded that made her doubt her own eyes. 

Sanghyun's abdomen, which should have been torn and shredded by the Wolf Lord's claws, remained perfectly clean—without a single mark. 

A pale green aura surrounded his stomach, protecting the area like a radiant shield. 

At the same time, the color slowly returned to Sanghyun's face, and his characteristic sharp gaze reignited with intensity. 

"Healing?" 

This was the perfect moment to use the phrase crossing the line. 

Sanghyun wasn't just specialized in status effects; now, he possessed the ability to convert his opponent's attacks into healing energy. 

In what she had thought was just an ordinary dungeon run, Kim Miso found herself completely captivated by Sanghyun. 

"Do you think I'm stupid?" 

And with that, Sanghyun's words, thrown back at the Wolf Lord, were the perfect finishing touch.