Free Team - (3)

[Chapter 21]

We spent about two hours reviewing the information we had familiarized ourselves with beforehand.

Most players usually have the mindset of "Let's just dive in and see!" and often find this process boring.

However, all three members of the Free Team, including Sanghyun, were cautious by nature.

In that sense, they were well-matched.

When necessary, they ran through virtual scenarios and practiced coordination, even conducting simulations.

Only after fully understanding each other's tendencies and characteristics could they enter the gate.

Throughout the conversation, Sanghyun debated whether to mention the events beyond the mid-boss area but ultimately stayed silent.

He wanted to come up with a plausible reason for knowing things in advance, but there was no good explanation.

The fastest way would be to say, "I'm a regressor," but that explanation obviously wouldn't be accepted.

So, he decided to hold back for now.

He figured it might be better to find a suitable reason depending on how things unfolded.

"Make sure you bring your Vitality Potions with you."

As soon as they stepped into the gate, Kim Miso took a sip of the Vitality Potion she had prepared in advance and spoke.

The Vitality Potion, which heightened concentration, was an essential element.

It worked like a stimulant but without any side effects.

'Let's just push through until the Cerberus of Hell section.'

Since the real challenge would begin after that, Sanghyun decided to postpone his worries for later.

After double-checking the fixed position of the greatsword strapped to his back, he grabbed his one-handed longsword.

Kim Miso asked,

"You're not using the greatsword?"

"In the early section, using the greatsword would put me at a disadvantage in terms of mobility."

"This is definitely a section where speed is important. But are you comfortable using a one-handed sword?"

"Most sword players tend to specialize in a single weapon—either two-handed or one-handed."

Park Taeseok, who was behind them, added to the conversation.

That was the general perception and reality of the situation.

The way you controlled power and applied techniques varied significantly between the two types of swords.

Many who tried to handle both often ended up with a jumbled and ineffective sword style.

"Weapon swapping is actually a huge advantage."

"Seems like the result of hard work."

"Not something you were born with?"

"Wouldn't it be a bit smug to admit that?"

"Hoho! What's wrong with someone skilled acknowledging their own abilities? I think you more than deserve it."

"I probably won't use it often, but in emergencies, I can handle a dagger to some extent—assuming my body can keep up."

Sanghyun casually revealed his third option as well.

He had studied dagger techniques quite thoroughly—about three years before his regression.

Then.

Kruu. Kruu.

A group of monsters with solid, muscular bodies appeared ahead of them all at once.

They were Demon Ogres.

They were a more threatening version of the Demon Orcs Sanghyun had seen in a previous dungeon.

For starters, they stood over two meters tall, and their chests were nearly as hard as steel plates, making them notoriously tough to pierce.

"Taeseok Oppa?"

"Okay."

Following their pre-established coordination, Kim Miso and Park Taeseok prepared their attack.

As Kim Miso drew her bowstring, a blue flame ignited at the tip of her arrow.

'Looks like I should start talking casually soon. It feels awkward to keep saying formalities like this.'

Sanghyun watched as the three, already calling each other brother, sister, and sibling, worked together.

Dropping formal speech was clearly important in becoming closer.

"Alright, then!"

Kang Juhee flicked a glowing purple orb from her fingertips like she was throwing a shuriken.

A violet flash sparked mid-air, and suddenly, a transparent space opened up.

Through the space, they didn't see what was in front of them—what they saw was the top of the Demon Ogre's head.

'Definitely aggressive.'

Sanghyun tightened his grip on the longsword.

He liked this direct, offensive style—it suited his own tendencies.

There were plenty of players who used spatial abilities in a more defensive manner.

It all came down to personal style.

Of course, being aggressive wasn't always a good thing.

If the Demon Ogre managed to exploit the space in return, it could suddenly appear right in front of them.

Space couldn't be restricted just because it was the enemy—it was a double-edged sword.

"Here I go!"

Sanghyun ran forward.

Meanwhile, Kang Juhee had already created several spatial passages.

Sanghyun examined every new space created before entering the first one.

It would be too late to look for them when needed—better to familiarize himself in advance.

Puaak!

Sanghyun descended from above the Demon Ogre's head, slashing down with his longsword.

Its chest might be as tough as steel, but its skull wasn't nearly as hard.

Crack!

As the sword struck, blood gushed out, and the Demon Ogre's eyes went blank.

Even if the body could endure, no one could survive a destroyed head.

On top of that, being hit while defenseless triggered the stiffness effect of [Demon Bash].

Swish! Slash!

Without hesitation, Sanghyun swung his longsword and severed the Demon Ogre's neck.

With its defenses gone, the Demon Ogre was no threat at all.

"That was practically disarmament-level."

"Right, Juhee?"

"Yeah, Unnie. The tricky part about Demon Ogres is how violently they thrash around."

"Exactly."

"But if they're hit with stiffness like that, even the most expensive Artifact won't help, right?"

"It even lasts longer than usual."

Kang Juhee and Kim Miso admired Sanghyun's combat prowess.

Most status ailments typically lasted only for a fleeting moment.

Or they were easily resisted or nullified by skill resistance or defense mechanisms.

But Sanghyun's status effects gave them enough breathing room to stretch and take a deep breath.

From a monster's perspective, it must have felt like falling into an endless hell.

Grrr! Ughh!

Meanwhile, two more Demon Ogres, hit consecutively by [Demon Bash], trembled uncontrollably.

It was the typical reaction of a body trying to force movement while stuck in stiffness.

"To me, a status effect that long is a perfect match."

Standing beside Kim Miso and Kang Juhee, Park Taeseok began chanting a spell, activating his ignition ability.

Shortly after, the Demon Ogre's face turned bright red before bursting into flames.

Not just anywhere—its head exploded like fireworks, sending flames soaring high into the air.

"Oppa, is the success rate 100%?"

"Yeah, because the monster's resistance gets completely blocked when it's in a stiffness state—it has to be 100%."

"…That's insane."

Kim Miso and Kang Juhee were in awe.

Before, Park Taeseok had to wait for the brief moment when a monster was affected by a fleeting status condition to activate his ignition ability.

That window was so short that his spell often failed before completion.

But now, things were different.

With plenty of time bought for him, he could unleash his specialty with ease.

In a sense, Sanghyun had practically set the table for him—it truly was a perfect combination.

Meanwhile, Sanghyun showed no interest in the Demon Ogre that Park Taeseok had finished off.

Instead, he targeted the opening left by a Demon Ogre staggering from Kim Miso's headshot.

『Full Charge』

Sanghyun immediately began charging.

As he slightly crouched and started the charge, a surging energy gathered around his body and sword.

It felt like gathering a Spirit Bomb from a comic—an overwhelming force gathering for a finishing move.

'The distance between the Demon Ogre and me is 5 meters. If I charge for about a second, I can land a hit right away.'

The calculation of time and distance was precise.

It was a skill Sanghyun had used as often as eating meals in his previous life—[Demon Bash].

He didn't even need to think about the timing; his body and mind remembered it instinctively.

'The stance looks a bit ridiculous, though.'

Once the necessary power was fully charged, Sanghyun extended his left arm backward, the one not holding the longsword.

Then, he poured every ounce of energy from the full charge into the longsword held diagonally in his right hand—without leaving anything behind.

The moment his eyes flashed while watching the Demon Ogre—

His body's position shifted in an instant.

Paat!

Without even leaving an afterimage, his body instantly closed the 5-meter gap, appearing as if he had blinked into position.

Puhwaaaak!

A crimson arc of blood was drawn in the air where his longsword had sliced through.

The blood spread out immediately, filling the surroundings with a pungent, metallic smell.

"Was that a movement skill?"

"No, he just took the Demon Ogre's head off."

"Then is it some kind of movement-attack skill?"

"Judging by how cleanly it decapitated it, it's not just a regular attack skill—it feels like a finishing move."

The three who had been observing Sanghyun's performance through the space Kang Juhee had opened were simultaneously shocked.

Even Kim Miso, who knew Sanghyun well, had never seen this full charge skill before.

It was clear he had acquired a new skill since the last time they met.

Given its power, there was no way he wouldn't have used it in a quest dungeon if he had it before.

Kwoooah!

Meanwhile, the Ogre engulfed in flames by Park Taeseok screamed in agony.

But because of those flames, another Ogre charging from behind remained unnoticed.

Paat. Pat.

At that moment, Kang Juhee skillfully connected another spatial passage from Sanghyun to the back of the second Ogre.

Her keen sense allowed her to maintain a broader view from a distance.

The Demon Ogre, hidden by the flames, couldn't properly track Sanghyun's movements either.

"Hrgh!"

Letting out a determined breath, Sanghyun began charging again.

This time, he held on for as long as time allowed.

Gooooo! Krrrggh!

Whirlwinds surged from all sides as Sanghyun's sword trembled with a fierce vibration.

"Sanghyun! That's not just a regular Demon Ogre—it's an Armor Demon Ogre!"

Kim Miso shouted urgently.

Upon closer inspection, the monster's entire body was fortified with an additional layer of thick, tough hide—an armor-specialized defensive monster.

Sanghyun already knew this, but he gave a bright smile to express his gratitude.

And at the very moment when enough power had gathered into the sword—

"Haah!"

With a shout, Sanghyun unleashed a powerful, fully charged attack.

He lunged through the spatial passage Kang Juhee had opened, aiming directly for the Armor Demon Ogre's left flank.

The straight-line distance was about 70 meters, but by using the spatial passage, it was reduced to just 12 meters.

And Sanghyun's body crossed that 12-meter gap in a single leap fueled by his full charge.

Aside from the limitation of restricted movement after use, it was undoubtedly a powerful mobility skill.

And not only that—it was also an attack skill capable of condensing energy during the charging time.

But the truly terrifying part was what happened after enduring an impressive 4.5 seconds of continuous charging.

Puhwaaaak!

"Whoa!"

"It sliced clean through from the flank to the middle of its abdomen…"

"That's not cutting through jelly—it's slicing through the body of a defense-specialized Ogre like it's nothing?"

Kim Miso, Park Taeseok, and Kang Juhee.

All three teammates were shocked.

Before them stood the result of Sanghyun's full-charge attack—a Demon Ogre with half its waist completely severed.

Normally, it would take four players relentlessly attacking or applying consistent damage to even begin breaking through such a monster's defenses.

But Sanghyun had cleaved the Ogre's waist in half with a single, deadly blow.

Kkuuuuuuugh.

With a pitiful moan, the Ogre's body tilted sideways like the Leaning Tower of Pisa.

The three were certain of one thing.

After cycling through countless players, they had finally found a true master swordsman they had never been able to meet before.

A proactive swordsman who didn't depend on the team but instead took the lead and directed the team's course wasn't so far away after all.