I Raided the Demon’s Treasury

Chapter 13

With about ten minutes left until the fourth wave.

Much like in the morning, everyone was making thorough preparations for the wave.

However, there was one notable difference.

A sense of ease.

Perhaps due to how easily they had repelled the third wave, the tension had noticeably decreased.

“We’re starting soon! Everyone, get ready!”

“I hope it’s boars again this time. The more food, the better, right?”

“Do you think we’ll get cows?”

“Wow, beef! I’ve never had my fill of it even on Earth. It would be amazing if we got some!”

Despite Yoo Seo-ah’s urgings, people continued their conversations. It was a clear indication of the waning tension.

Watching this, Yoo Seo-ah bit her lip.

“Everyone, focus! According to Se-woon, this wave will be particularly dangerous!”

“Dangerous? We’re more than capable, aren’t we?”

“And with him around, why worry? He can handle whatever comes our way.”

“Yeah, those flames he produced were incredible!”

No matter how much Yoo Seo-ah repeated herself, people still didn’t heed her warning.

Though a few understood her concern and nodded with serious expressions, the majority did not.

Some had even set their weapons down, thinking there was still time.

This left Yoo Seo-ah alone with her growing anxiety.

‘I’m worried…’

In the short time she had observed Se-woon, he had never seemed like someone who took things lightly.

Just before the wave began, Se-woon had gone out of his way to warn her to be careful. This indicated that the wave’s difficulty was far more dangerous than expected.

Yet the people were not focused.

Although Yoo Seo-ah was a competent leader, her lack of charisma made it hard to rectify the situation.

At that moment—

Boom!!

A deafening explosion erupted from the frontmost line, accompanied by a cloud of dust.

Startled, the people stopped talking and directed their attention towards the source.

There stood a massive man over 2 meters tall, Kang Han-cheol, with a hardened expression, brushing the dirt off his fist.

“Quiet.”

One word. That heavy voice snapped everyone back to their senses.

The area fell silent in an instant, with only the occasional sound of nervous swallowing breaking the silence.

“One minute left!”

The first to break the silence was Yoo Seo-ah with her clear, ringing voice.

As people began to regain their composure, they picked up their weapons and readied themselves for battle.

“You’re Mr. Kang Han-cheol, right? Thank you.”

Yoo Seo-ah approached him to express her gratitude, but Kang Han-cheol didn’t respond. He simply prepared for combat.

Up until now, he had always been someone who focused solely on his own tasks, indifferent to his surroundings. Yet this time, he had stepped forward for her.

This made Yoo Seo-ah feel a sense of reassurance, as if she had gained a reliable ally.

And finally—

[ Tutorial Chapter One – Adaptation ]

– The fourth wave is starting.

– Defend against the monster wave and prove your worth.

The anticipated fourth wave began.

“Grr…”

“Wolves again?”

“What are those things? Why are they so big!”

“Damn…”

The higher-tier monsters, Gray Wolves, appeared, larger than the Brown Wolves encountered during the first wave.

* * *

“They’re here.”

“H-hyung! Is this okay? Those things are massive!”

Most of the wolves in the Wolf Forest had already been dealt with by Se-woon. Despite that, new wolves emerged from the forest.

These wolves were twice the size of the Brown Wolves.

“So, did you think sheep or goats would come instead?”

“Even if it wasn’t that, those aren’t something humans can handle! How are we supposed to fight them without guns!”

The reactions of others were similar to Park Jung-pil’s noisy clamor beside Se-woon.

The confidence of “We can do this” quickly turned into the despair of “This is impossible!”

‘Well, I was like that too, once.’

For people who had lived peaceful lives on Earth, facing such large predators would naturally immerse them in despair.

Especially when it’s not just one, but dozens of wolves.

However, among them, only two individuals maintained their composure.

Yoo Seo-ah and Kang Han-cheol.

Both of them clenched their fists and were full of fighting spirit even in front of the Gray Wolves.

“Stop talking and start the herding.”

“What? No, Hyung! This isn’t like the monkey case! These are wolves! Wolves as big as mountains!”

“Then go hide among those people instead.”

Se-woon pointed to the group gathered around Yoo Seo-ah.

Sure, blending in with them might offer some chances of survival, but Se-woon was positioned on the opposite side of that group.

Running to them now would be nothing short of suicidal.

Trusting Se-woon seemed like the better option for survival.

“Damn it!”

Having thought this far, Park Jung-pil cursed and began to move his legs.

“This is really awful!”

“What?”

“Awfully thrilling! Aaaaaah!”

As Park Jung-pil started to run, the wolves’ attention naturally focused on him.

In a situation where even huddling together to keep watch wasn’t enough, their prey was running and screaming in front of them. Even the most cautious wolves couldn’t help but give chase.

‘Still smaller than that one.’

Se-woon recalled the ‘Gravekeeper Wolf’ that he faced deep in the Wolf Forest..

Though they were Gray Wolves, the wolf Se-woon had fought was akin to a boss monster—a significantly larger and more powerful variant among Gray Wolves.

‘Well, if a monster like that had shown up in a pack, hardly anyone would’ve survived the tutorial.’

The tutorial.

Whoever devised it must have been quite malicious.

They gently coaxed players through the third raid, as if saying, “You can handle this, right?” only to then drastically ramp up the difficulty just when players were starting to adapt.

“Hyuuuuung!

“The numbers seem a bit low.”

“Damn it, I’m telling you, it’s impossible! How can humans even run from wolves!”

It hadn’t been long, but Park Jung-pil was already returning to Se-woon.

Looking behind him, the number of lured wolves was roughly twenty.

Compared to the monkey wave, this number seemed smaller, but in reality, it was still a significant amount.

As Park Jung-pil had mentioned, the Gray Wolves were much quicker than the Brown Monkeys, making it an extraordinary feat to have lured this many.

As the distance closed in, Se-woon raised his hand, just like when facing the monkeys, and cast fire towards Park Jung-pil—or rather, towards the wolves.

“Fireball.”

“Aaah! You’re not even giving a signal now!”

Fwwooom!

– The Constellation, ‘Hungry Prince,’ eagerly picks up his utensils, seeing the food cooking well.

As Park Jung-pil urgently threw himself aside, the flame engulfed the pack of wolves.

With all the circle’s mana poured into it, the explosion was far beyond what one would expect from a mere level 1-circle spell.

From the center of the explosion, hot flames surged wildly, engulfing the wolves.

However—

“Aaaah! Hyung, please save me!”

The result was different from the time with the monkeys.

The wolves at the center of the explosion were charred black, but those not at the center quickly moved out of range.

Of course, they didn’t completely escape unscathed, with some suffering burns or catching fire on their fur, but about half survived Se-woon’s attack, baring their sharp fangs.

“Just stay behind me.”

“Y-Yes, sir!”

Se-woon had anticipated as much.

He didn’t expect the Gray Wolves to be wiped out with a single blow like the monkeys.

Se-woon retrieved the Sword of the Forgotten Hero from the belt provided by Go Chang-seok.

Although he had a dagger, its short length wasn’t suitable against the wolves.

– Opened the Treasury of Greed.

[ Blood Wolf Swordsmanship (血狼劍法) ]

– A unique martial art said to have been founded by Zhaogongzi (조공자), a master from the Wudang Sect(무당파), who secluded himself in the mountains and faced a pack of wolves.

An eye for an eye. A tooth for a tooth.

If the wolves bared their fangs, all he needed to do was draw out even fiercer fangs.

Although it had been just a day since he had mastered Hamel Family Longsword Technique, Se-woon had already laid a perfect foundation for swordsmanship.

Moreover, having opened his dantian through Samjaegong just before the wave began, he was more than prepared for real combat.

“Hyaat!”

Unlike before, Se-woon was the first to charge toward the wolves.

The wolves, which had been cautiously backing away from the still-simmering flames, recoiled in surprise and sprang into a counterattack.

However—

Sshk!

Se-woon’s attack effortlessly disregarded their counterattack, violently slicing through the wolf’s body.

As if a beast had swung its claws.

The Blood Wolf Sword Technique’s first form, Blood Wolf Claw (血狼爪).

It was as sharp and brutal as its name, the claw of the blood wolf.

Counterattacks were simply not permitted.

Blood Wolf Claw viciously split the wolf from its maw down through its torso.

In response, the wounded wolves, along with those who had come to support, charged at Se-woon.

More than ten in number.

There were no blind spots.

Se-woon began mobilizing the internal energy faintly stored in his dantian.

– Through internal energy, physical abilities are enhanced.

In an instant, his body felt lighter. At the same time, his muscles twitched more intensely than usual, showcasing their power.

Although the extremely faint internal energy wouldn’t last long, it was enough to deal with the wolves before him.

Grrrk!

As internal energy concentrated, Se-woon’s thighs swelled.

The tendons in Se-woon’s hand gripping the sword bulged excessively, as if ready to burst at any moment.

The moment the wolves, now within inches of Se-woon’s face, lunged with their jaws wide open…

– Through internal energy, the second form of Blood Wolf Swordsmanship, Blood Wolf Fang is enhanced.

The internal energy surrounding Se-woon took on the form of a blood wolf, and the sword became the sharp fangs of the blood wolf.

Crunch!

With a ferocity likened to a wolf’s howl, all the wolves charging at Se-woon were shredded apart.

The corpses lay scattered, each gruesomely mutilated as if chewed by another wolf.

“…Hyung, are you really human like me?”

Park Jung-pil, hiding behind Se-woon, murmured with a dazed expression.