Everyone Else is a Returnee
chapter-25

Call me Ishmael (1)

Yu IlHan stopped his steps while he was running.

Although the sky was still blue as ever when he looked up, the unsafe aura mixed in the air was stimulating Yu IlHan. The killing intent, which was released indiscriminately without a target, told Yu IlHan that this place was not peaceful.

Although he was definitely in the middle of Seoul, his eyesight spotted almost nothing. This was because all the things in the surroundings had collapsed as if there had been a war. While thinking that everyone had rampaged, whether it was the humans or the monsters, Yu IlHan scanned the surroundings as if it didn’t have anything to do with him.

[……There it is.]

Lucky. The black leopard was nearby. Although it was impossible to confirm its size as it kept moving, as the monster was moving leisurely as if it asuumed that its concealment was umatched under the heavens, it was easy to find its location, much less its movement path.

It wasn’t aware of Yu IlHan’s position yet.

“Then.”

While watching it, Yu IlHan pulled down one of the pillars from his back extremly naturally.

“Hup!”

Then he struck in on the ground. The pillar, which had become an artifact, softly pierced deep into the ground at once like a candle to a cake.

“First, the other side.

It should have noticed Yu IlHan by now, with this. He ran fast while preparing for its attack, and nailed pillar(b) in a place 100m away from pillar(a). It was a much faster speed compared to when he nailed pillar(a)

As he didn’t confirm its exact size, he put the rest of the pillars and the harpoons on the ground first. Although he didn’t want to believe that it was bigger than its mother, carelessness would cause death. He decided to move while considering every possibility.

“But.”

Yu IlHan tilted his head after finishing it.

“In my calculation, it should have attacked at least once while I was nailing pillar(b) into the ground, but why is it still moving around this place?”

[Is it looking for an opening to attack?]

“An opening, eh.”

Yu IlHan exposed that opening right now on purpose. His first objective was to attack and fix in place, the leopard which would assault him, as it would be confident in its concealment ability.

However, it didn’t attack him. Even though there was no opening greater than this. Did it lack in hunting ability as a compensation for its concealment? But even so, it’s a 3rd class monster, should it be fine for it to be so lacking?

[Isn’t it that.]

At that moment, Erta spoke carefully.

[It can’t find you?]

“……”

Yu IlHan was speechless. He thought ‘no way’.

No matter how he had a passive concealment ability, he had walked around while nailing two huge and thick pillars into the ground. The fact that his enemy couldn’t notice him even despite that was too strange.

[However, it’s not like you directly attacked the black leopard, right?]

“Yes.”

[Because of that, isn’t it that your concealment didn’t wear off?]

“But what about these pillars and the harpoons? And what about the installed ones right there?”

[It should be under concealment along with you, right?]

“……”

Although Yu IlHan tried to retort to Erta’s sophistry, no words came out of his mouth. It was because he also thought it was like that even when he thought about it. Otherwise, this situation was inexplicable.

“To think that it couldn’t notice even though I was setting traps right in front of its eyes…..!”

[You’re a superstar born for assassination. Why don’t you earn an assassin as your subclass on your next advancement?]

“Kuuuk……!”

How could it be so insulting, even though it was supposed to be a good thing!? He couldn’t even accept Erta’s praise.

Anyway, it was definite that this situation was extremly in his favor. Yu IlHan swallowed his rage and returned to pillar(a) slowly, and picked up the harpoon(a) connected to it, which was connected to the pillar with a leather rope.

His body remembered the length of the rope. It would sufficiently hold out this distance!

The black leopard also seemed to have felt something as it didn’t leave this place. Well, it would fail as a monster if it couldn’t even feel anything strange even after the ground was cracked and two huge bone pillars were pierced into the ground.

Yu IlHan calmly picked up harpoon(a) and aimed at it. At that moment, he felt strength filling his body. Not only the 10% additional damage due to concealment, the 10% additional damage from spearmanship was also added. He inwardly exclaimed delightfully that harpoons were under spears.

“……Fuu.”

After taking a small, deep breath, he accurately aimed at its leg while putting strength into his hands. With an accuracy that will be able to destroy that part! The leopard still hadn’t noticed Yu IlHan, and at one moment.

“Hup!”

With a strange shout, Yu IlHan threw the harpoon. Was the mana crafting that was done prior to the weapon’s completion effective? Like a bullet leaving the barrel, the harpoon, which pierced through the air rapidly, pierced the left thigh of the leopard, when it was about to pass the collapsed building!

“[KuuuuAAAaaaa!]”

“Wow.”

A scream that felt like the world was collapsing. Yu IlHan softly exclaimed and jumped backwards. It was because its concealment had worn off as it was bound to the pillar because it allowed an attack to hit, and its whole body had appeared.

Erta, who confirmed its size properly, softly muttered while clicking her tongue.

[It’s about half the size of its mother…… However, it’s definitely a 3rd class monster.]

“I know when I look at that.”

Yu IlHan confirmed the half nailed harpoon and like her, he said while clicking his tongue.

Fortunately, the harpoon had held out and didn’t get pulled out even despite its rampage, but it was not a small shock that the harpoon he had thrown with all his strength in addition to the effects of concealment and spearmanship, had only pierced by half.

[If it was a proper 3rd class monster, even that wouldn’t have happened. You should think it’s fortunate that it specialized in concealment.]

“I know. I know already.”

[KiiiiIIiii……!]

it’s enraged growl shook Yu IlHan’s eardrums. Its eyes looking at Yu IlHan was abnormally red. This was dangerous – the moment he thought that, it assaulted towards Yu IlHan like a released arrow.

[KiiAaaooOOOoooo!]

However, during its powerful leap, the leather rope connected to the harpoon became taut and made it smash the ground. The rope was awesome as expected of a master’s handicraft!

Yu IlHan, who had already expected this situation picked up harpoon(b) connected to pillar(b) and ran in. Then, he pierced the harpoon on its right shoulder with all his strength!

[Critical Hit!]

[KuAAAaaaaaa!]

Thanks to the unexpected critical hit, harpoon(b) pierced deeper into its body than harpoon(a). While piercing deep to the point that it was almost buried, it had scattered blood on Yu IlHan’s face.

[KrrrRaaaAAAa!]

The black leopard, which was done in twice by the same tactic, became enraged and swung its front paw. It was the first strong and quick strike that he experienced with a monster as the opponent.

As it was a 3rd class monster, there was too much of a difference in basic stats and mana usability, no matter what. Yu IlHan had also expected that pulling out safely after striking from a close distance was impossible.

However, it was very possible to defend after predicting its actions.

“Kuk!”

It struck its front paw head on into Yu IlHan’s arms, which he had crossed in front of him just before he was struck.

An enormous pressure descended upon him. It was a strong strike to the point that he lost his breath.

[KyyaaaAoOOoo!]

“Huuuuap!”

However, he didn’t break any bones. It was because the bone blades which popped out the moment he was struck reduced the damage as first defence, and the leather armor which had all of his leather processing techniques applied to it, had reduced it again.

Although the bone blades on both of his arms became broken, when he thought that he had exchanged his arms for it, it was acceptable. Blades could be stored up later!

[It’s so frustrating that it actually helps……!]

“Fuu, fuu.”

Although Erta was speaking considerably leisurely as if he had already grapsed victory, Yu IlHan, who was doing the actual fighting, wasn’t that leisurely. It was because he still couldn’t escape its area of influence.

[KyuGAaooooOO!]

While suppresing the pain he felt from his two arms, immediately after he pulled out backwards, it made blade-like winds while violently slashing apart the air with its front paw.

Yu IlHan, who thought that it had simply cut apart the air, had to become pale and duck the next moment.

Since the wind had become a blade and was flying at him!

“What is that!?”

[It’s a skill, what else could it be!?]

While dodging by stepping backwards hurriedly, Yu Ilhan picked up pillar(c) which he had left on the ground

During that, the black leopard fell down due to the rope which bound him before it could charge at Yu IlHan, then it tried to pull the harpoon out which bound him by rampaging but only bled. Then, in the end, after confirming that there was a leather rope connected to the harpoon, it raised its claws.

[Throw the harpoon before it tears off the rope!]

“I know!”

Yu IlHan inwardly felt that he was in a mess even while percing pillar(c) into the ground hurriedly. He had never imagined that it had a long-ranged slashing skill!

Honestly, he had thought that the monsters he had fough until now were just ordinary animals, just enhanced hugely, so he had only thought that it would work if he had a strong harpoon.

However, reality was different. And it will become more different in the future.

‘So I have to fight with even stronger things than that in the future.’

First, he had to start by throwing away his common knowledge. Going further, it was important to prepare various strategies and weapons to fight against any monsters! This was the moment Yu IlHan had a realization bigger than anything.

“Hup!”

However, whether he earned a realization or not, it was important to kill the being in front of him right now. Yu IlHan, who dodged the second set of wind blades that came at him by rollin on the ground, stood up after picking up harpoon(c). Then, he shot it before it could attack again!

[KyaaaAAAaaaa!]

The harpoon pierced deep into its left paw. Even if it manges to cut the rope apart, unless it could pull out the harpoon completely, it wouldn’t be able to use wind blade with that foot again! Erta spoke out in surprise.

[So you have talent in throwing spears as well, don’t you?]

“Call me Ishmael.”

Yu IlHan still hadn’t given up on the Moby Dick joke. However, going by how Yu IlHan became more positive the worse the situation became, the situation was not that easy to solve.

Although it was good to bind it using harpoons, he had no methods of damaging it, when it was rampaging so much.

At that moment, the person who could solve this situation had arrived. Yu IlHan noticed that thanks to the noisy engine sounds…… engine?

“So you really did seal its concealment!”

The empress who had arrived on an armored vehicle that looked very sturdy even at a glance.

“Twin Lightning!”

[KuGYYyaaaaAAAACCkkka!]

With an absurd level of lightning magic, which was capable of stunning a 3rd class monster!

Author’s notes

N/A

Translator’s notes

Paid chapters starting this chapter.

Editor’s notes

Sorry about the delay and uneditied chapters guys >.< I got food poisoning and was out of action for a day