Chapter 17
Sangjin, having decided to abandon haste and hunt methodically, immediately gave another order to mapper Jeong Daejin.
“Hey Daejin! Are the survivors from that party marked on the map?”
Yes. Currently, four survivors are marked. Judging by their positions—either on the building’s third floor or rooftop—it’s likely two ranged DPS and one healer, or three ranged DPS, excluding one mapper.
“Then tune to frequency 87 and tell those bastards to rush here for backup! Even if they can’t clean up their own mess, they’d better pitch in!”
Seungnam, likely the tank, must’ve fallen first, followed by the DPS. The one who herded the Mantis here was probably the trapper waiting on the ground. That meant the ranged units on the upper floors were still alive. Sangjin aimed to summon them immediately for support.
Got it!
After issuing orders, Sangjin refocused on tanking.
Crash! Bang!
With his impatience gone and mind at ease, his tanking grew smoother. Just as the hunt progressed smoothly, Daejin’s voice crackled through his earpiece:
Boss! The survivors from that party should join us in about 10 minutes! Composition: two ranged DPS, one healer, and one mapper!
Ten minutes was perfect—roughly when the Mantis’s shield would be stripped. Once they arrived, they’d quickly finish off the vulnerable Mantis and move to Trudeker.
“Okay! Tell the ranged DPS to attack as soon as they’re in range. The healer should position nearby and focus heals on me! Hyesu, once their healer arrives, switch back to Junhyeok!”
Understood!
Roger. But seriously, I’ve got nothing to do...
Hyesu’s M7 scan showed Junhyeok’s HP still above 95%, barely scratched. Tanking like that was impossible even for Sangjin—she’d had to heal him a few times earlier when he solo-tanked Trudeker for aggro. Meanwhile, Junhyeok had barely lost any HP. Marking him now seemed pointless... though Sangjin wouldn’t know that.
Meanwhile, Junhyeok—awakened to hyperawareness—tanked Trudeker with eerie ease despite it being his first time.
‘This is so easy I’m about to yawn.’
Whoooosh! Thud!
Trudeker’s heavy blows aimed for him, but Junhyeok dodged effortlessly, as if predicting them. No—he was predicting them. Hyperawareness let him read muscle twitches or pre-movements to foresee attacks. Every strike was anticipated before it came.
Boom! Crack!
“Try harder. Tch, c’mon—entertain me more.”
Junhyeok reveled in this fight. The colossal Trudeker felt like a toy under his control—a thrill he always felt using hyperawareness. A smirk played on his lips mid-tank.
Another perk of hyperawareness: spotting openings instinctively, discerning feints from real gaps. He exploited each with precision.
‘Shield Attack!’
Thwack!
Between quick jabs and retreats, he mixed Shield Attack and Overwhelm to sustain aggro. He even spared attention to monitor the Mantis hunt.
‘Did their survivors join? Might end sooner than expected.’
With Seungnam’s hidden survivors aiding them, the Mantis fell faster. Its shield was long gone; its HP nearly depleted. Though enraged as its health dropped, Sangjin tanked smoothly with his experience.
‘10 to 20 minutes left.’
Junhyeok sighed internally.
‘Ugh, not having offensive skills is frustrating. So many openings... just tickling it with basic attacks.’
As a former DPS, this gimped role chafed. He yearned to unleash skills into those gaps but restrained himself—risking aggro loss wasn’t worth it.
Whooom! Crash!
Trudeker’s fists pummeled only air.
“Overwhelm!”
Swoosh!
As Junhyeok boosted aggro—
Screeeech!
—the Mantis finally collapsed.
Thud!
‘Done there.’
It dissolved into light, leaving behind byproducts, a crystal... and a skill card.
With Seungnam’s ranged DPS joining in time, the hunt wrapped up swiftly.
“Wonjin! Grab the crystal and skill card!”
The bulky byproducts could wait for porters later, but the small loot went to nearby members first.
“Haha! A crystal and skill card? Boss, you’re on fire!”
“Now’s not the time! Move to Trudeker—”
Sangjin whirled toward Trudeker but froze at Junhyeok’s tanking:
“...What is this?”
Finally witnessing it firsthand confirmed what his party had said: Junhyeok moved fluidly, efficiently, almost lazily. Minimal motions deflected attacks; shield twists redirected blows. Every opening was punished; every disengage timed perfectly. Sure, Trudeker was slow—but this skill? No rookie tank could pull it off.
Told you. Junhyeok’s insane. See his HP? 92% without a single heal. In over an hour, he’d lost just 8%.
“Damn… he’s insane.”
No other words fit. Not even Sangjin could replicate this. Staring stunned, then stern, he called:
“Hey. Choi Junhyeok.”
Junhyeok quipped mid-dodge:
“Haha, your hunt’s done. Take this guy back now, right?”
Assuming his role ended with the Mantis dead. Sangjin had another idea:
“Doesn’t look hard for you. How about finishing it? For practice.”
Not that someone this skilled needed practice, but since it was his first hunt, why not? Junhyeok blinked:
“Wait, I’m finishing it? You sure?”
He’d only pulled aggro out of necessity. Sangjin was still main tank. The crisis was over; no reason not to return to his place. Yet Sangjin was offering full control—unheard of in normal parties.
“I won’t interfere. Call all shots. Any objections?”
The party responded:
None.
Hah, with tanking like that? Hell yeah.
None here.
Same.
“Haha, none here either. Man, watching Junhyeok fly around takes me back to high school. Guy’s still got it.”
With unanimous approval, Sangjin nodded:
“Your call. Finish it?”
Dodging another swing, Junhyeok grinned:
“Alright. From now, I’m calling orders.”
As leader-elect, he got briefed:
“Go for it. I’ll observe. Ah—once its shields break, Trudeker enters a frenzy attacking randomly regardless of aggro. Mincheol and Wonjin can handle it, but time it right.”
Junhyeok knew this pattern well from past regressions but humored Sangjin’s advice. With full authority, he began:
“Noted. Here’s the plan: Everyone attack. Shields are still up, so manage force. Mappers keep scanning for other monsters. Hyesu, stick with me. New healer, focus on melee DPS.”
Orders given, he refocused on tanking.
