Stop, Friendly Fire!

[Paul Zero...]

The level 7 Chimera Avenger repeated him, and nodded his head in satisfaction. Most of the other Chimera Avengers either had four legs or had another two arms coming out from their backs, but aside from his gray skin, or his pupil-less eyes, this Chimera Avenger looked no different from a giant human being.

It looked so natural that it was unbelievable that it had been created through the fusion of dozens of knight corpses and golems. Lee Shin Woo felt jealous once more upon seeing its appearance. Could he become like that if he fused with something else!?

[Then are you going to give us that thing now, a name?]

"When those guys are taken care of."

[Indeed. I'll take care of them immediately.]

The level 7 Chimera Avenger nodded his head and quickly assumed a running position. Then, he gripped the spear that naturally came out of his hand. It seemed like there were some traces of being a golem after all.

'But it does seem like the cores were completely dismantled and absorbed...'

Regardless of whether one 'thinks' they know how progression, evolution, and how the control of mana works, they really don't in this world. Though it had to be good, as things were going his way! Each golem assumed a running posture like the level 7 Avenger, and Lee Shin Woo ordered them coldly.

"That guy over there. Stop him, he's the Emperor's hunting dog. You don't need to risk your lives. You just need to keep him busy for a bit."

[Ah, keeping him busy is good and all, but... it doesn't matter if we take him down, right?]

"No, absolutely not. Your priority should be to keep yourself safe. Are you going to stop after taking down just one hunting dog? Our goal is killing the Emperor, not dying here!"

[Keuk...]

The people who talk like that always end up coming back dead, so one can't afford to even joke around about that kind of thing. Lee Shin Woo glared and ordered them once more; after seeing the Avenger agree and nod his head, he ran forward with the other Avengers!

[Keuk, you insects. You dare... know your place...!]

[The Emperor's hunting dog. Pay for your sins!]

[Revenge on the Emperor!]

As soon as the 38 Avengers entered into the fray, the once hectic battle turned into chaos. Hansen, who was about to corner the Treasure Eater, was forced into parrying dozens of swords coming at him whilst letting out his frustrations; the Treasure Eater didn't lose sight of that opportunity and attacked the general as well!

[You hybrids!]

[Hybrids huh... and who's the one who made us into hybrids!?]

[He's strong!? Is this guy level 7...!?]

The level 7 Chimera Avenger definitely stood out!

Because he had just recently evolved into a level 7, he was objectively much worse off in terms of stats than Hansen, but because the Treasure Eater, as well as the other Avengers were attacking and Hansen's attention was all over the place, he could certainly inflict damage onto him!

[You're just the beginning. We'll tell the Emperor someday as well, that he made the worst decision possible!]

[This energy is... Are you guys golems!? How dare you refuse His Majesty's grace and betray him!]

[How dare you speak of betrayal!]

[Kuwaaaaaaaaahk!]

Everywhere, mana and armaments crashed into each other. The Chimeras threw caution to the wind and attacked recklessly, and Hansen couldn't respond to all of their attacks properly. On the other hand, the Treasure Eater had become relatively safe in comparison, and leisurely attacked Hansen. And that's exactly what Lee Shin Woo had been waiting for.

"Nice. Now the Treasure Eater's not marked anymore."

"You sure act so carefree, like you knew that this was how it would turn out..."

"No, I didn't. But I was hoping to get a similar result through numbers before."

He's said it once, and he'll say it again. In this world, quality is much greater than quantity! The was a really satisfying result to Lee Shin Woo. How could it not be? Since the Chimeras, which he'd thought would be consumables, could be used later on if he played his cards right!

[All of you, get lost!]

[No matter what... We'll kill you no matter what!]

[Kwaaaaaaaaaaah!]

The Chimera Avengers' intervention caused the battle to turn into chaos instantly. Lee Shin Woo pulled a Drake Horn Lance towards him that was floating in the air, gripped it, and thoroughly surveyed his surroundings. Jin, who'd sensed that the end was fast approaching, turned his back hoofs into springs and prepared to charge.

"We're taking down the Treasure Eater first, right? ...Then when are we going?"

"It's still a level 7 elite, so just taking it down like that seems wasteful. We're going right after it expends its energy and hits the Lightning Shadow General with a huge attack."

"..."

Jin was speechless at Lee Shin Woo, who spoke as though he saw the future, and he was sure that the Treasure Eater would have no choice but to follow the actions that Lee Shin Woo described. The important part was how they would act following that attack.

Lee Shin Woo knew that he couldn't kill the Lightning Shadow General himself. Thus, while the Lightning Shadow General was temporarily paralyzed by the Treasure Eater's attack, Lee Shin Woo would attack. No matter what's going on with the others, Lee Shin Woo just needed to swoop in, kill it, and run out.

"So, Jin. The timing's really important. In that small moment when it attacks the Lightning Shadow General and turns around to me... we have to get the first hit in."

"Easy for you to say... Shin Woo!"

Jin, who had been complaining about Lee Shin Woo's request, suddenly called for Lee Shin Woo. Like Lee Shin Woo had said, the Treasure Eater was channeling all its mana, and was about to release a huge attack on the Lightning Shadow General!

[You idiot! Insignificant creature, even till the very end, you're in the palm of his hand!?]

[We won't let you get away!]

[Grab him!]

The Lightning Shadow General had realized what the Treasure Eater was up to, and attempted to block it and counterattack, but the Chimeras got in his way and he couldn't move as he'd liked.

With one strike of his sword, Hansen cut one of the level 6 Avengers to pieces, but then, two other Chimera Avengers held onto his back, keeping him from moving.

[You insects!]

[Kuhwaaaaaaahk!]

The moment he realized he had been caught, he channeled powerful lightning within his body and flung them away from him, but they had achieved their goal.

In that extremely short moment following their skirmish, the Treasure Eater shot a mana shell from its giant mouth, striking true!

[Keuuuuuk!]

'Now!'

Hansen screamed and passed out. Seeing that, the Treasure Eater cheered and turned around, but at that very moment, Jin kicked off the ground and ran. Ridiculous acceleration; it seemed as though Jin had almost reached light speed, albeit for just a moment!

The Drake Horn Lance in Lee Shin Woo's hand seemed to radiate red, and turned into a single, giant black horn!

"Shadow Horn!"

[Kyaaaaaaaaaahk!]

The moment of impact, the Drake Horn Lance burrowed deep into the Treasure Eater's neck area. Lee Shin Woo felt his shoulder and wrist holding the spear creak, unable to withstand the strain. It hurt so badly that Lee Shin Woo wanted to just pop his arm out and throw it away.

Of course, he wouldn't even have the time to regenerate it. Since the Treasure Eater, having taken a good hit from its prey, was infuriated, and was drawing its remaining mana to burn him to a crisp!

[Gugeugaaaaaaaaaahk!]

"But it won't work...!"

Where was Lee Shin Woo's lance? It was in the area where Hansen's Lightning Shadow technique had struck. Though it had absorbed Hansen's lightning and regenerated itself, it wasn't completely healed. That's where Lee Shin Woo's mana infused spear had pierced through.

"Melt away!"

That was enough to injure it, but Lee Shin Woo revealed his hidden card. That was none other than his level two High Rank Acid Poison!

The lance, which was filled to the brim with mana, exploded with acid poison and permeated the injured area.

[Gugeuaaaaaaaaaaaaahk!]

The Treasure Eater leapt around, as it couldn't endure the awful pain from the poison seeping deep into its body. However, Lee Shin Woo didn't stop there. Since he still had four other Drake Horn Lances that were fully charged!

"Eat another one!"

[Kuaaaaaaaaaaaah!]

As if a guillotine fell, a Drake Horn Lance vertically fell from the air and precisely pierced the area that Lee Shin Woo had hit prior. He exploded the lance once again, and spread the acid poison throughout its body once more!

[Gu...gureureuk...]

Though the Treasure Eater was a high rank level 7 elite, it couldn't endure anymore. It had been too much for the Treasure Eater, as it had fought continuously without rest and its body had been injured.

Upon finding Lee Shin Woo, it had continuously ran, rammed into the castle walls, destroyed 100,000 skeletons, fought against a general, and had its body pierced through once... the Treasure Eater remembered all these past events and rotten discharge welled in its eyeballs. Even though it just wanted the treasure; even though that treasure was right before its very eyes...

"You've done well, Steve."

[Guaaaaaahk...!]

Lee Shin Woo spoke calmly and opened his palm. The other three Drake Horn Lances floating in the air burrowed into the Treasure Eater's body, side by side. He didn't even need to blow them up. With just that, the Treasure Eater had reached its limit.

[You have safely hunted a high leveled foe using every dirty means possible! But so long as you do not take care of the other calamity that you called here, you will not be properly rewarded for this achievement. If you would like your actions to be legitimized, please defeat him as well.]

As he defeated the Treasure Eater, a tremendous amount of Perium dropped, as well as two bones (!); plus, a shiny treasure popped out as well, but before he collected it, Lee Shin Woo saw a message that spoiled the mood. Of course, he had somewhat expected this message, so Lee Shin Woo didn't let that get to him and collected the loot.

[You have acquired 7,893,450 Perium.]

[You have acquired the Lv7 Treasure Eater's jawbone.]

[You have acquired the Lv7 Treasure Eater's rib bone.]

[You have acquired the Sacrificial Gate. Through Bone Reinforcement, the item is transformed! You have acquired the Lv8 Bone Gate! You have acquired the title 'Treasure Master'. You can now more easily find all the treasure hidden in the world!]

[The Bone Reinforcement skill has become Lv9! All abilities related to the Bone Reinforcement skill have become stronger!]

"What...?"

He knew a treasure would come out of the Treasure Eater, but he didn't think that that treasure would increase in level through Bone Reinforcement. Moreover, a Bone Gate? This tiny bone is a bone gate? And with that in mind, he relaxed and checked the item...

[Bone Gate]

[Lv8]

[Durability - 1,550/1,550]

[A treasure that allows one to create a gate leading to a designated area by sacrificing a bone. Currently, the possessor can only create gates leading to areas he is completely familiar with, and it is impossible for the possessor to cross dimensions. As the item is imperfect, the amount of people able to use the gate is significantly limited.]

As expected, it was an amazing item befitting the title of 'treasure'. It was a transportation item that wasn't limited by distance!

Moreover, its price was bone; though he didn't know what its previous price was, he had plenty of bones. So for Lee Shin Woo, it was essentially an insignificant price.

[You dirty son of a bitch... how dare you! You vulgar, wicked insect! How dare you covet what's not yours!?]

The moment Lee Shin Woo collected the loot from the Treasure Eater, he heard a loud yell from behind him. That was obvious the Lightning Shadow General, Hansen's voice, who had a huge role in taking down the Treasure Eater. However, Lee Shin Woo didn't even look back and spoke.

"You guys can still fight, right?"

[Of course.]

[For... revenge!]

More than half of the Chimera Avengers had fallen, but surprisingly, there were only a few who had died. Monsters boasted an odd life force that couldn't be seen from the outside. This was especially true for the level 7 Chimera, as its life force was extremely healthy while Hansen's body was damaged, albeit slightly.

They quickly recovered and then, they extracted a new weapon and attacked Hansen. There was no one better at buying time!

"Nice. Then keep him busy for a bit. Jin, this is yours. Can you absorb it? Even if you can't, you have to."

"I wouldn't have had to absorb it if only one came out. Uaaaaaaaaaah...!"

First, he stored the Bone Gate into his inventory very carefully, and after quickly using Bone Reinforcement on Jin with the Treasure Eater's jawbone, Lee Shin Woo absorbed the Treasure Eater's rib bone. Then, at that moment...

[Reinforcing your partner, Jin Taylor, by consuming the Lv7 Treasure Eater's jawbone. You have learned Lv1 High Rank Lightning Resistance. Magic has increased by 15.]

[Reinforcing your rib bone by consuming the Lv7 Treasure Eater's rib bone. Health and Magic have increased by 20. Intermediate Lightning has become Lv8. High Rank Lightning Resistance has become Lv2. You have learned Lv1 Element Absorption! Magic has increased by an additional 30!]

[Guuuuuaaaaaaaaaaaah! (Precious... My precious...!) - Treasure Eater]

He'd obtained the final puzzles pieces to defeat one of the 12 generals.

Though, that's a lie.