Rocks fell from the roof of the cave as they went around it. Ryu Jinmu slashed the ones getting in their way, with Han Jiwon following closely behind.
Instead of running, Baek Haemin's feet were just dragging along the ground as Jinmu's grip on his collar tightened without a care if he was still breathing.
[System:
Item: Horace's Shoes (S)
Category: Protective Gear]
Thanks to this item, I couldn't feel any pain in my feet. Still…
It's like being treated as some sort of a package more than as a human. Should he be grateful? He was not confident that he would be safe if he were to run on his own.
[System:
{Status Window}
Name: Baek Haemin (Baek Seungho)
Age: 22, ???
Gender: Male
Race: Human
Type: Support
Rank: SS
Strength: 58
Defense: 67
Speed: 73
Agility: 79
Stamina: 70
Mana: 4629
Available Stat Points: 2]
I have a monstrous amount of mana but everything else is trash.
Normally, he would have already been panicking from the situation but his skill, Soul Calming Cleanser, was doing great at keeping his mind calm. Otherwise, he would have already trembled in fear between Ryu Jinmu and the Neo Phoenix.
It wasn't long until he started seeing light and the three of them finally came out of the cave. They were now back from the endless greenery field with the Blue Dragon hunters waiting for them.
Park Hanwoo came running to Ryu Jinmu.
"Guildmaster!"
Jinmu exhaled and threw Baek Haemin on the ground. He pushed his hair back and looked at the cave before speaking.
"Tell everyone to put distance. That thing is no match for you. I will handle it myself."
"To think an SS-Rank monster would show up… How could this happen? This was supposed to be an A-Rank dungeon."
Park Hanwoo bit his lip in distress.
The dungeon was checked by the association's mana meter to be an A-Rank dungeon. This was the first time in years that a dungeon rank changed midway.
They were mostly A-Rank hunters, but some of them still trembled when faced with a monster that was way out of their league.
Ryu Jinmu clenched his fist, silently glaring at the man getting help from Han Jiwon after he threw him. Ever since that man went with them on this raid, he just kept on messing things up for no reason.
Still, maintaining the sole healer of the team was currently the most important. They couldn't risk having a casualty right now.
"We have to complete the dungeon now. If an SS-Rank monster comes out in the middle of the city, there'll be countless bodies. Hanwoo, support me at a distance. No one else could get close."
Park Hanwoo gasped,
"But, guildmaster! That's an SS-Rank. Can you really take it on alone?"
"We have no choice. Go, now!"
Seeing the firmness on his guildmaster's face, Park Hanwoo gritted his teeth and led his team away. Baek Haemin and Han Jiwon went with them as Haemin healed the members that got hurt when fighting the smaller phoenix.
Kang Minho came to Haemin, running out of breath.
"Haemin-ssi, I'm glad you're okay! I was worried earlier but then I saw the guildmaster carrying you. I'm glad."
Carry? You call that being carried?
Haemin wanted to say something, but he chose not to. There were things more urgent at hand. He watched Ryu Jinmu closely standing alone away from them.
Just then, a rumble could be heard all over, and the ground started to shake. The cave groaned before being split apart. Rocks and flames burst as something impossibly large tried to crawl free.
It was not an exit, but the cage breaking as the Neo Phoenix emerged from it. Its molten feathers scraped the stones to ashes and flew high to the bright blue sky.
"Kyaaaar!"
Its purple eyes glared at the man standing in the middle with his sword alone. The large and beautiful creature growled before opening its golden beak. Fireballs formed and shot in Ryu Jinmu's direction. At the same time, an ice wall formed around him to defend against it.
Baek Haemin scoffed inside.
It's useless. It's true that they're both SS-Rank, but that bird can't defeat Ryu Jinmu.
In the short time he was getting dragged by Jinmu earlier, he remembered something similar happened in the novel.
As the main character, Ryu Jinmu naturally had everything strange happen around him. A dungeon rank changing midway or a monster getting stronger than it should have been was one of them.
Most importantly, I vaguely remember an SS-Rank phoenix coming out in the future, too. Was it around book 3 or 4? It doesn't matter. That time, he defeated it no problem, so he should be fine.
He cracked his knuckles while comforting himself with that thought.
Ryu Jinmu clicked his tongue as he tightened the grip on his sword. The phoenix flew just a little above him, which led Jinmu to duck in order to avoid it.
He raised his sword and ice flowed, reaching its opponent's feet. However, it wasn't enough to hold it down.
"Kyar!"
The phoenix tugged until the ice that was holding it broke. Ryu Jinmu quickly summoned ice arrows from his palms and threw them to the phoenix but one wave from its wings was enough to melt them down.
Ryu Jinmu bit his lip.
"That damn bird."
Baek Haemin tilted his head as if he were watching something really strange.
"What the hell is he doing?"
He whispered to himself.
Is he fooling around? This isn't the time to be doing so! Why is he staying on the ground? Just fly and end it, for god's sake!
Ryu Jinmu glared in their direction and made him flinch.
Did he hear my thoughts?
"Jihee, support the guildmaster!"
Park Hanwoo turned to his team.
"Yes, sir!"
Jihee, the mage, ran to get a bit closer and cast a spell on her guildmaster. Wind gathered under Ryu Jinmu's feet. He stepped on it and swiftly went straight to where the phoenix was flying.
"What is that?"
Haemin frowned.
Kang Minho, who heard it, answered for him.
"Jihee-sunbae used a wind magic on the guildmaster so he could fight the phoenix even when it's flying."
Baek Haemin turned to him with a dumbfounded expression.
His mouth opened.
"Can't he just fly on his own?"
"What are you talking about? The guildmaster can't fly, obviously. That's why we have to support him."
Minho looked at him as if he were talking nonsense.
"He, he can't?"
Haemin quickly looked at Ryu Jinmu again.
What do you mean? He could do it in the novel, though?