Dungeon Predator (WN)
Chapter 161: Kainshell

Kang Oh wanted them to defeat the boss monster, even though the Empire Guild was watching and that they'd specifically warned them not to.

"I'm not doing it. Definitely not!" Sephiro replied.

'The Empire Guild's one of the 5 great guilds and they're known to return the favor twofold. Why would I do something as stupid as going against them!?'

"Hear me out first. I have a terrific plan."

"I told you, I'm not doing it," Sephiro said firmly.

"I'll reduce the number of times you have to help me by one."

Kang Oh laid the bait.

"I'm still not doing it!"

But he didn't bite.

"I'm not doing this for myself. This is all for Eder's benefit," Kang Oh said.

"You're lying!" Sephiro and Eder simultaneously yelled.

This was Kang Oh they were talking about; they couldn't fathom him doing something for someone else's benefit. It was definitely a lie.

"Kainshell's boss monster, Clovis, drops the Hellfire Mace, which is the best weapon that Eder can use at this point in time."

He was being completely honest.

Not only was the Hellfire Mace an 'undead only' weapon, but it was also the most powerful blunt weapon in the game. So far, that is.

"Let's not bother with the Empire Guild and just buy it from the auction house. I'll help you pay for it," Sephiro said.

He really didn't want to deal with the Empire Guild.

"It's not for sale. The Empire Guild melts all of the Hellfire Maces into darksteel."

The Hellfire Mace was an undead only weapon, so players would need to remodel it in order to use it.

Rather than remodeling and selling them, the Empire Guild just melted them into darksteel, an ore which possessed the darkness element. Thus, no one could buy it even if they wanted to.

"Or are you friends with the higher-ups in the Empire Guild?"

Sephiro shook his head. He had no contacts in the Empire Guild.

"If we want to fit Eder with the best gear, then we need to kill Kainshell's boss," Kang Oh said strongly.

'So just listen to me!'

"Mr. Kang Oh!"

Eder looked touched. 'It's so unlike you to go so far for me!'

"Ahem."

Eder still wasn't feeling it.

"Please listen to my plan first. Then you can decide whether you want to do it or not."

"Phew. Alright, go ahead."

Kang Oh began, "So my plan is..."

He then explained his 'terrific' plan.

A short while later...

"All we have to do is use that to kill the boss and then run. Amazing, right?"

Kang Oh grinned.

"I don’t think anyone would really call this plan 'amazing'. Do you really think it'll work?" Sephiro asked suspiciously.

"It will. You saw it too, didn't you, Eder?"

Kang Oh stared at Eder.

"I have, but you were alone last time. Now we have to bring Mr. Sephiro along too. Will it really work?" Eder asked.

"We have to try."

Kang Oh smiled.

"If all goes according to plan, then it really would be amazing," Eder said.

"Hmph. I don't think it'll work..."

Sephiro remained skeptical.

"Let's try it!" Kang Oh urged strongly.

"Let's do it," Eder agreed.

"Tch. Fine, let's do it."

Ultimately, even Sephiro agreed with Kang Oh's plan.

"You brought a return scroll with you, right? When we're done, we have to leave immediately."

"I brought one."

Sephiro nodded his head. After all, one-time use return scrolls were invaluable to players!

"Alright, good. Kainshell's boss will respawn at around 12 at night (2400), so we'll proceed as planned then."

"Ok," Sephiro and Eder simultaneously replied.

"There's a little more than 5 hours before then, so let's hunt some undead in the meantime and get Eder geared up."

* * *

Kainshell looked like a city that had lost a war and had gone to ruin.

There were gray roads, collapsed walls, roofless or demolished buildings, and ruins of what appeared to be a graveyard.

It was an underground city, so if one looked up, they would see not a blue sky, but a purple ceiling.

The monsters within Kainshell included skeletons, Flaming Ghouls or Poison Spewing Ghouls, Noble Spirits, and Dullahans.

The most common and weakest of these monsters was the purple boned Kainshell Skeleton.

It was between level 120 and 130.

They weren't worth hunting.

"Let's just ignore them."

Kang Oh's party immediately headed for a different area.

There, they found a Poison Spewing Ghoul. It roamed around the area with its arms extended forward like a frozen corpse.

It was only level 150.

"Pass."

Kang Oh's ignored this one too and moved on.

"What we're looking for is a named Dullahan."

Dullahan.

They were knight type monsters that rode on horseback while carrying their severed heads. Normal Dullahans were about level 180, but named ones were about level 200.

"We're looking for the Decapitated Knight set, which is also called the Dullahan set. That'll be Eder's new armor," Kang Oh said, and Sephiro and Eder nodded their heads.

"We have to find some Noble Spirits too. Named Noble Spirits drop an undead only necklace and ring."

This was Kang Oh's plan to revamp Eder's gear.

Eder's new weapon, the Hellfire Mace, would come from Kainshell's boss. The Dullahan set would serve as his new armor, and his accessories would come from the Noble Spirits.

Kang Oh planned on buying Eder a new shield from the auction house. After all, the shield was his most important piece of equipment.

Anyhow, Kang Oh's party wandered through Kainshell, seeking a named Dullahan or Noble Spirit.

Sometime later...

They finally found what they were looking for.

Tap, tap!

A fallen knight riding on a skeleton horse!

It was well armored, and a severed head hung at its side. This was definitely a Dullahan!

[You have discovered Dullahan Derick.]

[It is a named monster.]

Whizz.

Sephiro immediately shot an arrow.

It was his way of calling dibs!

Then, the Dullahan rushed towards Sephiro.

The eyes on its severed head, which hung at its side, began to glow, and its skeleton horse's eye sockets ignited with blue demon fire.

Fierce Charge!

Once it began charging at him, Sephiro quickly rolled onto the floor.

The horse's head turned, charging at Sephiro again while Dullahan Derrick swung its mace.

Derrick missed again. Sephiro had gotten out of range beforehand.

"Haht!"

Kang Oh leapt to Dullahan Derick's side with Ubist in hand.

Slash!

He swung his sword, cleaving a vertical white line! His Slash had not only cut through Dullahan Derick, but the skeleton horse as well.

Tap, tap!

The skeleton horse moved its four gaunt legs in an attempt to stomp Kang Oh. At the same time, the Dullahan swung its mace downwards with lightning speed.

It was a tremendous combination attack between a Dullahan and its horse!

However, Kang Oh was better than the two of them combined.

He didn't retreat. Instead, he dodged the skeleton horse's hoof and deflected the mace with Ubist.

Clang!

Kang Oh seized that opportunity and slashed at the Dullahan's severed head.

A Dullahan's weakness was its head!

Whack!

Red shards of light flew through the air.

Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!

Having had its head struck, the Dullahan rampaged about like a madman and violently swung its mace. It seemed like its strength and speed had noticeably increased.

Repel!

The Dullahan's mace glimmered with purple energy and emitted a shockwave that spread outwards.

That doesn’t look good!

Kang Oh avoided the attack and calmly landed another strike.

His jet black blade left behind a wound wherever it landed.

Sephiro barraged it with arrows as well, none of which missed, and Eder added in a Heavy Blow, Shield Bash, etc.

Once its HP reached 0, it fell to the floor. Its severed head, which it hadn't dropped till the very end, rolled onto the floor.

Unfortunately, it hadn't dropped the Decapitated Knight set.

"Let's move," Kang Oh said.

They'd spent such good money to enter this dungeon. They had to kill as many monsters as possible!

"Yes sir!"

Kang Oh's party immediately headed for their next target.

It was only after killing their fifth named Dullahan did they obtain the Decapitated Knight set.

"They finally dropped it."

Eder picked up the glimmering purple gauntlets. Kang Oh and Sephiro came over and appraised the equipment.

[Decapitated Knight Gauntlets]

Knight type gauntlets that a Dullahan once wore. The gauntlets are imbued with a thick scent of death, so only the dead can equip them.

+ 3 Set Effect: At times, the equipper will obtain herculean strength. When they do, strength and any strength-related abilities double in effectiveness for a short period of time.

+4 Set Effect: If you receive a critical hit, then you will seethe with rage. For 10 seconds, your combat ability increases.

+5 Set Effect: All abilities increase by 20%. However, the entire head becomes a weak point.

Rank: A

Abilities: Defense +200, Physical +30, Attack Power +2%.

Minimum Requirements: Undead only.

"Hoh, the set effect is great," Sephiro said.

"If Eder equips the entire Dullahan set and uses the Hellfire Mace, then his attack power will increase significantly," Kang Oh said.

His focus was improving Eder's attack power!

"So you're saying that I can damage them too now, not just sit there and take hits."

Eder clenched his fists. 'Those days that I hit like a wet noodle… Smell you later!'

* * *

[You have discovered the Noble Spirit, Krangbel.]

[It is a named monster.]

A gray spirit, garbed in a flashy, medieval noble clothing, passed through the wall.

Sephiro shot an arrow at it, while Kang Oh and Eder dashed towards it.

Noble Spirits were once nobles that, for some unknown reason, became ghosts. That's why players had a habit of looking down on them.

"How dare you lowly peasants come here!?"

The spirit extended both of its arms, gathering black energy in his hands.

It must be preparing a powerful attack!

However, Kang Oh attacked before it could attack.

Swish!

"Guaahk!"

Ubist slashed right through the middle and Krangbel screamed!

It was only natural.

His demon sword was capable of slashing through the immaterial like ghosts! Thus, it was a wicked weapon towards spirits, one whose very existence instilled them with fear!

'Spirits are nothing to me.'

All spirits were weak before Ubist.

"Hiik."

He pushed his sword towards it, completely shocking Krangbel.

In the end, the spirit decided to flee.

"Where do you think you're going!?"

Kang Oh drew a dagger and threw it.

Swoosh!

The dagger spun through the air and pierced through the ghost's retreating form.

Bzzzzt!

Gladion's Dagger possessed the power of lightning, which coursed through Krangbel's body.

"Ugh."

Krangbel's body froze. He'd been electrified, so he couldn't move.

Kang Oh kicked off the floor. Whilst in the air, he slashed thrice, one after another.

Swish, slash, swish!

His demon sword sliced through Krangbel's body!

"Guaaahk!" Krangbel shrieked.

"Shut up!"

Kang Oh thrust his sword and finished him. Unfortunately, Krangbel didn't drop either a necklace or a ring.

"Nothing here. Let's move!"

After that, Kang Oh would mercilessly kill any Noble Spirits that came his way. Of course, he killed the named Dullahans too.

They'd spent their time hunting, but now it was time for their plan to go into effect.