Leveling Up Alone

Chapter 192: Mavros Flying Above the Snowman (3)

Creak…!

[We have arrived, Mujahid-nim.]

[We’re here, hyung-nim!]

[Okay, let’s go.]

Thud…!

Han-Yeol was the first to get off the vehicle, followed by Mujahid.

Thud! Thud! Thud!?

The rest of the team followed suit and they immediately moved about frantically.

[Take this equipment!]

[Hey! Hurry up!]

[Hey, where did you put the cartridges and ammunition boxes?]

The Porters were especially busy, hastily setting everything up while Mujahid busied himself with stretching and warming up.

Then, ten team members suddenly gathered around Mujahid.

‘They’re probably the Hunters,’?Han-Yeol thought.

With a single glance, he could tell that they were awakened beings, judging by the presence of their mana. Although their mana wasn't overwhelmingly strong, it was pure and dense, indicating that they were not just a random group, but rather highly trained Hunters.

[We greet the prince!]

The Hunter at the front greeted Mujahid, and the nine others behind him followed.

[I hope all of you are ready for your trip to hell.]

[Yes, sir! We will go to the depths of hell itself if it is with the prince!]

[Good.]

These Hunters were somewhat looked down upon by the Horus raid party Hunters, but they held unwavering loyalty toward Mujahid.

Egypt's strength lay in the unwavering loyalty of its people toward their rulers. Many foreign countries criticized this practice, considering it a form of dictatorship or the promotion of outdated traditions. However, the Egyptian people did not mind worshiping Phaophator and his family. They recognized that Phaophator had rescued the country from the brink of collapse and elevated it to its current position.

With a population of over a hundred million, the Egyptians were prepared to follow any command given by their pharaoh, Phaophator. Their unity and dedication to their leader promised a bright future for the country.

[Manager!]

[Yes, prince!]

One of the Porters rushed over at Mujahid’s call.

[How’s the preparation?]

[We are ready!]

[Good, let’s move out!]

[Yes, sir!]

The team entered the Cheolwon hunting ground, known as Ice Hell, with Mujahid and Han-Yeol leading the way. As they advanced, the Korean soldiers guarding the entrance noticed the team and rushed out to meet them.

However, something unexpected occurred when one of the soldiers stationed at the entrance unexpectedly blocked Han-Yeol's path.

"Excuse me..." the soldier muttered.

"Yes, what is it?" Han-Yeol responded.

The soldier was set to complete his mandatory military service in just two days, and he decided to act on a whim, breaking away from his usual military protocol.

"Please give me your autograph!"

"Huh...?" Han-Yeol was taken aback.

"I'm a huge fan of yours, Han-Yeol-nim! Once I'm discharged, I hope to become a Porter and become a Hunter just like you!"

Unfortunately, anyone becoming a Porter was exempt from their mandatory military service. However, they couldn't change their circumstances while serving.

"Hahaha! I'm delighted to hear that you're a fan of mine. I'll gladly give you my autograph if you can find me a pen and paper."

Initially taken aback by the soldier blocking his path, Han-Yeol's mood instantly shifted upon realizing that the soldier simply had a lighthearted request.

Seuk…! Seuk…! Seuk…! Seuk…!?

Han-Yeol signed the piece of paper with a signature he had practiced in high school with his friends.

“Thank you very much! Loyalty!”

“Haha! Loyalty!”

Han-Yeol entered the Cheolwon hunting ground with a smile, feeling good about himself.

***

Ten minutes had passed since the team entered the Cheolwon hunting ground.

Creak… Creak… Creak… Creak…?

Whiiiing!

Han-Yeol led the way, with Mujahid following closely behind him. The Hunters followed behind them, while the Porters and their vehicle maintained a distance behind the Hunters.

The team had brought caterpillar-type tractors this time, as regular wheels would have sunk in the thick snow. However, even the caterpillar tractors struggled to make progress in these harsh environments, forcing the three Porters to walk behind the tractor.

“Huff… Huff…!”

After walking for only three minutes, they were already exhausted. The waist-high snow greedily sapped away at their stamina. The Porters swiftly completed the final touches on the tractor, and once they were done, all of them hopped onto the luggage compartment of the tractor.

“Haa…?This is quite the environment we’re in...”

“Seeing snow for the first time is quite the experience, but I already feel like I hate this place…”

“I want to go home…”

The Porters, being born and raised in Egypt, were initially excited when they entered the Cheolwon hunting ground. However, it didn't take them long to grow to despise the snow, wishing they could wield a gigantic flamethrower to melt it all away. But their feelings didn't hold much significance in the grand scheme of things.

The team had already reached a location known as Kangpori within the Cheolwon hunting ground.

"I think you can use your observation ability now, hyung-nim," Mujahid said.

“Okay,” Han-Yeol replied.

Then, he used his skill, ‘Demon Eyes!’

His eyes turned red and everything within ten kilometers around him entered his vision.

‘It’s over there,’?Han-Yeol spotted a target.

With his Demon Eyes, Han-Yeol could pinpoint the location more accurately as the mana density increased. In the Cheolwon hunting ground, it was particularly easy for him to spot the monsters due to their powerful mana.

If the monsters possessed cloaking abilities, it would have been a different story, but such abilities were rare among monsters.

"Han-Yeol-nim?"

"I see a monster that appears to be a Yeti at one o'clock, approximately eight hundred meters from here."

[You heard that?]

[Yes, sir!]

The information was quickly shared with the entire party, marking the official start of the hunt.

Mujahid and Han-Yeol, being powerful enough, had no intention of dying in this hunting ground. However, it was a different story for the Hunters and Porters who accompanied them. Nevertheless, the Hunters and Porters showed no signs of worry. They had spent a significant amount of time with Mujahid, becoming accustomed to facing death's door on numerous occasions.

[Let’s go, Mujahid.]

[Yes, hyung-nim!]

It was imperative that the entire team understood each other from now on, so Han-Yeol and Mujahid switched back to using Arabic.

Sniff! Sniff! Sniff! Sniff!?

“Kyu!”

“Kireuk!”

The black dragon on Han-Yeol’s head, Mavros, and the black panther at the back of the tractor, Furion, cried out at the same time after sensing that it was time to fight.

“Change to combat mode, Mavros.”

“Kyuuuu!”

Woooong!

After Han-Yeol gave the command, Mavros let out a cry and began to slowly grow in size.

Chwaaak!

In an instant, the baby black dragon disappeared, replaced by a majestic and charismatic dragon.

“Grrr…!”

“Let’s do our best today, Mavros,” Han-Yeol said while caressing the black dragon’s snout.

“Kieeek!”?Mavros cried out gleefully as he rubbed his snout on Han-Yeol’s face.

Mavros loved Han-Yeol more than anything in the world, caring only for him and disregarding anyone else. The reason he was able to love Han-Yeol so wholeheartedly was because he had been loved in the same manner by Han-Yeol first.

Han-Yeol never treated Mavros as a mere tool for battle but genuinely cared for him. The black dragon knew without a doubt that he was cherished by his owner.

[Let’s go, Furion!]

[Kyaong!]

While Mujahid and Furion might not share the same closeness as Han-Yeol and Mavros, they still regarded each other as companions.

[Shall we take one each to warm up, Mujahid?]

[Sounds like a fun idea, hyung-nim! I would love to make a bet to see who can kill the Yeti first, but unfortunately, I don’t wager with Master Rank Hunters. Hahaha!]

[Tsk… Anyway, I’ll lure them in.]

[Yes, hyung-nim.]

Click… Clack!

There was no need for them to approach the Yetis when the monsters could come to them.

Han-Yeol drew out his HSK-447P, a weapon capable of killing a target within a range of five hundred meters or inflicting significant damage within one thousand two hundred meters.

He spotted two Yetis approximately eight hundred meters away. They presented a sizable target, and Han-Yeol felt confident in his ability to hit them.

Taking aim at one of the Yetis, he pulled the trigger.

Ratatatata!

Tak! Tak! Tak! Tak! Tak!?

“Kwuoooooh!”?

All of Han-Yeol's bullets hit the Yeti accurately on the head, thanks to the Homing Bullet skill. However, despite the precise hits, the distance between them was too great, and the Yeti's hide was so thick that the damage inflicted was not enough to kill it.

Instead, the bullets triggered the already violent and aggressive nature of the Yeti, causing it to focus its attention on Han-Yeol and the rest of the team.

"Kwuok! Kwuok!" The Yeti cried out to its companion.

The gazes of the Yetis followed the direction from which the bullets came until they landed on Han-Yeol and the rest of the humans. With a furious roar, the Yetis charged madly toward them.

[Mujahid.]

[Ah… It’s finally time for me to test out my new weapon!]

Shak! Shak!

Mujahid swung both of his arms, causing sharp claws to protrude from his hands.

[Oh!]

[Hohoho! These are the Psy Blades I purchased from the Dwarf Workshop. These aren’t made out of ordinary steel, but they’re crafted from the fangs of a Saber Toothed Tiger. These claws are stronger than ordinary claws, and it’s much more durable in comparison. These are definitely rare items that are hard to find these days!]

[Wow… You seem to have gotten lucky.]

The Psy Blades were exquisite claws crafted from exceptional materials. It was quite a fortunate discovery considering that Mujahid had purchased them hastily.

[I can’t lose to you now, can I?] Han-Yeol said with a smirk before he pulled out his sword.

Shiiing…!

If Mujahid's Psy Blades were crafted from the fangs of the boss monster, Saber-Toothed Tiger, then Han-Yeol's sword was forged from the skin of the Thousand Armed Bodhisattva, the most formidable boss monster the world had ever witnessed.

To say that the two weapons should not be compared would be an understatement; they were truly incomparable from the start.

Furthermore, Han-Yeol possessed a fire attribute skill, which happened to be the attribute that the Yetis detested the most.

‘Sword Breath.’

Fwaaaaah!

The Thousand Armed Bodhisattva’s sword was set ablaze.

[Bring it on.]

Mujahid and Han-Yeol lowered their stance as they waited for the Yetis charging at them, but…

Whoosh!

Something swiftly passed by Han-Yeol, and he soon realized that it was none other than Mavros, the black dragon that was supposed to be behind him.

"Mavros!" Han-Yeol exclaimed in surprise.

It appeared that the black dragon was equally impatient as its owner, as it charged at the Yetis without hesitation.

Han-Yeol was taken aback by the unexpected turn of events. He was about to rush in and assist Mavros, but the battle took an unexpectedly intriguing course.

“Kiek!”

“Kwaaaak!”

The Yetis and Mavros clashed almost instantaneously as they charged toward each other. As Mavros closed in on them, one of the Yetis infused its fist with ice energy.

While some might perceive the Yeti's attack as straightforward, it would be a grave mistake to underestimate it. As a high-ranking monster, the Yeti possessed formidable strength and abilities.

Among high-ranking monsters, there were no easy opponents. Each one possessed skills and intelligence that far surpassed those of normal monsters.