Chapter 87

Chapter 87: Gigant - (3)

After that.

Sanghyun engaged in deliberate guerrilla-style combat to observe Gigant's reactions and changes.

Of course, it wasn’t easy.

Even though Gigant had sluggish movements, it had plenty of means to strike Sanghyun from a distance.

In fact, at one point, Gigant flipped the solid ground like tiles, sending debris flying and causing Sanghyun to suffer abrasions.

Gigant, which demonstrated strength beyond imagination, was a monster terrifying enough to instill fear.

‘As expected, it was a Berserker.’

This was the weakness Sanghyun had identified.

A Berserker is a type that uses attacks that consume its own stamina.

Normally, utilizing mana is the standard approach, but Berserkers have an entirely different manifestation structure.

The more critical point is that the more stamina they lose, the stronger they become. That’s also the most troublesome aspect.

Of course, it’s a double-edged sword.

As they lose stamina, they grow stronger, but at the same time, their chances of exposure to the risk of death increase.

‘Then it would be best to induce more attacks from it. The more skills it uses, the more stamina it will consume.’

A Berserker’s abilities are not free. The more explosive power they unleash, the more stamina they burn.

This is why people fear Berserker-type monsters and players, yet at the same time, find them manageable opponents.

However, since they create unexpected destructive power by sacrificing their stamina, one must always remain on guard.

Berserkers have no limits. If one fights without acknowledging this, they will likely meet a gruesome end.

“Make full use of skills with long cooldowns as well. We’re going to reset them anyway.”

“What reset?”

“Cooldown reset.”

“That’s possible… Well, I guess it is.”

“Kuugh.”

Sanghyun laughed as Ham Jiyeon reacted almost exactly like Kim Miso. Such reactions were amusing now.

Regardless, having Ham Jiyeon by his side was reassuring. Thanks to her, his mana was fully restored to 100%.

She had the ability to inject mana into him. Just like in martial arts movies where one transfers inner power!

A magician and buffer hybrid.

Perhaps the Constellation she had contracted with, the Gourmet Constellation, had awakened quite a few abilities in her.

“Going in again!”

After taking his final deep breath, Sanghyun charged at Gigant.

This time, he planned to persistently strike and retreat repeatedly.

If he stayed too close to Gigant, it would only use its basic attacks, which consumed little stamina.

Therefore, he intended to provoke skills like rock-throwing or ground-slamming, which required significant stamina consumption.

Since Gigant seemed highly emotional in nature, he believed that, if provoked properly, he could draw out the reactions he desired.

30 minutes later.

“Huu, huu.”

“Kahak, khak.”

Sanghyun and Gigant faced each other, panting heavily.

Despite the long duration, there had not been a single moment of boredom in their relentless battle.

Since status abnormalities had no effect, it was difficult for Sanghyun to interrupt Gigant’s skill usage.

As a result, he ultimately failed to evade a rock-throwing attack from Gigant, taking a hit to his shoulder.

Fortunately, he had twisted his body just in time, avoiding a direct hit. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have escaped without a fracture.

He also narrowly avoided falling into a pit created by Gigant’s ground-slam attack.

Aside from those two minor mistakes, he had managed to handle Gigant better than expected.

To be honest, from Sanghyun’s perspective, Gigant was an easy opponent.

Setting aside its firepower, predicting its movements and attack patterns was far too simple.

‘My main focus is being a swordsman, but my versatility makes dealing with straightforward types easier.’

Sanghyun assessed himself.

This was also why those around him found Sanghyun difficult to deal with—no one could predict what countermeasures he would come up with.

At some point, Sanghyun had started using Gigant as nothing more than a massive wooden training dummy.

After repeatedly exchanging blows, he had learned all of Gigant’s attack patterns, leaving no more variables to consider.

‘What is this strange feeling?’

Ham Jiyeon, who had sharp observational skills, sensed the change in atmosphere early on.

Clearly, this was a confrontation with a boss monster—a battlefield where lives were at stake.

So why did Sanghyun look so relaxed?

A poker face?

No. His very movements exuded composure. That was something that couldn’t be faked or imitated.

While Sanghyun appeared increasingly at ease, Gigant, on the other hand, looked utterly exhausted.

The mouth, exhausted and unable to close easily, and the slowed mobility were clearly different from the Gigant at the beginning.

Although the Gigant's ferocity was overflowing due to Sanghyun's continuous provocations, its body could no longer keep up.

‘Even leading it.’

Moreover, Sanghyun was gradually shifting the battle lines, guiding the Gigant toward a large rock.

Positioning with his back against the rock.

If pushed into a corner, Sanghyun would be in danger, but Ham Jiyeon believed in his strategy.

Sanghyun was always cautious. He always planned his next move within reasonable judgment and careful design.

Having observed his meticulous nature while attacking the gate, she had no doubts.

At this crucial moment, where reaction speed was more important than ever, Sanghyun entered an awakened state.

Following what he had learned earlier, he used his greatsword to scratch at the Gigant’s groin area, inflicting wounds.

‘Of course, a male.’

He hadn’t intended to notice, but the Gigant was obviously a male-type monster.

During the exchanges, he had struck a rather important part multiple times, and the Gigant’s reactions had been sharp.

Poke. Poke. Poke.

Once again, as if poking a sore wound with a toothpick, he stabbed at the crucial area between the Gigant’s groin.

“Uwooooh!”

The enraged Gigant lunged at Sanghyun, swinging its fists furiously.

Since it was an uppercut rising with full force from below, Sanghyun clenched his teeth and dodged.

The Over Psychedelic state played the most crucial role in overcoming the split-second timing needed to evade.

Kwaang! Kwaang!

The Gigant’s fists, missing their target, crashed into the giant rock behind Sanghyun with immense force.

“Uwak!”

The Gigant, having wasted its strength on the wrong target, turned to look at Sanghyun, who had already returned to his original position.

Sanghyun’s hit-and-run tactics, taunting and attacking before retreating, were flawless.

Even Ham Jiyeon, who was watching, thought he was practically the devil himself.

Poke!

Another provocation.

“Waaagh!”

Unable to endure the humiliation any longer, the Gigant unleashed a full-power strike aimed at Sanghyun’s torso.

However, with his heightened senses under Over Psychedelic, Sanghyun could predict the attack’s trajectory.

Kuung!

The massive rock that took the brunt of the Gigant’s punch finally cracked and began to collapse forward.

Though it wasn’t enough to crush the Gigant completely, it was enough to be a nuisance.

And then—

“Wait!”

The enraged Gigant swung its arm irritably at the falling debris.

This was the opening Sanghyun had been waiting for.

From the moment he had stabbed the Gigant three times, he had been preparing to trigger the five-strike effect of Enhanced Weakness.

The previously laid-down Sage’s Whisper skill was a bonus.

Puhwaaaak!

“Kuaaaah!”

The Crushing Blade, boosted by Enhanced Weakness and Sage’s Whisper, exploded with overwhelming damage.

Even Sanghyun, who had aimed for this, and Ham Jiyeon, who was watching, were surprised by the sheer power.

The Gigant’s right arm was severed. Even its tough body couldn’t withstand such concentrated destructive damage twice in the same area.

Kuuung! Kung! Kung!

The Gigant’s severed right arm fell, writhing on its own as if still expressing its remaining fury.

Whooosh!

At that moment, Ham Jiyeon’s ignition skill created a massive flame inside the Gigant’s body.

‘As expected, I was right.’

From the start, Sanghyun had suspected that the Gigant’s immunity to status effects only applied to the exterior of its body.

So, he figured that as long as he could expose its flesh, he could inflict status effects—and he was right.

“Uwaak! Waaagh! Kwaaaah!”

The flames that started from the severed right arm spread to burn half of the Gigant’s right face.

Although its body was immune to status effects, it had no way to extinguish the fire burning its exposed flesh.

Meanwhile—

While Sanghyun reset all his skills, Ham Jiyeon immediately positioned herself behind him.

Then, just like before, she poured her mana into him, restoring what had been drained from using the Shattering Sword.

‘The amount he absorbs is insane!’

Ham Jiyeon felt severe dizziness from transferring so much mana, yet somehow, there was no loss due to overflow.

If the Mana stat is low, the body cannot accept any more Mana beyond its limit and expels it all.

However, Sanghyun accepted all the Mana that Ham Jiyeon injected without any loss of Mana.

That was proof that Sanghyun's Mana stat was several times higher than expected.

Anyway, with everything reset!

The conditions were now set to use Weakness Enhancement, Sage's Whisper, and Crushing Blade, which all had long cooldowns.

An automatic activation of Weakness Enhancement.

On top of that, Sanghyun swiftly stacked four-hit stats with a light and brisk four-hit combo.

Once again, Sanghyun aimed his strike precisely at Gigant’s solar plexus.

With two critical hits, Gigant had already lost its right arm and sustained a deep wound across its entire right chest.

Sanghyun intended to land a decisive blow to the solar plexus, connecting it to the wound on the right chest.

Just like striking the weakened center of a collapsing pillar would bring the whole structure down.

Puuuk!

"Kkeok!"

The moment the greatsword pierced directly through the center of the solar plexus, Gigant’s expression changed.

It was a reaction seen when suffering damage that sheer endurance and resilience alone could not withstand.

Sanghyun ignited the entire greatsword in flames.

Then, Ham Jiyeon ignited the exposed flesh inside Gigant’s pierced body.

With fire burning the inside of its body from two sources, there was no way Gigant could maintain its composure.

"Waaaaaah!"

A scream so loud it could tear eardrums filled the air.

Sanghyun did not lose focus and tore the greatsword to the side with full force.

Gigant was still alive. That was important. The fight only ended with the monster’s death.

Chwaaaak!

A sound akin to tearing tough leather echoed from Gigant’s body.

Sanghyun’s greatsword pushed past the left ribcage and dug into the thoracic cavity, reaching Gigant’s heart.

Hwarrrrk! Hwarrrk! Hwarrrk!

The agony of having one’s heart burned alive!

Before Gigant could even fully experience the pain—

Chwaaaak!

Sanghyun sliced the heart horizontally with his greatsword.

It was the final blow, drawn from the depths of his fighting spirit.

"Hoo-ah. What a persistent bastard."

Sanghyun let out a hot sigh and tensed his body against the drowsiness that followed the end of the battle.

If he relaxed now, he felt like he would collapse onto the ground, as his stamina was nearly depleted.

‘Level 116!’

His level had jumped up by three in one go.

Ham Jiyeon, who had contributed to the fight, also gained one level.

Considering that her level was 185, gaining one level at once was a significant rise.

Under normal circumstances, it would take at least three days in a dungeon to achieve that amount of growth.

"Wow, it’s a top-grade Magic Stone!"

A top-grade Magic Stone, enough to excite Ham Jiyeon, fell right in front of her as if to flaunt itself.

At the same time, Sanghyun received a notification of a newly acquired title, triggered by Gigant’s death.

//s_win

//win_h 【Lotus Flame】

■ Title Grade: A-grade

//e_win

"This is……."

A title that would be most fatal to defense-type monsters and players like Gigant and Jo Jinho had appeared.