"Have some fun… Kamish," Minho said, his eyes fixed on the snow golems.
The smoke from the explosion cleared, revealing the colossal dragon. Without wasting time, it breathed out a large beam of flames.
The wind sent by the impact blowing at Minho's face.
As the beam stopped, Minho was quite impressed by the scene in front of him. The golems were completely incinerated, so were the trees straight up to about 200 meters ahead. The ground was a bit reddish, slowly cooling down due to the cold.
Kamish dropped its head low towards Minho and he patted it. "That was quite impressive." Minho's mind then wandered to the time he was about to claim the dragon. 'I wonder what would have happened if I didn't have flame control when it tried blasting.' Then he heard something.
A whistle.
He could trace the movements in the trees with an unimpressed look.
Minho scoffed, swiping his hand in an arc behind him. "You really are one stupid set of creatures, you know that?"
Bringing his hand forward, there were five arrows in them. He tightened his grip and they snapped.
Kamish growled and breathed fire to the right, then to the left, burning whatever threats had been lurking.
Minho's eyes went straight to the clifftop ahead, where he saw an ice elf on a horse with other of its companions behind it.
His sight had improved so much he could see at a far range, and by the right he could see beasts like polar bears approaching.
By the right were bigger snow golems, twice the size and number of the initial ones.
A smile crept up his lips and his eyes narrowed further as he tilted his head. "My my, what a feast."
… …
Korean Hunters Association HQ...
Go Gun-Hee sat in his office with hands over his face as he wondered what Minho was going to face. "Hmm," he took down his words. "There's something about him that makes me feel he's going to come out fine. He said he'd win… was that arrogance or pride? It felt more like… certainty?"
Knock! knock! knock!
The urgency behind the knock was clear that it must be an emergency. "Come in," Chairman Go called out.
The door opened and Jinchul walked in with a worried look on his face. "We have an issue."
"Well, what is it?" Chairman Go asked.
"Hunter Sung Jinwoo. He's asking to enter one of the dungeons."
"Hmm? Even him?"
"I don't understand, Chairman. 'Even him' as in?" Jinchul's brows furrowed I'm confusion. He knew what the answer would be, but he wanted so much to believe it wasn't that.
"Hunter Minho has entered one of them," Chairman Go replied.
"As expected." Jinchul sighed and then continued with his initial report. "So, what do we do about Hunter Sung?"
"Unlike Minho, he is one we can slow down and talk with," Chairman Go said, standing up.
"He said something about it being urgent that he goes in, or the fallout will cost us," Jinchul cautiously added.
Go Gun-Hee met Jinchul's gaze. "Hm?"
… …
Jinwoo sat at the top of a tall building. "Hmm… why do I feel this is a trap?" he muttered, looking down at the city. "Why two S-rank dungeons at the same time? Are they trying to lure me and Antares's successor?"
Beru landed behind him gracefully, its wings starting to slow down. "Nothing, my Liege,"
Jinwoo nodded without turning. "So there's no sign of a Monarch around either." He stood up, and dismissed Beru. "If I'm not mistaking, the Rulers are going to release Legia soon. The eeriness is unsettling and I can tell the dungeon's barrier isn't strong enough to hold what's in there. Whatever they're planning, I need to put an end to it and them as well."
Jinwoo's phone started to ring and he took it out. "Oh hello, Jinchul," he said, putting the phone against his ear.
"Jinwoo, the Chairman would like to speak with you. Can you come over to the Association?" Jinchul's voice came from the speaker.
"Hm? Alright, I'm already close by," Jinwoo replied, adjusting his coat.
"Really? I thought you said you were somewhere else earlier?"
"I'll be there in a minute," Jinwoo concluded before cutting the call. He sighed and returned the phone before giving the city a final look. "Exchange."
… …
Meanwhile, inside the red gate S-rank dungeon. Minho sat on a fallen tree, watching as Kamish destroyed the incoming threats, singlehandedly.
But something caught his eye.
One of the elves could use ice and surprisingly was able to stop Kamish's flames. It then shot an arrow that went with a surreal speed, piercing through scales and connecting with Kamish's leg, causing the dragon to roar.
The elf had a smug grin on and from a single look, Minho could tell it was above a mere S-rank threat.
It raised its bow, pointing at Minho. "You," it said. "Are you sca—"
Its words were never completed as its head fell off its body, revealing Minho who was now behind it with a shard of ice in hand. "I hate when you ice elves talk, seriously. Full of pride with nothing to back it up," he muttered, slicing off the horse's head as well.
From ahead, he could spot a small army of elves charging towards them with their horses. Some were as strong as the one he had just killed while others were stronger, with a few yeti-like beasts.
The yetis were one force to note out in Sillad's army during the war with the Rulers. The elves though were extremely weaker than the ones in the wars.
"Is that frosty gray-head messing with me?" Minho chuckled lightly.
The elves aimed in sync and shot arrows Minho's way as they came closer.
Minho smiled and sat on the corpse of the horse and folded his legs, resting his elbows on them as he held his face up with his palms. "How interesting can this get?"
Kamish blasted flames, burning the arrows midair and leaving a small smoke barrier.
The elves continued to charge in even as the smoke started to turn a deep blue. Entering the smoke, the frontline elves started to fall dead and the leading elf at the middle called a stop.
Vasha walked out of the smoke, her arms spread widely. "Let's give y'all a welcome party in your own humble abode?" she laughed.
A zig zag streak of white light followed the next two rows.
After a second, the heads of the elves in both rows started to fall or they were completely split in two.
"Let's give the King a show, mm?" Eslin's voice came from atop a tree where she elegantly stood on a branch with a warm smile.
Just when the elves thought it wouldn't get worse. Something like a meteor land in front of them sending the next row flying.
From the dust, a sharp red shun and a beam of flame followed, clearing out two entire columns in a go.
The dust cleared revealing Rathalos.
Minho's eyes locked with the elven leader's as the smoke from earlier cleared. "Enjoy," he muttered.