I Raided the Demon’s Treasury

Chapter 16

[Tutorial Chapter One – Adaptation]

– The fifth wave is starting.

– Defend against the monster wave and prove your worth.

The fifth wave came not long after.

With their wounds barely healed, the faces of the people were filled with tension, ready for the imminent battle.

Unlike during the fourth wave when they were hesitant and unsure, this time was different.

Even without Yoo Seo-ah shouting orders, everyone gripped their weapons tightly, prepared to face the incoming monsters.

“Greeeek!”

Wolves, boars, monkeys. In that order, this time, boars with thick gray fur charged forward.

Like the gray wolves, these boars were also larger and stronger than the brown boars.

“Hyung, I’m ready! Should I rush in?”

“No, not this time.”

“Huh?”

By now, it seemed Park Jung-pil had adapted enough that he would rush in without waiting for Se-woon’s command, but Se-woon stopped him.

Until now, they had matched the numbers to fit the skill levels of the people, but if Se-woon’s thoughts were correct, that would no longer be necessary.

“They’re charging! One, two, three!”

“Scatter!”

Previously, their combat strategy was to block the front with crude shields and stab from behind with sharpened wooden sticks.

However, things were different this time. Predicting the sequence would bring the boars next, Yoo Seo-ah devised a new plan.

Instead of the usual central position in the camp, they stood with their backs to the Wolf Forest. As soon as the boars charged, they quickly retreated.

Crash!

The boars couldn’t stop their charge in time and rammed their heads into the tree trunks.

Immediately after, the people’s counterattacks followed. They launched a one-sided assault on the boars stunned from hitting the trees.

In the obstacle-heavy forest, it was much easier to handle the boars.

Moreover,

Crack!

Boom, Crash!

– The Constellation, ‘Old Man Riding a Crocodile’, strokes the rough hide of the crocodile while looking down.

Kang Han-cheol’s actions stood out more than anyone else’s.

During the second wave, he would confront the charging boars head-on, but now it was different.

He used the boars’ momentum against them, seizing their tusks and tossing them in the opposite direction.

‘Is he using Tai Chi Chuan techniques?’

It was evident. He was applying what he had learned from sparring with Se-woon.

Whether it was the result of his contract with Agares, his physical strength had increased even further, lifting the gray Boars as if they were children’s toys.

‘With this, I don’t need to step in.’

Watching the fervor of the people engaged in the intense battle, Se-woon turned away.

Without the ability to gather public merit and experience from the waves, he intended to find hidden pieces instead. In fact, this could earn more points than the waves.

“Hyung, where are you going? Should I come too…?”

“No need.”

What are you talking about, Hyung? No matter what anyone says, aren’t I your reliable right-hand man? I’ll follow you anywhere!

“I’m heading up to that rocky mountain.”

“Hehe, have a safe trip! I’ll protect the camp while you’re gone!”

Park Jung-pil’s ability to quickly change his stance was impressive.

Leaving him scratching his head in embarrassment, I began to move in earnest.

The rocky mountain where the monkeys appeared during the third wave.

“Ook!”

Just as I expected, the moment I thought I had reached the entrance, monkeys surrounded me

Whether they had called for reinforcements, their numbers quickly increased to double digits.

Confident in their numbers, they approached with their weapons swinging.

But, of course, the outcome was the same as it had been with other monsters.

– Through internal energy, the second form of Blood Wolf Swordsmanship, Blood Wolf Fang, Taishan Separation, is enhanced.

Crack!

The newly learned Blood Wolf Swordsmanship.

Although it was a martial arts learned to deal with wolves, the internal energy-imbued swordsmanship didn’t discriminate against its targets.

The monkeys’ weapons and bodies alike were shredded, staining the rocks with blood.

– The Constellation, ‘Hungry Prince’, mumbles that he was expecting a barbecue party, but this doesn’t fill him up.

“Didn’t we agree that excessive urging is prohibited?”

– The Constellation, ‘Hungry Prince’, feigns forgetfulness and looks away.

“And don’t worry, there’s something even tastier than boar waiting at the top of this mountain.”

– The Constellation, ‘The Hungry Prince’, gives you a thumbs-up, saying he trusts you.

It felt like I was dealing with a child as I placated Beelzebub. No, maybe the term ‘starving pet’ would be more fitting than ‘child.’

Having cleared away the monkeys using the Power of Gluttony, Se-woon looked up.

‘The real challenge here isn’t the monkeys.’

Initially, it seemed more appropriate to call this place a rocky hill rather than a mountain, but after passing the entrance, the terrain completely changed.

“It’s practically vertical.”

It was a sheer cliff, as if someone had carved it out.

Rather than a rocky mountain, it was more fitting to call this place a rocky cliff.

There weren’t many places to grip, the small cracks created by years of weathering, and the blunt protrusions looked difficult to hold.

This challenging terrain was why Se-woon hadn’t been able to explore this area before, even with the guidance of the ‘Guidepost of the Journey.’

But.

“It’s different now.”

– Opened the Treasury of Greed.

[ Bala’tan Cliff’s Mandrill ]

– The apex predator living in the Bala’tan Cliff, a place filled with rocks and cliffs on all sides.

No matter how sparse the footholds and how steep the incline, it was the habitat of the monkeys.

Given this, there was no reason a human couldn’t climb it using this power.

Clack.

Se-woon inserted his fingers into a crevice in the cliff. The gap was so narrow he could barely fit two fingers.

Undeterred, Se-woon raised his other hand above his head, bracing his entire body weight on those two fingers.

Clack, clack.

With each extension of his arms, his hands trembled. Even when he thought he had a solid hold, the crevice sometimes crumbled under his weight.

Each time, Se-woon found himself gulping as he looked at the now distant ground.

‘If not for Mammon’s Treasure, I would have fallen by now.’

The ability to use these small crevices to support his body, withstand the gusting winds, and cling to the cliff—all of this was thanks to the power bestowed by Mammon’s Treasure.

It told him exactly where to grip, how to brace against the wind, and how to rest mid-cliff.

The experience and knowledge of the monkeys that had lived their entire lives on the cliff’s edge were infused into Se-woon’s body.

– The Constellation, ‘Hungry Prince’, expresses doubt, wondering where the food is in a place like this.

Indeed, after climbing for a while, he saw neither monster nor even the resident monkeys of the rocky mountain.

Taking a moment to catch his breath, Se-woon looked up but couldn’t see the end of the cliff, obscured by clouds.

Just as the rising impatience reached its peak, Se-woon finally spotted something other than solid gray rock.

‘Monkeys.’

Unlike the rock-filled terrain thus far, higher up were branches of unknown origin protruding everywhere.

Monkeys were moving about or resting on those branches.

Furthermore, Se-woon noticed holes in the cliffside, just the size of monkey bodies.

‘Could those be their entry points?’

It was a plausible suspicion.

No matter how skilled the monkeys were, this steep a cliff wasn’t something they could climb easily.

Considering both safety and convenience, those holes might be connected to lower areas.

However, the holes seemed just large enough for the monkeys to squeeze through.

“Ook?”

Despite moving as cautiously as possible, the nearest monkey spotted Se-woon.

“Eeeeek!”

“Ook?”

“Eek! Ook!”

The monkey alerted the others with wide eyes, signaling the presence of an intruder.

They had been lounging around without a care, only to panic upon seeing Se-woon.

Well, this was the middle of a cliff where the ground was barely visible. The idea of an intruder in such a natural fortress was unimaginable to them.

‘I need to get up there!’

While he had ascended this far using the treasure’s power, fighting while climbing a cliff was a challenging task even for Se-woon.

Just as monkeys move freely by swinging from branches, Se-woon, imbued with the power of the monkeys, would also experience fewer restrictions once he climbed that high.

“Ooook!”

As if they wouldn’t tolerate him climbing any further, the monkeys began throwing stones at Se-woon.

The stones were quite large and threatening, seemingly gathered from who-knows-where.

Just before the stones could hit Se-woon,

Whoosh!

A bright red fireball formed above Se-woon’s head.

The mana circle spun fiercely, causing the fireball to grow larger, and it swallowed the incoming stones before it rose unhindered.

Boom!

“Eeeek!”

Facing the sudden fireball from the cliff, the monkeys freaked out and fled further upward.

Taking advantage of this distraction, Se-woon awakened the internal energy sleeping in his dantian, channeling the power into his arms and legs.

The fingers wedged into the rock crevice glowed red hot, and the crevice groaned under the intensified pressure.

Compressing himself like a spring, slowly and powerfully accumulating strength, he waited until the last moment when the support seemed unable to bear the strain any longer.

Leap!

Se-woon’s body shot upward vertically.

Fortunately, the monkeys had evacuated to higher ground to avoid the fireball’s heat.

Se-woon reached out forcefully for the nearest branch.

However,

‘Not enough!’

He had not accounted for the wind.

An unfortunate downward gust slowed Se-woon’s ascent.

If things continued this way, a fall would be inevitable.

At that moment, Se-woon calmly drew a dagger from his waist—not his usual longsword, but the ‘Molar Dagger’ made by Go Chang-seok.

Thwack!

‘Good!’

Even as swiftly as Se-woon was growing, stabbing a dagger into solid rock was challenging.

However, the Molar Dagger came with an ability called ‘Reckless Charge,’ which enhanced its piercing power and cutting force for thrusts.

When he channeled his internal energy into the dagger, it penetrated deep enough to sustain his weight.

Leap!

Using the embedded dagger, he propelled himself upward again.

The wind, as if trying to fend off an intruder, roughly pushed against Se-woon, but this time it was ineffective.

‘That was too close for comfort.’

Having reached a surprisingly sturdy branch, Se-woon shook his wrists to relax them.

Looking up, he saw monkeys staring at him with wide-open mouths, likely shocked by the sight more befitting of a monkey than the monkeys themselves.

With newfound freedom in both hands, Se-woon warmed up his body and drew his sword, ready to face the monkeys.

“Now, shall we search for the hidden piece?”

It wasn’t long before the bodies of the monkeys began to drop from the cliff down below.