A Side Character's Mission ↠ Solo Leveling

Chapter 45: An Unseen Threat

'It's because of my protective skill called 'camouflage.' It allows me to lay low and completely hide my presence. ' Byung-Gyu swiftly activated the skill as soon as the stronger enemy appeared. 'Although the skill requires me to remain still for it to be effective, it's a fair trade-off for a healer.'

"The sinister strength came from that one ant just now...?"

"Urgh!" Hae-In collapsed to the ground, holding her nose tightly. Her sensitive nose could detect the foul scent emitted by any monster. "Such a menacing energy... I can't believe it! That creature is no ordinary beast."

The beast had suddenly appeared, and the sound of its footsteps sent shivers down their spines.

'We don't have time to stand around. We must defeat that thing!' Dongwook thought urgently. The overwhelming energy emanating from the ant felt as though it could crush half of his body. 'It walked right past us?'

The standing ant stood in solemn silence, its presence looming over the lifeless body of the queen ant.

Their hearts pounded wildly within their rib cages.

"SCREEECH!"

The power of the S-rank monster was overwhelming, even for the most skilled and experienced hunters. Its sheer strength was enough to make their bodies tremble, and Hae-In could feel her knees weakening under the immense pressure. The very air seemed to vibrate with the monster's roar. 

"Ugh... mph."

Without warning, the monster struck Hae-In from behind, flinging her body against the wall. The impact was brutal, causing her to cough up blood as pain wracked her entire being.

"Cha Hae..."

Dongwook watched in horror as the monstrous ant swiftly crushed both his arm and shield with a devastating blow. He tried to retaliate with his other arm, but the ant was too agile, slicing through it effortlessly. Blood gushed from both of Dong-ook's arms.

Yoonho attempted to attack the ant but suffered a similar fate, being swiftly sliced by its claws.

Jong-In summoned his fire magic, intending to unleash a powerful blast upon the ant. However, his efforts were in vain as he received a deep slash across his torso in return.

From behind the towering ant, Tae-Gyu's sharp eyes caught a glimmer of opportunity. "I've got a clear shot! There's no way I'll miss from this distance," the marksman thought confidently.

To his surprise, the monster gave him a sidelong glance and effortlessly caught the arrow in its hand.

"It... blocked my attack?" Tae-Gyu realized, shocked.

The ant snapped the arrow in two and unleashed a powerful strike, sending Tae-Gyu crashing to the ground.

Dongwook seized the opportunity and charged directly at the ant, determined to take it down.

"My arms may have been cut off, but I've got Byung-Gyu by my side!" Dongwook declared with both his arms regenerated and remained intact.

'Disguise is a self-defense skill. Just like camouflage, it conceals all traces of your presence. The only downside is the inability to move, but it's still a useful skill for a healer.' Byung-Gyu calmly reflected. 'Even if that beast tries to eliminate me, it won't be able to locate me! And as long as my teammates have my heals, it won't easily defeat them.'

The S-rank monster grabbed Dongwook's ankle and ruthlessly swung him against the ground repeatedly, while Byung-Gyu tirelessly provided healing support.

Suddenly, the beast locked eyes with Byung-Gyu, its cold, red, beady eyes piercing through his disguise.

'But my disguise skill is still in effect... There's no way it knows where I am!!' Byung-Gyu thought with desperation.