Steel Eating Player - A Player Who Eats Steel

Team Leader Park Ki-taek of the Cheonghwa Raid Team was receiving healing from a healer, staring blankly at the sky.

He constantly pondered about what his next steps should be as a team leader.

"..."

Suddenly, an idea seemed to strike him, and he bolted upright.

"Hey! Damn it, this won't work! Hey, Tae-seop!"

"Yes?"

"We need to just snipe the boss mob!"

Upon hearing this, all members of the Cheonghwa Raid Team looked up.

Gulp-

Especially Kim Tae-seop, he swallowed his saliva with a shocked expression.

Being called out meant he had a role to play.

Hadn't they just mentioned sniping?

Kim Tae-seop was known for his sniping skills.

"…Yes? You mean… snipe?"

"If we manage to survive and escape, the only way we won't be kicked out of the guild is to do that."

They were the 4th raid team that had received massive investments of time and money.

If they finished the raid with a contribution of 0%, the guild leaders would not let it slide.

"You mean… to kill steal, right?"

Kill stealing, as the word suggests, means thieving a kill.

In games, it referred to taking monsters' experience, items, etc., that were virtually owned by other players.

"Hey, aren't you a sniper? Isn't it natural for snipers to hide and take out targets stealthily? Kill Stealing, what kind of rule is that? It's not even system-defined, right?"

"Uh, well…"

It sounded forced, but it was the best reasoning they had.

"Shouldn't we also secure the 'Spear of Achilles' using our 'seed right'… If AMT claims ownership of the spear, things might get complicated. The guild will probably negotiate, but we'll be outcasts."

The Spear of Achilles, a priceless heroic-grade item, was hidden here.

Along with the corpse of South Korea's second-largest conglomerate, Gukwang Group's second grandson…

"That cocky guy died because he had such a coveted item on him!"

This was after the first raid attempt at the Red Gate failed.

The grandson, Goo Dong-hoon, who had just signed with the Cheonghwa Guild, led his team into the dungeon, hoping to make a name for himself. He even had the backing of his grandfather, the chairman of the Gukwang Group.

The group had lobbied the Cheonghwa Guild to organize a team around Goo Dong-hoon. The item he received from his grandfather was none other than the 'Spear of Achilles'.

But the result…

However, Gukwang Group was desperate to retrieve at least the spear, if not Goo Dong-hoon's body.

It was a priceless item, even among heroic-grade items.

Rumors said the reward for its retrieval was set at 8 billion won.

"The true worth must be astronomical…"

The reason the Cheonghwa Guild was handing it over was to maintain their relationship with the Gukwang Group.

This item was entwined with the guild's business interests.

"To claim the spear with our seed right, we need some contribution, right?"

"True…"

The seed right allowed the original dungeon claimant to choose their 'reward' first.

In this case, they obviously intended to choose the 'Spear of Achilles'.

But with a 0% contribution, what right did they have?

That's why Park Ki-taek had chosen this last resort.

Last hitting…

"Hey, Tae-seop, this is your chance. I might be doomed, but if you nail the boss monster's heart at the right moment, you'll be the guild's hero. And you'll get that Ferrari you've always wanted! You'd be the hero who secured the Spear of Achilles, wouldn't they give you a hefty bonus?"

"A Ferrari…"

After pondering for a moment, Kim Tae-seop gripped his arrow and stood up.

He had come in with confidence, ready to risk everything, hadn't he?

"Alright… I'll do it."

"Oh! You're up for it?"

"I never liked that elite guard anyway. I'll give him a good hit from behind. My critical shots are powerful, right?"

He slapped his cheek and unhooked the 'Iron Bow' from his shoulder.

Park Ki-taek, who had been lying in pain, quickly stood up and patted Kim Tae-seop's shoulder.

"That's the spirit! You can do it!"

With the support of his teammates, the 'Last Hit' operation of C-rank 2nd level sniper Kim Tae-seop began.

* * *

"Do not be complacent yet, and be cautious of your surroundings."

At Lee Hyunwook's words, all 8 squad members aimed their weapons in all directions, scanning everywhere.

Hooooooo—

The wind blew, carrying away all the dust and sand that had risen from the fierce battle.

There was no movement.

"At the moment… there are no enemies identified."

The battle was over.

Of the 44 who had ambushed them, 32 were killed and the rest fled.

It was a perfect victory.

The moment the iron beads buried in the sand exploded under the feet of the Gnolls, the tide of the battle had already turned.

More than twenty Gnolls were immobilized with just one blow.

Moreover, fear had rooted in them that something might explode under their feet again, restraining them from moving freely.

In other words, with just one move, they had completely obliterated the Gnolls' morale.

What followed was a systematic response according to Lee Hyunwook's orders, they literally swept them away cleanly.

"But, um… I just reached level 18 from that battle."

An Min-tae said.

"Oh, wow! Did you level up again?"

"Yeah, haha, it's kind of amazing…"

There was sheer joy on his face.

It was because his level, which had been stagnant for several months, had risen by 3 in just a few days.

The Kobold gate, Seoul Station unlucky event, and this Red gate…

An unprecedented amount of experience points poured in.

"Wow! Congratulations, An Min-tae!"

"I just reached level 17 too, I'll catch up soon!"

Excluding Park Junmo, who was F-rank, everyone experienced leveling up.

It was a very encouraging event.

The average level of the first company, which was the primary combat unit of the battalion, was around level 23.

Indeed, it wasn't too far-fetched to think that Squad 5 might catch up with Squad 1 before long.

'They're growing well indeed.'

If they had stayed below level 15 as before, they would not have been able to handle the 4th wave.

And indeed, the first to be annihilated was the weakest, Squad 5.

Moreover, it happened on the first day the wave appeared.

'Anyway…'

Lee Hyunwook felt a sense of incongruity at that moment.

'It feels like a rat is tagging along…'

He sensed a 'clump of metal' moving from behind a distant hill.

Lee Hyunwook closed his eyes and scrutinized that metal in detail.

'This is…'

He felt something familiar among that metal.

'…a watch.'

He recognized it because he had handled it once before.

Before entering the gate, what had troubled Lee Hyunwook was the watch of An Min-tae's military training colleague, Kim Tae-seop.

And crucially, small metals densely gathered in one place…

It was an arrow quiver.

The owner of the watch, Kim Tae-seop, was also in the Archer series, so this confirmed it.

'…Furthermore, he's a sniper.'

Lee Hyunwook had inspected all the weapons of the Cheonghwa guild's raid team to understand their strengths.

It was fundamental to understand and analyze the opposing side's forces before a joint raid.

According to what he had seen then, Kim Tae-seop's bow – a steel recurve bow – had an optical zoom dot sight attached, and prepared on his utility belt was the 'Potion of the Sharpshooter' which significantly stabilizes body tremors.

It was a typical sniper item setup.

'If he's following us now, no doubt, he intends to snipe the boss monster…'

It was a practice commonly referred to as 'Kill Stealing'. There was no other reason for a sniper to sneak around like that.

Having no foothold, he intended to secure 'contribution' with a decisive shot.

The points given by the 'boss monster' were considerable.

'But this is stupid, not realizing that I can detect metal…'

To be a useful player, one should know at least five or six out of ten, not being able to anticipate that I can detect metal even after seeing the abilities I have demonstrated so far and to stalk with metal hanging all over the body…

It was pathetic.

'As expected, player ratings are useless…'

Lee Hyunwook smirked and turned his head.

He decided to pretend not to know for now.

"Alright, move forward again. We are about to encounter the boss monster, so be on alert again."

Because…

'Good, I can use this at a critical moment.'

Raiding meant utilizing everything that could be utilized.

Even if it's another player…

* * *

Kim Tae-seop was running through the desert.

"Yes, just like the team leader said, if I prove myself this time, I can climb even higher!"

He was actually one of the players that the Cheonghwa Guild was paying attention to.

For one, being a sniper in the archer category was fairly rare and had a high utility rate, and additionally, he possessed a 'skill' that significantly enhanced his sniping ability.

[Skill Information]

-Name: Sneak Shot

-Grade: D

-Effect: Consumes 100 mana while in stealth to release a deadly shot. (+440%)

As players level up, they could acquire one 'random' skill every five levels, and Kim Tae-seop had luckily acquired this skill, which boasted the best synergy with the sniper characteristic, at level 10.

That meant he was the most promising candidate for the task of sniping the boss monster.

On the other hand, he found it not too difficult to cross this hot and dry desert.

[ 'Rough Terrain Mobility' skill is in effect ]

Having such a skill allowed him to dash forward under most adverse conditions.

Soon, he caught up with the AMT special assault team that had gone ahead.

But then…

"Huh? Ah, shi…"

They were under attack in the middle of the desert.

Over forty gnolls were advancing from three directions, forming a shield wall and closing in.

The nine players maintained a fairly good position, but…

"Wow, damn… Are they all going to die?"

No matter how he saw it, the situation didn't look good at all.

They allowed the gnoll group to approach without inflicting any damage.

Before they knew it, the encirclement narrowed to within 100 meters.

"Bu, but if they die, wouldn't that be the end for us too?"

Thinking this, he wondered if he should provide supporting fire.

If he started sniping from here, he could quickly take down at least 5-6 of them.

"No…"

But he held back.

If he recklessly intervened, he, who was separated from the others, could become a target.

"No, why aren't they doing anything… Shouldn't they be holding them off so they can't approach…"

He grew more anxious as he watched.

It seemed like those nine individuals would be torn to shreds by the gnoll group at any moment, and if that happened, the entire operation would fall apart.

But then, something unbelievable happened.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

"Huh! What, what is this?"

Suddenly, out of nowhere, the ground erupted in explosions.

From Kim Tae-seop's perspective, it was impossible to understand what was happening.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

However, that attack sent dozens of gnolls flying.

And that was the beginning.

The previously static nine players moved seamlessly.

One after another, they unleashed the skills they had been saving, pushing the disorganized gnolls.

It happened in a blink of an eye.

The gnolls couldn't respond properly.

It was as if… their morale had already been broken.

Ah-wooo!

Although a howl sounded like a signal for attack echoed from afar, it was in vain.

"Cr, crazy… What exactly is that guy?"

At the center of all the movement was a man referred to as Corporal Lee Hyunwook.

Thus, the AMT soldiers who had defeated the enemy in a battle without any losses advanced again.

And about 20 minutes later, they faced another ambush.

This time it was a surprise attack, with the enemies hiding in the sand and jumping out all at once.

"Huh! It seems like there are almost 60 of them…"

Whether they were wary of the unidentified explosions coming from the ground more than the shrapnel attacks, the gnoll pack abandoned their defensive stance and chose to charge from all directions.

It was the enemies' strategy, but it was too excellent.

If they induced a 'melee', all of Lee Hyunwook's main weapons, which utilized metal, including storms and explosions, would be completely blocked…

But that strategy couldn't be executed.

It wasn't for any other reason.

"What, what is it? Why is it so systematic?"

The AMT soldiers responded too well.

Including Lee Hyunwook, the four individuals holding shields ran forward to meet the enemies first.

They stood firm at precise locations, drawing the enemies' 'aggro', separating themselves from their allied riflemen and wizards.

'…What?'

At a glance, it seemed like their 'rear line' was unprotected, but… it was the optimal position to prevent the 'mud fight' the enemies wanted by widening the distance between allies.

Shortly after, the wizards fired the fire magic they had prepared in advance.

Boom! Boom!

They exploded in the 'middle' of the gnoll pack.

Consequently, the 'rear' gnolls momentarily hesitated and had no choice but to retreat,

On the contrary, the 'vanguard' gnolls charged forward at an even faster speed to avoid the flames.

To put it simply, a significant gap was created between the gnoll vanguard and the rear.

Meaning, with just two rounds of fire magic, they had broken the backbone of the offensive.

"Now!"

Lee Hyunwook's shout was heard.

Simultaneously, they focused their firepower on the vanguard gnolls, literally melting them down.

The rear gnolls who came to their senses late charged in but…

"…It, it's divide and conquer."

Before the mud fight could begin, they separated the vanguard and the rear and swallowed them up one by one.

'What on earth… it's really simple but incredibly precise, isn't it?'

At a glance, there was no particularly complex combination.

'Simple and clear tactics…'

That was the correct answer.

Because it was simple and clear, everyone was able to perform their tasks without making mistakes.

In other words, it was the most efficient tactic.

Kim Tae-seop couldn't help but admire them with every step he followed behind them.

'But, them… is this their first raid?'

For Kim Tae-seop too, this was his first raid.

However, he had been trained for a fairly long time for this day, and even attended special tactical lectures by the well-performing raid team of the Cheonghwa Guild.

So he could understand to some extent.

'That is practically a textbook…'

How impressive their judgments and movements were…

And in a way, he was even envious.

'How much experience have they gained?'

In just a few hours, only 9 people swept away over a hundred gnolls.

Moreover, being a red gate, the bonus experience points must be substantial…

They must have leveled up several times.

'Insane… They could at least increase by 2 levels, no, by 3 levels.'

This was an enormous opportunity that low-level players wouldn't easily come by.

Continuing to advance without any obstruction, they arrived at a place resembling an 'oasis' before they knew it.

Around a small puddle, there were shabby huts lined up.

It seemed like a gnoll tribe's village, and it looked like a place where a 'boss monster' would appear.

'Sigh… This isn't the time to be admiring. The target is appearing now.'

Kim Tae-seop reminded himself of the objective and prepared his steel bow.

Then, the 'target' was detected in his sight.

'That's the one. That is the boss.'

Among the gnoll groups whose numbers had significantly reduced through several battles, a gnoll with sporadically white fur appeared.

It seemed to be over 2 meters tall, a head taller than the regular gnolls.

Thus, with its appearance, the final battle, 'the boss battle,' began.

"Uh, what is this…"

However, contrary to the term 'boss battle,' a scene far more dominating than the previous battles unfolded.

It couldn't be helped.

The gnoll group was already in a weakened state from countless defeats.

On the other hand, the players had become even stronger.

They had become repeatedly stronger through 'level ups' achieved through overwhelming victories.

"It's, it's unbelievable… Just them alone…"

The outcome of the battle seemed to have been determined already.

'No, it's useless if we don't defeat the boss mob.'

Kim Tae-seop regained his focus and turned his gaze towards the boss monster.

But suddenly, Lee Hyunwook and the Old Alpha Male were engaged in battle.

Whish- Whish- Whish- Whish-

The beast was wildly swinging around two massive Kukri knives, and Lee Hyunwook was driving him into a corner, controlling about half a dozen iron beads and two daggers.

However, Lee Hyunwook's attacks couldn't reach the creature.

Cheng-Aeng!

Because the Old Alpha Male easily deflected them, swinging the Kukri at an incredible speed.

Chang! Chang! Chang! Chang! Chang!

Even when launching half a dozen at the same time, the beast swung its arms here and there, successfully fending off all of them.

Incredible dynamic vision and agile movements,

It was as if they were witnessing a master from a martial arts novel.

'…Is the boss monster indeed different?'

That was when it happened.

Kaboom!

With a loud noise, one of the 'iron beads' exploded near the Old Alpha Male's face.

But it seemed there was no significant damage, perhaps due to the thick skin, different from the regular gnolls.

'Uh, isn't that the maximum firepower he can muster? If that gets blocked, doesn't it mean he can't win?'

But the defense of the Old Alpha Male was not just that.

The moment the iron bead exploded and fragments flew, something semi-transparent was seen around the creature's body.

That was…

'…Insane! Does it even have a magical shield? It's over!'

A magical shield meant that they could not inflict effective damage unless they broke through it.

In other words, that person didn't have the ability to defeat the boss monster.

However…

"Hehe… No matter what, at least my single attack will work."

Kim Tae-seop chuckled quietly.

He felt that it was his turn to step in.

He wasn't a sniper for no reason.

He had a single attack that could deal damage, enough to offset the magical shield and then some.

"Yes, whether it's Lee Hyunwook or whatever, I've acknowledged that you're really something."

He took out a sniper arrow thinly coated with 'Orichalcon' at the tip and set it on the bowstring.

Creeeak-

And he aimed precisely at the chest of the Old Alpha Male.

"I'm sorry but…"

However, a smile formed at the corners of his lips.

"…life is a battle, kid. I hope you learn a bit more with this opportunity."

Releasing this bowstring would mean the success of this stealth plan.

His arrow tip would precisely pierce through the Old Alpha Male's heart, securing the 'contribution'.

Moreover…

The back of those AMT guys' heads would be pretty hot.

It was a rather gratifying part.

But at that moment-

"-Ah!"

He screamed, feeling a sudden pain.

Because the watch on his left wrist bit into his arm again.

"What, what is this!"

And because of that…

Tw-woong-

He mistakenly released the tightly pulled bowstring.

"Ah…"

Shi-eek-

Although it was flying toward the target, it was slightly off-

Meaning, it couldn't be a fatal blow.

"Ah, no…"

And the Old Alpha Male, who seemed to have heard Kim Tae-seop's scream, turned his head this way,

Preparing to deflect Kim Tae-seop's arrow as it twisted its body.

On the other hand, completely unfazed as if he knew it all along,

Taking that moment as an opportunity, Lee Hyunwook started moving again…

At that moment, Kim Tae-seop realized.

'No, could it be…'

The wristwatch… the strange pain…

Lee Hyunwook… the ability to control metal…

"…Did you know I was trailing you from the beginning?"

He couldn't believe it.

But the scene that unfolded next was even more unbelievable.

"What the!"

In the blink of an eye, the Old Alpha Male was torn to shreds.