Chapter 166: Stone Monkey Hideout (2)

Stone Monkeys kept appearing to keep Kang Oh's party from advancing.

Although they had numbers on their side, the monkeys used absolutely no tactics or strategy, so Kang Oh's party didn't have a problem dealing with them.

"It's kind of fun," Sephiro suddenly said.

"What is?" Eder asked.

"Doesn't it remind you of those jungle gyms we played on when we were kids?"

The dungeon was extremely three-dimensional, so it was fun going through it.

"A jungle gym?"

Eder tilted his head. He'd never heard of a jungle gym before.

"Don't worry about it. Anyway, don't lower your guard just because it's fun. I feel like this isn't all that there is to it."

It was as Kang Oh said.

A short while later, Kang Oh's party encountered a group of monkeys. However, there were a few that they hadn't seen before amongst them.

Thump-thump! Thump-thump!

The monkeys beat their chests! They were definitely gorillas.

Ugya-gya!

Kang Oh's party got a clear view of the gorillas' red gums as they lifted huge rocks with both hands.

"You don't think they're going to throw those, do you?"

Sephiro's expression stiffened.

Ukya!

The gorillas threw the rocks simultaneously.

Whoosh!

The boulders rushed at them with a violent 'whoosh', as if they'd been launched by catapults.

"Scatter!"

In order to avoid the barrage, Kang Oh's party spread out.

Bam, bam, bam, bam!

Upon impact, the boulders shattered the footholds or left scratches on the wood walls.

'This size...'

If they kept throwing these boulders, then there'd be nothing left.

'Should I use Devil Trigger?'

It was an option. He could fly up and slaughter them all. However, he soon shook his head.

'Let's try getting up there first.'

This could happen again later down the line, so he didn't want to use Devil Trigger so early on.

"We'll have to go up soon. At this rate, all of the footholds will be destroyed."

Kang Oh leaped up and hung off a stick. Then, he threw himself over to a foothold to the side.

Sephiro climbed up a vine and then leaped onto another one. Meanwhile, Eder climbed up a single vine straight up to the gorillas.

Kii-kii! Kii-kii!

The monkeys threw rocks and fruit at them once more. Fortunately, the gorillas were catching their breath and weren't attacking them.

'Now.'

Kang Oh deflected the incoming rocks and fruit with Blood, and leaped from foothold to foothold.

He soon got within reach of them.

Several of the Stone Monkeys ran away all at once.

However, the gorillas didn't retreat; rather, they lifted more boulders and simultaneously threw them at Kang Oh.

'Tch.'

Kang Oh quickly looked around and threw himself towards a nearby hanging vine.

Whoosh.

The boulders crashed into Kang Oh's foothold, completely destroying it.

"Phew."

Kang Oh caught his breath and then leaped onto a nearby foothold. After that, he jumped again and landed in front of a gorilla.

"I missed you."

Kang Oh swung Blood upwards.

Darkness Strike!

Boom!

The blood red wave struck the gorilla, shimmering as it did so.

But like the Stone Monkeys, the gorilla possessed the ability to transform its body into stone. Thus, it didn't take much damage from his assault.

Kang Oh prepped his next attack.

Then, King Fist Stone Monkeys fell from above.

Uaahk!

The gorilla right in front of him clasped its hands together and slammed them down. It changed its hands into stone, so its power was undeniable.

'Let's block first, and then dodge.'

Kang Oh quickly came to a decision.

Bam!

He turned Blood to its side and parried the gorilla's attack.

Though he'd never learned Sword Parry before, Kang Oh could replicate its effect using pure skill.

'Side.'

Kang Oh easily dodged a stone fist that came for his left side, and then quickly thrust Blood.

Stab!

Kii-kii!

The other Stone Monkeys continued their assault. However, Kang Oh dodged their attacks with ease and counterattacked.

If anyone else had seen this, then they'd be yelling in astonishment. It was like a professional athlete's highlight play!

Whatever the case, Kang Oh drew the Stone Monkeys' attention, while Eder and Sephiro got to an advantageous position relatively easily.

Once they began supporting Kang Oh, the three started slaughtering the monkeys. The gorillas kept throwing boulders and desperately fought back, but it was pointless.

Ultimately, once one of the gorillas died, the rest fell like dominos.

[You have defeated a Herculean Stone Monkey.]

The gorilla was called a Herculean Stone Monkey. They were more powerful and higher leveled than the King Fist Stone Monkeys, and also yielded more experience too.

Once they killed the last Herculean Stone Monkey, the normal Stone Monkeys that threw fruit and rocks from afar ran away.

* * *

As they ascended the tree, they eventually came to a passageway that led outside.

Once they made their way through, they were greeted by the sight of the Agrashi tree's branches, which were as thick as a pine tree. They'd finally reached the top of the tree.

The bottom of the Agrashi tree was shaped like a glass, so it was surprising to see just how large the upper portion of the tree was.

There was a boss monster there too! He definitely wasn't your average boss either!

[You have discovered the Stone Monkey King, Wukong.]

[He is a mythical creature.]

[Fame has increased.]

He was on his side like a lying Buddha statue, using one arm to support himself.

Wukong was more than 20 meters tall. The word 'giant' was an apt term for him. There was a crown on top of his head, as if it wasn't obvious enough that he was a king.

Gulp.

Eder swallowed. His very presence was tremendous.

"He looks like a raid boss," Sephiro said carefully.

"He's a unique monster too," Kang Oh said.

The system message had definitely labeled him as a mythical creature, which made him even more special.

"What do we do?" Eder asked.

"Get ready to run."

In the past, the three of them had defeated a raid boss together.

'That was different.'

They couldn't do anything against Wukong. That's what his long experience as a gamer was telling him.

"100% agree."

Sephiro carefully began walking backwards.

Then...

Wukong stood up and sat in the lotus position.

"It's been a long time since I've last seen humans," Wukong said.

There were several monsters that could speak. However, there were few that could actually hold a proper conversation.

Most of them just cursed at the player while attacking.

'Maybe...'

Perhaps he wasn't limited to only two options: 'fight and die' or 'run'. There might be a third option available to him.

"Hello, Your Majesty."

Kang Oh kowtowed.

"Eh?"

"What are you doing?"

Eder and Sephiro were appalled by his actions. 'Are you crazy!?'

"I don't know much about human customs, but it looks like you're willing to talk to me," Wukong looked at Kang Oh and said.

"Of course."

Kang Oh raised his head and sat respectfully.

"M-Mr. Kang Oh."

"Seriously, what are you doing?"

Eder and Sephiro were still puzzled.

"Please sit down. He's someone we can talk to, so let's give it a go," Kang Oh said calmly.

"Even though he's a monster and a raid boss? Let's just take this opportunity to run," Sephiro whispered into Kang Oh's ear.

It looked like Wukong would attack them any minute now.

"Technically, he's a boss monster too."

Kang Oh pointed at Eder.

"Ugh."

He wasn't wrong.

"Just sit down. We can't just leave him here and run by ourselves."

Once Eder sat down, Sephiro sat down with an expression that screamed 'Ah, screw it!'.

As soon as things had calmed down, Wukong raised his arm.

"Bring some liquor."

Two Herculean Stone Monkeys brought out two large, wide and flat cups filled with yellow liquid.

However, Wukong picked up one of those huge cups with one hand as if it were nothing and drank it down in a single go.

Wukong used his thick, giant hand to wipe his face.

Then, Wukong said, "You must be pretty strong, considering the fact that you were able to get through my subordinates and make your way here."

"I am pretty strong."

Kang Oh shrugged his shoulders. He was strong, no doubt about that.

"But you can't beat me!"

Wukong struck his chest.

"For now, that is," Kang Oh acknowledged honestly.

"I'll let you live, so promise me this."

"What is it?"

"Don't tell anyone else about this place or us. I hate it when humans flock around us."

Wukong sported a violent expression.

"Then couldn't you just kill us?" Kang Oh said fearlessly.

Of course, he wasn't saying that because he had no alternative.

'The fact that he's willing to talk to us means that there's a reason he's not harming us too!'

He'd only asked after he'd pieced this all together.

"I would've years ago. However, humans keep coming no matter how many I kill. Humans truly are persistent! They were so annoying that... we came here, and I've decided to just let you go this time."

"I'm curious about one other thing."

"What?"

Wukong looked like he was slowly getting bored of their talk.

"Do you truly believe that I won't tell anyone about this place?"

"I don't. I just hope you do. I'll just kill the next human I see. Since you'd have proven that sparing your lives was meaningless."

Killing intent began rising from his body.

"M-Mr. Kang Oh."

Sephiro, believing that things weren't progressing well, tried to warn Kang Oh not to provoke him.

Kang Oh raised his hand, telling him that he had a handle on things.

'I've gotten all the info I need. Now then...'

Kang Oh thought about how best to make use of this unique situation.

"Lord Wukong."

"What?"

"I can't do it for free."

"What did you say?"

Wukong furrowed his brow, but Kang Oh wasn't intimidated in the least.

"If you pay me the right price, then I'll never tell anyone about this place."

"You whelp. Do you want to die?" Wukong snarled.

"If you kill me, then others will come looking for me. I told them that I was coming here," Kang Oh said.

Players would revive when they were killed, but there was no way of explaining that to Wukong. That's why he'd come up with this convenient lie.

As long as Wukong understood that killing him would cause more people to come looking for him, it was fine. Of course, there obviously wasn't anyone that would come looking for him.

"Mm."

"If I go back and tell them that there was nothing here, then they won't come over here. However, I can't keep my mouth shut without proper compensation."

"What do you want?"

Wukong was pretty much surrendering at this point. He was basically telling him that he'd give him what he wanted.

'Hoo, hoo. You're still just a monkey.'

Everything was going as Kang Oh had planned. He couldn't help but smile. However, he was able to stop himself with great difficulty.

'Calm down! Don't count your chickens before they hatch! This is the moment of truth!'

'Let's try to get as much as I can!'

"Get to the point."

"Money and treasure."

"Money? Are you referring to that shining, yellow metal?"

"Exactly. Humans go crazy over that shining, yellow metal. Valuable items, or treasure, works too."

"Bring all of the shining, yellow metal from the storehouse," Wukong ordered the two Herculean Stone Monkeys.

Sephiro, who'd been watching this all unfold, couldn't keep his mouth shut.

'Wow, take a look at this guy.'

To think he'd trick a raid boss. In a lot of ways, he truly was extraordinary.

'Tch, tch. It's too bad that you encountered Mr. Kang Oh...'

Because Eder had undergone a similar situation with Kang Oh, he seemed to be pitying Wukong.

'Hoo, hoo, hoo. I wonder how much it will be?'

Kang Oh stifled his laughter and waited for the gorillas to bring the money here.