It was hard to believe he had taken down three stags at once.

Satisfied, Seong opened his newly acquired title.

『Hunter』
→《Rare》
→Awarded to users who slay 30 beast-type monsters in a single strike.
→Increases movement speed by 10% when hunting beast-type monsters.
→Increases speed by 5% when pursuing a target.

“Oh!”

This title wasn’t just useful for hunting—it had broader applications.

Even slaying beast-type monsters counted as hunting, and the speed increase while pursuing a target made it all the more valuable.

It was a satisfying addition.

After confirming the effects, Seong closed the title window and looked ahead.

Two massive trees stood like sentinels, partially obscuring the enormous figure beyond.

It seemed he was right at the boss's doorstep.

Though it was tempting to continue, he couldn’t afford to proceed just yet. If he cleared the dungeon, the First Discovery Rewards would vanish.

"I need to butcher the corpses first."

Utilizing the ‘Expert Butcher’ title and his excellent butchering tools, Seong made quick work of the stags. The process felt far smoother and faster than when he used a standard-grade butchering knife.

Dismantling the numerous green stags only took a matter of minutes.

"I hunted more than I thought."

The total came to roughly ten green stags. It wasn’t an overwhelming number, but considering he had taken down twenty rabbits before, it explained why he unlocked a title.

Now, the only thing left was the boss.

Seong turned his gaze toward the distant figure he presumed was the boss. The creature’s massive frame was adorned with golden and black fur that shimmered even from afar.

Its unique patterns made its identity unmistakable.

"Taking it down in one strike might be tough…"

Scratching his cheek in mild frustration, Seong studied the sleeping tiger.

He didn’t dwell on whether he could do it or not. His only option was to try.

With a sharp burst of movement, Seong kicked off the ground, sprinting toward the boss’s lair.

As he crossed into the wide, open clearing, a message appeared.

[The boss of the Field-Type Hidden Dungeon: 『Hunter’s Forest』, the Tiger, awakens.]

So, it was a tiger after all.

Unlike the green stag, the tiger didn’t have any additional descriptors or embellishments.

But its sheer presence made it an undeniable threat. For a beginner village, a tiger was more than sufficient to serve as a formidable boss.

Its size was staggering, far larger than any tiger Seong had ever seen, even at a zoo.

The beast easily stood over twice Seong’s height, its muscular frame exuding raw power.

"This won’t be easy."

Even Seong’s confidence faltered momentarily. Cutting through such a massive frame in one strike seemed impossible.

His instincts, along with the memories of the ghost instructor and Hunter Apik, told him the same.

But he didn’t need to bring it down in one blow.

“ROOAAARRRR!!!”

The tiger let out a deafening roar, and Seong immediately felt his legs falter mid-stride.

[Exposed to the 『Fear』 effect of the boss, the Tiger.]
[Movement speed reduced.]

"It even has a skill like this?"

Seong recalled hearing about how low-frequency roars from tigers could paralyze prey. To see it implemented so effectively here was impressive.

Such effects were usually reserved for dragons in fantasy games or stories, but apparently, even tigers weren’t exempt.

The speed reduction wasn’t debilitating—it just meant his movements were slower.

Seong quickly regained his composure, dodging to the side just as the tiger’s massive paws slammed into the ground where he had stood moments earlier.

Boom!

The ground quaked, sending dust and debris flying. Seong swung his sword through the cloud of dust, slicing it apart to regain visibility.

As the tiger charged again, Seong attempted to sidestep like he had with the stags. But the tiger’s glowing eyes betrayed its cunning.

Noticing Seong’s dodge, the tiger spread its massive paws to grab him. Seong quickly abandoned his attack, lowering his stance and sliding out of reach.

Shrrrk.

The tiger’s sharp reactions were impressive. Even with the speed reduction, Seong felt his movements were adequate—thanks, no doubt, to the ‘Hunter’ title.

"The movement speed boost offsets the Fear effect."

If not for the title, he might have been caught off guard and struck.

Even a single hit would spell disaster.

"I can’t afford to take a direct blow."

The tiger growled low, its piercing eyes locked onto Seong. There was no fear in its gaze—only the calculated focus of a predator.

It wasn’t the look of prey; this was the gaze of a hunter.

Drawing on Hunter Apik’s memories, Seong recalled how to deal with such a beast.

"Stay calm. Wait for the right moment."

"If you rush the attack, you’ll only get eaten."

"Time your strike perfectly."

As these memories resurfaced, so did the techniques of the ghost instructor.

When facing a larger, charging beast, use its momentum against it.

The two sets of memories intertwined, sharpening Seong’s focus. His eyes glinted faintly with a pale turquoise light, the ghostly hue of spectral resolve.

The tiger, sensing the change, hesitated briefly. Its pride wounded, it roared again.

“ROOOAAAARRRR!!!”

The powerful roar reverberated through the clearing, but this time, Seong wasn’t shaken.

Armed with experience and composure, he held his ground, waiting for the perfect opening.

The tiger lunged, its speed overwhelming. But Seong’s refined reactions allowed him to evade its attacks while maintaining distance.

“GRAAAWWRR!!!”

As the tiger charged again, spreading its claws wide, Seong’s glowing eyes narrowed.

"Now!"

Rather than dodging, Seong surged forward, rushing straight at the tiger.

To any observer, it would look like suicide.

But Seong’s eyes gleamed with determination. Reaching the tiger’s massive frame, he slid low, scraping the ground as he ducked beneath its charge, his sword poised.

If his strength alone wasn’t enough, he would borrow the tiger’s own power.

The steel sword, steady in his grip, pierced upward with precision.

SHHK!

The blade drove straight into the tiger’s heart, aided by the combined force of the tiger’s charge and Seong’s calculated strike. Its thick hide and rock-hard muscles were no match for the perfectly executed blow.

[Critical Hit!]
[『One Strike!』 effect activated!]

“Ughhh!”

With the sound of air being forced out of the tiger’s lungs, a critical hit notification flashed across Seong’s view. He immediately released the sword from his grip.

Sliding out from underneath the tiger, Seong watched as the creature fell to the ground, the steel sword still lodged deep within its chest, piercing its heart.

Even though the tiger’s body slackened, Seong remained on guard.

From Hunter Apik’s memories, he knew that many predators faked death to deliver a final, devastating strike.

He waited a moment longer.

Finally, the tiger’s claws retracted, its massive paw collapsing limply to the ground. A notification popped up.

[You have cleared the Field-Type Hidden Dungeon: 『Hunter’s Forest』!]
[First Discovery Rewards will remain active until the boss, the Tiger, is fully butchered!]
[You have defeated the beast-type monster boss in a single strike!]
[Achievement unlocked.]
[Dungeon rewards have been enhanced!]
[You have obtained items: 『Tiger’s Fang』, 『Tiger’s Paw』, and 『Green Stag Breastplate』.]

“Oh?!”

So there were additional rewards beyond butchering the tiger? Even with the enhanced dungeon rewards, Seong hadn’t expected new items to drop.

Apparently, the butchering rewards and the dungeon clear rewards were separate.

Eyes gleaming, Seong decided to postpone butchering the tiger for now and examined his new items.

『Green Stag Breastplate』
→《Rare》
→A breastplate crafted from the antlers and hide of a green stag.
→Stronger and tougher than regular leather armor due to the stag’s durable hide and antlers.
→Increases defense by 8%.

『Tiger’s Paw』
→《Rare+》
→Boots resembling a tiger’s paw.
→It’s unclear if they were truly crafted from a tiger’s paw, but their speed and resilience are undeniable.
→Increases movement speed by 10%.

『Tiger’s Fang』
→《Epic》
→A shortsword resembling a tiger’s fang.
→Far superior in durability and quality compared to standard steel swords.
→Possesses incredible piercing power capable of penetrating most defenses.
→Increases penetration by 10%.

“An epic item?”

Seong had heard that hidden dungeons could be highly rewarding, but this was beyond his expectations.

And that wasn’t all.

When he equipped the items, another notification appeared.

[You are wearing the 『Forest Hunter Set』.]
[Set bonuses have been revealed.]

『Forest Hunter Set (3/4)』
→Increases movement speed by 10%.
→Increases attack speed by 5%.

Having an epic item was already remarkable, but to receive set bonuses on top of that? It was a rare find.

It was a slight disappointment that he only had three out of the four set pieces, but there was no helping that.

This was more than enough.

Satisfied with his rewards, Seong prepared to butcher the tiger. As he approached its body, something caught his eye—a massive boulder resting where the tiger had lain.

Curious, he raised his head.

It wasn’t just a boulder.

The sunlight, filtering through gaps in the canopy, bathed the spot in a radiant glow. Standing there, illuminated by the light, was a statue of Hero Hindel.

Looking skyward, Hindel’s statue exuded an aura of divine majesty, almost impossible to put into words.

“Wow.”

For the first time, it truly sank in that this was the Hero’s Village.

The statue of Hindel—the hero who defeated the Demon King—stood as a testament to his legacy. While the tale was a typical heroic cliché, Seong couldn’t help but admire the craftsmanship and grandeur of the statue.

The hero’s noble visage, as if plucked straight out of a storybook, captivated Seong.

As he gazed up at the statue, a thought crossed his mind.

“They say both the Demon King and the Hero perished here, right?”

If that was true...

“Could the Hero’s spirit still linger here?”

From what he’d learned, ghosts didn’t always wander because of regrets or unresolved grudges. Some simply remained for other reasons, drawn to specific places.

If Hindel’s spirit was present, it wouldn’t be surprising.

“I’ll have to ask Mina about this later.”

Seong made a mental note to consult his sister before resuming his task. He butchered the tiger’s hide and meat, storing them in his inventory, and prepared to leave the dungeon.

Exiting the dungeon, Seong remembered he had a reward to collect from the elderly ghost.

As he approached the entrance of the Foggy Forest, he spotted a familiar spectral figure lingering there.

The ghost of the old man waved enthusiastically when he saw Seong.

“Oh! You’ve returned! Impressive, truly impressive! You finished it so quickly!!!”

It seemed the ghost recognized him immediately.

Seong nodded in acknowledgment.

“Ah, as promised, I’ll show you where our family heirloom is buried!”

The elderly ghost beckoned Seong to follow. Though the fog made navigating the forest tricky, the ghost led him to the location.

“Here! Right here! Dig here, and you’ll find it!”

“Hm.”

Though he had a better butchering knife, Seong used his now-outdated one to dig into the ground. It wasn’t designed for this purpose, so the process was slow and clumsy. Eventually, he uncovered a wooden chest buried beneath the dirt.

"Who buries a family heirloom like this?"

Seong shook his head at the thought but kept his expression neutral.

“Ha-ha-ha! Go on, open it!”

“Thank you. I’ll gladly accept it.”

Assuming it would be something valuable, Seong opened the chest.

Inside, he found a pair of gloves made of green leather—the same color as the Green Stag Breastplate he was wearing.

[You have discovered a hidden item!]
[Title 『Explorer』 acquired.]
[Hidden item 『Green Stag Leather Gloves』 acquired.]
[The 『Forest Hunter Set』 bonus is now fully active.]

“Oh.”

So, the missing piece had been here all along.

Without it, the set would have felt incomplete. Finding it was a relief.