Chapter 168
"Did anything happen?"
It had only been about a day.
However, lately, events big and small were occurring non-stop on Earth.
There was no telling what might happen next.
Moreover, even his instincts were sending signals.
In fact, none of those who had been standing guard could immediately respond with a bright expression to the question.
"Well, that..."
"A Black Gate appeared in the Kyushu region of Japan, and a large-scale subjugation operation is underway."
"What?"
Although various questions arose in his mind, Lee Seong-jun didn't ask any more.
Instead, he took out the smartphone he had kept in his pocket.
'None of those here will have accurate information.'
Since they had been unable to leave their posts while standing guard, there were bound to be gaps in their information.
However, fortunately, he knew someone who could obtain swift and reliable information - Go Tae-hyun.
'Moreover... I probably won't even need to ask directly.'
Japan was the neighboring country.
Although relations with Japan weren't exactly good, given their historical entanglements and Japan's past bullying when Korea was a weaker nation, they couldn't act purely on emotions.
If Japan were to fall, it was clear where the monsters would target next.
The monsters coming down from North Korea were troublesome enough; they didn't want to worry about threats from across the sea as well.
From Korea's standpoint, they had no choice but to help Japan if possible.
'The Association's power alone might be insufficient... They would have had no choice but to request my cooperation.'
His prediction was spot on.
As soon as he turned on his smartphone, a flood of messages from the Hunter Association began pouring in.
As he confirmed the information about the Black Gate among the incoming messages, Lee Seong-jun's eyes narrowed.
"This is...?"
It was a short video showing bizarre creatures with armor-like appearances, horns rising high above their heads, and scenes of them devouring humans as if sucking them in.
However, Lee Seong-jun could immediately discern the identity of these monsters.
He couldn't help but recognize them.
They were a race he had fought against for a long time in the past, on the Thousand Continents.
'Demons.'
A race driven purely by malice had appeared on Earth.
Indeed, the current Earth was in a highly unstable state.
'This won't do.'
Just as Lee Seong-jun, with narrowed eyes, was about to pick up his phone to head to Japan, a call came in from Go Tae-hyun, as if on cue.
"Yes. I've heard the news."
-...I suppose I don't need to explain at length. Can you help Japan?
It was a question that required no deliberation.
If demons acting out of pure malice were allowed to run rampant, the world would fall into great chaos and be engulfed in war.
The peace they had barely maintained would crumble.
It meant that even his life with his family could be destroyed.
"Of course I should help."
-Thank you. We'll send a helicopter to the landing pad at Yongsan The Hill immediately.
Although helicopters weren't slow, considering the preparation time and landing procedures, they would inevitably lag behind.
Even though he hadn't seen it with his own eyes, the brief information he had received was enough to know that the situation was urgent.
If possible, it would be better to save even a little time.
"No need. I'll fly directly to the airport myself. Just have the plane ready for takeoff."
-Understood. I'll go to the airport right away and make sure the plane is ready to take off as soon as you arrive, Hunter Lee Seong-jun.
After quickly coordinating, Lee Seong-jun immediately rushed outside.
* * *
Shimonoseki City, Kanmon Bridge.
On the long-stretching bridge, a battle that could only be described as desperate was taking place.
Bang-! Boom-!
Amidst the continuous explosions, Tendo and the hunters following him, their bodies covered in blood, raised their voices.
"Hold the line!"
"We must not be pushed back!"
Even in the face of the overwhelming army of monsters that kept pouring in, the Japanese hunters didn't retreat a single step.
It was because victory seemed to be within their grasp.
'Finally... Daniel's magic formation is complete.'
No matter how large the army, they wouldn't be able to withstand the magic that Daniel had prepared.
As the Japanese hunters were kindling hope, imagining Daniel's imminent performance, it happened.
"Rain down-!"
The moment Daniel's voice from the rear echoed throughout the area, the magic formation drawn in the air let out a thunderous roar.
Woong-!
Simultaneously, the magical power emanating from the formation created hundreds of fireballs, dropping them onto the monsters.
Bang-! Bang-!
There was nowhere to escape.
The fireballs, literally covering the sky, engulfed the massive army of monsters.
"Hahahahaha!"
As Daniel burst into laughter, watching the monsters disappear amidst the explosions, screams of pain from the monsters erupted from all directions between the falling fireballs.
"Kieeeeek-!"
"Kreuung!"
The monsters, engulfed in the great conflagration, began to retreat hastily with terror-stricken expressions.
Seeing this scene, cheers of joy burst from the mouths of the Japanese hunters.
"We did it."
"The monsters are retreating!"
Although the plan to sink them all at once along with the Kanmon Bridge had been somewhat distorted, they had succeeded in stopping the invasion of the relentlessly advancing monsters.
They had achieved the feat of securing victory against the monsters from the Black Gate.
Even Tendo, the Association President who had been through countless battlefields, let out an exclamation with an emotional expression.
"I can't believe... we actually stopped them."
Finally, as the monsters that had filled the area all disappeared from view, Tendo collapsed on the spot and burst into laughter.
"Hahahahaha!"
Led by Tendo, laughter and exclamations erupted from all around, eventually becoming a massive cheer.
"Waaaaaah-!"
Meanwhile, Daniel, who had flown through the sky, raised his voice in the center of the cheering hunters.
"It was all possible because of me! Without my magic, those monster bastards wouldn't have retreated!"
He shouted so loudly that veins were popping on his neck.
"Unlike the guy who just watched the situation and only faced the boss monster, I drove back all the monsters! I'm more amazing! I won! Hahahahaha!"
Daniel, unable to hide his excitement, burst into laughter.
But then.
Swish.
The sound of wind being split was heard.
Simultaneously, the massive magic formation that had been etched in the air was torn apart.
Rip-!
'...?!'
It was only then that Daniel could see it.
A being with black wings like a bat, a named monster called Arabis, was tearing apart the magic formation he had constructed in the air.
'Good heavens...!'
Daniel's eyes widened.
This was because Arabis, who had suddenly appeared, was tearing apart the magic formation with bare hands.
Daniel blinked several times, unable to accept the reality unfolding before his eyes.
'Tearing apart a magic formation with bare hands... Is that even possible?'
It was unthinkable.
The formation he had just constructed in the air contained such vast power that it could rightfully be called a grand magic formation.
It shouldn't have been possible for it to be destroyed by a single strike, let alone bare hands.
The protective magic surrounding the formation alone consisted of dozens of layers.
Yet the Arabis before his eyes tore apart the magic formation with a single hand gesture.
Rip-!
'What kind of impossible power is this...'
With the sound of something tearing, the magic formation that had filled the sky finally dissipated into remnants of mana scattered by the wind.
Beyond the scattering blue mana, Arabis, with an indifferent expression, turned his head and met Daniel's gaze.
"So this is indeed a named monster from the Black Gate..."
Although it was somewhat unexpected, it wasn't to the extent that he couldn't handle it.
'I had already calculated for the appearance of a named monster.'
He had known about the existence of a commander, a boss monster, for a while, so it was impossible that he hadn't prepared for it.
"I thought you'd move carefully since you have intelligence, but you've walked right into your own grave! You fool!"
Daniel sneered and stretched out his hand, causing dozens of magic formations set up nearby to start emitting light.
"I'll turn you into dust-!"
Daniel, uttering words full of confidence, was about to activate his skill by stretching out his hand.
However, suddenly his body wouldn't move as he wished.
'Why on earth...?'
He could easily guess the reason.
His five senses - sight, hearing, smell, taste, and touch - were strangely tangled.
No, it wasn't just the five senses.
Even the mana overflowing in his body wouldn't move as he wished.
'Why...?!'
As questions arose in Daniel's mind, Arabis, with a sinister smile, moved.
Swish-
In an instant, Arabis closed the distance and immediately lifted Daniel by the neck, rising into the air.
"Gaaack...!"
Daniel's face turned deathly pale as his breath was gradually choked off in Arabis's grasp.
But the moment of pain didn't last long.
This was because Arabis, opening his maw hidden behind his armor, swallowed Daniel's head whole.
Crunch-
It was the moment when Daniel's body, now in an unsightly state, hit the ground.
"Kraaaaaaah-!"
The moment a great roar burst from Arabis's mouth, as if they had been waiting for this, the army of monsters that had retreated began to surge forward again.
* * *
Originally, death was bound to be futile.
It could be worthless, and sometimes leave no impression on anyone.
Daniel's death was like that too.
He met his end without even leaving behind a scream or last words.
Perhaps because it was so futile?
Even though they had clearly witnessed it with their own eyes, the Japanese hunters couldn't feel the reality of it.
Or rather, it would be more accurate to say they couldn't accept it because they didn't want to believe it.
"No, it can't be."
"Daniel...!"
Daniel, who had been their last hope, was dead.
As the Japanese hunters were falling into despair, two more figures appeared behind Arabis - Berit and Asmonea.
They didn't exude the same overwhelming presence as Arabis.
In fact, the power they wielded was far inferior to Arabis's.
However, it was still beyond what ordinary hunters, who weren't Guardians, could handle.
Moreover, with morale at rock bottom due to Daniel's death, the situation was dire.
The Japanese hunters, their spirits broken, couldn't even display half of their usual abilities and became prey for the demon horde led by Berit and Asmonea.
It could no longer be called a war.
It was a one-sided massacre.
Although they had secured an overwhelming victory that could hardly be described as merely dominating, Berit and Asmonea didn't express joy.
They just bowed their heads before Arabis, their faces pale and bodies trembling.