Episode 39 - Hero (2)
White sword aura rained down over the city like a sudden downpour.
The monsters that had been smashing through the city and unilaterally hunting humans began to tear apart without any resistance.
"……."
The hunters all stared blankly at the scene unfolding before their eyes.
They had braced themselves for death just to hold the line, barely managing to block the horde—and now this person was toppling them with such ease.
"…Who is that?"
Gazes converged on Kim Sun-woo, leisurely strolling amid the pouring white streaks like shooting stars, dressed in his training suit.
"It's not a superpower. Martial arts?"
"Looks like a martial artist. I can see those signature martial movements. Was there a master like that still in Gangwon Province?"
"Seems like a B-rank hunter. Whoever it is, we're saved."
"We could ask the guy who came with him…."
One of the hunters glanced back.
He seemed intent on asking Seo In-hyuk, the government official who had arrived piggybacked on Kim Sun-woo's back.
But Seo In-hyuk had long since dashed into the bomb shelter to fetch his family.
And even if not, there was no reason for him to linger on this dangerous defensive line.
Splash!
Kim Sun-woo, having sliced through the monsters approaching the line, lightly swung his Black Flow Sword.
Blood trails from the blade drew long streaks on the ground along its arc.
As everyone inwardly marveled at the painting-like scene,
a hunter stepped forward from the defensive line, leading his troops, and bowed his head.
"Thank you for your efforts. I'm Park Sang-hoon, a C-rank hunter. Would you mind taking command of this defensive line?"
"I'm Kim Sun-woo, a C-rank hunter from Mugung Guild. As for command—please keep handling it, Sang-hoon. I'll focus on holding the front line against the monsters."
Kim Sun-woo was still in training for his team leader position.
With his F-rank experience, commanding others carried too much risk.
Better to leave it to an experienced hunter and move freely himself.
"…You're a C-rank hunter?"
Park Sang-hoon asked in bewilderment.
He hadn't expected the command handover to be refused, nor could he believe this man was the same rank as him.
'That monster is the same C-rank as me?'
Park Sang-hoon quietly looked down at his own hands.
Of course, he was confident he could slaughter monsters overwhelmingly like Kim Sun-woo in D-rank or lower dungeons.
But this was a B-rank dungeon that had overflowed into the city.
Even the common mobs here were strong enough to crush low-rank hunters.
To single-handedly butcher hundreds….
"……."
Kim Sun-woo belatedly glanced back at the path he'd cleared, realizing just how drastically he'd changed.
It wasn't just his internal energy that had grown.
His once vague senses now had clear direction.
He could distinctly discern what to do and how to move.
Was this the effect of the White Sea Pill?
Or the result of his accumulated experience?
Moreover, his internal energy efficiency had improved to an absurd degree.
Before, unleashing major techniques like this in succession would have left him staggering from exhaustion—but now, it consumed less than half the energy.
"How are the other bomb shelters holding up?"
"They're under attack too, so not great. A few have already fallen…."
Park Sang-hoon bit his lip.
Without Kim Sun-woo, they really would have been in danger.
"When's the assault team moving out? I saw the mobilization order come from the provincial office."
"Last contact was 30 minutes ago. They said they'd form the team from the gathered hunters and head straight into dungeon exploration. The problem is multiple dungeons breaking at once. Not enough manpower to handle them all."
To stop a dungeon break, you had to forcibly close the gate, or destroy the dungeon core or boss monster.
No tech existed to close gates yet—only a tiny handful with specific superpowers could do it.
They were all in Seoul, so it'd take time to arrive.
The realistic option was assaulting the dungeon itself, but with monsters overflowing like this, breaching was tough—so they opted to lure and kill the boss outside.
But as Park Sang-hoon said, simultaneous breaks across multiple dungeons created massive issues.
Which to prioritize? And their assault teams were underpowered.
"…Civilian casualties are high. Monsters invaded before evacuations were complete."
"So there are still people left in the city."
"Lots, probably. They all hid the moment monsters appeared."
This shelter was only half full.
Designed for 80% capacity, that meant 30% of the population—thousands—still in the city.
Kim Sun-woo frowned at the graver situation than expected.
"Everyone, hold this place. I'll check inside the city and come back."
"Too dangerous. First wave's manageable, but second or third could isolate you."
"Do you know which dungeon it is?"
As Kim Sun-woo didn't back down, Park Sang-hoon sighed shortly and held out his phone.
"List here. Third one's the one overflowing into the city."
"…Ah, then I'm good."
B-Rank Dungeon: Blazing Hell
Seeing the name on the screen, Kim Sun-woo chuckled softly and turned away.
Park Sang-hoon, naturally, couldn't comprehend his smile.
Even as he reached out to grab him again—
-Kyaaaaaaaaah!!!
A piercing shriek that stabbed their eardrums echoed out.
Park Sang-hoon and the hunters clutched their ears, collapsing in agony.
But to Kim Sun-woo, the familiar cry brought a strange expression.
"R-Red Drakes…!!!"
Regaining his senses, Park Sang-hoon looked up—and spotted massive figures charging from afar.
Dozens of elite monster-grade beasts, each equivalent to a C-rank dungeon boss, barreling toward the shelter in a pack.
'No way we block that!'
A few, maybe they could handle with Kim Sun-woo's help.
But a herd of elite monsters was a walking catastrophe.
As Park Sang-hoon opened his trembling mouth to yell for everyone to flee—
Thud.
Kim Sun-woo gripped his shoulder and spoke calmly.
"Reinforce the defensive line. I'll try to keep the flames from spreading, but if things go south, I leave it to you."
"W-Wait a sec!"
Park Sang-hoon frantically reached out.
Whoosh.
But his form dissolved into smoke, scattering into the darkness.
"…Huh?"
Park Sang-hoon blankly grasped at empty air, staring at his hand—
Swoosh!
Kim Sun-woo kicked off, charging straight at the Red Drake pack swarming the shelter.
-Kyak!
The lead Red Drake spotted him, jaws gaping wide as it condensed crimson hellfire.
Kim Sun-woo instantly leaped onto a car hood, then a streetlamp, soaring high into the air.
—Fwoooooosh!
Scarlet breath scorched across the street.
The city lit up brilliantly for a moment.
Fortunately, Kim Sun-woo's aerial dodge guided the trajectory, minimizing urban damage.
Whoosh.
His afterimage vanished into the breath without a trace.
The real him had kicked mid-air, evading it.
Floating above the city as if time had stopped for him alone, he sharpened his sword tip.
"Last time, they gave me some trouble…."
White Flow Sword Technique, First Form
Flying Thunder Flash
Rumble—!!!
Dazzling white radiance and thunder roared through the city center.
Two Red Drakes struck directly by the falling lightning split from head to toe, cleaved in half.
Thud.
Landing lightly, Kim Sun-woo eyed the surrounding Red Drakes with sharp gaze.
"Not anymore."
Fwaaah!
Vast internal energy surged from his dantian, erupting over the Black Flow Sword into a long sword aura.
Kicking off lightly, he rampaged among the Red Drakes, scattering white sword light.
Splash!
Each swing tore their tough hides and flesh, spraying green fluids.
Severing legs, piercing chests, decapitating necks.
In under a minute, he'd massacred the five nearest Red Drakes. As he raised his head for the next—
—Fwaaah!
A fresh arrival unleashed all its pent-up flames, heedless of kin in the way.
Fwoooooooosh!!!!
Crimson tidal wave flooded the city center.
Everything caught burned to ash.
An ordinary person would die instantly from scorched lungs just inhaling the superheated air.
Flutter.
But Kim Sun-woo, hit dead-on, casually shed his burning training jacket top and emerged unscathed.
"A bit hot, huh?"
He grinned, flashing his slightly reddened hand.
Then resharpened the Black Flow Sword and charged the remaining Red Drakes.
Swoosh!
Blood sprayed with each strike, felling one without fail.
Now striking precisely at throats or legs without waste, ending each in three cuts.
Thud.
How long had he swung in a trance?
Fewer than five Red Drakes remained in the city when—
-Kyaaaaaaaaak!
-Kyaaaaaaaaak!
-Kyaaaaaaaaak!
They halted abruptly, howling skyward.
Preparing a combined breath attack?
Frowning at the sight, Kim Sun-woo stepped forward to finish them—
"……!"
But his eyes widened, forced to look up.
A presence utterly beyond the rest prickled his skin.
The overwhelming pressure felt just like his first encounter with the black knight in the Cradle of the Broken Pilgrim.
Flutter—!
The deep night sky.
A tiny speck grew larger, descending toward the ground.
Unlike the pseudo-dragons Red Drakes, this was a true dragon, exuding the majesty of dragonkin.
—Thud.
The False Fire Dragon landed with wings spread wide.
-Still the same.
Its bright yellow eyes glared down at Kim Sun-woo.
-The one who mercilessly slaughtered my beloved children.