Chapter 4 - Martial Arts Initiation (3)
“Wave 2 incoming! Get ready!”
“Yes, sir!”
At Park Gwan-sik's command, another horde of monsters surged forward.
Defense Team 3, where Kim Sun-woo served, consisted of eleven F-rank hunters and one E-rank hunter.
The E-rank hunter was, of course, their team leader, Park Gwan-sik, positioned as the second-line tank right behind the front line.
Too many monsters...
Park Gwan-sik furrowed his brow and raised his shield.
They hadn't even fully cleared Wave 1 yet, and Wave 2 was already upon them?
Even if they could handle up to Wave 2, if more monsters piled on, the line could collapse.
It's not like they're all swarming us specifically. Are there just more monsters overall?
The other teams were also locked in bloody battles against monster hordes in their assigned sectors.
That meant the main assault team's situation wasn't looking good either.
Hm?
As Park Gwan-sik scanned the surroundings, checking on his team, he tilted his head at the sight of Kim Sun-woo.
The mistake during Wave 1 had been minor.
Even an F-rank hunter with that much experience should be able to keep themselves alive.
But amid his mechanical movements, Kim Sun-woo kept turning his head toward the main assault team at the center front.
What the hell is he...
Staring at?
Park Gwan-sik was about to yell at him to focus when realization dawned, and he let out a quiet sigh.
Ah, maybe.
Did he have a crush on one of the hunters in the main assault team?
But those were at least D-rank hunters—elite members handpicked by the guild.
Their status, treatment, and pay were worlds apart from F-rank hunters.
Even he, an E-rank team leader, felt daunted by the gap, so it must be even worse for F-rank Kim Sun-woo.
Guess I should buy him a drink after we get out.
This world was far too harsh to bridge rank and social gaps with sheer courage alone.
“...”
Of course, contrary to Park Gwan-sik's assumptions, that wasn't why Kim Sun-woo was watching the assault team.
Good. It's starting to feel familiar now.
Until now, watching the main assault team's fights had only shown him flashes or blinding speed—he couldn't discern the proper movements.
But after forming his Dantian and expelling impurities through energy circulation, their actions came into sharp, vivid focus.
The reason Kim Sun-woo had survived ten years in the hunter world was his exceptional senses and quick learning ability.
What would happen if you handed a lifelong student a gun and sword and threw them into battle?
Nine times out of ten, they'd fail to adapt and get swept away by monsters.
In fact, the average annual mortality rate for new rookie hunters was 30%.
Despite government-led intensive training programs, they couldn't drop it below that.
Rookie deaths usually stemmed not from lack of skill, but from a single moment of inexperience.
Fortunately, Kim Sun-woo had an eye keen enough to mimic what he'd glimpsed over others' shoulders.
At first, it was all desperate, gasping swings of the sword. But as experience built up, he learned more efficient ways to move and kill.
Still, it wasn't true talent.
If it were real talent, he wouldn't have stayed F-rank for a decade.
But now I can see it.
How those with genuine talent moved their bodies, how they fought and felled enemies.
“W-Wave 3 incoming!”
“Damn it all!”
Regardless of Kim Sun-woo's hopeful outlook, the dungeon's situation was deteriorating by the second.
They'd just finished mopping up Wave 1 when a new, churning mass of monsters appeared.
Park Gwan-sik grimaced and bellowed.
“Steel yourselves, everyone! We have to hold the line! If one spot breaks, we all do!”
“Yes, sir!!”
If the line collapsed, chaos would ensue.
The low-rank hunters holding the flanks would die first.
So they gritted their teeth and held firm.
Kaboom!
Wave 3's monster horde barreled in.
Unlike the beast-type monsters of Waves 1 and 2, this was an orc army—and their savage momentum, tearing through their own allies to charge, made the front-line tanks falter.
“Team leader! This isn't holding!”
“Damn it, we're in deep! Hold out—support's coming from the rear!”
The assault force was in a triangular wedge formation.
The protruding vanguard— the main assault team— crushed with overwhelming firepower, while the defense teams at the left and right points pulled the line taut, guarding the flanks and rear.
The center held support and ranged DPS. Park Gwan-sik waited for their aid.
Even orcs can't stand a few big spells...
Crackle. Static.
Noise burst from his in-ear piece.
He tapped the receiver urgently, and a frantic voice came through.
- Park, right flank's broken! Center's shifting firepower right—pull your line back too! Something's wrong with the main assault team!
“Son of a—!”
The right point of the triangle had collapsed.
Why wait until it happened to help or warn them?
But blaming them wouldn't help—their own situation was dire.
As Park Gwan-sik yanked out the noisy in-ear and looked up.
“...W-Wave 4! Team leader, is this for real?!”
The fourth monster wave was charging straight at Team 3.
“We're in it deep.”
Park Gwan-sik bit his lip.
Combining Teams 1, 2, and 3 on the left flank gave fewer than forty hunters.
Mostly F-ranks, with only team leaders at E-rank.
No strategy could hold Waves up to 4—hundreds of monsters—with that force.
“Fall back! Retreat and pull the line! Pass it to the sides!”
“Retreat! Pull out!”
“Retreat! Relay to Teams 1 and 3!”
At Park Gwan-sik's order, the hunters moved fast.
They shook off the facing monsters and kicked off to retreat.
-Kraaaargh!
The Wave 3 orcs didn't miss the gap.
They wedged between the retreating tanks, shoving forward recklessly.
Thud! Thwack!
Maces and spears hacked at orc heads and limbs.
Blood sprayed, flesh tore—but the orcs pressed with numbers, prying open a breach.
Thump. Thump. Thump. Thump.
And charging through it was...
“Orc Warrior?! Damn it, Wave 4's elites already...!”
A bulkier orc than the regulars barreled straight through the tanks.
Its target: an exposed hunter in the midst of thrusting his spear between tanks.
Coming from a blind spot, spotting the orc warrior came too late.
“...Damn!”
“Watch out!”
Park Gwan-sik, supporting from the second line, cursed and lunged.
The first death would snowball into disaster.
Too late...!
But the orc warrior was too fast.
Just as they faced losing a man.
Grab.
A hand yanked the targeted hunter by the collar.
Whoosh!
The rusty axe cleaved empty air.
Kim Sun-woo, saving him by a hair, kicked off the ground and surged forward in his place.
Slash!
A surprise strike exploiting the axe in the dirt.
He'd aimed for the neck, but its dodge turned it into a chest slash.
Even undefended, the thick muscles stopped the blade at under 10cm.
Tough bastard.
Kim Sun-woo scowled, facing off against the orc warrior.
Regular orcs were manageable F-rank prey.
Strong, but slow and dumb—exploiting that made them easy.
But this orc warrior was different.
Park Gwan-sik, an E-rank, might handle it. For F-rank Kim Sun-woo, impossible alone.
He'd need three or four comrades.
-Grrr.
The rusty-armored orc warrior yanked its iron axe free, growling low.
Its chest wound had long healed. Only a trail of blood added a grotesque air.
The others...
The retreat order and Wave 4 had shattered Team 3's fragile line.
Melee everywhere, each hunter surrounded and fighting desperately.
Even reliable Park Gwan-sik was battling another orc warrior.
Grip.
He was on his own.
-Grrr.
Veins writhed on the orc warrior's axe-hand.
As Kim Sun-woo exhaled shortly, sword ready.
Whoosh!
The orc warrior lunged savagely, swinging its iron axe.
Can't block head-on!
Kim Sun-woo kicked back instantly.
It'd cleave sword and body alike.
Even blocking, he'd need to deflect.
Thump. Thump. Thump.
The orc warrior stomped with immense power, accelerating to close in a blink.
Whoosh!
Blade wind darkened his vision.
Instinctively ducking, Kim Sun-woo rolled aside.
Thud!
Escaping ahead of it, he gained distance, then sprang up.
...Can I do this?
He'd observed the main team's moves enough.
Even roughed out how to adapt them.
Now, practice in real combat—but no time for that.
-Grrrar.
The orc warrior dragged its axe, sneering at him.
As if mocking his futile struggles.
“...When I get back, swordsmanship lectures first thing.”
Clenching his teeth, Kim Sun-woo glared briefly, then kicked off in a blitz.
Forward-leaning charge.
The orc warrior met it head-on, as expected.
Whoosh!
The axe swept horizontally in a long arc.
Direct hit: bisected at the waist. Miss: pointless.
Thud!
Kim Sun-woo kicked hard.
The axe's power was vast, but predictable—slow startup let him read the path.
Two options.
High jump or prone dive.
He chose the leap.
Kraaang!
The orc twisted its axe mid-air as Kim Sun-woo evaded overhead.
Redirecting force instantly, it slashed upward at the airborne foe.
Brute strength.
But mistimed, power lacked.
Clang!
Deflecting the rising axe, Kim Sun-woo spun like a top in the air.
Not shedding impact.
Using collision rebound to close distance in a flash.
Stab—!
Sword thrust straight into the orc warrior's throat.
-Grk...
Aimed between bones—luckily clean penetration.
As it flailed its axe, Kim Sun-woo landed and twisted hard.
Splurt!
Throat tore; blood fountained.
The heavy body crashed with a boom. Kim Sun-woo stared in disbelief at his handiwork.