Reinforcements at Chungcheong Hunter Agency
Nam Gyuil and his team members arrived at the Chungcheong Hunter Agency to provide support.
Screeech.
The military bus came to a halt. The doors swung open, and 01 Team, led by Nam Gyuil, stepped out.
Greeted by soldiers upon their arrival at the Chungcheong Hunter Agency, Nam Gyuil felt a twinge of puzzlement.
What’s this? Why are non-awakener enlisted men controlling the site? Where are the other national hunters?
Nam Gyuil eyed the soldiers steadily. A private with a single bar on his rank insignia approached.
“Sir! Are you the group from the Seoul Hunter Agency?”
“Yeah.”
“I’ll escort you to the command center.”
The private led Nam Gyuil’s group to the command center. As they opened the door, a cacophony of noise hit them. Radios crackled nonstop with incoming reports.
Troop deployments. Status checks on national hunters. Confirmation of newly spawned gates.
It was chaotic. Everyone looked like they hadn’t slept in days, dark circles under their eyes. At least one all-nighter, for sure.
Captain Kang, barking orders over the radio, spotted Nam Gyuil’s team and approached.
“From the Seoul Hunter Agency?”
“Sir! 01 Team Leader Nam Gyuil and nine others from Seoul Hunter Agency, reporting for duty.”
“Good, you’ve come a long way. Appreciate it.”
“Captain, is the situation here really that bad? I’ve never seen command this hectic.”
“Seoul gets priority on national hunter reinforcements, but the provinces can’t keep up. Headache.”
“I see.”
Seoul had fewer issues thanks to top priority on deployments, but everywhere else was different. Nam Gyuil pondered quietly.
Even Seoul’s a mess. The provinces must be worse.
Stronger monsters would keep emerging from gates ahead. Could they even respond properly? Things were shaky enough now.
Odds of a national hunter discharging unscathed: under 37%.
Civilians had it rough, but national hunters were in a perpetual war every gate run.
Captain Kang clapped Nam Gyuil on the shoulder.
“Heard about Seoul’s 01 Team. They say you’re exceptional.”
“Thank you, sir.”
“Hahaha, we’re the grateful ones. National hunters with a perfect safety record. Count on you.”
“We won’t let you down.”
Nam Gyuil replied crisply. Captain Kang chuckled tiredly, his face weary, then briefed them in detail.
In summary: Close the newly appeared gate.
Nam Gyuil’s team boarded another military bus headed for the gate site.
Vroom.
The bus sped down empty streets. No people in sight.
Fled to shelters?
Civilians were helpless against monsters spilling from gates. Hence the shelters: thick concrete bunkers stocked with emergency rations. Not five-meter steel like in movies, but solid enough.
Civilians should be safe.
Then, something intriguing caught his eye out the window: military drones. Armed with explosives and guns, buzzing overhead.
Why are those…?
BOOM.
An explosion rocked the air.
“What? What’s happening?!”
Nam Gyuil’s team piled out of the bus in a hurry. They’d reached the gate vicinity.
Rat-tat-tat.
Machine guns blazed around them, muzzles spitting fire, bullets flying. Grenades detonated, shaking the earth with thunderous blasts.
“Hey, ammo here.”
“Got it.”
Soldiers unleashed hell on the Wearbeasts emerging from the gate. Bipedal beasts with human-like arms, covered in leopard-spotted fur. Incredible leapers and sprinters—let one slip, and it was trouble.
So the soldiers didn’t hold back. Claymores boomed too. All firepower converged, mowing down Wearbeasts as they spawned.
Acrid gray smoke from the blasts hung thick. No more Wearbeasts charging out.
“Cease fire.”
Soldiers eased off triggers. Silence fell.
The commander, deeming the fight over, grabbed his radio.
Soldiers exhaled deeply, hands fully off triggers. They’d wiped out the escapees.
Clatter.
Suddenly, a Wearbeast burst from the gate. It vaulted over the piled corpses of its kin like a springboard.
Thud.
It leaped clean over the defensive line, bolting toward the residential area.
“Damn it…”
The commander’s face drained of color mid-report. Civilians were sheltered, but property damage was inevitable.
That instant, Nam Gyuil charged the Wearbeast.
Shing.
He drew the longsword from his back. Sunlight glinted off the long blade.
A flash—slash!
Splurch!!
One strike severed head from body. The corpse tumbled across the ground.
Nam Gyuil landed, flicking blood from his blade.
Soldiers blinked in shock. Without this guy, they’d have lost one.
“Wh-who…”
A private stammered.
Nam Gyuil flashed a faint smile.
“Nam Gyuil, 01 Team Leader from Seoul Hunter Agency. Pleased to meet you.”
A memorable first encounter.
Before entering the gate, Nam Gyuil did a final weapon check. This gate’s monsters: Wearbeasts. A hassle to hunt, but no threat to his team. Armored up, no injury worries.
A soldier who looked like the on-site commander approached—diamond insignia on his rank: fresh lieutenant.
“You…”
“Something wrong, sir?”
“Could we request support right after you close the gate?”
“Support? We’re already here for this gate.”
“Not that…”
He hesitated. Nam Gyuil sensed trouble.
“What’s going on?”
“We found this gate too late.”
“Monsters got out before detection?”
“Yes. Serious mess.”
Gates popped up everywhere. Scouting the whole country daily was impossible—even full national mobilization wouldn’t cut it.
But machines helped: gate detectors. They pinged gates in range.
Problem: accuracy. Misses happened. Not perfect, but necessary in crises.
Nam Gyuil’s face hardened.
“How many escaped?”
“Strategic assets confirm 52. Killed 37, but 15 unaccounted for. Drones sweeping the area.”
“Understood.”
“But we can’t find them. That’s why we need your help.”
Nam Gyuil glanced at his team. Mission: close the gate. Nothing else assigned. Post-closure hunt would drain stamina.
Can’t do both.
Dilemma: seal gate or hunt with soldiers.
He pondered.
Wearbeasts aren’t that dangerous. Armored team can handle.
Han Kangsu could solo the gate. No need for him inside.
So he asked the team.
“I’m helping the soldiers hunt Wearbeasts. Can you close the gate without me?”
Lee Chanu grinned, thumping his chest.
“No worries! We got this.”
“Agreed.”
Hwang Ilsu chimed in. Han Kangsu thumbed himself confidently.
“With me here? Wearbeasts are nothing. I can wipe ’em solo.”
No objections. They knew escaped monsters threatened homes.
Nam Gyuil joined the soldiers; the rest of 01 Team entered the gate.
Nam Gyuil held a strategy meeting with the soldiers. The commander unrolled a map, circling drone search zones.
“The 15 Wearbeasts are inside this circle. They couldn’t have escaped.”
“Couldn’t they slip out unluckily?” Nam Gyuil asked.
“No. Cameras, multiple checks confirm: still inside.”
“Got it.”
Nam Gyuil tilted his head. Search the circle, kill them. Why the holdup?
The commander sighed.
“But we’ve looked everywhere—no sign. They’re in there, but hidden.”
Frustrated tone.
Nam Gyuil mulled it over. People knew Wearbeasts were fast leapers. Habits? Unknown.
New monster, a month old. Research nascent, scant info.
One reliable source.
Recall Akashic Records monster knowledge.
Brainstorming—a flash.
Wearbeasts’ key trait: insatiable hunger. Always hunting prey.
They’d seek fresh meat.
Nam Gyuil checked the map. No marts or butchers in the circle.
Deeper thought: What’s huntable nearby?
No zoos or pet shops…
A chilling hunch prickled his skin.
Goosebumps.
No hunting spots? Wrong. One place in the circle.
Shelter.
The circle overlapped a shelter.
And.
They have one way to sneak in!!