EP7. North Korean Gate
As the protective barrier vanished, the stench of monsters hit them like a wave.
It smelled like beastly musk, or perhaps the moldy rot of an ancient underground chamber.
Even at a glance, there were over a hundred monsters, all swallowing hard as they glared at the humans.
Mixed in among them were large monsters like ogres and trolls.
KRAAARRGH!
The Japanese hunters struck first.
Each one drew a sharp katana and charged straight ahead.
"Advance!"
In response, the Korean hunters on either flank and the support teams in the rear followed behind the Japanese.
The Japanese hunters were strong.
Every swing of their katanas severed monster necks or limbs.
"Hold the defense firm!
Don't let any monsters slip through!"
As the Japanese hunters attacked from the front, the Koreans on either side mopped up every monster that tried to break past.
They couldn't risk any hunters slipping away into the surrounding areas.
Shoooing!
Boom!
But unlike the initial momentum, the Japanese hunters faltered and came to a halt.
It started when the large monsters from the rear joined the fray.
A massive spider-like monster whipped one of its legs like a skewer at a Japanese hunter.
Clang!
Clang!
Each leg was like a sword lined with razor-sharp barbs.
"Damn it!"
The hunter retreated and didn't charge the spider again.
No need to risk his life in Korea for nothing.
Their goal wasn't these puny monsters.
'What the hell are they doing?'
Choi Jae-jun frowned.
The Japanese were only handling the weak small fry, slyly letting the big ones past to the Korean flanks.
"Uwaaagh!
What the hell is this thing!
Everyone, watch out!"
Sizzle!
A B-rank saber tiger snatched a Korean hunter by the throat.
In an instant, its jaws tore through flesh and bone—the hunter didn't even have time to scream before his head was ripped off.
Crunch!
"Shit!"
The situation only worsened.
The Japanese kept killing only the weak ones while pushing forward at top speed.
The Koreans couldn't keep up while dealing with the heavies.
Grind.
Watching from the rear, Jang Gil-san ground his teeth.
'These bastards!
What the hell are they thinking!'
Jang Gil-san hurriedly split his remaining forces.
"Jun-yong and Support Team 1, to the left flank! Dong-su and Support Team 2, to the right—provide backup!"
The hunters moved swiftly at his command.
The rear forces dwindled in moments.
Choi Jae-jun glanced at Jang Gil-san.
He wanted to charge in and cut loose, but he had to conserve his strength until they reached the dungeon interior.
'Whew.'
Someone was watching Jang Gil-san intently.
It was Kurada Shingo.
Splurt!
He sliced off a charging goblin's head and observed the Koreans' movements.
Just as Kurada had planned, the rear forces under Jang Gil-san's command were thinning out.
"Push forward faster!
From now on, dump every monster you can on the Koreans!"
Kurada shouted just loud enough for the Japanese hunters to hear.
Choi Jae-jun scowled at the mounting Korean casualties.
'Should I summon something?'
Releasing Hestia or his familiars here might get them mistaken for monsters and make things chaotic.
'Maybe the stone golem.'
At that moment, the Japanese hunters surged forward again with full force.
They were leaving most of the monsters behind in a reckless advance.
"President, we can't go any deeper. It's too dangerous. We need to proceed slowly."
Choi Jae-jun spoke to Jang Gil-san out of concern.
But Jang Gil-san knew they couldn't stop here.
These monsters were one thing, but if the ones that had wiped out the first and second waves appeared, Koreans alone couldn't handle them.
Japan's hunters had to deal with those.
Korea had no choice but to rely on them.
Jang Gil-san agreed with Choi Jae-jun but couldn't afford to halt.
"Advance!
Match the Japanese hunters' pace!"
No matter the cost, they had to end it this time.
'They're following.'
Kurada Shingo sneered at Jang Gil-san's choice.
'They have no idea they're walking into their own grave.'
Kurada secretly issued orders to the Japanese hunters.
They nodded subtly and slipped into the monster hordes.
Then, hidden from the Koreans, they pulled thin cloaks from their pockets.
Stealth cloaks that masked their presence.
Every Japanese hunter, including Kurada Shingo, donned the cloaks and scattered in all directions.
By the time the trailing Koreans caught up to where the Japanese had been, not a single one remained.
"Wh-what? Where'd the Japanese go?"
"What happened?"
The ogre glanced around where the Japanese had been moments ago, then turned to the new humans.
GRRAAAARGH!
"O-ogre?
Everyone, hold it off!"
"They're coming from behind too!"
The Koreans were surrounded, unable to advance or retreat as monsters swarmed from every side.
Realizing too late, Jang Gil-san squeezed his eyes shut.
'I was a fool.'
He finally understood the Japanese plot.
'They deliberately led us to our deaths!'
―
Park Dae-gi followed the hunters, trying to steady his pounding heart.
The monsters charging and roaring right in front of him only heightened his tension.
Pew!
'Gasp!'
A flying rock fragment grazed his cheek from somewhere.
Blood beaded up and trickled down.
<Reporter Park Dae-gi, are you okay?>
Park Dae-gi calmed himself and replied, clutching his sleeve.
"Y-yes.
I-I'm fine."
Park Dae-gi, a reporter for the Goryeo News, hadn't evacuated with the other press when they moved to safety.
He'd hidden in a prepared spot, slipped into the hunters' ranks when surveillance slacked, all to capture the joint Korea-Japan raid footage firsthand.
When he first pitched the idea to Goryeo TV and Goryeo News, they called him crazy.
But once they saw he was serious, the Goryeo TV director called him in privately and handed over a special recording camera and expensive armor.
The camera embedded in his glasses captured the battle without a hitch.
And that footage was broadcasting live on Goryeo TV.
When the Japanese hunters first engaged the monsters, viewers were shocked by their numbers and grotesque forms.
Especially those who'd never seen a monster before.
"Japanese and Korean hunters are teaming up to take down the monsters!"
The Goryeo TV announcer said, watching Park Dae-gi's feed.
But soon, as the Japanese sped up and left monsters behind, Korean casualties mounted.
"Kwaaaagh!
Help!"
A Korean hunter was grabbed by a massive tree-like monster and decapitated alive.
The monster swung the corpse like a weapon.
Splatter!
Blood from the neck sprayed like a fountain in all directions.
"Ah...!
Th-this!"
The announcer lost her words at the brutality.
The Goryeo TV director jumped at the screen.
'Disciplinary action. Damn it!
Should we cut it?'
But then he saw the ratings and his jaw dropped.
65%?
An unprecedented news viewership record.
The PD's voice crackled over the radio.
"Director, complaints are coming in—should we stop?"
"Screw discipline!
Keep it live!
Don't cut for anything!
Full broadcast!"
No sooner had the director spoken than something odd appeared in the feed.
The Japanese hunters were dodging monsters and pushing ahead.
"Ahh.
Something's off with the Japanese hunters.
Why are they rushing forward like that?"
A panelist beside the announcer spoke up.
"Looks like they're leaving the weak ones behind to focus on the strong ones.
That's the core of the basic strategy, after all."
"...I see."
The announcer's displeased tone lingered as the Koreans pushed forward fiercely too.
But unlike the Japanese, they took heavy losses.
"Healer here!
Someone call a healer!"
Someone shouted, cradling a man whose shoulder and arm had been mauled.
Gruesome scenes too horrific to watch kept pouring in.
Park Dae-gi's trembling gaze was palpable.
"Reporter Park Dae-gi, what's the situation?"
After dodging frantically for a while, Park Dae-gi froze.
"Ahh...
Th-this is bad."
His eyes fixed on one spot.
Where the Japanese hunters had been.
Not a single one remained.
"Th-the Japanese hunters are all gone."
At that moment, monsters charged from every direction.
Park Dae-gi fled a pursuing bat monster like mad.
The camera shook wildly, conveying the urgency.
"P-Park Dae-gi!
Reporter!"
"Huff huff!"
Park Dae-gi tripped on something and hit the ground.
The feed caught bat monsters diving from above and Koreans under attack.
"Reporter Park Dae-gi!
Run!
Now!"
The bat monster flapped down onto him.
Stab!
Its sharp talons pierced his shoulder, pinning him.
KEEEEK!
Dozens of razor teeth gleamed.
Blood and flesh clung between them.
"Ahh..."
Park Dae-gi shut his eyes in despair.
Then—
Snick.
Something flashed white, and the bat froze.
Like a statue.
When no agony came despite waiting, Park Dae-gi cracked his eyes open.
A red line appeared on the bat's neck, and it toppled backward.
"You okay?"
The hand extended to the fallen reporter belonged to Choi Jae-jun.
"Th-the Hero!"
The announcer beyond the camera forgot she was live and leaped up, shouting.
―Author's Note―
Thank you.