EP7. North Korean Gate
[EP7. North Korean Gate]
It was already a well-known fact that intelligent monsters could speak.
Kurada Shingo looked down at the corpse of the fallen Japanese hunter with pitiful eyes.
To get ambushed by mere monsters.
Tsk.
"Everyone, fall back.
I'll handle that one."
The Japanese hunters quickly cleared space and retreated.
"Are you the strongest here?"
The monster asked Kurada once more, directing its gaze toward him.
Kurada glanced around and smirked.
"Yeah.
I'm the strongest.
Not just here—I'm one of the top hunters in the entire world.
Why? Scared?"
"I see.
I am the Death Knight of the great Satan, seated upon the Throne of Wrath."
The Death Knight hoisted its massive greatsword, aiming it straight at Kurada's neck.
Then it began unleashing tremendous mana from its entire body.
The sheer intensity made Kurada—who had only gauged it superficially—flinch involuntarily.
"I shall offer your body to the Demon King!"
Hmm!
Kurada let out a low groan.
At this level of mana, the Death Knight was either slightly stronger than him or evenly matched.
Now he understood why the Korean hunters had failed to conquer this place time and again.
It was all because of this monster.
As the Death Knight's aura pressed in, the surrounding Japanese hunters drew their katanas and advanced.
But Kurada shook his head at them.
"Stay back—you'll just get in the way!"
Against an enemy with this kind of presence, fighting in a group would only hinder him.
The Japanese hunters bowed their heads and retreated.
"Not bad for a mere monster."
Looks like I'll have to go all out.
Kurada carefully placed his hand on the hilt of his beloved sword, Kiwamasa.
A sharp killing intent radiated from his crouched stance.
The mana within his body began to boil like gunpowder on the verge of explosion.
"Chahat!"
Mana erupted from his toes, propelling his body forward like an arrow.
In that split second, he flicked open the saya and drew Kiwamasa using its momentum.
It was the ultimate technique, the fastest striking art: iaijutsu.
Whoosh!
The Death Knight didn't move until the blade's tip was mere inches from its neck.
But then—
Clang!
Kurada's katana bounced off in midair, sending his body tumbling sideways.
And surprisingly, it was Kurada who ended up with a gash on his face, blood trickling down.
What the—?
The Death Knight still hadn't made any significant moves.
Did its reaction surpass my iaijutsu?
Inconceivable.
"Kiyaooo!"
Kurada held his katana at a slant and charged low like a scorpion, slashing upward.
A powerful aura capable of slicing steel effortlessly poured from the blade.
Clang!
The Death Knight blocked with its greatsword.
Kurada's body slid backward from the force.
A heavy pain throbbed in his wrist with a grinding sound, but he gritted his teeth and swung again.
Clang!
No matter how swiftly he slashed, the Death Knight's oversized greatsword blocked every time.
"Damn it!
Everyone, attack!"
Kurada retreated while shouting.
The Japanese hunters charged at the Death Knight all at once.
Its body began accumulating wounds from the katanas thrusting in from all sides.
But every time the Death Knight swung its greatsword, Japanese hunters collapsed, spilling blood.
While his subordinates bought time up front, Kurada prepared his iaijutsu once more.
A chilling energy like frost on a wintry hillside billowed from the saya.
This time, full power!
Shooo—
At that moment, the greatsword pierced a hunter's chest.
The impaled hunter staggered but gripped the blade tightly with both hands.
"Urgh!
Mr. Kurada!"
Kurada seized the opening and launched himself at the Death Knight.
"Issenryu!
Die!"
His blade, moving too fast to track, became a streak of light hurtling toward the Death Knight's head.
Splurt!
The full-force strike didn't just pierce the Death Knight's skull—it cratered the ground behind it.
Haah!
Kurada's katana shredded the headless corpse repeatedly.
"Kiyaooo!"
The mangled remains scattered across the floor.
Damn it!
How many of my own hunters did we lose to this one monster?!
Kurada ground his teeth.
"Urgh!
Treat the wounded and bury the dead here!"
"Yes, sir!"
Thud!
But before the Japanese hunters could act, they froze in place, bodies trembling.
"N-No way!"
Someone muttered in disbelief.
Kurada swallowed dryly, echoing the sentiment in his mind.
...No way!
There, staring them down, was the Death Knight they had just barely defeated.
Thud!
"Are you the strongest here?"
The Death Knight gazed at Kurada and asked the exact same question as before.
This time, even Kurada had no reply.
—
Unbeknownst to Jae-jun and the Korean hunters, the Japanese hunters' flight had inadvertently helped them.
By drawing the Death Knight's attention, Jae-jun and the Koreans could focus on mopping up the remaining monsters with ease.
"Triple Blast!"
Shooo!
Three fire streams poured onto the monsters, incinerating them.
Kieek!
With Jae-jun and the stone golems pulling aggro, the damage dealers could attack freely.
"Haat!
Slasher!"
Slash!
The monsters were gradually pushed back, all the way to the rear of the dungeon.
Excluding the initial sacrifices, most had survived.
Occasionally, Jae-jun used Archangel's Salvation to heal wounds.
Minor injuries were handled by him, major ones by the healers.
This conserved the healers' mana while saving more lives.
They steadily pushed the monsters back until they reached the giant gate at the rear.
The beasts charged madly, but regaining momentum was impossible now.
"Establish a defensive line here!"
Their goal had always been conquering this giant gate—no need to waste energy exterminating every monster.
Jang Gil-san bellowed the order to the Korean hunters and channeled mana into his staff.
He was about to deploy the Homunculus Staff's Mana Prison again.
Woooong!
The staff absorbed Jang Gil-san's mana and glowed brightly.
Jae-jun said nothing but naturally stepped beside him and placed a hand on the staff.
Woooooong!
The staff emitted an even stronger light, forming a barrier.
Phew!
Jang Gil-san sighed in relief at the lower-than-expected mana cost.
He had braced to collapse, but Jae-jun's mana covered almost everything.
How much mana does he even have?
Even after that intense battle, he output this much.
By Jang Gil-san's standards, Jae-jun's level was immeasurable.
Without Hunter Choi Jae-jun, we wouldn't have made it this far.
Thinking back made him shudder.
The Japanese had come here deliberately to drown the Koreans.
...Hoo.
I won't let them get away with this!
Jang Gil-san swallowed his rising fury and shouted to the group.
"Take a moment to recover stamina, then we start the dungeon assault!"
"Yes, sir!"
Everyone slumped down or checked gear.
The monsters still hammered the opposite side of the barrier.
But it looked unbreakable.
Not a single scratch marred the deep blue shield.
"Where do you think the Japanese bastards ran off to?"
"Probably watching from nearby."
"...Should rip 'em apart."
"We can't let them off easy."
Hwang Dong-su and Kang Jun-yong glared with fiery rage.
Hm?
Jae-jun sensed a powerful presence amid the monsters and turned.
Soon, others felt it too and stared beyond the barrier.
"Kurada Shingo?"
His neatly combed hair was now a wild mess, face bloodied.
He was desperately swinging his sword to survive, racing toward them.
"S-Save me!
Please, save me!"
One arm hung limp, likely broken.
Slash!
Despite his state, monsters couldn't approach—his combat prowess overwhelmed them.
Blocked by the barrier, Kurada kept screaming.
"Let me in!
They're coming!"
Gone was his earlier smug grin.
Terror flickered in his eyes as he kept glancing back.
How'd he end up like that?
What about the other Japanese hunters?
"What should we do?"
Jang Gil-san stared at Kurada.
He wanted to leave him to die, but as Hunter Association President, that would give other nations ammunition against Korea.
Besides, the guy was Japan's top hunter.
Hoo.
Irritation seeped from his tight lips.
"...Unfortunately, we have to save him."
The solid barrier thinned, letting Kurada tumble inside.
Then it solidified again.
"...Hah... hah...
Fucking hell."
Kurada gasped curses while heaving.
Jang Gil-san approached with a displeased expression.
"What happened, Hunter Kurada Shingo?"
"...What happened?"
Kurada shot up and scanned around.
His finger jabbed at one spot.
"Those guys!
They killed all my hunters!"
Beyond his pointing finger stood Death Knights, unnoticed until now, outside the barrier.
Everyone who met their gaze felt chills down their spines.
Black eyes gleamed from within the helmets as one opened its mouth.
"...Who among you is the strongest?"
The Death Knight's gaze fixed on Jae-jun.