60. Pohang Recapture (3)
With Bahamut's descent, the tide of battle in Pohang had turned completely. No, it wasn't just turned—it had become a one-sided purge by the Balhut Cult.
The Balhut Cult soldiers left at the forward base charged into Pohang without hesitation at Yu-na's command, methodically eliminating the remaining variant zombies. The small fry had already been swept away by Bahamut, leaving the variants without any zombie fodder to bolster their strength. Essentially naked, the variants were now being overwhelmed by human wave tactics in reverse. There were no more disadvantages holding the cult back.
"Then let's join this fight ourselves."
"Eh? Yes, sir?"
Jeong Dong-gun, waiting at Pohang Airport, was no different. Having prepared for battle at Yu-na's order, he snapped Son Sang-hee out of her daze—she was still staring blankly after witnessing Bahamut's strike.
Son Sang-hee looked at him with a face that showed she had no idea what was happening.
"Isn't this the perfect chance to rack up free experience?"
"Ah... you're right."
Calling it the golden opportunity to boost their awakener abilities, Jeong Dong-gun led his subordinates into the city to hunt down the scattered variant zombies.
Bahamut stood imposingly with its back to the enemy base, bestowing powerful buffs one by one on the Balhut Cult members entering Pohang. These were top-tier buffs they'd never tasted before—magic Yu-na could cast too, but not nearly this potent. The blessed soldiers wielded twice or even three times their usual strength.
Feeling invincible like true superhumans, they charged the variant zombies, smashing them in single blows, demonstrating overwhelming power throughout downtown Pohang.
"Purge the remnants hiding in Pohang! Let's reclaim it today!"
"Haha, the boss is fired up! Let's go, everyone!"
Hunting, hunting, hunting the zombie stragglers who'd holed up in Pohang! There was no need to let even needless fights slip by anymore. With the battle now a total rout, they simply eradicated every zombie in sight.
For maximum efficiency, the Balhut Cult divided its 500 soldiers into four-man teams and dispatched them across Pohang. Naturally, Pohang's three major camps detected the movement.
But upon confirming the cult's assault, the three camps offered no resistance. Instead, the closest witness to the Dragon God's advent—the Pohang University campus—responded first.
"We'll fight alongside the Balhut Cult too!"
Ha Jin-woo, leader of the campus, grabbed a megaphone in one hand and shouted his pledge toward Bahamut. It was a desperate cry to join the party and claim a share.
Bahamut seemed to hear it.
"Very well. Then the Dragon's blessing shall be upon you."
With a grave nod to Ha Jin-woo, Bahamut channeled mana from Yu-na to buff him and his awakener camp.
"Uoooooh! Power's surging through me!"
Overwhelmed by the unprecedented might and omnipotence, Ha Jin-woo and the campus awakeners went berserk. They smashed open the sealed gates and charged toward likely zombie hideouts, itching to unleash it on the undead.
Supercharged with courage, they struck from inside in sync with the cult, creating a two-front war for the zombies. Already stripped of their small-fry screens by Bahamut, the variants had no foundation to withstand it.
No matter which side they defended, the other pressed with Bahamut's buffs—unstoppable charges. With the university's entry, the zombies' lines crumbled rapidly.
"Variant spider zombie!"
The spider variants, less provoked by Yu-na's taunt and thus somewhat intact, had been a nightmare for Pohang's survivor camps. Their chitin armor, webs dominating the streets, and flesh-melting venom were threats to resource-strapped survivors.
The armor especially boasted incredible durability—hard to sever without enchantments.
"Hya!"
"Kishaaat!?"
"What the hell? I don't know, but that's scary."
But one survivor fearlessly punched a variant spider zombie. His fist shattered the vaunted chitin, exposing the soft innards beneath. Ironically, the survivor recoiled in greater fear at his own fist's destructive power.
"Anyway, that Dragon's blessing must pack some real punch!"
"This thing's specs are insane!"
Realizing he'd earned the Dragon's grace by pledging to fight with the cult, the survivor chalked it up to that power. It wasn't wrong—the massive buff had spiked his physical stats, letting him pulverize the chitin.
As if repaying years of zombie torment, the campus crew pulled out crude kitchen knives and weapons, beating the spiders to death.
"Kishaaa!"
"Damn acidic... huh?"
Of course, the spiders weren't just armored. They spat venom too. One overexcited, buffed awakener took a faceful by mistake.
As the acid closed in, he braced for death, cursing the spider—
"...?"
—but stood perfectly fine. The venom could've melted asphalt, yet his body was unscathed. Even the spider gawked at him like, What? That's scary.
"What? Why am I still alive?"
He'd resigned to death from his carelessness, but realizing he was untouched—
"This Dragon's blessing is bulletproof!"
"Kieeeek!"
—he bashed the spider's head in with his club.
Two major spider strengths nullified, all that remained was their raw specs—but...
"Whoa, I can arm-wrestle a variant spider now?"
"Kishaat!? Kishaaaak! Kisup!"
"What're you saying?!"
Even that was nullified by strength magic. And with attack-landing protect spells granting massive defense, it was maddening for opponents.
The intelligent spider shrieked as if crying foul—no one listened. Like its kin, it got its horrific head and torso smashed, sent to join its fellows.
"We'll fight with the Balhut Cult too."
The battlefield momentum swung decisively to humanity. The marines, who'd kept cool even after Bahamut's arrival, saw the shift and bellowed their pledge—no way they'd sit out.
Scraping every last drop of fuel, they fired ship cannons at spider clusters near the port, then disgorged marines for a port sweep upon docking. Mobilizing even remaining armored vehicles, it was a do-or-die all-out assault.
"You shall fight alongside me."
At their declaration, Bahamut buffed the navy without hesitation. The marines charged bravely—not a suicidal counter, but a fearless advance into Pohang.
Firing rifles until ammo ran dry, then bayonet-brawling. With Bahamut's grace making them near-invincible, even unawakened marines awakened on the spot.
"Of course we can't miss this party! Hyongsan River Camp joins the fight too."
Naturally, Seo Un-jae’s camp across the river wouldn't sit idle. Having calculated ahead of the navy, he declared alliance around the same time as the university.
Bahamut's blessing descended on them too, and they began purging variants beyond the river.
"Clear all barricades on the bridge! Guide the Balhut Cult smoothly here!"
Not just the river camp. The Yugang Bridge barricades—built for contingencies—swung wide open, welcoming cult troops via Yeongilman-daero.
Thanks to the cleared path and guides, the cult bypassed wrong turns and clashed straight with bridge variants.
"They've all found true faith."
'Not quite.'
Yu-na beamed at the three camps' furious, no-holds-barred assault, assuming they'd grasped the cult's noble purpose.
Bahamut inwardly objected.
"No. Pohang's reclamation is in sight, so they're just bloodlusted. Don't think one battle makes them believers."
"Really?"
It sure looked more like greed for victory than faith. But Yu-na countered Bahamut's cynicism.
"After seeing your overwhelming power, Lord Bahamut, I think they'll all find true faith."
"Ahem."
Bahamut couldn't easily refute her conviction—it was a scene they'd seen plenty in Gyeongju.
'Hmm. Minor side effects? We'll humbly overlook them! That's best!'
Minor side effects could be brushed off with humility. Time would fix it all—or so the complacent dragon thought.
But that naivety would smack him hard later. Oh, what a foolish, ignorant dragon!
"Anyway, does this complete the Pohang recapture?"
"Yes. Aftermath's just coordinating with the three camps."
Either way, with the three forces cooperating to clear internal variants, the operation wrapped up successfully.