Chapter 44
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 44
Chapter Title: I Became the Last of the Giant Clan
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The resounding cry of the wyvern echoed through the air.
Meee-uuu!
Kang Hyuk arrived at the battlefield, mounted atop Black, who had grown to a size rivaling an adult wyvern. He tilted his head in puzzlement.
An unexpected massive barrier blocked his path.
...This isn't a barrier some orc shaman could create. Could it be someone other than the Warlord?
He pondered for a moment, then shook his head.
He hadn't sensed any presence of that magnitude.
...Even if there is, it doesn't matter. Now that I've come this far, there's no turning back.
Putting aside his thoughts, he stood up.
Meee-uuu!
In sync with his movement, the nimble Black wyvern lowered its body.
Kang Hyuk stroked Black's head and spoke.
"Thanks, Black."
Meuu!
"Once this is over, let's go grab something delicious."
Meee-uuu!
With that, he hurled himself into the air.
Shuuuuk!
Fierce air resistance enveloped his body.
But Kang Hyuk ignored it and awakened his power.
Power of the Last Giant Clan activates.
You obtain Giant's Strike.
Power of the Last Giant Clan: 6%
A massive wave of power surged through him simultaneously.
Sensing it, Kang Hyuk pulled back his fist and held his breath.
"Hup!"
The moment he thrust it forward.
Kwaaakwaaakwaaang!!!
With an explosion, the barrier shattered.
The hunters and orcs locked in combat turned in shock.
Their jaws dropped.
"...The barrier broke?"
"A Black Wyvern?"
"More importantly..."
One hunter swallowed dryly.
"What the hell is that?"
With that question, something plummeted into the center of the battlefield.
Kwang!!
The ground shattered.
Debris flew up.
Something stirred amid the rising steam and dust cloud.
Chwiik??
The Knight Orc about to swing its greatsword at Yoon Hee-na tilted its head.
Something had suddenly intruded onto the battlefield.
And it was heading straight for him.
Chwiiik!
Baring its fangs in response.
He didn't know what that thing accompanied by steam and dust was, but it was interfering with his execution of the king's command.
And that alone was reason enough to kill it.
Chwiiiik!
Without warning, it hurled its greatsword.
At the same time, the dust and steam cleared, revealing the intruder's identity.
"What?"
Blurry, but unmistakably human-shaped.
Yoon Hee-na, collapsed before the Knight Orc, gaped.
"D-Danger!"
But her cry didn't fully ring out.
The sound of steel crumpling drowned it out, dominating the battlefield.
"...?"
Yoon Hee-na's mouth fell open as Kang Hyuk, having shattered the Knight Orc's greatsword, drew back his fist.
Power of the Last Giant Clan activates.
You obtain Giant's Body.
Power of the Last Giant Clan: 6%
Just like when he broke the barrier, he smoothly extended it forward.
In that instant.
"...!"
With a massive shockwave, the Knight Orc's head vanished.
The hunters who had paused to watch the anomaly gaped.
And the Warlord instinctively knew.
[I see.]
Then it burst into laughter.
[You!]
Kang Hyuk, who had erased the Knight Orc's head, tilted his head at an angle amid the laughter.
[You're that raider!]
A sinister smile crept across its lips.
Silence descended upon the battlefield.
In that hush, one hunter muttered.
"Kang Hyuk...?"
The murmur quickly spread into whispers.
"Kang Hyuk? That team leader from the Association?"
"The hunter with the S-grade talent?"
"Did he, did he come to help? The S-grade talent?"
"But... I heard he was dispatched on a secret mission. How's he here?"
Soon, it turned into cheers.
"In-insane!"
"Whatever's going on, he killed it!"
"Took down that Knight Orc in one hit!"
The cheers became hope, sweeping the battlefield.
"D-Does that even make sense?"
"Sense or not, he killed it—that's what matters!"
"S-grade talent makes a difference, huh!!"
Amid the spreading hope, HQ Chief Lee Hyun-wook snapped back to reality.
He muttered.
"...H-How did Team Leader Kang get here?"
Despite the distance, Kang Hyuk caught it and replied via the mana communicator.
[I grasped the situation late and headed to the scene. Sorry for the delay, Chief.]
Lee Hyun-wook clamped his mouth shut.
Staring at Kang Hyuk's back, he couldn't hide his bewilderment.
I didn't contact him because his detachment wouldn't make it in time anyway.
This battlefield was in the exact opposite direction from where Kang Hyuk had gone to smash the stele.
That's why Lee Hyun-wook had deliberately withheld the information.
In a situation where he couldn't arrive anyway, I didn't contact him to avoid needless worry. But...
Kang Hyuk had arrived.
At a crucial moment, no less.
Moreover, among all the hunters gathered here, he had one-shot a Knight Orc that no one else could easily handle.
How... How is that possible?
It left him puzzled and flustered.
Both Kang Hyuk's sudden appearance and his instant kill defied common sense.
As his train of thought threatened to freeze, Lee Hyun-wook barely regained his composure.
This isn't the time. Regardless, Team Leader Kang is here, and he saved Team Leader Yoon from a dire situation.
He shook off his thoughts with a mutter just as another anomaly unfolded.
Chwiik? (Raider?)
Chwiiiik! (The human who killed the chieftain ruling the east?)
Chwiiiik! (The human who even smashed an ogre has come?)
The orcs began to howl.
But this cry was different from before—special, infused with fighting spirit and murderous intent.
It wasn't a soprano wail but a deep, heavy chorus of baritones and basses.
As the hunters' eyes widened, the unbelievable happened.
"What?"
Several orcs suddenly started retreating.
Not mere illusion—their front lines were pushed back.
"Wh-Why?"
Kang Hyuk's entrance was shocking enough, but this retreat was utterly inconceivable.
These fearless orcs hesitating and falling back?
But Association hunters who had experienced this before realized the reason and widened their eyes.
N-No way?
The orcs are retreating because of Team Leader Kang?
...Does that even make sense?
As a strange tension filled the battlefield, Kang Hyuk spoke up.
"Are you alright?"
Yoon Hee-na blinked at the words.
Staring at the familiar face, she unconsciously muttered.
"Kang Hyuk?"
"Yes, I've come to support as an Association hunter."
She closed her mouth at his response.
As she stood, grappling with swirling questions, a sharp cry escaped her against her will.
"Ack!"
It was the wound on her abdomen from the Warlord's blow moments ago.
Kang Hyuk's eyes narrowed.
Through her torn combat suit, he glimpsed dark bruises.
Clearly not just simple bruising.
If the skin has darkened that much, the internal organs must have taken the brunt too. Which means...
She could still fight, but not at full strength against the Warlord.
The moment Kang Hyuk turned his head, a bizarre Korean voice invaded his ears.
[So you're the raider.]
A presence unlike ordinary orcs.
[The one who killed my people and my subordinate... It was you all along.]
The orc king, Warlord.
It bared its fangs and spat Korean.
Kang Hyuk muttered.
"An orc that talks?"
[Thanks to you humans.]
Something flashed through Kang Hyuk's mind at the explanation.
[I respect humans. Your weapons and wisdom surpass orc strength. So I decided to devour humans and take them for myself.]
The gruesome scenes captured by NutTuber Lee Ye-min's camera.
[In that sense... raider]
The Warlord slowly curled its lips.
[You're the ultimate prey. Just looking at you makes my heart race.]
Kang Hyuk let out a laugh at the smile.
"Haha..."
But his eyes weren't smiling.
Yoon Hee-na flinched unconsciously at the dissonant expression as Kang Hyuk muttered.
"Team Leader Yoon Hee-na."
"...Yes?"
"Sorry to ask this of you, but could you handle the Knight Orcs?"
Her eyes widened.
"...You're saying you'll take on the Warlord?"
He didn't answer.
Instead, he stepped forward.
"..."
Hunters and orcs alike, forgetting they were in the midst of war, watched him.
Thud!
The Warlord advanced as well.
Several Knight Orcs tried to follow, but a sharp rebuke halted them.
[This one's mine!]
In the end, Kang Hyuk and the Warlord faced off.
Kang Hyuk looked up at the Warlord; the Warlord looked down at Kang Hyuk.
In that subtle height difference, Kang Hyuk moved without warning.
Power of the Last Giant Clan activates.
You obtain Giant's Body.
Power of the Last Giant Clan: 6%
The giant's power activated.
Channeling the surging strength into his fist, he slammed it into the Warlord's abdomen.
Pang!
Air burst with the impact, and the Warlord's massive body twitched.
[Not bad power.]
Baring its teeth ferociously, it laughed and swung its fist down in kind.
Kang Hyuk narrowed his eyes and tilted his head.
Paat!
Though it clearly missed, a small cut appeared on his cheek.
The wind pressure from the swung fist had turned into a sharp blade.
[Kekeke.]
The Warlord sneered at the wound.
Then it lowered its head and muttered.
[Pretty strong, but that's it, human.]
Kang Hyuk's gaze sharpened.