Chapter 41
Chapter 41
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 41
Chapter Title: 2-5. Wave
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Angel domination?
Where could I use this? There were surely all sorts of possibilities, but that was something to mull over later. I could have the dominated ordinary angel form a familiar unit and exert influence over it in various ways. Other options came to mind as well.
Still, this was unprecedented.
Even limited to ordinary angels, it reversed the relationship between angels and humans. Strictly speaking, it wasn't humans dominating angels. It was me, the incarnation of Metatron, dominating them—so in truth, Metatron wielding her authority over the dominion of other angels.
And this would be completely different from dominating monsters. Angels possessed superior intelligence, so once dominated, they couldn't be puppeted around like dolls.
Kiruk? Kiruk?
Lost in thought for a while, I snapped back at the sound of the Helkite.
The dominated Helkite looked innocent and adorable. Yeah, angel domination could wait. For now, I reached out and stroked it.
But just then, Metatron burst out of the studio apartment, fuming. I half-turned my body to hide the Helkite on my arm. Time to surprise her.
"You rat! Yu Je-a! How dare you throw a milk carton at a proper lady like me!"
Looking back, Metatron's nose was a bit red. She waved her hands in protest.
"You rat! You rat!"
"If you wanted to complain, you should've come sooner. Why now?"
At my question, Metatron's momentum faltered for a moment.
"Uh... well..."
She hemmed and hawed awkwardly, then turned her head and replied.
"There were so many kinds of tasty chocolate milk, I had to try each one, so I was late."
Good grief. She must've bought at least five, and drank them all?
This one needed to watch her blood sugar.
"Who bought that chocolate milk for you?"
"Urgh..."
Grilled by me, Metatron had nothing to say and just pouted. I chuckled and turned fully toward her, revealing the Helkite. Metatron jumped in surprise.
"What are you doing? Put it back in the cage quick, before Yongyong flies away!"
"It's fine."
"What?"
"I said it's fine."
"It won't spew fire everywhere?"
"Nope."
The Helkite sat obediently on my arm, occasionally tilting its head like a parrot. Its claws were long, but the leather padding on the sleeves of my night suit protected my forearm just fine. Metatron couldn't hide her amazed expression.
"Yu Je-a, you ultimately succeeded in dominating it? Well done."
"It took some effort. If it'd been you, Metatron, you'd have done it in one go."
"No. I had no intention of even trying, so hypotheticals are meaningless. Ahh! So cute. Mind if I touch it?"
I nodded, and Metatron came over, petting the Helkite with a beaming smile. It shook its head as if annoyed but didn't refuse.
The domination had fully taken hold, putting it in a docile state. From now on, it wouldn't harm its master or those the master favored.
"Make this child grow bigger. Winged creatures naturally want to fly. I have wings, so I know. Keeping it caged all this time was cruel of me."
"Sure."
I raised my arm and tossed the Helkite into the air like a pitch.
It soared up gracefully.
"Yongyong is still the best name, right? You rejected it last time, but cuteness is infinitely close to justice."
"Rejected."
"Rejected again! Do you have some name in mind already? You rat!"
She's really attached to Yongyong, this one.
"I do have one in mind."
"Oh? Well, can't argue then. Name it whatever you want, Yu Je-a. It's yours originally anyway."
Metatron backed off readily.
"So, what's the name?"
"Hye-ryu."
Metatron asked what the hanja meant, then pondered briefly. She smiled softly.
"Nice ring to it, simple meaning, and it suits the little one perfectly. I think names that capture the essence like this are better than overly complicated ones. Not bad at all."
"Thanks."
Hye-ryu didn't mean anything special.
Just the simple idea of "rare species," using rare (稀) and kind/clan (類).
It fit the creature's status as a rare breed, and had a cute sound to it.
Might not work as a human name, but for a beast, it felt classy enough.
***
Spring arrived, and I turned 26.
This spring was special from the start. The wave everyone feared had hit.
Around 40,000 monsters surrounded Noryangjin.
In contrast, the hunters defending it totaled the original 200 plus 500 reinforcements.
The forces were heavily mismatched, but they were holding for now. Thanks to the fortified terrain and the sacred ground's power.
Even with their numbers, the enemy had to carve through parts of the sacred ground to advance, letting us fight them in narrow chokepoints like defenders holding a pass. Still, with 40,000 monsters rotating attacks from all sides, it was exhausting.
"Report, Battalion Commander!"
I sat in the anti-aircraft battalion HQ with officers and NCOs. It felt oddly like playing soldier. Everyone was ex-military, so they acted the part naturally, but none were actual soldiers.
"Go ahead."
"Major aerial monster assault on Manyang-ro 8-gil. Hunters sortied but got isolated instead."
"Tsk tsk. Pathetic. Hunters, my ass. No rescue request?"
"No, sir. None."
I got it, even if I said that. Without anti-air specialists, facing swarms of flying monsters was brutal.
They probably got cocky from recent wins and charged in. Now isolated—hilarious. This wasn't some hunting ground mid-field. It was Metatron's sacred ground.
Too proud to call for help? Our intel said it looked dicey. Hunters were a joke.
"How many?"
"Just under twenty."
"Other hunters?"
"All tied up in combat, no spare capacity. Might be isolated at least two hours."
No choice.
"Anti-air battalion deploys. Prep! We'll roll out the AA guns and blast those arrogant flying bastards!"
"Yes, sir!"
Everyone buzzed with excitement at real combat. No one liked danger, but the battalion had been sidelined like a fifth wheel in past waves.
Chance to shine—they were thrilled. They'd trained hard against flyers. Time to show it.
"Battalion Commander! Mount the command vehicle!"
My lieutenant aide guided me.
"Ahem! Right, let's go."
Clutching my baton, I boarded the light tactical vehicle. Nicknamed the Korean Humvee, this new model got canceled for monster outbreak right before army-wide issue.
The military, cash-strapped, stuck with old Lotuses. Pitiful sight, but after defense scandals, public sympathy was thin.
(Note: Military corruption was ongoing; news staple. Army ran on grunt, NCO, and junior officer sacrifice. Higher-ups worse post-outbreak.)
"Get the unit moving."
From the tac vehicle, I radioed the deputy commander.
"Yes, Battalion Commander!"
Deputy wasn't standard—just for our battalion. He was actual CO; I was nominal head, so we made the post.
He handled peacetime ops.
Even flyers breaching barriers fell to his command. But in full ops, I took over. Key was battalion-hunter coordination.
Vrooom! Rumble!
Infinite tracks whirring, 20 K-30 Biho SPAAGs rolled out. Few more held in reserve.
Backs to the gorgeous sunset, we hit Manyang-ro 8-gil. Noryangjin was big, but drivable spots were quick.
"Spotted isolated hunters ahead!"
Biho's effective range: 3km. But we closed to 500m. Past experience—farther, shells didn't penetrate flyers well. We arrayed Biho evenly. I dismounted, scoped ahead.
A hunter group held with defenses against the swarm. Impressive: summoning concrete-like shields overhead.
Holding, but no counterattack possible. Why no rescue call in that state? Pride pays bills? Hunters baffled me.
Anyway, time to help.
"Combat ready, sir!"
At deputy's report, I ordered.
"You control and repel."
"Got it!"
20 Bihos unleashed on sky targets 500m out.
Rat-tat-tat-tat! Rat-tat-tat! Rat-tat-tat!
Tracers lit up the barrage.
Clustered flyers scattered in panic under 30mm AA fire.
Like sardines fleeing a blue whale. Scoped: hit monsters burst, flesh spraying mid-air.
Screeeee!
Screeeee!
Composite Bihos fired Stinger AA missiles. Explosions turned hits to flaming chunks plummeting.
Rat-tat-tat-tat! Rat-tat-tat!
Biho merciless on locked targets. Few jammed, but onslaught fierce. Surprise worked—flyers lost will, fled sacred ground.
No retaliation; they dispersed. But ~30 charged us: those with 6th-tier+ shields.
Prepared for that.
"Deputy! Deploy it!"
My order launched... fireworks.
Screeeee! Boom!
BOOM!
Dazzling display against sunset. Incoming flyers panicked, scattered.
Old hyena trick: scare off unmatchable flyers with fireworks. Downside: they adapt quick. These fled, but won't next time.
No more solo ops without hunter backup.
"Yaaay!"
Troops cheered the clean sweep. Crisp victory. I ordered deputy to prep withdraw. Then drove to isolated hunters.
Bumpy dirt road-ish path. Hunters still huddled in remnants—no exit. Concrete shield shattered; transparent one left, visible inside.
Frowning, I approached, tapped shield with baton.
"Threat's over. What're you doing?"
Civilians fought brave; these hunter punks...
Should've supported mid-fight, not hid like rats? About to yell—inside was unexpected.
13 male hunters with 2 bound female ones. Two males gagged females by hand.
"What? This?"
Mind blanked in shock. What the...
Weren't they sortieing vs flyers? Looked like kidnapping to escape sacred ground? Then a female bit her gagger's hand, yelled desperately.
"Help!"
"You bitch!"
"Kyaa!"
Female punched aside. I judged instantly.
"Appear!"
One strike sufficed.
BOOM!
Solar God's shield smashed down—tough barrier exploded away.
To stunned hunters, I declared.
"Explain. If you can."