Chapter 482: The Gates of Hell and the Gatekeeper (4)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 482: The Gates of Hell and the Gatekeeper (4)
While riding in Yoon Ji-an’s car, Kim Do-jin thought to himself.
‘We don’t have enough people.’
They were severely short on members to form a party to take down Cerberus.
‘Son Si-woo is… out of the question. Han Ju-hee… she won’t be much help in this raid either.’
Han Ju-hee could provide support from the rear as a buffer, but that was it.
They were desperately lacking personnel who could engage in direct combat.
At the very least, S-rank Hunter Namgung Hyeok was still available, but…
‘Namgung-hyung is a borderline case.’
His skills weren't bad.
But judging him coolly, he wasn't strong enough to land a fatal blow on Cerberus.
Even someone like himself couldn't finish off Cerberus in a short amount of time.
He needed one more core dealer who could help him inflict a critical wound.
“Ugh… what should I do…”
Just as Kim Do-jin was racking his brain.
Vrrr—
At an unexpected moment, the Saintess called.
-“I heard. There’s a big problem in Korea.”
“Yes, the disaster from Greece has descended upon us.”
As he answered with a grim expression, she said something profound.
-“There are many things that don’t add up. The Hellgate Dungeon is one that Greece monitors with extreme prejudice, so the fact that it entered a break state is strange, as is its sudden appearance in the Republic of Korea.”
“I thought so too, but…”
He had realized it early on.
That something about this incident was fishy.
“Right now, taking down Cerberus is my priority.”
But the situation wasn't relaxed enough for him to broaden the scope of his thoughts that far.
To put it bluntly, whether this was someone's conspiracy or the beginning of something new, what good would it be to find out if they couldn't stop Cerberus?
-“That’s why I called.”
Her response made Kim Do-jin’s eyes flash open.
“What do you mean… ‘that’s why’?”
-“Do-jin, you’re a member of our Guardians, aren’t you? A comrade’s crisis is our crisis.”
“Don’t tell me…!”
-“I’ll send support for our comrade. As it happens, there are some who wish to go.”
Indeed.
This was the Guardians, after all.
To think there were heroes who would volunteer for the perilous task of facing a boss monster from an EX-rank dungeon.
Deeply moved, he asked.
“Who are they? These gracious people.”
-“The first is Angela. She said she absolutely wants to repay you for your help during the last operation.”
“Cough… and the next?”
-“You’ve probably heard of her. The hero of Greece, Athena.”
“Gasp.”
-“She said she feels sorry for pushing her country’s problem onto you… and that she really wants to help.”
It was shocking in many ways.
To think that even Athena, the so-called hero of Greece, was a member of the Guardians.
Just how powerful was this organization?
Then, a question popped into his head.
“Angela is still in Korea, so I can see how she can help… but how will Athena?”
-“Huhu, we plan to use a very special mode of transportation.”
He didn't know it then.
That the so-called special mode of transportation would be a person.
* * *
“Huff, huff… It’s not so easy at my age, ugh.”
An old gentleman in his middle years, who had appeared alongside Athena, complained as he panted for breath.
“The Saintess is really too much. How long does she plan to work this old body to the bone… Hmph.”
“……”
He had a familiar face.
He’d never met him in person, but he was a world-famous figure.
“Merlin…”
The Merlin family was a historic and renowned name in the Hunter industry, having independently researched spatial magic that operated on a completely different system from the magic widely known to the world.
The man before him was the current head of that family, an S-rank Hunter known as the master of spatial magic.
Richard Merlin.
The special mode of transportation the Saintess had mentioned was him.
He had brought Athena all the way to Korea using ‘Teleportation,’ the most well-known of all spatial magics.
His gaze turned to me.
“Are you the one? The talent our Saintess personally recruited?”
His eyes held a hint of disapproval.
I bowed my head politely and greeted him.
“…I am Kim Do-jin.”
“Hmph.”
What was this?
“Tsk… I heard he was the kid making waves these days, so I wondered how great he was.”
“……”
Why was I getting the vibe of a Korean-style geezer from a random British man?
“This is not the time for that.”
Athena, clad in a golden helmet and armor, holding a sharply honed spear and shield, cut into the conversation.
“Can’t you see the monsters pouring through the open gate?”
Her gaze was filled with reproach.
“Hey… they’re trapped in the space I created anyway, what’s the harm in a little greeting…”
The old geezer grumbled as if he was hurt.
This was my chance.
“Ms. Athena is right. We can exchange greetings anytime, but there’s a time limit to taking care of those things.”
I had a strong feeling.
Athena was definitely higher up in the pecking order than that old geezer.
“Hey, this punk…!”
“Richard!”
“Ugh.”
Having successfully cut off Richard Merlin’s tantrum before it could start, she continued.
“We need to close the gate first.”
“Hmph… and how do you propose we close that massive gate?”
“We’ll see.”
Her vague reply was followed by her gaze shifting to the wounded, snarling Cerberus.
“If it’s the gatekeeper of hell… wouldn’t it know how to close the gate?”
That made sense.
Circumstantially, Cerberus was the one who opened that gate.
Hadn't the gap in the gate widened dramatically as soon as the wounded beast retreated and let out a fierce howl?
Knowing how to open it meant it also knew how to close it.
Pointing the tip of her spear at the beast, she continued.
“If there’s no other way, we’ll just have to shut it by shoving that monster into the gate.”
I could feel the blazing hostility in her eyes.
It was only natural.
That beast was the greatest potential threat to her home country of Greece.
It might be rampaging in Korea for now, but who knew when it might decide to return to its own home?
For her, it was imperative to end the beast’s life right here.
Athena’s gaze turned to me.
“Hunter Kim Do-jin.”
“Yes.”
“That giant sword and arm from before were very impressive.”
“Uh… thank you.”
“Can you prepare that attack one more time?”
“One more time… you mean?”
Her eyes gleamed.
“I will create an opportunity. When I do, use that sword from before to sever the beast’s necks.”
It wouldn't be easy to slice through the thick necks of that massive body, all three of them at once.
But with the ‘Gigantic Sword’ I had just demonstrated, it was possible.
Assuming, of course, that the perfect opportunity was provided.
I answered with confidence.
“If you give me the chance, I’ll cut them down, no question.”
The corner of her mouth twisted up slightly.
It seemed she was pleased with my confident reply.
Her gaze, which had been on me, moved to Richard Merlin, who was still wearing a sulky expression.
“Richard? I’m going to need your help for a moment.”
His face soured as if he’d just eaten shit.
“Ugh… I can’t exactly say no to helping.”
At her call, he stepped forward.
“What do you need me to do?”
“I’m going to break the beast’s posture. When I do, please bind its body.”
“Hmm… if that’s all, I should be able to manage with my remaining mana.”
“Excellent.”
The plan came together in a flash.
“Hunter Han Ju-hee, the same barrier as before. Angela… you know what to do, right?”
“Got it.”
“Of course.”
After quickly finalizing the arrangements, she advanced with Angela at her side.
Watching her from behind, I felt an involuntary shiver run down my spine.
“…This is chilling.”
The Guardians.
It seemed their claim of saving the world from evil was no empty boast.
The members I’d seen so far were enough to give me goosebumps; I could only imagine how much more power they were hiding.
“Ssshhh…”
A dizzying sense of crisis and desire flowed down my spine.
Suppressing it, I focused my mind.
The most important thing in a boss raid was how well each person performed their role.
The mission given to me was simple, yet momentous.
To enjoy the feast someone else has prepared.
The only problem was that the spoon on the table weighed about three tons.
“Still, I have to lift it.”
A Hunter.
That was the most necessary quality for one, especially a dealer.
How well you seize the opportunities you’re given.
「Gigantic Sword.」
I began to carve the sword again.
I created a rough outline, then added finesse to it.
Since I had done it once before, I was able to shape the sword with even greater delicacy.
I paid closer attention to the balance of weight, which had been slightly off before, the sharpness of the blade, and the size of the handle.
“Good.”
At last, the sword was complete.
Then, I brought out the arm that would wield it.
「Gigantic Arm.」
The arm, much more detailed like the sword, gripped the weapon.
Then, I looked at Cerberus.
“Chaat!”
“Hriyaat!”
Angela’s thick mace and Athena’s shield slammed into Cerberus’s legs.
Krrhung…!?
The beast staggered violently.
“Now!”
Athena didn’t stop there.
She thrust her spear at the beast’s remaining leg as it tried desperately to regain its balance.
No, she tried to thrust it.
Kiyaaaaaaak!
A translucent female ghost, a banshee shedding black tears, let out a scream.
And not just one or two, but dozens of them, all at once.
“Ugh…!”
The violent scream shook her eardrums, causing her body to falter.
Behind her, skeleton knights and ghouls charged in.
Did Cerberus’s death pose a great threat to them as well?
I could feel a desperate resolve in their movements.
“Where do you think you’re going!”
Angela blocked the advance of the creatures.
“Guardian of Patience…!”
Brown mana formed a hemisphere, surrounding her and Athena.
Thud!
Thud! Thud!
Kraaaaaa!
The undead howled, pounding on the thick defensive barrier with rusted swords and rotting fists.
In that time, Athena, having regained her balance, imbued her spear with a golden light.
She raised the spear, held in a reverse grip, over her shoulder.
A javelin-throwing stance.
“Haaaaah-!”
With a fierce cry, she powerfully extended her raised arm and threw the spear.
The golden spear flew, dyeing the air gold as it grew in size.
The Spear of Wisdom that opens the way.
The signature technique of the Hunter known as Athena pierced through Cerberus’s leg.
Booooom—!
“……!”
The spear embedded in its leg exploded, splitting the limb in two.
Keng!
The massive body let out a pained shriek and collapsed, losing its balance.
Her gaze shot toward Richard Merlin.
“Now!”
“I know…!”
Richard Merlin, having been handed the opportunity.
Mana began to weave complexly around him.
A movement that was incomprehensible even as I watched it.
The transparent mana, tinged with a slight gray, soon formed a shape.
Spatial magic specialized in two things.
One was movement.
And the other was restraint.
His mana seized the empty space around the fallen Cerberus and solidified its form.
Grrr…!?
The beast was rendered completely immobile.
A signal came from Richard.
“Done!”
From Athena and Angela.
And from Richard to me.
The opportunity had been connected.
“Mmm…”
My chest swelled with emotion.
A chance created by a chain of world-famous figures.
Wasn't this a truly electrifying moment?
“I’d be less than human if I didn’t take this.”
I moved the giant arm connected to my will.
What was needed now was a guillotine to strike down the monster’s neck in a single blow and end its life.
The tip of the sword soared high into the sky.
All that was needed now was pure power and speed.
I added speed to its massive weight and swung the sword down with all my might.
I read the grain.
The fastest, most certain path, polished by hundreds, thousands, millions of swings.
The speed of the sword, set on the correct path, accelerated, becoming immense pressure that crushed the world.
「Giant Sword: Mount Tai Pressing Down.」
The sound of the wind being cut, the heavy noise generated by the giant sword—all of it vanished.
The only sound was that of the beast’s necks being brutally severed and falling away.
Thwack!
Crunch!
Thud—!
The three-headed dog.
Its three heads fell off in succession, and blood gushed forth.
Blood rained down.
I immediately used my mana to block the blood pouring down on the two women, Angela and Athena.
In response, the two of them gave me a slight smile.
“…Haa, this won’t do.”
I made up my mind.
Those two, and everyone else belonging to the Guardians.
“I’ll have to make them mine.”
I would make them my own.