Chapter 28
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 28
Chapter Title: The Hunter's Spirit (2)
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A week had passed since the hunters, having narrowly escaped total annihilation by the trolls, retreated on Giant Hounds under Kang Sa-hu's command.
The deep-seated fear etched into their hearts from facing the trolls once was more than enough to shatter their will to hunt in the Gate.
But having already entered the Gate, they really only had two choices.
Die to the monsters, or clear the Gate and get out—naturally, no hunter would choose the former.
Of course, they weren't in any shape, mentally or physically, to jump right back into battle, so after finding a safe zone first, they built a fortress atop a cliff, complete with a line of retreat.
Han Si-yeon, who had studied terrain-based tactics, picked the best spot, and under her command, the soldier hunters worked with the others to carve the landscape and stack stones, erecting a pretty solid fortress.
In the meantime, Kang Sa-hu led the key combat personnel from each guild on steady raids to whittle down the trolls' numbers through piecemeal strikes.
Following Han Si-yeon's advice, they didn't charge straight at trolls they spotted but circled wide from the fortress to hit them from unexpected angles, throwing off their formations. Thanks to that, the trolls still hadn't discovered the hunters' fortress.
Plus, since the trolls stuck together to avoid being picked off one by one, it took them a lot of time to scout around, which allowed the hunters to hold out problem-free for a full week.
"It's amazing there's even water in a place like this."
Finishing up her Skill, Hand of Healing, on the last hunter in line, Kang Ji-ye gulped down the water Kim Ho-myeong handed her.
Using Skills drained her focus and mana, so with all the wounds she'd been healing, sweat-soaked strands of hair clung to her forehead like seaweed.
Once she drained the water, Kim Ho-myeong handed her a wet towel to wipe down with.
"Lucky, huh? I hear they haven't found any other water sources besides this one. No idea how the boss tracked it down, but he did us a huge solid."
Kang Ji-ye chuckled at Kim Ho-myeong's praise for her brother.
"Looks like he's still pulling off huge solids even now. Pretty impressive, right? How's he fighting so well without an altar or spirits...?"
Kim Ho-myeong froze at the mention of altars and sacrifices.
"I've been wondering about that... Hey, was the boss, like, a Necromancer even before awakening?"
"Y-Yeah?"
Kang Ji-ye, who had been wiping her face with the damp towel and muttering to herself about how her country was turning into an oil nation from all the grease and sweat grime, jumped in surprise.
"Wh-Wh-Why do you th-think that?"
Kim Ho-myeong smirked at her stammering, sweat beading awkwardly on her face.
"It'd be weirder if you didn't wonder. Think about all the abilities the boss has shown so far. While other hunters rely on one or two Skills, he's pulling off everything like some all-rounder. And Ji-ye, those altar and sacrifice terms you mentioned? Not something hunters talk about. But more than that..."
Kim Ho-myeong fixed Kang Ji-ye with a steady gaze as she sweated bullets.
"You're a Priest class, but you know way too much about Necromancers."
"...Well, it wasn't like we were trying to hide it."
Kang Ji-ye shrugged.
"Yeah, you're right. My brother and I were Necromancers even before awakening. Well, I just got the title, so I'm not a real one or anything."
Kim Ho-myeong held his breath for a moment at her confirmation.
He'd been pretty sure, but hearing her admit it outright hit harder than expected.
"...Then let me ask one more thing. The power he's using now—is that like, how much of his full strength?"
"What, you measuring his battle power? Did you scout me or something?"
Kang Ji-ye cupped her hand to her ear like she was listening to an invisible earpiece, making Kim Ho-myeong burst out laughing.
She laughed along with him, then propped her chin on her hand, pondering how to explain.
Kim Ho-myeong hid a pang of bitterness seeing her weary face now that she'd burned so much mana healing and was lost in thought.
"It's hard to put a number on it, so here's an example. Necromancers aren't really the type to charge around fighting dynamically like my brother is now."
Seeing Kim Ho-myeong listening intently, she continued.
"If I had to compare... It's not a perfect analogy, but you know defense games? That's it—set up an altar in a specific spot, claim your territory, and wipe out enemies from within that zone. That's their real power."
"...Build a base and annihilate them inside it...?"
"Nah, doesn't even have to let them in. Like... you know the boss Buja Wang from that game UWA?"
Bringing up a globally famous game made him nod.
Kang Ji-ye grinned, thrilled at how much easier this was to explain.
"That Buja Wang is pretty much what a Necromancer looks like. Only big difference is he trained martial arts himself to go on rampages. Otherwise, it's the same: claim your space, summon minions inside it, use curses, all that."
"That clicks perfectly."
Kim Ho-myeong felt a chill run down his spine upon grasping Kang Sa-hu's true fighting style from her explanation.
'So the boss is doing all that without being able to use anywhere near his real power?'
And Necromancers' main energy source was spirits, but even without knowing that, it was shocking enough.
"Oh? Looks like bro's back!"
Hearing the murmurs outside, Kang Ji-ye headed out.
The hunters who'd ridden out on Giant Hounds to pick off trolls were dismounting, faces etched with exhaustion.
Out of habit, she quickly scanned for injuries and sighed in relief—everyone was just beat, no blood or wounds.
"Oppa!"
Spotting Kang Sa-hu hopping off his Giant Hound, Kang Ji-ye ran over happily.
Kang Sa-hu eyed her grubby, worn-out face with a touch of bitterness, then comically dropped into a defensive stance, leaving her baffled.
"Never thought I'd see your homebody face out here."
"...Yaaah—!"
Kang Ji-ye launched into a dropkick at full speed from her joyful charge.
It nailed him square in the chest, but Kang Sa-hu, tougher now from awakening and monster hunts, barely felt it.
He caught her as she fell and set her down gently, then brushed the footprint off his clothes.
"You holding up okay?"
He tossed the question casually.
Kang Ji-ye, who was winding up for a follow-up attack, paused.
"...Holding up? Pfft, totally! Hunting party's the one suffering. Me? Just manage my mana, and I'm golden~"
Kang Sa-hu chuckled at her cheery reply and playfully punched her shoulder.
Finishing greetings, he turned to see the reps from each group waiting a short distance away.
"Gonna head to the meeting."
"Okay! See ya."
Kang Sa-hu walked off amid her bright send-off, the reps following like attendants into the command tent they'd set up.
"Shall we start?"
At Kang Sa-hu's word, the reps gave their reports.
First up was the Daehan Guild Master, the Great One, handling fortress defense and daily life.
"Our packed rations are almost gone. We stretched 'em as much as we could, but the next five days will be rough."
After his brief report, Lieutenant Han Si-yeon and Dragon Guild Master Maeng Yu-na—who led one of the split attack teams—followed.
"On this piecemeal raid... we lost two hunters. And during it, we spotted what seems to be this Gate's boss troll."
All eyes turned to her at "boss."
Her face grim from announcing the deaths, she elaborated under their stares.
"From what we saw in combat, regular trolls are 2 to 2.3 meters tall, but this boss one... it's pushing 3.5 meters."
"...A monster."
The acting Guild Master of Cheokgang Guild—the strongest hunter left after their master's death—groaned.
"And it seems smart. Confirmed it's commanding the trolls around it. During our fight, it set up an encirclement from behind."
"Monsters... using tactics...?"
"Yes, definitely looked tactical. Lieutenant Han Si-yeon here, who was with us, agrees."
Han Si-yeon nodded at Maeng Yu-na's words.
"Not your average brute."
Kang Sa-hu quietly sorted the intel from the report, then spoke.
The King Forest Lizard had been D-rank in an F-rank Gate—two grades higher.
If this boss was the same, two grades above this C-rank Gate...
'Could be A-rank.'
Outside, they knew it was B-rank, but unaware, Kang Sa-hu pegged the boss at worst A-rank.
'Hunters alone won't cut it.'
Harsh, but he'd confirmed through battles that most hunters weren't major assets.
Only guild masters, a few elite fighters per guild, and his own team might help against an A-rank boss.
Even with Korea's top three guilds combined, healing Awakeners were so rare there were fewer than ten, including Kang Ji-ye.
'Gotta go all out.'
As Kang Sa-hu pondered, the others silently shivered at the blue-green glow in his eyes.
They'd seen it multiple times when he focused, but it never got old.
He finally spoke.
"Full-on war with the trolls? No chance for us. Better to dig traps around the fortress and hunker down for a siege defense."
The Cheokgang acting master freaked.
"You mean burn our boats and fight to the death?"
"That's one way. Only a limited number can fight anyway. Others could build a new fort and relocate, leaving just the core fighters here. But..."
He swept his eerie, glowing gaze around.
"If those fighters die, the ones who fled to the temp fort are dead for sure."
"......"
No one argued.
The trolls had already sussed their tactics; it was time for new plans.
"Not saying this lightly, of course."
Kang Sa-hu reached into his pocket and gripped the hunters' Soul Cores.
Feeling the massive energy lumps—pure soul power without yin or yang—he quietly quelled the rage rising in his chest.
"Give us enough time to prep, and we can win."
Mysterious words, but with all hunters relying on his steady character and cool judgment, no objections.
Silence fell over the tent.
Until Lee Yu-rim burst in, gasping raggedly.
"B-Boss!"
Lee Yu-rim shouted, sweat streaming down her face.
All eyes on her, she trembled at Kang Sa-hu's face.
"Tr-Trolls... hah... figured it... hah... out!"
Her heaving breaths cut eerily through the air after sprinting full tilt.
She squeezed out the words like a dying scream.
"The trolls! Hah... are coming... hah... here!"