Hellhound Ambush
<Hero Side, Gangnam.>
"Monster reaction 600 meters ahead. Hellhounds."
"B-rank monsters? How many?"
"A little over 20. Estimated 24. All B-rank. No superiors."
Usa bit his lip. The Hellhounds blocking the mountain path right in the middle of the planned route were a pain to deal with if they wanted to push through cleanly.
"Can't we just force through?"
Shin Jin-gwang asked Usa first. He already knew well the danger of a B-rank monster pack.
"To catch them without injuries, it'll take 30 minutes. Send Snow Flower Princess and it'll be done in one."
"No. S-ranks deploy at City Hall. Damn it. Of all places, they nested there."
Shin Jin-gwang quickly redrew the route with his baton. A detour further east.
"B-Team, move via this route."
Usa grasped the updated path. Further east, then north toward Arts Center. It would take more time, but better than clashing directly with monsters.
"Too bad. They looked perfect for dog meat soup."
Pungbaek smacked his lips and swung his stick. Usa's head spun at the old man's vigorous extremism.
"You're the only one who'd make dog meat soup out of Hellhounds, old timer."
"Bad idea? Remove the toxins and they're tastier than regular dog or pig. You know that too, right?!"
"Right on!"
"Kehahaha!"
"Thought you'd finally get some tonic after ages, but oh well."
The other heroes nodded and chuckled heartily at Pungbaek's words. Usa's head throbbed at B-Team's vibe—average age easily over 40.
This isn't some damn package tour.
If trot music blared from someone's smartwatch, they'd probably break into a dance session. Usa steadied himself and radioed HQ.
"...B-Team, moving via designated route."
<Cheonghwa-dan, Main Base.>
"East team is detouring. Shall we start?"
"Yes. Hellhounds...."
I issued commands to the Hellhounds via the mini-Phoenix assigned to Gangnam Team 1.
"Charge to Gangnam. Execute."
Kyaaang!!
The Hellhounds bolted northeast. Leaping bushes, jumping cliffs—they ran like mad.
"One-third stay in residential areas and raid buildings. If any villains are there, kill freely."
"What?!"
Ga-eul's voice trembled. I continued my merciless orders.
"The rest head straight to Gangnam. Slaughter any fleeing villains you see."
"Wait! Even so, killing people is—"
"Villains aren't people. They're trash. Who knows what those nasty bastards might do next."
Escaped villains from Seoul could touch my heroines out of sight. Gotta nip the danger in the bud.
"...Still, no need to kill."
Ga-eul clenched her fists, glaring at me. Ji-hwa fidgeted, glancing between us.
"Aren't you a villain? What if someone tries to kill you?!"
"I'd die. If they can beat me."
I shrugged.
"Snow Flower Princess, Light Sword, or even Fire Fist Lee Seung-hyung who likes you... If they beat me by force, I'd die. But I won't lose. Ever."
I smiled sincerely.
"I don't wanna die."
"Anomaly in Hellhound pack! Moving north rapidly!"
Shin Jin-gwang checked the map at the operator's report.
"Why are the stationary ones moving?!"
"D-don't know! Direction north-northeast, toward Gangnam!"
Shin Jin-gwang slammed his baton down hard. B-rank monsters rampaging in Gangnam would cause massive property damage. Even reclaiming Seoul wouldn't help if it was ruined—his record would tank.
My buildings!
And above all, the real estate he'd abandoned fleeing Seoul—mostly Gangnam high-rises.
"Block them! Tell B-Team to intercept now!"
"Y-yes!"
The B-Team operator swiftly relayed the order. Then, urgent alarms blared through HQ.
Shin Jin-gwang snapped irritably.
"What now!!"
The scene Unsa sent showed Hellhounds swarming the perimeter, attacking heroes under the bridge.
"Ah, that's called burrowing."
"Just hiding and popping out—big deal?"
"Tch."
<11:40 AM, Siheung Interchange.>
The Hellhound pack burst from all sides. "Erupted from the ground" was more accurate. The moment heroes entered under the interchange road, nearby crossroads flipped as Hellhounds surged out.
"Circle up!"
At Unsa's sharp order, melee heroes formed a ring. Ranged ones rushed inside.
"Graaak!"
A rear hero who'd zoned out got his nape snatched by a Hellhound. The C-rank man tumbled from the surprise attack.
"Kuh!"
Tempest Lady whipped up wind. A mana gust swept between heroes, slamming the Hellhound.
Kikik.
Tempest Lady locked eyes with the Hellhound—it'd snagged the hero's nape gear and seemed to smirk.
No one noticed?
Siheung Interchange. Heroes barreled straight along the commander's route. The moment they ducked under the bridge, monsters erupted like they'd waited.
No monster presence detected at all?
Kyaaak!
Two Hellhounds flanked, blocking ahead and spewing flames. Her hasty wind blast glanced off, scorching empty road.
"No! Gi-seong-ah!"
One hero shut his eyes instinctively at the impending horror. C-rank hero Lee Gi-seong was about to be torn apart—
Krrrng.
"...!!"
The Hellhound with Gi-seong bolted sideways. Circling the ringed heroes under the bridge, it fled north toward Guro with the fainted man in its jaws.
"?!"
Not fleeing. Hiding prey in its nest.
Unsa thrust her spear. The tip pierced the lunging Hellhound's throat, claws raised.
Guruk, guruk.
Clouds from the speartip devoured its throat. The writhing Hellhound set its own neck ablaze and leaped back.
"...!!"
Unsa retracted her spear, scanning rapidly. Alert after Gi-seong's abduction, but Hellhounds cleverly herded heroes, eager to bite.
"Uwaaak!"
One hero loosed an arrow wildly. Mana-charged iron shaft grazed a hero's face, aiming for Hellhound eyes.
Kwajik!
The Hellhound tilted its head, catching it in its maw. Heroes gaped at the frisbee-snatch trick.
"Th-this!"
The archer hero nocked again. Hellhound snapped the shaft and sidestepped.
"Hey! Wrong target!"
Friendly fire. Hellhounds maneuvered so ranged lines hit melee heroes outside the ring.
Unsa's instinct kicked in.
There's a commanding superior.
Hellhounds charged again.
"Haat!"
Cotton clouds bloomed from her spear, encircling the ring. Mana-drained, Unsa yelled.
"There's a leader! They're commanded monsters!"
"Hellhound boss is Cerberus! Why here?!"
Cheongsong stabbed a cloud-eaten Hellhound's forehead. It convulsed, blue blood spilling, then devoured whole.
"Can't hold like this."
Hellhounds warily eyed clouds, not charging recklessly. At least 40 visible.
Unsa tapped her watch.
Watch footage streamed to HQ. Clouds dispersed like smoke.
Kyaaang!!
Hellhounds charged from all sides. Unsa bit her lip.
"Too many! Suppression will take time!"
Shin Jin-gwang's panicked voice crackled from the watch. Kkaeng! Unsa bashed a charging Hellhound's head with her spear shaft. Mana bullets riddled the tumbling body, killing it.
"B-Team ambushed too?"
Unsa clicked her tongue.
"Commander! Enemy monsters aren't mere beasts! There's a boss commanding the Hellhounds!"
Kyaaak!! Hellhound roar bared fangs, echoing through the watch to HQ. Unsa flicked her spear, spreading clouds. Greed Cloud snagged its nape.
Kwaduk, kwaduduk!
"Ha, Hellhounds don't pack like this! They don't burrow. Definitely a superior controlling them somewhere!"
Rare even in Europe, these Hellhounds hid underground in central Seoul, ambushed in unison, then charged Gangnam. Someone's orders.
Unsa pictured the likeliest: A-rank superior to Hellhounds, Hell's three-headed hound—Cerberus.
"That mutt in Seoul?!"
Cheongsong slashed a Hellhound's throat. No word of an A-rank, let alone Cerberus, in Seoul.
"Must've snuck in post-gate! Damn, water attribute! Any water mages among magic users?!"
Unsa scanned the team—no replies.
"No other Water Greed Cloud besides you!"
Cheongsong parried Hellhound claws. A nearby Pine Tree Unit swung an axe, but the blocked Hellhound leaped back, dodging.
"Kuh!"
Unsa surged mana. Greed Cloud, moisture-laden and drooling, bit into the Hellhound.
Kyaaaaak!!
It died in agony worse than ever.
"Ugh!"
Unsa reeled, dizzy.
"Team leader!"
Tempest Lady rushed to support her. Mana drain caused sudden weakness.
"I'm fine! More importantly!"
Hellhounds pulled back far. Heroes held well, but they eyed Unsa warily, especially cautious of her.
"HQ!"
Unsa tapped her watch, marking zones on the map screen and shouting.
"Request mana scan on these points! Need to catch the commanding A-rank superior!"
Points linked from Siheung IC—including Guro Digital Complex.
"As expected, dual wind-water attributes. Born to counter fire with water."
Unsa—Park Ra-on. One of protagonist's early trio companions, dual wind-water holder. In original, she joined post-D-rank rehab after injury, but unscathed now, she's hale in Three Evils.
Her A-rank senses pinpointed the hidden Hellhounds. Scan rendered burrowing moot.
"Dangerous, right? Unsa marked your spot."
"Probably. They'll all get exposed anyway, so release them fully. Head to final destination."
"Ordering now."
At Beacon's command, subordinates scattered nationwide loosed Hellhound leashes. Monsters ignored Cheonghwa-dan members, racing to target.
"Okay?"
"What if heroes slip another route...."
"No issue. Whatever, strongest mana reaction leads to Guro."
Scan over area showed one spot with densest mana: Cheonghwa-dan's trap.
"Deok-bae-ssi, time to rise. Sleeping?"
"Wasn't sleeping."