Hope in the Crimson Dawn
Today, I really want to stop and rest.
Resting is directly tied to HP management, isn't it?
Even if I get hit from behind or from the front, it won't matter.
I'm so exhausted I could die.
- Kyaaaaak!
It's still dawn outside.
- Kyaaaaaaaak!
"Shit."
I pushed myself out of bed, grabbed the sniper rifle, and slightly opened the window to check outside.
"What the hell is that."
A woman glowing red all over was floating in the air, spreading her dark wings and sucking up blood from every direction.
"......"
I finally woke up.
I pressed my eye against the scope.
***
**Seoul**
- Baaang...
In the heart of the downtown district, traffic jammed for an impossibly long stretch.
"......What the hell is that?"
Right in the middle of the road stood a
"Statue?"
A giant bat-shaped statue placed right in the middle of Seoul's roads.
"Move aside. What's that?"
A driver with a menacing look got out of his car, pushed through the crowd, and approached the statue.
"What the heck is this? Some asshole set that up here."
The moment he reached out to touch the statue,
- **Peuruk...**
The man's internal fluids vanished in an instant, and his body hardened into a shell, collapsing onto the ground.
"Kyaaaaak!"
A sight too horrific to look at directly.
People on the road screamed and ran in every direction.
At the same time, blood flowed in a single stream from the mouth of the bat statue blocking the road.
『Aaaaah...』
The sound pierced every eardrum with razor sharpness.
- **Flutter...**
It had been a statue moments ago, but now it had transformed into a pitch-black bat.
----------------------------
**Field Type** **High-Rank** **Apostle of Blood – Murcielago**
■ Field Boss 'Murcielago' Defeated [0/1]
----------------------------
The Field Gate Warning Message suddenly appeared.
***
Kim Chungyu, upon returning to the management bureau, decided to stay in the emergency command room from now on.
The Cartibes egg had grown a bit more complicated.
'The five apostles have each gone to fulfill their own goals and left their master.'
The analysis was still ongoing, but this part was confirmed.
Then,
"Seoul, field boss appearance!"
The monitoring agent's urgent report arrived at the same time the field boss message appeared before Kim Chungyu's eyes.
'The Apostle of Blood... 100%.'
One of Cartibes' five apostles.
Field-type monsters were rare.
It meant a full failure in a regional gate clearance and the monsters remaining on the ground instead of returning to another world.
There simply weren't many such gates that humanity had failed to clear, and South Korea had no such cases yet.
If a field-type monster appeared in Seoul now, the only connection was Cartibes.
"In the current situation, twelve casualties have occurred."
Even as the report was being taken, the number of casualties continued to climb.
'It has begun.'
When the situation occurred, casualties were already this high.
Cartibes and Necrophilia...
They weren't going to end this easily.
"Combat is currently ongoing with nearby hunters."
Unfortunately, most Highrankers were busy dealing with the erosion.
"Keep them contained as much as possible. I'm sending one first!"
As instructed by Kim Chungyu, real-time control orders were issued to all certified hunters.
Four apostles still remained.
It would definitely happen simultaneously.
'Every single resource is precious.'
South Korea was a hunter powerhouse.
Yet here we were, cornered to this extent.
Thanks to the Cartibes egg, not only the apostles but also the gate flows were in an abnormal state.
We needed power.
Desperately.
...Someone came to mind, but the chest only grew more suffocated.
***
『Still not enough... The master must be offered...』
The crimson bat.
Already clutching two C-class hunters who had died, alternating between feeding and sucking their blood.
"This... shit!"
After that, a B-class hunter swung his blade to the extreme and stabbed Murcielago's back.
- **Chwaaak.**
But Murcielago's tough skin was only lightly cut; it didn't even react, as if it was annoying.
『Not enough... Blood is lacking.』
Repeating "Blood is lacking" and only draining the hunters' corpses.
This time, an A-class hunter who rushed in from nearby charged with a massive warhammer, pouring maximum killing intent.
"Huaap!"
With a destructive force that shook the ground, he brought the warhammer down on Murcielago's head.
- **Kuaaang!**
'Hit!'
An immense roar.
Murcielago's head was crushed to a deep degree.
However,
- **Jeojjeojjeok.**
With the sound of bones aligning and flesh regrowing, Murcielago revived.
"......Unbelievable."
How was this monster made? A sense of pressure that there was no way to deal with it in the future.
At the same time, five magic-class C-class hunters cast Fireballs.
- **Kwaaaang...!**
A massive fireball rose, but it was useless against Murcielago.
『You look quite tasty.』
Eyes fixed on the A-class hunter who had swung the hammer.
She threw the corpses of the shell-like bodies behind her.
- **Duuuung...**
A bat dashed at the A-class hunter swinging the hammer at incomprehensible speed.
'This... is definitely not just [High-Rank]. This is serious.'
An A-class hunter with strong resolve swung the hammer to block.
But the bat's claws gripped the hammer, exerting immense force, and
- **Ddup!**
The other hand grabbed the hunter's torso.
"Kyuuuuuak!"
The hunter's scream of broken ribs echoed through Seoul,
『Excellent.』
As the trembling hunter was watched, Murcielago's fangs were about to taste his body when
- **Seurek!**
Murcielago's hand was severed.
At a speed too fast to see, while the bat lost its grip, the hunter who had fainted from pain collapsed.
- **Chwaak!**
The bat's hand regenerated in an instant.
At the same time,
**Attack Type**
**Baekmaryeon (White Wood Lotus)**
Countless sword energies swept in flower shapes, covering Murcielago's body.
In an instant, the entire body of the bat was covered in sword scars.
"You've had your fill."
As soon as the situation was recognized, Cheon Seunghyeok arrived at a speed that required processing, and he brushed off the blood smeared on his body with a disgusted expression.
At that moment,
- **Chwarararak!**
Murcielago's body, torn into dozens of pieces, rapidly recovered and then turned to look at Cheon Seunghyeok.
It was completely different from the earlier bored reaction.
『A great one has appeared. Even without others' blood, if you have your own blood, the master will be happy.』
"Ah. You must be the statue that was supposed to be on the 'master of blood and such.' I'll send you back home right away."
At Cheon Seunghyeok's words, the bat's skin turned even darker red, and with a twisted expression, it charged toward him.
『Come at me.』
Even though the speed was beyond processing, Cheon Seunghyeok's eyes didn't waver at all.
**Giant Sword**
- **Jjeoreung!**
A sword as huge as a mountain was swung down to split the bat in two.
『Kueuk...!』
This was an unexpected power even for Murcielago,
- **Kuaaak**
He crossed his arms and hardened his skin instantly to block the sword energy.
"Oh. You can do that too. You've become incredibly hard."
Cheon Seunghyeok looked slightly surprised that he had actually blocked it, and he spun his body and kicked with the back of his heel, sending the bat flying into the air.
- **Pweoeoeok!**
The bat floated into the sky, spreading its wings to look down on the city,
"Here."
**Messenger's Proclamation**
Cheon Seunghyeok, who had been standing behind, had already condensed all his red killing intent into a fist and thrust it into the bat's back.
- **Kuaaang!**
『Kueueok...!』
The shockwave shattered the glass windows of nearby buildings, exploding in the Seoul sky.
Murcielago's hardened body cracked everywhere and exploded beyond recognition.
- **Pweoeoeok!**
It shattered.
"......"
He had clearly killed it.
But a feeling of unease lingered in Cheon Seunghyeok.
■ Field Boss 'Murcielago' Defeated [0/1]
'It feels off.'
He thought it was strange.
It was impossible for it to end so easily when he had thrown the sword strike earlier.
But it had clearly disappeared from sight. It had exploded.
'Where did it go?'
- **Kwaeeeaek...**
At that moment,
A single red gem as small as a grain of sand flew rapidly from the shattered body of Murcielago.
- **Pwaaak.**
It flew for a long time and got embedded in a gem somewhere in the downtown district.
『You have more talent than I thought. Your blood... I have to have it.』
With a voice that couldn't be traced,
- **Chwaaaak!**
The blood of nearby citizens was sucked into the gem.
A gem that took down more than ten victims in an instant.
"Kyaaaaak!"
Citizens who witnessed the shocking scene panicked and ran, and at the spot where the gem had been,
Murcielago, who had already revived, was staring at them like snacks.
The terrifying beast-like appearance had vanished,
『......』
A slender woman stood there.
Her entire skin was red.
It was better to think the blood had coagulated into human-shaped lumps.
Two large horns on her head were gradually turning black.
In her forehead, the 'red gem' from earlier was beautifully embedded.
The true appearance of a demon.
『It has been a long time since I saw it in my true form...』
- **Flutter.**
She spread her wings.
Without any separate flapping, Murcielago rose into the air.
In the far distance, a man was approaching at a processing speed.
『Good. The strong kid from before. It's been a long time since I've had good blood. I have to do it properly here too.』
She spread her arms wide,
- **Suuuuwuk...**
She sucked in the blood of nearby humans.
She was replenishing the maximum blood volume before he arrived.
The blood to offer to that person.
The quantity was enough for now,
'I want that blood.'
The other apostles would take more time anyway.
It would be fine to enjoy with that kid and then return.
- **Kueueok...**
- **Kueueueueak...**
Screams and pained groans came from every direction.
The louder the harmony, the larger Murcielago's life force became.
She sucked in the surroundings to an extent beyond necessity.
- **Kugugugugu...**
Even buildings cracked from the excessive suction.
The broken debris and dust rushed toward her.
- **Chaegrang!**
Broken glass windows flew at Murcielago, but everything except the blood was filtered through mana,
and she continued with violent bloodsucking only.
『Haaaaaaa...』
This was it. This was it.
Now she could exert more than her original power.
Her body glowed as if stained red, like a blood-red moon, and dyed the night of this city red.
Especially the red gem in her forehead shone like a star.
『Come at me... It's urgent...』
The guy from earlier was approaching quickly. He would arrive soon.
The excitement that came with the fact that she could enjoy proper fun.
She would play with him for a long time and suck out his hot blood to offer it to that person.
『Worship... The power of death has come...』
So that everyone here could hear,
She revealed the majesty of the one who would descend soon to all.
『Worship... Cartibes...』
At that moment,
『?』
Something was wrong.
A huge aura felt, more than she had ever felt from that person,
overwhelming killing intent.
『What is this...』
Such an aura couldn't exist.
『What?! Who are you! Come out! Now!!!』
〓
▷ [4]
.
.
▶ [3] No way shit...!!!
.
.
▷ [2]
.
.
▷ [1]
〓
- **Pweoeoeoeok!**
Murcielago exploded.
***
**Critical Hit!**
It was an all-time-level focus.
Only rising anger and the desperation of life could make such a precise sniper shot possible.
[You have defeated the field boss 'Murcielago'!]
"Huu..."
Breathing was heavy.
I was genuinely pissed off, to the point that even the tips of my hair were burning.
I had laid down to sleep, but the screams wouldn't stop?
If that's the case, I'm not even mad about that much. My mentality couldn't go any higher to begin with.
I even considered just ignoring it and hiding to sleep.
But the important thing was,
[Warning! Warning!]
[Shelter barrier has reached a dangerous level!]
[Warning! Warning!]
[Shelter barrier has reached a dangerous level!]
That red bitch had damaged my shelter.
When I opened the window, kugugugu... The liquid that looked like blood was being absorbed vigorously from the air while she hovered.
Her suction power damaged buildings in the area and the shelter barrier was decreasing in real time.
"Huuu..."
After killing her, the shelter's barrier slowly recovered.
'I survived.'
I could have collapsed the shelter and turned into one of those blobs of blood with 1 HP.
Peace of mind returned.
Meanwhile, my heart was still racing because that red thing was scary.
At that moment,
[Gate reward experience points are being provided.]
[Experience points for defeating the boss are being provided.]
[Additional experience points as MVP are being provided.]
The gate was cleared.
It seemed this was also a boss.
Either way, clearing the gate was a situation I needed.
Thanks to the hope at level 30.
[Experience points have exceeded the per-gate level-up limit.]
[Level-up is possible up to a maximum of 10 per gate clear.]
[Remaining experience points will be saved for the next gate.]
Along with a notice that the system itself had restrictions,
[LV21 → 31]
Level 31 had been reached.
'......This is fortunate.'
- **Ding!**
['Agent Hiring' is possible.]
['Agent Quarters' must be established.]
Wasn't there a small hope that would help my survival?
***
"!!!"
- **Dullk...!**
Kim Chungyu shot up from his seat.
"......Are you helping?"
Unregistered had come forward himself and killed Cartibes' apostle.
This time too, in one strike.
■ MVP = Unregistered
The system had acknowledged it.
'Can I accept it as fighting together with our South Korea! Unregistered! From now on, I can think that way!'
Kim Chungyu's expression today was the best it had been all day.
A massive hope.
Unregistered's battlefield cooperation meant that to him.
---
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