Chapter 107
Chapter 107
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 107
Chapter Title: The Hero of Busan
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"What in the world are those?"
Floating high in the sky, Gwak Ji-hyeok stroked his beard at the sight before him, something he'd never seen in his life.
"Thank you!"
A child, covered head to toe in dirt and dust, bowed as they were set down from the arms of a stone golem.
Many people were already gathered where the child landed, and the golems continued to ferry people to safety.
"Huh? Isn't that Chairman Gwak?"
"Oh! It's Gwak Ji-hyeok!"
"Taebaek is here! We're saved!"
Seeing Gwak Ji-hyeok, the people began to chant his name toward the sky.
To the people of Gyeongsang Province, including Busan, he was nothing short of a guardian deity. Gwak Ji-hyeok waved to the injured people below.
That simple gesture alone was enough to comfort them and help them overcome their fear of the monsters.
"This many monsters... Who came here?"
Gwak Ji-hyeok flew through the sky, looking down at the monster corpses.
Amidst it all, the golems moved tirelessly, digging through the rubble.
Who on earth could have arrived so quickly and possessed the ability to control golems?
No hunter from this area came to Gwak Ji-hyeok's mind.
"Don't know. But thanks to them, I can use my magic without holding back."
Gwak Ji-hyeok began to gather his mana.
He didn't know who it was, but thanks to them rescuing the survivors of the dungeon break, he could unleash a powerful spell.
*Sssshhh-.*
A chill swept around Gwak Ji-hyeok, the air freezing over as dark clouds formed in the sky.
It was already night, but with the moonlight now gone, a pitch-black darkness descended.
"Blizzard."
*Pat-.*
*Patter-!*
Along with the fierce snowstorm, hailstones began to pour down.
These weren't ordinary hailstones; they were sharp, cone-shaped projectiles, like awls, that pierced through the monsters' bodies.
"Kyaaaak!"
"Krararak!"
The spell, Blizzard, which demonstrated terrifying power, was one of the highest-level spells Gwak Ji-hyeok could cast.
Despite his massive, hulking physique, Gwak Ji-hyeok was a magic-type hunter. This earned him the somewhat childish moniker of 'Muscle Mage,' but he was fond of his nickname.
Because, in truth, he possessed enough strength to tear monsters limb from limb.
*Rrrrrip-!*
"Gueeeek!"
Landing on the ground, Gwak Ji-hyeok grabbed an orc by both arms and ripped it in half.
Born a natural strongman, Gwak Ji-hyeok used physical enhancement magic to gain enough power to tear apart something like an orc.
Thus, he wasn't restricted to magic and could engage in direct combat instead of using wide-area spells that might harm the survivors being rescued by the golems.
"Sir Gwak Ji-hyeok… my cousin is in the next village…."
"Don't you worry! I'll be sure to save him!"
A middle-aged woman being carried by a golem spoke, tears streaming down her face. Gwak Ji-hyeok gave her a bright smile, reassuring her.
Never losing his smile, no matter the situation, was Gwak Ji-hyeok's trademark.
That was why people called him a 'hero'.
"Chairman Gwak Ji-hyeok!"
As Gwak Ji-hyeok fought his way through the monsters, a man ran to his side.
It was Park Kang-joo, the Guild Master of Dawn, ranked 12th in the guild standings.
"Oh, you're here? You got here fast."
"What in the world is going on? A sudden dungeon break."
"I don't rightly know myself. Not sure if the Hunter Administration missed it or just couldn't detect it. Either way, it's good to have you here."
"I saw your Taebaek guild members evacuating civilians. My own guild members will be arriving soon as well."
Park Kang-joo was also an A-rank hunter.
With him and his guild members joining the fray, they would be reliable reinforcements.
Gwak Ji-hyeok's bulging forearms tensed as he crushed a goblin's head with his palm.
"By the way, did you see any golems on your way here?"
"I did! What are they? Does Taebaek have a hunter who can tame monsters?"
"No way. So they aren't your guild members either?"
"No. I wonder who it could be...?"
"Freezing!"
*Krrrrk-!*
As Gwak Ji-hyeok cast his spell, the ground beneath the monsters' feet froze over, and Park Kang-joo used the opening to strike down the enemies with his beloved Golden Wave Sword.
***
"Master, how do you think the Vice Guild Master knew to go?"
"I have no idea... It must be one of his abilities."
Young-jin and Jeong Hoon-hyeon were speeding in a car toward the site of the dungeon break.
They had stayed up all night waiting at the pension on Do-jae's orders, but their minds were clearer than ever.
"His abilities are really endless... One moment he's casting magic out of nowhere, the next he's detecting a dungeon break."
Young-jin said, pressing down hard on the accelerator.
There were many cars leaving in the opposite lane, but hardly any were heading in, allowing them to travel quickly.
"But I'm not sure if it's okay for us to go like this without our swords. I know it's urgent, but still."
"The Suppression Corps should have arrived by now, so we can probably borrow some weapons. We sent our people to get our gear, so we just need something temporary. Look, there they are!"
As Jeong Hoon-hyeon spoke with concern, Ji-yoon, who was in the back seat, looked out the window and replied.
Before they knew it, they had reached a barricade where members of the Suppression Corps were blocking the road.
"What's your business here?"
*Zzzzzip-.*
Young-jin rolled down the window and took out his hunter license.
He was about to identify themselves as a guild providing support, when...
"Huh? Team Leader?"
"Huh? Gwang-hoon?"
The man controlling traffic at the entrance.
It was Jeong Gwang-hoon from Chilgok Unit, Team 2, who recognized Young-jin.
"I heard the news, but it's really great to see you here!"
"You too! Wow, what's going on? You guys were dispatched here too?"
"Yes, we were urgently sent down at dawn. Everyone's exhausted."
Jeong Gwang-hoon and Young-jin shook hands, sharing a warm greeting.
The news that Young-jin had become a hunter was already known to all the members of Team 2, so no identification check was necessary.
"How's the new team leader? Is he treating you well?"
"Well, he's not bad. But he's a bit of a cheapskate... I miss the days when you were our team leader, sir."
"Hehe, we should all get together sometime. I'll treat, so gather up the guys."
"Yes, sounds great!"
"Hey, Jeong Gwang-hoon!"
Just then, Ji-yoon rolled down her window and shouted.
Jeong Gwang-hoon recognized Ji-yoon and his face lit up.
"Oh? Ji-yoon? It's been a long time!"
"Yeah, yeah, whatever. Is Team 3 here too?"
"What, not even a hello for me? I'm hurt..."
"Jeez. Are they here or not?"
"They're here! Team 3 was assigned to the eastern blockade, so head that way."
"Okay, thanks!"
*Honk-!*
The car behind Young-jin's honked its horn.
"Gwang-hoon, see you later!"
"Yes, sir! Be careful, Team Leader! They say the monsters crawling around here are even stronger than the ones in Gaeseong."
Young-jin gave Jeong Gwang-hoon a nod and started driving inside.
***
Inside a temporary barracks.
For a makeshift structure, the interior was decently furnished, and four men and women were seated inside.
First was Gwak Ji-hyeok, the Guild Master of Taebaek.
He was shouting furiously.
"682 people are dead. 682 citizens of Busan! We need to hurry up and crush every last one of these damn monsters!"
"It was an unavoidable disaster. Right now, instead of recklessly sending in the suppression team, we need to properly assess the situation inside and approach with caution."
A man with a half-bald head, wiping away the sweat trickling down with a handkerchief, spoke up.
He was Hwang Tae-geun, the deputy director of the Busan Regional Hunter Administration.
"That's right. Suppression Corps members are continuing to gather, but we're still struggling to even establish a containment line. We're also having trouble with survivor rescue. We must sweep the entire dungeon break area and then conduct a thorough investigation."
Another man agreed with Hwang Tae-geun's opinion.
Bang Han-soo, the commander of the 7th Suppression Division in charge of operations in the Gyeongsang Province area, said with his arms crossed.
At that, a woman in large sunglasses slammed her hand on the desk.
*Thwack-.*
"That's why I'm saying our Association and the guilds should at least go in first. This is a waste of time."
Song Jeong-eun, the head of the Hunter Association's External Support Department, said with annoyance.
Having rushed here from Seoul since dawn, her nerves were completely on edge.
"We are currently investigating as quickly as possible, so let's just observe the situation a little longer. There are procedures to follow. If we rush in blindly, the hunters from the Association and the guilds could be put in danger."
"Since when have we hunters ever worried about safety before entering a dungeon? Besides, I'm here, so what's the problem? Are you saying you don't trust us at Taebaek?"
Gwak Ji-hyeok flared up at Hwang Tae-geun's words.
Song Jeong-eun also glared, sneering with a mocking tone.
"That's right. The Hunter Administration couldn't even properly monitor one dungeon, and the Suppression Corps shows up late to the party. Are you kidding me right now?"
"What did you just say?"
"Did I say something wrong? Honestly."
*Snap-.*
Bang Han-soo snapped his command baton in half, his face contorting into a harsh scowl.
The atmosphere instantly turned frigid.
The mana swirling around Bang Han-soo churned, making the skin prickle.
But Song Jeong-eun, looking anything but intimidated, glared daggers at Bang Han-soo from behind her sunglasses.
"Now, now, let's not get angry... Of course, it's not that we don't trust Chairman Gwak Ji-hyeok, but there's always a 'what if.' What if it's like what happened in France..."
Hwang Tae-geun said, constantly wiping away the sweat that was pouring down his face.
As a C-rank awakened, he was breaking out in a cold sweat, feeling a chill from the clash of auras between Bang Han-soo and Song Jeong-eun.
"Are you suggesting I might get them killed?"
This time, it was Gwak Ji-hyeok who growled.
The veins bulging on his forehead showed just how displeased he was.
Just then, a young man threw open the barracks flap and entered.
"What is it?"
"My apologies. A guild master named Jeong Hoon-hyeon has arrived..."
"Who's that? Can't you see we're busy?"
"I called him. Jeong Hoon-hyeon is the guild master of the Guardian Guild."
Song Jeong-eun said, crossing her legs, prompting Bang Han-soo and Hwang Tae-geun to ask in turn.
"Guardian?"
"Guardian... you mean the guild that cleared that rumored double dungeon?"
"That's the one. Let him in."
A moment later, Jeong Hoon-hyeon entered the barracks.
Sensing the unusual tension in the air, he put on his most pleasant smile and spoke.
"Ah... hello?"
"So you're the guild master of Guardian!"
Song Jeong-eun welcomed Jeong Hoon-hyeon.
She had heard about them from Association President Jeong In-gon.
"My name is Jeong Hoon-hyeon. I was told the department head called for me..."
"Yes, that's right. But where is Lee Do-jae? Didn't he come with you?"
"Ah, you mean our Vice Guild Master? He should have already arrived. He rushed here alone last night."
At that moment, Gwak Ji-hyeok's eyes flashed.
And then he asked.
"By any chance, does Guardian's Vice Guild Master know how to command golems?"
"Yes, he does?"
Gwak Ji-hyeok shot up from his seat.
And without another word, he turned and walked out.
"Chairman Gwak Ji-hyeok!"
"Guild Master of Taebaek!"
Hwang Tae-geun and Bang Han-soo called out.
But Gwak Ji-hyeok stormed out of the barracks.
"Hmph, you all can have fun following your precious procedures! Let's go too, Guild Master of Guardian."
With that, Song Jeong-eun also left the barracks.