Chapter 483: Ant Cave (4)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 483: Ant Cave (4)
Park Gi-tae spearheaded the subjugation force.
Having traversed this path once before, he forged ahead without a shred of hesitation.
"This is the entrance to the Ant Cave. The passage narrows from here on out, so we should organize a dedicated vanguard."
"Directly Controlled Unit, take the lead."
"Understood."
Their movements were perfectly coordinated.
Park Gi-tae and the Directly Controlled Unit entered the Ant Cave first, and despite being an ordinary human, Kim Jun-hyeok marched right alongside them. This was a familiar sight to the people of Incheon. While most ordinary human commanders merely barked orders from a safe distance, the Mayor of Incheon always remained on the front lines, no matter how fierce the battlefield.
They moved quickly.
Every second counted.
Although the others were certain of Roman Dmitry and Kang Min-ho's deaths, Kim Jun-hyeok refused to rule out any possibility.
If they are still alive, any time wasted here directly threatens their lives.
How far had they traveled?
Suddenly, movement stirred in the darkness ahead.
"Prepare for battle!"
"Everyone, draw your weapons!" Lee Tae-seong shouted.
Park Gi-tae fell back, and a moment later, a swarm of ants erupted from the shadows.
Kieee!
Kieeeeee!
Dismay washed over the hunters' faces.
At a glance, the swarm easily numbered in the hundreds, pouring out endlessly from the pitch-black depths ahead. This was their worst-case scenario. In such a confined space, they couldn't unleash their full firepower, and the sight of the endless onslaught began to breed anxiety in their hearts.
At that moment, Kim Jun-hyeok's calm voice steadied their resolve.
"A narrow space favors the few against the many. Repel the vanguard first, and rotate the exhausted and injured to the rear! Remember: time is of the essence, but there is no need to charge in blindly. We will exterminate these ants with calm, methodical precision."
"Understood!"
It was a flawless, tactical command.
At Kim Jun-hyeok's order, the vanguard took their positions and immediately swung their weapons at the oncoming swarm.
Crunch.
Kieee!
Grrr.
The battle began.
Humans and ants collided in a spray of gore, and in the initial clash, the humans overwhelmingly slaughtered the monsters. The Directly Controlled Unit was comprised entirely of top-grade hunters. Because each individual possessed enough combat power to handle a swarm of soldier ants on their own, they showed no signs of wavering even as hundreds of monsters rushed them.
Lee Tae-seong, in particular, was a force of nature.
Wielding dual swords, he broke from the formation, carving a path of one-sided massacre right through the heart of the swarm.
Rampage.
Slash! Slash! Slash!
It was an astonishing sight.
Those who had been unaware of Lee Tae-seong's true prowess could not help but marvel at the powerhouse harbored by the Incheon Government. Yet, despite the Directly Controlled Unit's valiant push, the ants did not retreat. In fact, they weren't attacking with murderous intent at all. They seemed to be fleeing from something, relentlessly pushing forward even as they trampled over their own fallen comrades.
It was strange.
Kim Jun-hyeok was the first to notice the anomaly.
The ants' behavior is completely erratic. If their goal was to eliminate intruders, they would attack in an organized swarm. Instead, they are frantically crowding each other, hindering their own movements. Could it be... is there something behind them?
In that instant, a single possibility crossed his mind.
It was impossible.
Though the likelihood was astronomically low, Kim Jun-hyeok decided they needed to adapt to the situation immediately.
"Do not advance recklessly; hold your ground! For some unknown reason, the ants are rushing us in a panic. If we maintain our positions and respond calmly, we can minimize our casualties."
This was the presence of Kim Jun-hyeok.
This was the very reason he stood on the battlefield.
Though he was merely an ordinary human, he possessed a natural gift for reading the flow of combat, and his people followed his orders blindly.
The battle raged on.
The narrow passage soon choked with so many carcasses it became impossible to count the dead. The faces of Lee Tae-seong and the other members of the Directly Controlled Unit were painted in monster blood. By rotating with the rear forces to manage their stamina, and with the assistance of hunters like Cheongsan, their casualties remained minimal.
The fierce storm finally passed.
No more ants were in sight.
Then, Park Gi-tae's voice shattered the silence.
"Something else is approaching!"
Clack.
Clack-clack.
The men raised their weapons.
Tense with anticipation, they could only stare in utter shock as a lone figure emerged from the darkness.
"...No way."
Park Gi-tae's eyes widened.
It was unmistakable.
The figure walking out of the abyss was Roman Dmitry—the man they all believed to be dead.
* * *
It was a shocking sight.
Even Kim Jun-hyeok, who had maintained his composure throughout the bloody battle, was left speechless by Roman Dmitry's survival.
I had a feeling, but...
The slight possibility was true.
It was indeed Roman Dmitry.
He had thought that if Roman were alive and unilaterally slaughtering the ants, the terrified creatures might flee from the depths of the cave toward the entrance. It had seemed like an absurd hypothesis, so he had quickly dismissed it. Yet, as if mocking his doubts, Roman Dmitry appeared before him, completely unscathed.
Goosebumps erupted across Kim Jun-hyeok's skin.
The current situation pointed to one undeniable fact.
Roman Dmitry is at least an A-Rank hunter. No, perhaps even that estimation is too bound by conventional common sense.
Come to think of it, Roman Dmitry had never revealed his true limits.
Initially, judging by his feat of wiping out a swarm of soldier ants, they had assumed he was B-Rank. Later, after his unprecedented massacre during the Red Moon, they were convinced he was A-Rank. But now, they couldn't even be sure of that. While it was proven he was at least A-Rank, if he could resolve an Omen Phenomenon entirely on his own, his rank had to be even higher.
S-Rank.
A deep, burning thirst welled up inside the mayor.
If Roman Dmitry truly was an S-Rank powerhouse, his ambition to swallow Incheon whole suddenly made perfect sense.
An S-Rank powerhouse is the yardstick of a nation's power. Even the Central Government, with all its immense authority in South Korea, couldn't fully control the Mage in White and had to settle for a cooperative relationship. The Mage in White possesses power that transcends government control. If Roman Dmitry is on par with him, his mere existence could elevate Incheon to an entirely different dimension.
In that brief moment, countless thoughts tangled in his mind.
A heavy silence fell over the crowd.
While everyone stared at Roman Dmitry with stunned expressions, he began walking toward Kim Jun-hyeok, his footsteps echoing in the cavern.
The crowd parted.
Lee Tae-seong and the Directly Controlled Unit stood guard by Kim Jun-hyeok's side, but Roman Dmitry paid them no mind as he looked directly at the mayor.
"As promised, I have subjugated the Ant Cave."
Drip, drip.
Blood ran down the length of his sword.
Roman Dmitry himself confirmed what everyone had only dared to suspect.
Kim Jun-hyeok's eyes trembled as Roman laid down the reality before him.
"So, from this moment on, it is your turn to make a decision."
* * *
The subjugation force returned to Incheon.
Though they had achieved a monumental victory with minimal casualties, everyone knew the credit did not belong to them.
Roman Dmitry.
He was the sole focus of everyone's attention.
Back in his office, Kim Jun-hyeok agonized over Roman Dmitry's words.
"...Is handing Incheon over to him truly the right choice?"
There was no questioning his strength.
However, his intentions were suspicious.
An S-Rank powerhouse would receive extraordinary treatment even in major global powers, so demanding a mere city like Incheon defied common sense. Initially, Kim Jun-hyeok had thought that as long as Roman had the strength, it would be fine. But now that Roman had displayed power far beyond common sense, the foundation of his previous thoughts began to crumble.
He looked out the window.
Gazing at the peaceful city, Kim Jun-hyeok recalled the moment six years ago when the 5th Great Disaster had struck.
Incheon couldn't handle the monster onslaught back then. More than the countless monsters blanketing the horizon, it was just a few A-Rank monsters that laid waste to the city. It wasn't even an S-Rank disaster. Just A-Rank. Yet Incheon couldn't stop them, and we lost so many lives.
On that day, Kim Jun-hyeok had screamed into the receiver, desperately begging the Central Government for aid.
He pleaded with them to send someone capable of handling the A-Rank monsters, but they claimed Seoul's safety was the top priority. Reinforcements only arrived ten days later. Naturally, Incheon was reduced to ruins. Surrounded by the corpses of the people who had bled alongside him to build the city, Kim Jun-hyeok had wept tears of blood and swore to build an Incheon stronger than ever before.
And yet, not much had changed.
Although they now had powerhouses like Lee Tae-seong, it was still impossible to prevent a repeat of that tragedy.
That is the limit of Incheon.
South Korea was a weak nation.
Powerhouses didn't even want to be affiliated with South Korea, let alone stay in a mere city like Incheon. Lee Tae-seong was simply an anomaly. No matter how desperately Kim Jun-hyeok struggled, losing sleep night after night, the inherent limitations of Incheon's standing prevented them from moving forward.
Roman Dmitry.
He was different.
If he truly was an S-Rank hunter, his sole existence could usher in a completely different future for Incheon.
It was then.
Knock, knock.
"May I come in?"
Lee Tae-seong had come to see him.
* * *
Lee Tae-seong didn't bother taking a seat.
Looking at Kim Jun-hyeok, who was staring out the window with a complex expression, he got straight to the point of his visit.
"Do you remember that day six years ago? On that day, having lost my only sibling, I intended to die. I fought monsters relentlessly, losing track of day and night, slowly letting myself wither away. But then, you caught my eye, Mayor. Ordinary human commanders—hell, even hunter-born commanders—fled the city when that disaster struck. Yet, seeing you remain on the front lines until the very end, screaming until your throat bled, I cursed the heavens. I wondered why a man with your resolve was never granted the power to match it."
He swallowed his surging emotions.
Lee Tae-seong, who had failed to die that day, had accepted Kim Jun-hyeok into his heart.
"Incheon survived that hellish moment. You didn't abandon Incheon; instead, you declared its reconstruction and breathed hope back into the hearts of its citizens. Mayor, the reason I rejected the Central Government's scouting offer back then was because I believed in your resolve. I believed that you would build a strong Incheon that would never repeat such a tragedy. So, whatever choice you make from now on, I will follow. I, Lee Tae-seong, live for you, Mayor—no, for the man named Kim Jun-hyeok."
His voice was thick with emotion.
Lee Tae-seong.
He was a pitiful soul.
A mere C-Rank hunter at the time, Lee Tae-seong had sworn loyalty to Kim Jun-hyeok and, through blood-sweating effort, had eventually achieved B-Rank status. There had been a lot of talk when he was promoted. The Central Government had approached him with another staggering offer, but Lee Tae-seong had flatly rejected them, keeping his devotion to Kim Jun-hyeok a secret.
Kim Jun-hyeok could not answer for a long time.
After staring blankly out the window for what felt like an eternity, he finally turned to Lee Tae-seong, his eyes burning with newfound determination.
"Yes. It is exactly as you say. I must build a strong Incheon that will never waver before any threat. Whether Roman Dmitry is a good man or an evil one does not matter. He possesses absolute power, and the only thing that matters is that such a man wants Incheon."
He had made his decision.
Though his deliberation had been long, once his mind was made up, there was no hesitation.
"From this moment on, I will step down as the Mayor of Incheon and dedicate everything I have to ensuring Roman Dmitry never leaves this city."
* * *
The next day.
Kim Jun-hyeok went to see Roman Dmitry.
"I accept your proposal. If you can guarantee the safety of Incheon, I will gladly surrender the position of Mayor of Incheon."
He bowed his head.
Showing his utmost respect, he accepted his new role as a subordinate.
Kim Jun-hyeok.
Roman Dmitry liked him.
Kim Jun-hyeok was a man of clear ambition, and above all, Roman had witnessed his strength of character during the subjugation of the Ant Cave. Standing on a battlefield without any personal power was no easy feat. If this man had been granted even a shred of power or authority, the landscape of South Korea would not be what it was today.
Roman Dmitry spoke.
"From now on, Incheon is mine. However, I have no need for the title of Mayor. To the people living in this city, the existence of 'Mayor Kim Jun-hyeok' holds immense symbolic meaning. You will continue to act as the Mayor of Incheon, but you will obey my commands."
"Understood."
"And how did you handle the previous Red Moon incident?"
His informal tone was natural.
Seeing how effortlessly Roman assumed absolute authority, Kim Jun-hyeok couldn't help but wonder if Roman Dmitry possessed some extraordinary past.
Kim Jun-hyeok replied.
"Believing that things would get complicated if the Central Government learned the truth, I reported that it was the work of the Incheon Government. The problem is this Ant Cave subjugation. We were able to hide the truth of the Red Moon incident because only the Directly Controlled Unit was present, but the Ant Cave subjugation involved other hunter guilds, making it impossible to cover up."
He wanted to hide the truth if possible.
It would be one thing if Incheon had already established itself under Roman Dmitry's absolute leadership, but if his existence was revealed to the Central Government now, there was no telling what might happen. A force capable of wiping out an Omen Phenomenon alone—the Central Government would lose its mind trying to recruit him. Thus, they needed an extraordinary measure to bury the truth for now.
However—
"Why hide the truth?" Roman asked.
"...The Central Government is the dominant power in South Korea. I believed attracting their attention would only lead to trouble."
As of yet, Kim Jun-hyeok did not truly know Roman Dmitry.
The matter with Moon Tae-jun had been handled solely based on Kim's judgment, but Roman Dmitry did not desire such a low profile.
Roman Dmitry spoke.
"The Red Moon incident, the Ant Cave subjugation—reveal the whole truth to the public. The revelation of my existence will be the starting point of Incheon's transformation."
An awl hidden in a pocket will always pierce through.
Roman Dmitry had never intended to hide in the first place.
He was accustomed to revealing himself, and with every revelation, he shook the very foundations of the world.
That was, indeed, the essence of Roman Dmitry.