Chapter 501: The 6th Great Disaster (2)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 501: The 6th Great Disaster (2)
Kim Jun-hyeok's broadcast.
For one faction, hearing those words felt like a fire had been lit beneath their feet.
That faction was Cheongsan.
Gu Cheol-ho, the Guild Master of Cheongsan, gathered his executives. His expression was tinged with despair.
"The moment we dreaded has finally arrived. Once again, we stand at a crossroads. If we don't flee now, we'll be forced to share our fate with Incheon—and this city might very well be a sinking ship."
For the past three months, Cheongsan had remained in Incheon.
To an almost baffling degree, every other guild had abandoned the city. Because of this mass exodus, Cheongsan had managed to forge a close relationship with the Incheon government. For a brief moment, they had indulged in a sweet dream: if Incheon survived, Cheongsan would wield immense influence over a city of considerable scale.
But there was a catch.
For that dream to become reality, they needed to avoid a scenario where Incheon was forced to shoulder the Great Disaster entirely on its own.
"A Monster Wave has erupted near Incheon. That means this city must bear the brunt of the rushing monsters. Neither the Central Government nor the other Local Governments will risk their necks to help us. We can't exactly blame them, either. In a situation where no one knows when or where the monsters might appear, abandoning their own strongholds to help us makes no sense. That is why everyone wants to flee to Seoul, and why this is our last chance. Even now, if we abandon the foundation we've built here, we can at least escape with our lives."
"But if we beg them to take Cheongsan in now, we'll just be used as cannon fodder during the Great Disaster and discarded."
It was a bitter dilemma.
Leaving Incheon guaranteed immediate safety, but it offered no promises for their future. That was why their decision three months ago had been so crucial. Back then, when the city was peaceful, Cheongsan's choice to stay had been invaluable.
Gu Cheol-ho squeezed his eyes shut in anguish.
Incheon has changed because of Roman Dmitry. It's certainly different from the past, but in the face of a Great Disaster that an entire nation cannot stop, that change is ultimately meaningless. Even if Incheon survives, there's no guarantee Cheongsan will be among the survivors.
Right then, as if repeating history, Park Gi-tae stepped forward.
"Guild Master, we're in checkmate either way. If we leave Incheon, we'll be branded as traitors. We won't be fully trusted wherever we go. So let's believe in them one more time. Just like that day three months ago, let's trust the wisdom of Incheon's mayor, Kim Jun-hyeok. And let's trust the absolute confidence of that mysterious existence we've been watching all this time—Roman Dmitry."
It was exactly the same.
Park Gi-tae's words made his heart pound. He was right; it was checkmate. Fleeing three months ago might have been different, but running away now just because the situation had turned dire meant they would escape with nothing but the clothes on their backs.
After agonizing over it for a long moment, Gu Cheol-ho finally spoke.
"Yeah, fuck it. We'll make it work somehow. Issue the order to all members of Cheongsan immediately. We are heading to the 1st Defense Line."
"Yes, sir."
Cheongsan had finally made their decision.
* * *
Atop the massive wall, Roman Dmitry stood in silence.
Facing the biting wind, he gazed out at the desolate expanse stretching beyond the barricades.
"Lord Roman Dmitry. We have confirmed the movements of the Central Government. As expected, they seem resolved to make their desperate stand in Seoul. They are merely reinforcing their own defenses with no other notable movements. Furthermore, the other Local Governments near Incheon have rejected our requests for support. The consensus across the entire Republic of Korea is that everyone must fend for themselves."
The speaker was Lee Tae-seong.
Faced with the grim reality of Incheon being left entirely on its own, Roman Dmitry asked with a perfectly calm expression, "Do you think they are cruel?"
"...I do think it's too much. Their choice is, in essence, standing by to watch Incheon's destruction."
"Generally speaking, yes. But even so, we cannot blame them for their choice. If a crisis had occurred somewhere other than Incheon, even I would not have offered help at the cost of this city's safety. However, this makes one thing absolutely clear. The people who chose to remain in Incheon have come under my protection. From this moment on, I will prioritize their safety above all else."
He turned his head.
He looked at Lee Tae-seong, and behind him, the Directly Controlled Unit, the government soldiers, and finally, the members of Cheongsan who had just arrived.
These were his new bonds. Roman Dmitry accepted them.
"You are my people. Even if the entire Republic of Korea turns into a sea of fire, Incheon alone will remain safe."
In truth, Incheon's military strength was meager.
Though they had spent the last three months training fiercely, it was impossible to stop a Great Disaster with their forces alone. That was what made their choice so invaluable. Knowing the odds and still choosing to stand by his side meant they had made their decision solely out of trust in him—in Roman Dmitry alone.
A strange emotion welled up inside him.
Whenever he looked at the people of Incheon, he was reminded of the loyal bonds from his past life.
"We will initiate Plan A now."
"...Will you be alright?" Lee Tae-seong asked, his face etched with concern.
Plan A.
Among the numerous strategies devised to prepare for the Great Disaster, Plan A required Roman Dmitry to shoulder the vast majority of the danger himself. That was why everyone had reacted with such intense worry during the planning stages. If he could actually pull it off, it would be a miracle, but no matter how they looked at it, they felt it was far too dangerous for one man.
Right on cue, a dark tide of monsters began swarming beyond the wall.
Roman Dmitry turned his gaze back to the horizon and took a step toward the edge.
"Once the typhoon hitting Incheon has completely passed, you will no longer need to ask if I am alright."
With those final words—
Whoosh.
Roman Dmitry plummeted from the top of the wall.
The onlookers' eyes widened in shock. Even though they knew the details of the strategy, seeing him actually put it into action left them stunned.
The die was cast.
The safety of Incheon now rested entirely on Roman Dmitry's shoulders.
* * *
Thud.
He landed heavily on the ground.
Lifting his head, he saw massive clouds of dust rising as the monster horde charged toward him.
A Great Disaster.
It was a familiar sight. Whether it was during the founding of the Dmitry Empire or his conquest of the Demon Realm, this was a battlefield all too familiar to Roman Dmitry.
Drawing from his past experiences, he knew the most efficient way to stop a Great Disaster.
The method was simple: place himself in the most dangerous spot.
If he took the absolute brunt of the horde head-on, the people of Incheon would be able to handle the stragglers.
Rumble.
Ruuuumble.
He channeled his Aura.
He advanced with leisurely steps at first, but as the ground shook and the monsters drew near, he began to accelerate.
Whoosh!
He violently kicked off the ground.
An explosive Aura enveloped Roman Dmitry's body. Even before clashing with the vanguard, he gathered that terrifying energy at the tip of his sword.
Heavenly Demon Sword Technique - First Half First Form.
Flash!
He thrust his blade forward.
A single strike.
The Aura swept across the frontlines in a devastating arc, tearing apart every monster it encountered.
Boom! Crash!
Screeech!
Skreeeech!
Agonized shrieks echoed from all directions.
Monsters ranging from A-Rank to F-Rank were ripped to shreds in a single blow; their ranks meant absolutely nothing. And that was only the beginning. Roman Dmitry threw himself directly into the surging wave of beasts.
His surroundings were instantly dyed black by the sheer volume of enemies. An A-Rank monster—a Werewolf—bared its savage fangs, radiating intense, bloodthirsty hostility toward the lone human. Hunters always said that a Werewolf's fangs could tear through anything, and that their hides were impervious to almost any attack.
However...
Flash.
The Werewolf's head was severed in an instant.
Though the monsters swarmed him in a pack, they were effortlessly butchered one by one by Roman Dmitry's sword.
Heavenly Demon Sword Technique - First Half First Form.
Boom!
Ruuuumble.
Every time his Aura exploded, a rain of blood splattered in all directions.
It was a battle of one against an army, and there was no telling when it would end.
A Monster Wave was synonymous with an endless onslaught. As the term "Red Time" suggested, monsters would continue to spawn relentlessly for at least three days. Under such hellish conditions, managing one's stamina was absolutely essential. No matter how incredible a hunter was, they could not fight continuously for days on end without rest. That was exactly why people desperately sought the protection of powerful nations. It was basic common sense in this world: even an S-Rank Hunter needed to belong to a large organization to survive.
Yet, Roman Dmitry did not hold back his strength in the slightest.
Unleashing his explosive Aura at maximum output, he swept away dozens of monsters with every swing.
Whether the battle lasted a day,
two days,
or a full week—
no matter how much time passed, his strength would never deplete.
He had reached the realm beyond heaven.
Having ascended to an unimaginably high level of martial prowess, Roman Dmitry possessed power even greater than the moment he had slain the Demon King.
Crunch.
Thud.
He crushed a monster's head beneath his boot.
Leaving the shattered skull in his wake, Roman Dmitry charged deeper into the darkness of the horde.
I will slaughter them all.
He was absolutely certain.
As long as he stood firm, not a single monster would pass him.
* * *
Gu Cheol-ho knew nothing about Plan A.
Since Cheongsan was considered a wild card that might flee Incheon at any moment, there had been no reason to share the core strategy with them.
Thus, Gu Cheol-ho was utterly horrified.
Seeing Roman Dmitry willingly drop from the wall, he hurriedly turned to Lee Tae-seong.
"Is this really okay?! This is completely reckless! Even an S-Rank Hunter might hold out for a short while, but the moment it turns into a war of attrition, they're guaranteed to die! No, forget short-term or long-term—the difference in numbers is just too absurd!"
It was a perfectly logical argument.
If Lee Tae-seong hadn't witnessed Roman Dmitry's martial prowess with his own eyes, he would have tried to stop him with that exact same frantic attitude.
"Just watch," Lee Tae-seong replied calmly. "We believe in Lord Roman Dmitry."
"This is insane."
Gu Cheol-ho was the only one sweating bullets.
But what else could he do?
It was already too late to run. Biting his nails as he watched the battlefield below, Gu Cheol-ho was soon unable to hide his absolute shock at what transpired.
Boom! Crash!
Screeech!
Skreeeech!
It was a one-sided slaughter.
The moment Roman Dmitry clashed with the monster wave, he tore through their ranks in every direction, unleashing an indiscriminate massacre. Every hunter possessed a basic concept of common sense. Gu Cheol-ho had formed his own estimation of what an S-Rank Hunter was capable of, but Roman Dmitry's martial power completely shattered those boundaries.
It was overwhelming.
He utterly crushed his opponents.
No matter how durable or vicious the enemy was, a single strike sent their heads flying, blood spraying into the air like macabre fountains.
"...Ah."
Gu Cheol-ho was lost for words. He was utterly speechless.
It wasn't just Gu Cheol-ho; all the members of Cheongsan stared down at the massacre with blank, dazed expressions.
Only then did they understand.
They finally realized the true source of Incheon's confidence. The reason this city hadn't abandoned hope even after being forsaken by the Central Government was because they placed their absolute faith in the existence known as Roman Dmitry. He was a variable capable of completely reshaping the landscape of the Republic of Korea. Veterans like Gu Cheol-ho and Park Gi-tae knew exactly what kind of glorious future awaited them if Incheon survived the Great Disaster on the back of Roman Dmitry's exploits.
However, Cheongsan wasn't the only faction filled with admiration.
Even Lee Tae-seong, who already knew the depths of Roman Dmitry's power, felt a profound sense of awe at the god-like display unfolding before his eyes.
Just what kind of life have you lived?
For the past three months, Roman Dmitry had provided them with absolute certainty.
His unshakeable conviction that even a catastrophic threat like the Great Disaster was 'nothing' clearly stemmed from an unimaginable wealth of bloody experience. He was an existence whose true depths simply could not be fathomed. Though Lee Tae-seong had sworn his life and loyalty to the man, Roman Dmitry remained an awe-inspiring mystery.
However, it was still far too early to let their guard down.
Roman Dmitry had given them a strict warning beforehand.
"A Great Disaster is like a surging tide. Even if you build a massive breakwater, if the waves rush in from all directions, a single barrier cannot stop the ocean completely. So keep this in mind: I will shoulder the greatest danger. But the waves that slip past me and crash into Incheon will be your responsibility to handle."
That was why Incheon's forces remained stationary atop the wall.
Though they desperately wanted to draw their weapons and help their liege, they held their positions to prepare for any unforeseen variables.
He was truly an incredible man.
Taking on the vanguard's suicidal danger entirely on his own was a feat few would even dare dream of, yet Roman Dmitry was making it a reality.
Right then—
"Commander! We have a problem!"
A soldier sprinted up to them in a blind panic.
An ominous feeling instantly gripped Lee Tae-seong's chest. Roman Dmitry had ordered them to prepare for unforeseen variables, because no matter how slim the probability of a disaster occurring was, the moment it became reality, statistics lost all meaning.
The soldier shouted, "Monsters have appeared inside the city!"
The unforeseen variable had arrived.
From this moment on, it was Incheon's turn to fight.