Chapter 506: The 6th Great Disaster (7)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 506: The 6th Great Disaster (7)
The 1st Defense Line.
Cheongsan and the soldiers of Incheon had been assigned a special role.
"No matter what happens outside the walls, do not leave your posts. Your role is to ensure that not a single monster breaches the 1st Defense Line."
Several hours had passed since that order.
Gu Cheol-ho felt the tension draining from his body.
"...Is that a human or a monster?"
In the distance, a single human was slaughtering the horde.
At first, the monsters had surged right up to the walls, but Roman Dmitry had pushed them back entirely on his own. It was a sight that defied belief. Common sense dictated that a few stragglers should have slipped past him, but not a single living creature remained in Roman Dmitry's wake.
Park Gi-tae spoke up.
"I'd bet my entire fortune that the man's a monster himself. There's no way he's human. Roman Dmitry is pushing back tens of thousands of monsters all by himself. And if my theory is correct, he's deliberately pacing himself for Incheon's safety. If he just charged blindly ahead, the monsters he bypassed might head straight for us."
"Does that even make sense?"
"By any normal standard? Absolutely impossible."
Just as they said.
Everyone atop the walls was thinking the exact same thing.
They could only stare over the barricades with dazed expressions.
It was then.
[Graaaaaah!]
"A-A Green Dragon?!"
"An S-Rank monster in the middle of a Monster Wave?! Everyone, prepare for battle!"
Panic set in instantly.
Although it was too far to see clearly, the massive green entity was undoubtedly an S-Rank monster—the Green Dragon. Surely, even Roman Dmitry couldn't handle an endless horde and a Green Dragon at the same time. Gu Cheol-ho and Park Gi-tae hurriedly prepared for battle, only to freeze in awkward postures, their eyes widening in disbelief.
"Huh?"
"Oh my god."
The Green Dragon's head flew into the air.
Before a proper battle could even begin, the beast's massive body crashed to the ground, felled by a single strike.
Crash!
Rumble!
Their minds went blank.
Roman Dmitry was an S-Rank Hunter. While he was certainly powerful enough to face a Green Dragon, dispatching it so effortlessly was an entirely different matter. It was a feat even those hailed as the strongest in the world could not achieve. Yet, the visual evidence before them proved this shocking truth. Even as they blinked repeatedly to reconfirm the situation, the Green Dragon—which had been exuding an overwhelming aura just moments ago—lay motionless and headless.
Gu Cheol-ho and Park Gi-tae muttered.
"...Gi-tae?"
"...Yes, Guildmaster."
"The Green Dragon was just killed in a single blow, right?"
"I think so... but is that even allowed? If this is real, it wouldn't be strange to rank Roman Dmitry as an SSSSS-Rank, let alone S-Rank. Who on earth decapitates a Green Dragon in a single strike?"
"Right?"
"Exactly."
"I'm not the only one who can't believe this, right?"
"I can't believe it either."
Gu Cheol-ho clutched his forehead.
His mind was in a whirl. He didn't know how to process this.
Meanwhile, Roman Dmitry had vanished from their sight.
They desperately wanted to rush out onto the battlefield and confirm it for themselves, but they couldn't disobey the strict order to hold their posts. Time dragged on, unexpectedly tedious. Given the outbreak of the Great Disaster, they had anticipated a fierce, bloody battle. Yet, contrary to Cheongsan's grim resolve, they hadn't fought a single skirmish.
How much time had passed?
A shocking announcement crackled through the communicator.
[This is the 1st Defense Line. The Monster Wave has been annihilated. I repeat. The Monster Wave that occurred near Incheon has been annihilated.]
"?"
"?"
Gu Cheol-ho and Park Gi-tae stared at each other.
Even without speaking, the sheer bewilderment written on their faces made their thoughts perfectly clear.
They pictured Roman Dmitry's actions in their minds.
Slaughtering tens of thousands of monsters alone.
Decapitating the S-Rank Green Dragon in a single blow.
And resolving the Monster Wave all by himself.
Their minds finally cleared.
The gazes they exchanged softened with profound relief.
"Gi-tae. I think we made it."
"Guildmaster. I think we hit the jackpot."
They were certain now.
Cheongsan's decision to remain in Incheon—the very choice everyone had criticized—was a stroke of absolute genius.
With a rosy future painting itself in their minds, the Great Disaster no longer felt so bleak.
* * *
Hearing the radio transmission about Roman Dmitry, Cheongsan wasn't the only one left in shock.
Kim Jun-hyeok, who was in the middle of a fierce battle, also widened his eyes at the voice crackling through the receiver.
"...He resolved the Monster Wave?"
That was...
...utterly absurd.
There was a reason people described a Monster Wave as an endless hell. The Maron Church of the USA had proposed a method to resolve Monster Waves, but it was practically impossible to execute. Even if one set aside the sheer danger of the 'Red Time', the reality remained the same. Finding the source while fighting off waves of monsters was incredibly difficult, and even if the source was located, destroying it from within using special devices took a long time. Would the monsters just stand by and watch in the meantime? No. Even during the destruction process, monsters would continuously pour in from beyond the dimension.
It was the worst kind of disaster.
A problem that demanded immense sacrifice.
Therefore, resolving a Monster Wave single-handedly before the Red Time had even ended was supposed to be impossible.
'No. The yardstick of common sense no longer applies to Lord Roman Dmitry.'
Tens of thousands of monsters.
The Green Dragon.
The Monster Wave.
These were all meaningless premises to him.
Roman Dmitry had proven himself with results as clear as his confidence. If so, he was undoubtedly a powerhouse who far exceeded the standards of this world. Only now did it make sense why the Mage in White was so obsessed with Incheon. If he had known about Roman Dmitry from the beginning, it was only natural that he would want to ally himself with such an absurd monster.
"Haha."
A laugh escaped his lips.
Beyond the walls, there were still plenty of monsters. Years ago, they would have looked like demons from hell, but now, he wasn't afraid in the slightest.
'Why did Lord Roman Dmitry choose Incheon?'
Honestly, he didn't know the reason.
Incheon was nothing more than a trivial city, after all.
But if Roman Dmitry's intentions toward Incheon were genuine, and if he would continue to guarantee Incheon's safety in the future...
...then Kim Jun-hyeok would dedicate his life to him.
If ordered to jump into a pit of fire, he would jump. If asked for his life, he would gladly surrender it.
Just one thing.
Incheon's safety was all that mattered.
Kim Jun-hyeok had lived his life looking only toward that single goal.
Kim Jun-hyeok shouted.
"Everyone, take heart! The Monster Wave has been annihilated! If we hold out just a little longer, Lord Roman Dmitry will save us all!"
To him, Roman Dmitry now felt like a savior.
* * *
Seoul and Incheon.
People used to say the former was heaven and the latter, hell.
But while Incheon was swelling with hope, Seoul was currently facing a moment of unexpected despair.
The Intelligence Chief spoke.
"...Just moments ago, Dobong-gu fell. Assemblyman Lee Ho-cheol of Dobong-gu fought to the bitter end before his death, and the Red Dragon and the monsters are currently heading south toward Gangbuk-gu. Gangbuk-gu has already finished preparations to intercept the enemy, but the problem is that we have no way to deal with the S-Rank monster, the Red Dragon."
"Sigh."
"Is there really no way?"
A heavy air of despair spread through the conference room.
Knowing that Dobong-gu had fallen in less than a day, the assemblymen present could not hide their terrified expressions.
This was different from the previous Great Disasters.
Seoul had never crumbled this quickly before.
"As of right now, there is no solution. The reason South Korea was able to survive the Great Disasters in the past was because of the Mage in White, who was considered exceptional even among S-Rank Hunters. However, he has now departed from Seoul. Since the Red Dragon is a monster that spews powerful flames from the air, we are at a severe disadvantage; we cannot utilize the defensive advantages of our fortifications. For now, we have mobilized all Seoul-based guilds to deal with the Red Dragon. They have gathered in Jongno, and if Gangbuk-gu falls as well, they plan to make a desperate last stand there."
"What about the responses from other nations?"
"They have replied that assistance is impossible. The scale of the 6th Great Disaster is incomparable to the previous ones. Even though a Monster Wave and two S-Rank monsters have appeared in South Korea, on a global scale, our situation is actually considered relatively mild. The USA, which is suspected to be the Red Point, is pouring all its military forces into its own defense, and other countries are in similar straits. Once the Red Time passes and the situation settles down, we might be able to request foreign aid, but for now, we must hold out on our own."
They were cornered.
In that case...
...there were only two options.
Mobilizing the President's Royal Guards, or somehow recalling the Mage in White.
The assemblymen knew the reality.
The President, who had established his stronghold in Yeongdeungpo, was absolutely not the type of person to deploy his Royal Guards outside.
Sure enough.
Kim Jeong-tae spoke.
"For the safety of Seoul, we need the Mage in White. Intelligence Chief, use whatever means necessary to bring him back to Seoul. If he has a weakness, exploit it. If he desires wealth and honor, provide it. Since we did not anticipate Baek-il's absence, we must grant them whatever they want for now to resolve the immediate crisis."
The Mage in White.
They needed him.
At Kim Jeong-tae's words, the Intelligence Chief hesitated for a moment.
To most people, there were only two logical options.
But as the man who oversaw South Korea's intelligence, he possessed a third option that the others were not yet aware of.
"...Actually, I have something to report regarding that."
* * *
The Intelligence Chief spoke.
"Everything I am about to tell you is the absolute truth. I could hardly believe it myself, but this is what the intelligence department has confirmed."
He took a deep breath.
Just moments ago, when he first received the reports from his agents, the Intelligence Chief had felt his heart drop. It was highly troublesome news for the Central Government, yet at the same time, it offered a potential lifeline.
"As you know, an S-Rank monster, the Green Dragon, appeared in Incheon just as one did in Seoul. And shockingly, the moment the Green Dragon appeared, its head was severed by Roman Dmitry. The entire process took only a few seconds. An S-Rank monster could not withstand even a single blow."
"W-What did you say?!"
"Does that even make sense?"
"It is indeed nonsensical. That is why I dispatched additional agents to verify the truth. According to the report I received just moments ago, the Green Dragon's death is a fact, and Roman Dmitry has even annihilated the source of the Monster Wave. I believe everyone here understands what that means. If Roman Dmitry truly dispatched an S-Rank monster and resolved a Monster Wave, he is a monster who completely shatters the standards of this world."
The annihilation of the source.
Everyone was shocked.
No one in the room was ignorant of just how monumental an achievement that was.
The Intelligence Chief added.
"Furthermore, Baek-il's departure seems to be related to Roman Dmitry. People call Baek-il an apostle of justice, but they are a group that strictly pursues profit when it truly matters. It is highly likely they headed to Incheon because they obtained information on Roman Dmitry beforehand, which means winning over the Mage in White will be difficult. Mr. President, if the intelligence department's findings are correct, South Korea's only way to survive is to win over Roman Dmitry. Though there may be emotional friction due to our past relations, if we can bring him to our side, South Korea will not only be able to deal with the Red Dragon, but also lay the foundation to leap into a major global power in one fell swoop."
South Korea.
It was undeniably a weak nation.
The appearance of a figure like Roman Dmitry in such a land could only be interpreted as a golden opportunity.
The tables had turned.
Roman Dmitry's value had skyrocketed.
If Roman Dmitry truly possessed that level of power, South Korea had to mend their past relationship with him by any means necessary.
Kim Jeong-tae fell into deep thought.
After a long moment of contemplation, he looked toward his Royal Guards.
"Arrest Assemblyman Jo Dal-su."
"Why me... Argh!"
Thud.
The Royal Guards seized Jo Dal-su.
As Jo Dal-su was pinned to the floor and bound, Kim Jeong-tae looked down at him with cold eyes.
"Assemblyman Jo Dal-su. Did I not tell you? You must take responsibility for your past mistakes. If Roman Dmitry is a powerhouse who can guarantee the safety of Seoul, I will gladly offer your life to appease him for the future of South Korea. So, accept this with humility. If you resist, the consequences will be far more devastating."
His voice was calm.
Having pronounced the death sentence, he spoke to the Intelligence Chief.
"Contact Incheon immediately. I will speak with Roman Dmitry myself."