Chapter 49
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 49
Chapter Title: Wyvern Onslaught
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While Seong A-reum and the S-Rank Hunters were busy dealing with the monsters pouring out due to the Guild Union's failed expedition, Yeon Sung-hun was out in the heart of the city.
It was to keep his promise to Choi Yeon-ah to go furniture shopping together now that he'd wrapped up this week's rift exploration and it was his day off.
Since they were looking for furniture to use for a long time, the two moved with careful deliberation.
At times, they were even mistaken for newlyweds as they visited store after store.
"Hmm. This is really tough."
"Someone who handles rift explorations so effortlessly is struggling this much? What am I supposed to do?"
"Rifts are different in every way... Still, I'm glad you're here, Yeon-ah. Thanks."
"No big deal. I don't have much to do on my days off anyway."
Yeon Sung-hun quietly smiled back at Choi Yeon-ah, who flashed a subtle grin.
Though she said that, she was the type who spent her days off training rigorously for self-improvement.
Thinking about it, he should be grateful for her making time out of her precious schedule for once.
Just as he was about to thank her again, his smartphone suddenly blared noisily.
It wasn't just Yeon Sung-hun.
Choi Yeon-ah beside him and everyone nearby had their phones ringing loudly.
A sense of déjà vu from an experience he'd had once before washed over him, and Yeon Sung-hun hurriedly checked his phone.
[Rift Break occurring. Multiple high-rank flying monsters, including the S-Rank monster 'Wyvern,' have appeared. Citizens in Seoul and the Gyeonggi area, head to the nearest shelter immediately...]
His face hardened instantly upon reading the message.
A regular ground-type monster might be one thing, but even an A-Rank flying monster was enough to devastate downtown Seoul.
How much worse would an S-Rank be?
Even a ground-type S-Rank would cause massive damage, but this was chaos on another level.
"Where the hell did a monster like a Wyvern even come from?"
"An S-Rank rift..."
Choi Yeon-ah's low murmur reached Yeon Sung-hun's ears as he frowned quietly.
A sudden memory clicked into place, making him furrow his brow.
"...Looks like the exploration failed."
"Seems that way."
Yeon Sung-hun let out a sigh as Choi Yeon-ah slowly nodded.
"Seong A-reum and the other S-Ranks should be holding them off, though."
"Monsters are probably pouring out everywhere. A-reum's team is doing their best to block them, but there are limits. It was similar last time."
Yeon Sung-hun fell silent at the sight of Choi Yeon-ah quietly touching her prosthetic left arm.
After a brief silence, she spoke up.
"Should we evacuate too?"
Yeon Sung-hun probably felt the same, but Choi Yeon-ah wasn't the type to seek out monsters and take unnecessary risks.
Not anymore, at least—not like in the past.
The area around them grew noisy with people heading to the nearest shelter.
Rift Breaks had become less frequent lately, but just one or two years ago, they happened almost daily, so while it was chaotic, it wasn't total pandemonium.
Yeon Sung-hun watched the crowd for a moment before nodding quietly.
High-rank flying monsters put all of Seoul and Gyeonggi Province in range.
His family at home worried him, but with Han So-yul there—practically treating the place like her own—he could rest a bit easier.
With the potions and magic sword he'd given her, even an S-Rank Wyvern wouldn't be much trouble for her.
The real problem was them.
In such a vast area like Seoul and Gyeonggi, what were the odds of monsters showing up right where they were? Still, it was wise to prepare for the worst.
Just as the two were about to join the evacuating crowd...
A sudden ominous feeling hit them, and like clockwork, both Yeon Sung-hun and Choi Yeon-ah whipped their heads around.
Through the massive glass window of the furniture store, a man-sized Wyvern was staring right at them.
"...They say it's the unlikely that gets you."
As Yeon Sung-hun clicked his tongue at the worst-case scenario coming true, the glass shattered.
Screams erupted belatedly from people who had just noticed the Wyvern.
"Yeon-ah! Take this!"
Always prepared for emergencies, both Yeon Sung-hun and Choi Yeon-ah carried essential gear in their item bags.
Choi Yeon-ah downed the potion he handed her in one gulp and charged straight at the Wyvern that had burst inside.
Fortunately, it was one of the lesser sub-dragon types—not a true Wyvern.
B-Rank at best.
Having given up flight to enter indoors made it an easy takedown.
She pierced its thick scales and drove her sword straight through its skull.
As it thrashed briefly before collapsing, the panicked crowd erupted in cheers.
For them, it was a brush with death.
But unlike the rejoicing others, the two didn't look pleased.
Choi Yeon-ah had entered an S-Rank rift herself, and Yeon Sung-hun knew Wyvern traits from his past life's knowledge.
"Sung-hun... It seems..."
"Yeah, I know. That one's not the end of it."
Wyverns—formally 'Fly Dracos'—were individually weak for sub-dragons, but they always swarmed in packs.
One showing up like this meant...
"Kyaaak!"
A sharp scream pierced the air.
Turning quickly, they saw over a dozen more Wyverns.
"...What do we do?"
They weren't invading yet, but eyeing them sharply, clearly waiting for an opening.
Yeon Sung-hun clicked his tongue at Choi Yeon-ah's glance.
Best to wait for them to come inside, but fighting indoors wasn't ideal with terrified civilians around.
A battle here could sweep them up in the crossfire.
Yeon Sung-hun wasn't cold-blooded enough to let innocents get caught in it.
"Let's take it outside."
Choi Yeon-ah didn't argue with his calm declaration.
She nodded once and moved first, smashing through the broken window and diving into the Wyverns.
Yeon Sung-hun murmured in quiet admiration at her bold charge.
"That's quite the height..."
Something an unawakened Yeon Sung-hun couldn't manage.
He shook his head lightly and headed down the stairs.
"Hup!"
Choi Yeon-ah weaved through the Wyverns without hesitation.
Using them as stepping stones, she swung her sword fluidly.
Rather than killing outright, she targeted wings to strip their advantage.
By the time Yeon Sung-hun emerged, most had lost wings and crashed to the ground.
Thud─
Choi Yeon-ah landed using one as a perch, shaking out her hair lightly.
Yeon Sung-hun quietly gave her a thumbs-up.
"Impressive."
"This is a piece of cake."
She flashed a relaxed smile and moved again—two or three still airborne.
Meanwhile, Yeon Sung-hun handled the grounded ones.
Robbed of mobility, the so-called B-Ranks fell laughably easily.
As Choi Yeon-ah downed the last flyer and Yeon Sung-hun severed its neck, the fight ended.
She landed gracefully and approached him.
"Good work. You okay? No injuries?"
"All good. You did the heavy lifting, Yeon-ah."
"I won't deny that."
He chuckled softly at her grin.
"Anyway, we should call Team Leader Gye."
"Right. By the rules, these are all ours."
Choi Yeon-ah nodded, eyeing the scattered Wyvern corpses.
"Unexpected income—should I be happy or upset about getting dragged into this?"
"Might as well think positive. Sub-dragons or not, they're worth a good price."
"True. We made more than we spent today."
"Heh. Shall we celebrate with something nice using the leftovers?"
"Sounds good. You worked hard for me all day—my treat."
"I won't say no."
As they exchanged brief words...
Choi Yeon-ah's brow furrowed, and she moved swiftly, pulling Yeon Sung-hun aside.
BOOM! Something massive landed roughly.
A colossal body that made the previous Wyverns look like infants.
A true sub-dragon Wyvern, far closer to an original dragon than the Fly Dracos.
"Wyvern...!"
They gasped at the S-Rank monster's arrival.
It scanned the fallen Wyverns, then locked eyes on them.
"KRAAAAAAA─!"
The roar shook their bodies.
Not quite Dragon Fear, but undeniable 'Dragon Pressure.'
As it rattled his very soul, Yeon Sung-hun gritted his teeth.
'Did it sense the others and come?'
Whatever the reason, it was the worst possible situation.
"Kraaaah!"
Before Yeon Sung-hun could react, the Wyvern charged.
Still reeling from the pressure but not fainted, he let Choi Yeon-ah sweep him away again.
Its speed dwarfed the Fly Dracos.
Dodging was the best even she could do.
"Ngh...!"
"I'm fine now, Yeon-ah! Put me down!"
"But...!"
"Hurry!"
He'd thought of a plan while she carried him.
As she set him down, he hurled a potion at the pursuing Wyvern.
It dodged effortlessly.
Flight was a tremendous advantage.
Yeon Sung-hun could fell any foe or monster with proper prep, but flying types were his kryptonite.
His main weapons were potions—hard to land on aerial targets.
He had limited types on hand without prior setup.
Clicking his tongue, he pulled out the golem core.
The golem grew rapidly, using nearby materials, soon building-sized.
It swung at the Wyvern.
Whoosh─
The Wyvern evaded easily, then shredded it with wing-generated blade winds.
It crumbled, auto-repair kicking in.
Feeling his mana drain, Yeon Sung-hun chugged a mana recovery potion.
"Yeon-ah!"
At his call, Choi Yeon-ah leaped from behind the golem, using it as a platform.
Her beloved sword, 'Daeha,' gleamed as she swung at the diving Wyvern.
It twisted mid-air, narrowly dodging the wing-targeted strike.
It grazed the wing, but tough scales limited damage to a scratch.
"Krrrr!"
The Wyvern exploited her opening, slashing at her mid-fall.
The golem's hand blocked it, crumbling again but letting her land safely.
A brief exchange, but taxing.
Yeon Sung-hun downed another mana potion, clicking his tongue.
'Long fight, and we'll tire first.'
Only emergency potions—limited quantity and variety.
More mana potions might've let them hold until reinforcements...
Regretfully clicking his tongue, he maneuvered the golem against the diving Wyvern.
It collided and crumbled.
Choi Yeon-ah timed a follow-up, but the Wyvern smartly ascended.
Yeon Sung-hun frowned.
"Annoying bastard."
This was why he hated fighting flyers.
Bad matchup—terribly so.
If only he could use the 'Hermes' Footsteps' from the Association...
Choi Yeon-ah couldn't use mana, and his reserves were too low for gear demands.
Maintaining the golem was pushing it.
He periodically drank mana boost potions, ignoring the pain, but his mana was still far below same-rank Hunters.
Cursing the unused items, he clicked his tongue.
Several more clashes between Wyvern and golem.
"Krrrr─..."
The endlessly reforming golem frustrated the Wyvern into a irritated cry.
Even for it, this was maddening—prey that wouldn't fall easily.
In this stalemate, the Wyvern acted first.
It soared high and inhaled deeply.
Pure mana gathered around it instantly.
Watching, Yeon Sung-hun grimaced.
"Yeon-ah! Here, quick!"
He called her and controlled the golem hastily.
The Wyvern exhaled its filled breath.
FWOOOOOSH──
The dragon-exclusive breath—a merciless, all-destroying blast engulfed them.