Chapter 206: Heroes are Born in Crisis (4)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 206: Heroes are Born in Crisis (4)
With two of them down, only Hellpard remained.
We cleared out the surrounding monsters while waiting for the supply vehicle.
"Three parties have arrived at the base as reinforcements. What are your orders?"
"Tell them to occupy the area around the base and secure a safe zone. Don't let them overextend until more A-rank heroes arrive or we get more personnel."
"Understood."
"And ask the China Support Headquarters again to lower their defense line."
A moment later, Ryu Ji-hye informed me that the China Support Headquarters had refused.
Apparently, they claimed they needed time to regroup after taking damage from the boss-class monster heading north.
They took down a few B-3 bosses and now they’re coming up with such a pathetic excuse?
Are these bastards really not planning to move?
No matter how much they want to preserve their hero forces, they should at least try to save face in the international community.
Am I failing to understand this because I’m still thinking of my previous world?
Between Japan and now this, it’s like this world doesn't give a damn about international—no, wait, that can't be right.
I felt pathetic trying to rationalize it. It was simple: they just didn't want to waste their national hero power or risk lives.
They fight villains with such gusto, so why are they so terrified of monsters?
"Request support from the US or other support headquarters."
"Understood. Oh, a total of six parties from Japan, France, and even Poland are currently heading down from the defense line."
At the mention of Poland, Anna’s eyes widened as she looked at me.
Poland wasn't exactly a powerhouse when it came to hero forces, so I was grateful.
"Deploy half the drones to that sector to guide the heroes. Tell them to focus on relief efforts rather than fighting monsters."
"Understood. We will coordinate with the fire and police stations near the defense line to rescue citizens."
After finishing the comms with Ryu Ji-hye, I looked at the gathered heroes.
"Reinforcements are starting to pour in. We just need to focus on Hellpard."
"Hey, sorry to bring this up, but wouldn't it be better to bring in more parties? It's a Gatekeeper, after all."
Jeong Sae-bom suggested with an awkward smile.
The Gatekeeper.
That was one of Hellpard's nicknames.
Despite being B-9 rank, it was one of the most difficult bosses to overcome when moving from B-rank to A-rank. Because of its diverse attack patterns, defeating Hellpard at least once was practically a prerequisite for earning a B-10 qualification.
"Even we've never successfully raided Hellpard before."
Jeong Sae-bom frowned as if she didn't even want to talk about it.
I could see the tension on the other heroes' faces as well, all thanks to that 'Gatekeeper' title.
"What's so hard about it?"
"...I find it more surprising that you don't think it's hard."
"Where are we right now?"
"Where else... Miura City. Ah..."
A spark began to flicker in Jeong Sae-bom's eyes as the realization hit her.
Hellpard itself isn't overwhelmingly powerful. If it were, it wouldn't be B-9; it would be B-10.
Everyone was being misled by the Gatekeeper title, but the real difficulty of a Hellpard raid lay in the terrain, which changed drastically over time.
It was like a greatest hits collection of every dungeon we'd cleared so far—the environment would shift from a volcanic zone to a flood zone, constantly harassing the heroes.
Furthermore, whenever the terrain changed, Hellpard would absorb the surrounding mana, causing its skill attributes to change as well.
To clear it, you needed high average elemental resistance, which meant you were heavily dependent on gear, and you had to adapt and respond to the shifting terrain instantly.
But so what?
"This is our home ground. We've always fought at a disadvantage in their backyard, so this time, let's crush it on terrain that favors us."
"Ahaha, I like that. Fine, let's play dirty this time."
Jeong Sae-bom laughed loudly and held out her fist.
Just like we did at the inn entrance, we bumped fists in a sequence and finished by clashing elbows. She clutched her stomach, laughing brightly.
"You've got the handshake down now. Is there anything you can't do?"
"I'm lactose intolerant, so I can't drink milk very well."
Every time she cackled, her pink-tipped hair swayed like a tail. Her bright smile, completely unafraid of looking silly, was quite charming.
"Then let's have a party together after we finish today! Haruka? It's Haruka, right? Tenshin, you join us too! Let's drink ourselves under the table tonight!"
"I'd love to! I'll definitely be there!"
Mei raised her hand high in agreement.
Though Mei was the one who answered, Haruka and the other Tenshin party members smiled as if they liked the idea too.
Morale was high enough.
Now, we just had to wait for the equipment to arrive before starting the raid.
After hearing from Woo Jae-hee that he was on his way, I contacted Ryu Ji-hye.
"Connect me to the China Support Headquarters."
"Please wait a moment... Yes, you're connected."
I signaled Lee Yu-na and spoke.
"This is Jeong Yeon-woo of Black Unicorn, currently conducting rescue operations."
When I spoke in Chinese, a somewhat arrogant voice came through the comms.
"What is your business?"
What's my business, you bitch?
I frowned at the rude voice that didn't even bother to identify itself before demanding my business, but I answered anyway.
"Black Unicorn, Endline, and Tenshin. These three parties will be raiding Hellpard."
"I wish you luck."
You're saying that just to piss me off, aren't you?
"Once Hellpard is defeated, there will be no more threatening monsters. You should at least lower your defense line to drive out the remaining monsters and claim the credit for saving Miura City."
"That's assuming you actually defeat it."
"We will defeat it, so come and save the civilians. You're supposed to be heroes, aren't you?"
"Is that the proper attitude for someone asking for a favor?"
"A favor? Do I have to ask a hero to do what they're naturally supposed to do? Why don't you show an attitude befitting a hero?"
The rude woman on the other end fell silent for a moment before replying.
"To think you don't understand that Japan is only safe because we've established this defense line... This is why hero-obsessed fools are so hopeless. Tsk tsk."
"No—if you lower the defense line, you can block a much smaller area. The remaining heroes can be deployed to secure safe zones. You're just a pathetic coward trembling in fear of the monsters."
"What did you say?!"
"Just sit there and enjoy your coffee. I—no, Black Unicorn, Endline, and Tenshin—will take care of the Hellpard you're so terrified of."
I heard her screaming something, but I cut the connection unilaterally.
Only Lee Yu-na, who understood Chinese, gave an awkward smile, while the other heroes wondered what the conversation was about.
"Wasn't that a bit too aggressive?"
"I have to go this far to make her want to come down here just to punch me in the face."
"What? Did that Chinese jerk insult Master?"
"Try to follow the flow of the conversation, please."
Lee Yu-na scolded Kwon Ye-jin, then suddenly tilted her head and tapped the comms device in her ear.
"Uh, what's going on? I think there's some communication interference. Situation room, comms. Please check."
I guess there are things even Lee Yu-na can't do. Her acting was terrible; she spoke as awkwardly as if she were reading from a textbook.
"Apologies. We detected external eavesdropping on the comms. It seems to have come through the China Support Headquarters' line. It has been blocked. Communication status is now clear."
Ryu Ji-hye spoke with perfect nonchalance as she ended the transmission.
The heroes, having witnessed this series of performances, looked at me suspiciously.
"If they won't come down willingly, I'll have to drag them down by the scruff of their necks."
If they still don't move those heavy asses of theirs after hearing all that criticism, I'll truly be impressed.
The heroes here might not know it, but the recording of that conversation with China was going to be uploaded to the internet in its entirety.
It was a shame I wouldn't be able to see it myself.
"You should at least lower your defense line to drive out the remaining monsters and claim the credit for saving Miura City."
The line I had just spoken started playing from Yoon A-young's smartphone.
"So that's what the conversation was about."
As people looked over, Yoon A-young showed us the screen.
The video, titled 'Eavesdropped Comms Recording from Miura City,' showed translated text in several languages over a black background.
Were they making the video in real-time?
Even I didn't expect it to be uploaded this quickly.
Once Yoon A-young shared the link, the heroes who had their phones out checked the video for themselves.
It was a very modern sight—everyone huddled over their smartphones, focused intensely. It felt a bit surreal.
"Hahaha, you really are something else."
Jeong Sae-bom laughed after reading the translated dialogue.
Seeing the other heroes grinning and tapping away at their screens, it looked like they were busy spreading the link.
Yes, please spread it far and wide. That's the only way China will move.
Just then, the supply vehicle reached us.
The trailer of the vehicle, which stopped exactly in front of me, opened up to reveal several pieces of equipment and a large device that looked like a radar.
"Anyone without a JP-12, grab one. Take at least four spare cylinders each. Lee Yu-na, I'll give you the magic formula, so etch it onto the bullets."
Everyone in Endline already had one, and from Tenshin, only Mei had one.
Satomi, who didn't use a JP-12, held it awkwardly and met Haruka's gaze.
"Mei, Yoon A-young. Teach the others how to handle the guns."
"Yes! Understood!"
Mei excitedly began teaching Satomi and the other Tenshin members about the gun.
While Yoon A-young helped them, I worked with Lee Yu-na to etch the magic formulas onto the bullets.
After creating a generous supply of bullets and distributing them, we set off to hunt Hellpard.
"We've been on the receiving end for too long, so let's fight as dirty as possible."
As Hellpard came into view in the distance, the trailer of the supply vehicle following us opened, and the radar-shaped cannon I'd seen earlier tilted upward.
"Activating wave device."
At Ryu Ji-hye's words, the radar emitted a wave toward the front.
In truth, it was just a ground observation device issued to every headquarters that had its output forcibly cranked up, so the wave had almost no effect even if you were hit by it directly.
It was incomparable to the waves the Madam used.
But that was enough.
Must have been bored on a featureless Earth, right?
Hellpard felt the waves spreading around it and began to shift its attributes.
Just like the Madam from the New Human Alliance, it scattered invisible waves into the surroundings, causing the exterior walls of buildings to crumble.
As the buildings began to collapse under the formless waves, Mei swallowed hard, looking nervous.
"Don't lose track of how many bullets you've fired. Remember the count and reload whenever you have a spare moment."
"Understood!"
Mei, excited to be using a gun as her main weapon, answered loudly.
The Tenshin members still looked awkward as they glanced at the JP-12s in their hands before looking up.
"Wave attack incoming. Form up by party and attack!"
Rat-tat-tat-tat-bang!
As I fired and provided buffs, the heroes began to run fiercely, their mana erupting.
Dozens of eyes embedded in Hellpard's body—a mass of flesh that looked like it lacked skin—all turned toward the heroes at once.
Bang-bang-bang!
Fire spat from Astra, and bullets slammed into the path the heroes were running.
On the surface, nothing seemed to change, but the waves Hellpard had fired were neutralized.
Just as I had done with the Madam, neutralizing the waves caused those hideous eyes to blink in confusion.
"Ugh!"
However, I couldn't cover all the invisible waves by myself, and a few heroes were caught in them, their stances breaking.
Bang!
Before her knees could hit the ground, Go Ha-ram fired at the floor and sprang back up into a sprint.
Those were the bullets etched with the magic formula that had earned me the title of genius at the Magic Tower.
Hellpard had shifted to the wave attribute, which was notoriously difficult to deal with, but as long as we had those magic formulas, there was nothing it could do.
That didn't mean it would go down as easily as a common mob, but heroes always have that wonderful tactic: ganging up.
The heroes, their paths cleared of waves by the gunfire, began to beat the living daylights out of Hellpard.
Hellpard, which was supposed to attack with wave attributes, was instead kicked, stabbed, and slashed by over twenty heroes. It retreated repeatedly before changing its strategy to use mass attacks by manipulating buildings.
Hornet moved to escort Han So-ye, and the heroes who had briefly retreated returned to deliver another mobbing.
Struck by lightning, pelted with ice and stones, stabbed by swords, and kicked by shields—Hellpard, the Gatekeeper that had struck terror into B-rank heroes, was beaten as miserably as Pelligis before finally collapsing.
See? I told you it was nothing.
Satomi delivered the final blow, flicked the blood off her blade, and stylishly sheathed her sword.
Then, she looked at me and gave an awkward smile.
"Is it... really okay to catch it this easily...?"
"That's the advantage of the home ground. Even monsters are pushovers once they leave the dungeon."
When I spoke with confidence, the other heroes laughed hollowly.
Why? I was right.
"Snap out of it. We only took down Hellpard; there are still plenty of monsters left. We're going to drive them all out and save Miura City."
"Okay!"
"Understood!"
"We're being worked to the bone without a moment's rest. You're a harsh leader."
"They don't call him 'Black' for nothing."
As I clapped my hands to get them to focus, the heroes responded brightly and began to move.
Wait, who was the one who said 'Black'?