Jirisan Monster Extermination Operation (3)
Smooth communication between the main force and the special raid team was crucial.
They had to maintain an appropriate distance while scouting for elite monsters.
That way, they could respond quickly even in a dire crisis.
The Sancheong Special Raid Team—SS Team for short—led by Gu Junyoung didn't push themselves too hard at first.
During the day, they meticulously scouted and hunted the surroundings, then returned to the main force at night with their gathered byproducts for resupply and rest.
But on the third day, they ended up straying a bit too far from the main group.
It was the thrill of the hunt.
Monsters popped up constantly in this monster-dense zone, just as expected.
Had they ever conducted an operation in the jungle this long?
The special raid team consisted entirely of members at least at the Middle Expert level.
They sliced through every monster that appeared with ease.
Collecting mana crystals and hides was rewarding in its own right.
Fifth Imperial Prince Ryu Jincheol was especially hooked.
Roaming a monster-dense zone freely, away from the imperial palace—when had he last felt this rush?
"I'm really starting to like this place. Enlisting in the Jirisan Division doesn't sound half bad."
Gu Junyoung panicked.
The prince... wanted to enlist in the Jirisan unit?
"It's only been a short while, Your Highness, so it's natural to feel that way. But this is a hot region. It's rural, too—no real entertainment, and not many people around."
"That's exactly what I like about it. Rural life suits me better than the hustle of the cities."
What kind of bolt from the blue was this?
He had to stay calm in a moment like this.
"Hmm, not swayed by the glamour of the cities, eh? You're not like the young folks these days."
"I'm embarrassed to say it's something I hear often."
"And so humble, too."
Flatter him first.
"If you're set on the Jirisan unit, how about Namwon?"
"You mean the Namwon Defense Division?"
"Yes. Sancheong has both the division HQ and legion HQ, so it's a bit bustling. Namwon's quieter."
"Namwon, huh..."
Yes, go to Namwon.
Absolutely not the Sancheong Division.
The legion HQ would be better.
"But I've grown fond of the people in the Sancheong Division..."
That was when it happened.
Tsutsutsutsutsu...
"Whooo, whhoooo, whaaang!"
The sound came from the top of a massive ancient tree.
Everyone froze. They could barely move.
It was the instinctive fear herbivores felt upon encountering a carnivore.
"...Run."
No doubt about it.
It was an elite monster.
"Snap out of it!!!"
Gu Junyoung's roar, infused with mana, jolted the team back to their senses.
In that instant!
Shoooowhoosh, thud!
A massive figure leaped from the tree to the ground.
"Damn it all!"
Of all the things to show up, why this one?
It was an elite steel-feather owl.
It looked like an owl, but its body was as big as a Giant Half-Moon Bear.
It hunted day and night without distinction.
It had wings, too.
People sometimes mistook it for a flying monster because of that, but it was actually terrestrial.
Its feathers were made of solid steel, preventing flight.
No amount of flapping could generate lift.
Its heavy body didn't help.
How did it climb trees?
With its talons, digging in step by step.
Retaining some owl instincts, it lurked atop trees and dove onto prey when it appeared.
"Slowly, very slowly—back away."
The steel-feather owl's attacks and defenses relied on its namesake: razor-sharp steel feathers.
But this wasn't an ordinary monster owl.
It was elite.
Aura coated its feathers, slicing through anything they grazed.
"Whoooang! Whaaang!"
The elite steel-feather owl stood tall on two legs, glaring down at the humans.
Whoosh! Thud! Whoosh! Thud!
It hopped forward on its legs.
Each bound shook the earth.
"Put your weapons away. Don't provoke it."
Then Gu Junyoung glanced at Fifth Imperial Prince Ryu Jincheol, who stood dazed beside him.
"Your Highness, fall back—farther!"
This wasn't the time for hiding his identity.
"I'll be fine. I can..."
"Now!!!"
Ryu Jincheol reluctantly retreated at Gu Junyoung's firm command.
The prince had talent, but he lacked experience.
The elite steel-feather owl tilted its head, watching the humans slowly widen the distance.
"Whaang?"
In truth, this one was the easiest to kill during waves.
It was slow and couldn't dodge missiles or shells.
A barrage of heavy firepower would overwhelm it.
But in the jungle, it was the trickiest elite monster to hunt.
Large elites like elite red-fur wolves or elite giant half-moon bears were typically hunted with mana alloy wires.
They were incredibly tough; only aura-infused blades could cut them.
And their weapons? Teeth or claws.
The standard tactic was to surround them with wires, restrict movement, and let a Master finish them off.
This one was different.
Its body was covered in dense steel feathers.
Wires would snap instantly.
The feathers served as both weapons and excellent armor.
Plus an aura barrier.
Even most Masters couldn't scratch it.
It had weaknesses, though.
For all its heavy armor, it was sluggish and none too bright.
When planning this operation, there had been heated debate on how to take down elite steel-feather owls.
Hunt them or evade?
The initial decision: hunt them.
It was a great subjugation op—they couldn't dodge just because it was tough.
So how to hunt one in the jungle?
Strip that feather armor first.
That's where the idea came in.
Gu Junyoung addressed his team.
"Prepare the Hyper Divine Bow anti-tank missiles."
The answer was firepower, of course.
One anti-tank missile.
Concentrated blast to melt the feathers.
But it was a double-edged sword.
Firing something that explosive in the Jirisan monster zone would agitate every nearby monster.
And this wasn't a gun—it was a missile.
How far would the boom carry?
Monsters would swarm like bees.
So they muffled the explosion.
Which reduced the power.
Enough for a tiny pinhole if it hit perfectly.
'First time trying this strategy. We have to make it work.'
The quickest to react to firepower blasts were the mutant bipedal orc boars.
Jirisan had its share of orc packs.
They'd evolved thick hides against the three-striped mosquitoes.
Or cs weren't a problem.
The SS Team had plenty of Experts.
"Fire on my signal."
"Yes, sir."
Gu Junyoung unslung the spear bestowed by His Majesty upon his first star, gripping it with both hands.
Then he strode toward the owl and thrust fiercely.
Tszzzt!
Clang!
Predictably, the feathers blocked it.
"Whaaaaang!!!"
The elite steel-feather owl bellowed and charged.
Whoosh! Thud-thud-thud-thud!
Even slowpokes sped up when enraged.
Lure it out, draw it away.
"Fire!!!"
"Commander, it's too close."
"Don't worry about me—fire now!!!"
Right then!
Whiiiish!
Kaboom! Kwakwakwa-boom!
"Whaaaak!!! Whak!"
The explosion echoed through the Jirisan jungle.
Gu Junyoung, who had dodged at the launch sound, charged back in furiously.
The missile hit.
And punched a coin-sized hole clean through.
Ziiing.
His aura-charged spear shot into the hole like lightning.
Tszzt!
Splurch!
'Got it!'
He felt it pierce flesh, not feathers.
But then,
"Huh?"
The spear wouldn't advance further.
Nor pull out.
It felt locked in place.
As it turned out,
Crunch!
The owl had clamped its sturdy beak on the shaft.
"Damn it!"
Ziiing!
He surged aura, but the beak was aura-coated too.
"Goddamn it!"
The shaft wouldn't budge.
At least the beast couldn't move either.
Crunch.
It gripped the upper shaft tight.
Suddenly!
Woooong!
Its mana surged through the spear.
Mana injection attack.
Human and monster mana were incompatible.
If the elite steel-feather owl's mana invaded his body, it'd cause severe internal damage.
The owl's intent was simple: let go of the spear.
Then it'd pull free and flee.
But releasing it would let the mana backlash anyway.
No choice—Gu Junyoung channeled his own mana into the shaft.
Woooong!
Mana versus mana.
A test of strength.
The loser would take internal wounds.
Stalemate held.
Now the special raid team rushed in.
"Focus fire on the monster!"
"No Superior or lower—stay back!"
"Hit it with ranged weapons!"
Thwack, thwack-thwack-thwack! Thud-thud!
The elite steel-feather owl took a beating.
But it never released the spear.
Mana injection continued unabated.
Still, victory leaned toward Gu Junyoung.
Even elite monster defenses had limits.
They were sure they'd win.
Until the explosion drew the orc horde.
"Kyakyakya-kak!"
"Chweeek! Chk! Chk!"
"Chweeek! Kumchit, kumchit!"
Sounds from the forest depths.
"O-orcs!"
"Fuck! Pig bastards!!!"
"Of all the damn times."
Over 300 at a glance.
No, 400? 500...
Gu Junyoung shouted urgently.
"Request backup, handle the orcs first... ugh!"
A moment's lapse let the owl's mana seep in.
He refocused.
Melee erupted.
Awakener officers blocked the charging orcs.
They were outnumbered.
But the special raid team brimmed with Experts.
500 orcs? They could manage.
Slash!
"Kweeeek!"
Stab!
"Kwik?"
Rat-tat-tat! Stab-stab!
Or cs fell in droves.
Fifth Imperial Prince Ryu Jincheol shone brightest.
Sensing the gravity, he went all-out against the orcs.
But right then!
"KuoOOOOH!!!"
A terrifying roar swept the battlefield.
Chilling dread shook body and mind.
"Gasp!"
"Urk!!!"
"N-no way!"
"Aaaah..."
A massive orc appeared.
An elite orc great chieftain, wielding a club as big as itself.
The awakener officers froze from its presence.
The orcs, invigorated by their lord, rampaged harder.
"Kuo! KuoOOOH! KuoOOOH!"
The great chieftain's elite skill.
Roar of Dominion.
"I-it's coming this way. Block it!"
"Protect the division commander."
Or cs had some intelligence.
Especially with their king present.
They blocked the humans rushing to the chieftain, clearing a path.
Clang! Clash-clang!
Slash! Stab!
Rat-tat-tat!
Regardless of the human-orc clashes, the elite orc great chieftain strode slowly down the open path.
Its destination: where Gu Junyoung and the elite steel-feather owl were locked.
The strongest human and its rival elite were pinned, unable to move.
Who to kill first?
The owl looked badly hurt.
Obviously the human.
Gu Junyoung was trapped, unable to act.
He could handle an elite orc great chieftain alone.
But his greatest human asset—his weapon—was pinned.
No matter how he tugged, it wouldn't budge.
Time for a decision.
Release the spear, deal with the chieftain first.
What about a weapon?
The standard-issue army sword at his waist.
Would it do?
No choice.
Holding out meant dying to that club.
"Krrruk!"
The elite orc great chieftain closed in.
Gu Junyoung shoved the shaft hard and let go.
"Urk!"
First to yield in the mana clash—backlash mana surged.
Heave!
Fresh blood welled from his gut to his mouth.
He swallowed it down.
Then drew every ounce of mana.
Free hand snatched the army sword from his belt, thrusting at the elite orc great chieftain.
Tszzt!
A flash of sword light slashed the air.
Sliiiiice!
But.
Pah! Clang!
The massive club blocked it.
Clang-clang-clang!
The blade shattered into fragments.
Now he saw—the club wasn't ordinary wood.
Of course; aura-coated and unscathed.
Rare, but the jungle had such trees.
300-year mana-soaked ones, evolved to elite monster level.
"Kurrururu."
The elite orc great chieftain sneered at Gu Junyoung.
"...Damn it!"
Exhausted from the failed strike, the club's shadow loomed over Gu Junyoung's head.
But right then!
Tszzzt!
Clang!
A military greatsword-sized projectile slammed the chieftain's club—from who knows where.
Followed by a volley.
Tszzt! Tszzt-tzzt! Zzt!
Clang! Clang-clang-clang! Tang-tang!
And that wasn't all.
Fluttering in, dozens of metal butterflies darted erratically on thin wings.
Then
Whiiiish!
Kim Taeju arrived via Pyoholjilpungbo, joining the fray.
Kim Taeju had grasped the situation from afar before arriving.
Gu Junyoung and the elite steel-feather owl locked via spear; the sudden giant orc; crisis looming over Gu Junyoung.
First, block the falling club with a talmyeong bido, draw the orc chieftain's attention with nimble uyeop bido and Blood Butterflies.
Then,
Flap!
He flung open the front of his illusory fox-fur coat and leaped into the battlefield.
Kim Taeju confirmed the elite steel-feather owl staggering back, spear shaft impaled in its chest.
'Barrier's broken.'
The spear had pierced where the aura shield shattered.
A tiny hole.
And the spear still lodged.
Finish it clean first.
'But can a talmyeong bido slip in?'
If he couldn't land that, he wouldn't be the Absolute Poison Demon.
Wung!
He infused the hefty talmyeong bido with vicious poison aura,
Tszzzt!
It skimmed low and fast.
In a blink, it reached the owl's chest,
Splurch!
Embedding right beside the spear tip.
"Whooooaaang!!!"
That one's done.
It'd die on its own.
Meanwhile, Division Commander Gu Junyoung rolled aside.
Out of the elite orc great chieftain's range, distracted by the metal butterflies.
He sprang up, pulled a Taehong recovery potion from his bosom, swallowed it, and
Dash-dash!
Rushed to the writhing elite steel-feather owl, yanking
out his weapon, the spear.
The great reversal began.
The Jirisan Monster Extermination Operation (3) End