106. The Raid Begins.
"Villain...."
Makar bared his teeth, glaring at Kang Moo-hyuk.
"The bastard who massacred civilians is now hailed as Russia's pride. Just slapping an 'S' in front of his rank turned him into a hero. What's the difference between him and me? Is it because I'll rack up a higher body count down the line?"
"......"
"Nah, honestly, I don't give a damn what the living call me. But the dead... Nazhensky's restless spirits will thank me, at least. That's all the hero worship I need."
"That your last rant? Consider this a warning. Don't do anything stupid."
Makar raised the detonator.
"Revenge doesn't have room for stupid."
That's when No Song-rin moved.
Already fast on a good day, he lunged with full intent, and Makar couldn't react in time.
No Song-rin's mana-charged blade sliced clean through Makar's wrist. Blood sprayed into the air as the severed hand tumbled to the floor.
"Kahak!"
"Hey! Didn't they teach you in Russia that fidgeting gets your wrist chopped off, terrorist scum?"
No Song-rin kicked the severed wrist away. A trail of blood smeared toward Kang Moo-hyuk.
"Kuhuhu.... I'm a hunter too, you know. I learned not to mess around in front of high-rankers."
Kang Moo-hyuk picked up the detonator clutched in the severed hand. The moment he grabbed it, something felt off. It was subtly different from the one he'd seen before.
"This is.... No Song-rin, hun—!"
Before Kang Moo-hyuk could finish his warning, Makar's remaining left hand whipped out another detonator and triggered it.
"I told you. You can't stop it."
The monitor behind Makar flared with light. A small spark, but unmistakable.
The explosion rocked Upu Mangbau's body. Acrid smoke, like charred flesh, billowed from it.
As the smoke cleared, the shattered egg came into view. At the same time, Upu Mangbau thrashed in fury. No sound reached them, but its agonized screams were clear from the writhing.
Finally, the remnants of steel beams and concrete collapsed, cutting off the camera feed.
"700 grand per wrist. By guild street lingo... that's a hell of a profit margin, huh? Hahaha!"
"No Song-rin Hunter! Beat him half to death—enough to ship him off!"
"Roger! Wait, kill or not?"
"Half-dead to Black Owl Supermax."
"Black Owl...? Might be kinder to just kill him."
No Song-rin recalled the infamous Russian prison—playground compared to Black Owl—and subdued Makar in one swift motion.
Kang Moo-hyuk pulled out his smartphone and dialed.
"Guild Master, couldn't stop it. He was on guard, as expected."
-It's fine. We had to hunt Upu Mangbau anyway. Just a matter of timing—early or late.
"I wanted more perfect prep."
-Raid prep's solid. You've done everything possible, Director Kang. Hand it to the hunters now.
One word from Joo Se-ah echoed in Kang Moo-hyuk's mind.
'Hunter.'
The existence he could never become, as Makar had sneered.
'If I'd awakened as a hunter, maybe I'd have slain more monsters.'
But even without awakening, regret was gone now.
He'd mastered fighting monsters without being one.
Kang Moo-hyuk spoke into the phone, issuing the order.
In the pre-dawn chill, one corner of the city felt even colder, lights extinguished.
Char Guild hunters breathed white plumes, standing ready.
Not far off, Upu Mangbau's chilling cry echoed.
Joo Se-ah cast Message on the entire group.
⊳ Raid commencing now.
Hearing her voice simultaneously stunned the hunters.
Party groups buzzed, confirming if it was real.
'This real? Message to the whole raid at once?'
Message was low-mana, but scaling to dozens spiked difficulty exponentially.
Only mana-affinity traits or prodigies could fine-tune it.
Most stuck to one-on-one; party leaders managed 3-5.
'Guild Master's trait isn't mana-related... pure skill for dozens?'
Vice Guild Master Dmitri, leading in Anton Ivanov's stead, hid his awe to not alarm guildmates.
He'd heard tales of Korean hunters' Great War feats—urban legends in Vladivostok, close to Korea.
Dmitri's generation grew on those myths.
Char Guild's miracle 14 years ago inherited the legend, but his peers knew Korea's potential best.
'That giant trait hunter, the poison one... even Director Kang's bodyguard looks tough. Korea's hunters reviving around their Guild Master?'
Despite China and Japan's pressure, their resurgence stirred odd feelings in Dmitri.
Joo Se-ah's voice rang in his head.
Upu Mangbau demolished every building near its nest—not just the small ones anymore. Even skyscrapers it'd ignored before were now rubble.
Leading three Iron Will parties, Joo Se-ah blocked its path.
Hidden among intact structures, but its eerie cry—like a hawk diving for prey—signaled approach.
"This is the Maginot Line. Civilians behind us haven't evacuated yet—stop it here."
"Guild Master, we really not evacuating folks? One slip, and we're the fall guys."
Yeom Soo-hyung voiced concern; Joo Se-ah shrugged.
"What can we do? Russia's turf. Evac's not our call as foreigners. Dawn makes it tough anyway—no time now."
"Always the grown-ups' politics screwing hunters, Korea or Russia. Just ship people safe—why drag in econ or politics? Lives first."
Pyo Beom-hee grumbled; Joo Se-ah chuckled.
"Director Kang handles the grown-up stuff for us. Focus on raid. Pyo Beom-hee Hunter, confident with that thing?"
"Ugh... honestly? No clue. Feels unstable up close. Top-tier gear, top-tier diva. Thinks it's hot shit 'cause it's Unique."
Pyo Beom-hee held the black crystal orb at arm's length, like toxic waste.
"Still, wielding a Unique artifact? Rare chance. Good experience."
"Slayer had a few Uniques, no?"
"Not enough seniority."
"Ten years in?"
"Renewal contract gets usage rights."
"Sneaky bastards. After all you brought Slayer."
"Never thought that way. Now it pisses me off. Shows how badass Uniques are, though."
"Incoming."
Yeom Soo-hyung's warning cut the chatter.
The end-street building tilted—then collapsed in seconds.
"3-4 stories, about 7 meters. Damn big one."
"Tight even for stage-2. Plan A was risky."
"Scrap that—new plan."
"Support mode."
Yeom Soo-hyung swelled—stage-1 gigantification, his limit.
Half Upu Mangbau's height, but a tanking edge over normals against giants.
Spotting him, Upu Mangbau screeched and charged.
Waddling on stubby legs looked comical, but smashing buildings en route? Terrifying.
Yeom Soo-hyung accelerated to meet it.
"Think I'll let you through?!"
Kwak!
He swatted the wings, closing in tight. No weapon—poison risk. Upu Mangbau stabbed its beak at his bare head.
Mannequin-like things dangled from the slightly parted beak.
Curious, but mission first.
Dodging the beak, he bear-hugged its waist.
Charge halted; Upu Mangbau battered his back with flightless wings.
Impacts jarred, but he gritted through. Size and poison aside, not scary. He restricted movement ruthlessly.
With leeway, he eyed the beak—mannequins popped out on roars.
'People?'
No illusion.
Pelican-like beak doubled as pantry for uneaten prey.
It brimmed now.
'Early Vladivostok casualties minor, they said... this ain't minor.'
Including city stay? Dozens hunted as food.
"Sick fuck!"
Enraged, Yeom Soo-hyung headbutted the beak's underside.
Upu Mangbau toppled; contents spewed—humans, pets like dogs/cats, livestock like cows/pigs.
Rot stench hit. Gray-black smoke poured from the struck beak.
Shit—skin poison on impact too.
Cycling mana defensively, he pinned the lower body with both arms.
Pyo Beom-hee's voice from behind:
"Don't whale on it mad—easy does it!"
Left hand on Poison Well, right drawing ambient toxin.
Orb glowed dark; poison coalesced, absorbed.
"Tricky bastard. Don't suck too much at once. Bleed slow."
"How long for this brute? Damn, it'll take all night."
Grumbling, he tightened grip.
Meanwhile, Joo Se-ah mounted the upper body.
Sword raised high—borrowed, unfamiliar, but she adapted quick.
"Just a taste."
No hesitation—slash carved 2-meter gash in chest. Pus-green blood gushed; toxins seeped everywhere.
Massive volume; Pyo Beom-hee panicked, controlling the Well.
"Eek! T-too... much... ahhhyaoo."
Words failed; teeth clenched, eyes bloodshot, all focus on poison.
Hand blackened, normalized—repeat.
'Kill this thing... city toast. Toxin nastier than thought.'
Absorbed at last, she panted, soaked in sweat—barely started.
Joo Se-ah checked: "You good?"
"My specialty, but volume and virulence... not sure I last."
"Even I see you won't hold till kill."
Judging, she switched: messaged Dmitri.
Joo Se-ah glanced at Yeom Soo-hyung wrestling the monster.
Ridiculous raid sight.
'Messy... but not my job.'
To Pyo Beom-hee: "B-3 now. Less leak than pinning, but some en route. Handle it."
"G-gentle, please."
Nerves frayed overnight; Darden felt exhausted.
Seizing Char Guild lull, he dozed.
'Dream?'
Lucid-like, 14 years ago unfolded.
Boss from opened gate headed for Nazhensky.
Terror swallowed the city. Minor guilds panicked with civilians.
Hunters ditched gov orders, local contracts—fled despite Russia-wide hunt ban penalty.
Boss terror that absolute.
"We run too, Dad. No hope."
Darden startled at his own voice—vivid as now.
"Flee here? Breach fees bankrupt us. Worse, exile."
"Sacrifice whole guild?"
"Not sacrifice. Work for pay. Hold till civvies evac."
"Monsters swarm first?"
"Then bail pre-boss."
"Still carefree. Think that thing lets go easy?"
"Can't abandon people."
Dad smiled at Darden's scowl.
"We're hunters, Darden. Won't demand sacrifice. But protect to your limit. Else, not hunters."
"Who said? Just 'cause Hyung and Elena worry. They obey you. Tch! Not like I wanna argue."
Darden griped, but beamed inside.
Proud of such dad—small guild master, but hunter ideal.
'Died betrayed for that duty.'
Darden woke.
"Vice Guild Master."
Right-hand Nikolayev entered.
"What?"
"Koreans started Upu Mangbau raid."
"Hmph! Opening hell's gate after all."
Darden snorted; Nikolayev cautious:
"But... things flowing weird."
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