Somehow My Heart's Racing?
The path swept by mana lay in ruins.
The shanties swayed even in the wind of the blades, and the dirt ground was churned into deep pits by nothing more than running footsteps.
A tank, bulked up by his skill, went flying and crashed into a persimmon tree. Crack—the trunk snapped in two. A dealer who had been lying in wait seized the opening and pounced.
"Die!"
"Just like those bastards! Shameless scum who can't even keep a promise!"
The flaming sword scorched the air. When it clashed with the mana-infused spear, sparks flew in all directions.
Heat intense enough to melt flesh without mana protection.
The ground charred, the shanties turned to ash. The outdoor sink in the front yard melted outright, flowing like lava into a puddle of molten metal.
"Squad 1! You gonna let your tank die?! What the hell's Squad 2 doing?! If he bites it, who you gonna blame?! Get your asses in here now!"
At Cheon Deok-su's bellow, the tangled front line gradually reformed. He wiped cold sweat from his brow. One wrong move, and a whole party could vanish in an instant. In a fight with no reserves or backup, the loss of even one party was a fatal blow.
'We're only holding because we're fighting in our own backyard. Anywhere else, we'd be dead ten times over by now.'
Even he owed the frontal clash to Kang Moo-hyuk's maneuvers shuffling the enemy's remaining assault teams around. But things were growing disadvantageous with every passing minute.
"Cheon Deok-su."
A familiar voice pierced through the hunters' shouts.
Cheon Deok-su turned to the hunter glaring at him.
"Found you at last."
"Won Ha-o!"
Won Ha-o stabbed his spear into the ground, then leaped high, diving at Cheon Deok-su.
Cheon Deok-su drew his twin swords to meet him. The spear tip crossed between the X of his blades overhead.
The moment weapons met, both poured all their mana. A razor-edge instant where the slightest delay could cost a weapon.
A high-rank duel of skill, conserving mana for a prolonged fight—but now evolved into personal tactics, timing strikes at the opponent's openings.
They gripped their weapons tighter, faces drawing close.
"Enough of you. Die quietly."
"What hunter goes down easy? You die nice and proper!"
Cheon Deok-su unleashed his brute strength, flicking the spear away. Won Ha-o retreated, thrusting repeatedly to keep distance. Cheon Deok-su deflected and pressed relentlessly.
The narrow alley became their duel arena. The clashing hunters pulled back, catching their breath, unable to intervene.
Twin swords and spear wove chaotic afterimages, sweeping the surroundings. Obstacles that had hindered moments ago shattered into debris. A person caught in it wouldn't leave chunks of meat, let alone a puddle of blood.
The watching hunters swallowed dryly, chilled to the bone, praying silently.
For their boss to win.
Or they'd be the next sacrifices.
Kim Gil-young regretted it. Park Cheol-i regretted it too.
'Shouldn't have come out.'
But both felt relief at the same time. Thank God they hadn't dragged their friends along.
The battlefield was vaster than the boys had imagined. Lines meaningless, everything a chaotic melee.
In the savage flurry, the two kids screamed and ran.
"Uwaaaah!"
"Waaah!"
Hunters leaping onto rooftops collided, sending embers flying. Wherever they hit, flames erupted. Rubber or vinyl belched thick, acrid smoke, blinding vision. When wind stirred in the unseen black haze, the boys dove flat.
Pure terror, but it saved their lives. A mana storm grazed overhead, obliterating the house behind.
"Whoaaa!"
"This is all your fault, hyung. Ugh, save us!"
A few prison village hunters spotted the kids but couldn't help. Turning would mean instant death—no margin for error.
Some recognized them as patrol comrades' sons, but no chance to act. All they could do was hope the boys fled far while they drew enemy eyes.
"L-Let's go. Gotta get outta here somehow."
Kim Gil-young yanked Park Cheol-i up by the collar. Park Cheol-i's legs buckled, haunted by the chilling sight.
But he wasn't crumbling into sobs like other kids. His patrolman father's constant barked lessons echoed.
'When evacuating, never stop. Keep moving.'
Instinct kicked in. Legs shaking, he forced himself to run. The karambit knife clutched to his chest felt impossibly heavy. He wanted to drop it.
"We're good! We made it out! Uncle Kang's probably at our house! Just get past three blocks from here!"
Kim Gil-young beamed as explosions and fires faded, glancing back at Park Cheol-i.
"Huh...?"
Park Cheol-i lay collapsed.
Left arm gone.
Blood sprayed into the air, unreal. Crimson pooling on the ground, Park Cheol-i groaning atop it. Like a dream.
And above him, a house collapsed, pillar lost.
"Cheol-iii!"
"Can't take it anymore. How long you gonna dawdle? Hours already, and this humiliation just because a few outsiders joined?"
Jang Jung-shin learned late why his assault stalled: someone had infiltrated, scrambling command.
And that someone was Hyeon Jeong-geon(?) wearing another's face.
Even the main Nakhwa Guild central force lagged.
Pushing parties aggressively despite losses, yet momentum cut at crucial points.
Like traps deliberately laid in wait.
'Has to be that Kang Moo-hyuk bastard. Damn him. Treating us like fools.'
Jang Jung-shin thought of the Dandong reserves. Deploy them, and the tide turns instantly.
'No. Not yet. Can't get branded incompetent.'
Elite force a bridge away from Sinuiju—but calling them now, after starting without, meant questioning his ability beyond face.
Jang Jung-shin swallowed pride, ordering all Gaeryeo Alliance hunters.
"Deploy Sinuiju's Five Heroes. Strike the enemy head. Rest, loosen encirclement and enter village."
Kang Moo-hyuk issued ceaseless orders from the map. Relay via No Song-rin with message skill.
Luckily, Ryeon Jeong-mun, Cheon Deok-su, Hwang Dong-soo, and a few top brass had message skills.
Makyung's dangers yielded rich rewards. Rare skill books outside gates, accumulated over years. A silver lining for Kang Moo-hyuk.
"Ryeon Jeong-mun Squad 3 to persimmon tree block. Hwang Dong-soo Squads 4 and 5 hold at Young-cheol's front yard."
He used familiar local landmarks. Numbering efficient, but hunters needed time to memorize.
Thus, Kang Moo-hyuk mapped with locals' help and memorized it all.
"Captain, Young-cheol's gone—wiped."
"Bing-sun's a block back?"
"Hold on... Yeah, still holding."
"It's the prison approach—set ambush. Cheon Deok-su Squads 1 and 2 hold, signal 3 and 4 for flank."
No Song-rin grimaced relaying.
"Cheon Deok-su's pissed."
"Why?"
"Tangling with that Won Ha-o guy."
Kang Moo-hyuk recalled the name instantly—from No Song-rin's intel docs.
'Sinuiju Five Heroes. A- rank. Even with Cheon Deok-su. Deploying now targets our high-ranks? Avoided damage, but tail caught.'
Sinuiju Five Heroes.
Ridiculous nicknames in a cramped town, but here, top predators.
Worse, Kang Moo-hyuk sensed full deployment.
Messages flooded No Song-rin, confirming instinct.
"Hwang Dong-soo, Ryeon Jeong-mun hit by those 'Heroes' or whatever. Patrol kids too. That spot's wiped probably? What now? Me?"
"You pull out, comms collapse."
"Cold."
"Knew sacrifices inevitable. But emotion dooms us all. Stay cold."
Kang Moo-hyuk bit his lip firm despite resolve.
'My job: hold. No sentiment.'
Countermeasures first.
Ideal: swap message hunter for No Song-rin. But no ally could disengage easily now.
Wristwatch: just past 2 p.m.
'Two hours... Held long, but guild chopper speed means at least one more. Pull Guild Master here?'
Slayer needed approvals, prep—Joo Se-ah solo faster.
Tempting, but last resort. Pulling her from post like removing base to prop top.
'Cards left. But use now, gone when needed. Engineer spot?'
He reviewed strategy.
Short forces, outdated gear, scant potions.
Inferior resources: divide what to yield, what to guard.
Top guard: prison village folk.
Current patrol base at prison: must hold.
But final measure risked that.
'Skip planned steps, no fallback.'
Then—
Rattle, door opened.
"Uncle!"
Childish voice rang inside.
"Gil-young? How'd you...?"
Kang Moo-hyuk's mind tangled.
Kim Gil-young scraped and bruised, blood-smeared. Sharp eyes scanned instantly.
"Not yours? Patrol base fell?"
"No, that's fine. But Cheol-i..."
"Cheol-i? Park Cheol-i?"
No Song-rin queried; Kim Gil-young nodded.
"Took your knife to him, we snuck out... My fault. I said go... Sob."
"Hey, kid. He dead?"
No Song-rin's face hardened. Kim Gil-young flinched but gritted teeth.
"Breathing when I left. But lost lotsa blood... Arm gone... Hic, under collapsed house. Tried pulling... Cried it hurt... Uncle, save him."
No Song-rin silent, eyes off Kang Moo-hyuk.
'Can't ruin fight for one kid. Hunters dying—kid's nothing.'
Damn.
"Captain, mind if I step out?"
"Can't now."
"Know. Still, gotta go. Order me stay, I will."
"Then ordered."
No Song-rin clenched teeth. Why care for a brat? Hunter flaw, uncharacteristic.
Grateful for refusal almost.
As he reeled, Kang Moo-hyuk spoke.
"Save the kid named Cheol-i."
"Huh?"
"Time to decide. Perfect timing—clears my head. Shifting to final phase."
Kang Moo-hyuk grabbed satellite phone.
Bzzz! Bzzz!
Hyeon Jeong-geon pulled the violently ringing smartphone from his pocket. Blood-sticky hands annoyed; he wiped on nearby clothes.
Clothes hid what was once a person. Hunter corpse, eyes open, bleeding. More blood on hands now; he rubbed on pants, took call.
"Yes, Captain. No, half done? Not all. Who lays monster nets this tight in a podunk like Sinuiju? Why? Not time yet?"
-Final operation.
"Already? Last resort, right?"
-Enemy elites in. Encirclement soon.
"Pin high-ranks, overwhelm numbers. Chinese playbook, always same."
-Yes. Predictable, but deadly counter. Most fatal now.
"Use now? Might regret."
-Regret later?
"Fair."
Hyeon Jeong-geon shook blood from black dagger. Left most gear at Titan, but this his trade staple.
Five dead hunters where splattered. Confirmed gone, he said.
"Then I start final mission?"
-If you can. Tough? Pull back. Bonus anyway.
"Body first, obviously. Not my first rodeo. Later."
Hyeon Jeong-geon killed phone power. No leisure now.
"Alright, time to take Jang Jung-shin's head?"
"Hello? Whoa, Captain Kang! Why call now? Bored stiff. Safe? When you coming home?"
-Go Eul-ji Hunter. Ten minutes. Execute final op.
"Final? Whee, first real brawl. Somehow my heart's racing?"