Chapter 157: Total Mobilization
Even today, Musan—the peaceful forward defense outpost—was much like any other small town. Aside from the occasional monster howls echoing in the distance and beasts slinking down from the foothills to prowl the roads, there was nothing particularly noteworthy about it.
The hunting season triggered by the southward monster migration since early winter had ended, and many of the hunters who'd gathered for government quest points had already left.
The local merchants who'd gotten a taste for the one-off boom were starting to cut back on orders, and the fly-by-night peddlers were preparing to pull out.
It was in this tranquil city that disaster struck.
"Hey, Jang, check that out. What the hell is that?"
"What?"
"That. Up in the sky, coming down."
"A balloon? It's floating around all puffy."
"If it was a balloon, it'd be going up, not down. Huh? There's a bunch of 'em."
The man, hand shading his eyes as he peered up at the sky, watched as the balloon-like things spewed unidentified objects in all directions...
"Huh?"
Boom!Kaboom!
"Kyaaak!"
"Urk! Uwaaaah!"
Buildings crumbled. Roads shattered. The ground sank deep. People were torn apart into unrecognizable chunks of meat.
Some were crushed to death under fallen utility poles, others electrocuted and roasted by live wires, still more had their skulls cracked by debris from collapsed structures despite dodging the blasts—victims of car crashes from panicked swerves...
Not just aerial bombardment, but every calamity and accident imaginable claimed lives.
The victims had no idea why they were dying, but a few veteran hunters seasoned in Makyung hunts immediately identified the source of the sudden airstrike.
"Bomb flowers!"
"Contact the frontline garrison at Musan!"
"Get people to shelter! If those seed bastards eat 'em, there's no saving them!"
"Damn it! Why are deep Makyung spawns coming here?!"
Musan was larger than Da Hong Dan County, so even after many hunters had departed, a substantial number remained.
Some were from guild branches providing routine support to Musan, enabling a swift response. They mobilized emergency teams the moment the strikes hit.
Emergency networks linking support parties from various guilds connected rapidly. Amid the chaos, parties responsible for Musan's districts found their positions and moved out.
The initial casualties were heavy due to the crowds, but prompt cleanup prevented secondary outbreaks as the seeds matured into parent bodies.
Even during the parent bodies' descent phase, hunters assigned to each area counterattacked and neutralized them.
Unlike Da Hong Dan, it seemed they'd wrap up without reaching phase three.
"Front! Front!"
"Ogre!"
"Where's the frontline mana cannon? Charged yet?!"
Then ogres and assorted large monsters burst from the frontline.
Musan's sole deployed anti-large-monster frontline mana cannon roared to life. Mana mines buried across the river detonated.
Smaller monsters interspersed among the giants somehow dodged the mines and crossed the river, only to fall to soldiers' mana bullets.
But this achieved little. Mana rounds were for suppression and blocking, not elimination—their limit. Firing hundreds might luck into vitals for a kill, but high unit costs prevented endless barrages. They were just buying time until hunter reinforcements arrived.
The army commander, confirming the frontline blockers' efforts, figured they could hold until hunters arrived. He was wrong.
Suddenly, a flash lit the front.
Kraka boom!Kuwaang!
A beam swept through the trenches out of nowhere.
The commander, who'd come to the frontline to assess, remembered that light as his last moment.
"Aaaah, my leg...!"
"Arm, my arm... Uuheung..."
"Medic! Where's the medic?!"
"They're all dead! Wiped out!"
Limbless soldiers collapsing, headless corpses, faces unrecognizable save for name tags on chests.
The battlefield turned to hell in an instant.
Survivors abandoned even the wounded and fled, unable to block further monster assaults. Ordinary folk couldn't fight monsters.
That was when it happened.
Pyro Spear
A fiery spear flew from somewhere, decapitating an ogre about to grab a soldier. Mana swords and skill-infused arrows followed, sweeping the front. The ogre, bombarded with unbearable damage in a blink, collapsed.
"H-Hunters!"
"Hic... We're alive. Alive."
A group of hunters appeared at the frontline and began slaying monsters.
"Everyone fall back! North Wind Guild's got this!"
"Grab the wounded and pull out!"
"Hey, Advance Guild scrubs! Take right flank. Left's handled by Divine Warriors."
"Those guys have an overblown guild name for their middling skills. Anyway, got it. Wind wimps, you hold here."
As hunters took positions and stabilized the line...
The beam that obliterated the trench earlier flashed again.
Kraka boom!Whoomph!
"P-Potions!"
"Fuck! What the hell?!"
Unlike the army squad wiped in one hit, the hunters endured the surprise attack.
Not unscathed, though. Tanks and nearby hunters, those with defense skills, and those outside the blast radius survived intact. Direct hits were fatal, and even survivors took heavy damage, forcing them out of the fight.
Only after the smoke cleared did the hunters identify the attacking monster.
"Ah... Agora Magos!"
Magic-type monster first discovered in Greece.
Dried, cracked skin like a mummy on two legs, wielding a staff and skill book.
Wrapped in ragged cloth like an ancient priest (magos), named after Greece's ancient agora square.
Square's Priest.
Normally a hunter's dream for its magic skill books, but notoriously tricky when backed by hordes.
"Ranged DPS line! Can you snipe it?"
"Tried already! Barrier blocks it!"
"Magic?"
"Ours is weaker. Waste of mana."
"Melee it is."
The North Wind Guild party leader scanned the front. The charging monsters were unscathed. Breaking through to reach the Agora Magos seemed impossible.
'And it sniped around the monsters. Smart mob, sure, but this clever? How to take it down? Coordinate with other guilds...'
As the leader hesitated, magic blanketed the field again.
Unlike the initial ambush, hunters deftly deployed defense and evasion skills.
Those without resisted hiding behind tanks to minimize damage. Tankless ones dove into trenches, digging pits with skills for cover.
They dodged the magic, but the real issue was the monster swarm charging right after.
Mixed small and large types overwhelmed hunters focused on spell defense.
The leader gritted his teeth.
"Withdraw! To the city! Activate emergency net! Urban combat from now on!"
Hoiryeong City.
Unlike a typical frontline city, Hoiryeong boasted 150,000 residents—the largest fortress in North Hamgyong Province.
Many Makyung hunters used it as a base. Well-equipped infrastructure included entertainment districts and luxury lodging for frequent visitors.
True to its size, mid-tier guilds like Nopsaebaram and notable regular raid teams made it the Tumen River line's strongest hunter hub.
Never once threatened by monsters since the Small War.
Until today.
Smoke rising here and there, buildings collapsed.
Screams of agony and groans filled the city.
Hoiryeong General Hospital had more corpses than patients. Streets overflowed with uncollected bodies no one dared—or had time to—touch.
"Frontline?"
"Barely contained."
Nopsaebaram Guild Master Ma Parlam, face etched with exhaustion, searched for remaining city monsters.
They should've rested after eliminating most, but he couldn't.
"First monster wave like this."
"Wasn't there one during the 'Gate Hole' incident?"
"That was the Small War—nearly 20 years ago. Heard stories, never lived it."
"Won't end here. Scouts outside say monster activity's off. Your call?"
"What call?"
"Evacuate the city. HQ building? Rebuild it. Assets elsewhere—hunters safe, we rebound. Protecting the guild? Worth considering."
Ma Parlam glared at Vice Guild Master Park Jin-seon.
"I'm staying."
"Fuck, knew it. Gonna die fighting here?"
"Run if you want. Tell the members. Won't force sacrifices."
"Quitters would've bailed already. They ditched richer guilds for you. Retreat anyway—atmosphere's bad. No need to get kids killed."
Ma Parlam ignored him, grabbing shield and sword.
Fitting a mid-tier guild leader, good gear—but dented everywhere. Sword chipped, near breaking; doubtful against goblin hide. Battle scars.
Never this battered even in Makyung hunts—Ma Parlam sensed crisis more than anyone.
"Run from danger..."
"..."
Ma Parlam slung his shield on his back, patting Park Jin-seon's shoulder.
"Who's protecting the people?"
"Haaa~ I'm crazy. Ditched Slayer to follow this guy... Back in my day, I was..."
"I know, top prospect. Joo Se-ah's peer?"
"Then act like you know—before I quit."
"You said watching her tank made you hate it?"
"Excuse. Honestly, her tanking makes any hunter wanna quit. No shield, no armor—just barehanded ogre wrestling. She was a kid then. Ripped minotaur horns barehanded, grinning like an idiot... Fuck, still gives me chills."
Ma Parlam laughed, shoving the shuddering Park Jin-seon.
"Enough—my ears'll blister. Joo Se-ah's great, so help. Outside her, you're the best tank I've seen. Technique-wise, maybe better."
"Ahem, not that good... But you get my skills."
"Yeah. Let's go. Rested?"
"Sigh, if you weren't likable."
"Time to show monsters why we're Hoiryeong's bosses."
Ma Parlam led; Park Jin-seon followed. Shadows around them rose.
Dozens of hunters trailed Ma Parlam.
Torn armor coats and cracked chest guards bore a mark: three slashes.
Beneath, cursive script sweeping like wind:
Guild Cooperation Department Head Cha Gil-ju was just leaving the Blue House.
Unlike his usual calm, his face flushed red and purple today.
"Cha Department Head."
"Security Secretary."
"Don't take it personally. It's the system—you know."
"This isn't the time for system excuses. The Joint Chiefs' response isn't anti-monster strategy."
The secretary led Cha to a quiet spot, lighting a cigarette.
"Chiefs are desperate too. North unification, Northeast Three Provinces collapse—northern threats gone. USFK down to liaison office; rest withdrew home. Complaints rising: Do we need Joint Chiefs? Demilitarization talk. Defense rushed. Hunter army plan scrapped after guild backlash. This crisis? Chance to secure seats. Teaming with Chiefs—strong intent. Understand."
"Not about my understanding. Retreat, new rear line? Secondary. Priority: Hold Tumen River. Monsters'll break through first. Final block line crumbles too."
"Eh-hey. Korea's hunters faded? Still enough. Line's breached piecemeal—narrowing defense isn't wrong."
Cha Gil-ju pounded his frustrated chest inwardly.
No matter his explanations, Defense, Joint Chiefs, Blue House seemed blind to severity.
Post-Great and Small Wars, Hamgyong border population plummeted—likely factor.
'Northern non-hunters have limited votes. Prioritize donors.'
Unspoken: Keep monsters southbound from giving opposition ammo.
Gangwon sighting? Votes plummet live.
Obsessed with looming election, officials fixated on narrow line hold, guild hunter support to resolve quick. Guard key Hamgyong cities.
"Hey, Cha. Focus here now. Next year's politics foggy—reelection or ousted? Plan ahead. Political from now. Soothe guilds, muster support hunters. That's your department."
Cha felt disillusioned.
'Korea's monster defense is illusion. Without Cooperation Dept as true authority, worse ahead—big price.'
Kang Moo-hyuk grabbed the official document and immediately called North Pocheon.
"Jang Deok-gu Hunter. Relay to Expedition Leader Lee Jin-joo. Prepare expedition, head north."
"Tumen River line's in peril. I order total guild mobilization. Full alert all forces as precaution. Open C Warehouse—send expedition to Chongjin City with gear. Distribution on-site as needed."