#229. This Feels Really Ominous.
Powel felt the strain weighing him down.
Racing through the dark, narrow passages while fending off the pursuing monsters was more mentally exhausting than physically demanding.
Especially in this endless maze with no exit in sight, even claustrophobia he never had before was starting to creep in.
And the monsters just kept coming, no matter how many he killed.
If he were alone, he could've shaken off the pursuit and escaped this labyrinthine cave long ago. But with his team in tow, he had to cover the rear the entire time.
No matter that he was A+-rank, the stress of being responsible for others' lives was an unimaginable burden.
That was precisely why he was the vice guild master of Ithaca, LA's top major guild—because he could shoulder that weight.
'No whining allowed, then. I have to get these guys out safely, somehow.'
Of course, it wasn't just sense of duty making him suffer.
To solidify his position in the guild, he needed the backing of a faction at his rear.
A boss who didn't look after his subordinates lost their support. So he had no choice but to protect them as best he could.
If his own life were truly at risk, he'd ditch them and run—but for now, it was manageable.
"Shit! Road's blocked ahead!"
Upon reaching a small chamber where they couldn't advance further, the lead hunter panicked and shouted.
Powel stood at the chamber's entrance, blocking monster attacks as he scanned for his trusted aide.
"Grant!"
"Yes, sir!"
"Wall's thin! Break through!"
"On it!"
Grant placed his palm against the wall and generated mana waves. It was a skill that turned mana into a sonar detector, perfect for mapping structures beyond walls in a maze.
Checking straight ahead and to the sides, the walls to other passages were thick. Downward paths weren't even considered. That left only one option: up.
"Doherty! Boost me up!"
Doherty, grasping his superior's intent, laced his fingers and formed a step at waist height.
Grant stepped onto Doherty's hands, then shoulders. His fingertips barely touched the ceiling as he sent waves upward.
"Clear above! Smashing through!"
Grant swung his sword overhead without delay. Mana surged with the skill, and chunks of dirt and rock rained down. Fortunately, the monster secretions reinforcing the passage walls kept the whole chamber from collapsing.
"Frontline up first!"
The hunters leaped through the hole in the ceiling one by one.
Powel came up last. The moment his feet hit the upper level, he stomped the floor, burying the monsters leaping after them.
"That's just a temporary block. They'll dig through and catch up soon."
"Which way? Should've brought a detection specialist. Maze makes navigation hell. And even if we get out, it's a problem. With this many, we'll get surrounded outside."
"It's LA turf anyway. Once we're out, those bastards will have prey everywhere. Some casualties, sure, but other hunters will join and wrap it up quick."
Powel said it calmly, but it was a horrific plan.
He meant to throw people to the monsters as bait and slip away.
His subordinates understood, but none objected or suggested alternatives.
No better ideas, and above all, their own lives came first.
Still, a flicker of hesitation slowed their steps. Powel barked to keep stray thoughts at bay.
"Grant. Use your skill—find the noisiest spot! These things are sound-sensitive! Everyone, heads up! Just focus on escaping!"
Soon, Grant detected massive vibrations echoing even underground and led the group that way.
Go Eul-ji sensed instinctively that something terrible had happened.
Amid the 70,000-plus crowd enjoying the concert, cheers turned to screams.
Normally, she'd never pick up on it so quickly, but adrenaline surging from excitement amplified her ability. She could vividly sense the space around her without focusing.
'What the hell? Something's wrong!'
Suddenly, the world slowed. Cheers stretched out long.
She spotted sweat trickling down her jumping friend's cheek. Breathing flowed steadily, heartbeats pounded in rapid rhythm.
"Woooah~!"
"Bee~Tee~Aaa~!"
"Kyaaah~!"
A scream, unlike concert shrieks, hit her ears.
'That's it!'
Go Eul-ji turned, and the world snapped back.
A suspicious object flew into the air where her gaze landed. Amid darkness, lights, and dry ice fog over the crowd, a large shadow surged up.
One, two, three...
With each shadow, screams multiplied and grew louder.
People nearby panicked, toppling like dominoes. Unable to bear the weight, some suffocated under the pile.
Music cut off. Security rushed the stage, grabbing BTA members.
Finally noticing, the crowd buzzed; those seeing chaos spread like a wave screamed and fled.
Weeeeng!
"Monsters!"
"Kyaaak!"
"Run!"
The packed concert hall turned to pandemonium in seconds. Crowds jammed narrow aisles, causing more casualties.
Monsters from nowhere attacked people.
Dry ice smoke turned to blood mist; fireworks became severed heads. Lights were blood-red only.
Light sticks rolled with hands. Legless victims crawled in blood, trampled to pulp.
Chaos hit Go Eul-ji's spot.
She shielded Kim Nari from the shoving crowd.
"Nari!"
Kim Nari reached for Go Eul-ji's hand but missed, swept into the mob.
Go Eul-ji activated her power instantly, yanking Kim Nari from the crowd into the air. No visible injuries.
Relieved her friend was safe, that's when the chaos's culprit dove at Kim Nari.
"You bastard—where?!"
Go Eul-ji leaped into the air, fist piercing the monster's chest from below.
Half its body gone, it plummeted—but didn't die, mauling people with its remaining half.
Its dying jaws crunching torsos was grotesque, cruel.
Go Eul-ji secured Kim Nari, then eyed the monster she'd dropped.
'That's...!'
Blackish-brown body with yellow stripes, pair of long translucent wings over small ones, furry antennae, stinger-tipped tail.
Overall, bee-like.
Go Eul-ji knew it.
"Carnivorous wasps?!"
Never fought one personally, but form, habits, hunting—etched in her mind.
'Seeing curriculum fodder here?'
Carnivorous wasps: unseen in Korea for nearly 15 years.
That incident classified them as must-know dangers for rookies.
Go Eul-ji recalled details.
Korea caught early nest, cleared fast. Elsewhere, late detection caused hundreds of thousands dead per case—worst monster.
'Catch 'em quick or it blows up.'
Seeing numbers swell, Go Eul-ji pondered.
"E-Eul-ji..."
Kim Nari trembled. Go Eul-ji thought to evacuate her first—then BTA flashed.
'Crap! Oppa!'
Urge to save her idols surged.
As she turned mid-air, a cry came.
"H-Hunter! Save us!"
A girl reaching skyward; wasp diving at her.
Go Eul-ji's gesture shredded the wasp—but more filled the gap, girl unsafe.
World slowed again. Slaughter scenes everywhere pierced her mind.
"Tch!"
Go Eul-ji abandoned idols, friend evacuation.
She pulled a hairpin dagger from her hair.
"Sorry, oppas. Sorry, Nari."
Kim Nari got it.
"It's fine. You're a hunter."
Go Eul-ji smiled faintly, twisting hair up with the pin. It glowed; cold eyes scanned below.
'Hoo, okay. Did it in Sinuiju. Just more people this time. I got this.'
She claimed the 70,000-seat stadium as her space, sorting humans from monsters.
Brain burned. Dozens, hundreds, thousands separated.
Spotted hunters, but no time.
'Tch! Can't fight, just fleeing? High-rank party too!'
Annoying, but no punishing. Continued.
Pocheon flood mine detection training; Sinuiju excluding Chinese hunters; Tumen monster purge, Garuda rank-up.
All honed now.
Yeokcheon
Thoom.
A heavy drumbeat in her ears halted everything in the venue.
Right hand crushed down, sinking people to ground; left lifted hundreds of wasps skyward.
Wasps flapped desperately sensing doom.
Wings beat air futilely, no progress.
Humans groundward, monsters skyward.
Brief moment felt eternal to Go Eul-ji.
Blood streamed from nose; right eye burst vessels, half-world red. Ears rang, lips cracked dry. Breath ragged, heart thundering.
Body stopped convulsing.
Heavenly Punishment
Gravity hammers from earth and sky clapped together.
Craaaack!
After negotiating with Hamilton, Kang Moo-hyuk followed the Hunter Crime Unit agent to meet No Song-rin in the special facility.
"Quick arrival. Thought you'd ditched me anytime."
"As if. All smooth 'cause I trust Hunter No Song-rin."
"No sweet-talk this time. Prison flashbacks hitting hard."
"No worries. Simple procedure, then you're out."
"Then uncuff me first."
No Song-rin raised cuffed hands.
Hunter-grade special item—unbreakable by force, magic-weighted for restriction.
"Sure."
Kang Moo-hyuk headed to the intercom for uncuffing request.
But no signal.
'What?'
Multiple presses, no response—he moved to knock.
Then.
Thud!
Faint vibration, power out. Room plunged dark.
Emergency lights flickered on soon after, but Kang Moo-hyuk's face darkened.
"This feels really ominous."