#246. Let's See How Strong the Monsters That Drank American Water Are!
Joo Se-ah.
The day before boarding the passenger flight to LA.
"Nice to meet you. You're Kang Chang-su, right? Leader Kang Moo-hyuk's father. I'm Joo Se-ah."
"Who in Korea doesn't know Guild Master Joo Se-ah? The one and only S-rank in the Republic of Korea. It's an honor to meet you in person."
"You're nothing like who I thought you'd be."
"You don't seem like the guy I know described you either, Guild Master."
"Now I'm curious what that guy said about me."
"Better if you don't hear it. It's too embarrassing to repeat."
A faint smile played on Joo Se-ah's lips.
"You really do seem like that guy's dad."
"Was it that obvious? I was hoping it'd toughen him up a bit after getting on his boss's bad side."
"He's not the type to get intimidated even if I chew him out. He'd probably just grill me about his sources instead. Have a seat. What'll you have? Coffee? Green tea? I've got Solomon's seal tea too."
"I'm good."
"I'm brewing it myself."
"If it's service from an S-rank hunter, that's a different story. Green tea, please."
Joo Se-ah pulled tea bags from a table in one corner of the guild master's office, dropped them into mugs, and poured hot water. She brewed her own coffee as well before sitting in the chair across from Kang Chang-su.
Noticing Kang Chang-su watching her intently, Joo Se-ah asked,
"What? Weird seeing the guild master serve tea herself?"
"No, it's just surprising you're using tea bags and instant coffee. Even the hotshots usually go for fancy leaves and beans."
"Iron Will doesn't waste money on pointless crap."
"I saw the news about you shelling out billions for some warehouse from Titan."
"We don't skimp where it counts."
"And that 'where it counts' is monster hunting, I take it?"
"What hunter skimps on that?"
"Now I get why Moo-hyuk joined up here."
They weren't close enough for deep personal chats, but the vibe wasn't bad. Kang Chang-su skipped the small talk and got to the point, sliding a case he'd brought toward Joo Se-ah.
"The medicine he asked for."
"I heard about it on the phone, but... this is pretty big for just him."
"I packed some for that hunter Thomas too. Enough to last until the job's done."
"A month at most, so you'll have to head back after that?"
"It's extracted from the original stock solution, so the quantity's limited. Takes that long to make more."
Joo Se-ah opened the case to check the contents. It was packed with ampoules full of shimmering liquid.
"But why bring it to me?"
"Shipping it by air to the States would've taken too damn long to reach him. Logistics are backed up these days—takes forever to claim packages."
"Yeah, LA's probably a mess right now. Heard they haven't fully recovered from that spring gate outbreak. Stuff I ordered from the US three weeks ago still hasn't shown up."
"Same here. Korea can't even dream of next-day delivery anymore. The US was always slow; it's worse now."
"I heard stories from when I was a kid, but yeah, global supply chains are shot."
"Anyway, it's urgent. If courier wasn't an option, I figured hand-delivery. Can't go myself—gotta brew the next month's batch. Thought Iron Will might have a workaround, so I reached out."
"You came to the right place. If it's for Leader Kang, we'll handle it. This gets delivered safe."
"Thank you."
"No sweat."
As Joo Se-ah packed the case, a sudden curiosity struck her.
"How'd you get my direct line, anyway?"
"From the Sinuiju mess. Figured I needed an emergency contact."
"Leader Kang gave it to you, huh? I've got your number saved too. Mind if I call sometime with a few questions?"
"About Moo-hyuk's illness?"
"I know it's not curable."
"We're working on it. That's why he's heading to the States."
"I heard. Something about that hunter Thomas?"
"Hoping I find answers this time. Too late already. I'll get going."
Kang Chang-su stood abruptly, clearly done with the conversation. No surprise—talking mana addiction offered zero help to Kang Moo-hyuk.
A guy obsessed with monster hunts. If sickness benches him, who wants that resentment? He'd never shut up about it.
If Joo Se-ah pried too deep, she might order him on leave right then. The disease hid behind a healthy facade—far from "fine."
As Kang Chang-su gripped the door handle, Joo Se-ah rested her chin and said,
"Need research funding? A shit-ton of it."
Kang Chang-su paused the handle, sighed, and turned back. He walked straight to Joo Se-ah, fixing her with a sharp gaze.
"Where do you want to start?"
"Everything."
Joo Se-ah jolted awake from a dream that felt like barely a day old.
"This is an announcement for all passengers. Due to communication issues with LA airport, we're holding in a holding pattern overhead. We apologize for the inconvenience. Once again, due to circumstances at LA airport..."
It wasn't the blaring PA that woke her—her hunter senses screamed a warning.
Chills raced down her spine. Rare in her career.
Something's out there.
Joo Se-ah peered out the window. The shrouded city loomed.
No way LA's grid cut without reason. Power failures meant monsters these days. Instinct screamed big trouble in the city.
"Why does Leader Kang always pick the shittiest spots?"
Muttering what the man himself would protest, Joo Se-ah stood.
"Ma'am, it's dangerous—please sit..."
"Tell the captain to land now."
"Pardon? What do you..."
"Flying bugs everywhere. Keep flying, and we'll crash."
"What are you talking about?"
Too late, Joo Se-ah realized explanations were needed.
On a Korean airline, her face was ID enough. But this foreign carrier's crew weren't Korean. Translation artifact made talk easy—fooled her for a sec.
"I'm a hunter. Monsters incoming. Looks like a few planes already got hit down there. Hurry and tell them to land—shit!"
Joo Se-ah thrust her right hand out. Something burst through the window glass into the cabin. A head—fuzzy antennae on a monster.
Its fangs halted inches from the flight attendant's nose.
"Kyaaack!"
"Carnivorous hornet?"
Screams spread like wildfire. Passengers plastered against the opposite windows.
As the hornet gnashed, Joo Se-ah twisted its seized head 360 degrees clean off. The limp body plummeted.
Air whistled from the shattered pane. The plane shuddered. Emergency lights flashed; alarms blared. Oxygen masks dropped. Folks flailed to grab them. Beltless ones tumbled across the deck.
Soon, descent quieted the alarms. Terror-struck passengers prayed in native tongues.
Joo Se-ah hauled the collapsed attendant up, yelling,
"Land! Tell them!"
"Y-yes!"
The attendant staggered to the cockpit.
Joo Se-ah checked outside.
"Damn! More coming?"
She snatched a fountain pen from the British gent beside her.
"Hey! That's a luxury..."
"Call it payment for your life."
Joo Se-ah infused mana into the pen.
Channeling into non-gate-forged metal was tricky—not her league without mastery. A feat otherwise impossible.
The mana-charged pen pierced the window—leaving just a pen-tip hole.
It streaked, skewering the hornet's forehead, chest, gut, shattering its stinger tail.
No breather. Three, four—no, five more swarmed the falling spot.
"Too damn many!"
Swarms plastered the fuselage, wings grinding metal. The plane banked into descent—but wouldn't hold till touchdown.
Joo Se-ah yelled at another attendant.
"Broadcast: everyone belts on!"
"Huh?"
Balancing amid shakes, Joo Se-ah reached the door.
"Too late, my responsibility."
The attendant broadcast, then buckled in.
"Just don't crash."
Crack! Splang!
Cold wind roared through the forced door. No screams left.
Joo Se-ah gripped the wall—metal crumpled. Hornets lunged as she leaned out. Fists flashed; heads exploded, raining down.
Fuselage hornets targeted her.
Good. Keep coming.
She embedded her hand in the hull, leaped out.
Gripping sheer force, she met the swarm.
Could wipe 'em in one shot, but it'd wreck the plane. Gear's in cargo. Bare hands it is.
Plan set, she spidered the fuselage like a cliff. More hornets than before.
"Let's see how strong these American-water monsters are!"
"Whoa? It's dropping."
"Hunter Go Eul-ji? What's dropping?"
"Over there. A chopper under hornet attack."
"I don't see shit. No rotor noise."
"Dark and far. Looks chopper-shaped, no top rotor."
"Helicopter without rotors?"
Kang Moo-hyuk instantly pegged it.
"Only one rotorless heli in the US: UH-035 Goshawk upgrade from '35, for fast hunter battlefield drops. Government's mobilizing."