Why Are You Here?
Kim Soo-jeong was having a bizarre experience.
What the hell? Why is this happening? Something's... different.
It was like a whole new world.
Her field of vision had opened up in ways she'd never seen before. Something was fundamentally reshaping her hunting style. There weren't any major changes she could pinpoint, but she knew something had shifted.
Even more astonishing was how much more comfortable this new approach felt compared to before.
Some guy barking orders from the back without even fighting, and somehow the battle feels easier. Those orcs had us struggling just a bit ago.
Her mind wandered for a split second, and the pressure on the marked orc loosened.
The orc seized the moment like a ghost, swinging its axe to separate her from Yoo Seong-joo.
"Kim Soo-jeong Hunter! Left side! Circle counterclockwise! Yoo Seong-joo Hunter, flank right and intercept!"
Just as she faltered, a sharp order pierced her ears.
Kang Moo-hyuk's voice snapped her back to reality, and her body reacted on instinct.
Following his instructions, the broken link with Yoo Seong-joo reformed in an instant.
Anyone with half a brain could see the orders were designed to keep the two of them inseparable.
Is this the infamous Iron Will leader everyone's talking about?
She'd been skeptical at first. But she'd seen his face on TV and in the news a few times, so she recognized him immediately.
They said he's not a hunter... Guess you can't just be anyone to lead a guild.
His voice had an almost magical pull, forcing total focus. His judgments were spot-on. He analyzed their unfamiliar styles and issued orders that blocked the orcs' movements at key points.
As Kim Soo-jeong regained her rhythm, the orcs flailed in panic, scrambling to fend off the duo's pincer attacks.
Kim Soo-jeong Hunter's a bit clumsy with the shield. She tends to block while covering her eyes when attacks come in. It's a dual-tanker party, but she's probably spent more time as a dealer. Still, her movements are quick with good instincts. With some polishing into a multi-tanker role, she'd make solid firepower.
Yoo Seong-joo, on the other hand, was a proper tank. Solid blocks, precise counters. With fundamentals that strong, a bit more tactical flexibility would see huge growth.
The problem is landing the killing blow.
Both lacked punch. Against regular orcs, they'd have finished by now.
No special skills in sight. They'd had several prime openings but let them slip.
It was crystal clear why they were freelancers.
"Who are those people?"
The sudden familiar voice made Kang Moo-hyuk glance sideways.
"Expedition Leader Lee Jin-joo..."
"Heh, Leader. Long time no see—you even brought your gun? Sorry I'm late."
Sorry?
Kang Moo-hyuk noticed the beads of sweat on Lee Jin-joo's forehead. She subtly rolled her shoulders, steadying her breath mid-sentence.
For someone of her caliber to look this disheveled without a fierce fight was rare.
The area she covered was pretty far. Even if she got here first, other hunters should've arrived by now. She must've gone all out.
As a magic swordsman, sprinting with spells would've been faster than driving through the city. But it guzzled mana and stamina. Still, she played it cool—expedition leader pride, or rather, awareness of the role.
Those up front never admitted fatigue. Kang Moo-hyuk nodded inwardly at Lee Jin-joo grasping that so soon after becoming a rookie expedition leader.
He feigned ignorance.
"Kim Soo-jeong Hunter and Yoo Seong-joo Hunter. The freelancers who bought time during the kindergarten attack last time—remember?"
"Oh, those guys? Whatever, they bought us time again this round."
"Feels like fate connecting them to our guild. Decent skills too. Plenty of rough edges to polish."
"Fate's only fate if it sticks. They look tapped out. I'll wrap it up."
Lee Jin-joo stepped forward, drawing her sword.
The blade gleamed so sharply it hurt the eyes, reflecting her face. Her obsidian-black eyes ignited slowly.
Azure Flame.
Blue flames raged wildly in her pupils before settling.
Then the sword blazed azure.
As the superheated tip pointed skyward, she kicked off and charged.
She slipped between the two orcs in a flash, her sword dancing lightly. Blue will-o'-the-wisps flickered wildly in broad daylight, slicing and igniting the orcs.
The sword returned to normal as the orcs burned.
Lee Jin-joo sheathed it and turned.
"You two did great. Thanks to you, we're all still breathing."
The mysterious hunter who jumped in out of nowhere.
Kim Soo-jeong and Yoo Seong-joo stared in shock.
They'd given their all and failed to drop the orcs—yet she ended them in one go.
As they gaped, Kang Moo-hyuk approached.
"Sorry if my sudden orders threw you off. Thanks for cooperating. I'm Iron Will Guild Leader, Kang Moo-hyuk."
They shook his outstretched hand in stunned sequence.
To their bewilderment, he dropped an bombshell.
"Bit awkward in this mess, but how about our guild?"
"Pardon?"
"Heard you're freelancers. Official recruitment offer."
"Whaaat?!"
* * *
Kim Soo-jeong and Yoo Seong-joo watched Kang Moo-hyuk from afar, stealing glances.
"Seong-joo, what do you think he's doing?"
"What else? Checking orc corpses."
"Why?"
"Hunters always inspect kills... Oh, right—he's not a hunter."
Yoo Seong-joo corrected himself, and the question hit him too.
"Why's a non-hunter sniffing around corpses like that?"
"Exactly."
True to their words, Kang Moo-hyuk scrutinized the bodies, conferring with Lee Jin-joo beside him.
Kim Soo-jeong stared silently for a while before blurting out.
"Why'd he really invite us anyway? For saving us?"
"He said we impressed him."
"That 'impressive' part feels kinda iffy."
"Yeah... 'Good at drawing monsters' isn't the best hook."
Hard to tell if it was a joke, or just poor phrasing—but even accounting for that, his assessment was baffling.
Like assigning a troublemaker to be a thug because they'd cause chaos.
"Ugh! Why's he sniffing the orc's foot now?"
"Rest burned up?"
"He doesn't have an orc foot fetish, right?"
"..."
"Why the deadpan stare? Be real—it's ridiculous. The recruitment too. Maybe he's a few screws loose."
"Screws loose? Those orders were spot-on. Guy's got talent."
"Plenty of smart psychos out there. Not right in the head, so an A-rank guild made him strategy chief. Think about it—who puts a non-hunter in that spot?"
As Kim Soo-jeong piled on reasonable doubts, the suspect himself pressed his face closer to the orc's foot.
"Filth on the foot. Smells like sewer."
"Orcs reek anyway, Leader."
"No, Expedition Leader—smell it up close. Not just monster stink."
"Pass. Gate stench is enough."
"Hold on. Familiar smell... Like sewer gas in winter—right, sewer!"
"Pardon?"
Kang Moo-hyuk sprang up and bolted for the main gate. Lee Jin-joo followed, clueless.
He scanned around, spotting CCTV above the guard booth. Then traffic lights and a pole across the street. He pulled out his smartphone and dialed.
"Team Leader Gong, tell City Hall to secure entrance and parking lot footage. Get police for road cams too. Yeah. Around orc appearance time—won't take long."
Lee Jin-joo couldn't hold back anymore.
"What's going on?"
"Why hunters and police missed the orcs despite the mobilization. Think I figured it out."
"Why they weren't found... Sewer?"
"No reports in this open area till they popped up. They moved via sewers—stayed hidden."
"Our sewers big enough for orcs?"
"We'll find out."
Kang Moo-hyuk headed to Pocheon City Hall's Urban Safety Division. Chaos from orc cleanup, but a clerk guided him to sewers.
"Orcs? Probably. Not all, but five years back, we upgraded sections to 1,000-1,500mm pipes. Frequent floods—needed it. Rainwater pump tunnels are walkable."
"Rainwater pump?!"
His hunch solidified.
"Map of large pipes? Tunnel data too?"
"Confidential—needs section chief approval. He's out..."
"Urgent."
"Orc-related?"
"Stragglers out there. This'll help catch 'em."
He recalled parking lot escapees and feathered orc.
Feathered one: tribal warrior, likely squad leader level. Evolved—deadlier than small groups.
"Email files. Emergency basis."
The clerk, grasping the stakes, agreed promptly.
Bureaucracy hated bypassing bosses, but monsters? Fast cooperation solved problems.
Kang Moo-hyuk gave his email, thanked him.
"Appreciate it."
"No—please wipe them all out."
Back at assembly hall command post on 5th floor, Gong Du-ri rushed with tablet.
"Checked footage. Look—sidewalk by guard booth. Manhole under flagpole opens. Orcs emerge."
"No way. Sneaky bastards."
Even battle-hardened Lee Jin-joo marveled. She'd fought evolved tribes, but not urban stealth like this.
These exploited infrastructure—cunning beyond her past kills.
"Team Leader Gong, sending file—display."
Sewer map lit up: neat grid from City Hall.
"Mark guild lot and hospital."
"Huh?"
"Whoa! Lines right to ends?"
Perfect match to incidents. Dozens km out, but stream-linked sections.
"Not many orc-friendly paths—good."
"Form parties. Simultaneous entry from exits—flush 'em."
"Some hunters'll gripe about sewers. Rally 'em—no op hiccups."
"Dirty, sure—but better than gates. Months without brushing teeth there. Training."
Lee Jin-joo planned, led charge into sewers.
Soon, parking escape orcs spotted in tunnel.
Iron Will elites made short work.
But no feathered one.
On failure report, Kang Moo-hyuk grimaced, muttering.
"Feint to cover its escape."
With military/police, he swept wire area.
Next day: dug earth near wire, like Nampocheon breach.
Surveying, he glared north.
North... Cheorwon?
Felt like this was just beginning.
* * *
As Kang Moo-hyuk missed the last orc.
Joo Se-ah witnessed the unbelievable in Cheorwon.
"This...!"
A massive triumphal arch against a vast reservoir.
"Why's a gate here? And..."
Wide open!!