Thought It Was a Healing Trip, But Suddenly It's an Action Scene?
Slayer Guild's strike team was meticulously assembled with inter-guild conflicts in mind.
It wasn't an officially listed unit in the organizational chart. Instead, they pre-briefed hunters from various parties who excelled in PvP and brimmed with a sense of duty, summoning them only when needed.
In truth, this approach hampered the team's cohesion. It was far less efficient than dedicated, repeated training and drills for a single purpose.
But given the team's impure objectives, formalizing it would invite protests from other guilds or scrutiny from politicians. They had no choice but to play it off as a ghost unit—out of sight, out of mind.
Among that strike team, the hunter renowned for PvP prowess was none other than Gam Woo-young.
He strode boldly through the unfinished factory's front gate, activating his message skill.
A smirk tugged at Gam Woo-young's lips.
'Overwhelming force, huh... Heh! Team Leader really trusts me.'
As he nodded contentedly, Seong Seon-je's next message soured his mood.
"Argh, so I'm the chicken instead of the pheasant?"
Gam Woo-young grumbled, and Seong Seon-je replied.
"Tch! Now you're buttering me up."
Gam Woo-young whistled a tune even on the cusp of battle as he entered the factory.
The ceiling had holes here and there, moonlight filtering in to illuminate the interior.
Exposed steel beams, walls mostly absent— it felt like an open lot.
Five floors were designed overhead, but only skeletal frames stood, floors missing, peering straight through.
"Whoa, this is way too obvious."
His skin prickled. The nape of his neck chilled. A cold shiver down his spine, ground feeling unsteady beneath—like riding a Viking ship at an amusement park.
Gam Woo-young reveled in the killing intent coiling around him.
"How'd they know I love this stuff and set it up?"
He clicked his tongue against the roof of his mouth, rolling it slowly like savoring fine food. The moment he swallowed the pooling saliva—
Shhhht!
Dozens of silver streaks poured from the darkness toward him.
Gam Woo-young leaped right. Throwing stars embedded where he'd stood.
'Shuriken!'
Windmill-shaped darts used by Japanese ninjas—distinctive form unmistakable, even deeply gouged into concrete.
The projectiles tracked him. He sidestepped nimbly, dodging volley after volley.
As they swarmed inescapably, he drew his right dual sword first to deflect—
Boom!
"Damn! Now they're throwing explosives?!"
Gam Woo-young drew his left sword too.
Red blade and blue blade.
Azure-Crimson Twin Star Swords.
Made-to-order weapons forged from the fangs of the azure-crimson twin-headed serpent he'd hunted himself.
'Two at 45 meters front, three left at 30, two right at 40, upper left diagonal...'
Dodging while pinpointing origins. Enemy positions and numbers confirmed—time to counterattack.
He targeted the nearest left flank first. In hunter multi-opponent fights, break one side of the encirclement, then sweep clockwise or counterclockwise. Textbook for him.
"You're all gonna dieee... Huh?"
A metal net dropped over his charging head. He slashed quick, but it didn't shred—special material.
And its effect wasn't just toughness.
"Gaaah— Uuugh— F-Fuuuuck. Th-Thunderstruck."
The capturing net was no ordinary trap. A custom job woven with high-grade thunderstrike stones imbued with lightning properties.
Two foes emerged from shadows, approaching slowly upon confirmation.
As one thrust a rapier-like spike—
A sword blazed brighter than the faint moonlight seeping in, shredding the net. The flash cleaved the approaching enemies too.
Thud! Thump!
"Fooled ya, bastards?! Think I'd get caught that ea—"
Gam Woo-young froze, checking the silently felled foes.
"What the hell? These guys... No way, puppets?!"
His thoughts cut short.
Blinding flash from below engulfed him.
Kaboom!
* * *
The abandoned factory boomed like a giant speaker, filling the halted industrial complex with explosions.
The strike team leader leading the unit fell silent at Seong Seon-je's reply. He had no choice but to agree.
'He's the only one in the guild who's clashed with that witch hundreds of times.'
Some avoided Joo Se-ah for pride, others fear, some worried it'd turn into a slaughter.
But not Gam Woo-young. He feared no defeat. Shunned pain, no shame in humiliation. Challenged after hundreds of losses, even after near-death.
Each defeat made him stronger. Soon shed "prospect" label, cast in expeditions. Dominated raids thereafter.
Now at a rank where grueling training was optional.
Yet he still challenged Joo Se-ah—and lost.
Growing tougher each time.
Post her resignation, he'd become expedition core unnoticed.
No one in the guild doubted him.
The hunter who'd just messaged Seong Seon-je suddenly realized, admiring.
"......"
The hunter struggled for retort when—
Sudden silence.
Then Gam Woo-young staggered out the entrance.
Torn cerulean armor coat everywhere, dragging two enemy corpses in each hand—proof of melee chaos.
He dumped the bodies before Seong Seon-je.
Seong Seon-je glanced indifferently.
"Puppets. The Japanese kind. Most were these, 'cept a few controllers I spared. They even self-destructed openly now? Smashed the cores on the last ones for evidence."
"Efficient trap. Self-destruct bumps the price high. If we'd all rushed in blind, casualties likely."
As Seong Seon-je examined a puppet, his smartphone rang. He checked time, answered.
"Right on the dot."
-Finish the hunt?
"Just whetted appetite. Empty as Kang Division Chief predicted."
-Decided next move then.
"Our thoughts align, it seems."
Seong Seon-je found Kang Moo-hyuk irritating for Slayer but admirable personally.
'From the tainted intel, the board's played his way. Using it? Another matter. Who'd set such a trap against Slayer?'
Refreshing to face straightforward dealings after so long.
-Sending address. Joo Se-ah Guild Master awaits.
"Before night's end. While enemies relax thinking us fooled."
-Attack at dawn.
"3 AM. Later risks civilians."
-Understood. Preparing.
Seong Seon-je memorized the address from Kang Moo-hyuk, ordered withdrawal.
Gam Woo-young, who'd overheard, asked puzzled.
"You know their hideout? We going?"
"Move now, they'll spot us. Withdraw, send another strike team."
"Who?"
"Ha Hye-seong Party Leader."
Gam Woo-young paled.
"Heard it's joint with Se-ah noona. Sending Hye-seong hyung okay?"
"Ha Hye-seong Hunter's expedition party leader and current ace. Knows work from personal."
Seong Seon-je boarded vehicle with Gam Woo-young, made call. Factory done, strategic chief duties just starting. Aftermath key.
-Woo Byung-gi.
"Embassy staff. Tanaka, right?"
-Yes.
"Secure before I reach HQ."
-Got it.
* * *
"Good work, Mr. Jo."
-Just tailing Seong Seon-je?
"Can't risk them hitting Lee-ga-jo first."
-They say no trust in this biz, and you have me shadow right after. Kang Division Chief's gone rotten.
"Fee wired. Bear with us till op ends."
Call ended; another rang.
Kang Moo-hyuk checked office monitor time.
[Vladivostok 22:21]
He picked up.
-H-Hello? Kang Division Chief?
"Pyo Team Leader? Raid's tomorrow, right? Something wrong?"
-Kaboom!
Kang Moo-hyuk yanked receiver from ear at blast.
Sensing dire straits, urgently called.
"Pyo Team Leader?! Pyo Beom-hee Team Leader!"
-Whoa, scared me.
"What happened?"
-Dunno! Sudden attack!
Chaotic Russian shouts, screams.
"Attack?!"
He repeated, but only yells, no reply.
Moments later—
-Escaping first, call back! Rest from Federation guys...
Line dead.
Kang Moo-hyuk stared blankly at receiver.
"What the hell's going on?"
* * *
Time rewound to Pyo Beom-hee's arrival at Vladivostok's Knevichi Khtor International Airport...
"Kang Division Chief? Yeah. Met Federation guide. Nah, raid tomorrow, hotel first. Czar Guild prepping too. Vodka, nap, then work. Pfft, not much. Just wetting throat. Haha. Yeah. Call before start. Don't worry. Handle yours. Night, babe."
Pyo Beom-hee thrust hands up post-call.
"Woohoo! Freedom!"
"Freedom? How many hours?"
Yeom Soo-hyung shook head pitifully, grabbing luggage from belt.
"Hey, c'mon. Tsk! Leaking like that. Know how tough trapped in North Pocheon after dazzling idol scene? Those hours precious to me."
"Wasn't it idol cleanup busywork?"
"Figure of speech. Can't get hints?"
Yeom Soo-hyung pondered mishearing.
Federation guide chuckled.
"Hotel's got great bar. City's west paralyzed by Upu Mangbau, but booze flows."
Pyo Beom-hee eyed him and her tie pin left chest pocket.
'Weird item. No interpreter needed?'
Federation-loaned translation skill artifact for mission.
Kang Moo-hyuk coveted it—begged sneak it home post-mission.
Licking lips at performance, Pyo Beom-hee said.
"Guide, Russians oblivious or trust guild? Upu Mangbau dangerous. City could vanish wrong move, yet no evac, selling booze?"
"Tough folk? Haha. Czar Guild trust too. Defended Vladivostok—mere dozens km from Makyung border. Tough to exterminate, but contain cornered easy. Plus brutal winters. Hard relocating 700k."
Pyo Beom-hee got it instantly. Like Pocheon folks beside special zone.
They unpacked luxury hotel downtown.
"I'm next door. Pyo Beom-hee Hunter here, Yeom Soo-hyung Hunter next. Raid 2 PM tomorrow—rest up. See morning. Bar's 17th floor."
Pyo Beom-hee ditched luggage, elevator-bound.
Posh lounge: elegant, cozy.
"Wanted louder spot."
Ex-boozer, she prioritized liquor over vibe, claimed seat, glass up.
"Kya! That's it! Russian stuff decent."
Deep in drinks, eyes sharpened.
'What? This cheap poison.'
New bottle pour, gulp—felt it.
Tongue-tingling sour. Barely there, but her poison trait sniffed it.
'Paralysis, sleep. Red poison toad? Not cheap. Just botched mix. Few minutes to kick? Useless on me.
Pyo Beom-hee staggered up feigning.
"Whew, buzzed. Bedtime?"
At elevator, two men flanked.
'Hunters.'
Cliché script laughable, but poisoner wouldn't care.
'Thought Russia trip healing vacay, now action flick?'