The Iron-Eating Beast
Deep beneath the Blue House in the Republic of Korea's bunker for devouring iron beasts. The heavy silence shattered as the Minister of National Defense slammed his fist on the conference table.
"Absolutely not! Dispatching Hunter Kang Tae-ho overseas? Didn't we just agree at the national level to keep him as a full strategic asset right here? What if an S-rank gate pops up in the middle of Seoul while he's away!"
The minister's furious shout, his face flushed red. But the voice of the Deputy Prime Minister for Economy, seated across from him, was cold and resolute.
"It's true that the nation stands intact thanks to Hunter Kang Tae-ho, but right now, Korea's economy is no better than an isolated island. The global maritime trade network is in ruins—our factories lack resources to run, and imported food supplies are drying up. Look at the compensation package from China and the neighboring countries: exclusive mining rights to rare earth deposits, safety guarantees for West Sea trade ports, and trillions in cash support plus free infrastructure. Reject this, and we'll choke on resource depletion without firing a single shot!"
The deputy prime minister scanned the room with bloodshot eyes.
"Turn this down, and we'll starve to death. Even if Hunter Kang Tae-ho blocks the monsters, national bankruptcy hits next year, and we'll be sucking our thumbs in fallout shelters!"
The conference room erupted in heated arguments. The president at the head of the table pressed his throbbing brow and raised a hand. The room fell silent in an instant.
The president's gaze shifted to the massive screen covering the wall. It displayed a live satellite feed of a barren border region on China's outskirts. There, a colossal aberrant beast lay sprawled like a mountain range. Its upper body featured an elephant's massive trunk and tusks, while its lower half was a sleek, ferocious lion—a grotesque hybrid.
"Early in the Gate Shock. An oversized entity from an unknown mutation."
The Director of the National Intelligence Service flipped through briefing materials and added dryly.
"Failing to suppress it back then was our fatal mistake. The monster devours metal to grow. Bullets, missiles, tank armor—even special alloy swords from hunters—it chews and swallows everything, ballooning in size."
[Occurrence Point: China Outer Border Region]
[Special Notes: Variant entity appeared in early Gate Shock. Grows by consuming all forms of metal. Invalidates physical/conventional strikes.]
On screen, the beast swung its elephant trunk, devouring an abandoned Chinese armored vehicle like jelly. The ministers swallowed dryly at its voracious appetite.
"China and the neighbors have millions of troops along the border, passing the bomb around for three years trying to shove it into each other's territory. Conventional weapons don't work, and even S-rank hunters lose their gear to its jaws—no answers."
"So, Hunter Kang Tae-ho in Korea is the only one who can take down that iron-eating monster?"
"Yes. His power is purely non-metallic. Compressing raw mana itself into strikes—an irregular force."
Heavy silence descended on the room again. Provoking Kang Tae-ho was terrifying. But letting things slide would crumble the nation. The president sighed deeply and made his decision.
"National Security Office Director. Send top agents to the penthouse immediately."
"Mr. President!"
"This isn't an order or coercion. It's a matter of the nation's survival—bow your head and ask politely. If he refuses, we back off clean. But stake Korea's fate on persuading him."
At the command, agents in black suits waiting outside snapped to attention, grabbed their radios, and filed out in unison.
Sunk deep into the living room sofa, he took a sip of hot instant coffee from a paper cup. The sweet, thick cream flavor slid down his throat, drawing out a faint sigh. A tediously boring, languid weekend afternoon—stark contrast to the brutal battlefields he'd rolled through. It was the perfect rest he craved most.
"Oppa, the black card in your wallet."
Hae-eun, sprawled on the next sofa scrolling her smartphone, stuck out her hand abruptly.
"Where to?"
"Reserved omakase in Cheongdam-dong with friends tonight. My card's maxed from this month's shopping."
He grabbed the black card rolling on the table with an annoyed flick and tossed it at her forehead.
"Come back early. Dad's grilling samgyeopsal for dinner."
"Yay. Thanks. Oh, and Dad's stopping by the herbal clinic on his way home tonight—more medicinal tonic for you."
"This is insane. Still haven't finished last month's black goat stuff."
As he grumbled, his mother across the room, peeling an apple while watching a soap opera, chided him.
"Take whatever they give you. You work so hard out there—gotta live with tonics at least. Mom'll heat up some red ginseng extract later, so drink it."
"Yeah, yeah. Got it."
He answered half-heartedly and lay back on the sofa. The TV droned on with a clichéd scene: mother-in-law throwing an envelope at her daughter-in-law and splashing water. Not entertaining, but no will to change channels.
-Ding-dong.
Then, a short chime from the living room wall intercom.
"Huh? No one's coming. Delivery?"
Hae-eun tilted her head. He set down the paper cup and stood.
"I'll get it. Stay put."
Shuffling in slippers, he headed to the entrance. The intercom screen showed three stern-faced men in black suits. National Intelligence Service badges on their chests. Rigid postures. Clearly not delivery guys.
"Ah, damn. Day off."
Fatigue washed over him. He unlocked and flung open the heavy door.
"What is it."
His indifferent voice hit as the door opened. The three agents bowed deeply on reflex.
"Hunter Kang Tae-ho. Deeply sorry to disturb your weekend rest."
"Skip the intro. Get to the point. Tired."
Leaning crookedly on the doorframe, he jerked his chin. The team leader agent swallowed and cautiously offered a secure tablet.
"Direct order from the President. We've come to earnestly request your dispatch to subjugate the colossal variant beast at China's outer border."
His eyebrow twitched.
"Dispatch? Overseas?"
The agent nodded frantically. He let out an incredulous chuckle.
"Hilarious. The same folks who freak out if I step outside, now wanting me to play mercenary?"
"N-no, that's not it! Absolutely no coercion! However..."
The agent moistened his dry lips, face stiff.
"Korea's economy is withering in isolation. China's subjugation reward is so groundbreaking it could rewrite our fate—we had no choice but to beg you shamelessly. No penalties for refusal. The decision is entirely yours."
The voice dripped with the nation's desperate stranglehold. If he shut the door here, they'd slink away without a word. But for higher-ups to stoop this low meant the crisis wasn't trivial.
"Fine. Leave it."
He snatched the secure tablet from the agent's hand.
"I'll check how messed up it is, so scram."
He slammed the door without waiting for a reply. Tucking the tablet under his arm, he shuffled back to the living room.
"Who was it? Delivery?"
To his mother's question, he slipped the tablet into his training pants pocket.
"Yeah. Junk promo crap. Change the channel."
The channel flipped to news filling the room. He downed the rest of the cooled coffee and flopped onto the empty sofa.
Time passed to late afternoon. In his room. Face-down on the bed, he powered on the secure tablet left by the agents. Biometric scan cleared, and dense military classified docs filled the screen.
[Occurrence Point: China Outer Border Region]
[Special Notes: Variant entity appeared in early Gate Shock. Grows by consuming all forms of metal. Invalidates physical/conventional strikes.]
Satellite photos of the horrific battlefield scrolled up one after another. A massive monster with an elephant's upper body and lion's lower half. Grown to mountain size over years by devouring Chinese tanks' armor and hunters' super-alloy swords.
"No wonder they can't catch it. Charging a metal-muncher with blades is like setting up a buffet."
He muttered dryly, chin propped. Militarily, pure tactical blunder. If metal weapons fail, change the strike's essence.
A wisp of blue mana flickered at his fingertip. Pure energy, untainted by any earthly element, rippling at his will.
"If it eats metal, just smash it with something that doesn't have a gram of iron."
A crooked smirk tugged his lips. The absurd mana-optimized body the system granted him. Compress pure mana into hundreds of tons and drop it on its head—done. A simple hunt for him.
He scrolled to the final page. The government's compensation list for him personally. Massive cash, private bunker, blanket support treaties.
He powered off the screen and rolled on the bed. Staring at the ceiling, he sorted his thoughts.
Going overseas to hunt a monster. Annoying. But if Korea's economy tanks, prices skyrocket, and his perfect slacker setup—imported beef, latest consoles—crumbles. A rich, peaceful nation keeps his NEET life greased.
Plus, cashing in now while the government grovels lets him stamp authority—ignore future annoyances with justification. Perfect permanent shield for himself.
"Eh, balances out."
He sat up. A short, decisive business trip to guard his peaceful routine didn't seem bad. The veteran hunter's pragmatic calculus complete.