Meteor Drop
The clinking of utensils echoed over the dining table. A peaceful morning breakfast. The aroma of miso soup simmered by Mom filled the living room. I picked the flesh off the grilled mackerel and laid it over my rice. Chewed it thoroughly and swallowed. Set down my water glass.
"I'm going to China."
Silence fell. Dad's spoon froze in mid-air. Hae-eun dropped the rolled egg she had in her mouth onto the table with a plop.
Mom reacted first.
"China? Why the hell would you go there! You planning to immigrate or something?"
Mom's voice trembled sharply. I scraped up the last of my rice.
"Business trip. There's some annoying beast pup stirring shit up beyond the northern border."
Bam!
Hae-eun slammed the table hard.
"Are you insane?! The government's dumping this crap on you again, aren't they!"
Bloodshot veins burst in Hae-eun's eyes in an instant.
"After all that hell last year, you're going back there? No way in hell. I'm posting an exposé on the Blue House forum right now!"
"Sit down. You're kicking up dust at the breakfast table."
I wagged my finger at my sister as she grabbed her smartphone. A light telekinetic force pinned her shoulders, forcing her back into her chair.
"No one's shoving me into this. I crunched the numbers myself and accepted. Calm down."
"Tae-ho."
Dad called my name in a heavy voice. The always sappy, smiling face was gone. Deep worry creased his furrowed brow.
"That 'beast'—is it like that imugi you puked blood to kill last year? If the Chinese government's begging you for help, it ain't some pushover."
Mom's eyes were already turning red at Dad's question. The blood-soaked live broadcast from a year ago. That horrific trauma was crushing the living room again. Mom seized my small hand. Her palm trembled finely.
"Tae-ho. Mom doesn't need money or fame. This life right now is perfect. Please don't go. I can't send you into the jaws of death again."
A hot tear splashed onto the back of my hand.
I neatly set down my chopsticks. Turned my body to face my family. This wasn't a situation where I could just stubbornly refuse.
"It's different from that eel bastard last time."
I explained calmly and steadily.
"Back then, I didn't know how to handle mana properly, so I tanked it with raw body. This one's got a clear weakness."
All their gazes locked on my lips.
"Eats metal. Armies or guilds charging in with weapons? Just serving it dinner. Mana's pure energy. Perfect matchup—total counter. For me, it's like chasing off a stray mutt."
Mom shook her head, still gripping my hand tight.
"Still... what if something goes wrong..."
"You think I'd dive into a beast den headfirst for anyone without thinking?"
I drove in the decisive nail.
"Rewards are solid. After this, we'll sign an ironclad protection treaty blocking politicians and press from sniffing around our family. Permanent tax exemption too."
"Family protection treaty...?"
"Yeah. Legally ghost any annoying official events or paperwork. Guarantees my peaceful downtime life by law."
Hae-eun bit her lip and countered.
"Still, you don't have to play hero. Stay in Korea—no one can force you."
"They can't force me. But prices are gonna go nuts."
I took a sip of water.
"Country's running dry on resources. Clearing this monster gets us a safe trade route and full resource haul from China. Miss it, and inflation skyrockets—beef on our table jumps tenfold."
A thoroughly calculated, materialistic rationale. Way more practical and selfish than some grand "for the nation" or "for humanity" bullshit.
"You think I'm some idiot who'd bleed for cheap beef? It's a sure thing—no injuries, permanent family peace locked in. At most two days. Back on the penthouse couch by weekend."
Dad let out a long sigh at my firm declaration. He knew better than anyone he couldn't break my stubbornness. He placed a hand on my shoulder, face still stern.
"You're dead sure you'll come back without a speck of dirt?"
"Of course. Promise."
Mom gently stroked my cheek.
"Don't get hurt. If even a hair's out of place, Mom'll collapse for real."
"No worries. Won't spill a drop of sweat."
I hopped down from my chair. Family approval secured. Time to yank the leash on the higher-ups.
Back in my room. I tapped the call button on the secure tablet the government agent left yesterday. Connected before even one ring.
"This is the National Intelligence Service Director. Hunter Kang Tae-ho. I've been awaiting your call."
The voice on the other end was strung tight with tension.
"Checked the details. Rewards look good. I accept the mission."
"Ah...! Truly, thank you from the bottom of my heart! We'll prep dispatch immediately..."
"Hold up. Two more conditions."
I cut him off.
"First: Ironclad protection treaty—no press or politicians near our family. Permanent tax exemption. No verbal promises—draft a special law, bring the docs before ops start tomorrow."
"Understood. We'll push through cabinet and handle immediately. What's the second?"
"No baggage on my op. No other hunters or soldiers cluttering up. Escort clears the air path lightly—ground strike's me solo, direct drop."
"Noted. Full op control delegated as you wish."
Call ended. Tossed the tablet on the bed.
Evening. Lounging on the bed, staring blankly at the ceiling. Door cracked open. Hae-eun poked her head in hesitantly and slipped inside.
"What."
"Nothing."
Hae-eun perched cautiously on the bed's edge. In her hand, a worn old talisman.
"This? The one I got from the temple last year when you went after that imugi. Take it this time too."
Hae-eun stuffed the talisman into my training pants pocket. Her usual prankster face was nowhere—shoulders hunched tight. Her deep anxiety hit me full force.
I reached out and flicked her forehead lightly.
"Ow! Why'd you hit me!"
"Don't chicken out. I'll be back quick, for real."
Hae-eun rubbed her forehead, pouting.
"Day after tomorrow dinner's Hanwoo omakase, no excuses. You're paying."
"Got it. Card limit's fat—eat up."
Hae-eun finally cracked a faint smile and left. I fiddled with the worn talisman in my pocket. Annoying, but left it in.
Next morning. Yongsan Joint Chiefs of Staff underground ops center. Massive screens flickered in the control room. Four-star Air Force Chief of Staff and key aides stood at attention. Door opened—boots stamped in unison with crisp salutes.
"Sir! We sincerely thank Hunter Kang Tae-ho for accepting the dispatch!"
Sweat beaded on the generals' brows. I nodded vaguely and approached the central briefing table. Table too high—chin barely cleared it. Spread mana underfoot, levitating 10cm up.
"Skip the greetings. Brief quick."
Languid voice. Chief snatched up the pointer. Ops map lit the screen.
Operation Name: Meteor
"Target's coiled in a central ravine beyond the Chinese border. 50km radius is its feeding zone—ground approach impossible."
Chief pointed skyward with the baton.
"Thus, Operation Meteor. Drop you from 15,000m stratospheric special transport onto the target's crown."
"Airdrop. Flyswatters on the way down?"
"Pterosaur-variant flying monster swarm blankets the airspace. Two elite fighter squadrons and A-rank magic hunters will secure your drop path."
Chief flipped the screen.
"Just before hatch opens, allied forces punch the air defenses clean. You focus solely on landing zone."
Clean, no-frills plan. Fighters and mages escort from stratosphere—vertical drop. Clear the small fry, save stamina, end it in one shot. Perfect setup.
"Good. Execution?"
"Noon tomorrow. Chinese airspace cleared."
"Roger."
Turned and headed for the door. Staff panicked, exchanging glances.
"Uh, Hunter! Weapon support or gear setup..."
"Nah. My body's the weapon. And no one bugs me till lunch tomorrow. Gotta prime up."
Shot the nail dry and exited.
Hunter Association basement S-rank exclusive training ground. Vast sealed chamber walled in superalloy plates mixed with imugi bone dust. Entered, bolted the heavy door. Silence inside.
Cross-legged, levitated mid-air, eyes closed. Breathed steady. One shot. No dragged-out melee. Forge the absolute blow to snap that mountain-sized beast's neck in one go.
Vrrrrr—!
Blue mana surged through my body, veins bulging like they'd burst. Mana erupted outward, enveloping me in a sphere. Began maxing density. Air screamed under compression.
The energy mass pouring from me rivaled a supermassive black hole. Gravity warped—the superalloy walls buckled inward. Time to show what pure mana's weight does to a world-devouring metal-muncher. Preheating for tomorrow smoldered quietly.
Next day. Op day, noon. 15,000m stratosphere. Inside the massive modified military transport. Cargo hold plunged below -dozens of degrees. Ear-shredding engine roar filled the space.
Thin mana barrier held body heat and oxygen. Red prep lights flashed.
Beep! Beep!
Sharp buzzer pierced the hold. Red switched green. Heavy grind—rear hatch yawned open. -Dozens-degree freeze and thin air rushed in.
Thin mana barrier held body heat and oxygen. Endless cloud sea beyond the hatch. Comms in ear crackled with op commander's urgent voice.
"Target airspace entered! Operation Meteor, commence! Good luck, Hunter Kang!"
No hesitation—stepped into void. Brutal gravity yanked as I cleared the ramp. Savage wind howled at my eardrums. Freefall.
Pierced clouds—barren ravine outskirts of China filled view. Black swarm blotting the sky. Grotesque flyers—pterosaur skeletons with bat wings—spotted me, surged up en masse.
"All squadrons, clear the path!"
Rooooar—! Sleek F-35 squadrons streaked past my flanks. A-rank magic hunters clung to wings via mana shields, chants complete.
Dozens of massive fireballs and lightning bolts erupted mid-air. Missiles from jets slammed the pterosaur core. Blinding flash. Monster shrieks, shredded flesh rained like droplets. Flawless intercept—no obstacles on my trajectory.
"Nice work."
Muttered dryly, eyes locked downward. Ravine center: colossal beast sprawled like a mountain range. Elephant upper body fused to lion lower—nightmarish hybrid. Its back gleamed with hideous metallic sheen from years of devoured tanks and rebar. Disaster that chewed conventional arms and hunter superalloys alike.
"Metal lover, huh."
Velocity broke sound barrier. Friction heated my mana barrier cherry-red. Dumped all pre-compressed mana from yesterday into my right toes.
Pure energy crystallized. Blue mana at my toe warped space into a massive spear form.
Beast sensed it—snarled head skyward. Elephant-trunk appendage aimed high. Jagged metal shards spewed like AA fire.
Didn't dodge. Shards hit my hyper-dense mana spear—instant vapor, no pop. Metal scraps can't pierce pure mana's mass.
Distance closed in seconds. Monster's massive mug filled vision. Raised right foot. Slammed mercilessly into its steel skull.
Kwaaaaaaaa—!!!!
Earth-shattering boom split heaven and earth. Toe met crown—compressed mana detonated. Shockwave outraced sound, scouring ravine for tens of km.
Cliffs crumbled like tofu, bedrock levitated weightless. Massive dust pillar mushroomed up. Overhead jets wobbled, climbing out.
Vision choked with acrid dust and stench. Fallout settled—gray haze parted.
Vast crater gouged deep. Stood at center, face blank. Underfoot: beast's vaunted metal-plated skull and back mangled like a crushed tin can in a press.
Blue mana sparks danced then faded. Beast blood and molten metal sludge smeared sticky on the ground.
"Done."
Exhaled short, brushed dust from clothes. Waved lazily at circling jets. Overwhelming one-shot. Clean extermination. Hand cleanup to Association, snag the special law docs, home. Steak omakase tonight.
Took a step toward crater rim.
Thud.
Faint vibration underfoot. Stopped. Not cooling rubble or metal. Unpleasant, alien pulse.
Glanced down. Beast's spine near pulverized meat lump. Shredded flesh fused with steel—twitched with eerie grind. Like swarms of worms clotting a wound. Creepy writhe.
Eyes narrowed. Chill grazed my dry heart. Casually ground the meat underfoot, clicked tongue short.
"...Making it messy."