Anomaly 02
“Wh-whoa!”
Yeonwoo let out a similar yelp. The speed was faster than she'd expected. As expected of a future Numbers member? Her strength was impressive despite her looks.
Come to think of it, it's only natural?
No matter her role in support and healing, a hunter who couldn't protect herself wouldn't survive. She was just restricted by her tier for now.
Must be frustrating.
Given the situation, of course. Yeonwoo simply did what needed doing. She gripped the greatsword tightly with both hands.
Padudud—
She swung it with all her might at the flying winged ant.
Kwak. Kwuduk!
A heavy impact transmitted vividly through the blade. But it didn't feel satisfying.
“Tch!”
She'd wanted to smash it spectacularly and dive in. What shattered were the soldier ants clinging thickly to it. She lacked the power to smash the winged ant's main body.
-Kieeeek-!
-Kigig gagaak—
Instead, she ended up tangled with the winged ant and its soldier ant swarm. They screeched and writhed. Clumped into one mass, they wriggled busily before finally thrusting their jaws at the clinging Yeonwoo.
“Eww, gross!”
Her words came out almost cutely, but her momentum didn't falter a bit. No need to slash it away—she was already stuck to it.
“Hup.”
Besides, the handle wedged firmly into the ant cluster made a perfect brace. Yeonwoo used it to extend her body.
Paduk! Paruk, pajak!
Her lithe, flexible arm shot out. She seized the winged ant's wing and tore it off like ripping cloth.
Padudud! Parururu……!
Whooong—!
The winged ant's body lurched wildly. It tried to regain balance with its wings, but only the intact one trembled violently. The winged ant lost control and spun dizzyingly, plummeting toward the ground with all its attachments.
“Danger—get out of the way! Dodge quick—!”
With Yeonwoo's sharp shout.
“Wh-whoa!”
“Damn...!”
“To the side! Dodge now!”
The hunters charging toward camp twisted their bodies desperately.
Kwajak—!
The winged ant and its debris slammed into the ground.
Kuduk. Uuduk!
Like an explosion, debris scattered everywhere. The clumped soldier ants flew apart. Even the ant fragments dispersed.
Yeonwoo was among them.
“Hng.”
In the chaos, a strange, sweet moan slipped through Yeonwoo's lips. It wasn't intentional—just a reflexive feminine cry from the heavy pain throbbing in her side.
“Damn!”
She couldn't afford to space out. Her own alluring moan snapped her back to focus. She rolled her curled body to land and sprang upright.
No time for rest. She bolted right away. And scanned her surroundings.
-Kiiiik!
Among the crashed soldier ants, the intact ones shot to their feet.
“Hiiik! Ants! Ants!”
“Run! Hurry!”
They even burrowed between the fleeing hunters. Ignoring pain, they snapped their jaws threateningly.
“Don't just stand there—kill 'em! Blind panic running will get us all dead!”
Yeonwoo bellowed without slowing. She'd already switched her weapon to a sword and severed a soldier ant's joint in one strike.
-Kakak! Kakakak!
The nerve-severed soldier ant went berserk—as intended. She smashed her sword with full force, flinging it back at the pursuing ants.
“Move, you bastards! You wanna end your hunter careers in some ant nest?!”
“……!”
Yeonwoo roared. Her instinctive shout brought out her rough speech.
“You haven't even done shit properly! You came for the good pay—is this pathetic end fine with you?!”
“No way! I said I'd make bank and head home!”
“Me too! I don't wanna die here!”
Yeonwoo's cries shook them awake. Her gruff tone pierced straight to their ears. Just fleeing wouldn't ensure survival.
Parururu!
A dozen winged ants were flying in, soldier ants attached.
Dodging that many was impossible. Even if they luckily survived, it wouldn't be everyone. No guarantee she'd be included.
“…….”
“Uh. Um.”
But conversely, fighting meant some might die if luck soured.
“Don't hesitate—move!”
Yeonwoo's voice cut through their conflict.
Kwak! Kwajak!
Yeonwoo moved. She smashed the crashed soldier ants between the hunters without pause. Her unparalleled actions. Her overwhelming presence. The hunters watching thought: Beautiful. And desperate.
For gate explorers, they understood survival's meaning not with their heads, but their bodies.
Complex thoughts vanished. All that remained: Move. Now.
“These damn ant bastards!”
“Screw it—we'll survive, you hear?!”
The hunters' movements shifted. Front-runners slowed. Laggards naturally merged. Distances closed, forming a rough formation. Instinct told them stragglers were riskier.
“Die, you worthless numbers-punks!”
“Stay a bit apart. Risky fights just hurt us!”
Their pace stabilized quickly. Fighting while retreating to camp was unfamiliar, but grouping bred confidence.
Besides.
Kwak! Kwajak!
She'd switched to a mace, smashing soldier ant heads—the ant nest's top beauty in action. Watching her somehow instilled certainty that things would work out.
And the group included a snow-white priest.
“Just endure a little longer. It'll get better soon.”
Light rippled from Mikael's hand. He supported an injured hunter as they advanced. Unable to affect ants due to forced entry, but healing was possible. In the chaos, he prioritized the severely wounded at risk of falling behind.
Even amid the turmoil, Mikael's attention fixed one way. Naturally, on Yeonwoo.
What in the world are you...?
Her reckless, audacious moves showed no caution—yet she led and saved them all by example. Without her, how many injured or dead...?
Come to think of it, I still don't know her name.
A sudden pang of shame. In that disastrous first meeting, he should've at least asked her name despite holding back anger.
And why? When she'd stepped on his interlocked hands to leap.
“It felt... strange......”
A woman's body had touched him, yet no disgust or discomfort. Even in urgency. He couldn't hide his bewilderment.
Mikael quietly opened his palm. It felt like traces of Yeonwoo lingered.
“…….”
They did. Dirt and debris from her foot, plus ant fluids. Thus, Mikael's pristine white priest robes grew dirtier bit by bit.
Meanwhile, Yeonwoo rampaged at the group's heart.
Still not enough.
She needed a clearer answer.
Parururuk!
The problem was those winged ants. One zoomed in fast and dropped its soldier ant clump on the hunters.
Kwajak!
The merciless crash scattered them. Impact-shattered ones exploded, but survivors outnumbered them. Even fragments thrashed threateningly without dying.
“Tch.”
Yeonwoo switched to a spear. She kicked off the ground with full power and stabbed a soldier ant.
Kwajik!
The spear pulverized its head, but she didn't stop. She kicked off again, using the spear as a brace to leap skyward.
“Whoa...!”
Admiration burst from someone. A beauty ascending with such fluid grace was rare.
Of course, Yeonwoo's target was solely the winged ant.
Switch!
She yanked the spear free and morphed it to a dagger. Extending maximally, she plunged it into the winged ant and its soldiers.
Kwak.
Weaker than a greatsword. But light and fast.
Kwajak! Kwajak. Kwak!
Yeonwoo stabbed relentlessly. She climbed the clumped soldier ants swiftly and mounted the winged ant's back.
Kwak. Kwak! Uk!
The dagger flashed true thrice. One stab per wing on its chest. The final into the head.
Charuk, chiruk.
Its stubby wings quivered futilely. The winged ant plummeted immediately.
Right above the moving hunter group.
“Not there, you bastard!”
Yeonwoo kicked the winged ant with all her might. She shoved it toward the group's rear as far as possible while leaping full force toward the hunters.
“Catch me!”
“Wh-what?!”
“Catch! Quick!”
No one could refuse a plummeting beauty. The hunters clustered and caught Yeonwoo.
But she didn't stop.
“Support wider!”
“Got it!”
Yeonwoo entrusted her body to the hunters. Simultaneously, the dagger in her grip shimmered and formed a bow.
She practically buried herself in their backs and shoulders, securing the bow grip with her feet. Then she drew the string with both hands.
Max it. Cram in every option it can hold!
Penetration. Weight. Sharpness. Acceleration. And the new elasticity!
Piiing.
The moment the string stretched to its limit.
Yeonwoo twisted her waist and aimed at the winged ant.
Paang!
The arrow shot fiercely.
Kwajak!
It pierced the clumped soldier ants. Slicing through armor gaps, it slowed but barely punched through the winged ant's wing.
Paruk. Parurur—
That was enough. A single arrow in the thin wing destabilized its flight. It shook savagely, pitching up and down. At last—pik. Balance twisted, and it crashed to the ground.
“Huk.”
A display of skill that drew gasps of awe. Not a single hitch, seamless flow trusting only her judgment. No room to catch their breath.
But they'd seen it. And she'd shown them.
The unprecedented massive crisis was overwhelming. But they'd overcome one wave with Yeonwoo's help, pushing their alertness to the max. They judged and adjusted swiftly.
“Carry me too!”
A staff-wielding woman hurried onto her comrade's back.
“Ranged! Anyone else who can shoot from afar?!”
“Me! I'll give it a shot!”
“Lift her quick!”
The formation shifted in seconds. Stamina-strong hunters hoisted those with staves or bows and ran.
“Ignore the flanks!”
“Make sure they can't even approach!”
A wall formed to shield the human cavalry from soldier ants.
Hwaruk! Paang! Shuk!
Not every shot hit a winged ant. But if even one struck a wing...
Kuung. Kwajak!
It could smash the winged ant and its entire soldier clump into the dirt.
The approaching winged ants dwindled. The camp drew near rapidly.
The hunter group moved like a single swarm.
And at its lead, the queen ant.
Yeonwoo stood at the swarm's heart.