Final Assault on the Last Queen

-Keeek!

-Kagak!

The red soldier ants screeched threateningly. True to their role as the queen's elite guards, their ferocity was overwhelming. And their numbers—even more so. In no ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠time, every direction was swarming with nothing but soldier ants. As if they'd been waiting for this moment. Or as if they intended to end it all right here.

"Yeah. Let's end it."

This life in the Ant Nest Gate. The Tier I label. And the grueling life of a veteran hunter. All of it.

Gate Liberator. He'd seize that power. And start from the absolute best starting line, never to fall behind anyone again.

With that resolve burning in his chest, Yeonwoo stepped forward.

"Ants acting all high and mighty!"

"I'm sick of scraping by on family photos!"

"I want something tasty! I crave ice cream so bad!"

As if on cue, the hunters shouted and charged toward the queen ant, weapons in hand.

Kwajik. Kuuk! Kwak!

-Keeek!

Kugugugu—

It was chaos. The hunters smashed the soldier ants indiscriminately. One step. Another step. Smashing through obstacles, they advanced boldly.

-Keeekeke—!

A grotesque bursting sound erupted from the queen ant's jaws. With a chilling resonance, fresh red soldier ants poured out endlessly.

"Struggle all you want!"

Yeonwoo seized an opening and switched his weapon to a bow. The taut bowstring aimed at the queen ant's massive body.

Hwiik— Pak!

But the arrow bounced off pathetically. Its shell was incomparably tougher than the others.

In the end, gotta get in close.

Yeonwoo instantly switched to daggers and leaped into the fray of soldier ants.

"Here!"

A booming shout, and a shield shoved the ants aside, thrusting up into the sky. Yeonwoo stepped on an ant's back and landed lightly on the shield.

"Hup!"

With a grunt, the shield launched Yeonwoo's body. Her light frame accelerated in an instant, hurtling toward the queen ant.

-Keeik!

Padududu. Then came a cry and the fluttering of thin wings.

You too, huh!

A winged ant boldly blocked the queen's front. But in that instant—

Hwoook— Puuung!

A blaze shot out, colliding with the winged ant in an explosion. Flames devoured its wings in a flash, the blast scattering nearby ants.

"Go!"

Yeonwoo twisted her body midair. The situation differed from her first queen kill. She was flying at a much lower ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠altitude, almost shooting straight forward. But she grasped every detail perfectly. No room for a greatsword. She hurriedly switched to a sword and pulled her arm back tight against her body. Then unleashed all her power toward the queen ant.

Kwaduduk!

A fierce shock jolted her hands. The sword vibrated wildly.

"Tch!"

Incredibly tough. A durability befitting the final boss of an anomaly. It left a long gash on the queen's body but didn't pierce through.

"Push harder!"

Another hunter followed Yeonwoo's lead, launching herself. Her small frame shot like a bullet, twin daggers plunging in with both hands.

Kwajik!

But again, no penetration.

"Me too! I'm going in!"

A bespectacled hunter broke through soldier ants. Thung! Thung! Kwang!

Knuckles on both hands hammered the queen's body relentlessly.

-Keeik! Puuk.

An ant's jaw dug into the side of the all-out hunter.

"Kahk!"

Having charged with everything, she couldn't dodge the swarm.

"Not yet! Keep going!"

But the hunters didn't retreat. They gritted their teeth, diving in repeatedly to pummel the queen.

Yeonwoo did the same. In the time they bought her, she gripped her greatsword and glared at the queen.

Kwak.

Pain shot through her. "…Ugh!"

A soldier ant struck her. But it worked in her favor. The power gathered in her weapon fused with Timid Avenger.

Yeonwoo slammed the greatsword down.

Kwaduduk—!

A thunderous roar as it sliced into the queen's body. But still, it didn't penetrate fully.

"Damn thing's tough as hell!"

But victory was close. A little more pressure, and they'd breach that infuriatingly hard carapace.

"Ugh, kruk!"

The queen wasn't going down easy. With every hunter attacking desperately, gaps were inevitable.

"Over here! Hurry before ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠it moves!"

"Th-thank you…."

As the injured retreated hastily, a white aura enveloped their wounds. Mikael, waiting in the wings, healed them immediately.

It was a fierce close-quarters battle maximizing everyone's abilities—but also a brutal, savage slugfest. The queen ant kept spawning soldier ants nonstop. To sweep away hunters while her tough shell held.

In response, the camp's elites charged the queen relentlessly. They knew fighting only soldiers led nowhere. Ignoring injuries, they turned themselves into human projectiles slamming into her.

The wounded didn't rest either. They fell back for Mikael's treatment, buying time for the next wave.

"Hahk… hahk…."

Exhaustion mounted rapidly.

-Kreuk, kiii…!

The queen's body accumulated wounds, green fluids dripping steadily. No turning back now. Kill or be killed. This was their one and only shot.

"Kuhk, please… cover the rear…!"

"Hoo, huu. Ugh. My, my stomach…."

Hunters clutched wounds and fell back. In this no-retreat chicken race, casualties piled up.

"Just a bit more. Just a little longer."

Mikael poured everything into healing. Eden's priest squeezed out every drop of holy power. Yet he couldn't keep pace with the mounting injuries.

Won't last much longer.

The hunters' lives. And the final queen's. It was razor-thin.

So they had to give it everything.

"Urghhh…!"

Yeonwoo gritted her teeth and swung the greatsword. Hwoong— Hwoong— Channeling her screaming body's full momentum into massive spins. Gripping the hilt two-handed, she aimed for the queen's wound.

Hwaaak—!

A fierce wind howled.

"Huh…?"

But that was it. The greatsword hit nothing.

"Uwuk!"

The recoil overwhelmed her, shoulder throbbing. Yeonwoo grimaced, dropping to one knee.

"…Why?"

The ground came into view. Green fluids from the queen stretched out. The filthy trail was clear.

"It moved?"

Lifting her head, she saw soldier ants surrounding the queen. Jaws embedded in their queen's body, they thrashed desperately. And so the massive queen began to move.

"What the hell."

Unbelievable. The queen ant was fleeing.

Just a bit more. A real bit more pounding, and they could've ripped that wound open, ending this nightmare!

"What the fuuuck!"

Yeonwoo bellowed at the retreating queen. Her fangs bared in a savage growl as she glared.

"Damn it. Why didn't I get stronger? Why?!"

"Shit. Just a little more. If I'd pushed harder…!"

"Wh-what do we do? Really, what now?"

"Calm down. It's okay. Not over yet!"

Only now, as they halted, did the voices register. Drowned out by the frenzy, buried under the desperate fight—the hunters' true feelings.

What do we do?

Yeonwoo's gaze wavered uncertainly. Ahead, the fleeing queen. Behind, hunters too wounded to fight. All around, swarming ants.

The end? Really, just like this?

Yeonwoo clenched her fist. Her left hand's red ring caught her eye. Proof she'd lived one hunter life already.

"This won't do."

She muttered, staring at the ring, recalling her reason.

I can't be happy like this.

Seemed random. But it was why she'd become a hunter. Her milestone, reaffirmed facing Yeonseo after regressing.

And yet, in this ant nest. The people guarding the gate entrance on faith. Those who'd followed to slay the queen on faith. Above all—

She couldn't be happy.

"I'll smash every last one."

Then. At least pour everything out.

Kkwaak. She gripped her weapon hard. Power surged into her toes.

"Hunter Yeonwoo!"

Mikael called. Frustrated expression. Hands trembling on his staff. That said it all.

Yeonwoo saw her own reflection in him.

"You can't go alone!"

"Protect everyone. Mikael."

But they couldn't fight together. Their combined power might corner the queen faster. But without Mikael, the wounded were done.

"But you…"

"Mikael!"

Yeonwoo shouted. He flinched. Her blazing red eyes.

"You told me to take responsibility. So."

No long speech.

"You do it too. Own it!"

Yeonwoo kicked off the ground.

"Fine. I'll show you."

The grit of a veteran who'd crawled like a dog.

"I'll show you proper!"

Screaming furiously, she switched weapons. Timid Opinion's Knuckles—so light it barely needed holding. Perfect for burrowing in.

-Kiii!

"Shut up!"

Ppak!

Yeonwoo dove into the ants. Fists smashed incoming jaws. Squeezing through gaps, she raced for the queen.

Of course, charging solo left her battered.

"Kuhk."

Scraped by sharp spines. Thigh pierced by an ant jaw. But fine.

This much, I can take.

Pain of Loss dulled the agony. Ignoring wounds, she bolted for the queen.

Her woman's body proved a boon. Supreme flexibility and spring. Petite frame exploding forward.

Taat!

Finally, she bounded off an ant's back.

-Kagaaak!

The last queen bellowed. On cue, soldier ants clustered to carry her. To block Yeonwoo.

…Yeah.

She saw it clearly. So she steeled herself.

Her ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠power came from weapons. She'd unleash them fully.

Weapons enough?

Final check. Then she plummeted into the soldier ants' midst.

-Kiii.

-Kakak, geureu.

-Krut!

Soldier ants swarmed from all sides. Piling layers, burying her completely.

"…."

But this halted the queen. And Yeonwoo's burial spot? Right beside her.

Seureuk—

Something seeped within. Yeonwoo, buried, fused her weapon Streetlamp.

Paaat!

Light burst forth.

-Kiiiiik!

-Kya, kiik.

Twinkle Twinkle's pure white glare struck the ants' compound eyes. The intense light disoriented them. They shrieked, thrashing wildly like malfunctioning machines.

"Hoo, hoo… huu…."

Yeonwoo emerged. In her hand, now a greatsword form. Hoisted proudly, it gleamed softly. Harsh breaths caught in her throat, but her stance held firm.

-Kiaaa—!

Thuk! Uduk!

Maddened soldier ants struck her body. Clothes shredded to rags, soaked in red blood.

"Eut…!"

Even halved sensation was excruciating. Actual burden on her body? Double. But to Yeonwoo, it fueled her.

"Huu. Uuuh…!"

Grinding teeth, growling like a beast.

Hwoook—!

Once more. No interference this time. Ignoring the jaws tearing her flesh, she slammed the greatsword down.

Kwaduk, euduk— Jjeok, puhak!

-Kigagaga!

It sank in. Into the wound everyone had targeted relentlessly.

Finally, the greatsword pierced.

But Yeonwoo's arms remained raised.

Not enough yet.

Carapace breached, but not fully into the vitals. So she drew another weapon.

This time,

An utterly useless option raising the weapon's temperature endlessly.

But she fused it again. The glowing greatsword instantly heated up.

"More. A bit more!"

Burn it all if needed. Just a bit more!

With Yeonwoo's cry, the greatsword blazed.

Chiiik!

It inched forward. Spewing acrid black smoke, tearing carapace, burrowing into the queen's innards.

"Uh, uuut!"

Smoke rose from Yeonwoo's hands too. Sickly stench and unbearable pain assaulted her, but she couldn't stop. Even if it meant burning her whole body.

Absolutely not.

-Kagagagaga—!

The queen thrashed. Her writhing nearly flung Yeonwoo off.

"Ha! I'll stick with you to the end!"

Yeonwoo pressed on. Screaming through the agony, stepping after the queen repeatedly, shoving the greatsword deeper.

"I'll smash you from the inside out!"

And the next weapon. A rusted-useless dagger.

Yeonwoo fused the fang into the greatsword without hesitation.