Chapter 59
Chapter 59
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 61
Chapter Title: Raid (2)
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The first thing that caught Su-ho's eye after stepping out of the teleport was the barren, dry ground. The torn and broken trees were all that remained as jagged stumps.
This felt entirely different from the Dead Zone he'd entered through the gate with Jin Seong-hyeok. As Su-ho scanned his surroundings in surprise,
"If you're scared, stick close. It'd be a headache if the Helper who can revert a rampaging Hunter ended up dead."
Su-ho frowned at Clark, who spat the words like a jab and strode ahead.
'Why does he keep picking fights?'
'His personality's just that twisted.'
As Su-ho moved forward with an irritated expression, someone fell in step beside him.
"Ignore him. Clark's been like that plenty of times before."
The woman boasting an incredible figure was the one who'd been with Ji-young. She flicked back her red hair and continued.
"I haven't introduced myself yet, have I? Name's Scarlett. One of the hunters from the 5th Branch. I'm from the U.S."
"I'm Cha Su-ho."
"I know. Larry and Ronnie wouldn't shut up about how great you are. And thanks a ton for saving Eric last time."
"Glad I could help."
"Don't take Clark's words to heart. He snaps at his own branch members sometimes too."
The rest of the 5th Branch folks seemed decent enough, minus Clark.
"You don't know the branch members well yet, right? Let me start with the hunters. That's Clark. Next to him is Eric—the one you saved—Ronnie, and the youngest, Jacob. Oh, Ronnie and Jacob are both physical types."
Su-ho carefully noted the people Scarlett pointed out. Their physical builds were obvious. Ronnie carried an axe as big as himself, and Jacob held a hockey stick.
Wait, a hockey stick?
He couldn't believe his eyes. A hockey stick wasn't a weapon. As Su-ho stared at it, Scarlett chuckled.
"Everyone reacts like that at first. But that's no ordinary hockey stick. You'll see when the fighting starts."
"Got it."
"Next up, the Helpers. We used to have a ton of hunters and Helpers, but after the accident, we lost some—especially Helpers. Not many left."
Su-ho felt a pang as he saw Scarlett's eyes darken for a moment. Even if it wasn't his fault, Tae-il had been an A-grade Helper who'd died on the scene.
"...I hope no one else has to die."
Scarlett smiled at Su-ho's quiet murmur.
"Me too. Oh, right—last introductions. The remaining Helpers are Larry—he's Ronnie's brother—Tag, and Stephanie."
"Thanks for the rundown."
"No, thank you. Now I can fight without a worry today?"
"Hey! Scarlett!"
Clark called her name and beckoned her over with a flick of his finger.
"He's on edge again. Anyway, stay safe."
Scarlett gave a casual wave and headed toward Clark.
'Scarlett's main abilities are fire and telekinesis. She's as good with it as Kai-cheong.'
'Gotta watch and learn.'
As Su-ho eyed the 5th Branch hunters, he asked,
'Any other mental-type hunters?'
'Clark's telekinesis and copy.'
Copy? That was an ability he hadn't even considered. It might be more desirable than even Ji-young's control powers.
'Copy, you say?'
'Yeah. He can copy and use someone else's ability.'
'Has he ever copied you, hyung?'
'Me?'
Jin Seong-hyeok snorted.
'Not once. No one's ever mimicked my techniques. Except you.'
Lucky, then. Even so, Clark seemed impressive now.
'No wonder he's so full of himself.'
'Overly so. The only decent mental-types in the 5th Branch are Scarlett and Clark. But their physical-types make up for it.'
Just looking at the axe in Ronnie's hand proved that. Speak of the devil—Ronnie turned and called out to Su-ho.
"Yo! Cha! When monsters show up, stick right by me!"
Larry, behind him, shook his head vigorously.
"Nah, man, no way. Ronnie doesn't even notice the blood spray while he's swinging that axe! Better behind me—you'll get less splashed! Oh, Cha! Got a weapon?"
As if. All he'd brought out of habit were self-healing patches and a multi-tool.
"Uh... I have a multi-tool."
"Dude, Cha! This is a Dead Zone! Hold on."
Larry stopped short and pulled something from his massive backpack. Two axes bigger than Su-ho's face. He handed one over.
"For self-defense! Yeah! When a monster shows, smash its head!"
Su-ho took the axe without thinking and gasped.
"...H-how much does this weigh?"
"Whoa! Too light!? It's only 160 pounds!"
Wait. 160 pounds was...
"Isn't that over 70 kilos?"
"Is it? Anyway, great for swinging around lightly! Man!"
Lightly? Even with both hands, over 70 kilos was no joke for Su-ho.
"It's still too heavy for me. I'll stick with my tool kit..."
"Man, what?! This is heavy?!"
Larry yelled in disbelief, and Ronnie shook his head.
"Whoa, can't lend you my axe, then."
Now Su-ho was curious. How heavy was that axe, the one as big as Ronnie himself?
"Ronnie, how much does yours weigh, then?"
"Man, dunno the kilos! But pounds-wise, 400!"
400 pounds... As Su-ho did the math, Jin Seong-hyeok chimed in.
'About 180kg.'
'180kg?! Ha.'
Su-ho gaped at Ronnie.
"That heavy... and you can swing it?"
"Yeah! Perfect weight for swinging!"
Now he understood why Jin Seong-hyeok said physical-type hunters were strong. Su-ho glanced at Jacob's hockey stick—probably special too—when he spotted Sterions.
"Kyuuung."
Su-ho narrowed his eyes at the Sterion blinking its three big eyes, including the one on its forehead, trying to look cute. He'd been a fool to find that face adorable at first.
"Kyuuung?"
Another one sidled up beside it.
"Kyuuung, kyuuung."
Not two. More slithered out from behind trees, gradually swarming around the hunters and Helpers.
Clark, at the front, shouted.
"Sterions! Everyone, loosen up!"
Ronnie raised his axe hand high. He spun it through the air—whoosh, whoosh—then slammed it down.
Boom!!
The ground shook from the massive impact. Ronnie casually shouldered his axe and charged the Sterions.
"Whoa! Strength training time!"
A massive axe cleaved down on a Sterion slowly opening its ear-to-ear mouth. Its body split clean in half, tentacles writhing in final spasms.
"Gross."
Scarlett approached with graceful steps and spread her hands. Flames erupted from her palms.
"Better to burn 'em clean."
She flicked her fingers like tossing sparks, and the flames engulfed the tentacles, roaring to life.
"Whoa! Yeah! Dude!"
Ronnie whooped, cleaving Sterions apart with every swing.
"Bro! Don't kill 'em all!"
Jacob charged a Sterion extruding tentacles from its diamond-shaped maw, raising his hockey stick high.
Crack!Kyuuuuk!
As the stick jammed into its mouth, blue sparks flew, and the Sterion convulsed like it was electrocuted.
"That... thing."
"It's not just a hockey stick."
Ji-young, arms crossed beside him, explained.
"His hobby's hockey, so he had it made into a weapon. Titanium for lightness, but the base channels high-voltage current."
High-voltage. Su-ho watched in awe as Jacob, oblivious, played puck with a severed Sterion head.
"Next!"
With his shout, the stick whipped through the air.
Thwack! The Sterion head rocketed into another Sterion's mouth.
Splat!
"Goal!!"
Eric sighed beside the excited Jacob.
"Quit showboating, Jacob."
"You're too worried, Eric hyung."
"'Cause it's dangerous."
"From just Sterions?!"
Just Sterions. Su-ho grew serious, recalling his struggle against one. He'd boasted about keeping up with Jin Seong-hyeok, but comparing himself to these 5th Branch hunters, he was way behind.
Su-ho clenched his fist with resolve. This was new motivation. He wanted to fight monsters alongside the hunters right now.
"Yeah! Follow me!"
Clark's voice rang out. Three or four enraged Sterions spewed tentacles in pursuit.
Squelch, squelch. The grotesque tentacles lashed out, but Clark dodged playfully, grinning.
"Shall we get started?"
He halted abruptly and turned. Staring down the charging Sterion, Clark raised his hand.
The tentacles shot into the air, then began tangling together.
"Kyuuuuk!"
"Kuuuuh!"
As they knotted, the panicked Sterions thrashed, but the bonds only tightened.
Clark dodged dripping venomous slime and gestured. The bundled tentacles rose skyward, dragging the Sterions along.
He eyed the taut tentacles, and something glinted from his fingers.
'Huh...? Something...'
'Watch closely. You'll see it.'
Looking harder, Su-ho spotted thin, nearly invisible threads—like fishing line—from Clark's hand extending upward.
'Threads?'
In an instant, the threads whipped.
Boom!! Boom!! Kyeeeeek!!
The Sterions crashed down, writhing. The stretched tentacles were sliced clean, as if by a knife.
Clark gestured again. Something kept glinting at his fingertips. Marks appeared on the flailing Sterion bodies.
Lines sank into and emerged from their skin, like tight cords—only the cords themselves were invisible.
As Clark swung his glinting fingers through the air, yanking an invisible something with a clenched fist,
Snap! Slash!
Blood sprayed through the air, revealing chunks of Sterion sliced with surgical precision.