Chapter 69
Chapter 69
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 71
Chapter Title: Dead Zone (4)
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Can I fight?
An Ji-young froze. The director of Center 1 had asked her for a favor. To keep Cha Su-ho from revealing his Hunter abilities. If the Association or the government ever found out about his powers, it would only stir up more chaos.
As long as it was just people from Branch 1, it might be fine. But there were Branch 5 folks here too. If Su-ho exposed his Hunter abilities right now, it would be as good as everyone knowing.
But Ji-young had no right to stop him. She knew that once Su-ho had declared his intent, there was no holding him back.
"Cha Su-ho."
Ji-young continued calmly.
"Not yet... I mean, right now, let us handle it... If it gets dangerous...!"
"If it gets dangerous."
Su-ho slowly lifted his gaze.
"That means I can fight, right?"
"Yes."
"Got it. Then first,"
Su-ho placed his hand on the back of the standing Ji-young.
"Let me do a quick Clean."
Such leisure in front of the leader.
"Cha Su-ho... you."
"All done."
Su-ho, having finished the Clean in an instant, smiled lightly.
"Don't get hurt out there."
Krrrng.
The Pubkil leader roared, dragging its body riddled with bone needles that had just been pulled out. The injured Hunters and Helpers from Branch 1 quickly finished their treatments and assumed combat positions.
Only one person, Buta, struggled to rise due to the multiple bone needles embedded in his bulky frame. It wasn't a critical injury, but he looked in no shape to fight. Fortunately, Minno and Takahiro were by his side this time.
Relieved that it wasn't Shintaro or Masa, Su-ho's gaze shifted to the leader.
The leader arched its back and produced more Pubkils. As soon as the slime-and-blood-coated Pubkils hit the ground, they instinctively rose.
Watching the Pubkils regenerate in an instant, everyone from Branch 1—and even Branch 5—looked grim.
'Can it just keep producing Pubkils like that...?'
Unable to contain his curiosity about where they were coming from, Su-ho asked Jin Seong-hyeok.
'I don't know either. What I do know is it's far from running out.'
Su-ho scanned the Branch 1 Hunters with a worried expression. Their eyes showed surprise, but no fear.
The Pubkils that had just spawned floated into the air and burst apart in shreds. Kai Qing fired a shot and said something, then turned to Ji-young and winked.
[ "Did I do good? Ji-young?" ]
Ji-young nodded reluctantly and opened her mouth.
[ "Shall we take it down before it spawns more?" ]
Her words ignited the fuse. The Branch 1 Hunters, standing side by side, unleashed their attacks on the Pubkil leader.
The three Pubkils that Kai Qing had mercifully spared growled at Branch 1, then suddenly turned toward the leader as if possessed. Ji-young commanded them like pets.
"Bite."
Woof woof! Barking, the Pubkils charged at the leader. Noticing Ji-young's control over the Pubkils, the leader laughed.
"Using such lowly powers?"
It swung its front paw at the attacking Pubkils.
Kekeng-! Kyang!
Without even glancing at the Pubkils sent flying, the leader addressed the Branch 1 Hunters.
"Go ahead, use those lowly powers all you want."
The mocking words twisted the Branch 1 Hunters' faces into fierce glares.
[ "What the hell is that bastard saying?" ]
[ "Thinks we're pushovers 'cause it hasn't fought us yet." ]
[ "Then we gotta handle it properly." ]
Each muttering their piece, they moved again. Kai Qing acted first, pinning the leader's arms and legs with telekinesis. Masa and Eun-woo dashed in instantly and sliced them clean off.
No sooner had the severed legs hit the ground than Mei plunged her fist deep into its torso.
Kyeng-!
A short groan escaped the leader. As if waiting, Liu Xian hurled a red energy orb from her hand.
The energy orb exploded massively upon contact with the leader's body.
Kwaboom-! Bang-!
A normal monster would have died, but this was a boss-grade Pubkil leader. And this was the Dead Zone.
As if aware, they didn't stop attacking. Before the explosion's aftermath faded, Takahiro struck with lightning. Chains of bolts rained from the sky onto the leader. Branch 5 watched in stunned silence as the blinding strikes hammered down.
In the momentary lull, everyone held their breath. They needed to see the leader's state. Hoping it had taken some damage, at least.
The dust cloud obscuring their view slowly settled. First visible was the leader's head. One of its two heads was severed. The other dangled raggedly, held by protruding red muscles.
Krrrng.
The Pubkil leader slowly rose. Red muscle fibers had replaced its severed legs.
"You think you can kill me?"
The grotesque leader sneered.
"Dream on."
It lifted one leg. The red fibers from the stump split and extended into multiple tendrils in an instant.
Masa stepped forward and sliced the fibers reaching for the Hunters. Simultaneously, Eun-woo severed those heading for Airin and the Helpers in one stroke.
The cut fibers writhed like maggots. Ji-young stomped and twisted one in disgust.
"Won't work like that."
Her cold gaze fixed on the leader.
"Gotta shred it to pieces."
Shred it to pieces and burn them. The question was whether they could even manage that.
Laughter echoed in the tense air.
[ "We've seen Branch 1's skills. Time for us to show ours?" ]
As Clark stepped toward Branch 1, the Branch 5 Hunters and Helpers followed.
[ "Ooh! Team-up attack? Nice!" ]
[ "Let's end it in one go." ]
Ji-young smiled as Branch 5 Hunters took positions beside Branch 1.
[ "Thought you guys were tired?" ]
Scarlett ignited flames in her palms.
[ "Ji-young, you trying to hurt my feelings?" ]
[ "Let's fight for real." ]
Ji-young and Scarlett shared a small laugh, then turned to the leader.
[ "Alright, let's try shredding it." ]
As the Hunters moved at Clark's words, the leader twisted its body.
"Can't just take it lying down."
The dangling head writhed. The clinging muscle fibers elongated, leaving its neck floating in the air.
"I'll kill you all here."
Bones began protruding from its torso again, the same spot where bone needles had emerged. Piercing through flesh with sprays of red blood, they soon bristled densely.
And just as the bone needles surged toward the Hunters and Helpers—
Crack, crackle. Craaaack!
The countless bone needles pierced not flesh, but solid ice. A massive ice wall shielded the Hunters and Helpers like a barrier.
[ "Hoo..." ]
Eric, who had conjured the enormous ice wall in one go, exhaled heavily. Confirming no more bone needles on the leader's body, he swept his hand downward.
At his gesture, the sturdy ice wall shattered into fragments. Beyond the collapsing wall, the leader's face twisted hideously.
[ "Now it's our turn!" ]
As Rony and Jacob stepped up, Masa and Eun-woo advanced too.
[ "Sword's better than that crude stuff, right?" ]
Masa gripped her sword with a taunt. Eun-woo ignored her, as if used to it, and charged the leader.
Red muscle fibers lashed like tentacles. Dodging at incredible speeds, Eun-woo and Masa began severing the attacking fibers one by one.
Through the falling chunks, they closed in on the leader and raised their blades in unison.
Masa leaped skyward and cut the fibers supporting the floating head. Eun-woo bisected the leader's dual bodies precisely in half.
Spotting the fallen head and torso, Jacob and Rony pounced.
[ "Ooh! Smashing's my specialty! Ooh! Yeah!" ]
Dull thuds accompanied Rony's exclamations as he pulverized the torso with his massive axe. Beside him, Jacob bashed the head with his hockey stick.
[ "Scarlett!!" ]
Scarlett approached at Jacob's urgent call and applied her flames directly to the crushed head and body.
As the torso and head blazed, they thought half the job was done—until the leader emitted a bizarre sound.
Keeeeng, kyeng-.
The bleeding had stopped long ago. Red muscle fibers sprouted where the body had been severed. Writhing, they covered the wounds, clumping and massing together.
'No way... it's regenerating again...?'
Jin Seong-hyeok spoke for the speechless Su-ho.
'Yeah. I told you. It regenerates and keeps producing more.'
'Then how do we kill it?'
'Smash or shred it, then burn. All at once.'
Chipping away bit by bit was pointless. It would just regenerate and spawn anew. They had to sever and incinerate in one fell swoop.
Su-ho slowly raised his head to stare at the leader. The once-small clump of fibers had already grown larger than a human body.
Insane.
Su-ho wasn't the only one shocked. The Hunters and Helpers, confident of victory moments ago, froze in dismay, staring at the leader.
Krrrng.
Red muscle fibers sprouted from the leader's back like thorny vines, writhing. It glared at the Hunters and Helpers.
With a sneer curling its lips, the leader spoke.
"My turn now?"
It happened in the blink of an eye. The quivering fibers shimmered like heat haze in the air before lashing out at the Hunters and Helpers.
Shwick, shwick-!
The extending fibers bound their bodies in an instant.
"Kugh..."
"Urk."
Arms, legs, torsos—completely immobilized, the Hunters and Helpers began floating one by one. Faces contorted in pain from the fibers' pressure.
Su-ho was no exception. The fibers constricted his entire body, making even breathing difficult.
"Urgh..."
Looking down at the suffering Hunters and Helpers, the leader laughed.
"Time to repay your debts."
The fibers tightened further. Rony and Larry's faces turned purple, on the verge of bursting. The others fared no better. Stephanie, who had been gasping, had already passed out.
At this rate, they'd suffocate to death.
"Nngh..."
Su-ho writhed. The more he struggled, the tighter they squeezed. Jin Seong-hyeok's voice rang out.
'Cha Su-ho.'
His tone was excited.
'Looks like it's your turn now.'
As if anticipating Su-ho's performance.