Chapter 46
Chapter 46
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 46
Chapter Title: Silencing the Assault
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I bolted down the path like a madman, racking my brain the whole way.
"Why didn't they hit Hamburg directly?"
It hadn't been dropped right on Hamburg—just nearby. That meant plenty of time to prepare. The dispersion error was way too large.
—The Korean military calculated the impact site, wind direction, and speed. Sarin gas will blanket Hamburg in 35 minutes. We're sending the train to the Netherlands within 20.
"That's their goal."
The relief supplies could get contaminated by the gas too. We had to get that train moving fast.
—Even if that's their play, we don't have a choice.
"No, that's not it."
Getting the train out quick was just a preliminary step toward some bigger objective. If I was reading this right, the goal was obvious.
"They're trying to peel Hunter Lee Se-eun off the train."
Somehow keep her pinned here while letting the train roll out alone. Recapturing it would be a hell of a lot easier that way.
—...They'll probably pull it off.
I nearly skidded to a halt. Pull it off? Did he mean keeping her off the train?
"What are you talking about?"
—There's an archer in military fatigues and a hood...
I clicked my tongue before he even finished. I knew who it was. The guy Han Sang-ah and I had crossed paths with on Gyodongdo.
That bastard could hold Lee Se-eun back. No wonder the voice had sounded so urgent.
—We have to get the train moving.
Distributing relief supplies wasn't the issue. If the gas cloud drifted in on the wind, Europeans would end up mixing it into their aid and choking it down.
"Crazy bastards. At least their theme's consistent."
Loosing sarin gas on Germany. Aiming to avenge the Jews killed by the Nazis? Or just screwing around?
"What a total clusterfuck."
The first thing that caught my eye was Lee Se-eun clashing with the hooded figure in military gear.
In a flash, dozens of arrows rained down like a storm. Lee Se-eun countered, gripping her massive greatsword with both hands and detonating it in rapid bursts to block every single one.
"At this rate, the station's gonna collapse."
Power surged into the train, and it began inching forward. Everyone else was already aboard.
Everyone except Lee Se-eun. I glanced at her for a second, then hopped on. She couldn't board this train anyway.
"We're off!"
With the shout, the train accelerated. And the gap to Lee Se-eun widened.
Inside the speeding train, a sour mood settled over me. You always feel like this when you're dancing in someone else's palm.
"Who the hell could've seen that damn gas bomb coming?"
I wasn't even curious where they'd gotten it. It was already half-confirmed that Dangun's Descendants were cozy with the Korean government.
If Korea—the current superpower—really wanted some gas canister scraps, could they not get them?
"...".
The people forced to leave Lee Se-eun behind in Hamburg just stared blankly toward the city, lost in silence.
"What, you think staring like that will make Hunter Lee Se-eun teleport here?"
The looks aimed my way weren't friendly.
"Snap out of it. She's not busting her ass back there just so we can zone out."
I scanned the surroundings as I finished.
"This train's bound for Amsterdam. Those bastards peeled Hunter Lee Se-eun off it, so something's definitely going down soon."
Factoring in speed, we'd hit Amsterdam in about nine hours. And Dangun's Descendants would strike before then, no doubt.
"We need to prepare. We can't just kill time moping about leaving her behind."
It'd come soon. The Korean military could handle suppressing civilians and guarding supplies, but against hunters...
"Korean military, cooperate please."
"Even if we step up, we won't add much firepower."
I cut in before they could finish.
"No need to guard the barrier generators. Split your personnel and station them on the relief supply trains."
Let's see how Dangun's Descendants handle the Korean military.
If they touch the relief trains, my half-baked theory about their ties to the Korean military was wrong.
But if they leave them completely alone, that's ironclad proof.
"Hunters, focus on protecting the barrier generators."
I gave the orders, then headed straight there with the other hunters.
"Suspicious group ahead!"
As expected, they'd been waiting. I channeled mana into my eyes to scope out the distant mob.
About 250 strong.
"That bastard."
One blocking the tracks stood out. The guy who'd forcibly sealed Lee Se-eun's movements back in Khabarovsk.
And beside him, a woman in a black hanbok dress. A dark blue-green gayageum propped next to her caught my eye.
Those two were clearly leading the track-blockers.
"Prepare..."
At that moment, the woman in the modified hanbok charged the train. Her leg power was nuts—dirt exploded in plumes behind her sprinting form.
Blasting forward at insane speed, she reached the train's front in seconds and swung the gayageum straight at me.
"Ugh, crazy bitch!"
I ducked hard. Whoosh—it whistled right over my head. A grating dissonance poured from the swinging strings.
"Krha."
The sound shoved my body back, head spinning dizzily. Some hunters' legs buckled instantly; they collapsed, heaving.
This wasn't mere noise. Mana laced the spreading sound waves, rattling minds and packing physical punch.
"You?"
"What about me? Ask properly."
I ignited Paradox Flame on my spear as I replied. Her eyes narrowed at the sight.
"That's you, alright. Die then."
"Beating people with a gayageum?"
That thing wasn't made for whacking folks.
"I'm Seo Yeon-joo. Orders say no killing, but I'll cripple you."
"Everyone's got big dreams."
Who crippling who? With that lunatic swinging her gayageum up front, the track-blockers swarmed us.
Behind Seo Yeon-joo, the shaman-like creep who'd pinned Lee Se-eun before stood shaking a ritual fan.
"Yoo Chan-seok, the Gangneung Yoo clan roots trace back to China."
"So what, you gonna fake a Holocaust?"
"Your genealogy starts dirty."
Just spewing whatever. Craving a lawsuit from the Gangneung Yoo clan association? This guy's lost it.
Never thought genealogy obsessives still existed. And not some geezer—a young punk like that.
"Surely you two aren't ganging up on a weakling like me."
"We are."
"You're dead."
I scanned around at that. Anyway, if I could take these two out, job done. They were top-tier, no question.
Truth be told, a hunter my level couldn't solo them.
"Let's see you try."
Life doesn't hand you only crises you can shrug off easy.
"Uwaaak...!"
Boom—the dissonance-shrouded gayageum clashed with my spear, shoving me back.
My wrists throbbed like hell. What was it made of to tank hits like that?
"Why'd I prep so hard? Annoying as shit."
The gayageum amplified the clash's dissonance through its resonator, wrapping it tight.
"If you wanna burn stuff with that black flame, break this first."
She was right. The clash wasn't spear-on-gayageum. It was spear versus the pouring dissonance.
Then Seo Yeon-joo wielded it two-handed like a pro, hammering me nonstop. Less instrument, more...
"Sign spinning."
That's what they call it—spinning a signboard. She whirled the gayageum like one, closing in with heavy hits. I shortened my spear and countered.
She lofted the spinning gayageum mid-air, then handstood. Legs clamped it like chopsticks on sausage, swinging it pickaxe-style at my head.
"What the...!"
Thud—heavy shock rippled up my arms. Still no direct contact.
She pressed a bit longer, then spotted my spear tip slicing at her midsection. Fingers flicked the strings in a panic. Grating sound blocked it.
"Didn't think you'd counter."
"Yeah?"
Spot on. Without my rewired nerves, no counter possible.
"But you're just gonna spectate back there? I'll report you."
"Got it. Time to work. Jeseok Haewon-gyeong do the trick?"
At Seo Yeon-joo's word, the backline watcher finally stirred.
"What an insolent..."
As he moved, vitality visibly surged through Seo Yeon-joo. Stronger attacks coming.
"Demon imps, evil spirits, fierce ghosts, wicked demons, Imangnyang, all manner of ghosts and fiends—bind each one fast. By this divine law, godly soldiers shall utterly exterminate. Ox-horse wind-white, thunderclap divine general, earthen transformation spirit..."
⟨ Jeseok Haewon-gyeong ⟩
He kept chanting, sword-dancing and jingling bells. Hazy energies like heat shimmer erupted from my feet with his moves, clamping my legs vise-tight.
"Dodge."
"Psh, you know I can't."
I muttered it, gritted my teeth, and thrust my spear up at the full-power gayageum arcing for my head.
Impact bent the spear for a split second.
Crunch from both ankles echoed; the floor—cobbled from tank armor—dented deep.
"Kahak, ptui!"
I spat the blood rising in my throat and wiped my nosebleed. Managed to block it, but my limbs trembled.
"Limbs still intact. But not for long."
Seo Yeon-joo declared it, whirling her gayageum. Staring at my shaking hands, I grinned.
Not for long, my ass.
"Doesn't look like you're playing proper tunes on that thing anyway."
I took a deep breath and slammed my spear into the ground. Paradox Flame spread from the point.
"Let's fight muted. Cool? Everyone, mouths shut from now on."
With that, Paradox Flame incinerated every sound in the area.
'Gayageum attacks wrapped in sound, technique that needs nonstop yapping to work.'
Burn all generated noise with Paradox Flame, and they can't use shit. I yanked the spear free.
I flipped off their panicked stares. Phase two.