Chapter 22: The Battle of the Rhine River Pt. 2

Fortunately, the mermen were not very strong. They were monsters that generally appeared in C and D-Grade Gates and were easily taken care of by C-Rank Hunters or even D+-Rank Hunters who had been aiming for C-Grade Gates. Furthermore, none of the Hunters who had entered the Rhine River Gate were D+ or lower. They were all more than capable of hunting them, even more so now that the Hunters had been strengthened due to the increased concentration of mana.

“It’s mermen!”

“That’s a relief!”

As expected, the Hunters sang with joy and prepared for battle. Gaining confidence, they began preparing for battle without even organizing their formations. While their confidence was evident, it was a tale in which one would know but two would not.

‘This is…’

“Keheeek!”

“What is this?”

They were next to the water, and mermen were known to get stronger if there was water nearby. The mermen were completely drenched in water. With large numbers, they rushed in with a speed that exceeded the Hunters’ expectations.

"Damn it! Kill them first!"

The Hunters and mermen collided. The Hunters had stood confidently in the front row and tried to counterattack the first few times by blocking the long thorns the mermen held.

“Kyaaak!”

“Save me!”

Due to their inattentiveness from their overconfidence, injuries began to appear among the Hunters, one after another. Furthermore, they had still not fully realized that the increased mana had bolstered their strength. This had all occurred only five minutes after the wave had started. As the number of those wounded by the mermen began to rise, the situation began to shift once more.

“...”

The Hunters had begun to become aware of the situation, while the Hunters in the front row started to retreat little by little, waiting for someone else to step in instead. It had devolved into a total mess. Lee Jun-Kyeong stood by, just watching it all happen.

‘Not yet.’

It wasn’t time for him to get involved yet. In order to survive the A-Grade Gate, he would have to move precisely according to the plan. The Hunters would have to take a little more damage so that they could have some awareness of the current situation knocked into their heads. However…

“Northern Army Guild! Annihilate your enemies!"

…someone had stepped out. It was the Northern Army Guild.

At Choi Yeong-Seong’s cry, the guild members of the Northern Army Guild began to charge.

‘Wait, he’s using his guild members…?’

Lee Jun-Kyeong was momentarily taken aback by the unexpected situation. He had predicted that the Northern Army Guild would have preserved their guild members as much as possible, only setting out when the Hunters’ sacrifices had become severe. But to think he would move the guild members starting from the first wave. With a confused gaze, Lee Jun-Kyeong watched the Northern Army Guild members that had started a battle with the mermen.

"Let's help too!"

"We can win!"

"Even if the mermen are a little strange, they’re still just mermen!"

The Hunters had gained strength from the rising momentum, so they also began to join the battle.

‘So that’s why.’

Only then did Lee Jun-Kyeong understand the situation. He had already investigated the power of the Northern Army Guild. Those who were stepping forward to deal with the mermen were just barely strong enough to keep up with the strengthened monsters. It was easy to see that they were the lowest grunts among the Northern Army Guild.

“Keughk!”

“Heal me! Heal me!”

‘Is he using them as sacrificial lambs?’

He had finally grasped the situation. They were just consumables used to reassure the other Hunters and incite them. Choi Yeong-Seong had made up his mind to use his own men as disposable. Lee Jun-Kyeong understood the situation and further confirmed their plans.

‘This isn’t a problem.’

If anything, this was an even better result.

Finally…

Step.

…Lee Jun-Kyeong began to move.

***

'He’s starting to move.'

Jeong In-Chang was watching over Lee Jun-Kyeong as ordered by Choi Yeong-Seong. Lee Jun-Kyeong had not moved even after the mermen attacked, but he had finally begun to move. However, Jeong In-Chang felt conflicted as he watched all of this. The Hunter had suggested that the Northern Army Guild was rotting…

‘He’s not wrong.’

Jeong In-Chang averted his eyes from Lee Jun-Kyeong for a moment. The mermen were getting injured one by one, and the Hunters and the weaker guild members of the Northern Army Guild would eventually overcome them…

‘There’s bound to be some deaths.’

The senior guild members of the Northern Army Guild, including Choi Yeong-Seong, only had patronizing attitudes towards those combating the approaching mermen. He thought he finally understood what Choi Yeong-Seong’s thoughts and plans were. While he had not been informed of the plan, he wasn’t so stupid as not to have figured at least that much so far. He wondered if this was how Choi Yeong-Seong had evaluated him.

‘If things continue like this…’

Many Hunters and Northern Army Guild members would die. He didn’t want to see that result, so he wanted to move out immediately. Even if he only joined the ranks and fought the mermen, they would be able to reduce the number of victims.

However…

‘I believe in your allegiance and your loyalty.’

Those words were like shackles, preventing Jeong In-Chang from taking a step further. Even though he had known it was rotting, he was unable to cut it out. Jeong In-Chang, with a burdened heart, finally shook his head and gave up.

‘He has to have a plan.’

If it was the Choi Yeong-Seong he knew before, there was no way he would just be this cruel. He had a glimmer of hope, and even if he knew it was only a fleeting hope, Jeong In-Chang was unable to let it go. When he suddenly raised his head, he heard a sudden roar.

“AHHHHHHH!”

‘What is that?’

Forgetting his duty of monitoring Lee Jun-Kyeong once again, Jeong In-Chang focused his attention on the source of the noise.

“What is that? That punk!”

“That’s amazing!”

He wasn’t interested in the voices of the Hunters who were shouting against the evil tides in order to live. Instead, his focus had been drawn to the roar that had exuded an enduring hope and dependability.

‘What is that? And where is Lee Jun-Kyeong?’

Jeong In-Chang was torn between his curiosity about the shouting versus his need to find Lee Jun-Kyeong. However, this worry was meaningless, as the uproar and Lee Jun-Kyeong were one and the same.

"Who the hell is that Hunter? Was this mobilization supposed to have a Hunter of that level?"

"What’s his name?"

"I definitely memorized all the names of the famous Hunters!”

In the very front, numerous mermen were chasing after one Hunter. Even with just a quick glance, it was obvious that the Hunter was dealing with more than ten drenched mermen, using a long red spear to pierce the enemy like a skewer.

Puhaak!

Spurt!

Someone exclaimed, “I’ve never seen anyone use a shield like that!”

“Is he a C+-Rank? I mean, what level of Hunter are you?!” another shouted.

A third opined, “Is that what’s important right now? A shield… how in the hell does someone use a shield like that?”

The Hunter in question rammed into and destroyed the nearby mermen with a round shield. Any mermen at a distance were pierced by the red spear and were torn apart by the shield if they got close. Somehow, the mermen were falling victim to the shield and spear combo. At this point, they weren’t monsters anymore. They were just prey, waiting to be hunted.

Jeong In-Chang watched the scene with a blank expression, just as shocked as the others.

‘He grew that much…?’

Lee Jun-Kyeong was dealing with the mermen with ease, and his growth was so incredible that it was unbelievable. It didn't seem like he was using a particular skill or anything. Although his weapon looked amazing at first glance, the skill with which it was being used was more important. His movements made it easy to tell that he was already an advanced Hunter. If anything, he might have already exceeded that as well. A voice rang out in the mind of Jeong In-Chang, who was watching the scene as if possessed.

[The wave has ended.]

[A short break shall be granted.]

[Some Sponsors desire to grant rewards to their Incarnations.]

***

[ is delighted by your performance.]

[Your stats have increased slightly.]

[You have completed the ‘Merman Hunter’ achievement.]

[Your stats have increased slightly.]

[Your level has risen.]

[Your stats have increased slightly.]

Out of all of the Hunters, Lee Jun-Kyeong heard the most notifications. Furthermore, that wasn’t the end of the voices that he heard.

[ is showing interest in you.]

[ is showing interest in you.]

[ expresses hostility toward you.]

There were more voices, voices that he had never experienced before.

‘It looks like there are a lot of Sponsors.’

Lee Jun-Kyeong was also surprised by the situation. Even in the many gates that he had hunted while sacrificing sleep, he hadn’t received any attention from other Sponsors.

‘Multiple Sponsorship.’

He wondered if someday he, too, would be able to receive that which real Heroes would receive. He somewhat anticipated it, but then an obstruction appeared.

[ expresses its displeasure.]

[The Sponsors that have displayed interest in you have withdrawn.]

As Lee Jun-Kyeong looked flabbergasted, the Hunters gathered around him as the wave ended.

"Thank you, Mr. Hunter!" one enthusiastically said.

Another asked curiously, "Seriously, who are you?"

"Where did you come from? Do you have a Guild?"

It was natural for them to be interested in Lee Jun-Kyeong, who had shown overwhelming force.

“It’s not over yet. There are quite a few waves left.” They had approached with hope but hesitated momentarily at Lee Jun-Kyeong’s cold tone. "Everyone, prepare quickly. The grade of the gate now is a colossal A-Grade. So we have to get ready to survive."

However, the Hunters soon realized that Lee Jun-Kyeong was worried about them rather than looking down on them.

"All right!"

"Let's prepare properly this time!"

"I don't know how long it will take… but we have to survive."

"Everyone, let's start with the maintenance!"

Once again, they began to encourage each other with voices full of hope. Lee Jun-Kyeong turned his gaze to a man beyond them.

“...”

He almost burst out laughing when he saw that face. Choi Yeong-Seong was standing there, looking like he swallowed some shit. He, along with the leaders of the Northern Army Guild, looked at him with disdain.

‘While I know what your plans are…’

Those plans would go awry as more time passed. The guild master must have plotted to control the Hunters here and suddenly appear at the critical moment, but Lee Jun-Kyeong had no intention of letting Choi Yeong-Seong do that. Instead, he would thoroughly shatter the other man’s plans.

As time passed, he would bring the Hunters to his side. In the first place, as their purposes were different, time would show how they would take Lee Jun-Kyeong’s side. He then turned his gaze away from Choi Yeong-Seong and looked elsewhere.

‘Hopefully, your choice won't be too late.’

He was already aware of the person who had been watching him, Jeong In-Chang. Though the deputy guild master was shaken as he had watched him, Jeong In-Chang had also tried not to pay him any attention. Lee Jun-Kyeong chose not to force him any further, as Jeong In-Chang couldn’t be forced through coercion.

Currently, Lee Jun-Kyeong was only focused on his own growth.

‘Status Window.’

A blue window that only Lee Jun-Kyeong could see appeared, having changed significantly from before. The most eye-catching part was…

[Level: 24]

…was an overwhelmingly rising level. Laughter bubbled up out of him out of nowhere. The increased abilities that had risen as much as his level gave him a great sense of fulfillment.

‘I’ll pass level 30 here.’

This atrocious gate would become the foundation for his growth, a foundation for leveling that hadn’t progressed much since he had passed level 20. Although he would be hunting for growth, he wouldn’t give up any of the collateral things.

‘The Hunters would eventually follow me.’

Choi Yeong-Seong’s plans would never come true.

***

The second wave consisted of even more mermen. However, Lee Jun-Kyeong's performance ended the second wave without a single victim.

A new monster began to appear from the third wave. It wasn’t all that varied from what had happened before. They were higher species of mermen, such as merman warriors or merman mages. No matter how active he was, it was difficult for him to prevent everyone from falling victim to the new monsters. However, he moved even more earnestly, preventing fatalities by working harder through the repeated waves.

From the fourth wave on, there were no longer just mermen. The river serpentors had appeared alongside them. They were in the shape of monstrous fish and were a subspecies of the sea serpentor, a higher-level sea monster. As the fourth wave ended…

"Damn it…" one Hunter cursed.

Another sighed. "Will we really be able to survive?"

Finally, the deaths began to appear. While he had been surprised that it took this long, he didn’t feel as though the waves would end, and it was enough to make the other Hunters feel despair.

“...”

Lee Jun-Kyeong looked at the dead, feeling conflicted. He had wanted to create a result in which no one had died, but he had known that it would have been impossible with his strength. However, that result hadn’t been a totally impossible one at all.

"Why in the hell?! Why is the Northern Army Guild not fighting properly!" Lee Jun-Kyeong shouted, raising his voice for the first time.

“What do you…?!” responded the bewildered Northern Army Guild members.

He snapped, "Do you really think we are fools? Everyone here knows that your main force is only concerned with conserving power from behind!"

After Lee Jun-Kyeong's cry, others began to condemn them.

"Right! Come to think of it, that's true!" someone gasped.

Another commented, "Not a single member of the Northern Army Guild has died."

One Hunter gave the members a stink eye. "Look, they aren’t even injured!"

The Hunters began to become agitated. During his active involvement in the raid, Lee Jun-Kyeong focused especially on saving the lowest grunts of the Northern Army Guild. It had all been for this moment. The atmosphere that Choi Yeong-Seong had been cultivating so far…

"Even if it's only now, you have to take an active part in the battle! Are you going to just watch the Hunters sacrifice like this?"

…had started to crack. However, Choi Yeong-Seong’s expression didn’t change.

1. This is referring to an East Asian saying that goes, after one is two, after two is three, after three is… after xxx is… all the way up to a value you don’t know. It basically is a warning, telling you that there is always something that comes after that you don’t know, so you should always be prepared.