Chapter 193: Final Clear Preparations (1)

Kim Ki-Rok had no talent in martial arts or magic. What he did have was the ability to go back in time, a regression that would only end if he took his own life. He only seemed clever because he kept repeating his life, learning from each Attempt until he found the best possible outcome.

If talent were measured on a scale, his would barely reach seven out of ten. Even that much was earned through relentless repetition, effort stacked on effort. And now, all of it was being tested.

His shield rang out as he blocked the S-Class Animaloid's attack, the impact knocking him clean off balance.

"Psychokinesis."

Infusing mana into one of the ten rings on his fingers, he controlled the mana surrounding his body to regain his balance. As soon as he landed with the help of the artifact's power, he quickly lifted his head.

The battle raged across the desert. If he hadn't adapted to the terrain, the sand would have slowed him down. His footing held firm, thanks to the Hunters who had used earth magic to harden the ground before the fight with the mechanical monsters.

"Wish I could use earth magic..." Kim Ki-Rok grumbled.

A mechanical monster with its jaws wide open flew into his field of vision. Unless it was right before a collision, borrowing the power of the earth during combat was nearly impossible.

He kicked off the ground and threw himself to the side. The sliding Animaloid stopped abruptly, then charged again. He hurled his shield. It wasn't imbued with mana or wrapped in aura, but it was forged from Pastera, the same metal that made up the monster's body.

The creature, rushing at full speed, crashed into it and was knocked back.

With a few seconds bought, Kim Ki-Rok scrambled to his feet and reached into his subspace pocket for a fresh shield. After every battle, the Hunters recovered the mechanical monsters' remains and hauled them out of the Gate, metal carcasses still warm from the fight. From there, they were sent through Korea's Permanent Gate to the dwarves, who knew exactly what to do with broken machines and bloodstained alloys.

"I have plenty of shie—"

He was still smiling when the Animaloid suddenly ducked. A split second later, he heard the wind split above his head, and everything went dark.

"Blink."

He used short-range teleportation to escape the Humanoid which had grabbed him from behind and that Animaloid charging from the front. But he couldn't retreat far. If he put too much distance between them, they would target the other nearby humans instead.

"

Phew...

"

Red eyes flashing, the two machines slowly turned their bodies.

Sensing that both were about to charge at him again, Kim Ki-Rok lowered his stance. He took a small breath and launched himself forward.

Rushing at one of them, he was careful not to drop their aggro. After seeing the Animaloid clang backward from his blow, he noticed a dented shield on the ground. It was clearly left over from a previous battle.

He grabbed the broken shield and hurled it at the Animaloid before moving again.

"Psychokinesis."

He threw the shield even as the Humanoid's attack sent him flying. Under normal circumstances, he wouldn't have stood a chance. With the help of that first combat support artifact and a burst of telekinesis magic from the second, he narrowly avoided the blow, shifting just as the Humanoid's arm came crashing down.

The monster's arm transformed into a sword and sliced through the air. Though it managed to cut Kim Ki-Rok's nose, the wound was minor. Maintaining his telekinesis, he pushed forward. Unlike before, when he barely dodged, this movement demanded much more mana. He closed the distance and swung his mace.

This wasn't the usual Kim Ki-Rok who relied on timing and luck to stay alive. Right now, he was strengthened with mana, boosted by potions and food, and backed by skills and magic. He wasn't just holding his own, he was hitting harder than ever as he swung that mace.

The Humanoid's abdomen was severely damaged, and it was thrown back like the Animaloid and Kim Ki-Rok had been earlier. Having learned from the recordings of Hunters' battle videos, however, the monster twisted in the air.

Both the monster and Kim Ki-Rok rose to similar heights, their stances equally disrupted. The only difference was that Kim Ki-Rok had a magic-imbued artifact to steady himself, while the monster had nothing. It twisted like he did, trying to recover, but without support, it failed to land properly and hit the ground with a heavy thud.

Whether it was wary of losing distance or anticipating a follow-up attack, the Humanoid dropped low, bracing itself with both arms and legs. It skidded to a stop and rose quickly, eyes locked on Kim Ki-Rok. The Animaloid, still dragging slightly from earlier damage, moved to its side. Now both monsters stood together, posture tense, watching his every move.

"

Phew!

This is tough."

Though it was hard for him, it was something that had to be done. After all, not every Hunter fighting the mechanical monsters was in a position to support their allies.

—Ten minutes have passed.

After using magic and skills to break the enemy formation, the Hunters had clashed head-on with the mechanical monsters. At first, they held the advantage, dealing with one or two at a time instead of being overwhelmed by a dozen. However, the tide turned in less than five minutes.

The Animaloids and Humanoids in the center and rear adjusted their pace, attacking in perfect sync, as if they'd merged into a single coordinated unit. Meanwhile, the monster at the front advanced with mechanical precision; it seemed unfeeling, unafraid, and driven only by programmed commands. Following the First Mechanical Monster's lead, the vanguard pulled back, allowing the center and rear forces to take control of the battle. The shift was deliberate, and the effect was immediate.

—Based on compiled reports from the occupying forces, all areas are expected to fall within fifteen minutes. S-Class and A-Class Hunters, do your best to stop the enemy. I repeat, all areas will be occupied in fifteen minutes.

Kim Ki-Rok frowned, the expression lingering longer than usual. "Fifteen minutes..."

He straightened and fixed his gaze on the enemy. Something felt off.

The Humanoid was staring at him intently, as if analyzing his every move. The Animaloid, on the other hand, began to back away even though it had been waiting for a chance to join the fight earlier.

He quickly released his mana, spreading it across the battlefield to track the mechanical monsters. Some were charging at the Hunters, while others held their ground, waiting for the right moment to strike.

He noticed a pattern: the monsters facing S-Class Hunters attacked head-on, while those up against A-Class Hunters kept their distance, probing for weaknesses.

After tuning the radio with his mana, he pressed the receive button and said, "S-Class gets attacked. A-Class gets stalled."

He immediately got a response from the operator at the command center.

—Do you mean that the mechanical monster fighting the S-Class Hunter continues to attack, while the one facing the A-Class Hunter stands off?

"Yes."

After a brief pause, Akabe's voice replaced the operator's, echoing across all the channels.

—S-Class Hunters, maintain your current situation. A-Class Hunters, use this standoff to rest and move according to the signal.

Having heard the order from the lieutenant general, the Hunters maintained a standoff as the mechanical monsters wanted. Kim Ki-Rok did the same. He regulated his breathing, slowly circulating his mana-breathing technique to replenish his mana, while keeping the standoff.

—Any Hunter who's ready, or anyone who can't keep up the act, go on the offensive now.

Some Hunters rushed toward the mechanical monsters, following Akabe's additional orders to avoid enemy suspicion. In response, the A-Class Hunters split into two groups. One charged forward to break the standoff while the other either fell back to regroup with nearby allies or crept forward to close the distance.

Kim Ki-Rok was part of the latter group. When the enemy held position, he inched forward to close the gap; when it advanced, he stepped back just enough to keep the standoff intact.

Five minutes passed. Across the battlefield, the Animaloid and Humanoid facing the S-Class Hunter began to pull back, forcing themselves into retreat even as they took blows. They steadied their footing, ignoring the damage.

Multiple Animaloids had their mouths wide open, eyes locked on the S-Class Hunter, while their tails pointed toward a nearby group of A-Class Hunters. The Humanoid was no different. It backed off despite its damage, transformed its arms into cannons, and aimed at both targets.

A small explosion accompanied the shell fired from the maw of an Animaloid toward the S-Class Hunter. At the same time, its detached tail streaked toward one of the targets in the group. The Humanoids with cannon-arms followed suit with their own attacks.

—Stop them!

The moment the Korean operator gave the signal to advance, one that Kim Ki-Rok had been expecting, he kicked off the ground and charged forward. All around him, mechanical monsters were pinning down two Hunters each while scattering in different directions.

—S-Class and A-Class Hunters on standby at the main unit incoming!

As soon as the operator finished the message, the teleporters arrived, bringing the S-Class and A-Class Hunters directly in front of the mechanical monsters. The Hunters charged, and the teleporters quickly vanished again, using their abilities to retreat from the battlefield.

—We can't stop all the mechanical monsters. Just focus on hunting as many as possible.

Kim Ki-Rok looked up, scanning the field. The appearance of the new Hunters had triggered a sudden shift in the enemy formation, splitting them into three groups.

The first group moved to block the Hunters who had appeared in front of them. The second turned to intercept those pursuing from behind. The third, positioned between the others, began to retreat while their allies held the line.