Chapter 206: Conclusion and Rewards (2)

"It seems like the battle will be over in ten minutes," Kim Ki-Rok said as he observed.

The S-Class Hunters from Team One, and the Hunters from Team Two who had joined them mid-battle, continued to press the attack against the First, and they all seemed prepared to risk injury if it meant delivering the final blow.

They rained blow after blow onto the wounded Gate Boss, acting as if it didn't matter if their limbs were lopped off. Perhaps their nonchalance came from knowing that such serious wounds could still be healed with the help of the Yuashiel Dimension, or to be more precise, the Holy Kingdoms. Whatever their reason, the Hunters kept up a constant assault, taking the First's blows head-on, enduring the agony of bones breaking and jutting through their skin.

As the fierce exchange continued, a calm, measured voice came through the comms from the command center, delivering its report.

"Kim Ki-Rok, a capable but still only A-Class Hunter, and Yoo Seh-Eun, an admittedly S-Class Hunter whose Mana Blade ability wasn't a good fit against mechanical monsters, both showed exceptional performance in this battle against the Gate Boss. They also made a significant contribution by working together to expose the enemy's weakness, something all of these S-Class Hunters had previously failed to do."

Yoo Seh-Eun's ears perked up as she asked, "So our performance fired them up?"

"That's right," affirmed Kim Ki-Rok.

"Then should we do something to calm them down?"

"All we can do is heal the wounded once the battle is over," he replied, sitting down and pulling potions out of his subspace pocket.

After quietly staring at him for some time, she turned back to face the First, as well as the other S-Class Hunters risking their limbs and lives to bring an end to it.

Have I really done enough?

Since entering the keep, she had worked with the other Hunters in Team Two to defeat the mid-bosses. Then, she had fought with Kim Ki-Rok against the three hundred mechanical monsters that had suddenly appeared in front of the doors to the final room, seemingly as part of a trap targeting Team One. And just now, she had cooperated with Kim Ki-Rok to expose the First's weakness.

After a few moments of contemplation, Yoo Seh-Eun slumped down onto the ground with an exhausted sigh. She held out her hand to Kim Ki-Rok and demanded, "Pass me the potions."

Kim Ki-Rok accepted her request with a nod. "Thanks... In that case, I'll call the command center."

"The command center?"

"That's right. I still had to put on an act, remember?"

"Aaaah, right," she said with a nod, remembering the plan.

Seeing this, Kim Ki-Rok immediately channeled mana into the communication device. It vibrated faintly as it searched for a signal, then gave off a brief flash of dim light once the connection was established.

—This is the command center. We await your report.

"The First will cease all operation in approximately ten minutes," Kim Ki-Rok reported.

—Have there been any changes in the Discernment results?

To prepare for any unexpected emergencies, the command center requested that Kim Ki-Rok use Discernment once more. He complied without hesitation, activating his skill to examine the First.

"There have been no changes. Once the First ceases operation, all mechanical monsters will also be deactivated," Kim Ki-Rok confirmed.

—Understood. Please hold on for a few moments.

Raising an eyebrow, he eyed his communication device in confusion before lifting his head to check back in on the battle.

"Oh!" Kim Ki-Rok exclaimed, sensing that something exciting was about to happen. Jeong Man-Kook and Ji Seok-Hyun were charging straight at the First, and though the traces were faint at this distance, he could tell they had used the Shield Spell to create multiple platforms in front of it.

The two men kicked off the ground together, leaping into the air and landing on the first shield. Jeong Man-Kook's immense physical stats and Ji Seok-Hyun's rapid regeneration let them launch reckless, almost suicidal attacks. Even so, the First still managed to swat them away before they could land a hit.

Just as cables were about to send them flying, an American S-Class Hunter and a French S-Class Hunter appeared in front of them, blocking the attack. The two foreign Hunters dropped back to the ground, buying Jeong Man-Kook and Ji Seok-Hyun the chance to reach their next foothold.

"Mr. Man-Kook!" Ji Seok-Hyun shouted as he landed on the next shield.

At this prearranged signal, Jeong Man-Kook began drawing on his mana to strengthen his physical stats even further.

"It seemed they had discussed this beforehand," Kim Ki-Rok observed.

Yoo Seh-Eun snapped her head at him in surprise. "You mean Man-Kook and Team Leader Seok-Hyun have some kind of plan?"

"Yep. They must have realized they aren't agile enough to strike the First's weak point while dodging its cables, so they've taken on a different role, clearing the way for their teammates to finish it off."

She turned back to look at the battle. By now, it was apparent that Jeong Man-Kook and Ji Seok-Hyun weren't aiming for the First's core. The final destination of their charge was a shield created in front of the First's abdomen, or in human terms, its "dantian."[1]

"Hmph!"

Taking positions on the Transparent Shield, Ji Seok-Hyun and Jeong Man-Kook swung their weapons with a heavy grunt. The sheer force of their combined blow shook the room and caused the mechanical monster to sway on its feet.

"Team Leader!"

At the signal, Ishimura sprang into action. With the wall-mounted cables destroyed and no longer usable as footholds, he had been standing on a mana shield, waiting for the right moment. When the cue came, he dashed forward to strike while the First was off-balance.

But the First had no intention of standing still. To block Ishimura's final approach, it sent its remaining cables lashing toward him and opened another gap in its shell, firing a massive steel ball in his direction. The S-Class Hunters of Team One were ready, moving to cover Ishimura as he advanced.

An S-Class Hunter was assigned to intercept each cable, while another stayed close to the First's body, raising his shield the instant the hole in its shell opened to block the steel ball.

"Its mouth!" Kim Ki-Rok suddenly shouted, his voice sharper and more urgent than anyone had ever heard from him.

The moment the other Hunters registered his warning, several who had been holding Blink-enchanted artifacts in reserve activated them, teleporting straight toward the First. Five Hunters reappeared in front of its head, dropping their weapons and bracing their shields with both hands.

With one last weapon prepared, the First opened its mouth wide. The projectile that shot out at blistering speed was not just a steel ball, but a massive steel

boulder.

Working together, the five shield-bearers managed to block the attack aimed at Ishimura.

The impact was so powerful that it sent them hurtling through the air until they slammed into the far wall. Yet, they were laughing as they hit the ground because their defense had allowed Ishimura to deliver the final strike, driving his katana into the First's core.

***

Reinforcements had arrived from the other side of the Gate. However, their target wasn't the Last City where the First lurked, but the raid team's main base.

"This next wave is all flying mechanical monsters! Their trait is that they fire steel balls and, instead of descending to the ground to attack, they will engage in aerial combat until they've exhausted their stock of steel balls! S-Class Hunters should retreat back to the main base to prepare for future enemy attacks. A-Class Hunters should continue fighting alongside your comrades, prioritizing the elimination of any injured mechanical monsters."

As the A-Class Hunter who normally directed the regular soldiers and C-Class Hunters relayed the command center's orders to the front-line Hunters, the S-Class Hunters still engaged in battle with the machines promptly broke off and withdrew.

"Inform the rear support team to prioritize the flying mechanical monsters! Everyone else, ignore the flying mechanical monsters! Five minutes! We just need to hold on for five more minutes! Once the rear support team has finished clearing the skies of the flying mechanical monsters, they can start targeting the rest of the ground-based ones!"

After passing on the orders to the S-Class Hunters, the A-Class Hunter returned to directing the regular soldiers and C-Class Hunters. Overhead, the flying mechanical monsters were closing in. Even if the reserve forces tried to follow the order to ignore them, they couldn't help glancing upward in concern.

"All ranks, at the ready!"

The First Rank dropped to one knee, the Second Rank positioned themselves behind them to fire over their heads, and the Third Rank stood at the rear, raising their crossbows high toward the sky. Meanwhile, the remaining A-Class Hunters on the front line, having received separate orders, pushed the enemy back one last time before turning to head for the main base.

"First and Second Ranks, aim straight ahead! Third Rank, aim high!"

The A-Class Hunters who had been running back scattered to the left and right, leaving an open space in the middle. Despite the clear firing line, the reserve force's commander—the loud A-Class Hunter—did not lower his raised hand to give the signal to fire.

"Ah."

The quiet gasp from their loud commander drew curious glances from the regular soldiers.

"Ah!"

This time the gasp came from much closer. The soldiers turned to see a nearby C-Class Hunter staring into the distance, wide-eyed.

Turning back to face the front, the regular soldiers peered ahead, trying to spot whatever the Hunters had seen. Soon, they realized the A-Class Hunters who had been scattering to provide a clear line of fire were gradually slowing down instead of racing back to base. For some reason, the mechanical monsters' attack had come to a halt.

"C-could it be?!" someone shouted.

The regular soldiers gasped as some of them finally realized the likely cause of the faltering attack. Pulling out binoculars, they observed the distant mechanical monsters. Through their lenses, they watched the Animaloids that had been chasing the Hunters across the desert suddenly fall to the ground. It wasn't graceful at all, as every mechanical monster simultaneously collapsed, their momentum carrying them in a forward roll until they were piled together.

Further in the distance, the flock of flying mechanical monsters about to attack the main base also began plummeting to the ground.

"Everyone, ready—wait, scratch that! Stand down!"

The reserve forces' commander changed his mind after seeing the system message that had just appeared.

[You have successfully cleared the Gate: The Last City of the Patera Dimension.]

[Individual and bonus rewards will be distributed to all Awakened who participated in clearing the Gate, The Last City of the Patera Dimension.]

[The Patera Dimension expresses its gratitude and pays the causality rate to the Earth system, increasing the reward level for the Awakened.]

[Due to the causality rate, the reward tier has been raised. Rewards will now be announced.]

These weren't going to be any ordinary clear rewards. The Hunters trembled in excitement as they realized they were about to receive the "supreme-level rewards" they'd only heard about in stories, where the dimension itself paid a portion of its vast power to increase the Hunters' rewards.

Just then, a voice emerged from everyone's communication device.

—This is the Gate clearer, Kim Ki-Rok. I have a question for the Patera Dimension and the World System.

The Hunters who had been eagerly waiting for the reward list all turned their heads in confusion at Kim Ki-Rok's voice. Some aimed their gazes toward the Last City. Others looked down at their communication devices.

"Kim Ki-Rok's voice is coming directly through the communication channels connected to the command center," somebody realized.

Because Kim Ki-Rok had been acting as the bridge between the command center and the Gate raid team, no one had any intention of cutting that connection. As he continued speaking, the Hunters fell silent to listen, and even the regular soldiers pricked their ears in curiosity.

***

𝗳𝐫𝚎𝗲𝚠𝚎𝗯𝕟𝐨𝘃𝚎𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝗺

[The Patera Dimension will permit questions from the Gate clearer, Kim Ki-Rok.]

After reading the new message that had appeared in front of his eyes, Kim Ki-Rok glanced around at the other Hunters. He wondered if the same message had appeared for all who had participated in the Gate raid, since they all seemed to be staring at him intently.

"Is it possible to add a certain reward to the reward list?" Kim Ki-Rok asked. "To be more specific, I'm wondering if I'm able to specify a particular reward to receive as my additional reward."

[The Patera Dimension can check your desired reward. If it is a reward that already exists, it will be added when the reward list is created.]

Kim Ki-Rok already knew this. He also knew the reward he had in mind wasn't one that had ever been created.

"Is there a reward that grants a temporary increase in stats?"

"Huh?"

Quite a few people tilted their heads in confusion, unable to understand what Kim Ki-Rok meant by that request.

[That reward does not exist on the reward list. Would you like to add a temporary stat boost reward to the list?]

"Yes, please add a reward that boosts all of my stats for the next one hundred days," Kim Ki-Rok politely requested.

[We have accepted Gate clearer Kim Ki-Rok's request. The temporary stat boost reward will be added to the reward list.]

[It has been added to the reward list. Would you like to confirm it?]

"Yes." Kim Ki-Rok accepted with a nod.

[

Temporary Stat Boost (Patera Dimension)

]

Duration: 100 days

Effect 1: All stats increased by 50

Effect 2: Maximum mana increased by 50%

The effects were simple, but Kim Ki-Rok actually preferred it that way.

Satisfied, Kim Ki-Rok raised his hand to claim the temporary stat boost reward as his optional additional reward.

—Hunter Kim Ki-Rok.

Just as he was about to touch the hologram and receive the reward, Kim Ki-Rok heard Akabe's voice come through his communication device.

Turning his head, he responded, "Yes, what is it, Lieutenant General Akabe?"

—Do you intend to select that temporary award?

"Yes," Kim Ki-Rok admitted.

—Would it be possible to ask your reason for doing so?

Akabe wasn't the only one who wanted to know Kim Ki-Rok's reason for choosing a temporary reward over a permanent power-up.

Kim Ki-Rok glanced again at the surrounding Hunters, many of them looking puzzled as to why he would choose a temporary stat boost as his reward for saving the Patera Dimension.

"Do you really want to know the reason...?" he muttered in a low voice, a grin suddenly spreading across his face.

1. Dantian refers to body's lower abdomen, regarded in martial arts as the center of power and energy. ☜