Chapter 253: The Hell King (3)

The Hell King charged at the Hunters, radiating a murderous aura laced with mana. Its right arm moved, and its gaze, which had locked onto Kim Ki-Rok's eyes, dropped to his chest. Whether deliberate or not, the tips of dozens of shadow blades adjusted ever so slightly, all aiming for Kim Ki-Rok's left side. The Hell King thrust its fist, targeting Kim Ki-Rok's heart.

Given their disparity in physical abilities, Kim Ki-Rok knew that retreat would only buy him a moment before he was overtaken. There was only one option left. He stepped back on his left foot and bent his knee. Just as a faint, sinister grin appeared on the Hell King's lips, Kim Ki-Rok twisted his torso.

A thunderous crash shook the ground as the Hell King's punch sliced through empty air.

Narrowly avoiding the blow, he stared down the Hell King from up close, then reached out and seized its right arm. He didn't have the strength to overpower the monster, but he could hold on long enough.

As the Hell King raised its left arm in response, Kim Ki-Rok shouted, "Left arm! Sever it!"

No one knew for sure whether it would use its left or right arm, but Kim Ki-Rok had prepared for this moment. As all of the Hell King’s focus was on its right arm, the Hunters hidden underground emerged, launching a coordinated assault on its left.

The twin Hunters swung their daggers in unison, slicing through the limb, while another Hunter, carrying a glass bottle instead of a weapon, uncorked it and splashed a potion onto the wound.

Kim Ki-Rok released his grip on the right arm and called out, "Scatter!"

The twins and the potion-wielding Hunter channeled mana into their Blink artifacts, and with a burst of light, they vanished as quickly as they had appeared.

Moments later, the shadow blades stabbed into the ground where the Hunters had just stood. The Hell King, once again denied its prey, let out a furious, guttural scream and scanned the battlefield.

"

Hoo...

"

Landing a safe distance away, Kim Ki-Rok let out a long sigh and met the Hell King's gaze as the monster crouched low, ready to attack again. His armor was shredded and barely clung to his frame. The path to this moment had been anything but easy, but considering they had managed to sever one of its arms, the personal damage seemed minor.

Watching the Hell King's bloodlust intensify, Kim Ki-Rok shrugged off his ruined armor.

As if taking this as a cue, the monster lunged, and Kim Ki-Rok barked an order to the Hunters. "Move as soon as you see an opening!"

Kim Ki-Rok pressed forward. It was a moment that demanded retreat, yet he advanced, throwing off the Hell King's timing. Infusing mana into his artifact, Guardian, he braced for impact. The clash reverberated through the earth.

Somewhere not far from the battlefield, Lee Yeon-Hwa and her team waited, tense and ready for their moment.

"Their teamwork is unbelievable..." murmured an SS-Class Hunter from the Shine Guild watching the exchange. Lee Yeon-Hwa smiled at the comment. As he had said, the DG Guild's coordination was impeccable.

Kim Ki-Rok evaded. Kang Seh-Hyuk blocked. Jeong Man-Kook used sheer strength to force openings, and Yoo Seh-Eun capitalized on them. Lee Ji-Yeon, wielding purification powers, opened wounds on the Hell King's body with her teammates' support.

—Ji-Ah.

"Ice Field!" At Kim Ki-Rok's signal, Lee Ji-Ah slammed her staff into the ground far back, unleashing her spell. The earth under Kim Ki-Rok and the Hell King froze over.

—Scatter. Rear, move.

The DG Guild's Hunters pushed off the icy surface and retreated, leaving only Kim Ki-Rok to deal with the Hell King. Meanwhile, Hunters in the rear immediately took action to support him.

"Ice Javelin."

"Wind, Blade."

As various spells were chanted, ice spears, blades of wind, and raw mana projectiles all cut through the air. Kim Ki-Rok stood his ground, not dodging, weaving and parrying with precision.

The first to reach the Hell King and Kim Ki-Rok was an ice spear. Though he could have evaded, Kim Ki-Rok deliberately blocked the Hell King's strike. The difference in strength sent him flying and put some distance between them.

As he was flung back, dozens of ice spears struck the monster. The projectiles didn't just pierce flesh, but began to melt almost instantly, likely due to the influence of the black mana.

Even with its powerful regeneration, the Hell King ignored the spears and lunged for Kim Ki-Rok, halted only by the pain that suddenly surged through it. As the ice melted, the mana inside invaded its body, causing agony so intense its movements faltered.

In that moment, the rear Hunters' spells hit their target, and the resulting explosion sent up a massive cloud of dust.

—Wind.

"Wind, Strong Gales."

Kang Tae-Min, the DG Guild's S-Class wind mage, unleashed a spell that swept the dust downward, revealing the battered Hell King.

No one celebrated. There was no time to rest.

—Attack. Spray potions.

Kim Ki-Rok drew a potion from his subspace pocket and rushed forward. Other agile Hunters followed suit, pulling out potions and charging at the monster.

These potions were a crucial weapon against the Hell King. Imbued with concentrated mana, they inflicted ongoing pain and sapped its strength.

Kim Ki-Rok and the others uncorked their potions and doused it. However, it was no surprise that a being capable of destroying Earth on its own had barely flinched.

With a rush of black mana, the Hell King lashed out.

—It's too late. Retreat.

"Blink!"

Artifacts flared, teleporting the Hunters away. The Hell King expended a surge of mana to not only vaporize the potions but also eradicate the mana within them, even purging any remnants from its own body.

—It's regenerating. The left arm, too, but the process is slow... Complete severance and purification are hindering it. Confirm, please.

The Hunters nodded grimly. The Hell King drew back its mana and crouched, preparing for another charge. Its eyes blazed.

—From this point, all ready teams, join the battle. Currently, the Hell King is...

Kim Ki-Rok trailed off as he dodged a sudden attack. The Hunters understood instantly.

—The Hell King is wary of two targets: Kim Ki-Rok and Lee Ji-Yeon.

"

Kraaaaa!

"

The Hell King unleashed a deafening shriek, and dozens of shadow blades spun in a wide circle around it. The Hunters pulled back to avoid the deadly whirls.

"

Phew!

There's no time to breathe, is there?" Yoo Seh-Eun sighed while the others nodded.

"But things will change from here," said Nam Dong-Wook from the rear, glancing at the gathering teams.

At the start, only the DG Guild had faced the Hell King, their coordination with Kim Ki-Rok unmatched. Now, other teams, growing in confidence, waited for their turn.

The storm of blades gradually lost momentum and halted in midair. Though they stopped spinning, the blades hung in a dense formation, making it dangerous to approach.

—Our task is straightforward. Close-combat Hunters will handle the shadow blades, and those in the rear will focus on attacking the Hell King.

***

Some Hunters pressed the attack while others defended. Some baited the enemy to create openings for others to exploit, relying on their comrades' trust.

—Switch targets.

The rear Hunters unleashed skills and spells at the shadow blades. Close-combat specialists charged the Hell King. With the obstacles cleared, the vanguard sprinted in, closing the distance.

—This opponent won't fall quickly. Don't overextend.

Heeding Kim Ki-Rok's warning, the Hunters tempered their aggression, emphasizing safety in their strikes. The Hell King, relying on its regeneration and overwhelming mana, ignored most attacks, retaliating relentlessly.

In the command room, Kang Man-Ki watched the battle unfold on the monitors. He spoke, his tone grave. "Do you think this is possible?"

"It has to be," replied one of his aides.

Failure meant Hell would invade Earth, and the system's warning left no room for doubt. The world would more than likely fall unless this operation succeeded.

"What's the minimum estimated time?" Kang Man-Ki asked.

The aide quickly checked a tablet. "Eight hours."

"And the maximum?"

"Forty-eight hours."

"Continue the operation, even if it runs past that."

The aide nodded. "Understood."

Extinction was the price of failure. Kang Man-Ki updated the operation plan to continue until the Gate went berserk, then issued another order. "If the food, skill, or potion buffs expire, the Hunters won't be able to keep up with the Hell King's speed. Monitor the timers closely."

"Yes, sir." Operators relayed the message to track remaining buff durations.

"What about the rest area?" Kang Man-Ki asked.

"It's ready."

"Supplies?"

"Stored in subspace pockets."

If the battle dragged out for more than two days, they were prepared. The Hunters had everything they needed.

Kang Man-Ki nodded and turned to the monitors again. Kim Ki-Rok was still dodging attacks, using Guardian to block the worst of it.

"Will Guildmaster Kim Ki-Rok be able to hold out?" Kang Man-Ki wondered aloud.

Kim Ki-Rok and the three Hunters with purification abilities were key to the operation, especially Lee Ji-Yeon. The difference was, while those with purification powers could rest, Kim Ki-Rok, acting as bait, couldn't afford a break.

The aide hesitated before answering. "We have no choice but to trust them. Wasn't it Guildmaster Kim Ki-Rok who insisted on this plan?"

Before the operation, with everyone assembled in the command room, Kim Ki-Rok had spoken directly to Kang Man-Ki.

"He said... unless his leg is severed, the operation should continue."

The aide nodded. "That's right."

Losing an arm would throw his body off balance, but Kim Ki-Rok had planned for that. He had firmly instructed Kang Man-Ki to keep the operation going unless his leg was severed.