Chapter 350 – Instigated Confusion (6)

“

Kieeek!”

Tak!

The monsters in this hunting ground were slightly stronger than the Volaxes, but that discrepancy only affected Hunters; for ordinary people, these monsters were akin to natural disasters. This explained the numerous casualties during the hunt, though fortunately, there had been no fatalities yet.

Today, the Gurkha raid party resumed their hunt, with Han-Yeol quietly observing from the rear.

"First row! Half-step back!" commanded the leader.

Han-Yeol's observance boosted the morale of the raid party members, yet it didn't make defeating the monsters any easier. Despite their chests being riddled with bullets, the monsters relentlessly charged at the raid party.

“Kieeeek!”

Bam! Bam! Bam!

Armed with Yoo-Bi’s newly developed rifle, the UB-007A1, the raid party members, ordinary people, found it challenging to kill these monsters, even with the most advanced weapon available to mankind.

Moreover, the monsters in this hunting ground were rated half a star stronger than the Volaxes. Although they appeared in smaller groups of two or three, each one was significantly more formidable than a Volax, posing a difficult challenge for ordinary humans.

The ideal scenario would have been leisurely hunting in the Volax grounds as they used to, but the aftermath of the battle between Han-Yeol and Kim Tae-San had completely devastated that area, causing the Volaxes to disappear from the hunting ground.

Consequently, the Gurkha raid party had no option but to hunt in the next weakest hunting ground after the Volaxes.

"Fire the bazooka!"

Shwooooong... Kaboom!

The rifles weren't the only things Yoo-Bi developed this time around; she also gathered the opinions of the Gurkha raid party members, resulting in the creation of not just machine guns but even rocket launchers.

Despite the Gurkha raid party members' best efforts to push the monsters back, the creatures managed to advance all the way up to the raid party.

Chwak!

The monsters unleashed their tongues once they were within striking distance of the raid party. This attack pattern caused significant casualties among the raiders.

“Aaaack!”

One of the raid party members screamed upon seeing the tongues hurtling toward him. He knew he'd suffer the same fate as the others if struck.

However, sustaining injury wasn't the primary concern today.

“Hap!”

Sukeok!

“Kieeeeek!”

Anticipating the monsters' tongue attack, one of the Hunters in the Gurkha raid party swiftly swung his greatsword the moment the tongue approached another party member. The monsters cried out in agony as their vulnerable body parts were severed.

“Second row! Fire!”

“Fire!”

Ratatatata!

The raid party unleashed a barrage of bullets while the monsters were momentarily stunned from having their tongues cut.

‘Hmm... It’s quite straightforward...’

Han-Yeol thought while observing the simple yet effective strategy the raid party employed.

Keeping it simple yet efficient was the best tactic for hunting monsters, although there were exceptions.

Seuk...

Han-Yeol retrieved a mana stone.

‘This will shake things up a bit.’

Chwak!

He crushed the mana stone with one hand.

“Enhance!”

Wooong!

A surge of mana enveloped his body before flowing to the raid party members.

“Oh!”

“Is this Han-Yeol-nim’s Enhance skill?!”

“I feel stronger!”

The raid party members were elated, experiencing this sensation for the first time. From the mana-sensitive Hunters to the ordinary members, everyone could feel the change within them.

“Han-Yeol-nim has empowered us! Will we fall to these monsters?!”

“No! Sir!”

“What should we do now?!”

“Win!”

‘Huh?’

Han-Yeol suddenly noticed something odd about the raid party members. He couldn't shake off the ominous feeling as they holstered their guns and drew their Kukris.

‘D-Don’t tell me... They’re not going to do THAT, are they?’

Unfortunately, Han-Yeol’s instincts were mostly spot-on.

“CHARGE!”

“

Waaaaah!”

‘A-Are you crazy?!’

The fearless Gurkhas, following Sahas' command, charged at the monsters, despite being ordinary individuals. It seemed they had forgotten they weren’t facing Volaxes; these monsters were far stronger.

Nevertheless, the Gurkhas valiantly hurled themselves at the creatures. While renowned for their valor, this act bordered on pure recklessness.

“Haaap!”

Puuuk! Puuuk!

“Kieeeek!”

Contrary to Han-Yeol’s worries, the Gurkhas fought cautiously and meticulously. While it might be possible for ordinary humans to triumph against Volaxes with cautious, coordinated efforts, that was specific to Volaxes and not applicable to other monsters.

Yet, the Gurkha raid party employed a unique strategy. Hunters would deflect the monsters’ attacks, creating openings for raid party members to cling to the creatures’ bodies and stab them with their Kukris.

‘It’s not a bad idea... just incredibly risky...’

Han-Yeol chuckled disbelievingly, reminiscent of an old man.

Despite being elite soldiers, the Gurkhas’ current actions were wholly illogical and perilous.

Sukeok!

“Kieeeeek...!”

The raid party members managed to behead the monsters, thanks to the cover provided by the Hunters.

“

Waaaah!”

“We won!”

“

Waaah!”

The Gurkha raid party members erupted in celebratory cheers, marking the first successful execution of this strategy against the monsters. Previous attempts had resulted in a few injuries, making Han-Yeol's buff a crucial factor in this triumphant endeavor.

However, the celebrations didn’t stop there.

“W-What?!”

“A-Awakening!”

“Wow!”

Three raid party members finally experienced their awakening. Symbolic in itself, this marked the first time Han-Yeol observed the independent hunt of the Gurkha raid party in recent memory.

“As expected!”

“Han-Yeol-nim is the best!”

“Yes!”

Some might consider it a coincidence, but everyone present knew better. Awakening was an immensely challenging feat, and the simultaneous awakening of three individuals during Han-Yeol's first collaboration with them was far beyond chance.

It seemed too perfect to be coincidental.

Moreover, each member held unwavering loyalty to Han-Yeol, attributing any stroke of fortune to his blessings.

‘Hahaha... I didn’t expect things to kick off with such intensity...’

While he had anticipated someone awakening, the simultaneous awakening of three took him by surprise.

“Alright, let’s focus and continue hunting!”

“Yes, sir!”

***

In the end, eleven Gurkhas managed to awaken and become Hunters that day. Han-Yeol was diligently preparing for the future when an unexpected incident loomed over him.

Krrwaaaa...!

‘Hmm?’

[What was that?]

Han-Yeol and Kandir were sparring in the mansion's training grounds when an earthquake shook the area. Earthquakes in Seoul were rare, though not impossible, considering reports indicating the Korean Peninsula was no longer immune to seismic activity.

However, this tremor felt distinct.

[Did you feel that, Harkan-nim?]

“Yeah.”

[That wasn’t a regular earthquake. It seems a terrifying surge of mana triggered it, artificially. I’m not certain of its source, but the mana suggests a powerful monster—one even I would struggle against.]

“I share your concern.”

Han-Yeol had to halt his spar with Kandir. Both were distracted by the recent earthquake.

“Let’s continue next time.”

[As you wish, Harkan-nim.]

Han-Yeol headed back to his room for a shower, only to find Albert waiting for him.

“Albert?”

“Ah, I think you need to see this, Han-Yeol-nim.”

“What is it?”

Beep!

Albert turned on the TV. The local news channel displayed the words 'breaking news' flashing across the screen.

[We're reporting live from Haeundae Beach, Busan, with Daema Island visible. The city is in chaos after the recent earthquake, and we're here due to strange reports. We want to clarify that what you're about to witness is completely authentic and unaltered. For the elderly, pregnant, and those sensitive, we advise discretion.]

The reporter appeared solemn and resolute.

‘What’s this about? What could it be?’

Han-Yeol pondered.

[What you’re about to witness is...]

The camera angle shifted, focusing on the beach and zooming in on the distant horizon over the waters.

“...!”

Han-Yeol was stunned.

‘T-That is...!’

What appeared on screen was truly grotesque, inducing chaos along the entire Haeundae shoreline, with people running and screaming.

What instilled such terror? And why did Han-Yeol, who had toughened up significantly after venturing into the Bastro Dimension, look so shocked?

“A-Albert... I-Is that really Haeundae?” Han-Yeol stuttered, seeking confirmation.

“Yes, it is...” Albert's tone was grave.

The screen displayed a colossal monster. The Thousand Armed Bodhisattva was the largest opponent Han-Yeol had faced until then, but this monster surpassed it by an immense margin.

The monster stood on Daema Island, towering at least two hundred meters tall. This estimation was conservative, given the screen's inability to capture its full height. Visible from Haeundae Beach, the monster was undeniably colossal. Han-Yeol couldn’t gauge its strength, but facing it solely based on its size didn’t appeal to him.

‘And it doesn’t appear weak...’

If this creature combined immense size with substantial strength, it would be an exceptionally challenging opponent.

“Albert.”

“Yes, Han-Yeol-nim?”

“Since when did that thing appear?”

“I’m not entirely sure, but experts are speculating that the monster triggered the earthquake, considering it was first reported after the seismic activity.”

“Ah... Damn it...” Han-Yeol groaned, connecting the dots about the source of the ominous mana he sensed earlier after the tremor.

It became evident that the earthquake was caused by the monster's mana, resonating ominously all the way to Seoul.

“Haa...” Han-Yeol sighed.

He thought he could finally relax, only to be confronted by an absurd monster. However, he had no inclination to address the monster just yet.

“That creature's Japan’s problem, right?” he inquired.

“Yes, Han-Yeol-nim. While visible from Busan, Daema Island is technically Japanese territory. However, monsters aren’t confined by borders, so it becomes South Korea’s problem if it ventures into Busan.”

“That would likely prompt a nationwide state of emergency...”

“I'm afraid that's highly likely...”

Han-Yeol was on point. The appearance of the monster on Daema Island post-earthquake sent not only the South Korean government and Hunters' Association into a frenzy but also the citizens.

YouTube, Facebook, and various social media platforms buzzed with videos of the monster, igniting an uproar.

[W-What’s that thing?!]

[C-Crazy... Am I dreaming?]

[Is it coming here?]

[Hey! Be careful what you say! It might happen!]

[Please, stay away...!]

The comments online echoed the fear and anxiety gripping the populace. Yet, this panic paled in comparison to the turmoil brewing in the actual owner country of Daema Island—Japan.

The Japanese Prime Minister urgently convened a meeting with his entire cabinet and the chairman of Japan’s Hunters’ Association.