Chapter 177. Steel Rain

Ah...

On the rooftop of a small building, Kim Do-Joon abruptly stopped in his tracks.

He sensed the energy of the Flame Totem he gave Kim So-Eun. Finally, it was within range. After scanning the area, he breathed a sigh of relief because the child was safe. Judging by the cluster of people nearby, Kim So-Eun must have made it to a shelter.

Now, he just had to use the totem to get there. He couldn’t delay—anything could happen in an instant. However, only he could teleport.

“Siwelin, I’m going to set you down.”

Gently, he lowered Siwelin from his shoulder. Thankfully, her eyes had focused, but her expression remained conflicted.

“Are you okay?” he asked, concerned about leaving her in that state.

The undead still swarmed the area. No wonder, since the Roots of corruption that’d festered for decades had suddenly reawakened. With her abilities, she was unlikely to face any real danger, yet he couldn’t help but worry.

Siwelin began to push his back insistently.

“

Hmm

? Are you telling me to go quickly?” Kim Do-Joon asked.

She nodded firmly, as if she was saying what he was waiting for. She probably wanted to say that the child must be waiting for her father to come and save her.

There was much she wanted to say, but she couldn’t, having lost her pen. However, her feelings were conveyed to Kim Do-Joon well enough. With a firm expression, he turned to look back once more.

“Make sure you come to the academy.”

She nodded again, resolute. Satisfied, he leapt from the rooftop. Then, he erupted into flames, vanishing with a spark.

Siwelin was left alone on the rooftop.

For a moment, she stared vacantly at the sky. Perhaps, her stillness attracted unwanted attention. From the side, a monster resembling a Pterosaur streaked toward her, its rotten body riddled with gaping wounds that exposed bare bone.

“

Kaaak—!

”

Frustrated by the lack of prey in the area, it saw her as an easy target. Small, delicate, and alive—it was all the excuse it needed to dive in for a meal.

However, before it could reach her, a burst of light flared, stopping the creature in its tracks.

“

Kieeek!

”

It struck a radiant barrier of compressed divine power and was instantly shredded, as if fed into a grinder.

If it had approached cautiously, things could’ve been different. However, its reckless charge killed it again.

Plop

.

Only one of its taloned feet remained, rolling across the rooftop. True to its undead nature, even the severed foot twitched and wriggled. Siwelin gazed at it with dispassion.

Where most people would have recoiled in horror, she barely blinked. To her, this grotesque scene was nothing out of the ordinary.

Crunch.

She then pressed her foot down on the twitching talon. The slight pressure was enough to obliterate it entirely.

Biting her lower lip, she stared at the spot where the foot had been. As she stood there, memories long buried by her peaceful life resurfaced—the vivid, unrelenting memories of the battlefield.

She remembered fighting on the front lines, the harrowing enemies, the steadfast comrades, and their ultimate fate.

***

"Huh?"

"What's going on?"

Inside the shelter, students were murmuring in surprise. Flames had emanated from a certain child’s pendant.

While others looked confused, the owner of the pendant knew exactly what was happening.

“It’s Dad!” she exclaimed joyfully.

The other students began chattering excitedly. Almost everyone in the academy shelter knew who the girl was.

“If it’s her dad, could it be Hunter Kim Do-Joon?”

“Really?”

After all, she was Kim Do-Joon’s daughter. The murmurs grew louder, half filled with disbelief, half with anticipation. Then, the flames solidified, forming the shape of a person. Moments later, Kim Do-Joon appeared, stepping out of the fire.

“Dad!”

The girl ran to him the moment she saw him. Kim Do-Joon crouched and scooped her up, holding her tightly.

Full of concern, he asked, “Are you okay? Did you get hurt?”

“I’m fine!” she replied cheerfully.

Relieved, Kim Do-Joon checked her over quickly. There wasn’t a single scratch.

“Thank goodness...” he murmured, letting out a small sigh of relief.

“He’s really Hunter Kim Do-Joon.”

“So, the rumors were true...”

“Hey! Do you remember me, Mister?”

Kim Do-Joon was already well-known across the country. He was the hero of the Giant Woodland Incident and the Shanghai Incident. Moreover, the shelter was filled with aspiring young Hunters, some of which had been among those kidnapped during the academy incident. The stories surrounding him had become legend.

Feeling their enthusiastic gazes, Kim Do-Joon scratched his cheek awkwardly. He was used to dealing with reporters and attention, but the wide-eyed awe of these children was still embarrassing.

“Ah So-Eun’s Dad! I knew you’d come!”

A familiar voice called out, and Kim Do-Joon turned to see Kim So-Eun’s kindergarten teacher, Kwon Soo-Young, approaching with a look of deep gratitude.

“Oh, hello!”

“Thank goodness,” Kwon Soo-Young said, her voice trembling with relief. “As long as you’re here, the kids will be safe no matter what.”

As someone responsible for protecting the children, she could not imagine a more reassuring presence than Kim Do-Joon, the country’s strongest Hunter.

“Thank you for keeping So-Eun safe,” Kim Do-Joon said, bowing slightly.

“Oh no, I should be thanking you!” Kwon Soo-Young replied, waving her hands dismissively.

Their polite exchange ended with both of them smiling. It felt oddly familiar, like they had shared a similar moment in the past.

Now that he had found Kim So-Eun, Kim Do-Joon had only one task left: meet Jecheon Seong. He had to entrust Kim So-Eun to him before leaving for America.

However, Kim Do-Joon turned to see none other than Jecheon Seong, the elder, stepping through the shelter doors.

“Are you here?” came a gruff voice.

“Elder?”

“You’re late,” JeCheon Seong said, his tone calm. “I’ve been here waiting for some time now. Took care of a few monsters upstairs while I was at it.”

Behind him trailed Bo-Mi, the pet he had been looking after. Jecheon Seong sheathed his sword casually as he approached.

“You arrived first, I see,” Kim Do-Joon said with a slight bow.

“I happened to be nearby, taking a walk,” Jecheon Seong replied.

That was a stroke of luck. Kim Do-Joon set Kim So-Eun down and gently patted her back.

“So-Eun, go stay with Grandpa for now.”

“Grandpa!” Kim So-Eun ran to Jecheon Seong, wrapping her arms tightly around his leg.

The elder smiled warmly and patted her on the head. Then, he turned to Kim Do-Joon.

“Where are you heading?” he asked, though the answer was obvious.

“I’m going to America.”

“America? That’s the one across the sea, isn’t it? The strongest country?”

“Yes. The culprit behind this incident is there.”

“

Hmm

.” Jecheon Seong stroked his chin thoughtfully. After a moment, he asked, “Will you be alright on your own?”

“It won’t be easy,” Kim Do-Joon admitted, “but I can handle it.”

“

Haha

, all right...” Jecheon Seong said with a smile, tapping the hilt of his sword.

He was clearly disappointed that he wouldn’t get the chance to face a new, powerful opponent. However, he wasn’t the person to insist on going.

“Looks like I’ll be playing house guard this time.”

“Thank you. I’ll leave it to you.”

“Dad, are you leaving again?” Kim So-Eun asked with a hint of sadness.

Kim Do-Joon crouched to meet her eyes, tenderly brushing her hair aside.

“I’m sorry, Sweetheart,” he said. “There are some things only I can do.”

“Daddy, why are you always so busy...?”

Kim Do-Joon smiled sadly, unable to refute her words. Due to his line of work, he spent far more nights away than any ordinary parent. As much as he wished to change that, this was his reality.

There was no avoiding it. If Kim Do-Joon didn’t deal with Usash, he’d spend the rest of his life surrounded by putrid stench.

“Stay close to Grandpa, okay?” Kim Do-Joon said gently.

“Okay...” Kim So-Eun nodded, clutching his hand tightly.

“Please take good care of her,” Kim Do-Joon said, looking at Jecheon Seong.

“Don’t worry,” the old man replied with a chuckle. “I’ll even throw in protecting this country while I’m at it. Everyone else here is just so... flimsy.”

The dry humor in Jecheon Seong’s tone drew a laugh from Kim Do-Joon. Coming from him, such a claim wasn’t just a joke. When Jecheon Seong made a promise, he kept it, always.

As they discussed their plans for what came next, time seemed to slip by.

Creak.

Suddenly, the door to the shelter opened, its hinges groaning loudly.

Who else could be here? Had someone else made it to safety? However, the figure stepping through was no straggler. It was Siwelin.

“Siwelin,” Kim Do-Joon said firmly.

She didn’t answer. Her eyes locked with his, unyielding and resolute. Beneath her calm exterior, he could sense the faintest flicker of resentment. A silent storm, waiting to be unleashed.

There was no need for words. Kim Do-Joon’s gaze sharpened for just a moment, and then he gave a small nod.

“Come with me.”

It was time to put an end to her pain and the old man’s long-standing grudges.

***

The helicopter’s blades roared as it soared through the skies. Arranged by Son Chang-Il, the helicopter took Kim Do-Joon and Siwelin to Gimpo Airport.

Kaaak!

A shrill cry pierced the air as flying undead monsters appeared.

Before Kim Do-Joon could act, Siwelin lazily moved her hand and conjured a barrier.

Swoosh—! Swoosh—!

The monsters crumpled mid-air, crashing to the ground far below. Not a single one came close to the helicopter.

They reached the airport soon after, and as the helicopter hovered above it, the pilot gasped.

“What... what the hell is that?” the pilot stuttered, peering down.

The undead swarmed the airport, their numbers suffocating the space. While other areas had sparse clusters, here they packed so tightly that some were crushed by sheer pressure, only to be endlessly replaced.

“What’s going on here? Why is it so concentrated?” the pilot muttered, trembling.

Every landing point was packed with ghouls and zombies, he had no idea where to land the helicopter. Although the pilot could not make sense of why, Kim Do-Joon had a vague idea.

He’s afraid of me.

Usash probably feared the old man’s power, and by extension, his. It was a natural reaction. After all, who wouldn’t fear a force that could strip away one’s empire with just a touch?

Therefore, Usash must’ve barricaded the airport to keep him from reaching America.

Then no doubt, the American airports would be in a similar state.

Things over there were likely just as precarious as they were here. However, that was something to worry about later.

“The pilot and the others at the airport would have evacuated, right?” Kim Do-Joon asked.

“

Huh?

Oh, yes. That’s what I’ve heard. They’ve gathered in a large shelter beneath the airport. Though, I also heard it’s in a precarious state as well...”

The staff needed to launch planes were all underground in the airport shelter. Was the area where the charter planes were stored safe? Despite the slight sense of unease, he had no choice but to act now.

The next moment, Kim Do-Joon

flung the helicopter door open.

“

Ah!

”

The sudden gust of wind made the helicopter sway violently. The pilot, startled, barely managed to regain control.

“What are you doing?”

It was not so much a rebuke as it was a genuine question from the pilot. Instead of responding, Kim Do-Joon leapt out of the helicopter.

“What the! Hunter Kim Do-Joon!”

The pilot gasped in shock, unable to believe his eyes. Kim Do-Joon, who had jumped out, was standing firmly in midair.

A platform made of shadows anchored him in place. Then, Kim Do-Joon looked down at the undead swarming below—an army of the Immortal. The horde writhed like a mass of ants, their grotesque forms moving in unison.

Looking down at them, Kim Do-Joon raised his hand. At that moment, sparks flared behind him, forming a circular gate.

One gate appeared, then dozens, then hundreds, spreading across the sky.

“Come forth,” Kim Do-Joon commanded.

From each portal, black-armored soldiers poured out, brimming with dark energy. The shadow soldiers descended in an unrelenting storm.

Thud! Thud! Thud!

The ground shook as they landed, their obsidian blades gleaming with menace. Then, a rain of black steel fell upon the undead.