Against the Clock: The Team Leader’s Pursuit of Glory

Chapter 157 - We’re going all in

The front-line defense base of Wushan was calm and peaceful as it was every day. Except for the occasional monster cry or a stray beast wandering down from the mountain slopes, it was just another quiet small town.

The monster hunting season that had begun in early winter had ended now and many of the Hunters who had gathered to earn merit points had already left.

Local merchants had tasted the profits of the season, and began reducing their orders. The market traders were preparing to pack up and leave. But something strange disturbed the peaceful city.

"Hey, Mr. Jang, look at that! What's that?"

"What do you mean?"

"That thing coming down from the sky."

"Isn't that a balloon? It's floating around."

"A balloon would be going up. But this thing is coming down. Oh? There's a lot more of them!"

The man shaded his eyes with his hand, as he looked up at what appeared to be balloons spewing out strange, unidentified objects...

"What the...?"

BOOM! KABOOM!

"Aaaaaak!"

"Arghk! Uaaaaah!"

Buildings started collapsing. Roads cracked open, and the ground caved in. People were being torn apart, becoming unrecognizable lumps of flesh. Some were crushed under fallen utility poles, others were electrocuted by broken power lines, and those who avoided the explosions found their heads smashed by debris. Even drivers, startled, crashed their vehicles...

It wasn't just the bombing; people were caught in all sorts of disasters and accidents, losing their lives. The victims didn't understand why they were dying, but some experienced Hunters, hardened by their years of battling in the Demonic Realm, immediately recognized the cause of the air raid.

"It's a bomb flower!"

"Contact the Wushan front-line military!"

"Evacuate everyone! Once those spore seeds get to them, we can't save them anymore!"

"Damn it! Why are these things here? They're supposed to be deep in the Demonic Realm!"

Wushan was a larger city than Daehongdan, so even after many Hunters had left the city, those who were left behind were a significant number. Some were regularly dispatched there from the guild branch, and they quickly organized a response team.

The emergency contact network between the guild support parties was swiftly activated. Even in the midst of chaos, the teams assigned to various areas of Wushan found their places and took action. While the initial damage was severe, their quick response prevented secondary damage by stopping the spore seeds from growing into full monsters.

In the subsequent phase of descent of the mother creatures, Hunters assigned to each area launched counterattacks to suppress them. Unlike Daehongdan, they seemed to be managing the situation without progressing to the third phase.

But then...

"Frontline! Frontline!"

"It's an ogre!"

"Is the mana cannon charged?!"

Large monsters, including ogres, started emerging from the frontline. The only 'mana cannon' specifically designed to deal with large monsters in Wushan was fired. Mana mines buried across the river exploded.

Some small monsters managed to cross the river, dodging the mines, but were ultimately brought down by the soldiers' mana-infused bullets.

Yet, this was only a temporary solution. The mana bullets were more for suppression and deterrence than for killing. Even if hundreds were fired, they might only occasionally hit a vital spot. Plus, they were expensive, so they couldn't fire those bullets endlessly. The soldiers were only buying time until the Hunters could arrive.

The military commander saw how the front-line defense was fighting and believed they could hold out until the Hunters arrived. But this was a grave miscalculation. Suddenly, a flash of light burst from the front line, sweeping across the trenches. The last thing the commander remembered was the blinding light.

"My leg...!"

"My arm... Oh no..."

"Medic! Where's the medic?!"

"They're all dead! The whole unit was wiped out!"

Soldiers lay on the ground, missing limbs, bodies without heads, faces unrecognizable except for the names on their uniforms. The battlefield turned into a scene of absolute chaos in an instant.

Unable to fend off the monsters any longer, the survivors abandoned even the wounded and fled. Ordinary people couldn't fight against monsters. And then it happened.

?Pyro Spear?

Out of nowhere, a fiery spear flew in, decapitating the ogre that was about to grab a soldier. Following that, mana-infused swords and arrows rained down on the frontline. The ogre, unable to withstand the concentrated damage, collapsed.

"Oh, thank God, the Hunters are here!"

"We made it... We can actually live."

A squad of Hunters appeared at the front line, quickly engaging the monsters.

"Everyone, fall back! The North Wind Guild has got this!"

"Take the wounded and retreat!"

"Hey, you dregs from Vanguard Guild, cover the right! The Divine Combat guild people left to take care of the left!"

"Their name is way too over-the-top, and their skills are just average. Anyway, got it. Windy, this spot's yours."

Just as the Hunters secured their positions and the front line began to stabilize, the same deadly flash of light that obliterated the trenches earlier struck again.

Boom! Crash!

"P-potion, now!"

"Fuck! What the hell is going on?!"

Unlike the soldiers who were wiped out in a single blow, the Hunters managed to withstand the sudden attack, though there were consequences. The tanks and those with defensive skills managed to survive, but those hit directly were killed. Even the survivors took heavy damage and had to pull back from the fight. As the smoke cleared, the Hunters finally identified their attacker.

"Oh no... It's an Agora Magos!"

The Agora Magos, a magic-type monster first discovered in Greece. It had the appearance of a shriveled, mummified creature, carrying a staff and a spellbook.

Its look, draped in tattered robes, reminded people of an ancient priest, hence the name 'Agora Magos,' combining the Greek words for 'priest' and 'marketplace.' Normally, Hunters would go wild for a chance to snag a magic spellbook from this monster, but it was notoriously tough to hunt when surrounded by a horde of other monsters.

"Ranged units! Can you take that thing out?"

"We've tried! It's got a barrier, so no dice!"

"What about magic?"

"It's clearly way stronger than us. Attacking it is just wasting our mana."

"So we need to take it down up close."

The North Wind Guild party leader scanned the battlefield. The monsters were swarming in, making it hard to figure out a clear plan to reach and defeat the Agora Magos.

'It's even casting spells while avoiding the monsters. I knew these things were smart, but not this clever. How do we handle this? Should we coordinate with the other guilds...?'

As the party leader hesitated, another wave of magic swept across the battlefield. This time, the Hunters were ready, expertly blocking and dodging the attacks. Those without skills to defend themselves took cover behind the tanks or jumped into trenches, digging themselves deeper to avoid the magic.

They dodged the spell, but the real issue was the flood of monsters that followed. The Hunters, already worn out from defending against the magic, struggled as both small and large monsters charged in.

The party leader gritted his teeth and relayed the command, "Fall back! Head into the city! Activate the emergency network! We're moving to urban warfare!"

In Hoeryong City...

Hoeryong, unlike most frontline cities, boasted a population of 150,000, making it the largest fortress in North Hamgyong Province. It served as a base for many Hunters who hunted in the Demonic Realm. The city had well-developed infrastructure, with plenty of entertainment districts and luxury lodgings catering to the Hunters.

It was home to the mid-sized 'Northeast Wind' Guild and several famous raid teams, making it the strongest hub of Hunter forces along the Tumen River.

Yet, the city had never faced a real monster threat since the Minor War.

But today was different. Smoke was rising from all directions, buildings were in ruins, and the air was filled with screams and cries. Hoeryong General Hospital was overwhelmed, with more dead bodies than patients, and the streets were still littered with corpses that no one had the time or energy to clean up.

"What's the situation on the front line?"

"We barely managed to hold it."

The exhausted Guild Master of the Northeast Wind Guild, Ma Param, was searching the city for any remaining monsters. Even after taking down most of the monsters that had ravaged the city, he couldn't afford to rest.

"I've never seen a monster wave like this before."

"Wasn't there something similar during the 'Gate Hole' incident?"

"It's been nearly 20 years since the Minor War. I've only ever heard about it, never actually been through it myself."

"I have a feeling this isn't over yet. The scouts who've been out beyond the line are saying the monsters are acting strange. What do you want to do?"

"What do you think?"

"Evacuate the city. We can rebuild our HQ building later, and our assets are safe in other cities. As long as the Hunters make it out alive, we can bounce back anytime. But if you want to defend the guild, we need to think this through."

Ma Param gave Deputy Guild Leader Park Jinseon a hard stare.

"I'm staying."

"Damn it, I knew you'd say that. So you're planning to die fighting here?"

"If you want to run, then run. Tell the members too. I'm not forcing anyone to stay."

"If they were the running type, they'd have bolted long ago. They stayed because of you, even after getting better offers from other guilds. But let's pull back for now. The vibe is off. No need to get everyone killed."

Ma Param ignored Park Jinseon and grabbed his shield and sword. He had a decent shield, fitting for a Hunter in charge of a mid-sized guild, but it was battered all over. The sword was chipped, on the verge of breaking, and he wasn't sure if it could even slice through goblin skin anymore. The signs of fierce battles were clear.

Even in the hunts within the Demonic Realm, he had never been in such a dire situation, and Ma Param was feeling the danger more than anyone.

"If you run just because it's dangerous..."

"..."

Ma Param slung his shield over his back and patted Park Jinseon on the shoulder.

"Who's going to protect the people?"

"Ahh, I must be out of my mind, following you instead of joining the Slayer... I used to be a promising rookie back in the day..."

"I know, I know. You were one of the top prospects. Weren't you in the same class as Ju Se-ah?"

"If you know, be good to me. Before I quit."

"You once said you quit being a tank because you saw Ju Se-ah tanking."

"Th-that was just an excuse. Honestly, anyone would want to quit after seeing her tank against an ogre bare-handed, not needing a shield or armor. Back then, she was still just a kid. Yet she pulled out a minotaur's horn with her bare hands and laughed... Even now, thinking about it gives me chills."

Ma Param pushed the shivering Park Jinseon forward with a laugh.

"You're going to make my ears bleed with all that rambling. I know. Ju Se-ah is amazing. Help me out here. Still, I haven't seen a better tank than you, except for Ju Se-ah. In terms of technique, I think you're even better."

"Ehem, ayy, come on but... At least you recognize my skills."

"Yeah. So let's go. You've rested enough, right?"

"Ugh, if only you weren't so unlikable."

"Come on, let's show these monsters why we're the owners of Hoeryong City."

As Ma Param moved ahead, Park Jinseon followed. The shadows sitting nearby also stood up. Dozens of Hunters followed Ma Param. On their torn armor coats and cracked chest plates, a mark with three lines was engraved.

And below that, words written in flowing cursive.

<Northeast Wind Guild>

Guild Cooperation Director Cha Giljoo had just stepped out of the Blue House. Unlike his usual calm demeanor, his face was flushed with anger today.

"Director Cha."

"National Security Advisor."

"Don't take it too personally. It's just how the system works."

"This isn't the time to be talking about the system. The Joint Chiefs' response isn't a plan to deal with the monsters."

The National Security Advisor led Cha Giljoo to a quiet spot. Lighting a cigarette, he said, "The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff is in a pinch too. With North Korea unified and the collapse of the three northeastern provinces, the threat from the north has disappeared. Even the U.S. Forces in Korea have withdrawn. They left only a Defense Cooperation Office, and returned to defend their mainland. There's a lot of talk lately. People are questioning whether the Joint Chiefs are even necessary. There are also rumors of military downsizing. The Ministry of Defense must be feeling the pressure too. After all, the plan to set up the Hunter Corps was scrapped after the guild raised a fuss. They're probably trying to use this situation as an opportunity to secure their position. They seem determined to do whatever it takes in collaboration with the Joint Chiefs. I hope you can understand."

"The problem isn't my understanding. Retreating to set up a new frontline in the rear? That's a secondary response. The first priority should be holding the Tumen River line. The monsters will break through before then, and the final defensive line against the monsters coming down from the Demonic Realm will fall."

"Look, I get it, the Korean Hunter scene might not be what it used to be, but we're not that far gone. And considering that several points along the Tumen River front have been breached, the military's strategy to narrow the front for defense isn't entirely wrong."

Cha Giljoo felt a growing sense of frustration deep inside. No matter how hard he tried to explain, the Ministry of National Defense, the Joint Chiefs, and the Blue House just didn't seem to grasp the gravity of the situation.

The drop in population near the Hamgyong border following the Great and Minor Wars seemed to be clouding their judgment.

'Hunters aside, the people up north have limited voting power. They're just looking out for those who can actually vote.'

While it wasn't openly stated, it was obvious the Blue House didn't want monsters appearing down south and giving the opposition any ammunition.

If a Demonic Realm monster ever showed up in Gangwon Province, votes would start dropping faster than one could blink. Government officials were so caught up in the upcoming election that all they could think about was tightening the front lines and blocking any threats. They were naively optimistic, thinking they could handle the situation by protecting the key cities in North Hamgyong Province with the Hunters they'd rallied from the guilds.

"Look, Director Cha. You need to start paying more attention to this stuff. Next year's political scene is a complete fog. We don't know if we'll hold onto power or lose it. You've got to start thinking ahead. From here on out, it's all political. Get the guilds on board and round up the Hunters who'll back us. That's what the Cooperation Agency is for, isn't it?"

Director Cha felt a deep wave of disillusionment wash over him at the Security Advisor's words.

'Korea's monster defense system is nothing but a façade. As long as the Cooperation Agency stays just another bureaucratic cog, we're going to face a huge price when things really start to go south.'

The moment Kang Mu-hyuk saw the official document, he wasted no time in calling North Pocheon.

"Hunter Jang Deukgu, get word to Captain Lee Jinjoo. Tell her to get the expedition ready and start moving north."

-But we're not fully ready yet.

"The Tumen River line is in serious trouble. I'm ordering the guild to go all in. Just in case, put the entire guild on high alert, open up Warehouse C, and send the expedition team up to Chongjin City. We'll handle the equipment distribution depending on the situation."