Chapter 12

Hunter Management Agency Emergency Response Headquarters 一 Situation Room.

While watching the video projected by the Emergency Cam inside the A-class Rift, <The Dark Ogre’s Swamp>, Jung Yeong-cheol, director of the Hunter Management Agency, received the documents handed out by the assistant standing next to him.

“The record showed that there are a total of four hunters who entered the Great Rift. Three A-class Hunters from Magi Guild and one F-class Hunter. Investigations showed that F-class Hunter Kim Hyun-woo entered the Great Rift at 7:40 AM while Hunters Han Dong-hyun, Yoo Mira, and Yoo Jung-ho entered at 7:42 AM. Five minutes later, the Rift Distortion occurred with the appearance of the Boss Monster, the Ogre Leader.”

Jung Yeong-cheol put down the documents on his desk and shifted his gaze back on the screen.

The three A-class Hunters inside were familiar faces to him.

The best force, even amongst medium and large guilds, was Han Dong-hyun, Magi’s guild leader.

‘This is killing me.’

Statistics show that in order to survive a Rift Distortion, at least two Hunters, who are a rank higher than the Rift class, are needed. This means that at least two S-class Hunters must be in there to defeat the Ogre Leader.

“Did you already deploy the S-class Hunters to the area?”

“Yes. Kang Min-hyuk and Han Min-ji were just nearby, so they left right away.”

“Do you think only the two of them can stop it?”

“Yes. I think it’d be possible.”

Thud.

Jung Yeong-cheol then faced his assistant.

His face was in total disarray.

Realizing that his answer was wrong, the assistant immediately bowed his head.

“I’ll add one more S-class. That way we can assure our chances of failing is little to none.

“We should not make a single mistake. You know that, right?”

“Yes, I’m sorry, director.”

Tap.

Tap.

While tapping his finger on the armrest of the chair, Jung Yeong-cheol had a thought on his mind.

‘Why would an F-class Hunter go there?’

＊ ＊ ＊

A holographic message appeared before their eyes.

Access to the Rift is restricted while the Rift Distortion is still happening.

That means no one can go out nor come in.

“Drink all of your buff potions. And Mira, continue to keep track of the Ogre Leader’s position. If we get caught off-guard, we’ll definitely die. Everybody, stay vigilant.”

Han Dong-hyun felt sorry for bringing Yoo Mira with him, but at the same time, he was relieved.

Yoo Mira’s B-class Skill, Hawk Eye, when inserted with mana can detect enemies within a 1-km radius.

Currently, her skill is more useful than any other skill this time, where the terrain was difficult to grasp because their surroundings were dark.

“…Do you think we can survive?”

“They say that even if you enter a tiger’s den, you’ll live as long as you stay alert. We will survive in the end. Don’t think negatively already. Instead, think more about how we can survive.”

Yoo Mira nodded.

Then she used up her Mana to activate her skill, Hawk Eye.

Both of her eyes shined and everything within 1-km radius became clearly visible to her.

“I don’t really see the Boss Monster.”

“Really? Then, that’s a relief. We still got a shot at victory if we can lure the Dark Ogres one at a time. Jung-ho, conserve as much Mana as you can. You don’t have to heal me if I get so much as a scratch. And if the three of you get hurt, take care of yourselves first. ”

Yoo Jung-ho was a healer-class hunter belonging to a noble lineage.

But that didn’t mean he lacked combat power.

He has as much power as a B-class hunter, but through his A-class healing skill, ‘Illuminate’, he could become an A-class hunter.

Spin.

“The problem is, this masked guy right here…”

Who just wore jeans and a hoodie.

At a glance, he looked entirely like a civilian.

Han Dong-hyun bit his lips tightly.

“With all due respect, are you really a Hunter?”

Nod.

Han Dong-hyun was certain that Do-jun had nothing in his hand.

“Insane. A so-called Hunter crawls in without any equipment? And moreover, inside a Great Rift?”

“Well, don’t be so upset.”

“…Can’t you read the situation? Tell me honestly. What’s your rank?”

Do-jun rummaged through his pockets and took out his Hunter ID Card.

And Han Dong-hyun saw the big letter F on it.

Now, even a little bit of his expectation instantly came crashing down.

“You’re only going to get in our way, so just hide somewhere where they can’t find you. I can’t afford to take care of you right now.”

Do-jun was troubled.

He couldn’t immediately go outside the Rift now after just grabbing a Mana Stone.

And after analyzing the message a while ago, they could only go outside by hunting down the Ogre Leader.

‘For now, let’s just wait and see.’

There were three eyes watching him right now.

If they are able to hunt the Ogre Leader and then immediately go outside, there would be no problem if Do-jun stayed behind, hunt one Dark Ogre, take its Mana Stone, and then get out.

Clink.

Han Dong-hyun and his party each drank a potion that was hanging on their belt.

It was an expensive buff potion costing 100 million won per bottle which temporarily amplifies their Strength, Agility, and Vitality respectively. Naturally, they wouldn’t drink such an expensive potion during their normal hunts, but now wasn’t the time to save it.

“I’m glad it’s the Dark Ogre. If you entered somewhere else, you’d be dead in a beat.” 

Unlike Goblins and Trolls, Ogres were monsters that did not come in herds.

Instead, catching one was as hard as catching five trolls combined, but it works positively in their current situation.

“We can catch them one at a time. One by one…”

Yoo Jung-ho nodded in agreement to Han Dong-hyun’s mutterings.

Meanwhile, Yoo Mira, who was looking around their surroundings through her skill Hawk Eye, was puzzled.

There were three Dark Ogres 400m in front of them.

The Ogres were walking side by side due north as if they were possessed by a ghost.

‘That’s strange.’

Why are they walking side by side?

At that moment, Do-jun approached Yoo Mira.

“I don’t think it’s possible to catch them one by one.”

“Didn’t I tell you to hide?!”

Han Dong-hyun shouted angrily.

However, Yoo Mira stopped Han Dong-hyun and asked Do-jun calmly.

“Why do you think so?”

Do-jun looked over to the side,

He could see an Ogre with a height of over 20 meters from afar. Though the people here with him couldn’t see that far of a distance.

It wasn’t a long distance at all for Do-jun, who is able to sense even the smallest stars in the sky.

“The Ogres… they’re gathering.”

Do-jun could see dozens of Dark Ogres gathering to their master, the Ogre Leader.

“Gathering? Don’t say such nonsense! Ogres don’t herd!”

Han Dong-hyun growled.

He was already anxious to death, but Do-jun’s remark triggered the anxiety and uncertainty in him even more.

 

Yoo Mira hit Han Dong-hyun’s shoulder and glared at Do-jun in anger as if she was going to eat him alive.

“Calm down, Guild Leader.”

“…Sorry. I’m just a bit on edge as of the moment. But…”

“Masked Hunter, please tell us more about it in detail.”

Do-jun smirked and continued his explanation.

“Unlike the others, there is an Ogre that is four times [more] taller than them. Surely, that guy is the Ogre Leader. And the total number of Dark Ogres approaching the Ogre Leader… is about 50.”

At Do-jun’s words,

Everyone fell into despair.

If that was true, then they would never survive.

It was relatively easy to catch them one at a time, but fighting two or more would now become more difficult to defeat.

“Can you defeat it with your strength?”

He wasn’t sarcastic about it, Do-jun was really just curious.

If they could possibly defeat it even with a slight chance, Do-jun wouldn’t come forward.

“Even an S-class Hunter wouldn’t be able to do that.”

Yoo Jung-ho smiled bitterly.

-Grraaahh!

Rumble.

The entire swamp shook.

Do-jun spotted the Ogre Leader, walking towards them, roaring.

And behind it were multiple of Dark Ogres walking in a line as they followed their leader.

“They’re coming.”

The party became very nervous to what Do-jun said.

“Please tell me you’re lying.”

“Well, I’m not a big fan of lying.”

“…Now that it has come to this, let’s fight [until the end]. It’s now either to kill or be eaten. I’ll have to cut down at least one of them so that I can at least die without regrets.”

Yoo Jung-ho said as he pulled a Mana Gun out from his waist.

Even Han Dong-hyun and Yoo Mira were moved by what he said and took out their respective weapons.

Han Dong-hyun had a sword, while Yoo Mira had a bow.

Do-jun noticed that the three of them were trembling.

He clicked his tongue as he watched a horde of Ogres getting closer.

If Han Dong-hyun’s party dies now and he alone lives,

“Hunter Kim Hyun-woo” would inevitably be in the spotlight.

‘It would be better to get out of here alive with everyone.’

If Kim Hyun-woo, an F-class Hunter, managed to survive with the help of other high-ranked Hunters, then he wouldn’t now be the center of attention at this incident.

With that in mind, Do-jun firmed his resolve without knowing that the Emergency Cam was still running.

“They’re here! Everybody get it together!”

“There… the Ogre Leader.”

“Be careful not to get hit!”

Along with the Ogre Leader, hordes of Dark Ogres followed behind it!

However, Han Dong-hyun knew,

That he wouldn’t survive even if he stayed alert.

At that moment.

Krrrrk…

With a branch as long as his arm on his hand,

Do-jun drew a circle on the ground around Han Dong-hyun’s group.

“…What are you doing?”

After drawing the circle, he threw away the tree branch.

Then, something spectacular happened.

Woong!

A faintly gleaming blue curtain enveloped the party.

Do-jun activated his skill, Defense Barrier, and took out his sword with only its handle.

“Don’t get out of there.”

Do-jun said, looking back at Han Dong-hyun and his party.

They were just blankly staring at the circular transparent protective shield surrounding them.

After a while…

Buzz! Zap! Zap!

A black sword was revealed.

And the ground began to tremble incomparably than before.

Even the air sank heavily.

“Uwahhh!”

Yoo Mira suddenly felt as if Mana was refluxing and felt nauseous.

And Han Dong-hyun and Yoo Jung-ho’s body were trembling greatly, feeling the stifling pressure in the air. It seems that if they let go of their minds, even for a second, they would immediately pass out.

Rumble!

“Ugh!”

Yoo Mira continued to feel nauseated, without noticing that the screen of the Emergency Cam shattered. Then, as she breathed heavily she raised her head with difficulty. What on earth is going on?

“……!”

Do-jun released the Heavenly Demon Sword he was holding in his hand.

But it didn’t fall to the ground.

Rather, it was gradually soaring in the air.

Swoosh.

And when Do-jun gestured forward,

The Heavenly Demon Sword struck the Ogre Leader with a roaring sound.

Boom!

It was his skill, ‘Aerial Control’, which can be activated by injecting Inner Qi into the sword.

Chwak!

The Ogre Leader was cut into half.

And like a boomerang, the sword instantly returned to Do-jun’s hand.

Yoo Mira’s eyes opened wide when she saw that.

‘…What was that?’

The Dark Ogres did not move.

No, they could not move.

They were crushed by the enormous energy that emanated from the Heavenly Demon Sword.

[You have successfully defeated the Ogre Leader.]

[The Rift is returning back to normal.]

Crackle!

Do-jun recovered the Inner Qi he had injected into the sword and it returned back to its original form.

The Dark Ogres who came to their senses began to run away hurriedly.

“Tsk.”

However, Do-jun didn’t go after them.

Instead, he recovered the Mana Stone from the Ogre Leader.

A Mana Stone with the size of a palm, as opposed to the monster’s size.

Shhk.

The barrier was lifted after Do-jun erased the line he drew on the ground.

“You were the ones who killed the Ogre Leader, okay? In any case, that would be good for you guys, too.”

Tap tap.

Then Do-jun’s figure disappeared.