Ding.

– [Logout] completed successfully.

With the cheerful system notification, the senses that had temporarily cut off began to return.

The softness of the bed beneath me. The warm air filling the private jet. The hands shaking my shoulders and the voice shouting my name.

“Jin Taekyung! Wake up! Jin Taekyung!”

– Wake up, you vile human!

I blinked at the urgent voices, one human and one monster, ringing in my ears.

As my vision cleared, a familiar face came into view.

“Oh, Team Leader Choi…”

Smack!

“Wake up!”

– Well done! You’re slightly less vile, human!

What the hell?

Caught off guard by the unexpected slap, I answered in a dazed voice.

“I’m awake, though…”

“What kind of person are you? I’ve been trying to wake you up this whole time, and you’re only getting up now?”

– Just die! Just die already!

“S-Sorry…”

Wow. This was the first time I’d ever seen Team Leader Choi this furious. Normally, even when he was showing off his designer items, he stayed calm and composed. But right now, his eyes were practically spitting lightning.

‘But why is he like this? We’re still on the plane, aren’t we?’

Even though I’d apologized on reflex, I couldn’t understand why this situation had earned me a slap.

“There’s no time for this! Hurry up–!”

“Kyaaa!”

Team Leader Choi’s voice was drowned out by the flight attendants’ screams, followed by what sounded like the pilots shouting.

“Mayday! Mayday! Mayday!”

“Control tower! Control toooower!”

“…What the hell is going on?”

What the hell was happening right now?

As I frantically looked around, Team Leader Choi said something unbelievable.

“We’re under monster attack!”

“A monster attack?”

What kind of nonsense was that? We were flying at 25,000 feet in a private jet provided by the Chinese Central Committee.

By now, we should have been close to Chengdu International Airport in Sichuan…

“What?”

When I casually turned to look out the window, I froze.

Below us was a huge airport. It was engulfed in flames, and small and large figures were moving all over it.

A battle. A deadly battle between humans and monsters was raging below.

And that wasn’t all.

– Kyaaa!

A massive creature was rapidly closing in on our private jet.

“That’s…”

There was no mistaking it. Even after rubbing my eyes, it was still a Wyvern.

An A-rank monster, classified as Dragonkin along with drakes.

They were annoying enough on the ground, but running into them at 25,000 feet in the air? That was a nightmare.

And there weren’t just one or two of them.

There were about a dozen.

‘…What the hell kind of situation is this?’

Down below, a desperate battle was raging around Chengdu International Airport, while up in the air, a swarm of Wyverns was chasing our private jet.

It didn’t take my brain long to reach a conclusion.

“A Lich!”

The word burst out of me like lightning.

About a week ago, a Lich, the highest-ranking undead monster, had appeared along with an unprecedented monster wave. It must have extended its reach all the way here.

“The control tower isn’t responding!”

“The Wyverns, the Wyverns…!”

“Kyaaaa!”

– I knew it! We’re all going to die!

Even in the middle of the chaos, I found myself correcting the Skeleton Warlord.

“Well, that’s true, but weren’t you already dead?”

– Silence, you vile human! This is all your fault! Oh, Legion, forgive your commander!

Panic-stricken screams and shouts rang out everywhere, from monsters and humans alike.

And in the middle of it all, there was only one person who kept his composure.

“Everyone, calm down! What you’re worried about won’t happen!”

As expected of Team Leader Choi. Reliable as ever. He must have thought of some way to get us out of this mess.

With a calm voice, he quieted the chaos and pointed at me.

“Jin Taekyung will handle it!”

“Jin Taekyung, what should we do?”

“Wait, why are you asking me…?”

“I believe in you, Jin Taekyung!”

But why? In a situation like this, shouldn’t you be putting your faith in God, Buddha, or Allah?

While I was momentarily speechless, everyone stared at me with hopeful eyes.

“Now that I think about it, I’ve heard about this Hunter before. Chairman Xiao Yang personally asked for him, saying he was unbelievably skilled.”

“I heard the rumors too. Some say he might become the next S-rank Hunter. They say he killed two named monsters by himself.”

“Ooh, oooooh!”

“We’re saved! We’re saved!”

– You, vile human! I knew you were strong, but not this strong! Rejoice, Legion. Your commander lives!

“…I keep telling you, you’re already dead.”

This was insane. Everyone had lost their minds. I stared at Team Leader Choi in disbelief.

“What exactly makes you so confident?”

Team Leader Choi answered without hesitation.

“I told you. I believe in you, Jin Taekyung.”

“But what is that belief even based on…?”

“It’s a belief built on evidence.”

“…What?”

“In a situation like this, your attitude, your tone, your expression. Everything about you proves it.”

“…?”

Only then did I realize something.

I was surprised by the situation, but I wasn’t scared. Not even a little.

The answer was closer than I thought.

‘I’m strong.’

I was strong. I’d become much stronger. Strong enough to overcome any danger.

That’s why I wasn’t afraid of the monsters covering the ground below or the Wyverns chasing us through the sky.

“So that’s what it is…”

I muttered to myself, then spoke up.

“Who’s flying this thing?”

A hand shot out from the cockpit.

A trembling hand. The other one was probably clamped desperately around the controls while trying to shake off the approaching Wyverns.

“I-It’s me.”

“Can I open the door for a second?”

“…What?”

“I asked if I can open the airplane door.”

The pilot stuck his head out and stared at me like I was insane.

“Of course not! The pressure seal will fail, the aircraft will tear apart, and none of us will be able to breathe properly!”

Team Leader Choi touched the ring on his finger and cut in.

“I think I can manage the pressure. I don’t know what you’re planning, but go ahead.”

“Okay.”

“Don’t! Are you insane? You’ll kill us all!”

“…What did you just call me?”

Did this bastard really insult a proud Korean to my face?

Realizing his slip of the tongue, the pilot went pale.

“N-No, that’s not what I meant.”

“You damn Chinese…”

“Hey, pilot.”

“Y-Yes?”

“Open the door.”

“Ack! Aaack!”

Before the pilot could stop me, I opened the door.

No, I cut it open.

Shhk!

Sword Aura, known in the modern world as Aura Blade, sliced through the reinforced metal and opened a small gap.

Just like a Murim master would.

In this world, only an S-rank Hunter could display this kind of overwhelming power.

Team Leader Choi’s eyes widened.

“Jin Taekyung, that’s…!”

“Team Leader!”

Whoooosh!

There was no time to be surprised. The violent wind pressure and sudden change in cabin pressure made the jet shudder, throwing the cabin into chaos.

As people screamed and I shouted, Team Leader Choi snapped back to himself and rubbed his ring.

“An airtight, indestructible barrier surrounds us. [Barrier]!”

With the chant, a transparent barrier of energy sealed the opening completely.

Not bad.

I admired it for a split second, then shoved my upper body outside the cabin.

Team Leader Choi’s barrier magic recognized me as an ally and let me pass through without resistance.

Rumble!

The wind pressure slammed into my upper body like a sledgehammer, but I grinned.

‘This is no joke.’

Still, it wasn’t something I couldn’t endure.

If anything, it would have been stranger if I couldn’t. Compared to the shockwaves the Heavenly Lord unleashed, this was barely a spring breeze.

– Kyaaaa!

The monsters’ shrieks mixed into that spring breeze.

I measured the distance while watching the Wyverns rapidly close in.

‘About a hundred meters. I’ve never tried this before, but… at this distance, it should work.’

Inventory open. Equip.

Fwoosh.

The spear I’d picked up on discount at the Hunter Market appeared in my hand.

I drew my arm back like a javelin thrower. From my waist to my wrist, every muscle and tendon pulled tight like a drawn bowstring.

– Kyauuu!

The lead Wyvern sensed something was wrong and jerked its head back.

I saw white currents of air being sucked into its open jaws.

‘That’s…’

– A Breath attack! It’s using Breath! Dodge, you vile human!

The Skeleton Warlord was right.

Out of all monsters, only Dragonkin were granted the power of Breath. I stared at the attack forming inside its gaping mouth.

Gooooong.

A massive sphere of compressed wind. The Air Breath, powerful enough to shred metal like paper, had fully taken shape when–

“Hey, Wyvern!”

– Kyau?

“Catch.”

With a thunderous shout, I hurled the spear with all my strength.

Fwoosh! Shoooom!

Wrapped in flames, the spear tore through the air, burning its way forward.

A blue-white streak of light shot straight ahead, and the Wyvern’s yellow eyes widened.

– Kiiiii!

Thud! Boom!

Its huge body dropped toward the ground like a kite with its string cut.

– Kyau?

– Kiiik?

Ten pairs of yellow eyes glanced at one another.

Wyverns were fierce and violent by nature, but at that moment, they were frozen in confusion.

– Kikiit?

– Kiik…

‘What the hell, did the leader just die?’

‘Looks like it…’

The Wyverns exchanged their own kind of chatter in a daze.

Their leader, known among their own kind as the Black Star because of its overwhelming strength, was now nothing more than a black speck plummeting toward the distant ground.

– Kirik?

– Grrr…

And not one of them had even understood what had happened.

All they knew was that it had something to do with that tiny human who had thrown a spear.

But that made no sense.

How could a mere human dare strike down a descendant of the great dragons–

“Hey, you. Green Wyvern!”

– Kirik?

“Catch.”

Thud!

This time, they saw it clearly.

The streak of light punched straight through another Wyvern’s skull.

– Kiiik!

– Kyauuu!

First their leader, and now another one of their own.

Enraged, the Wyverns swore revenge on this damned human.

– Kiiit!

Of course, that revenge would have to wait until later.

Much later.

“Hey, you. Blue Wyvern!”

Thwack!

…If they even got the chance.

Ten pairs of wings beat wildly as the Wyverns desperately fled for their lives.