Twenty or so military transport planes, accompanied by escort fighters, struggled to find a landing spot.

“This… this is impossible.”

“We can’t find a landing zone!”

The small city below was in complete ruins.

Buildings were packed together, toppled like dominoes, and flames roared from various places.

But what terrified the pilots most was the horrifying sight visible even from their great height in the sky.

School playgrounds, convenience stores, government offices… peaceful daily life had vanished, replaced by mountains of corpses and rivers of red blood.

A hellscape drawn by the monster legion.

The ground below held no sign of life, and those witnessing it trembled in unspeakable fear.

“Land.”

“But, Commander…!”

“There’s no ‘but.’ This is an order.”

The pilot, facing the stern expression of the older man who gave the command, realized he had no choice.

He was a soldier, and the person giving him orders was the de facto supreme commander of this war.

Disobeying Wei Fenghu, the Minister of National Defense and a confidant trusted by Chairman Xiao, would be insane.

And yet, the pilot thought that it might be even crazier to follow his next order.

“Head to the General Hospital, which the western front had set up as its temporary headquarters.”

“What? But that place is…”

“The last communication we received indicated it was the site of the fiercest battle. Perhaps it still is. I’m well aware of that.”

“…”

“We may already be too late. But we must go. If even one person is still alive, we need to help them fight.”

Wei Fenghu’s deep, somber gaze accompanied his words.

“Take the controls. And be the first to land.”

It was already extraordinary that the supreme commander had come here personally, and now he was ordering that he be the first to attempt a landing. Considering the likelihood of remaining monsters, it was an incredibly dangerous task.

“Damn it…”

The pilot squeezed his eyes shut and turned on the communications system. Soon, his trembling voice spread across all the planes.

“VIP-777 is issuing a command to all aircraft… a command to all aircraft…”

Hearing the order being delivered, Wei Fenghu took a deep breath.

The parachuting equipment strapped to him felt as heavy as a boulder, prepared for any emergency.

‘It’s been over thirty years since I last saw combat. No wonder I’m trembling.’ But Wei Fenghu wasn’t the only one feeling this way.

All four thousand hunters aboard the twenty military transport planes carried varying degrees of fear.

Some were probably eager to flee immediately, while others were trying hard to suppress their fear and stoke their fighting spirit.

No one could predict who would survive the battle that was about to begin. Not even Wei Fenghu was exempt, and his willingness to risk danger at the frontlines was to boost the morale of his soldiers.

‘If I send only my subordinates into danger, I’m not fit to be a commander.’ This had always been Wei Fenghu’s guiding principle, and his nephew Lei Fei, who was like a son to him, had respected him for it.

Suddenly, the old general’s heart ached as he recalled his nephew’s familiar face.

“…I miss you.”

Wei Fenghu muttered softly.

It had been two weeks since Lei Fei had gone missing. Yet he had not given up hope. Lei Fei’s wife and daughter, safely relocated, also clung to that hope.

‘I saw someone today who reminded me of you.’

A young man in his twenties. A man who had accomplished extraordinary feats in a distant land, who, upon hearing that the western front was in danger, left without hesitation.

He had even smiled as he attempted a teleportation spell with only a 10% survival rate.

‘That’s good enough. Ten percent is much higher than the odds of crossing dimensions.’

When Wei Fenghu heard this from Magic Johnson, he immediately mobilized the forces of the central command to form a squadron.

He had been deeply impressed by the courage shown by Jin Tae-Kyung, a foreigner, and saw in him a reflection of his missing nephew.

‘You would’ve done the same, wouldn’t you?’ A faint smile crossed Wei Fenghu’s lips as he pondered the unspoken question.

But then—

“This… this can’t be!”

“Commander!”

The panicked shouts of the pilots made Wei Fenghu turn his gaze to the window.

As the ground below drew nearer, it revealed a scene more gruesome than any battlefield he had ever witnessed.

Mountains of corpses and rivers of blood.

The General Hospital, which had served as the temporary command center of the western front, was in ruins, its steel frame exposed. Massive sinkholes and dozens of craters marked the land, filled with a mixture of red and green blood.

The bodies of fallen monsters and humans were too numerous to count—thousands, no, tens of thousands.

“…My god.”

“Who… who could have done this?”

The land, scarred by catastrophe.

As the pilots stared in shock at the devastated ground, Wei Fenghu’s sharp command brought them back to reality.

“Lower the altitude, quickly!”

“Y-yes, sir!”

The threat of monsters was gone, but that was no reason to let their guard down.

The pilots carefully maneuvered the aircraft, attempting a landing while drenched in cold sweat.

Screeech, thud!

The aircraft rattled violently several times as it finally landed. The first to disembark from the transport plane was none other than Wei Fenghu.

Tatatatata!

Following closely behind him, two hundred hunters swiftly set foot on the ground.

And their reactions split into two distinct groups.

“This is insane…”

Horror at the unimaginable scene before them.

“Urgh… ughhhh!”

Vomiting from the stench of blood and the sight of the mangled bodies scattered everywhere.

At the same time, a single question filled everyone’s minds.

‘Who could have done this?’

They stood frozen, forgetting even the need to search for survivors, when suddenly—

Splash, splash.

Footsteps echoed across the quiet battlefield.

Two hundred pairs of eyes turned toward the figure crossing the field, stepping through pools of blood.

From head to toe, he was covered in green monster blood. As Wei Fenghu looked at him, he muttered as if in disbelief.

“Hunter Jin…?”

It was unmistakably him.

Though he looked like a blood-soaked figure, Wei Fenghu recognized him instantly.

Jin Tae-Kyung, who had teleported with only a 10% chance of survival and overturned the dire situation, was alive.

His seemingly unstoppable steps halted in front of Wei Fenghu.

Splash.

Jin Tae-Kyung ran a hand through his hair, slick with sticky monster blood. After a moment of silence, he spoke.

“The battle is over. There are no monsters left alive.”

“…!”

“…!”

His words, unbelievable as they were, sent a shiver through everyone present.

The last communication from the western front had reported that the monster legion numbered in the tens of thousands.

That wasn’t all. The Death Knight Lord, believed to be an aide of the Arch-Lich, had personally led the charge, making this the most intense assault of the five fronts.

In contrast, the number of hunters who had fought back was only about a thousand. The People’s Liberation Army was as effective as paper in comparison.

‘Not only did they win the battle, but they also annihilated the monster legion, all ten thousand of them.’

It was a victory that would have been impossible without a single person. A victory made possible because of that one person.

Although an S-rank hunter was considered a strategic weapon capable of turning the tide of battle, no one had achieved a feat like this since the Great Change.

The two hundred hunters looked at the young man in front of them with reverence.

But one person, Wei Fenghu, was different.

The old general stared at Jin Tae-Kyung with eyes full of sorrow and fear. Or rather, he was staring at the sword in Jin Tae-Kyung’s hand.

It was a sword he knew all too well, and that familiarity made the pain all the sharper.

Because he knew what this meant.

“Did you… meet him?”

After a brief silence, Jin Tae-Kyung answered.

“He asked me to tell you that he loves you.”

“…!”

“And that he’s sorry.”

Wei Fenghu clenched his teeth, trying to hold back his sobs. His vision blurred, and through the fog, he heard the final words.

“He was the greatest hunter I’ve ever seen.”

That was all.

Tears trickled down Wei Fenghu’s wrinkled face.

A soft wind blew from somewhere, gently embracing him.

* * *

Rank, achievements, or whether someone is a hunter—all of that is irrelevant.

The simple fact that he sacrificed himself for others was enough to make him a hero.

That’s why Lei Fei will remain in my memory for a long time.

Resurrected as undead but dying as a human.

He truly fulfilled his mission to the very end, and that makes him not only a true hunter but also a hero.

The same goes for the countless others who died here today.

And… the two who have not yet regained consciousness.

‘The healer said they wouldn’t wake up until all their fatigue had healed.’

Recalling the healer’s words, I glanced at Team Leader Choi and Xiao Xian, both still in deep slumber.

Thanks to the top-tier potions, their injuries had healed completely, but the physical and mental fatigue remained a separate issue.

‘Even I, who levels up, sometimes pass out.’

The two of them had fought bravely until the very end.

Even in the face of excruciating pain as their limbs were torn apart, they never let go of their weapons.

“Hero… a hero, huh.”

I muttered softly to myself as I gazed at the sword lying beside me. It was the very sword that had belonged to that hero, now left as his keepsake.

Wei Fenghu had insisted on giving it to me, despite my reluctance to accept it.

‘He would’ve wanted you to take it, Hunter Jin.’

Really, Lei Fei? I wondered as I ran my fingers over the blade. Even just looking at it, I could feel the sharp, cold aura emanating from the masterful weapon.

‘Item appraisal.’

Ding.

[Spirit of the Hero]

Grade: Supreme.

Restriction: Must be worthy of the title “Hero.”

Description: This sword is extraordinarily sharp and strong. It holds the final spirit of a noble hero, and those who are worthy will draw even greater power from it.

Spirit of the Hero?

It was a fitting name, considering Lei Fei’s legacy, but the sword itself was truly remarkable.

Even after our fierce battle, the blade hadn’t shown a single crack. Its supreme grade was expected, but the unique restriction on it was something else.

‘Only those with a righteous heart can wield it?’

Hmm. Let’s give it a try.

Without hesitation, I gripped the hilt and swung the sword through the air.

*Swish!*

It felt better than expected.

The weight and balance were perfect, and the sharpness that sliced even the air itself was impressive. And when a system notification sounded, the experience was even more satisfying.

Ding.

– [Spirit of the Hero] has recognized you as a righteous individual.

– The [Hero’s Strength] has been activated. All abilities slightly increase, and fatigue is reduced. In certain situations, you can draw forth even greater power.

I didn’t know what those “certain situations” might be, but it seemed they weren’t relevant at the moment. The stat increases were barely noticeable, like adding a single drop of water to a lake.

‘Well, at least it’s good for evaluating someone’s character.’

I smirked at the thought.

This sword could serve as a “character test blade” from now on. If anyone approached me, I’d use the **Spirit of the Hero** to test them. If they were righteous enough to wield the sword, I’d consider befriending them; if not, I’d consider cutting them down with no hesitation.

*Zap!*

Suddenly, a strong electric current surged through the sword’s hilt, and I instinctively dropped it.

“What the…?”

Just as I stood there in disbelief, a sharp system message popped up in front of me.

*Beep!*

– You harbored malicious intent!

– [Spirit of the Hero] has rejected you!

– The effects of [Hero’s Strength] have been canceled!

I couldn’t help but laugh at the absurdity of the situation. I had only been joking about my thoughts.

Looking down at the sword on the ground, I chuckled to myself. For some reason, I felt like a piece of Lei Fei’s spirit might still be lingering in the weapon.

Wait… in that case?

“Are you listening?”

After a brief silence, the voice of the Skeleton Warlord, who I had stored in my inventory, finally responded.

– …Yes?

“It’s just… I wanted to ask you something.”

– If it’s about the Ego Sword, I can already tell you that the answer is no. There is only a faint trace of a soul left in that sword. The person you’re thinking of has already perished.

Even though the Skeleton Warlord usually seemed scatterbrained, he was still a named monster and the commander of an undead army. He had absorbed part of the magic that dispersed when Lei Fei perished, so there was a good chance he was telling the truth.

But still…

“Is something wrong with you?”

– Hmm?

“You’ve been acting down for a while now.”

As I spoke, I couldn’t help but wonder if this made any sense. Asking an undead monster why it seemed gloomy? Undead were supposed to be naturally gloomy creatures, weren’t they?

‘Maybe it’s just because he’s not normally like this.’

But then, the Skeleton Warlord suddenly spoke up.

– I’ve been thinking… what kind of being was I in the past?

– I have no memories of who I was before. Though that human, Lei Fei, has perished, I found myself envying him. At least he knew who he was.

I hadn’t expected him to be so introspective.

After a brief moment of consideration, I spoke in a warm tone.

“Would you like me to end you?”

“Why not? You said you were envious.”

– N-no! That’s not what I meant…

The Skeleton Warlord’s panicked voice was cut off by the sound of a knock at the door, followed by a respectful voice from the other side.

“Hunter Jin, Minister Wei Fenghu is requesting your presence.”

It seemed it was time.

“Yes, I’ll be right there.”

I gave one last glance at the two still slumbering figures before standing up. Then I murmured the words I hadn’t yet had the chance to say.

“Well, I think you were probably a decent person.”

– …Huh? Was that directed at me?

“No. I was just talking to myself.”

– Ah, I see…

But the faint lift in the Skeleton Warlord’s tone after that wasn’t my imagination. Smiling to myself, I stepped out of the room.