Chapter 380
*Rumble!*
A massive roar filled the air, shaking the ground beneath.
Xiao Shen had his first realization.
*Whooosh!*
As he watched the burning aircraft with its two wings aflame, plummeting toward the ground, he understood something.
Fear transcends species.
– *Uwoooorrrr!*
Even the ferocious Ogres and Trolls were screaming in terror.
– *Gwooooarrr…!*
Even the slowest of the undead monsters, the Ghouls, were running as if their lives depended on it.
– *Screeeeech!*
「Wh-wh-what the…!」
Those monsters that could still scream were the lucky ones.
Xiao Shen and most others were frozen like statues, unable to tear their eyes away from the aircraft hurtling toward the battlefield.
‘I need to run…’
But his legs and arms wouldn’t move.
And for Xiao Shen and the Public Security Armed Forces Hunters, who were surrounded in the middle of the battlefield, there wasn’t even an opportunity to escape.
‘Is this the end?’
As the same thought flashed through everyone’s minds…
*Rumble!*
With an ear-shattering roar, the massive body of the aircraft plowed through the battlefield.
And that earth-shattering collision began at the rear of the monster horde, which was scattering like ants.
*Crunch! Smash!*
The massive, steel behemoth, weighing several tons, crushed and pulverized everything in its path.
Green monster blood spurted like fountains, and severed limbs flew in every direction.
‘W-what in the world…’
No matter how high a monster’s physical defense might be, there was a limit. Nothing could stop the aircraft, which had become a monster mixer.
– *Gwoooor…!*
– *Kiiieeeek!*
*Crunch!*
The monsters’ screams were drowned out by the gruesome sound of flesh being torn apart. It was a scene of chaos and destruction that Xiao Shen had never witnessed or even imagined before.
As he and the other Hunters watched in stunned silence, a voice, filled with madness, cut through the air and into their ears.
“Monsters! I’m gonna crush you! Kill you all!”
The fact that he could clearly hear his native language amidst all this chaos made the Hunters of the Public Security Armed Forces think of one word: reinforcements. But Xiao Shen was shocked.
‘An incredibly powerful fighter!’
The immense mana imbued in the voice could only belong to an S-rank Hunter.
“Get out of the way! Airplane incoming!”
An S-rank Hunter who’s also a bit crazy, for sure.
Did those islanders bring back the tactics they used during World War II? They didn’t even consider that their own allies might get killed in the process.
‘He must’ve been sent by the Central Military Commission… but do we really have an S-rank Hunter like that in our country?’
The thought crossed his mind, but it didn’t matter anymore.
The massive steel behemoth that had cut through half the battlefield was now hurtling toward him and the other Hunters.
– *Screeech!*
「Run for your lives!」
In their struggle to survive, there was no distinction between friend and foe.
Xiao Shen stabbed his dagger into the monster in front of him, forgetting for a moment that it was human.
*Squish!*
– *Grunt!*
The lifeless body of the monster collapsed onto Xiao Shen.
Surrounded on all sides by monsters, unable to move even a single step, Xiao Shen felt the weight of the body pressing down on him as he shouted.
「The battle isn’t over! Fight until the very end!」
That’s right. The battle wasn’t over yet. Hunters were meant to kill monsters until their dying breath.
Hearing Xiao Shen’s shout, the other Hunters gritted their teeth and swung their weapons.
‘This is it.’
With lightning speed, Xiao Shen buried his dagger into the back of a fleeing Ogre’s skull and took a deep breath.
The massive body of the aircraft loomed just twenty meters ahead.
It had slowed considerably since it first appeared, but in his current state, avoiding it seemed impossible.
‘I have no regrets.’
Dying in battle for the people as a proud Hunter of China was enough for him.
As Xiao Shen closed his eyes, listening to the screams that filled the air, he heard something.
“Alright, here we go.”
*Crunch! Smash!*
Covered in what he assumed was sticky monster blood, Xiao Shen thought to himself.
‘Did I just hear… “Alright, here we go”?’
Shouldn’t that be “Aaargh!”?
Startled by the oddly casual last words, Xiao Shen cautiously opened his eyes.
And finally, he saw it. The aircraft had come to a halt just a few steps away, and two men were casually chatting beside it.
“We’ve arrived. You should get everyone off quickly, in case it explodes.”
“…Mr. Jin Tae-Kyung. Everyone’s passed out.”
“Really? How weak.”
“…They would’ve died if not for the Barrier Magic.”
“Then you should move them. Oh, by the way, is that bastard who called us ‘bbangzi’ still alive?” [1]
“Uh, yeah, he’s alive.”
“Good. Keep an eye on him. I’ll give him hell when we get back.”
“…I’ll do my best.”
Xiao Shen couldn’t make sense of the situation.
Who, when, where, what, how, and why. Not even the five Ws and one H could explain this bizarre scene.
‘How did the aircraft stop all of a sudden? Who are these people? Weren’t they sent by the Central Military Commission?’
To make matters more confusing, the two men were speaking in different languages.
One of them, who looked like a well-groomed nobleman, was speaking a language Xiao Shen couldn’t understand, but he recognized it immediately.
It was the language of a neighboring country he was familiar with—Korea.
‘Wait a minute. If they’re from Korea…!’
Xiao Shen hastily wiped the sticky blood from his eyes, and finally, he recognized one of them.
A young man, taller than most, with a muscular build.
Someone he had only seen on TV before, his idol, was standing right in front of him.
「Are you perhaps the famous Mr. Jin from Korea?」
“Huh?”
Jin Tae-Kyung turned to look at Xiao Shen, tilting his head in confusion.
“I’m not a teacher.”
「Then… ssi-bal-jwa?」 [2]
“…Ssi-bal. What the hell.”
It’s him!
Xiao Shen’s entire body trembled with a mixture of relief and hope.
—
* * *
‘How the hell does a Chinese guy know about “Ssi-bal-jwa”?’
I knew there were some articles about me in foreign media, but I didn’t think the nickname “Ssi-bal-jwa” had spread that far.
Ssi-bal-jwa, famous across the five oceans and six continents.
If I go to the U.S., maybe some burly Yankee dudes will come up to me with beer bottles and say hi.
‘Hey, are you “Ssi-bal-jwa”?’
I’m fine, thank you. Damn, who came up with such a ridiculous nickname? Anyway…
“It’s a mess.”
I gave a brief assessment of the situation around me.
With the unconscious crew tied up like dried fish, Team Leader Choi and the Skeleton Warlord, who was stored in my inventory, responded.
“It’s a dreadful sight.”
– You vile human! This place pleases me. It’s a familiar and nostalgic feeling.
The named undead monster, who could be considered death incarnate, was delighted by the scene, so there was no need to elaborate.
“Thrown straight into the fray as soon as we arrive.”
As if in response to my grumble, the system notification rang out.
*Ding.*
– An emergency quest [Unexpected Assault] has been generated.
So that’s why they offered so much money. I clicked my tongue inwardly and spoke up.
“Team Leader Choi, start by protecting the civilians, and then fight however you see fit. Just don’t overdo it.”
“Yes, I was planning on doing just that.”
Team Leader Choi is a smart man. He’s become much stronger since learning the Jingga Heart Technique, but he’s not one to show off unnecessarily.
“And you, young man over there.”
「Y-yes, Mr. Jin?」
I’m not a teacher. I quickly looked the young man up and down.
He had a youthful face, but he was definitely a Hunter. Probably around A-rank. Unlike the other Hunters around him, who were wearing identical armor as if they were mass-produced in a factory, this guy had a red badge on his shoulder.
“You look like you’re in a position of authority. Take care of your subordinates. Let’s save as many as we can.”
「Y-yes?」
“It’s just getting started.”
As I finished speaking, I threw a punch.
*Boom!*
Columns of intense *Yeolyang* (Blazing Sun) energy shot out toward the monsters standing idly by.
After the searing heat subsided, all that remained were the corpses of dozens of monsters.
“What are you staring at? Did someone hit pause?”
My words seemed to signal the start.
The silence that had been pressing down on the battlefield shattered into pieces.
– *Gwoooarrr!*
「K-kill them! Stop the monsters!」
Humans and monsters. Monsters and humans.
The battle to the death resumed. I pulled out Baekyeom, which was deeply embedded in the ground, and swung it.
*Slash!*
It wasn’t a sea of water and fish, but rather a battlefield swarming with monsters.
The crescent-shaped force from my blade swept through the clustered monsters.
*Ding.*
– You have defeated [Lv.15 Undead Goblin]!
– You have defeated [Lv.78 Undead Lycanthrope]!
– You have defeated [Lv.93 Dullahan]!
– You have defeated [Lv.30 Skeleton]!
– There is a significant level gap. You have gained minimal experience points!
The system notifications of monster kills and experience points gained rang out continuously.
Normally, I would’ve ignored or tuned out these notifications.
But this time, they were a crucial hint.
“These guys… Could they be…”
The Skeleton Warlord, filled with glee, exclaimed.
– Oh yes, indeed! Vile human, what a powerful undead army!
His excitement confirmed my suspicion.
‘I knew something was off.’
I had already been puzzled by the lack of vitality I sensed from them.
There were still a significant number of living monsters, but almost half of the monsters here were undead. Combined, they made up a horde of nearly 2,000.
“And undead monsters…”
The Skeleton Warlord shouted joyfully.
– They are beautiful! Magnificent! And fearless!
*Slash!*
I cut down five more monsters and muttered to myself.
“You want to be extinguished as beautifully, magnificently, and fearlessly as that one?”
– …I spoke rashly. I apologize, vile human.
Realizing he had forgotten his situation, the Skeleton Warlord hastily added.
– Wait. Then they must be under someone’s control!
I had the same thought.
But there was still one thing I wasn’t sure about.
“Could it be the *Lich*? Is that bastard involved?”
– Hmm. If you’re talking about the *Lich* that appeared in that hologram video you showed me, then probably not.
As I listened to the Skeleton Warlord’s response, I took a half step forward.
*Thud!*
A massive iron club narrowly missed my shoulder and smashed into the ground. It was a normal Ogre, still very much alive.
– *Gwoooar!*
*I’ll grill you.*
*Boom!*
The *Ogre’s* chest exploded as it was struck by my *Flaming Palm*. Green blood sprayed from its seven orifices.
Passing by the collapsing giant, I angled Baekyeom downward.
*Shiiiing! Slash!*
Space seemed to tear apart, and the monsters caught within were sliced to pieces.
Leaving the Chinese Hunters, who stared at me, drenched in blood and fluids, I clenched my fist.
*Woooosh!*
The scorching heat gathered into my fist and shot forward.
*Boom!*
*Myeoryeom Sin-gwon (Flame-Extinguishing Divine Fist).*
A massive pillar of fire engulfed the monsters.
The acrid stench of burning flesh filled the air, and the survivors screamed in agony.
The power was so overwhelming that both monsters and Hunters alike momentarily forgot to fight.
The Skeleton Warlord stammered.
– V-vile human, you’ve become even more of a monster.
“Hearing that from a monster like you is oddly satisfying. But if it’s not the *Lich*, then who’s causing all this chaos?”
– I don’t know. But I can guarantee one thing.
“Guarantee? What’s that?”
– Their undead control is a level below mine! Haha! Army, how I’ve missed you!
Should I kill him or let him live?
As I pondered, a thought suddenly struck me, and I froze.
“Hey, what did you just say?”
– Haha! Did you finally recognize my greatness, vile human?
“Do you want to be extinguished or talk?”
– …I’ll talk. But what do you want to know?
“That undead control thing you mentioned.”
– Well, of course. I’m the Skeleton Warlord. Compared to them, I’m naturally… huh?
A brief silence.
He must have realized the same thing I did. Swallowing nervously, I spoke softly.
“Try it.”
“Do you want to be extinguished or give it a try?”
The Skeleton Warlord spoke up.
– Grow, skeletons, grow…
At that moment, the undead monsters who had been locked in fierce combat suddenly stopped moving.
‘It works.’
**TL Note : Finally, we are back in the real world!
