Chapter 397
Chief Choi, or rather Choi Min-woo, thought to himself.
‘What should I do?’ Contrary to his heart, which was pounding rapidly, his mind remained eerily calm.
It had only been 30 minutes since the battle started. The hastily built defense line collapsed as soon as the fighting began, and the top-tier monsters that broke through it rampaged unopposed, tearing everything apart.
Just like now.
*Krrrch!*
A sharp fang sank into a human’s neck and tore it savagely.
A lycanthrope let out a roar as it tossed aside the dead Hunter whose last breath escaped with a hissing sound.
– Awooooo!
And that became the lycanthrope’s final howl.
*Shwick! Thud!*
The ash-colored fur was dyed with blood, and its body wavered. Choi Min-woo , who decapitated the creature with a flawless strike, bent his waist without pause.
*Whoosh! Thud!*
Barely a hair’s breadth.
The ominous axe, brimming with dark energy, narrowly missed Choi and smashed the heads of two nearby orcs.
The headless knight, a Dullahan, showed no hesitation despite killing its kin and continued its relentless assault on the human before it.
*Swiisshhh! Thud!*
“Guh!”
The massive halberd swung wildly, tearing apart both humans and monsters who were caught in its path.
A Dullahan is an A-rank monster that typically requires at least three Hunters of the same rank to handle safely.
However, Choi Min-woo nimbly dodged the attack and extended his sword without hesitation.
‘Now!’
A short breath. And then, a strike like a flash of lightning.
*Pwoomph!*
His sword, imbued with three layers of magic and crafted by a master, pierced through the Dullahan’s shoulder.
Though the creature no longer felt pain, having already died once, its body was still human.
The severed muscles and tendons in its right arm rendered the halberd useless, and it fell to the ground. Choi did not miss the opportunity.
*Slashhh!*
A white aura split the Dullahan’s waist in two. Perhaps it hadn’t been dead for long, as its body decayed, and foul-smelling blood splattered all over Choi’s face.
Despite the overwhelming stench, Choi did not so much as flinch.
At this moment, Choi Min-woo was a perfect balance of battlefield tension, cold rationality, and faint excitement.
‘That’s ten.’
That was the number of A-rank monsters Choi had taken down on his own today. If you include the lower-ranked monsters, the total would easily exceed fifty.
‘Was I always this strong?’
If he answered himself honestly, the answer would be no.
Perhaps due to the influence of the Arch Lich, the monsters they encountered in China were slightly stronger and far more ferocious.
Still, the reason Choi had performed so well in such a chaotic battle was due to two strokes of luck.
The first.
‘Jin Family’s Heart Method.’
The mana cultivation technique that Jin Tae-kyung personally taught him.
Although Choi had been skeptical of Tae-kyung’s claim that it was a family heirloom passed down through generations, he had no doubt about its effectiveness.
The Jin Family’s Heart Method helped him stabilize his energy while greatly improving the distribution of power. The vast mana he gained during the training also granted him stamina that seemed inexhaustible.
And the second stroke of luck was…
– Gwooooarrr!
*Boom!*
An ogre swung an iron beam with overwhelming force, smashing the concrete road.
Using the ogre’s thick arm as a springboard, Choi launched himself into the air and drove his sword down with all his might.
*Thunk!*
The aura-infused blade sliced through the ogre’s skull as easily as tofu.
*Kuuung!*
With a heavy thud, the 4-meter-tall giant dropped to its knees. Standing on the shoulder of the dead creature, Choi quickly scanned the surroundings.
He wasn’t there.
Chaos, filled with screams and death, spilled out across the battlefield.
Yet, the monster that had shown unbelievable power at the start of the battle—the commander of the monster army and leader of the Death Knights—was nowhere to be seen.
‘Where the hell did he go?’
Choi vividly remembered the sight of the Black Knight, who had wiped out dozens of Hunters with a single blow.
If that monster had fully committed to the battle, the humans wouldn’t have lasted even thirty minutes before being wiped out.
However, for some reason, the Black Knight had not shown himself since.
Was it the arrogance of a monster that deemed this battle unworthy of his involvement?
Choi couldn’t understand, but it was this inexplicable situation that had provided him with his second stroke of luck—his final chance to make a decision.
‘We need to retreat.’
The urban battle had already lost its meaning. The monster army, numbering tens of thousands, had completely overrun the city like a swarm of ants. Among them were more than a hundred A-rank monsters.
It was a fight they couldn’t win, either in numbers or strength.
Half of the thousand Public Security Forces Hunters who had been holding the front lines were either dead or injured, and the damn People’s Liberation Army had abandoned their weapons and fled even before the monsters arrived.
What remained of the armored division was nothing more than scrap metal, and the air force had become easy prey for flying monsters.
*Tudududu, Kwang!*
A cutting-edge combat helicopter lost control and crashed, exploding into flames. The soldiers caught in the explosion’s debris died instantly, without so much as a scream.
It was a horrific scene, but in a way, those soldiers were fortunate to have died without suffering.
Because the monsters that followed were tearing everyone else apart.
– Kraaaargh!
*Wham! Crack!*
A Shabel Tiger’s front paw, powered by several tons of force, shattered limbs and crushed skulls.
The soldiers of the People’s Liberation Army were not as fast as the Hunters, and their rifles were little more than slingshots against the monsters.
Clenching his teeth, Choi watched the merciless slaughter unfold before his eyes.
‘Get a grip. You can’t save them all.’
He didn’t try to justify it with the idea of sacrificing the few for the greater good. He was simply coldly acknowledging the reality of the situation. He was ready to play the role of the villain on this stage.
‘If only he had come, maybe we could’ve stopped them.’
He briefly thought of Jin Tae-kyung, but it was nothing more than a futile wish.
Even after relentlessly urging the communication officer to send out emergency signals, there had been no response.
With the enemy’s meticulously planned ambush and thorough communication jamming, all they could do now was hope that one of the countless messages in a bottle they’d cast into the sea would reach him.
*Thunk!*
Choi thrust his sword into the chest of the charging minotaur and shouted.
“Xiao Shen!”
His mana-infused voice cut through the noise of screams and explosions, reaching the ears of a single person.
Covered in wounds and blood, Xiao Shen was desperately fending off an endless wave of monsters when he let out a battle cry.
“Yes, sir!”
“Withdraw the Public Security Forces immediately. We need to retreat now!”
“What? But if we retreat now…”
Choi already knew what the young Hunter was about to say.
The most casualties occur during a retreat, especially in a pursuit.
And if the Hunters, who were currently holding the last line of defense, were to fall back, the People’s Liberation Army would be completely at the mercy of the monster army.
“If we get surrounded, it’s over. Do you understand? We need to lead the surviving Hunters and rear units out of the city while we still can!”
“…Captain Choi.”
“I know what you’re thinking. But this is the only option we have left.”
“…!”
Xiao Shen clenched his eyes shut.
He wasn’t unaware of the situation. In fact, he knew it better than anyone.
From the very start, the battle had rapidly turned against them, and the humans had been pushed back to the hospital they had designated as their temporary command center. If the monsters completed their encirclement…
‘Total annihilation.’ His thoughts were long, but his decision was swift.
Xiao Shen opened his eyes, blocked an incoming attack, and shouted with all his strength.
“Retreat! All members of the Public Security Forces, retreat immediately! The north gate is clear!”
—
In wartime, the orders of a commander like Xiao Shen were absolute.
Especially in the absence of high-ranking military officials like General Liao, who hadn’t shown his face anywhere.
Good.
If they were soldiers, perhaps survival was slim, but as Hunters, their chances of survival increased dramatically. If Xiao Shen made the right call, many of them could break through the encirclement and survive.
‘Yes, this will work.’
Choi Min-woo felt a weight lifting off his shoulders as he swung his sword.
But instead of heading toward the north, where the monsters had yet to block, he headed toward the People’s Liberation Army, which was being slaughtered by the monsters.
‘It feels like I’m walking into a death trap.’
He couldn’t understand why he had made this decision.
Still… for a man heading to his death, it wasn’t a bad feeling.
Perhaps it was the gathering storm clouds or the cool wind at his back. And he wouldn’t die alone; he had comrades who would die with him.
Choi Min-woo suddenly opened his mouth.
“Why didn’t you retreat?”
Xiao Shen, who should have been heading toward the north gate, smiled faintly.
“What about you, Captain Choi?”
“…I asked first.”
“Then I should answer first. Public Security Forces!”
At his command, the 300 Hunters following him let out a resounding cry.
“To eliminate the monsters and protect the people from all threats!”
“This is why we don’t retreat. I, Xiao Shen, commander of the 1st Battalion of the Sichuan Public Security Forces, along with my 325 men, came here to protect the people!”
Xiao Shen’s voice dropped, becoming more somber.
“Now, it’s your turn to answer, Captain Choi.”
As the thousands of monsters drew closer, Choi Min-woo stared at them in silence before muttering.
“Damn it. That’s a lot.”
“…!”
“I bet he would have said something like that. And then, he’d fight more fiercely than anyone and eventually win.”
That’s right. He had always been like that.
No matter the situation, he never retreated, and he never gave up. Choi, who had watched him longer and closer than anyone else, knew that.
That man, Jin Tae-kyung, was the hero of a new era, and Choi knew he could never work miracles like him. However…
“It would be too embarrassing.”
“What?”
“Jin Tae-kyung is technically my subordinate. And at times like this, the superior should set an example, right?”
Choi Min-woo laughed out loud, so much so that it made Xiao Shen look at him in confusion.
His heart felt as light as a dandelion seed, and for the first time, a strange energy surged through his body as he charged toward the enemies.
‘Jin Tae-kyung, let’s meet again later.’ (TL note: Noooooooooo! Don’t say that, that’s a death flag!!!)
If I survive today, I’ll meet you sooner rather than later. If I die, then perhaps a bit later.
That’s how we’ll meet.
His sword, more radiant and vibrant than ever, surged with aura as he aimed it at the enemies.
—
The deafening roars of 300 warriors, filled with determination, followed behind him like arrows.
*Waaahhhhhhh!*
The two Death Knights, leading thousands of monsters and massacring the People’s Liberation Army, looked down at the pitiful human force from atop their skeletal horses.
– Aksar. Garosh.
Soon, the black wave swallowed the white boulder whole.
Though the outcome had been predetermined, this was one of the most fierce battles from start to finish. At the end, there was a sword that never lost its brilliance.
—
The two Death Knights knelt on one knee before the Black Knight, who was observing them.
“We achieved victory in the battle.”
“Today’s glory belongs to you, my Lord.”
Their voices were monotone, stuttering as they spoke. Despite delivering the news of their victory, the Black Knight merely nodded without any emotion.
As expected, the humans had failed to stop his overwhelming army and were utterly crushed.
But if you asked whether everything had gone according to the Black Knight’s plan, the answer would be no.
‘Those humans.’
After breaking through the city and forcing the humans to retreat, the Black Knight had changed his direction at will.
And for some reason, at a familiar location from the previous day, he had discovered something small.
‘Human? No. It’s not a human… It’s a shoe.’
Memories and words came to him, one after another.
As the Black Knight thought, it was indeed a child’s shoe. It had been left behind amidst the chaos, as if abandoned, a small, mud-covered shoe.
For some reason, staring at that tiny, dirt-streaked shoe made his chest ache with a strange, familiar sensation.
‘What? My chest… aches?’
What a bizarre expression.
The Black Knight had never felt pain. His master had created him and bestowed upon him a powerful blessing. Naturally, he did not tire, nor did he feel pain.
More than anything, now was not the time to be distracted by such trivial matters.
“My Lord, is something the matter?”
The Death Knights knelt before him, their heads bowed low.
The Black Knight, for reasons unknown, tucked the shoe into a gap between his armor and quickly changed the subject.
“No. But it seems quite a few humans escaped alive.”
“We apologize.”
“It was our mistake.”
“There must be a reason.”
The Death Knights lowered their heads even further.
“The humans’ resistance was stronger than expected.”
“However…”
“There was some profit.”
At those words, the monsters gathered around parted to reveal a clear path.
A troll cautiously approached, carrying something on its shoulders. It gently set it down in front of the Black Knight before retreating.
The Black Knight’s glowing eyes flickered as he gazed at the “profit.”
“They are humans.”
“Yes.”
The two loyal servants responded in unison and continued.
“You may personally harvest their souls.”
“Make them your servants.”
“If you do, my Lord, you will grow even stronger.”
They were right. These two humans possessed rich and desirable souls.
If he harvested them himself, they would become exceptional warriors, perhaps even worthy of commanding a legion.
However…
‘Why?’
The Black Knight found himself hesitating.
This was something he should naturally do. Acquiring powerful subordinates would strengthen his army, which in turn would serve as a testament to his loyalty and devotion to the Death King he served.
So why was he hesitating?
‘What is making me hesitate?’
Normally, he would have dismissed his unease and withdrawn. But lately, the Black Knight had been feeling this kind of confusion all too often.
Perhaps the hand he extended was an act of rebellion against himself.
“I will accept your suggestion.”
Just as the Black Knight reached out to harvest the two humans’ souls…
“I’ve been thinking.”
A voice echoed from the air, causing the Black Knight to look up.
On the half-destroyed rooftop of the hospital, someone stood with the sunlight filtering through the storm clouds at his back.
“Ten percent… it’s a surprisingly high chance. Hmm. It’s definitely better than my odds of getting a girlfriend.”
The Black Knight’s glowing eyes narrowed. He recognized the energy he had felt from afar the previous day.
Finally, he was face to face with the owner of that immense heat.
– Who?
“Me?”
—
In the blink of an eye, a young human descended from an incredible height, landing softly like a leaf. He pointed to himself with a smile.
“I’m the ridiculously lucky bastard.”
In that moment, the Black Knight saw it clearly.
The human’s finger, pointing right at him. And all emotions drained from the Black Knight’s face.
“You’re…”
The Black Knight’s voice, cold enough to send shivers down the spine of even the dead, continued.
“The most ridiculously unlucky bastard.”
