“Are you not waking up?”
The fainted Hunters were completely unaware and fast asleep.
No matter how much they were shaken, they wouldn’t budge, truly making me feel anxious.
Still, with Escalon gone, we had a little time to catch our breath and recover.
“What should we do now?”
The last four people had to make a choice.
“How about we just retreat?”
To Kang Yeon-su’s question, Hyeon Il-hwan simply answered without a moment’s hesitation.
“We can’t just leave those guys behind. Who knows what nonsense they’ll come up with to turn the tide against us after we catch Escalon.”
Even if it was a matter of life or death, it didn’t sit well to leave the banquet all laid out without taking a single bite.
“Indeed… just leaving would bring about a lot of trouble. Using our contribution as an excuse could actually legitimize their ambitions towards North Korea.”
“That’s exactly what I’m worried about.”
Although Hyeon Il-hwan didn’t usually get involved in the real world, he wasn’t completely ignorant of international politics.
With our country having the overwhelming contribution in this hunt, if it ended with China taking the glory, it would be a grave loss both personally and nationally.
“Let’s recover a bit more before rejoining. Even if the monster is dead, confirming the last moments will increase our bargaining power.”
“Sounds good. The Chinese guys won’t be easy to take down anyway. They won’t be able to do anything to us.”
At that moment, defeat had completely vanished from their minds.
For several hours, they had been steadily knocking down Escalon’s health, and the growth obtained from that ‘pervert’ had flown away with the Transcendent’s [Reflux], further complicated by being poisoned with extreme poison.
The poisonous ‘Jidok’ was well-known in Korea as a terribly potent poison. No matter how strong this First Escalon was, it wouldn’t be able to endure it.
What could they even do when left alone?
Right now, it wasn’t Escalon they needed to worry about – it was the other scattered Escalon that was concerning.
Meanwhile, while Korea’s Hunters were taking a breather, the Chinese Hunters, waiting for the opportunity, launched an attack without hesitation, engaging in fierce combat with the First Escalon.
Boom boom boom─ Bang!
“Arghhh!! These filthy humans dare to use poison! I will tear you apart!!”
“Haha! Being called that by a monster is quite the refreshing experience!!”
The head of the Chinese hunt team, Rayting Ma, who had taken over after their leader’s death.
He was a poison mage classified as a Grade 2 in China’s grading system (equivalent to a mid-tier S-rank Hunter in Korea) and was the one who had poisoned Escalon, driving it into a corner.
Escalon’s body was increasingly stained with purple as the poison accumulated, and whether the poison was effective or not, its movements were rapidly slowing down.
The thick shell that once resembled a tank’s armor began to shatter, leaving numerous holes through which the foul poison gas began to rise.
Escalon staggered and coughed up blood, yet it was still managing to hold its own against over a hundred Hunters using hundreds of tendrils.
“It’s truly annoying. Where did such a toxic breed come from?”
With a crack─!
“Ugh──!”
Despite everything, the losses on the Chinese side were mounting slowly.
Of course, the Hunters who were getting hit were all low-ranked, but their tenacious will and vitality were admirable enough to earn a pat on the back.
“Haha, amazing. Truly amazing. These so-called Korean hunting dogs can indeed be pinned down by pure strength! Hmm! I acknowledge it!”
“Grhh…!!”
To a third party, it would seem that the Hunters were the collective of evil, and the one vigorously fighting back was Escalon, as the numbers simply didn’t add up.
“It’s about time to fall; you really are a persistent one!!”
Creeeak- Crack-
Escalon had withstood for nearly twenty minutes.
But its recovery wasn’t limitless.
The Chinese Hunters were experienced, and with their superior numbers, their attacks began to peel away Escalon’s thick hide.
Exposing its white inner flesh, even that was quickly turning purple.
“Bwahahaha! Is it really this easy!! That guy who died against this monster, ‘Hyeon Bing-ho,’ was a man ill-suited for the position of leader! Isn’t that right?”
“Is there any doubt? A person suited for this position has taken over, so everything is going well!”
Hyeon Bing-ho, who had been ambushed and killed by the second and third Escalon.
As those who followed him started to revere Rayting Ma, he felt that finally, things were going according to plan.
If they could finish off this filthy monster, kidnap all the Hunters from Korea, and drag them back to their homeland, it would all fall perfectly into place.
Then they could buy time and expand their influence in North Korea, ultimately swallowing the entire land.
Although he had gained some fame as a poison mage back home, he had always remained overshadowed by the strongest.
But now he had reached the level where he could plan on becoming the governor of this territory and ultimately build an independent nation.
At that moment, while he was indulging in his own golden dreams, a faint change began to ripple through the air.
Pitter patter-
“Ah, hot!! Wh-What is this?”
“Hmm…?! What is it?”
Suddenly, rain began to fall from the sky.
What started as a drop or two soon poured down heavily enough to obscure their vision.
Strangely, as the rain touched their bodies, it felt slightly hot and stingy, alerting them that something wasn’t right.
Steam began rising from the head of A-grade Hunter ‘Baek Ro-gi,’ who was hustling around like a puppy next to him.
Whooshhhhh──
The heavy rain, reinforced by a strong wind, began pouring down in all directions.
‘Baek Ro-gi’s’ head started to crumble under the accumulation of purple raindrops, and soon he was writhing on the ground like a worm.
It happened in an instant.
What they thought was regular rain suddenly changed its properties to become a powerful poison.
“Ahhh!! Runaway!!”
“It’s poison rain!! Captain! Quickly!!”
In that fleeting moment, Rayting Ma, stunned, turned his head.
Where his gaze landed was on Escalon, who was kneeling on the ground, stabbing its own chest with its hand in a desperate act of self-harm.
A huge fountain of purple blood broke from a giant wooden body, soaring into the sky to form clouds, and unleashed a torrential downpour of poison beneath the clouds.
“What? Ha-ha- What, what is that…?! This can’t be happening. Is this real?”
Rayting Ma couldn’t believe his eyes—Escalon succeeded in skill-casting the poison it absorbed, the very essence it had been facing for just over twenty minutes? It wasn’t some transcendent talent like ‘Liu Xiao-Wo,’ but a mere subordinate monster of the main body?!
“Get back—! Retreat!!”
“Th-That… it’s the black cord-covered barrier…”
“What the heck?!”
Before he realized, a huge black barrier had engulfed the area within a 50-meter radius.
That crazy monster called Escalon hadn’t just been taking hits for twenty minutes.
“Huuh— Hehehehe… I can’t die until I avenge my mother… even if I must die today… for the fifth…”
Escalon, who had collapsed on the ground, struggled to get back up, signaling for a second round, and only then did Rayting Ma realize something was going horribly wrong.
* * *
As Escalon disappeared from the Chinese Hunters, thirty minutes passed while the four Hunters rested and treated their injuries.
It was about time to start moving again.
“All done!”
Just in time, Gu Sang-min’s healing was completed.
With his healing skills that could even revive the dying, two new arms and legs were restored.
“Wooow…”
Kang Yeon-su and Hyeon Il-hwan gave approving nods and thumbs up to Gu Sang-min.
“Ahem—”
Although it was the recipient’s usual expression of gratitude after receiving healing, when it came to Hyeon Il-hwan and Kang Yeon-su, Gu Sang-min couldn’t help but scratch his head.
Kang Yeon-su and Hyeon Il-hwan marveled at Gu Sang-min as they tested their newly minted bodies.
“Oh! This seems better than my original arms? Even the skin is so white. Like baby skin!”
“I really like my new legs. Huh?! A new achievement?!”
“Eh? Why isn’t any achievement popping up for me?”
“You must have already unlocked it. I rarely get hurt, so this is my first new achievement. Hehe…”
“Ahh- the system is discriminating against me again!!”
“Yeon-su, you basically never listen to what I say.”
Seeing the two being nonchalant despite having lost limbs made Gu Sang-min shake his head again.
“Healer! Shall we head back? I’ll guide you!!”
Unlike the two who had regained their composure, Jo Won-jae was still anxious.
Of course, he was waiting to protect the two who were getting treatment, but Jo Won-jae was eager to bring back the fainted Hunters as soon as possible.
Thinking about the many Escalon that were still alive,
It was essential to take these guys along to safely escape with over thirty people.
Yet they insisted on seeing the end of Escalon. Jo Won-jae had no choice but to wait.
“Looking over there, it seems quiet now, so I guess they’ve finished off Escalon?”
“Yeah, it does. I hope there weren’t too many sacrifices.”
“Quite a few must have died. If it ended up like this for us, there’s probably at least ten casualties.”
“Is that so?”
“That’s cutting it short. Anyway, let’s join up quickly. There might be some bound items in the loot.”
Regardless of whether Escalon was dead or not, Gu Sang-min didn’t care and took Jo Won-jae’s hand to stand up.
“Finally, we can get some rest-”
Just then.
Swiiiiiiiiiiing───
Dozens of round objects flew in from a distance and fell right where Jo Won-jae was standing.
Thud- Plop-!!
Roll, roll-
“Eeeeeek!! Wh-What is that?”
Jo Won-jae, hurriedly stepping back, gasped at what had just fallen close by.
The round objects on the ground were oozing translucent grayish-white brains mixed with blood.
His eyes widened in disbelief as he stared at the now-dead eyes of a human, filled with concentrated emotions, sending shivers down his spine.
Chills──
It was an unimaginable scene where the Chinese Hunters, whom they had predicted would easily win, had their heads ripped off, becoming cannon fodder.
“Wh-This shouldn’t be happening…”
A gigantic shadow soon loomed over the four Hunters.
“Get down—!!”
“Ahhhhhhh!!”
Boommmmm──!!
“Uwoooohhh──!!”
With just a slap, Escalon turned an area of thirty meters into a wasteland, repeatedly roaring.
Its withered claws were wrapped around several Hunters clad in golden cloaks, the trademark of Chinese Hunters.
The four widened their eyes and narrowed them as they confirmed the golden capes.
This meant that they had been defeated by a single Escalon within less than thirty minutes, and that the four recovering now had to jump back into battle.
Wooshhhhh───!
As though it found the healer the most annoying, Escalon charged straight at Gu Sang-min.
“Damn it!! It’s a universal rule not to kill doctors and reporters on the battlefield!!”
“Crworrraaaahhh──!!”
“Uaaahhh— Save me!!”
Just thirty minutes ago, the entire atmosphere had flipped 180 degrees.
Escalon emerged as a demon that had survived hell itself.
It suddenly veered toward Jo Won-jae, who had been yammering nonstop.
Just then, Hyeon Il-hwan’s foot technique sliced through its arm.
Swishh──!
“Arghhh!!”
Chop-
Escalon’s wrist was neatly severed.
But from the cut, a viscous liquid gushed out as a new hand began to sprout.
If they wanted that damn thing to stop regenerating, the best course was to burn it with fire attacks, but all the sorcerers capable of that had retired by now, which was incredibly disappointing.
Unless they shred it with [Heavenly Slash] into thousands of pieces, there was no way to deal with it with swordsmanship alone.
“I’ll handle the other Hunters.”
“Don’t worry; just kill that bastard!”
Wooshhh──!
“──?!”
Even after Jo Won-jae quickly dodged, Escalon’s attacks persisted.
“Grruhhh!”
Despite being a colossal monster, its physical abilities surpassed the common sense to a remarkable degree, making even an ordinary attack feel threatening enough to send chills down one’s spine.
Still, Hyeon Il-hwan believed they could overcome Escalon.
If it hadn’t been for the interference from the 5th Escalon earlier, he was sure they could have turned that monster into minced meat. He believed another chance would come.
“The back is taken care of…”
Fortunately, thanks to Jo Won-jae’s efforts, the other Hunters were moved to safety. With Jo Won-jae’s skill in play, moving them all shouldn’t be a problem.
Now they just had to summon all their strength to finish off this monster.
It was supposed to be a simple hunt to take down just one enemy.
However.
Pipip-
Swishl-
The countless tendrils shooting out from Escalon made it hard for Kang Yeon-su and Hyeon Il-hwan even to approach, let alone evade; their stamina quickly dwindled.
“What happened to the poison it was under! Why is it so fine now?!”
Of course, it wasn’t fine.
Escalon was desperately exerting itself to push them back.
But the current situation and mindset of Escalon were fanning the flames of its strength.
Thwup-!
Suddenly, Escalon spewed thick purple droplets in all directions.
Mahh─
“This… what is this?”
Strangely enough, Escalon not only broke free from the poisoned state but somehow learned a poison skill and returned?
It was infuriating enough that it had become troublesome on top of its naturally complex nature, not to mention acquiring long-range attacks.
Hyeon Il-hwan was steadfastly cutting down the tendrils while managing to struggle against Escalon, with Kang Yeon-su occasionally landing effective strikes but to no avail.
Even if they looked for an opening to hit, bringing that enormous health down to its knees proved far too difficult.
Especially since Yeon-su couldn’t properly exhibit [Divine Transformation], it became significantly harder.
After a fierce exchange continued for over ten minutes.
“Hehehe…!”
Escalon now began to drool blood-covered spittle while wearing a sinister grin.
It was clear it had become convinced of its victory.
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