Chapter 101: Unavoidable Malice (3)
“Anyway, should we escape to the outskirts? Breaking news says there are more than one boss monsters out there.”
From his tone, he didn’t seem angry just yet.
“Um… I’m sorry, but I don’t think escaping will be possible.”
“What?”
“Can you see it too, Chang-ho?”
Thud thud.
I patted Kang Chang-ho’s back, then carefully pointed above my head.
“To put it simply, I’m pretty much a target right now.”
What followed was a rough explanation of the current situation.
“That boss will probably follow me until I die…”
And the roar of that monster confirmed my words.
SHAAAAR!
The Unavoidable Malice started to circle in the air, following us, and Kang Chang-ho caught it in the side mirror, chuckling softly.
“Huh.”
But then I wondered how he would react after realizing the situation.
Screeeech!
Suddenly, the motorcycle came to a stop.
Kang Chang-ho practically threw that bike aside and stepped onto the road.
“What, what are you doing?”
I asked, surprised by his sudden actions, but all I got back was a short answer.
“I have no choice.”
He said that, tossing aside his helmet.
And just as that helmet hit the ground, the noise that echoed through the street was…
KAAAAK!
BAM!
Kang Chang-ho stomped on a wall and vaulted into the air, brutally smashing the Imugi that was floating.
Right. This S-Class Hunter decided to confront the Unavoidable Malice after all.
Oh my God!
“That’s solid!”
By the way, how can a single punch have such power?
That monster, which didn’t budge even when attacked by a group of hunters, finally took damage.
Kang Chang-ho’s fist left a dent in its forehead.
SHAAAAACK!
Ironically, Kang Chang-ho was the perfect Awakened for this urban defense.
Being a physical enhancement sorcerer, he wouldn’t cause any collateral damage like other S-Class hunters.
Moreover, the magic that enhances his body was simple yet powerful.
With just one skill, he severely reduced the impact he would take…!
“Huh!”
THUD!
As the Imugi slammed its body against the ground, the surrounding road cracked from the force.
But Kang Chang-ho didn’t even budge from that impact.
Instead, he was dancing around, pressing the monster hard.
Next, Kang Chang-ho fixed one foot to the ground and mercilessly kicked that thing right in the jaw.
BAM!
The black monster was sent skating all the way to the other end of the road.
Attack.
Defense.
A truly terrifying combat prowess that lacked nothing.
“Uhh?”
I covered my mouth in shock, witnessing the terrifying abilities of that S-Class Hunter.
“Chang-ho!”
You’re really pulling your weight!
At first, I had been skeptical about that deal he mentioned when the Dungeon Break occurred…
But now it seemed Kang Chang-ho wasn’t just going through the motions to activate his Enhancement Heart; he was genuinely doing his best to protect me.
He couldn’t break the contract due to the self-destruct threat.
“Let’s go!”
I cheered him on, instantly changing my stance as if I had never doubted him.
“Swoooooosh…”
But I couldn’t just sit back and watch. After all, I was a key player in this incident as well.
What if I try to dispel the marking?
While Kang Chang-ho continued fighting, I decided to analyze the marking above my head.
By the time I completed the interpretation of that magic, their battle had already entered a lull.
“Shoooooooo…”
From what I could see, it seemed Chang-ho had the upper hand in this fight.
The battered Imugi couldn’t even stabilize its body as its bones were broken all over.
“Huh?”
But Kang Chang-ho raised an eyebrow, showing no signs of joy.
It was after that he looked back at me.
“Hey, Kim Gi-ryeo!”
“Yes?”
“You have analysis skills, right?”
Why was he suddenly looking for an appraiser in the middle of a fight?
“Yes, I do.”
“Then check the rank of this thing again. Is it really S-Class?”
I narrowed my eyes and observed the Imugi at his request, but I couldn’t find any major anomalies.
Its magic power was definitely beyond A-Class.
“That’s correct!”
But Kang Chang-ho’s response was still negative.
“Really? Then why is this S-Class monster so weak?”
Because there had to be a reason.
“S-Class doesn’t just mean it has massive magic power. There must be some exceptional characteristics that distinguish it…”
It seemed he had previous experience battling monsters of the same rank.
Maybe that’s why he kept muttering about something feeling off.
Wait a minute.
I glanced back at the fallen Imugi and suddenly realized something.
In a way, this could be a clue to the beginning of another disaster.
Now that I think about it, why is that thing’s magic fluctuating?
In that very moment.
From the wheezing body of the Imugi, black smoke suddenly began to rise.
We hastily distanced ourselves, fearing it might be some toxic gas, but it was a pointless move.
It was simply a symbol of the transformation of some monster.
“Shoooooo…”
Why had I forgotten about this until now?
The Unavoidable Malice originally derived from the boss monster known as the Imugi.
And that Imugi had a few patterns to watch out for during the raid…
Molting pattern.
Among them, the most notorious action was that molting.
Its body thickened, healed all previous wounds, and overall powers increased.
In simple terms, that black snake had a hidden stage!
“Hmm…”
Thus, the problem emerged.
Swish…
How strong would the new Unavoidable Malice, which emerged beyond that thick mist, actually be?
There was no need to answer that.
Kang Chang-ho had already confirmed it with one phrase.
“…Kim Gi-ryeo, get the motorcycle up right now.”
The S-Class Hunter made a quick decision to retreat.
However, considering the situation, an escape wouldn’t be easy. That monster was extremely fixated on its prey.
Damn it.
As expected, the molted Imugi stared at us with wide eyes, slowly creeping closer.
If it got any closer, another round with Kang Chang-ho would break out immediately.
BOOM!
But right after that.
The Imugi was knocked off balance as it was caught in a sudden explosion from the right.
“SHAAAAACK!”
Moreover, that unexpected attack wasn’t finished there.
The boss’s scales exploded with numerous skills from the Awakened.
BAM BAM BAM!
“My word, look at this thing. It got hit by all our guild members and still has pristine scales?”
A melodious voice.
Flowing long wavy hair.
In Korea, who else could be leading a bunch of high-ranking hunters like this?
“If its defense is that good, I might as well strip it for a jacket, huh?”
Soon, the owner of the Korean Magic Tower made her entrance.
S-Class Hunter Seo Esther had arrived with her guild members.
Finally, that Awakened had joined the hunt for the Unavoidable Malice.
She’s here!
What a joyous occasion!
I had initially thought she was the only capable one to stop this terror.
The remaining S-Classes were riddled with uncertainties after all.
Right. Compared to those guys, you’re practically an angel!
I gazed at Esther, filled with excitement, and just as she noticed me, she greeted me with a light wave.
“I kept my promise~”
Her sparkling eyes blinked brightly.
But that cheerful atmosphere didn’t last long as the Unavoidable Malice began to rampage again.
“KAAAAAAK!”
Without hesitation, Esther triggered her spell at the menacing boss.
And her curse acted as a signal, unleashing an onslaught of skills from the accompanying hunters against the snake’s body.
What unfolded was a fierce battlefield of flashing lights and magic.
Ooooh!
But then, out of nowhere, Kang Chang-ho quietly stepped into a corner, starting up the motorcycle.
“Wait, are you running away?”
Given that Esther had arrived, wouldn’t it be better for the two S-Class hunters to team up and take down the Imugi…?
“If you don’t want to get caught in an S-Class curse, it’s best to retreat now. Besides, you don’t have any resistance gear right now.”
It seemed teaming up between S-Classes wasn’t as easy as I thought, according to Kang Chang-ho’s words.
If that’s the case…
I decided to leave the battlefield behind and followed Kang Chang-ho to escape the scene.
As the distance increased, the Imugi’s hissing unpleasant sounds gradually faded away.
*
Wheeeeeeeng-.
[Disaster danger warning has been issued for all of Seoul.]
[Residents in the following areas are advised to evacuate according to the instructions of public officials.]
After we started fleeing for a few minutes.
I frowned slightly at the deafening siren sound.
Of course, that announcement was merely a safety measure for the citizens, so I had no real complaints…
“Tsk.”
But the real problem lay right here.
We had been stuck, unable to move forward, due to some obstructions since earlier.
“Should we get down?”
“Yeah.”
I got off the bike and looked up at the massive creature before us.
[Large Turtle]
[Rank: B]
[Description: Summons small turtles every 4 minutes upon recognizing an enemy.]
That colorfully patterned four-legged turtle.
I definitely remembered seeing a picture of it in the documents Seonwoo-yeon provided.
“Kang Chang-ho, you mentioned you saw the news on the way here?”
“That’s right.”
“Then how many monsters did they say were released?”
“Well, I didn’t check that far.”
The Nachalsawon had set useful monsters in the gate to nurture the Imugi.
But once they opened the gate to release the Imugi, those nurturing ingredients went wild as well.
In conclusion,
This city was facing troublesome boss monsters popping up all over, alongside the Unavoidable Malice.
Ugh…
How on earth could we escape easily?
With citizens evacuating, traffic congestion had already reached its peak, and this stubborn monster was blocking the road too.
“You wait here.”
At least I was in a relatively better situation than others.
After all, there was that strong S-Class support nearby.
“Kang Chang-ho is the best!”
I grabbed his assistance every time we encountered a monster.
And it wasn’t just in combat.
That S-Class already had a personal helicopter waiting on a rooftop nearby.
In other words, we already had a means to escape the city.
Eh, I might as well check the live news just in case.
Feeling relieved, I turned on my phone.
I had no sinister intentions—just wanted to see how things were unfolding for a second.
However, just a few seconds into the broadcast, a loud shout erupted from afar.
“Kim Gi-ryeo!”
Kang Chang-ho charged towards me.
A looming shadow.
And a dull impact felt on my shoulder.
“What?”
Thud!
Before I could process what had happened, I was pushed back and fell over.
But given this scene, I could roughly guess what transpired in that split second.
BOOM! RUMMMM…
Right after, a massive debris came crashing down right above Kang Chang-ho’s head!
“Huh!”
What a bolt from the blue.
A building fragment, which seemed to weigh several tons, collapsed right where I had been standing just moments ago.
That nearby building had been destroyed by a monster’s attack.
“Huh.”
But I was so engrossed in my phone that I didn’t notice the falling debris…
No, to be honest, even if I had been focused, I wouldn’t have been able to dodge this. It wasn’t even a magical attack.
I narrowly escaped with my life, thanks to Kang Chang-ho pushing me out of the hazardous zone.
“Phew.”
Well, I had to express my gratitude to my lifesaver.
“Ah, thank you!”
Thud thud.
I dusted myself off and walked toward the debris.
“Thanks to you, I lived.”
But then, wait a minute, why had the atmosphere suddenly turned so quiet?
I glanced around swiftly.
Then I saw a certain S-Class lying still, as if dead to the world, beneath the debris.
“…”
Upon realizing that, cold sweat began to trickle down my back.
Of course, an S-Class should ordinarily survive such a mishap, but still… no way. I mean, this is…
“Excuse me? Teacher Kang?”
I asked again, my voice trembling, but the response I got was silence.
Indeed, Kang Chang-ho had fainted from that accident.
Nooo! Chang-ho!
Damn it!
It seemed that guy must have taken that debris in a rather unfortunate spot…!
