The vehicles crested the mountain path.

The terrain was so treacherous on the half-destroyed road that one couldn’t help but feel the vehicles might flip over at any moment.

Yet no one uttered a single complaint.

They knew full well that compared to the destination awaiting them, this excruciating mountain trail was practically paradise.

Chiiiik—!

Beyond the ridge, black smoke billowed endlessly into the sky. Below it, the earth was engulfed in black flames, incessantly spewing a filth reminiscent of a monster’s maw.

Beneath the ridge, everything but the black flames had been reduced to ash.

It was hell on earth. No one could possibly dismiss this land as belonging to reality.

S-Rank Champion, Three-legged Crow.

Its domain was, in itself, an otherworld most distant from reality.

All evil gods were like this.

Merely setting foot on the ground was enough to transform that place into the otherworld they once ruled.

The vehicles came to a halt.

They dispersed, beginning to circle the domain of black flames.

The assault team consisted of four.

Shin Jung-woo, Ha Kwon-seung, Park Tae-woon, and Jin Hae-seo.

The moment they touched the domain, the black flames lunged at the heroes.

Chwaak!

However, they could not harm them.

The transcendent system reinforced the caliber of their existence through the form of ranks.

Mana Shielding—a hunter’s fundamental supernatural ability that proved their existence even without exerting physical force in actual combat—was what allowed them to stand before the evil god.

What could the remaining personnel do?

Jung-woo issued an order.

[“Take your positions and stand by.”]

The hunters planted devices into the ground.

A hyper-scientific scope powered by magic stones peered beyond the black Flame Heat Zone.

What lay there was a humanoid magical beast, roughly three meters tall, draped entirely in jet-black feathers.

Of its four arms, the two in the back were elegantly adorned with long feathers stretching the entire length of the limbs, like ornaments.

Its belly was split vertically, bristling with countless teeth within.

The head resembled a falcon from ancient Egyptian murals.

With a single eye, a beak, and a neck twisted about 90 degrees, viewing it from the front presented the side profile of an ordinary bird, while viewing it from the side revealed only half of a falcon’s face—a bizarre, asymmetrical appearance.

Every time the black feathers scattered, black flames fluttered down like petals.

The flames that had covered half its body from the start flickered like living organs.

This was no mere majesty born of size.

It was an innate predator that revealed its own nobility through mere existence.

Black flames that should not exist, with an estimated temperature of 10,000 degrees.

Given that magnitude, it was only natural for the observers.

To perceive the S-Rank hunters advancing toward it as nothing less than an unfathomable, transcendent species.

Then, an anomaly occurred.

Jjijijijik—!

Noise began to interfere with the Three-legged Crow’s body.

It twisted its body this way and that as if trying to resist, but the noise steadily worsened, eventually swallowing it whole.

Before long, it began to mutate the Three-legged Crow’s body.

It grew plump. It became blunt. However, it transformed into a doll that, while meant for a child, had a somewhat bizarre aspect to it.

[“Filter equipped.”]

Jung-woo’s voice echoed.

In the moment following that near-miraculous transformation, the operation finally began.

Kiaaaaaak—!

A scream that seemed to tear the Three-legged Crow’s world apart with an awl served as the starting signal.

Kwang! The vanguard kicked off the ground and charged forward.

Jin Hae-seo and Park Tae-woon each generated their signature weapons, attempting to violate the Three-legged Crow’s flesh.

Tae-woon grasped the humidity. From the parched earth, he gathered only the water-elemental attributes, forming a long javelin to fire, before subsequently imposing an attribute onto his full plate armor, forging a shield and armor from ice-elemental attributes.

The exclusive weapon, Elementalist.

The value of the magical beast materials used in it alone was 380 billion won. That dull-looking medieval armor was, in fact, a weapon infused with the most modernized chemical refinement technology.

The moment he engaged the Three-legged Crow in a contest of strength, Jin Hae-seo appeared from behind.

Ten throwing knives resembling wedges materialized behind her back. They spun rapidly, searching for a target, before shooting through the air toward the Three-legged Crow’s back.

The aftermath of that attack scattered the black flames across the entire space in the form of shockwaves. As a result, the ground within a 100-meter radius heaved exactly ten times.

However, it was not enough to injure the Three-legged Crow.

Hae-seo knew it too. Following up while Tae-woon pinned it down, the second move gathered light into a single point, transforming into a long, golden spear.

Hae-seo grasped it. Every aspect of spearmanship was etched into her body and mind. Hovering in midair, she assumed her stance, preparing the most lethal strike.

Kkwak!

Bio-armor, Amazoness. Equipment with an estimated value of 170 billion won accepted the changes in Hae-seo’s somatic nervous system, amplifying her strength.

The spear shot forward—Kwang!—and embedded itself into the Three-legged Crow’s nape.

Kiaaaaaak—!

The Three-legged Crow screamed. But it was closer to rage than pain. It felt that mere prey daring to violate its flesh was a wound to its pride.

In other words, this single strike did not hold much meaning for it.

Kureureung—!

The black flames of the domain rose into the sky.

They bound themselves into the shape of black spheres in midair.

They pulsated with terrifying grandeur, inspiring dread.

Black suns.

This was the reason the evil god’s codename had become the Three-legged Crow.

Kwon-seung stepped forward and spread yin energy, enveloping the suns.

The Three-legged Crow spewed a shockwave, simultaneously pushing back Hae-seo and Tae-woon.

A pair of feathered rear arms cradled the suns as if holding them in its hands, and compressed them.

It happened immediately after.

Kwarrururururung—!

With a roar like the sky collapsing, a flare erupted.

In that instant, hundreds of shadows of the Shark plush doll leaped out, blocking the fragments of the sun with their bodies before vanishing.

Each one carried enough power to annihilate an S-Rank avatar.

Within that maelstrom, the S-Ranks on the field barely protected their bodies from the explosion, weathering the first flare.

However, they had merely endured it.

If they were an opponent that could be overcome by blocking just one.

An S-Rank Champion could never have become humanity’s despair in the first place.

Kureureung—!

Kureureung—!

Kureureung—!

Kureureung—!

It was the explosion of a single sun being split apart.

Such things rose into the sky, one, two, surpassing ten and reaching into the dozens.

A feeling close to awe washed over them.

This was why they had earned the moniker of ‘gods’ despite being horrific disasters.

[“■■■■■—!”]

The evil god spat out language.

It was a language humans could not comprehend.

However, judging by its aura, even trapped within the doll’s body, it was completely at ease.

It was reveling in the despair of the hunters watching from beyond the domain at this very moment.

But—

[“…Pattern analysis complete.”]

It was still too early to fall to their knees.

[“Data collection finished. I will now take over command of the subjugation.”]

Because the hero leading them had not yet met defeat.

S-Rank Champion. The despair of humanity.

However, throughout this long history of the species, they were not the only ones to be humanity’s despair.

Before becoming the masters of Earth, a once-insignificant species had faced countless disasters.

Through overcoming all of it, humans had never once been superior by innate nature.

It was no different now.

They were not strong.

Even the S-Ranks standing in the enemy lines were individuals who could not capture an evil god single-handedly.

However.

[“Impact.”]

Cheolkeok!

Nevertheless, they were hunters.

Hunting was the most primitive stratagem that had made humans, who dared not resist beasts of prey, the masters of this land.

The fundamentals were no different from the distant past when they had invaded mountains armed with bows, arrows, and spears.

Only one thing had changed.

The fact that what they held in their hands were weapons of a more highly advanced civilization.

[“Open fire.”]

From outside the domain, in all directions.

All the hunters who had been unable to dive into the field simultaneously fired freezing rounds at the Three-legged Crow.

Jjeojeojeojeojeojeong—!

Pale blue beams of light poured down like a rainstorm.

Jung-woo observed everything from the field.

The Three-legged Crow’s breathing, movements, cries, and the manifestation of its abilities.

Everything, down to the minute tremors undetectable through the cameras, was being converted into data by something akin to a sixth sense and slammed directly into his brain.

It was a profoundly unfamiliar yet familiar sensation.

Unfamiliar because the cognitive information augmented by his out-of-spec L-Class rank felt awkward.

Yet familiar because, even during his wretched days, he had been thoroughly accustomed to doing this.

He had been a mere C-Rank.

Despite his desperate struggles to climb higher, that was the limit Jung-woo could reach in his past life.

However, to become a father he wouldn’t be ashamed of, driven by the very feelings of shame he harbored above all else now, Jung-woo always strove to surpass his best and reach the one and only solution.

It was a relentless obsession, and the result of it was his analytical ability.

“Impact.”

Jung-woo had studied magical beasts.

Just as it was natural for a hunter to gauge the characteristics of their prey and set an appropriate trap, he had endeavored to understand all the behavioral patterns of the species known as magical beasts in order to comprehend them and bring them to their knees.

There might be millions of magical beast species.

However, as long as they were grouped under the category of ‘magical beasts,’ there could not be zero common behavioral traits.

It was the same principle as all life on Earth requiring atmosphere. Just as mammals die when their hearts stop, or how fish can only breathe by filtering oxygen from water.

Those beings from alien ecosystems were also inevitably bound by certain laws.

Jung-woo was more knowledgeable about this than anyone else.

As a result, he became a field commander.

With that qualification, Jung-woo had been able to join the operation during the Seoul Zero Gate incident.

“Open fire.”

Jjeojeojeojeojeojeong—!

The pale blue beams struck the Three-legged Crow.

Just as getting wet in the rain didn’t cause a wound, it did induce a slight sense of discomfort in the Three-legged Crow.

It dispersed its focus. It stripped the prey of its environmental advantage.

Flame Heat System, estimated temperature 10,000. It wielded flames as limbs and was unaffected by them.

In other words, in an environment where it could not smoothly generate flames, its movements became restricted.

Jung-woo continuously interpreted the data from the analytical lenses he wore like goggles.

He turned the speculation he had floated during the first clash into conviction.

‘Performance degradation due to increased distance from the gate. Confirming the occurrence of skill delays based on temperature.’

This was not a standard gate environment.

An open field, equally disadvantageous terrain; the enemy’s power was still horrific, but the allies had an increased number of tools at their disposal.

Jung-woo plunged into the hunt in earnest.

“Prepare for close-range explosion. Move left and fire on my signal. 3, 2, 1.”

Tukwang!

Hae-seo followed the orders as if possessed, dodging the Three-legged Crow’s explosion and driving her spear into its left shoulder.

Astonishment surfaced on her face. Her gaze shot toward Jung-woo, but he spoke without paying it any mind.

“Frontal charge. Angle your shield to about 75 degrees and block.”

Tae-woon raised his shield obliquely toward the charging Three-legged Crow.

Jjeoeoeoeong! With an upward swing, the black flames erupted. The flames soaring into the sky carried an impact that could never be absorbed head-on.

It was the moment Tae-woon’s jaw dropped.

“Fire all rounds.”

Jeojeojeojeong—!

Hit by the freezing rounds fired from outside the domain, the Three-legged Crow’s follow-up attack momentarily slowed.

It was a gap easily perceivable with S-Rank cognition, and the moment Tae-woon instinctively encased his entire body in ice.

“Defend against the suns. Numbers 1, 3, and 7. They’re going to explode.”

Kwon-seung’s Garden of Immortals formed a yin-yang harmony, enveloping the suns.

“Sea Otter, Shark. Support.”

Kwarrreung!

Shock Reflection Barrier. Magic derived from an A-Rank Champion’s magic stone deflected the sun fragments pouring down through the veil, causing them to collide with each other in midair and explode.

Even so, the Shark cleaned up the falling debris.

There was no time to be amazed by the extraordinary commands.

“Right turn, attack, evade in 2 seconds, shield advance in 1.5 seconds. Retreat.”

Kwagwagwagwang—!

It was akin to precognition.

The analytical command, armed with the wings of transcendent cognition, continued without pause.

It was reminiscent of a play.

All the troops were like puppets moving to the script of Jung-woo’s orders.

As it became clear that his commands led to the most rational conclusions, the gap until execution grew increasingly shorter, making them seem as one unified body.

The S-Ranks, in particular, were astonished.

‘How?’

They were born powerhouses. They never dug in this obsessively.

Strategy was merely a precaution; what they trusted was always their own judgment.

Thus, a battle that wielded the schemes of the weak with the power of the strong was bound to feel unfamiliar.

The longer the actions continued, the greater the shudder.

Their hearts pounded madly at a combat formation they had never challenged in their lives.

At one point, Tae-woon laughed out loud.

Hae-seo grew sharper.

Kwon-seung’s energy management became more acute.

Sang-geun was capturing all of it on camera.

More than anything, he had the starstruck gaze of someone facing a brilliant light.

That creature growing increasingly exhausted was an S-Rank Champion.

The otherworldly lord that had truly driven humanity to despair.

What further name was needed for those who turned that fact into a lie?

‘hunters.’

Yes, they were hunters.

As a name to attach to this record, no other embellishment was necessary.

Just as it had remained unchanged from the moment humanity faced the threat of the gates until now.

He could humbly guarantee that this fact alone would not change in the future.

The live stream chatroom connected to the camera was scrolling up so rapidly it was on the verge of glitching.

However, for that one moment, Sang-geun turned his eyes away from it.

He was watching from the best seat in the house.

He didn’t want to ruin the experience for anything right now.

The reclamation of the Erosion Zone, the subjugation of an S-Rank Champion.

Neither were topics to be taken lightly.

The battle unfolding through Sang-geun’s camera was being broadcast not only domestically, but all over the world.

This pub was no exception.

“The success or failure of a hunt is decided in the preparation stage. It’s the oldest lesson there is.”

A white man spoke.

Savoring a harsh cheap whiskey as if it were fine wine, he added a hint of amusement to his voice.

“It was perfect preparation. Or should I say, analysis.”

The battle was one-sided.

At some point, it took on an aspect that could only be described that way.

He praised the astonishing execution capabilities of the hunters participating in the battle from all directions.

It was a sight that seemed to reignite humanity’s lost aspirations.

But he saw something different.

“A sexy old school.”

Hunting Training.

The foundation of that subjugation was humanity’s first hunting manual.

The man was immensely delighted by that fact.

“It’s a hunting method that reinterprets the classics. Bella. Do you have any idea how incredible this is? The tide of the battlefield is being rewritten by that man’s judgment, which hasn’t lost its roots.”

The red-haired woman watched the TV with a sullen face, looking entirely uncomprehending.

However, she did not take the man’s words lightly.

It was only natural.

“Is it that special? More than you?”

The Savior of North America.

The man who had been called humanity’s last Born S-Rank before Jung-woo appeared.

Savior, Edmond Richmond, was exactly that.

At the question of whether he was more incredible than him, Edmond’s eyes curved into a smile.

It was languid, yet intense.

“Perhaps.”

Without giving the astonished Bella even a sliver of attention, he tilted his glass and spoke.

“It’s over.”

Beyond the TV, the great evil god, having instinctively identified the source of its crisis, locked its eyes on Jung-woo.

Spewing deep resentment and anger that couldn’t even be fully contained within the doll’s body, it charged toward him.

It was a crisis.

At least, it would have felt that way to fake hunters who dismissed Hunting Training as a relic of the past.

Edmond spoke.

“The sharpest dagger only reveals itself the moment it’s thrust.”

A hair-trigger situation.

The Three-legged Crow reached right in front of Jung-woo’s nose, and at the same time, the cloaked Teddy Bear assumed a jousting stance behind Jung-woo’s back.

“You should have checked if there was a trap around the bait. My magical beast friend.”

Paaaaaang—!

A point-blank release.

The flash of light fired by the Teddy Bear pierced straight through the Three-legged Crow’s body.

Edmond burst into laughter.

It was the moment the S-Rank Champion, the Three-legged Crow, was completely subjugated.