Chapter 119

Boom—

Flames erupted.

Flames, dazzling with a brilliance that could blind, spread in every direction, exhaling a fierce breath.

“Kiyaaaah—”

Engulfed by the flames, the dead shrieked as they melted away.

Whoosh—

The radiance became a colossal blade, sweeping across everything.

Bodies were sliced, limbs severed, sent flying into the air by that blade.

Rotten blood gushed forth, releasing a pungent, nauseating stench.

But Kang Yuseong was relentless.

Shhhhrriiiing!

As if an angel spread its colossal wings, the radiant blades erupting from his sword fanned out, tearing the dead to shreds.

Kang Yuseong showed no hesitation in dealing with those who were once human.

Just because they bore human forms didn’t mean they were still human.

They were merely malevolent beings inhabiting human bodies.

Kang Yuseong had no reason to hesitate in eradicating them.

Yet, even against the terrifying blades of radiance, the dead charged forward like mad.

The area outside Sejin Building was already completely engulfed by a colossal wave of the dead; for every one that fell, ten more surged forward, and for every ten, an even greater number pressed in, overwhelming Kang Yuseong.

“Kyaaaah—”

Towards the dead, who rushed at him with gaping mouths, reeking of rotten blood, Kang Yuseong unhesitatingly thrust out his left hand.

Crunch!

The head of one of the dead was caught in his special alloy gauntlet.

Kang Yuseong slammed the head straight into the ground.

Splat! Crunch!

The head, smashed into the ground, shattered into countless fragments, splattering thick, black ichor everywhere.

Boom—

In that instant, Kang Yuseong’s fist tore through the air once more.

Thwack!

The face of the dead one, struck by his fist, was pulverized, and its body shot into the air, falling some distance away.

Crash!

Such was the force that over twenty of the dead were swept away, collapsing in a heap.

Shhhhrriiiing!

Even then, Kang Yuseong did not stop.

He had no intention of annihilating all these dead.

Even as he cut down, toppled, and shattered the dead, his gaze was fixed on the distant, profound darkness that gaped like a black maw.

An eerily sinister aura, terrifying enough to send shivers down one’s spine, emanated from that very spot.

The mastermind behind all this must be located there.

Kang Yuseong was targeting that individual.

Even Kang Yuseong himself had almost been swept away by that immense power, nearly leading to an irreversible situation.

If he was affected to that extent, it meant no one could stand against the entity ahead.

Had he not been here, the people of Busan would likely have been entirely consumed by a horrific maelstrom of slaughter.

But now, Kang Yuseong was right here, and he had awakened once, gaining radiance.

Boom—

As Kang Yuseong unleashed continuous massive explosions, slaughtering the dead, a look of madness appeared on his face.

Carnage.

And massacre.

These were all conditions Kang Yuseong greatly enjoyed.

But what thrilled him even more, to the point of exhilaration, was encountering a ‘strong opponent’.

Right ahead, there was a perfect being that met that criterion.

A fierce desire to find and tear that being to death was driving Kang Yuseong insane.

“Haaaaaaah!”

Craaash!

Exhaling that desire, Kang Yuseong brought calamity upon the dead.

The dead fell endlessly, surrounding him, but he advanced through them, carving a path like a colossal shark cutting through rough waves.

And the dead who missed him turned and headed towards Sejin Building.

For the scent of the living emanating from within was intoxicating enough to drive them completely mad.

“Kyaaaah!”

They had no concept of fear.

Forget learning ability, they utterly lacked even the basic capacity to perceive danger.

They were beings born of malevolent instinct.

Thus, they could only follow those primal instincts.

The dead possess a primal instinct to crave the living.

And so, like a colossal tsunami, they surged towards Sejin Building, driven by their craving for the living.

The sight of them instilled such desperate terror and endless despair in the Hunters and civilians watching from inside the building that their faces hardened.

“Kiyaaaah—”

Their approach, emitting meaningless shrieks and smacking their lips, was terror itself. The Hunters gripped their weapons tightly.

Kang Yuseong had told them to protect their families here, but now that the situation had come to this, they had no choice.

They looked at each other, nodding with determined expressions.

“Let’s go! If we fall now, it’s over for everyone!”

“Alright! We’ll kill every last one of those bastards!”

They chose to bravely confront the terror that had overwhelmed them until now.

Even knowing well that the outcome would be a gruesome death, they were prepared to step forward.

But then.

“No, stay right where you are.”

Someone blocked their path.

The Hunters frowned sharply, looking at him.

Whoosh—

The reason they couldn’t simply push past the person who had brazenly blocked them was simple.

The power emanating from his entire body.

That oppressive aura was truly no joke.

Red flames continuously flared from his entire body, and a formidable will and power were clearly palpable within him.

He tilted his fedora slightly and offered a dry smile.

“If you go out there… you might just melt in my flames.”

At his words, the Hunters stirred.

“What? Who are you to—”

The Hunters, agitated, stepped forward, but quickly found themselves speechless.

Thwack-thump-thump-thump!

Crash!

Countless flaming arrows shattered all the glass above the entrance as they flew!

Their number was roughly in the hundreds!

As if mocking the deep darkness, those flaming arrows flew, blooming with brilliant fire, leaving them utterly agape.

“M-My God!”

And the next moment, they witnessed a sight their common sense would never allow them to believe.

Whoooosh!

Boom-boom-boom-boom!

“Kyaaaah!”

“Kyaaak!”

The numerous flaming arrows that had soared high into the air plunged down, engulfing the dead, as massive explosions completely swallowed them.

The dead, who had moved as if mocking blows from swords and hammers, thrashed wildly and melted away in those flames.

Between the destructive power and the sight of the man before them launching such attacks without even a blink, the Hunters didn’t even realize they had unconsciously taken several steps back.

Whoosh!

As they stood there in shock, another wave of intense heat suddenly flared up before them.

Boom-boom-boom!

And once again, a tremendous explosion occurred as a colossal fireball was launched from in front of Kim Do-jin.

Divided into several fireballs, they fiercely tore through the air, delivering another massive calamity upon the dead.

Rumble-thump!

In the powerful explosion, strong enough to completely overturn the earth, the dead were swept away and melted, unable to move any longer.

Only then did the Hunters seem to understand why Kang Yuseong had told them to stay put.

‘M-Monsters!’

They found the men before them far more terrifying than the dead currently swarming them.

While they themselves were renowned Hunters, these individuals were on an entirely different level.

This wasn’t hunting; it was slaughter.

Beings capable of performing such acts with utter nonchalance…

Gulp—

Without even the presence of mind to notice themselves swallowing dry, they stood rooted to the spot.

Then, once again, an astonishing sight caught their eyes.

Snap-crackle-pop!

Crrunch!

The dead had, by then, approached the entrance, but suddenly, before it, they were pulverized with a tremendous roar, sent flying into the air.

The sight of rotten blood splattering and flesh bursting and scattering was terrifying to an appalling degree.

Limbs being severed was commonplace; heads splitting into two and exploding, and intestines tearing apart—the sight was truly horrific.

Standing before them was the man who had gone out earlier, wielding a greatsword.

That man, emitting a colossal aura from his entire being, stood alone, yet pulverized everything that approached him.

The dead, who had surged forward like an endless tsunami, couldn’t even approach the entrance because of this single man.

Just one man.

The final bulwark, that one man, was protecting Sejin Building.

“Haaaaaah!”

The man let out a mighty roar, shattering all the dead, and the Hunters felt their bodies tremble once more.

Just three individuals were altering this tremendous situation.

At that moment, a golden radiance was seen stretching high into the sky in the distance, accompanied by an explosion.

The distance was so great that the Hunters’ faces filled with astonishment.

‘When did he get that far!’

Through this countless tide of the dead, Kang Yuseong had advanced all the way to that spot.

Kim Do-jin glanced at the Hunters and chuckled.

Kang Yuseong was that kind of man.

A being who accomplished such incredible feats with utter nonchalance, always surprising even Kim Do-jin.

‘So…’

The smile playing on Kim Do-jin’s lips deepened considerably.

Whoosh!

And a massive flame erupted in his hand.

‘I can give him a gift like this to his heart’s content, right?’

Whooomp—

In that instant, a colossal flame shot from directly in front of Kim Do-jin, arcing broadly through the air.

Mega Explosion.

Kim Do-jin had slightly modified it and launched it that far.

That magic, possessing a power on an entirely different scale than before.

Whoooosh—

Meanwhile, Kang Yuseong, who had advanced quite a distance, realized something hot enough to make his back tingle was flying towards him from behind, and he scowled fiercely.

‘That damned bastard!’

Last time, he at least gave a warning, but now, it was as if he wanted him dead, just launching it without a word.

Whoooosh—

The modified Mega Explosion tore through the air, steadily approaching.

And in a moment, it would precisely hit Kang Yuseong’s location and detonate.

Exactly as Kim Do-jin had planned.

At that moment, Kang Yuseong gritted his teeth.

A madman is a madman precisely because you never know what they’ll do.

In any case, Kang Yuseong himself had brought this madman along, so there was nothing he could do.

But to launch such a monstrous thing!

‘Damn it!’

Kang Yuseong braced for impact.

Shhhrriiiing!

Iron Armor erupted across his entire body, protecting him from the anticipated impact.

Whoooosh—

And it descended upon him.

Flash—

For an instant, his vision was painted white.

And then…

Boom-boom-boom-boom!

A colossal storm, powerful enough to send his body flying, raged, and scorching heat enveloped everything.

‘Ugh!’

Just like Kim Do-jin.

Even with the protection of Iron Armor, such immense power!

Amidst the scorching flames wildly spreading in all directions, Kang Yuseong quickly tried to regain his footing.

‘Huh…?’

[Evolution has occurred.]

[As a result of evolution, you have acquired ‘Pyromancer’s Deception’.]

In that instant, a mysterious window appeared before his eyes, and Kang Yuseong suddenly felt the scorching flames around him converging towards him.

‘Th-This is!’

[Pyromancer’s Deception: Upon receiving a fire-type attack, a certain amount of damage is absorbed and converted into your own power.]

Kwooooh!

A colossal flame erupted from his sword.

A completely different, incredibly powerful, and new force!

Immense power spread throughout Kang Yuseong’s entire body, and unable to withstand it, Kang Yuseong let out a mighty roar.

“Uwaaaaaaah!”

And he pushed off the ground, leaping into the air.

Flash!

The next moment, a colossal flash descended, engulfing everything around it.