Chapter 93

Crunch! Tear!

“Graaaah—”

The corpses opened their jaws, lined with sharp teeth, and ripped through the monsters’ hides.

Their teeth tore through skin, mercilessly shredding the muscle and flesh beneath, driving the monsters to their deaths.

Lower-grade monsters, confronted by the intense killing intent emanating from the corpses’ eyes, instinctively tried to flee. But the corpses pursued them relentlessly, stripping their hides and crushing their bones.

The tide of battle, which had been heavily skewed, completely turned with the summoning of the corpses.

Though the number of monsters was still countless, the offensive launched by the corpses, Kang Yuseong, and Blood was absolutely unstoppable!

Especially Kang Yuseong, wielding his sword, displayed explosive and overpowering strength.

Whoosh!

Infusing his sword with the power of flames, he tore through the monsters, slaughtering them all regardless of their grade.

Blood, wielding two swords, followed close behind.

Blood also possessed considerable combat sense.

He perfectly supported Kang Yuseong from behind, protecting his master, and even when not doing so, he would instantly cut off the monsters’ breath, creating a terrifying spectacle.

As Kang Yuseong began to drive the monsters back, the people inside the restaurant finally let out a sigh of relief, clutching their chests.

Inside the restaurant, a gruesome scene unfolded, with countless human corpses and monster carcasses intermingled. The air was thick with the stench of blood and decay.

But the survivors, relieved to be alive, slumped to the ground, too weak to stand.

Even after experiencing the Mega Shock once, they still couldn’t adapt to situations like this.

“Ugh…”

Gil Hyeok-jun also sat down, clutching his side.

His ribs seemed broken; he couldn’t move.

In fact, his survival in that situation was remarkable.

The Big Black’s attack power rivaled that of an A-grade monster, and their ferocity was such that they wouldn’t stop attacking until their opponent was trampled beyond recognition.

“Dad, are you okay?”

Gil Ji-yeon looked at Gil Hyeok-jun with tear-filled eyes.

Gil Hyeok-jun gave her a strained smile.

“I’m fine, kid. Don’t cry.”

He raised a large hand and stroked Gil Ji-yeon’s head.

“You’re hurt so badly, Dad!”

But Gil Ji-yeon looked at Gil Hyeok-jun’s pale face with worry and said.

“This is nothing. You know, your dad’s strong. So don’t worry.”

Gil Hyeok-jun soothed Gil Ji-yeon, then cast his gaze out the restaurant window.

The figure of a man standing proudly before countless monsters caught his eye.

A strange light flickered in Gil Hyeok-jun’s eyes as he watched him.

Truthfully, even when he fought Gainok, that man was truly unfathomable.

His superb swordsmanship clearly marked him as a Chakra User.

But Kang Yuseong had just used fireballs, which were the exclusive domain of Magic Users.

And then there were those corpses…

‘Hmm…’

Gil Hyeok-jun suddenly glanced at Gil Ji-yeon.

Gil Ji-yeon was just as mysterious.

She was his daughter, but what exactly was that spectacle just now?

He knew there were Psychic Users who used psychokinesis.

He was also well aware of their unique attack methods, but the attack that erupted from Gil Ji-yeon was distinctly different from the typical Psychic User attacks he knew.

Lost in thought for a moment, Gil Hyeok-jun quietly said to Gil Ji-yeon.

“Ji-yeon, wait here for a moment.”

“Huh? Where are you going, Dad?”

Gil Hyeok-jun managed a broad smile on his pale face, then slowly rose to his feet.

“The commander is out there. I can’t just sit here. I’ll be right back.”

“Dad…”

Rip—

Gil Ji-yeon looked at Gil Hyeok-jun with a worried expression, but he had already torn his shirt and wrapped it around his side like a bandage.

Then, picking up a sturdy iron pipe, he said.

“Don’t worry. Your dad doesn’t die easily.”

Gil Ji-yeon bit her lip, then slowly nodded.

She knew the truth.

Every time she visited him in the hospital, new scars would appear on Gil Hyeok-jun’s hands or forearms.

She already knew how much he struggled to pay for her hospital bills.

And it was the same now.

He was stepping forward to protect her.

Because if he took down even one more monster, his daughter would be safer.

Gil Hyeok-jun gritted his teeth, pushing through the agonizing pain in his side, and charged forward.

Crash—

Snap!

He launched himself next to Kang Yuseong, smashing the head of a monster directly in front of them.

Then, with a faint smile, he declared.

“Vanguard Gil Hyeok-jun, I’ll lead the way! Hyaaaah!”

Boom—

With an iron pipe in his hand as a weapon, Gil Hyeok-jun transformed into a completely different person.

A powerhouse capable of tearing monsters apart with his bare hands, he now crushed their heads and shattered their bones with the pipe, clearing a path for Kang Yuseong.

Kang Yuseong saw the bandage wrapped around Gil Hyeok-jun’s side.

He also knew that extreme pain was evident in his movements.

But he smiled.

In the past, Gil Hyeok-jun had suffered the same injury and, with the same words, had similarly blocked his path.

At that time, his wounds had been even more severe, and the situation far worse.

Even when Kang Yuseong tried to stop him, Gil Hyeok-jun’s stubbornness could not be broken.

And in the end, Gil Hyeok-jun miraculously succeeded in forging a path for his Lord.

This man’s tenacity and resolve were truly commendable.

It was no different now.

Saying “step back because you’re injured” wouldn’t work.

There was only one way to make Gil Hyeok-jun rest.

Clang—

Kang Yuseong readjusted his grip on his sword.

Simultaneously, a cold light burst forth from his eyes.

“I’ll wipe them all out.”

Annihilation of the enemy.

There was no other way to make Gil Hyeok-jun rest.

Whoosh—

Kang Yuseong plunged into the monster horde once more.

Slash! Slash! Slash!

And a frantic sword dance began.

Eyeballs burst, intestines spilled out, and a pungent, sickening smell permeated the air.

Legs were severed, and hearts were torn apart in countless gruesome displays.

“Graaaah—”

Crunch, gnaw!

If any creature still had a breath left, the corpses behind them immediately rushed forward, tearing at their flesh and devouring them.

Swoosh!

Just as they were pushing back the monsters.

Whoosh!

Boom! Boom!

“Kwahhh!”

Suddenly, a fireball soared from the distant sky, causing a massive explosion in the vicinity.

The monster horde was caught in the blast, flung in all directions.

Some were horribly dismembered, while others, engulfed in flames, thrashed wildly.

But the fireballs didn’t stop at just one.

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

Boom! Boom! Boom!

As if carpet bombing, fireballs filled the air, raining down like missiles.

“Kwahhh!”

The monsters were torn to shreds by the explosions.

Kang Yuseong chuckled at the sight.

“That guy, he always loves this kind of thing.”

He shifted his gaze to one spot.

And casually uttered a name.

“Kim Do-jin.”

Kim Do-jin.

He was standing right there.

Still wearing his black fedora askew and cloaked in a black cape, he gave Kang Yuseong a slight nod.

“Ah, the plane was delayed…”

“You used that excuse last time.”

“…Was I? Anyway, it looks like fun, so I’ll join in.”

Kang Yuseong shook his head at Kim Do-jin’s words.

Kim Do-jin, too, was certainly not normal.

“Do as you please. Oh, and…”

Kang Yuseong continued, looking at him.

“Don’t disappear on a whim this time. The real fun is just beginning.”

Kim Do-jin merely shrugged in response.

Then he waved both hands in the air.

His eyes were tinged with a crimson glow.

“Annihilate. Bind (鎖)!”

Whoosh!

At that moment, an immense inferno suddenly erupted from the ground where the monsters stood.

Blaze!

“Kwahhhhh!”

“Kwahhh!”

The monster horde was instantly engulfed by the flames and began to melt away.

Astonishingly, the area where the flames surged spanned a massive thirty-meter radius.

All the monsters within that space were consumed by the rising inferno.

Monsters with fire resistance or high grades tried to escape the circle, but strangely, they seemed to hit an invisible wall, unable to move, and died in agony.

‘This is…!’

Kang Yuseong narrowed his brows, seeing Kim Do-jin’s cold smile.

That guy had acquired a new ability in the interim.

And a devastating area-of-effect magic with formidable destructive power at that.

In any case, Kim Do-jin’s joining forces was a great help to Kang Yuseong.

They combined their strengths and began to push back the monster hordes.

The countless monster hordes were gradually diminishing.

* * * * *

“Whew…”

Kang Yuseong let out a long sigh, looking at the scene before him, now reduced to ashes.

It had been a truly fierce battle.

Gil Hyeok-jun was barely standing, using the iron pipe as a crutch, and beads of sweat dotted Kim Do-jin’s forehead.

Even for seasoned veterans like them, it hadn’t been easy; the waves of monsters had been truly horrific. During their desperate fight, fighter jets had sliced through the sky, unleashing missiles, and the battle with the monsters had entered a lull.

Kang Yuseong surveyed the ruined surroundings.

Just hours ago, this place had been bustling with life.

Now, as he could see, it was a complete mess.

‘Since the government has stepped in, tank units will enter Seoul… but this isn’t the end.’

The Second Shock inflicted more critical damage compared to the Mega Shock, not just because its scale and intensity were incomparable, but even more so because the Second Shock unfolded in a total of five stages.

It was like a ‘Charyun-gye’ (車輪計) tactic—a relentless, wheel-like assault that gave the humans no respite, causing them to be completely overwhelmed.

Reminiscent of the Chinese human wave tactics during the Korean War, the Second Shock was truly horrific.

‘Why was it brought forward?’

The Second Shock had occurred earlier than Kang Yuseong had anticipated.

That was an undeniable fact.

A grave situation, to the extent that Kang Yuseong’s meticulously planned preparations were entirely rendered useless.

Kang Yuseong’s plan to thoroughly prepare for the Second Shock and minimize damage had failed.

But now was not the time to dwell deeply on that.

‘Hmm…’

Kang Yuseong erased the doubt from his mind and fell into thought.

‘This is Stage One… The second shock will occur again in two days.’

It would be even more difficult then.

This shock had already caused countless casualties, and the biggest problem was that the number of Hunters who could be mobilized would have significantly decreased.

After organizing his thoughts, Kang Yuseong looked at Gil Hyeok-jun and Kim Do-jin and said.

“Let’s go back.”

There was no time to linger here.

Now, for the Second Shock.

They had to prepare for it.