Chapter 71: Such a Miserable Turn of Events

Chapter 71: Such a Miserable Turn of Events

Just yesterday, the two Hunters had been strolling around Sanjeong Lake, dreaming of a bright future. Today, they were dragging their feet as if they were prisoners heading to the gallows.

"Ugh, I should've known when they said the boss was a hero for saving a kindergarten, and that she had a promising future."

"Sister, did anyone ever say that?"

"Didn't they?"

"Nope, never heard that. Really."

"That's odd. I thought I heard it."

"Well, I did hear that I'm good at drawing monster aggro. Not sure if that's a compliment or an insult. But, well, that turned out to be true."

"Indeed. Just our luck, right? A thousand orcs as a welcome gift for joining the guild."

Kim Su-jeong shook her head so vigorously that her cheeks wobbled.

"Anyway, we shouldn't have signed up."

"Exactly. I told you we should think more carefully. What's the plan now that we joined so recklessly?"

"Come on! The Guild Master herself is training us. It's a rare privilege you can't even buy. Why are you complaining only to me?"

"Because... I got swept away by the atmosphere... Anyway! A thousand orcs, okay? Have you seen their muscles? They're tough, and their skin doesn't take damage easily. We could be doomed."

The thought of facing an orc army was overwhelmingly daunting.

As Yoo Seong-ju put it, even a one-on-one fight would be challenging. Among them, there could be captains and generals. One wrong move and it would all be over in an instant.

"Should we run?"

"If we run, we're burying our careers. Do you want to be a freelancer forever? Even that would be precarious. We could be blacklisted by the Hunter Association or Guild Union."

"Come on, surely they wouldn't do it just for running away..."

"You don't know how the world works. Haven't you heard of the rule that Hunters on the scene must intervene during a monster threat? It's the first thing they teach during training. Be careful."

"As if many Hunters follow that. I've seen many look the other way and run."

"That might work for freelancers. But we're now part of a guild. Unless it's the guild's policy to run, fleeing after committing to fight will... Basically, it'll be the end of our hunting careers."

"Ah! I must be insane. I got blinded by wealth and fame."

"A C-rank nobody talking about wealth and fame."

Kim Su-jeong tore at her hair in frustration as Yoo Seong-ju rolled his eyes.

Just then, a shadow abruptly appeared between them.

"Feeling a bit worried, are we?"

"Ka, Kang Mu-hyuk!...Guild Leader?"

Kim Su-jeong yelped in surprise at the sudden appearance of Kang Mu-hyuk.

He had just handed over the explosives to Jang Deuk-goo and happened to spot them upon his return.

"I've been so busy that I couldn't provide proper attention to our newest members. I'm truly sorry to have you involved in such a large-scale raid right after joining."

"No, we know you're busy... and that this is unavoidable."

Yoo Seong-ju managed to reply calmly. But as always, Kim Su-jeong's mouth was the problem.

"Then, can we perhaps cancel the contract...?"

"Su-jeong, just hold on a second. Don't make a fool of yourself."

Yu Seong-ju spoke to Kim Su-jeong without moving his lips, as if he were ventriloquizing.

Surprisingly, Kang Mu-hyuk answered cheerfully.

"Of course, it's possible."

"Wow---"

"How much is the penalty for breaking the contract, again?"

"---Ah, come to think of it, hunting orcs seems like it will be a valuable experience. Haha..."

Kim Su-jeong forced a smile, her face rigid. She couldn't remember the exact amount, but she knew it would be difficult to pay it off right away.

'I should have known; the terms were too good. I didn't even consider the high penalty.'

Regardless of her internal turmoil, Kang Mu-hyuk spoke calmly.

"Don't worry too much. One way or another, we'll manage with the special task force. If it comes to it, just hide behind a Hunter with a lot of facial hair, a team leader named Yeom Soo-hyung. We worked together back at Titan; he's a very skilled Hunter. If you fight beside him, you won't face much danger. Plus, you'll be a great help to him; he's a tanker."

"He's from Titan?"

"Yes. Do you also know Team Leader Pyo Beom-hee? The one who guided you on your first day here? She'll also be assigned to the attack squad. She used to be with Titan as well and is an A-rank Hunter, so she'll be of great help."

The two felt somewhat relieved. The fact that their Guild Leader had assigned Hunters from his previous workplace, Titan, meant that they were not disposable assets. Moreover, both team leaders were high-ranked. It seemed they could afford to relax a bit.

"As expected, you've thought of everything, haven't you?"

"Well, we were worried you might overlook us, given the grand scale of the operation over there... Not that we don't trust you, but---"

"Never think that. The northern defense line is actually more critical. If they hold, things will be easier for us here. Ah, and by the way, if you ever see Team Leader Yeom's eyes rolling back or hear him growling, move away quickly. The further, the better."

As they were feeling relieved, Kang Mu-hyuk's offhand comment suddenly tightened the atmosphere.

"What's wrong with his eyes?"

"Growling? What?"

"Anyway, happy hunting."

Leaving behind these cryptic warnings, Kang Mu-hyuk left the scene.

The two who were left exchanged glances, harboring uneasy premonitions.

"What did that last comment mean?"

"I don't know exactly, but it feels... Ominous?"

...

"Shall we begin?"

Kang Mu-hyuk personally drove the command vehicle and settled in the Sanjeong Lake parking lot.

As the person in charge of Project C, An Ji-il had other duties and had left his post, leaving only Kang Mu-hyuk and his aide as civilians in the area.

The parking lot was in open terrain, located between the western first attack team and the northern second attack team. If either position fell, it would immediately become the frontline.

This was Kang Mu-hyuk's own method of diversion; given the risk of the operation, he had chosen to be with the Hunters.

Of course, not everyone was in sync with his determination.

"Safe, you say? Where's safe around here?!"

"There are two Hunters guarding us."

A Hunter suddenly stepped forward.

"Don't cower before these monsters! What's the point of having a Hunter's license then?"

It was Baek Seong-bin who squared his shoulders, seemingly ready to charge into a troop of orcs at any moment.

"Newbie, huh? Full of spirit. A good example for the disheartened lot," Yeom Soo-hyung thought. Sensing that the tense atmosphere among some of the disgruntled Hunters was beginning to ease, he decided to let Baek Seong-bin be.

No one stepped in to stop or replace him, so Baek Seong-bin pushed the envelope further by taunting Seo Dae-chi, a person he didn't particularly like.

"Seo Dae-chi, are you scared too?"

Caught off guard by the sudden provocation, Seo Dae-chi clicked his tongue.

"Tsk, tsk. A fool who doesn't know when to keep quiet. In any case, rookies like you always end up like this---dead. Think your Healing Factor makes you invincible? Don't worry, I'll definitely kill more than you, so just focus on your own survival."

"How about a wager then?"

"A wager?"

"Who kills more."

"Ridiculous."

"Consider it accepted then. The bet is in cash. You like money, right? How about 100 million won? If you lose, you leave the team. Scared you'll lose?"

"This punk, if you die, that's going to be problematic. Hey, if you do die, make sure to leave your account password behind."

"Fine, let's start right away!"

Baek Seong-bin impulsively dashed forward. Yeom Soo-hyung was taken aback.

"This lunatic!"

Yeom Soo-hyung grabbed the back of Baek Seong-bin's head as he rushed by and slammed him to the ground.

"Kuh-ruk!"

"I knew you'd do something like this," Yeom Soo-hyung said, irritated while glancing back at the smirking Seo Dae-chi.

"Pyo! Why the hell was this crazy guy assigned here?!"

"Well, he does have a Healing Factor. He's somewhat promising."

"A Healing Factor? What is he, a Cerberus? Does he have two or three heads?"

"What's a Cerberus? Not even a dad joke. Anyway, you're not funny."

"It's not a joke---"

Pyo Beom-hee, approaching leisurely, suddenly drew her sword. The nearby Hunters also raised their weapons in unison.

Yeom Soo-hyung felt the air tighten.

"Besides, look, the orcs are charging."

Before even turning his head, Yeom Soo-hyung felt a heavy vibration through the ground. When he looked forward, a horde of orcs was charging aggressively.

They neither branched out nor formed any formation; their intent to break through the front and wreak havoc was palpable.

"Damn, the rookie stole my thunder," Pyo Beom-hee said, pointing ahead.

"We need to block that big one first to stand a chance in this fight."

"I know."

Yeom Soo-hyung sized himself up.

His skin-tight combat suit clung to him like a second skin, almost rubbery in its elasticity. The arm guards and shin protectors were noticeably thicker, serving as small shields when stretched out.

Feeling the texture of the specialized armor he hadn't worn in a long time, Yeom Soo-hyung took a step forward.

"Pyo, take command."

"Okay. Have a blast for once."

"If I mess up, make sure to cover for me."

"You talk too much now. When did you become such a chatterbox?"

"Maybe I've just become more cautious."

Muttering to himself, Yeom Soo-hyung accelerated. With each step, he became faster and faster until he finally bent his waist backward, using the forward momentum to sprint ahead.

Several orcs at the forefront hurled their axes. The gleaming blades whizzed through the air, aimed directly at Yeom Soo-hyung.

At the deadly approach, some of the Hunters screamed in terror and shut their eyes.

Pyo Beom-hee, unfazed, muttered to herself, "He's not just some old guy with a long beard, you know."

Yeom Soo-hyung puffed out his chest as if ready to catch the axes with his body.

'Making me exert myself right from the start,' he thought.

At that moment, his muscles tensed and his veins bulged visibly.

Giant Transformation

Yeom Soo-hyung's body began to change dramatically.

'Ugh!'

His chest muscles swelled, his shoulders widened as if their joints had popped out, and his neck thickened and extended upward. There was a sound like the snapping of bones. His pelvis twisted, and his rock-solid abdomen stretched like rubber as his thighs and calves thickened and elongated. His hands and feet grew large enough to be likened to pot lids.

Already towering at 190 centimeters, Yeom Soo-hyung transformed into a giant that reached a height of three meters in an instant.

His sturdy chest deflected the axes thrown by the orcs.

"Uh-uh-oo."

Yeom Soo-hyung let out a sound, unclear whether he was laughing or groaning. His eyes blazed, but his articulation was garbled as if he had trouble communicating.

"Wha...?"

Startled by the human transformation, the orcs suddenly stopped in their tracks. Those in the back ranks, not yet aware of the situation, bumped into the halted orcs ahead of them, disrupting their formation.

Seizing the moment, Yeom Soo-hyung lunged forward.

"Urr-uh-oo!"

As his massive body plowed through the orc ranks, screams and shouts erupted from all directions. Axes struck him like they were chopping at an oak tree.

But normal attacks had little effect on Yeom Soo-hyung.

Only strikes with full force could even begin to hurt him, and even then, his agility far outpaced his size, making it difficult for any significant blows to land. If by some chance an attack did succeed, the black armor he wore exhibited a rubber-like elasticity that repelled the force.

The orcs weren't the only ones thrown into disarray.

"The team leader is..."

"He can transform into a giant? We had that ability in our country?"

Caught off guard, the Hunters heard Pyo Beom-hee bellow at them.

"What are you doing? This is our chance! Charge, all of you!"