Chapter 86: Ber’s Inferno

“Looks like those guys are seriously pissed off, huh?”

Just moments ago, they had been swaying sluggishly, but now their wings flapped violently as they opened their mouths wide.

Rows of sharp teeth glistened, drawing everyone’s attention.

“Ber.”

Piiiik! (Finally, it’s my turn to shine!)

Among the participants, Roy was the first to resume combat. He had briefly lost confidence after a flame he summoned exploded unexpectedly.

Now, with permission granted to unleash his full power, Ber soared high into the sky.

Fwah-rrr-

Ber darted through the Wyverns like a free, untamed wind, weaving skillfully between them.

Kiiik…!

Each time, Wyverns engulfed in flames screamed in agony, twisting their bodies desperately.

Piiiik! (You really think you and I are the same species?!)

The Spirit King of Fire, Mulkiber, in the form of a phoenix, had finally begun to rage with full force.

“This is truly a spectacle…”

Lee Hajun was left speechless, staring up at the sky in amazement.

The Wyverns were literally engulfed in flames, turning the heavens into a fiery hellscape.

The sky blazed bright red with scorching flames.

The trail of fire Ber left behind was so dazzling that it was impossible to look away.

Kiiik!

Kik!

But from Lee Hajun’s perspective, as magnificent as the scene was, for the Wyverns it was pure torment.

He never imagined that these fearsome Wyverns would one day seem pitiful.

Just as Lee Hajun wiped the sweat from his forehead with the back of his hand, Shwaaak-

Leading the charge after Roy’s initial strike, Kim Hanbom moved forward.

The magical energy around his bastard sword condensed into a lethal wave and shot toward the Wyvern swarm.

Kek…

Wyverns hit directly by the blade energy barely had time to scream before their heads were severed from their bodies, crashing to the ground below.

“Watch above, everyone!”

Though their bodies turned to ash after death, there was a slight delay before they disappeared completely.

So some of the Wyvern corpses still remained until they hit the ground.

The impact caused by their accelerated fall created explosions resembling bombardments wherever their bodies landed.

Still, despite Roy and Kim Hanbom’s attacks, the sky remained thick with surviving Wyverns.

“We can’t just let the captain run wild.”

“My body’s heating up; guess I can skip stretching, huh?”

Following Kim Hanbom, members of the Roa Guild launched their ultimate skills into the air.

From lightning strikes to sudden ice storms that transformed Wyvern torsos into pincushions, their ferocious arrow barrages left no room for escape.

Kiiik…

Kik!

Wyverns helplessly fell victim to the onslaught, losing their lives one by one.

But not every Wyvern falling from the sky was already dead.

Some lost all their strength midair and plummeted earthward.

Seeing this, the participants clenched their weapons tighter.

“Let’s move too!”

Kim Chan’s blood boiled as he clenched his fists.

His timid personality, shaped by bullying from Lee Chulhun, had been restored to its lively former self after meeting Roy, Lee Doha, and others.

Still fearful, he watched Roy fight magnificently like a seasoned hunter.

He wanted to stand proudly alongside Roy and face the enemies appearing before them.

Kiiik!

“Hajun!”

Just as Lee Hajun nocked an arrow, aiming at a Wyvern flying above, A Wyvern crashed down behind him, jaws wide open.

Its half-burnt wing flapped as it obeyed the commands of its mounted rider.

“Huh…?”

Wyverns were flying chaotically, dodging attacks from Ber and the Roa Guild.

They didn’t stay still, so hitting one required extreme focus.

Only after hearing a chilling scream did Lee Hajun turn his head and spot the Wyvern approaching dangerously close.

“Close your eyes!”

Frozen by the Wyvern’s razor-sharp teeth right in front of him, Kim Chan leapt up, shielding Lee Hajun.

Instead of Lee Hajun’s head, Kim Chan’s right arm was swallowed whole by the Wyvern’s mouth.

Crack-

Something inside the mouth triggered the Wyvern to reflexively clamp its jaws shut.

“Chan-ssi!”

Startled, Lee Hajun’s eyes flew wide open.

The sound made him fear Kim Chan might be seriously hurt.

“Are you okay? Did you hurt your arm?”

Kim Chan’s subtle grimace brought a flush to Lee Hajun’s eyes.

He felt guilty for being careless and letting Kim Chan take the hit instead.

“Wow, legendary-grade armor really is something else. Not a scratch on me.”

Unlike Lee Hajun’s worried expression, Kim Chan nonchalantly pulled his arm from the Wyvern’s mouth.

Kiiik…?

The Wyvern didn’t even resist, letting out a dumbfounded noise.

“So what was that shattering sound earlier?”

“Wyvern teeth. All broken.”

The Wyvern’s mouth was left nearly gum-only, bits of shattered teeth trickling down its lips.

Pahk-

“Now we can handle Wyverns.”

Kim Chan gently patted Lee Hajun’s worried head before clenching his fist and smashing it down on the Wyvern’s skull.

Kiiik…

A fist-shaped dent formed on the Wyvern’s head.

The Wyvern staggered and finally collapsed to the ground.

“Roy said he’s not human but a monster.”

What remained was a monster that looked just like a human.

Kim Chan swallowed dryly and cautiously approached.

“I-I’ll help too…!”

Regaining his composure, Lee Hajun nocked another arrow.

The two exchanged determined nods.

Their united effort to defeat the unknown enemy made them truly feel like real hunters.

Puhak

“Is everyone okay?”

It was Min Junyoung, clad in white armor etched with intricate blue patterns.

His shy demeanor was softened by the armor, giving him a strikingly masculine presence.

Perhaps battle brought out his assertiveness, as he rushed over to assist Kim Chan and Lee Hajun.

“…Yes, thank you.”

A rider’s head snapped forward from Min Junyoung’s punch, turning to ash instantly.

The Wyvern beneath it fell likewise.

“Thank you for saving us.”

Kim Chan and Lee Hajun, still dazed, gave Min Junyoung their thanks.

“Well then, I’m off.”

Min Junyoung turned back and sprinted toward another group of Wyverns.

“Let’s give it our all.”

“Yes!”

Though their resolve wavered momentarily by Min Junyoung’s sudden help, Kim Chan and Lee Hajun soon realized their fear had nearly vanished.

“Take a taste of my poison!”

“Song Doyoon, what are you doing spraying poison on your allies?”

“Ah, sorry. Well, everyone can dodge it anyway, right?”

No matter where they looked, they only saw comrades fighting with everything they had.

Song Doyoon was scolded by Han Jihoo nearby for misusing poison again.

“At this rate, we won’t take down a single one.”

“Hyung, I’ll draw aggro from one Wyvern!”

Despite the overwhelming number of Wyverns still blanketing the sky, the thought crossed their minds.

Pewwung-

Lee Hajun shot an arrow at a Wyvern’s wing barely singed by fire.

Kiiik…!

The Wyvern flapped its one remaining wing but gradually descended toward the ground.

“Hmm!”

Kim Chan took a tanking stance where the Wyvern was expected to land.

Cold sweat trickled down his back, but he reminded himself he was a proper hunter.

Kwahang

The collision sounded less like monster and human and more like an explosion.

Lee Hajun, having nocked three arrows at once, aimed for the Wyvern’s head, which was still dazed from the impact.

The arrows struck its eyes and ears, embedding deeply.

Their fight was now truly underway.

***

“The gate is closing…!”

They had no idea how long the battle had lasted.

Roy moved the Spirit Kings until his magic was completely drained.

Ber, who had exerted the most, returned to a small bird form and flopped down on Roy’s head.

Piii… (Contractor, I have no strength left…)

The ominously flickering gate weakened and began to vanish.

This happened right after the last Wyvern in the sky was turned to ash by Aqua’s ice pillar.

“Still, that’s a relief. Doesn’t look like there’s a boss monster.”

Usually, a dungeon requires destroying its core or defeating the boss monster to clear it.

Since they didn’t know what lay beyond the gate, the Association requested they focus on eliminating monsters emerging from the gate.

“Something strange must be about to happen. Maybe once could be coincidence, but twice…”

Kim Hanbom brushed sweat-soaked hair from his face and stared at the gate, now barely visible and flickering like a faint line.

The gate vanished quickly, leaving an empty, hollow atmosphere as if nothing had ever been there.

“You can’t call it coincidence a second time. Unless it’s fate.”

It was already strange enough that such an odd phenomenon occurred in South Korea, but both times happened during filming of the Hunter Idol program hosted by K Corporation.

Exhausted participants sprawled across the area entered Kim Hanbom’s view.

Though visibly worn out, their faces glowed brightly, showing the battle had been a valuable experience.

Yet Kim Hanbom’s expression remained dark, as if clouded by a brewing storm.

‘This doesn’t feel right.’

While Kim Hanbom was lost in thought, a group of people appeared near the dungeon entrance.

It was as if they had been watching the battle from outside and arrived at the perfect moment.

Kim Hanbom’s eyes narrowed sharply at the figure leading the group.