“Some of you may have already seen the article.”
Im Jaejoon had gathered every Guild member currently available.
“As of now, all members are under emergency mobilization. We’ll be deploying immediately. Since all the Team Leaders are absent, I’ll be issuing field commands myself.”
At Im Jaejoon’s words, the Guild members murmured among themselves.
There were ten Guild members assembled now. Among them, six were Supporters.
Since Team 1 and Team 2 were currently raiding Gates, this was the maximum number they could gather.
“But, isn’t it risky with all the Guild’s elite out conquering the Gate?”
“Don’t worry. No one’s asking you to face the monster with just the people here. At least—”
Im Jaejoon looked around at the Guild members, focusing especially on the members of Team 3.
“Since the Team 3 Leader has already entered combat on site, we’ll focus on supporting them.”
Once again, the murmuring grew.
Thanks to the SBC reporter who illegally filmed the battle and streamed it in real time, many people already knew what was happening on site.
It seemed the Government Agency had managed to stop the live broadcast for now, but—
“Um, is the Team Leader safe?”
“Don’t worry.”
Im Jaejoon gave a gentle smile and continued.
“He’s not the sort of guy to die so easily.”
The people were unconvinced.
Even from the video, the scene was more than horrific—it was hell on earth.
To see someone rescuing the dying while fighting monsters alone was something anyone would find disturbing.
Especially since, just before the last video cut off, Lee Hyunbin was struck by a massive burst of fire and vanished without a trace.
No one said it out loud, but everyone assumed Lee Hyunbin—the Team 3 Leader—had died on site.
“Whatever happens, I just want to get moving.”
The man who spoke in a somewhat blunt tone had a sturdy, blond build. His eyes blazed as if he didn’t want to waste even a single second. His level was still low and his experience lacking, but he was a man even the Hero had taken notice of. To Im Jaejoon, it was clear at a glance that Kim Taeyang was a remarkable talent. And he wasn’t the only one.
Even without the S-rank Seohyeonji, Kim Inho’s excellence was already well known among the War God’s ranks.
“We’ll be moving out, regardless. Hunters from other Guilds have also been mobilized.”
Im Jaejoon reassured Kim Taeyang as he spoke.
Just as he said, a joint operation between the Military and Hunters was about to begin.
“Seoyeon, what are you doing here?”
Even when her classmate Hyekyung called out to her, Seoyeon didn’t reply.
“Seoyeon. The teacher says we have to get in the car. You’re the only one left.”
“”
Still, no answer.
She’d been acting strange ever since watching that emergency news broadcast.
Anyone would be terrified after suddenly witnessing a monster rampage like this. Even if she was a student studying to become a Hunter, it was the same.
Hyekyung misunderstood Seoyeon’s pale face as a sign of fear.
“I’m not going.”
“What?”
Hyekyung couldn’t believe her ears.
“What? Why not? There’s an evacuation order! We have to go, now!”
“Go on ahead. I’ll handle things myself.”
“Huh, Seoyeon? Where are you going?!”
Hyekyung was shocked by Seoyeon’s sudden behavior and shouted after her.
The scene was chaotic, just like a battlefield evacuation. People without cars were pacing nervously, and citizens were pushing their way onto the student buses.
In other words, even the school bus could no longer wait for just Seoyeon.
Hyekyung grew anxious.
Not because the world was turning into hell outside, but because Seoyeon’s expression was so unfamiliar.
The Seoyeon she saw now wasn’t the usual bright, gentle girl she knew.
“Oh, what do I do…”
Flustered, Hyekyung hesitated as she watched her friend walk away and the bus depart.
Seoyeon—no, Karin—was heading in the opposite direction from the fleeing crowd.
The Earth Dragon was terrifying enough on its own, but the parasites constantly spilling from its body were just as dreadful.
They spread diseases, attacked and devoured people, and even controlled them.
Truly, the Earth Dragon was a calamity.
Still, Karin was heading straight toward the heart of that calamity. The reason was simple.
Because that’s where the Hero was.
Without the Hero, she had no reason to exist.
In this world where she knew no one, the only reason she could smile was because of the Hero.
In short, she couldn’t be without him.
Karin called his number again. But whether his phone was off or dead, all she got was a recorded message about being connected to the customer’s voice mailbox.
She called over and over again.
Not just anyone—it had to be him.
The broadcast video made it look like he’d died, but there’s no way he’d go out that easily.
The Hero in the other world had survived greater dangers and tougher foes—and only grew stronger through them.
Most important of all—
‘He can’t die.’
Karin was certain.
The future she’d blindly believed in since she was a child—that future hadn’t arrived yet.
Back then, that future had made her pick fights with the Hero and torment him. Now, the certainty of that future was what let her feel at ease.
But even so, she was still anxious. After all, he’d been injured in the video.
That meant her power was needed.
The power to heal.
That cursed power that had saved the Hero many times before.
“Student!”
Suddenly, a loud voice made Karin flinch.
It was a soldier. He was gesturing at her.
“No entry here! The other way! Go the other way!”
Even if she wanted to ignore him and break through, the Military had already set up barricades and were blocking all civilian movement.
‘What should I do?’
She couldn’t just force her way through—she’d just end up stopped or detained.
More than that, the soldiers gripping their guns, defying their fear of death, looked as sharp as drawn blades.
Seeing them, Karin was reminded of the warriors from her domain who’d died glorious deaths.
As she hesitated, wondering what to do, Karin felt her phone vibrate and took it out.
Among the missed calls and texts was a new number.
It was Olivier’s, which she’d saved not long ago.
“Hello?”
-Seoyeon? Where are you right now?
At Olivier’s urgent voice, Karin replied, her tone chilly.
“Why?”
She was angry.
The very people who’d promised to stand with the Hero, and swore they’d help, had done nothing and left him on his own.
Of course, she was angry at herself, too, for being among them.
-We want to support the Hero, but I think we really need your power, Seoyeon.
Karin’s heart wavered at Olivier’s words.
There was only one situation where her power was needed.
“Where? Where do I need to go?”
-I’ll send you our location. And if you can wait just a bit, some of our members will come get you. It’s dangerous, so please just wa—
Karin didn’t reply to Olivier’s urgent words. Instead, she checked the Hero’s current location and hurried off.
For someone with no combat power, rushing alone into a disaster was suicide. That’s why Olivier wanted to send Guild members with her.
Karin hung up and moved immediately.
A terrible barrage of gunfire.
The massive Earth Dragon revealed itself, swarms of parasitic bugs pouring from its body, bursting out to hunt humans.
Raining shells shattered the parasitic bugs, but they didn’t stop—they just charged in to tear out people’s throats.
Dudududu, KWAANG!
Amidst the hail of bullets, the Earth Dragon’s breath turned the area into a sea of fire.
Countless soldiers were incinerated in an instant. Even modern weaponry was useless against the Earth Dragon.
Now only tactical bombing remained.
“Retreat! Full retreat!”
All they could do for the civilians still trapped in the city was buy time.
But for the first time, the soldiers felt true helplessness.
Their lives weren’t even enough to buy time.
Ka—
Karin was soon blocked by a Flesh Beetle. It leapt up and down, then spotted Karin and opened its jaws wide.
She’d expected to encounter monsters, so Karin didn’t panic at all.
Runic Magic Circles began to form on the ground around Karin.
Here, in this era, she’d achieved Lord Awakening, and in the other world, she’d held the power of the Eye of Truth. She, too, was a Dual Awakening like Hyunbin.
“Healing Factor.”
Green light glowed from the runes surrounding her.
At the flashing bright light, the Flesh Beetle hesitated for a moment.
In that instant, something began to rise—one after another.
The Flesh Beetles suddenly tensed up, wary of new enemies.
Dozens of shapes appeared in an instant. Some without arms, others with their guts torn out.
The dead, looking like zombies, rose to stand guard around Karin.
“Just help me until I find that man.”
Karin restored the dead, raising them to their feet. Even if it was an insult to the deceased, and even if it wasn’t like her, she didn’t care.
Because right now, there was someone she had to save.
In Karin’s cold gaze, the dead and the Flesh Beetles were entwined in a chaotic melee, biting and tearing at each other.
A gentle hand stroked my hair. A soft smile, like the sunlight.
She cradled the child in her arms and whispered.
The child answered her question.
I’ll become a Hero.
She smiled tenderly at the child’s words.
She asked again.
The child heard her question and smiled as he answered.
I hope there are always lots of people around me.
She hugged the child tightly, lovingly.
She apologized to the child.
“…Sir…!”
A familiar voice rang out from somewhere.
A sharp voice. Forcing my impossibly heavy eyelids open, I saw Karin looking down at me.
How long had I been asleep?
For a moment I was dazed, not knowing what was happening, but I quickly snapped back to my senses and looked around.
“All done.”
Karin’s face was smiling sheepishly—her whole face covered in soot.
“If you sleep here, your mouth will go crooked.”
“…I was just resting a bit, okay? Who said I was sleeping?”
“Yeah, right.”
I freed myself from Karin’s lap pillow. Thanks to her stroking my head, I’d had a strange dream.
I can’t remember who it was, but it must have been a dream from my early childhood.
A quick check of the time said I’d been unconscious for about twenty minutes.
“Did you get the monster?”
“No. But it’ll be over soon. The army and Hunters are joining the subjugation now.”
Will it really be that easy?
As someone who’s fought it myself, I know better than anyone. Getting up, my body felt light. All the aches throughout my body had mostly healed.
My HP shield was completely full.
It felt like a car with a full tank of gas.
“Back in the day, you used to play around with Earth Dragons like toys, Sir. Guess age catches up with everyone.”
“Hey. I can still play with it like a toy, you know?”
“Not without that Special Perk you used to have. Let’s just go home, Sir.”
Really? Just go home?
Even for the sake of all the people now packed inside my Inventory, that’s what I should do. But after taking all that, I can’t just leave with nothing to show for it.
I can’t just walk away from this pile of experience points.
“Sir?”
Karin called me again, sensing something strange.
Maybe, in the same situation as before, I would’ve gone home. But things are different now.
-The Hero’s Special Perk has been activated.
-The Hero Status Window is now active.
-Packhorse Hero Lee Hyunbin LV 30
-Strength: 42+99
-Agility: 62+99
-Stamina: 30+75
-Magic Power: 10+51
-Luck: 30+55
-Unallocated Stat Points: 30
The stat limit is 99.
On top of my original system stats, the stats I used to have are stacked.
The lightness in my body isn’t just because Karin healed me.
-The Hero of Salvation is now active.
-Your attack power increases for every life you protect.
-Attack power increased by 150%.
With increased synchronization, many of the Hero’s Special Perks have been interpreted and activated.
If I only had a weapon, I could fight just fine.
-Are you alive?
At that moment, a call came in from Olivier. The timing was perfect.
Judging from the unanswered calls, she must’ve thought I was dead—wait, is she—
“Hey, you got any weapons?”
-…Are you going hunting right now?
“Yeah.”
I paused for a moment and continued.
“I’m all warmed up now.”
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