Ch. 141 - Issuing New Orders

'Xiao Zhan. A+ rank. Sorcerer.' Ju Se-ah recalled Kang Mu-hyuk's instructions.

Do not reveal your S-rank status, and under no circumstances should anyone be killed. The reason was that the Chinese guild behind those people was presumed to be an alliance, not a single entity. With Kang Mu-hyuk already having to worry about Sinuiju and the Demonic Realm, he didn't want to provoke an all-out war. He hoped that even if the fight escalated, it would be after they had made the necessary preparations.

'It's a difficult order, but at least he said it's okay to cripple them.'

Thinking about the scale of their counterattack, Ju Se-ah's body reacted. Though invisible, her skin tightened, her muscles contracted and optimized, and the blood flow in her veins quickened. Her bone structure condensed like a dragon. Every cell transformed for the singular purpose of combat. Since becoming aware of her S-rank status, Ju Se-ah had been able to fully observe her physical changes. Recognized as the best tank, she could now control her physical and magical resistance more freely.

"Witch. Your skills are well-known. They say you have a very sturdy body? I'm curious just how sturdy it is."

Xiao Zhan extended his hands to the sides.

[Water Dragon]

Two streams of water erupted from the blue waters of the Yalu River. The water, resembling dragons, flew towards Ju Se-ah, breaking part of the bridge that blocked their path before striking her directly. The water dragons' attack didn't stop there. They coiled around Ju Se-ah, trapping her tightly.

'High-speed, high-pressure water streams. The fact that it's suffocating is just a bonus. How long can she hold out?'

Xiao Zhan grinned like a child playing with a new toy. Then, within the clutches of the water dragons, Ju Se-ah moved. Her hand reached for the sword at her waist. The pressure seemed to make her movements slow.

"Haha, are you going to cut the water with a sword?"

[Rapid Slash]

The first draw of the sword from its sheath. For a moment, the water dragon appeared to be torn apart, but it quickly regained its form.

"Even kids don't use these little tricks. What'll you do with that?"

Xiao Zhan sneered at Ju Se-ah's struggle.

[Rapid Slash]

A series of slashes followed, making the water dragon tremble.

"Tsk tsk. Use something decent, Ju Se-ah. With such pathetic skills..."

[Rapid Slash] [Rapid Slash] [Rapid Slash] [Rapid Slash] [Rapid Slash] [Rapid Slash] [Rapid Slash] [Rapid Slash] [Rapid Slash] [Rapid Slash] [Rapid Slash] [Rapid Slash]

Slash after slash, dozens of times, cut through the water again and again. One of the water dragons couldn't withstand the power and was destroyed. The other dragon began to shake as if about to fall apart.

'No way... Even if it's a basic sword skill, a single-target skill like that requires focused power, but there's no delay?'

Xiao Zhan gritted his teeth and reached out.

"That's impressive, but we're on a river!"

New columns of water surged up, pinning Ju Se-ah down. The previous water dragon that fell apart was revived. But, the brief moment when the water dragon's grip on Ju Se-ah loosened was enough for her. As the dragon's restraint on her slackened, she started spinning, just before new water dragons could pounce.

[Spinning Slash]

Her sword traced a 360-degree arc. With a single swing that cut in all directions, Ju Se-ah leaped. The water dragons swirled around, following the trajectory of her sword. The ascending dragons reached for the sky, resembling a dragon ascending to the heavens.

'Unbelievable. She can link skills seamlessly from Rapid Slash to Spinning Slash, adding a jump? Forcibly turning a skill's path, even for a Hunter, her body can't withstand...'

Suddenly, Xiao Zhan remembered Ju Se-ah's trait. It wasn't clearly known, but it was revealed to be resistance to all forces and extreme physical enhancement. Then he realized why Ju Se-ah was considered Korea's strongest Hunter. Why surrounding countries like China and Japan, and even the Western Hunter nations, were so wary of her.

'She wasn't just a tough tank.'

A Hunter capable of movements that surpassed the basic principles of skill activation. It was simple to explain, but very few Hunters could achieve it in reality, embodying the unknown potential.

"Is that it?"

The water dragon ascended, created by her sword. Droplets of water sparkled in the sunlight. A rainbow appeared and faded behind her as Ju Se-ah approached Xiao Zhan.

"You're not the only one who can control wind!"

Xiao Zhan, in a fit of panic, drew a weapon from his waist. It was a short, metallic staff that resembled a conductor's baton, with a 'Baltic Sea' Gate-origin amber jewel set at the tip aimed at Ju Se-ah. The yellow transparent jewel had a small skull in it which wasn't just a decoration. It was a magical symbol made from the specially treated skull of the troublesome monster 'Black Fairy.'

"Fancy goods you've got there, huh?"

Recognizing the staff's nature, Ju Se-ah prepared herself. She maximized her resistance to all elements. Noticing Ju Se-ah getting ready, Xiao Zhan shouted.

"Do you take me for a fool?!"

Xiao Zhan was well aware of Ju Se-ah's nickname, the Mage Killer. Sorcery, broadly speaking, was a type of magic. Direct attacks would be ineffective. So, he had to take a tactical approach rather than a direct offensive.

[Wind Dragon]

A gust of wind pushed Ju Se-ah back. As the small storm hit her, she planted her feet into the concrete of the iron bridge, holding her ground. When she didn't budge, Xiao Zhan slammed the staff into the ground. The tremor from the staff caused the bridge to ripple. The wave reached Ju Se-ah. The bridge deck was lifted, and the concrete footing she used as a brace was torn away. Seizing the moment, the wind dragon blew Ju Se-ah off. She flew past the Yalu River Bridge to the riverside. Landing on the golden sand, Ju Se-ah looked at Xiao Zhan from a distance, as if to say, 'Not bad.'

"Let's go! Everyone!"

At Xiao Zhan's shout, the attack team crossed the bridge at full speed. Ju Se-ah waited until all of them had taken their positions. Xiao Zhan sneered at her composed demeanor.

"You're way too overconfident. Seeing as you were so kind as to even wait for us, huh?"

"You've crossed the border. This is illegal entry into the country. Even the Chinese government won't defend you if you cause trouble in another country."

"So, you stepped back on purpose? Just for such a flimsy excuse? Well, it doesn't matter. We just need to eliminate the witnesses."

"Until now it was all according to our Guild Leader's plan. Now, it's my turn."

"Your turn?"

"They say one of the most remarkable skills of a sorcerer is 'Earth Sorcery,' right? I've let you come to this side, so go ahead and show me what you've got. That way, you won't whine about losing a fight on water."

"Hah! I thought fighting while getting beaten up was your specialty."

Mana gathered around Xiao Zhan's staff. Ju Se-ah also focused on gathering her mana.

'Giving a sorcerer time is a foolish move but-.'

When Ju Se-ah was A+ rank, she might have hesitated to face a sorcerer with a fully equipped attack team head-on. This was because a well-prepared sorcerer was one of the most daunting opponents to face. But now...

'He's the perfect sparring partner to test my rank-up changes.'

[Earth Armor]

Xiao Zhan's spell made sand climb up the legs of dozens of Hunters. The sand wrapped around their entire bodies and then hardened. It soon took on the form of full-body armor, shining in a way that made it hard to believe it was made of sand.

"Impressive, but it'll take more than playing with dirt to beat me."

"This is just the beginning."

[Red Hare]

Next, the sand gathered into dozens of warhorses.

"Done. Terracotta Army."

The Hunters, now armored, mounted the horses. As they got on the horses, their aura changed. They felt several times stronger than when they stood alone.

"Oh! A combo skill."

A highly advanced technique that combined two skills into one. Ju Se-ah could now understand why Xiao Zhan was so renowned even in the Demonic Realm.

'Sorcerers are tricky like this. They can design skills to take the shape they imagine. It'd be great if Korea had Hunters like this.'

Considering the power of the Hunters with full buffs, they truly had the destructive force of a cavalry unit. Facing such a powerful enemy, Ju Se-ah's first thought was, 'What a shame.' Noticing that she wasn't nervous at all, Xiao Zhan ground his teeth.

"I wonder how long you'll keep that confident attitude."

"When will you realize you're just a small fry?"

"Ugh, charge!"

At Xiao Zhan's command, the cavalry unit began their assault.

Zhang Zhongxun moved to a secret location, known only to a few officers, after dealing with the Goryeo Alliance Hunters. He walked with a visible look of displeasure. His angry footsteps echoed through the underground passage. Wen Hao, trailing behind, carefully asked to avoid irking his superior.

"Are you really going to release them? We still have the attack team in Dandong. If they join forces with Xiao Zhan, their army will be many times stronger. Even the Slayer Guild will struggle to face that many enemies."

"Don't rely on Xiao Zhan."

"Pardon?"

"He's too unpredictable. He acts high and mighty but avoids getting hurt at crucial moments. He has a terrible temper and loses sight of things when he gets angry. He's stronger than me, but there's a reason the higher-ups don't trust him."

"But we can't deny that he and his attack team are strong. Especially in large-scale battles, they're even more formidable."

Zhang Zhongxun burst into loud laughter, so loud that the passage echoed. It was a laugh that felt both refreshing and somehow hollow.

"Kang Mu-hyuk knew about Dandong. Do you think he'd leave the place undefended?"

"No way. No matter how cunning he is, he wouldn't have the capacity to worry about Dandong as well."

"I hope it's just my paranoia.... It feels a bit awkward to say this as someone who lost, but it feels like we've been played by Kang Mu-hyuk. I'm starting to suspect that he planned this from the moment we arrived in Sinuiju. We should have killed him back then."

Wen Hao also felt uneasy. It was clearly a winning battle. Anyone could see that only an idiot would lose here. But in the end, they retreated. They won the battle but lost the war. It was the most unpleasant kind of defeat.

So why did this happen? Was it because of the Slayer Guild's involvement?

'No, we could have ended the fight earlier.'

Or was it because of that female Hunter who blew their forces away from the village perimeter?

'Her abilities were impressive, but even that was a matter of split-second timing. It wasn't enough to change the overall outcome.'

The main reason was that the prison village Hunters unified. And they figured out their plans.

'All of this was led by Kang Mu-hyuk. Yes, he was the problem.'

An ordinary person with no power had derailed a war involving hundreds of Hunters, a top-tier Chinese guild's plans, and the city of Sinuiju. As these thoughts crossed Wen Hao's mind, his foreboding turned concrete into a tangible threat.

"Then, should we send a confirmation message to Xiao Zhan...?"

"Leave him be. Let him get a taste of it. As long as he draws attention, that's enough."

Zhang Zhongxun stopped talking as they arrived at their destination. A massive underground chamber spread out before them. Below, countless shadows swarmed. Eerie cries echoed off the walls. Zhang Zhongxun raised his voice slightly to continue.

"We failed to take Sinuiju. I hope this calms down, but with the Slayer involved, it probably won't end here. That means we need to achieve at least the minimum result that our superiors want."

"I had grown fond of this city. I didn't want to use this."

"Don't regret it. While Xiao Zhan distracts them, we just need to finish our work."

Wen Hao swallowed hard. What they were about to do was a high-risk, high-reward operation. They wanted to avoid it if possible.

'If other countries find out... If it gets out that we did this... The international backlash will be fierce. It'll be the worst possible outcome...'

But considering their overall plan, which disregarded public opinion, this was a minor issue.

"Tell the Tamers. The target is the prison village. After destroying it, release control. We'll issue the final command and return to the mainland. Eliminate any evidence."

"Yes, sir."

Wen Hao left to carry out the orders. Zhang Zhongxun looked down at his feet and muttered.

"If we can't have it, we might as well destroy it. Sinuiju is just a tool after all."

Kang Mu-hyuk dispatched Mr. Cho and other quick-footed Hunters to Sinuiju city.

"They've completely lifted the encirclement?"

"They're retreating towards the Yalu River. It looks like they're giving up on Sinuiju."

No Song-rin, who relayed the incoming messages, tilted his head in puzzlement. Sung Seonjae, standing nearby, also found it strange, his eyes gleaming with suspicion.

"Despite our intervention, they're giving up way too easily. It's bothering me that they're abandoning such a well-crafted plan without a proper fight, especially with an attack team in Dandong."

"Team Leader Sung is right. Zhang Zhongxun isn't someone who'd be convinced so easily. He's been managing Sinuiju for a long time, waiting for the right moment. Plus, if he retreats now, he won't be in a good position either."

Sung Seonjae agreed with Kang Mu-hyuk.

"Indeed, given the previous examples of the top Chinese guilds, they aren't lenient about failures."

"Then, what do you think their next move will be? Do you think they'll really withdraw?"

"Well, if the information is correct, Sinuiju is a bridgehead. It's an ideal base to cause chaos in the Korean Hunter community and exploit any openings. Retreating and coming back is less effective than staying and fighting."

"That leaves one way then..."

"You're right, it's the only way."

As Kang Mu-hyuk and Sung Seonjae frowned at the same time, No Song-rin grumbled, not understanding.

"Hey, don't just keep it to yourselves. What are you talking about? What's the only way?"

Kang Mu-hyuk turned to No Song-rin and said, "If I were Zhang Zhongxun, I'd destroy Sinuiju. I don't know how yet though."

"Destroy an entire city?"

"This place is a forward base for someone wanting to invade the Korean Peninsula. But for someone who wants the opposite, it's a defensive base. From an invader's perspective, it's better to destroy it."

As Sung Seonjae added, No Song-rin finally understood.

"Breaking down the door makes it easier to enter, huh."

"Yes. And it's easier to rebuild. They have enough money and resources."

No sooner had Kang Mu-hyuk finished speaking than No Song-rin received another message.

"Captain Kang, it's a message from Mr. Cho..."

"..."

"A large number of monsters are swarming in. From all directions... To this place."

Unlike the flustered No Song-rin, Kang Mu-hyuk remained calm. Sung Seonjae turned with a wide grin.

"I was thinking about taking the place without having to exert myself. But I guess we're not destined for an easy life, either you or me."

"Command authority? What do you want to do about that?"

"For monster hunting, our expedition team here should be enough."

"But the number of Hunters is limited. Our primary goal is the safety of the people. Many Hunters are injured, and there are many elderly and sick villagers. That's way too large a scale for just the expedition team to cover."

"I'm not an idiot who would argue over command authority in an emergency. Besides, I'm unfamiliar with the terrain here. So, Guild Leader Kang, why don't you give the orders? I'll follow without complaint."

"Thank you for the quick decision."

Kang Mu-hyuk bowed his head in sincere gratitude and spoke.

"Then, I'll be issuing new orders."

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