Against the Clock: The Team Leader’s Pursuit of Glory

Yu Jung-geol, who had been hit by a car and fallen into the lake, heard an explosion just as he emerged from the water.

"What the---what just exploded?"

Rushing up to the road, he finally discerned the cause of the explosion.

"..."

He was at a loss for words.

One man was rolling on the ground with his eye grievously injured. Another had a hole in his chest.

"Did some B-rank Hunter come along or what?"

Looking around, he quickly identified the reason for the disaster.

A revolver and a firing mechanism lay on the ground.

He wasn't aware of the specifics, but it was clear that these two items were responsible for the mayhem. After all, no ordinary person could do this to two Hunters, regardless of their rank.

"Pathetic. You think you're something just because you're a rank higher? To get beaten by someone who's not even a Hunter---there are limits to your carelessness. Hey you, quit your whining and get up. You can get regenerative treatment for your eye. Or use a prosthetic. Seriously, creating a fuss just because your eye hurts a little. Tsk! Come on, we've got to wrap this up."

"My eye isn't just hurting, you prick..."

Grabbing his face with both hands, Yu Jung-geol kicked the prone Hunter and walked over to Kang Mu-hyuk.

"I thought this was going to be easy. But even as the Guild Leader, you put up quite a fight. Don't resent it too much; it's just the nature of the underworld."

Yu Jung-geol grabbed Kang Mu-hyuk by the collar and raised him to the appropriate height. He clenched his fist, preparing to finish him off with one strike, aiming to at least spare him any further pain.

"Are you Kang Mu-hyuk?"

Just as he was about to swing his fist, a young girl's voice startled him from the side.

Turning his head, he saw a petite girl squatting down and talking to Kang Mu-hyuk.

Despite her small frame, she wore a billowy cape, and her hair, which didn't match her innocent face, was tied up in a tight bun.

"You, who are you?"

Ignoring Yu Jung-geol's question, the girl held up her smartphone to Kang Mu-hyuk's face. On the screen was a picture of him.

"Ah, I finally found you. What kind of guild operates in a place where there's not even a single bar of signal? No calls, nothing---I thought I was going to die of frustration. And the resort building's empty, too. Huh? Seems like you've got a few broken bones. Ouch, that must hurt. Can you even talk?"

Talking nonstop, she then attempted to help Kang Mu-hyuk up.

It was then that Kang Mu-hyuk finally managed to turn his head.

"You! Who the hell are you?!"

Feeling a sudden surge of unease at the girl's nonchalant demeanor, Yu Jung-geol screamed. Redirecting his fist, he aimed for the girl's head.

Thud!

"A shield?"

His fist was deflected, causing a sharp pain to shoot up his arm.

"Want to get rid of him?"

The girl pointed at Yu Jung-geol, and Kang Mu-hyuk nodded.

The woman rose from her seat. She was only tall enough to barely reach the chest of Yu Jung-geol, standing at around 160 cm or so. But for some reason, she felt much larger to him---as if she were looking down on him.

"Thankfully, it's not too late. If you had died, I would have owed my grandfather this month's allowance. My brothers have a concert next month, and I almost couldn't get the tickets."

She twisted her neck from side to side and the bones echoed with a cracking sound.

"What?"

Yu Jung-geol felt as if his vision had shifted strangely. There was no other way to explain why he seemed to be lying on his side.

As he drifted further from consciousness, he realized one fact.

'That cracking sound came from my own neck?'

That was his last thought.

"Is this guy also a bad one?"

Before Kang Mu-hyuk could respond, the young woman reached out and snapped the incapacitated Hunter's neck.

"I came here to hunt orcs but ended up killing these petty villains instead. And they're small fry. Ugh, not even worth any money. Just ruined my mood."

As if her mouth was truly dry, she smacked her lips and looked down at Kang Mu-hyuk's pale face. She slapped her palm against his forehead.

"Oh dear, you'll die at this rate. Hold on, this potion is expensive, you know? Even my grandfather doesn't use it freely, but I'll make an exception for you. What, you're not going to drink it? It's a gift, come on. Open up."

"I can't drink it. I'm already at my limit; I'll die."

"Jeez, you worry too much. I know a potion can be harsh on a regular human's body, but it's not lethal. Just take a small sip as emergency treatment."

"I have a condition. I can't consume anything with mana in it without medication."

"Can't drink a potion? Wow, you've got some odd disease, missing out on the good stuff."

She took a sip of the potion as if drinking a vitamin beverage, contradicting her earlier comment about its expensive nature.

Kang Mu-hyuk wondered who she was. What he was sure of was that she had saved him.

Was she an ally? Or an enemy who had helped him for some purpose?

He remained tense, still uncertain.

'She's definitely high-ranked. That wasn't a shield earlier. Nor was it any other kind of magic. But the fact that an attack was blocked in mid-air means...'

He had a feeling he knew what her ability was.

"You're a telekinetic, aren't you?"

"Bingo."

"So it was you who was flying earlier. No illusion there. An A-rank Hunter?"

"Yes, A-. My grandfather told me. You're pretty perceptive, huh? I didn't even use my full strength, and you figured me out."

"Your grandfather?"

"Yep. You're the one my grandfather was talking about, right? Saying I shouldn't be embarrassed? Well, thanks to that, I'm the one who ended up tired. I had to rush over so quickly that I didn't even have time to change, just threw on this cloak."

Kang Mu-hyuk finally noticed that the girl's attire, hidden beneath her cloak, was not a uniform but a school uniform. He realized that her naive responses were indicative of her youthful innocence.

'No, she's not naive. Even if the opponent had done something to deserve death, the ease with which she killed indicated that she was incredibly confident in her abilities. That's probably why she has no awareness of security. She knows she could kill anyone if they betray her.'

Kang Mu-hyuk discerned the hidden volatility in her seemingly careless actions. He rapidly scanned through his mental directory of known individuals.

'A-Rank. Female. A minor. A psychic-attribute Hunter. As far as I know, I've never heard of such a Hunter. The possibility that she's deliberately hiding her skills is high. I don't know why she would do that, but I can guess who sent her.'

He had to confirm one last thing.

"Is your grandfather Han Byung-Gu, the president of the Hunter Association?"

"Sharp as tongs. Yes, he's my maternal grandfather."

From a few questions, Kang Mu-hyuk learned more about the girl.

Her name was Go Eul-ji. She was the maternal granddaughter of the Hunter Association president, Han Byung-Gu, and an A-Rank psychic-attribute Hunter. Given that psychic Hunters were generally considered stronger than others at the same rank, her destructive power was clearly significant.

'A well-trained psychic is no less powerful than a high-ranking mage. Wait a minute! An A-Rank psychic? That could be possible, couldn't it?'

A new plan suddenly flashed across Kang Mu-hyuk's mind. Forgetting his pain, he grabbed Go Eul-ji's shoulders and asked, "What's the range and destructive power of your psychic abilities?"

"Why the sudden question?"

"This is urgent! My guildmates would be wiped out!"

Faced with the sudden forcefulness from Kang Mu-hyuk, who looked as pale as a corpse, Go Eul-ji hesitantly replied, "Um, I can probably level a high-rise building, I guess?"

"How many floors? What's the area?"

"How would I know? Do you count the grains of rice when you eat? Or measure the volume of air when you breathe? Just approximately."

"Let's say there's a concrete structure that's about 50 meters long, 8 meters wide, and 5 meters tall. Can you destroy it in one go?"

Caught off guard by the mathematical question, Go Eul-ji scratched her head in discomfort before answering, "Ugh, I hate math. Hold on. 50 meters, 8 meters, 5 meters? Destroy it in one go, you say? It would be tough, but it might be doable. I'd have to try it to be sure. Why?"

"We came here to hunt orcs, remember?"

"Right."

"Then let's go hunt some orcs."

...

Cho Chung-hyun gritted his teeth. The two brats before him had not only failed to crumble but had actually pushed him back.

'That supporter... was it Choi Mi-ran? I underestimated her because she's perpetually stuck at C+. She's more bothersome than I thought.'

If Kim Seong-hyun had fought him one-on-one, even if they were of the same rank, he would have finished him off by now. The difference in experience was that vast. But the supportive moves from his ally, Choi Mi-ran, were keeping him from delivering the decisive blow.

He was waiting for an opportunity to take her out first. However, Kim Seong-hyun wouldn't allow it. Just as Choi Mi-ran was supporting him, he too fought fiercely to protect her. Their coordinated movements indicated this wasn't a partnership formed overnight.

"The Guild Leader didn't pair them together for nothing," He thought.

Kang Mu-hyuk had recently dismantled existing parties within the guild, regrouping Hunters based on efficiency at a 'Tactical Adjustment Meeting.'

A few pairings were exceptions, and these two were among them.

At first, he thought they were grouped together for easy surveillance of remnants loyal to Do Gyeong-hoon still in the guild. But now, it seemed like the decision was based purely on combat efficiency.

He felt uneasy. He had Hunters lying in ambush to capture Kang Mu-hyuk, but what if things went awry and he managed to bring a bomb?

'That would be a disaster. I need to kill Kang Mu-hyuk and get rid of these two,' He thought, as their swords clashed, elevating the tension.

Then he noticed something strange. Choi Mi-ran was looking in an odd direction.

"Seong-hyun, look at that..."

Following her cue, Kim Seong-hyun swung his sword broadly and retreated.

Instinctively, he put distance between them as well. Following Choi Mi-ran's upward gaze, he looked up.

Floating in the sky was a woman looking down upon them.

"Who is that?" Choi Mi-ran murmured nervously, first to notice.

Being airborne alone indicated the Hunter was immensely powerful, likely a mage skilled in long-range attacks.

The question was whether she was friend or foe.

"You two down there! Are you under Kang Mu-hyuk's command?"

"Huh? Uh... Yes, we are."

"Correct, we are."

"Okay, stay clear. Actually, stop inching around and get away from the dam area."

Watching the two Hunters hesitantly back away, he sensed danger.

"Hey! Who are you?"

"Mmm, just as I thought. You do look like the bad guy. I don't need to care whether you live or die. Now, let's get this started."

As she stretched her hand downward, the dam trembled.

It definitely trembled.

"What is this... Damn it!"

With his shout, cracks began to form on the concrete making up the dam. From the first signs of instability to total collapse, it was a matter of moments. He had no chance to dodge.

Like a giant toppling a bamboo hut, the dam shattered, sending chunks of concrete flying in all directions.

Caught off guard, he was engulfed by the rushing water.

Even a B-rank Hunter had no chance against the pressure of 460,000 tons of water.

The massive stream overflowed the narrow valley, even sweeping away the trees planted along the riverbank.

The waters of the lake surged like a runaway train, racing toward the waterfall. A massive explosion reverberated through the air.

"Boom!"

"Wow, talk about good timing on that explosion, huh?"

Immediately Go Eul-ji felt slightly dizzy. After releasing the psychokinetic energy she had focused on herself, she gently touched down on the ground and took a few deep breaths.

"Phew~ I'm drained. Did I overexert myself? Should've taken it easy. Can't believe he had me do such hard work on our first encounter. If it weren't for Grandpa... Does he think I'm a slave or something? Ugh, might as well blow off some steam. Maybe it's time to hunt some Orc necks, it's been a while."

...

Jang Deuk-goo, at the forefront, was holding his own despite being surrounded by Orcs.

However, the remaining Hunters were in tatters. Several were severely wounded, and some had even died. With no time for grief or commands, all the Hunters could do was hold on for dear life.

If Jang Deuk-goo hadn't acted as a shield at the front, they might have already been swept away by the Orcs' tactics.

"Damn it, Kang Mu-hyuk! This is not what we agreed on!"

Baek Hyeonggyu, who had already been uneasy about this operation, silently cursed Kang Mu-hyuk. There was nothing else he could do.

Just as he thought they might have to lay their bones here, he heard Kang Mu-hyuk's voice.

"Detonating now. Everyone, fall back. Thirty-second countdown."

As if he had been waiting for this, Jang Deuk-goo roared.

"Everyone, retreat! I'll hold the rear!"

Unleashing all the strength he had been conserving, a flurry of attack skills erupted from Jang Deuk-goo. His finely honed mana control sent waves of energy crashing into the Orcs.

Had it not been for the Orc warrior stepping forward to absorb the attack, the surrounding formation could have been easily broken.

Seizing the opportunity, the Hunters turned and ran. The tanks threw down their shields and carried the wounded.

"Ropes!"

At the shout of Na Dongpa, several ropes descended from both sides of the waterfall.

The Hunters grasped the ropes and began climbing the cliff. It wasn't very high, but the heavy equipment and wounded made it no easy task. Nevertheless, their extraordinary physical abilities allowed them to reach the top in no time.

"Team leader!"

Measuring time in his head, Jang Deuk-goo leaped with just three seconds to spare.

The Orcs, eyes wide, followed closely behind. They couldn't let the one who destroyed their sacred totem leave unscathed.

Just as Jang Deuk-goo reached the bottom of the waterfall, he heard the sound of an explosion above him.

With a powerful leap, he managed to grab onto a rope midway up the cliff. Rocks tumbled down and a subsequent torrent of water shook him wildly as he clung to the rope. Even though he wasn't hit directly, holding on was a herculean effort.

The aftermath of the explosion sent a dual assault of rock and water raining down on the heads of the Orcs.

The Orcs let out indiscernible shrieks, either screams or yells, as they were swept away by the rushing water.

Even the warrior-level Orc, who stood a head taller than the rest, was no exception.

Only the Orc warrior managed to hold out a little longer, but in the end, he too couldn't withstand the divine punishment unleashed by the lake.

Battered by the forceful stream of water beside him, Jang Deuk-goo struggled to reach the surface.

Exhausted, he slumped down, flipping his drenched hair back as he surveyed the chaos below.

"460,000 tons... it's easy to say that number. This is not a level that even an A-rank could handle."

"Even real Ogres wouldn't be able to withstand this," Na Dongpa chimed in, his tone tinged with disdain, as they both watched hundreds of Orcs getting completely submerged.

"They won't all drown to death, but the damage will be significant," Jang Deuk-goo sighed, rising to his feet.

"It's not over yet. Bring the Rider Wolves. We'll start cleaning up the remnants of the Orcs."