novelraw Chapter 280 : Suicide Squad (4)
Chapter 280 : Suicide Squad (4)
'Vampire Queen' Song Yeonhui and 'Asura' Seong Ji-cheol.
The fact that the two Ma-in were attacking the nuclear power plant was immediately relayed to the Execution Force.
"Why the hell are those bastards out attacking here!"
"Could they be unaware that their base is under attack?"
"How could that be! Their attack took place right after the Catacomb raid. Could this be a coincidence?"
"Th-Then!"
"Information has leaked. And... we've been used."
Heo Sung-gyeom was organizing his thoughts while quietly listening to the staff members' free speech.
'Is this a desperate attempt, or a strategy that seized a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity?'
Whatever the truth, they had no choice but to prepare for the worst-case scenario.
'The problem is... our forces are already dispersed due to the suicide squad.'
Moreover, forces that had to stay in place to defend key facilities and the like already accounted for a significant proportion.
'There's a risk, but it can't be helped.'
But he had already finished consultations with the government for times like this.
'A time of peace. It was sufficient to reorganize the system.'
The solution was to employ hunters instead of the Execution Force to defend key facilities in emergencies.
And in return, they agreed to write off the quota for hunters' annual Gate dispatches.
"Send a request for cooperation to the Hunter Association immediately. And as soon as they arrive, arrange for the Captains of the 6th, 11th, and 15th Units to be sent in rotation."
"Understood!"
If three Captains joined, it would be an incredible force, but if they waited until then, they would miss the golden time.
"Summon 1st Unit Captain Gong I-an and Senior Squad Leader Jo Sujin immediately."
"Understood!"
'If Captain Gong I-an flies on the wind with Jo Sujin's power, we can drastically reduce the time.'
Of course, if the Deputy Captain alone had to handle the frontline that the two had been guarding together, there would be considerable risk.
'It can't be helped. We have to give up what we must give up.'
Heo Sung-gyeom thought.
'This is barely the available force we can use.'
But.
Even so, the force was insufficient.
'Even if Captain Gong I-an can handle Asura or the Queen, it's difficult to deal with the remaining Ma-in.'
He knew well that even if Ahn Byeong-jun and Ma Seungeon attacked together, it would be difficult to do more than buy time.
'Above all, that place is too dangerous. If something goes wrong and a massive explosion occurs, it's over.'
Therefore, a maximum speed battle was needed in many ways.
"There are over a dozen confirmed A-rank or higher among the escaped Ma-in and existing combat personnel."
"Crazy bastards."
Heo Sung-gyeom inadvertently spat out a curse.
"Is there that much value in seizing this place even if they give up the Catacomb?"
Heo Sung-gyeom closed his eyes and recalled Hwang Won-jae's face.
'To think he would counter like this. So boldly.'
Isn't this truly an extreme gambling move?
'He is literally the epitome of deception and guerrilla warfare.'
General Vo Nguyen Giap of Vietnam, who defeated France, a colonial empire, and the United States, which boasted the strongest prosperity after World War II.
For Heo Sung-gyeom, who was well-versed in military history, that name naturally came to mind whenever he thought of Hwang Won-jae.
'There's more to the problem. The fact that he's using such a gambling move means...'
He could only infer that the [Fragment of the Eroding World] was there.
"Chief of Staff Heo."
Ju Taeyang, who had been sitting quietly in his chair listening to the meeting, stood up.
"Yes, Commander."
"I'm sorry for the urgent situation, but I have something to discuss privately."
"...Understood."
Heo Sung-gyeom, who had a bad premonition, immediately rose to his feet.
"It seems my final battlefield has finally come."
At Ju Taeyang's words, after moving to an empty room, Heo Sung-gyeom's eyes widened.
"Commander!"
"...I'm sorry. Suddenly, the time for farewell has come."
"How can you say such a thing..."
"No."
Ju Taeyang's expression was more resolute than ever.
"The final battle that Su-hyeon mentioned has arrived."
It was a long wait, Ju Taeyang said with a bitter smile.
"As you know, I had to wait for the most critical moment because I had little strength left. But when I think of the members who died tragically because of that, I can't help but feel guilty. Because I weighed their lives."
"...That is the duty of one who stands at the highest position, and you were a commander more excellent than anyone."
"If it seemed that way, that's thanks to you. You've had a hard time serving an inadequate superior all this time."
Ju Taeyang wrapped his hand around Heo Sung-gyeom's shoulder.
"I've left my will in the drawer of my office, so read it."
"...!"
"It's shameless, but my wife will be very sad. Please take care of her."
"Yes... I will serve her well without discomfort."
Heo Sung-gyeom, who closed his eyes tightly, gave him the answer he wanted.
"Sorry once more. Don't come out far. You must stay and command the situation."
He briefly embraced Heo Sung-gyeom.
"Then I'll be going."
How sad is a farewell where one cannot say 'come back'?
Heo Sung-gyeom felt the intense flame of the final blaze burning for the last time on the back of the commander, who had become smaller than before.
"...Please leave everything else to us. We'll manage somehow."
Ju Taeyang, without looking back, let out a faint smile.
"This is why I can leave, trusting you."
Ju Taeyang.
A giant who had protected the precarious world, sacrificing himself without reservation.
His end was approaching.
'Su-hyeon.'
Ju Taeyang recalled Su-hyeon's face in his heart.
'Come back in time.'
Su-hyeon had to be at his final battlefield.
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"Stop the Ma-in bastards!"
"If we break, it's over! Defend at all costs!"
The battle situation for the Execution Force was not good.
"Try to stop me if you can!"
The ruler of blood who could only grow stronger on the battlefield, 'Vampire Queen' Song Yeonhui.
"Damn it! These red blood lump bastards!"
Not only was she surrounding and attacking Ahn Byeong-jun with several blood golems to tie up his movements.
Puhihing!
She was also pushing back Pegasus Rider Ma Seungeon with ranged attacks, forcing him up into the sky.
"Not a chance!"
Ma Seungeon would break through all those attacks with his flying and riding skills that had reached mastery and come to attack, but...
"You've worked hard coming."
She would avoid Ma Seungeon's charge like a matador by dispersing her body into bats.
"Damn it!"
Ma Seungeon, whose gauntlet was cut and bleeding as the price for charging, increased his altitude and caught his breath.
'Disgustingly strong.'
It was truly a miserable feeling that they, as Captains of maker units like the 4th and 8th Units, couldn't defeat a single Ma-in and were instead struggling like this.
But.
'Reinforcements will come.'
Whatever the case, playing along with that Vampire Queen's intention of buying time was currently their best option.
'Damn it. It seems difficult to stop that bastard without Captain Gong I-an.'
His gaze turned to 'Asura' Seong Ji-cheol, who was breaking through the members one after another by wielding six weapons.
'Damn it. Not much of the defense line is left.'
In an emergency, he might have to throw himself to block him, but...
'To escape from that woman, I might have to give up one arm.'
Ma Seungeon bit his lip tightly.
"Aaaak!"
"My arm, damn it!"
Seong Ji-cheol, who was slaughtering the members and breaking through the defense line, determined his position through the terrain.
'Smooth. Not much left to the target point.'
Finding the [Fragment of the Eroding World] before reinforcements arrived was the best option.
The second-best was to battle the reinforced members and somehow break through the defense by force.
'With many Captains having left for the suicide squad now, the only one skilled enough to stop me is Gong I-an.'
But even with Gong I-an, there was no need to fear in a one-on-one.
Having faced his spear before, he was certainly a formidable warrior.
'But that's the limit of humans.'
Gong I-an, who had achieved a state almost at the extreme limit of the human species.
However, he, who had reached the pinnacle as a Ma-in, was about half a step ahead.
'The only one I felt I couldn't defeat was Ju Taeyang from 10 years ago.'
"Dragon Spear" Ju Taeyang.
Only he, with the body of a dragon, could somewhat transcend human limits.
'Neither Gong I-an nor Jeong Su-hyeon can be my match. Let alone Son Ji-gwang, who is too senile to even defeat Jang Su-il, or Seol Ji-yun, who is nothing without her flames.'
Being strong was sometimes boring.
But if Nastrond opened in the future, warriors who even his current self couldn't handle would come to destroy this world.
Someday, he wanted to match swords with them too.
Above all.
'The wall I've felt at some point.'
He wanted to see warriors who had surpassed that wall.
"For that, the lives of bugs like you aren't even worth being sacrifices."
At Seong Ji-cheol's emotionless muttering, the members began to hesitate.
"Uh, uuuu."
"Are you afraid? It's natural. If mission spirit alone could change fate, the world wouldn't have become like this in the first place."
Chwaaak!
Seong Ji-cheol, who had caught a member's ankle by swinging his chain and pulled him in, smashed his head with a mace.
Kwaaang!
"I advise you to lend me the way obediently rather than dying painfully for nothing."
The moment he had been yearning for was right in front of him.
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The deepest part of the Catacomb.
Ma-in, who had become anxious at the approaching screams and shouts, were glancing at Hwang Won-jae.
"Stay calm."
Hwang Won-jae said.
"...Understood."
"Keep your position. That's enough."
"Y-Yes!"
The combat personnel felt relief at his appearance, showing no emotional disturbance even in this situation, but...
They couldn't possibly guess that their lives were all set as Hwang Won-jae's stake, prepared for mutual destruction.
'The moment I press this switch, the Catacomb will collapse. Once a massive amount of seawater flows in, no one can escape alive.'
Hwang Won-jae, who had been calmly waiting for time while fiddling with the switch in his pocket, finally rose slowly as the uninvited guests he had been waiting for appeared.
"Hwang Won-jae! We've come to kill you!"
"So you two came first."
Two Captains recognizable by their build even through their masks.
Baek Seungyun and Go Seongjin.
The assault Captain of the 5th Unit and the tenacious Captain of the 13th Unit.
"Seems like we drew the winning ticket."
They had come running after defeating the escapees without encountering the Battle Maniac, Asura, or Vampire Queen.
"A winning ticket, you say."
Hwang Won-jae sneered.
"Imagination is free."
"Shut up and offer your neck, cunning bastard!"
Just as Baek Seungyun rushed in, cloaked in brilliance, and Go Seongjin tried to run along the wall.
"Stop."
Woooong!
At Hwang Won-jae's one word, the two Captains stopped abruptly in place.
"What is this...?"
Ppaak!
The two Captains, struck from behind the head, felt their heads spinning and fell to the floor.
'My body won't move!'
"Damn it!"
Just as Baek Seungyun hurriedly tried to draw up mana and thickly wrap himself in light.
"I told you to stop."
At Hwang Won-jae's subsequent word, even the brilliance disappeared.
'Damn this!'
Baek Seungyun, who couldn't even speak anymore, grimaced at the pain he felt in his side and back.
"How pathetic."
Hwang Won-jae's gaze swept over the Captains indifferently.
"Shit!"
Go Seongjin, who had bit his lip until it bled, somehow managed to rise, but...
"...Kneel."
"Kuk!"
At that one word, his knees became heavy, and as he staggered, he was hit on the head by an attack from behind and rolled on the floor.
"Damn it!"
'Indeed, Go Seongjin. Your mental strength is as remarkable as your reputation.'
Of course, that was largely due to the characteristics of his ability.
If he were a Ma-in, he would have fallen to his knees at his one word until they broke, but...
His dominance inevitably diminished considerably for humans who weren't Ma-in.
'Yet they're in this state.'
"Pathetic. Kill them."
Pook!
The combat personnel stabbed knives into the two Captains' stomachs and backs.
Right then.
"You damn bastards!"
Wharlruk!
Flames from Seol Ji-yun, flying from somewhere, burned the combat personnel.
"Well, the 'Flame Emperor' has arrived."
Hwang Won-jae's eyes narrowed.
Kwang! Ujikkeun!
Next to her, 'Fist King' Jin Seong-geun was rushing in, knocking down combat personnel.
"You two stop there too."
Utwook!
"Kuk!?"
But they too couldn't escape Hwang Won-jae's mental domination, and...
"Kill them."
"Kwaaaak!"
Jin Seong-geun, who forcibly moved his body to shield Seol Ji-yun and took a knife instead, screamed.
"This damn thing, it hurts like hell!"
"...Hmm."
Hwang Won-jae muttered.
"At this rate, I didn't need to worry about how many companions to take."
"Captain Jin Seong-geun! Are you alright?"
"Keuu, no. I think my organs got stabbed?"
"Damn it!"
Seol Ji-yun gritted her teeth.
'By the way, this is a big problem.'
She knew that the Ma-in called Hwang Won-jae had power related to mental domination, but...
She never imagined it would be such a powerful ability.
'Crazy bastard. Why has he been holding back such power all this time?'
Wasn't this truly a formidable ability?
"...Once I've revealed myself from the shadows."
As if understanding the Captains' shock, Hwang Won-jae said.
"You all must pay a commensurate price."
Stumble.
Feeling anemia, Hwang Won-jae barely maintained balance by grabbing the armrest of the chair.
'As expected, restraining humans, especially Captain-level ones, consumes too much mental power.'
Hwang Won-jae, barely maintaining his composure, thought.
It was dangerous if he didn't kill them now, maximizing the surprise effect.
'Damn it. If there's pain, could they temporarily shake off the domination?'
Were-Ratel Go Seongjin, who had fallen after suffering several penetrating wounds, looked at his finger.
'...It wouldn't hinder my fighting if I cut off one. Should I cut off the pinky?'
Go Seongjin, who had come up with an extreme idea befitting a ratel, twitched and brought his left hand to his mouth.
'I'll bite it off in one go.'
Just as Go Seongjin was about to clench his eyes shut.
"That's far enough."
"!!"
Hwang Won-jae's eyes widened at the voice heard from behind.
'Jeong Su-hyeon!?'
Hwang Won-jae hurriedly turned his head, and...
Shweek!
Su-hyeon's sword flew toward Hwang Won-jae's neck.