novelraw Chapter 331: Episode 331
Chapter 331: Episode 331
The warp gates that had unleashed the massive swarm of missiles slowly began to close.
Even so, the sheer devastation of the fire support was more than enough. The assault squad marched toward the decimated Ultio legion and easily broke through their once-ironclad formation.
"I’ve played every card I have," Yusin said, shrugging as he put down his phone. "From here on out, we really have to break through with our own strength."
"Understood."
As the assault squad relentlessly pushed forward, the core area finally came into view.
A crimson barrier pulsed ahead, clearly visible even from a distance. It was identical to the descriptions found in the records of the Great Library. Inside that barrier was exactly where Nemesis waited.
Furthermore, a horribly ominous aura of mana bled from the barrier—unlike anything they had ever experienced before. Yusin was absolutely certain that Nemesis was inside.
—"Monsters from all over the New Continent are swarming in!"
—"Prepare yourselves. We’re pushing straight through without any breaks."
Everyone shared the same sentiment. Without even taking the time to properly reorganize their ranks, the hunters advanced at a rapid pace.
—"Multiple aerial-type monsters approaching from our seven o’clock!"
"It never ends."
The world’s strongest telekinetic, Samuel, flew higher into the sky. As his fingers danced, the flying monsters slammed into each other, crumpling like empty beer cans.
"I’ll handle the ones above, so don’t worry about—"
Fresh blood splattered into the air. Out of nowhere, Samuel’s head exploded.
"S-Sir Samuel!"
"What was that just now...?"
The bodies of the vanguard hunters were abruptly punctured, gaping holes appearing in their chests as they collapsed to the ground.
"Enemy attack!"
"Where are they shooting from?!"
The veteran hunters quickly scanned their surroundings, their eyes locking onto the front lines.
The crimson barrier where Nemesis was sealed. Right in front of it stood a line of monsters taking aim.
"...They shot us from that far away?"
These creatures were different from the average Ultio lineage monsters.
They were clad in red bone that covered their entire bodies like crimson armor, and they were aiming grotesquely oversized arms—reminiscent of long spears—directly at the human vanguard. A small bore hole was visible at the tip of each bone spear.
As their arms jolted back from the recoil, streaks of lethal ballistics tore through the air at supersonic speeds, effortlessly punching holes straight through the hunters’ bodies.
—"Allied casualties are too high! We need fire support from the aerial forces!"
—"We have to get closer!"
—"Multiple mana signatures detected! Watch the ground!"
Ruuuumble!
This time, the assault came from below. Snake-like Ultio monsters burst through the sand.
Opening their maws as if vomiting, they spewed droves of small, slime-covered monsters.
—"Monsters appearing on the ground! Estimated to be over 5,000!"
—"2,000 aerial-type monsters approaching from the sky!"
—"Why are they suddenly...!"
Humanity had reached the doorstep of their main base, driving Nemesis’s forces to desperation. Both sides were now launching an all-out offensive.
The hunters tried to regroup into a breakthrough formation, but under the barrage of attacks from the red Ultios at the vanguard, even the highest-ranking hunters were pierced through, falling in vain.
The ranks quickly scattered in a frantic bid for survival.
To make matters worse, the remnants of the Ultios in the rear were tightening the net. At this rate, they would be completely surrounded.
Unable to just watch, Yusin grabbed his earpiece and shouted.
—"This is the Commander-in-Chief. We are abandoning formation. From this moment on, focus on individual survival and run toward Nemesis with everything you have. If you fall behind, there is only death."
*
A desperate battle ensued.
With the red Ultios raining down long-range attacks, maintaining any sort of formation had lost its meaning.
Their firepower was so extreme, it was as if they were casually firing off miniature Doomsdays. Swept away by the blinding flashes of light, hunters vanished before they even realized they were dead.
They had to somehow close the distance and eliminate the red creatures, but it was far from easy.
The onslaught of monsters swarming from all directions was relentless. Colossal beasts, stretching over 130 feet long, tore out of the ground and wildly flailed their massive arms.
"I will go this time."
As the casualties grew beyond expectations, Hong Yeon finally stepped up. This time, Yusin did not stop her.
Leaving the shelter, she dashed to the front of the allied formation, activated her earpiece, and spoke.
—"This is the Korean Association President, Hong Yeon. From now on, I am taking command as the acting Commander-in-Chief."
The hunters, gasping for breath, raised their heads. Everyone knew who she was. She had started as the younger sister of the Great Hero, but was now infamous in her own right as a ruthless and overwhelmingly powerful hunter.
At that moment, a flash of light from a red Ultio shot toward her.
Glancing back, she gritted her teeth and swung her sword, deflecting the lethal beam. The flash ricocheted and pierced straight through the chest of the red Ultio that fired it.
The hunters’ jaws dropped at the unbelievable feat.
—"I don’t know if we can win this battle. But one thing is certain."
She continued, her expression dead serious.
—"In this current situation, we are humanity’s only hope. If we collapse here, Oracle’s prophecy will not come true."
The surrounding hunters fell silent.
—"Get up. And run. I will lead the way."
With that, Hong Yeon pushed off the ground. Amidst a shower of red sparks, her body shot forward.
Only then did the hunters lying on the ground begin to push themselves up, letting out strained groans.
The situation was as extreme as it could possibly be.
Their opponents were all powerful Ultio-lineage monsters. Every single one of them was a lethal threat. Skilled individuals who would be revered as guild leaders anywhere else were reduced to mere foot soldiers here.
The aerial forces had also reached their limits. The Sky Castle was plummeting from the sky, trailing thick smoke. The Ghost Ship had been smashed to pieces and was currently being swallowed by a colossal monster’s maw. Hunters of the Ghost Corps could be seen urgently leaping from the wrecked vessel.
Inside the shelter, Yusin watched the carnage unfold with bloodshot eyes.
Official Rank 3 Ahn Sehyeon, dead with his head blown off.
Official Rank 3 Zhang Wei, dead while pouring blood from his entire body.
Official Rank 2 Giant, dead with a hole blown through his chest.
Official Rank 2 Nightwalker, dead as his entire body turned to ashes.
Yusin did not avert his gaze.
Stepping in himself wouldn’t reverse the situation; it would only lower their chances of winning the boss fight against Nemesis.
I must trample over the deaths of the people I brought here and seize victory.
I have to.
Official Rank 3 Scorpion, dead with his heart pierced.
Official Rank 3 Oh Hoseung, dead after being torn apart and eaten by monsters.
Official Rank 2 Im Namjin, dead from a piercing wound.
Official Rank 1 Grizzly, dead from excessive bleeding.
The hermit crab monster carrying Yusin was also at its limit. Riddled with holes from the red Ultios’ sniping, it finally gave out and collapsed to the ground.
Yusin quickly slipped out through one of the gaping holes in its shell.
Under the follow-up attacks of the red Ultios, the fleshy shelter was reduced to a mangled lump of meat.
Yusin sharply focused his mind and ran on his own two feet. In the face of such precise long-range attacks, activating the Wing Golem and taking to the air would be no different from painting a massive target on his back.
-Tower Master! In front of you!
A yellow flash suddenly rushed into Yusin’s line of sight.
Thanks to Devastar activating almost instinctively, Yusin’s body shot to the side, tumbling across the dirt. The five hunters directly behind him collapsed heavily, their upper bodies obliterated, leaving nothing but their legs behind.
"Damn it...!"
As Yusin raised his head, a vermilion-eyed Ultio that had slipped close without him noticing raised a mana blade.
Magic circles instantly drew themselves across the monster’s body and exploded. Almost simultaneously, the vermilion sword strike swung down, cleaving straight through the thick smoke of the blast.
"Ugh!"
Yusin kicked off the ground, evading backward.
As expected, speed-type magic can’t deal any damage to that tough outer shell. It’s horrifying that this is just the average for an Ultio monster.
The Ultio lunged at Yusin once again.
"Representative!"
Jo Yonghee rushed over, grabbing the Ultio with his poison-slathered right arm and slamming it brutally into the ground.
With a gruesome crunch, the struggling Ultio’s body went completely limp.
"Jo Yonghee!"
"Are you alri—!"
Fwooooosh!
Yusin’s pupils wavered in sheer disbelief.
A flash of light tore in from the front, and Jo Yonghee’s body vanished without a trace.
Yusin was too stunned to speak.
I couldn’t save him.
He was right in front of me, but I couldn’t even lift a finger.
-Tower Master! You have to pull yourself together!
Yusin gritted his teeth and pushed forward, his legs pumping.
Flashes of light rained down as the monsters continued their relentless offensive, but he ran with all his might.
—"Protect the Commander-in-Chief!"
A few hunters recognized Yusin and flanked him as an escort, fighting off the attacking monsters in his stead.
Yusin thanked them and broke through the fray.
I’m almost there.
Fortunately, Hong Yeon, who had been leading the charge, broke through the frontline monsters and finally reached the red Ultios.
Screaming as she swung her sword with pure, unadulterated spite, she cleaved right through the bodies of the red Ultios. These were monsters whose hides could withstand even a barrage of missiles. The veterans who had followed close behind joined her in slaughtering the remaining artillery beasts.
"Damn it!" a hunter spat, frantically stabbing an Ultio’s heart with his spear. "Just how many hundreds of thousands died because of these bastards?"
No one had an answer to give.
The horrific nightmare of the red Ultios was finally cleared out. Freed from the paralyzing fear of a sudden, unpredictable death, the hunters took a ragged breather and regained their footing.
"Yusin!"
Having eliminated the last of the red Ultios, Hong Yeon ran over to him.
Panting heavily, Yusin raised a hand in greeting.
"Are you hurt?"
"I’m fine... But we lost far too many people getting here. Jo Yonghee, too."
"I lost hunter Oh Hoseung, too."
She squeezed her eyes shut and bowed her head. But when she opened them again to look at Nemesis’s red barrier, her expression had hardened with fresh resolve.
She was ready for the final push. Yusin raised his hand to his earpiece.
"This is the Commander-in-Chief. We are out of time, so we will breach Nemesis’s territory immediately. Only Official Rank 2 hunters and above are permitted to enter the boss fight. Rank 3s, hold the perimeter and prevent any remaining Ultios from approaching."
Confirmations echoed back from all over the battlefield. Yusin lowered his hand and turned to Hong Yeon.
"Let’s go."
"Understood."
With the two of them leading the charge, the surviving hunters marched into Nemesis’s territory.
The moment they crossed the red barrier, the scenery drastically shifted. Above them hung an ominous, reddish-brown sky, while a thick crimson fog blanketed the ground.
"I’m glad to see you two are safe."
Yusin blinked at the sudden voice.
"Down here."
Glancing down, Yusin spotted a young girl wearing a navy uniform that was far too large for her frame, the oversized fabric dragging along the ground as she approached.
"Could you be... the Admiral?"
"I am ashamed to admit it, but I died twice."
At Sham’s flushed reply, Yusin couldn’t help but laugh inwardly. If nothing else, she was undeniably the true master of survival.
"Haaa, I really thought I was going to die."
An utterly exhausted Han Yoonjeong stumbled over to Yusin’s side.
She was clearly showing symptoms of mana depletion; the dark circles under her eyes were practically pitch-black, and she staggered sporadically from sheer fatigue.
She didn’t look well at all.
"What’s the casualty count for the Gravekeepers?"
"Practically annihilated."
She ground her teeth audibly.
"I’ll make them pay for this."
Yusin and Han Yoonjeong both nodded.
Following her, other top-tier hunters like Gabriel, Marie, and Lucia successively made their appearances.
Naturally, none of them were unscathed; several were missing limbs or entirely drenched in blood. Healers rushed over to administer immediate first aid.
"Commander-in-Chief! Up ahead...!"
At that moment, the thick red fog ahead gradually parted, revealing a massive, looming silhouette.
"It’s showing itself! It’s Nemesis!"
"Everyone, ready your weapons!"
The hunters tightened their grips on their weapons and stared intently into the clearing mist.
"That’s Nemesis?"
As the red fog faded completely, a monster boasting a massive body nearly 650 feet long revealed itself.
It possessed no discernible upper body; its form was rooted deeply into the ground like massive tree trunks, and its entire exterior was encased in pure white bone armor.
However.
Upon closer inspection, Nemesis was heavily twisted. The section corresponding to its waist was bent at an unnatural angle, and thick blue blood was splattered everywhere.
"Isn’t it dead...?"
At Han Yoonjeong’s question, Yusin shook his head.
That couldn’t be true. If Nemesis, the source of the calamity, were truly dead, this entire disaster would have already stopped.
"We need to investigate further. Do not let your guard down for a second."
The hunters gradually approached the colossal beast. Even as they drew near, Nemesis showed no signs of movement whatsoever.
Marie’s expression turned serious as she sniffed the air.
"I sense an ominous mana."
"There’s someone over there!"
At the sudden shout, Yusin whipped his head around.
Someone was sitting astride Nemesis’s ruined husk.
It was a human.
"Wh-who is that?"
"Did someone already kill Nemesis...?"
Yusin expanded his Deva’s Eye to their absolute limits and stared straight ahead.
And then—
He froze in sheer horror. An overwhelming shock, potent enough to paralyze his very thoughts, coursed through his entire body.
Hong Yeon belatedly caught sight of the figure as well, her lips trembling uncontrollably.
Red hair, alluring golden eyes, and her trademark striped suit, complete with the familiar bandage item wrapped tightly around her chest, visible in the gap of her clothing.
There was no mistaking it.
"Sister...?"
Hong Yul was sitting right there in front of the collapsed Nemesis.