Chapter 136

Episode 136. The Great Overlord (5)

The members of the Jeong Si-woo Division moved swiftly.

Jeong Si-woo, who drafted and designed the plan, wasn't there. But they moved perfectly according to the set 'route' without diverging for a single moment.

"To the left."

It was all thanks to Sung Hyun-woo, their second leader, who read Jeong Si-woo's entire memory and even knew his intentions.

Following Sung Hyun-woo's directions, the Jeong Si-woo Division traveled along the optimal route and proceeded faithfully without encountering the legion of monsters.

It was a team of hunters consisting only of the most talented people in the world. The team, including the -Five Heroes- that Jeong Si-woo handpicked, reinforced with additional hunters, was more than ideal. Sung Hyun-woo and Lee Jin-woo, who didn't exist in the past, filled in the minor weak points.

"Stop for a moment."

Sung Hyun-woo, who was moving ahead of the team, raised his hand and signaled the others to stop.

At the signal, the Jeong Si-woo Division stopped walking.

"The target is up ahead."

"The target? The third guardian?"

"Yeah. Everyone remembers the information, right? Do you need a re-briefing?"

"We do, but it's better to be certain... So, let's have one more briefing."

"Okay."

Click.

Lee Jin-woo strung an arrow on his bow, and Yoo Ji-yeon drew out her mana. They were getting ready for the hunt so that they could wipe out any monster with the slightest nudge.

In those circumstances, Sung Hyun-woo slowly started to speak.

"The third guardian. Ajusshi said he's called the Homunculus."

"No matter how many times I hear it, that name doesn't suit a monster."

Creak.

With a faint sound, something small appeared inside the dried-up tree. Homunculus. The Latin word for 'little person'. The appearance of the creature that showed up suited the word's meaning.

It was a little uncomfortable to call it a monster because it looked like a human being. 160 centimeters tall, with long arms dragging on the floor. A transparent body that you could see through. A face with no features. It looked exactly like Jeong Si-woo's description.

"He said it was no different from other monsters inhabiting the -Land of Death- in terms of physical abilities....... But its durability and healing ability are among the best in the world."

"......."

"And it has a special ability: cloning."

The Homunculus glanced around. Its transparent body wriggled and oozed. The next moment, it became a slime monster and then changed its form. A wild wolf that ran through the -Land of Death-. It had transformed from a human figure into a wolf.

"It can clone anything it has seen before. Not only their appearances but also the power they have. And it can even copy and use their unique abilities, characteristics, and skills as if they are its own."

Its earlier appearance was nowhere to be seen. The monster stomped on the ground and growled like it had always been a wolf. Its tail hit the ground a few times, and even the occasional raspy sound of its breathing was identical to that of a wolf. If they hadn't seen it transform, they would have thought it was an ordinary wolf.

"We need to deal with it as quickly as possible. Ajusshi said it would be extremely difficult to kill if it clones all five of us. And that the other hunters will have a hell of a hard time if we get cloned."

"...Yeah. To be honest, our combination is quite perfect."

A monster with the combined abilities of the -Jeong Si-woo Division-. It was too terrible to imagine.

"Then, I'll attack first. Everybody, get out of the way."

Said Lee Jin-woo with his bow pulled. The others standing in front of him moved out of the way.

A shimmering cluster of light gathered at the tip of the arrow. From using poison and gunpowder, he had added a new function by training and collecting new equipment.

Enduring the pain in his wrist, Lee Jin-woo recalled what he heard when he bought this arrow.

-Don't ever shoot this at a person. Not even by mistake.

-Sometimes, some crazy guys try to test their weapons' power by casting defense skills or barriers on famous guild Awakeners or hunters and shooting them. I don't know about other weapons, but you must never use this one in that way. Do you understand?

The cluster of light gathered at the arrowhead slowly covered the arrow and soon engulfed the entire bow.

-This is my life's masterpiece. I put everything into it. The substance that appeared after the Dimensional Distortion Phenomenon that people call mana. This arrow has strong anti-mana properties that can burn mana up and inflict fatal wounds on those who use mana. And theoretically, it can instantly kill a 1st class Awakener just by grazing their skin.

-Again, you must only use this on monsters. Or villains that deserve to die. Use this on them. The Association and many guilds came to see me, but I never gave up these items. I'm giving them to you because I trust you. I trust the righteousness you've shown me, and I believe you're a hero.

"Whew!"

Lee Jin-woo let out a heavy sigh. He could barely maintain the arrow's function. Lee Jin-woo was also an Awakener who used mana, and the arrow's anti-mana properties burned and wounded him as well.

Blood flowed from his fingers that were pulling the bowstring. His skin peeled off, and his wrist shook madly. But he had to hold on. If he, a human being, could withstand it, that monster with the grand title of guardian would easily overcome it.

It had to be powerful enough so that he could just barely stand it. It had to make him think that he could maybe die for it to wound the Homunculus.

['First-attack Victory' has been activated.]

"Get... ready......."

The others, who were looking at the groaning Lee Jin-woo with pity, began to move. Zhang Wei was pouring out his healing powers with his hand on Lee Jin-woo's back, but it was useless.

Zhang Wei's healing powers were also based on mana, and mana couldn't heal the wounds created by burning it.

"Hyaaa!"

Lee Jin-woo let go of the bowstring. The cluster of lights burst out in a brilliant explosion. A blue flash elegantly flew along a straight trajectory. Shooting through dried-up trees and dust floating around, it headed towards the target.

"Kirik? Krrk... Kek!"

The wolf-shaped Homunculus stared blankly at the blue flash. And the blue flash penetrated its chest.

The wolf's form it was taking melted away instantly. Its transparent body revealed itself, and the Homunculus was driven back by the arrow's force and pinned onto a nearby tree.

"Kiiyyyyyyy!"

The monster waved its bizarrely long arms and struggled. There was a strong smell of burning meat. The monster's mana was being burned.

First-strike Victory's power ignored the monster's durability, defense characteristics, and skills and directly hit its body.

"Everyone, go!"

With that shout, every single member of the Jeong Si-woo Division rushed forward. The array of magic, skills, and characteristics that had been prepared and constructed over a short time battered the Homunculus. No other team of hunters could launch such a powerful attack.

It was too powerful for any monster to survive.

Yes.

A monster could never have been able to withstand that attack.

"...What the hell?"

A black figure was visible through the cloud of smoke caused by the explosion of mana. It clearly wasn't shaped like the Homunculus or a wolf.

It was a human figure. But not the Homunculus, which was 160 centimeters tall and had ridiculously long arms. It was a large figure. A broad-shouldered man that was 190 centimeters tall. He was holding a long spear and a large shield, and a familiar face was glaring back at them.

"You... bastards. I almost died! Cough."

The man swung his shield. The dust lifted, and the members of the Jeong Si-woo Division froze.

Yeah, there was someone who could block that powerful attack as long as it was a strike. And the Homunculus had cleverly recognized his ability and copied his appearance and abilities just in time.

Thud!

The monster hit the floor with its spear. At the same time, a roar of thunder shook the entire area. As an ally, his power was so reassuring, but as an enemy, it was frightening.

"Well... this sucks."

Lee Jin-woo said through clenched teeth.

Kim Seung-hyun, the Martial God.

Wearing his face, the brazen Homunculus was craftily looking at the Jeong Si-woo Division.

* * *

While holding the front line, you get to know why they used drums in war and how simple sounds were responsible for the morale of troops.

Just listening to the monsters' footsteps generated fear. The thundering noise coming from the huge, heavy, and powerful creatures instinctively sparked the emotion.

The pressure it caused was on a different level from the pressure that the roaring of human enemy forces or the beating of leather drums caused.

"...Whew."

Lee Hyun-seung sat at the edge of the -Wailing Wall- and drank from his water bottle. It was actually very hard for him to remain calm in the face of monsters. After all, he was also a human being.

"If it's too much, turn back now and ask for help. No one will blame you. Nobody will blame you for going back on your word."

Said Lee, tapping Lee Hyun-seung on the shoulder. Thanks to her unique ability as a Returnee, she could appear next to Lee Hyun-seung whenever she wanted and could go anywhere.

Even now, she was willing to escape far away with Lee Hyun-seung if things got even a bit dangerous.

"...I'm all right."

"I don't think so. It's impossible. How can you handle those monsters alone? Even heroes and Kings from the world I was in couldn't handle that many. You're going to die, and no one will acknowledge your sacrifice."

Lee Hyun-seung shook his head instead of answering. And he raised his hand.

"I'm all right."

Thud, thud, thud.

At the same time, the monsters appeared. They were running madly toward the wall with crazed eyes. Even the -Wailing Wall- would have to collapse if a group of such creatures collided with it like bullets.

"I killed all of the great heroes and Kings from your world within seconds."

Lee Hyun-seung flicked his finger. And the huge steel frames and walls reinforcing the Wailing Wall began to move.

It was one of Lee Hyun-seung's abilities. The ability to maneuver all weapons at will and strengthen them to their limit. He now perceived the 'Wailing Wall' as his weapon and was trying to draw out the Wall's maximum power.

"I'm fine."

Boom-!

The Wall created by the world's best experts and made of the most powerful material on Earth began to move according to Lee Hyun-seung's will.

"I can wipe them out all by myself."