Chapter 111

Chapter 111

Ururuuru-.

“What the hell is this!”

“What the hell is going on here! Anyone know what’s happening, answer me!”

The extermination troops poured out of the barracks.

Some were in their underwear, others barely had clothes on.

Everyone was disoriented, having been woken up and rushed out.

Then someone shouted.

“Hey… Look over there!”

The expeditionary forces followed the man’s pointing hand with their eyes, and like a wave, their gazes gradually converged in one direction.

There, among the awakened ones, lay the dungeon break pit they had begun calling the ‘Sinkhole’.

Gugugugung-.

The ground shook violently as monsters flying through the sky poured out from beyond the sinkhole.

The expeditionary forces in the camp couldn’t see it clearly, but the drones launched for observation captured it distinctly.

The sinkhole collapsed and widened, and from within, a massive wave of monsters climbed the walls endlessly.

Wiiing-!

The massive speaker installed right in the center of the expeditionary force barracks began blaring a deafening sound.

The alert was instantly relayed from the first unit to observe it, and an assembly order was issued to the Chilgok Squadron barracks.

– All Chilgok members, assemble immediately. I repeat. All Chilgok members, assemble immediately and without exception in front of the commander’s barracks.

The voice of Unit Commander Song Hoon reverberated.

All Chilgok members hastily changed clothes, grabbed their weapons, and gathered one after another.

“What’s going on?”

Ji-yoon, who had come out of the barracks, grabbed Kang Eun-taek as he rushed out breathlessly and asked.

“I don’t know either. We just have to assemble first!”

Kang Eun-taek hurried toward the commander’s quarters.

Son Jeong-gyu, Kim Jun-seo, Jang Pil-ho, and others followed him running.

Just then, Lee Ji-woong came from the opposite direction.

They grab him, who was on night duty, and ask.

“Ji-woong, what’s going on?”

“Ah, sis! I’m not entirely sure myself, but something seems to be coming out of the sinkhole. Not only that, but a huge horde of monsters is pouring out too… Anyway, I need to change clothes and go check it out!”

With that, Ji-woong headed back toward the 3rd Squad barracks.

Ji-yoon returned to the Guardian Guild barracks and addressed the guild members who were awake.

“Monsters are escaping from the sinkhole! We have to go now!”

Ji-yoon spoke urgently as she prepared to leave.

Following her lead, the Park Ha-gong trio also donned their armor, preparing to join the assault.

But Young-jin, sitting still in his place, stopped Ji-yoon.

“Ji-yoon, we’re standing by.”

“What? Chief Young-jin, the entire Chilgokdae is gathering! We have to go help them!”

“No. We’re not part of the Chilgok Division, are we?”

“But… but…”

“Yes, Ji-yoon. The Guardian Guildmaster is on a call right now, so something for us to do will come up soon.”

Eun-hee, who had been waiting just as patiently, sat Ji-yoon down.

In the end, Ji-yoon and the Park Ha-gong trio had no choice but to stop preparing.

“Ji-yoon, I’ve been meaning to tell you this, but moving with the Chilgok Brigade isn’t really a good idea.”

Young-jin looked at Ji-yoon with a serious expression.

Ji-yoon, her face darkening, nodded back at Young-jin.

“I know. It’s too trivial a battle for Manager Young-jin and Eun-hee…”

Ji-yoon understood that Young-jin and Eun-hee weren’t giving it their all.

After all, Chilgok University hadn’t been facing monsters strong enough to warrant their full effort.

They had been wasting their stamina hunting only low-level monsters on the outskirts.

“I understand how you feel, Ji-yoon, but I think we should stick to what we’re good at.”

Until now, they had fought monsters alongside Chilgok University.

Thanks to that, Chilgok University had maintained their full strength without anyone suffering major injuries.

But Youngjin believed they needed to start doing what they were meant to do, even now.

Why would dungeons be rated?

It’s so hunters with the appropriate skill level can enter, isn’t it?

For the guardians, there’s C-rank Jung Hoon-hyun and B-rank Shim Young-jin.

And A-rank hunter Jung Eun-hee.

Even if Eun-hee couldn’t fully utilize her A-rank skills due to her trauma, she was far too skilled to be wasted hunting goblins or orcs alongside Chilgokdae.

Click.

“The Association has requested reinforcements for the Guard.”

Jung Hoon-hyun said to the guild members after finishing his call.

His expression was anything but ordinary.

“Well, it’s not so much for Suh-ho as it is for Man-seong and the alliance. Seems Man-seong is heading this way too.”

“Then Uncle?”

“No, it seems the guildmaster of Manseong, who’s returned to the country, will be coming personally. Uncle Youngjin, the department head, is staying in Seoul.”

“Ah…”

Young-jin licked his lips.

Jeong Hoon-hyun turned his gaze toward Eun-hee and said.

“They said to be at the assembly point within 30 minutes, so we have time. But you’ve been with us until now, what do you say, Deputy Manager?”

“……”

Eun-hee pondered deeply.

Should she return to the association as she should, or stay here with them?

“Sis, how about going back? It’ll be safer there than staying with us… Plus, the Association President…”

Ji-yoon looked at her with a worried expression.

Eun-hee met her eyes and recalled the past five days.

She still cringed and tensed up at the sight of blood.

But seeing Ji-yoon’s strong back calmed her somewhat, allowing her to hunt monsters again.

She wondered if she could accept that part of herself if she returned to the association and resumed her old life.

Eun-hee finally pulled out her smartphone and checked her messages.

[Eun-hee, do whatever you want. Mom will always support you no matter what you choose.]

[Jung Eun-hee! Are you coming back right now? Are you seriously thinking of handing in your resignation letter?!]

Messages from her mom and Jung In-gon.

Having made up her mind, Eun-hee sent the text she had written earlier.

[Dad, I’m sorry. I’m quitting the association.]

Then, smiling brightly, she said to Ji-yoon and the other guild members.

“I told you, right? I’m not part of the association anymore. I want to keep being with you all. Would you possibly accept me into your guild?”

“Unnie!”

Ji-yoon grabbed Eun-hee’s hand.

Jung Hoon-hyun also grinned.

“Then from now on, we’ll consider you a member of our Guardian Guild too. Come on, let’s go!”

***

A distance of about 500 meters from the sinkhole.

A large-scale extermination force is seen fiercely battling monsters.

“Dammit! We should be rushing to rescue the CEO right now, what the hell are you doing?”

“The Executive Director told us to wait.”

“Bro, I can’t do this. Seojun, let’s go.”

Jin Hong-seok, a B-rank hunter from Daeho, though a rookie, tried to drag Lim Seo-jun, the hot new A-rank hunter, out by the arm.

But Hunter Jo Seong-gang from Taebaek blocked their path.

“What the hell? Are you out of your minds? Does Daeho even have any sense left?”

Jo Seong-gang said, his eyes bulging.

Jin Hong-seok then pushed Jo Seong-gang’s arm away and tried to keep moving forward. Jo Seong-gang, utterly dumbfounded, grabbed Jin Hong-seok’s collar.

“Ha, this bastard is completely out of his mind.”

“What the hell, you bastard? Isn’t it your Taebaek that has no respect for elders? Your Gilma is in a sinkhole too, yet you just sit there. You’re the ones who are crazy.”

“You bastard…”

Jin Hong-seok and Jo Seong-gang grabbed each other by the collar.

Thanks to that, the eyes of the other guild members gathered there all turned to them at once.

The tense standoff between the two, which looked like it could erupt into a fight any second, ended surprisingly anticlimactically.

“Both of you, stop.”

Park Kang-joo, the Dawn Guildmaster, appeared wrapped in bandages from head to toe.

Despite his severe injuries, his voice carried an undeniable authority.

“An announcement is coming soon. Don’t you two realize who’s here? The Guild Association President, the President, and even the Chief of Staff of the Expeditionary Forces are present. Shut up and wait quietly.”

At Park Kang-joo’s roar, Jin Hong-seok and Cho Seong-gang returned to their respective positions.

There was no one here stronger than Park Kang-joo, so they had no choice.

“I understand how everyone feels, but please wait just a little longer.”

Song Jeong-eun, standing beside Park Gang-ju, addressed the gathered hunters.

Song Jeong-eun was also covered in scars, but compared to Park Kang-ju, she was in relatively better shape.

Just then, Jung Hoon-hyun of the Guardian appeared.

“Chief, the Suho Guild has arrived.”

Following Jung Hoon-hyun, the Suho Guild members also took their places among the other guilds.

Then, Eun-hee caught Song Jeong-eun’s eye.

Thump, thump, thump.

“Eun-hee, why are you here?”

Song Jeong-eun couldn’t hide her surprise upon seeing Eun-hee standing with the Guardian Guild.

As the guildmaster’s closest confidant, Song Jeong-eun certainly knew who Eun-hee was and what kind of person she was.

She certainly knew Eun-hee feared combat with monsters. It was hard to believe Jeong In-gon would have let someone like Eun-hee go without a fight, so it was puzzling to see her among the hunters like this.

“I’m sorry. I meant to tell you after it was over… I quit the Association and decided to join the Guardian Guild.”

“Oh? Hmm. Well, I’m always on Eun-hee’s side, so I’ll support whatever choice she makes, but…”

Song Jeong-eun wore a troubled expression.

But Eun-hee forced a smile, trying to ease Song Jeong-eun’s burden.

“I know. I know you’re here too, Dad. It’s already all over the news, right?”

“So you knew… Anyway, he’ll be out soon. The guilds will move systematically under the association’s leadership.”

After saying that, Song Jeong-eun left.

A radio message had arrived, signaling the meeting’s end.

Moments later, Jeong In-gon appeared with a grave expression and stepped onto the podium.

“Everyone. The Republic of Korea currently faces a grave threat.”

Jeong In-gon swallowed hard and continued.

“According to the Guildmaster of Yeomyeong and the Association Headquarters Chief present here, the tremors this morning were caused by a Class 1 monster. Accordingly, we have confirmed that monster as Class 1 or higher—a named monster—and plan to conduct a large-scale extermination operation.”

Murmurs and whispers.

“However, my primary objective is to rescue the three S-rank and one A-rank Awakened individuals.”

The hunters’ murmurs grew louder.

Kwak Ji-hyuk and Kim Se-hoon are already renowned S-rank hunters, famous enough to be widely known.

Yet Jeong In-gon mentioned three names, sparking curiosity about who the third S-rank might be.

With three S-rank hunters struggling against a named monster, the number of hunters growing restless only increased.

“Therefore, I will now call out the three guilds that will go to rescue the three S-rank hunters first. First, the Daeho Guild.”

Clank-.

Members of the Daeho Guild drew their weapons.

Led by Jin Hongseok, they prepared to charge into battle at any moment.

“Next up is the Taebaek Guild!”

Woo-ooh-!

The Taebaek hunters roared, raising their morale.

Their thunderous voices sent shivers down the spines of the other guilds.

“And finally, the Guardian Guild.”

When the Guardian Guild was called, most hunters looked around in bewilderment.

Even though Guardian had gained fame and grown rapidly, it had only been a matter of two or three months.

It was only natural they didn’t recognize the Guardian Guild.

Soon, Young-jin’s shout echoed through the chaotic hall, and the hunters finally began to realize where Guardian was.

“Our Suhu is going to rescue Lee Dojae!”

Murmurs and whispers.

“Lee Do-jae? That double dungeon?”

“After being quiet for so long, did he really become an S-rank?”

“The guild master announced it personally, so it must be true.”

That’s right.

Suhwoo is the guild where Dojae is.

Many hunters didn’t know the name Suho, but they remembered the name Lee Dojae.

Tap tap.

“Now, everyone. Myself and the hunters of our guild will also go out to fight. Let us all fight alongside the extermination force!”