The next day. The day of the operation.

I sat inside a transport helicopter. A total of five helicopters, including this one, flew in formation over the sea. Yeon sat next to me, checking her equipment. Around us, about twenty special forces soldiers sat with grim expressions.

Before the battle, I also did a quick check of my gear. My personal hunter suit, prepared by Garam with additional funds from my own pocket. It was a dark navy, robe-like protective garment. At first glance, its defensive power didn't seem that great, but it was actually a force-field type; just wearing this over a t-shirt was said to be sturdier than the armored suits of most hunters. According to Shin Nara, it was jaw-droppingly expensive. A single scratch would cost as much as several sports cars.

I lightly tugged on the sleeve. The texture was strange, like fine plastic blocks intricately connected. As long as the damage wasn't too severe, it could even restore its shape.

'So this is why hunters are always going on about their gear.'

Next, I finished checking the golem ball launcher on my wrist and the wing golem on my back.

"Can you hear me clearly?" A pleasant voice came through my earpiece. I turned to see Hong Yeon doing a comms check. With her red hair fluttering, she gently placed a hand on her earpiece, murmuring, "Ah. Ah."

'How does she manage to look like she's in a photoshoot no matter what she does?'

"What are you staring at?" Sensing my gaze, she narrowed her eyes.

"You had bread with strawberry jam for breakfast, didn't you?"

"Ah!" Her eyes went wide, and she quickly turned away, wiping around her face. I stifled a laugh. Teasing her was surprisingly addictive.

"Is it gone now?"

"I was just asking what you ate."

"…Ugh!" Annoyed at being tricked, she clenched her fists. But unable to actually hit me, she let out a deep sigh and placed her hands neatly on her knees. "You're not tense at all, are you?"

"Joking around helps me relax."

After glaring at me, she placed her hand on her earpiece again. "Remember this channel. It's a private channel for just the two of us."

"Sounds good." I saved the channel on my earpiece.

Just then, Squall, the leader of our infiltration team, walked over. He was a rugged-looking American in his early thirties. "We are about to enter the field! All personnel, prepare for descent!"

The special ops team moved busily, finishing their preparations. Squall, who had been giving strict orders to his soldiers, saluted us and spoke gently. "You two hunters, please prepare for the third descent. I will inform you when the time comes."

"Understood."

From the naval base until now, every Alliance soldier we met had been kind. In Korea, hunters were sometimes seen as 'capitalist monsters who hunt monsters,' but being out here felt completely different. Everyone treated us as heroes of humanity.

I activated Deva's Eye and looked outside. After hours of seeing nothing but the blue sea, land finally appeared. A city came into view, wreathed in black smoke from burning buildings and collapsing steel structures. People were pouring out of the streets. That was Kisowa, the strategic port.

A massive barrier blocked the path to the city. On top of it, Tanzanian regular troops and citizen soldiers were desperately holding on, firing machine guns and swinging blades. And beyond the barrier…

'Disgusting. So disgusting.'

A black swarm of monsters was writhing. They were just as horrifying as they had been in the briefing. The sight of the slimy, oozing beasts thrashing against the barrier, extending their long tongues toward the humans, was enough to make one nauseous even from this distance.

The third defense line had been breached, and even the final barrier within the city was in danger. The Tanzanian forces were fighting desperately, but it looked overwhelming. living fields, which expanded the monsters' territory, had spread deep into the city. The situation was more serious than the briefing had suggested.

I listened to the radio.

"Commencing bombing on points G-1, H-2, I-1."

"This is Tanzania HQ! The core area of I-1 has been breached. Requesting a change of bombing location from I-1 to I-3. We will guide you."

"Copy."

'Vrooooooom!'

Two large bombers approached from a different direction. Their bomb bays opened, and explosives rained down. Carpet bombing. Explosions ripped across the landscape, sending clouds of smoke and viscera into the air. The screams of the monsters were overwhelming. Just watching sent a chill down my spine.

The bombing was tremendously effective, creating some breathing room at the barrier that had seemed about to fall.

"This is Tomcat-1, troop transport to key points complete."

"Typhoon-2 will bomb the next Plant."

Squall, listening to the radio, brought the mouthpiece to his lips. "Tomcat-2, detour in camouflage mode."

Our transport helicopter didn't head for the city. It turned directly from the sea and flew toward the forest. It must have been a model equipped with camouflage mode, as the monsters didn't attack.

"Special Ops Team One disembarks here."

"Yes, sir!"

"Move! Move!"

The helicopter's ramp lowered, and seven special ops members with descent devices leaped out without a moment's hesitation. A moment later, another team jumped. Now, only Yeon, myself, and about six others remained.

"We're moving directly to Plant A."

"Yes, sir!"

We left the dense forests behind, and the terrain gradually gave way to the wastelands and sparse trees typical of Africa. Beyond it, our target came into view: a plant, a monstrous structure towering over the writhing living field. It was a biological facility that endlessly churned out taves. Simply wiping it out with an airstrike would have been easier, but the number of bombers was limited. Lately, the taves had reportedly started creating variants designed to counter bombers, and many planes were being shot down. Ultimately, infiltration fell to the special ops.

'That aside, there are more monsters than I expected.'

Even though other infiltration teams were causing a diversion elsewhere, the monsters hadn't abandoned the Plant; they were guarding it resolutely. They said these were intelligent creatures, and it seemed to be true.

"Alright, prepare for descent—"

'BOOM!'

The aircraft shook violently. We hastily grabbed the handholds to brace ourselves.

"What's going on?!" Squall shouted at the pilot.

"Monsters are attacking the helicopter!"

"It's in camouflage mode! How?"

"I don't know! M-maybe they've created another type of monster that can detect camouflage…!"

"What the hell? Do these things ever stop evolving?!" the pilot yelled as the aircraft took fire.

'Boom! Boom!'

A series of explosions rocked the helicopter, the turbulence growing more violent with each blast. One of the soldiers lost his grip and slammed into the wall.

"Prepare for descent!" Squall commanded, his eyes bloodshot as he made his decision. "My team will go down first and draw their fire! You two, stay in the chopper and descend once we've secured the area!"

"But that's—!"

Just as Hong Yeon was about to object, I raised an arm to stop her. "Understood," I replied.

Squall met my eyes and nodded, a silent acknowledgment of trust passing between us. Then, he readied the descent gear on his back.

'Clank!'

The helicopter's rear door opened. Squall was the first to jump, and the other soldiers followed.

'Whoooosh!'

They spread their arms and legs like flying squirrels, assuming stable free-fall positions. From their waist pouches and chest pockets, they pulled out anything that could draw attention—mana grenades, smoke grenades, flashbangs, flares—and tossed them into the air.

As the devices exploded in unison, the monsters guarding the plant spotted them and unleashed a barrage of ranged attacks. All sorts of slime projectiles and mana blasts filled the sky.

Having used all his ordnance, Squall spread his arms with a look of finality and closed his eyes, as if his duty was done now that he had seen us on our way.

<Aiolos>

Of course, I had no intention of letting it end like that.

'Whoooooooosh!'

A powerful gust of wind violently altered the course of the six falling soldiers. The monsters' projectiles detonated in a furious series of explosions right where they had been moments before. A barrier of wind blocked the ensuing shockwaves.

"Activate your descent devices!" I yelled.

Squall and his squad members were momentarily stunned.

At my shout, they belatedly activated their gear. I engaged my wing golem and wrapped their bodies in a whirlwind.

Squall's voice trembled. "This isn't part of the plan! At this rate, you'll be in danger, too!"

"It's fine," I assured him.

We were descending to the ground unharmed, but the monsters didn't launch a follow-up attack.

Because…

A crimson slash the size of a mountain streaked toward the plant. The attention of every monster was fixed on it. The monsters around the plant quickly formed a barricade with their bodies. When the red slash collided with the living wall, flesh burst apart in a gruesome display.

The plant behind it was likely undamaged. That attack wasn't even Hong Yeon at full power—it was merely a diversion.

In that time, we landed safely on the ground.

"Are you and Captain Squall okay? Is everyone all right?" Hong Yeon, who had landed first, ran over, breathless. I gave her a thumbs-up and looked to the sky.

The helicopter, riddled with monster attacks, was crashing into the forest. A moment later, it exploded with a deafening roar.

It was a brutal end. 'So this is a real battlefield. All this time, I've been lounging at home, while somewhere on this planet, people have been fighting for their lives like this.'

I took a deep breath.

"Thank you for your help, hunters," Squall said.

'Click-clack!'

He and the special ops members drew their mana rifles. Monsters in the vicinity had spotted us and were closing in.

"The security force at Plant A is larger than expected," Squall said urgently. "We should fall back and call for air support—"

"Ah, it's fine." I rolled my shoulders and walked forward, and Hong Yeon came to my side. "You all risked your lives to get us here. Now it's our turn."

I said, looking at her. "Who's going?"

"Obviously, I am." She swung her sword into a ready stance and declared, "I take the lead. I aim for the top. Anything less is meaningless."

When a battle started, her passion didn't just burn; it felt like it would explode. I smiled to myself and placed my hand on the dirt floor. The four auxiliary magic circles began to whir to life.

"I'll support you."

"I'm counting on you."

Hong Yeon and I simultaneously switched our earpieces to a private channel.

* * *

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