Ch.69The Sea Journey Is Dangerous (3)

Now I could vaguely make out some shapes, but while we awakeners could see them, there was no way ordinary citizens could comprehend what was happening.

“Are you recording this?”

“Wow, amazing. Is it some kind of vortex?”

Seeing the citizens chattering casually around us, unaware of the gravity of the situation, Seoha, who was the most experienced among us in these matters, immediately took action.

“I’ll handle the nearby residents, so please evacuate the citizens near the ocean.”

“Ah, yes. Leave it to me!”

With that, Seoha disappeared from the beach in an instant, while Song Hayeon and Gwak Minji began moving around to warn citizens of the danger.

“A gate has opened! Everyone needs to leave this area!”

“Sir, can you hear me? I said you need to evacuate immediately!”

But it wasn’t going well. The citizens remained skeptical, refusing to put down their phone cameras, and instead gave the two women strange looks.

Standing far from the crowd, I sighed and immediately summoned several Phantom Wolves.

“Undead call.”

Whoosh!

[Grrrr.]

[Kihiing!]

There was no point trying to persuade people with words when so few would listen.

In evacuations, speed is always of the essence.

“Go and bite them.”

[Grrrung!]

[Woof!]

Tap tap!

Thud!

At my command, four Phantom Wolves charged across the sandy beach toward the citizens, who scattered in panic when they spotted them, desperately searching for safety.

“Kyaaak!”

“Monsters!”

“Shit! Hunter! Call a hunter right now!”

Seeing this scene, Song Hayeon approached me with a dubious expression.

“Is this really okay?”

“…It’s, it’s effective, isn’t it?”

Regardless, all the civilians at the beach were successfully evacuated. Simultaneously, sirens began to wail as local emergency broadcasts started.

[This is not a drill. Dungeon break occurring at the beach. Dungeon break occurring at the beach. Residents are advised to evacuate to shelters immediately. We repeat…]

Judging by the sudden commotion everywhere, it seemed the message had been successfully conveyed to most residents.

Now we could focus on the matter at hand.

“It seems to be coming this way… Can you see anything?”

“There are small ones and big ones too. I can’t see clearly either.”

For situations like this, there was someone more suitable than me right beside us.

Receiving my glance, Gwak Minji used her sight enhancement skill and began carefully examining the distant sea.

Then, her face suddenly contorted.

“Shit. How many of those things are there?”

“Why? Are there that many?”

“Many doesn’t even begin to cover it… they just keep coming endlessly.”

That meant the breached dungeon was likely at least medium-sized or larger.

All the monsters inside were pouring out at once, so of course there would be many.

“…This isn’t going to be easy, is it?”

This is the terrifying reality of dungeon breaks.

Unlike battles inside dungeons where you can gradually reduce enemy numbers in a spacious environment, in break situations, you have to hold back waves of monsters all at once.

Even if we were well-prepared, it would still take time for reinforcements to arrive and secure the perimeter.

In some ways, the situation had become even more difficult.

“How does it look? Anything notable? Any specimens from the database?”

“…I’m not sure about that,”

Gwak Minji squinted one eye in concentration, then opened her mouth again to answer Song Hayeon.

“But one thing’s for sure, they look pretty strong.”

Nothing had changed. Until reinforcements arrived, we somehow had to stop the monsters’ advance with just the people here.

Whoosh.

I activated my ring’s effect and gave instructions to Song Hayeon, who was staring intently at the distant sea.

“Start by bringing out ranged soldiers.”

“Ranged?”

“We need to thin them out before they reach us.”

After speaking, I immediately took small wooden pieces from my pocket and placed them along the shoreline.

These were totems made from lightning-struck jujube wood.

Whoosh.

“Swamp of Erosion.”

Hisssss.

Slosh.

As I cast the spell, the sand within the totem’s area began transforming into a swampy, muddy terrain.

‘It’s not my specialty, but it’ll be useful.’

This was one of the various spells I learned from Kahn’s knowledge—an old technique used by some primitive tribe.

However, it would prove quite effective in the current situation.

“Acting like a mage when you’re not… you’re full of surprises…”

Gwak Minji muttered while looking at me incredulously.

At the same time, the enemies finally came close enough to be clearly visible.

“…Should we call them fish-people? Is that what they are?”

Webbed appendages and scales covering their bodies, plus gills attached to their faces.

As Song Hayeon suggested, if one had to describe them in a single word, “fish-people” would be appropriate.

Of course, they weren’t the only ones.

Behind them were unidentified medium-sized monsters sprinting across the water’s surface on four legs, followed by hideous creatures that looked like crosses between octopuses and starfish.

With monsters pouring through the open portal, there were likely many more types of enemies waiting.

“…Reduce their numbers as much as possible with ranged attacks while buying time.”

“Yes, I’ll do that.”

Whoosh!

Whoosh!

Song Hayeon summoned her undead one after another, and I too brought out all the catalysts I had and summoned everything.

Whoosh.

“Undead call.”

Whoosh!

[Kehiik!]

[Grooo.]

The Lizard Wolf, the boss from the dungeon where I first met Gwak Minji, Doom Warrior Jackson, the now-familiar Skeleton Mashers, and two Halloween Knights I’d recently created from materials gathered in dungeons.

Unfortunately, since Wei and Madison were completely destroyed in the battle with Shin Doyun, these were all the undead I could summon right now.

“They’re here!”

The monsters slowly emerged from the water’s surface and began landing on the ground. As they approached the totem’s area, I immediately channeled magic power into each totem.

Whoosh.

Hisssss.

Slosh!

The swampy area expanded, beginning to trap the feet of nearby monsters one by one.

Squelch.

Squish.

“Grrrr?”

Now was the time. Song Hayeon and I locked eyes and moved our undead to launch a simultaneous attack.

“Kill the ones trapped in the swamp first.”

[Krooo!]

[Kehihik!]

Thud.

Boom.

Thud.

Crack!

Crunch!

The Doom Warrior, leading the charge, brought down his heavy weapon on the enemy, followed by various magical attacks and arrows striking the rear lines.

Thwack!

Thud!

Whoosh!

Fwooom─!

A large-scale attack that seemed impossible to have been created by just two hunters.

However, upon seeing the enemies’ condition, Song Hayeon looked at me with shock.

“It’s, it’s not very effective!”

“……”

Though our attacks were certainly landing, the damage wasn’t as significant as expected. That meant the enemies were that powerful.

“Shit. Are you saying each one of these is at least B-rank?”

As Gwak Minji lamented, the enemies indeed seemed to possess strength equivalent to at least B-rank monsters.

Thud!

Boom!

Crash!

The Skeleton Mashers and Doom Warrior were pushing back the enemies they faced, but each one was incredibly tough. We certainly couldn’t claim an overwhelming advantage.

Considering the number of monsters we had to deal with, the situation was definitely not positive.

“Ah shit, this is crazy!”

Unable to just watch, Gwak Minji rushed in to help, while Song Hayeon strained to cast enhancement spells on the undead.

Crash!

Boom!

Fwoooosh!

“There’s no end to them…”

Monsters now densely packed the shoreline, and if that wasn’t enough, a new wave was emerging from the distant portal.

“Are, are we in serious trouble?”

Half-listening to Song Hayeon’s concerns, I savored the wind blowing against me.

‘…It’s been a while since I felt this.’

A large-scale battle like the battlefields of that era. A place where skirmishes erupted from all directions and corpses accumulated in real-time.

And such a place was like home territory for a necromancer.

“This is nice.”

“What? We’re about to be overwhelmed and you think it’s nice?”

“You should watch carefully too.”

Why necromancers were feared enough to be considered continental threats.

Why all nations dreaded war with the armies of death.

What a true necromancer’s battle really meant.

“Gordon.”

– Yes, Master.

“Time to work.”

– Excellent. It’s been a while since I’ve fattened my soul.

Whoosh.

As the lich Gordon materialized beside me, I spread my mana around and chanted.

“Undead call.”

It was time to teach these seafood creatures who dared to come ashore their place.