Chapter 60: Collision (2)

Motorcycles raced down the road.

Han-seong firmly secured the Phantom on the motorcycle to prevent it from falling off, then opened the map.

‘The wolves are gathering.’

While the vigilante group’s wolf herding operation had succeeded to some extent, it was more likely that the Wolf King had summoned its minions.

After all, even wolves that had been wandering outside the operation area were all assembling now.

‘It seems they’ve finally noticed.’

That their territory was under attack.

Then there was no need to drive the wolves any further. Han-seong shouted towards Sang-min’s motorcycle leading the way.

“Please order all platoons to retreat!”

“Understood. All platoons, fall back! Retreat to command headquarters. I repeat. All platoons, fall back!”

Quickly understanding, Sang-min shouted towards the pigeon he had kept in his pocket.

That command was relayed to each platoon leader through So-hyun, the operator, and soon after, the blue dots on the map all began to pull back at once.

Perhaps noticing this?

The Wolf King, which had been expanding its forces, suddenly changed direction. Towards where the vigilante group was retreating.

“The Wolf King has begun pursuit!”

“What? A-already?”

At Sang-min’s urgent cry, Ye-eun and Yoon-ho asked back with startled faces. On the other hand, Han-seong wasn’t particularly shaken.

‘Well, I’ve been watching it all along.’

He had already finished preparing countermeasures.

Han-seong grasped the Mage’s Staff and pinpointed the Wolf King’s movement path. Then he designated suitable coordinates and used a skill.

[Activating skill.]

[Remote: Dimension Vortex]

A skill acquired at the Mage’s Tower.

Dimension Vortex. With the effect of sucking in everything around and gathering it in one place, it was an upgraded version of the Decoy Dummy skill.

Immediately after the skill activated.

The air distorted at the designated coordinates.

Crack! Crunch!

As if a giant hand had grabbed the air and crumpled it. Soon after, cracks appeared in the sky and a large hole opened up.

“Wh-what is that?”

“The sky split open?!”

Ignoring the panicked screams behind him.

Han-seong activated Precise Observation.

Since it was his first time using this skill, he wanted to watch how the situation unfolded.

And at that moment.

Whoosh! Whirlwind!

A fierce wind whipped up and soon a massive vortex formed. It began sucking in everything on the ground.

The wolves that had gathered for a counterattack, trees that had deeply rooted themselves in the ground, and even the Wolf King larger than an elephant, all of them.

“…!? It’s the Wolf King!”

“The Wolf King is in the sky!”

Expressions mixing surprise and shock.

Sang-min, Ye-eun, and Yoon-ho stared blankly at the sky, as if forgetting they were driving.

Meanwhile, Han-seong prepared the next skill.

‘Now comes the real part.’

When the vortex disappears, the Wolf King and its minions will all fall to the ground at once. He had to unleash a bombardment without missing that timing.

Having finished designating the coordinates, Han-seong fired the five Magic Spears he had deployed in advance.

The Magic Spears that left Cheonan raced through the sky at an insane speed, and soon entered the airspace over Daejeon.

[Skill is ending.]

Just then, the vortex effect ended.

At this, the Wolf King and its minions began plummeting hundreds of meters down, crashing into the ground without being able to resist at all.

Thud! Crack! Crunch!

Soon after, a horrific scene unfolded.

Wolves dying with their heads crushed and bones shattered. Some wolves survived luckily, but the result wasn’t much different.

Because five Magic Spears rained down on the heads of the monsters that had barely survived.

Boom! Bang! Kaboom!

A scene reminiscent of large-scale bombing.

The Magic Spears, amplified in power thanks to the staff, turned the area into scorched earth.

Overwhelmed by this sight? Sang-min’s group stopped their motorcycles and stared.

“Wh-what am I seeing…?”

Yoon-ho muttered with a pale face.

On the other hand, Sang-min and Ye-eun, who had already witnessed a similar scene this morning, reacted calmly.

“…It’s insane power even seeing it again.”

“I know, right? It makes the militia’s tanks and armored vehicles look pathetic.”

The two gulped dryly.

Their eyes glancing at the Phantom were once again filled with awe.

“But with that much power…”

“Wouldn’t the Wolf King be dead too?”

“No, not yet.”

Just then, Han-seong denied their speculation.

Although all the Magic Spears had hit their mark, the subjugation completion notification hadn’t appeared. As the motorcycles began racing towards the scene again.

An alert arrived from the Vampire Tree that had been sent to the vicinity of the scene in advance.

[Vampire Tree: ‘Skill Analysis’ activated]

[Wolf King: Resurrection]

▷Just before facing death, sacrifices one of its five hearts to cling to life. This can only be used once every three days.

‘So that’s why it didn’t die…’

There was such a reason.

Meanwhile, the view through Precise Observation, which had become hazy with dust, returned to normal. The sight of the Wolf King that followed was terribly gruesome.

Broken ribs and internal organs protruded from its body, and its face was half crushed. Its arms and legs didn’t look intact either.

‘If it didn’t have the Resurrection skill, that bombardment just now could have finished it off.’

Han-seong swallowed his regret.

Just then, another notification appeared that the Vampire Tree had activated Skill Analysis again.

[Wolf King: Devour]

▷Devours nearby corpses indiscriminately to recover vitality. Immediately after Devour activates, regeneration ability greatly increases.

Along with the notification, the sight of the Wolf King voraciously eating the corpses of its kin scattered around could be seen.

Its wounds were healing rapidly and its skin was also beginning to regenerate. Han-seong had no intention of just watching this behavior.

‘This time I’ll finish it for good.’

He deployed the Magic Spears stored in the bracelet in the air once again. Just as he was about to fire the Magic Spears at the coordinates where the Wolf King was.

Whoosh!

The Wolf King, which had finished regenerating its feet first, suddenly left the scene. With the half-eaten corpses of its kin grasped in both hands.

Han-seong’s eyes widened.

‘What’s this? Could it be…’

Is it wary of more Magic Spears coming? At first it seemed like an excessive guess, but as time passed, this speculation seemed more plausible.

Because it didn’t stay in one place for more than 10 seconds, and kept moving around while continuing to devour. Han-seong frowned.

‘I need to immobilize its feet first.’

He urgently dispatched the Vampire Tree and Collector waiting nearby to where the Wolf King was. Just then, the motorcycles also arrived near the scene.

Screech!

The motorcycles came to a stop.

The Phantom immediately jumped off and sprinted towards the mountain, with Sang-min’s group following behind.

As they were closing the distance like that.

The Vampire Tree’s Skill Analysis activated.

[Wolf King: Roar & Killing Intent Emission]

▷Automatically activates when vitality falls below half, greatly reducing the defense and resistance of all enemies within a 500-meter radius.

“Grooooar─!”

Right after the notification message appeared.

A thunderous roar shook the mountain. At this, Sang-min’s group’s bodies froze for a moment.

“Ugh! My, my ears…”

“Be careful! The Wolf King is nearby!”

But they were the only ones who stopped.

The Collector, Vampire Tree, and Phantom continued charging forward, unaffected by the Wolf King’s roar.

Well, none of them had ears after all.

Even if they did, as long as there was a level gap, the Wolf King’s skill wouldn’t be a threat.

‘Found it.’

Just then, the Wolf King came into view through the Phantom and Collector’s sight. It had already finished regenerating its legs, arms, and even its chest.

We can’t let it recover any further.

So the Collector launched a preemptive attack.

Whoosh!

The Collector, flying dozens of meters in an instant to close the distance, swung its whip-like arm. Intending to blow off the Wolf King’s ankle.

But the result was disappointing.

The Collector’s attack couldn’t even cut through the Wolf King’s skin. The Vampire Tree’s stabbing attack that followed also failed.

‘It’s incredibly tough.’

The skin, bones, flesh.

It was tougher and harder than any other monster they had faced so far, to a different degree.

Why? Could it be that it only takes proper damage from silver weapons or divine power?

Just as such a speculation crossed his mind.

Something flew from behind.

Whizz! Thud!

“Graaaah!”

The Wolf King let out a harsh scream.

Because an arrow shot by Yoon-ho had pierced its head.

Yoon-ho continued to draw his bow several more times after that, and each time, the arrows easily penetrated the Wolf King’s hide.

‘It seems my guess just now was correct.’

In terms of power alone, his arrows were certainly weaker than the Collector and Vampire Tree’s attacks.

Yet the fact that they were more effective must be due to the Holy Weapon imbued on the arrows.

‘Then let’s change tactics.’

It would be better for the Collector and Vampire Tree to focus on restraining the enemy rather than direct attacks.

Holding down the Wolf King or blocking its movements, while the Phantom engages in direct attacks.

[Replica: Living Armor-Phantom]

[Skill: ‘Telekinesis’ activated]

A silver knife prepared in advance.

It had Holy Weapon imbued on it.

He used telekinesis to spin the knife at high speed, then hurled it towards the Wolf King’s ankle.

Slice! Crunch!

The dining knife cut through the Wolf King’s ankle more fiercely than the Vampire Tree’s strike. Han-seong continued pouring out attacks with that momentum.

Perhaps judging the situation unfavorable?

The Wolf King suddenly leapt back. Then it raised its voice to roar again.

“Awoooo─!”

What’s this? It seems a bit different from before?

Han-seong’s thoughts hit the mark.

The Wolf King’s body swelled up like a balloon, soon growing as large as a 6-story building.

[Wolf King: Gigantification]

▷A skill that activates when judged to be in a desperate situation. The power of all skills increases and health recovery is maximized.

He had heard of this too.

He knew of the skill’s existence.

So he didn’t waver, but the Wolf King’s skills didn’t end with just Gigantification.

[Wolf King (Gigantified): Area Slash]

▷Unleashes consecutive slashes with high lethality over a wide area. Targets wounded by the slashes are inflicted with ‘Status Effect: Bleeding’.

Right after Skill Analysis finished.

An area about 100 meters wide centered on the Vampire Tree turned red. Could it be predicting the skill’s effective range?

‘If that’s the case…!’

This situation is dangerous.

Han-seong switched the Collector to defense mode while shouting loudly towards Sang-min’s group.

“Everyone gather!”

There was no time for lengthy explanations.

Fortunately, Sang-min’s group didn’t ask questions and immediately gathered around the Phantom. Meanwhile, the Collector quickly enveloped everyone protectively.

Slash! Slash! Crunch!

The Wolf King’s slashes tore through the surroundings.

Trees snapped like twigs, and rocks were pulverized into gravel. Slashes whirling around like a giant mixer had been unleashed.

“This is insane…”

“Wow, we almost died.”

Sang-min’s group was aghast.

On the other hand, the Collector was relatively unscathed despite the slashes that pulverized everything. Probably thanks to the level gap of over 10 levels with the Wolf King.

Just then, Ye-eun suddenly spoke up.

“Can’t you use that thing from earlier again?”

“What are you talking about?”

“You know, that missile-like thing. The one that flew in with a whoosh and turned the battlefield into ruins.”

She must mean Magic Spear.

Han-seong shook the Phantom’s head.

“It’s possible, but to ensure a definite effect, we need to tie down its feet so it can’t dodge.”

“Ah, I understand what you mean.”

Ye-eun grinned.

It was a smile full of confidence.

“Leave that to me. I realized something when we fought last time.”

With those words, the Wolf King’s Area Slash ended.

Ye-eun, as if waiting for this moment, kicked off the ground and charged. At this, Han-seong directed the Collector to escort her.

And so the second round began.

Han-seong, who had been driving back the Wolf King with the Phantom’s telekinesis, narrowed his eyes.

‘Tying down its feet itself is easy.’

Using the Collector, Vampire Tree, and the Phantom’s telekinesis, he could keep it tied down in one place for half a day to a full day.

But simply tying it down isn’t enough.

He needs to render the Wolf King immobile for at least 1 minute, then leave the battlefield. Only then can they avoid getting caught in the Magic Spear.

‘There is a way…’

Gravity, a 4th Tier skill.

It’s a skill that applies pressure over a wide area to subdue enemies. At first, he thought about using this to immobilize it.

But he soon gave up. Because it had a skill that seemed to be a movement ability.

‘Lightning Speed.’

If he used Gravity to subdue it but it escaped, it would just be a waste of a precious skill.

Moreover, looking at its current size, the Decoy Dummy probably wouldn’t work either. It would likely get kicked or stomped flat like dried squid.

As he was pondering the future battle like that.

“Hmm?”

The battle unfolding before his eyes caught his attention.

Ye-eun, who had somehow approached the Wolf King, was unleashing attacks while swinging her knife like mad.

At a glance it looked like she was slashing randomly, but looking closely that wasn’t the case. She was literally dismembering the Wolf King’s ankle.

“That’s it! Squirm more!”

Her appearance, covered in blood while bursting into laughter, was somewhat creepy, but her performance was quite helpful.

The Wolf King, with over half its ankle dismembered, lost balance and collapsed. It struggled to shake off Ye-eun but couldn’t.

Thud! Thud thud! Crunch!

The ankle finally completely detached.

The Wolf King immediately began regenerating.

Then Ye-eun, as if she had been waiting for this, stuffed something into the severed surface of the cut ankle.

“There, go well.”

Ye-eun, crouching low, pulled back.

Soon after, with a boom! sound, an explosion occurred at the Wolf King’s ankle. Surprisingly, the Wolf King’s muscle regeneration stopped.

Han-seong asked back in a surprised voice.

“What did you just do?”

“I threw a grenade.”

“…A grenade?”

“Yes, a holy grenade with Holy Weapon imbued that I specially requested the Commander to make!”

Ye-eun explained with a smiling face.

She said she realized during the last battle that attacking the Wolf King with weapons imbued with Holy Weapon significantly slows its regeneration speed.

“Back then, I had some fun with the Holy Weapon grenades I brought as insurance.”

At those words, Han-seong’s eyes widened.

He recalled the method he had thought of earlier to tie the enemy down in one place for over a minute. Namely, doing the same to the remaining foot and both arms.

‘And if we pour Magic Spears on it…’

This time we should be able to eliminate it for good.

Also, if all its limbs are gone, it probably won’t be able to use the movement skill called Lightning Speed either.

Han-seong quickly made his decision.

“Please do the same to the remaining parts.”

“Of course. Leave it to me!”

Ye-eun, catching her breath, entered the second battle. The Wolf King, seeming to recognize her as a threatening existence, unleashed fierce attacks.

Slash! Boom! Thud thud!

Strikes as powerful as the Area Slash.

However, none of them reached Ye-eun. Because the Collector and Vampire Tree that Han-seong had attached blocked all the attacks.

And during that time, Ye-eun, who had closed the distance, began dismembering as if possessed, and before long, the other ankle also detached and fell off.

Crunch! Boom!

The grenade exploded without fail this time too.

The other members also followed Han-seong’s instructions to do the same to the Wolf King’s remaining arms.

Thus, the Wolf King, suddenly losing all four limbs, struggled desperately to regenerate its arms and legs, but to no avail.

“Retreat! Get as far away as possible!”

After finishing all preparations.

Han-seong shouted towards Sang-min’s group.

The three ran away without looking back, as if they had been waiting for those words. The Phantom also left the operation area, taking the Collector and Vampire Tree.

And then─.

[Remote: Magic Spear]

Five Magic Spears stored in the bracelet departed from the base and headed towards Daejeon. To finally cut off the Wolf King’s tenacious life.

“Graaaah!”

The Wolf King screaming.

It twisted its body with all its might and succeeded in regenerating its shins and elbows.

But that was all. By the time it had fully regenerated one foot, the Magic Spears were already above its head.

─────! Kaboom!

A massive explosion engulfed the mountain.

Vibrations violent enough to be mistaken for an earthquake shook the area, and the secondary explosion that followed completely swallowed up part of the mountain.

Some time later.

[Subjugation successful.]

[Champion Monster: Wolf King]

[Rewards will be distributed based on contribution.]

[Reward]: 4,775 Coins

The wolf hunt was over.

Meanwhile, at that time.

Operator Baek So-hyun closed her eyes with a tense face. She was in the process of sharing vision with pigeons wandering near the operation area.

Just then.

So-hyun’s eyes snapped open.

The last scene she had seen. It was the sight of a flash of light falling from the sky colliding with the Wolf King and causing a massive explosion.

Some pigeons near the operation area were caught in the explosion, but that didn’t matter.

“Ah…!”

The battle had ended in victory for the extermination squad.

The Wolf King had been pulverized to the point where not even its corpse could be found, and what appeared to be loot had fallen where it had been.

For some reason it quickly disappeared though.

Just then, Seok-hwan, who had been watching So-hyun’s reaction, spoke up with a tense expression.

“How did the battle go?”

“…We won. The Wolf King has been subjugated!”

“Really? Then what about casualties…”

“None. Everyone survived!”

So-hyun shouted, her voice filled with overwhelming emotion. Seok-hwan’s eyes widened, and soon cheers of victory shook the command center.

“Woohoo!”

It was truly a great victory.

The morale of the vigilante group soared sky-high, and the Hunters didn’t miss this.

“The Wolf King has fallen. Platoon members assemble!”

“Prepare to move out! We’re initiating the second operation.”

To head to the militia’s base and rescue the citizens. So-hyun also began her reconnaissance mission for the second operation.

As she was moving some of the pigeons circling the sky towards the militia’s direction.

“…Huh?”

Her expression hardened.

As if she had seen something she shouldn’t have.

“W-wait a moment! That’s…”

“What’s wrong? Is there some problem…”

There is a problem. A very big one at that.

So-hyun shouted as if screaming.

“It’s the militia!”

“…Pardon?”

“An armed group that appears to be the militia is moving towards the first operation area! Some are also approaching the command center!”

The militia had moved.

At this sudden news, the faces of Seok-hwan, the Hunters, and the vigilante members turned to stone.