Part 1 Chapter 4 (12)

“Damn it!”

Tempest Lady gathered the wind and unleashed it forward. A cutting wind, imbued with strong slicing power, shot towards the Hellhound pack.

Kyaaang!

The Hellhounds scattered left and right, dodging the cutting wind. One Hellhound, unable to evade in time, had its leg severed by the cutting wind and collapsed.

Hwareureuk.

Flames burst from the Hellhound’s body, forming a new leg. The fallen Hellhound spewed fire from its mouth and charged at the Hero.

“Uwaaak!”

A Hero, wielding a massive shield, shoved the Hellhound with the shield itself. The Hellhound tumbled across the floor from the push of the heavily built giant.

“Here I come…!”

Among the Heroes, the Devouring Cloud swept across the floor and engulfed the Hellhound. The Devouring Cloud avoided the blue flames and devoured the Hellhound’s flesh.

Kiiik….

The Hellhound, having lost its body, collapsed. Its left foreleg, made of blue flame, turned into an ember and rose into the sky the moment its entire body was devoured.

The complete death of a resurrected Hellhound. It was only possible by completely annihilating its remaining body.

Sseueeuk.

The Devouring Cloud, having consumed the Hellhound’s body, returned to Unsa’s hand. There was no time to retrieve the spear.

“Heueup?!”

Unsa fell to one knee. As soon as she absorbed the mana, her body felt like it was boiling from the inside, as if on fire.

“Teamjang-nim?!”

Tempest Lady rushed over and supported Unsa. A heat haze rose from Tempest Lady’s coat, which was draped over Unsa’s torn combat suit.

“Ah, haa.”

Unsa exhaled short, hot breaths, her face flushed. Her face was as red as a beet, and her forehead was burning hot like a cauldron.

A cold? Impossible. Heroes protected by mana don’t suffer from minor illnesses.

The phenomenon she could think of was mana over-saturation. A state where too much mana accumulates in the body, beyond what it can accommodate, due to excessive absorption of Core extract.

“Unsa! Use your mana quickly! Pull out all the Devouring Cloud!”

Unsa grabbed Tempest Lady’s hand. Seeing the Devouring Cloud endlessly rising from her hand, Tempest Lady imbued her mana into the massive cloud, enveloping the Heroes.

An igloo of clouds, built by stacking the Devouring Cloud like ice bricks. Outside, the Hellhounds kept their distance, highly wary.

“Whoo, whoo, whoo.”

Unsa’s ragged breathing subsided. Thanks to instinctively releasing mana, the mana over-saturation phenomenon disappeared.

“…How many are left now?”

Unsa’s trembling pupils became clear. All the Heroes under the protection of the Devouring Cloud lowered their heads.

Approximately 50 individuals were visible to the eye. Unsa had already consumed countless Hellhounds and fallen into a state of mana over-saturation.

“A few Hellhounds having A-rank mana… that’s strange!”

One Hero cried out, on the verge of tears. Unsa was their only hope, but the burden was too great to entrust to just one Unsa.

Roughly every five Hellhounds she consumed, Unsa struggled with mana over-saturation. Even though she could potentially enter a mana rampage, also known as a mana outburst, Unsa had no hesitation in devouring the Hellhounds with her Devouring Cloud.

“I, I can do it.”

Unsa tried to stand up but immediately slumped back down. She fell onto Deokbae’s back as if doing a butt-first fall, clutching her head.

“……Ugh.”

She felt dizzy. Her body had overheated multiple times, and as the fever subsided, her physical limits were reached. She had already taken on a Flame Giant one-on-one and defeated it, so she needed at least 10 minutes of rest.

But the monsters didn’t wait for that time.

Kiaaak!!

The Devouring Cloud rippled greatly. It seemed a Hellhound outside had headbutted it.

“Teamjang! Don’t ever retrieve the Devouring Cloud! If you leave it, they’ll die on their own!”

“No…. Those monsters are now….”

Unsa’s eyes swept over Deokbae, who she was sitting on. The blue flames that even felt pure. If their essence shared the same properties, then the Hellhounds’ headbutts were definitely not suicidal acts.

Kiiik!

Kiaaak!

The Hellhounds threw themselves at the Devouring Cloud and were devoured. But Unsa couldn’t rashly retrieve the Devouring Cloud.

The Devouring Cloud where the Hellhound threw itself was deeply dented. As if fire had been set to cotton candy, and only that part had completely burned away.

“Those bastards, no way?!”

Tempest Lady cried out in surprise. The Hellhounds were extinguishing the Devouring Cloud with the blue flames from their own bodies.

“There’s one more reason to keep this person alive and take them to the Association.”

Unsa barely managed to get to her feet.

“…The supernatural ability to revive monsters. They must also have the power to control monsters. The commander isn’t a monster. They’re a human, a Villain.”

“I’ve never heard or seen any talk of such a Villain in Seoul!”

“Everything happening right now is something we’ve never experienced before. Real combat doesn’t follow the manual.”

Unsa clenched and unclenched her fist. Thanks to the Devouring Cloud she deployed amidst her wavering consciousness, her mana hit rock bottom.

As Unsa subtly raised her hand forward, Tempest Lady blocked her way.

“No!”

“…I have to. It has to be me.”

Even while they hesitated, the Devouring Cloud was being chipped away. The blue flames slowly surrounding them flickered through the clouds.

“Agent Yang Seonwoo. If I fall, you are this team’s Teamjang. Understood?”

“Teamjang-nim!”

They hadn’t even crossed Yeouido, let alone north of the Han River, but Unsa was slowly being pushed to her limits. If she could rest for even a short while, it might be different, but her body was already exhausted and on the verge of collapsing.

However, Unsa stood firmly on both feet. Unsa’s face, standing on Deokbae’s shoulders, was even solemn.

“The moment I absorb the Devouring Cloud, break the formation and begin interception. The opponents are monsters on the border between B-rank and A-rank. Please focus on targeting their remaining bodies.”

Kyaaak!

Before they knew it, the Devouring Cloud’s thickness had become extremely thin. Unsa took a deep breath and stretched both hands high into the sky.

“Retrieving!!”

The thinly spread Devouring Cloud was sucked into Unsa’s hands. Even though much of it had already been eroded by the blue flames, the absorbed mana overflowed, gushing through Unsa’s entire body as if it would burst.

Pik.

Unsa’s eyes slowly closed, and she collapsed onto Deokbae. Even her mental strength, which had endured beyond her physical limits, couldn’t withstand the mana of a dozen Hellhounds, and her head felt like it was cooking.

“Keuk! Protect Unsa! Maintain the formation!”

The Heroes gathered in a circle under Tempest Lady’s command. Unsa had instructed them to spread out and intercept, but the Heroes huddled together to protect Unsa.

Kyaaak!

Naturally, they became easy prey for the Hellhounds. The Heroes’ eyes widened as they saw Hellhounds leaping from all directions, kicking off the road.

Suddenly. A massive white flame swept through the Hellhounds.

Gooooo—-!!

The bodies of the leaping Hellhounds instantly burst into flames and turned to ash. The blue flames, having lost their physical forms, mixed with the White Flame and scattered into the air.

Tempest Lady turned her eyes towards the direction the flames had shot from. There, a man was descending to the ground, with the sun at his back.

Kwoong!

The man’s fist was imbued with white flames. From his appearance, the Heroes were reminded of the silhouette of a legend in the Korean Hero community, whom they had only seen on TV or in archival footage.

“!”

As if responding to the joyful cheers, Fire Fist Lee Seunghyung slammed his fist into the road.

Gugugugu!

A massive shockwave that shook the ground engulfed the Hellhounds.

Pillars of White Flame surged from the ground as if volcanoes were erupting. Dozens of Hellhounds that had surrounded the Heroes were swallowed by the white flames and incinerated.

Beyond human. Beyond heaven. What could possibly describe such a feat?

“Are you alright?!”

Seunghyung approached the Heroes with light movements, as if he were out for a stroll. Tempest Lady, looking alternately at Unsa, who was still unconscious and emitting mana and heat from her entire body, and Seunghyung, let out a hollow laugh in disbelief.

“Shin Jingwang, that dog….”

What had all their suffering been for until now? Tears welled up in Tempest Lady’s eyes from the unfairness. Seunghyung calmly surveyed the Heroes.

“What about the other Heroes?”

“…Ah!”

“I heard one C-rank was kidnapped. But now…?”

“The Pine Tree Unit moved as a detached force. We fell into a trap, and several members went missing.”

Seunghyung gathered his mana. The flames burning in his heart granted him infinite vitality. He could still run far enough.

“This is Fire Fist! Headquarters, please respond!”

– What now! …Huh? *Ahem!* What is it, Agent Lee Seunghyung!

Shin Jingwang suppressed his anger and replied in a solemn voice. Even while feeling like he was going crazy from the double burden of unbearable responsibility and his own lack of ability, he was definitely cautious around Lee Seunghyung.

“I request access to the mana patterns of the missing Heroes!”

– Wait!

“You can’t!”

Tempest Lady interjected.

“The Heroes’ mana patterns are classified information that cannot be disclosed without approval from at least an Association Teamjang-nim or higher! No matter if you’re Fire Fist, you can’t just recklessly-“

“I will.”

Seunghyung recited the magical phrase with a refreshing smile.

“Should any problems arise, I will take full responsibility.”

“…Do you have to save people that much?”

Seunghyung nodded with a solemn expression.

“I don’t want to fail to protect people anymore. Jihwigwan-nim!”

– …I truly don’t know! You said you’d take responsibility!!

No one knew how he would take responsibility, but Shin Jingwang was already caught up in Seunghyung’s words. Since there was also the good excuse of rescuing the kidnapped Heroes, it would be a good alibi to gain public sympathy even if he were reprimanded at a later hearing.

“Thank you, Jihwigwan-nim!”

Seunghyung bowed his head repeatedly, filled with joy. Tempest Lady realized the reason for his almost paranoid compulsion to protect people no matter what.

Cheon Gaeul. The only person he had failed to protect.

“…Hwawon-nim. I apologize, but could you lead Team A? I will transport these individuals to Anyang and rejoin immediately.”

Tempest Lady pointed at Unsa and Deokbae, who were collapsed on the floor, and the boy Unsa was holding.

“Unsa-nim even fainted…? Was the enemy that powerful?”

“It was the Flame Giant from before.”

“Giant… Euk?!”

Seunghyung clutched his chest. The endlessly burning flame in his heart suddenly reversed its mana flow, as if it would incinerate Seunghyung himself.

“Keo-eok!”

Seunghyung fell face down on the floor, coughing up red blood. The Heroes were shocked by the sudden hemoptysis from an S-rank.

“What?!”

“I don’t know either!”

Tempest Lady barely regained her composure, looking at the flustered Heroes. Cruelly, Headquarters had already begun a precise scan by reading the Heroes’ mana patterns.

– Hwawon-nim! Fortunately, everyone is alive! It seems we’ll be able to pinpoint their location in 3 minutes!

“That’s not what’s important! Fire Fist has collapsed right now!!”

At Tempest Lady’s report, the command center fell silent. Seunghyung, collapsed and coughing up blood, was shown on the screen.

– ……Tempest Lady, lead the team and withdraw to Anyang.

“Yes?”

Tempest Lady questioned Shin Jingwang’s surprisingly calm order. Shin Jingwang grew agitated again, tapping his command stick.

– Bring back all the Heroes in Guro alive! Right now!

“But the operation-“

– What’s the point of an operation or anything else if everyone dies?! The operation has changed! All survivors of Team A are to escape Guro immediately and return to Anyang Headquarters! That is all!

“Ah, understood!”

Tempest Lady carried Unsa on her back. The armored Hero supported Seunghyung. A stream of red blood flowed from Seunghyung’s mouth.

Hemoptysis without any warning. All sorts of thoughts crossed her mind: perhaps he had an unspeakable chronic illness, or was he terminally ill?

“…First, survive!”

Under Tempest Lady’s command, the Heroes moved in perfect order.

Kung!

The floor vibrated loudly. Deokbae, who had been lying as if unconscious, shot up like lightning and snatched the boy.

“Keuk! The Flame Giant?!”

They had forgotten to re-handcuff him after Unsa fainted. With their lives hanging in the balance against the Hellhounds, they had no time to worry about it.

The Flame Giant leaped between buildings and disappeared. Tempest Lady gritted her teeth, engraving his disappearing back into her memory.

“Retreat, retreat!”

The Heroes of Team A, who had advanced towards Guro, turned their flagstaffs with tears in their eyes.

♩♪♬♪

On the rooftop railing of the building the Flame Giant had burst from. A blue canary was watching them.