Against the Clock: The Team Leader’s Pursuit of Glory

"Do we have any more potions? There are too many injured people. We\'ve used up all our supplies."

"For civilians, mix the potions with a diluent. What do you mean you don\'t know what a diluent is? Then, since it\'s urgent, just mix the potion with water. In a 10 to 1 ratio for now. Don\'t use it on frail elders; it could cause shock. For children, make it 15 to 1. Don\'t eyeball it. Use the droppers in the ampoule kits I gave you."

The expedition team from the Slayer Guild efficiently led the evacuation without needing specific instructions from Sung Seonjae. Being an elite Hunter of the Tier Guild didn\'t just mean they were good at fighting.Their ability to handle any mission perfectly is what gave them the elite status and made them the best in Korea.

"It\'s really convenient not having to relay detailed orders," Kang Mu-hyuk thought, impressed. The current Iron Will Guild could only dream of such organizational strength.

Although the elite members of his previous guild, the Titan Guild, could manage this too, the Slayer Guild handled everything faster, more efficiently, and more proactively. This proactive approach might seem trivial, but it was actually the difference between Tier and A-rank.

Each of these members could act as a potential commander for any raid.

"This is somewhat humiliating. Our guild pales in comparison. And they are only a few members." As No Song-rin mentioned, there were only four Hunters from the Slayer expedition team here. The rest were deployed elsewhere for other operations. These four were directing the evacuation with the Hunters from the prison village.

He got goosebumps realizing he had just witnessed a fraction of the Slayer Guild\'s power, which he\'d only heard about.

"But Guild Leader Kang, are you really going to use that operation plan?"

"Yes. That way, we can make the least sacrifices."

"You\'re right about that but... In this city, you want to use that?"

"If not here, we can\'t use it."

No Song-rin looked at Kang Mu-hyuk with a resigned expression.

\'He usually seems calm, but when dealing with monsters, he can be a bit extreme. I almost feel sorry for the monsters. Huh? A message?\'

No Song-rin reported the new information to Kang Mu-hyuk.

"The Slayer team leader has secured the defense line. The monsters have reached the village boundaries. They said they\'ll delay them. How long do they need to hold out?"

"As long as possible. Mr. Cho is scouting the exit route with the guides, which is taking some time. Quite a few people are injured."

"True, even I got lost in there. The underground path is so complex, it\'s like a maze."

"But thanks to it, we have a way to escape."

Although it was Kang Mu-hyuk\'s plan, No Song-rin expressed his concerns.

"But will the Chinese just let us escape? If they block the entrance, we\'ll be in big trouble."

"They won\'t block it. Even if they want to, they can\'t. Especially since very few people know about the smuggling route. It\'s narrow and complicated, so it takes a long time for large groups to get through, but it\'s much better than nothing."

Kang Mu-hyuk picked the smuggling route used during the incident that led to Kim Byungju\'s death. It was ironic that the path, which led to the death of the village\'s leader, now became a way for the villagers to survive.

When the Chinese Hunters first attacked, he considered using this route to evacuate the villagers. The problem was that the enemy had blocked the underground path, making it impossible to reach the smuggling route. But now, with the siege lifted, they could escape if they had guides.

No Song-rin nodded and added another reason.

"Yes, and we have the Slayer Guild."

"That\'s true, but more importantly, there\'s no reason for them to block us. Their target is the city, not the villagers. They sent monsters to the prison village just to vent their anger. The real plan is to have the monsters spread throughout Sinuiju to destroy the city. Ironically, this gives us a chance to save Sinuiju."

Kang Mu-hyuk wasn\'t looking at No Song-rin as he spoke. He looked pale and on the verge of collapsing, but his eyes shone with determination.

Glaring at the invisible horde of monsters, he muttered, "Monsters... Not a single one will escape from here today."

"Wow, this is the first time I\'ve seen Team Leader Sung hand over command to someone else, and it\'s not even the expedition leader but someone outside the guild, no less."

Gam Wooyoung whistled in surprise at Sung Seonjae\'s unexpected decision. He had heard about Kang Mu-hyuk from Sung Seonjae before, but seeing him acknowledge someone in person felt different. He began to understand why Ju Se-ah entrusted Kang Mu-hyuk with full authority.

Ha Hyesung, who was observing this from the side, gave a subtle warning to the straightforward junior.

"Watch your mouth."

Ha Hyesung nudged with his chin towards the direction of the Slayer Guild\'s expedition leader.

"Ah!"

Gam Wooyoung quickly shut his mouth, realizing he had been disrespectful to one of the three Hunters he respected the most.

The youngest expedition leader of the Slayer Guild, So Sangyeob. The highly skilled tactician of the Slayer Guild, whom Sung Seonjae praised for making it possible for him to confidently assume the role of Strategy Team leader without any worries as Sung Seonjae was the expedition leader then.

A Hunter with unparalleled personal skill, charisma as a leader, and command ability as an expedition leader---he was truly a perfect Hunter. He was also very proud, so handing over his command in front of everyone would likely be displeasing. This was why the expedition members who\'d usually be joking around were silent.

Contrary to their worries, So Sangyeob remained calm. In fact, he seemed excited.

"No, it\'s my first time too. Seeing the strategic team leader amused. To be honest, I was taken aback by this plan. Kang Mu-hyuk. He\'s as audacious as they say."

To everyone\'s surprise, So Sangyeob agreed with Gam Wooyoung. He too was watching Kang Mu-hyuk with interest.

\'Sung Seonjae. Ju Se-ah. The people these two tried to choose or have chosen. Considering their stakes in the Korean Hunter scene, it\'s impossible not to be interested in Kang Mu-hyuk. I bet part of the Tier Guild has been keeping an eye on him for a while.\'

This explained why Sung Seonjae handed the expedition\'s orders to Kang Mu-hyuk. He wanted to see what the expedition could achieve and gauge his capabilities.

\'I am curious too.\'

Contrary to the expedition members\' worries, Sung Seonjae and So Sangyeob had agreed beforehand to temporarily hand over command to Kang Mu-hyuk. Without this agreement, even Sung Seonjae couldn\'t have made such a decision on his own.

"Leader. The monsters are coming."

A brief report was heard. So Sangyeob snapped out of his thoughts and ordered the entire expedition squad.

"None of you will rush ahead just because you\'re excited, right? Save your stress relief for later. Hold your positions well. Our goal is to help people retreat safely. Don\'t disgrace yourselves by letting the defense line fall."

Seeing So Sangyeob acting as usual, the expedition members answer with more relaxed looks on their faces.

"Leader, don\'t wreck the city just because you\'re pissed off."

"Why worry about a place that\'s going to be destroyed anyway?"

"Let\'s make Ju Se-ah regret leaving our guild."

"Sssh!"

"Why bring up Ju Se-ah now?"

"This guy can never read the room."

"What? What did I say wrong?"

The expedition members rebuked the Hunter who mentioned Ju Se-ah and finished their preparations for battle.

So Sangyeob gave the order, "Engage the monsters just enough until we receive the order that the retreat is complete. Let\'s enjoy watching our leader Kang Mu-hyuk\'s plan."

"Roooaaar!"

The battle began with an ogre\'s roar.

"Cough!"

Xiao Zhan forced down the blood welling up in his throat, gripping his staff tightly. His clenched teeth were stained red. His bloodshot eyes seemed ready to burst at any moment.

\'I pushed myself too hard.\'

He consumed potions like water and poured out his mana recklessly, causing severe side effects. In normal circumstances, he\'d never make this mistake. But this wasn\'t a normal situation.

\'That monstrous woman. Is there really no one at our rank who can rival her? They call her a mage killer, and she\'s really living up to the name against me. No matter how much of a cheat her abilities are, it feels like I\'m facing an S-ranker.\'

Unknowingly, Xiao Zhan was close to the truth. Unfortunately, he couldn\'t fathom that his opponent was actually an S-ranker. The gap between A+ and S-rank seemed like just a single wall, but it was an insurmountably high one.

If overcoming that wall were easy, S-rankers would be as common as pebbles on the ground.

"Your circular formation was good, your group buffs were decent, and your tenacious targeting of weak points was impressive. But your mistake was having me as your opponent."

Ju Se-ah stood holding a Hunter in each hand. The Hunter in her left hand, caught by the scruff of the neck, had his earth armor shattered from his face down, crumbling to the ground. The one in her right hand, held by the hair, had his arm bent at an unnatural angle, groaning in pain.

"You monstrous woman..."

Around Ju Se-ah, dozens of Hunters lay sprawled. Broken weapons were planted in the ground, and the terracotta warriors had reverted to sand. The riverbank, ravaged by a raging water dragon, had been carved into winding water channels where the river flowed in.

"Do I look like a monster to you? Maybe I look that way to you because you\'re too weak."

Ju Se-ah tossed the Hunters aside and waded through the knee-deep water, making her way to shore. She finally stood before the last remaining Hunter from the Dandong assault team, Xiao Zhan.

Not that she was unscathed herself.

"You certainly have the right to say that... After all, the only damage you took is a torn armor coat."

"That\'s the problem. This coat is expensive. Our guild is still quite poor. After becoming the Guild Master, I find dealing with numbers more scary than fighting monsters. Thankfully, we have a competent Guild Leader."

"What the hell are you babbling about right now?"

"If it weren\'t for that competent Guild Leader, you\'d all be dead today. Be grateful your heads are still attached to your body."

Suddenly, Xiao Zhan noticed the Hunters lying around.

\'None of them are dead?\'

The gap between him and Ju Se-ah felt even more immense. It was a common belief that skill levels varied even within the same rank, depending on one\'s abilities and talents.

\'The difference is just too huge. Could it be... No way─ Ugh!\'

Ju Se-ah\'s fist buried into Xiao Zhan\'s stomach.

"Don\'t space out. It makes me want to hit you."

"Cough! You\'ve already... hit me..."

"Ah, sorry. My hands are a bit fast."

Xiao Zhan, clutching his stomach, fell to his knees, burying his face in the sand. Though he hadn\'t fainted, he was already in no condition to continue fighting.

Ju Se-ah spoke to the back of his head, "Take your men and go back the way you came. If you cross over to South Korea again, I\'ll kill you. For real."

Her mocking laughter echoed in Xiao Zhan\'s ears, distant and haunting.

[Commander Zhang, all our Gates are open. Sinuiju will soon be in ruins.]

[Good. See you at the rendezvous point. Tell everyone to gather there.]

[Yes, sir.]

Zhang Zhongxun, having given orders to Wen Hao, moved to escape Sinuiju through the underground tunnels. Regular monsters that were not even Gate bosses, couldn\'t stop the Slayer Guild. They were barely a hindrance.

\'Once things settle, they\'ll come after me.\'

Even the fallen Korean Hunter community had exceptions like the Slayer Guild. Especially Sung Seonjae, who was so outstanding that American guilds had tried to recruit him. Despite his current desk job, Sung Seonjae, along with Ju Se-ah, was still considered a high-priority threat even in China.

It was only natural that Zhang Zhongxun would avoid confronting the Slayer Guild. Despite the urgency of the situation, his steps were sluggish.

"Damn it! That stab earlier wasn\'t just a simple knife wound."

The spot where Mr. Cho, in the appearance of Hyun Junggeon, stabbed him throbbed painfully. He performed emergency first aid with potions, but whatever had been done to the dagger that stabbed him left him in poor condition.

\'Since the antidote potions didn\'t work, it\'s not poison. My senses are dulled; it feels like I\'m walking through water.\'

Even though it was just a minor strike, Zhang Zhongxun thought he might need some time to recover.

"As I thought, you\'re sluggish."

"Ugh!"

It was only upon hearing someone\'s voice that Zhang Zhongxun realized he was being attacked. Something wriggled into his leg through a cut on his thigh. Concentrating his mana to block it was useless. He could only barely evade the next attack and assume a defensive posture.

Hyun Junggeon stood where there had been darkness moments before.

"Hyun Junggeon...!"

"You didn\'t even notice me coming close after Mr. Cho drugged you. That stuff really works wonders, doesn\'t it?"

"What are you talking about?"

"Oh? Looks like Mr. Cho transformed before he stabbed you? That makes sense. It would take that kind of trickery to catch someone as cunning as you off guard. His power does look quite fun."

Zhang Zhongxun, still not understanding Hyun Junggeon\'s words, thought his opponent was mocking him.

"Stop right there. Are you mocking my defeat?"

"I\'m not mocking you; I just came to say goodbye. It was fun while it lasted. You hiring the Korean-Chinese Hunters to torment us, occasionally sending assassins, even burning down our office."

"It would have been more fun if I had taken your head."

"Ha ha. I\'m curious about what that feels like, but you don\'t deserve to take my head. You don\'t act at a scale that huge."

"So you did come to mock me after all?"

"Oh? You\'re right. That\'s how it turned out. Let me correct myself then. I came to mock you. How does it feel to see your schemes fall apart? It\'s not so easy here, is it?"

Zhang Zhongxun, enraged by Hyun Junggeon\'s unpleasant smile, emitted a murderous aura. Drawing his sword, he extended his mana blade, ready to go all out from the start.

"I\'ve never liked the look of your face."

"Really? That\'s a shame. I actually quite like you."

Hyun Junggeon also drew a dagger with a black blade, channeling mana into it.

"Guild Leader Kang said that to prevent you from targeting Sinuiju again, we need to remove the core."

"That guy called me a snake\'s head, and not a dragon\'s. Calling me the core is an honor."

"You\'re the one who knows Sinuiju\'s situation inside out and led this plan. The guild here revolves around you. Without you, they won\'t touch this place for a while unless they decide to force their way in."

"So if I manage to survive and return, you\'re the one who\'s in trouble?"

"Yes, if you survive."

"!!"

As Zhang Zhongxun tried to launch a surprise attack, his body suddenly froze. Alarms went off in his mind.

\'Damn it! There was something off about that stab earlier, wasn\'t there?\'

Seeing the confusion on Zhang Zhongxun\'s face, Hyun Junggeon gave him the answer.

"What\'s in you now isn\'t poison. It\'s not some other drug either. It\'s something different."

"What did you do to me?"

"You don\'t need to know that. I\'ll tell you now; my final mission is to assassinate you, Zhang Zhongxun."

"What\'s the point of saying that? Anyone can see that, you idiot!"

"I wanted you to know. That you\'re an idiot. That you seriously messed with the wrong person."

Despite the dire situation, Zhang Zhongxun didn\'t give up. He resolved to take Hyun Junggeon with him to the afterlife.

Hyun Junggeon, as if mocking this resolve, prepared to go all out.

"I won\'t get complacent like you. Overconfidence is fatal for an assassin. So I\'ll show you everything I\'ve got, even what I hid from Guild Leader Kang."

Hyun Junggeon\'s body started to disintegrate, fading into the shadows completely, leaving only his voice behind.

"Die."

Darkness descended upon Zhang Zhongxun\'s vision.