Chapter 23

〈Chapter 23〉 Part 1, Chapter 2 (9)

<7:00 PM, Just Below the Summit of Gwanaksan>

“ROOOAAARRR!”

Seung-hyeong’s fist clashed with the monster’s. Even though he was wearing a fiery bear coat, the giant beast towering over him immediately grabbed Seung-hyeong’s wrist after their fists collided.

“GRRGH?!”

The massive grip began to tighten around Seung-hyeong’s wrist. Reacting quickly, he cut off the mana flowing through his arm and pulled back.

WHOOSH!

The fiery bear claw that had been attached to his wrist shattered as it was torn free. The monster looked at the flames on its hand, then casually rubbed its fingers together like extinguishing a matchstick.

KYAAH-HA-HAAANG!

The monster charged forward with a bloodthirsty roar, its tongue lolling out as it lunged toward Seung-hyeong. Its sheer size granted it overwhelming power, and its mana reserves dwarfed those of Seung-hyeong.

All that remained was speed.

“HMPH!”

Before the monster’s hands could reach him, Seung-hyeong slipped beneath it. Sliding between its legs like a football player, he swung the fiery bear claws in a wide arc.

KYAAAAHH!

With an ear-splitting scream, the monster fell, its ankle nearly severed. Like an ancient tree felled by an axe, it crashed to the ground, rolling violently as it searched for its prey with glowing eyes.

“HMPH!”

Seung-hyeong leapt onto the creature’s chest. The monster raised its arms, trying to grab him.

“Where do you think you’re going?”

From behind Seung-hyeong, the fiery bear roared to life, swinging both arms in a devastating blow against the monster’s shoulders.

In an instant, the monster went limp but quickly clenched its teeth and tried to regain strength. However, the relentless punches from the fiery bear continued until its arms hung uselessly at its sides.

KYAAAHHH!

The monster attempted to bite Seung-hyeong, raising its head high. But the fiery bear still held it firmly in place.

“HMPH!”

Seung-hyeong gathered mana into his fist, separate from the fiery bear’s flames. A blazing martial art technique erupted from his punch, shattering the approaching fangs and incinerating the monster’s head.

GYAAAHHHH…

With one final death cry, the monster collapsed. Seung-hyeong reattached the fiery bear form to his body and sprinted toward the summit.

“Huff… huff!”

As he ran up the rocky path, the dimensional gate hovering above Gwanaksan came into view.

“Phew, thank goodness.”

Reaching a vantage point overlooking all of Seoul, Seung-hyeong tapped his smartwatch to send a report. Though the dimensional gate disrupted signals, it was enough to convey his situation.

BOOM!

Smashing another monster emerging from the dimensional gate with a single punch, Seung-hyeong shouted into his watch.

“This is Fiery Bear Seung-hyeong! I’ve reached the dimensional gate! Preparing to destroy it!”

Behind him, the fiery bear grew larger, forming a colossal flaming beast. Twisting its waist, it prepared to smash the core of the dimensional gate.

CRACKLE CRACKLE. His smartwatch crackled with incoming communication.

– No! Agent Seung-hyeong, don’t destroy it!

“Director?”

The voice on the other end sounded unusually urgent. How had this person connected to the Hero Association channel?

– Hang up! Seung-hyeong, destroy the dimensional gate immediately!

“Yinghuo-senpai?!”

Another voice joined the conversation. It was Yu Yinghuo, his senior in charge of tactical planning.

– Didn’t we discover the dimensional gate early precisely so we could harvest cores from the monsters coming through?

– We don’t have time for that!

Seung-hyeong! What are you waiting for?! Destroy it now!

– Yinghuo! If you won’t send reinforcements, then shut up!

– What? You… YOU…

Static filled the line as the dimensional gate’s mana interference worsened, cutting off the signal. Seung-hyeong quickly analyzed the situation.

The Hero Association side – represented by Yinghuo – wanted the dimensional gate destroyed immediately.

The Government side – represented by the Minister – wanted to hunt the monsters emerging from the gate before closing it.

“…Hmph.”

If Seung-hyeong had more time to deliberate, he might have sided with the government. After all, his family wielded significant influence within the current administration.

But as a hero dedicated to his mission, Seung-hyeong no longer hesitated.

“I’m heading down soon, Gaeul.”

The fiery bear’s fist surged toward the dimensional gate’s core.

* * *

Beyond the interdimensional winds blowing through the gate, an ominous presence that should not exist became apparent.

Azure flames.

The highest priority target that must be eliminated first above all others. A spirit.

ZIIIIIING!

The monster launched itself toward the dimensional gate.

* * *

“The dimensional gate’s reaction has ceased! The monsters’ signals are disappearing!”

Clutching his fists tightly, Yu Yinghuo felt a growing unease. Despite his misgivings, Seung-hyeong had fulfilled his duty as a hero by successfully destroying the dimensional gate.

[YU YINGHUO! Do you realize what you’ve just done?!]

A speaker icon blinked on one of the screens, emitting an elderly voice. Beneath the “SOUND ONLY” label read <Ministry of Monster Countermeasures, Republic of Korea>.

“I know. I closed the dimensional gate. What’s the problem with that?”

Calmly answering while suppressing his own frustration only served to irritate his opponent further.

[Problem? MOTHERFU— PROBLEM?!]

“Yes. As far as I recall, even President himself said during his candidacy that the dimensional gates MUST be closed by any means necessary.”

Yinghuo referenced a specific statement made by the president during a televised debate about the efficiency of dimensional gate management.

“As far as I’m concerned, nothing matters more than that promise from President—”

[DID YOU FORGET THAT SEOUNG-HYOUNG IS THE PRESIDENT’S NEPHEW AND STILL DO THIS?!]

Yinghuo inwardly sighed.

[WHAT?! You sent him alone?! I told you to close the gate, not send Seung-hyeong by himself! IF ONE HAIR ON HIS HAND GETS HURT, ALL YOUR HEADS WILL ROLL!]

“Sorry, Director. The dimensional gate’s interference is making the connection unstable…”

[YOU LITTLE BRAT! HOW DARE YOU PLAY AROUND WITH THE DIRECTOR LIKE THIS?!]

Yinghuo channeled mana into his hand and crushed his smartphone. Nearby, an operator who had merely transferred the call winced at the thought of remaining installments on her phone bill before hurriedly reconnecting another incoming signal.

“This is HQ! Agent Seung-hyeong?!”

Seung-hyeong’s face appeared on the main screen. For someone who had just closed a dimensional gate, he looked uncharacteristically anxious and restless.

Instinctively, Yinghuo sensed something was terribly wrong.

“What’s wrong?!”

[T-This is Fiery Bear! I’ve closed the dimensional gate! But…]

“But what?!”

Yingho snapped impatiently. Seung-hyeong hesitated before tilting his smartwatch’s camera upward.

[A new dimensional gate has opened in the sky! And something… something keeps coming through! Not monsters, but sharp hooks-like things—]

KRAKK!

Something shattered, cutting off the transmission. A heavy silence fell over the operations room.

“…”

Yinghuo crushed his soda can in trembling hands. Memories of the Dodgers Gate incident footage flashed before his eyes – this couldn’t be coincidence.

“Scan for monster activity! Now!”

“Y-Yes sir!”

The operator frantically re-scanned the area near the dimensional gate for residual mana signatures used to estimate monster ranks.

When she saw the readings on her monitor, her eyes widened in horror as she turned to Yinghuo.

“Estimated S-Rank Over… It’s a Demon Species!”

Yinghuo’s vision blurred.

* * *

Seung-hyeong couldn’t believe what was unfolding before his eyes.

‘Why?’

He had successfully closed the dimensional gate. The fiery bear’s full-powered punch cleanly destroyed its core.

But suddenly, directly above where the original gate had been, a new dimensional rift began to form.

CRUNCH CRUNCH CRUNCH!

Gigantic violet claws forced their way through the tear in reality. Each claw was as large as his entire body. Seung-hyeong expanded the fiery bear form behind him and struck the rift.

However, his punch was deflected by the monstrous claw, sending him flying backward.

“AGHHH!”

Crashing into a tree after rolling down a rock, Seung-hyeong coughed up blood. The overwhelming mana pressure caused more internal injuries than mere bruises.

“No… NO!”

Instinctively, Seung-hyeong knew this ominous presence represented a calamity far greater than anything he’d faced before. As a hero devoted to saving the world, as a human finely attuned to survival instincts, and especially as a user of fire-based abilities, he felt absolute certainty.

KRRAAAKK!

The claw tore open a massive rift in reality. The monster pushed its head through.

“Hmm?”

A bird’s head wreathed in purple flames emerged from the dimensional tear. Surveying its surroundings, the monster bird extended its neck further.

ZZZZZZT!

The rift split wider. In one swift motion, the monster bird fully emerged, landing atop Gwanaksan’s summit.

BOOOM!

The dimensional gate that spawned it flickered weakly before sealing itself, having completed its purpose.

……

Standing on two legs planted firmly into the rocks, the monster bird spread its wings. Between each feather burned intense violet flames that ignited nearby trees, creating a massive inferno.

WHOOSH WHOOSH!

The night sky above Gwanaksan, already dark, was now consumed by eerie purple flames. Seung-hyeong could only stare in disbelief at the catastrophe unfolding before him.

‘It’s my fault.’

He could have closed the dimensional gate faster. But his hesitation allowed this abomination to step foot on Earth, specifically in Seoul.

……

Their eyes met. For less than a second, but the overwhelming mana presence and sheer existence of the monster bird caused the fiery bear form to dissipate like a weak match flame.

……

Without sparing a glance at the insignificant human below, the monster bird took flight into the sky. Seung-hyeong could only watch in terror as it ascended higher and higher.