Chapter 48

〈Chapter 48〉 Part 1, Chapter 4 (5)

<Heroes' Side, Gangnam.>

– Monster detected 600 meters ahead. It’s a Hellhound.

“B-Rank monster? How many are there?”

– A bit over twenty. Estimated at 24. All B-Rank. No upper-class types present.

Usa bit her lip. The hellhounds blocking the mountain path in the middle of the planned route were quite troublesome monsters to just plow through.

– Can’t we just brute-force our way past?

Jin-gwang Shin asked Usa first, knowing well the dangers of a pack of B-Rank monsters.

“It’ll take 30 minutes to capture them all without injury. Send Princess Seolhwa and it’ll be done in a minute.”

– No can do. S-Rank heroes are reserved for City Hall. Dammit, why’d they have to nest right there?

Shin quickly adjusted the route with his command baton, opting for a detour further east.

– Team B, move to this new route.

Usa noted the updated path leading north toward the Arts Center, choosing to avoid direct confrontation despite the extra time required.

“Such a shame. They’d’ve made perfect dog soup ingredients.”

Pungbaek licked his lips while twirling his stick. Usa felt dizzy from the old man’s bloodthirsty enthusiasm.

“Hellhounds aren’t the only ones talking about dog soup, Grandpa.”

“Isn’t it delightful? Once you remove the toxins, their taste surpasses regular dogs or pigs. Don’t you agree?”

“Ki! Hahaha!”

“Guess we won’t get to enjoy some body nourishment after all.”

The other heroes chuckled in agreement with Pungbaek’s comment. Usa sighed deeply, overwhelmed by Team B’s atmosphere—average age easily surpassing forty.

‘This isn’t even a package tour.’

If someone’s smartwatch played a notification sound, they’d probably all rush off for happy hour next. Usa forced herself to focus and contacted HQ.

“…Team B is moving along the designated route.”

* * *

<Blue Wind Sect, Main Base.>

– Team East is rerouting. Shall we begin?

“Yes. Hellhounds…”

I issued commands to the hellhounds via Mini Phoenix assigned to Gangnam Team One.

“Run towards Gangnam. Execute.”

Kyaahaaaang!!

The hellhounds sprinted northeast, leaping over bushes and cliffs like lunatics.

“One-third remain near civilian houses to attack buildings. If any villains are found, feel free to kill them.”

“What?!?”

Gaeul’s voice trembled. I continued my ruthless orders.

“The rest proceed directly to Gangnam. Eliminate any fleeing villains along the way.”

“Hold on! Even if they’re villains, killing people is—”

“Villains aren’t human. They’re trash. Do you know what those nasty pieces of garbage might do next?”

Escaped villains from Seoul could endanger innocent heroines outside my control. Thus, the threat must be neutralized.

“…Still, no need to kill them.”

Gaeul glared at me, fists clenched tightly. Ji Hwa looked unsure, glancing between Gaeul and me.

“You’re a villain too, aren’t you? What would you do if someone tried to kill you?”

“I’d die willingly. If they can defeat me.”

I shrugged nonchalantly.

“Whether it’s Princess Seolhwa, the Light Blade technique, or even Lee Seung-hyeong who likes you… if anyone defeats me by force, then I’ll die. But I will never lose.”

I smiled sincerely.

“I don’t want to die, after all.”

* * *

“Abnormal behavior detected from the hellhound pack! They’re advancing rapidly!”

At the operator’s report, Shin examined the map.

“Why are they moving now?!”

“M-Maybe not sure! They’re heading northeast towards Gangnam!”

Shin slammed his command baton hard. If B-Rank monsters rampaged through Gangnam, property damage would be astronomical. Even if Seoul was reclaimed, a devastated city would severely impact overall scores.

‘My buildings!’

Moreover, most of Shin’s lost real estate assets were tied up in Gangnam skyscrapers abandoned during his escape from Seoul.

“Stop them! Relay immediately to Team B to intercept!”

“Y-Yes, sir!”

As the operator relayed the order to Team B, an emergency alarm blared across HQ. Shin growled in frustration.

“What now?!”

– This is Unsah! Hellhounds attacking from underground! There are too many!

“Ah, so that’s called ‘burrowing,’ huh.”

– Like you’re some expert because they popped out suddenly?

“Tch.”

* * *

<11:40 AM, Siheung Tollgate>

Hellhounds erupted from all sides.

More accurately, they burst forth from beneath the ground. The moment the heroes entered the tollgate road, nearby intersections flipped open as hellhounds surged out en masse.

“Won-jin!”

Responding to Unsah’s quick directive, melee heroes formed a circle. Ranged heroes hurriedly retreated inside.

“Kraaaagh!”

One distracted hero at the rear was grabbed by the neck by a hellhound. The C-Rank male fell instantly under the sudden assault.

“Krrr!”

Tempest Lady swiftly summoned a gust of wind. The magical whirlwind swept around the encircled heroes, engulfing the hellhounds.

Keek-eek.

Tempest Lady locked eyes with a hellhound. The one that had bitten her collar equipment seemed to grin mockingly.

‘Did no one notice?’

At the designated intersection on the commander’s route, heroes proceeded straight ahead. As soon as they entered beneath the bridge, the monsters emerged from the ground as if waiting for the perfect moment.

‘No one detected the monsters’ presence?’

Kyaahh!

Two hellhounds appeared on both sides, halting the front line while spewing flames from their mouths. The hastily conjured wind magic narrowly missed, scratching only the road surface.

“No! Giseong!”

A hero instinctively closed his eyes at the impending massacre. Surely C-Rank Hero Giseong would be torn apart by the hellhounds—

Grrrr…

“…!!”

The hellhound carrying Giseong in its jaws darted sideways. Circling beneath the bridge where heroes gathered, it fled north toward Guro District, dragging the unconscious hero.

“?!”

This wasn’t escape—it was hiding prey at its den. Unsah thrust her spear forward. The spearhead pierced the charging hellhound’s neck, releasing clouds that tore into its throat.

Gurk, gurk.

The wounded hellhound reeled back, setting its own neck ablaze.

“…!!”

Unsah retrieved her spear and scanned the surroundings quickly. Though everyone became more cautious upon realizing Giseong’s abduction, the hellhounds skillfully pressured the heroes, determined to bite and tear.

“Aaaah!”

One panicked hero fired arrows wildly. The magic-infused iron arrow narrowly missed his face, aiming instead for a hellhound’s eye.

Crack!

With a slight head turn, the hellhound caught the arrow like a frisbee, leaving the heroes astonished.

“Wh-What the—?!”

The archer aimed again. The hellhound broke the shaft and deftly sidestepped.

“Hey! Watch where you aim!”

Friendly fire. When expecting ranged attacks, the hellhound pack strategically moved to place heroes outside the formation within the line of fire.

Unsah realized something.

‘A superior entity is commanding them.’

The hellhounds attacked again.

“Haaat!”

Clouds billowing from her spear surrounded the formation. With depleted mana, Unsah took deep breaths before shouting.

“There’s a leader! These monsters are following commands!”

“Leader of hellhounds? Isn’t that Cerberus? Why here?!”

Jeongsong stabbed a cloud-swallowed hellhound’s forehead. Its convulsions ceased as it was consumed by the mist, oozing blue blood.

“This situation won’t work.”

The hellhounds hovered outside the formation, wary of the clouds. Nearly forty visible monsters surrounded them.

Unsah tapped her watch.

“This is Unsah! Hellhounds attacking from underground!”

Video feeds streamed live to HQ as the dissipating mist revealed the battlefield.

Kyaahhh!!

Simultaneously, hellhounds charged from all directions. Unsah bit her lip and shouted.

“There are too many! Complete suppression will take time!”

– What? Another hellhound surge?

Alarm laced Jin’s voice through the watch.

Kreng!

Unsah smashed a charging hellhound’s head with her spear, finishing it off with magic bolts.

“Did Team B also get attacked?”

– Currently, a large pack of hellhounds is rushing towards Gangnam! Team B has been dispatched!

Upon hearing the operator, Unsah clicked her tongue.

“Commander! These monsters aren’t simple beasts! Someone is directing these hellhounds!”

– What nonsense is this?!

Kreng!

Through the watch, hellhounds’ snarls reached HQ. Unsah quickly swung her spear, releasing another cloud.

It ensnared a hellhound by the neck.

Crunch, crunch!

“Haa, hellhounds don’t usually travel in packs! Nor do they burrow underground. Clearly, someone’s controlling them somewhere!”

Known for their scarcity even in Europe, hellhounds appearing en masse beneath Seoul streets, coordinating perfectly toward Gangnam, suggested deliberate command.

Unsah considered the most plausible scenario.

An A-Rank monster and hellhound overlord—Cerberus.

“Is that damn three-headed hound really in Seoul?!”

Jeongsong slashed a hellhound’s neck. No rumors of an A-Rank monster, much less Cerberus, existed regarding Seoul.

“After the dimensional gate incident, it must’ve hidden here! Damn, any water-attribute mages among us?”

Unsah scanned her team but received no response.

“Who else but you can use water affinity besides water-touching humans?!”

Jeongsong blocked a hellhound’s claws with her blade. Nearby, a So-namoo unit member swung an axe, which the hellhound evaded with a massive leap backward.

“Krrr!”

Unsah channeled mana. Her moisture-absorbing cloud drooled saliva, biting into the hellhound.

Kyaahhhh!!

The hellhound writhed in unprecedented agony before perishing.

“Ugh!”

Unsah swayed from dizziness.

“Captain!”

Tempest Lady rushed to support Unsah. Depletion symptoms struck as mana drained suddenly.

“I’m fine! More importantly!”

Hellhounds widened their distance. While partly due to the heroes’ effective defense, they seemed especially wary of Unsah, occasionally glancing at him.

“Headquarters!”

Unsah tapped her watch. Marking several locations on the displayed map, she shouted toward HQ.

“Request a mana scan at these points! We need to locate the A-Rank superior entity giving commands!”

Various sites connected to the Siheung tollgate were highlighted, including the Digital District in Guro.

* * *

“Indeed, dual wind and water attributes. Countering fire attributes with water affinity is truly innate, isn’t it?”

Unsah Park Ra-on.

One of the protagonist’s early companions, wielding dual wind and water elements. In the original story, he joined the group for D-Rank rehabilitation after sustaining severe injuries but now operates robustly as part of the Three Saints without scars.

His A-Rank sensitivity accurately pinpointed the hellhounds’ hidden positions. Any attempt at burrowing became futile once scanned.

– Isn’t that dangerous?

Lighthouse, viewing the marked locations, began to worry.

“If we continue like this, yes. Since they’ll all be exposed anyway, release them all. Let them head to the final destination.”

– Understood. Issuing orders.

Following Lighthouse’s command, subordinates scattered across various locations released the hellhounds’ reins. Unbothered by the Blue Wind Sect members, the monsters dashed toward their goal.

– Are you sure? What if the heroes escape via another route?

“No issue. Regardless, the area with the strongest mana reaction will definitely lead to Guro.”

Among the regions scanned for mana detection, only one location showed the highest concentration.

The trap set by the Blue Wind Sect.

“Dekbae, it’s time to rise. Still sleeping?”

– I wasn’t sleeping.