The First Hunter

Chapter 35. Check List, Part II

Translator: Khan

Editor: RED

4.

"Where are they now?"

"Namchang Station has been cleared."

"Namchang Station…"

"With this situation… they are going to get here within half an hour…"

At the report of the subordinate, Lieutenant Colonel Kang Je-wook, the commander of the newly-built Armored Hunting Battalion under the 8th Mechanized Infantry Division, turned his head back.

There was a vast expanse of sea in that direction. It was a cool sea. It was a sea that opened his mind. However, the appearance of the sea did not come into the eyes of Lieutenant Colonel Kang. All he could see was the buildings that had the sea in front of them, huge concrete masses with round roofs.

"Stay as long as you can."

The Kori Nuclear Power Plant produced the largest amount of electricity of the Korean nuclear power plants, and it would have the largest number of victims when it was destroyed.

"Stay as long as you can anyway."

"Yes."

Now it was the place Lieutenant Colonel Kang had to protect.

'Damn it.' At this moment, Lieutenant Colonel Kang felt deep despair and nervousness.

'I did not expect that I would be assigned to the Kori Nuclear Power Plant.'

Jang Sung-hoon tried to secure two things during the large-scale change, after the disappearance of the Tripitaka Koreana. One objective was the Gyeongbu Expressway, and the other was the three nuclear power plants built along the East Sea coastline.

There was no guarantee that those who had burned the Tripitaka Koreana would leave the nuclear power plants alone. Jang delegated everything to Colonel Lim Hyun-joon, and Colonel Lim, who felt the urgency of the situation, moved all his spare troops.

After crossing the Taebaek mountain range, Lim moved along the coastal road by the East Sea and forced a way to reach the nuclear power plant through repeated battles with fierce monsters.

So, starting with the Uljin Nuclear Power Plant, they passed the Wolsong Nuclear Power Plant and eventually reached the final destination, the Kori Nuclear Power Plant.

The problem was at this moment.

'There's no other way… we can't get support for more than two hours.'

At present, about a thousand monsters, including a green-grade monster, were approaching the Kori Nuclear Power Plant at a rapid pace. There was no way to stop the monsters.

'But we have to stop it.'

Lieutenant Colonel Kang couldn't give up. When the Kori Nuclear Power Plant collapsed, the Gyeongsang area would become a land of death. The blow would be beyond description. The hope of Korea, which had just been gained and had just become a flame instead of a mere candle, would be inevitably shaken. He did not want to condone it. He did not want to tarnish the hope that had begun to grow in such desperate days, and he would not tolerate the destruction.

"Get all our troops together."

"Yes?"

"And take out all forces around the nuclear power plant."

So, at this moment, Kang made an extreme choice.

"What do you mean-"

"The target of the monsters is not the nuclear power plant, but people. If there is nobody near the Kori Nuclear Power Plant, there is no reason for the monsters to attack the Kori Nuclear Power Plant."

"Ah!" The order made the subordinate soldier gasp, and then he clamped his mouth shut. He felt bitter despair. However, the fact that there was no clear way to protect the nuclear power plant did not even allow him to question it. The man raised his hand and saluted. It was now to defend to the last.

Thump! At that moment, something dropped down behind them with a heavy sound. Subordinate and commander turned to look at him in shock and sudden fright.

"Report to me about the situation."

5.

Owwwwwwww! The Howling of the multicolored giant Wolf began to flow through the mountains. The flowing Howling wrapped around various kinds of Wolf monsters that were constantly descending the mountains.

Kuh-hung, Kuh-hung! The madness began to flutter in the eyes of the Wolf monsters wrapped in the Howling.

Owwwwwwww! The Wolf, with its colorful fur, once again let out a long howling. This time, the Wolf monsters ran even faster, just like a car that had already reached its limit had triggered a booster.

Owwwwwwww! The master of this mysterious Howling was none other than a Witch Wolf. It was a monster with green eyes, a monster who knew how to sound a Howling with a mysterious magic to it, not a simple howling as its name suggested.

Of course, it was also a monster that showed its presence when conducting a pack rather than when it was acting alone. Under the Witch Wolf were a variety of Wolf monsters, numbering over a thousand. It was a nightmare that could turn a small city into a grave within a day or two.

"Shoot! Don't stop and shoot!"

It was hard to resist such monsters.

"Hold on!"

"Stop, stop, please stop!"

Moreover, the Fear of the Witch Wolf hit their enemies hard, although it gave its forces a stronger ability.

Fear!

There were not many people who could keep moving in front of the widespread fear. Those who were merely shivering were in better condition.

"Kuh-huck!"

"Vomit! Just spit it out! Breathe!"

Those with low Energy levels were also convulsed or breathless, falling to the ground. It was hard to find anyone who could do his job.

On the other hand, there was no surplus force for the monsters who gained strength from the Howling of the Witch Wolf.

Kuh-hung, Kuh-hung! The racing Wolves did not feel pain, nor did they feel fatigue. Instead, those only felt a thirst for blood, and still had a terrible drive even if their limbs were cut off. They were devils.

It was a candle in front of the storm, anyone could see it; a group of Wolves led by the Witch Wolf was a storm, and the Armored Hunting Battalion facing them was a candle.

It was one man who changed that fact.

Thump! As always, Kim Tae-hoon appeared in the sky and landed on the ground. But there was something different than usual this time.

Seueueu! Kim was wearing a thick thorn armor made of ice, a thorn armor that reminded them of the shell of a durian fruit. It was a lot more impressive than his usual look. Especially the thorn armor helmet, the black Eyes shining within, was at a level that could be expressed as 'super-impressive'.

Krrrr! Of course, the Witch Wolf was wary of Kim's appearance, but it didn't run away. It was proud, the pride of a monster with green eyes, and running was not allowed. It was unacceptable to show its tail in front of a human being. That was the pride of the Witch Wolf!

While the Witch Wolf grew vigilant and hostile, Kim raised the thorns of his ice thorn armor. Seueueu! The thorns of the ice thorn armor had now become long and sharp enough to remind them of daggers, all from the new ability he got. He did not get the same ability as the ice blast explosion that Freezer showed after its body turned into thorns.

Therefore, he used a different ability.

Rumbling! The ability acquired from the Gamecock, Anger Soaring was activated in Kim's ice thorn armor. Of course, the ice thorn armor wrapped around him shattered and mixed with the explosion created by the Anger Soaring.

The explosive power could not be compared with the destructive power that Anger Soaring had showed so far. It was like a massive fragmentation bomb going off.

Kwa-kwa-kwa-kwa! The fragments of ice thorn armor mixed with the explosion of the Anger Soaring cut, smashed, and penetrated through everything. The thorns of the ice thorn armor did not stop after simply scarring. There was a curse on the ice thorn that made it impossible to repair, cure and recover the wounds.

Keheng! The body of the Witch Wolf, which was closest to the explosion, was left full of holes at once. The color of its fur began to turn red.

Owwwwwwww! But the Witch Wolf did not fall. It let out another Howling, even with the ice thorns in its body. Its wounds began to heal, and the pain began to fade rapidly.

It was a spell. The spell took away the fear of the Witch Wolf and replaced it with anger. As the fear was great, the anger that filled the place was also huge, as the pain was great.

Keuaaang! The Witch Wolf threw out the roar of a wounded beast, not a Howling, toward Kim Tae-hoon.

But at this moment, Kim did not listen to the sound. He was listening to the beating of its heart.

'It is near the neck.' When he heard the sound, he painted a picture of three Swords from above, each stabbing the heart of the Witch Wolf from different directions.

Swish! And the picture became real.

6.

=====

[Basic Abilities]

- Strength: 702

- Health: 689

[Special Abilities]

- Energy: B+ Rank

- Mana: B+ Rank

- Telekinesis: A+ Rank

- Defense: B+ Rank

- Mana Resistance: B+ Rank

[Achieved Abilities]

- Ice Thorn Armor (Grade 3): Consumes Mana to produce Ice Thorn Armor; anything stabbed by the thorns of the Ice Thorn Armor is cursed and its ability to recover is greatly weakened.

- Howling of the Witch Wolf (Grade 4): With the power of the Witch Wolf, it gives magical power to the Howling. When using Howling, it removes elements that are harmful to the Allies and user, and it increases their basic abilities.

Kim turned his head after he looked at the back of his right hand, seeing a group approach. It was Lieutenant Colonel Yoo and his men. They came up to him and saluted him immediately. After receiving the salute, he said, "You can speak freely."

"I haven't seen you in a long time, but I think you have changed a lot."

Lieutenant Colonel Yoo and his men were dressed in black special forces uniforms and looked like the Grim Reaper.

"I think Lieutenant Colonel Yoo Dae-hyun has changed a lot."

"Since the role has changed, I should change."

"When will you start?"

"You've already set the stage, there's no reason to waste time. I'll do it right away."

And in fact, they came here to replace the role of the Grim Reaper.

"We can't just let the soldiers who exploited the people for their own benefit, abused them, and even slaughtered them, go, at least if Korea is a country."

Lieutenant Colonel Yoo was not an Awakener. Therefore, he could not be a hunter who fought against monsters, even if he had a great deal of ability to command. The role which Kim had given him was to deal with people who were monsters.

Inspection!

It was the role of Lieutenant Colonel Yoo to punish the corrupt practices that took place within Korean territory. Kim gave him enormous power to inspect, ranging from military to civilian.

Furthermore, the current force Lieutenant Colonel Yoo could show off to soldiers was enormous. It was a war situation. In wartime, the military's corruption and unfair practices would not end up in jail or a fine mixed with suspended sentences.

Summary Trial!

The tip of the sword of Lieutenant Colonel Yoo was ready to cut the heads of the top officers of the Second Operations Command.

"There will be a lot to do."

Punishment of the ugly, inhumane acts of the Second Operations Command would begin.

"A lot, a little bit, that's not important. It's important to root out the poisonous plant this time."

Of course, he would not defend anyone who had committed billions of dollars worth of corruption for a living.

"Please deal with it properly. I have to leave Korea for a while, so don't leave any room while I'm away." Kim was hoping so, too.

"You won't be in Korea?" Lieutenant Colonel Yoo was surprised at Kim's answer. "What does that mean? Are you leaving Korea for a while?"

Others might not know, but if it was Kim, the story would be different. Right now, the Republic of Korea was able to come here thanks to a man named Kim Tae-hoon. His absence was not a hole easily filled.

"I'm going to Japan."

At the answer, Lieutenant Colonel Yoo was able to calm down, with only a little bit of surprise. He knew that Major General Lee Ki-soo had borrowed Japan's power to check Kim Tae-hoon and the Mac Guild. Lieutenant Colonel Yoo himself was the one who had captured and interrogated Colonel Jang So-gook, the closest subordinate of Lee Ki-soo. Furthermore, he had learned that the Japanese ninjas were responsible for burning the Tripitaka Koreana.

Kim's trip to Japan would be enough.

"For revenge?"

The point was why. Lieutenant Colonel Yoo now thought that Kim was going to Japan to pay back what he had suffered in revenge.

Obviously, revenge was important. Even more so, if one is a soldier! If one shows mercy after the enemy's attack, one will have only a stronger attack to come back to. After all, an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth!

But now, it was definitely a matter of weighing the scales enough to accept Kim's absence in return for his revenge on Japan.

"Of course, it's also for revenge."

Kim was well aware of the fact. Had it been just for revenge, Kim would not have headed to Japan right away.

"Well…"

In other words, there was a reason besides revenge.

"But what's more important than revenge is to deprive Japan of all its power." What he was after, was all Japan had.

"Do you mean its relics, by all its power?"

"The relics are also included."

"Is there anything else besides the relics?"

When asked that by the Lieutenant Colonel Yoo, Kim answered with a question. "How would they come if China were to pursue power and attack South Korea?"

"It's…" Lieutenant Colonel Yoo, who stopped speaking for a while, put his thoughts together and answered. "It is hard to get through the land. The military strength in Korea is enormous. If our army is in front of the entrance to the Korean Peninsula in a situation where an air force is not available, it will be impossible for them to use a human-wave strategy. If the commander of the Chinese army is not an idiot, he will attempt a landing via the sea. Korea's naval capability is at a low level compared to China. Ah…"

After speaking, Lieutenant Colonel Yoo realized that he had answered Kim's question correctly. "Do you intend to deprive Japan of its naval forces?"

Kim did not answer, because he didn't have to give a definite answer.