#062
Kwueeeek! Kwup! Kwup!
The orcs let out bizarre cries as if to boost their morale. It was a horrible sound like that of pigs being slaughtered. The ones that managed to dodge Oh Seongeun’s ranged attacks approached very close.
Oh Seongeun continuously launched ranged attacks, quickly reducing their numbers. Soon, the team members clashed with those that approached, avoiding her attacks.
Kwang-! Kung! Kwaduk-!
Tremendous sounds echoed each time primitive weapons collided with the team members’ weapons. The muscular orcs, standing about 2 meters tall and appearing twice the size of humans, swung their weapons with a whooshing sound. The power was so immense that even the sound of their swings was terrifying.
Of course, these creatures weren’t particularly threatening to the experienced hunters. Han Cheolyong, Moon Bora, and Shin Jeongho wielded their weapons as if possessed, killing the creatures. However, the dense trees and the overwhelmingly large number of enemies were problematic. Despite the team members’ relentless killing, the number of charging orcs didn’t seem to decrease.
Orc corpses piled up nearby. The area around the three intensely fighting members was already slick with sticky green blood flowing down the slope. The orcs charged forward, carelessly trampling over their fallen comrades. Their ferocity was truly alarming – if an arm was cut off, they’d attack with the other; if both arms were incapacitated, they’d lunge with their teeth.
Eunseok maintained wide-area guiding for the team members without any gaps. Ignoring the orcs approaching close, he kept his eye on the scope of his automatic rifle, watching the distant areas.
Eunseok’s choice was correct. These intelligent creatures who could make and use weapons were certainly capable of throwing spears. He saw several orcs on the upper slope taking throwing stances with long, thick spears.
“Watch out for spears!” Eunseok shouted loudly as he blew off the head of an orc just as it was about to throw. However, the spears thrown by the remaining orcs flew towards the team like lightning.
Tukang-!
Han Cheolyong’s shield deflected one spear. Moon Bora also knocked away a spear with her sword. But not everyone was so lucky.
“Kup-!”
One of the flying spears accurately pierced Shin Jeongho’s upper abdomen, pinning him to a tree behind him.
“Hyung Jeongho!”
Ji Taeuk cried out in shock and tried to run towards Shin Jeongho.
“Wait a moment, hyung.”
Eunseok firmly grabbed Ji Taeuk’s shoulder. The area where Shin Jeongho was, was too dangerous.
“I’ll bring him to the rear. You prepare to treat him.”
When Eunseok spoke calmly, Ji Taeuk nodded. Eunseok unleashed a barrage of bullets towards the creatures approaching Shin Jeongho, not sparing any ammunition.
The acrid smell of gunpowder overpowered the fishy smell of blood. After blowing off the heads of all the orcs near Shin Jeongho, Eunseok used the brief opening to shoot at the wooden spear that had Shin Jeongho dangling.
Ratatat-!
The spear embedded in the tree shattered under the gunfire. Shin Jeongho, who had been fixed to the tree by the spear piercing him, staggered. Eunseok supported Shin Jeongho and immediately moved him to the rear where Ji Taeuk was.
“Pull this out quickly.”
Shin Jeongho said, grinding his teeth while standing. It would be an unthinkable action for an ordinary person, but Eunseok knew well that these were A-rank hunters who had surpassed human limits. There must be a reason for such a request.
“Should I pull it out?”
Eunseok asked, making eye contact with Ji Taeuk. Ji Taeuk nodded with sharp eyes.
The spear that had pierced Shin Jeongho’s abdomen was thick enough to fill Eunseok’s hand. Eunseok placed one hand on Shin Jeongho’s chest to stabilize him, then pulled out the spear with all his might in one go.
“Kuk-!”
With Shin Jeongho’s muffled groan, red blood gushed from the wound where the spear had been removed. Ji Taeuk immediately placed his hand on Shin Jeongho’s wound and closed his eyes. The fountain of blood that had been spraying like a water gun quickly stopped.
“I’ll cover for a moment.”
Eunseok briefly informed as soon as he confirmed that Shin Jeongho’s bleeding had stopped. Then he immediately ran to the position Shin Jeongho had been covering.
There were so many enemies that there was neither need nor leisure for aimed shots. Eunseok crudely swept his automatic rifle towards the front. Every time the hollow-point bullets, specially made for dealing with these creatures, hit the orcs’ heads and limbs, chunks of flesh exploded.
It was the first time he had so freely mowed down enemies without discrimination. An inappropriate sense of exhilaration and thrill surged through him.
“Kwueeeek-!”
An orc with its shoulder, arm, and part of its upper body blown off charged recklessly towards Eunseok.
“…!”
Thinking that a collision would result in at least a fracture, he was about to brace his lower body.
Puk-!
The orc’s head, which had reached just in front of Eunseok, exploded like a watermelon.
Huddeuk-.
Green blood, small bone fragments, and bits of flesh covered Eunseok’s entire body. He quickly wiped his obstructed vision with his forearm, and when he looked ahead, two more were already charging at him in that brief moment. But their heads also burst like watermelons almost simultaneously with a puk-puk sound.
Eunseok glanced back while continuing to fire at the front. For a very brief moment, his eyes met with Choi Hanseo’s. Hanseo’s brow was slightly furrowed, as if displeased by the very fact that Eunseok had been in danger.
Having confirmed that Choi Hanseo was providing support from the rear, Eunseok turned his attention back to the front and focused on dealing with the incoming orcs. However, he felt displeased that Hanseo hadn’t intervened when Shin Jeongho was injured.
‘Is this level of situation not enough for him to step in directly?’
Eunseok grumbled inwardly. He didn’t like that Hanseo was taking it easy at the back in this situation.
But that thought was brief.
They were still not even halfway to clearing the mission. It made sense for Choi Hanseo, who was like their ultimate weapon, to conserve his strength as much as possible. Especially since he was S-rank, unlike the other team members, even Eunseok couldn’t guide him quickly without mucous membrane guiding. So his choice was probably correct.
“I’ll cover now.”
As Eunseok emptied his second magazine, Shin Jeongho approached and spoke loudly. Eunseok nodded and immediately pulled back behind Shin Jeongho. Through the hole in the middle of Shin Jeongho’s shirt, his skin was completely healed as if nothing had happened.
“Are you okay?”
“Are you alright?”
Eunseok and Ji Taeuk asked each other simultaneously. Then they both chuckled at the same time. Eunseok grabbed Ji Taeuk’s hand and started guiding quickly. Ji Taeuk’s energy, felt through the held hand, had become quite volatile, likely due to the strain of perfectly healing Shin Jeongho who had been impaled by a thick spear.
“Whew…”
Ji Taeuk, who had received intensive guiding, sighed heavily as if he could finally breathe. Then he opened a potion with his free hand and drank it in one gulp. The situation at the front, which Eunseok observed while guiding, was gradually calming down. Orcs watching from afar could be seen turning and fleeing one by one.
The three who had been fighting only dealt with the nearby creatures and didn’t chase after those fleeing. Certainly, in this situation, chasing after them risked splitting up the team.
“I’ll take the first watch, so let’s regroup for a moment.”
Han Cheolyong said with a somewhat tired face. As soon as he spoke, the team members trudged over to where Eunseok and Ji Taeuk were. It was a brief moment of rest after an intense battle.
***
Eunseok performed short, strong guiding by grabbing the necks or hands of the team members who were sitting down and filling their stomachs with energy bars and water. After spending about ten minutes each to slightly lower their levels, quite some time had passed.
“Eunseok, you sit down and rest too.”
Moon Bora said as she stood up for her turn to keep watch. Eunseok nodded and took out two water bottles from his backpack, approaching Choi Hanseo who was standing a bit apart.
Choi Hanseo, leaning one shoulder against a large tree, turned his gaze towards Eunseok. Eunseok silently offered the lukewarm water bottle. Hanseo’s eyes scanned Eunseok from top to bottom. Then he took the water bottle, opened it, and took a sip.
“Why the expression?”
Eunseok asked, looking at Choi Hanseo’s expressionless face and eyes. This was the first time he had seen such an expression on him. The face that seemed to have completely erased even a hint of emotion felt eerily alien. It felt like a being from a completely different dimension, not a fellow human.
“What’s wrong with my expression?”
Choi Hanseo asked.
“You’re making a really annoying face.”
Eunseok retorted quietly and gulped down his water.
A faint expression bloomed on Choi Hanseo’s previously expressionless face upon hearing the word ‘annoying’. It was a mix of slight bewilderment and an amused smile.
Seeing the light return to Choi Hanseo’s eyes, Eunseok felt inwardly relieved. He unwrapped an energy bar and offered it.
Choi Hanseo tilted his head slightly as he looked at the energy bar offered to him. His expression suggested this was a very unfamiliar experience for him.
“We still have a long way to go, so eat something.”
“Are you worrying about me now?”
Choi Hanseo asked, blinking slowly.
“I’m not worrying, just taking care of you.”
“Taking care of me?”
“Why? Am I not allowed to?”
Eunseok asked gruffly as he shoved the energy bar into Choi Hanseo’s mouth, which was just starting to open. Suddenly finding himself with an energy bar in his mouth, Choi Hanseo stared at Eunseok blankly before his eyes crinkled in a smile.
Crunch-.
The energy bar crumbled in Choi Hanseo’s mouth. Having achieved his goal, Eunseok returned to where his backpack was and sat down on the ground.
As he unwrapped and munched on an energy bar, he felt a piercing gaze from beside him.
“What is it, hyung?”
Eunseok asked, raising an eyebrow slightly towards Ji Taeuk, who was staring at him while gnawing on the mouth of his water bottle. Ji Taeuk’s eyes moved slowly from Eunseok to Choi Hanseo, and then back to Eunseok.
He had just taken care of him as a team member, but even handing over water and food seemed strange?
Eunseok thought to himself, but maintained a nonchalant face as he drank his water.
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
