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

At the entrance to the road leading to Sanjeong Lake, Jang Deuk-goo stood alone, blocking the path of the orc horde. Behind him lay a collapsed bridge, and the dried riverbed beneath revealed its floor. He stood before the bridge, greeting the orcs like a bulwark.

The orcs hesitated, not charging forward recklessly. They seemed to have noticed the landmines laid out before them. While the number of mines was insufficient considering the number of orcs, it was enough to serve as a first line of defense.

'I need to lure them into the valley along the stream,' thought Jang Deuk-goo. His gaze fell upon a towering Orc General in the midst of the smaller orcs. A monstrous creature, filled with malevolence down to its eyes---exactly the general-level orc Kang Mu-hyuk had warned him about. Deuk-goo realized that under no circumstances could he allow his comrades to confront this monstrosity.

'If I want to take him down solo, I'll need to be at least A-rank,' he mused. 'Such audacity for an orc.'

Of course, being a general, the orc was never alone. Jang Deuk-goo knew that he would first have to deal with its escorts before he could focus on the monster itself.

The Orc General issued some kind of order to another orc. One orc cautiously moved toward Jang Deuk-goo, seeming to be mindful of the landmines below.

'Checking, are they?'

As the orc came within range, Jang Deuk-goo reached into his pocket and triggered a detonator.

Boom!

The lower half of the orc was blown away. While the damage was greater than what could be achieved by ordinary landmines, the orcs appeared unaware of the difference between North Pocheon and Cheolwon explosives.

Mistaking mana-stone bombs for mere landmines, the orcs hesitated. The Orc General commanded another orc, who this time entered the minefield without hesitation.

Jang Deuk-goo detonated another mine.

With another explosion, another orc was blown away. The general then sent two more in quick succession.

'Testing me, huh?'

Unfazed by the heartless command, Jang Deuk-goo gritted his teeth and triggered the detonator again. Now only one remained in his pocket.

He realized what the Orc General was trying to do.

"Crafty bastard," he muttered.

He sensed the general's resolve to break through, even if it meant sacrificing dozens of his troops.

'No easy hunts, I see. Should I get ready for battle?'

Jang Deuk-goo took a segmented staff divided into five parts from his belt. Each segment had grooves, and when placed next to each other, they adhered like magnets.

When the five segments connected, they formed a long pole. He drew a short sword from his waist, and connected it in the same manner, transforming it into a spear.

Behind him, two short, broad-bladed curved swords crossed in an X shape. Around his waist and ankles, knives and daggers of various sizes were hidden.

Unlike Hunters who usually carried a main weapon and a few secondary ones, Jang Deuk-goo was excessively armed.

'It's been a while since I've been fully armed like this. Had I known I'd be facing an orc army alone, would I have prepared even more?'

Though Jang Deuk-goo was heavily armed, it was astonishing to note that he wasn't fully armed. In mainstream society, not many people knew about him. Excluding the villains, those who were not aware of him referred to him as the 'Weapon Master.'

There wasn't a weapon he couldn't handle, and he wielded most of them at a high level of mastery. Ju Se-ah's proficiency in various forms of martial arts, from boxing and shield techniques to swords and spears---let alone daggers and even unconventional weapons like nunchucks---owed much to Jang Deuk-goo's influence.

Having made his preparations, Jang Deuk-goo planted his spear into the ground. He looked down at the objects laid out on the floor, items he'd prepared while declaring loudly that he would bring an Orc army to Kang Mu-hyuk.

"I've never done this deliberately before, only by mistake. Wonder how they'll react," he thought.

In the meantime, an Orc approached. Jang Deuk-goo pressed the final detonator. Though more Orcs entered the minefield, no more explosions occurred.

"Looks like my luck ends here. They're not triggering anymore."

The Orc in the lead glanced back at its general and let out a roar after safely crossing the minefield. Jang Deuk-goo pulled out his spear and lunged, slashing the Orc's neck. The headless creature wobbled, spraying green fluid.

Blood splattered all over Jang Deuk-goo. It had been a while since he'd been drenched in monster fluids. Wiping his face with his sleeve, he thrust his spear toward another Orc just exiting the minefield. As the impaled Orc grabbed onto the spear, Jang Deuk-goo lifted it and swung it at a third Orc.

That Orc, now transformed into a blunt weapon, spilled its intestines due to the impact. Staggering from the collision with its kin, another Orc met its end as Jang Deuk-goo charged and crushed its head with his fist.

All of this happened in an instant.

From the Orcs' perspective, it was an overwhelming display of martial skill, but the Orc General remained unfazed and sent in more troops.

Having dealt with the vanguard, Jang Deuk-goo leaped backward to his original position.

"If you keep crossing the line, I'll have no choice but to cross it too," he muttered, picking up an object that had fallen near his feet.

It was a long pole with something haphazardly woven on top---something that, at a glance, appeared to be a firework.

The Orc General stared intently at the pole that suddenly soared into the air. Decorated with branches, grass, and unidentifiable flesh, it was a totem!

Jang Deuk-goo broke the totem while grinning.

...

Gong Du-ri couldn't contain his curiosity and asked Kang Mu-hyuk, "So, what method is Team Leader Jang Deuk-goo planning to use? You seem to know something."

Kang Mu-hyuk frowned, recalling his communication with Jang Deuk-goo.

'Too many variables. It may not go as planned. No, it's too dangerous to begin with.'

It was a method Kang Mu-hyuk had briefly considered but had immediately dismissed due to its extreme risk to the Hunter who would use it.

'If the Guild Master were here, she might have used it.'

Still, upon reconsideration, it seemed there was no other certain way to provoke them. Whether Jang Deuk-goo could pull it off was another question.

He let out a sigh before opening his mouth.

"Likely, it has to do with damaging the totem."

"The totem?"

"In the academic field studying Gates, there's a branch called Monsterology. Some scholars in that field found the totems of orcs to be quite interesting, so much so that one went beyond simple research and delved deep into the subject."

That scholar had even attempted to communicate directly through the totem, going beyond mere interpretation of its meaning.

"He had sought the help of a friendly guild leader to bring the totem into a Gate. Then, he accidentally broke the totem."

"And then?"

"All the orcs in the Gate charged at him with the intent to kill. Even as Hunters fought them back, the orcs focused solely on targeting the scholar. In the end, the scholar died, and all the Hunters who had entered with him were wiped out."

Had it not been for a backup team that arrived later to drive the orcs away, and a dying Hunter who left a trace of what caused this disaster, it would have become an untold story.

'Later, even that scholar's curiosity and the Hunters' sacrifices were exploited.'

After this incident, Hunters considered the number of orcs in the Gate and sometimes used a totem-destroying tactic. However, due to the reckless nature of the orcs' attack, the strategy caused significant collateral damage and was eventually abandoned.

"Hold on a second. You want to use that tactic in front of hundreds of orcs now? Even if the team leader is the mentor of the Guild Master, can he really withstand that?"

"I... I'm not entirely sure about that."

"What? You're not sure?"

Gong Du-ri looked at Kang Mu-hyuk with puzzled eyes. And for good reason; he had never seen Kang Mu-hyuk being unaware of something related to Hunters and monsters before. Even if Kang Mu-hyuk was not in the know about it, he had never shown it openly, which added to the surprise.

"It's because I don't have information on Hunter Jang Deuk-goo."

Kang Mu-hyuk had stored details about every guild member in his mind. For regular employees, he remembered their work abilities, specialties, and experiences. For Hunters, he knew everything from their ranks to their weapons, skills, and tactical assessments.

However, there was one Hunter he had no information about; Jang Deuk-goo.

'A+ Rank. All I know is that he's particularly feared by those from Ujungdo.'

He had tried to inquire within the guild among those from Ujungdo, but as he was still building connections there, he couldn't ask directly. Even if he had, he doubted they would have provided a straight answer.

Despite attempting to learn through external sources, he found little information. It was as if someone had deliberately obscured the data.

Kang Mu-hyuk had even considered asking for an investigation through Guild Master Ju, but Ju Se-ah sensed this and advised him against it.

He didn't pry further. If Ju Se-ah mentioned it specifically, he assumed she had a good reason.

Considering her relationship with Jang Deuk-goo, Kang Mu-hyuk cleanly stepped back. He didn't want to create unnecessary discord while he was in the process of building trust with the Guild Master.

Pushing aside the thoughts that continuously sprang to mind in relation to Jang Deuk-goo, Kang Mu-hyuk softly muttered, "If he says he can handle it, then he probably can. After all, he is the Hunter who trained the renowned Ju Se-ah."

...

"Now, I've crossed the line. What will you do?" Jang Deuk-goo crushed the totem lying on the ground with his foot. He then took out another totem he had prepared and smashed it to the ground, breaking it.

"ROOOOAR!" The Orc General let out a furious roar.

With a glint in his eyes, the General snatched the axe from a nearby orc and hurled it towards Jang Deuk-goo. Jang Deuk-goo had assumed he was at a safe distance, but the axe flew towards him faster and more accurately than he had anticipated.

CLANG!

After being pushed half-step back, Jang Deuk-goo dodged the axe effortlessly. The axe embedded itself deep into the ground, leaving only the handle exposed. Any other Hunter would have been startled by this.

'It's more effective than I thought...' Jang Deuk-goo paused, gripping the axe handle embedded in the ground. As his forearm muscles bulged, he slowly pulled the heavy weapon out. Despite its weight, equivalent to a human torso, he skillfully twirled it in the air.

'But just to be sure, should I drive a nail in?'

Before he could finish his sentence, Jang Deuk-goo's shoulders were thrown back. Mana enveloped his entire body, granting his muscles superhuman flexibility, strength, and intensity. His arm swung like a whip, and with heightened senses, he aimed and threw the axe at the Orc General.

The Orc General grabbed another orc by the neck, using it as a shield. The flying axe shattered the orc's head and continued towards the General. However, having initially struck the orc, the axe's speed decreased, allowing the General to dodge easily. The orc's head exploded like a smashed watermelon, with brain matter and blood splattering everywhere. The General casually tossed the lifeless orc aside, and the surrounding orcs tore it apart, feasting on its flesh.

"ROOOOAR!" The Orc General roared again, his scream filled with rage, reaching Jang Deuk-goo.

For an average Hunter, this would have been an intimidating display, but Jang Deuk-goo merely frowned. "Save your meal for later." The orcs feasting on their kin signified a desperate resistance. The Orc General, too, chewed on the flesh of the dead orc, glaring at Jang Deuk-goo.

Tapping his earpiece, Jang Deuk-goo connected to the public radio channel, announcing for all to hear, "I'm bringing in the guest. Prepare to receive him."

...

"Is that an orc or an ant? They're swarming!" Baek Hyeonggyu exclaimed, his eyes wide in disbelief, as he watched the orcs chasing after Jang Deuk-goo.

"What on earth did he do to make the orcs so mad?" Na Dongpa, wearing a helmet, wondered aloud. He looked at the approaching orcs with a mix of concern and anticipation, then turned to see a waterfall behind them. Although not vast, it had a significant drop. The sluice gates were closed, halting the flow of water. Beyond it was a mountain lake, and in the parking lot, Kang Mu-hyuk, the leader, would be waiting. "Is everything going according to plan so far?"

Na Dongpa raised his shield and stepped forward. Five other tanks followed him, forming a wall. A few steps behind them, the damage dealers (DPS) positioned themselves, and at the very back, the ranged damage dealers took their places.

Twenty in total.

No matter how narrow the valley was, they were but a speck of dust compared to the hundreds of orcs advancing toward them.

There was already a shortage of Hunters, and it was difficult to allocate a large force when they needed to retreat quickly in case the waterfall exploded. Thus, they had settled for this arrangement.

At least, thanks to Jang Deuk-goo adding two more parties, they managed to form a 'half-raid' of twenty people.

"It's been a while since we all hunted together," someone mused.

Thump-thump-thump-thump!

The valley resounded with vibrations, caused merely by the stomping feet of the orc army. Facing the dreadful cries head-on, the Hunters braced themselves.

"Nobody dies! We have a dinner party tonight!"

At Na Dongpa's shout, the orc army descended upon them.

...

"Ahh! Are these orcs insane? They're still pushing forward even after getting stabbed!"

"DPS, attack from the side! Share the aggro!"

"Hey, the formation is breaking! Back me up! Don't spare your skills!"

"Potion! Potion! Spray it on the wound! Damn it, I told you not to leave your position!"

Gong Du-ri wanted to cover his ears. He had raised his hand several times to turn off the communication.

Even just hearing the voices conveyed the ferocity of the battle before him. Screams and groans were transmitted clearly. Unlike the Titan hunt, which felt distant, the struggle was happening right here, right now.

Kang Mu-hyuk was also listening intently. Although anxious, he patiently waited, fiddling with the detonator in his hand.

'Press button one, then retreat. Ten seconds later, press button two.'

He was so tense he mentally rehearsed this simple action hundreds of times.

Then it came.

"Team Leader! Huff! Now, all... Huff! The orcs are... Ahh! Inside!"

At Jang Deuk-goo's voice, Kang Mu-hyuk reflexively moved, placing his finger over the detonator.

"Detonate! Prepare for fallback!"

He pressed the first button and issued the retreat command.

'Why can't I hear an explosion?'

Kang Mu-hyuk pressed the detonator again. But there was no response from the dam area.

Based on his experience of blowing up the Mana Stone mine, he had an idea of the scale of the explosion he had set up. It should have been more than enough to cause a massive blast.

"What's going on? Why isn't it exploding?"

Jolted by Jang Deuk-goo's voice, Kang Mu-hyuk quickly opened the door of the command vehicle and stepped outside.

Choi Mi-ran and Kim Seong-hyun, who had been waiting outside, looked at him puzzledly. Ignoring them, Kang Mu-hyuk aimed the detonator toward the dam area and repeatedly pressed the button.

"Damn it!"

Frustrated, Kang Mu-hyuk turned back and headed for the driver's seat.

"Everybody, get in the car!"

At the frantic shout, the two Hunters scrambled into the vehicle, clueless about what was going on.

"What's happening? Even Na Dongpa's group can't hold on much longer!"

"Guild Leader, it seems something is wrong with the detonation device."

"Wrong?"

"I'll go check it out myself. Just hold on a little longer, please."

"Hey, Guild Leader..."

"Hurry up!"

Kang Mu-hyuk slammed on the accelerator as soon as he started the vehicle. The hefty command car lurched forward, speeding toward its destination.

'I checked and double-checked. Why now?'

Although it's a common saying in the Hunter community that raids never go as planned from the moment they begin, the ramifications of a malfunction in this detonation device were too fatal to be dismissed as a mere mistake.

"If this goes wrong..."

Many people would die.

Kang Mu-hyuk clenched his teeth.

'Even if it costs me my life, I can't let that happen!'

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