Chapter 458. There's a Plausible Plan

The Hunter of the Other World Who Is Being Misunderstood

Chapter 458. There's a Plausible Plan

"No matter how much you lack the [Dragon's Eye], I didn't expect your eyesight to be this bad. Do your eyeballs really see that as Korea's number one...?"

In disbelief, Kang Changho even let out a certain sharp rebuke. Around Korea's third S-rank stood about 18 awakened beings. Their black attire, pursuing extreme efficiency, at a glance looked like either cutting-edge fashion or next-gen military uniforms. And on top of that, the enemy wore pitch-black helmets perfect for blending into the dungeon's darkness.

"Was the battle originally supposed to take place in that dim dungeon?"

Honestly, from Kim Giryeo's perspective, this was a rather long-awaited reunion. However, he wasn't given the chance to have a separate conversation with someone from his hometown.

Click.

The moment they spotted an outsider, one of the heavily armed staff followed the established protocol and used their gun.

"Wait, a gun?"

Firearms. They were tools rarely seen even from the time the world first became overrun by dungeons.

"Something feels warm."

However, since it was an industry with many people involved, firearms using gunpowder still persisted. What soon became apparent was the fruit of mammalian development.

Clack!

A bullet shot out along the iron pipe and immediately collided with the archmage's forearm. Its form closely resembled the hard-cast rounds used for hunting buffalo and the like.

"No, wait. This isn't warm—this is something far too cold!"

The bullet wasn't made of plain lead. It was a dungeon-material fusion weapon newly developed by a research institute of a communist nation.

"I got a bit confused because of pain suppression."

In short, it was a weapon that could very well be fired at—and used against—even high-rank awakened individuals.

Clack!

By the time the enemy's reloading sound echoed out, Kim Giryeo quietly thought to himself from behind his disguised face.

"This bullet... it was a mana-stone projectile, each one painstakingly engraved with a cold-attribute enchantment."

First, he analyzed with precision a substance as simple as a stone thrown by an orangutan almost the moment it hit. However, that didn't mean he was about to counterattack.

"I don't know how I should gauge the situation from here on."

Today, an alien creature with the characteristic blue eyes of a Westerner. The disguised mage, wearing a face that wasn't his own, was carefully observing.

"I got so caught up in the explosive surge of dungeon creation that I didn't pay attention. I never expected Kang Changho to be here at all."

In any case, the biggest problem was none other than Korea's third S-rank hunter.

"Where on earth did that skinny foreigner come from?"

"Artifact error?"

"Shoot, first, shoot!"

Now that Kang Changho had appeared, this newcomer, covered in freckles, was no longer anonymous. Earlier, when dismantling the gate, some magic had been released, so even if that person just slightly moved his sunglasses, it would be clear to them that this side was the real mage.

"What kind of item should I use as an analogy to explain the effect of the [Vampire's Mirror]?"

The problem. There are just too many.

"Besides, I can't even use telekinesis skillfully anymore."

Everything that comes to mind now explains why the archmage acts so simply.

"But limiting the magic I use just to avoid Kang Changho's suspicion... creating a water droplet is practically the same as showing my ID."

If Kang Changho were nothing more than human trash who deserved to die, things would've been easier. Then the archmage could have stepped outside comfortably, stirred up water at will, and turned a small clinic into a wasteland in under a minute.

Tang!

The rapid bursts of fire subsided for a moment. The blonde archmage maintained a defensive stance, pondering what to do with those insignificant mammals. And in that instant, just as the internal staff were about to reload again...

"Wait!"

The voice resonated through the air and burst out.

"Cease fire."

"What...!?"

"Everyone, stop. Stop."

Kim Giryeo's side was watching cautiously, waiting for the opponent's next move, and it worked out perfectly. Kang Changho pushed his way through the armed individuals and immediately intervened to mediate.

For reference, someone's PIXY translation device was constantly converting the characters' speech into Korean and English. This served as evidence that Korea's S-rank ex-con and an elderly man had been having an extended conversation. However, what followed was a shocking scene that made the elderly man's kindness in using the translator alone seem insignificant.

"No, why on earth should I stop..."

"Phew."

One of the clinic's staff ignored the warning and tried to pull the trigger repeatedly.

Whoosh.

And the moment Kang Changho spotted someone resisting, he didn't hesitate to snatch their gun.

"Just stop it for now."

The blue-haired awakened being finally aimed the weapon back at its original owner and fired immediately.

Tang!

A loud noise rang out.

"Ugh!"

In fact, Kang Changho's side had acted almost as casually as swatting away an annoying fly. The awakened being, hit squarely in the head by the new type of bullet, collapsed unconscious. In other words, the rogue who hadn't paid attention to the speaker's words had now been dealt with neatly.

Clack!

Clatter

Click-clack.

As the clinic staff were attacked, every muzzle around them simultaneously aimed at a single point. Kang Changho spoke while leaving the back of his head completely exposed in that environment.

"The awakened being has changed too much from the original plan. And that Westerner, who we don't even know which entrance came from, is an awakened being with incredible defensive power..."

"Are you by any chance acquainted with each other?"

"Honestly, it's the kind of thing I'd rather not know."

A physically enhanced individual who willingly shows boldness toward the dark-skinned elderly man.

"But anyway, isn't the most important part that we only prepared countermeasures for fire-attribute awakened beings?"

"Sir! There's really no need to say that out loud..."

Kang Changho raised both hands in a gesture of surrender.

"Since I've already started talking, I might as well try to negotiate. At least that blonde over there is someone who can somewhat understand reason."

"Hmm."

"So all you random gunmen, keep your mouths shut for a while if you want to stay alive."

The awakened beings standing at the front—in other words, the group of Korean S-ranks clustered together—were met with the ex-convict's words soon after.

"Hey."

What followed was a greeting that quite matched someone's demeanor.

"I really didn't expect you to take a stroll all the way to a communist country like this."

"That's exactly what I want to say."

In that instant, even the alien's thoughts briefly flickered. By the moment he spoke, it would be obvious he was a Korean S-rank, so the man with the fake blonde hair had no choice but to remain silent.

"I was sure you'd be in your home country. But what brings you all the way here?"

"..."

"Well, of course, you must have come for some reason. The timing is rather suspicious, but that's not something to ask about right now anyway."

"..."

"What I'm curious about is just that. I was wondering if you came here with some sort of blood-thirsty revenge in mind."

Revenge. Revenge?

"To put it more clearly, I'm asking whether you intend to kill every person involved in the artificial procedure."

From the mage's perspective, both assumptions were absurd anyway. Hearing the word revenge, the disguised mage's eyes darted around restlessly. But simply staying silent wouldn't resolve the situation.

"If that's true..."

In the end, the alien creature agreed to the conversation. Due to the explosive impact of the [Iron Maiden], the special effects that had clung to it were still present, leaving its appearance shabby as ever.

"Will the Awakened protect the people behind you, as if you were part of the same team?"

What followed was the alien deliberately speaking in a clear voice to verify things.

If the target of the spell is enraged, or their body is excessively robust, or the situation makes it naturally difficult to lead a conversation, then a light-level [Word Spell] hardly works, leaving very few options.

Since he still didn't know whether Kang Changho was an enemy or an ally, he obviously couldn't just snap a mammal's limbs like he had done in Japan. That made things even more complicated. Therefore, instead of asking Kang Changho whether he was "on the same team" as the people behind him, Kim Giryeo considered simply making up his mind, starting the fight, and choosing whom to attack.

"Protect..."

The Korean mercenary, called here by someone from his hometown, hesitated at the remark. He rolled his reptile-like eyes and finally managed to speak.

"Of course, I have to protect them."

Did this mean he was firmly on the same side as those gunmen hiding in the feed-box? The disguised blonde alien went on alert, wondering when the other might charge at him.

"People may have changed a bit, but that doesn't mean the reason I'm here has changed."

It seems he really has to listen to Korean until the very end. One S-rank hunter, whose face clearly showed reluctance, mumbled at the corner of his mouth. Before Kang Changho's words were even fully translated, he took action. He attacked the nearby illegal clinic staff without any warning.

"Huh?"

Thud!

What followed was a sharp, clean crack. It sounded either like a baseball bat striking a rubber ball with force or like bone colliding with bone. Kang Changho smashed the arm of the nearest awakened being with a single blow. As the opponent hunched over in pain, he took advantage of the opening to kick their side.

"Heuk!"

He twisted his waist, putting his full weight into the kick. One awakened being's ribs were completely crushed.

"Ugh!"

If the bones in that area are damaged, the broken ends could pierce the lungs, making it extremely difficult to form magic...

"For a primitive, he's surprisingly sharp."

The clinic staff, wearing a helmet so their expression was hidden, continuously groaned in pain. Kim Giryeo, with his S5-rank motion vision, watched the scene and thought to himself.

"Up until now, he acted like they were on the same side, and then suddenly ambushed a comrade inside the gate."

It was really a scene he had seen many times before. Come to think of it, Kang Changho had personally intervened when dismantling a human trafficking ring as well. So why couldn't he do something like this twice?

"Good thing I didn't just throw them into the water the moment I saw their face."

Moreover, judging by the name that was mentioned once, Kang Changho might have originally infiltrated to protect a national hero... Of course, he might not have.

The disguised archmage briefly assessed the situation.

"He hit another Earthling."

For reference, while this side was cautiously watching, Kang Changho had already created his third victim.

"Ah f*ck!"

"B*stard!"

For a fight between trained fighters, some rather dirty methods were being used. He grabbed the collar of someone wearing protective gear for their head, then targeted the gap between the helmet and the clothing and gouged into the person's neck with his fingernails.

"Ouch, it's blood."

The bodyguards, who must have trained quite a bit in combat, strangely got caught up in it and fell.

Kicking vital points. Or smashing the helmet first and then grabbing the person by the hair, and so on. Kang Changho executed these moves—acts strictly forbidden in regulated fighting arenas—as naturally as breathing, which explained how it happened.

"Why does it hurt even though I'm not the one getting hit?"

But just as the momentum was building, the stranger from Alphauri sensed a suspicious aura.

"Hmm?"

The clinic staff that Kang Changho had taken down were sprawled across the floor like trash.

By the time the unconscious bodies naturally formed a scattered line, a short-statured staff member appeared at the end of this human corridor.

Tick!

With a static crackle barely audible unless you strained your ears, it signaled that a primitive mage, clearly preparing an extraordinary skill, had been spotted.

"Even if they are truly S-rank... the magic that person is casting right now feels a bit too powerful."

Tick-tick.

The person with deep knowledge of magic had noticed the change even before the owner of [Dragon's Eye]. And judging from the general circumstances, it seemed that a certain ex-con delinquent wasn't exactly an enemy that needed to be eliminated.

"Wait, should I help him?"

Kim Giryeo tried to cancel the high-powered magic that another primitive mage was preparing.

"If I just get some water up her nose, their concentration will be completely ruined."

But at this point, yet another change occurred. Just as the disguised blonde youth was about to subtly attempt an offensive spell.

Whoosh!

Because Kang Changho, who had been charging at the enemy like a leopard, suddenly stopped. He stared intently at the person beneath the fake face and spoke clearly.

"Don't use your technique."

On Earth, where dungeon shocks occurred, what is called "technology" usually refers to magic... Then, Kang Changho must be warning the archmage not to use spells right now.

"Even without observing through the [Dragon's Eye], it seems he can basically detect major internal mana flows."

For some unknown reason, he stayed put since the other person told him not to act. However, Kim Giryeo couldn't be sure whether following the primitive mage's advice was truly the right choice.

Crackle!

After that, this scene unfolded right before his eyes.

"I told you I'd help."

Someone with an unusually high amount of mana unleashed a powerful electric attack. Kang Changho was grazed slightly on the face by the skill. The result was a shock that no one would expect a physically enhanced individual to endure. A Korean man in his thirties suffered severe electric burns, completely blocking his field of vision.

Tick! Roll.

The sunglasses fell to the floor. But in more ways than one, the situation was... strange.

"The problem is that I can't give to others like those with barrier skills. Still, self-enhancement-type abilities should be extremely effective when it comes to protecting themselves, shouldn't they?"

How could someone whose toughness ranks in the top 0.1% of all humanity end up gravely injured just from being grazed by a skill?

"S-rank."

The awakened being, who had suffered electrical burns severe enough to scorch parts of the hair on his head, backed away to create distance.

Kang Changho, having taken a few steps back to steady his breathing, voiced his confusion.

"This is the attack power of an ordinary S-rank..."

Though his voice was calm and carried not even a hint of a question mark, his words held many layers. In essence, what he'd just said was no different from quietly asking, "Sorry, but... have you really never produced power above S-rank