My Skill Book, My Way
Chapter 57
Chapter 57
8 AM.
In front of the Evergreen Guild, nearly 600 Hunters had gathered by rough count. Ranging from B-rank to SS-rank, they all belonged to the Anti-Tyrant Alliance.
The Hunters had gathered for one purpose only: to stop the Tyrant Guild's Oinbang.
The Oinbang were beings who possessed the power to annihilate a mid-sized guild by themselves.
Therefore, the Anti-Tyrant Alliance had decided to mobilize all available manpower. It was a human wave tactic.
The six Hunters from Atlas and Evergreen, who had previously fought against the Tyrant Guild, were gathered at the temporary headquarters located right in front of Evergreen.
"Far fewer people have gathered than expected."
Jinhan, standing beside the Atlas Guild Master, muttered.
"We were originally expecting nearly 2,000 Hunters to gather......"
"It's because those bastards have been continuously attacking our side's guilds. Countless guilds have been annihilated, and plenty of places that still belong to the Anti-Tyrant Alliance haven't come either."
Hong Jigwang, Guild Master of Evergreen, spoke in a voice full of indignation.
"In other words, they got scared."
Gangil crossed his arms and curled his lips.
"Most of the Hunters gathered here are B to A-rank. There are about 50 S-ranks, and the actual SS-ranks number eight including us."
Yu Chohui, Vice Guild Master of Evergreen, spoke while checking documents.
"If Hwajin were here, we would feel a bit more secure......."
Hyeri wore an anxious expression.
"It can't be helped. The Tyrant Guild bastards were so sudden. We haven't been able to reach her because she's still in a dungeon, but I've left a message. She'll probably come out to rest at some point, so we just have to hope we see her then."
Jinhan said. His expression wasn't bright either.
"It might be over before Hwajin sees the message."
Gangil took an axe out of his inventory.
"Unlike before when we were taken down one by one, we've gathered like this now."
A sense of composure was visible in Gangil. Unlike him, Jinhan was still anxious. The monstrous strength of Gwon Inwon that he had encountered yesterday had given him an enormous shock.
'And there are five humans like that.'
Jinhan looked toward O Seyeon, who was standing apart from them.
Yesterday evening, before leaving, Hwajin had left Jinhan with a word.
"If something happens, make use of O Seyeon as much as possible. Her skills are currently above mine."
'Hwajin said that, but will that woman really become our ally?'
Jinhan was doubtful.
The reason she had joined the guild was that the Tyrant Guild wouldn't be able to touch her carelessly if she entered Atlas. However, the current situation had rendered that reason meaningless.
"They're here!"
Then, someone's shout was heard from afar.
***
"Hmm. Maggots squirming about."
Gwon Inwon sneered at the 600-plus Hunters before him.
Behind Gwon Inwon were a man holding a staff, a woman holding a war hammer, a man holding a large shuriken that looked like it came from a ninja manga, and a man holding nothing in his hand.
"Jo Changgi. Where are their heads?"
The man holding nothing asked. He was the one who had been giving orders to others in the Tyrant Guild's conference room.
"Over there, deep inside. I sense large amounts of mana right in front of the guild building."
The male Hunter holding the staff answered.
"Gwon Inwon. Clear the path."
"Understood, Vice Guild Master."
Gwon Inwon raised both arms and thrust his shield forward.
"The rest of you, reduce their numbers as we go."
At the words of the man called Vice Guild Master, the other Hunters nodded.
"Begin operation."
In front of the Evergreen Guild.
Hunters who had been on the ground until moments ago were flying through the air above where the 600-plus had gathered.
It was the Hunters who touched Gwon Inwon, who was charging with his shield forward. Close-range dealers and tanks tried to stop him, but the moment they made contact, they were sent flying.
The other four Hunters were running behind him.
"Target the ones in the back!"
Unable to stop Gwon Inwon, the Hunters tried to attack the four in the back.
But that too was impossible.
Hunters who approached to attack were all caught in explosions of unknown origin and rendered combat-incapacitated on the spot.
The few Hunters who had managed to break through the explosions were cut by a giant shuriken the size of a person and collapsed, bleeding profusely.
The explosions and shuriken gradually widened their attack range, and no standing Hunters could be seen around the Oinbang anymore.
"All ranged dealers, total attack! Pour everything out!"
With approach impossible, the ranged dealers stepped up. Over a hundred ranged attack skills poured out toward the five.
The man standing at the rear swung his empty hand. Then, two giant blue hands appeared.
The two hands caught all the incoming skills and clenched them. The blue hands turned red.
The hands, now red, flew around the surroundings and indiscriminately attacked the Hunters.
Hunters struck by the giant fists were lucky if their limbs were broken; some burst like mosquitoes engorged with blood.
In just over ten seconds, more than half of the 600-plus Hunters had fallen. The S-ranks who had rushed in first were nearly wiped out. The difference in rank was overwhelming.
It was then.
"Everyone, fall back!"
At the thunderous command, the Anti-Tyrant Hunters turned around.
Gwon Inwon, who had been charging, stopped.
The Atlas Guild Master and Vice Guild Master revealed themselves before the Oinbang.
Behind them were Gangil, Hyeri, Jigwang, and Chohui.
"So you finally came out. You should have come out from the start. It was terribly annoying having bugs clinging to us."
Gwon Inwon smirked.
The Atlas Guild Master glared at the five Hunters.
"I never imagined it would be to this extent......."
He wore a somber expression. No matter where he looked, fallen Hunters entered his vision.
"You have strength but have not learned how to use it, I see."
As the Atlas Guild Master muttered, the Tyrant Guild's Vice Guild Master stepped forward.
"Strength itself becomes the law."
When he raised his hand, the mana hand, returned to blue, floated up.
"I shall prove it."
The giant fist flew quickly toward the Anti-Tyrant Hunters.
"Hup!"
The Atlas Guild Master used [Gigantification]. Having become a muscular giant, he leaped forward and blocked the fist with his entire body.
"Krrgh......!"
The Guild Master was being pushed back bit by bit. Veins bulged on his forehead as he clenched his teeth.
That was the signal for battle to begin. Jinhan, Gangil, Jigwang, and Chohui, who had received Hyeri's buffs, charged forward.
However, they had to stop before they could launch a single attack.
A giant shuriken blocked their path, and then the woman holding a war hammer dropped down from above.
Boom!
When she struck the ground with her war hammer, a massive explosion occurred.
As the four were lifted upward by the shockwave, the shuriken attacked them, followed by explosions in mid-air.
The four, struck by the combination attack, fell to the ground and stopped moving.
The Anti-Tyrant Hunters thought it was over.
In exactly seven seconds, four of the Anti-Tyrant Alliance's main Hunters had fallen into a coma.
The Atlas Guild Master, who had been blocking the mana fist, was pressed to the ground by two hands, lying flat.
"This is the difference in power between you and us!"
An Jiuk, Vice Guild Master of the Tyrant Guild, shouted so that all Hunters present could hear.
"I will give you one last chance! Lay down your weapons and kneel. Those who resist will die, and those who submit will live!"
Hearing his words, the Anti-Tyrant Hunters gauged each other's reactions and began putting down their weapons one by one.
"Vice Guild Master! Something's coming!"
Jo Changgi shouted, gripping his staff with both hands. An Jiuk quickly recalled the hand made of mana and blocked in front of them.
Smack!
The hand shook violently as if it had collided with something, and a long mark remained on its palm.
"She came out."
An Jiuk muttered, looking forward.
O Seyeon, holding a long sword, was walking toward them. She let out a short sigh at the sight of the fallen Atlas and Evergreen Hunters.
She approached Jinhan, who was in a coma, and fed him Croix's Elixir.
"Ugh!"
Jinhan contorted his face at the extreme bitterness and sat up, and Seyeon handed him a glass bottle.
"Give the others a sip each and then throw it on the ground. Then come back to me."
She raised her long sword and stood facing the Oinbang, then began swinging her sword.
Each time she swung her sword, invisible slashes flew toward the Oinbang.
Every time the giant mana hand blocked Seyeon's slashes, wounds that wouldn't erase remained.
"Gwon Inwon. You handle the other Hunters. The rest, join me in neutralizing O Seyeon."
At An Jiuk's order, the four began to move.
Seyeon fought well against the four Hunters. Her movements with the long sword were so fast that following them with the eyes was difficult.
The four were so busy blocking or dodging her lethal, one-hit-kill slashes that they couldn't properly launch attacks.
However, as time passed, Seyeon was driven onto the defensive. Having grown accustomed to her movements, the four Hunters unleashed combinations using their respective abilities.
Jo Changgi swung his staff, causing explosions around Seyeon to prevent her from swinging her sword, and Yi Yongmin, who wielded the shuriken, narrowed her movement range.
The moment Seyeon hesitated, Hong Juhyeon with the war hammer and An Jiuk, who controlled the mana hands, attacked.
Seyeon was definitely stronger than anyone standing there, but she lacked the strength to take down all four who were working in tandem.
"Kuh."
In the end, Seyeon reached a point where she couldn't even attempt to attack and could only defend.
"Now. Press her."
At An Jiuk's command, explosions, the shuriken, and the war hammer covered Seyeon simultaneously. Seyeon leaped greatly to avoid them.
"Ah......!"
Seyeon's expression crumpled.
A mana fist was waiting in the air where she had leaped.
"Kuh!"
Hit by the fist, Seyeon fell to the ground and rolled. It was the first clean hit.
"Is it over now?"
Gwon Inwon approached his comrades. Behind him were the fallen Atlas and Evergreen Hunters.
"We're almost done. Join us. Let's finish this completely."
The five Hunters stood facing Seyeon.
Seyeon, on one knee, clenched her teeth.
She had joined the battle thinking that if she couldn't defeat them, she wouldn't be able to face the Tyrant Guild's Guild Master, but facing all five was too much.
"Huh?"
Jo Changgi paused. An Jiuk turned to look at him.
"What is it?"
Jo Changgi's expression was unusual.
"Something, something is coming this way fast."
Cold sweat ran down his face.
"This mana....... It's on the Guild Master's level."
At those words, not only An Jiuk but the other Hunters were surprised as well.
"What? Are you saying the Guild Master is coming here?"
Yi Yongmin, holding the shuriken, asked.
"Did he come personally because he doesn't trust us?"
Gwon Inwon wore a flustered expression, and Hong Juhyeon, holding the war hammer, looked around with a frightened face.
"No. That can't be it."
At An Jiuk's words, Jo Changgi nodded.
"The mana is on the Guild Master's level, but the feeling is different."
Jo Changgi spoke while looking in one direction. The other Hunters turned their heads to look that way as well.
"That's......."
An Jiuk's eyes narrowed as he looked into the distance.
The figure of a person holding a spear was faintly visible, then disappeared.
"Ugh!?"
At Gwon Inwon's scream, An Jiuk turned his gaze that way.
The spear-wielder was before Gwon Inwon. Flash—a red and yellow light covered the world.
Boom!
Gwon Inwon, burned black, collapsed to the floor.
From the body of the spear-wielding man standing before him, flames and sparks crackled and erupted wildly.
The man looked at Seyeon, who was kneeling behind the speechless Hunters.
"See. I told you it wouldn't take until midnight."
A smile hung on Hwajin's face.