CHAPTER 75
Leave None Behind**

Jinwoo wasn't the only one caught in the Lord's Erosion. Ma Doo-sik, Shin Do-woong, Chartia, the military police, and the Management Bureau staff—in short, everyone who had been at the abandoned factory was trapped.

Among them, the non-awakened had all collapsed, having lost consciousness as if they had fainted. The only ones still standing were the three S-class Hunters and Jinwoo.

"I have to protect the people!"

"I'll help."

"I can move them by myself, so please guard the perimeter."

Chartia crouched down and placed both hands on the ground. A green light shimmered from her arms and seeped into the earth.

Rumble—

The ground swelled, and tree trunks shot up. The trees grew and gathered around the fallen people, forming a dome-shaped cage of branches.

At a glance, it looked like a round wooden prison, but it was a measure meant to protect those inside from external threats.

"The guns… are broken, of course."

Meanwhile, Shin Do-woong took a rifle from the shoulder of a fallen military policeman and tried to pull the trigger. However, he couldn't even flick off the safety, let alone pull the trigger.

Objects consumed by the black Erosion lose all their properties and characteristics, becoming fixed in their form. Even a window with a physical crank wouldn't open properly, so there was no way a gun would be unscathed.

He casually tossed the broken rifle aside. Then, he pulled a blue spear from his inventory.

Shin Do-woong. He looked to be in his mid-30s. For a frontline spearman, his frame was rather slender. He gave the impression of a doll made of twisted wire.

"Hunter Kang Jinwoo. What do you see?"

Ma Doo-sik asked Jinwoo. Jinwoo, who had been looking at the distant landscape and the countless pillars dotting the plain, spoke to Ma Doo-sik.

"They're coming."

"Coming? Hup!"

No sooner had Jinwoo's words fallen than the horizon turned pitch black. It was a repulsive sight, like watching a swarm of insects.

They were all monsters. There were wolf- and bear-like forms, as well as humans, elves, dwarves, and orcs. Mid-sized monsters like ogres and trolls were visible, and large draconic monsters like drakes rumbled, shaking the ground.

Was it a relief that there were no true dragons? Individually, they were creatures that posed little threat to the S-class Hunters, but their numbers were overwhelming.

It wasn't just the horizon before them; a wave of monsters was sweeping in from all directions, 360 degrees.

Their speeds were all different, so the ones in the back were trampling and pushing the ones in front—it was utter chaos. However, the monsters that were trampled flat didn't die. They were reabsorbed into the Erosion.

Perhaps those that were absorbed were regenerating somewhere in the back.

‘So this is what they meant by being forcibly made immortal when bound by Erosion.’

He was now seeing its end with his own eyes. Their utterly miserable fate.

‘So that’s why Grisella asked me to kill her. She didn't want to be used like this.’

He understood her wish. He even felt pity for her.

But contemplation could wait.

"I'll protect the fallen and provide support, so I'm counting on you for the front!"

With Chartia's words, the three men instinctively scattered in three directions. Without a single word, they took their positions and prepared for battle—they were truly S-class Hunters who had been through thick and thin.

Though Jinwoo was still technically a reserve.

A defensive battle ensued to protect Chartia's fortress against the oncoming wave of monsters.

The number of monsters was so overwhelming that even they, as S-class Hunters, had never seen anything like it. Their entire field of vision was filled with black creatures.

"Hah, even 20 years ago when I stumbled into a Dragon's Lair, it wasn't this bad."

Ma Doo-sik, who had long since retired from active duty and entered politics. Despite it being his first real battle in a long time, he was impressed by how well his body was moving.

Unfamiliar leather gauntlets were fitted onto Ma Doo-sik's hands, from which a faint magical power radiated. That, along with his own trained body, was his weapon.

Whether he had neglected his training after retirement or not, he fought so well that one might mistake him for an active Hunter. He grabbed a charging wolf by the scruff of its neck and threw it at an ogre.

Simultaneously, a blast of wind pressure pierced through both the wolf and the ogre, blowing a large hole in them. Half of the wolf's body was blown away, and a huge hole was punched through the ogre's upper body, killing it instantly.

Crackle-zzzt!

Shin Do-woong's blue spear was wreathed in electricity. It wasn't real electricity, but rather a mass of magical power with similar properties—his aura.

Contrary to Ma Doo-sik, he had a slender body, but his fighting style was even more exhilarating. Unlike the surprisingly methodical Ma Doo-sik, he threw himself into the enemy horde, running rampant and swinging his electric spear.

He sustained some minor injuries in the process, but the next moment, the small wounds had vanished without a trace.

"The rear is secure, so don't worry!"

Chartia was also holding off the enemies well. No matter how S-class they were, one person couldn't block ten, so some monsters inevitably slipped through. Those creatures would strike Chartia's fortress of tree trunks, only to be met with the trunks' counterattack.

It wasn't just deflecting and throwing; each trunk was like a living snake. They pierced and slashed at the enemies' hearts, necks, and brains, protecting their master's castle.

And Jinwoo—

‘No problem for now.’

He, too, was cutting down monsters and holding his ground with ease. The ability to shoot sword energy, which he had obtained from cutting down the Black Knight, was proving useful even now. With every swing of his sword, monsters caught in its range fell like leaves.

And when mid-sized monsters approached…

CRACK!

He resolved the issue by calling down a lightning bolt with Kanok's God-Welcoming Rite. The intense aftershock of mana was enough to make the other S-class Hunters turn to look his way.

Shin Do-woong, who used mana of a similar nature, observed Jinwoo with a particularly interested expression.

While fending off the monsters, Jinwoo didn't forget to inspect the Erosion.

‘I can see the path.’

It was the same type of Erosion as the barrier he had experienced at the Sky Temple. Because of that, he was able to figure out how to find the path more easily.

However, there were quite a few differences from last time. The Lord had said he would repay his humiliation; had he improved and reinforced what he considered his weaknesses before coming here?

‘In the end, it's still Erosion. I just need to find the core and destroy it.’

And the core was probably…

‘Nearby.’

If it was the same type of Erosion as the one at the Sky Temple, the core should be nearby. The size of a room, or at most, it shouldn't extend beyond the factory grounds.

But…

‘…It’s quite far?’

The location of the detected core was a considerable distance away. It wasn't unreachable, but it was much farther than Jinwoo had anticipated.

This was proof that this Erosion was a significantly improved version. Indeed, just looking at those pillars, which hadn't been there before, it was better not to think of this as the same barrier as last time.

‘It doesn't matter.’

He had found the core, so the distance didn't matter. All he had to do was break through to it and cut it down.

Jinwoo quickly assessed the battle situation.

Chartia was, as she had said, protecting the fainted military police and Management Bureau staff. In her spare moments, she was providing support to Ma Doo-sik, Shin Do-woong, and Jinwoo.

To be clear, she was the one contributing the most here. Without her, the situation would have been much more complicated.

‘Ma Doo-sik is also leaning towards Chartia's side.’

Ma Doo-sik was also being more defensive than expected. He showed none of the fiery temperament one might associate with his bear-like physique. He was coolly holding his position, doing his best to save the people behind him.

Whether that was his natural disposition or because, as the mayor, he couldn't let civilians die, Jinwoo didn't know. Either way, he was currently focused on defense.

‘As for Shin Do-woong…’

Shin Do-woong was the complete opposite. He paid no mind to the rear and was running wild, diving deep into the enemy horde.

If Ma Doo-sik prioritized defense, he prioritized slaughtering as many monsters as possible, by any means necessary. For that, he didn't even spare his own body, and his wounds were increasing, but strangely, those wounds healed quickly.

It seemed he wasn't just a simple spearman but also possessed some healing arts or a self-regeneration ability. That must be how he could fight like that.

He was the perfect man for breaking through the monster horde.

‘I should go with Shin Do-woong.’

If they weren't going to be stuck here fighting monsters for a thousand years, they had to find and destroy the core.

In Jinwoo's eyes, he seemed the most suitable for the job.

Jinwoo approached Shin Do-woong. Shin Do-woong, who was in the middle of a fight, was startled by the presence that suddenly entered his range.

He reflexively swung his spear, but seeing that it was Jinwoo and not a monster, he quickly stopped it.

"What—what was that all of a sudden?"

"We need to find the core ourselves."

He was an S-class Hunter, too. He understood the situation, but he had no way of finding the core.

However, he was well aware of the rumors about Jinwoo's abilities.

"Come to think of it, they say you have the ability to find cores, right? Can you find it here, too?"

"I've already pinpointed it. We just need to break through to it."

Shin Do-woong looked genuinely surprised. He had thought they would be struggling for a while after getting caught in this mysterious Erosion, but a solution had already been found?

‘So that’s why Mayor Ma Doo-sik was so impressed.’

He had heard many rumors about Jinwoo, and he had also heard a lot directly from Ma Doo-sik in private. He had babbled on about how Jinwoo was talented enough to become an S-class scout. That in five years, he would become a pillar of Seoul.

As the mayor, he was a man generous with compliments and lip service, but it was the first time Shin Do-woong had seen him so genuinely impressed. He had been curious about his skills, and now, seeing him in action, it seemed Ma Doo-sik had a good eye for people.

"If you've found the core, then we should all stick together… no, that won't work."

"At least two people need to guard this place."

Even though Chartia was holding them off well, the number of monsters was too great for her to handle alone. Even with Ma Doo-sik, it was still a bit precarious.

But they should be able to buy enough time. The best strategy was for Jinwoo and Shin Do-woong to find and destroy the core within that time.

"Hurry up and go. Leave this place to me and Hunter Chartia."

The plan was relayed to Ma Doo-sik and Chartia, and they also agreed to the division of labor. The burden on the remaining two would be much greater, but they weren't the type to be unable to withstand that much.

"Let's go! Lead the way, Jinwoo-dongsaeng!"

Suddenly tacking on the title "dongsaeng," Shin Do-woong shot forward. Contrary to his words telling Jinwoo to lead, he always threw his body into action first.

It meant he was a man of action, which was a good thing. It was also a good fit for this job, which required a breakthrough.

"We'll be back."

After a brief word to those remaining, Jinwoo also ran. After just a few steps, Jinwoo caught up to Shin Do-woong, and Shin Do-woong watched him with a peculiar glint in his eyes.

‘He really is amazing. He deserves to be the next S-class.’

He wasn't just talking about his current speed. It was about when Jinwoo first entered his range earlier.

Shin Do-woong had been genuinely surprised. As a spearman, he was extremely sensitive to his range. He prided himself on being a true spearman only when he had near-absolute control within his own range.

But Jinwoo had entered his range with far too much ease. It wasn't simply that he had barged in because he was an ally. Jinwoo had definitely squeezed through a gap in his range to close the distance.

‘…And this is a guy who awakened less than two years ago.’

His growth rate was enough to make one feel a wall between them. Was it because he was someone great in his past life, and was recovering his past life's memories quickly?

Well, whatever the case, it was fine. It was enough that he was a partner he could rely on to watch his back.

KRA-KRAKOOM!

Jinwoo's God-Welcoming Rite descended. Yes, this lightning was another element that had caught Shin Do-woong's eye.

All in all…

‘I like him!’

He was a rookie with a lot of promise. Though, for a rookie, he was a bit too famous and was already on the verge of becoming S-class.

Meanwhile, Jinwoo was running half a step ahead of Shin Do-woong, heading for the core. His sword and Shin Do-woong's spear, flying from behind, carved a path through the horde of monsters before them.

Running down the bloody path they created, he continuously checked the core's location.

Fortunately, it wasn't moving.

‘If I can just get there and cut it, it's over.’

It might end surprisingly simply. But that was why Jinwoo's intuition was sounding an even louder alarm.

The God of the Sky. The Lord of Oppression and the Ceiling. A deity who had spread his Divine Domain in the Spirit Realm and a transcendent being who harbored a Seed of Erosion.

A being like that had even said he would repay his previous humiliation. But it was this easy?

[The God of Moonlight Forest advises you.]

The God of Moonlight Forest was watching him. At the same time, the power of her blessing flowed out through the glass bead, her divine object. What was she thinking as she sent this power?

‘Since she’s advising me, does she mean I shouldn't let my guard down and be careful?’

At Jinwoo's guess, the God of Moonlight Forest shook her head.

[Devour them all. Leave not a single one behind.]

It was an unexpected statement. Hearing her say that in her faint, soft voice felt almost dissonant. Though her voice didn't show it, a subtle anger was laced within it.

Still, she was right. Jinwoo smiled to himself.

‘Yeah, I got it.’

He responded to her request.