Leveling Up Alone

Chapter 359 – Siege of Nagoya (1)

"Oh, that’s a lot," Han-Yeol muttered upon seeing the swarm of monsters.

Though numerous, most of them lacked the strength to pose a threat to Han-Yeol.

"Are you scared?" Tayarana sneered.

Kwachik!

"Hahaha! Are you taunting me right now, Tara?"

"Hmph!" Tayarana scoffed in response before activating her boosters and speeding away.

"Hey! Damn it... I’m going to win this bet and use my wish to give you a good spanking!" Han-Yeol gritted his teeth.

"Let’s go, Mavros!"

"Kieeeeek!" Mavros smirked and cried out before zooming toward the Gargoyles.

‘Can I leave the counting to you, Karvis?’

[Most certainly, Han-Yeol-nim.]

‘Ah, can you count Tayarana’s kill count too?’

[Yes.]

"Alright, let’s go!"

[Sure.]

"Kieeeeeek!"

Han-Yeol and Tayarana clashed against the thousands of Gargoyles swarming in the sky.

Krwaaaaang!

A huge explosion occurred over Nagoya, turning the sky pitch-black.

Shwaaaaa!

Following the explosion, sudden rain ensued. Japan’s weather was already known for its unpredictability, but this was an entirely unprecedented occurrence.

***

Whoosh!

Powerful winds swept across Nagoya.

Chwak! Sukeok!

“Kieeeek!”

Three Gargoyles perished instantly, crashing to the ground with their necks sliced. The ease with which their necks were severed, akin to thin paper, was truly shocking. Despite their stone bodies, even the mightiest Hunters would struggle to eliminate them in a single strike. Yet, these foes were no ordinary Hunters and tore through them effortlessly.

"Kieeeeek!"

Kwachik!

"Keeeek!"

Mavros viciously ended a Gargoyle's life, a declaration that he wouldn't yield to either of them. Though the Gargoyles possessed stone bodies, a dragon's jaw proved strong enough to rend through them.

Flap! Flap! Flap!

Despite the countless Gargoyles still soaring over Nagoya, there appeared to be enough for all three of them.

"Alright! Time to sweep them all up!"

"Kieeeeeek!"

Mavros' cry echoed across the city, asserting dominance over the monsters, as if proclaiming himself king of this place. In a way, he wasn't wrong; as a mini dragon, he stood as the mightiest creature here.

"Keeek! Keeek!"

"Kwaaaak!"

A horde of Gargoyles gathered and lunged at Han-Yeol and Mavros, aiming to eliminate them. However, they were gravely mistaken.

[Golden Tri-Slash!]

A brilliant golden light streaked past the Gargoyles, swiftly cleaving through them.

Psuuuk!

"Keek?"

That was the final sound the Gargoyles made as they were cleaved in two after the golden flash, crashing to the ground. Confusion filled the remaining Gargoyles as they scanned their surroundings, finding no one in sight.

Meanwhile, Han-Yeol smirked and remarked, "Hey, that’s cheating, Tara."

"..."

Tayarana completely ignored him, devoid of the luxury to engage in conversation. She was determined to eliminate even one more monster than Han-Yeol to win the bet.

‘Those two wishes are mine!’

She unfurled her wings, unleashing a vast amount of mana as she barreled into the flock of Gargoyles.

“Keek!”

The Gargoyles belatedly identified the source of the golden flash and surged toward Tayarana. Though not as swift as Tayarana’s Horus Suit, they compensated with overwhelming numbers and Petrification Bullets capable of turning any creature to stone upon impact.

Bam! Bam! Bam!

Strategically, the Gargoyles methodically fired their Petrification Bullets, aiming to corner Tayarana between two iconic skyscrapers in the city.

“Keke!”

They grinned sinisterly, confident they had her trapped and at their mercy. However, their smiles quickly faded from their stony faces.

‘You dare!’

The Gargoyles were adept at aerial hunting, but Tayarana had transcended into a second-dimension Hunter after her awakening.

Whoosh! Chwak!

Tayarana expanded her wings, soaring in a circle as she amassed her mana.

[Judgment of Horus!]

She triggered one of her ultimate skills, swinging her sword.

“Keek?”

Krwaaaang!

An explosion of mana disintegrated the Gargoyles, leaving them obliterated without comprehending what had occurred.

“Ha!”

While the Gargoyles were deemed high-ranking, they stood no chance against Tayarana. Her second awakening, coupled with rigorous training, rendered her an unmatched force.

Whoosh!

“Kek! Kek!”

Tayarana dispatched hundreds of Gargoyles with Judgment of Horus, yet thousands more continued to swarm over Nagoya.

‘Haa... I’m just getting started,’ she resolved, drawing mana to replenish her strength. ‘I won’t be defeated!’

Baaaaam!

She streaked through the sky, cutting down the monsters in her path.

***

Bam! Bam! Bam!

Explosions echoed throughout Nagoya, drowning out the sound of rain triggered by Han-Yeol, Tayarana, and the Gargoyles.

“Kyaoooh!”

“Wooooo!”

The resounding blasts drew the attention of all ground-based monsters, creatures driven by instinct rather than reason. The mana dispersed across the sky naturally attracted their primal senses.

This diversion allowed Commodore Lee Chung-Hee to safely guide all the ships to port and secure the beachhead without facing attacks from ranged monsters. Typically, monsters would have fortified the port, targeting ships as they docked, a vulnerable moment. Yet, their lack of sophisticated tactics thwarted their ability to prevent the enemy's landing, costing them dearly.

As the monsters remained distracted by the unleashed mana, they remained unaware of the impending catastrophe that had just arrived in the city.

[Kekeke! Ah, the exhilarating scent of battle!]

[Yes, it's been a while.]

Grrr...!

Kandir, Riru, and Barshell disembarked from the ship, Barshell being less renowned but still the next strongest after the two.

[Oh~ It’s been a long time for me too~]

The final passenger to alight was Taichin, the strongest Bastro Warrior among those who had crossed over to Earth, accompanied by their subordinates.

Crack! Crack! Crack!

The Bastro Warriors stretched and flexed their bodies, preparing for action.

[We'll handle the eastern part of the city.]

[Then we're going west~]

[I'll handle the stragglers from the shadows.]

The last to disembark was Camelot, Han-Yeol's direct subordinate.

The Bastro Warriors mobilized, each allocated a specific zone in the city, respecting the pre-agreed boundaries among themselves.

Tak!

After their departure, the Gurkha raid party disembarked from the ships.

“What should we do, captain?”

Though they came to assist Han-Yeol in the rescue operation, the overzealous Bastro Warriors seemed to preclude any chance of engaging the monsters in combat. However, Han-Yeol had anticipated this and made prior arrangements.

Seuk...

Sahas retrieved a piece of paper.

“What is that, captain?”

“It’s a map.”

“A map?”

“Yeah, Han-Yeol-nim has given us a special mission. The Bastro Warriors will handle the monsters since they're stronger than us. Our task is to rescue the survivors and bring them here.”

“Ah, I see!”

“As expected of Han-Yeol-nim!”

Though the members of the Gurkha raid party were seasoned warriors, they were notably inferior to the Bastro Warriors, beings from a higher dimension dedicated entirely to battle.

Hence, Han-Yeol assigned the Gurkha raid party the mission of rescuing survivors. He had two reasons for this decision. Firstly, he aimed to prevent the Gurkha raid party from being embroiled in the deadly conflict between the monsters and the Bastro Warriors. Secondly, the Bastro Warriors weren't inclined toward conducting rescue operations.

“Alright, move out!”

“Yes, sir!”

Tak!

The Gurkha raid party promptly initiated the rescue operation, departing from the port.

“...”

Now, only Commodore Lee Chung-Hee and the sailors remained at the port.

“S-Sir...”

“Haa... That was quite a rollercoaster... I suppose I'm getting old...”

“N-Not at all, sir! You're still young! Haha!”

“Hohoho! No need for flattery. This will be my final field mission; afterward, I'll head to headquarters.”

“S-Sir...”

Commodore Lee Chung-Hee was a respected figure akin to a father among the sailors, with whom he had served for years. They couldn't help but feel downcast at his casual announcement of retirement.

However, Commodore Lee Chung-Hee disliked somber moods and swiftly changed the subject.

“Alright, we can't stand idle while the Hunters are hard at work, can we? Prepare to initiate the operation as soon as they return!”

“Yes, sir!”

Chwak!

Responding to the command, the sailors saluted and swiftly dashed to their designated positions. While Han-Yeol and his forces aimed to regain control of Nagoya from the monsters, the current state of Japan had descended into lawlessness, where anything could transpire.

Countless criminals roamed freely, exemplified by the Yakuza attempting to assert dominance over abandoned cities, seeking to establish their own 'kingdoms'.

Should the ships fall into Yakuza hands due to delays caused by the sailors, it would deal a significant blow to the rescue operations.

Tak! Tak! Tak!

"Direct the turrets over there!"

"Set up the spare machine guns here!"

"We need more ammo over here!"

Moments later, supply vessels arrived, and the sailors swiftly unloaded weaponry and provisions. The port underwent rigorous fortification, transforming into a heavily defended stronghold. Medical tents and food supplies were readied to aid the survivors anticipated from Han-Yeol's rescue efforts.

"Quickly now!"

"Stay vigilant for any threats! No slacking off!"

“Yes, sir!”

This marked the official commencement of the rescue operation, with everyone assuming their positions and diligently carrying out their assigned tasks.

***

Chwak!

Three Gargoyles were effortlessly cleaved in a single slash.

“Hmm...”

Kwachik!

The fourth one, narrowly evading Han-Yeol’s blade, met its demise, bitten to death by Mavros.

Han-Yeol hadn’t gathered a single mana stone yet, intending to collect them once the ordeal concluded.

Shwaaaa!

The relentless downpour persisted.

The rain shouldn’t have affected Han-Yeol or induced any cold sensations. Perhaps it resulted from the mana emitted by the thousands of monsters in the sky and on the ground, but Han-Yeol couldn’t shake the growing chill he felt, an oddity he couldn’t explain.

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