Chapter 180: Chapter 180

“It doesn’t matter what happened. Should you really leave your colleague like that?” Antony asked the Korean hunters seriously. Antony wasn’t the type to show so much consideration for another. Normally, he only ever cared about himself. However, he knew how hard Choi Yeonseung bullied people.

“Huh? No, he’s fine.”

“You are too worried.”

“!!”

Antony was shocked by the Korean hunters’ reaction.

‘They’re insane!’

How could they say such a thing when their colleague was suffering so much? They heard that the Korean hunters trained hard, but they didn’t expect it to be to this extent. As Antony’s words spread, the Icarus clan’s hunters started to look at the Korean hunters with different eyes.

.

-Have humans always been so poisonous?

-Yes. Come to think of it, Hunter Choi Yeonseung is also from South Korea. His personality could be a characteristic of their country.

-I don’t think so… I’ve met a few Korean hunters.

Choi Yeonseung sat next to Kwon Yeongseung. “You should eat after training.” n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

“I don’t feel like eating. Can’t I just go to sleep? I want to eat some sweet ice cream and go to rest...”

“What nonsense are you saying? Whenever you overwork yourself and exhaust your magic power, you have to eat something to help you recover. Now, eat the meat first.”

“I don’t feel like meat—mmpphh.”

***

Even though they were eating, sleeping, and training well in the Abyss, the hunters still participated in the all-out attacks of other expeditions. They turned down the ridiculous request to comply with Joseph’s orders, though...

-Why should I listen to the orders of someone who isn’t even paying me? Is he crazy? Is he the president of the United States?

-He isn’t even American...

-That’s right. Anyway, tell him that unless he’s the president of the United States, he shouldn’t try ordering me around.

“Seeing this massive movement, it seems he has made up his mind.”

Now that they had all gathered, it became clear that Joseph, who started this entire campaign, was trying to use this opportunity to finish it. Choi Yeonseung’s plan was to benefit as well, so he had no choice but to participate.

‘They don’t look good.’

Choi Yeonseung was starting to worry. Except for Kwon Yeongseung, all the hunters at the base led by Choi Yeonseung were in good spirits because they had been getting proper meals and rest. Above all, Choi Yeonseung stood guard for the longest time. No matter how hard the orcs tried to cause havoc on their nerves through hit-and-run tactics, they failed to do any damage.

However, this wasn’t the case with the other expeditions. They had to eat sparingly on tight supplies and periodically patrol and stand guard in case of orc raids. In addition, low-level hunters handled most of those responsibilities. Nearly all the hunters of the other expeditions were dissatisfied and fatigued.

“What are you thinking about?” Illeya asked curiously. Illeya participated as a hunter on Icarus’ side, but she was also quite close to the other Korean hunters. Perhaps this was why she was full of interest and anticipation rather than tension even though they were in the midst of an all-out attack.

“Aren’t you worried?”

“We’ve prepared a lot… And I’m confident in myself,” Illeya said. She spoke a bit slow, but she showed no signs of wavering.

‘As a hunter, she can definitely fight for prolonged periods of time.’

Unlike in the past, magic was now studied a lot, and the number of household members of constellations had increased. It was quite common for hunters with no practical experience to receive a high rating. Likewise, it was quite common for high-grade hunters to get scared or tremble before fighting. They either had little experience fighting monsters or fought only in favorable conditions. Hunters who didn’t fall into a panic at times like this would reach far into their careers.

‘She is young and inexperienced, but there is a reason why she was selected by the clan.’

“Yes. At the very least, I can take care of the hunters here,” Choi Yeonseung said, making Illeya smile brightly.

“The on the other side has started!”

“What? I don’t think they’ve all gathered yet?”

Choi Yeonseung moved forward as if it was absurd. It was true. The hunters present were already approaching the fortress and casting magic.

‘They don’t look that strong...’

The hunters who came to the forefront weren’t very high-ranking hunters. Most of them were D-grade. Some were C-grade. Nevertheless, their magic was so powerful that the walls and gates of the fortress were destroyed at random...

“I see. They’re acting as bait.”

“?”

“I was wondering why those people were sent first. They’re trying to lure the orcs.”

Heightening his senses, Choi Yeonseung felt the other hunters hiding in the distance. He thought they didn’t come, but they had actually been waiting over there for a long time.

“The weak hunters will lure out the orcs, and the rest will surround and hit them.”

“... That’s too much.”

The hunters clicked their tongues when they heard what Joseph was planning. They were laying a siege, so the hunters playing the role of bait could be seriously injured.

“Aren’t they too shameless for accepting that type of thing, friend?”

The hunters currently waiting in ambush had to have known about this plan in advance. The condition was favorable for them, so they accepted it coldly and just kept their mouths shut.

“Well, they’re just taking care of themselves...” Choi Yeonseung stopped abruptly.

Something was off.

“...... ”

***

The great orc warrior, Ketala, looked at the countless hunters in the distance with burning eyes. He could feel their magic power.

-Master has given me a revelation. Weak human beings have to be hiding here!

The orc warriors roared, their confidence soaring. After all, they knew their master was watching them! It was their dream to accomplish more things, get the constellation’s attention, and become its household member.

-Don’t spare anyone. Beat everyone you see to death. Master will be watching you!

-Uwaaaah!

Ketala wielded a huge sword. At the signal to attack, the orcs started pouring out from all directions.

-Kill them! Kill them all!

It was usually easy for a constellation to think about who would dare interfere with their plans. However, whenever constellations collided, the constellation who was more prepared and understood the situation better was bound to win. The constellation who won an overwhelming victory in this fight was the Warrior Stained with Madness and Blood. He was humiliated by new constellations because he was warlike and unreserved, but...

This berserker constellation was by no means easy to beat.

‘You little human beings.’

The berserker constellation had fought the Iron-Blooded General Who Shakes the Battlefield several times in the past. Since one was an evil god, and the other was a good god, there was bound to be conflict. This was why the berserker constellation captured the subordinates of the general constellation a long time ago and turned them into his own subordinates. The large-scale expedition plan set up by the general constellation had been leaked from the beginning.

‘More... Fight more.’

[The power of madness...]

[More and more blood flows on the battlefield...]

The berserker constellation rejoiced at the sight of the massive battle. The more fights like this took place, the stronger he became. If this expedition failed, Earth’s insignificant humans would become even more afraid of the evil god constellations. Among them, the constellation that would be most feared was the berserker constellation. What other constellation would be more terrifying than the one who crushed this expedition?

‘...... ’

Feeling like something was wrong, the berserker constellation observed the battlefield once again and?noticed something unusual.

‘!’

The Undefeated Incarnation of Training’s household member was leading the hunters and breaking through the center of the battlefield.

‘Amazing!’

For the berserker constellation, the incarnation constellation and his household member were names that evoked quite mixed emotions. At first, he thought it was just another newbie constellation coming to Earth from the Abyss, so he tried to trample on the incarnation constellation... But the incarnation constellation fought a lot better than expected.

Moreover, he knew how to fight like a warrior. Just watching his household member already showed who he was as a constellation.

The berserker constellation liked the way he fought without any tricks. It was shameful that he was beaten, but he also liked the constellation quite a bit. It was a complicated feeling. That constellation’s household member led the hunters to the center, making him inevitably curious.

[Attack him!]

The berserker constellation gave another revelation to the orcs. The orcs in the distance nodded in excitement when they heard it.

***

“How come the orcs foil the expedition’s plans every time?” Choi Yeonseung asked, seemingly dumbfounded. The hunters just nodded, seemingly having nothing to say. The gate got blocked, and the encirclement didn’t work out properly...

“Hunter Choi Yeonseung. I have a question.”

“Go on,” Choi Yeonseung replied to Kwon Yeongseung.

“The orcs are coming. Shouldn’t we retreat?”

Rather than waiting inside the fortress, the orcs had been hiding outside from the beginning. As humans moved from the side to ambush them, they started rushing in from behind. Fortunately, Choi Yeonseung and his group of hunters were in the rear because they didn’t listen to Joseph’s orders. They could escape if they wanted to.

“I feel like retreating, but we will be in a lot of trouble if all the other hunters here die.”

No matter how great Choi Yeonseung was, he couldn’t hold on while taking care of the rest of the hunters here. If all the orcs in this area flocked together, they could all fall in combat except for Choi Yeonseung. However, he couldn’t just watch all the expedition hunters die.

“But against enemies this many...”

“I’ve been thinking about something. Follow me. Move!”

Choi Yeonseung charged forward. The other hunters followed Choi Yeonseung as soon as he moved even though orcs were flocking from all sides.

‘No. Wait. Why am I following him?’

‘Shouldn’t we get out of here? Ah, but everyone else is following him...’

‘Still, Choi Yeonseung has an idea, doesn’t he?’

“The hunters of Icarus!”

“Are the Korean hunters coming this way?!”

Choi Yeonseung and his hunters charging were eye-opening for the hunters who were already giving their all on the battlefield.

“Choi Yeonseung! Over here! Come this way and fight with us!”

“We’re getting tired! Join us!”

The fighting hunters anxiously raised their voices and called for Choi Yeonseung. They could use all the hunters they could get now that the orcs were attacking from all sides.

… However, Choi Yeonseung completely ignored them.

“Uh, are you sure we can just ignore them?”

“Why should I listen to them when I don’t even know them?”

Choi Yeonseung just continued rushing forward. Choi Yeonseung was aiming for the orcs’ fortress itself.

“? !”

“You still haven’t broken the fortress?”

The hunters who initially acted as decoys were flustered when Choi Yeonseung suddenly came running.

“Yes, we smashed it as much as we could, but we can’t break its defense magic. We somehow broke the walls and doors, at least…”

“I see.”

Choi Yeonseung ran and, with a swing of his sword, unleashed a flash and a loud noise. The sword energy cut through the shield and pierced through the powerful defensive magic.

“Now! Get inside now!”

“......!”