The Time-Limited Leader Makes the Raid a Success - Chapter 488



Only Krnovel

Episode 488

#488. This isn’t my territory anymore.

After hearing Kang Mu-hyeok’s words, Hyun Jeong-geon searched the north and soon discovered a sea cave.

“Whew, if I didn’t know, I would have just passed it by.”

Medusa’s head grew out of the Atlas Mountains, but was completely different from the typical North African environment.

The central part was covered with dense jungle resembling the Amazon, while the periphery surrounding Medusa’s head was blocked by steep cliffs, forming a basin.

The only open area was on the Atlantic side, where the coastline was a jumble of reefs and fast currents that made it completely inaccessible by boat.

The coastal terrain was so tangled that it was difficult to see what was below the cliff. The waves crashed so hard that even hunters were reluctant to go down.

‘It looks like the leader really showed the way to the captain. I’m not the type to talk nonsense, but I was skeptical because it was something I’d never heard of before.’

That was impressive in its own right. As far as he knew, the leader was a long-forgotten artifact.

Not only because it had simply disappeared after the Little War, but also because it was an item that had never demonstrated any abilities since then.

‘There’s nothing wrong with the surroundings. They said there are many passages connecting to other places, but it looks like the aliens aren’t using this place.’

Hyun Jeong-geon did not stop at just checking the entrance and exploring the surrounding threats as ordered by Kang Mu-hyeok.

He went further inside to check for any signs of monsters and to see if the inner walls of the cave were solid.

If a battle took place inside, it would be difficult if the cave ground was weak. The monster could be buried before being caught. For this reason, it was common sense in hunting to limit skill use depending on the terrain.

‘Okay. At this point, as long as you don’t mindlessly use magic, normal combat should be fine. There’s no dirt or bodily fluids left by the monsters, and there are no traces of them passing through, so as long as you don’t go too deep, you should be able to avoid collisions.’

Hyun Jeong-geon was about to return to Kang Mu-hyeok after completing only the basic investigation. If only he hadn’t seen the light reflected at the bend in the path at the end of the cave.

‘It’s not natural light.’

He used his assassin’s specialty to approach the place where light was coming from without anyone noticing.

“!!”

As I turned along the road past the wall, what unfolded before my eyes were traces of civilization.

‘Electricity coming into Medusa’s head?’

Medusa’s head was smaller in area than the magic realm of Northeast Asia, but its hidden threats and mysteries were even greater than the magic realm of Africa.

Bringing electricity to such a place was like building an apartment complex in a magical place.

Hyun Jeong-geon followed the power lines of the lights that were fixed to the ceiling along the road.

He didn’t know how deep it was, but judging from the fact that there was no sign of anyone entering the entrance he had come through, it didn’t seem to be too far to the power supply device.

‘In special terrains like the Demon’s Eye or Medusa’s Head, electricity cannot be used in the normal way. Mana Stones must have been used.’

Mana Stone was expensive. No matter how much money you had, it wasn’t enough to waste on useless electricity. The fact that they had installed light bulbs all the way to the entrance, which wasn’t even used, meant that this was part of the main activity area.

Hyun Jeong-geon noticed this and dug in more boldly.

Then suddenly at some point I realized that the light had disappeared.

“omg!”

He was suddenly trapped in darkness. For a moment, Hyun Jeong-geon’s eyes went blind as if he had gone blind. Startled, he took a few steps back, and the light returned.

Hyun Jeong-geon was sweating profusely.

“What? Just now… … .”

Clearly, the lights ahead were still illuminating the road, but it suddenly got dark.

He took a cautious step. When he was fine, he took another step. When he saw that there was still no problem, he took three steps in one breath.

At the same time, the lights went out.

Hyun Jeong-geon tried to see through the darkness with his night vision skill, but for some reason, the skill didn’t work. No, the skill was used, but he couldn’t see ahead.

He stepped back and emerged from the dark space. The light returned.

‘When you go inside, the light disappears. Is there some kind of barrier ahead?’

Hyun Jeong-geon was troubled. Should he look into it further or step back?

Even if you couldn’t see ahead, there were plenty of ways to explore. You could check the path across the street, which was only visible outside the darkness, and then walk in, feeling your way forward by feeling your way along the ground or walls.

If whatever barrier was causing this darkness was strong enough to consume even the Hunter’s hint skill, its range wouldn’t have been that wide.

‘What’s inside that they even went so far as to create a barrier like this? I’m curious, but I have a feeling that if I go any deeper, it’ll be a disaster.’

An assassin only goes into action when he can succeed. Success includes returning safely. An assassin whose calculation of success is not accurate did not live long.

Hyun Jeong-geon made the choice of a capable assassin.

‘Let’s go back. This isn’t my territory anymore.’

He returned to Kang Mu-hyeok without any hesitation and told him what happened in the cave.

* * *

“Why did we come out and fight?”

Master Pierrot said the question wasn’t meant to be answered, but Gary Dee kindly answered it.

“Because I don’t want to die. There’s a bomb in my heart.”

“Who wouldn’t know that and ask?”

“I asked and then answered, and now you’re losing your temper.”

Even in Mirage, the two arch-rivals glared at each other with murderous intent.

Master Pierrot, who had become a prisoner for the first time in his life, gritted his teeth and expressed his anger.

“It’s all because you were caught being so stupid!”

“I guess you didn’t get caught because you’re smart.”

“If I had known there was such a dangerous wizard, I should have just died. I would have just saved my life for nothing and ended up just being bait.”

“Do you think I’m in this state because I don’t want to die? The teleportation is blocked. Do you know what that means?”

Master Pierrot kept his mouth shut. He didn’t commit suicide for the same reason.

‘Not being able to use teleportation will have a big impact on Illusion-nim’s future actions. It will be difficult to be as active as before.’

The reason Illusion was able to fight other S-ranks unscathed so far was because he was able to use the teleport scroll as he pleased.

Although it was expensive to make and was disposable, the teleportation scroll was like a spare life, so it was an item worth the money.

But from now on, you won’t be able to use it. There’s a world of difference between knowing this and dealing with it, and not knowing and being affected.

In Korea alone, didn’t they just retreat to the scroll after being defeated by Joo Se Ah?

If you fight without knowing this and your teleport is blocked and you can’t escape, that place will become the grave of illusion.

As Illusion’s loyal subordinate, I had to make this fact known somehow.

“We’re prisoners, but you’re treating us like soldiers? Surely we’re not being thrown to that strange guy who resembles Naga and used as swords?”

As Master Pierrot grumbled, Gary Dee recalled the previous incident.

‘Is it true that I went out? I don’t remember the first time we clashed, as if the film was cut off. After that, all I saw when I woke up was that monstrous wizard fighting another monster. Is that wizard an S-rank after all?’

Master Pierrot looked at Thomas with a suspicious look, perhaps thinking the same thing as Gary Dee.

“That wizard… . He was knocked down, but he single-handedly chased away the monster that had knocked us unconscious. If it weren’t for the interference of the Nagas, I would have finished him off with the final blow. Judging by the way he fought, that guy is definitely an S-rank.”

“I feel bad that I have the same opinion as you, but I think similarly.”

“There is no monster as annoying as an S-rank wizard. Even Illusion-sama should avoid fighting S-rank wizards like the ‘Seal Wizard’ as much as possible.”

Among hunters, only magicians are special.

This was common sense and an unwritten rule in the hunter world. In other words, it meant that magicians were not to be messed with unless absolutely necessary.

This was especially true for S-rank wizards. The moment a wizard becomes S-rank, he becomes a strategic weapon that any S-rank wizard can’t even get a foothold in.

Of course, that doesn’t mean that magicians are the strongest among hunters. In battles between S-ranks, factors other than simple power come into play.

For example, there were tank-type hunters with characteristics that gave them strong resistance to magic, such as Jusea.

There are compatibility issues between hunters and between traits, so the results cannot be predicted until they fight directly.

Nevertheless, it was clear that the S-rank magicians were someone that everyone had to be wary of.

“Why? What if you’re a real S-rank wizard?”

The two flinched as if they had been caught plotting treason at the sudden voice heard from behind them.

When they looked back, the woman who had woken them up from their unconsciousness and sent them into the battlefield was glaring at them.

A woman who doesn’t know why she’s called ‘Mister’. She has a bad look in her eyes and secretly warns me.

“These guys keep whispering at every opportunity? If you’re planning to run away, you’d better give up. I don’t need to tell you why.”

Mr. Joe threatened me by poking me in the chest.

Master Pierrot, who had only recently joined the group as a prisoner, glared at her with eyes that seemed ready to kill her, but Gary Dee, who had some experience as a prisoner, responded without showing any emotion.

“You know our situation very well, so don’t repeat yourself so painfully.”

“I know the situation, but I don’t think you know how to behave. Where is the prisoner talking? Don’t talk to him and stay quiet.”

Master Pierrot trembled in humiliation. He looked as if he was going to attack at any moment. Gary Dee noticed this and tapped him on the shoulder to stop him, then nodded.

“Be careful.”

Mr. Joe asked the hunters from the surrounding alliances to keep an eye on the two.

The Federation Hunters also readily accepted the captive, knowing that he was a member of the Miraju executive.

After giving warnings to the prisoners on behalf of Kang Moo-hyuk, she went to where Thomas was lying. Kang Moo-hyuk was by his side.

Kang Moo-hyuk was checking Thomas’ physical condition after administering the injection.

“How about Thomas Hunter?”

“I wonder if he really is a hunter… He may have overdone it, but it’s not dangerous. His body can handle the strong injection, so he’ll wake up soon.”

Kang Moo-hyuk looked down at the injection ampoule he was holding. It was a liquid that was 1,000 times more concentrated than the injection he was using.

‘If I get hit with this, I’ll go straight to the afterlife. Is this really a treatment that can only be used on a hunter’s body?’

Kang Moo-hyuk sighed as he thought about his condition, which still had no cure.

‘On the other hand, Thomas would have been almost at the end of his recovery by now, if it weren’t for the last Gate explosion incident.’

This time, I overdid it so much that it seemed like the treatment period would be extended, but anyway, since I was showing signs of improvement in my mana addiction, I thought I would overcome the illness soon.

‘Come to think of it, I wonder if the Guide can also work in Thomas Hunter’s hands. I’ll have to check it out when he wakes up. If he can use it, it’ll make it a little more certain that the Guide is connected to mana addiction.’