Chapter 26: Calamity: Vengeance Spirit

“We need to hold the Hellhounds for about 10 minutes before the reinforcements from Hunters Association and other guilds come.”

“Or we can try to exterminate them.”

“Heh, I want to do that too. But with this kind of number…, let’s survive first.”

Haha–

Both of the hunters laughed helplessly. They saw countless Hellhounds try to break the ice wall.

The C-rank hunters would have no problem if they only faced one Hellhound. However, to fight against such a bunch of beasts would require tremendous Mana and stamina to last long until the end.

The hunters also had other concerns, such as not knowing how the Red Gate situation was. Had the creature stopped appearing or not? What about other beasts that went the other way? What about the beasts sneaked into the city?

There was no exact number of how much the creature would pop out from there unless the Red Gate got closed to stop it. That was why the Red Gate was so problematic.

In order to close the Red Gate, they had to either kill all the creatures that came out of it or find and kill the Dungeon Owner as soon as possible.

If the hunters couldn’t slaughter all of them, they would need more hunters to divide in terms of isolating the Red Gate and searching for the Dungeon Owner at the same time.

With so many hunters were mobilized for just one Red Gate. It would ignore the other Portal Gates that needed to be taken care of it. The Red Gate also usually took a long time to get cleared.

Teng, Crenk–

The ice wall got broken, the Hellhounds rushed their way toward the two hunters.

Rrggh, Rrrr–

Wosh, Woush–

The Hellhound’s mouth opened, and ready to bite the two hunters.

“Frost Arrow, Magic of Ice!”

Cing, Scing–

A bunch of ice arrows show up in the air and pierce through the three Hellhounds.

Rrggh, Rrrr–

The other five Hellhounds jumped against the hunter that used ice magic after seeing its kind died from the arrow.

Tump, Grsek–

In the middle of its jump, a large Axe weapon got swung from the side.

Haa–

Dret, Bang–

When the Battle Axe hit the Hellhounds, it caused a small shockwave in the middle of the collision.

The attack was enough to kill the five Hellhounds that jumped and threw them away to the ground.

However, the hunters didn’t get relaxed and were not happy about it. Even after killing eight Hellhounds. Because it seemed the Hellhounds quantity didn’t decrease at all.

“We need to fight while moving. And lure those beasts to the opposite side of this place.”

“From the information the soldier gave to us, the direction in the front will lead to the Red Gate. Let’s go there.”

“Make a huge ice wall here.”

The hunter nodded. He put his arms to the front.

“Blizzard wall, Magic of Ice!”

Zug, Zrug–

An ice wall formed bigger than the previous one.

The Hellhounds shrunk their head a little bit, shocking because of the wall.

Rrggh, Rrrr–

The glowing red eyes of Hellhounds stared at the two hunters while gritting their teeth.

“Go!”

The hunter that only used the Magic spell ran to the front, leaving the other hunter behind.

The Hellhounds noticed the movement, immediately ran, and jumped toward the hunter that was running.

But, before its bite and claw could touch the running hunter.

The hunter on the back that wielded the Battle Axe disappeared from his spot. And he showed up close to the hunter that was running on the front.

“Battle Rage!”

The hunter used its ability. His swing of the Battle Axe was faster with less power from earlier. But, it was sharp enough to cut down two Hellhounds at the same time.

Haa–

Zrut, Zruut–

Zrut, Zruut–

The other Hellhounds saw their kind heads got chopped and didn’t flinch. Instead, they bare their sharp teeth.

Rarggh, Rrghh–

Tump, Grsek–

Wosh, Woush–

The Hellhounds reacted violently and ran toward both of the hunters.

“Run! Let me take care of the rear. Don’t carelessly use Magic spells. Save your Mana for the later fight when we reach the Red Gate.”

The hunter at the front nodded. He began running to the foot of the mountain.

The hunter with the Battle Axe followed from behind while tempting the Hellhounds to pursue them. He made sure the hunter on the front was safe until they arrived.

On their way behind, the hunter continued to fight, swinging the Battle Axe at the Hellhounds. He kept his distance from the beasts that tried to approach him or the hunters in front of him.

The temporary garrison now felt empty without anyone there. But regardless of the hunter’s plans. There were several Hellhounds who didn’t chase after them and were still staying on the scene.

The beasts instead of going in another direction. And it looked like the Hellhounds tried to enter the downtown.

—- —-

“Arcane-fire Blast, Magic of fire!”

Brust, Boom–

One Hellhound was dead by the burning of fire.

Hosh, Hosh–

“There are Hellhounds everywhere. I hope the evacuation is complete.” Eun-bi gazed in the direction where she was coming from it.

Eun-bi was in no rush to go to the Red Gate field. She wanted to try to look around the city. If there were still people who weren’t on the evacuation route yet.

All of a sudden, there was a voice calling Eun-bi’s name while her moving around.

“Hwang Eun-bi~si?”

Eun-bi got shocked by hearing the voice and stopped her track. She was familiar with the call. She then turned her head to the left side.

“Imo?!”

Eun-bi quivered after seeing Ji-woo’s mother was still in the area. At the same time, she was glad that Ji-woo’s mother was okay.

Earlier, Eun-bi went to Ji-woo’s mother’s food stall first. But seeing the place was closed. She thought Ji-woo’s mother was in the evacuation and safe.

“Imo, why are you still here? Didn’t there an announcement about the evacuation?”

“There are still many people here that need help to move.”

Eun-bi saw there were a few people that were older than Ji-woo’s mother. She took several steps back and observed the place. The place was a small restaurant that usually used to hang out.

Ji-woo’s mother saw a puzzled expression from Eun-bi and tried to explain to her.

“When they announced the evacuation, there was a commotion around here. Imo told them to wait inside first because it was dangerous. And it seemed they were having a hard time getting into the street with so many people huddled and pushing one another.”

Eun-bi understood why Ji-woo’s mother helped them. But now, she was bit her own lip with a grim face. There was something that Eun-bi was worried about and hoping not to happen.

Tada–

What people hope for it sometimes would not come true.

Rrggh, Rrrr–

Four Hellhounds were getting close to Eun-bi and the other. They slowly walked while glaring with their red eyes.

As a D-rank hunter, Eun-bi should be capable of handling it. But, she had already used her Magic spells earlier. So, she had a bit of fatigue. And only half of the remaining Mana left.

‘Can I do it?’

Eun-bi then shouted to the people behind her back. “Go and stay inside the place. I will take care of this. And don’t come out until I call it!”

“Be careful, Eun-bi~ya!” Ji-woo’s mother then led the others to go back to the small restaurant and closed the door. There were around eight people, plus Ji-woo’s mother, in the room.

Eun-bi clenched her fist.

Szup–

Both Eun-bi hands got covered with fire. She then made a wall of fire in front of the small restaurant. She took measures if the Hellhounds might bypass her and go toward those people inside the restaurant.

Cakl, Burss–

Of course, the wall of fire was small. If it was too big, it could burn the whole building instead of protecting it.

Rrggh, Rrrr–

The four Hellhounds moved at the same time. They were running toward Eun-bi.

“Arcane-fire Blast, Magic of fire!”

Each of Eun-bi’s hands summoned a fireball with high-density elements. She then threw the two rounds of flames at the Hellhounds.

Brust, Boom–

Brust, Bam–

One of the fireballs missed its target, but the other fireball hit one of the Hellhounds. It burned the beast until it stopped moving.

Rarggh, Rrghh–

The remaining Hellhounds were gotten angry, and their red eyes stared fiercely at the hunter.

Suddenly, something flew away and landed in the middle of Hellhounds and Eun-bi.

Bang–

The ground shattered, and a ring of shockwave brushed the wind to the surrounding.

Swooshh–

A human-shaped body appeared after the cloud of dust was gone. It wore a black robe at the back and wielded a crescent moon weapon on the right hand.

Fufufu–

“I don’t know why only a few Hellhounds are here. They should be swarming all over this place already.”

She didn’t understand why the countless Hellhounds from the Red Gate weren’t flocking and massacred everything in the city yet.

Eun-bi saw the creature and immediately knew the identity.

“Spirit?! Y-You…, the Dungeon Owner isn’t?!”

Eun-bi tried her best to stay calm in front of a creature with a Mana presence greater than hers. The gradation of coercion in Mana made her unable to move a finger, and the pressure made her tremble.

Fufufu–

“Amusing, human. You know about me. Now while waiting for my dears to come, let me play with you.”

Eun-bi didn’t know whether she could be alive or not with there still three Hellhounds and a Spirit in front of her.

Rrggh, Rrrr–

“It is an honor for you to die by my hands.

“Because I am the Vengeance Spirit, Etherzalle!”