Here's an Opportunity-Chapter 192: Start (2)

—Archer troops, on standby! Cannons and firearms, fire!

Catapults launched huge iron balls mixed with Pastera, and cannons hammered shells toward the enemy lines, causing massive damage and an incredible amount of noise.

While the S-Class and A-Class Hunters had been present since the start of the Gate clear and were accustomed to the sight, it was the first time the late-arriving Hunters and regular soldiers had witnessed such a scene. The support troops flinched as iron balls streaked down and slammed into the ground, followed by the thunderous explosions of cannon shells.

At least none of the Hunters or soldiers had pulled the trigger yet.

Fingers hovered near triggers, bows drawn but not loosed.

—Archer troops, prepare to fire.

Following the operator's signal, the C-Class Hunters and ordinary soldiers put their fingers on the triggers of their crossbows, while the B-Class Hunters drew back their bowstrings.

—S-Class and A-Class Hunters in the main force, please complete preparations for battle and await further instructions. Archer troops, start attacking according to the signal. Three. Two. One. Fire!

The Hunters and soldiers pulled the trigger.

"Oh!"

Thousands of arrows rained down from the sky. Some Hunters couldn't help but exclaim at the sight, something usually seen only in movies.

—Archer squad, after reloading, continue to fire arrows until further instructed by the command center. After that, adjust your angle to attack the rear of the mechanical monster squad, following the command center's signal when the S-Class and A-Class Hunters engage.

—Artillery team, adjust your angle and strike the last city's walls.

—S-Class and A-Class Hunters, please wait for a moment.

As the Korean operator relayed Akabe's orders, Kim Ki-Rok slipped a hand into his subspace pocket and armed himself. A chaotic melee was coming, one where he couldn't afford to focus on just a single opponent. Every strike had to be decisive, every enemy taken down in one blow. He drew a heavy mace and a long, rectangular shield that nearly touched the ground.

—Archer troops, attack the rear! S-Class and A-Class Hunters, attack!

With the command, Kim Ki-Rok and the Hunters started to move. They brandished swords, spears, maces, and other weapons instead of bows or crossbows. Their speeds varied, some fast and some slow, but all advanced in the same direction.

The same could be said for the mechanical monsters. They had suffered significant damage from cannon fire, iron balls, and the rain of arrows. Because each was injured in different areas, some moved quickly, others slowly, yet they all pressed forward with similar determination. The mechanical monsters charged ahead to gather their scattered enemies in one place, while the Hunters rushed forward to end the tedious Gate activities and protect the civilians and lower-ranked Hunters in the rear.

Kim Ki-Rok kicked off and overtook the Hunter at the front to lead the charge. A few others joined him at the front.

"Requesting the use of magic and skills," he said to the command center, knowing a collision with the enemy was inevitable within a minute. The Hunters at the front turned to look at him.

—Permission granted. I repeat, permission to use skills and magic is granted.

The lieutenant general's response came quickly, which made sense. Whether officially allowed or not, Kim Ki-Rok already knew the Hunters holding the mine were using everything they had.

Kim Ki-Rok activated his earth-displacing artifact, yelling, "Dig!"

He had activated a 1st-Circle magic that pushed dirt or sand in all directions to create a large pit. With enough mana imbued, and if the opponent was unaware, it was highly effective. With a huge rumble, the rushing front line of the mechanical monsters disappeared, falling into the pit. The following monsters, seemingly having immediately received the battle data, circumvented the large hole.

"Use battle support magic! Attack skills and magic scrolls are prohibited!" 𝘧𝓇ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝘣𝓃ℴ𝓋𝑒𝑙.𝑐𝘰𝑚

Following Kim Ki-Rok's shout, several Hunters activated their skills. A giant totem pole erupted from the ground, hindering the movement of the mechanical monsters. Then, a shadow rose in a blur and took shape just ahead of the enemy. It solidified into a wall, slowing down all but one mechanical monster.

It was an Animaloid that had increased its speed when the others slowed and threw itself into the shadow wall. The monster passed through but froze immediately upon landing.

—Shadow Wall is a skill that wraps any opponent passing through the wall in a shadow materialized by mana for five seconds. The shadow blocks all senses except intuition for that duration.

Kim Ki-Rok nodded at the S-Class Hunter's explanation in his earpiece and looked forward again. He bypassed the pit, avoided the towering totem pole, and weaved through walls of fire, ice, and shadow. The S-Class and A-Class Hunters, including Kim Ki-Rok, increased their speed and charged at the mechanical monsters and their now disorganized formation, as if this had been their plan all along.

***

The Hunters' goal was total annihilation of the monsters. Therefore, the Korean clear team in charge of the area at eleven o'clock did not immediately enter the mine. Instead, they attacked the monsters stationed around the entrance and those descending from the mountain past the mine.

A Humanoid reached out its arm with a swoop, and in response, Ji Seok-Hyun tilted his shield. If he had blocked directly, the monster's arm which had transformed into a lance just before impact would have pierced through his heart and shield. The Pastera cavalry spear and shield made a harsh metallic sound as the spear skidded along the shield and stabbed into empty air.

Rather than retreat, he pressed forward with the tilted shield. Once Ji Seok-Hyun managed to close the distance, he swung his mace and struck the monster's chest. Since the Humanoid was already battered from the ongoing battle, the powerful mace blow destroyed its Pastera skin, causing hundreds of parts equivalent to human organs to be crushed.

Nonetheless, a mechanical monster could only be stopped once its core was destroyed. Even if he smashed hundreds or thousands of parts, only a section would stop working. Ji Seok-Hyun threw aside his shield, raised his right, knuckle-gloved fist and struck upward, targeting the arm that had turned into a lance. His fist dug into the monster's armpit, forcibly separating its shoulder and arm with a crunch as metal warped and folded.

The monster had suffered a severe chest wound and lost an arm, but it was still operational.

"Really pissing me off..."

Ji Seok-Hyun moved to retrieve his mace and finish the monster, but stepped back when Yoo Seh-Eun appeared behind it.

"Huff!"

With a sharp, powerful slash from left to right, she cut the creature clean in half. Its upper body spun while the lower half twitched in place. Without missing a beat, she drove her sword into its head and, with her left hand and sheath, smashed the still-moving lower half.

After knocking down the machine, she glanced between her sword and sheath and muttered, "Phew! Should I change my weapon?"

Guildmaster Ji Seok-Hyun shook his head. "No. We need swords and blades. We need someone who can cut through them, Hunter Seh-Eun."

She sighed. It was difficult to stop the mechanical monsters with swords and blades, but cutting off arms and legs reduced the strength of the Humanoid and Animaloid types. Not everyone should be armed with blunt weapons.

Ji Seok-Hyun smiled awkwardly as she let out a deep sigh and nodded to her. He activated his radio and said, "This is the South Korean clear team reporting."

—Chzzzzk.

"This is the South Korean clear team reporting," he repeated.

—Chzzzzk.

They had already confirmed that communication was possible even from a distance. However, the radio only emitted mechanical static, as if the signal was not being received.

"They were right," Ji Seok-Hyun said.

"Blocked signal?"

"Yes."

Before the fight, the command center had raised a concern: what if the mechanical monsters learned how to use radios by analyzing battle footage? To prepare for that possibility, they asked the Association staff outside the Gate to provide communication orbs, artifacts that relied on mana rather than conventional signals.

Ji Seok-Hyun retrieved his headset and radio from his subspace pocket and took out a semi-transparent blue orb. Not long after injecting mana into the artifact, a Korean female operator's voice came through.

—This is the Gate clear team command center.

Ji Seok-Hyun immediately reported, "This is the South Korean clear team. We have exterminated all monsters on the outskirts. We will now enter the mine with the current cadre and exterminate the mechanical monsters inside."

—Please wait a moment. Currently, mechanical monsters have set out from the last city and are attacking our main unit. Depending on the situation, we can mobilize B-Class and below Hunters and regular soldiers in a minimum of ten minutes, maximum twenty. Please have at least five A-Class Hunters or one S-Class Hunter on standby at the entrance.

Contrary to expectations that the monsters would move to reclaim the mines and ore veins, they had attacked headquarters. Ji Seok-Hyun stood silent for a moment, considering the command center's judgment.

"Understood. I will have one S-Class Hunter from Korea's clear team on standby at the entrance," he said.

—Who will be on standby?

Who should wait for the B-Class and below Hunters and regular soldiers?

"I will have Hunter Jeong Man-Kook from the DG Guild on standby. My reasoning here is that the inside of the mine may not withstand his powerful force."

Jeong Man-Kook was indeed strong... perhaps too strong.

—Understood. Then I will send out B-Class and below Hunters and regular soldiers within a minimum of ten and maximum of twenty minutes. Please report any problems immediately.

"Understood. Then our team will enter the mine immediately."

—Good luck out there.

Finished with the communication orb, Ji Seok-Hyun hastily stored it in his subspace pocket, mindful of its fragile nature.

He turned to the Korean Hunters who were watching him. "We will enter the mine immediately. Hunter Jeong Man-Kook will be on standby at the entrance, waiting for B-Class and below Hunters and regular soldiers. If a problem arises, use the communication orb to contact command right away."

"Yes," Jeong Man-Kook acknowledged curtly and stepped aside.

Ji Seok-Hyun clapped his shoulder, then walked into the mine without looking back.