Here's an Opportunity-Chapter 213: Yoost (1)

"Uughh!"

With a swoosh, Kim Ki-Rok cut down the monster charging toward them. He hurled a dagger at the one chasing from behind. "I expected this, but still, there sure are a lot!"

Next, they dodged a monster lurking underground. Yoo Seh-Eun finished off the one he had missed.

Half a month had passed since the Hunters left the northwestern border city and entered the territory of the Black Kingdom. For fifteen days, they had fought every day without rest.

As expected, neither the demons nor the High-Circle Black Wizards had yet made a move. Still, the Lesser and Intermediate Black Wizards, along with monsters empowered by mana from the Demon Realm, blocked the Hunters' path.

"Phew! Guildmaster, how much farther do we need to go?" Yoo Seh-Eun asked.

"At this rate, we'll arrive within three hours," he replied.

"Then we should make our stand here."

The Continental Alliance moved to restore the continent, drive out the Black Wizards and Demons, and ensure their survival. They deployed their army against the Black Kingdom and sent spies to gather intelligence on the enemy.

"Hoo!" Kim Ki-Rok caught his breath and gradually slowed his pace. "We'll deal with the enemies once they've gathered here."

The Continental Alliance had created hideouts for those defeated in the war and for their spies.

Hearing a rumble from the ground, the fifty-three Hunters turned and kept watch in all directions. Monsters empowered by mana from the Demon Realm and Undead controlled by Black Wizards rushed toward them. Finally, Black Wizards flew in with Ghosts at their sides.

"Take care of them as quickly as possible. I want zero casualties, at least until we reach the capital. If anyone is injured, fall back to the rear," Kim Ki-Rok instructed.

All the Hunters nodded and waited for his next command.

"Let's see, let's see."

As they continued to engage the Undead and monsters, the Black Wizards were still holding back, already wary of the Hunters' newfound strength. The Hunters made full use of artifacts imbued with the holy edict, prepared by the Temple Alliance, along with holy water. This slowed the monsters infused with mana from the Demon Realm, making them less agile than usual.

The Undead, however, were different. Though highly vulnerable to sacred power, they were the first to attack, having received direct orders from the Black Wizards.

"Just like before, we'll split into three groups. The first will subjugate the Undead, the second will handle the monsters, and the third will keep the Black Wizards in check. We've seen this pattern before. Unless we provoke the Black Wizards, they won't call for reinforcements, so just keep them in check."

As soon as Kim Ki-Rok finished, the first and second groups scattered and attacked the monsters and Undead rushing toward them.

***

"None? You said there were none?"

"Yes. There were no enemy casualties."

The subjugation had failed. Black Wizard Yoost ground his teeth at the report that the fifty-three Hunters from the northwestern border city were still rampaging through the Black Kingdom.

At first, he had assumed their attacks were simply a forced reconnaissance or a show of force by the Continental Alliance, a distraction for deploying spies. It was common enough for the Alliance to send reconnaissance units to gather information or to assess future battlefields.

However, the special forces from the border city had survived, withstanding attacks from both Undead and monsters, as well as from Black Wizards seeking merit.

"What is their current location?" Yoost asked his subordinate.

"They are near the Abaeyst territory."

"About half a moon's travel..." he murmured, knowing it would take about two weeks to get there from the capital. "Is that their destination? I should have checked first..."

Yoost tapped his finger on the table as he thought aloud. He had assumed the march was just a forced reconnaissance and, like the other Black Wizards, had ignored it. As time passed, he began to reconsider.

Could it be bait?

He had reason to suspect as much. The Hunters hid themselves to recover and relieve mental fatigue, but after resting, they revealed themselves again and resumed fighting Undead and monsters. If they had moved stealthily after resting, Yoost would have mobilized every force at his disposal to investigate.

Still, the Hunters kept revealing themselves, openly advancing and defeating enemies, which raised his suspicion. He wondered if this was just a ploy by the Continental Alliance.

Although his decision wasn't entirely wrong, he had left the Hunters to the lower-circle Black Wizards and stationed the higher ones at the border to monitor the Alliance. It wasn't until ten days later that Yoost realized his mistake and began to correct it.

While the fifty-three Hunters rampaged through the Black Kingdom, the Continental Alliance strengthened its border with bows, modular siege weapons, and wizards capable of wide-area magic. It was a defensive force, not an offensive one.

If the Hunters had been meant as bait, the reinforcements would have been the opposite. They would be seeing warhorses instead of siege weapons, and knights armed with magic scrolls and Aura instead of battlefield wizards.

Yoost sighed. "A week... That's a big loss."

It had been fifteen days since they dismissed the Hunters as a reconnaissance force. Ten days since they mistook them for bait and ignored them. Only on the twenty-fifth day after the Hunters entered the Black Kingdom did they finally send a High-Circle Black Wizard to confront them.

Seeing that one of them had just returned from reconnaissance, he asked, "Any peculiarities?"

"There were some famous Hunters."

"What about Kim Ki-Rok?" Yoost pressed.

Kim Ki-Rok had played the biggest role in reviving the World Tree. He was the one who had beaten the Greater Demon Mammon in a wager.

"I could identify some people known to travel with that guy," the High-Circle Black Wizard answered.

Yoost paused, trying to grasp the implication. "So Kim Ki-Rok wasn't there, but there were people who usually move with him?"

"I'm not certain."

Yoost took a moment to process the ambiguous answer, then asked, "You're saying some of them hid their faces?"

"Yes. Some wore mask artifacts."

"How many?"

"A total of seven."

"So he must be among them," Yoost concluded, looking down at the map of the continent.

Their destination was clearly the capital. Countless Undead and monsters blocked their way, but instead of making a detour, the Hunters forced their way through.

"They're aiming for the capital," he said aloud.

Should we block them at Eutense territory, the closest to the capital? Should we wait at the capital itself? Or intercept them in the wilderness between these two regions?

"They will pass through Eutense territory," he finally said.

"Right, because their goal is the capital, not Eutense," the High-Circle Black Wizard agreed.

"They'll probably rest near Eutense, then rush straight through to the capital."

"Shall we intercept them in the wilderness?"

Yoost nodded. "We shall."

"Then, let's start moving out."

"No," Yoost shook his head, then donned the robe hanging on a nearby coat rack. "First, go and wait for our guests. I have something to discuss with Lord Mammon. Ah, and I already ordered the Black Wizards stationed at the border to attack the Continental Alliance."

Mammon, who had lost the wager, was cheerfully awaiting Kim Ki-Rok. He would definitely order his forces to stand down.

I have to stop him, Yoost thought.

After all, his opponent was none other than the man famed for reviving the World Tree and rescuing the dwarves. Clearly, he had come to challenge the Demon, confident of victory.

***

The fifty-three Hunters left the Eutense hideout where they had been resting and moved straight through Eutense territory, past Undead stationed above and below the castle walls. Though they were moving quickly, they suddenly came to a halt.

One of them spoke up, "It's been forty days. No, thirty-eight if we subtract the two days for rest and final checks. We have a month and a week to cross the wilderness..."

"There sure are a lot of them," Ji Seok-Hyun muttered beside Kim Ki-Rok.

Ahead, Undead, monsters, and Black Wizards waited in the wilderness, as if anticipating their arrival. The Undead and monsters clustered under the Black Wizards' command.

"Looks like there are High-Circle Black Wizards as well," Kim Ki-Rok responded.

The Hunters turned to the figures floating in the air. None of the Black Wizards were in their twenties or thirties; they seemed to be middle-aged or older. Among them, Kim Ki-Rok spotted Yoost.

He stared at that Black Wizard while addressing the fifty-two other Hunters with a gentle smile. "We'll pass through the wilderness and reach the capital within thirty-eight days. If we can't make it through in time, we'll contact the demons immediately. If those bastards refuse, we'll retreat at once."

"Yes, sir!"

With that short reply, the Hunters drew their weapons.

"We'll move slowly. If the Black Wizards launch an all-out attack, we'll retreat immediately, return to the hideout, and strike again."

They weren't about to recklessly charge through enemy lines. This was meant to be an annihilation battle, one where they would methodically sweep away their foes. Kim Ki-Rok glanced at the Hunters flanking him, drew his weapon from the subspace pocket, and checked his mask for emergencies as he issued a final command.

"Then, let's begin."

Boom!

As Kim Ki-Rok kicked off the ground, fifty-two Hunters followed in step.

***

They didn't know which of the Hunters was Kim Ki-Rok, only that he was one of the seven wearing masks.

What order should I give? Should they focus on killing the Hunters wearing masks?

A deafening boom jolted Yoost from his thoughts. He looked up to see the Hunters butchering the Undead and monsters. Unlike before, they were clearly aiming for annihilation. The Hunters spread out widely and focused on the enemies in front of them rather than simply pushing forward.

"Let's observe for now. Only send in the monsters and Undead."

A middle-aged and an elderly Black Wizard raised their staffs, gathering mana at the tips before releasing it in all directions. The surge reinforced the Undead and monsters, who, now cloaked in black mana, began their slow advance.