Chapter 42

Leveling Up Alone: Ragnarok Chapter 41

One hour ago.

[Paju Field]

* Entry prohibited except for members of the Death God Guild

Thud.

"Is this the place?"

Team Leader Han Jae-hyuk of the Association Hunters arrived at the entrance of Paju Field with his subordinates.

Glancing up at the sky, the weather was disgustingly good.

A vast, quiet plain stretched out before them.

Once known as the Paju Industrial Complex, this place had become a rugged wilderness after the dungeon break, with no one venturing here.

The reason they came here was because of Baek Mi-ho.

Last night, Vice President Baek Mi-ho of the White Tiger Guild suddenly visited the Association with her subordinates and handed over a member of the Hyena Guild, claiming she had captured him in the Ma Valley Field, before leaving.

Team Leader Han Jae-hyuk, who had been investigating the factory recently, immediately interrogated the guild member and discovered crucial information.

'Vice President Lee Min-sung of the Death God Guild is secretly building a stardust research facility!'

The only problem was that even the guild member didn't know the exact location of the research facility.

In such a situation, there was no choice but to search on foot.

In any case, stardust production required blue mist, and the location was most likely one of the dungeons occupied by the Death God Guild.

Thus, the Association Hunters had been scattered since this morning, searching the Death God Guild's dungeons in the capital region one by one.

"Team Leader."

His subordinate, who had been on a call with the situation room, hung up and approached Team Leader Han Jae-hyuk.

"Sure enough, this place is the most suspicious. It seems that Vice President Lee Min-sung of the Death God Guild has volunteered to manage the Paju Field recently."

"......"

Upon hearing the report, Team Leader Han Jae-hyuk looked ahead with a serious expression.

Beyond the barbed wire that blocked civilian entry,

old container warehouses were shrouded in blue mist, creating a desolate atmosphere.

"......The location is brilliant."

Team Leader Han Jae-hyuk clicked his tongue in disapproval.

Paju Field was conveniently close to Seoul, making it easy to kidnap people and also a good place to obtain blue mist.

Most importantly, there were already enough container buildings within the field to serve as a research facility, making it the perfect location for a factory.

No matter how he looked at it, this place was definitely it.

Team Leader Han Jae-hyuk immediately picked up his shield.

"We're going in."

"Really? Just us? What about reinforcements?"

"We need evidence to request reinforcements. We might be barking up the wrong tree, so let's get at least a few photos before calling for help."

"Understood."

Thus, led by Team Leader Han Jae-hyuk, five hunters leaped over the fence of Paju Field.

And they finally found it.

The container buildings clustered in the Paju Industrial Complex.

And the numerous hunters wandering around them.

'Found it!'

The Association Hunters exchanged glances.

There was no reason for so many hunters to gather in a field-type dungeon that was almost cleared.

"According to the investigation, Vice President Lee Min-sung is secretly building his own power base behind Guild Leader Im Tae-gyu. It seems there's some kind of power struggle going on."

"So this place is... a hideout, then."

Team Leader Han Jae-hyuk, focusing on the largest building among the containers, said to his subordinate.

"Request reinforcements immediately."

"Understood."

"And we're going in."

"Really?"

"A scream just came from inside."

Saying this, Team Leader Han Jae-hyuk clenched his teeth with a fearsome expression.

"It seems there are civilians being held captive inside."

Stardust research facility, huh?...

It seemed that Lee Min-sung had already gathered the ingredients for stardust.

* * *

Stardust Research Facility.

Container Building A.

Oh Seon-ju, the wife of Min Byung-gu, was trembling in a cold prison.

'Why am I here...?'

Oh Seon-ju was confused and terrified by the entire situation.

She had been going to work as usual.

But suddenly, she lost consciousness and woke up in a strange prison.

She couldn't understand what was happening at all.

It didn't seem like a simple kidnapping for ransom.

First, there were too many people wandering around outside the prison.

Moreover, they were all walking around with their faces exposed.

'If they show their faces, they don't plan to release us.'

This fact made Oh Seon-ju even more afraid.

There were also nine other people, like her, who had been captured.

"Sniff. Mommy... "

'Even a child... '

Oh Seon-ju's gaze fell on a young boy trembling on the opposite side.

A toddler, no more than a kindergartener, was huddled and sobbing pitifully.

But the man passing by seemed annoyed by the crying and shouted at the boy.

"Shut up! I told you to stop crying!"

Bang!

"Ouch!"

"......!"

At that moment, Oh Seon-ju gasped and covered her mouth.

The boy's body flew backward with a scream, as if kicked hard!

'Skill?'

Only then did Oh Seon-ju realize that the people who had kidnapped them were all hunters, and she was horrified.

'Why would hunters kidnap civilians like us? Why?'

Pushing aside her confused thoughts,

Oh Seon-ju hurriedly approached the boy huddled in the corner to check on him.

"Hic... Ouch... "

The boy was clutching his aching stomach and writhing on the floor.

He was also desperately trying to keep his mouth shut, afraid of being hit again, and only tears streamed down his face.

Oh Seon-ju pulled the trembling boy into her arms.

That was all she could do.

But then,

"......!"

Suddenly, Oh Seon-ju's eyes widened.

In the far corner,

a strange light was refracting in a space hidden by the shadows.

The refraction was barely noticeable unless you looked closely, but once you saw it, it was too strange.

Did the man notice her gaze?

Swish.

Suddenly, a large man's face appeared out of nowhere, as if a curtain had been pulled back.

"......!"

Oh Seon-ju's eyes widened, and the man quietly put his finger to his lips.

'Shush.'

Suck.

Oh Seon-ju immediately held her breath, instinctively understanding their purpose.

'Hunter. Association. Here to save. Pretend not to know.'

She could almost hear the man's voice, mouthing the words clearly.

Startled, Oh Seon-ju blinked her eyes rapidly to signal that she understood.

Swish.

The man's face disappeared again.

And the strangely refracting space slowly moved toward the prison where the hostages were held.

'Phew. Just five of them doing this is really a suicide mission.'

A low sigh escaped from Team Leader Han Jae-hyuk's lips as he and his subordinates moved using stealth skills.

But the situation was too urgent to wait for reinforcements.

If the civilians continued to inhale the blue mist, they could suddenly turn into Mist Beasts at any moment.

They needed to get the civilians out of the field as quickly as possible.

'It's okay. As long as the plan works.'

Team Leader Han Jae-hyuk's plan was simple.

Silently open the prison door and include all the civilians in the stealth skill.

Then, while one of his subordinates caused a commotion from a distance, they would all escape together.

'Once we get outside the building, it's a success. There are many places to hide outside.'

And after a while,

Team Leader Han Jae-hyuk finally reached the prison door and grabbed the lock.

Creak.

His thick hand bent the lock.

'Great! It worked... '

"Enjoying it?"

......!

Oh!

A chilling voice came from behind.

'Caught...!'

Bang!

Suddenly, a massive explosion enveloped them.

The stealth skill was dispelled, and Team Leader Han Jae-hyuk, who barely blocked the attack, shouted at his subordinates.

"Damn it! Plan B!"

"But there is no Plan B, Team Leader!"

"Doesn't matter! Just hold on!"

The battle began abruptly.

"Only five of them! Kill them all!"

Dozens of hunters in the research facility attacked them all at once.

Bang!

"Everyone, behind me!"

Team Leader Han Jae-hyuk raised a massive steel shield, large enough to cover half his body, in both hands.

"Steel Wall!"

Whoosh!

Team Leader Han Jae-hyuk created a huge barrier to desperately block the attacks pouring in from all sides.

"Just hold on a little longer! Reinforcements will arrive soon!"

The last words were deliberately said for the enemy to hear.

It would be great if they got scared and ran away, but that didn't happen.

Instead,

"Hey."

Oh Seon-ju flinched.

The chilling voice from earlier sounded again.

"Release the skill."

Looking in that direction, a man with a snake-like face was holding a young child, who looked like a kindergartener, by the neck.

"Oh, no!"

The Association Hunters' faces showed confusion.

Team Leader Han Jae-hyuk recognized the man.

"Park Jong-cheol!"

C-class Hunter Park Jong-cheol.

He was known for his cruel nature even within the Death God Guild.

"Didn't you hear me? Release that dog-like shield skill now, you brats."

Park Jong-cheol smiled cruelly and lifted the child with one hand.

The child struggled, making choking sounds, as if about to die.

"Oh, no!"

"The child...!"

The Association Hunters shouted in urgency.

But if they released the shield skill as he said, they would all be dead.

In that moment of indecision,

Park Jong-cheol decided to help them make the decision.

"Huh? Not releasing it? Even now?"

Smack!

"......!"

Without hesitation, Park Jong-cheol slapped the child's cheek with his large palm.

Blood spurted from the child's mouth, and his head turned to the side.

'What a madman!'

The Association Hunters' eyes turned red with anger.

But Park Jong-cheol didn't stop.

"Huh? Still not releasing it? Even now? Even now?"

Smack, smack, smack!

"Stop! I've already released the skill...!"

Finally, the moment Steel Wall disappeared from Team Leader Han Jae-hyuk.

Swoosh.

......!

A knife suddenly flew from somewhere and cut off Park Jong-cheol's arm, which was holding the child, like a guillotine.

"Ah!"

The scream came from the others first.

Pshh.

Blood spurted from his shoulder.

The pain came a moment later.

"......Aaaah!"

A blood-curdling scream erupted from Park Jong-cheol, who had been grinning like a snake.

"Aaaah! Who is it! Who dares...!"

Park Jong-cheol howled like a wounded animal, looking around.

And then,

Swoosh.

His leg was cut off.

"Aaaah! My, my leg...!"

Park Jong-cheol, screaming, rolled on the ground in a pitiful state.

And suddenly, a man wearing a crow mask appeared in front of him, holding the child.

'Who...?'

When everyone's attention in the research facility focused on him,

"Those who deserve to die must die."

The death sentence for Park Jong-cheol.

Everyone shuddered at the cruelly indifferent voice.