Chapter 759

The command center felt hot and muggy, like a steam sauna.

It wasn’t. The oppressive heat was an illusion born of the anxiety weighing on everyone inside.

The temperature was kept perfect around the clock by Magic, yet cold sweat streamed down German Prime Minister Markus’s forehead.

“Magical power levels are surging!”

“Class 1 disaster level expected within thirty minutes!”

“The area of increased magical power is expanding!”

“Intelligence has revised the enemy estimate! At least ten thousand!”

“A report from Commander Scholz! He’s requesting authorization to use ‘Uran’ as a precaution!”

Markus bit his lip at the final report.

Uran.

The closely guarded code word meant uranium. In other words, nuclear weapons.

As a nation defeated in the Second World War, Germany was not supposed to possess nuclear weapons. But some truths could never be made public.

He wants to use Uran?

Commander Scholz, who was overseeing the blockade of Munich, was no fool who spoke without thinking. He was one of the few commanders with military successes to his name from the Great Cataclysm, and a man known for his cool judgment.

“Your Excellency.”

At his aide’s call, Markus squeezed his eyes shut. Then he forced out the words.

“Prepare Uran.”

“B-but…”

“It’s a precaution against the worst-case scenario. I’m giving you this order as the head of this country’s government.”

The generals and aides stared at him, wide-eyed. Then they nodded.

They knew as well as he did: against high-level monsters that might as well be demons, nuclear weapons were almost the only modern arms capable of dealing meaningful damage.

And…

If the worst does happen, even nuclear weapons might be useless.

A nuclear weapon was a double-edged sword.

If the enemy included a monster comparable to a high-ranking mage, it could use spatial teleportation to drop their nuclear missile over a major city.

If the attack succeeded, Munich—Germany’s third-largest city—would be wiped out. If it failed… Markus didn’t want to imagine what would follow.

“What about the citizens?”

“The evacuation is still underway. About ten percent of Munich’s population remains in the danger zone.”

“Move faster. Once this begins, there’s no turning back.”

“Yes, sir.”

The capital, Berlin, had already taken a direct hit in the earlier terrorist attack. Markus couldn’t stand by and let Munich suffer the same fate. The human and material losses from Monster Waves so far were astronomical.

We have to stop this one.

Even if it meant blowing the entire city away with nuclear weapons, the people had to survive.

A nation could exist because there were people living within its borders.

And to do that, they needed reinforcements. Hunters who were one-person armies, each capable of doing the work of a thousand—or ten thousand.

“What happened to them?”

No names were needed. Everyone in the command center knew whom he meant, and reports came from all sides.

“Michael Silbert is engaged in combat in Cape Town!”

“The battle is heavily in his favor! Estimated to end within thirty minutes!”

“Damn it. Why did it have to be Africa?”

Someone’s frustrated mutter had barely faded when another aide spoke up.

“Jin Taekyung is on his way to Munich. Estimated time until he reaches the site is about one hour.”

“What? A whole hour?”

“Didn’t you say we only had thirty minutes until Class 1?”

“I-I’m sorry. He’s traveling as fast as he can by fighter jet, but it’s more than eight thousand kilometers¹…”

“Goddamn it!”

While those around him lost all semblance of composure, Markus wiped his forehead with a handkerchief already soaked through.

“Everyone, stay calm. The estimated number of monsters has increased, but we’re not outmatched. Evacuate every remaining civilian while there’s still time, and deploy every force we have.”

Five thousand Hunters made up the main force surrounding the danger zone. With all the reserves waiting in the rear, they would have an army of ten thousand.

And at its head stood Germany’s own S-rank Hunter, Schumacher.

Thud.

Prime Minister Markus sprang to his feet and spoke in a resolute voice.

“We have every chance of winning. Thirty minutes. If we can hold out for just thirty minutes, we can minimize the damage and bring this to an end—”

“Emergency report from Commander Scholz!”

Along with the scream-like cry that swallowed the rest of the prime minister’s words, a massive shock swept through the command center.

“M-magical power! It’s passed the critical threshold!”

The critical threshold.

That could mean only one thing.

A Monster Wave.

At last, the solid dam—the barrier that had kept humans and monsters apart—had collapsed.

Rumble!

A tremendous tremor swept through Munich.

The concrete-covered ground split open. High-rises designed to withstand earthquakes toppled like dominoes.

Crash! Boom!

And beyond the thunderous noise, people could finally hear it. See it.

Shhhh!

The air split as though sliced by a sword, and the cries of countless monsters came from the opening.

—Grrrk.

Hissss.

Mist darker than gray, almost black, spilled out and seeped through the area.

Monsters with human arms and legs and the heads of bulls.

The Minotaurs emerged without end, breathing hard as they looked around.

This strange world was filled with noises they had never heard. Yet the magical power permeating it was sweeter than anything, and the countless humans in the distance stirred the ferocity they had been born with.

—Krrk, kaaaaa!

Kill them. Kill the humans and conquer this world.

Roaring as one, the Minotaurs charged toward the humans who had raised a wall of steel with their enormous shields.

Toward more blood and magical power.

Rumble!

As countless hooves pounded the ground, streaks shot across the sky with a heavy rush of air and plunged down upon the monsters.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

Missiles poured in from the German Armed Forces waiting in the rear.

Massive explosions accompanied by flames swallowed everything around them. Everything left behind in the area, where most of the citizens had already been evacuated, was reduced to ash and melted beneath the horrific firepower.

At least, that was what the humans hoped—even knowing that weapons born of science could not stop these monsters.

Kaaaaa…

The bombardment, which had seemed endless, finally ceased.

Silence settled over the city. One of the Hunters staring into the mist that still lingered muttered, “They’re coming.”

Everyone had been thinking it. A moment later, it came true.

Rumble-rumble-rumble!

A fierce tremor shook the earth. Beyond the dark mist, more horns than anyone could count flashed into view.

Then came the roar of a monster whose presence dwarfed every other Minotaur’s.

—Kraaaaaa!

The Fear of the S-rank Minotaur Lord spread in every direction.

At the head of its army, the leader swept away everything blocking the broad road and kicked off the ground with all its might.

Boom! Whoosh!

The ground sank beneath it like a sinkhole.

As the monster’s massive body charged forward with a tremendous roar, a figure shot toward it at the speed of a beam of light.

“How dare you!”

The fury in his voice was unmistakable.

Once a gold medalist who had represented Germany in fencing, he had become a symbol of the country itself: S-rank Hunter Joel Schumacher.

His hand moved, and his sabre followed.

Swish!

A silver line cut through the air. The Minotaur Lord swung its enormous halberd to meet it.

Boom!

A muffled blast and a shock wave shook everything around them.

It was the signal for the battle to begin. The two species, bound to a fate neither could escape, charged at each other.

“Formation!”

“Don’t fall back! Kill them all!”

—Kaaaaa!

Rumble!

Swish-swish-swish! Crunch!

Roars and screams rose from every side, with death close behind.

It was the beginning of a horrific bloodbath that could end only after they had killed and been killed by one another.

Joel Schumacher fought as if possessed.

He lost track of time. He had no idea who was dying around him, or how many.

He couldn’t afford to look. If he took his eyes off the Minotaur Lord for even a moment, its enormous halberd would smash his body to pieces.

Whoosh! Crunch!

The halberd’s blade passed right in front of him with a heavy roar of air, making the fine hairs on his body stand on end.

Yet his body, trained through countless repetitions and battles, moved with effortless fluidity.

Swish! Bang!

He stepped and thrust his sabre. Compressed air burst from its tip.

The Minotaur Lord retreated a step with agility that belied its massive size, its face twisting.

—Krrk?

Confusion and pain mingled in its cry. A hole the size of a child’s fist had opened in its shoulder.

That worked.

A thrill ran down Schumacher’s spine.

His movement had been so fast and natural that he hadn’t even been aware of it, as though invisible strings had guided his body.

What was that? Have I lost too much blood?

The fight had not been easy. Honestly, it had been grueling.

The rusty spearhead of the halberd tore away chunks of flesh with even a glancing hit. Every clash of their weapons sent enough force through him to drain his Stamina.

Strength: overwhelmingly inferior.

Speed: slightly superior.

That was the balance so far, and exhaustion and blood loss were beginning to blur his vision.

But for some reason, he felt as though he could do anything now.

As if he could bring down that terrifying monster and become the superhuman who saved this land.

Yes. The Übermensch.

Friedrich Nietzsche, the father of German philosophy, had spoken of the Übermensch: a superhuman who rose even in tragedy, a great overcomer who strove to realize his fullest potential.

And at this moment, Joel Schumacher was rising to a new level through martial force, not merely as an idea.

He drew on everything he had built through training and experience, from his years as the world’s greatest fencer until now. And on his will to survive.

Swish! Swish-swish-swish!

Streaks of light crossed the air.

Every time the sabre danced, swung with the least movement and the greatest speed, the Minotaur staggered backward, spraying blood.

Thrust! Slash!

He stabbed and cut.

To Schumacher’s hazy eyes, the monster’s body was riddled with openings. Every one of his heightened senses was fixed on a single target.

The Minotaur Lord.

Now!

Slash! Fwoosh!

A fountain of blood shot into the air. Schumacher blinked.

Huh?

Something was wrong.

The monster’s blood should have been green or blue. The blood falling over his head was red as a rose.

Like human blood.

“…Cough.”

Blood spilled between his dry lips.

The dreamlike haze vanished, and reality rushed in.

I’ve been cut.

He hadn’t cut the monster. He had been cut.

Fiery pain spread from his back, and Schumacher staggered.

At the last moment, while all his senses had been focused on the leader, another Minotaur had slashed his back with a rusty sword. His comrades cut off its head and caught him.

“Schumacher!”

“Damn it! Get him out of—”

Whoosh! Crunch!

The hands supporting him vanished. So did his comrade’s breathing.

Schumacher lost his balance and fell. Gasping, he lifted his head.

The Minotaur Lord stood over him, leader of the monsters that had come to Munich, an enormous double-bladed axe raised high.

…Goddamn it.

This was the end.

For Munich. For the Hunters here.

And for the Übermensch his homeland, Germany, had wanted so desperately.

Schumacher gave a hollow laugh and closed his eyes.

No—he was about to close them when a stranger’s voice reached him.

“You’re going to die like this?”

His fading mind stirred. Schumacher blinked slowly through his blurred vision and saw someone standing between him and the Minotaur Lord.

The man’s back seemed broader than the monster’s. His presence was calm, yet overwhelming.

A spear rested in his hand.

And Schumacher understood.

“Jin… Taekyung.”

Asia’s Übermensch had arrived on the battlefield.