Being a Hunter Is Too Easy for a Former Necromancer - Chapter 20

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 20: The Reincarnated Necromancer Finds Hunting Far Too Easy
“It seems I’ve arrived last. My apologies.”
Park Il-sang broached the subject indirectly, asking if there might be any additional personnel he’d overlooked.
If Park Il-sang himself was the last to arrive, as his own words suggested, then they would proceed with this number—and there was no way around feeling uneasy about it.
And truthfully, if one arrives last, a measure of apology is warranted. Never mind that he hadn’t been late to the assembly time itself—this was simply how social courtesy worked, wasn’t it?
“Yes. Park Il-sang is the last. Since introductions are complete, let’s depart. I’ll brief you on the mission details inside the vehicle.”
‘Good grief. This man. Did he not understand my indirect suggestion, or is he pretending not to? There’s no help for it.’
Park Il-sang decided to ask more directly.
“But is it really all right with just us?”
Are we truly enough for this?
“There’s a method, so don’t worry.”
The team leader said as much, then headed toward the truck’s passenger seat.
“As you may have heard beforehand, Park Il-sang, you’ll be riding on top of the truck bed.”
“Understood.”
Since there apparently was some plan in place, he had no choice but to follow. Park Il-sang climbed onto the roof with that thought in mind.
* * *
Combat Trucks used by Hunters come in various configurations. The most common customization is installing seating on the roof.
But it wasn’t merely a seat.
It resembled the gun turrets mounted on the upper and lower fuselages of large aircraft from World War II, where a gunner would sit. Modern technology had made it standard to include climate control.
And communication equipment allowed coordination as well.
Hunters who traveled in trucks typically occupied these roof positions unless they possessed a special combat role or ability.
Monsters could emerge at any moment, after all.
The basic tactic was to deliver suppressive fire first with firearms. Goblins or Gabluk and the like would be reduced to shreds by a barrage from a medium machine gun.
‘Still, my firepower and Kim Dong-su’s wouldn’t match a medium machine gun, would it?’
Hunters were strong, certainly, but the ability to exceed modern weaponry was something only B-rank Hunters—those of superhuman caliber—could accomplish.
A B-rank tank-type Hunter could withstand artillery fire from a modern tank and would be difficult to wound by medium machine gun fire.
Conversely, this meant:
E-rank and C-rank Hunters were inferior to modern firearms.
Both Kim Dong-su and Park Il-sang were still E-rank. He questioned whether traveling with such a party was truly sound.
If by some chance—
A single Large Type Monster would create a dangerously difficult situation.
‘Large Type Monsters can be wounded by medium machine gun fire, but only superficially. If one kept pushing forward, the truck would flip…’
Park Il-sang surveyed his surroundings with that thought. The glass walls were designed to provide clear sightlines in all directions.
-Team leader speaking to all members. We’ll arrive at Daebu Island in approximately eight hours. Among the anticipated monsters we may encounter, none should pose a significant problem. However, should variables arise, simply follow the procedures I’m about to brief you on.
Team Leader Kim Sang-in’s voice came through the earpiece fitted in his ear.
-The reason I serve as team leader is my special skill, Concealment Veil. It’s an ability that, if needed, can conceal our sound, scent, and even our appearance for a certain duration. You can understand that this is how we’re able to move forward with minimal combat capability.
Concealment Veil.
An ability perfectly optimized for complete concealment. If that were the case, he could understand to some degree why the party composition was arranged this way.
Especially—
He was beginning to grasp what his own role would be.
-Should any Large Type Monster or formidable creature appear, Park Il-sang, your task is to summon as many minions as possible to draw the enemies’ attention. While you do so, I’ll activate the Concealment Veil and we’ll retreat. Kim Dong-su’s role is to engage in close combat only in the most extreme circumstances—the goal being to buy time and allow the truck to move. Is that clear?
-Understood, understood. I’ll remember it.
“I understand.”
-As for Kim Ye-rin, focus on crippling the monsters’ mobility rather than killing them outright. Han Sin-u, your role is to identify approaching monsters. I stress once more: killing encountered monsters is a secondary objective. Prioritize concealment and movement, and only harass the monsters to prevent them from pursuing. Any questions?
The briefing was appropriately concise, so no one had questions to raise.
-Then I’m counting on you all.
With that, the communication ended.
And then—
Rat-a-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-BANG!!
“Shrieeeek!”
About thirty minutes after departure. An enormous horde of Gabluk monsters descended upon them.
* * *
From a distance, they appeared as a dark mass, undulating like small waves.
But viewing them closely, one could discern at least a thousand grotesque creatures surging forward in a writhing mass.
Gabluk.
Monsters that had emerged from the world’s upheaval, possessed of extraordinary breeding capability, aggressive temperament, and pack behavior.
More precisely, they possessed an ecology similar to ants—endlessly emerging from nests built by a queen Gabluk, flowing forth on hunts like these.
Each specimen was the size of a large hound, weighing over fifty kilograms, moving with considerable speed—dangerous creatures indeed.
It was Han Sin-u who detected them.
-Gabluk horde spotted ahead! Over a thousand strong!
—Gabluk? These things aren’t even worth money!!
The team leader spoke the moment he spotted them.
—Combat control online and standing by. Everyone should remember the operation. I’ll give detailed orders as we go. Prepare for combat.
—Aren’t we using the Concealment Veil?
—It’s blocking our path, so we have to punch through.
—Roger that! Understood!
As Park Il-sang listened to his team’s exchange, a thought crossed his mind.
‘Bit artificial in tone. Looks like this guy’s got an AI combat control system installed. Is he a hacker too?’
A Cybernetics Body.
Which meant a body modified into machinery—and where machinery existed, hacking followed as a matter of course.
That’s why body-modification specialists typically kept their systems offline. Going online meant inviting a breach.
Rumor had it some people could hack a cybernetic body even while it was offline, using some kind of skill.
So Park Il-sang had refused to modify his own body.
Getting hacked meant your life was over.
While he was thinking this,
a pack of Gabluk appeared from the front and charged straight at them.
The turrets mounted on the sides and roof of the Combat Truck lit up.
Rat-a-tat-tat-tat-tat!
As the machine gun fire spread a blanket of bullets, the charging Gabluk began to shred spectacularly.
Ping! Ting!
While dust and stone clattered against the armored steel hull with ever-mounting fury, the machine gun blazed, muzzle flashes strobing as bullets screamed outward.
Like tiny meteors with fiery tails plunging toward the earth.
The roar of the gun swallowed every other sound in the world.
‘Damn. My ears are killing me.’
Even with the earphones and headset already issued, the noise was making his ears throb.
In that moment,
as the frontmost Gabluk melted away, the rest began scattering left and right.
They were cunning hunters after all.
But the turrets swung to follow their movement and fired again.
Like things caught in a massive blender, the Gabluk fell.
Yet their numbers hadn’t diminished nearly as much as one might have hoped.
‘Roughly two hundred down. Collision incoming!’
—Brace for impact! Cut down anything that climbs aboard!
The team leader’s voice crackled through,
and the Combat Truck charged straight ahead.
Some Gabluk rushed head-on as the truck plowed forward, while packs attacked from left and right.
The truck plowed directly through them.
Crunch! Crack!
The Combat Truck surged forward, flattening everything in its path.
All the while the turrets fired like madness, and inevitably, dozens of Gabluk leaped onto the hull from left, right, and front, clinging to the vehicle.
—Begin eliminating the Gabluk!
Ah. So that’s how this works.
Park Il-sang flicked his fingers.
One of the Necro Guard’s Corpse Boxes, hanging from its lid where it had been gripping its companion unit, swung open.
Shriek!
A massive Undead cat-creature burst from the Corpse Box.
—Meow!
Thanks to manipulating its soul using Soul Crafting, this enormous Undead monster’s spirit had transformed into something loyal as a common housecat.
Which was why its Spirit Speech had long since become an actual meow!
“A cat!?”
“What is that sound!? It’s echoing in my head!?”
As the team reacted in shock, the massive Skeletal Beast Lord swung its front paws through the air and batted away several Gabluk.
Then it leaped sideways and began running alongside the truck.
Crunch.
Park Il-sang immediately activated Corpse Processing.
Crack-crack-snap!
The Skeletal Beast Lord’s spine began to grow. It transformed like a tentacle, piercing and impaling the Gabluk.
Screech! Thud! Thud-thud!
“Shriek!”
One strike per kill!
In the meantime, Kim Ye-rin folded the seat completely and drew her gun.
Rat-a-tat-tat!
‘Oh.’
Her bullets moved through the air as though alive, sweeping over the Gabluk creatures without hesitation.
‘Homing capability? Has the power increased as well?’
Even as he marveled at it—
Kim Dong-su launched himself out of his seat and swung his hand axe in vicious arcs.
Remarkably, even standing atop the moving truck, he somehow kept his footing and hacked the Gabluk down with a display of such uncanny grace that it seemed impossible.
‘If he’d fallen, I’d have been ready with my tentacles to catch him… though it seems I was worrying over nothing.’

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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