Infinite Evolution Hunter - Chapter 23

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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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23
This subjugation operation was a northward campaign to reclaim North Korean Territory. I participated because Fairies appeared frequently here, and hunters were granted priority rights to the Magic Stones and materials from Fairies they captured.
The first day’s northward advance proceeded without difficulty. The lower-tier monsters were too busy fleeing from the hunters moving in formation.
I occasionally spotted the Fairies I was hunting for. Standing about a meter tall with large eyes and smooth skin, they possessed the beautiful appearance of a genderless baby angel. One might approach them without thinking, charmed by their cuteness, but no such people remained anymore. Anyone who approached them would have been killed.
Fairies, like other monsters, viewed humans only as enemies. Though their physical abilities matched goblins, Fairies wielded diverse elemental magic and were classified as D-rank monsters.
The hunters, assigned to temporary parties by the military, pushed forward their defensive line while dealing with small-fry monsters. Behind them, engineers carved out paths, constructed fortifications, and gradually advanced the defensive perimeter northward.
“Just continue as you are. Maintain your formation. Do not advance ahead or fall behind.”
The hunter net, stretching for kilometers, slowly advanced northward at the commander’s order.
“Hunters! Do not break formation. Do not charge ahead alone! I said don’t go!”
The soldier relaying the commander’s orders strained his voice trying to control the disobedient hunters. There was a saying that the hardest things in the world to control were hunters and reserve soldiers—managing hunters was no easy task.
The monsters that appeared were mostly E-rank creatures like small Hellhounds, Slimes, and Werewolves, aside from Fairies.
Young, hot-blooded hunters who had come prepared for D-rank monsters kept breaking ranks and advancing ahead, eager to climb higher.
Frustrated that the Fairies I needed weren’t appearing, I quietly dealt with the small monsters alongside the other hunters.
* * *
“Battalion Commander! Sectors B4 and C3 are reporting a stalemate. They’re requesting support from B-rank or higher hunters.”
“That sector has more personnel—what nonsense is this!”
“They report multiple Werewolves and Fairies have appeared.”
The communications soldier, who hadn’t made the request himself, wore an aggrieved expression at being cursed out.
“Tch… Ahem. Director, shall we reassign personnel?”
In response to the communications soldier’s report, the Army battalion commander asked Baek Young-shin, the director from the Awakener Management Bureau.
“High-tier monsters don’t seem to appear often in this operational zone, so I believe we can spare a few B-rank and C-rank hunters. I’ll issue the orders.”
Director Baek Young-shin reassigned personnel from the command tent. In subjugation operations like this, hunters moved in coordination with the military, but command authority over hunters rested with the Awakener Management Bureau.
“Huh? That guy’s pulling back? Aren’t those B-rank and C-rank hunters?”
“Good riddance. I was frustrated with all these weak ones anyway. With the skilled guys gone, our share increases.”
Watching the high-tier hunters withdraw, other hunters murmured among themselves, but since our line faced no difficult situation, the atmosphere was one of welcome rather than complaint.
Even with many high-tier hunters withdrawn, the monster levels were low compared to our hunter count, so our line advanced steadily northward.
“We’ll stop here for today! All hunters except those assigned to sentry duty, please return to the encampment!”
Following the soldier’s command, most hunters withdrew from the front lines except those assigned to sentry and dealing with stragglers. I wished there was a Resort like during the Hellhound operation, but this area was densely forested. Since we couldn’t venture too far, the hunters had no choice but to sleep in temporary tents this time. However, the compensation was correspondingly higher.
I drew the first sentry duty and stayed behind instead of going to the temporary tent. Sentry duty wasn’t about staring at the Forest until your eyes fell out. It was more like a standby role—when the sentry team spotted monsters, I just had to arrive in time to provide defense. Since I had spare time, I helped the soldiers constructing the fortification.
“Oh, you’ll help us, Hunter?”
“Sure, I’ve got nothing else to do anyway.”
When I rolled up my sleeves and helped the soldier, the soldiers looked at me with surprise.
In my past life, I’d coordinated with soldiers through many battles. Since soldiers died far more frequently than hunters, seeing them now stirred something sorrowful in me—I wanted to treat them well.
“Other hunters have never helped us before. Thank you.”
“Don’t mention it.”
Inside Gates, electronic equipment became useless and it was difficult to carry large-caliber ammunition, making it impossible to use. Outside Gates, however, modern weapons proved quite helpful.
Monster hides were tough enough that even C-rank weapons rendered most modern arms useless, but positioning large-caliber machine cannons and multi-stage rocket launchers allowed soldiers to eliminate low-tier monsters or buy time until hunters arrived.
Still, in combat against monsters, the presence of hunters remained paramount.
“Should I move this over there?”
“Huh?! That’s too heavy to lift… wait, you lifted it.”
I hoisted the entire machine gun and carried it to the designated position, causing the soldiers’ jaws to drop.
“Wow… You really are a Hunter. That thing weighs over a ton, doesn’t it?”
Even a single ammunition box weighed dozens of kilograms, yet I ferried several at a time with ease.
“Hunter, would you like some snacks?”
Soldiers younger than me shared homemade snacks, their faces bright with relief that the work was finishing so much faster thanks to my help.
“Thank you, I’ll enjoy them.”
I’d been craving something sweet anyway, so the timing was perfect.
“Um… How long ago did you Awaken?”
The soldiers gathered around, peppering me with questions like excited fans meeting a sports star.
“Only a few months ago.”
“A few months?! You’re not D-rank?”
“I am.”
“How is it possible to reach D-rank in just a few months?”
“I just worked hard at it.”
“Your skills and stats… I shouldn’t ask about those, should I?”
“That’s right.”
“Ah, of course. My apologies.”
Skills and stats were treated like corporate trade secrets in the industry—it was common knowledge not to ask or reveal them carelessly. Though once someone became famous, everything ended up exposed online anyway.
“It’s fine. You saw me fight anyway, so you can probably tell—I don’t have any special skills. I just have exceptionally high combat power.”
I picked up a stone from the ground and crushed it to dust.
“Whoa!”
Seeing the soldiers’ delight lifted my spirits, and we shared stories over dinner.
* * *
“Alert! Alert! All personnel to combat positions!”
An emergency siren wailed in the dead of night. Since I needed no weapons or armor, I bolted upright and rushed straight out of the tent.
“What?! What’s happening?!”
The Healer and soldiers quickly dressed and emerged from their tents.
Fairies rained magic from the sky while Werewolves charged from the ground. Wind Cutters and Fireballs flew from all directions, turning the Encampment into chaos.
The soldiers returned fire with the heavy machine guns and rifles they’d repositioned during the day. Even when a lucky shot connected among dozens or hundreds of rounds, the Fairies’ barriers absorbed the impact. Against stationary targets, sustained fire could shatter the barriers, but these Fairies were too small and too fast to hit consistently.

Conversely, the fairies’ magic destroyed the machine guns far too easily.
Thanks to the hunters and soldiers who returned to the front lines, we barely managed to establish a defensive position, but the fairies encircled the fortification with Fireballs and Fire Walls. As the fresh-cut timber used to construct the fortification caught fire, acrid smoke spread everywhere, and sparks ignited ammunition boxes, causing explosions throughout the encampment.
The soldiers attempted to extinguish the flames with soil and fire extinguishers, but their efforts were utterly futile.
“Damn it! We’re going to burn to death at this rate!”
A hunter cursed aloud as he struck down a Werewolf.
“Mages, prioritize firefighting!”
The battalion commander issued orders to the mages, beads of sweat rolling down his face.
The mages desperately worked to contain the fairies’ flames—drawing water, redirecting wind currents, and dispelling the fairies’ magic through their respective methods.
“The rest of you hunters, get out there and capture those fairies!”
“Are you insane?! You want us to charge through that inferno?”
A hunter engaged with a Werewolf shouted in response to the battalion commander’s order.
“We can’t suppress this without high-ranked hunters! Where’s that B-rank hunter from earlier?!”
“Damn it… Communications officer! Did you request reinforcements?!”
“Y-yes! They’re expected to arrive in 10 minutes!”
“We’ll all be dead by then!”
The soldiers and D-rank hunters were beginning to panic.
I crushed the Werewolves one by one while assessing the situation. I would survive regardless, but at this rate, the soldiers would all be dead within ten minutes—the hunters might endure, but not them.
Since I came here to hunt fairies anyway, it was time to get to work.
I threw myself toward the flames. Seeing me charge, the fairies unleashed Fireballs at me. The firepower was weaker than a Hellhound’s flames, but the relentless barrage of fireballs incinerated my clothes and skin.
However, thanks to my resilient body, I didn’t burn to death instantly—I regenerated simultaneously with the damage and pushed through the inferno.
I sprinted through the flames, scaled a tree, and leaped toward a fairy flying overhead.
The fairy’s already large eyes widened further, unprepared for my approach, but its body couldn’t react in time. I opened my palm and struck it with a Barrier, sending it plummeting.
Fortunately, these creatures couldn’t fly high enough to escape my reach from the trees.
Because I drew their attention, more than a dozen fairies were now directing their magic at me instead of the fortification, significantly reducing the attacks on our position.
“The fairies’ magic is weakening! Push forward!”
I dodged the incoming spells as much as possible and hurled myself toward the airborne fairies. I could dispatch the careless ones, but those that began to wary of me kept their distance and simply bombarded me with magic.
As a result, I repeatedly missed and took hits from their spells.
[Agility increased by 2.]
Though not fatal, the consecutive attacks caused my Agility to rise.
With my enhanced Agility, I powered my legs and zigzagged between the trees faster than a monkey, then launched myself at a fairy. My acceleration was faster now, and I closed the distance quicker than they could flee.
“First platoon, cease fire and begin firefighting operations!”
Since rifles couldn’t inflict significant damage anyway, the soldiers withdrew to focus their efforts on extinguishing the flames while the hunters handled the combat.
As I gradually eliminated the fairies one by one, the tide of battle slowly shifted in our favor.
“Reinforcements have arrived!”
A helicopter approached in the distance, and the B-rank mage inside unleashed Lightning magic on the cluster of fairies.
“Kyaaaagh!”
The lightning spread widely, incinerating the fairies, and the survivors scattered with bone-chilling screams.
“Damn, they got here fast!”
The commander, hunters, and everyone in the fortification shouted with equal parts relief and frustration.
“Phew….”
After clearing the monsters from the surrounding area, I caught sight of my own appearance. My clothes had burned away entirely, leaving me naked, and my entire body was blackened with soot. Though regeneration had done its work, the charred remains of dead cells still clung to my skin.
“Healer!”
“I’m fine. Just get me some clothes.”
I stopped the soldier who had called for the Healer at the sight of my condition and accepted a blanket instead, wrapping it around myself.
“You’re Hunter Lee Ji-seok, aren’t you? You did well out there.”
The battalion commander approached me as I rested.

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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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