Something Keeps Appearing in My Subspace - Chapter 73

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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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73. Sandstorm (1)
“Phew! We’re here.”
Guild members gathered in the middle of the night. Fortunately, since everyone lived nearby, we were able to meet in front of the Hunter Association quickly.
“What’s all this commotion at dawn?”
A large number of mid-sized Gates had appeared.
The Dawn Light Guild had entered the Gates, but unlike last time when forces were concentrated in Daejeon, there were quite a few top-tier guilds present.
Of course, that many discharge-type Gates had burst open as well. Not concentrated in one area—thirty across the entire nation.
It wasn’t a small number, so the Association Vicinity was filled with bustle and tension.
“Gyeonggi Province?”
“Yes.”
While the guild members gathered, orders came down, and we were assigned to Gyeonggi Province.
We were about to travel by car, but the Association sent word that we should move by helicopter instead.
Even though it was early morning, problems could arise during transit.
Since everyone was already near the Association, traveling by helicopter was much faster anyway.
“Has the Dragon Guild assembled completely? This way!”
The Association had prepared several high-speed helicopters in advance for situations like this, so there were no problems.
Naturally, the Association Vicinity was quite noisy. The sound of helicopters was expected, and hunters were bustling about.
“Why isn’t this guy coming? Did we wake him up?”
“He said he has gastroenteritis and his stomach hurts…”
“No time. The Gates are opening soon, so we’re departing first—tell him to catch up later!”
Some guilds had already gathered and departed, while others were waiting for members who hadn’t arrived yet.
Everyone had just woken up, so their hair was disheveled—it was nothing short of chaos.
Still, the confusion didn’t cause problems. The Association was transporting mostly B-rank hunters level 35 and above by helicopter.
They had called veterans accustomed to hunter life, those who needed to be mobilized first.
‘It’s actually surprising that we were called.’
While our stats and abilities far exceeded level 30, we were still C-rank hunters in the late level 20s.
In other words, this also meant our guild was receiving some recognition.
If we weren’t considered immediate combat strength, we wouldn’t have been called in the first place.
“Preparing for takeoff! Please check your belts one more time!”
And so the helicopter we boarded began to take off. It was my first time on a helicopter, so I felt a bit of wonder.
It wasn’t just me—Lee Shin-hee, Seo Min-jae, and Mister were also constantly looking around.
“Wow, I’ve ridden in every Association helicopter now.”
Mister said it as if it were something new.
As I’d just thought, hunters riding helicopters meant they were receiving recognition to some degree.
“Even though you’ve ridden on the Red Dragon.”
“That’s different from this.”
The small talk ended there. The atmosphere wasn’t right for joking.
-Seongbuk… Gate! It’s opened!
-Local hunters defend first! Omega Guild will arrive in two minutes!
Since discharge-type Gates took about 20 to 30 minutes to fully activate, the Gates were beginning to open one after another.
It took me seven minutes to hear the Gate alarm and prepare to head out.
It took fifteen minutes from the alarm for my team to gather in front of the Hunter Association and depart.
Living nearby and preparing incredibly fast, but it still wasn’t fast enough to match the timing.
-The Gunpo Gate is showing signs of activation!
-Berta Guild has arrived! We’ve joined forces with local hunters and established a makeshift defensive line.
The local hunters in the Gate’s area had set up a defensive line first, but reinforcements were arriving slightly behind schedule.
This was also why the damage from the first Gate to open was so severe.
‘Last time we managed it well partly because we were well-prepared.’
After the large Gate erupted, hunters were on emergency standby, allowing them to move quickly.
In reality, Daejeon, where the large Gate had opened, suffered considerable damage before reinforcements arrived.
-Gunpo Gate! It’s open!
-Front line. Two Ogres have appeared! Estimated to be high-grade specimens!
“Two high-grade Ogres?”
“We need to hurry.”
The Gate assigned to us had also activated before we could even arrive.
The fortunate thing was that Berta Guild, one of the top-tier guilds, had already arrived.
It was a guild composed of hunters in the late 30s to early 40s in level, and their rapid response seemed possible because they had a base in the Gunpo area.
Of course, it wasn’t just us and Berta Guild. Local hunters and other guilds were coming too.
“Daeup’s 4th team was supposed to come, right?”
“Yes.”
The 4th team of Daeup Guild, the third-ranked guild in the country, was composed of B-rank hunters with levels in the mid-to-late 30s, similar in scale to Berta Guild.
With additional support from lower-level hunters coming, we had enough forces to hold the line.
In fact, if you considered us a guild of C-rank hunters, our forces were insufficient to contain a medium-sized Gate.
Perhaps the Hunter Association classified us as B-rank, which is why we were deployed this way.
“Everyone, take these.”
I pulled out mana potions from the Subspace and handed them to Lee Shin-hee and Min-jae. They were items the Previous-Previous Princess had prepared.
They recovered mana far better than potions made in modern times.
They were in the Subspace, but since the quantity wasn’t large, I was rationing them carefully, though I had to use them when necessary.
Since we didn’t know how the situation would unfold.
-Thump-thump-thump-thump-thump
At the sound of the Gate opening, the helicopter’s propeller noise grew even more intense.
* * *
While we were en route, we received bad news.
-Daeup’s 4th team is not responding.
“How is that possible?”
-We’re not sure. The rear guard arrived, but the vanguard isn’t responding. We’re sending additional reinforcements, so it seems you’ll need to hold the defense for now.
They were supposed to depart by helicopter at around the same time originally, but this meant reinforcements would be delayed even further. A sigh escaped involuntarily.
I’ve never liked these guys since way back, and they’re still unreliable when it matters.
-One minute until arrival. Hunters, please prepare yourselves.
Whether Daeup’s 4th team comes or not doesn’t change anything. We still have to contain the discharge-type Gate.
About eight minutes had passed since we departed.
Despite arriving incredibly fast by helicopter, I felt a twinge of regret.
If the Gate had taken thirty minutes to activate, we would have arrived before it opened.
Just like last time, it began activating the moment twenty minutes elapsed, and we were a step too late.
As we moved at maximum speed, the activated Gate became visible in the distance.
-Boom!
In the darkness of dawn, sparks erupted into the air.
“It’s already intense.”
“It’s a mid-sized Gate.”
The helicopter approached near our destination. Due to the danger, we couldn’t land directly beside the Gate.
Just as we were gradually reducing speed for landing, the radio crackled again.
-Three additional Harpies have appeared! They’re flying-type monsters—our current personnel cannot respond!
The moment the radio sounded, I looked ahead and saw Harpies soaring into the sky.
Tracer rounds shot toward the sky. Of course, they couldn’t penetrate the Harpies’ magical force fields.
Harpies are classified as mid-level 30s monsters, but in reality, they’re far more troublesome.
Most Hunters struggle to pursue flying-type monsters with such freedom of movement.
-Screech!
A diving Harpy snatched something from the ground and flew skyward.
Squinting, I saw it was a person—caught in its talons.
“Hye.”
“Let’s go.”
At Mister’s words, I nodded and grabbed the radio.
-This is Dragon Guild. We’ll handle the Harpies.
I unbuckled my safety belt, removed the headset I’d been wearing in the helicopter.
“I’ll go ahead. I’ll catch them and regroup with you.”
“Right now? Here? We haven’t even landed yet.”
I nodded and, grasping Mister’s hand, leaped from the helicopter into the air.
-W-wait, danger…!
The helicopter pilot cried out urgently, but I was already falling.
Whoosh—Yong-yong burst from the opened Subspace and caught us. This too was the result of training.
Long-distance flight was difficult, but short distances allowed her to carry two people comfortably.
Though it was somewhat uncomfortable.
“Let’s go after them.”
Yong-yong, understanding my words, flapped her wings. As we advanced toward the Harpies, I deliberated for a moment.
It was a choice between the Flowing Stream Sword and the Heavenly Sky Sword.
The Flowing Stream Sword allowed ranged suppression through wind-cutting, while the Heavenly Sky Sword grew stronger at greater heights.
We weren’t particularly high up from the ground right now, but…
‘It should still help.’
As I drew the Heavenly Sky Sword, I felt a surge of power through my body. It wasn’t quite the same as when I stood on the sky itself, but it was definitely stronger than usual.
It wasn’t a B-rank sword for nothing. It was certainly worth using. Before long, we were close to the Harpies. Yong-yong roared.
“KRAAAAAOOOWWWW!”
The moment Red Dragon’s roar startled the harpies into turning back, they were already crossing the 30-meter threshold.
“I’m going in first.”
“Got it.”
“If things get dangerous, make sure to use that sand armor.”
“Yeah. Don’t worry. I’ve practiced plenty.”
After getting confirmation from Mister, I activated Leap. In an instant, I reached the back of the harpy that was gripping a person with its talons.
Before my eyes fluttered pale white wings.
This harpy was the kind that even mid-level 30 hunters found extremely troublesome.
Because of how difficult flying-type monsters were, some said facing an Ogre was preferable.
‘Of course, if we fought directly, the Ogre would be far stronger.’
But that wasn’t a problem for me. I had Leap.
Even without Yong-yong, I could have reached them with mid-air Leap.
-SCREEEEE!
The harpy above shrieked in warning, but it was already too late.
Slice—!
I felt the weight through my fingertips. All monsters at this level were awakened beings, making them quite difficult to cut through.
The harpy’s wings were harder than decent steel. Even with all my strength behind the slash, I barely managed to sever its body.
‘If I didn’t have the Heavenly Sword, this might have been rough.’
The harpy, split in half, began to plummet. The person bound by the lower body’s talons screamed.
“AAAAHHHHH!”
I immediately used Leap to catch the person. Of course, using Leap didn’t prevent the fall entirely.
“Calm down!”
“AAAAAAAHHH!”
I tried to calm him, but the man just kept his eyes shut tight, screaming.
The remaining two harpies tried to attack me, but Yong-yong and Mister protected me.
“KRAAAOOOWWW!”
As the wyvern’s assault unfolded across the sky, the two harpies hastily retreated, widening their distance.
In that moment, I used Leap to set the man down on a building’s rooftop.
“AHHH! AHHHHH!”
He continued screaming, but now I noticed he was a hunter, so I gave him a light slap across the cheek.
“You’re alive, so calm down. I need to get back to fighting.”
“Huh? What? Yes?”
Only then did the man open his eyes. He stared at me with a dazed expression.
“Y-you’re the Space Mage?”
Hope flickered in the man’s eyes.
“Did Daeup Guild come too?”
He’d apparently heard the news about guild assignments. Even though I was famous, Daeup was the third-ranked guild in the country.
I clicked my tongue.
“They didn’t come.”
“Huh? What do you mean…?”
There was no time for idle chatter.
“Get your head in the game and rejoin the formation!”
Boom—! Bang!
Two Ogres were rampaging in front of the Gate, and two Harpies still circled overhead.
The lower defensive line was being pushed back hard.
Against two high-grade Ogres, even a guild and local Hunters in the early 40s couldn’t hold the line easily.
-Hye, I’ll handle these ones. Looks manageable.
That’s when Mister’s voice crackled through the radio.
“Are you sure?”
-Yeah. Maybe it’s because of Yong-yong, but they’re not rushing in recklessly. Help out down below first.
I decided to trust Mister. A man with a family wouldn’t take unnecessary risks.
I grabbed the radio immediately.
“Min-jae, Lee Shin-hee—please reinforce the rear position!”
-Understood!
During the last Gate defense, we’d been prepared and blocked the passage by guild units. But now…
In this kind of chaos, moving by guild units was impossible. Mister was in the sky anyway.
“Grraaaah!”
I turned my gaze downward. How should I begin providing support?
The Ogres wielding utility poles had started wreaking havoc, and the defensive line was on the verge of collapse.
The Gate’s position was unfortunate. It had spawned in the center of the range, leaving many areas to defend.
The two Ogres were attacking in different directions.
‘Three spots look manageable.’
Two had no Ogres, and one was being held by the Berta Guild, so they were holding on.
Meanwhile, the other side with an Ogre had its front line collapsing, pushed back significantly.
Then the Ogre in the retreating section hurled the utility pole at the Hunters like a spear.
If that struck, the vanguard would be crushed to pieces.
-Whoosh!
The moment the pole was thrown, I used Leap downward.
“Eek!”
In front of the cowering Hunters.
And I opened the Subspace.
Whooom—!
Crash!
The physically immune Subspace blocked the utility pole the Ogre had thrown without any damage.
Of course, the impact shattered the pole and concrete fragments scattered, kicking up a cloud of dust.
“Huh?”
The Hunters at the front had their eyes squeezed shut, but when the thunderous sound rang out, they cautiously opened them and looked at me.
“W-what…?”
About a second after the Leap.
My body, which had grown slightly stronger in the sky, returned to normal, and I felt the exhaustion settling in as I brushed my shoulder lightly and replied.
“Dragon Guild, we’ve arrived to assist.”
“Dragon Guild?”
I felt the expressions of the people around me brighten instantly. Was it because they’d heard so much about us?
A slight unease crept over me. I didn’t want to receive unwarranted expectations.
They’d mentioned high-grade entities, hadn’t they?
From my vantage point above, the Ogres that had emerged seemed to be particularly formidable specimens among their kind.
Compared to the Ogre I’d seen before, these would be what I’d call 1++ grade Ogres.
‘Even I would find these difficult to handle.’
Unlike Berta Guild, which was blocking them as a coordinated team, Mister was occupied with the Harpies in the sky.
The safest approach would be to hold out until Berta Guild eliminated one of them and could come to my aid….
‘Hmm. Can I manage this? It’s going to be tight.’
Then, a rather promising idea surfaced in my mind.
Hadn’t I just realized it? There was roughly a one-second time lag in the power granted by the Heavenly Sword.

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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
—————