The Regressed SSS-Rank Supporter Who Turned Dark - Chapter 4

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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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#Episode 4
“Grab the wheelchair and follow us. We’ll lead the way ahead.”
“Ah, yes. But…”
“…?”
“Are you military? Or a Hunter?”
“I’m a civilian.”
“Then how do you fight so well? I simply couldn’t…”
The Middle-aged Man was still trembling with fear, his shame evident despite his attempts to compose himself.
He seemed troubled that he hadn’t evacuated his disabled wife in time or protected her properly.
But I had no intention of blaming him.
In truth, this was the average.
If an ordinary middle-aged man—untrained, not a Hunter—fought monsters well, that would be the anomaly.
Even Hunters often succumb to terror when facing absolute desperation.
I’d seen countless times during hunts when they abandoned their comrades and fled to save themselves alone.
This man was exemplary.
At least he hadn’t abandoned his disabled wife and fled to save only himself.
“You were brave enough. Don’t be so hard on yourself.”
I encouraged him sincerely.
It wasn’t only active military and Hunters who fought.
This was an era where everyone fought for survival.
The Unawakened also fought in their own positions, for their own survival and their families’ safety.
Like this man. Like my Father.
Especially in situations like this.
When a sudden gate break occurs, it takes at least thirty minutes to an hour for military and Hunters to arrive on scene.
So civilians need to know how to fight too.
“But…”
The man hung his head low.
“You did really well. Thank you.”
The woman in the wheelchair squeezed his hand tightly.
“If you hadn’t been brave and fought, we’d all be dead before these people arrived. I love you, honey.”
Ah, how sweet.
The tenderness in the woman’s eyes as she looked at him was palpable.
The same warmth shone in his eyes as he looked at her.
I wasn’t sure if they had children, but perhaps they’d be blessed with a late baby after today?
“We don’t have time for this. Sir, hold your wife’s wheelchair. And reload just in case.”
“Ah, understood.”
“But.”
My hand touched the back of his as he swapped magazines.
“Don’t draw that gun unless absolutely necessary. I’d rather not die by a bullet from your hands. Understood?”
“I’ll remember that.”
“If you manage to survive this, try to get some training in whenever you have a moment. I understand you’re busy, but what good is that if you’re dead? You can’t always count on someone to save you.”
“Yes, of course. I was planning on it.”
“Let’s go.”
Checking the drone’s thermal imaging, I could see monsters swarming like a pack of wild dogs.
Right—gunfire always draws monsters.
We need to hurry.
* * *
Bang bang! Bang bang bang!
Boom boom!
Rrrrrrrrrrrr!
Even as we moved, the endless sound of gunfire and explosions echoed from far away.
Rat-a-tat-tat!
A Black Hawk helicopter and three Apache attack helicopters armed with Hellfire missiles flew overhead.
Military and police forces equipped with heavy weapons, along with aerial assets, were engaged in a full-scale battle against the monsters.
“Over here! Here! We’re here!”
The Security Guard was shouting frantically at the helicopter when he apparently decided it wasn’t working and pulled out a signal flare.
“Don’t.”
“What?”
“Don’t fire that flare. Unless you want to die.”
“Why?”
The Security Guard’s expression showed complete bewilderment.
“Taking a helicopter is faster than walking out. And safer.”
“You think monsters don’t have aerial assets?”
“Huh?”
“Look.”
I pointed at the sky.
“Shrieeeek!”
“Shrieeeeeek!”
Flying types.
Dozens of bat-like monsters suddenly appeared and began attacking our helicopters.
They’re called Gargoyles—a name humanity gave them.
As for the monsters’ true names, how would humanity ever know them?
“Aaaaagh!”
I watched as a soldier aboard one of the helicopters plummeted.
Whoooosh, boom!
An Apache helicopter crashed and collided with an Apartment building, erupting in a massive explosion.
“Anyone still want to take a helicopter out of here?”
No one answered.
“If you still want to fire that flare, do it after we’re gone. On your own.”
“I-I’m sorry.”
“Let’s move under the trees and through the grass. Otherwise, those gargoyles will snatch us up like prizes from a claw machine.”
I checked the time as we moved.
‘We don’t have much time.’
This gate incursion was a catastrophe that humanity’s conventional weapons and tactics couldn’t resolve.
Hunters would be deployed soon, but they’d be overwhelmed.
The sheer number of monsters pouring through made it impossible to push them back with manpower alone.
The best approach in situations like this was to carpet-bomb the area into oblivion, thin out the monster numbers, and then have the Hunters emerge to seal the gate—the core of the incursion phenomenon itself.
In other words, my Apartment was about to be reduced to rubble by aerial bombardment.
Weeeeeeeeee!
Right on cue, sirens wailed as an announcement broadcast began.
– Attention residents. Bombardment will commence in thirty minutes. All residents are urged to evacuate the area immediately. I repeat: bombardment will commence in thirty minutes…
It was a decision that showed no consideration whatsoever for the elderly and infirm, but I couldn’t fault the logic.
Generally speaking, gate incursions grow more severe the longer they persist.
Left unchecked, stronger and more numerous monsters would pour through, resulting in greater casualties and property damage.
So civilian casualties had to be accepted as the cost of launching the bombardment.
“We need to move faster.”
I led the group forward at maximum speed.
“Kyaaaah!”
“Kyaah!”
A few goblins blocked our path.
“I’ll handle this—keep your gun pointed away.”
“Y-yes!”
Thunk, thunk!
I split their skulls open with my axe and cleared the way.
With proper training, even non-awakened individuals could handle 1-star monsters without difficulty.
At this point in my life, as an officer candidate, my physical conditioning and strength were fully developed, making it possible.
“Huff, huff.”
Still, I couldn’t help but feel slightly winded.
Back when I was a Hunter, even as a support class, I’d never lost my composure dealing with a handful of goblins like this.
“Try not to use guns if possible. Gunfire is one thing, but they’re extremely sensitive to the smell of gunpowder too.”
“Y-yes!”
“Understood.”
We quickened our pace, but our movement speed remained painfully slow.
Some in our group had mobility issues, and with gargoyles controlling the skies and monsters lurking nearby, there was no way to move faster while avoiding them all.
– NO SIGNAL!
Meanwhile, a gargoyle brought down a drone, leaving us unable to assess our surroundings.
We had roughly 500 meters left to escape the incursion zone.
500 meters wasn’t far under normal circumstances, but the gate incursion had transformed the surrounding area into treacherous mountainous terrain, making movement difficult.
“Leave the wheelchair behind. We should carry your wife instead—it’ll be faster.”
“Understood.”
The middle-aged man carried the woman on his back while the Security Guard and I moved in formation, keeping watch front and rear.
We’d covered maybe a hundred meters.
“Stop.”
A foreboding sensation made me halt our advance, and just as the surrounding grass began to rustle, several monsters crept out and surrounded us.
Goblins we’d faced before, a creature with a hyena’s head—a Gnoll—and even a Troll.
They’d gathered in considerable numbers, sorted by type.
“W-what do we do?”
The Security Guard turned to me and asked.
Boom!
Instead of answering, I pulled the shotgun’s trigger first.
Screech!
The Gnoll that had lunged at me took the shotgun blast and flew backward—that was the signal for all the monsters to charge at us in unison.
* * *
We engaged in a fierce firefight with the monsters.
Boom boom!
Bang bang bang!
The Security Guard and I, along with the middle-aged man who’d set the woman down, unleashed a torrent of gunfire at the creatures.
But with so many monsters and the Gnolls and Trolls easily withstanding one or two shotgun blasts, their numbers showed no sign of diminishing.
‘We’re burning through ammunition far too quickly.’
Empty magazines were beginning to pile up at my feet.
“Ugh!”
The Security Guard screamed.
“Gyaaaah!”
A Goblin had climbed onto the Security Guard’s back and was wildly swinging its blade.
I quickly set down my shotgun and swung my axe, splitting the Goblin’s skull clean open.
Thud!
The Security Guard collapsed.
“Gack, cough!”
About a third of his neck below the jaw had been severed, blood pouring out in torrents.
‘Damn it!’
I needed to stop the bleeding immediately, but there was no time for first aid.
‘Get him out of here first.’
Boom boom!
I fired the shotgun to push back the approaching Troll, then grabbed the Security Guard by the collar and dragged him away.
“Don’t lose consciousness! Keep pressing hard with your hand… huh?”
Well, would you look at that.
Bang bang! Bang bang bang!
The Security Guard was displaying remarkable fighting spirit.
“Cough!”
Even as he coughed up blood, he pressed his neck firmly with his left hand to stem the bleeding while his right hand pulled the trigger of a carbine rifle, pouring fire at the monsters.
‘I’ll keep you alive no matter what and get you out of here.’
That determination burned into me like wildfire.
Who said the Unawakened were powerless?
Even a mere Apartment Security Guard possessed such resolve!
‘Focus.’
I was carefully pulling the trigger one shot at a time, acutely aware of my Mana consumption.
Whoosh!
A chain whipped through the air, coiling around a troll’s neck.
Shriek!
The chain, studded with razor-sharp blades at every link, didn’t merely strangle the troll—it shredded its neck clean through.
Thud-thud-thud…
The troll’s severed head rolled across the ground.
‘Sooner than expected.’
I didn’t need to see with my own eyes who had arrived.
At this moment, in this place, there was only one Hunter capable of wielding a chain like that.
A smile spread across my face as I turned, genuinely pleased.
A well-armed Hunter stood before us, her expression utterly blank.
A chain bristling with blades gripped firmly in her hand.
Choi Yu-ra.
Callsign: Bloody Mary.
The Hunter who, in my previous life, had led me, my Mother, and my Sister out of this place.

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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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