Chapter 43: Crush (1)


    As they arrived at the scene and got out of the car, the culprit of the disaster alert came into sight.


    Its quite big, isnt it?


    Wow, the whole road looks red.


    Two gates stood in symmetrical positions, resembling mirrors with a road in between. They were colored a bright red, unlike any other gates he had seen before.


    Commonly known as the Red Gate, it serves as a passage that pours out monsters within a few minutes of appearing and then suddenly disappears.


    I wonder if the citizens evacuated well.


    Unlike the Blue Gate, where incidents ur if left unattended, the Red Gate triggered a 100% stampede and was a considerable headache.


    Phew, I hope red doesnt appear in a city like this~


    But that also happens when there is ack of manpower to respond.


    <i>Thud, thud, thud.</i>


    When the heavy footsteps of a beast beyond the gate resonated, Esther, with a snort, conveyed a message to those standing behind her.


    Starting now, its time for the guild leader to work, so the rest of you huddle in the corner!


    Then, the employees of Korea Magic Tower quickly distanced themselves from Esther. Swept away together, Kim Kiryeo is lost in thought with a nk expression.


    <i>Isnt this too far? In this situation, no one would be able to support Esther.</i>


    Up until this point, he had underestimated Earths S-ss, both during Kang Changhos time and Jung Haseongs time. In the narrow and limited space, they couldnt fully exert their strength freely because of his burden as F-ss hunters.


    <i>-Grrrrr</i>


    <i>-Syaaasssh</i>


    <i>-Grrrrowl</i>


    Hunter Kim Kiryeo, from now on, never go near our CEO. You understand, right?


    But today, he realized the status of an S-ss hunter as limitations disappeared.


    <i>-Thud, thud</i>


    Numerous monsters began to emerge from the gates on both sidesa headless giant bending a log, and a mischievous little devil giggling.


    Esther nced at the group of monsters advancing in ck waves, then took a leisurely step.


    Ill start from the left. Because Im left-handed.


    However, every time she took a step forward, a strange phenomenon urred.


    Kiiiek, keek? Haaaghk!


    The monsters that were approaching with fierceness suddenly turned over and fell.


    <i>Tuk, tuk.</i>


    Like a rat that took poison. As Esther got closer to the gate, the amount of screaming monsters increased.


    <i>-Kaaaaagh! Kaaaaaaagh!</i>


    <i>-Grrrrr.</i>


    A formless fear hangs over the streets. But only one person in this room could urately understand everything the other person was doing.


    <i>This is crazy; it was really awesome, right?</i>


    A curse is a kind of strong implication; it has the power to make a healthy person sick in an instant, and sticking a dagger into a straw doll can cause pain. This phenomenon cannot ur without the illusion of the brain.


    <i>Thats why curse magic requires special concentration.</i>


    Kim Kiryeo felt the overwhelming energy swirling around Esther. Activating her magic, she resembled a massive typhoon. Any creature entering her domain is mercilessly cursed and killed without forgiveness.


    <i>This is why the employees ran away all the way here. Just a brush within the range of her aura is enough to witness an unpleasant sight.</i>


    Rough and crude magical power, yet there is no hesitation in wielding it.


    Everything that blocks my path will boil to death!


    As words flowed from Esthers mouth


    <i>Puk.</i>


    The heads of the little demons that filled the area exploded all at once.


    <i>Blub.</i>


    The giant monster wielding a club spoke no differently. Esthers curse skill wiped out the monster army in an instant. The sight of mud-ck blood scattering like firecrackers and soon soaking the road seems unrealistic.


    <i>-Wuuuuuu!</i>


    Oh, are you the boss?


    And then, a mournful cry echoed from beyond both sides of the gate. After all the monsters were dead, Esther confirmed the identity of thest monster that appeared and burst intoughter.


    Puahaha! Thats why you couldnte out sooner!


    The boss of this Red Gate is none other than a bipedal beast. But the problem is that their bodies are not usuallyrge.


    Isnt that fitting into the gate perfectly?


    Esther sighed as she gazed at the enormous beast, which, by estimation, appeared to be 10 stories tall. The monster seemed duller and more foolish, possibly because of its square-shaped snout silhouette.


    <i>Huh?</i>


    However Unlike the rxed Esther, Kim Kiryeo felt a slight sense of crisis. Thats right, this monster came out of the red gate on the right.


    <i>Kiiiiieng.</i>


    The second boss that appeared was none other than a huge lump of scrap metal. Its a mechanical monster resembling twins, much like the boss on the left.


    <i>Its not a living thing, is it?</i>


    Of course, you cant put a curse on something like this.


    <i>D, did Ie to watch for no reason? That thing is theplete weakness of curse wizards, you know?</i>


    But this was a useless worry.


    Ah~ the other side is a robot?


    After saying this, Esther immediately kicked the ground and rushed away. Closing the distance in an instant, Esther struck the mechanical beast with her fists.


    <i>-Bang!</i>


    A muffled thud echoes through the air. Esthers powerful blow crushes the metallic head of the mechanical beast. Thats right. If magic doesnt work, she can ovee it with the superior hardware of an S-ss.


    .


    Kiryeo watched Esthers hunt and quietly covered his ears.


    <i>Boom! Bang!</i>


    If he closes his eyes, its like the sound of a building beingpletely demolished.


    As expected, since the CEO stepped forward, the two A-ss red issues will be resolved quickly.


    Is it just me, or do you feel oddly reassured when Esther the Hunter is at the headquarters?


    The people in the guild alsoughed and chatted, probably thinking that the decision had been made by this point.


    Wait!


    But the next moment.


    Why are you doing this?


    H, hey!


    The tower employee suddenly started pointing and shouting somewhere. There was a middle-aged woman standing where their gaze was directed. A person looking around with car keys in her hand


    Citizen?


    As soon as she discovers this, the air currents around her suddenly change.


    U, ugh!


    Crazy! We clearly blocked the road, so how is she sneaking in like this?


    The C-ss hunter from Magic Tower panics and rushes away. He then takes the person without mercy, which leads to a small fight.


    W, what are you doing!


    Please get off the road now!


    No, is it okay for an awakened person to touch a persons body like this? Let go! Ill just quickly get out of the car on the other side!


    It seems that someone has appeared btedly trying to move her property after seeing the news of the appearance of Red Gate. The employees of Magic Tower, after seeing the citizen, all had their expressions be contemtive.


    That should have been removed in advance! When was thest time an rm was issued!


    Kiryeo was also breaking into a cold sweat.


    <i>Monsters are not the problem now.</i>


    Didnt he justpare Esther to a typhoon?


    The more enormous power someone is born with, the more difficult it is to learn delicate magic control. So when Esther fights, the curse she unleashes is so widespread that it covers the entire surrounding area


    <i>If a non-awakened persones into contact with S-ss magic</i>


    This is how ordinary people end up dying. The Hunter of the Magic Tower seemed to have reached the same conclusion, but immediately stretched out their hand to rule out the person who appeared. Before that, the situation he was worried about happened.


    What? Why did a citizene here?


    CEO!


    Esther, who defeated the machine beast, moved to the center of the road to catch the final boss.


    The eye of the typhoon has moved. Therefore, the left road also immediately fell under the influence of magic. As a result, an S-ss vicious curse was on the verge of scratching the civilians.


    Evacuate that person immediately!


    Reflexively, Esther canceled all the skills she had been activating, withdrawing her magic to protect the citizens. However, this action resulted in a significant bacsh.


    Wuuuuu!


    The White Beast screamed and lifted his head. As the curse suppressing him disappeared, he seemed to burst out all the anger he had been suppressing at once.


    Kaaagh!


    Esther-ssi!


    <i>Boom, boom, boom!</i>


    Red Gates boss activated a unique skill.


    It struck the top of the S-ss hunters head with its angled front leg. Esther quickly crossed her arms to protect her head, but this was no simple punch.


    W, what is this!


    <i>Boom!</i>


    Around the time the beasts hooves roared, a drastic change in the terrain unfolded beneath Esthers feet. The ground shook, and a sticky liquid surrounded her, burying her lower body.


    Ugh!


    Its a swamp. The monsters magic created a purple swamp in the middle of the city.


    <i>My legs are stuck!</i>


    Esther fell into the middle of the swamp and became unable to move. However, this crisis ended in vain.


    CEO! Citizens have been evacuated!


    As soon as she heard the news that the uninvited guest had disappeared, Esther cast the curse again towards the boss. How many monsters in the world can handle the maximum output of an S-ss?


    <i>-Wuuuuu, wuuu!</i>


    The giant beast seemed to be suffering from a fatal disease, foaming at the mouth and panting before sticking out its tongue and facing death.


    <i>Thud</i>


    Truly, there is an overwhelming difference. In the first ce, the S-ss couldnt face any major crisis in this battle.


    She caught it!


    The employees of Magic Tower were delighted. If there were no casualties despite the urrence of two A-ss red gates, wouldnt that be considered a sess?


    Wow, I thought something really big was going to happen when someone came in earlier!


    Do you know what she said to me when I moved her out of the restricted area? She reported that her arm was broken because the Awakened touched it!


    Phew~


    However, in the midst of the conversation filled with relief, a small voice came from somewhere.


    Hey


    Everyone stopped talking and looked in the direction the sound wasing from.


    I feel like Im falling deeper and deeper


    There was a woman who was two-thirds submerged in the swamp. She wasnt that bad earlier, wasnt she?


    I heard on TV that if you fall into a mud t, you should lie down on your back, so I just tried it. But somehow I became more stuck.


    Esther looks up at the employees outside the swamp with a sad face.


    What should I do? Team leader, there might be an emergency rope in the trunk, you know


    Y, yeah, uhm.


    But the employees were equally in trouble because the swamp Esther fell into wasnt a simple wend. Green oil flowed vaguely through the bubbling purple mud. This is a substance that was featured in various media three years ago, so now there are few people who dont know about it.


    <i>A poisonous swamp created by an A-ss monster!</i>


    Isnt that a deadly poison unique to gate creatures? It was a kind ofmon sense to people here. A liquid of that color is toxic. Therefore, the towers employees could not go out without permission. In the aftermath of the battle, there was swamp poison all over the road, so what if they identally stepped on the puddle?


    Perhaps, even the amount evaporating in the air alone can be dangerous.


    <i>Im S-ss and Im wearing poison-resistant equipment, so Im able to hold out.</i>


    Esther knew this, so she couldnt move carelessly. An S-ss physical ability would be enough to get out of the swamp, but there is a possibility that the poison could spread widely during the struggle. Esther stayed still, worried about the on-site cleaners who wouldeter.


    .


    But here. Although he is a Korean hunter, there is only one person who doesnt know the news from three years ago.


    Hmm.


    Kiryeo thought quietly as he looked back and forth between Esther, who was stuck on her waist, and the Magic Tower employees, who were just stomping their feet.


    <i>These guys, how much do they hate their boss so much that they dont even budge?</i>


    He mistakenly thought that the employees were ignoring Esther because they had bad feelings towards her Of course, it wasnt that he couldnt understand. He himself often wanted to throw his hometown boss into the swamp.


    But thats it.


    <i>But isnt this a bit pitiful?</i>


    He sympathized with Esthers treatment.


    It wasnt her fault that she fell into the swamp, but she ended up like that because she was trying to protect citizens who had ignored the restriction and entered the road.


    <i>Okay, thats how I feel. Lets give that vicious boss a chance.</i>


    He soon made up his mind. He decided to step forward personally to help Esther


    Excuse me. Uh, employee?


    Ah, yes!


    You said earlier that there was a rope in the trunk. Can I borrow it for a moment?