With no Assassin-type Awakened available, the only way to kill a creature disconnected from this dimension was for Strike-type Awakened to ignore the creature’s dimensional separation and shut down its biology through physical attacks.
To do that, Strike-type Awakened had no choice but to bring down the massive creature using cold weapons like spears or swords.
Of course, Awakened had near-superhuman physical abilities, but the monsters weren’t just oversized animals either.
The mantis monster swung its scythe sideways, but the attack, launched from a distance, sliced through empty air.
However, the ripple from the monster’s scythe spread out across the space ahead.
It was as if a line had spread sideways through the air, severing the top and bottom.
“Group up!”
Yonghoon shouted to those around him. The strike team members quickly gathered behind the Defense-type Awakened.
Boom!
Light exploded from the shields of the three Defense-type Awakened at the front line, including Ganghyuk, accompanied by a loud blast.
“Kgh!”
Groans escaped from the mouths of the Defense-type Awakened. They had barely blocked it, but it seemed their Dimensional Power had taken damage.
Screeech, crash!
From behind the group came the sound of a utility pole and wall collapsing.
The monster’s attack, which hadn’t been blocked by a shield, had flown backward and sliced through the surroundings.
A few of the corrupted humans who had gotten too close were cut apart. The rest retreated further back.
After the monster’s attack passed, the Strike-type Awakened leapt out from behind the shields.
Everyone knew from experience that the moment after a big attack was the best time to strike.
The Strike-type Awakened charging at the monsters all had multiple weapons dangling from their bodies.
They knew that carrying too many weapons made movement difficult, but due to their strength and the monsters’ durability, their weapons inevitably became disposable.
Major Jo Sungchan, leader of Team 1, was the first among the charging strike team members to arrive.
Clang!
Specialized in speed among the Strike-type Awakened, his strength was his dazzling combo attacks. But the sword strike from Team 1’s leader, who arrived first, failed to pierce the mantis monster’s shell.
He recoiled and shouted as he stepped back.
“Its shell is tough! Normal attacks won’t work!”
The Dimensional Power of Strike-type Awakened could bypass the creature’s dimensional separation, but ultimately, only their own strength and technique could harm it.
Yonghoon and the other Strike-type Awakened who were about to follow up looked even more grim. But unable to switch weapons now, they had no choice but to pour more power into the ones they held.
The mantis monster raised its arms. A second attack was coming.
The group threw themselves at the mantis monster. Six spears and swords rained down toward it.
Clang! Clang! Crack! Thud! Thud! Thud!
Though they struck with equal force, the sword attacks all bounced off, while three of the four spears embedded themselves in the monster’s legs and waist.
One spear, likely worn from previous battles, failed to pierce the shell and snapped.
The monster’s horizontal slash, aimed again, was thrown off by the sudden attack-and in its new path was a strike team member who had lost balance when his spear broke.
“Damn it.”
Seeing the giant scythe swinging toward him, he closed his eyes.
Slash!
The scythe split the strike team member’s body diagonally in half, and the shockwave continued, slicing the ground and wall behind him in the same direction.
The bisected corpse collapsed, and blood spattered everywhere, but the expressions of the Strike-type Awakened charging the monster did not change.
It was a scene they had witnessed countless times while fighting monsters. Rather than mourn the dead, it was better to seize the moment to land one more strike.
The strike team members who had dodged the monster’s attack by leaping back all switched weapons.
The one who had embedded his spear into the monster pulled out a skewer-like sword, and the one who had used a sword threw it away and drew a spear from his back.
They charged the monster again. At the same time, the Defense-type Awakened reached the front of the monster.
A proper formation was now in place.
Yonghoon also ran forward alongside the other strike team members.
But his hands were empty.
His weapons were still strapped to his back and side. His eyes, as he ran, were fixed on a spear wobbling from where it was stuck in the side of the monster’s abdomen.
Boom!
Fortunately, this time the monster’s swing was blocked by the shield before it could fully land, and the Strike-type Awakened were able to attack.
Thud, thud, thud!
Hearing the sound of spears and swords driving into the monster from all sides, Yonghoon circled to its side and crouched low.
Then, like a spring, he launched himself at the mantis monster, which had momentarily paused in pain.
Throwing his body forward, he thrust out his right hand from behind.
It looked like a straight punch thrown while leaping forward, but his hand was spread wide open.
Boom! Thunk!
Yonghoon’s palm slammed into the base of the spear lodged in the monster’s side, driving it deep into its abdomen.
The moment his hand touched the spear, his Dimensional Power flowed into it, letting the weapon ignore the monster’s dimensional defenses and pierce through.
“Kyaaaah!”
Seeing orange blood spurt from the spear, Yonghoon backed away, beginning to feel hope.
That was a significant wound.
There was a chance.
The others also stopped and thrust their spears and swords at the screaming monster. Holes began to appear in its shell.
As Yonghoon stepped back and drew his skewer-like sword, a sudden sense of unease washed over him.
Something always went wrong at times like this. He followed his instincts and scanned the surroundings.
Then he saw it-a second mantis monster behind the one they were fighting, gathering light in both its scythes.
“The one in back is attacking! Everyone, get out of the way!”
Yonghoon shouted a loud warning and threw himself aside.
The other Strike-type Awakened also dodged at his words.
But Yonghoon’s warning came a bit too late.
The scythes of the monster in the back swung almost simultaneously, and two lines that looked like severed space flew forward.
Slash! Slash!
The result was devastating.
The strike team members caught in the crossing lines that carved through the alley were sliced to pieces.
The Defense-type Awakened hurriedly raised their shields, but the long-charged Dimensional Power attacks couldn’t be blocked even by them. They too were cut down with their shields.
The surrounding walls and utility poles were all sliced apart-except the mantis monster standing in front, which took no damage as the lines vanished upon contact.
Thanks to that, Yonghoon, Ganghyuk, and two of Team 1’s Awakened in front of the mantis monster survived.
All the survivors thought the same thing-this wasn’t going to work.
The mantis monster, writhing in pain, cut off the spear stuck in its side with its scythe and turned to face the remaining strike team members.
Hundreds of compound eyes glared at the group.
At that moment, Team 1’s surviving leader spoke to the others.
“Let’s split up here. Team 1 will escape through the collapsed wall.”
As soon as he said that, he dashed toward the wall. The last remaining Team 1 member followed.
It seemed he had been checking for an escape route ever since realizing his speed-focused attacks had no effect on the mantis monster.
And now that the monster’s attack had collapsed the wall, increasing the chance of escape, he acted immediately.
Yonghoon felt a bit frustrated.
He had been too focused on fighting and was late to assess the situation. Since they moved first, it wasn’t easy to act right away.
But the monsters responded much faster.
Wings burst from the back of the mantis monster that had attacked from behind and slaughtered the strike team. Then it soared into the sky.
Seeing that massive thing take flight was almost laughable. The mantis monster immediately chased after the fleeing Team 1.
“Captain, what do we do?”
Ganghyuk, panting beside Yonghoon, asked.
His trembling eyes revealed fear.
Though the biggest among the strike team, he was also the youngest. Before the monsters appeared, he would have just graduated high school and started adult life.
Now in his third year with the strike team, he was still a young soldier.
Yonghoon quickly looked around. In front was the wounded mantis monster. Behind, corrupted humans blocked the way.
But with the wall collapsed and the rear mantis monster flying off, the corrupted humans began circling around to surround Yonghoon and Ganghyuk.
It didn’t look like they had much time. They would be surrounded again soon.
Yonghoon made a decision.
“I’ll attack and create an opening. Run forward. I’ll escape right after you.”
The mantis monster in front looked too wounded to fly.
If they broke through the mantis monster, it didn’t look like it would be able to chase them due to its injuries.
And Yonghoon immediately dashed forward. The sharp sword in his hand reflected the light.
Yonghoon thrust his sword at the leg of the mantis monster in front of him. His target was the leg half-sliced by the previous strike team member.
Then the mantis monster’s scythe flew toward Yonghoon.
But he let go of the thrusting sword and rolled to the side of the mantis monster. It was a feint.
The scythe sliced through the air, and the spatial-cutting line flew past behind Yonghoon.
After a full roll, Yonghoon looked up.
He saw a spear embedded diagonally in the side of the mantis monster’s abdomen.
The broken spear shaft, mostly severed by the monster’s scythe, gleamed sharply, but for now, it seemed like the best option.
Yonghoon clenched his fist and threw himself once more toward the side of the monster’s abdomen.
Thud!
A sound of something piercing echoed from two places at once.
One came from Yonghoon’s hand.
The sharply severed spear shaft pierced through Yonghoon’s fist. His fingers were cut off, and a hole had opened in his palm.
The other came from inside the mantis monster’s abdomen.
Even in the pain surging from his hand, Yonghoon was satisfied with his attack.
It seemed the broken spear had struck the dimensional stone inside the mantis monster’s abdomen.
Based on his past experience, he had been aiming for the location of insect-type monsters’ dimensional stones, and luck seemed to be on his side.
Suddenly, he felt something shatter inside his body, and dimensional power surged through him.
Ding!
A sound came from Yonghoon’s arm. Startled, he checked his wrist.
Level: B
Dimensional Power: 0/5000
The level displayed on the device had changed to B.
He didn’t know the exact reason, but it seemed his level had increased due to striking the monster’s dimensional stone.
But there was no time to celebrate.
The mantis monster let out a scream.
He didn’t know how damaged the dimensional core was, but this was his chance.
Ganghyuk dashed past the screaming mantis monster.
He even threw away his shield, sprinting with only the strike team’s backpack on his back.
He didn’t even glance at Yonghoon, but Yonghoon wasn’t hurt in the slightest.
Leaving his shattered, bleeding fist behind, Yonghoon grabbed his sword with the other hand and began to flee. Though his level had risen, this injury made it too difficult to fight alone.
“Kuaaaah!”
But from behind him came a high-pitched monster’s roar, and when he turned back, he saw the mantis monster lunging at him.
Seeing the glowing scythe flying toward him, Yonghoon drew out all the dimensional power he could.
Blood burst from his opposite hand, and his sword blazed white. He trembled as he felt the power welling up inside him.
The monster’s glowing scythe swung at him, and he leapt, swinging his sword toward the scythe.
B-rank dimensional power was on a different level than C-rank.
His glowing sword, along with the monster’s scythe, sliced through the mantis monster’s neck.
The monster’s head flew into the sky.
‘I won.’
Just as he was rejoicing, the headless mantis monster, which had stopped moving, began to move.
The scythe on the opposite side struck down toward Yonghoon.
Crash!
Caught off guard by the sudden attack, he was flung backward and smashed through the door of the least-damaged house in the alley.
The remaining door panel was soaked in blood.
Like other insects, the mantis monster collapsed to the ground after its final movement and stopped.
The corrupted humans watching from afar immediately turned their heads. In the distance, Ganghyuk was running.
“Kyaaaaah!”
Screaming, the humans began to run after Ganghyuk.
A small sound echoed in the now quiet alley. It came from the house where Yonghoon had crashed.
Inside the broken door, Yonghoon lay collapsed. Having briefly lost consciousness, he was beginning to come to.
As his vision returned, Yonghoon’s body began to tremble from the pain.
He immediately reached behind him and unzipped the front of his bag. He pulled out a syringe and stabbed it into his leg.
It was a morphine shot. It was close to a narcotic, but nothing else could kill the pain like this.
A moment later, slightly more lucid, he checked his body and fell into despair. There wasn’t a single part uninjured.
The aftermath of blocking the mantis monster’s scythe had crushed his entire body.
He had reflexively blocked with his sword, but without imbuing it with dimensional power, it had only barely kept him from being sliced in half.
Most of his ribs seemed broken, and blood kept flowing from his mouth, likely due to internal bleeding.
Blood also flowed from the wounds that had burst open all over his body.
But he had neither the strength nor the means to stop the bleeding.
He let out a quiet sigh. It seemed this was the end.
He had just barely reached B-level, only to die right away. It was absurd.
He recalled Sunhee’s voice telling him not to be late and gave a bitter smile.
As he blankly waited for death, his eyes caught sight of the dimensional connector lying on the floor. It must have fallen when he pulled out the syringe.
After staring at the connector for a moment, Yonghoon picked it up with his barely moving hand.