66 – Never die
In order to win the war, it was necessary to obtain clear knowledge of the opponent.
This was especially true if they were unknown beings such as monsters, not humans.
Even if they don’t seem to be a threat right now, even if they’re killed by a bullet or a shell as usual…
In the future, there was always the possibility that they would become a danger in some way.
For that reason, I’ve been trying to get a clearer understanding of the Abyss, the unknown enemy we’re dealing with, and as a result, I’ve been able to frame them to some extent.
A tactical framework created by observing their behavior patterns.
Based on this, I was able to achieve decent results on my own,
At least, even if they did not win, they could not face a single strategic defeat that would cause damage to their allies.
But.. the more I deal with them based on the frame I’ve built up like that.
At some point, I was able to recognize the fact that errors were occurring in their behavior patterns.
Minor changes you can easily skip if you don’t pay attention
A low-class Abyss who leaves the camp and escapes to another place despite being in a frenzy, or enters a delayed timing with a trap in front of them.
Mid-level Abyss trying to attack A-rank hunters first, avoiding S-rank hunters, as if they were aiming for it on purpose
And decisively… as it has been until now, little by little…
The existence of the so-called high-level Abyss.
Looking at such exceptionality and their rapid evolution, I was always on the lookout for one fact.
Not now, maybe in the future…
Knowing how to operate tactics like humans,
The fact that Abyss with so-called intelligence might come out.
A story that others might consider a bad joke.
However, I thought that this was definitely a possibility, and as long as the Abyss didn’t go extinct, I thought it was a future that might be reached someday.
But.. my worries that I hoped would be unfounded…
It turned out to be a reality much sooner than I thought.
With the worst news of the massacre of my old comrades…
*
After a moment of heavy silence,
I barely managed to control my emotions, then struggled to accept the phone again.
-“Ji.. Jinhyeon oppa… are you okay?”-
“..not really, but.. at least to the extent of talking.. so, how is the situation on the frontline right now?”
– “That… that one? I’ve heard that there’s still good luck stopping enemies at close range, but things don’t look too good either. They say they are sending reinforcements, but the number of Abyss is too large, and above all, the damage suffered from the previous defeat is too great…”-
“..really?..but still maintaining the line of defense, right?”
– “Yes, but I don’t know how long this will last. I heard that the military seems to be planning to keep only the Hamhung frontline somehow, but… I think everyone seems to think that the prospects are not good overall.”-
The entire Hamheung area is located along the coast and serves as a supply window for allies.
If even that place is occupied, let alone maintain the front line, in the worst case, there is a risk of losing all the territory occupied so far, so it was clear that the military would desperately try to defend it.
‘Still, if we can only protect Hamheung, there’s some hope, but… the problem lies in the future. As long as it’s been hit that much, the military will definitely try to recruit additional troops anyway… if that happens…’
When I was thinking that far, I suddenly remembered one fact and carefully asked Ji-seon.
“Come to think of it, I forgot to ask, but what will happen to the rest of us if this happens? You and the other two S-class hunters…”
– “That’s… I’m still not quite sure. But… since there are only three of us left, the guild will surely disband… and each of us will be scattered to different places. We’ll have to wait and see where it goes.” –
“..okay. You must be having a hard time too, but thank you for telling the story.”
-“Is this all part of the atonement? Don’t worry, I’ll keep my promise to you no matter what.”
Na-sun answers my words with a serious voice.
For some reason, I felt a little relief in a corner of my heart. He spoke to her in a clear voice.
“Yes.. that promise.. I hope you will remember it in the future. It’s been 4 years.. No matter how damned the situation is, you have to keep working for me until then, so at least until then, don’t ever die.”
-“now… Are you worried?..”-
In the next moment, her voice sounds like a joy for some reason
About this I spoke to her in a firm tone.
“Yes, you are right to be concerned. To be honest, I still don’t feel good thinking about those days, but it’s a different matter when people die. So, don’t die, and somehow survive well until the end.”
-“..Yeah.. Okay brother.. promise.. I’ll make it..”-
“Okay, then hang up.”
like that,
I ended the call while listening to Ji-seon’s voice, which seemed to contain some emotion.
Next, my eyes focused on Glass and Kwon Soon, who maintained a serious attitude.
And, somehow, he began to turn towards Are, who was giving off feelings that seemed a little uncomfortable.
“As you’ve heard… things don’t seem to be going very well right now.”
“Honestly, I still have a hard time believing it, Aide. Abyss who plan and act like humans do. It must be a completely different matter to have a certain level of intelligence and to lead a large army and execute a strategy…”
“I think so too. This is clearly a fact. I don’t know how or how it was done. It is clear that at least something has changed the situation.”
“Simply put, it became quite annoying, right? It can also be said that it is difficult to have fun in the way we have been doing so far.”
“Yes, to be sure.”
Kwon Soon, who accurately pinpoints and explains the emotions I am feeling at this moment.
Then, looking at us like that, Are said in a calm yet slightly dark voice.
“That’s not good.. If this happens, it seems likely that sooner or later we will be sent to the front again. Of course, it would be best if the situation did not worsen to that extent… but judging from the situation inside the military that has been going back so far, maybe…”
Along with those words, Are, for some reason, glanced at me.
In response, I nodded slowly, and continued talking.
“Although until now, the military has been reluctant to hire black hunters like us for the sake of face. If things get worse, there’s a good chance that’s going to happen. No matter how much it is, it will not be possible to forcibly conscript Black Hunters, which can be called a private company, but it seems that there will be quite a lot of requests that cost quite a lot of money.”
In the case of an urgent crisis, it seems that the military may try to recruit in a compulsory way rather than a request, but honestly, it is safe to say that there is almost no possibility of that.
Many of the Black Hunter companies in Korea were affiliated with foreign parent corporations, and our Dreamers was the same.
No matter how urgent the situation is and how powerful the state is, it is impossible under international law to forcibly recruit mercenaries belonging to overseas corporations.
We didn’t have to worry about that for the time being, as we would have to pay an unaffordable price later on at the hands of large foreign companies if we pushed ahead with domestic issues.
So, while recognizing that a situation in which crisis and opportunity coexist in many ways was approaching, we ended our conversation…
Next I…
I went into the room alone, leaving the words that I would take a break for a while.
In order to finish the story, the feelings that I had pushed hard into a corner of my heart
A sense of loss and emptiness…and. As I started to feel the feelings of guilt and sadness flooding in again.