The One Who Saved a World Before Will be Best at Saving Another

Chapter 38

It was shooting arrows at rampaging monsters on top of a moving train. Even though the monsters were huge, the distance made it hard to land a shot.

"One. Two."

I quickly placed an arrow on the bowstring and took a few deep breaths. At the tip of the arrow, black flames burned to strip away their magic resistance, gradually condensing.

When I released the taut bowstring, the arrow arced in a black parabola and struck one of the slimes chasing behind us.

The moment part of the slime’s body hardened to deflect the arrow, the bundle of Paradoxical Flame at the arrow’s tip poured onto its body.

"When the flames die out, that’s when you attack it."

One at a time. In the past, I could have covered this entire field in Paradoxical Flame and still controlled it while sleeping…

But now I could not manage more than this. If the arrows actually stuck, I could fire multiple shots, but those things did not even let the arrows lodge in them.

Like sweet-and-sour pork sauce poured over the slime’s body, the Paradoxical Flame blazed fiercely, eating away at its magic resistance.

Before long, the flames died down. At the same time, I readied the next arrow, and the Hunters’ attacks rained down on that slime.

— It works.

A voice full of surprised admiration came over the radio. Of course, it was not dead. The slime’s body was only cracked in places.

"Did you think I was lying or something?"

And what would I gain from lying anyway? I immediately sent the next arrow at another slime.

"We might not have enough time."

"I know that."

Before I could burn away the magic resistance of them all, those slimes would likely catch up to the moving train.

"Then I’ll just fight them with my spear."

I had to strip as much magic resistance as possible before they arrived. I loosed another arrow, and again a shower of black flames rained down on the head of one slime.

I checked the time needed to strip their resistance based on their magic frequency and their speed, then came to a conclusion.

"We’ll have to deal with two of them after they reach the train."

There just was not enough time. I had to give up on some. While I was burning away the magic resistance with the Paradoxical Flame, other Hunters threw every means they had at the slimes whose resistance had been stripped.

Before long, what I had expected happened.

Two slimes reached us without losing their resistance, and the rest arrived with their resistance gone.

"I’ll handle the two that still have their resistance."

The rest were theirs to deal with.

— I’m coming too.

It seemed Lee Se-eun was leaving the front car to other Hunters and stepping in. The situation called for it.

"Good luck."

Wishing good fortune to Han Sang-ah, who had drawn her sword, I also gripped my spear and moved toward my share of the slimes.

"It’s freezing out here."

As soon as they latched onto the train, the already frigid air grew even colder. The chill was enough to freeze the mucus in your nose while just standing still.

"Damned things."

Their attacks came not as lines or points, but in sheets. They did not target me specifically but swept the whole area I stood in with that squirming slime.

Dealing with them would be very different from fighting other monsters or humans.

From experience, being defensive against creatures like this was extremely dangerous. Fortunately, I had gauged their specs while they approached, so I could skip the probing phase.

"Ugh…"

The slime swung and struck my magically reinforced armor. The impact was absorbed, but the freezing cold that seeped in after made me shiver.

I unleashed the Quadruple Sequential Spear, and countless blue trails spread from my body, slamming into the slime. Each time a trail struck, the impacted area hardened and rang with a sharp metallic sound.

The fight went on. Sweat that rolled down my face froze right on my skin.

"One of them… is stripped!"

I had successfully burned away the resistance of one of the two slimes.

Only one remained.

"What…!"

Suddenly, the remaining slime began to bubble violently and extended dozens of tentacles toward the other slime.

"Hey, that’s not fair!"

It destroyed the other slime’s core and devoured it, doubling its own size.

"What kind of slime is that smart?"

It then covered the Paradoxical Flame clinging to its body with slime that no longer had any resistance. My current flames burned by using magic resistance as fuel.

But if it covered them with slime that had no resistance left?

Of course, they would cancel each other and go out. Like snuffing a candle by covering the flame with a snuffer. Without fuel, fire dies.

"Unbelievable."

It had no face or expression, but the way it squirmed made it feel like it was mocking me.

Getting mocked by a slime without even a brain to speak of was ridiculous.

"Are you laughing? You think this is funny?"

Whether it was really laughing or not, I did not know. Maybe I was just imagining it. Still, it pissed me off.

In the 35 years I had lived in that other world, I had piled up enough opponents who tried to counter my Paradoxical Flame to fill the No. 1 Landfill in Hagun-ri, Yangchon-eup, Gimpo City.

Surely there had been others who had tried the same trick.

"You’re so dead."

I swung my spear wreathed in flame at it again. As it tried to pull the same stunt, the slime in contact with my spear began to whirl violently. It was a little trick known by various names like Double Weight or Penetrating Strike.

"Though I told Han Sang-ah not to use this in real combat."

But everything had exceptions. If needed, I would even play Hanon at a piano competition. No one should live too single-mindedly.

The magic-resistant slime and the slime with its resistance burned away mixed together like whipped cream under the motion of the magic imbued in my attack.

That way, its attempt to smother the flames with non-resistant slime was rendered useless.

"Why don’t you try laughing now?"

The slime stopped squirming. Looks like the smile was gone.

"Let’s keep going, you liquid monster."

It might even regret not staying as two separate slimes. Judging by its earlier behavior, it had enough wit to feel that regret.

It's too late now though.

"Ugh, my head…"

I endured the throbbing headache from controlling my mana so precisely and kept pressing the attack. I called this a trick for a reason.

It was inefficient. If you could control magic so precisely like this, there were far more efficient ways to use it.

It just happened that against this massive liquid monster, this trick worked better than anything else.

* * *

With a loud crack, a greatsword shattered the hardened slime’s body and exploded inside it.

"That leaves two… no, one left! Yoo Chan-seok’s on it now."

Lee Se-eun drew another greatsword and glanced toward Yoo Chan-seok.

"Shall I help him?"

She watched the fight for a moment, then shook her head at a junior Hunter’s question and slung her sword onto her back.

"No, we can just let him be."

Yoo Chan-seok had already won that fight.

"More importantly, what are the casualties?"

"Two dead… eight injured. Two of the injured are Jannabi juniors."

Lee Se-eun looked regretful. Though the opponents had been worthy of it. Even if the request had not been to clear a level 1 Erosion Zone, it would have been tough for ordinary Hunters.

"Report the deaths to the Association, and give first aid to the injured."

Proper treatment would only be possible in Warsaw, Poland. At her words, one of Jannabi’s Hunters asked cautiously.

"Will the warlords cooperate?"

She nodded.

"They’d better, unless they want trouble."

This was about injured Hunters. Minor disputes might allow for negotiation, but she did not compromise on such matters.

"Contact them in advance. Which warlord is in control?"

"Marzurka."

A warlord controlling Poland, Ukraine, and Lithuania.

"He owns many plantations and mines in all three regions."

His plantations produced wheat, potatoes, and rye, and also extracted coal and oil.

"Which Hunter companies are contracted with Marzurka?"

Farming and mining in such dangerous lands required Hunter contracts.

"Dolce, Esprit, and Night Sky."

"Contact them too. Tell them Jannabi is requesting cooperation."

After hearing Lee Se-eun’s order, a Jannabi Hunter hesitated.

"Wouldn’t it be better in your name, Hunter Lee Se-eun…?"

"Then use my name."

If it was in Jannabi’s name, they might react lukewarmly. But in Lee Se-eun’s name, the weight of the request changed entirely.

Few Hunters could refuse a request from her.

"Anyway, that’s impressive though."

Yoo Chan-seok’s fight was almost over. At this rate, he could shine even in Cheorwon.

"You mean that black flame of his?"

"No, not that."

That was not the important part. Plenty of flashy Hunters died despite impressive abilities.

"I’ve even seen someone who could stop time."

"Really? How did they die with such an ability?"

Not from some grand attack. In fact, it was laughably simple.

"A sniper shot. They died without even realizing they were under attack."

Since they never knew the shot was coming, they never stopped time, and without stopping time, the bullet went straight through their head.

The guy had always been unlucky, but hearing that someone with such a power had died was still shocking. Overconfidence in one’s own power and lack of caution led to bad ends.

"His sense is incredible."

"Talent, right?"

Calling it talent felt off. Another word for talent was instinct. The ability to read opponents and flow naturally between offense and defense.

But that was not it. He did not fight on instinct. This was not talent but rather the realm of seasoned skill.

In the end, the slime’s core was pierced by Yoo Chan-seok’s spear, ending it, black flames clinging all over its body.

"You were right, Hunter Lee Se-eun. We didn’t need to step in."

If it had been them, they might have hindered more than helped. She thought so but did not say it aloud.

There was no need to crush their morale after all. Yoo Chan-seok was headed for the upper hell, and would rarely work with most other Hunters anyway.

"Carry out the orders, then rest."

Just a little further and they would be out of this Erosion Zone.

"For now, we’ll just pass through."

But someday, if the chance came, they would have to return and clear this place too.