360 – HGL 360

360

Brown hair flashed in the passing scenery. Yoon Ga-eul was running desperately. The Awakened Management Bureau’s transmission flowed from the radio she held.

—…Report of a Gate occurrence at Saebom Girls’ High School’s playground. The reporter is the vice principal of Saebom Girls’ High School. Priority allocation of support personnel….

—…There are no personnel available to move immediately….

Yoon Ga-eul passed through the school gate and entered the school. Students and their families use the school gymnasium as a shelter. Schools have a higher priority for rescue than other shelters, so they are also preferred. She stumbled as if she were about to fall, but she ran towards the gymnasium. She grabbed the radio and shouted.

“Da-yeon! Min-ji!”

She stopped when she saw a crack in the air above the playground. A pure white, large Monster was forcing its way out of the crack. The Monster made a creepy scream, grabbed the air with one hand, and pushed its head through the gap. Its hands and feet trembled.

A scream-like voice erupted from beyond the gymnasium window.

“Ga-eul! Why are you there? Come in quickly!”

It was the teacher’s voice. Ga-eul clenched her fist. She took out the Triton baton that the Awakened Management Bureau provided as standard equipment. She flicked the Triton baton open and took a breath.

“It’s okay….”

Ga-eul muttered, pressing down hard on the area near her heart with her trembling hand.

“Just hold on until support arrives…. I can do it…. I’ve had basic training, and I’m S-class… It’s okay, I can do it.”

Kieeeeeeek!

The Monster’s scream shook the surroundings. Ga-eul raised her head. Her eyes shone gold through her glasses. She started running towards the Monster that was forcing its way through the gap.

Yoon Ga-eul.

The sand swirling around her feet subsided.

“Damn it, what kind of outrageous bastard is that…!”

The Hunters who had been knocked down coughed up blood and struggled to get up. In front of them stood a Monster with a kangaroo-like body and an alligator’s head, holding a utility pole that it had snapped in half. The Monster opened its mouth wide and charged at the Hunters.

At that moment.

Kwaang―!!

Someone who had sprung out struck the Monster in the face. The Hunters widened their eyes. As the dust that had risen as the Monster fell subsided, his figure gradually became visible.

A muscular upper body full of hideous, patchwork-like stitches. Black hair with scattered white strands. He glanced back. It was Song Jo-heon, the Guild Leader of the missing Samra Guild.

“S, Song Guild Leader?”

“…Get out of here.”

He readjusted the knuckles he was wearing on his hand. His eyes shone brightly.

“I’ll take care of that bastard.”

“Th, thank you, Guild Leader!”

The Hunters hurriedly supported each other and ran away. Song Jo-heon immediately rushed towards the Monster, which had staggered to its feet, and threw a punch.

Bbeoeok―!!

Song Jo-heon grinned, revealing his teeth.

Song Jo-heon.

His feet easily lifted off the ground.

Jung-bin roughly wiped the sweat flowing down his chin. A Golem larger than a five-story building stood in front of him. Blood dripped from his arm. Jung-bin tore off his suit sleeve and tightly tied the bleeding arm with his hands and teeth. The scar from when he stopped the Golem a few months ago was clearly visible. Jung-bin wrapped a Black Chain around his arm.

“Team Leader, request support…!”

“No, we’re already short on manpower. I’ll handle this, so everyone retreat and go somewhere else. Like the high school that was mentioned on the radio earlier….”

“How are you going to handle such a big guy alone!”

“It’s not about handling it, it’s about holding out. We need to move efficiently. This isn’t a request, it’s an order. Retreat immediately.”

“Team Leader!”

Jung-bin didn’t answer. He was good at one-on-one combat, but he was vulnerable to such large and strong Monsters. If he couldn’t choose the best or the second best, he had to choose the least bad option. He walked into the Golem’s shadow. The Golem, which had stopped moving, slowly turned its head with a Kugugung sound.

Jung-bin took a low breath and took out several Pitons that could be hammered into a rock wall.

“Let’s buy as much time as possible until support arrives.”

He threw one of the Pitons and hammered it into the Golem’s arm. Jung-bin suddenly turned his head. Desperate eyes turned to Eui-jae. It seemed like their eyes met for a moment.

“…Please, J.”

Jung-bin.

The sand that had been swirling around his ankles scattered.

“Haaap!”

Chaeng― Bae Won-woo’s shield deflected the huge sword. The moment he lowered his shield, plant stems shot up on either side of his head, piercing the arms of the Monster holding the sword.

Kieeeek!

The Monster dropped the sword and howled. Bae Won-woo didn’t miss the opportunity and jumped up, slamming the bottom of his shield into the Monster’s neck.

Kung, the Monster staggered and fell. The front of the Wave Guild shelter was filled with plant stems and trees. Bae Won-woo wiped away the sweat that was flowing down.

“Damn it, why did a Gate have to open in front of the Guild shelter.”

“What should we do? Should we split up? Vice Guild Leader.”

Kang Ji-soo asked, tying her red hair with a hair tie. Bae Won-woo shook his head.

“No. It’ll be a headache if a strong Monster pops out if we split up for no reason. Protecting the shelter should be our top priority.”

“Aish, I want to help other places.”

“It can’t be helped. Check the inside of the shelter before the next wave starts. I’ll shout when the wave starts.”

“Okay, Vice Guild Leader.”

Kang Ji-soo carefully opened the side door of the shelter and checked the inside. The people inside the shelter were huddled in tents in groups of three or five, with their families. Somewhere, a child was sobbing. The Hangover Soup Restaurant’s granddaughter was crying in her Grandmother’s arms.

“…Aish.”

Kang Ji-soo closed the side door with a bitter face and returned to Bae Won-woo’s side, squatting down. Bae Won-woo asked with a puzzled look.

“Why are you back already?”

“It’s hard to watch the kid crying.”

“…I see.”

Bae Won-woo clicked his tongue.

“It must be hard to watch….”

At that moment, the Gate flashed. The two immediately got up and took their stances.

Bae Won-woo, Kang Ji-soo, and….

Grandmother and Ha-eun.

His feet became perfectly light.

“……”

Cha Eui-jae no longer looked back at the past he could not return to. He did not stop, bound by irreversible regrets.

He had a place to return to.

There were people waiting for him.

Eui-jae increased his running speed and stood side by side with Sa-young. Sa-young glanced at Eui-jae and smiled.

“Looks like you’ve realized something…. Finally.”

“…Thanks to you.”

“Then pick up the pace a bit. There’s a limit to how long they can hold out on the outside.”

“I know that!”

The two of them held hands, increased their speed, and ran in step. If someone stumbled, they would grab their arm, and if someone was out of breath, they would slow down a little.

As the two ran towards the source of Doomsday, countless memories flashed by. They were unfamiliar faces, unfamiliar beings, but they, too, were running towards the source of Doomsday like Cha Eui-jae and Lee Sa-young. Holding weapons, with desperate faces.

Soon, instead of the pure white desert where their feet sank easily, a roughly packed road appeared. Like a mountain trail, it was a bumpy road that seemed to have been made by many people treading on it.

Eui-jae sensed it. Surely, it was a road made by the people who had just passed by. Traces left by those who had resisted Doomsday in addition to them. They had failed, but they had left behind traces. This road was the proof.

Will we end up just paving the road and leaving like the others? Or….

The two stopped running and started walking along the road. Soon, a dead end blocked their way.

“……”

A towering, white wall blocked their path. Eui-jae swung his fist and punched the wall. It didn’t even leave a scratch. Next, he took out his spear and stabbed the wall. It was the same.

Sa-young put his hand on the wall and concentrated. A sweet scent rose, and Poison poured out of his hand. However, it only melted the surface slightly, and it was not enough to remove the wall. Eui-jae kicked the wall hard.

“Damn it, to come all the way here and…!”

Eui-jae roughly swept back his gray hair. How could they break through the towering wall that had no end in sight? Had the people who paved the road also stopped here, unable to go any further?

“…First, let’s step back a little and observe.”

Sa-young grabbed Eui-jae’s wrist and gestured for him to step back. Eui-jae nodded and followed him back a step.

At that moment.

Flap―

Two black shadows brushed past them. Black hair and a familiar jacket, and a black coat.

“…You guys!”

It was Cha Eui-jae and Lee Sa-young from the Destroyed world who had broken away from them. Their eyes met. Cha Eui-jae from the Destroyed world smiled, crinkling his black eyes.

The two of them put their hands on the wall and pulled it apart strongly. Jjjjjjjik! A small gap was revealed as the wall was torn apart.

This is the chance!

Eui-jae snatched Sa-young’s wrist and ran towards the small gap. The gap was getting smaller and smaller. He shoved his foot into the gap. Lee Sa-young, who was being dragged along, widened his eyes.

“Are you crazy?!”

“What again!!”

“What if your foot gets cut off? Are the things you’re holding just for decoration? You can just stick your spear in!”

“Ah! That’s right.”

“Why does your body always move first!”

“Shut up, put your hand in quickly too!”

Sa-young clicked his tongue and pushed his hand into the gap where Eui-jae’s foot was holding. Eui-jae pulled the gap to the left as if kicking, and Sa-young pulled it to the right as if opening a sliding door. Two Cha Eui-jaes and two Lee Sa-youngs. They twisted the gap with all their might.

Jjjjjjjik, there was a sound of something tearing. The gap was slowly widening again. Eui-jae gritted his teeth and shouted through his teeth.

“Just a little more!”

“F***, what kind of hardship is this…!”

Sa-young cursed roughly. Soon, the gap opened wide. It was just big enough for two people to pass through. As Eui-jae gasped for breath, a strong force pushed him and Sa-young in the back. Eui-jae widened his eyes and looked back.

‘Cha Eui-jae’ and ‘Lee Sa-young’ were standing there.

‘Cha Eui-jae’ waved his hand. ‘Lee Sa-young’ crossed his arms and gestured with his chin. As if telling them to go and come back.

“That bastard…!”

Sa-young, who had fallen forward with him, cursed. Eui-jae chuckled, then burst out laughing.

“Hahahaha!”

At the same time,

Kung.

The gap closed behind them.