The battlefield roared with chaos, but now it was a controlled situation.
"Push forward!"
"Don't let them regroup!"
The association parties and the guild teams moved like a single force. The Ironclad Guild held the defensive line, their shields locking together as waves of monsters crashed against them.
"Hold formation!" Captain Kang Do-won shouted
"Don't break!"
Behind them, the blue Horizon Guild cut through the battlefield like shadows.
Yoo Ara reappeared behind an Orc and slashed it, it head dropped instantly. At the center, the titanfall guild advanced, each swing from Jang Hyun-soo'd weapon crushed multiple monsters at once.
The pressure began to shift, the monsters were gradually reduced in numbers. As the fight continued, the C-rank Orc with double head roared from the center of the crack, bringing the attention of each captains, leaving the remains to their vice captains and when ahead for the boss to close the portal.
Han seung-ho with other captains attacked the boss together.
"Kang Do-won block the attack" Han seungo-ho shouted while the boss
Do-won stepped forward, planting his shield.
"I'll hold it."
The boss charged.
BOOM!
The impact shook the ground.
But the shield held.
Barely.
"Now!" Kang roared.
Yoo Ara vanished;
Reappearing above the monster;
Her blade aimed at its eye;
Jang Hyun-soo followed from the front;
A full-force strike;
CRASH!!!
The combined attack landed.
The boss staggered.
"Finish it!" Han Seung-ho shouted.
Multiple attacks struck at once.
BOOOOM!!!
Silence.
The boss collapsed.
For a moment.
No one moved.
Then-
The cracks in the air began to close, slowly one by one the monsters stopped coming.
"…it's over?" one hunter whispered.
A system voice echoed across all awakened players—
[EMERGENCY EVENT CLEARED]
[UNAUTHORIZED GATE SUPPRESSED]
Cheers broke out, some fell to their knees, some cried for their loss, and others laughed while they survived.
The rescue teams flooded the area immediately.
"Bring the injured here!"
"Medic! Over here!"
Support-type awakeners moved quickly, healing critical wounds. Others carried the injured onto stretchers.
Low-rank hunters sat on the ground, exhausted.
"…we made it…"
Ji-Han leaned against the wall, barely conscious. Though he didn't do much but was happy he could save one a single handedly kill one Orc though he was not experience. The woman whom Ji-han saved was lying on his lap and the child slept while leaning on him. His vision blurred and his body scream in pain.
"… we're… safe now…'' he muttered weakly while patting her head.
A medical team rushed towards him.
"Over here! Three injured!"
They carefully carried the woman from him and placed her on a stretcher. And paid attention to the child and Ji-Han and treated them. But Ji-Han was badly injured and was hospitalized.
Ji-Han slowly opened his eyes
"Uhn … Where…"
"You are awake." A nurse beside him spoke to him.
"You were brought in with severe injuries. You are lucky to be alive."
Ji-Han blinked slowly. Memories flooded back.
The fight, the Orc, the child.
"They are safe, and have been treated." The nurse said.
Ji-Han let out a weak breath
"…good…"
Then-
"DING."
His system appeared again and flickered.
[SIDE QUEST COMPLETED]
[THE STAR THAT NEVER ROSE]
[REWARD: SYSTEM SYNCHRONIZATION +5%]
[CURRENT SYNCHRONIZATION: 7%]
[NEW CONDITION MET]
[PARTIAL CELESTIAL ACCESS UNLOCKED]
Ji-Han's eyes widened slightly.
"…what now…"