Chapter 45 – Vladimir (2)
TL: Boko
Editors: Frost, StellarRain
It was late at night. Night had fallen for Sung Joon’s estate as well.
As Sung Joon was in the middle of an A-rank dungeon solo run and it would be some time before he finished, Vladimir gave the order for Nikolai and his teammates to commence the attack.
Vladimir’s Alpha Team of thirty members, and Nikolai’s Beta Team of twenty members arrived near Sung Joon’s mansion.
There were agents from the national intelligence agency as well as White Tiger all around the area, but the spies from the Russian intelligence agency were used to avoiding notice.
“Based on our intelligence, the mansion has already been equipped with security equipment,” Nikolai reported. He’d acquired information from his field agents that Sung Joon’s mansion had been turned into a fortress.
“It hasn’t been leaked that we’re on the move, right?”
“Unlikely. We made sure to cover it up.”
“Then that must mean he’s just keen on safety.”
There was some high ranked Hunters that were concerned about their families’ safety. He could understand why he did it.
“Have you acquired the floor plan?” Vladimir asked. If they had the floor plan, they would know where exactly the security equipment was installed. Thus, they’d be able to reduce their team member’s casualties once they attack.
“I’m sorry. We attempted to procure the floor plans, but there was a chance that we would be discovered.”
“Then I suppose it can’t be helped. Let’s proceed.”
It’d be nice to have the floor plans at their disposal, but he believed that it didn’t matter. According to their information, the Alpha Team and Beta Team had more forces than the mansion had guards, and they were also the best of the best as well.
“Once again, this is the mission objective. Our goal is Kang Sung Joon’s father, Kang Soo Hyuk. Aside from him, you can kill everyone else. Actually, make sure you kill them. We can’t leave any evidence behind,” Vladimir said. The Alpha Team and Beta Team members nodded their heads.
‘We have finish everything before Kang Sung Joon returns.’
They would be finished if Sung Joon were to come back. Vladimir had asked for a small team of elite Hunters, but the Russian intelligence agency was engaging in intelligence warfare with the U.S., so they sent him a team mixed with normal members instead.
“The Stealth Team will go first,” Vladimir ordered. Five members from Alpha Team who could use stealth moved first. Their duties would be to disable the security equipment and to assassinate any guards on patrol.
The five members of the Stealth Team carefully and covertly moved and went over the wall. The moment they tried to get through the garden…
Beep, beep!
They heard the sound of machines accompanied by a burst of light. With one glance, Vladimir knew exactly what it was.
‘So they even have stealth disablers?’
He was taken aback. Contrary to a stealth detector, a stealth disabler interferes with the mana’s wavelength and forcefully disables a person’s stealth. Because they were so expensive and rare, he hadn’t imagined one Hunter, albeit an SS-rank one, would have one.
The five members who infiltrated the garden had their stealth disabled, and the automatic lights which detected movement were directed at them.
“Trespassers! Sound the alarm!”
The guard who was on watch at the guard tower loaded his machine gun and yelled. As soon as the alarm rang, the guards on standby in Block C rushed out of the building and moved in their respective positions. And the automatic turrets installed in the garden revealed themselves.
“Shit!”
The automatic turrets began firing. Grenades and gunfire rained down upon the five members of the Stealth Team like rain.
“S-Shield!”
The Mage Hunter hurriedly used his Shield and the other members threw themselves to the side to avoid the barrage of gunfire.
They had suddenly been attacked by a barrage of gunfire and grenades, yet the Mage’s shield was still intact.
“Hahaha! Shoot all you want!” The Mage yelled pompously. Meanwhile, two other members of the Stealth Team were filled with holes and fell to the ground. The others either dodged the gunfire or took out their weapons and defended against it.
“We are taking out the guard tower first.”
While the defender’s attention was focused entirely on the Mage Hunter, the other two Stealth Team members took out their daggers to take down the guard from afar. The two were aura users, but they were skilled enough to use an aura slash.
“Ugh!”
Then, the moment that they were going to throw their daggers… an ice spear pierced through pierced through the defensive spell and into the Mage’s chest.
The Mage Hunter fell to the cold blood, shedding blood.
“They got through a B-rank Mage Hunter’s defensive spell with one attack? This is at least an A-rank Hunter!”
“Don’t panic! We expected this much resistance. First, we need to call for reinforcements!”
A Russian intelligence agency Hunter raised their radio.
“They’ve found us! We need reinforcements immediately!”
“I’m already coming with the Alpha Team,” Vladimir said through the radio.
Kwang!
A giant fireball struck the guard tower. The guard tower was engulfed in flame and collapsed; at the same time, Vladimir and the Alpha Team came over immediately.
The automatic turrets aimed at them and fired once more.
“Shield.”
The Mage Hunters of the Alpha Team used defensive spells to block the barrage of gunfire. Eventually, the agents took out their automatic rifles and fought back.
It had become a shoot-out.
“Where is the Beta Team?”
“They’ll join up with us after taking out the Korean intelligence agency and White Tiger agents,” Vladimir replied. His eyes moved quickly and surveyed his surroundings. Vladimir was well aware that they had to take care of everything before the forces from the Armed Police Department arrived. In other words, his team had ten minutes to wrap everything up.
If the Armed Policemen got involved, it was guaranteed that the situation would become much more difficult.
“We’re attacking in an extended order. I’ll take care of the security equipment,” Vladimir said and immediately used high-speed movement. Two guards who were also Hunters blocked his way, but…
“You’re in my way!”
Their heads flew as Vladimir swung his blade. The guards attempted to aim their rifles at Vladimir, but an S-rank Hunter was much too fast for normal people to react to.
“Ugh!”
“AH!”
Several guards fell and spurted blood. More than half of the automatic turrets had been disabled. Han Kyung Min, the B-rank Mage Hunter responsible for Soo Hyuk’s safety, told the guards fighting at the first line of defense to fall back to the second line, and instructed them to join up with the Lord team members.
Fortunately, Jung Chul had finished moving and was in Block B. An A-rank Hunter was a powerful force in it of itself.
“Who the hell are they?” Jang Hoon asked with an infuriated expression. Shin Chul blocked the enemy’s gunfire with his magic while he spoke.
“I don’t know either. What I can say for sure is that they definitely have an S-rank Hunter.”
Once Shin Chul had seen Vladimir’s mana reaction, he could easily assess that he was an S-rank Hunter. Jung Chul came over to his side.
“We’ve asked for reinforcements from the Armed Police Department. They’ll send forces from a nearby guard post.”
“Didn’t they disable our communications?” Shin Chul asked. When the attack had first begun, Shin Chul had attempted to contact the Armed Police Department, but the signal was jammed so he couldn’t connect.
“I hacked the jamming signal. It wasn’t easy, but it was possible.”
It was unfortunate news for Vladimir, but Jung Chul specialized in things like this.
“Anyhow, it seems like the defense line is falling.”
Jung Chul raised his spear, clad in a bluish aura.
“I think stopping them this much is plenty. We couldn’t beat them, but there were at least twenty-five of them,” Shin Chul said. It was a miracle that they were able to hold out this long against several attackers of mostly Hunters.
They would have been able to hold out longer if not for the S-rank Hunter Vladimir. Even so, all their security equipment and guards hadn’t been taken out yet. There was a handful of them, so they were still holding out.
“It seems like we’ll have to take down an S-rank Hunter.”
Jung Chul calmly assessed the situation. The S-rank Hunter was disabling all of the security equipment. If they didn’t stop him, there was a chance that Vladimir could get into the main building.
“I agree with you. But can the three of us stop an S-rank Hunter?”
“Even if we can’t, we need to buy time until either Mr. Kang Sung Joon comes back or the Armed Police Department sends us reinforcements.”
Shin Chul wasn’t confident, but they couldn’t just lose without fighting back. Jung Chul grabbed his spear tightly and tracked Vladimir’s movements.
And the moment he predicted his movements, he used his high-speed movement and closed the distance. Vladimir had sensed the fast approaching Jung Chul and swung his sword. At the same time, his transformed aura wrapped around Jung Chul’s arm like a whip.
“Ugh!”
Jung Chul was flustered, but fortunately, the aura wasn’t in the shape of a blade so his arm wasn’t severed. However, that didn’t mean that he could relax.
“Shock.”
“AHH!”
As soon as Vladimir spoke the activation words, a wave of mana travelled along the aura and pushed its way into Jung Chul’s body. Jung Chul couldn’t bear the awful pain, let out an agonized cry, and lost consciousness.
“This is the end.”
Vladimir announced Jung Chul’s death and struck with his sword, but was blocked by Jang Hoon’s greatsword.
“Ice Spear.”
Shin Chul shot out four ice spears towards Vladimir to divert his attention. They fought an intense battle, but ultimately Jang Hoon fell to his knees covered in blood.
It seemed like Shin Chul had run out of mana as his complexion was pale. Most of the security equipment had also been disabled and aside from Han Kyung Min, who was in charge of the guards, all the rest of the guards had been killed.
Among the thirty agents, nineteen had either died or sustained severe injuries.
“We’ve sustained considerable damage. After we’ve acquired the target, we must group up with the Beta Team and leave immediately,” one of his subordinate agents reported. Vladimir bit his lip.
“I didn’t think they’d be this tough… It seems like we look Kang Sung Joon’s defense system too lightly.”
Eventually, he turned his attention to his subordinate agent.
“What about Nikolai?”
“T-Truthfully… We can’t contact Nikolai or the Beta Team.”
“What did you say?”
Vladimir’s eyes widened. He took out his communication equipment and tried to trace Nikolai and the Beta Team’s signal, but there was no response. His confusion was apparent, but then, something dropped in front of him.
“Nikolai!”
It was Nikolai’s head. At the same time, he sensed a presence and when he turned around, he saw Sung Joon with a icy expression.
“I didn’t even invite you, yet you come over to mess my place up? If you really wanted to die, you should’ve just mailed me. I would’ve killed you for free…”
Vladimir was Russian, so he didn’t understand Korean, but he had a hunch that Sung Joon was pissed.
‘Something’s wrong… how did he already clear an A-rank dungeon?’
Vladimir was incredibly anxious. He hadn’t even realized that Sung Joon had set a new record.
“Something smelled fishy so I finished quickly, but when I came back, I saw this mess you made.”
Sung Joon raised his sword. Simultaneously, Vladimir signaled his subordinates.
“Subdue him immediately!”
The aura gleamed upon the Russian intelligence agency’s Hunters once they heard the urgency in the command, and rushed towards Sung Joon. Despite the multiple attacks, Sung Joon’s expression remained calm.
“Don’t think you’ll come out of this alive.”
He raised his sword.
“Tempest Sword.”
The sword winds raged. A true tempest.
Chapter 45 – Vladimir (2)
TL: Boko
Editors: Frost, StellarRain
It was late at night. Night had fallen for Sung Joon’s estate as well.
As Sung Joon was in the middle of an A-rank dungeon solo run and it would be some time before he finished, Vladimir gave the order for Nikolai and his teammates to commence the attack.
Vladimir’s Alpha Team of thirty members, and Nikolai’s Beta Team of twenty members arrived near Sung Joon’s mansion.
There were agents from the national intelligence agency as well as White Tiger all around the area, but the spies from the Russian intelligence agency were used to avoiding notice.
“Based on our intelligence, the mansion has already been equipped with security equipment,” Nikolai reported. He’d acquired information from his field agents that Sung Joon’s mansion had been turned into a fortress.
“It hasn’t been leaked that we’re on the move, right?”
“Unlikely. We made sure to cover it up.”
“Then that must mean he’s just keen on safety.”
There was some high ranked Hunters that were concerned about their families’ safety. He could understand why he did it.
“Have you acquired the floor plan?” Vladimir asked. If they had the floor plan, they would know where exactly the security equipment was installed. Thus, they’d be able to reduce their team member’s casualties once they attack.
“I’m sorry. We attempted to procure the floor plans, but there was a chance that we would be discovered.”
“Then I suppose it can’t be helped. Let’s proceed.”
It’d be nice to have the floor plans at their disposal, but he believed that it didn’t matter. According to their information, the Alpha Team and Beta Team had more forces than the mansion had guards, and they were also the best of the best as well.
“Once again, this is the mission objective. Our goal is Kang Sung Joon’s father, Kang Soo Hyuk. Aside from him, you can kill everyone else. Actually, make sure you kill them. We can’t leave any evidence behind,” Vladimir said. The Alpha Team and Beta Team members nodded their heads.
‘We have finish everything before Kang Sung Joon returns.’
They would be finished if Sung Joon were to come back. Vladimir had asked for a small team of elite Hunters, but the Russian intelligence agency was engaging in intelligence warfare with the U.S., so they sent him a team mixed with normal members instead.
“The Stealth Team will go first,” Vladimir ordered. Five members from Alpha Team who could use stealth moved first. Their duties would be to disable the security equipment and to assassinate any guards on patrol.
The five members of the Stealth Team carefully and covertly moved and went over the wall. The moment they tried to get through the garden…
Beep, beep!
They heard the sound of machines accompanied by a burst of light. With one glance, Vladimir knew exactly what it was.
‘So they even have stealth disablers?’
He was taken aback. Contrary to a stealth detector, a stealth disabler interferes with the mana’s wavelength and forcefully disables a person’s stealth. Because they were so expensive and rare, he hadn’t imagined one Hunter, albeit an SS-rank one, would have one.
The five members who infiltrated the garden had their stealth disabled, and the automatic lights which detected movement were directed at them.
“Trespassers! Sound the alarm!”
The guard who was on watch at the guard tower loaded his machine gun and yelled. As soon as the alarm rang, the guards on standby in Block C rushed out of the building and moved in their respective positions. And the automatic turrets installed in the garden revealed themselves.
“Shit!”
The automatic turrets began firing. Grenades and gunfire rained down upon the five members of the Stealth Team like rain.
“S-Shield!”
The Mage Hunter hurriedly used his Shield and the other members threw themselves to the side to avoid the barrage of gunfire.
They had suddenly been attacked by a barrage of gunfire and grenades, yet the Mage’s shield was still intact.
“Hahaha! Shoot all you want!” The Mage yelled pompously. Meanwhile, two other members of the Stealth Team were filled with holes and fell to the ground. The others either dodged the gunfire or took out their weapons and defended against it.
“We are taking out the guard tower first.”
While the defender’s attention was focused entirely on the Mage Hunter, the other two Stealth Team members took out their daggers to take down the guard from afar. The two were aura users, but they were skilled enough to use an aura slash.
“Ugh!”
Then, the moment that they were going to throw their daggers… an ice spear pierced through pierced through the defensive spell and into the Mage’s chest.
The Mage Hunter fell to the cold blood, shedding blood.
“They got through a B-rank Mage Hunter’s defensive spell with one attack? This is at least an A-rank Hunter!”
“Don’t panic! We expected this much resistance. First, we need to call for reinforcements!”
A Russian intelligence agency Hunter raised their radio.
“They’ve found us! We need reinforcements immediately!”
“I’m already coming with the Alpha Team,” Vladimir said through the radio.
Kwang!
A giant fireball struck the guard tower. The guard tower was engulfed in flame and collapsed; at the same time, Vladimir and the Alpha Team came over immediately.
The automatic turrets aimed at them and fired once more.
“Shield.”
The Mage Hunters of the Alpha Team used defensive spells to block the barrage of gunfire. Eventually, the agents took out their automatic rifles and fought back.
It had become a shoot-out.
“Where is the Beta Team?”
“They’ll join up with us after taking out the Korean intelligence agency and White Tiger agents,” Vladimir replied. His eyes moved quickly and surveyed his surroundings. Vladimir was well aware that they had to take care of everything before the forces from the Armed Police Department arrived. In other words, his team had ten minutes to wrap everything up.
If the Armed Policemen got involved, it was guaranteed that the situation would become much more difficult.
“We’re attacking in an extended order. I’ll take care of the security equipment,” Vladimir said and immediately used high-speed movement. Two guards who were also Hunters blocked his way, but…
“You’re in my way!”
Their heads flew as Vladimir swung his blade. The guards attempted to aim their rifles at Vladimir, but an S-rank Hunter was much too fast for normal people to react to.
“Ugh!”
“AH!”
Several guards fell and spurted blood. More than half of the automatic turrets had been disabled. Han Kyung Min, the B-rank Mage Hunter responsible for Soo Hyuk’s safety, told the guards fighting at the first line of defense to fall back to the second line, and instructed them to join up with the Lord team members.
Fortunately, Jung Chul had finished moving and was in Block B. An A-rank Hunter was a powerful force in it of itself.
“Who the hell are they?” Jang Hoon asked with an infuriated expression. Shin Chul blocked the enemy’s gunfire with his magic while he spoke.
“I don’t know either. What I can say for sure is that they definitely have an S-rank Hunter.”
Once Shin Chul had seen Vladimir’s mana reaction, he could easily assess that he was an S-rank Hunter. Jung Chul came over to his side.
“We’ve asked for reinforcements from the Armed Police Department. They’ll send forces from a nearby guard post.”
“Didn’t they disable our communications?” Shin Chul asked. When the attack had first begun, Shin Chul had attempted to contact the Armed Police Department, but the signal was jammed so he couldn’t connect.
“I hacked the jamming signal. It wasn’t easy, but it was possible.”
It was unfortunate news for Vladimir, but Jung Chul specialized in things like this.
“Anyhow, it seems like the defense line is falling.”
Jung Chul raised his spear, clad in a bluish aura.
“I think stopping them this much is plenty. We couldn’t beat them, but there were at least twenty-five of them,” Shin Chul said. It was a miracle that they were able to hold out this long against several attackers of mostly Hunters.
They would have been able to hold out longer if not for the S-rank Hunter Vladimir. Even so, all their security equipment and guards hadn’t been taken out yet. There was a handful of them, so they were still holding out.
“It seems like we’ll have to take down an S-rank Hunter.”
Jung Chul calmly assessed the situation. The S-rank Hunter was disabling all of the security equipment. If they didn’t stop him, there was a chance that Vladimir could get into the main building.
“I agree with you. But can the three of us stop an S-rank Hunter?”
“Even if we can’t, we need to buy time until either Mr. Kang Sung Joon comes back or the Armed Police Department sends us reinforcements.”
Shin Chul wasn’t confident, but they couldn’t just lose without fighting back. Jung Chul grabbed his spear tightly and tracked Vladimir’s movements.
And the moment he predicted his movements, he used his high-speed movement and closed the distance. Vladimir had sensed the fast approaching Jung Chul and swung his sword. At the same time, his transformed aura wrapped around Jung Chul’s arm like a whip.
“Ugh!”
Jung Chul was flustered, but fortunately, the aura wasn’t in the shape of a blade so his arm wasn’t severed. However, that didn’t mean that he could relax.
“Shock.”
“AHH!”
As soon as Vladimir spoke the activation words, a wave of mana travelled along the aura and pushed its way into Jung Chul’s body. Jung Chul couldn’t bear the awful pain, let out an agonized cry, and lost consciousness.
“This is the end.”
Vladimir announced Jung Chul’s death and struck with his sword, but was blocked by Jang Hoon’s greatsword.
“Ice Spear.”
Shin Chul shot out four ice spears towards Vladimir to divert his attention. They fought an intense battle, but ultimately Jang Hoon fell to his knees covered in blood.
It seemed like Shin Chul had run out of mana as his complexion was pale. Most of the security equipment had also been disabled and aside from Han Kyung Min, who was in charge of the guards, all the rest of the guards had been killed.
Among the thirty agents, nineteen had either died or sustained severe injuries.
“We’ve sustained considerable damage. After we’ve acquired the target, we must group up with the Beta Team and leave immediately,” one of his subordinate agents reported. Vladimir bit his lip.
“I didn’t think they’d be this tough… It seems like we look Kang Sung Joon’s defense system too lightly.”
Eventually, he turned his attention to his subordinate agent.
“What about Nikolai?”
“T-Truthfully… We can’t contact Nikolai or the Beta Team.”
“What did you say?”
Vladimir’s eyes widened. He took out his communication equipment and tried to trace Nikolai and the Beta Team’s signal, but there was no response. His confusion was apparent, but then, something dropped in front of him.
“Nikolai!”
It was Nikolai’s head. At the same time, he sensed a presence and when he turned around, he saw Sung Joon with a icy expression.
“I didn’t even invite you, yet you come over to mess my place up? If you really wanted to die, you should’ve just mailed me. I would’ve killed you for free…”
Vladimir was Russian, so he didn’t understand Korean, but he had a hunch that Sung Joon was pissed.
‘Something’s wrong… how did he already clear an A-rank dungeon?’
Vladimir was incredibly anxious. He hadn’t even realized that Sung Joon had set a new record.
“Something smelled fishy so I finished quickly, but when I came back, I saw this mess you made.”
Sung Joon raised his sword. Simultaneously, Vladimir signaled his subordinates.
“Subdue him immediately!”
The aura gleamed upon the Russian intelligence agency’s Hunters once they heard the urgency in the command, and rushed towards Sung Joon. Despite the multiple attacks, Sung Joon’s expression remained calm.
“Don’t think you’ll come out of this alive.”
He raised his sword.
“Tempest Sword.”
The sword winds raged. A true tempest.
