Chapter 201: Chapter 201
Were-dragons(1). It is a race that collectively refers to monsters that have the characteristics of a dragon [龍] and a human [人] mixed together, and there were quite a variety of entities, from dragon-type monsters to reptile-type monsters. But among them, there was a magic beast that came to Ryo Singh's mind first.
'Naga' In India, there are many myths with various animal motifs, but one can't leave out the snake monster 'Naga' as a myth that reminds one of a 'dragon'.
"Could it be that Naga have appeared?"
"I haven't checked the site myself, so I can't say for sure, but according to reports, it looks like Nagas."
Flip.
In response to Ryo Singh's question, the employee handed over the relevant materials in a businesslike manner.
"This– It really is a Naga!" Ryo Singh, who was handed over the materials, grew agitated.
A silhouette of a monster resembling a reptile emerging from the water. The silhouette of the beast in the photo in the data was very similar to the Naga that Ryo Singh knew. 'Besides, the location...' After confirming the location of the area where the were-dragons appeared, Ryo Singh sighed in pity.
"How can this happen! Loktak Lake and other places have all turned into field dungeons!" He couldn't believe it. While he was on a business trip to another country, he never thought that such a large-scale disaster would happen in India.
Loktak Lake is a large lake located in the Indian state of Manipur, and is one of the largest freshwater lakes in Southeast Asia. Around the lake, all the land in the area had been turned into a Field Dungeon. Ryo Singh asked the employee with a cool look. "How many Dungeon Breaks have exploded around here?"
"A total of five places exploded at the same time. One of them was attacked by the Guildmaster himself, so now there are four left."
"AH! This was not the time for me to go out so carefree! I should have stayed by the Guildmaster and assisted him somehow!" Ryo Singh was heartbroken. Even though this happened to their country, he didn't know anything! "This is not the time to sulk! I have to go help the Guildmaster right now! Secretary, please assemble all remaining troops in the guild under me!"
"This is a situation where all elite hunters have already been put into the field."
"The situation is so serious, it must be! Then I'll go find it myself, so please let me know the exact location of the Guildmaster!" That's how Ryo Singh went out of the guild with great enthusiasm. Although, no matter how strong he was as an A-rank hunter, it was reckless to enter Loktak Lake alone. Strangely so, none of the staff at the Asura Guild showed any signs of stopping Ryo Singh's actions.
Rather, they looked just the same as before. Possessed. Meanwhile the necklaces hanging around their necks were emitting a calm and subdued blue light.
The same light that emitted from the necklace on Ryo Singh's neck as he headed to Loktak Lake.
* * *
A while later.
Creak!
'This is it!' Ryo Singh arrived in front of Loktak's Field Dungeon with a confident appearance. Even though he came here alone, he didn't feel afraid at all. So what if he was alone? Once he goes inside the guild members will welcome him. Also he didn't come here empty-handed, rather he bought some gifts for his hunter colleagues who might be struggling in this new gate.
'Just you wait for me! I'm loaded with a lot of imported Korean hunter equipment!' The back of the large truck he had driven all the way to was loaded with expensive items made by skilled artisans in Korea. Originally, his plan was to show these precious items to the Guildmaster one by one, and to be generous with his contributions. But wouldn't it be much more dramatic to show up with these in such an emergency moment?
'Promotion! This is bound to give me an instant promotion!' Ryo Singh's heart was filled with excitement as he thought of his colleagues who would already raise their arms and cheer when they saw this amazing equipment. "Okay then let's go!"
"Ryo Singh, is it really okay for the two of us to go in? The place seems..." Jackson, the truck driver, looked at Ryo Singh with a terrified expression. Before, he was a C rank hunter with stealth skills, and was a former subordinate of Ryo Singh. Although he was fired from the Asura Guild last year due to his lack of ability, he was a person with excellent driving skills in such rough terrain.
Of course, even if a C-rank hunter had good driving skills, there was nothing to use, but it was suitable for the role of evacuating goods to a dangerous Field Dungeons like today.
"Ryo Singh, even if I were to get caught up in danger, I have a stealth skill, so I might be able to escape somehow, but you only have attack skills..."
"Ugh! Who cares about it! Jackson, I will take full responsibility for your safety, so just focus on driving!"
"...Namaste." Jackson, the truck driver who was well aware of Ryo Singh's fighting prowess, closed his eyes. And when he opened his eyes again, they began to burn with a sense of mission to save his former comrades. Jackson grabbed the steering wheel and gritted his teeth. "Alright then, here goes nothing."
Vroom!!
In this way, a cargo truck loaded with Korean-made equipment boldly entered Loktak's Field Dungeon, and immediately, reptilian monsters from all sides blocked their path.
Rwaaar! Shing! Shing!
"It's a Lizardman!"
"Jackson! Don't stop! Trust me and just keep running straight!" Ryo Singh climbed right onto the truck, braced himself on his legs and held twin swords in each hand. He laughed ferociously as he glared at the Lizardmen who were attacking with vicious momentum. "They may be dragons but they are still just lizardmen!"
At this urgent moment, a face suddenly appeared in Ryo Sing's mind. 'My comrade, Sung Suho.'
During all this time, he has gone through many adventures following Sung Suho. The Egyptian Pyramids. Ireland's Glacier Dungeon. Besides that, none of the incidents with him were as dangerous. He was the hunter who survived with Sung Suho through so many adversities and returned to his home country like this!
"Who else but me! Ryo Singh!"
Slice! Slice! Slice! Slice! Slash!
Ryo Singh's twin swords struck splendidly as they slashed all over the place. The net was dense and merciless as the Lizardmen screamed while being chopped. "Try as much as you want I can go all day!" Ryo Singh, who was protecting the truck and slaying the beasts by running back and forth, started to think about how he was resembling Suho more and more. No, they definitely look alike now!
'No matter what anyone says, I'm Sung Suho's irreplaceable comrade!'
Shiinggggg!!
Jackson's truck drove over a puddle of blood created by Ryo Singh. "Ryo Singh! I see a lake in front of me! From now onwards, this is the real deal!" Jackson shouted as he stepped on the accelerator hard.
"Alright! Pass through here and you will find the fortress of the Asura Guild!" Ryo Singh responded, his body covered from head to toe in blood, but none of it his. Jackson showed his teeth and laughed at Ryo Singh's cool eyes, visible through the Lizardman's blood dripping from his forehead. 'Haha! Is this really the Ryo Singh I knew from before?'
A rank hunter Ryo Singh. He was the elite of the Asura Guild in name and reality. A rookie who was recognized as the most elite hunter. However, he had one fatal flaw as a hunter, and it was that he used his head too much rather than using his body. All his interests are only promotions! He had only a terrible desire for honor and wanting to receive admiration and attention from others.
'Has that man been able to do things like these all along?' Jackson, who only knew about Ryo Singh's past, felt his heart grow hot at the battle in front of him, and with all his heart, he wanted to help him fulfill his purpose. He sucked on the cigarette he was holding in his mouth and grinned. Then, holding onto the steering wheel with both hands, he exclaimed enthusiastically toward Ryo Singh, who was fighting a bloody battle outside.
"Alright, then Ryo Singh! I trust you! I'm going to rush to the lakeside from now on! So guard my way!"
"Ah, stop!"
"!!!"
Suddenly, Jackson's pupils dilated, feeling as if time was passing slowly. In those eyes, from a distance, he could see the expression on the face of Ryo Singh, who hurriedly ran toward him with a puzzled look on his face.
Shiingg!!!
At the same time, the sound of water coming from the side. Jackson's head instinctively turned to the side. Before he could even turn his head completely, he saw the shape of a huge monster that had suddenly risen from within Loktak Lake. '--What the?!'
Thud!
The truck Jackson was in was thrown over the side.
"No!"
Kudangtangtangtang!
Ryo Singh threw himself at Jackson's truck, which rolled on the ground and crumpled in an instant. With the superhuman strength of an A rank hunter, he managed to stop the truck from moving however he couldn't check Jackson's condition.
Aaaaaa!
"!!!" A huge shadow of the 'Naga' emerged from the lake and cast over Ryo Singh.
Kwaaang!
A gigantic reptilian hand slammed down on Ryo Singh's head. Ryo Singh's pupils dilated at the sight, and the calculator ran in his head for an instant. 'I'm not a tanker.'
The difference between the dealer and the tank is significant. As a dealer, he had the strength to stop a truck, but he didn't have the stamina or skills to deal with the attack of such a gigantic monster. That means soon. 'It's more efficient to counterattack after dodging!' That would have been the perfect strategy for a dealer to give up defense and use dual swords. But if so, 'If I avoid it, Jackson will die!' Ryo Singh fixed his stance with a determined look and crossed his twin swords.
And recalling the image of Sung Suho in his memory-
"Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!"
Crack!!
"!?!"
However, the Naga's defense was stronger than expected. The blade of the sword that touched the Naga's hand broke away helplessly. Despair came to Ryo Singh's eyes as he witnessed the scene. 'Oh, no...' The reason for that despair was not because his own life was precious. No matter how much the dealer was, there was no way that he, an A-rank hunter, would lose his life with one hit. However, what is certain is that Jackson, who is riding in the truck, will surely die from that attack. Jackson, who he had forced to set foot on this rough terrain! 'NO-!'
Woosh!
In that desperate situation, the shadow assassin Kira, who had been quietly holding his breath at Ryo Singh's feet, moved under the master's orders.
T-ring!
[Use 'Skill: Shadow Exchange'.]
Swoop!
"Ah!!" Ryo Singh's bulging eyes looked ahead.
The firm back of the man who suddenly blocked him. The figure of 'him' who easily blocked Naga's powerful attack with one hand.
"...I found a good one." A faint smile appeared on his lips.
As if his pride had been hurt by that appearance, the Naga snarled ferociously and pressed down the hand he had struck with even greater force. But for some reason, the Naga's hand didn't move. Suho just turned his head and said to Ryo Singh.
"Rest here for a while, I'll take care of the rest." Then, Suho looked forward again, and his eyes suddenly changed like a hunter who found his prey. "Wake up."
Wah!
"Greed."
!!!
At that moment, the S rank Hunter, who returned as a shadow soldier, stood up in front of the huge Naga.
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1: The original translation is ???(龍人族) which can also be translated as Dragonewts or Dragonoids, I used were-dragons instead to keep it more literal to the translation of half-dragons, half-humanoid magic beasts.
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