At that moment, concealed by the clamor of the landing force and the explosive surge of immense magical energy,
a young hunter with a longbow on his back quietly faded from the ranks of the Seventh Cleanup Squad, until he disappeared completely.
Only a nearly imperceptible breeze stirred.
The breeze slipped quietly across the chaotic landing site, racing over the battlefield where fighting had erupted on Jeju Island.
With every gust, several—or dozens—of ant monsters' eyes lost focus, and they crashed to the ground.
In the heat of battle, no one paid much attention to how so many ant monsters had suddenly fallen.
After all, they had only just gathered together and were unfamiliar with one another's abilities. Everyone assumed the creatures had fallen because of the powers of the companions nearby.
H Country, Seoul, an ordinary residential neighborhood.
Outside the window, the sky was overcast, much like the atmosphere inside the room.
The television in the living room was on, broadcasting a special program forcibly inserted into the Hunter Association's official channel—
"Fourth Raid: Live Updates from the Jeju Island Front."
The footage came from the magical imaging device of Lee Cheol-hyun, a photographer embedded with the troops.
The signal wasn't entirely stable, and static occasionally interfered, but the churning sea, the silhouettes of steel warships, and the island shrouded in gloom in the distance were still clearly visible.
An elderly couple sat on the sofa.
The old man had thinning white hair and a gaunt frame. His back was slightly hunched, and he clasped his hands tightly on his knees, his knuckles white from the pressure.
His gaze was lowered, fixed on the old wooden floorboards beneath his feet.
The sounds coming from the television—whether the impassioned commentary or the distant rumble of artillery—made his body tremble uncontrollably.