Immortals vs. Grim Reapers - chapter 14
Chapter 14: Load, Aim, Fire (Part 3)
Thump, thump, thump.
Zombies are unpredictable.
Their behavior patterns vary wildly depending on their characteristics, and their unpredictable abilities make it impossible to know how they’ll attack.
But humans are different.
Humans have desires, and they choose means and methods within the scope of their objectives. If you know their purpose, humans are easier to predict than zombies.
And the VIPs, the Immortals that Gangrim had observed, were merely humans who couldn’t die.
‘The one on the road isn’t Lopez.’
The real Lopez is hiding somewhere in the building.
The first moment Gangrim noticed something off was when the first casualty occurred.
A single gunshot.
It instantly pierced the leg. Then the presumed Lopez on the road began spraying gunfire. But Gangrim thought it strange from that moment.
You can’t aim for legs on a road littered with wrecked cars.
In other words, the gunman on the road was just a noisy decoy.
The real Lopez was sniping the hunters from a blind spot on a high-angled building rooftop.
Gangrim raced up the stairs without hesitation.
Normally, he’d be cautious about potential booby traps, but Gangrim was certain there were no traps here except for the grenade-mouthed zombies.
He was right.
‘He’s luring the enemies to the right path.’
Lopez must have thought he’d have to make his stand here as the distance was closing.
But he couldn’t have unlimited booby traps, and he didn’t have much time to prepare.
So he deliberately cut off the middle of the T-junction, guiding the hunters to the right path. The booby traps were likely concentrated there.
Gangrim had warned Han Min-sung not to take a detour with this in mind, but he doubted Han Min-sung had listened.
Sure enough, smoke rose with a thunderous noise from the opposite building.
‘They’re not subordinates, but equal-standing hunters, so I can’t force them.’
The gunfire intensified. Though the hunters had guns too, it wasn’t easy to subdue an enemy deliberately hiding.
Moreover, whether zombies or Immortals, it’s even harder when dealing with beings that don’t die easily when shot.
‘But I need to end this as quickly as possible.’
As time passes, night will fall, and the loud gunfire will attract more zombies.
Gangrim quickened his pace. Soon enough, he reached the rooftop entrance.
Bang.
Gangrim kicked open the rooftop door and surveyed his surroundings. Below, he could see the hunters in disarray.
Knowing Han Min-sung’s future, Gangrim knew he wouldn’t die here, but he thought Han Min-sung would have a tough time.
Gangrim leapt across the rooftops towards the building where Lopez might be.
‘Judging by the angle… I’ll need to cross about five more buildings.’
It wasn’t difficult as they were ordinary low-rise villas. Gangrim ran, leaving room for a final sprint, then stopped again.
The target building was a large hotel where Lopez was presumed to be hiding. To get in, he’d have to break through a window rather than the rooftop.
“You look like you’ve figured something out.”
Gangrim nearly collapsed at the sudden voice.
Yu Wolryeong was crouching beside him, having appeared without a sound.
“Damn it, I thought you were a ghost!”
“That’s not entirely wrong. I am a grim reaper, after all. Have you deduced Lopez’s identity?”
Gangrim nodded.
He was still amazed that Yu Wolryeong had approached so quickly without him noticing her running or following.
Gangrim couldn’t even gauge how powerful Yu Wolryeong was.
“This is essentially your first fight with an Immortal. Will you be alright?”
“What’s so special about an Immortal? They’re just humans who don’t die, that’s all.”
“It’s different.”
“How is it different?”
“Though I don’t know his position within the Immortal group, Immortals inherit from other Immortals. Even if he’s just a low-ranking member, he’ll have some notable abilities. The knowledge passed down only among Immortals is also an issue. Basically, consider him at least a B-class awakened one.”
Gangrim just chuckled at Yu Wolryeong’s words.
“I’ve killed S-class awakened ones before.”
However, Gangrim wasn’t one to disregard others’ warnings. Especially advice from an expert.
“Do you have any advice to offer?”
Yu Wolryeong looked at Gangrim silently for a moment before speaking.
“Come to think of it, I heard you enhanced your Death Sword. How far have you progressed with ‘Uigwanjeongje’?”
“Pardon?”
“…Your expression says you have no idea what that is.”
Yu Wolryeong’s expression turned slightly concerned as she began to explain.
“The Death Sword is a reaper’s weapon, clothing, handcuffs, and companion.”
“Yes. Lord Yeomna said the same thing.”
Yu Wolryeong nodded and repeated her explanation.
“Not just a weapon, but summoning the ‘armor’ that a reaper should wear for battle is also one of the Death Sword’s functions. It can restrain enemies or even fight alongside you when needed. That’s what Uigwanjeongje is.”
Gangrim’s gaze shifted to Yu Wolryeong’s suit.
“Oh, then the clothes you’re wearing…”
“This is also a type of uniform, but there’s separate battle gear. At the very least, you should be able to fully dress in the uniform, achieving ‘Uigwanjeongje’, to be considered a complete reaper.”
Yu Wolryeong said, neatly adjusting her tie.
“Of course, I believe Intern Reaper Ju Gangrim can hunt Immortals even without Uigwanjeongje.”
Though Yu Wolryeong spoke calmly, Gangrim felt it as silent pressure.
A demand to master Uigwanjeongje before meeting Lopez.
Gangrim awkwardly nodded and turned his head towards the hotel, their destination.
Gangrim threw his hand axe at the opposite window.
Crash!
The moment the window shattered, Gangrim hurled himself inside.
Clang.
Glass shards pierced his body, but the wounds weren’t concerning.
Gangrim shook off the glass pieces and looked back. He thought Yu Wolryeong might follow, but she was already out of sight.
Thinking she might appear like a ghost again, Gangrim hurried towards the stairs. A zombie was already waiting on the emergency stairs.
Unfazed, Gangrim brought his hand axe down on the zombie’s head.
But as the zombie moved, the trip wire around its neck was pulled out.
Ting.
Following the cheerful sound, an explosion swept through the corridor and stairs.
Rumble.
Lopez glanced at the falling debris and dust from above, then listened for a moment.
The footsteps that had been loudly thumping for a while were no longer audible.
‘I was quite surprised when someone crossed the road… but I guess that was the end of it.’
It must have been a quite experienced awakened one.
But even an awakened one, unless born with physical enhancement traits, couldn’t survive the booby traps he had prepared. No, even if they did, they’d be immobilized for a while.
Lopez turned his scope towards the hunters.
Most of the hunters who had detoured to the right were already subdued by booby traps.
The rear was equally unfavorable due to gun attacks and zombies with grenades in their mouths. Even Han Min-sung was on the defensive.
‘Just get lost.’
Lopez had already faced off against Han Min-sung at Yongsan U.S. Military Base.
Thanks to thorough preparation, he had been able to push Han Min-sung back, but considering his ability, a direct confrontation wasn’t favorable.
Lopez had intended to drive Han Min-sung away to a reasonable extent, but he wouldn’t give up easily. Instead, he seemed to have made a decision, gritting his teeth.
Suddenly, Han Min-sung firmly grasped the nape of a hunter fighting alongside him.
The hunter turned around in confusion. But Han Min-sung pressed down on the hunter’s neck as if to break it. The hunter quickly withered and died, turning black.
Han Min-sung had activated his ability, Blood Taker.
Seeing this, one hunter screamed and shouted something.
However, after a brief pause, Han Min-sung unhesitatingly slit another hunter’s throat and drained their remaining life force.
The last remaining hunter aimed his gun at Han Min-sung. But at that moment, Han Min-sung’s hand flashed.
Thud.
Han Min-sung’s dagger, shot like an arrow, pierced the last hunter’s neck.
The hunter with the pierced neck staggered, choking, before Han Min-sung grabbed their nape.
The military dagger pulled from the hunter’s neck was twisting space bizarrely, emitting an ominous aura.
Zombies rushed towards Han Min-sung, the last remaining human. Han Min-sung swung his dagger calmly, without a trace of agitation.
A dark red energy wave rippled out, simultaneously tearing apart the surrounding zombies.
Even the wrecked cars touched by the dagger were sliced like tofu.
‘He’s struggling.’
Lopez smirked as he watched Han Min-sung through the scope. He seemed determined to settle the score somehow.
Han Min-sung began crossing the road head-on, gripping the enhanced dagger.
Bullets rained down, but the enhanced dagger seemed to have a physical enhancement effect as well, as he sharply dodged between the wrecked cars. Lopez calmly aimed at Han Min-sung’s head.
But soon he took his finger off the trigger, deciding to withdraw at this point.
‘Honestly, if I fail the snipe, I don’t think I can handle it.’
If he realizes there’s a sniper, his target will become me.
Instead, he thought to let him catch the decoy, the ‘fake Lopez’ on the road, and withdraw satisfied.
Lopez’s lips twisted.
‘Well, if he can survive, that is.’
Lopez put away his gun and began preparing to escape.
He had already hidden the item he had taken from Yongsan U.S. Military Base nearby. While Han Min-sung was held up by the zombies, Lopez hurriedly packed his things to escape.
Not long after, a massive explosion erupted outside the window. It was an explosion strong enough to shatter all the windows in the area at once.
Han Min-sung had reached the fake Lopez.
Lopez grinned as he watched the flames rising fiercely.
‘I gathered all the leftover explosives from setting up booby traps and installed them there.’
Though he regretted not finishing Han Min-sung off himself, he thought they might meet again if Han Min-sung survived.
“I wonder if that outrageous dagger has some kind of protective function…”
Knock knock.
At the sudden knocking sound from behind, Lopez quickly drew his pistol. He hurriedly surveyed the room and checked the booby traps set on the door.
Countless traps were laid that would instantly shred anyone who entered.
‘Did I mishear?’
But the sound had been too clear for that. Just then, as if to prove it wasn’t a lie, the door flung open.
Bang bang bang bang!
The booby traps set for the door all exploded at once, creating a backdraft. Though he had set up some barriers, even Lopez, who was prepared, staggered from the smoke that filled the room.
Before he could grasp the situation, zombies flooded into the room.
Lopez cursed and reflexively sprayed bullets, but the acrid smoke made it difficult to aim properly for their heads.
Bang.
Lopez shot the head of a zombie that had approached closely, then noticed something strange.
All their jaws were missing. In this state, they couldn’t bite humans.
Click click. When the last zombie remained, there were no more bullets left.
Lopez quickly stabbed the remaining zombie’s head with his dagger. But only then could he see the objects dangling from the last zombie’s body.
“You son of a…”
The zombie’s body was festooned with the booby traps he had set up throughout the hotel.
A fierce explosion instantly engulfed Lopez’s body.