GH Guild's members split into twenty teams and began hunting monsters in the dungeons.
Meanwhile, Kang-hyeok sat in his office researching information on the demihuman races.
"......So each dimension has beings called its rulers."
There were three dimensions cooperating with Earth's nations.
All three were ruled by human races, and those races were said to have no status system.
The three dimensions each held two or three State-Power-Class talents as well.
Beyond that, their forces on par with S-rank Hunters were said to number in the hundreds to thousands.
With their support, Earth's fighting strength could be built up quickly.
The problem was, they had no wish to see Earth's Hunters grow rapidly.
'They don't want anyone getting stronger than them?'
Well, he could understand that.
He was the same, after all.
Every human on Earth possessed a status system.
If he backed them, he could raise up State-Power-Class Hunters in no time.
The reason he didn't was simple.
The Hunters he raised might one day turn against him.
Which was exactly why he raised only Homunculi — beings he could trust one hundred percent.
"So the demihuman dimensions have plenty of State-Power-Class forces too......"
They didn't cross over to Earth recklessly.
Each dimension kept a wary eye on the others.
"If they came over, the pace of invasion would multiply several times. But......"
They'd end up drawing the State-Power-Class forces of every other dimension.
Earth would descend into chaos, and while everyone fought and clawed at each other, someone would be watching for their opening.
Since a third party could reap the gains, they held back from directly attacking Earth.
Earth was, at present, a relay dimension connecting one world to another.
A place that could keep enemies from crossing into their own dimensions.
"Hmm......"
He'd love to cross into a demihuman-ruled dimension and kill the things called rulers, but......
Without being able to gauge their abilities, he had no choice but to be cautious.
Come to think of it, he too had been a being much like a dimension's ruler.
'If they've reached the peak of the highest-grade Grandmaster realm, like me......'
It would be a fight stacked against him.
They were said to hold many Grandmaster-class forces.
So Kang-hyeok could only hope his GH Guild members grew swiftly into Grandmaster-class powerhouses.
"So the only reason we're holding on is the support of the three cooperating dimensions."
The three dimensions had transferred advanced technology to nations around the world.
Thanks to that, the usefulness of Mana Stones had grown, and new weapons had been developed to counter the demihuman invasions.
Of course, the three dimensions were said to be restraining Earth's nations from growing too strong.
And the ones standing in the way of that restraint were precisely the State-Power-Class Hunters.
"Haah...... first, should I clear out the dimensions that opened around Jeju and Gyeongsang?"
The spirit race held Jeju, along with parts of Jeolla and Gyeongsang.
The spirit race was different from pure spirits.
A race with an elf-like appearance and translucent wings.
You could think of them as beings in whom the auras of elf and spirit were mingled.
Of course, low-cultivation spirit-race members, despite having wings, couldn't fly, as the wings were too small.
But spirit-race members who reached the 3rd Circle or above could mostly fly, dominating the skies as they ravaged the southern reaches of Korea.
"The north is held by the beastmen, was it?"
The beastmen held North Korea, Manchuria, and the Primorye region.
To be precise, 70% was held by the beastmen and 30% by monsters.
The nation of Korea was under threat from both above and below.
No — was it the demon race running rampant to the west, in Japan?
"Haah......"
Thirty percent of the whole world had fallen to the demihumans.
There were even nations that had vanished, their defenses too weak.
Looking at the red markings scattered across the world map, Kang-hyeok let out a small sigh.
"At least Korea serves as a buffer zone between the spirits and the beastmen."
The spirit race, it seemed, was shifting its gaze toward China and Japan, which lay near Jeju and Gyeongsang.
"......Fuck."
Kang-hyeok let out a dry laugh at the nuclear-grade weaponry each dimension possessed.
Earth had a large stockpile of nuclear weapons too.
But if the enemy used their weapons and then evacuated to another dimension......
"If the cooperating dimensions hadn't supplied interception weapons, Earth would have been reduced to ruins."
Of course, there was also the environmental reason for not using nukes.
However you looked at it, it was a truly dire situation.
Kang-hyeok squeezed his eyes shut and pulled his gaze from the monitor.
The peace of the present was hard to believe.
Currently, Gates connected to the cooperating dimensions were open in eight countries, including the United States, Britain, and China.
The U.S. had connected its Asian allies, Korea and Japan, to the cooperating dimensions, and thanks to that, Korea had received all sorts of support and technology transfers early on.
If he revealed his full strength and annihilated the demihumans, he would surely draw the focus of every dimension.
"Haah, this really is a headache."
Kang-hyeok leaned back in his chair and began watching AeTube for the various incidents unfolding around the world.
The Raid crises breaking out across nations.
A Raid meant the monsters inside a dungeon spilling out into the world.
Once they poured out, the count easily ran from a few thousand into the tens of thousands.
In the U.S., over a hundred thousand monsters were said to be tearing the state of Colorado apart.
Similar situations were unfolding in other countries.
Once they reduced an area to ruins, the monsters would settle there and build their own domain.
When food ran short, they'd slowly expand their territory into neighboring regions.
"I should take Arbon and go into an S-grade dungeon."
Just as Kang-hyeok was searching for a reservable S-grade dungeon—
Bzzzt!
A call came in from the Association.
"Yes, this is Park Kang-hyeok."
[This is Park Gyeong-min, commander of the 3rd Knight Order, Hunter Association Seoul headquarters.]
"Yes, it's been a while, Commander."
[At around 11:37 this morning, a large-scale Raid broke out near Songnisan, in North Chungcheong. The problem is that they're pushing north...... toward Gyeonggi Province, which is why I'm reaching out to you. Would GH Guild be able to provide support?]
"What's the dungeon's grade?"
[We estimate A-grade. The trouble is the scale is anything but ordinary. Drone reconnaissance puts the monster count alone at close to several hundred thousand...... and we've already confirmed several hundred A-rank monsters as well.]
"I'll summon my guild members and head down at once."
[Thank you. The Association has already mobilized its Knight Orders. And the massive guilds have agreed to lend support, so......]
It seemed some twenty to thirty thousand Hunters, C-rank and above, would be mobilized.
The military had been deployed as well.
Tanks and helicopters fitted with new technology were moving out, laying bare the severity of the crisis.
Hearing Gyeong-min out, Kang-hyeok immediately summoned his guild members to headquarters.
The Association sent texts to all Hunters C-rank and above.
"So the Dungeon Gate ruptured between Goesan and Jeungpyeong."
It was an unverified Gate.
Probably newly opened.
Kang-hyeok let out a small sigh and turned on the TV.
The TV was already carrying the news as a special report.
[C-Countless monsters are currently scattering in every direction. Before my eyes, a legion of orcs is heading toward Jeungpyeong. Their numbers are estimated at over ten thousand, and B-rank monsters, Orc Generals, are being spotted everywhere. We've also received word that several A-rank Orc Shamans have been confirmed at the rear of the column. An S-rank monster, an Orc Chief, has not yet been sighted, but given the number of Orc Shamans, we must consider the possibility that an Orc Chief may appear.]
The reporter broadcasting from a news helicopter had a trembling voice.
A dungeon boss could also emerge from the Gate.
And if it were slain, the Gate would naturally vanish.
[This just in! A pack of Ogres has been confirmed among the monsters advancing toward Eumseong! And in Goesan, an S-rank monster, a Cyclops, has appeared——!]
So the Orc Chief wasn't the dungeon boss?
A one-eyed giant reaching a hundred meters in height swung an enormous club, laying a village to waste.
A Cyclops was a monster even S2-rank Hunters couldn't easily bring down.
To kill it, either a group of S2-rank Hunters had to move, or an S1-rank Hunter had to step in.
"A Cyclops, huh......"
Kang-hyeok looked at the words 'Lowest-Grade Skeleton Summon' in the skill section of his status.
Even enhanced, that skill could only summon lowest-grade skeletons.
Meaning it was impossible to call forth high-tier undead.
But even lowest-grade skeletons would be a great help in large numbers.
Used as porters, or thrown into rescue work.
Put a rifle in their hands, and they'd manage most kinds of combat too.
Kang-hyeok gave a small smile and switched off the TV.
When he stepped out of the master's office, his secretaries rose from their seats.
"Master, the Hunter Association has just sent a request for support in Goesan......"
"I'll head out at once. You two, wrap up for today and go home early."
At Vice Master Arbon's summons, the resting guild members poured into the underground parking lot of GH Guild headquarters.
"Check your gear! Once you're done, get straight on the buses!"
"You lot, start by confirming your potion count!"
"Yes, understood!"
The Hunters bustled about the underground lot.
Some of the members were assigned to stay behind at headquarters and in Dongjak-gu on standby.
They had to prepare for any contingency.
Teinen Guild, too, was said to be committing its Hunters of C-rank and above.
"Master, all guild members are aboard the vehicles."
"Good."
Kang-hyeok nodded and boarded the lead bus.
The buses left the underground lot and set off for North Chungcheong.
The reporters waiting in front of the GH Guild building thrust out their cameras.
"GH Guild has just departed for the scene! State-Power-Class Hunter Park Kang-hyeok is expected to join the effort to bring down the S-rank monster in Goesan, the Cyclops!"
"GH Guild says it is committing nine hundred members. The remaining hundred members, they announced, will be stationed at headquarters and in Dongjak-gu to prepare for any emergency."
The reporters hurried to break the news about GH Guild.
-Everyone relax! Park Kang-hyeok has moved!
└An S-rank monster's just small fry to a State-Power-Class Hunter.
└Some S-rank monsters are on par with S1-rank Hunters, but...... still, no match for a State-Power-Class Hunter.
└Most of GH Guild's members are S-rank Hunters.
└The Raid's so huge I was worried...... but I guess we can relax a bit.
└The Hunter Association's Knight Orders are moving now too.
└Teinen and Goguryeo Guild have sent vehicles out as well.
Hunters of C-rank and above operating from the capital region down through South and North Chungcheong were committed to the scene in droves.
For reference, Hwarang, based in Busan, couldn't join the effort.