So ti later.
After completing the final setup, Kang-hoo checked the situation one last ti and bit down on the Mad Solarkium.
He had poured enough oil where needed and parked the bike in an optimal position to charge straight into the enemy.
The hybrids had yet to react since he was still outside their detection range.
Not far ahead, the hybrids ca into view.
【Kim Cheon-ho】
【Yoon Ryong-hyeon】
Their nas beca visible.
Those nas were naturally assigned to them after they transford into monsters.
Judging by their appearance and nas, they were clearly North Korean residents who had once lived in Gaecheon City.
A considerable number of soldiers were also present.
What stood out was that, despite wearing uniforms, they were extrely thin. Their gaunt physiques only emphasized this fact.
【Acceleration】
“Hoo!”
Kang-hoo increased his speed and rushed toward the hybrid horde, deliberately making loud footsteps.
Crunch!
At the sa ti, he bit down on the Mad Solarkium. For the next thirty minutes, he wouldn’t have to worry about pain.
Just in case, he took out the Gaksin Pill beforehand. There was no room for carelessness in the battle against the Hive Queen.
“Uuuh? Uuuuh……?”
As Kang-hoo stepped into their detection range and made a ruckus, the hybrids began to stir.
A mont ago, they had been standing still, as if frozen in ti.
But now that an enemy had appeared, their movents turned lively. So even broke into a run.
A chain reaction followed.
When the hybrids in the front sensed the intruder and moved, those in the rear began to react as well.
And soon, even the Hive Queen in the back responded.
‘I didn’t expect the baiting to work so well from the start. Should I be happy about this?’
Kang-hoo smirked as he watched the hybrids rushing in like a string of beads. It was a good start.
Now that he had been designated as the enemy, he retreated toward the area where he had spread the oil.
he prepared to mount the still-running bike. He intended for this machine to et its end along with the Hive Queen.
“Kueeek! Kueeeek!”
Driven by the montum of the vanguard, most of the hybrids began sprinting.
With the Hive Queen herself charging from behind, they were all visibly exhilarated.
It had likely been a long ti since they encountered an outsider. Their excitent was understandable; they probably wanted to tear him apart.
Once Kang-hoo lured the hybrids into the desired range, he imdiately set fire to the oil streak.
Whoosh!
The crimson flas spread rapidly, branching out in all directions and engulfing the hybrids.
So had stepped directly onto the oil line or were standing right over it, ensuring their instant incineration.
Fwoosh! Crackle! Fwoosh!
“Kueeek! Ughkueeeek!”
The sound of burning mixed with the screams of the hybrids, echoing everywhere.
Even though they had lost their human emotions and reasoning, they were not immune to pain.
The hybrids, now living fireballs, crashed into those behind them, spreading the flas even further.
As they tangled together, the unburned hybrids inevitably beca victims as well.
It was complete chaos.
Kang-hoo hadn’t even engaged in direct combat yet, but already dozens of hybrids were writhing in the flas.
So, however, managed to charge through the fire, their bodies completely engulfed in flas, still desperate to devour him.
【Thorn Hell】
Thud!
Kang-hoo, having calculated the perfect distance, impaled them with Thorn Hell.
From the uneven ground of the dirt road, jagged reddish-brown thorns shot up, rcilessly skewering the hybrids.
‘I see it.’
Kang-hoo spotted the Hive Queen swiftly closing the distance from behind the hybrid horde.
【Distortion Line】
First, he set up Distortion Line at his current position.
He stretched it out as much as possible on both sides, making it taut and effective.
Then—
He mounted his bike, revving it to full speed but not moving forward.
The bike’s purpose wasn’t to reach the Hive Queen—it was to land a devastating blow.
As soon as the Hive Queen reached the ideal collision point—
Vroooooom!
Kang-hoo sent the bike straight toward her, a farewell gift for their shared journey to Gaecheon City.
Screeeeech!
The Hive Queen, unfamiliar with the concept of a bike, instinctively curled her body, preparing to absorb the impact.
But it was faster than expected—and far more solid than she anticipated.
Bam!
“Kieek!”
Crunch! Crack! Crunch!
The Hive Queen was sent sprawling backward from the impact.
The bike crushed her as it passed over, then lost balance and tumbled over.
Having already charged up Black Moon Slash, Kang-hoo launched the fully powered attack at the dazed Hive Queen as she struggled to get up.
“Haaah!”
As expected, even in a disoriented state, the Hive Queen reacted to the deadly incoming slash. She imdiately flung her body aside.
Of course, that didn’t an she avoided it completely.
Swoosh!
“Kiiyaaah!”
Although the attack aid at the Hive Queen’s chest failed, she lost her left arm.
The Black Moon Slash had sliced cleanly through her left shoulder, stripping her of her limb.
【Shadow Step】
Kang-hoo remained in place while subtly extending shadows toward his rear.
The current battlefield structure was as follows:
The charging hybrids had been engulfed in flas, rendering them incapable of proper combat.
[Hive Queen – Kang-hoo – Distortion Line]
This was the formation of the fight.
Kang-hoo had positioned his shadows even further back beyond the Distortion Line.
Of course, he didn’t imdiately swap places with the shadows.
If he moved too soon, the Hive Queen might beco aware of the Distortion Line’s existence.
The key to a successful baiting strategy was to conceal his intentions until the last possible mont.
The earlier one reveals their hand, the quicker an opponent with sharp instincts and good judgnt will assess the situation.
If that happened, the baiting would fail, and Kang-hoo could end up in danger instead.
“Kiiiiik!”
Fueled by rage from losing an arm, the Hive Queen charged at Kang-hoo.
Though he had the Gaksin Pill in his mouth, he hadn’t swallowed it yet. He wanted to conserve it as much as possible.
After all, this fight wouldn’t end with just the Hive Queen.
Whoosh! Whoooosh!
As she reached striking distance, the Hive Queen swung her remaining arm, aiming to crush Kang-hoo.
【Wall of Integrity】
Kang-hoo imdiately deployed Wall of Integrity in front of him while retreating slightly.
Rather than intentionally backing away, he was naturally pushed back due to the force of her enraged attacks.
One notable difference compared to his previous battle with the Hive Queen—
With his left arm forming Wall of Integrity, he could freely utilize his right arm.
Thrust!
“Kieeek!”
Like a swordsman blocking an attack with a shield and counterattacking in the sa motion—
Kang-hoo, close enough to feel her breath, exploited the Hive Queen’s opening.
Instead of just defending and countering, he was now able to engage in full-fledged combat.
Kang-hoo inflicted a wound on the Hive Queen’s side and naturally took three steps back.
Now even more enraged, the Hive Queen lunged at him once more.
This ti, knowing he had defensive capabilities, she didn’t attack head-on.
She leaped high into the air, aiming for an overhead smash in a more unpredictable assault.
Bracing against the force of her muscular body using the wall didn’t seem like a good idea.
“Hup!”
So, just as the Hive Queen reached the peak of her jump, Kang-hoo rolled backward.
Simultaneously, he activated Thorn Hell at the spot where she was expected to land.
Having nurous skills at his disposal, he could seamlessly combine evasive maneuvers with counterattacks.
Crunch!
“Eh……!”
Seeing the thorns suddenly rise from the ground, the Hive Queen’s expression darkened.
With her full weight behind the fall, she would’ve been impaled in reverse if she landed on them.
“Kihek!”
At the last mont, the Hive Queen twisted her body, barely avoiding the spikes.
A fraction of a second slower, and her body would have been skewered. It was a close call.
Having been thoroughly outmaneuvered multiple tis, her fury boiled over.
Kang-hoo, wearing a sly smirk, feigned advancing and retreating repeatedly, luring her in.
Had he done this from the start, the Hive Queen might have been cautious.
But now, with her temper flaring, she saw his hesitation as utterly infuriating.
When emotion overrides rationality, maintaining a composed fight becos difficult.
The Hive Queen was falling into that exact trap.
“Grrrhh!”
Consud by rage, the Hive Queen recklessly charged forward, abandoning caution.
Even her back-mounted wings, usually reserved for desperate situations, were spread wide.
“…….”
Kang-hoo slightly tilted his head, checking behind him with his peripheral vision.
The shadows he had placed were positioned near both the front and back of the Distortion Line, maintaining close proximity.
Flash!
At that mont, he switched places with the shadow in front of the Distortion Line.
Completely lost in her frenzy, the Hive Queen charged even more aggressively at his newly relocated position.
‘I’ll take this hit head-on.’
【Wall of Integrity】
Clang!
Once again, the Wall of Integrity absorbed the Hive Queen’s attack.
“Kugh!”
This ti, she used her right elbow as a spear-like weapon, and the impact was massive.
Sssssshhh!
Even with his feet firmly planted, Kang-hoo was pushed back along the ground, the activated Wall of Integrity struggling to hold.
Thankfully, he had calculated the exact distance beforehand—otherwise, he might have been caught in the Distortion Line himself.
“As expected, the Hive Queen is on another level.”
She was nothing like the hybrids mindlessly charging into the flas.
Even after blocking just one frontal attack, Kang-hoo’s left arm was throbbing.
Right then—
Noticing Kang-hoo’s reaction, the Hive Queen prepared for another charge, planting her feet firmly.
“…….”
Kang-hoo tid his response.
Using his enhanced vision, he focused on her legs and feet instead of her upper body.
The mont she tensed her leg muscles in preparation for a leap, Kang-hoo planned to switch positions.
Then—
Crunch.
Anyone could see that she was channeling all her strength into her legs, the shift in her muscles and tendons apparent.
And in the next instant, she pushed off the ground, launching herself forward.
Whoosh!
Simultaneously, Kang-hoo swapped places with the shadow positioned behind the Distortion Line.
It was a close call, but to the Hive Queen, it would have looked like an impressive evasive maneuver.
If she had any lingering doubts, there was just one thing that puzzled her—
“Kieeek……?”
A strange white collar had sohow appeared around her neck.
No matter how she thought about it, this wasn’t a gift from Kang-hoo.
Sothing was seriously wrong.
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