Extra Story (6)
Ian landed at Alice Springs airport, a short distance from Ayers Rock. It was located in the heart of Australia’s desert.
"There are many plants in the desert.”
"It is the effort of the Australian government. A national task.”
Ian was greeted by Steinson, an Australian hunter and part of the Hunter’s Administration. Ian and his secretary were in a car driving to the desert.
"Beautiful. I didn’t know I would say this about the desert.”
Ian started to praise the scenery, as if he didn’t know about Azi Dahaka. He also meant it. The endless red earth was a strangely beautiful place. He could feel the scale of nature from the desert.
Steinson laughed. “It is more beautiful at night. The night sky here is wonderful.”
The outline of Uluru was dimly seen on the distant horizon. He didn’t feel any signs yet.
Ian said, "Today it is almost night. I’ll start working as soon as day breaks tomorrow.”
“Will it be okay? I heard that you dealt with two dragon-grade monsters in the past few days.”
“It is what I have always done. There is nothing different.”
They entered the city centre of Alice Springs. The city had more green trees than expected. The buildings that were originally houses were now being used as barracks for soldiers and hunters.
"There are many hunters eager to meet the rumoured Raven.”
"I am tired today so leave it for next time. I will do it after I finish the operation.”
"Of course. We’re not that stupid.”
Ian was guided to a house. It was a house abandoned by the residents. Ian suddenly remembered his home. He hadn’t been back for a long time and his memories were dim. The cafe was doing well. It was now operated by his sister Yiyu. Once this was over, it would be nice to go back briefly.
“Rest peacefully. I have asked for understanding from the residents. They are willing to cooperate.”
“Thank you.”
“I will contact you again.”
Ian found a family photo in the living room. It was an old couple. They were standing side by side on the front porch and smiled. Who had taken the photo? Their children, their neighbours? It could be both.
“It looks good.”
The secretary came over and looked at the family photo with him.
"I hope someone will be there when I am old.”
Ian laughed.
“You don’t have a girlfriend.”
"It is a crisis right now. I am away on a daily basis because of my work...”
He looked over at Ian while complaining. Ian was faintly smiling while looking at the photo. The secretary shrugged.
“Take a break. You must be tired.”
"I will take it easy.”
Ian sat in the living room and checked the materials he received.
Azi Dahaka, like the name, it was a monster that resembled a dragon. in the past, all the hunters were gathered at the appearance of an unprecedented dragon-grade monster but they were annihilated. Sydney became a lair and kept producing monsters. The number of casualties increased.
In the end, a nuclear bomb turned it into a land of death. Modern weapons didn’t have an effect on the monsters but a nuclear bomb was an exception. Due to the overwhelming firepower, the monsters were exterminated and Azi Dahaka stopped moving. This was the first time a dragon-level monster was removed.
Everyone knew this.
"The apparently dead monster is alive.”
"Maybe it didn’t die but was stunned from the shock?”
"The drones confirmed a suspension of life activities.”
“I don’t know. The monsters are strange.”
It was definitely strange. The monsters had a completely different physiology than Earth’s common sense.
Ian recalled the humanoid monster that appeared next to Parthenon. What was its identity? Was it a parasitic creature that controlled Parthenon? Perhaps the monsters were biological weapons controlled internally by these guys. There were too many things unknown.
"Ah, Leonardo says that Rommel keeps trying to contact you?”
"Hansung?”
“Yes. I think you should take it.”
Ian thought for a moment before replying. "I will contact him after this is over.”
His secretary nodded. Ian had been feeling pressured since he heard the news about Azi Dahaka. Ian wasn’t a bad boss but the secretary didn’t want to go against Ian when he was keeping his mood inside. He watched Ian’s oppressive mood the most. It was his mission to make sure that the unique hunter who protected humanity was fully focused.
“I understand. I’ll go talk to Steinson now.”
The secretary left the house. Ian was left alone in his house. He looked over the data before closing his eyes and leaning back against the sofa. Fatigue rushed in. After a while, he opened his eyes.
“Are you there?”
There was no answer.
“Nothing...”
The grey god didn’t reply. After returning to Earth, Ian could talk with her. Then the era of monsters appeared and communication started to be cut off. According to the grey god, the energy of the other dimension covered her connection. The spontaneous conversation was completely cut off.
Since then, Ian truly felt alone in this world. In this world, there was no one who could stand side by side with him. Ian was the only one who could deal with a dragon-class monster. In Elder Road, he had fought alongside many heroes against the grey god. But here, he was all alone.
He had to shoulder all this burden. It was a bit lonely. He missed Tiyo’s liveliness and Anor’s gentle voice.
“Hah.”
Ian sighed and opened his phone. The source of comfort for him at one time. Now it was gone. Ian opened his phone messenger chat. She hadn’t changed her profile picture. She didn’t leave the title of a farewell song. Her face was as bright as always. It was the same as when she was with Ian.
Ian sighed for a long time. Then the angry face of his sister flashed through his mind. However, that was then. He once regretted it but not anymore. The world was originally a place where he couldn’t do what he wanted. Just as when he accepted his parent’s deaths and went to the battlefield, he had no choice but to endure this.
“I’m tired...”
Ian covered his face with his hands. The coldness of his palms calmed his mind. He closed his eyes and prayed that everything would be well. Several images passed like a dream.
He imagined easily defeating Azi Dahaka and returning to South Korea with the appreciation of the Australian government. He would give a gift to Yiyu. He would drink some alcohol with Baek Hanho and Choi Hansung. The day would be clear and the air would be good. They would share jokes, laughing with no worries.
And. Walking down the street and coincidentally meeting her like fate.
He had such thoughts. Adults also sometimes dreamt that everything would turn out perfectly. He had child-like hopes. An empty dream that wasn’t possible. He sat there and dreamt for a while.
***
“Is that Rommel?"
“Choi Hansung? I saw him in the video.”
“Who are they? Hunters?”
Incheon International Airport was crowded.
South Korea’s best star, Rommel ‘Choi Hansung.’ He was walking with an unknown group. A huge man wearing a hood with his face covered by a mask. The person wasn’t just big, he was huge. Even Bautista would be smaller when disguised. The men admired his muscles. There were two other men with the enormous man. Their skins were brown and they gave off an exotic appeal. The eyes of women were fixed on them.
Finally, there was one person left. His height was small but he wore a trench coat and sunglasses. He overwhelmed everything. His walk gave people the illusion that this wasn’t the airport but a dark alley in Hong Kong. It caused the illusion that this was a ruined city.
"Oh my god. Look at that guy.”
A woman was thrilled by his appearance and grabbed the clothing of the person.
"No smoking in the airport...”
The airport staff passing by warned him. The unknown person wasn’t even smoking. It just felt like a lot of cigarette smoke was coming from the group. They wasn’t even the smell of cigarettes. There was a nice scent. The smell of a solitary male!
“Thank you.”
"This won’t work. We are only allowing this because of Hansung.”
“Yes. Have you seen the video? These guys are real.”
High-ranking people from the government came directly to see the departure of these people. It was due to Choi Hansung and the fact that he was related to Raven. But mostly, it was due to the battle video. The ogre-class monster fell because of a few guns. It was an overwhelming sight.
Choi Hansung said they came from Elder Road and were comparable to Raven, so the Korean government decided to cooperate with them. This was a time when national security was threatened by monsters. Talented hunters were the most important assets for a country.
"I can’t believe they passed over from Elder Road but the images don’t lie. I was surprised to see my friend Tashaquil.”
"This is an era that doesn’t make sense.”
“If you have more information, don’t hide it and let me know. Don’t leave me hanging like in the movies or dramas. You can’t do that.”
"Why are you acting so weak? Hahaha. You were in the institute before.”
"That was for a medical checkup."
The monsters appeared and hunters awakened their powers from Elder Road. The concept of common sense was abandoned. Rommel ‘Choi Hansung’, one of the foremost hunters in the world was ridiculous. It was easy for him to convince the government that someone had crossed over to this world.
The director of the Hunters Bureau touched his chin and asked, “By the way, is Azi Dahaka so dangerous? Do you need to go all this way?”
“Yes. Ian might be in danger.”
“Hah...”
At first, he wasn’t worried but the shaman Tashaquil advised them to go to Crockta as soon as possible. He read the sky of this world while at Choi Hansung’s house. The future was dark. A darkness from another dimension was about to swallow this world. Crockta needed them.
"Anyway, I hope he is safe. I’m serious. In the end, Ian-ssi has to come back. After all, he is a South Korean.
“Yes. Don’t worry. I’ll come back with him.”
“Then I will send you off.”
They finished their procedures and headed for the gate. Their destination was decided. It was located in the north of Australia. Since Alice Springs was closed, they would have to go to Alice Springs with the help of Australian officials. The party was steadily approaching Crockta.
“I finally get to see him dot...”
Tiyo muttered while sitting in the airplane seat. Crockta, who was called Jung Ian here. What would he look like? The identity of this guy was a human, not an orc. He looked different in the photos but Tiyo had faith that the insiders were still Crockta.
Anor lost interest in touching the seats and asked.
“What about finding Tiyo’s father?”
"He is in this dimension so I will see him someday. There is no need to hurry dot!”
Tiyo had a vague hunch. At the end of this journey to meet Crockta and deal with another dimension’s monster, his father seemed to be waiting. Hedor was such a person. Once his trail was caught, it would lead Tiyo to a new adventure.
"Crockta saved our world.”
The great warrior Crockta who defeated the grey god. Everyone in his dimension was saved by Crockta.
“Now we will help him save his world dot.”
They owed him this debt. Tiyo owed the world to Crockta so he would return Crockta’s world to him.
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