Hiding a House in the Apocalypse-Chapter 170.5: Response (5)
"India's downfall could of course be attributed to the terrifying nature of the Rifts themselves, but beneath that, it was the entrenched rot in Indian society—caste system, religious conflicts, wealth disparity—that erupted the moment the Rift opened..."
"The world doesn’t fall apart so easily. Korea was colonized during the Japanese occupation, but the people living on that land? They adapted and survived somehow. Sure, the balance of the world is shaken, but saying the world has ended is a ridiculous logical leap..."
"Hey! You little shit! Just because a few third-world countries collapsed, the whole world’s gone to hell? Do your damn job properly. Before you babble about some 'end of the world' bullshit, worry about your pathetic lower-class life where you’ll never afford a single apartment in Seoul. What, your parents gonna leave you an inheritance? No? Then get to work."
Before the war, countless people denied the end.
The media, internet broadcasts, even in daily life.
They believed, without question, that the world they knew would continue moving in the same direction forever.
Even geological records, carved deep into the earth, show that it’s common for entire species—hell, entire phyla—of thriving organisms to just vanish. Yet people refuse to face reality.
Suppose we had a Siberian Traps–scale volcanic eruption like the one that triggered the Permian extinction.
Would humanity survive?
Scientists say that extinction spanned over 200,000 years.
Ninety percent of marine life evaporated. The skies turned an ominous pink. Green vanished from the surface of the earth.
Even without a Rift, humanity could become nothing more than fossils because of Earth’s whims.
Now that the end has come, blaming people from the past is hardly a productive use of time.
But turning a blind eye and insisting that the end won’t come is even worse. I believe it’s better to stare the end in the face.
Running from it won’t save you.
I know this better than anyone—because I turned my eyes away from the fall of the old-school Hunters, represented by Kang Han-min and Na Hye-in.
Most people already know the answer.
You look at what you don’t want to see. You admit what you don’t want to admit.
And if there’s still a path forward, you move.
Thud!
"Damn it. No matter how many times I get hit, I never get used to these shockwaves from the big types."
"Park Gyu! It's a person!"
"For real. Two by the convenience store. One beneath the Lotto sign. They’re lying in ambush."
Of course, moving forward isn’t easy.
Feeling fear means there’s real danger, a real chance of failure.
"Da-ram."
"...Wait."
Bang!
"Gong Gyeong-min."
"Yeah. Neutralized the one under the Lotto sign."
"I’ll switch position. Cover me."
"Be careful, sunbae."
Rat-tat-tat-tat!
Still, there are surprisingly many people in this world willing to move forward despite the risks.
And now, I—Park Gyu—am one of them.
Bang! Bang!
"Convenience store neutralized. Now it's just... us and him. Park Gyu."
"You probably know his abilities already, but he's capable of using every known Authority."
"Rupture is the real threat. It gives you the shortest time to react. But still..."
Gong Gyeong-min glanced up.
From the hazy sky above, the low thrum of helicopter rotors echoed like background music.
"Why the hell did that bastard come? There's no way he can see clearly from up there."
Ha Tae-hoon asked, "Why’d he show up? Don’t you know anything? You were with him for a while, right?"
"Well, yeah. But sunbae, even when I was in Jeju, I only met him properly once."
"A dictator type?"
"Not really. He’s more like an outsider... an outsider with a faction? Lives by his own rules. No one knows what he’s thinking or what he's trying to do."
I cut in at that.
"Enough with the chatter. Focus."
The two Hunters stared at me with renewed attention.
I waited for Kim Da-ram to join us, hauling her heavy weapon case, before speaking.
"Move in a way that keeps you alive. It’s fine if it’s slow or if you have to stop. Until I give the signal, survive and close the distance."
One lesson from the China battle—
There’s never a need to rush.
Back then, we rushed the moment we saw him. Tried to take him down in close combat right away.
Couldn’t be helped.
We knew nothing about the bastard at the time.
And since the whole “strike first, strike fast” approach works on a lot of monsters, even the manuals said: “If you encounter an unknown monster and can’t avoid the fight—kill it before it does anything.”
But now that most of his abilities are known, there’s no reason to rush.
He doesn’t have any large-scale attacks that can erase us like a combat-type would. And the escorts who did have such abilities have already been dealt with.
Sure, reinforcements will come. But we have enough time to kill at least one monster.
"No need to sprint. Scatter and approach him from different directions."
I slung the heavy dual axe across my back and switched to my rifle.
Click.
The Hunters reloaded in near-perfect unison.
Their discarded magazines still had rounds left, but this was more about resolve than function.
"Let’s go."
I took the lead.
Ha Tae-hoon broke left, Gong Gyeong-min broke right, gradually widening the formation.
Beyond the thin fog, the towering monster stood like a mountain, motionless, watching us.
Click!
Behind me, Kim Da-ram settled into position and sighted the monster in her crosshairs.
"Da-ram."
When I called her name—
Bang!
A powerful gunshot rang out.
Whizz—
I felt the bullet whistle past my head and watched the monster’s reaction.
Thud!
Shockwave.
Then, a rebound field.
Whizz—
The same bullet flew back the other way, slicing past my face again.
"Nice shot."
Second lesson from China:
Shockwaves have adaptability.
The human body is stronger than it looks. Once it experiences a shockwave, it quickly builds resistance to repeated impacts.
A General-type’s shockwave is strong enough to rival Kang Han-min or Na Hye-in’s level. A normal person would faint at close range.
But if you build up resistance over time, taking multiple hits, you can reduce the effect even in a worst-case scenario.
That’s what intimidation is for.
"Hey. Park Gyu."
Gong Gyeong-min looked at me.
He wore tactical goggles equipped with monitors—tech he’d synced to all kinds of systems in a short time. One of them was Necropolis – Viva! Apocalypse!
"The monsters that destroyed The Hope are entering the city, you know?"
I ignored him.
Not worth answering.
The target was in front of us.
If the city can’t withstand that, maybe it doesn’t deserve to survive.
Besides, Woo Min-hee is there.
She always acts tough and aloof, but I know now—
She was wounded inside the Rift. Pushed to the brink.
I don’t know what she saw in there, but I believe this:
Even if she’s standing on the edge, she’s still a Hunter like us.
She made the same Monday-morning vow in front of Jang Ki-young that we all did.
“One! We Hunters protect the people!”
I’ll leave Seoul in her hands.
In silence, I stared at the slowly approaching monster.
Its bleak, grayish-white surface was finally within visual range.
Still not moving.
No point guessing what it’s thinking anymore.
Bang!
I fired.
No shockwave.
The bullet merely grazed the side of its horn-like head.
I briefly considered scalpeling it—no reaction.
I snorted.
That’s how it should be.
Only then are you worthy of being my opponent.
I picked up speed.
When I sped up, I could feel Ha Tae-hoon and Gong Gyeong-min speeding up as well.
I gestured for them to slow down and moved straight toward the target at a brisk pace.
Distance: about 80 meters.
Time to begin.
It was his turn to move.
Thud!
Right on cue, a shockwave.
I saw it.
A flash of murderous intent, just a split-second.
White lines painted through the air like someone spilling ink in water.
Choosing top students at school—especially those with high spatial perception and fast problem-solving—was the right call.
Zzzzzzzzt—
In moments like this, it matters.
I dodged the first attack ❖ Nоvеl𝚒ght ❖ (Exclusive on Nоvеl𝚒ght) and pushed forward.
I could feel the space around me warp, fold unnaturally.
Sprinting, leaping, rolling.
Basic body maneuvers drilled in school.
Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!
Space itself tore apart all around me, shredding anything in its path.
But that was all.
His Rupture hit nothing but air.
I felt a faint whirlwind brush past the back of my coat and stared at him again.
Distance closed.
Still not moving.
What’s your play?
Going to shoot me?
But he doesn’t even have a gun. Nothing even close to one.
Thud!
Shockwave.
No damage on my end.
The signs of death were aimed at Gong Gyeong-min and Ha Tae-hoon behind me.
Ignoring me and targeting my teammates?
But my teammates aren’t easy prey.
They could move faster than me if they really wanted to save their own skins.
"Da-ram!"
Bang!
With Kim Da-ram’s gunfire as the signal, I dashed.
Bang! Bang!
Explosions echoed from Ha Tae-hoon and Gong Gyeong-min’s side—but I trusted them.
Distance: 50.
The monster’s massive form trembled slightly as I closed in.
The first physical movement I’d seen.
Thud!
Along with the shockwave, the space between us warped.
A connecting thread appeared between me and the monster.
Its endpoint pointed at my rifle.
Thunk
I detached the magazine and hurled it with all my strength at him.
Next instant—
Bang! Bang! Bang-bang-bang!
Ignition.
The rounds detonated midair under his Authority, scattering shrapnel everywhere.
Ping!
One grazed my thigh.
No injury.
Just torn fabric—beneath it, another layer of thick, heat-treated pants was revealed.
Not just pants.
My top, gloves—everything but my face was reinforced for heat resistance.
It restricted movement, sure, but who cares?
“......”
I advanced toward him.
Slowly but surely, closing the gap like a fated collision.
Thud!
Another shockwave.
White trails bloomed in the air like a net.
In that instant, I mapped their paths in my mind.
Sprinted.
That was my choice.
Not to brag, but I’m pretty fast.
Whoosh—
A death-flame erupted behind me right after I ran, but it couldn’t even scratch me.
Distance closed again.
Now: 35 meters.
Well within striking range.
I pulled out my favorite Hunter weapon—the Harpoonizer.
Click.
Only three were left in the government arsenal.
Two were defective.
This was humanity’s last functioning harpoon gun.
When I drew it, the monster’s massive body twitched again.
But that was all.
It lowered its head.
It was watching me.
No fear. No caution.
Maybe it was waiting for me.
Maybe it was remembering that fight.
Yeah, you beat me back then.
Left me in pieces. Crushed everything I’d built.
You’re terrifying, I’ll give you that.
Thud!
Another shockwave.
Nothing happened.
No—wait.
Suddenly, the phone attached to my left chest pocket started heating up through the thick, reinforced fabric.
Gong Gyeong-min shouted:
"Necropolis is going haywire!"
I looked down at the phone—probably still recording—and glanced at the screen.
Something had appeared.
-6666666666666666666666666666666666i33.3.333558882555554144++++...9zzzzzzzzzzzzzz00422222222222wswwdddddaazfazzaaaaaaxxccvbbbbbbbbbb'''0'''cvvvrrtttttt;;;[][[[sssswwoooredeeedeweee2123455555555555555555555555555555555552222222qryyyyyrrfui00000hbjjuikgfjklnm,cf QAURFGPL;SDASDFVFGHHHHHHHH오후 6:58 2026-06-24;;;;;;=[-[--UUUUU/.//////////1111111GVGFFJJJJJJJJJJJRRR
“......”
Is this the monster’s message?
Its thought process?
No. Probably not.
More like someone fell asleep on their keyboard. Or leaned on it without noticing.
Even just from the jumbled date in the middle, it’s obvious.
All the monster did was connect.
But that alone matters.
They can see what we see.
They can access Necropolis.
They might even see our Viva! Apocalypse!
They’re not so different from us.
The only real difference?
He’s some pink-prince piece of shit, and I’m a damn legend.
I hit the Harpoonizer’s ignition button and yelled:
"Full salvo!"
Rat-tat-tat-tat!
Boom!
Bang!
Humanity strikes back.
At the very front, I sprinted behind the harpoon I’d fired.
Slide—
I drew my teacher’s weapon.
For a second, I thought I saw his silhouette flash by.
But I let it go.
Because I—Professor—am also Skelton.
Which means I’m a myth.
Chapter 170.5: Response (5)
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