Leveling Up Alone

Chapter 322 – Betrayal and Division (6)

Beep! Beep! Beep! Beep!

The faint sound of the alarm beeping emanated from the cockpit.

"H-Han-Yeol-nim! T-They have aimed their missiles at our plane!" the first officer exclaimed, perspiring profusely.

What kind of preposterous situation was this? Planning to abduct a plane flying through their airspace with legal documentation just because of a tip-off?

"First officer."

"Y-Yes!"

There was nothing else the first officer could rely on in this situation except Han-Yeol.

"Please return to the cockpit and disregard whatever they’re saying."

"Yes, Han-Yeol-nim!"

Nodding, the first officer rushed back to the cockpit, thinking, ‘Yeah, there’s no way they’ll shoot down a plane carrying a Master Rank Hunter as a passenger.’

Han-Yeol picked up on his thoughts and felt awkward, thinking, ‘Uhm… That’s not what I meant, but oh well…’

Aware that the first officer had entirely misunderstood him, Han-Yeol saw no urgency in clarifying matters, confident in his ability to resolve the situation eventually.

"What are you going to do, master?" Tia asked.

She displayed no signs of worry; instead, she appeared relaxed and genuinely curious about Han-Yeol's course of action in this tense situation.

"Well, just watch and learn. Let's go, Mavros!"

“Kyu!”

Han-Yeol, accompanied by Mavros, made his way toward the emergency escape hatch.

Most commercial and private jets didn't include such an escape feature, but this specific private jet had been initially designed for a certain country's president. However, due to financial hardships, the country had to cancel its order, providing Han-Yeol with an opportunity to purchase it at a discounted price.

It was unsurprising that a private jet intended for a president would boast an emergency escape hatch, primarily for situations involving potential terrorist threats.

Click... Clack!

After following the protocol to unlock it, Han-Yeol stood before the emergency escape hatch.

Pssht!

[H-Han-Yeol-nim! T-They are threatening to shoot us down if we do not initiate our descent within ten seconds! They claim it's not illegal according to international law!] the first officer's voice sounded desperate through the walkie-talkie clipped to Han-Yeol's waist.

Pulling out the walkie-talkie, he responded, "I'll handle it. Maintain our course."

Psssht!

[P-Pardon me?]

The first officer couldn't comprehend Han-Yeol's message just now.

By now, he should have returned to the cockpit to sort things out. But how could Han-Yeol claim he'd handle it when he was nowhere near the cockpit?

“Mavros.”

“Kyuu!”

Wooong!

Mavros anticipated Han-Yeol's intentions even before he voiced them. Gathering mana within his body, he shifted from his adorable, petite form to his combat-ready size, surpassing most fighter jets but smaller than an actual dragon.

“Kieeeeek!” Mavros cried out, unable to spread his wings this time.

“It feels like ages,” Han-Yeol remarked, patting Mavros’ head.

They had been separated for quite some time, and this would mark their first flight together after a prolonged absence.

“Okay, let’s go have some fun!”

“Kiek!”

Han-Yeol pressed the button to open the emergency escape hatch.

Thud…! Whiiiiiing!

The hatch swung open, and the sudden change in air pressure attempted to pull Han-Yeol and Mavros out. However, both transcended the limitations of this world, rendering them impervious to the force. Instead, they found the powerful winds refreshing rather than threatening.

“Let’s go.”

“Kieeeeek!”

Chwak!

Taking a stride forward, Mavros unfurled his wings, riding the wind as he soared out of the airplane with Han-Yeol astride him.

Facing the four fighter jets encircling the plane, Mavros fixed them with a determined glare.

“KIEEEEEK!” Mavros shrieked in excitement.

Fired up for battle after a long hiatus, his cry resonated with mana, releasing shockwaves aimed at the fighter jets. The mana-infused shockwave tore through the air, effortlessly reaching the fighter jets hurtling at breakneck speeds.

[Argh!]

[Mayday! Mayday! A dragon appeared from the enemy aircraft!]

[Requesting further orders. The enemy has refused to surrender. Over.]

Chwak! Chwak!

Mavros trailed behind, keeping a close eye on the fighter jets while not losing sight of the airplane. Although Han-Yeol had acquired a skill enabling him to fly, he couldn't match the speed of Mavros and the fighter jets, still requiring more practice in that area.

Nevertheless, he retrieved his walkie-talkie once more and contacted the first officer.

“Can you hear me?”

Pssht!

[Yes, Han-Yeol-nim, but there's some interference.]

“Inform the Chinese jets that Lee Han-Yeol, the Hunter, is aboard the plane. Advise them that if they persist, they will be shot down.”

Pshhht!

[…]

The first officer was speechless.

‘Did he just say he’s going to attack the Chinese jets?’

Han-Yeol might hold the title of a Master Rank Hunter, but China belonged to the H3 countries, a designation for the three most potent nations based on their Hunter strength. Was he truly considering an attack on fighter jets from such a formidable country? The notion seemed absurd and unprecedented.

After receiving no response from the cockpit, Han-Yeol radioed in once more.

“Convey my message precisely to them, now.”

Psshht!

[Y-Yes, sir…]

The aerial standoff persisted, and following Han-Yeol's directive, the first officer communicated with the fighter jets.

Beep!

“This is flight M0-1098. We possess all necessary approvals for our designated airspace passage and have strictly adhered to our approved flight path. Moreover, South Korea’s Master Rank Hunter, Lee Han-Yeol-nim, is a passenger on board. There seems to be a misunderstanding, Over.”

Intentionally omitted by the first officer was Han-Yeol's threat to retaliate against their jets.

‘What if this agitates them, prompting a missile response?’ The thought made the first officer tremble, yet the captain remained remarkably composed and silent despite their precarious situation.

“…”

‘Geez… Isn’t he worried?’ the first officer could not understand why the captain was so calm.

The captain, generally a reserved individual, tended to keep to himself, making it challenging for anyone to discern his thoughts or intentions.

‘Oh right, now’s not the time for that.’

[…]

He waited for a response, but the radio remained silent.

Psshht!

Finally, the long-awaited response from the fighter jets came.

[We are simply following orders. Ten seconds have elapsed, and we will initiate our attack.]

Beep! Beep! Beep! Beep!

An alarm blared in the cockpit, signaling that the fighter jets had locked onto them. Startled by the sound, the first officer panicked, fearing for his life, and quickly radioed Han-Yeol.

[H-Han-Yeol-nim! They've rejected our demands!]

Pssht!

[Okay, focus on piloting the plane with the captain. Don’t worry, nothing's going to happen.]

[R-Roger…]

The first officer made a conscious decision to remain composed like the captain since worrying wouldn’t resolve anything. Yet, he couldn't shake off his curiosity about Han-Yeol's intentions.

Then, it happened.

"Are you worried?"

"Huh?"

For the first time, the captain broke his silence to ask a question.

"Ah, y-yes, I should be worried, right? Beyond the four fighter jets, this could escalate into a diplomatic issue!"

"You make a valid point. However, remember that Han-Yeol-nim isn’t concerned about such matters. I suggest you cease worrying about trivial things and concentrate on flying."

"Eh…?"

"Also, instruct the cabin crew to prepare a meal for Han-Yeol-nim upon his return. Ensure they pay extra attention to it."

"Okay…"

"…"

The captain reverted to silence once more.

Whoosh!

The wind tousled Han-Yeol’s hair, though he paid it no mind.

‘So, that’s their game?’

With their refusal, there was no more room for negotiation.

Whiiing!

The fighter jets readied their missiles, displaying a serious intent to shoot the plane down.

“Mavros.”

Shwooosh!

Mavros, at Han-Yeol's signal, swiftly positioned himself in front of the fighter jets and opened his mouth wide.

“Kieeeeeeek!”

Woooooong!

A sizable magic circle materialized behind Mavros, the manifestation preceding his skill, Poison Arrow. However, the circle appeared larger than usual, catching Han-Yeol's attention.

“Wow~ When did you grow stronger, Mavros?”

“Kiek!” Mavros cried out joyfully, pleased with Han-Yeol's praise.

Meanwhile, the fighter jet pilots were anything but delighted by the appearance of the enlarged magic circle.

Beep! Beep! Beep! Beep!

Their country's recently developed mana detection device began beeping urgently, signaling distress to the pilot.

[Mayday! Mayday! A Hunter has summoned a magic circle! We stand no chance as things stand. Awaiting further commands. Over!]

[Your orders remain unchanged. Shoot down the plane. Over.]

[…]

The fighter jet pilot terminated the radio connection with the command center.

[Damn it! Does this make any sense?!]

The pilot cursed in his native language.

[What do we do, captain?]

His subordinates appeared bewildered as they contacted him.

Their directives were to bring down the plane at any cost. However, they faced a Hunter. Not just any Hunter, but a Master Rank Hunter—the most powerful in South Korea.

The pilots found themselves in a precarious situation, torn between facing certain death by challenging a Master Rank Hunter or risking severe martial repercussions for defying orders.

[We are soldiers of the greatest nation in the world. A mere Hunter from a small peninsula wouldn’t dare to attack us. They can't even stop our fishermen from illegally fishing in their waters, so how could he stop us?]

[Hahaha! Absolutely, captain!]

The pilots felt reassured upon hearing their captain’s words.

[Then what's our move, captain?]

[We are soldiers, and it's our duty to follow orders. Initiate the attack.]

[Yes, sir!]

Shwooong!

The fighter jets split into pairs, readying for an assault.

Unbeknownst to them, Han-Yeol was eavesdropping on their conversation using his Telepathy skill.

“Oh? So they really want to test me? Let’s go, Mavros,” he said with an ominous grin.

“Kieeeeek!”

Chwak!

[Fire!]

[Roger!]

Shwiiiing!

A single missile was fired at the plane.

Beep! Beep! Beep! Beep! Beep! Beep!

“Hiiiik!” the first officer shrieked in horror when the alarms went off.

‘T-They really fired at us!’

He shut his eyes, convinced this was the end, but...

Boom!

“H-Huh?”

The missile detonated midair, far from reaching the plane.

“Hoho, it seems Han-Yeol-nim is quite angry.”

“…?”

The cockpit had zero visibility due to the smoke cloud from the explosion. How did the captain discern Han-Yeol's emotions?

Meanwhile, the fighter jet pilots were somewhat surprised but remained composed.

[Captain?]

[Ah, I witnessed it. I suppose this won’t be straightforward. Switch to B formation.]

[Yes, sir!]

Shwooong!

The fighter jets maneuvered to both sides of the plane, but at that moment...

[C-Captain! Behind us…!]

[Aaaack!]

Kaboom!

Psshhht…!

[H-Hey! What happened?!]

That marked the final transmission from the fighter jet before it was shot down.

‘H-He really attacked us?!’

A Hunter from a country like South Korea dared to assault a Chinese military aircraft? This was unprecedented and made no sense!

[G-Get off my back!]

The partner of the downed fighter jet struggled to shake Mavros from its tail, but evading the dragon proved nearly impossible.

While the fighter jet might have possessed slight speed superiority, the dragon excelled in aerial maneuverability.

But amidst this chaos, what was Han-Yeol up to?

“Mana Explosion.”

He concentrated his mana at his shoulder cannons and fired.

[C-Captain…!]

Kaboom!

[…]

The captain of the fighter jets was at a loss after losing two of his subordinates.

‘W-What am I supposed to do?!’

Panic began to overwhelm him, yet before he could gather his bearings, his lone remaining subordinate cried out desperately.

[Captain!]

‘I need to regain control and save that guy, at least.’

The captain snapped back to his senses, but it was a tad too late.

Chwak!

[W-What?!]

The dragon loomed before him, a colossal magic circle materializing behind it.

[N-Nooo!]

Krwaaaaang!

A barrage of green arrows erupted from the magic circle, descending upon the remaining two fighter jets and obliterating them.

Kaboom! Boom!

“Tsk tsk… This is why you shouldn’t have provoked me,” Han-Yeol clicked his tongue, grumbling in disdain.

The fighter jet pilots sealed their fate the moment they fired a missile at the plane.

Mercy?

‘I don’t know what that is.’