Leveling Up Alone

Chapter 227: Invitation From Egypt (3)

Han-Yeol was able to board his private jet without much trouble at the Incheon International Airport.

‘Phew… My first trip overseas…’??he thought in excitement.

There was nothing special about going overseas, but the fact that this was his ‘first’ time going overseas filled him with excitement.

‘I hope only good things happen on this trip,’?he thought as he closed his eyes.

Mujahid did not tag along with him because he was quite busy. He still had many things to take care of before returning to Egypt, so he planned to stay back for a few days and meet up with Han-Yeol there later.

Whiiiiiing!

The aircraft engine roared outside, yet the noise did not penetrate the jet cabin.

Thud…!

A beautiful cabin crew member approached Han-Yeol while he was closing his eyes and enjoying the serene atmosphere inside the aircraft. Her physique was so striking that it could take any man's breath away at a single glance. Finding a cabin crew member as stunning as her was quite challenging, but it was an entirely different story when the plane in question belonged to a Master Rank Hunter.

In fact, it was the opposite, as securing a cabin crew job on this private jet was extremely competitive.

The Airbus A909 model that Han-Yeol had purchased was smaller compared to other private jets. However, its durability and safety exceeded that of other aircraft, with the capacity to seat four hundred people.

Ironically, the only occupants on board were the captain, co-pilot, twenty cabin crew members, fifty Gurkhas, and Han-Yeol.

Seuk…

The beautiful cabin crew gently touched Han-Yeol's arm.

"Hmm? What is it?" he asked, his eyes still closed.

He didn't require much sleep, but he cherished the serene tranquility offered by the luxurious cabin of the private jet.

Mavros no longer disturbed Han-Yeol as much now that he had grown up; he occupied an entire couch and was comfortably sleeping on it.

“Phew… Phew… Phew…”

The baby black dragon seemed to be slowly growing into its dragon nature, as it slept the whole day, resembling the legends of dragons hibernating.

In response to this, the beautiful cabin crew softly spoke, "I have prepared a glass of whiskey for you, Han-Yeol-nim."

"Leave it there," he replied.

"Alright, and please don't hesitate to call me if you need anything else," she said before furrowing her brow and departing.

Her actions made it clear that women all over the world were interested in Han-Yeol. After all, being a Master Rank Hunter who was still single made him an extremely rare and sought-after bachelor, not only in South Korea but worldwide.

Of course, the most sought-after woman in the world was undoubtedly Tayarana.

‘Hmm… I miss Tayarana,’?Han-Yeol thought.

Months had already passed since he last saw her. Initially, it didn't really bother him, but gradually, he began to miss her presence. He was the type of man who preferred women to make the first move rather than being reserved, but Tayarana was different.

Badump! Badump! Badump! Badump!?

‘What’s wrong with my heart?’?Han-Yeol was flustered.

His heart had never beaten this hard for someone before. Fortunately, Han-Yeol was not like some oblivious Japanese anime protagonist.

‘Tsk… I might have become stronger, but going after Tayarana is still a stretch…’?

Tayarana was a beauty that seemed otherworldly, and her beauty was matched by her origin from an incredibly wealthy and royal family. She was an exceedingly precious woman, sought after by suitors from all corners of the world, all vying for her hand in marriage. Yet, in Han-Yeol's eyes, none of them truly deserved her. He knew he had no chance at all.

‘Sigh… Why is my love life so difficult…?’?

He finally opened his eyes after the wave of sadness had overcome him.

Beep! Beep! Beep! Beep!?

“Huh?” Han-Yeol sensed that something was amiss in the cockpit.

“Kyu?”?

Even Mavros raised his head after sensing it as well.

Then, someone started running toward Han-Yeol.

‘Geez… Why can’t I ever get a break?’?he grumbled.

Han-Yeol could tell from the sounds he was picking up that there was an urgent message from the ground. He couldn't discern the exact content of the message, but its urgency was apparent given that they were contacting a plane mid-flight. However, he instinctively knew there was a good chance it was a request for his help.

"Han-Yeol Hunter-nim!"

It was the co-pilot.

"What happened?" Han-Yeol asked.

"A dimensional rift has appeared in Nepal, and they have requested assistance not only from neighboring countries but from all nearby planes."

"What?!" Han-Yeol exclaimed, his eyes shooting wide open.

‘Nepal is one of the world's poorest countries!’?he thought.

Indeed, Nepal was not only poor but also lacked strength. Its sole hunting ground couldn't even be considered a proper one, and as a result, there were no proper Hunters in the country.

Nepal had been fortunate initially when the dimensional gates appeared. They had suffered minimal damage, mainly from a few monsters crossing the border from India. Until now, there had been no reports of monsters appearing within Nepal's borders, making the country relatively safe.

However, things had taken a dire turn. A dimensional rift had appeared in what was once considered a safe area. But that wasn't the worst of it, as the co-pilot had more to report.

"They said that it does not seem to be an ordinary dimensional rift," the co-pilot explained.

"What do you mean by that?" Han-Yeol asked.

"They said that the dimensional rift is not the same as those that appeared in cities around the world, but… it seems to be the size that can threaten an entire country. It first appeared in Dhankuta District and decimated the entire area in less than thirty minutes, and the monsters have started laying siege to Dharan City now."

Then, he continued, "The casualties are not that high as the dimensional rift appeared away from the capital, Kathmandu City, where most of the population resides, but Nepal does not have the capacity to block a dimensional rift of this scale at present. Based on the transmission just now, it is not going to take long before Dharan City falls, and the monsters are definitely going to march toward Kathmandu City after smelling the scent of the humans over there."

"Damn it…" Han-Yeol muttered.

The co-pilot was wearing an earpiece that relayed the news in real-time, and Han-Yeol could sense the desperation in the situation from the report alone.

"What should we do, Han-Yeol-nim?" the co-pilot asked.

Han-Yeol immediately stood up and declared, "What else? We need to go to them right now!"

"Yes, I understand!" The co-pilot responded with a bright smile.

Although he was South Korean, his wife was Nepalese, and her brother was one of the Gurkhas Han-Yeol had hired. The co-pilot had been initially hired by Han-Yeol due to these family connections, and there was no way he could turn a blind eye to what was happening in Nepal at this moment.

‘There might be hope if Han-Yeol Hunter-nim helps…!’?

He believed that there was hope for Nepal if Han-Yeol was going to get involved.

***

The peaceful mountain villages were nowhere to be seen.

Kaboom!

“Kyaaaak!”

“Ack!”

[Help me!]

[Waaah!?Mommy!]

The eastern region of Nepal had turned into a living hell on Earth. While it wasn't as densely populated as the central or western regions, it was still inhabited by people.

The stench of blood permeated the air, and nearly every house was engulfed in flames. The agonized cries of children who had lost their parents echoed through the air, only to be silenced as they, too, fell victim to the relentless onslaught of the monsters.

Ratatatata!

The soldiers stationed in the eastern region mobilized and tried to push back the monsters.

Ting! Ting! Ting! Ting!?

“Kwuooooh!”

However, their bullets were utterly futile against the mana-enhanced hides of the monsters. All it accomplished was broadcasting their location to the relentless creatures.

Ratatatata!

The Nepalese soldiers could not help but curse their current predicament.

Bang!

“Argh!”

A massive caterpillar-like monster unleashed a spit bomb that demolished an entire building, burying three soldiers who had been shooting at the creatures under the rubble. The destruction around them was overwhelming, and hope was dwindling rapidly.

[Damn it! When are they going to send us reinforcements!] shouted the commander of the eastern region's forces at the signalman. He had already lost many of his soldiers, and their ammunition was running critically low.

It was becoming painfully clear that they couldn't hold out much longer against these monsters. An army composed of ordinary people was ill-equipped to battle such creatures. Their primary role had always been to defend their country against other ordinary people, and now they faced an unprecedented threat.

Psshht!

[C-Commander… The entire region is overrun by monsters, so it… it will be difficult for them to send reinforcements,] the signalman relayed the message, his face drained of color.

[What?!]

[We… We have been abandoned…]

[…]

The commander was left speechless. He had desperately requested reinforcements to buy time for the evacuation of civilians, but it was becoming painfully clear that this might not be a feasible option.

Thud…!

He dropped his pistol.

[Commander!]

The signalman was horrified after seeing the commander give up hope.

[Run.]

[Pardon me, sir?]

[Run if you want to live!]

The commander issued an order that he shouldn't have been forced to give as a leader. The situation had grown so dire that he had no alternative but to make this difficult decision.

[Commander!]

[Look at the situation we're in! Our guns can't even scratch those bastards! If you stay here, all of you will die a dog's death! At least one of you should survive so I'll feel less guilty in hell!]

[…Roger.]

Psshhht!

The signalman relayed the commander's command throughout the battalion. The instruction was straightforward.

[Run.]

[Survive.]

[See you in hell if ever.]

Unfortunately, there was no response. It appeared that all the soldiers were either dead or had fled long ago.

“Sigh…”?the commander let out a sigh and took out a picture of his family back in Kathmandu.

[Is that your wife, sir?] the signalman asked.

[Yeah, but why are you still here?]

[Where am I supposed to go? Haha… I am supposed to be beside you at all times, sir.]

The signalman had been beside the commander since his first transfer to this battalion, and over the years, they had developed a strong bond. Their friendship went beyond their roles as soldiers.

[Idiot… You’re going to die, you know that.]

[Hmm… To be honest, I do not think I can escape. The last message I received was that the rear battalions have already been annihilated.]

[Haha…] The commander let out a completely defeated laugh.

Kaboom!

He was compelled to witness the peaceful mountain villages he had protected for years reduced to ashes, and all he could do was pray.

[God… please save our country…]

The situation unfolding in Nepal was an absolute nightmare, with a person losing their life every second. The entire eastern region had fallen to the invading monsters. The country was utterly unprepared and ill-equipped to combat these creatures, and most of its residents had never even seen a monster in real life. Though thirty years had passed since the dimensional gates first appeared, the number of Nepalese who had encountered a monster was relatively small.

Despite its poverty, the country had been relatively peaceful compared to the rest of the world—until now.

[Did we hear anything from China?!]

The President of Nepal, Madame Vidya, shouted at her vice president, who was drenched in sweat.

[T-That is…]

[Hurry up and say it! What did the Chinese say?! Are they going to send us their Hunters?!]

Every passing second was critical at this moment, especially with reports confirming that Bagmati Province and Narayani Province had already fallen. Both soldiers and civilians were losing their lives in large numbers, and hope appeared to be slipping away for the country.