Rather than celebrating the success of her arrow hitting the target, Ryu Seoha silently nocked another arrow. This time, it was equipped with an item meant to prevent teleportation.

The faint sensation from [Sanctification] alerted her to the fact that the shaman, clutching the arrow embedded deep in their shoulder, was desperately pulling out a scroll. The pain was evident in the shaman's movements, but they were preparing to escape.

Fwhoosh! The arrow soared once again, tracing a sharp arc in the sky before plunging downwards. It missed the scroll by a hair's breadth and embedded itself into the shaman’s hand. The scroll fluttered to the ground.

"Gah!"

The shaman barely stifled a scream, but Ryu could sense the panic as they tried to move again, likely seeking refuge behind a large stone slab, aiming for the cover of a nearby vehicle.

At the same time, the skeletal soldiers nearby began to reposition themselves, forming a protective wall around the shaman. It seemed they had received new orders to shield their master by piling up and creating a barricade.

[Applying status effect “Paralysis” to designated targets (F-rank Skeletons, 163 entities).]

The bony soldiers, which had tried to form a protective wall, collapsed in a heap under the effect of a simple debuff. They couldn’t follow their master, who was moving rapidly towards new cover.

Not missing a beat, Ryu fired another arrow, aiming it precisely at the shaman’s back. The projectile struck, causing the shaman to stumble and fall flat onto the ground, unable to maintain their speed.

“Aaaargh!”

As the shaman crumpled under the force of the arrow, Choi Kanghu, who had been watching quietly all along, finally decided to act. With a relaxed expression, he moved swiftly to finish the job.

“Kugh!”

Using [Spatial Leap], he transported himself and Ryu Seoha directly to the fallen shaman’s side. With one arm wrapped around his lover’s waist, he casually placed his foot on the shaman’s head, pressing down.

A cold blue light flickered as Choi activated the [Memory Manipulation] skill, allowing him to access the shaman’s mind. While the shaman writhed in pain, Ryu Seoha pulled out her phone and quickly checked the news channels.

The situation in the United States was utter chaos. The dead were rising from their graves, attacking the living, while others suddenly transformed, thirsting for blood with no prior warning. There was no place left that could be considered safe.

South Korea wasn’t faring much better. Pandemonium had broken out at hospitals, funeral homes, cemeteries, and crematoriums across the country, spreading quickly to all corners of the nation.

<"Why are the infected biting people like vampires and drinking blood?">

<"New conspiracy theories emerge: Are hunters being controlled by someone?">

<"Fresh corpses and skeletal remains attack the cities.">

<"Dual tactics: Undead and virus outbreaks—Is the ‘cult’ behind this global catastrophe?">

Reports of initial infected attacks continued to surface, and even the calmest citizens were now descending into panic. Hoarding had become rampant, and fear was spreading like wildfire.

<"Heirs of prominent families refuse to desecrate their ancestors’ graves.">

<"Emergency Management Agency warns again: Do not consume any potions.">

<"Director of the Korea Virus Research Center: The symptoms alternate between active and dormant phases.">

<"Headshots don’t work on zombies or skeletons—The only solution is to eliminate the hidden mastermind.">

Research institutions, forewarned about the danger of the symptoms, immediately issued warnings to avoid inducing further panic. The Emergency Management Agency quickly pointed to potions as the likely cause of the spread. Despite these efforts, the situation only worsened.

Realizing that things were spiraling out of control, Ryu Seoha and Choi Kanghu quickly gathered all the search-type hunters deployed across the U.S. and returned to Korea without delay.

“Click.”

They arrived at a customs warehouse where cargo imported from allied nations was stored. Choi Kanghu clicked his tongue in annoyance—the location was already embroiled in a battle.

Boom! Boom!

“S-rank items for each of you! Take them all!”

“Move! That one’s mine!”

“Hahaha! Freedom!”

Chaos reigned in the warehouse. Though the attacks were uncoordinated, the sheer number of people involved made them a considerable threat. The situation had spiraled out of control.

Ryu Seoha narrowed her eyes. She recognized the faces of the attackers, grinning as they wreaked havoc. They were criminals who should have been locked up in prisons—what were they doing here?

“Supporter!”

“Hold the barrier!”

“We’re running low on mana!”

Despite her confusion, Ryu Seoha quickly expanded the protective radius of [Sanctification], which had previously been limited to her group. The new range now encompassed the battle-hardened combat hunters who were struggling to hold their ground.

“It’s Ryu Seoha!”

The wave of relief was palpable as the craftsmen and hunters, who had been crafting amplification items using the Magnifying Lens Fireflies, recognized her. They had been tasked with creating weapons to fight back against the undead and the infected.

“You made it!”

“We’re saved!”

The faces of the gathered workers brightened. These people, regardless of their affiliations, had been drafted under a presidential decree to aid in crafting critical items, along with bodyguards assigned to protect them.

“What, is there a civil war going on?” Han Gangseok muttered tiredly, his face ashen from exhaustion.

One of the craftsmen, Han Gaeul, who was producing items at an impressive speed, responded, “We were attacked. By criminals.”

"Criminals?" Han Gangseok asked in disbelief.

Apparently, riots had broken out in several prisons, led by the survivors of Chinatown. After escaping, the convicts had launched a series of raids on supermarkets, convenience stores, and distribution centers nationwide.

Even as Han Gaeul explained, her hands didn’t stop. The way she handled the materials—synthesizing, refining, tempering, enchanting, strengthening, and combining them—showed her incredible skill and focus.

“Why target this place?” Han Gangseok asked, baffled.

“The cult probably sent them,” Ryu Seoha answered calmly as she inspected the progress of the craftsmen. There was no way the cult would let them finish producing the weapons capable of quelling the chaos they had unleashed.

“Hey… Ryu Seoha?”

The attackers finally noticed Ryu Seoha’s arrival. One of them shouted in a panic, "Shit! That kid’s got his bow!"

Ryu Seoha’s reputation as an exceptional marksman had preceded her from the quarantine zone. The raiders scrambled to form defensive positions, but it was futile.

[Applying status effect “Paralysis” to designated targets (B-rank Awakened, 18 entities).]

[Applying status effect “Stun” to designated targets (D-rank Awakened, 11 entities).]

Unlike before, when Ryu had to strain herself shooting arrows until her hands bled, now she could simply stand still and immobilize her enemies with her abilities.

None of the raiders could escape the expanding influence of [Sanctification], which blanketed the area like a wave. The lower-ranked ones were instantly debuffed, unable to resist. Ryu spared the higher-ranked S-class enemies from the debuff to avoid risking blowback, but Choi Kanghu swiftly dealt with them.

“Wow…”

As the battle ended in the blink of an eye, the other hunters murmured in awe. Meanwhile, Ryu Seoha pulled out a mana suppressor, which Choi Kanghu took without a word and used to bind the raiders' necks with telekinesis. Their coordination was effortless, as if they could communicate without speaking.

Bound by restraint items, the attackers were swiftly transported to the appropriate facilities by the combat hunters. Meanwhile, the search-type hunters who had been assisting in the U.S. began relocating to areas where their expertise was needed.

“How much longer until everything is ready?” Ryu Seoha asked cautiously, watching the craftsmen work tirelessly. She knew that the cult would likely send more attackers, determined to sabotage the creation of the defensive weapons.

Even after they planted the amplification items across the country to establish the massive barrier, the cult would continue to interfere. As long as the cult refused to surrender, the attacks would persist.

So, it was crucial to complete everything in one go, without delay. But the problem was that there simply weren’t enough people to produce the required number of items in such a short time.

“At least another day,” Han Gaeul answered, her tone tinged with frustration.

“Even with the rank booster potions?”

“There’s just too much to do. Even at top speed, it’ll still take a full day.”

It was clear from Han Gaeul’s response—and her unyielding pace—that the craftsmen were already pushing themselves to their limits. Pressuring them further wouldn’t speed things up.

“Let’s move everyone somewhere safer,” Ryu Seoha suggested.

Choi Kanghu readily agreed, and without hesitation, he activated [Spatial Leap] again, relocating all the craftsmen to a new location.

“Where are we…?”

The artisans, startled by the sudden change of scenery, looked around in awe at the spacious and luxurious interior of the new location. As they marveled at the grandeur, a small red bird fluttered towards them, its sharp eyes observing the newcomers warily.

It was Ruby, the monster guardian Ryu Seoha had left to watch over her older sister since her return from the island.