The Imperial Hunter Chapter 57 - El Maestre (12)

Behind the two turret trucks, three small vans and one narco tank came in. The narco tank, modified from a 25-ton large truck, looked like a wheeled scrap metal on the outside, but its actual combat capabilities exceeded those of the real armored vehicle in the front. It even had a plausible turret on top.

The terrifying monstrosity with its red tail lights poured out Sicarios who resembled me closely. The resemblance meant that the Sicarios were also covered in armor resembling scrap metal all over their bodies. Just looking at them, you could smell the rough iron-like armored combat suits, probably weighing at least sixty to seventy kilograms each from the thudding sound of their footsteps. Their weight was excessive for their strength, making it difficult to control their movements and inertia. They were equipped at the level of a regional militia and awakened individuals.

Unlike the elegant and sophisticated weaponry of the Los Caballeros Templarios Cartel, their angular iron armor suits, each with sharp edges, were likely hastily made products from an ordinary hardware store. It was probably an order to deal with the “Guadalajara Shock.”

Two people got out of the Porsche Carrera as well. One was El Juego, and the other appeared to be his lover or wife. El Juego, who slammed the driver’s side door nervously, gestured violently with the machine gun in his hand.

“Hurry up, you bastards! If we can’t get the ship up in 5 minutes, it’s 10 seconds, yes, I’ll kill one of you every 10 seconds! Do you understand?!”

In response to Plaza Hepe’s fierce hysteria, about three small vans worth of Sicarios began rushing to carry the goods. The first thing they transported was blocks of drugs tightly wrapped in white plastic. The faint yellow tint in the bright white indicated that the cocaine’s purity was extremely high. One gram could be used 12 times, and, based on the market price, it was worth 50 times more than the same weight in gold or jewelry. So, it was only natural to prioritize transporting it over banknotes or precious metals.

Looking at the enemy’s composition, it was clear that the hunt would be significantly affected by whether I was present or not. Especially for my guys who had to rely on firepower, that narco tank would be a significant obstacle.

In addition, the naval base, just 2 kilometers away, was also a problem. If the fight dragged on even a little, the base security and harbor security units would be called in. Among them, Diego Svaralska, a lieutenant colonel and a friend of Ricardo who promised to watch over the deal with “Northeastern Group” the day after tomorrow, would be included.

The harbor security unit was the last opponent we wanted to fight.

Therefore, as a precaution, Suyeon had informed that she had placed several bombs in the shopping district in front of the naval base. This was a tool to disperse the attention of the navy during the battle.

‘I miss my sword.’

My hand still had the lingering sensation of the hilt of the sword. Since we were fighting in close quarters, if I rushed in with a single long sword, the enemies would die in piles without knowing how they died. The tough iron-like armored combat suits that the Plaza’s elite group of awakened individuals wore were no different. Even though they were supposed to be for urban warfare, these guys in the clunky armor suits didn’t consider even the minimum flexibility for urban combat. A fight where I would sweep away the Sicarios and finish by stabbing the driver’s seat of the narco tank would be a reasonably satisfying experience and entertainment for me, who was preparing for a larger war.

But it couldn’t be done. Not only did I not have a sword at the moment, but using it would leave traces that would take a long time to erase and cover-up.

The Knights Templar was no more. Time was running out.

[Burgos Two, One, we have secured the positions.]

In the beach area filled with condominium-style resorts, the dock was an excellent place to concentrate firepower. Each open terrace room could become an ambush point. When I turned my head slightly, I could see the figures of the guys who had just reported, taking their positions at each window.

[Burgos Two, Two, we will arrive at the location soon.]

These were the troops controlled by Suyeon. Suyeon had silently and swiftly silenced the Sicario snipers who had come in advance to secure the scene before the column of vehicles with armored vehicles reached the dock.

[Antonio to command. All teams are in position.]

This was Suyeon’s own report.

“That was fast.”

[Thanks to you, hyungnim.]

“Kyung-tae, distribute the targets. I’ll handle that monster truck. El Juego should be captured alive if possible, but if there’s any doubt, secure him even if you have to kill him. As long as his face is intact.”

[I understand.]

The monster trucks, of course, referred to the narco tanks.

“The truck is protected by a magical field. There are still seven abilities on board. To suppress them, I need to get closer, so make sure you tell the guys not to worry about accidental discharges in advance. Kyung-tae, remember that too.”

[…Yes.]

“…Yeah.”

The order was to be careful and not hold back on firepower even if I rushed forward. The two guys reluctantly accepted the orders. Even if it wasn’t an exceptionally strong firepower, it wouldn’t be easy for my refraction barrier to break through unless it was used to its full capacity.

While my subordinates were diligently preparing for the attack, El Juego was yelling at the top of his lungs, using the muzzle of his wristwatch as a gun barrel.

“Three minutes! Only three minutes left! Is this your best?! Is this all you can do?!”

A decision-maker with arrogant leadership, who talked fast but didn’t do anything himself. If I were in that situation, I would have at least personally fired a single shot of cocaine to reduce the work time. Was he anxious that someone might steal even a small piece?

Well, considering that they were Mexican cartel members, it was not surprising that there would be such distrust. They probably wouldn’t feel secure without monitoring the operation with their own eyes.

A massive explosion erupted at the dock. Dozens of sturdy Sicarios were shuttling back and forth on a long gangway barely wide enough for two people, and in the end, someone stumbled and fell.

Rat-tat-tat-tat-tat!

Unexpected gunshots rang out in rapid succession. El Juego was the culprit.

“We have no need for kids who can’t even take a step! Just die! Get lost, you spineless bastards!”

The confused Sicarios, who had received a hail of bullets that sounded like someone was knocking on their doors, crawled up to the dock after consuming water to rehydrate themselves. The aiming was so hasty that there wasn’t a single hit, but there was also no one to help them. El Juego’s lover also paced along the waterfront with a golden pistol, urging the laborers on.

“Handle them with care, you syphilitic bastards! Each of those things is worth a million times more than your balls on both sides!”

Vulgar. The two of them were acting like a pair of lowlifes.

A little later, Suyeon’s voice came over the wireless.

[Command, this is Antonio. All preparations are complete.]

“Wait.”

Cocaine that was probably over five tons was loaded onto the ship, and now boxes filled with jewelry and dollars were coming out. Once those were all moved, the vigilance of their group would be disturbed. That would be the most suitable moment to start the attack.

A hunter must have patience. Whether hunting humans or animals, waiting and then taking a single shot was much cleaner and more efficient than shooting hastily with several magazines. It was a truth that anyone calling themselves a hunter should understand.

The five minutes that El Juego had set for himself had been reduced to less than a minute after three minutes had passed.

“It’s done!”

The cartel warlord clapped his hands with 26 seconds left until the deadline he had set for himself.

“Kolako! Guayo! At the beach, take care of the front and rear! Ririo, ride with me! The rest, move according to the plan as soon as I leave! If you hide among the residents, the military or the police will never, ever find you, no matter what! Got it?! Once that fool El Tiro is dead, it’ll quiet down soon!”

As a cartel warlord, his attitude of sacrificing his own colleague for the preservation of his own power was exemplary. He tossed the keys to the yachts that each of the two officers responsible for maritime escort would board, and the vigilance line of the Sicarios, who deemed the situation to be over, began to waver.

Now’s the time.

“Fire.”

At my command, dozens of heads and torsos spewed blood front and rear. Even some of the awakened Sicarios, who were wearing armor, had weaknesses such as eye sockets and joints pierced and were either killed or incapacitated. Two of them exploded inside their armor suits due to hits from small rockets (LAW). Firearms were looted from regular army troops in the mountains.

Blocking the initial gunfire and retracting the absorption barrier, I expanded my magical field to its maximum and leaped forward.

“What the -!”

Terrified, El Juego clung to his woman and crouched down just as a succession of deafening explosions and a crimson flash engulfed the armored vehicle. Rockets, two of them, had penetrated the thin plates and detonated inside. The men inside died without even having a chance to scream.

“Get down! It’s an ambush!”

The elite fighters from Plaza were struggling even to lift the weight and bulk of their steel armor, and it seemed they found it challenging to even manage to lie down. Meanwhile, the hefty narco tank began to move. A guy in the driver’s seat was hastily stepping on the accelerator and steering.

Krrrr-

Several cracks formed on the road under the bulletproof tires. Converting a 25-ton truck for combat meant it was carrying at least 40 tons or more. It was a weight that wasn’t particularly surprising. It wasn’t something exclusive to Koreans that trucks in the past used to leave ports with a total weight of 100 tons. In other words, the narco tank in front of me was a mobile fortress that even lightweight rockets couldn’t penetrate. To defeat it in a single shot, you’d need a heavier and more expensive anti-tank weapon. Rockets targeting the tires exploded on the worn-out asphalt.

“You cowardly bastards! C-Counterattack, damn it! Protect me!”

El Juego’s desperate cries were accompanied by gunfire from his subordinates, but I paid no attention to that side. My subordinates would handle it competently.

The ability users riding in the monster truck reacted spasmodically to the expanded magical field. To me, their confusion was visible. They appeared overwhelmed, their dirty pores even clear. Their brains were shining with various chemical signals. It was closer to the thrill of those who had encountered a giant natural phenomenon rather than the reaction of those who had found an enemy. The true presence of a mage that only those who possessed a mana circuit could feel.

Nevertheless, they quickly rotated the turret. Perhaps it was because of the stability the steel fortress provided. When the barrel aimed at me, the dark dock lit up with the light of ignited gunpowder. A blast followed, mixed with the clear metallic reverberation. It was a recoilless gun.

Sssheee-

The high-explosive shell, even with its sharp trajectory, was deflected by the magical barrier. It soared off at an angle, leaving only the sound of the winds. Even from the side gunner’s port on the vehicle, suppressive fire was pouring out. I refracted even that gunfire, and before the second round could be loaded, I had approached the Narco Tank. As the distance disappeared, the occupants’ magical fields shrank to the point where they couldn’t even cover the vehicle itself.

The next steps were straightforward.

As the avoided shell landed on the far side of the dock and caused an explosion, I swiftly entered the Narco Tank’s side door and infiltrated the rear compartment.

“Fu-!”

I put a single shot from my hunting rifle into the impolite fellow who was about to spew curses as soon as he saw me. Blood splattered on the ceiling, turning the interior lighting to a crimson hue. Bang, bang, bang, bang! Dark crimson splatters flying under the bright crimson. My semi-automatic shots, as if in a burst, brought down the combat personnel in armored vests inside the vehicle. It took a mere two seconds to incapacitate five of them with one shot each.

Rumbling. The sound of a German-made truck engine enduring an overload. The resonating hum of the welded steel plates amplified that sound. Despite being obliterated, the monster truck in the rear compartment continued to turn its course, using its size and mass as a source of violence towards my subordinates, including Kyung-tae, who didn’t have the protection of the building.

There were still two magical fields remaining in the compartment where the driver was located.