By Zephyria Outside the wall, sounds of hard objects colliding echoed continuously. The chaotic noise stirred restlessly in his head. Sa-young roughly tore at the snare binding him. Was this why he pushed me away?
Gritting his teeth, Sa-young knelt before Jung-bin, assessing his condition.
“…Why is this crazy brat like this again.”
Jung-bin was completely soaked in his own blood. Even at a glance, his right arm looked like the bones were completely misaligned. The Black Chain, which had been writhing as if alive, was wrapped around its Master’s arm, motionless. His condition was more serious than he thought. Sa-young hurriedly reached into his Inventory. Hong Ye-seong muttered self-deprecatingly.
“This is what happens when you try to protect two people who can’t fight… Do you have any Elixir? Save me, please.”
Sa-young silently poured out a pile of Elixir from his Inventory. The female student reached out and quickly began to open the Elixir bottles. Sa-young frowned and looked back. The student replied as if she had been waiting.
“I’m an S-rank who Awakened recently, ugh, why is this so hard to open… I thought you would have heard about me from Jung-bin Ajusshi or Director. It’s my first time actually meeting you, though.”
There was only one S-rank Hunter Sa-young didn’t know by face.
“…That high schooler?”
“Yes. My name is Yoon Ga-eul.”
Ga-eul nodded, lining up the opened Elixir bottles beside her. He was told there was one more person besides Hong Ye-seong. But even if it was Hong Ye-seong, why was Yoon Ga-eul moving with Cha Eui-jae? Sa-young scanned Ga-eul with sharp eyes.
However, Ga-eul, unaware of his gaze, muttered gloomily.
“Both of us didn’t have any Elixir… So we just bandaged the big wounds for now as a temporary measure.”
“If you’re coming to a place like this, at least bring some Elixir.”
Sa-young coldly snapped, taking out a syringe filled with green liquid and injecting it into Jung-bin’s right arm, pressing down on the piston. With each bit of liquid that decreased, the blood flowing from his body gradually stopped. Ye-seong, who glanced at it, asked.
“What’s that?”
“Nam Woo-jin made it.”
“Ah… That Emergency Recovery something, right.”
Most external injuries could be treated with Elixir. However, even the best Elixir couldn’t compare to the healing speed of a Healer. South Korea’s only A-rank Healer, Nam Woo-jin, didn’t enter Dungeons himself, but instead created and sold Emergency Recovery Kits using his ability. Sa-young threw away the empty syringe and sprinkled Elixir over the wound. The injured area quickly healed, and his breathing returned a little, but his pale complexion remained.
“…I’ve kept him alive. To heal him without any aftereffects, we need to go to Nam Woo-jin.”
“That’s a relief. No matter how capable this body is… I can’t make healing items.”
Thump! The transparent Shield surrounding them vibrated greatly. Hong Ye-seong vomited blood. Yoon Ga-eul quickly put a handkerchief to his mouth.
“Is it affecting you?”
“Well… It absorbs the impact to some extent, but the rest comes to me. Since I set it up.”
At his gesture towards the wall, Sa-young clicked his tongue and took out another syringe. Ye-seong asked with his mouth slightly open.
“Don’t tell me… You’re not going to stick that in me, are you?”
“I am.”
Fwoosh, Sa-young tore the sleeve of his hiking jacket without hesitation.
“Ah, I hate needles! Aaaagh!”
Thwack, squish. The green liquid decreased rapidly. Hong Ye-seong, who had been screaming until just now, began to sob silently. Of course, his complexion was rapidly improving as much. After mercilessly pulling out the needle, Sa-young even sprinkled Elixir on the spot where the needle had been inserted, then glanced at Ga-eul.
“You.”
“Ah, no! I’m fine! Thanks to the two of you protecting me.”
“Is that so? Then it’s fine.”
Sa-young threw the syringe away and stood up. Ga-eul and Ye-seong looked at him with wide eyes.
“Where are you going?”
“Outside.”
“Hey, do you think Poison will work on that Golem? And even if it’s a Shield made by this body, it can’t block Poison!”
“I’ll just beat it down without using Poison.”
“What kind of ignorant idea is that. Will that even wor―”
Thump!
A loud noise cut off his words, and something huge fell.
It was the giant hand that had attacked them. The wrist area connected to the hand was a mess of destruction. Hong Ye-seong muttered blankly.
“…It worked?”
Kuoohhhhh! The Golem, having lost its hand in an instant, grabbed its broken wrist and howled. The space vibrated with just its screams. At that moment, a gray shadow rushed towards the Golem. It was Cha Eui-jae.
He stepped on the Golem’s body and jumped up. The long staff struck the other hand that was holding the wrist. Kagagak! The enraged Golem swung its arm violently. The staff, swept away by the strong wind, flew away. Cha Eui-jae, who was also losing his balance and flying away, managed to land on the ground with a somersault.
“There, there’s blood!”
Yoon Ga-eul hurriedly pointed to his mouth. Lee Sa-young suddenly came to his senses. His mouth was filled with a fishy and sweet taste. When he roughly wiped his mouth with the back of his hand, black blood smeared on it. He must have bitten his lip without realizing it.
‘Damn it.’
Should he leave them and join Cha Eui-jae? No, even if he joined, would it be helpful? If Cha Eui-jae were to fall because of his Poison…
Thwaang!
Once again, a roar echoed around them. Sa-young raised his head sharply. The Golem slammed its fist down where Cha Eui-jae had been. And….
Blue eyes turned towards him for a moment.
The instant their eyes met vanished like a bubble, and Lee Sa-young, as if possessed by the blue light, opened his mouth.
“Hong Ye-seong, did you bring the spear?”
“Spear? What spear?”
Hong Ye-seong turned around with bloodshot eyes. Sa-young replied shortly.
“Mine. Give it to me.”
“Spear, spear… Ah, the Giant God Spear? Why is that yours!”
“I won the bid for it. Why, should I pay you right here?”
“Aish, what’s the point of getting money here. Am I going to make a bed out of it? Student, hold this for a second.”
“Yes? Yes!”
Yoon Ga-eul quickly took the Shield. Her stance was more solid than Hong Ye-seong, who had been holding it haphazardly. Hong Ye-seong hurriedly rummaged through his Inventory, then groaned and took out the Giant God Spear with both hands.
“Okay, let’s try anything. Should I give you a bomb? Poison won’t work on that crazy Golem brat.”
“I don’t need it.”
Lee Sa-young grabbed the spear and stepped out of Hong Ye-seong’s Shield. Wind mixed with ash and sand ruffled his hair. Hong Ye-seong, who took back the Shield, asked urgently.
“Hey, hey, what are you going to do! Do you even know how to handle a spear?”
“No.”
He had never used a spear before. But he knew the person who used a spear better than anyone else. Lee Sa-young looked beyond the white ash swirling like a storm and called out his name.
“Cha Eui-jae!”
Immediately, blue eyes found him. Just like then.
‘Ah.’
His heart pounded. And he realized anew. The day he would see those eyes again….
He had been waiting for it more than anyone else.
“Catch!”
Lee Sa-young raised the Giant God Spear high so it could be seen clearly, turned his body towards the Golem’s torso, and took a stance.
Sometimes becoming the shackles that bind him.
He spread his legs wide and stood firmly. After pulling back his right arm holding the spear greatly, he took a breath for a moment, and as he exhaled―
Sometimes becoming the wind that creates waves.
He threw the spear.
Whoosh!
The heavy Giant God Spear flew like an arrow. Cha Eui-jae was already running far ahead.
Someday, just before the Giant God Spear surpassed human speed. A time would come when the spear and he would stand side by side like parallel lines. The Hunter did not miss that brief moment. The hand that had held countless weapons skillfully snatched the spear.
Thwack!
Without faltering, as always. As if he had been waiting for this moment.
Do you want to live quietly?
Screech— Worn-out sneakers roughly scraped the ground as he stopped. Eui-jae, lowering his body, spun the giant spear once and gripped it again. The Golem slowly turned its body. Thump, the ground rumbled. Thump, he stepped without faltering. Thump, his heart beat rapidly. Eui-jae started running again without hesitation.
I don’t know, things like that.
Cha Eui-jae didn’t know how to live quietly. No one had taught him, and even the Trait that helped him do everything skillfully was useless there. Nevertheless, Cha Eui-jae always did his best in his own way. The reason he had tried to live quietly somehow…
He had nothing he wanted to do.
He felt empty. From the moment he regained consciousness. He couldn’t see a place to stand here. The things he knew had disappeared, and things he didn’t know filled their place. It was difficult to live each day.
A world with no place to return to and no place to lay his body. Every moment was new, and every moment was painful. The moment he thought deeply about something, the Rift kept coming to mind, making it difficult to even think for long. He felt like Mia.
A giant fist flew towards him. His heartbeat continued to race.
Nervous?
Afraid?
No. His heart always beat in moments like this. Only in moments like this did he feel alive. Eui-jae raised the corners of his lips. The weight of the spear in his hand felt heavy.
Countless white System windows floated in his vision.
[Trait Strength Enhancement(S+) is activated.]
[Unique Trait, Hand of the Skilled(S+) is activated.]
[Unique Trait, The One Who Pierces All Things(S+) is activated.]
As if shackles had been released, a giant wave swept from his head to his toes. Eui-jae kicked off the ground and jumped high. Thwaaack! He lightly stepped on the Golem’s arm that was swinging at him and jumped again.
How grateful he was to have people he could protect.
Eui-jae twisted his waist and pulled back his right arm holding the spear with all his might. When he stopped breathing, everything around him seemed to pass by slowly as if it had stopped at the same time. Blue eyes captured the scenery below. The Golem, Hong Ye-seong, Yoon Ga-eul, Jung-bin, and….
Lee Sa-young.
Meeting the purple eyes that were looking straight at him,
How happy it was to have someone waiting….
Cha Eui-jae smiled.
Thwaaaaaang―!!
A white light burst out.