333 – HGL 333

333

Thwack!

The violently thrown spear pierced through several Monsters at once. Eui-jae nimbly kicked away a Monster that was ambushing him from behind. The Monster flew away, letting out a bizarre scream, and crashed upside down into the wall. He relentlessly threw punches. The sensation of bone and flesh being crushed was vivid. Eui-jae tilted his head back to avoid the pouring white blood. Cold sweat dripped down his chin.

‘This is endless….’

If he killed one, ten would come, and if he killed ten, a hundred would swarm. Eui-jae glanced at the Whitehole above his head. He could feel a distinct gaze. It was watching Eui-jae. And the Monsters were gathering around him.

‘As I thought….’

I’m the target.

From the moment he realized that fact, Eui-jae had slowly distanced himself from the shelter. However, leading the Monsters while moving wasn’t easy. People, people, people. There were people everywhere he went. Eui-jae leaped up and pulled the spear from the Monsters’ corpses.

“…Ugh.”

His vision blurred for a moment. Pouring Monsters. Endless battle. The surrounding scenery appeared white. Eui-jae gripped his mask. His stomach churned. He readjusted the spear, which was slipping from his grasp due to the cold sweat. He barely swallowed the sour liquid rising in his throat.

‘Why now of all times….’

No matter how much he reassured himself that he was okay, it seemed he couldn’t help but think of it in moments like these.

Is Ha-eun okay?

Is she crying while looking for me?

Is the shelter really safe?

Should I have stayed by her side…?

At that moment, a piercing scream struck his ears.

“Sa, save me!”

“G-Get away! Get away from me!”

A dark head of hair was visible among the white Monsters. A woman was huddled, holding a young child in her arms, and a man stood in front of them, as if protecting them. He bravely swung an umbrella, but it was no match. Even from a distance, it was clear that the hand holding the umbrella and his legs were trembling terribly.

‘Damn it!’

Eui-jae was about to rush out but stopped. He couldn’t go and save them directly. The Monsters would follow, and it would only push them into danger. What if he threw the spear to take care of the Monsters? The spear is a one-time use….

The woman hugged the child tightly and sobbed.

“Please, save us…!”

‘Save me.’

Lee Sa-young’s dying voice pierced his mind. Damn it all. Eui-jae bit his tongue hard. The sharp pain woke him up.

‘What are you hesitating for!’

Eui-jae ran through the Monsters. If the Monsters swarmed, he would just kill them. Until that family safely evacuated. He kicked a Monster that was opening its maw towards the man with all his might.

Kwaaaang!

A cloud of dusty dirt scattered. At the same time, Eui-jae spun the massive spear above his head. A vortex swirled around the spear. The swarming Monsters lost their balance and staggered. Eui-jae slammed the spinning spear into the ground.

Kugugugugung!

The road cracked around the spear. A massive ravine formed between Eui-jae and the Monsters surging in like a white wave.

‘This should buy some time.’

He’d just have to bill them for the repairs. Eui-jae headed towards the two people. The man had his eyes tightly shut and was wildly swinging the umbrella. Eui-jae was almost afraid he would hurt himself. Eui-jae grabbed the umbrella to stop him.

“I’m a Hunter. Calm down.”

“A, a Hunter…?”

The man cautiously opened his eyes. Soon, his face was filled with shock.

“W-Wait a minute…. A-Are you, J-J-J-J….”

“Yes, it’s me. It’s dangerous here. Head to the nearest shelter….”

The woman, who was holding the child, carefully interjected.

“Th-The designated shelter was full, so we were going somewhere else. But I twisted my ankle….”

“It’s already full?”

“Y-Yes…….”

The woman hugged the child tighter and lowered her head. It was a desperate movement, as if she was trying to hide something rather than protect it. Something was strange.

‘…The child is too quiet.’

Wouldn’t they usually be crying in this situation? But the child didn’t even make a small whimper. Only a strangely peaceful breathing could be heard. Eui-jae took a step towards the woman and child. However, the man blocked Eui-jae. His body was trembling.

“I-I’m sorry. I’m sorry.”

“…….”

“Sorry….”

“It’s okay.”

Eui-jae grabbed the man’s shoulder.

“I won’t hurt you. I won’t do anything else either. I’ll just take a look.”

The man was pushed away with surprising ease. Eui-jae sat down to match the eye level of the woman who had collapsed. The woman huddled even more. The child in her arms was completely wrapped up. A turtleneck that covered the entire neck, gloves, long pants, a hat with ears, and a mask that covered half of the face.

“They didn’t accept you at the designated shelter, did they.”

“…….”

“Were you kicked out?”

The man sighed. No matter how tightly they wrapped the child in clothes, no matter how much the mother tried to hide it with her body, they couldn’t hide the scales that had sprouted all over the face. The woman sobbed.

“The person in white said that they can’t accept Mutants…. Because it could put other people in danger…. They said they would let us stay if we only sent the child out….”

“…….”

“But, but I couldn’t just send the child out. So….”

“So you all came out together.”

The woman nodded. The child in her arms was staring blankly at the empty air, somewhere. Long gills were visible on the nape of the neck.

“…….”

The Mutation had progressed quite a bit. No shelter would accept them.

‘Unless it’s the Seowon Guild….’

Eui-jae raised his head and looked around. And he found a road sign that was crumpled but barely recognizable. It was quite a distance from the Seowon Guild.

‘Can I take these people to the Seowon Guild?’

It wasn’t impossible, but it would be a difficult journey. Eui-jae would be leading the Monsters. It might put this family in even more danger….

There was no time. The Monsters were crawling up, filling the ravine with their bodies.

At that moment.

Hwaaaak—

Hot heat surged from the gap. The Monsters that had densely filled the gap couldn’t even scream and were burned away. Even the white ashes were swallowed by the flames.

A huge shadow appeared through the burning gap.

“…An unexpected figure.”

“Huh? What, J? What are you doing here?”

“Honeybee?”

It was Matthew in a silver suit and Honeybee with a Rapier. Honeybee leaped over the burning ravine and approached Eui-jae.

“What, I came because there were strangely a lot of Monsters in this area. And who are these people?”

Eui-jae explained briefly. Honeybee listened carefully and glanced at the child. She had a complicated expression. Perhaps it was natural. She had lost a colleague because of Mutation.

“So, you’re going to take them to the Seowon Guild?”

“That would be best. All the shelters won’t accept them.”

“I guess….”

“Then you two should move to Seowon.”

Matthew, who had been listening quietly, opened his mouth. He was standing across the ravine. In front of the burning wall of flames.

The flames were reflected on the transparent lenses of his glasses, making it impossible to read his expression. Matthew took off his jacket and hung it on his left arm, and rolled up the sleeve of his right arm to his elbow. Eui-jae’s eyes widened for a moment. Scars darker than his skin covered his arm. The bumpy, shriveled skin was a vivid burn mark that seemed to be alive.

Like the flames reflected in his glasses….

Matthew said in a businesslike voice.

“I’ll take care of this place.”

“No, I can’t let you….”

“Are you really okay? Your breathing is unstable.”

“…….”

“Your body temperature and heart rate are also high. You’re not in normal condition. Are you?”

Hunters were all quick-witted. When Eui-jae closed his mouth, Matthew pushed up his glasses. He looked like an office worker who had come out on a business trip. If it weren’t for the Monsters’ cries coming from all directions and the flames burning around him, it would have been even more so.

“You are our greatest asset. Don’t waste your energy in a place like this.”

“No, these Monsters….”

“You don’t have to help. My ability is specialized in dealing with large numbers.”

“But….”

“I have expressed my refusal.”

The huge flames surged so much that they seemed to swallow even Matthew. The embers crackled and flew everywhere. Matthew warned in a low voice.

“There’s no guarantee that they won’t attack you. It would be best to keep your distance.”

“…….”

“I’m ashamed to say that I can’t perfectly control my ability.”

Matthew turned his back. Flames rose from his large hand. A heat was felt that didn’t match his cold face and attitude. Honeybee patted Eui-jae’s shoulder.

“Well, J is fine here. I’ll take this couple. No thanks needed.”

“Ah, thank….”

“I said no! Geez, using high-class manpower like me as a bodyguard.”

Honeybee grumbled sullenly and sat down in front of the woman, showing her back.

“Get on, tell your husband to hold the kid.”

“Yes, yes? But….”

“You hurt your ankle, right? Wouldn’t it be better to get on my back than to walk through the middle of the Monsters?”

“…….”

The woman looked at Eui-jae with an uneasy face. Eui-jae nodded to reassure her. The woman got on Honeybee’s back, and the man held the child. Before leaving, Honeybee glanced over the flames.

“Are you going to stay here?”

“Yes, probably.”

When Eui-jae nodded, Honeybee rubbed the soles of her shoes on the ground and slowly opened her mouth.

“Then… can I ask you for a favor? Can you keep an eye on Matthew?”

Honeybee rolled her eyes with a troubled face.

“That guy really hates his ability.”

“…….”

“Please make sure he doesn’t explode.”

It was an ominous request.