A S-Class Hunter With Great Agility - Chapter 124
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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 124: Snowy Field (5)
“Hello?”
Our eyes definitely met. I couldn’t see beyond the mask, but that much was certain.
Step.
The fox changed its prey. Leaving Ren, who still showed murderous intent, behind, it took a step forward.
Toward me, slowly.
‘What? Wasn’t it supposed to have no interest in foreigners?’
I immediately grabbed my sword. I heightened my guard.
If the information given beforehand that ‘foreign Hunters are safe’ was wrong, it would really be a big problem.
‘I don’t want to die after coming this far.’
I watched the murderer approaching me with a twisted smile.
‘Disgusting.’
I didn’t know what mission he had. I didn’t want to know either. It was just unbearably disgusting.
“….”
The smell of blood was overwhelming. It had probably already soaked thickly into my clothes.
‘Even after leaving the dungeon… it will linger for a while.’
The smell of blood from the innocent ones… those cursed with the choice to risk their lives entering and leaving dungeons.
“…Huu, huu….”
“Ren. First, please take care of your colleagues.”
I spoke to Ren, who was still in an excited state.
Ren had just lost a companion. So I, having regained my composure first, had a duty to calm him down.
‘Taking care of the bodies comes first too.’
Leaving the corpses scattered everywhere was not proper respect for the dead either.
“…Ah.”
Ren hesitated. He probably realized once his excitement subsided. That with his skills, he couldn’t kill that murderer.
That it would be more appropriate to comfort the departed souls instead.
Stagger.
Taking advantage of this gap, the man in yukata ran toward the pile of corpses.
“Hmm. Is he running away?”
“….”
“I was going to have a little chat and then face him again… What a shame.”
The fox said while watching Ren’s retreating figure. Thud, I kicked a blood-stained snowball away and turned the fox mask’s gaze toward me.
“Where are you looking?”
“…Even if you don’t rush me like that, I’m already paying attention to your side.”
Then I heard my opponent’s voice, suppressing anger. I let my sword hang down and spoke mockingly.
“That’s a relief.”
“Tsk.”
Fox Mask clicked his tongue and finally turned his attention away from Ren.
‘…Just until he finishes collecting the bodies.’
This, I’m handling.
| Don’t hold back. |
“Yes.”
Mountain Lord advised. He had drastically reduced his words after facing the horrific scene.
Dash!
I accepted Mountain Lord through Divine Descent Ritual and kicked off the red snow field.
“Spirit Form.”
My figure disappeared.
“Severe Cold.”
I simultaneously channeled energy into the Spirit General Sword. Winter’s breath wrapped around the blade.
Sring.
The sharpened sword blade extends toward the opponent before my eyes.
‘I can’t fight something I can’t see.’
I aimed for Fox Mask’s heart. It was frozen in place, unable to find me after I suddenly disappeared.
Swoosh!
The Spirit General Sword shot forward rapidly. It was a moment where I could feel my doubled agility stat.
‘Like this…’
I’ll cut through the heart.
…Will that kill it? Is it okay to kill? Shouldn’t it face legal judgment?
‘Forget it, never mind.’
This isn’t an opponent I can deal with while weighing such considerations. I saw that not a single one of Ren’s attacks could reach it.
“Vengeful Ghost Ice Kill.”
Right now, I had to give my absolute best. With the intention of killing that thing.
Slash—!
The Spirit General Sword was swung. It was a sword path meant to cut through the fox’s heart.
‘Got it—.’
No, it’s not enough.
“Hmm. You know what.”
“…!”
“This is way too boring.”
Fox Mask’s upper body bent fluidly. As if it knew exactly where I was. It dodged the Spirit General Sword in an instant.
Tap.
I quickly created distance.
‘How…?’
Fox Mask was still standing peacefully at a somewhat distant location.
“…Talisman Arts, Enhancement.”
[Skill]
Talisman Arts (S) lv.1
— Calamity disappears in golden light, and evil spirits become red ash.
?*&@#$&%%)…
I took out a talisman from my chest and attached it to the Spirit General Sword.
‘If even the advantage doesn’t work, then this too.’
[Item]
Talisman (C)
* Temporary effect in progress
— The heart of a clumsy wish tends to produce more delicate and greater power.
Attack Power Enhancement +20%
00:00:59
I launched another attack. I closed the distance that had opened up and this time aimed for the opponent’s waist area.
That’s when it happened.
Fox Mask caught the Spirit General Sword with a click. Very precisely… identifying where the sword was.
“Are you angry?”
“…”
“Why?”
The Japanese was delivered through the translator.
“He’s not your companion.”
“…”
“Isn’t it rather good? A troublesome enemy from a bad neighboring country died.”
What is he talking about? I couldn’t understand his thought process for a moment.
‘Psychopath?’
I remember learning that English word when I was in school. This… is no longer human.
Thwack!
I swung my sword. Fortunately, the enhanced blade left a wound on Fox Mask’s hand.
“Hmm.”
He clenched and unclenched his hand with displeasure.
Drip drip.
At the same time, fox blood fell onto the snowy field.
“As expected…”
The eyes behind the mask looked at me. I was certain. ‘Spirit Form’ was useless against this thing.
“‘You’ can do it.”
…Somehow I felt like he was grinning.
Rustle.
Fox Mask pulled something out from inside his clothes. It was a bright ore glowing white.
‘What is it? I feel like I’ve seen it somewhere.’
I quickly rummaged through my mind.
‘Ah, an Escape Stone.’
What Fox Mask had taken out was an Escape Stone. An expensive item that allows immediate escape when inevitably trapped in a dungeon.
“…!”
The murderer was trying to escape the scene. No way.
Clang!
I thrust the Spirit General Sword again. My attack clashed with his sword.
Crack.
But it was too late. He had crushed the Escape Stone. Fox Mask’s form was crumbling away.
‘Is he running away in the end?’
Damn it! I gritted my teeth and spoke as if chewing the words.
“You…”
“…”
“You will receive divine punishment.”
You will be punished for arbitrarily taking another’s life. Whether it’s a Japanese deity or a Korean deity.
Regardless of who it is, the natural order would someday punish that thing.
And I will gladly.
Become that executor.
Whoosh.
The enemy scattered. Like snow, it crumbled away white.
* * *
Click.
I sheathed the Spirit General Sword. Then I headed toward Ren, who was collecting the corpse.
“…Ren.”
He was kneeling on the snowy field.
“That thing… ran away.”
I hesitated and moved my lips slightly.
“I saw it.”
“…”
“I saw how Eun Hae-dam fought with everything he had.”
Ren muttered with a dazed expression.
“My distrust ruined everything.”
“…”
“I should have believed. I should have trusted and protected without unnecessary suspicion.”
I couldn’t measure the magnitude of his loss. I couldn’t add any words and kept my mouth shut.
“Of course, even if I had tried to protect them, it would have been impossible with my power.”
Ren spoke self-deprecatingly. His once-neat yukata was stained with his companion’s blood, and his proper posture had long since crumbled.
“…I saw the murderer get injured by your attack. I’m not trying to disrespect you, but… how could an A-rank…”
He staggered to his feet.
“Who are you?”
“I am…”
“How are you so strong, how did you know this would happen? What rank are you exactly, and what skills do you possess?”
“…”
“I have a mountain of questions.”
I understand. My skills are based on God’s power after all. Even I sometimes can’t understand it, so how much more confusing must it be for others.
“But…”
However, Ren swallowed his questions and bowed his head.
“Thank you.”
You…
“Actually, you had no reason to step in. Relations between our countries aren’t good, and today was the first time we met. The escort role was an unreasonable request on my part.”
The young man continued with a choked voice.
“Yet you still helped ‘us,’ and for that I’m truly grateful.”
‘Us?’
I widened my eyes for a moment.
‘Come to think of it, the number of corpses is insufficient.’
Hanako’s guild members totaled five, excluding Hanasaki Ren. But only four were lying in the snowy field right now.
‘There’s an empty spot.’
Could it be…?
| …A blessing in disguise, it seems. |
The Mountain Lord felt relieved. I too could feel my anxiety rapidly subsiding.
“Miss Yuzuki.”
Thud.
Someone appeared from behind the tree. It was a female Hunter with her flower-shaped ornament in her hair completely disheveled.
“….”
I couldn’t exactly say she was in good condition. One eye was covered in blood and her gait was unsteady.
But she was alive.
She could take steps and leave footprints in the snowy field.
“Sob, sniff….”
As her tension released, she shed tears. Covering her mouth with her palm, Yuzuki let out suppressed sobs.
“Uugh, waaah….”
“It’s okay. …It’s okay.”
Ren comforted her. Nothing was actually okay, and nothing had been resolved.
The young Awakened who had lost everyone before her eyes cried endlessly in front of someone she could lean on.
“Thanks to returning quickly, we were able to save at least her…. That’s fortunate.”
Ren said quietly.
“We should leave for today. We have an Escape Stone, so let’s use it. The shrine will understand.”
Ren took out an Escape Stone from his chest. The hand holding the mineral was trembling.
‘He’s barely holding himself together.’
The young and inexperienced man was still doing his best as an S-rank Hunter and Guild Leader.
“Yes, let’s go.”
I nodded.
‘This isn’t the kind of end to the workday I was hoping for….’
It seemed like things would get more complicated from now on. Both mentally and physically.
* * *
I arrived at the accommodation. And immediately poured shower water over my head.
“Hah….”
Festering skin, shattered faces, rotted finger joints. I have strong immunity to such things.
Ghosts with such appearances have been hovering around me since I was young.
‘But….’
This is the first time I’ve seen a person kill another person.
‘It’s hard.’
I stood under the warm water pouring over my combat suit, waiting for the smell of blood to disappear.
Swoosh—
For several minutes, several times.
Ring ring—
Then a phone rang through the sound of water.
“Who is it?”
Well, if it’s urgent they’ll call again. I listlessly began preparing to wash.
Ring ring—
However, the phone didn’t stop. It kept ringing repeatedly.
“…?”
I eventually roughly dried myself with a towel and came out of the shower booth.
“Oh….”
A name appeared on the screen. I gulped and answered the phone.
“Hello?”
[Hey, where the hell are you?!]
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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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