Chapter 99
“Only treating me like a kid at times like this.”
“A kid? You’re grown up enough at your level.”
“Don’t say things you don’t mean, let’s just go work over there.”
The place Yu Sol pointed to with her finger was the outermost part of the barrier, a spot that was completely open. Though the hole was relatively smaller than other places, it was at least big enough for one person to come and go.
“Wouldn’t it be better for us to work on the inner barrier?”
“What are you talking about when everyone’s starting from the outside?”
Seo Won looked around. Then, just as Yu Sol said, everyone was starting work from the outer barrier.
“…You’re right.”
“Stop slacking off and hurry up and go work.”
Seo Won confirmed that Poong was still following Yu Sol around like a bodyguard and nodded. It couldn’t be called safe, but it was also hard to see it as a place completely exposed to danger. After all, everyone was working in the same spot.
It seemed like Baek Rak’s safety anxiety had transferred to him.
Seo Won sighed briefly and followed Yu Sol’s lead.
When they arrived at their spot, debris scattered around was visible. Seo Won brought a fairly large piece to the hole in the wall and said to Yu Sol.
“Don’t lift anything too heavy, just bring it up to here.”
“I’m a hunter too, you know? I’m stronger than other people!”
“I know, so don’t overdo it. And don’t go too far outside.”
“What, you’re just like Baek Rak.”
Seo Won shrugged and gave Poong a look. Then, as if understanding what he meant without being told, Poong stuck even closer to Yu Sol. Looking at him again, he was a clever guy.
He nodded approvingly at him for doing well, but Yu Sol scolded Poong for sticking so close. The guy who steadfastly guarded her side was very admirable.
Most of the debris was concentrated on the inside. It seemed like creatures had broken through from outside.
Seo Won wanted to move the manageable pieces first before Sol tried to move the big ones. She was a child with a strong sense of responsibility who tried hard at everything, so it was obvious how she would act.
Perhaps because he was also in the process of awakening as a hunter, he was able to move things without exerting as much effort as he thought. It would have been better if he could use the abilities he received from Baek Rak as they were, but for this kind of work, his current state was sufficient.
Working hard like that, before he knew it, a lot of debris had been gathered.
Seo Won sneakily checked how those working in other locations were filling the walls. Then he saw them installing nets on the outside and inside, and stacking debris neatly within them. After that, they applied a liquid like adhesive from the bottom, and after some time passed, the parts where the liquid was applied began to harden solidly.
“Sol.”
“Yeah?”
Seo Won called Yu Sol and pointed with his hand to the place he had just observed.
“Don’t we need that too?”
Yu Sol, who turned her head, sighed with an “Ah” as if she had forgotten.
“Right. I didn’t bring the hardening agent.”
“We seem to need the net too.”
“I’ll go get it. Just move this.”
“Let’s go together.”
Yu Sol stacked the debris she had brought on the opposite side and got up from her spot. As she was passing by the hole at Seo Won’s suggestion to go together, suddenly Poong growled. Since he was a guy who rarely even barked, they were puzzled about what was wrong when.
“Ah?”
Her body swayed greatly.
Something huge pounced down on Yu Sol as she collapsed to the floor. Poong quickly threw his body forward, but got hit by something hard and was slammed into the wall.
Bang!
At the ominous sound, Seo Won urgently turned his head. And he discovered something pitch black that had burst in from outside the hole reaching its hand toward Yu Sol.
“Sol!”
He called Yu Sol in shock, but what he met were the bloodshot eyes of the pitch black guy. At that moment, goosebumps spread all over. The eyes were full of murderous intent that was hard to handle. The killing intent was clearly visible in the narrowed pupils.
However, the guy turned his gaze to Yu Sol as if he had never made eye contact. Then he opened his mouth wide with an expression filled with ecstasy. Sharp fangs that protruded long between his uneven teeth gleamed menacingly.
Only then could he understand what kind of guy was in front of him.
A cannibal living in the ruins, who ate people.
The guy who was one of the biggest reasons why the shelter barrier needed to be restored was targeting Yu Sol.
Seo Won unconsciously held his breath. It seemed like Yu Sol would be devoured any moment before his eyes. The sharply protruding fangs rushed mercilessly toward Yu Sol’s nape.
“No!”
Just as he reached out his hand and rushed forward.
Everything began to flow slowly as if time had stopped. It felt like each scene was being cut off like still shots.
The appearance of the cannibal, who was human but had a twisted face from not living as a human, was imprinted on his retina as it came clearly into view.
Mottled skin, hair that had become hard from being tangled beyond repair, fangs so long it was questionable if he was human, dark red traces dried around his mouth, hands with joints bulging out and cracked, broken nails, and an emaciated body that seemed to consist only of bones and muscles.
The moment he recognized the guy like that, he felt something slip out from inside his body. Only then did the stopped time return. Something moved instantly like fast-forwarding tape, and then a tremendous roar shook the earth.
Crash!
Hot heat spread from where the sound occurred in an instant. Seo Won threw his body toward Yu Sol who was falling to the ground urgently.
“Ugh!”
He barely caught Yu Sol and landed in one leap at a place far from the barrier. Even then, he felt something inside his body slip out, but he was too busy checking on Yu Sol to realize the strangeness.
“Sol! Are you okay?”
“Uh, uh…?”
“I asked if you’re okay! Are you hurt anywhere?”
“I, I think I’m okay.”
Yu Sol, who belatedly realized she had been in a life-threatening crisis, rubbed her neck. Since she hadn’t been bitten, there were no injured places and no painful spots either.
But what had just happened?
Yu Sol looked up blankly at Seo Won who was looking at her with concern.
“Ha, really… I thought my heart was going to drop.”
“……”
“That’s why I told you to be careful.”
“……”
“Are you really not hurt anywhere?”
Seo Won was relieved only after thoroughly checking Yu Sol. Seeing the child bleeding once was enough. Then he suddenly remembered the guy who had attacked Yu Sol and quickly turned his head.
“…What.”
But for some reason, no person was visible and the spot where they had been just moments ago was blazing with fire. Wait, fire?
‘Come to think of it, I think I felt heat when I was close… Why did a fire suddenly break out?’
The flames were bigger than expected. Naturally, it wouldn’t be possible to grow to that size in an instant, so something was strange. As he was examining the blazing fire, he could see Nora walking over from a little distance away, holding Poong.
“Ah, right! Poong.”
Seo Won ran to Nora while still holding Yu Sol.
“How’s Poong? Is he okay?”
“He seems to have hit his leg pretty hard. I think his bone is broken.”
“What?”
When Seo Won was startled, Nora showed Poong to Yu Sol and said.
“It’s okay. Sol can heal him.”
“Ah…, that’s right.”
Seo Won stroked his chest. Experiencing this situation directly, he could clearly understand how precious healing-type hunters were. It was really such a relief.
But Sol, who he thought would immediately heal Poong, was just staring at him with a blank expression. Thinking she might still not have recovered from the shock, he patted her head, and only then did she come to her senses with a start.
“Sol, are you okay?”
“Huh? Oh, uh…”
“Poong is hurt. Could you heal him?”
Yu Sol blinked rapidly and belatedly turned her gaze. And only after discovering Poong in pain did she sit up straight.
“Both of you put them down.”
Seo Won and Nora put down Yu Sol and Poong respectively, whom they had been holding. Yu Sol immediately drew up energy and placed her hand on Poong. Then white aura rippled and seeped into the injured leg.
He could see the leg that had been dangling due to the broken bone gradually returning to normal with Yu Sol’s healing.
As time passed, perhaps because the pain disappeared, Poong shook his leg vigorously and immediately got up from his spot.
“Wow…”
Seo Won exclaimed softly in admiration. Yu Sol’s ability was a mysterious power that could never be seen in the world he had lived in. He thought he had adapted from seeing many offensive hunters, but the more he saw, the more he could only think it was wondrous.
Suddenly remembering that he had also been healed by Yu Sol, Seo Won carefully rubbed his previously injured shoulder. Now only slight traces remained, and he felt nothing at all. It seemed he didn’t need to worry about aftereffects.
Poong, grateful after the treatment, licked Yu Sol’s cheek, and Yu Sol hugged Poong apologetically.
“…But what suddenly happened?”
As he was watching the touching scene between Poong and Yu Sol warmly, Nora asked what had happened. Only then did Seo Won turn his gaze to the place where the flames were blazing.
At some point, Haru had appeared and was walking out from there, dragging a pitch black lump.
“Why is there a cannibal here?”
Thud.
The guy thrown to the ground was squirming slightly. He was charred here and there, and his skin was melting in various places. He looked extremely painful.
“And what’s that fire? What was that sound earlier?”
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
