Chapter 3
The two descended far underground, reaching the most secretive space within the Rift Control Agency. Even though Eunseong had visited this place several times over the past year, he couldn’t shake off the tension and repeatedly clenched and unclenched his fists.
“The core of the species discovered this time has the highest synchronization rate with your core compared to all the ones found so far. Ever since we received contact from the North American Vanguard Guild that they had captured this specimen alive, I’ve been so excited I couldn’t sleep a wink until today.”
That’s right. The reason the two had met like this was to attempt Eunseong’s re-awakening. A monster with the exact same core as the one inside Eunseong’s body—absorbing it to aim for re-awakening was their goal.
In theory, it was possible.
If he re-awakened and his abilities increased, he would be able to control Mujin’s Hwanghwa. However, since it was an adventure no one had ever attempted before, the probability of success was unpredictable.
Each time they failed, they organized data, supplemented it, and continued attempting the next try, but they couldn’t tell whether they were spinning in place at 0% or heading toward 100%.
Even so, Eunseong wanted to challenge it. So he joined hands with Baek Sangyeon and poured enormous amounts of money into capturing monsters alive.
“It was really difficult to obtain. Capturing it alive was so hard, and the transport conditions were incredibly demanding.”
Even while explaining how difficult it had been, Baek Sangyeon’s voice carried unmistakable excitement. Eunseong was also happy. If this attempt succeeded, he would be able to save Mujin. However, given their continuous history of failures, he couldn’t easily smile.
Baek Sangyeon wrapped his arms around Eunseong’s shoulders.
“Are you nervous? Don’t worry. I have a good feeling about this time. Whatever price we have to pay, I’ll make sure it succeeds somehow. Just trust this ajussi.”
At the end of the long corridor, they finally reached a space where researchers in pristine white hazmat suits greeted them. After a brief conversation, they followed the guidance through triple-processed doors to emerge into a large space thick with the smell of blood.
‘The smell of rifts…’
The space, whose ceiling height was impossible to gauge, was pitch black throughout. Even the large lighting towers could barely illuminate the entrance. The reason light couldn’t exert its full power was because the space had been configured like the inside of a rift. Only hunters who carried monster cores within their bodies could freely see, hear, and breathe in here.
The hunters who had been waiting for Baek Sangyeon and Yoo Eunseong spotted them and all bowed their heads in unison. They were all members of Huiseon Guild.
People who wished for Baek Mujin’s safety more than anyone.
Eunseong felt the weighty responsibility pressing down on his heart as he returned their greetings.
It would be better to meet the monster right away. The hopeful gazes hurt more than being torn by the monster’s claws. He thought enduring the pain from the re-awakening attempt would actually be simpler.
“I’m on standby, so don’t worry too much.”
Feeling warm energy from behind, he turned to see Lee Haesu, an S-grade healing ability user belonging to Huiseon Guild, extending his hand to use his ability. White droplet-like energy enveloped Eunseong and helped calm his breathing difficulties.
“Thank you.”
His presence meant that the monster waiting for Eunseong ahead was no ordinary one.
Eunseong steeled his resolve and stepped into the darkness.
[Hunter Yoo Eunseong. We pray that you safely achieve re-awakening.]
Even the researchers’ broadcast—everyone was hoping for Eunseong’s re-awakening.
‘They mean come back alive, I suppose.’
Though his lower body was trembling precariously and his feet were heavy with cold sweat, his mind was calm. More than anyone, he wanted to succeed.
When the smell of blood became so thick it stung his nose, a massive cage appeared before Eunseong. Each iron bar was as thick as a tree trunk and about twice Eunseong’s height in length.
Grrrrr. The monster bound within the iron cage spotted Eunseong and let out a low growling sound.
The body size was about 5 meters perhaps. Its gleaming eyeballs were blood-red, and within its sharp beak, saw-like teeth protruded densely. Since it was said to have the same core as Eunseong, indeed, the monster took the form of a giant bird. Though the size difference was tremendous.
Its large wings were pressed down to the floor and nailed in place. The thick smell came from the blood flowing from the punctured areas. Each time the monster writhed, its blade-like wings scraped the floor, creating metallic sounds.
“…It’s bigger than I thought.”
The monster was firmly bound, and several S-grade ability users were backing him up from behind.
Even if he were immediately pierced by this thing’s beak or his body torn apart by its claws, Lee Haesu was standing by to heal him. Eunseong repeatedly reminded himself of the facts to avoid being overwhelmed by the monster’s oppressive aura.
“As long as I avoid instant death, there are many ways.”
Rather, if the monster’s ability stats were high, the success rate would also increase. He could understand Baek Sangyeon’s delighted expression.
This time, he might really be able to save Mujin.
Eunseong unlocked the cage with trembling hands full of anticipation. Creak. The moment he opened the door and stepped inside, he heard gasps of excitement from the people filled with expectation.
* * *
‘It’s not an absurd plan. Even though Hunter Yoo Eunseong’s energy grade is too low to handle Hwanghwa, doesn’t he possess the unique ability passed down in the Yuseong family?’
The ability to reconstruct rift byproducts and create what he desired.
More precisely, it was the ability to commune with monster cores and extract energy from them. The fact that he could commune with living cores was something he had learned through his body during several previous attempts.
‘Extract the energy of his kin and absorb it to aim for re-awakening.’
‘There have actually been hunters who achieved re-awakening through accumulated combat experience.’
However, the fact that they had grown on their own through energy accumulated over a long period was completely different. The method the research team proposed to Eunseong was essentially a kind of ‘cheat key.’
While it might sound like a wonderful opportunity to level up using shortcuts, it was merely proof that Yoo Eunseong’s abilities were so lacking that they had to devise a method no one had ever attempted.
Yuseong, who controlled Baek Huiseon’s Hwanghwa and opened countless opportunities. Despite being his descendant, he was the weakest successor who lacked the ability to control Baek Mujin’s Hwanghwa.
Suppose he succeeded in communing with the core. Could he swallow it in one go and achieve re-awakening?
‘Someone like me…’
It was the moment his concentration wavered.
“Argh!”
Eunseong, who had been deploying his communion skill while approaching the area where the monster’s core was located, was struck by the monster’s long tail feathers and sent tumbling.
His clothes were immediately torn by the steel blade-like feather tips, and the skin on his forearm split open. Though they said they had used items to suppress its aggressiveness, the fragile body of a support-type ability user could die from just the monster’s sneeze.
“And these were reinforced clothes…”
Since equipment also discriminated based on the wearer’s ability stats, there were limits to what Eunseong, whose original abilities were poor, could wear. Even what he had was high-grade items layered on to inflate the original protective abilities by about three times, yet it was ridiculously pierced through.
Eunseong quickly pulled out medicine with hemostatic effects, poured it on the wound, and gripped his forearm as the bleeding began to stop. Worrying about collapsing from dizziness was a luxury he couldn’t afford. The burning pain actually made his mind snap to attention.
This monster was too high-grade compared to the ones he had dealt with before. It didn’t seem like it would end with just broken bones and a few torn muscles like last time.
Could he even get a proper chance to approach the core?
Perhaps there would be only one opportunity.
Eunseong lowered his body and used an item that concealed his body’s aura. He carefully infiltrated toward the monster while examining where the core was located, trying his best not to provoke it.
“…!”
Just when he was holding his breath, the blood-red pupils of the monster, which had been quietly watching what Eunseong was doing, flashed.
Thud! With a dull sound, Eunseong’s body slid backward.
He didn’t even see what had flown at him. He only felt the heavy force pushing against his chest. The pain came a beat later.
“Krrk…”
Eunseong’s knees buckled completely. His lungs were pierced, and he couldn’t even scream. When he looked down, he could see a thorn the monster had shot embedded in his chest. Blood instantly rushed up into his airways.
‘I can’t breathe…’
“Kahak, cough!”
Blood foam poured from Eunseong’s mouth as he braced himself on the floor. With only the will not to die, he tried to find an item, but his body wouldn’t move as he wanted.
As long as I’m still breathing, there will be another chance…
Just then, fierce flames erupted beyond his blurred vision. Whoosh. The blazing heat was so intense his eyes burned. The flames that burned away even the smell of rifts drove away all the surrounding darkness. The deep shadow of the one who created the flash stretched long over Eunseong.
Mujin.
Though he couldn’t voice it aloud, the owner of that name seemed to have heard properly. He turned and approached, swiftly lifting Eunseong up. The blood flowing stickily soaked Mujin’s embrace thoroughly.
The gaze looking down at Eunseong, who was trembling from pain, was cold beyond measure.
“…When you wake up, know that you’ll die by my hands.”
As his consciousness faded away, what disturbed Eunseong’s heart wasn’t Mujin’s angry voice or his threatening words.
‘My monster… you can’t kill that thing…’
As if he had heard his inner thoughts, Mujin moved his mouth to say something, but his vision turned black and he could no longer hear any sound.
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
