The Third Companion (0)

Somewhere on the very edge of Gangwon-do. Surrounded by a makeshift barricade, I carefully let myself free-fall, sliding down from the back of Yugi's neck.

"You did great, seriously."

"Gyu."

Even though Yugi had grown significantly, that "Gyu" of his was still high-pitched, yet it carried an immense, echoing resonance. However, in stark contrast to that rather cute sound, prominent veins of anger were bulging on Yugi's head. It was because the last monster we hunted was a 6th Grade Kaiju called a "Roach Cat"—and it was an absolute nightmare of a creature.

The Roach Cat was a monstrosity that combined the physical traits of a cat with the god-awful, erratic movements of a cockroach. Kinetic vision, flexibility, and unrealistic agility. On top of that, it was a mana-infused kaiju, making it several dimensions more formidable than a regular feline.

At first, Yugi tried to catch it with his tail. But far from being caught, the Roach Cat had the audacity to throw a flurry of kitty punches, which thoroughly pissed him off. In his rage, Yugi ended up summoning that same domain of death he had used to take down the 4th Grade Kaiju.

"...Get some rest, Yugi. See you tomorrow."

"...Gyu."

In the slightly awkward silence, we each stepped into our respective gates. Yugi into his dark purple gate, and I into my golden one.

With a single step, Arin's territory unfolded before me. Right ahead, a ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠gate connected to my master bedroom stood open. It was a gate I had set up right before leaving.

Passing through the gate once more, I arrived in my bedroom after taking only a few steps. In the living room, Arin was sleeping soundly, her breathing soft and even. As I grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge to quench my thirst, a soft, sweet smile spread across her face. She must be having a happy dream.

...Is she dreaming about me? Whether it was because of this unexpected bonus or simply because I liked seeing Arin smile, I couldn't stop my lips from curving upward. Man, you really have to live long enough to see everything. To think I could actually feel happy living in a world like this.

Needless to say, being Awakened wasn't a guarantee of happiness. In fact, the end of an ordinary Awakened living in some rural corner of Gyeonggi Province was often tragic. They either died during a raid, or worked themselves to the bone like dogs just to buy a single house in Seoul—only to go mad once they actually got there, unable to forget the adrenaline rush of the battlefield...

Yet, despite all that, the Awakened remained objects of envy for countless people. That was just how dry and grueling the lives of the unawakened were. What kind of lingering attachments did everyone have to this world that kept them pushing through so resiliently? A sudden wave of bitterness washed over me. It felt like I was talking to myself.

But it was fine. I had a way to ease that bitterness. In truth, my demand for that vast tract of land from the Association wasn't just to line my own pockets. I intended to use that land to relieve some of the dry, grueling burdens of the people, even if only a little. It wasn't that I had some hero complex; I was mostly just curious. Curious to see how people would live on that land. Curious to see if watching them might bring me some comfort as well. Well, for now, it was nothing more than a vague idea.

A few days passed after that. Ever since my solo raid of the B-class gate, I hadn't engaged in any public activities. I barely even left the house, to begin with. Most of my movement consisted of traveling back and forth to Gangwon-do through the gates I had already established.

Despite my absence, the world was still in an uproar. People talked about me all day long, and many changes were taking place, including in my own ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠neighborhood. Merchants were flocking in, turning what used to be a quiet area into a bustling, chaotic hub. I wondered if those people knew I would be leaving in just a few days.

Meanwhile, I heard some interesting news from Kim Na-hyun. She had been promoted to an executive-level position. Since I didn't need to know the gritty details, I simply offered my congratulations and asked what kind of discussions were going on regarding me.

To sum it up: they were reviewing my demands favorably. However, she mentioned there had been severe internal backlash at first. Naturally, the term "absolute authority" must have rubbed them the wrong way. It wasn't even something within the Association's power to grant in the first place.

But this wasn't a matter they could afford to approach emotionally. She said that as their meetings dragged on, they became increasingly convinced that refusing ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠me would be their loss. With South Korea's strongest power, Kim Hosung, now dead, how on earth were they supposed to handle the kaijus pouring down from the Yellow Sea? Projections showed that if I chose to remain a mere bystander, South Korea would fall within one to two months. If that was the case, they figured they might as well give me what I wanted to maintain a good relationship. Kim Na-hyun apparently worked tirelessly to put their anxieties and doubts to rest.

—"Yoo-cheon isn't the type of person to betray his country. So I actively assured them that nothing of the sort would ever happen."

...To be honest, I wasn't so sure about that. My current plans did involve some rather dangerous ideas. Still, things were going well, and there was no need to rain on her parade.

—"Of course. I was born and raised in Korea, after all. You did great."

Of course, a final decision hadn't been reached yet. As I said, it wasn't a matter the Association could just decide on their own. Right now, they were in the process of persuading the higher-ups. Aside from that, they were also discussing my promotion to an S-class hunter, a massive payout, and so on... It seemed like things on that front would resolve themselves nicely.

Now, it was time to focus on my own tasks. I stared at the gate radiating a brilliant, multicolored glow.

......

Yugi's gate was dark purple, Arin's was golden, and this third kaiju's gate was a mysterious blend of multiple colors. I didn't know if the colors held any specific meaning, but I had a good feeling about this from the start. Without hesitation, I stepped into the gate. I had already sent Yugi and Arin back to their respective territories a while ago, worried they might startle whoever was inside.

As I crossed the threshold, a system message appeared.

The Qilin. It was a mythical creature I had heard of a few times, but no clear image came to mind. Feeling a swell of anticipation, I began by taking in the surrounding scenery. The sheer, towering cliffs were nothing short of a masterpiece. You know that old saying our ancestors loved to use? "This must be paradise on earth." The landscape before me was the absolute definition of that phrase.

Just as I was marveling at the view and leaning over to look down the cliff, a mystical voice echoed from behind me.

"You have finally arrived."

"Whoa, holy crap!"

I was so startled I nearly tumbled off the edge. First, I was shocked to hear fluent Korean, and second, when I spun around, I was greeted by a pure, one-hundred-percent monster. If it had a human upper body with vocal cords like Arin, I could understand, but what on earth was this guy? It had the body of a deer—albeit one packed with dense muscle—and a face resembling a dragon. Its eyes, brimming with profound wisdom, exuded an aura that made it difficult to maintain eye contact for long. But the words that came out of its mouth threw me off even more.

"I have been waiting for you."

"...Excuse me?"

And the surprises didn't stop there.

Huh? What did I even do? Is this one of those monsters with a tragic backstory? Like, falling in love with a human in the past or something...

"The Ruler of the East simply informed me in advance."

Goosebumps broke out all over my skin. Of course, it might have just read my facial expression, but those eyes made me feel as if it were reading my mind. The Qilin offered a gentle smile. Knowing I couldn't just stand there gaping forever, I carefully chose my words before speaking.

"Ahem. The Ruler of the East?"

Polite speech naturally wanted to slip out, but I kept my phrasing neutral to gauge the creature first. The Qilin, seemingly unbothered, replied.

"Yes. In your tongue, he is known as the Blue Dragon."

"How does that kaiju know about me?"

"Who can say? I was merely told that you would seek out my territory. I also heard the news that you pacified the Black Tortoise. You have my deepest gratitude."

The Qilin bowed its head deeply. For me, the whole situation was utterly baffling. I had just mindlessly used my abilities to clear my own path. Regardless of the Bond, I needed some time to adjust to this Qilin.

"R-right. I don't really get what you're talking about, but let's save that conversation for later. I came here to meet you, after all."

"Yes, I understand."

Should I start with the Contract? No, before that, there was one question I was dying to ask.

"By any chance, could you tell me what kind of abilities you have?"

Yugi's combat prowess and Arin's emotional manipulation and utility skills. Those two alone left nothing to be desired, so what kind of ability could possibly be added to the mix? With a fluttering heart, I awaited the Qilin's response.

"My hoofprints form perfect circles."

"?"

"...If you are referring to my combat abilities, I can evade any attack."

"I see. I can't do that."

Impressive. But was that it? Sensing my slight disappointment, the Qilin spoke up in a flustered tone.

"Furthermore, as a being that governs order and balance, I can adjust not only the world but also individual living organisms..."

"Hmm, I don't really get what that means, but it sounds amazing."

A sense of crisis flickered in the Qilin's intelligent eyes. I had no idea what kind of threat it was sensing, though.

"I-I will show you directly. Please, lie down here."

"All of a sudden? Why?"

"I can sense a deep exhaustion in your body. With my power, I shall wash that fatigue away completely."

"Oh, you can do that?"

Arin's recovery ability was meant for healing physical wounds, which was quite different from mental rejuvenation. Besides, I happened to be exhausted out of my mind, so the Qilin's offer was incredibly welcome news. Without another word, I used the grass as a bed and lay flat on my stomach.

"...Ahem. I shall begin."

Resting my cheeks on my hands, I closed my eyes comfortably. Surely, a holy energy would envelop my body and instantly sweep away all my fatigue and stress, right? However, what the Qilin actually did was quite far from what I had envisioned. It began to press down on me with those perfectly circular hooves. They felt somewhat soft yet firm at the same time. It was a rather strange sensation... and it constantly felt like it was stopping halfway.

For about ten minutes, the Qilin's hooves kneaded their way across my entire body. Exhaling a tense sigh as if it had just completed a monumental task, the Qilin asked.

"Has your fatigue been relieved?"

"...Well, it hurts a little?"

Of course, that was a lie. I had status condition immunity, so I couldn't feel pain. But I figured if I told it my fatigue wasn't relieved, it would get hurt, so I beat around the bush. Even so, this seemed to be quite a shock, as the focus in its intelligent eyes began to waver.

While the Qilin stammered in panic, I reviewed the system information. Well, even setting aside its abilities, it knew a lot and had a unique personality, which made it interesting. As long as it didn't block my compendium progress, there was no reason not to contract with it. But just as I was about to initiate the Contract...

"T-that shouldn't be possible... The structure? Yes, is it because of that?"

After muttering those rather eerie words to itself, it suddenly leaped high into the air and did a backflip. When it landed, in place of the beastly kaiju stood a woman. Startled, I was about to ask how it did that. If that was possible, Yugi and Arin could live comfortably on Earth too.

"How did ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠you..."

"No more excuses, just lie down!"

"Ah, no, wait a second..."

But the Qilin was already hyper-focused on something and completely ignored my words.

"Surely, if I press here, the balance..."

Even as she pressed down hard, I felt absolutely nothing. Instead, the system merely informed me of a single fact.

It was definitely because of this.

"Wait, calm down..."

But she didn't listen to a word, and I had to endure another ten minutes of her kneading me like a piece of dough. Ten minutes later, to prevent this from ever happening again, I spoke with a deadpan expression.

"Don't do this anymore. You can't satisfy me."