Chapter 93. The Hunt (1)

He hadn't just run off after telling Horakti he was going to war with him.

"Heh heh heh. Quest reward time. Heh heh heh!"

Jeonghyeon ducked into a secluded corner where no high elves were in sight, buzzing with excitement as he prepared to open the quest window.

"You. You're one sneaky, black-hearted bastard."

"Fuck, you scared me! Where the hell did you come from?"

Nus slithered out from his inventory.

"From your inventory, dumbass. So, what's the reward?"

Right. This guy's my familiar.

Intelligent familiars shared their master's quests and status windows.

That's how he'd been able to send the right mana to Philip and Jeonghu.

At first, it seemed like thoughts were shared too, but Nus never pretended to know unless prodded—he didn't go that far.

'Fucking Nus.'

"What're you staring at? Open it already. I'm curious too."

Looked like he wasn't playing dumb after all.

"Fine. Let's see what we've got."

Jeonghyeon acted casual in his mind, as if he hadn't said a word, and opened the quest reward.

As expected from a tough quest—the rewards were top-tier.

'But... Malekith's hologram knew Horakti was coming.'

Did he think Jeonghyeon ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠would kill Horakti and steal his power?

'If so, he must've figured I'd go after Guide of Spirits too.'

Something felt off.

"Progress faster than expected."

Did that mean this wasn't planned from the moment Horakti showed up?

Of course, the quest had to be completed.

But the timing was up to him, and that nagged at him.

Malekith, craftier than Jeonghyeon by a factor of ten, might've anticipated even this.

The timing of completion could change everything ahead.

'Bet that bastard planned it this way and is laughing his ass off right now.'

Suspicion hardened into certainty.

Jeonghyeon was sure of it.

"I can guess what you're mulling over. Your noble servant here will lend a hand."

Nus suddenly chimed in.

"Oh? What's up?"

"Think logically. A greater Demon King presence means greater authority."

"Oho. And?"

"The mana you hold from Lord Malekith, and the rest from other Demon Kings—it's all uniquely attuned, like dragon mana."

"Too complicated, teach."

"You idiot. Afraksas natives can distinguish Demon King mana."

"So?"

"Boosting your presence cuts down on pointless squabbles like this—or lets you snag minions easily if needed."

So that's its role.

'No wonder the high elves sensed me right away.'

Thinking back, it was pretty funny.

Him strutting around reeking of Demon King mana while pretending to be a hero, and Nus playing along despite knowing.

'Funniest part? Romanell falling for it hook, line, and sinker.'

As Jeonghyeon drifted into thought, Nus—in pixie form—kept talking.

"But it puts you on other Demon Kings' radars. Dragons might notice too."

Exactly.

Dragons had foreseen the Demon King's rise for the ancient dragons— they'd recognize the power.

"Most Demon Kings probably haven't caught on, though. Horakti's the only one who tracked you down to kill you, thanks to Guide of Spirits."

Was Nus right?

Horakti was the only one who'd found and confronted him. No other Demon Kings in sight.

Either his presence was too faint for them to detect, or...

'They've sensed me but don't see me as a threat worth bothering with.'

Not underestimated exactly—rational, even. But ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠it still stung his pride.

'Fucking nobodies.'

"Why do you go full throttle every time Demon Kings come up? You play the part great sometimes."

"I'm not playing—I'm the real deal. And I'd love to rip every last one of their throats out myself."

"Why?"

"They ruined us."

"...Past life ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠stuff?"

"Yeah. Not blaming you for being Malekith's lackey, though."

"Damn right. After all I've done for you."

"...Your ballsy attitude's kinda cool."

"Bullshit. Get back in. What if the Rock Dwarves got assassinated?"

"Oh. Right. Yeah."

Why was his mouth so foul? If the denizens of Afraksas—and future sages—knew the pinnacle of ethereal slimes talked like that, the betrayal would be epic.

"Let's head in."

But that was Nus's charm.

Jeonghyeon patted him like a pat on the back for all his hard work.

"What was that creepy grin? Like I'm really your pet? One chance and I'd twist your neck right off... Ack! Don't shove me in! I said don't—!!"

"Haha. Can't even take ten seconds of nice."

Jeonghyeon stuffed Nus straight back into his inventory and headed to Romanell's house.

"Thus, we return to the Rock Dwarves."

No recap, no footnotes—just his first words upon throwing open the door.

He had tons of questions for Romanell about ancient dragons, but the dwarves would know best.

They had ties to Uldran, and he could learn why they'd served the ancient dragon Elkalabi, and why they felt abandoned.

"Really?! Finally?!"

Romanell lit up like he'd tasted freedom at last.

No more Horakti—true liberty after so long.

"Good call. Want one of my minions too? I've gotta hold this place."

As if.

Horakti was far from claiming Elaha's Garden fully as his turf.

"Damn."

"Thanks, but next time. Focus on tending the garden."

Better to solidify control over two loyal ones than juggle a new wildcard.

"Alright. Shall we?"

Jeonghyeon spoke oh-so-gently to the minion he'd brought.

While yanking him up by the hair.

"Guh...!"

***

Back where the Rock Dwarves should be, they were nowhere in sight.

"No dwarves around?"

Philip—who'd only heard stories—gawked like a tourist at Dragon Falls Gorge's overwhelming vistas.

"They're hiding somewhere."

He'd expected it, but damn, they really were hunkered down.

The Rock Dwarves had clung to this gorge for thousands of years.

Even when Jeonghyeon first met them and got reamed out over booze, and right before the Demon King war a decade later.

They'd held out through near-extinction here.

So they'd peek out once he beat Ignirn's minions.

"Doesn't matter where the dwarves are. It's how we beat Ignirn's goons."

"They'll come back even with a hostage?"

"Definitely. No doubt."

"To rescue the hostage?"

"Maybe. But they'll want Aketrab back for sure."

Ignirn never dropped a goal—tenacious to a fault.

And infamous for working his minions to death, like Solgaleh.

More likely he'd chewed them out for incompetence: "Forget that trash—get the treasure."

"Hostage, any word from Ignirn?"

"Hah! Think Lord Ignirn sees you weak-ass Demon Kings as worth contacting?"

Abandoned, as expected.

'Sorry, but Ignirn's as chatty as Albatron.'

Too weak to care, or ditched early.

"So, how do we fight?"

Jeonghu asked.

"Learn their style. Know thyself, know thy enemy—invincible in battle."

Jeonghyeon slapped Nus onto the hostage.

"Itemizing me now, huh."

"Nah. Blow him up if shit hits the fan, Nus."

"Sweet. Time to vent disposable stress. Or just bail?"

"..."

The hostage gulped at Nus's manic grin.

"No running, got it. Fight your way."

"N-no."

"Fine. We'll sniff 'em out ourselves. Nus?"

"Boom time now?"

"F-fine! I'll do it! I will!"

Finally.

'Turning him into the bad guy.'

The hostage crammed fire-like fuel into his severed leg stumps.

"What's that?"

"Lord Ignirn's mana cores. We need 'em to fight."

'Hm. Not official awakeners, then.'

"How many per person?"

"Five. Two legs, two arms, one per gun."

"Where do they recharge?"

"At the sanctuary."

"Sanctuary?"

Ignirn's was nearby—close enough.

That explained the frequent raids.

"How long till they burn out?"

The hostage sighed, hesitating.

"Dunno. Not my job—someone else handles it. And besides..."

"Besides?"

"We've never failed a hunt. Never depleted."

He said it like his pride hurt, but Jeonghyeon chuckled.

Pathetic.

"Never failed before, huh? Failed now."

"...Hunt's still on."

Success once they snag the goal?

'Hunts drag on sometimes.'

Before the hostage tapped Ignirn's power, Jeonghyeon laid a hand on his shoulder and whispered.

"Next time? Total defeat. Run for your life."