96. The Hunt (4)
“That dog bastard's been bothering people.”
Nus had fully digested the guy, then spat out the mana signal device along with the bones.
“You're not even human, so why are you so pissed off?”
“Familiars share their master's emotions, you punk.”
It had swallowed the hostage alive, mana and all, without any room for negotiation.
Nus could be a bit prickly, but it wasn't the type to act without thinking. The fact that it had gone this far meant Jeonghyeon had truly been furious.
Philip nodded, thinking that much.
“But how'd you know to come here?”
“Familiars share not just emotions, but vision too. When you suddenly started seeing mana all around clearly, I followed it right to you.”
'As expected, the smartest one.'
Jeonghyeon flashed a satisfied smile, and Nus, sharing that feeling, shifted back to pixie form and strutted proudly.
“Uhahaha! You idiots really can't get by without me~!”
“Phew. With Nus here now, looks like we're in the clear.”
No matter that they were allies, monsters were monsters. To Philip and Jeonghu, it would have been nauseating, but the two sighed in relief like it was nothing new.
“Heading back now?”
At Jeonghu's question, Jeonghyeon stared silently at the mana signal device on the ground.
“But... if the signal cuts out and no mana is detected around, they'll come rushing, right?”
“Y-Yeah...?”
“Then isn't this perfect?”
“Huh? What do you mean?”
Jeonghu blinked in confusion.
Philip's hand landed on Jeonghu's shoulder.
“Remember that expression well.”
Seeing Jeonghyeon's face as he eyed the signal device, Philip wore a resigned smile. It was a familiar look by now.
“Why?”
“That innocent, childlike grin. It's the face he makes right before stirring up trouble.”
“Sorry, but we're close enough now that you can say that to my face?”
“Ahaha! No, sir!”
But Philip was spot on. Jeonghyeon planned to wipe them all out while he had the chance.
“Nus. Absorb every bit of mana here. Not a drop left behind.”
“You got it! Ignirn's mana body before it explodes... pure, delicious nutrition~!”
Nus, thrilled for the first time in centuries, stretched out, absorbing Ignirn's mana bodies and glowing red.
“Alright, shall we head out?”
“Sounds good!”
Familiar Nus acquires fire resistance.
Familiar Nus acquires permanent fire resistance.
Familiar Nus acquires permanent resistance against Ignirn.
'Two birds with one stone.'
Once this quest was done, he'd be fully at odds with Ignirn.
Perfect preparation for that moment.
Turning crisis into growth. Jeonghyeon and his crew emerged stronger than before.
Boom!
Back outside, Jeonghyeon's group slammed Philip's double strike into the ground, turning it into a scorched wasteland, then smashed the mana signal device.
“Now they've gotten the signal. Time for us to prepare too.”
“Back to Dragon Falls Gorge?”
“Yeah. Gotta protect the Rock Dwarves.”
***
Back at Dragon Falls Gorge, Jeonghyeon activated Dungeon Eye to scan the area.
All the bombs and mines that could be threats had been absorbed by Nus, and the Rock Dwarves seemed hidden somewhere still.
“I sense mana, but shall we go find them?”
Philip, activating Dungeon Eye too, pointed to a corner of the gorge, but Jeonghyeon shook his head.
“Nah. If we split up and someone gets hurt or killed, it'll be a headache.”
“No need for that anyway.”
Jeonghu, hand on the ground with eyes closed, cracked them open.
“Enemies approaching from 1km ahead at tremendous speed.”
“Good. Let's give 'em a grand welcome.”
Jeonghyeon formed up battle lines and reached out to Nus.
Nus got the cue, spewing red mana from its body.
“Philip, Jeonghu.”
“Yes!”
“Yes!”
Jeonghyeon mixed his mana with Nus's accumulated power and shared it with them—enough without overload.
Subordinate: Philip shares mana infused with Ignirn's fire resistance.
Subordinate: Jeonghu shares mana infused with Ignirn's fire resistance.
“It'll hold up decently, but try not to get hit.”
“Of course. Should we strike first?”
“No. Wait.”
Jeonghyeon planned to wait until the very end.
Just like the hostage's trap with tunnels and bombs to lure him in.
This space was fully analyzed.
Rumble...!
Far off, over thirty minions in beast hides revved engines and charged.
“Time to go?”
Philip slowly raised his arm.
Cylinder load at max.
One swing could crumble the earth.
“Not yet. Wait.”
Even as their shapes became clear, kicking up acrid sand, Jeonghyeon held.
To the very end, luring every last one into Philip's range.
“Jeonghu.”
“Yes.”
Storm Dragon Fist had combo techniques too, right?”
“Ah... the Four Evils?”
“That's the one. Anyway, Leap for mobility, One Strike for attack. Can you alternate?”
Leap lacked acceleration.
It shot forward fast, defying load and gravity to ricochet directions.
Chaining stored mana into One Strike mid-Leap wasn't easy.
But they'd all grown—Jeonghyeon, Philip, Jeonghu.
'Just from infusing mana, I can tell.'
Mana that once recharged instantly without Nus now needed the familiar to max out.
“Never tried it, but...”
Jeonghu trailed off.
“Never tried and can't do are different. Can you or not?”
After a moment's thought, Jeonghu nodded.
“I'll do it!”
Good. That's the response even if he couldn't before.
“What about me?!”
“You set the stage for Jeonghu to rampage.”
“Got it!”
Not because Jeonghu was better or Philip lacking.
To test their perfect synergy.
“So... swing now...?”
Philip asked, arm aching just to hold.
Their war cries of “Kill~!” were audible now.
A few seconds.
One slip, and Ignirn's flames could scorch Jeonghyeon's face—resistance or not, no guarantees.
Philip and Jeonghu tensed most.
“Found 'em! It's them! Kill!!!”
As one minion yelled and they drew guns in unison—
“Now!”
Jeonghyeon shouted.
Philip swung his mace at the ground in mana response.
Subordinate: Philip'sDouble Strike evolves further.
'Land of Fire' activates.
Ignirn's flames erupt from the shattered ground.
Soul of the Mountain crashed into the earth. Cracks spread, Ignirn's flames bursting forth.
BOOM!
“?!”
Even Jeonghyeon widened his eyes in shock.
A dragon awakener using another's power?
Unheard of.
Kaboom!
Like an earthquake, cracks devoured the minions, flames erupting atop them.
“C-Can I go now?!”
Jeonghu glanced at Jeonghyeon before charging.
“Yeah... go.”
Stunned by the impossible sight, Jeonghyeon nodded blankly.
“Storm Dragon Fist...!”
Jeonghu crouched, mana surging through his body.
All the prepped mana rampaged, concentrated extra in hands and feet.
“Four Evils!”
He leaped at the panicking foes.
Jeonghu vanished.
A fierce gust hit Jeonghyeon, sonic boom imminent.
Instantly before the enemy, Jeonghu's fist pierced one, then stepped air to leap at another.
Subordinate: Jeonghu'sStorm Dragon Fist evolves further.
'Auxiliary Projectile' activates.
Jeonghu's internal mana activation increases.
Not like Philip's simple style—Jeonghu's was hard to explain.
'What the hell?'
Jeonghyeon had plenty of combat experience and trivia, but theory wasn't his forte. No clue.
But watching Jeonghu moved was enough.
'One Strike...! One Strike...! One Strike!'
Leap forward, One Strike to smash individually—perfect for hunting panicked foes in flames.
Ignirn's mana transfer was visible: red aura leaked from Jeonghyeon's body.
Philip's was active terrain control; Jeonghu's, body-enhancing buff.
“Dodge! Get out!”
“Move!”
“Kill! Shoot anywhere!”
“Agh! I got hit!!”
Chaos in their own flames, minions fell helplessly to Jeonghu.
'Impressive.'
Jeonghyeon chuckled in admiration.
Fire resistance aside, Jeonghu darting through flames to vital points was skill.
But Philip pressing his mace down, fine-tuning ground mana bursts, was key.
Tunnel-digging experience and practice with Jeonghu paying off.
Less mana where Jeonghu landed; post-strike, heavy bursts to blind foes.
Jeonghu exploited gaps perfectly, entrusting life to Philip, pure offense.
Near-perfect offense-defense unity from two attackers.
'Usually one body does it, but...'
Two near-one was masterful.
“Thanks to your mana.”
Nus spoke beside the impressed Jeonghyeon.
“Huh?”
“Linked by your mana, they sense each other like you do them.”
“That... works?”