The World Tree's Leaf (1)
Sizzle—
After the sun had set, I called Ha-eun over and sat her down at the table while I busily grilled the meat.
Hmm… but just grilling it like this feels like something's missing. Should I sear the outside a bit more?
◈ Details:[Breath] skill usage fee
"Whooo~"
Whoosh!—
"…Huh, Unnie?"
"Yeah?"
"I think I just saw some flames… Was it my imagination?"
"I'm cooking here. Adding a bit of fire flavor is basic."
Ha-eun stared at me with a blank, dumbfounded look.
"So… what was the thing you wanted to talk about?"
"Oh, I was gonna bring it up in a bit. Did you find the jerk who spread my video around weirdly?"
"…Ah, that?"
I took the frying pan off the heat and looked at Ha-eun as I said,
"It's all done anyway, so grab some plates."
"Y-Yes…!"
A total of five servings of meat. I gave one to Ha-eun, and put two on mine and Terra's plates. Some might call it favoritism, but what can you do—we eat a lot. And honestly, this is still way too little for us.
Clack—
"Like you asked, Unnie, I did some investigating."
"So, did you find 'em?"
"Well… I did, but it's not an individual. Looks like an organization."
"Huh."
An organization? Come to think of it… I vaguely remember hearing about that during returnee re-socialization training. Groups formed by Awakeners, legal or illegal. The legal ones at least call themselves guilds to make it sound nice…
"It can't be a guild, right?"
"O-Of course not…! It seems like a group made up of hunters who lost their licenses. They're systematically trying to tarnish other hunters' reputations."
"…What the hell."
So, a nest of venomous snakes. I just happened to catch their eye and got sniped? What is this, middle school?
"And that's not all. I asked the Association's intel department to cooperate and checked it out—they're confirmed to be involved in kidnappings, murders, rapes, that kind of thing on the regular."
"…They only did the online manipulation crap because I look tough?"
"Yes. Aside from swaying public opinion, it looks like spontaneous actions by low-level grunts. Most victims are F-rank hunters or civilians."
These guys are totally insane.
"But we did pinpoint their location."
"Huh…? How'd you manage that?"
"Well… the email actually told us."
What, another email?
"That email. What's its deal? Why does it spill everything?"
"Um… It's super rare for it to give such specific info. Probably the higher-ups didn't want to piss you off…"
Ha-eun scratched the back of her head and continued,
"Truth is, we don't know much either…"
"Huh?"
"We just know it's a directive from above. No one knows who sends it or how."
"Hmm, I've heard something similar, Goldie-nim."
That's when Terra, who'd been quietly eating her meat, spoke up. She looked a bit… like a kid puffing up with pride at being included in grown-up talk.
"Something similar?"
"Yes. In my world, there was this concept of prophecies. They came down to the present world in various forms."
In dreams. Or through writing. Or as supernatural phenomena for some. Terra grew serious as she said it.
"It seems similar. We don't know who's sending it, but it always tells the truth."
"If it's really a prophecy like you say, that means there's a god on Earth or something?"
"I can't say for sure… but maybe."
A god… That suddenly reminded me of the Flame King Dragon. The guy who challenged a god, got his horns and wings ripped off, and plummeted to a mere lizard. He always went around telling other dragons that gods weren't to be trusted.
…This feels kinda weird.
Back then, I didn't care at all—just in one ear and out the other…
No. I'm overthinking it. Could just be a normal email from some capable folks.
"Anyway, the important thing is we've got their exact location, right?"
"Yes."
"But then I don't need to do anything else, do I?"
If we just had a vague lead, it'd be way faster for me to burn through treasures hunting them down… But with the location fully exposed, it didn't seem efficient for me to go charging in personally. My kind of revenge is capturing and locking them up, not smashing them myself.
Better to hand it off to the Association and hit a gate for treasures instead. I've still got a mountain of treasures to collect.
…That's what I was thinking when,
"Um… Unnie, I can tell what you're thinking from your face, but look at this. It's a photo attached to the email."
"Huh?"
Ha-eun suddenly pulled up a screen on her Hunter Watch. What caught my eye was a brilliantly green gem shaped like a leaf.
This… looks familiar. Wait a sec.
"What is this… Isn't this a World Tree's Leaf?"
"Exactly. It's what forms when a World Tree's leaf falls and crystallizes."
A byproduct of the World Tree… That makes it treasure, right? The World Tree itself radiates immense vitality and nurtures life. And those prideful elves guard it.
"The elves circulated tiny amounts of it in the past. Its value is, obviously, insane."
"The elves sold off parts of the World Tree? What the…"
Elves who call it 'mother' and won't even let anyone near it, selling leaves? What the hell happened to Earth's elves…
"Anyway, the organization's boss is a former A-rank hunter. He probably got it while he was active."
"So. We go wipe them out, and I snag the World Tree's Leaf on the way?"
"Right? All the spoils go to you, Unnie. Plus, we rescue the people who look kidnapped. Two birds with one stone, yeah? You love this stuff!"
I wasn't planning to go since there was no real reason, but if the goal is treasure—especially World Tree-related—that changes everything. Even in that world, World Tree treasures were a pain to acquire because of those pointy-ears.
"You talk like you know me so well, Ha-eun."
"Eek… D-Don't you like it…? There's a warrant out too, so there's definitely bounty money—"
"No, you know me better than I thought. We leave tomorrow. First thing in the morning, so crash here."
"Y-Yes…?!"
That thing's gotta have some special effect, right? Like the forest gem fragment I got this time.
"Heh heh…"
My heart was starting to race again. What kind of treasure could it be?
A five-story building in Gimpo. The hidden facility in its basement.
"Haa…"
Lee Ho-jin exhaled a puff of smoke in a space decked out like a chairman's office and looked down.
An organization member kneeling and trembling.
He ignored his morning coffee on the desk, stood up.
"Ha, you cheeky bastard."
Clack—
Clack—
The sound of his shoe heels echoed through the room. Maybe because it was a fully enclosed space with walls on all sides, it rang out extra loud, like some staged drama.
Then, right in front of the member, he clicked his tongue and spoke.
"Hey, have I ever messed with you guys?"
"…No, sir."
"Right? I let you scumbags run around using my name. Huh? I even brought a decent girl yesterday."
Sizzle—
"Ugh…"
Lee Ho-jin, crouching low, stubbed out the cigarette he'd been smoking on the member's shoulder. That's when the sharp groan escaped.
Thwack!—
"Guh—"
A blow to the crown of the member's head. It wasn't full force, so it didn't really hurt, but it planted the man's forehead flat on the floor.
"But if you just take the hits without giving back, what good are you? Huh? Can't even do the jobs I give you? Did I ask for anything hard?"
"S-Sorry, sir."
"Sorry my ass. Did I ask for anything hard? If you can't even handle simple shit, what the hell do I need you for?"
Public opinion manipulation. That's what the order was—tarnish the rep of rising stars in the Association. The member felt wronged. They targeted a total noob who clearly had zero streaming experience… Who could've guessed she'd go so hard?
No, why the hell are we even doing this pathetic crap? The boss doesn't lift a finger himself.
"P-Please, just put me on an assassination mission! I'll fight—"
Crack!—
"Krrk…"
"This fucker's raising his voice now? You pissed? Then go pick a fight with a yakcha."
Veins bulged on his fist-clenched arm. Even though it was a bit unfair, the member couldn't retort.
Former A-rank hunter. On a whole other level from a D-rank like him.
You couldn't even speak or act carelessly in front of him. His brutal temper and sky-high ego could make him swing at the tiniest thing.
Sizzle—
"Hoo… Fuck. Nothing but useless shits."
He lit a new cigarette and tapped the back of the member's head. Like poking a boring pebble when you're bored.
As he took a deep drag again,
Slam—
The door burst open, another member rushing in.
"B-Big trouble, sir!"
"Who the fuck walks in without knocking!"
"Sorry! But there's an intruder…!"
"Intruder? With all the camouflage, what bullshit—"
"They're streaming right in front of the building—"
Streaming? The moment Lee Ho-jin scowled at that,
BOOM!—
A shockwave rocked the entire facility.