Busan Giant Gate 4: Unquenchable Flames and Spider's Venom
“F-Fire? A forest fire?”
“Isn't that dangerous?”
Judging by the black-red flames, it's definitely Ha-eun's fire. But why has it spread so much? She was still struggling just to spark a small flame.
Is the artifact's power going haywire...?
“Looks like my teammate's fire... Doesn't feel good.”
Then Kim Da-jeong, who'd been sticking close to me, urgently chimed in.
“The wind's blowing this way. We should hurry!”
Flutter—
“Gah! Take me with you, sword girrrl...!”
I ignored her fading scream and shot forward, coming to a halt above the forest engulfed in flames. The scorching heat hit me like a wall.
“There!...”
“I see her too.”
In the midst, I spotted Ha-eun, sword plunged into the ground, gasping for breath.
Whoosh—
“Eek?! F-Falling?!”
Ignoring Kim Da-jeong's shrill scream, I dove sharply and landed, rushing straight to Ha-eun.
“Ha-eun?”
“Ugh... Unnie...”
Her right shoulder was badly mangled, blood pouring out. She's lucky the arm's still attached at that depth.
Kim Da-jeong staggered over on shaky legs.
“Let me take a look. I'll suture it first...”
“No, look closely. She's poisoned.”
As she moved to cast healing magic, I pulled her hand away.
“Latent poison. Fine now, but it'll turn lethal after incubation.”
With that, I wiggled a finger, sharpening and lengthening my nail.
“It'll hurt a bit. Bear with it.”
Withdrawal: 200,000 won
Details: [Detox Blood] skill usage fee
As blood filled the nail, turning it red...
“What are you doing...?”
Kim Da-jeong asked with trembling eyes.
“Dragon blood has sterilizing properties. A little tweak, and it detoxes too.”
Not that it's easy, of course.
Stab—
I roughly explained and pierced Ha-eun's arm with the nail tip.
“Ugh?!...”
“It'll hurt. Human body taking dragon blood and all. Better than dying, right?”
I rolled my eyes to scan around.
“Da-jeong-ssi, check on those folks.”
“Y-Yes!...”
Two men and a woman lay collapsed. Didn't look great, but were they even breathing?
“U-Ugh! Aaagh!!”
“Hold still. Or you'll die.”
Meanwhile, as detox began, Ha-eun—sweating coldly, staring at me—blurted desperately.
“Hah... Unnie, spider over there!...”
“...Spider?”
“Ugh! Th-That... thing...”
But with my blood injected, her eyes were glazing over.
...She won't last like this.
“Ha-eun, calm down. It'll be rough till the poison's out. We'll handle the rest. Rest, okay?”
“Uwa... Y-Yeah...”
Hearing that, all her tension snapped; she half-fainted into my arms.
With her, the surrounding flames weakened and died out.
And...
“...Goldie-ssi?”
“Yeah.”
“These people... too late. Cause: poisoning... looks like. They held hands till the end...”
Kim Da-jeong's voice reached me. Looking over, a man and woman clutched hands.
...What the hell happened here?
Step—
“Wh-What in the world is this?!”
“...Beats me.”
Even Ha-eun, who'd held out longest, was out cold now. No questioning her.
“What's with this fire? Won't go out even stepping on it.”
“Her artifact's power. Hmm... No clue why it spread so much.”
“Wait till it burns out naturally, I guess.”
I folded my wings, hoisted Ha-eun on my back, and used a World Tree's Leaf.
“Seems we met the boss here. Know any spider monsters?”
“Spider, huh?”
“Yeah, she mentioned one before passing out.”
Ha-rin pondered.
“Plenty of spider types. But... something off. Spiders don't usually build nests, right?”
“True. Spiders gonna spider?”
“If caught in a web, she'd have fought to the end. But no spider, no webs now.”
The chat about differing habits caught my eye. If Ha-eun wasn't delirious...
“Could be a new monster species.”
Jackpot, maybe?
New monsters get S-rank provisional hazard rating, even if small and weak. Unknown threat, after all. Unknown powers, abilities—no one knows.
But flip that around...
“Heh heh...”
First materials from it, and if lucky, unseen treasures.
“Heading out now. Might even chew its legs.”
Anyway, need to hunt it again. Gotta clear the gate.
Problem: Ha-eun's blaze probably scared it off. Sensed danger instinctively. Even hurt me.
And... one unresolved issue.
“Got their IDs... Bodies... wish I could retrieve them, but...”
The dead hunters here.
Ideally, recover bodies too, but...
Kim Da-jeong and Ha-rin knew. Hunting's risky. Fatal wounds anytime, sudden death possible.
Every hunter manual's first page: Don't play hero. Prioritize self. Blindly helping others endangers team and self. Secure your safety first to save others.
In an unsecured unknown gate, body retrieval's near impossible.
“You guys are too extreme.”
“Huh?”
“Well, Da-jeong-ssi. I'm a dragon, right? Dragons are versatile.”
Snap—
Withdrawal: 400,000 won
Details: [Material Creation] skill usage fee
Temporary platforms appeared from my finger snap. I laid Ha-eun on one and continued.
“Like this. We'll recover them. Satisfied?”
I'm not that heartless a dragon. Image boost too, and cozying up to the Association ain't bad.
Bow—
“Huh?”
Suddenly Kim Da-jeong bowed to me.
“...Thank you. On behalf of the local hunters.”
“...They were your party?”
“One was.”
Others strangers, yet she bows?
“She has strong personal beliefs.”
“Beliefs?”
“Yes. Wants to save as many entering gates as possible. Even if... just return them to families.”
Hmm. Whatever her past, not bad. Beliefs are desires too. I get it—as long as no loss to me.
“Alright. Let's move.”
Now... where do spiders like?
Hmm, even if I screamed, not like that.
“Not scared of spiders, but yeah, creepy. Especially the one that laid eggs in my lair.”
“Breath'd 'em all away.”
Step—
“Check around here.”
Withdrawal: 100,000 won
Details: [Dragon Eye] activation fee
I scanned battle scars on trees with Dragon Eye, eyeing one side of the forest. Closed eyes, focused on sounds.
Clang!—
Sharp noise, closer than expected.
“Someone's fighting.”
“Pardon?”
“Sword clash. I'll go ahead; Ha-rin, follow. Platforms linked for Da-jeong-ssi.”
Withdrawal: 100,000 won
Details: [Acceleration] skill usage fee
Bang—
Words barely out, mana surged; I bolted through the trees. Marked them with my mana—they won't get lost.
Squint—
Ahead, massive spider silhouette emerged. And a man facing it, bastard sword in hand.
But he looked rough—barely holding the blade.
Withdrawal: 300,000 won
Details: [Body Reinforcement - Gold] skill usage fee
Golden aura wrapped me; I accelerated again. Slipped in front of the spider mid-leg slam.
Boom!—
Blocked with my forearm.
“C-rank Goldie. Joining the fray.”