The Burning Forest of Cheorwon
A labyrinth. Just hearing the name, you might imagine something built like a tower or a maze, but the reality was quite different.
It was a phenomenon where terrain would spontaneously shift and monsters would emerge—like graves erupting in a cemetery to spawn the undead, or sandstorms swirling to summon harpies. Recently, in academic circles, they had started calling them Erosion-Type Gates instead of labyrinths.
"W-w-what did you say?"
"Shiro, are you awake?"
On our way to Cheorwon, Grandfather had insisted on driving himself, turning down the offer for an association employee to take the wheel. He said he’d been itching to drive for a while. Perhaps Awakened individuals also gain enhanced driving skills, because the ride was so smooth I could barely feel a vibration. I’d buckled my seatbelt in the passenger seat, but drowsiness had washed over me, and I’d ended up closing my eyes….
So, after waking up from a short nap, it seemed they had been discussing the labyrinth without me. I puffed out my cheeks and looked at Grandfather.
"I’m a hunter too, you know…!"
"Hoho… o-of course you are. Yeon-hwa will explain it to you again."
― Kyak-kyak.
For the record, Jeolmi was in my arms, and Bombe had taken up a seat of her own. After observing Bombe for a while, I’d learned she had a very lazy and lethargic personality. Even now, she was curled up on Se-eun Unni’s lap, fast asleep. She was just like a real bear; it was adorable.
"I get it… so, what kind of labyrinth is it?"
"Hmm? Well… how should I put this?"
"I’m smart, so you can just tell me."
"R-really? Well, just based on the parts I entered… I guess I’d call it a Burning Forest?"
"A burning forest?"
Wouldn’t it be a disaster if a forest were burning? That wouldn’t be a matter of erosion spreading; it would just be a wildfire.
"The place where the labyrinth appeared is a mountain called Jeokgeunsan. From the summit down to the mid-slope, all the trees have turned pitch black. And they’re radiating mana like flames."
"Doesn’t the fire spread to other areas?"
"It doesn’t actually spread. Maybe because it’s a labyrinth? It only burns within its territory. And at the very top, a huge tree has sprouted."
"Hmm… what about the monsters?"
"The monsters are the problem… Ah, we’re almost there. I’ll show you once we get out."
"Okay."
Screech— The car came to a stop, and Jeokgeunsan came into view. Just as Yeon-hwa Unni had said, the trees on the mountain were stained black, radiating mana in the form of white flames. At a glance, it looked like a mountain covered in snow.
The only difference from her description was that the affected area had expanded from the mid-slope down almost to the entrance. It seemed the labyrinth’s erosion had spread, widening the radius.
"H-Hunter-nim. If you wait a moment, I’ll go catch a monster for you."
"Are you sure? You don’t have to push yourself alone."
"I-it’s fine for just one!"
BOOM— Yeon-hwa Unni leaped with such force that the ground shook. The innocent earth was gouged out, sending dust flying. Se-eun Unni getting pelted by sand grains and becoming furious was just a bonus.
Not only was it impossible to capture the labyrinth-affected area in photos or videos, but unless a hunter explored the interior directly, it was impossible to get a clear look at the inside from the outside. They said it was because the labyrinth’s mana permeated the space itself, causing cognitive distortion. Anyway, that was the case.
After waiting a short while, Yeon-hwa Unni returned quickly. She was holding a monster by the neck, her hand coated in mana.
"It’s a Gaekgwi (wandering ghost). Or perhaps Hwagwi (fire ghost) would be more accurate."
The monster Yeon-hwa Unni dropped with a thud was quite fascinating. It looked like a human body that had been completely dehydrated, coated in mud, with white flames flickering on top.
The flames felt quite intense, burning the monster’s entire body, which was why Yeon-hwa Unni had kept her hand coated in mana while carrying it.
"A Hwagwi? What’s that?"
When I voiced my question at Grandfather’s mutterings, Se-eun Unni explained.
"Shiro, you know that every country has monsters that appear frequently, right?"
"Yes, I do. China has martial artists or immortals trying to turn people into pills… and Japan has lots of yokai, right?"
"That’s right. And what did they say appears most often in Korea?"
"Tigers?"
"That’s true too, but Gaekgwi ghosts appear the most. They’re monsters that look like a gaunt human body plastered with mud. They say the mud isn’t real mud, but a mass of ghostly energy… anyway, among those, the ones that are constantly burning like that are called Hwagwi."
"Aha, I understand perfectly."
In short, it’s a burning bachelor ghost.
Grandfather Yong-su crossed his arms and stared down at the Hwagwi for a long time before looking at Yeon-hwa Unni. She blushed and flinched. She’s really something, that one.
"If it’s just this level of Hwagwi, you should be able to handle it easily. Are there more monsters?"
"Y-yes! That’s right. This Hwagwi is the weakest monster in the labyrinth, and I’ve confirmed that higher-tier species like Eoduksini, Yeongno, and Bulgasari are also present."
"So you haven’t confirmed the boss yet… and you wouldn’t know the labyrinth’s closure conditions either."
"That’s right…."
Not all labyrinths disappear just by killing the boss. They only vanish once specific closure conditions are met, and those conditions vary for every labyrinth. Usually, Seekers are the ones who find traps and discover those conditions….
"Grandfather, why didn’t we bring a Seeker?"
"Hmm? What do you mean?"
Grandfather tilted his head at my question.
"Se-eun Unni has a dual position as a Striker and a Seeker, doesn’t she?"
"Shiro…?"
Oh, wait. Had I already told her? Se-eun Unni was looking at me with a hurt expression, and it felt like I might have mentioned it to her at some point….
"I-I’m sorry…."
"Oh… it really is a white flame."
We decided to stop the preliminary briefing and enter the labyrinth. Grandfather Yong-su took out his giant shield as his main weapon, and Se-eun Unni drew her spear. They said that while they usually used mana to create waves for surfing or flying, they’d walk on foot since they didn’t know what might happen inside the labyrinth. Yeon-hwa Unni, being a brawler, put on knuckles made of black wood.
"My ability involves planting seeds in the spot I strike with my fists or feet and then germinating them for effect… but since the monsters in this labyrinth radiate fire-attribute mana, the seeds just burn up if I plant them inside."
"Aha, so that’s why Yeon-hwa Unni can’t clear it alone… but couldn’t you just catch them together with the Cheorwon hunters?"
Se-eun Unni tapped my shoulder.
"Yeon-hwa is an outcast. She has a foul personality, so she has no friends."
"Hey!! That’s not true!"
Oh, I see.
It’s okay, Yeon-hwa Unni. I think you’re cute. Maybe it’s because you like my grandfather? Even if he’s not my biological grandfather.
Anyway.
"The Cheorwon hunters are just too weak! And I can’t just hand over the clearing rights."
Labyrinths were more profitable than standard Gates. They produced a lot of mana crystals, and the resources altered by the erosion were highly valuable. That’s why there were usually many power struggles over clearing rights… but Yeon-hwa Unni was the initial discoverer and had been recognized for her local service, so she’d been able to secure the rights quickly. Being an S-rank hunter must have played a part, too. It seemed a waste to hand over those hard-won rights to a large guild for a pittance.
― Keung.
"Why? Do you feel something? Bombe?"
Walking at the very front of our group was Bombe. Usually, Grandfather Yong-su would be in the lead, but since Bombe was an ice-attribute Vanguard-class summon, she had taken that spot. Jeolmi was flying around at a decent height, keeping watch on the surroundings. It was very reassuring.
― Keung!
"You’re sleepy? You can’t sleep right now!"
― Keuuung….
"You’re asking if you can stay in your small form and only grow big when we fight? No!"
― Keung….
― Kyak-kyak!
"Oh."
While I was listening to Bombe’s complaints, Jeolmi signaled that there was something ahead. Se-eun Unni seemed a bit surprised that Jeolmi’s detection ability was superior to her own senses.
Whoosh— Emerging from between the burning trees was—
"It’s a Yeongno!"
Yeongno. It was a beast from Korean mask dances, a yokai that devoured aristocrats. It had the form of a giant snake with a long, white body covered in messy, red-lined patterns.
The problem was its sheer size. It was as thick as two motorcycles put together, and it looked to be at least 20 meters long. Furthermore, just like the Hwagwi, it was radiating white flames from its entire body.
― Ssssss—!!
― KEUUUNG—!!!
The Yeongno opened its maw and roared. But we had Bombe. Bombe suppressed the Yeongno’s roar with a superior vocalization of her own. Grandfather Yong-su watched for a moment before tightening his grip on his shield.
"Do you want to try fighting the Yeongno, Shiro? I’ll block any other monsters that try to swarm us from the surroundings."
"M-me?"
"You can do it. You aren’t weak, Shiro."
Seeing the trust in Grandfather’s eyes, I couldn’t refuse. I swallowed hard and stepped forward.
"Bombe, let’s show them."
― Keung!
"Jeolmi, too!"
― Bwong—!
The Yeongno recoiled at Bombe’s roar, but then instantly stretched its body and lunged at her. Bombe didn’t care; she blocked the Yeongno’s fangs with the shield on her front leg.
CLANG—! A sharp sound rang through the air. But Bombe didn’t seem to have taken much damage. I immediately channeled my mana to Jeolmi, who was in the sky.
"Jeolmi! Aim for the eyes first!"
As all my mana flowed into Jeolmi, the tips of his ice feathers turned sharp as blades. At the same time, blue electricity and a blizzard imbued his wings—and he dove straight for the Yeongno’s eyes.
Simultaneously, as if waiting for that exact timing, cold air erupted from Bombe’s shield. Whoosh— In an instant, the white flames the Yeongno was wearing died down.
CRUNCH—! Perhaps it hadn’t expected this; like someone who had pressed their tongue against the wall of an ice room in a sauna, the Yeongno, stuck to Bombe’s shield, was left wide open to Jeolmi’s attack.
Exquisite timing. Jeolmi’s attack landed perfectly.
The blade-like feathers didn’t just hit the eyes; they sliced right through the Yeongno’s skull. Thump— The Yeongno’s lifeless body collapsed to the ground.
"Uh…?"
"Hoho…."
We’d finished it off in an instant. Yeon-hwa Unni sighed as if she were dumbfounded. I just scratched my head.
"I guess… my ability really is a good match for this."
Shout it out: Awesome Ice!