Haren Saurus Rider
Wearing the Domoto Ring and channeling mana into it brought a peculiar sensation.
It felt similar to the warmth emanating from a campfire. The difference was that, instead of warmth, it detected monsters within a fixed range.
It wasn't like a buffer's unique sensing ability either. Using the Domoto Ring allowed her to tame any monster that entered that range. The process was profoundly mystical—something even she couldn't put into words, despite having tamed the Haren Saurus herself.
Yoo Min-jeong could sense the Haren Saurus resisting. But when she doubled the mana flowing into the green ring, its resistance weakened and soon vanished entirely.
The Haren Saurus thudded over.
Yoo Min-jeong rushed forward and clambered onto its back. She never imagined the riding skills she'd learned as a child would come in handy like this.
Did Kim Jun ever learn to ride? Nah, doesn't seem like him. So how did he mount a Haren Saurus on the first try? Taming it with the Domoto Ring is one thing—getting it to obey is a whole other challenge.
She shoved the question aside for now.
Right now, she had to find Kim Jun somehow.
That's when a distant boom echoed through the air, accompanied by the distinctive screech of a wounded beast.
Yoo Min-jeong spotted a burst of light that flared and then slowly faded. The flash was gone, but a solitary lighthouse-like glow still stood amid the sea of darkness.
A raider team. Probably An Seong-ho's or the North Face team. What now?
Yoo Min-jeong hesitated.
To rescue Kim Jun, she had to pretend she hadn't noticed their approach. Judging by their path, they were heading straight for where Choi Muhyun and Yeom Sang-taek were guarding the hostages.
Sang-taek will spot them early, but Muhyun can't do more than hold them off alone. If they get surrounded, it's over. And I can't just run with Blue Lightning either.
Yoo Min-jeong clenched her fists tight. If only she knew where Kim Jun was—she could grab him and get back fast. But right now, she didn't even know which way to go.
All I can do is trust Kim Jun. If it's him... he'll survive. He'll come back for sure.
Glaring into the darkness, Yoo Min-jeong turned her mount around.
Buffer Lee Seung-jin frowned and glanced at dealer Baek Seungtae.
"Nine o'clock direction, thirty-five meters out. Small monster pack incoming."
Baek Seungtae whipped around, extending both hands. Crimson mana rippled between his palms before launching toward the monsters.
Fire Bomb!
At full power, it would have scorched everything in a fifty-meter radius. But Baek Seungtae couldn't reach that level. His version was only a notch above fireworks lighting up the sky.
Still, it was flashy enough to drive off the approaching monsters, and the boom was plenty loud.
Team leader An Seong-ho trailed slowly behind the buffer and dealer, hands clasped behind his back.
Today's raid wasn't about hunting. No need to lure monsters in and slaughter them. Better to scare them off than waste energy on pointless fights.
An Seong-ho recalled his master's orders.
Don't step forward.
With three guilds combined, Uramata's Pink Team had no chance of escaping unscathed. The real issue was what came next.
Yoo Wan-seop had entered Jiri Mountain.
Cheonhondan's pillar Choi Min-su might claim he was ignoring his son, but he wasn't the type to sit idle if trouble brewed.
And Yeom Sang-taek had recently become a client of Crazy Buffer Yang Hee-seon.
If those three made a move... someone would have to take responsibility. The guild master had kept that in mind when issuing orders to An Seong-ho.
Baek Seungtae, panting after scaring off another batch with magic, stomped over.
"Leader, what the hell are we doing?"
"Searching."
"Wasting Fire Bombs on monsters means Uramata spots us first."
"Hmm... probably."
"You're not planning to let them go, right?"
Madness glinted in Baek Seungtae's eyes. His hatred for carrier Kim Jun fueled it all.
An Seong-ho felt the stares turned his way.
From tanker Kim Jang-woo, buffer Lee Seung-jin, and carrier Joo Hyun-cheol. They all knew Baek Seungtae had crossed the line.
"Follow me."
An Seong-ho led Baek Seungtae into the shadows. It wasn't pitch black—outlines were faintly visible.
"It's Yoo Min-jeong, right? If being from Jushin with her makes you hesitate, just hand it over. I'll handle it."
Baek Seungtae said.
An Seong-ho spun and slammed a fist into Baek Seungtae's jaw.
"Keep yapping, you son of a bitch."
He kicked Baek Seungtae's side as he crumpled.
Enraged, Baek Seungtae nearly unleashed a spell but held back. Attacking the leader would end his days as a raider.
"You went to Im Seung-hyeon?"
"I..."
"Snitched every damn detail about this leader? Who's next? Huh?"
"......"
Baek Seungtae hung his head. No excuses.
His shoulders shook.
Thick tears soon streamed down his cheeks.
"Hey, you crying?"
An Seong-ho was thrown— he knew Baek Seungtae. The guy yelled and fought, but tears? Never.
"D-do you get it? Everyone points and laughs. At the guy who lost twice to a carrier. Some think that bastard's in the news because of me. As leader, shouldn't you understand? If I were leader... I'd try harder than anyone to catch him."
"......"
An Seong-ho was speechless. He hadn't realized the wound to Baek Seungtae's pride ran that deep.
In that moment, it hit him. Fail to fix this, and not just Baek Seungtae—the team overhearing would stop respecting him as leader.
Damn it. Didn't want to get involved.
An Seong-ho tore a strip from his leather jacket and handed it over like a towel. Then he spoke.
"Sorry, Seungtae."
"...Leader?"
"Your pride is my pride. I forgot for a second. Forgive me."
Baek Seungtae sniffled.
An Seong-ho gripped his shoulders, hauled him up, and returned to where the tanker and buffer waited.
They nodded lightly at An Seong-ho—approval of his decision.
Then the buffer's eyes went wide. Lee Seung-jin whipped his head toward the shadowed plains.
Red eyes were closing in.
"Defense formation!"
An Seong-ho bellowed and charged forward, erecting a barrier.
Seeing that, Kim Jang-woo covered the rear. Baek Seungtae prepped a counterattack. Lee Seung-jin and Joo Hyun-cheol retreated to safety.
An Seong-ho gaped at the man riding the incoming Haren Saurus.
The red-eyed monster bore Kim Jun—and leaped clean over the team.
Baek Seungtae's eyes nearly popped as Kim Jun sailed overhead.
That bastard! It's all because of him!
He conjured fire arrows and loosed them at Kim Jun. But they veered toward second tanker Kim Jang-woo. One grazed his side before exploding against the barrier.
Kim Jun urged the Haren Saurus to dodge the pursuing arrows and vanished into the dark. Baek Seungtae yelled and gave chase—blind to his bleeding teammate.
An Seong-ho was floored.
Kim Jun riding a Haren Saurus was unbelievable enough. But a deranged dealer injuring a tanker and breaking formation? Pure disaster.
"Leader!"
The buffer shouted.
An Seong-ho glanced back and gulped. Blue lights swarmed.
Ulpen Sauruses.
"Everyone, group up!"
He roared and unleashed his strongest defensive spell. Carrier Joo Hyun-cheol supported the wounded Kim Jang-woo over. Buffer Lee Seung-jin ducked behind him fast.
The Ulpen Sauruses slammed the barrier—it held. Poured everything into it; strong enough to blunt the pack's circling assaults.
"Baek Seungtae!"
An Seong-ho bellowed. No answer. Just the Ulpens prowling.
Adrenaline stoked Baek Seungtae's frenzy.
Three stacked Speed Ups let him tear through the grass, wind whistling past his ears.
But he couldn't match the Haren Saurus carrying Kim Jun.
Kim Jun pulled farther ahead, vanishing into the gloom.
His rage snapped cold.
Reason flooded back.
Baek Seungtae finally grasped his screw-up. A lone dealer bolting from the team? No matter the firepower, dealers couldn't survive solo.
They needed tankers' shields and buffers' support.
Grass rustled all around. Dry twigs snapping?
His ragged breaths grew louder.
He scanned frantically. The faint light pillar shimmered distantly, but he'd lost his team's position. Chased Kim Jun like a maniac.
"An Seong-ho!"
No response.
"Lee Seung-jin! Kim Jang-woo!"
Calling the second tanker's name, Baek Seungtae recalled the scene just before bolting—and shuddered.
No way. I'd never. Attack Jang-woo? Impossible.
He reflexively denied the truth. Needed someone to blame.
That bastard's fault. If that carrier Kim Jun hadn't shown up, none of this happens.
Shouted for the leader again. Only mournful wind through the plains answered.
Then a wolfish howl erupted nearby. Baek Seungtae knew it instantly.
Ulpen Sauruses. Close.
He dropped low, pooling mana into a single Fire Arrow. Ready to fire.
Magic had endless variety and utility—but drawbacks too. Slow activation. Hard to sustain.
The fire arrow hovering thirty centimeters above his palm trembled.
No choice—he loosed it straight ahead. Better to use it than let it fizzle.
Then blue glows pierced the swaying grass. Two, four... eight... way more.
Terror dried his mouth. He backed up, tripped on an exposed root, and sprawled. Scrambled up—too late. Surrounded.
Fangs gleamed between gaping jaws, drool dripping.
He smelled them: rancid musk mixed with blood.
This is how I go.
He'd heard raiders walked a razor's edge beside a cliff—to a hell of skulls below. Shuddered at becoming one.
No way he'd go quietly. He forged two Fire Arrows and fired at a rear lunging beast. One struck its neck.
Flames engulfed the Ulpen Saurus. It screeched and fled across the plain. The wail cut short.
The pack didn't break—not even at kin's death. Blue eyes blazed fiercer as they closed in.
Baek Seungtae gathered mana again—but the mana array collapsed. Spell failed; backlash jolted him.
One knee buckled. He endured.
Staggered but stayed up.
"Come on, you fucks! Bring it!"
From the left flank, an Ulpen Saurus lunged and tore into his turned shoulder. Another snarled and charged.
Then the Haren Saurus with Kim Jun barreled in from the side.
Still mounted, Kim Jun swung his digger, smashing the biting Ulpen Saurus's head.
Its ear ripped free with flesh. It whimpered back.
That... guy?
Baek Seungtae's eyes bulged.
The pack leader roared. Three Ulpen Sauruses peeled off after the Haren.
The rest advanced slowly on Baek Seungtae, blood streaming from his shoulder.
Tears welled.
Never imagined dying like this. Mom flashed in his mind.
A sob choked him.
The massive leader stepped forward—silent despite its bulk. Muscles coiled; it lunged for his throat.
Kim Jun appeared behind Baek Seungtae, digger in hand. He leaped high.
Kim Jun lightly touched down on the Ulpen's snout.
The digger plunged into its crown, piercing clean through to the jaw below. Bluish blood poured along the shaft.
Kim Jun vaulted off its back, clearing it entirely.
By the time the leader crashed onto Baek Seungtae, it was already dead.
"Raaargh!"
Kim Jun's roar made the remaining Ulpen Sauruses flinch and scatter. They'd seen their boss slain.
Kim Jun turned slowly and walked to the flailing Baek Seungtae.
"What're you doing?"
"I... I..."
"They'll be back soon. Gotta move."
"...Too heavy. Can't stand."
Kim Jun gripped the gore-soaked digger and dragged the Ulpen Saurus aside.
Baek Seungtae lurched up, then collapsed again watching Kim Jun yank the digger from the skull.
Kim Jun just stared, wordless.
"N-no matter how good you are... you're still a carrier."
"Says who?"
The tamed Haren Saurus thudded up.
Kim Jun seized its scruff, swung in a wide arc, and mounted smoothly.
Graceful as a movie scene—Baek Seungtae's jaw dropped unconsciously. Kim Jun seemed untouched by gravity.
Kim Jun rode closer on the Haren Saurus.
Docile as a warhorse.
"Blood reeks. More'll swarm. Killed the leader, but once they snap out of it, they'll hunt prey."
"S-so?"
"Want to live? I can help."
"...Yeah."
Kim Jun extended a hand.
Baek Seungtae grabbed it.
Next instant, he was atop the Haren Saurus's iron-hard muscled back. Hit him late: Kim Jun had hoisted him with raw arm strength.
Kim Jun eyed the light pillar.
Best bet now. But enemies lurked there for sure. Head that way, and they'd run into other teams—more danger.
Worse, the Haren Saurus was exhausted.
Ulpen pack would hit before they reached it.
Survive first.
Kim Jun turned toward the gate's opposite side.