Nakan Jungle (2)

The blinding light faded from my vision, revealing the familiar sight of the Waiting Room. The various contaminants from the battlefield seemed to have been stripped away upon resummoning. I'd been drenched in blood—if I'd arrived in this white room like that, it would've been a real mess.

"Ha."

Not even funny. Since when had I gotten so used to blood? I was just a grad student. The mind, enslaved to the flesh, is so ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠damn fickle. The changed world, the changed me. What's the point in dwelling on it? If Jeong Ji-hoon's way of thinking is still here, then I'm still me.

Anyway.

'See you again...' Those were words I'd said to Lena just recently. Now I was on the receiving end. The situations were worlds apart, though.

"Feels... kinda scattered."

The thought slipped out naturally. And it was true. It seemed straightforward, but it was tough. Were the monsters just on a higher level overall? Wave 53 did have its baseline numbers, after all. But the wall wasn't in danger of collapsing. That monster of a commander was already tearing through the wave—no way we'd lose. Contribution aside.

Still, I was a bit—no, pretty tired. Was it from seeing too much blood?

The familiar report dangled at the edge of my vision. Third time already. No matter the battlefield, settlements must go on. Damn right they do. Gotta get paid for the hard work.

1,600 Cron. Not bad. No, great. Beautiful, even. The settlement fee had dropped a whopping 10 percent. Now that I had uses for it, I knew just how precious 200 Cron was.

The corner of my mouth twitched upward.

'No excess contribution, as expected.'

A clean 100%. Memories of the battlefield flashed back unbidden.

'Lucky it hit exactly 100%.'

Kiara. The storm of the battlefield, the blood-smeared beast, the girl with forsythia-yellow eyes. Didn't suit her vibe at all.

Even amid the whirlwind of combat vision, blurred by frenzy, she alone stood sharp. Like the only clear figure in a blurred world.

'What the hell is she?'

No point pondering that either. But now I had a way to find out.

'Nakan Jungle? Nah, more direct.'

I typed "Kiara" into the community search bar in the corner.

As expected.

Queen...? There were testimonies about Kiara, just not normal ones. That's the problem.

'For real...'

Judging by the nicknames, most seemed like vets who'd been at this a while. Summons expensive, high-grade mercs. Attacks if they seem decent. Never calls twice. That was ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠the gist.

Crazy bitch? But none of my business. Contribution maxed, no attack. And never twice, so after one summon, I was off the hook.

Her using an elite mob killer for regular wave cleanup? Her loss. Still, she paid her worth. Filled 100% when some only scrape 13%.

'But what was "see you again" about...'

Again? Calls more frequent than expected. Good's good.

As I quietly checked the battlefield info, my hand froze.

Wait? I just did Wave 53 there, now 54? Two things clear. One, Kiara's a crazy bitch. Two, "see you again" was real.

Before even opening my eyes, the humid air clawed into my nostrils. Sticky and warm, like breath on my face.

"?"

I opened them to find Kiara standing right in front of me. Way too close. I quickly backpedaled two and a half steps.

Kiara, meeting my gaze, grinned for some reason.

Red-orange bob cut. Exposed forehead. Brown skin. And those bright ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠yellow eyes sucking in my gaze. The girl's features, unnoticed under the blood yesterday, burned into my retinas.

"Said I'd see you again."

True. And I'd said it too.

"…Yeah."

"That's it?"

What else to say? My eyelids tightened involuntarily. Couldn't ride this empty conversation's current.

"Use me to get value exceeding the resources spent… on me."

I forced out my sales pitch opener. My struggle to not get swept by her tidal wave.

"Hmm~ Spent a pretty penny."

Thanks, but. My fragile raft shattered helplessly.

"Hmm~ To make you worth it in Nakan… hehe."

Her hum sounded like a growl. Illusion? Felt violated. Fuck, I'm not some ero-game protag.

That thought made her unfinished words suspicious. No way.

Berga's handsome face!

"Ahem. A mercenary called to the battlefield proves value in one way."

"Hehe… Looking forward to it."

Good, this face's cynicism matched its looks. No losing a staring contest.

Kiara circled me slowly. That up-down scan felt…

"No wounds."

Ah. Sorry, my bad. Her gaze shifted to the jungle's edge.

"Coming soon. You coming too?"

She flashed a catlike smile and bolted toward the stockade.

"Ha."

Coming? No pride issues, but post-possession, I knew I'd adapted. No thanks to protection duty.

I sprang my knees like springs. Mixing in strides, I caught her shoulders quick.

"Haha! Fast too!"

"Abandoning the forward base?"

"Abandon? Oh, that."

Kiara answered steadily. Head tilt included.

"Block wherever. Just went to greet 'em."

'Greet.'

A commander's vision with otherworldly combat power was this narrow and arrogant.

"Today, greeting something else."

Her eyes crescented at me. Me?

Then a roar from the jungle depths. Low, fierce growl rumbling.

No, that too? Ground quaked. Far off, tree shadows. Wave 54's culprits: lizardman legion emerged.

And.

Wait, of all things…

Clear in my eyes. Probably hers too. Rear of the horde: massive tail emerging from the wave. Elite Monster flailing reptilian eyes.

"Hmm~ Something new today. Crocodile?"

'Croc at Gar'kan?'

Swamp Predator Gar'kan. Saw footage as Jeong Ji-hoon. Rare jungle battlefield user, so noted.

Dark gray body with green sheen. Three vicious spines along spine, geometric patterns like turtle shell over back leather. All dwarfed by its colossal size.

Teeth in that maw each lizardman-sized. But jaws stay shut. No attack—just advance. Advance to smash walls.

"Scared?"

Ha. Wave 53—no, 54 now. Normals meet elites around here. She had her confidence.

Still… scared? Chicken?

No answer, she smirked slyly again.

"Berga rest?"

Never got "over-care is insult" till now. Think I do.

"That's my line."

Cheeky brat. I'll ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠show you. How normal commanders use me. My purpose here.

I pierced silence, soaring skyward.