EP6. Amusement Park
Hwang Dong-su hurriedly called Jang Gil-san, the Hunter Association president.
"Yes.
President.
Choi Jae-jun the hunter is here right now.
Casualties have been minimized.
For now, we'll assist him while taking out the remaining monsters."
Most hunters were tied up at the front lines and couldn't make it, leaving only Hwang Dong-su and a few others.
'Whew.'
Before arriving, he'd worried about how to handle the swarm of monsters, but thank goodness Choi Jae-jun was here.
Unlike the footage of him fighting that troll before, he looked even stronger now, riding a dragon the size of a small truck. According to survivor accounts, he'd summoned stone golems that crushed lizardmen warriors and nagas.
'What the hell is his ability?
A summoner?
A swordsman?'
He'd figure it out once things settled down and they talked.
"Everyone, listen up."
The hunters turned to Hwang Dong-su at his words.
"We'll head in the opposite direction from where Choi Jae-jun went and start rescuing survivors."
Most nodded, but one stepped forward in protest.
"All of us?
Why are we playing backup for that guy?"
It was the same man who'd nearly bumped into Jae-jun earlier.
He was B-rank, skilled but arrogant—An Jeong-mu.
"He's not our captain or anything. What, is he S-rank now?"
Hwang Dong-su let out a light sigh and nodded.
"Yeah."
"Exactly. So why should we—
What? Yeah?"
"That's right.
He's a new S-rank.
So just follow his lead."
Hwang Dong-su patted An Jeong-mu's shoulder as he walked past.
"...For real?"
An Jeong-mu asked in disbelief, but there was no reply.
Jae-jun roamed the amusement park, cutting down every monster in sight.
In the process, he rescued countless people hiding away, but Hye-seon wasn't among them.
'Where the hell is she?'
No way.
Jae-jun shook his head sharply to banish the ominous thought.
He didn't even have time for that right now.
'Blink!'
Blink
Jae-jun's body leaped through space, slicing off a lizardman's head.
Shiiiiiik!
A pack of nagas nearby thrust their weapons at him in unison.
'No time to deal with you one by one!'
'Chain Lightning!'
Chain Lightning
Pzzt!
Lightning crackled everywhere, frying the nagas.
Jae-jun didn't forget to drive his blade into the heads of those still twitching.
Puk!
Puk!
'Blink!'
Blink
Then, a faint woman's scream echoed from far off—just loud enough to catch if he paid attention.
'Where?'
"Hestia!"
Hestia flared her wings and shot into the air the moment Jae-jun called.
He leaped onto her back.
They rocketed upward, and Jae-jun scanned the area.
'That?'
It was near the Viking ride at the park's far edge.
A monster of a form he'd never seen before lurked there.
His vision zoomed in like a telescope, revealing a familiar silhouette from behind.
'Hye-seon!'
"Go!"
Jae-jun shouted, and Hestia surged forward at full speed.
The old man had summoned it through a pentagram of blood drops.
Out came a demon chimera, Jagan.
A black-furred lion's body.
Griffin wings.
A scorpion-tail stinger.
And three human heads, each scanning the surroundings with savage, intelligent eyes.
Grrrrrr!
Jagan was in a foul mood.
It had been forcibly dragged from the demon world into the human realm by some higher demon's power—but for some reason, it couldn't remember who.
'That unlucky blood tasted like shit.'
Jagan, with its ability to uncover secrets, was usually mild-mannered but couldn't resist hunger—not even for its own young.
And right now, it was starving enough to devour the summoner on the spot.
Gurgle.
'Hungry.'
Stomach acid bubbled from its mouths, sizzling on the ground.
Sss!
The air reeked of humans everywhere.
Imagining their juicy flesh and metallic blood made its mouths water.
Thud, thud!
It spotted a cluster of humans in the distance.
As it leaped with a flap of wings—
A strange ringtone blared right behind it.
Riiiing!
Jagan whipped around.
Grrrrrr!
It sensed a human presence.
Jagan reached out and tore open the entrance.
Inside were three human women.
Saliva boiled in its mouths at the sight of fresh prey.
It stretched a hand toward the nearest one.
Then, every hair on its body stood on end.
'What?'
The killing intent was so intense, its muscles cramped in tension.
'Dodge.'
It instinctively knew death awaited if it didn't.
It hated leaving prey behind, and it didn't want to get booted from the human world so soon.
Grrrrrr!
It bounded back over 10 meters.
Kaboom!
A massive explosion hurled dirt and debris at Jagan.
Where it had stood, a sword was embedded in the ground—only the hilt visible, testament to the insane force.
At the same time, lightning arced through the air toward it.
Pzzt!
Grrrrrr!
But Jagan had magic resistance.
Its black lion claws nullified any spell.
A casual wave dispersed the electricity.
Jagan lowered its heads, eyeing the newcomer.
"Human?
No, demon?"
Its three faces scrutinized Jae-jun closely.
An ambiguous existence.
'Human soul, demon soul, Demon King aura, even angel vibes.'
Weird.
Despite its words, Jagan's faces grinned wide.
It loved the strange, the bizarre, the secretive.
And Jae-jun reeked of secrets.
'Kill it, eat the body, drag the soul to the demon world.'
One head spoke to Jae-jun.
"Strange one.
What's your name?"
Jae-jun glanced at Jagan.
His eyes were icy cold.
"Shut up. I'll kill you soon enough."
Grrrrrr.
Jagan's rage was fleeting.
It burst into absurd laughter.
What a fun soul to claim after so long.
Jae-jun approached Hye-seon, checking her over.
"You okay?
Hurt anywhere?"
She looked fine to him.
Hye-seon's hands trembled.
"...Oppa?"
Tears streamed down her face as she hugged him tight.
Seeing him broke the dam on her held-back sobs.
Relief and comfort mixed in her tears.
Her friends sniffled and cried too.
Jae-jun patted Hye-seon and her friends for a moment.
Thud.
Hestia landed beside him, glaring at Jagan.
"Ooh.
A dragon!
A dragon!"
"A red dragon at that!"
"Thought they were extinct?"
The three heads chattered, eyeing Hestia.
"Let's take that too."
"Stuffed trophy would be nice."
"No.
Eat it.
Eating's best!"
Grrrrrr!
Hestia bristled with killing intent, glaring back.
But Jagan just chuckled.
"This hatchling's got claws."
"Even an adult dragon couldn't handle me!"
"So cute, so cute!"
Jae-jun ignored Jagan's babble, soothing the kids.
"It's fine.
Just stick with me and rest easy."
Right then, Hwang Dong-su and the association hunters arrived.
Hwang Dong-su and An Jeong-mu shuddered at Jagan's grotesque form.
Chills ran down their spines.
"Take care of my sister and her friends."
Hwang Dong-su nodded warily, leading the kids back.
"Humans!
Humans!"
"You look tasty!
Come at me!"
"Hahaha, you!
Weakling!"
Jagan's three heads mocked An Jeong-mu.
Six eyes burned with eerie fervor.
An Jeong-mu couldn't contain his surging rage.
'This fucker and that one—mocking me?'
"I'll kill you!"
An Jeong-mu kicked off the ground, charging Jagan.
Jagan's eyes gleamed.
Gurgle.
'Dinner!'
Jagan leaped, snatching An Jeong-mu mid-air.
Its three heads sank fangs into his arms, tearing.
—Author's Note—
Thank you.