Fox Hunt (1)
Meanwhile, at that very moment, in Sanctuary Corp.
"Elis, you've got a visitor."
"A visitor?"
Elis—no, Elis—lifted her head from checking Jina's schedule as Jina's personal secretary. Her colleague's words made her pause.
"..."
"It's been a while."
She froze stiff at the sight of the woman who'd come to see her.
"Can we talk for a moment?"
"...Yes."
Like a mouse before a snake, Elis went rigid and followed the woman to a quieter spot. She had no choice.
Because the woman who had come for her was none other than—
"...How did you know to come here, Mother?"
—Elis's mother, Risanna Gwen.
Risanna fixed her daughter with a gaze so cold it was impossible to believe it belonged to a mother. She spoke.
"You've gotten insolent in just a few days. We'll have to retrain you in etiquette the moment you come home."
"..."
Elis's breathing grew ragged. To her, her mother was more terrifying than any tyrant.
"I'm not going back home..."
"Don't spout such nonsense. Haven't you played around enough by now? You've had your fun—now be satisfied and come back."
In the past, she wouldn't have dreamed of defying her mother. That's how she'd been raised.
But after living with Jeong-nam, she'd tasted a freedom she'd never known before.
"...No."
"What?"
"I'm not going back home."
"..."
Having savored that freedom, Elis was no longer the obedient good girl. For the first time in her life, she defied her mother.
Risanna stared at her with icy eyes and sighed.
"I let you run loose just until the ceremony, thinking you'd get it out of your system—and you've turned into a wild filly."
"What... did you say? You let me run loose?"
"Did you really think we had no idea where you were? How naive. You're a Gwen, yet you don't know the true power of the Gwen family. We know every move you make."
"..."
"Enough chatter. Come home tomorrow. If you defy me, that man you're so obsessed with will suffer something horrific."
Ironically, Risanna's warning eased Elis's tension. She even smirked at it.
"You're laughing?"
"Mother, you still don't know him well. Try it. You'll see who ends up suffering something horrific."
"Ha... We'll have to fix you from the ground up. You're thoroughly broken."
"I'm not broken..."
"If you're acting this bratty because you trust that Horny Guy—no, Steel Armor—then tone it down."
"...!"
Elis bristled at being called broken, but her eyes widened at Risanna's next words.
She knew Jeong-nam was Steel Armor?
"I told you—you don't know the true power of the Gwen family. The reason Steel Armor can rampage like a thunderbolt is because we haven't attacked him. The power of the Gwen family... could crush a bug like Steel Armor without effort."
"Wh-what do you...!"
"Tsk tsk. Broken through and through. Can't even speak properly now? Anyway, come home tomorrow. To think you'd let a bug like that defile you... It's a disgrace to the family. We'll have to purify your tainted body before the ceremony."
"Wait! Just a moment!"
Elis rushed forward and grabbed Risanna's arm.
Slap!
"Ah..."
What came back was Risanna's sharp slap.
Clutching her stinging cheek, Elis stared blankly at her mother.
"Insolent girl. How dare you touch me so casually?"
"..."
Her eyes held not a speck of warmth—pure ice. Is this really my mother? Elis felt lost.
"...The true power of the Gwen family."
"Hm?"
"What is it? That true power you keep talking about."
Risanna, still gazing coldly at her daughter, curled her lips into a sinister smile.
"It's a power the humans here couldn't even imagine, let alone comprehend. Remember—tomorrow. If you want to save that man you love, come to the main house tomorrow."
"..."
With that, Risanna turned and left.
Elis stood there for a long time, watching her mother's retreating back from the spot where she'd been slapped.
"I know you're there. Come out, Steel Armor."
A Gumiho's sense of smell was unrivaled in the world. She'd detected my stealthy approach from behind even before I revealed myself.
"Hey, Gumiho. Your nose really can't be fooled."
I waved casually at her.
I hadn't used my Monster Hunter superpower yet. I couldn't reveal my full power until I lured her into the trap.
"What brings you here?"
"What else? That thing showed up, so I came."
I pointed to the Siren flying circles in the sky behind her, poised to strike at any moment.
"Couldn't finish it off last time, so I figured I'd settle the score myself—payback and all."
"...Is that really all?"
"Huh? What else would it be? You think I have some other motive?"
Was it because she was a monster? Her instincts were sharp as hell.
"If Siren was your goal, you wouldn't need to show yourself to me."
"Maybe I just stopped by to say hi before the fight."
"And."
"Yeah?"
"The way you specifically mentioned 'other motives' makes it sound like you do have one."
"Whoops."
I shook my head. Her intuition was no joke.
But no matter how sharp, she wouldn't guess this was all a trap I'd set to catch her.
"If that's what you think, fine. Handle it yourselves. I'm out. No point sticking around to help when you're suspicious of me."
I raised both hands and backed away slowly.
Even then, Gumiho didn't drop her guard. Cautious woman, as expected.
Time to bait the hook? Let's reel in the big one.
"Oh, right. Gumiho."
"What?"
"Back then, when Siren first appeared."
"..."
"Do you really think I let her get away?"
"...What did you say?"
"No matter how dumb you think I am, would I really fail to kill a Siren that was on its last legs?"
"What are you getting at?"
I shrugged dramatically.
"Just curious. Did I miss her... or let her go?"
"What? You don't mean..."
"And one more thing—how did a dying Siren come back looking so pristine? Someone help her out, maybe?"
"..."
"Weird, huh? Anyway, see ya, Gumiho. Catch you later."
"...Stop."
A few steps in, Gumiho's voice called from behind.
I ignored her and kept walking.
"I said stop."
"..."
"Stop!"
"..."
I broke into a full sprint.
A glance back showed Gumiho chasing me.
"Stop right there, Steel Armor!"
"...Heh heh heh."
With Gumiho on my tail, I climbed the mountain in District 137, right next to District 105 where Siren had appeared. It was two districts away from District 106, where Siren was now.
Reaching the trap site, I stopped.
"Why keep following me? How far you planning to go?"
"What did you mean by that just now?"
"Huh? What?"
"You...!"
A dangerous aura radiated from Gumiho. She was pissed.
She'd probably overpower me by force if needed to get answers.
"What exactly are you so curious about? Oh, you wanna know if I healed Siren and let her go?"
Huh?
Mid-taunt, I noticed her shadow rippling massively. She looked human, but her shadow was a fox with nine tails.
Heh heh heh. That's more like it.
She was ready to unleash her real power if pushed. She wouldn't back down easily.
Monster Hunter for the decisive moment.
Save it for the last second. Over the past week, I'd experimented with my powers and confirmed that using Monster Hunter amplified other abilities.
So until then, I could go all out without it. Gumiho was too strong to suppress easily otherwise.
Wear her down, take her legs. Once mobility's gone, even with Monster Hunter, she won't escape.
Start with body enhancement.
"Steel Skin."
My skin turned to steel. I kicked off the ground and launched at her.
"If you're curious, find out yourself!"
"Steel Armor!"
Instead of retreating, Gumiho chose to fight. As expected—brute force was the fastest way to intel.
Subduing softly took time. Overwhelming power? Instant.
Bam!
"Graaaah!"
"Raaagh!"
We locked hands in a test of strength, roaring as we pushed. Neither budged.
Our power was equal.
This is insane.
Level 10 body enhancer—and she matched it! Monsters were monsters, alright.
Clang!
Gumiho moved first in the deadlock, slamming a low kick into my thigh.
Fun fact: I had Steel Skin, fine. But her bare leg clashed like metal on metal.
"Haaah!"
Defense was my second-best after stamina. It stung, but I could take it. Seizing her raised leg, I shoved hard.
She planted both feet late, but momentum was mine. She slid back, carving a groove in the dirt.
"Hup!"
Suddenly dropping low, she flipped onto her back, planted her feet on my gut, and threw me over.
She rolled again, mounting me and choking my neck.
"Guh!"
"Talk! What’s your connection to Siren?!"
"You sure love mounting me. Did the same last time, squeezing tight."
"Shut up and answer!"
"That’s—"
Repulsion.
I slapped her side with Repulsion. Caught off-guard, she flew into the air.
"Kgh?!"
"Ask after you beat me!"
I spun, using Attraction to yank her down as I pretended to slam my fist into the ground.
Thud!
"Ugh!"
"Still got a ways to go!"
I closed in on the crashed Gumiho with a soccer kick. My shin connected with her jaw!
"...Not bad?"
"You little—"
My shin never hit. She'd grabbed my foot mid-swing.
Thud!
"Gah?!"
Now I ate dirt. She rolled sideways, slamming me down.
"Hup!"
"Urgh! Again...!"
Before she closed in, I thrust my arm with Repulsion. She flew back.
I stood, canceled it, and hit Attraction. She rocketed toward me.
I swung full-force.
"Strike!"
"Hng!"
Whoosh!
Gumiho surprised me again. My fist pierced her chest—but she vanished like a mirage.
Illusion power, probably. The real one hid right behind the fake, low and ready. She roundhouse-kicked my gut.
"Ha! This bitch."
I kept Repulsing her skyward. She did the same to me.
Fwoosh!
Purple flames erupted around Gumiho. One fireball split into dozens.
"..."
"Fun."
She reached out—and dozens of fireballs hurtled at me.