#19 Those Who Chase the Wolf (2)
#19 Those Who Chase the Wolf (2)
Gu Ma-jun—officially classified as a C-class Hunter.
Yet despite being a Hunter, he wasn't part of a clan. He belonged to the Temple.
'Not the kind of temple people usually picture, though.'
The War Shrine.
Strictly speaking, it wasn't even a clan. Close enough. In truth, it was the successor to the Vatican in Rome. Europe had fallen, for reasons no one talked about anymore, and the Vatican City-state had fled to Asia—only to split in two. One faction tried to preserve the faith's spiritual meaning. The other was a mob of fanatics screaming for vengeance. The War Shrine was the latter's creation.
'So it's not the kind of temple where you go for a nice healing spell.'
Think bald-headed monks and paladins swinging hammers and maces at monsters. Practically indistinguishable from a clan. Honestly, you might as well call it a multinational clan with a religious brand. Lips full of doctrine, hands full of slaughter. That was the whole lot of them.
'Gyeongsang Province is effectively propped up by the War Shrine and Gwangmyeonghoe.'
The other regions had their own representative clans, sure, but reading the novel gave you a clear picture. Two pillars. If Gwangmyeonghoe held, the province wouldn't collapse outright. But if you had the luxury of choosing—
'Better to prune the stray branches too.'
Gu Ma-jun was a former Hunter.
At some point he'd entered the War Shrine. The exact timing, I didn't know. The reason? The novel never mentioned it.
'Which is why I don't even know if he's there.'
Getting to Daegu was trivial. D-rank Stealth stood a good chance of slipping past anything. The real problem was—
'Daegu's got Hunters of its own.'
Average Hunters, fine. They probably wouldn't spot me. But the War Shrine? The representative clans' team leader types? If someone noticed me the way Hong Yuri had last time?
'I'd be dead on the spot.'
This wasn't a mountain or a dungeon. Once you're exposed in the middle of a city, escape stops being an option. The War Shrine uncles would be swinging hammers and maces while bellowing hymns, and the local Hunters would gleefully draw their blades.
'Should I just pump Stealth all the way up?'
I had six Skill Points. Dump them all into Stealth—maybe that'd push it to C-rank?
'Can't be sure.'
The sunk cost was too steep. I couldn't gamble every remaining Skill Point on a guess.
'Besides, at some point I'll have to fight and run anyway.'
I wasn't going to ask Gu Ma-jun any questions. I was going to kill him. The Prodigal Sons' trail? The protagonist might be curious. I wasn't. I'd read the novel to the end—I already knew where the trail led. Obviously I didn't know every detail about the Prodigal Sons, but I had no unanswered questions for Gu Ma-jun.
The reason I still had to find him was something else entirely.
'It's about time to send a warning.'
If I'm being honest, there was a tiny part of me that just found doing everything myself exhausting. But I did need to start waking people up.
'There's an organization out there pulling monstrous shit at every turn.'
No one would believe it right away. But if I started picking them off one by one—
'Suspicion will spread.'
And suspicion alone would force the Prodigal Sons to move more cautiously. That much could keep them in check. I'd reached the outskirts of Daegu without realizing it. Still no elegant way to stroll right into the city proper.
'I can change my appearance. But.'
It'd feel wrong. Mimicking a human body only went so far.
'I'm just a fleshy valley of unpleasantness.'
Let's say I copied a human shape. What about joint articulation? Eye movement? Breathing? Gait? If this were a fantasy world like The World, I'd just throw on a robe and call it a day, but here that'd get me flagged as a suspicious person instantly. People claim they don't pay attention to strangers, but would I really go unnoticed?
'Even with Change, I think it's a stretch.'
Most of all, my mana wouldn't hold out. The Cobalt Mine was out in rural Gyeongsan, barely populated—fairly safe. But the Shrine would be deep in the city center... That train of thought got interrupted by a memory of something I'd done before.
'Oh, right.'
Why had I only considered turning into a person? Pure mental habit. Instead of a human...
***
"Oh! Hey, look at that little puppy over there!"
"Lost its owner?"
"Shouldn't we report it? Maybe bring it in?"
...I had returned to the life of a stray dog.
My current form: a small black puppy. Wolves and dogs were close enough that I figured I could pass.
'No way some lunatic is going to use Appraisal on a random dog, right?'
Anyway, I was free to strut around Daegu. I'd wait until I ducked into an alley before popping Stealth—vanishing right in front of people would raise eyebrows.
'Phew. Seems fine.'
I'd been a little unsure, so I'd shown myself openly. No issues. Even if Stealth slipped, I could just act like a stray puppy.
'So this is Nobyeon-dong.'
I didn't know the War Shrine's exact location. What kind of author ever writes down a precise address? They drop a vague "somewhere in Daegu" and call it done.
'Still better than the Cobalt Mine, at least.'
Back then I'd had no clue where it was and had to comb the whole area before I finally found it.
'This time should go a bit smoother.'
After all, there was only one branch in Korea. Might as well be a major clan. A temple, even—should be easy to spot, right?
***
The training hall door slammed open with a bang—loud enough to cut through the noise. Heads turned. The woman who'd thrown it open glared back. "What're you looking at? Want some?" The stares scattered.
"Hey. I hear you're the one making a racket even in Bam?"
"P-pardon?"
Eun-ha stiffened. Hong Yuri waved a hand dismissively, face twisted in irritation.
"What, am I gonna eat you? Quit cringing."
"Ah. Um. It's not like that."
It was just that Eun-ha had heard nothing but terrible things about her.
They'd spoken before, but Yuri wasn't the type to approach first. Eun-ha's bewilderment deepened when Hong Yuri crooked a finger.
"You. Come here a second."
"Uh, yes?"
"You heard me. Come here."
"...Yes, ma'am."
Eun-ha hurried over in quick little steps. Hong Yuri studied her from close range. She looked like a small, young girl barely 150 centimeters tall. Younger than a little sister, even—and yet with a face like that, she was actually the same age as the Team Leader...
"You just thought something stupid, didn't you."
"No? Not at all?"
Yuri swept her gaze over Eun-ha like she was inspecting suspicious cargo, then propped her chin between thumb and forefinger.
"Well. Fine. I'll let it slide."
She spent about ten seconds evaluating her—nodding, shaking her head. Like she was grading livestock.
"—Yeah. You'll do."
"Uhh. I have no idea what you're talking about?"
Yuri crooked her finger again. Not a come-closer gesture—more a bend-down-so-I-can-reach-you one. Eun-ha bent her knees to match the shorter woman's height and took a clean flick to the forehead.
"Ow!"
It felt like her forehead had just split open. No exaggeration—the flick alone sent her sprawling flat on her backside.
"Why did you hit me?!"
"Tch. What's this? Completely hopeless."
Nonsense from the start. Eun-ha shot her a sullen glare, too offended to speak.
"Where do you get off glaring like that?"
"Huh? I— that's—"
"What?"
"...You just hit me out of nowhere."
Eun-ha puffed out her cheeks in a sulk. Hong Yuri snorted and flicked her forehead again.
"Aghhh! What is your problem?!"
"Oh-ho, soft, huh? This won't work. Follow me."
"Huh? Excuse me? Vice Team Leader? Vice Team Leader!!"
Eun-ha shot desperate looks around the room, silently begging for help—and ended up getting dragged out by the scruff of her neck anyway. The people who watched it happen just shook their heads in pity. The Vice Team Leader's reign of terror wasn't a one-day or two-day affair. Unfortunate, sure, but nobody was brave enough to jump in and then live with the consequences.
...She probably wouldn't kill her. Probably.
One person, though, tilted his head with a knowing look.
"Whoa. Guess Eun-ha's got real talent after all."
"What do you mean?"
"You don't know? Woo-taek got dragged off the exact same way by the Vice Team Leader back in the day."
"Heh. Since when does the corporate newbie act like an old hand?"
"Call me that one more time."
"Guess I wore it out, huh? Not working anymore. Anyway, what about Woo-taek?"
"Ho-ho. Little punk. You curious?"
The younger Hunter nodded vigorously. So did plenty of others in the training hall, pretending not to listen while their ears perked up. The older Hunter basked in the attention and puffed up.
"See, back when Woo-taek was in Team 2, the Vice Team Leader flicked his forehead just like that."
Like this. Like this—the Hunter's demonstration-flick sliced the air. The whooshing sound alone already belonged to something far beyond a mere forehead flick.
"Why the forehead?"
"Dunno. Woo-taek asked too, later on. She said when she smacks someone, she gets a rough measure of them."
"The heck does that even mean?"
"How should I know? Anyway, quit interrupting."
"...Ah. Right. Sorry."
"Ahem. So about a month later—Woo-taek, who'd been C-class, broke through to B-class."
"Whoa. He's been B-class that long?"
"Yep. Kid was always a talent freak. Just didn't have the technique."
"No technique? B-class at his age is pretty fast, isn't it?"
"...You little brat. Interrupt me again?"
The older Hunter's expression soured like spoiled milk. The younger one flinched.
"Ah. Sorry, sir. Please continue!"
"Anyway. Woo-taek was diligent from day one. Unlike a certain slacker."
"Why am I the slacker?"
"You really gotta ask? Look, Woo-taek was the type to whale on the wall and the heavy bag from sunrise till midnight. Compared to back then, these days he's basically soggy sweet-and-sour pork."
"What kind of comparison is that?"
"Does it matter? The point right now is the Vice Team Leader and Eun-ha."
"Well, yeah. Keep going."
"So. Who else did the Vice Team Leader drag off? Hayeon in Team 1. Kijun in Team 2. All of them, raised up by her."
"Huh? Those people? Then how come she never dragged me off?"
"Why would she? She only invests in the talented ones. You dull lump."
"I think I'm pretty talented?"
"Don't make me laugh."
"Man, jealous. So Eun-ha's gonna come back crazy strong later, yeah? What if she overtakes me?"
The younger Hunter was practically bouncing with excitement. The older Hunter couldn't hide the unease creeping across his face. He just grunted about getting back to training and started hammering the heavy bag. Soon the room returned to normal, everyone absorbed in their own drills.
"...If she can endure it, sure. If she can endure it."
***
'Found it. The War Shrine~ a maze of tangled alleys~'
So much for finding it fast. The sun had set again. I'd assumed a temple would be easy to locate.
'I didn't expect it to be way out west.'
Completely opposite from Nobyeon-dong in Suseong-gu. Same city, polar ends of it. Would've taken even longer without the guide signs.
'This should work, right?'
I scouted a decent spot in an alley across from the Shrine and curled up. Briefly considered using Change to slip inside and ask around, but the thought of getting caught and butchered made me drop it.
'.......'
Still a no-show, then.
I waited as dusk thickened into full darkness, using Spying on every person who came and went. No Gu Ma-jun.
[Spying (E) Lv.7 proficiency at maximum. Spying (E) Lv.7 → Spying (E) Lv.8]
'The people around here are a special breed of monster.'
I hadn't spotted anything quite on the level of Hong Yuri or Jeon Woo-taek, but every person who looked like a Hunter radiated danger. Not a single one seemed easy.
'...The Shrine's name was the first warning sign, honestly.'
True to a place called the War Shrine, even the weakest ones matched the female Hunter or the middle-aged Hunter I'd faced in the dungeon. Most were well above that. I kept waiting until nightfall, then made up my mind.
'This is wasting time.'
How long was I supposed to wait for a man who might not even show?
'...Go in?'
I rose from my long crouch. Detection picked up seven presences inside the Shrine. Seven was manageable.
'Check if Gu Ma-jun's there. Scan a roster, then slip out. That's it.'
***
"So you roasted the kid again?"
"Roasted? I helped her. She ought to be bowing in gratitude."
"When you do it, it's roasting. Ask Woo-taek."
Actually, had Woo-taek liked it? The Team Leader seemed to recall some grumbling. He paused, then shifted gears.
"...Kijun hated it."
"That's on the slacker. When I say I'll teach you, the only correct answer is thank you. Who the hell does he think he is, complaining?"
"......."
Yuri snorted, oozing self-assurance. She had a point. Who wouldn't want an elite Hunter to train them? Even if the trainer's personality was a little—no, a complete train wreck.
"So. How's Eun-ha?"
"Not bad, but..."
She crossed her arms, expression troubled, and muttered under her breath. The Team Leader had to strain to catch it.
"She's got some fight. She wants it. She puts in the work. Something's still off, though."
"Off? How?"
"Why's her stamina so pathetic?"
"Well, that's..."
She wasn't an Academy graduate and had only been active as a Hunter for a short time. She worked hard, but the word was she'd been physically ungifted from birth—some kind of innate clumsiness.
"She's basically a normal person. No—below average. First thing: she needs to be ground into shape. No other option."
"Mm."
"She's a spike. One-trick mana. Without it? You'd be better off grabbing some random civilian off the street."
Was it really that severe? The Team Leader had been too busy to pay any real attention to his people lately. A brief pang of guilt flickered through him. Hong Yuri just snorted.
"I'll handle her, so mind your own business. So. Your trip—how'd it end?"
"Fine. The Warg evolving into a Skull Wolf looks to be accurate."
"Oh, you poor wounded hero. All that moaning and groaning, and it was just a Skull Wolf? Should be embarrassed."
"......."
Hard to argue when she put it like that.
But the howl he'd heard on Jirisan had been genuinely alien. Threatening. Everyone on the team had felt it, not just him. Enough that he couldn't guarantee victory in a rematch. What had happened?
'Its appearance changed, they said?'
First it was a Warg. Then it became a Skull Wolf. It definitely had skills beyond Predation. False Stomach? Mimicry? Or something in a different category entirely? It likely had some kind of stealth skill too...
"What're you thinking about?"
"Just that catching it is going to be a headache."
"Hasn't caused any casualties yet."
"Can't be sure of that."
If it dragged someone off to a place nobody visited and disposed of them, how would anyone ever know? A single monster—not even a dungeon boss—and here he was wasting this much mental energy.
"So. Tomorrow?"
"Yeah. Already got clearance from the representative clan. Team 2 will sweep the perimeter. With your Tracking Magic Eye, you should still be able to follow the trail."
"Smart move. That clan's pretty decent, huh?"
"......?"
"I'm serious. We're not their local clan. If it were me, I'd say yes, then poke around for two or three rounds, suck out all the marrow, and toss it back."
"Well, you know... things happened."
More precisely, the female Hunter and middle-aged Hunter had fed them inside information, which had made negotiations smoother. The place was so rotted internally they'd practically been eager for outside intervention. Made it simple to seize leverage.
"Anyway, that's the plan. Get ready. We leave first thing tomorrow morning. Shouldn't be a problem for you, since you're just putting Eun-ha through pure stamina drills for the foreseeable future?"
"Yeah. I'll leave her with someone else while we're gone. If that someone turns out to be a useless sack of meat, I'm not having it, though."
"......."
"Who're you bringing?"
"Five, including Woo-taek. Any more would just get in the way. Team 2's coming too."
The report said it had fought an Aranea. It likely hadn't won a straight one-on-one, but it was safer to rate Kijun's estimate as high as possible.
"You've stacked the team with B-class and up."
"Right. This time we finish it for good."
Every single one of them could solo an Aranea. There was no scenario where Alpha (Jirisan Warg) slipped through again.
'Should help smooth out the Clan Leader's mood too.'
—The Wolf's tail was finally within reach.
Those chasing the Wolf only had to wait for the next dawn.