Chasing Shadows in the Behemoth's Nest
Days passed like that with the demon and the training sessions. The drills followed the same pattern every day. Harin yelling at Seha, Seha running away, and Harin chasing after him with her axe—a endless loop of the same routine.
"Hey, Yu Seha! Stop!"
"N-no! Wait, I told you not to catch me!"
"Shut up! No excuses!"
"Eek!"
Dahong leaned against the wall every day, watching the scene unfold.
"Fun, huh."
"Does it look fun to you?"
"Yeah. You guys seem close."
"Ahaha... You think so?"
Isol gave a wry smile at Dahong's nonchalant reaction.
"Hey, should we practice coordinating over here too?"
"Sure."
While Seha and Harin chased each other, Isol and Jin-ho sparred to sync their movements.
"Don't back off there—step forward instead. It'll cramp their space and give you the advantage."
"Ah, using positioning like that... Impressive."
"That's what you see when you're on the attacking side."
The training seemed to be progressing smoothly enough.
On the day of the practical, Team 1 rode the academy shuttle to the dead Behemoth's nest.
Their supervising instructor was Seoyeun.
"My summoned beast will follow and observe. It won't intervene unless it's an emergency."
After that came a brief rundown of precautions and gate structure. They each received a mana stone that would activate as a signal flare if broken in an emergency.
"Han Isol and three others."
Isol handed over the paperwork and temporary licenses to the safety officer.
The officer scanned the documents.
"Academy students, huh. Good luck out there."
The gate was midway up the mountain. The rippling hole looked like the gaping maw of a massive cave. The Hunter Association had installed lights, illuminating only the entrance—nothing penetrated beyond into the gate.
"Alright, let's head in."
"......"
Tension rippled through the team at Isol's words. Jin-ho took a deep breath, hefted his tower shield, and entered first. Isol followed, then Harin, and finally Seha with Dahong.
Whoosh.
A sensation swept over their bodies like a scan, and all five had crossed into the gate.
"Everyone okay for now?"
"Yeah."
"Hmph, it's already been safely cleared and managed."
"The smell's kinda strong, though."
Jin-ho wrinkled his nose.
"Residual mana from the Behemoth. You'll get used to it."
Isol adjusted her chokuto and spoke. Click. Seha flicked on the lantern at his waist. Its yellow glow lit the path ahead.
Dahong glanced down at the light, then looked up.
Zone 1 was relatively quiet. High ceiling, wide passages. Traces of the Behemoth's passage remained: claw marks gouged into walls, footprints hardened into fossil-like impressions on the floor.
"......It must've been huge."
Jin-ho muttered, staring at a footprint.
"S-rank beast, remember?"
Harin replied.
Then—
Screeeech!
A noise from the ceiling. Isol immediately shone her lantern.
"Bats! Flyers! Process them fast before they swarm!"
Jin-ho and Harin raised their weapons. Black clumps on the ceiling writhed to life.
Screeech! Screeeeech!
Bat-like beasts spread wings and poured down.
"Here I go!"
Harin charged with her axe raised. Boom! It arced, sending bats tumbling like rain.
Jin-ho dashed in with his shield to cover her. Thud-thud-thud! Bats slammed into it and bounced off.
"Han Isol!"
"Got it!"
Isol ran up the wall and slashed the remaining swarm. Plop-plop. Bat chunks fell. Clean finish.
...Except for Seha.
"......"
Everyone stared at him. Harin approached.
"Yu Seha."
"......Yeah."
"Just gonna watch?"
"......Sorry."
"No apologies. Show results."
Seha slowly turned. Dahong lounged against the wall, nudging bat corpses with her foot.
"Dahong."
"Yeah."
"Could you fight, please?"
Dahong eyed him apathetically.
"Need me to step in?"
"But..."
"Look—even now, you guys handled it fine."
"Still..."
As Seha tried to argue, Harin grabbed his shoulder and shoved him forward.
"Hey."
Dahong looked at Harin.
"What can you do?"
"Lots."
"Like what?"
"Eat, sleep, watch?"
"......"
A vein bulged on Harin's forehead.
"Aren't summoned beasts supposed to fight? Why're you just standing there like an idiot?!"
"My call."
Harin lowered her axe and turned to Seha.
"Yu Seha. You think this makes sense?"
"...I'm frustrated too."
Harin planted her axe and strode toward him.
"Then why enter the gate? Can't even control your summon!"
As her hand reached for his collar, Isol grabbed her.
"Let go."
Then Jin-ho pointed to a corner.
"Look over there."
A bird-like spirit. Seoyeun's summon.
"Teacher's watching."
"......"
"Fighting teammates in a gate docks points."
"Tch."
Harin clicked her tongue and turned back, slinging her axe over her shoulder.
"Fine now. I can clear this trash gate solo. Then you failures won't even get credit for joining."
Isol grabbed Harin's shoulder.
"Harin, don't push too hard."
"Ha, you mocking me now?"
Smack. Harin slapped Isol's hand away. But Isol caught Harin glancing at her hand—worried if she'd hit too hard.
Tough exterior, but caring underneath. That was Harin. Her constant nagging at Seha was surely out of worry he'd drag the team down. She'd trained him properly during sync practice, after all.
"Haha..."
Isol laughed helplessly.
"Hmph, so just sit back and watch!"
Harin gripped her axe, crouched low. Mana gathered in her legs...
Boom! A red blur shot forward like wind.
"Grk?"
A cave goblin straight ahead. Harin didn't slow, slashing diagonally upward. Whoosh-crash!
"Kieek!!"
Two goblins bisected in an instant.
"Kyaaak!"
Lagging goblins swung clubs wildly.
"Danger!"
Seha shouted. But Harin slipped between them mockingly, yanking her axe in a wide swing. Boom!
"Kreeek!!"
"Kraaa!"
Goblins screamed in unison.
"......!"
Every axe swing swept them away like fallen leaves.
"......Amazing."
Seha watched, mouth agape.
"Harin's strong, right?"
"......Yeah."
"Don't space out! Move!"
Harin strutted triumphantly to the next zone.
Her solo rampage continued into Zone 2. Axes arced, beasts fell. Lizardmen held the area now.
Boom-crash!
"One more!"
"Kieeeek!!"
Cave walls smeared with lizard blood. Clank. Axe raised again.
"Move!"
Blinding speed—even most C-rank hunters couldn't keep up. Isol narrowed her eyes.
Something's off.
She knew Harin was strong—from entrance exams. But...
Too easy...
Harin sensed it too.
What is it?
Monsters are cowering. Like they're scared.
Intimidation skill? Some hunters had it—crushing foe morale with mana or presence.
No one on our team has that.
Isol maybe, but she wasn't skilled enough yet. So...
Harin's gaze flicked sideways. Dahong followed casually, white hair shimmering in lantern light, utterly unbothered.
......
Harin faced forward.
Whatever.
She gripped her axe tighter. Easier fights? Good enough.
The group reached the boss room entrance. Darkness lurked where the passage ended. Isol raised her lantern high. Light didn't reach.
"......Spacious."
Jin-ho muttered.
Harin stopped running here. Step... Footsteps echoed. Floor had changed—from dirt-strewn to solid bedrock. Deep Behemoth footprints scarred the ground everywhere.
... Gulp.
Seha swallowed. Lantern light barely caught a sheer cliff edge. It stretched endlessly sideways. He looked up—no ceiling, just void. Like an open sky.
"This the nest? Too big..."
"Think about Behemoth's size."
"Would've had to see it."
Seha scanned around again, hearing Harin and Isol. Footprint scale. Ceiling height. Behemoth slain three years ago—this was its living space.
Then—
Thud-thud-thud! Ground vibrated. Heavy, swift impacts pounding earth.
"Incoming."
Everyone assumed combat stances.
Clop. Silhouette emerged from dark. A horse's hoof—bones starkly exposed. Height over 2 meters. Rattle.
"......?"
Harin squinted. A skeleton. Knight's upper body on horse lower half. Tattered armor, jagged greatsword dangling. Fiercely ominous.
The skull tilted, eye sockets glowing—like sizing up intruders.
Harin muttered, flustered.
"What the...? Armored Bone Knight? Kinda different."
Bone Knights were skeletal warriors. Sometimes beast parts mixed in head or limbs, but always humanoid frame. Never full centaur lower body.
Jin-ho raised his shield.
"Why undead suddenly?"
"Irregular. Bone Knight's B-minus at least—not for a C-rank gate."
"Damn... Residual mana?"
Jin-ho sweated at Isol's explanation.
"Doesn't change what we do."
"Uh, yeah..."
"Signal and charge. One, two..."
"......"
They crouched slowly. The skeleton knight stood motionless, watching.
"...Three! Go!"
Clop-clop! Harin and Jin-ho charged. Harin edged ahead.
"Raaah!!"
Thud! Round shield met massive axe. Scraaape!
Skeleton deftly parried. Crunch! Axe bit ground; Harin staggered.
As sword swung—Bam! Jin-ho wedged in perfectly, blocking.
Skreee. His feet scraped rock—outpowered. But enough.
"Nice!"
Harin swung at horse legs. But—Clack! Skeleton leaped nimbly over despite bulk, landing far.
"With that size?!"
Harin yelled. Skeleton turned.
"!"
Isol burst from dark, aiming throat. Clang!! Sword barely blocked.
Her eyes met flickering sockets. Whoosh! She vaulted the swinging shield back to the group.
"Good—we can handle it."
"Got it... Yu Seha!"
"Y-yeah!"
"Dodge without getting in the way!"
Harin charged again; Jin-ho joined a beat late.
"......"
Dodge? Humiliating. But true—he had nothing to contribute. Summoners usually learned ranged attacks or support spells after mastering summons. Freshman Seha had zilch.
He bowed his head.
"Dahong... please fight?"
"......"
Dahong stared into distant dark, silent.
"......Ugh."
Seha clenched fists. Nails bit flesh, blood trickled.
He snapped.
"Why won't you listen?! The contract? Fine—renew it here! Name your price!"
"......"
Dahong's red eyes finally turned.
"Nah."
"Why!?"
Dahong grinned.
"More fun this way."
"Guh...!"
Seha grimaced. Playful, sure—but this crossed the line.
"......"
Then an idea hit.
"Dahong."
"Yeah."
"You like it here, right?"
"Yep."
"...Then going back would suck? No ramen, tteokbokki, mala tang, books, movies."
"......?"
Dahong tilted head.
"Summoner dies, contract voids."
"......"
"So if I jump in and die, you'd have to fight."
"......Got the guts?"
"Of course."
Seha glared resolute. Dahong stared blankly.
Then Seha shed his jacket, shook it wildly, and bolted at the skeleton.
"Hey!! Dumbass! Over here!! Easiest prey!!"
"What?"
"Seha!?"
"What're you doing, idiot?!"
Team panicked. Skeleton reared upper body, charged Seha.
"Danger!!"
Roooar!!
"Uuuuh...!!"
Seha's jaw chattered, but he kept running.
"Pfft, ahaha, ahahahaha!!"
Dahong burst laughing.
"Uhaha, ahaha? Keeheehee!! Oh man! Kyahaha...!"
Tears welled. Truly...
The best.