Ruby's Fiery Sneeze and the Pack's Fury
The inside of the Wolf Gate was a mix of open plains and dense forest. The trees grew thick, and the air carried the damp scent of soil. It looked like an ordinary natural landscape, but there were no insect chirps or bird calls whatsoever.
"Hachoo."
At that moment, Ruby sneezed. The four people leading the way whipped around at the sudden trivial sound.
"Huh? Caught a cold?"
"Even cats sneeze, huh."
"So cute…."
"Hachoo, hachoo!"
Ruby kept sneezing nonstop.
"Did it smell something?"
Ignoring Mansu's mutter, Dahong lightly tapped Ruby's nose with her finger. The sneezing stopped immediately.
Sniff sniff. Ruby sniffed at the surrounding air.
"Meow."
"Looks like it's fine now."
"Yeah. Shall we keep going?"
Jisoo started moving again. But Dohyeon, who was at the front, raised his hand—a signal to stop. The other three halted simultaneously.
Jisoo approached slowly and asked, "What's up? Spot something?"
"Looks like Ruby smelled the mana beasts after all."
Far off in the distance, some mana beasts were lumbering about. Wolves. Their eyes glowed red, and they drooled like they were rabid. Four of them.
Haneul adjusted her beret and said, "I'll go first."
"Yeah, leave it to us—we'll hold them off."
As Haneul raised her wand, Mansu stepped forward. Dohyeon and Jisoo drew their swords and assumed combat stances. A low chant began. Mana gathered at the wand's tip.
The wolves caught on. Grrr.Woof woof! All four charged.
Mansu raised his shield and advanced. Thud!Scraaape. The first one to arrive shoved its head over the top of the shield. Sharp claws scraped against it.
Crackle. Mansu thrust the sparking black rod forward. Yelp—! Exposed to the high-voltage current, the wolf jolted away from Mansu.
As another arrived late at the shield's side and poked its head in—Slash!Yeeowl—! Jisoo neatly severed the wolf's neck with fluid motion. It dropped, deeply wounded.
But the next wolf lunged right away. At that moment—
"It's ready!"
At Haneul's shout, everyone pulled back. Boom!! A massive fireball engulfed the wolves. Whoosh!Yowl!! The two already injured ones died instantly, while the remaining pair rolled frantically with their fur ablaze.
"Go!"
Jisoo and Dohyeon charged. They easily finished off the incapacitated wolves.
"Nice! Thanks to our maknae, that was a breeze!"
"Hehe…."
Dahong watched from behind. They were weak. Objectively. Even a single C-rank mana beast could wipe them out.
But no one was hurt.
They mesh perfectly.
Just three moves. Each playing their role. There were gaps, but they covered for each other. Like gears in a machine, slotting into one another's spaces to function as one.
It wasn't raw strength. It was the rhythm born from long survival.
Jisoo and Dohyeon approached, sheathing their weapons.
"Ah, sorry! We just went with our usual routine. No room for you to jump in, Dahong unnie."
Dahong had only watched, yet Jisoo was the one apologizing.
"We'll split the loot fair and square anyway, so don't worry!"
"Heh, of course! We brought you along!"
Mansu and Haneul nodded too.
"No need."
"Aw, no need to refuse."
Jisoo waved her hands. "We came in together, so we split together. That's the rule."
"Do what you want."
Dahong turned her head away with those words—an attitude showing no interest in the reward. But Jisoo just thought she was being shy. Jisoo chuckled and shouted energetically.
"Alright, grab the mana stones and head to the next spot?"
"Hachoo."
Ruby sneezed again.
Deep in the gate. Three men sat in a clearing. The ones who had hit on Dahong earlier.
One snapped a twig. Crack. Snap. They were stewing in frustration. They'd lost a decent mark right in front of them.
"F-rank, E-rank at best."
"……."
Another spat on the ground.
"Maybe we should teach 'em a lesson? Those punks have been looking down on us for a while."
The twig-snapper hurled his branch far away.
"Nah, too risky. Mana traces could get us caught."
They were utter small-time thugs. Happy to scam the weak for easy cash, but lacking the guts or skill to go full villain.
"So we just let it slide? After that humiliation?"
Silence fell. No one answered.
The standing man toed the ground. Then he looked up suddenly.
"Hold up."
"What."
"That 'teaching a lesson' idea. Let's do it."
"We just said no."
The twig-snapper snapped irritably.
"No, listen. We don't have to lift a finger."
"Huh?"
The suggester spoke low. "That zone over there. The one we skirted earlier."
The other two's eyes changed. He meant the field boss. Named mana beasts unique to field gates.
Field gates had weaker average beasts than dungeon types, but powerful ones like these guarded territories here and there.
"Perfect—there's that monster wolf's turf nearby. C-rank."
"……."
F-ranks facing a C-rank boss? Near impossible to survive. A pure accident.
"Sounds good?"
"No mana traces, no reports."
The three eyed each other. Their crumpled faces smoothed out.
"Let's go."
They rose slowly. And headed for the monster wolf's domain.
Some time later. Jisoo wiped her sword and said, "We've cleared this zone. Time to head out?"
"Agreed."
As they packed mana stones and materials, Mansu grinned. "Having Dahong here means we don't worry as much about our maknae. Makes it easier."
Dohyeon and Haneul agreed.
"Yeah. Felt uneasy with four, but now…."
"Feels like I have a bodyguard. Solid."
"……."
Dahong said nothing. Truth was, she hadn't done a thing. Just stood blankly by Haneul watching the fights.
Yet they thanked her like she'd helped. Foolishly kind idiots.
So she thought.
Jisoo sheathed her sword. "Made good money today. Eat together then split. You too, Dahong unnie?"
"Sure."
"……Wait."
Dohyeon stopped everyone.
"What?"
"Heard something…."
Everyone froze. Quiet.
"…Wrong?"
Then—Creak. Thud. Crash. Trees falling far off.
Thump. Thump thump. Something huge approached fast.
"Shit! Field boss!"
Dohyeon's shout paled their faces. Dahong's was already pale.
"What now!? Run?"
"Too fast—we'll get caught!"
"Hide—?!"
Mansu raised his shield. "I'll hold it! Everyone retreat!"
"No! Not F-rank level!"
"No choice! Some gotta survive!"
"We can't even buy time!"
Dohyeon and Mansu argued. Crash! Snap! Nearby trees toppled.
Haneul's wand trembled. "…It's here."
"……."
Grrr…. A house-sized wolf emerged from the trees. A deep scar where one eye should be. Its mouth, packed with razor fangs, could swallow an orc whole.
Grrrr. Its one bloodshot eye scanned the party: Jisoo, Mansu, Dohyeon, Haneul—then Dahong. And the pitch-black creature in her arms.
Sniff sniff.
"……."
"Hachoo."
Ruby sneezed. The wolf stared at her.
"…Stay calm, everyone. Don't provoke—back away slow."
No immediate attack, so Mansu raised his shield and ordered.
"……Gulp."
Rustle. They forced shaky legs back a step—then.
Whoosh! Something flew from behind. Thwack. A stone. It hit the wolf's blind side, bounced off the shoulder, hit ground. Plop.
Grrrrr…. The low growl cut short. Giggling echoed.
The three who'd flirted with Dahong outside the gate.
"Oops, slipped."
"Gotta be careful."
The wolf's eye whipped around. GRRRRAAAAAHHH—!!
Mansu gritted his teeth. "Run!!"
The wolf kicked off. BOOM BOOM BOOM! Ground shook. Everyone bolted. Except Dahong.
She watched Ruby sneeze, ignoring the house-sized wolf charging.
"Hachoo!"
"Dahong unnie!"
Haneul screamed.
"Damn…!"
Jisoo veered sharply. Thought her legs froze.
"Hachoo! Hachoo!"
But then—
"Hachooo!"
FWOOOOOSH—!! Blue flames erupted. From Ruby's mouth.
Flames fierce enough to torch the forest slammed the giant wolf head-on.
"YELP! Yelp!!"
The wolf screamed. Fur ignited. It thrashed wildly.
Whoosh! Sparks flew, igniting fallen trees.
"Everyone down!"
"Urk!"
They dove. Except Dahong and Ruby.
Roooar!! Ruby kept spewing blue fire.
"KIIIEEEE!"
The wolf wailed unheard agony. Then turned and fled—still burning. Thud thud thud!
"……."
Silence.
Mansu peeked up from prone. Jisoo rose slowly.
Ruby yawned hugely, licked her lips, tail held high proudly.
Dohyeon spoke. "We alive…?"
"Meow."
"H-how…."
Haneul stared at Ruby, incredulous.
"Meo?"
Ruby hopped from Dahong's arms, approached prone Haneul, licked her hand.
Haneul pulled her in, hugged tight. Tears welled.
"Thank you. Really…!"
"Mrow."
"We lived."
"We lived…."
Jisoo and Dohyeon muttered. Survived a C-rank field boss. Repelled it. An F+ average party. Absurd.
Jisoo brushed dirt off, approached. "Thanks to you, Dahong."
"I did nothing."
"I know. But you're Ruby's owner."
Technically Seha's, but Dahong didn't correct.
Mansu stood on wobbly legs. "Whew, survived another day! Uncle's treat to celebrate!"
"Uncle, blow cash like that and your wife'll chew you out again."
"Haha, swap a few smacks on the back for my life? Bargain."
Mood lightened fast. Jisoo grinned at Dohyeon.
"Hey, Dohyeon. Your hand shook earlier, right?"
"Didn't."
"It did."
"……Didn't, I said."
Mansu boomed laughter. "Haha, I was jelly-legged all over."
Haneul wobbled over hugging Ruby. "…Ugh, gotta pee now. Let's get out."
"Still far—bushes over there?"
"Eww no! Dohyeon oppa, no tact!"
Poke poke.Hahaha!
Dahong's lips quirked watching their banter. For one always surviving solo, this felt fresh.
Not bad.
She thought.
Forest opposite Dahong's group. The three men crouched behind a tree. One punched the ground.
"Fuck…!"
Low curse.
"What was that? Summon?"
"No ordinary cat. Shoulda guessed bringing one into a gate."
No reply.
"Not a cat?"
"Then what."
"How should I know."
Ptoo. One spat.
"Anyway, bail. Today just—."
Then—Rustle.
All three shut up. Close by. No wind. Yet leaves shook. High up.
"…Mana beast?"
"Shh."
They slowly drew weapons. Sniff sniff. Low, slow.
Sudden shadow. They looked up slow. In dark, lights. Two. Twin crimson eyes. Both intact. Staring. Far bigger than the one-eyed wolf they'd lured.
"…Not just one."
Mutter—and the wolf howled. "Awooooo—!!"
Awooo— Awo— Echoes answered from everywhere. Wolves burst from brush. Among them, the charred one-eyed wolf. Its eye blazed rage.
"Shit! Shit! Shit!"
D-rank or not, this many plus two bosses? No chance.
"Ha, haha…."
One laughed madly.
"Woof!"
Signal—wolves swarmed. Screams rang through trees. Three to two. Two to one. Then….
Nothing.