Horn Rabbit Expert (2)
We decided to travel to Sangam-dong together with En Sia. Since she knew how to drive her own car, the journey was more comfortable than I'd expected.
"En Sia, you can drive too?"
"Yes. I got my license two days ago for you and Sophia."
"F-for me...?"
She'd gotten her license for me. I was grateful for the thoughtfulness, but it also made me feel a little guilty.
"You two can't run like beastkin, so I figured you'd need another way to get around."
"You didn't have to..."
"It's fine. Protecting you is my duty."
What did she gain from looking after me like this? I still couldn't figure out her motives.
With just the two of us, I decided to probe a bit more. "Doesn't it bother you, En Sia?"
"What do you mean?"
"Helping me out all the time."
She shook her head without a hint of hesitation, her expression resolute. "Not at all. Every time I help you, I feel a swell of pride."
"R-really...?"
"Yes, truly."
Was it because there were so few beastkin that raising up a new one like me filled her with pride? I was curious, but now wasn't the time—I could ask later. We'd just arrived near the gate.
"...By the way, you're surprisingly chill about this, En Sia."
"About what?"
"I figured you'd try to stop me from going into the dungeon. I'm surprised you're just letting me."
Huh...?
En Sia rolled her eyes from behind the wheel, clearly confused by what I meant.
"You'll definitely clear the dungeon."
"Ah..."
She was absolutely convinced I'd succeed. In that moment, I felt like I finally understood the kind of person she was.
To repay her faith, I'd clear this dungeon no matter what. With that resolve, we pulled up near the gate.
"We're here."
"Yep..."
I sent En Sia off and headed toward the gate. I'd made up my mind, so I wanted to dive in without hesitation—but someone blocked my path.
"This is a dangerous site. Please turn back."
He was a young man in a fluorescent vest, probably a government worker managing the gate. I needed to get inside. What should I say?
As I pondered, a middle-aged woman in a suit came rushing toward us from afar.
"It's fine—let her through!"
"Huh? You sure?"
"Yeah, she's with Yeomyeong Guild."
The woman lifted the police tape marked No Entry and beckoned me inside, though she kept glancing around suspiciously.
"...I hope this is the right call."
Her words carried a meaningful weight, like she knew I was heading into the gate.
"Sorry. I'll make it work..."
"You'd better. Or I'll lose my job too."
"Yep..."
It wasn't just my life on the line—hers was too. For everyone's sake, I'd clear this dungeon.
**
Stepping through the gate, a familiar grassy plain stretched out before me. It looked just like the Beginner Hunting Ground—a vast meadow.
"Hm..."
My body felt duller than usual. Instinctively, I realized all the mana had drained from me. The mana block effect.
Still, it was a relief that a beastkin's body outperformed a normal person's even without mana. I could hear sounds from hundreds of meters away.
Back when my body was even more fragile, I'd hunted horn rabbits. This would be enough to clear the dungeon.
I used all my senses to track human traces. My sharpened smell and hearing picked them up in no time.
This is...
Near the lake, footprints were scattered chaotically. Among the many human prints, small beast tracks were mixed in, with bloodstains here and there. It painted a clear picture of disaster.
Observing the jumble, I spotted a familiar trace: footprints twice the size of a normal person's. Definitely Choi Jin-hyeok's.
I'll follow this for now.
Leveraging my beastkin senses, I began tracking him.
I hope he's okay...
Dozens of horn rabbits were pursuing Choi Jin-hyeok. Worried something had happened, I dashed after him like a horn rabbit myself.
Clop-clop-clop!
The blood scent thickened as I closed in. The moment I sensed he was near and drew my bow, I spotted him in the distance—drenched in blood, facing off against six horn rabbits.
Scratches covered his body, but no serious wounds. A true adventurer. Facing six horn rabbits without mana—impressive.
Admiration swelling, I aimed at the rabbits charging him.
I had no mana now, but the effort of firing hundreds of arrows daily hadn't vanished. I'd even practiced shooting without mana after shredding that tent.
That experience filled the gap perfectly. All doubts gone, I loosed an arrow at the horn rabbit.
Thwip—!
The arrow flew slower than expected. Aimed for the horn, it hit the eye instead.
Squelch—!
I'd missed the horn, but the eye was one of its few weak points. The creature slumped lifelessly to the ground. If it'd hit the hide, it might not have killed it—lucky.
"...!"
Choi Jin-hyeok and the nearby rabbits turned toward me at the sudden death. Seizing the moment, I fired another arrow.
This time, accounting for the slowed speed, I shattered the horn perfectly.
Killing a horn rabbit this easily without mana... Beastkin bodies were miraculous. Their physical learning aptitude was double a human's.
Squeak—!
The rabbits, sensing danger, fled. Even enraged, they were the weakest monsters—natural fear of a predator overwhelmed them.
"A-are you okay...?!"
I rushed to Choi Jin-hyeok, who sighed and sank to the ground.
"Here... no, thanks for the help."
"Yep..."
He scanned me up and down. The awkwardness made me avert my eyes.
"So, why'd you come in here? It's dangerous."
"...Hunting horn rabbits without mana is my specialty."
"...I see."
"Yep... Let me show you how."
Gauging his mood, I spoke carefully. He nodded and stood.
"Is there a special way to hunt them?"
"Yes. Use their habits against them."
"Habits?"
He looked puzzled, like such a thing existed. As Sophia said, he was so strong he'd never bothered learning about beginner monsters like horn rabbits. The other adventurers here were probably the same.
For their sake, I needed to share my years of hard-earned knowledge.
"Without mana, attacks won't work except to the eyes or horn."
"R-really?"
"Yeah. Their hide is protected by mana."
I led Choi Jin-hyeok to hunt one. My keen beastkin ears picked up a rustling in the grass.
"See that horn rabbit?"
"Where...?"
"In the bushes there."
"...Ah, yeah."
He squinted at the distant one. No mana had dulled his vision.
"When hunting from range like this, make noise on purpose."
"Noise?"
"Yeah. They perk up their heads when they hear it—that's your window."
I nocked an arrow and deliberately snapped a nearby rotten branch.
Crack!
The horn rabbit's ears twitched as it raised its head, freezing in place except for its ears—searching by sound. I fired swiftly, exploiting that trait.
Squelch—!
The arrow nailed the horn perfectly. It had practically posed for me—no need to even focus.
"...Impressive."
Hope lit his face—maybe a way out of the dungeon.
"Hunt them one by one like this."
I pulled a slingshot and steel pellets from my bag and handed them over.
"Slingshot...?"
"Yeah. Use this."
"I don't know how to use ranged weapons..."
"Still, use it. Fighting horn rabbits up close without mana is too risky."
He hesitated but took it. I could've given him the bow, but I wanted to keep it. Just a bit of selfishness.