Chapter 4

D-grade uncle Choi Kangshik was putting up a decent fight in his own way.

Clang!

He was still wielding that emergency hammer.

Just as he managed to take down five goblins with a hammer the size of his palm, feeling pretty damn proud of himself.

"Fuck!"

The hammer snapped in two.

The goblins didn't wait around for him.

Five or six of them hopped across the car roofs, closing in.

Their purple tongues lolled out, red eyes gleaming viciously, sending chills up the spines of Choi Kangshik and the civilians alike.

"Kyaaak!"

Cold sweat beaded on Choi Kangshik's temples.

A D-grade Awakener could handle two or three, but anything more was beyond him.

Choi Kangshik squeezed his eyes shut.

His life flashed before him.

So this is how it ends.

The civilians hiding behind him screamed.

Choi Kangshik cracked his eyes open.

The next instant.

The shadow of a young man—Seo Wonseok's back—fell over him and the civilians.

Shing!

A dagger blade shot up from his jaw, bursting out through the top of its skull.

The skewered goblin convulsed like a kebab, then its arms went limp.

Seo Wonseok hurled it dagger and all without hesitation.

Splash!

The goblin plummeted into ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠the Han River, trailing blood like ink in water.

"Right side!"

One of the civilians shouted.

Seo Wonseok dropped to one knee at the same moment.

Crack!

Another goblin's skull shattered with a sickening pop, and it dropped dead.

No time to catch his breath, Seo Wonseok turned to Choi Kangshik.

"That car next to you!"

"Uh, yeah?"

"Check the trunk—now!"

Choi Kangshik glanced sideways.

The sedan trunk was ajar.

A silver shaft gleamed alluringly inside.

A shiny golf club.

Then a middle-aged man who'd been under Choi Kangshik's protection came rushing up, panting. The car owner.

"You can't take that!"

"Can't? We're all about to die here!"

"B-but it's a limited edition! Time-limited!"

"Wanna make your lifespan time-limited?!"

They say the world's greatest quotes come from construction sites.

Spot on.

The car owner fiddled with his gold ring, grasping for excuses, but one glance at a goblin and he backed off.

Choi Kangshik shifted his gaze from the owner to Seo Wonseok.

"Hey! Let me help—"

Like it was waiting, a goblin lunged and bit into Seo Wonseok's shoulder.

It yanked its head back, chewing on a chunk of flesh it'd torn free.

Choi Kangshik swung the golf club down hard.

Direct hit.

The goblin's head caved in, and it crumpled.

"You bastard!"

Choi Kangshik grabbed Seo Wonseok's shoulder, then yanked his hand away in disgust. Sticky blood and gore coated his palm.

"...Y-you okay...?"

He didn't dare shake him.

One wrong move and he might collapse.

But it seemed like needless worry.

"Seems... okay... I think."

Seo Wonseok tugged his pale lips into a smile.

"N-no way, with all that blood, how could you be...!"

Choi Kangshik averted his eyes.

The blood soaking the road snaked along cracks in the asphalt toward Seo Wonseok, pooling at his feet.

The moment it reached his shoulder, it seeped into the wound.

Bubble bubble.

Foam bubbled from the torn flesh, and new tissue swelled up in its place.

The wound healed.

Sensing something off, the goblins began edging backward.

That standoff bought them a moment to breathe.

I stared across the Hangju Bridge.

Sure enough.

He's going wild over there.

My eyes met Han Biyeol's.

"Tch."

Tch?

The guy had been keeping tabs on me even while shredding goblins.

"Hey, ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠hey."

The uncle elbowed my side.

"What kinda guy are you, anyway?"

Choi Kangshik tried not to show his curiosity.

I chuckled.

"Seo Wonseok."

"...? Introductions? Outta nowhere?"

"We might both end up as ghosts on the same day, same hour. Gotta exchange names at least."

"What is this, Peach Garden Oath?!"

Reverse Peach Garden Oath, actually.

"I ain't dying today. Tomorrow's housing lottery results. Gotta secure a place in this brutal world before I kick it, y'know."

Hmm.

"Anyway, I'm Choi Kangshik. Just call me Choi."

"Got it, Uncle."

"Choi... whatever."

The uncle jammed the golf club upside down into the road and rested both hands on the grip like a staff. The owner winced miserably.

He's deliberately drawing aggro to himself.

So it doesn't shift to me.

I'd taken enough cheap shots in my past life to develop a keen eye, and this uncle? I trusted him.

Time to be a little honest.

"Dunno my ability myself. And I ain't lying about the rank."

"Second awakening or somethin'?!"

"No idea."

"Fair enough... Gotta ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠get tested proper for that anyway. Don't wanna say? Fine. Point is survivin' this mess. Right?"

I nodded.

With a solid B-rank Hunter right there, even back-to-back Gate Breaks weren't an issue...

And the monsters are just goblins.

No way he couldn't clear them.

Plus, too many civilian deaths and even B-ranks face public backlash.

Arrogant hunters feared social scrutiny most—reputation set your price tag.

"That guy's just playin' around."

"..."

"Blond curls? Never trust 'em! Ptoo. Leech like that's no hunter!"

From our perspective—half in the biz—it was infuriating.

Civilians gazed at him with admiration.

Blind to how he was gambling their lives for his gain.

Pure deception.

Grind.

Survival wasn't enough.

Time to tank Han Biyeol's public image.

And all the other hunters lurking nearby, watching.

I've got a plan.

I forced my clenched jaw open.

"Uncle Choi."

"Yeah?"

"Can you protect the civilians here?"

"What kinda question is that? Got fresh gear now. Leave it to me."

He thumped his chest. Drum-like thud. The club owner's face darkened further.

"You there, come out."

The already dirt-pale car owner flinched.

He looked around, pointing at himself.

"M-me?"

"Not you, Gold Ring. The one behind you."

"...Behind me...? Gah! Wh-who the hell are you?!"

The owner scrambled aside, revealing a huddled figure.

Short hair—could pass for a guy at a glance.

"..."

But her face said otherwise. A tomboyish civilian rose slowly, hands behind her back.

"You're a reporter, right?"

"...How'd you know?"

I walked over and held out my hand.

"Hand it over."

"Hand what over?"

Thick-skinned.

As expected.

The reporter who'd hounded my brother mercilessly in my past life.

Up close, confirmed.

Gija-ryeong.

HTN reporter.

Classic trash journo spewing hit pieces on my brother.

Ironically, after his death, she became a different person.

Questioning the shady A-rank's demise daily.

Started as clickbait.

But digging deeper, she uncovered the truth.

Even the ones behind his murder.

That's when she reached out to me, his little brother.

I refused.

Then one article changed my mind; I contacted her.

Soon after, I met her.

In black-and-white photos.

Her ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠obituary.

"Gimme the camera if you don't wanna lose it."

That's how I knew her face.

From her portrait.

Han Biyeol and Gija-ryeong, both at Hangju Bridge.

Some grudges stick hard.

But this reporter showed no sign of surrendering her camera.

I called to Uncle Choi.

"Uncle! One civilian's headin' out!"

"W-wait a sec!"

Gija-ryeong reluctantly pulled out her camera.

"Damn it..."

I snatched it.

Common knowledge: electronics crap out near Gates.

But reporters? War zone sprinters for a scoop.

They'd found a workaround.

"This it?"

I thumbed the button by the shutter.

Pop.

A chip like a SIM card ejected.

"No!"

I sidestepped the lunging Gija-ryeong, pocketed the chip as she spun.

"Mana stone SD card confiscated."

Yeah.

Broadcasters engineered mana stone SD cards.

"How do you...?"

Her face shifted completely.

Naive girl gone; sharp career woman emerged.

"Family got screwed over by reporters back in the day."

"Give it back. I'm not that guy."

True.

"Wanna get it back? Deal with me."

"That's extortion. Deals need to be fair."

"Uncle! Customer's leavin'!"

She furrowed her brow.

But what could she do?

Step out, and goblins swarm.

We're holding the line.

One civilian?

Dissected in a minute.

"...Let's hear it."

"Smart choice. Good for you too."

I pulled her aside, explained the deal.

Her bored look lit up as I spoke, lips smacking hungrily.

"I'll do it. Let me."

Perfect.

"Then give it back. Took a loan for that."

A year's salary, she added.

"And your terms mean I gotta take pics."

"No backing out."

I nodded at her clutch bag.

"Spare's in there."

"...!!"

True reporter.

Never just one storage.

"Who the hell...?"

"We'll learn about each other in time."

I brushed past her.

"Deal's on; you'll get it then."

Not happening.

Payback for past debts.

Thanks for the year's salary, journo.

Back with Uncle Choi.

Goblins revving up. Pushed by Han Biyeol, no retreat but here.

Gate Break—wanna chow down more. Targeting easy prey: us.

The hobgoblin lurking in the green rift headed our way too.

Both boss and minions: fill quota, bolt to Gate.

Too early.

I stood shoulder-to-shoulder with Uncle Choi.

"Uncle, hold for a few minutes."

"No sweat. You watch your health. Brains ain't my thing, dunno the plan."

"Protecting civilians? Better than anything I do."

"Selfless lil' bro wins."

"Lil' bro?"

"Don't get shy now."

He slapped my back.

"We swore the oath earlier."

Rings true.

"Let's do it."

Uncle grinned eagerly, spat on his hands, gripped two clubs.

Gija-ryeong ducked into shadows, crouched.

A point of light flickered at her fingertips.

Camera.

"Kyaaaak!"

Goblins charged with shrieks. I stomped forward. Collision instant.

Urk.

Crossed arms barely shielded my face as I ran. Toward the hobgoblin.

I thrust the daggers I'd collected from goblins. Blades sliced skin. Paralysis hit.

Goblin venom paralyzes.

Still, I pushed through. Han Biyeol panicked seeing it.

"...How...?"

I dodge goblin poison too? he muttered.

Exactly.

Like the goblins, I'd coated my blades in my own blood.

Any goblin that stabbed me once couldn't paralyze me. They'd contracted with me right before dying.

"Kyaa, aaak!"

I charged, ignoring wounds.

Han Biyeol's dazed eyes sharpened.

He got it.

"You dare... steal my EXP event...!"

Decision crackling, he closed in, hacking through blocking goblins.

Perfectly timed level-up: healed, straight to hobgoblin.

Hobgoblin: shaman type.

Weak in direct combat.

One slash to the throat ends it.

Specialty: hosts for goblins.

Like some game's Protoss—mentally linked. Boss and goblins practically one body.

No wonder Gate Breaks are anomalies.

Normal Abyss Gates lack this hierarchy.

Uncle Choi's words: time-limited event.

I shoved my bloodied blade at the hobgoblin's throat. It thrust its staff at me.

"Stay put, you fucker!"

Han Biyeol's hand clamped my collar.

Hangju Bridge: dramatic three-way standoff.

Who's faster?

Pfsh!

Burst.

Death rattle.

"Kker, rrurk..."

Hobgoblin toppled.

"You fuckin' shit!!"

No strength left to resist; collar grabbed.

"From the start, you? Fuckin' pissin' me off, ruinin' my show? I'll make you vanish without a tra—"

Click.

That sound snagged Han Biyeol's eyes.

"What the—"

Click.

Gija-ryeong, wolfish glare, right there.

Han Biyeol belatedly clocked our states.

Me: blood-soaked. Him: curved sword out, collar gripped.

Prickling stares stabbed his skin.

"That guy's... really a hunter...?"

"He ran out to save us, why's he doin' that?"

"Somethin' about EXP event earlier, no way."

Witnesses everywhere.

"Eyes on us. Watch your mouth."

"Y-you, y-you...!"

Stammering in panic.

Staff stabbed my thigh.

We looked down.

Twitching hobgoblin jammed it in with dying hand, arm fell.

Dead.

Last spasm.

Lethal wound for me.

No. Break's ending soon—I'll die first...

"Br-bro...?"

The goblin that stabbed me—head exploded like a water balloon.

I swept my gaze.

Every one that cut me.

Pop...!!

Pop, pop, pop, pop!

Chain reaction.

Blood flooded Hangju Bridge, spilling into the Han River.

Han Biyeol's face drained of color.

Blood drowned Hangju Bridge and the Han River around it.