Overcoming the Labyrinth's Will
The number of hunters we encountered was three.
One A-rank presence, two B-ranks.
It was a surprisingly small group for operating in the Plains Zone, but a closer look revealed they weren't alone—about sixty more hunters lurked not far off.
Scouts, most likely.
"Look over there. People."
"So what? Other hunters in the labyrinth—what's new?"
"No, I mean, just two of them."
"Probably scouting like us."
The hunters, not far away, glanced our way and whispered among themselves. My enhanced physical abilities let every word carry clearly.
"But damn, she's gorgeous. Snow-white hair... foreigner?"
"Outfit's super unique too... and what's she holding? A monster?"
"Tamed one? Looks pretty weak, though."
"One's like a pig... a rabbit? Nah, even for a rabbit, that's too fat."
I stifled a chuckle at their murmurs.
Even to outsiders, To Soon-i looked extreme.
Time to push that diet harder...
Snow's voice echoed softly in my mind. I nodded slightly.
Telepathy was one thing, but spoken words would be hard for her to parse.
Dodging the awkward question, I brushed it off. Snow didn't press—her occasional tact was always appreciated.
Beyond fine—Suli seemed hugely curious about the humans, pounding my arm excitedly from my embrace.
She wanted to dash over and check them out, but that was impossible.
I glanced at Snow.
Her voice strained, like she was fighting something—or enduring agony.
To Soon-i was resisting the Labyrinth's Will on her own, but she didn't look great.
Snow glanced at the hunters.
She chided lightly, chuckling.
Snow readjusted To Soon-i in her arms.
Suli whined "Cooong!" in disappointment, but for To Soon-i's sake, no choice.
Attacking humans wasn't an issue, but watching her succumb to the Labyrinth's Will? No way.
If she chose it herself, maybe—but forced? Never.
She was family, after all.
We slipped away. The hunters blinked in confusion at our sudden vanishing act—irrelevant to us.
Afterward, we avoided contact as much as possible for To Soon-i's sake.
The Plains Zone's foul weather sped our transit to the Desert Zone.
Fine sands stretched to the horizon.
Suli, predictably thrilled, leaped from my arms onto the dunes, her white fur caking with sand.
Snow snatched her up.
"Cooong!"
Suli protested, but Snow was unmoved.
Even those pleading eyes on me...
Dad's no help this time.
Sorry.
A quick water and wind spell cleaned Suli spotless. She settled meekly in Snow's arms.
Suli wriggled futilely—give up, kiddo.
The Desert Zone had more hunters than the Plains.
Detours helped, but encounters happened. Each time, To Soon-i suffered.
Part of me wanted to clear them all out.
No hunters, no problem for her.
But To Soon-i and Snow vetoed that.
To Soon-i: no need for me to act on her account.
Snow: other reasons.
She was right. No need for commotion.
Especially with echoes of my past incidents lingering.
But To Soon-i remained the issue.
She addressed it herself.
This wasn't a grit thing, though...
Snow's satisfied smile silenced me.
To Soon-i was fully bought into Snow's "grit philosophy."
I'll protect Suli from that fate.
Suli's "Coon!" suggested it was too late.
Anyway, per To Soon-i's insistence, we stopped dodging hunters.
Each meeting wrung her out—we watched uneasily, but stayed silent.
Her choice.
A good adult respects a kid's decisions, watches over them.
Fixes messes if they arise.
And finally, To Soon-i triumphed over the Labyrinth's Will.
On the seventeenth encounter, her face relaxed, defiant.
Heartwarming.
But To Soon-i...
Resisting's good, but those mutters mid-fight?
"Might die to him"?
The Will scared her less than me?
I pretended not to hear, but it stung.
She explained earnestly later—mostly flimsy excuses, but I let it slide.
She tried her best.
Now we roamed freely, ignoring stares.
Not that we cared much before, but mentally? Liberating.
Then, openly traveling sparked one issue.
"...Whoa, insane... stunning... model?"
"...Even for hunter hotties, she's next level. Killer rack too..."
"Foreigner? Single? Hit her up?"
The whispers irked me.
Hunt monsters, not ogle.
Gouge those eyes?
I turned to Snow cradling Suli.
Undeniably beautiful.
City-toppler? Her.
Snow eyed the crowd. Hunters meeting her gaze gasped—men and women alike.
Her allure transcended gender.
She seemed irked too.
Her usual self would've wiped them out, but like me, she restrained.
Irritation vanished; I chuckled.
Composed words, but her faint blush betrayed her.
Long together, I read her well.
Unlike our first meeting's majesty, she was cute.
Fitting Suli's mom.
I shrugged playfully. Snow shot me a sidelong glance; I dodged innocently.
Snow smiled softly. We quickened our pace.
Forest Zone neared.
Floor 28.
One floor shy, familiar faces appeared.
They spotted us—and reacted instantly.
"Huh? Master?"
Good thing Snow couldn't understand human speech yet.
To Soon-i called me that too, but the tone differed vastly.
Fox intuition—spot on.
Uncanny timing, as always.
My subordinate or not, it felt fated.
Seeing Yoon Ji-su's group after so long was pleasant.
Especially Park Kwang-yeol's son, Park Min-seong, looking brighter.
Thriving with them, it seemed.
Mind control ensured obedience, but they'd followed orders faithfully.
Reward later?
Thus, we briefly traveled with Yoon Ji-su's party.