The Left Behind Streets
"No! I haven't caught the puppy yet!"
At his words, Yaeun shook her head vigorously in refusal. It seemed the pair had been chasing the dachshund Mina had just encountered. She understood the impulse—she herself had been helpless around dogs since childhood—but still.
This is way too destructive.
Mina broke into a cold sweat as she surveyed the walkway beneath the girl's feet. The pavement was shattered as if a shell had detonated on the spot, chunks of half-dried asphalt rolling like gravel. It was a small mercy that the surface hadn't been completely torn away, yet the damage far exceeded anything a normal child's body should be capable of producing.
"What about over there?"
The man's voice snapped Mina back to her senses, and she offered him a quick greeting.
"Hello. Um, we met briefly at the office, right?"
"Hmm. The one Seokjun brought along."
He remembered after all. He tapped his palm lightly with a fist.
"CatMom?"
"Why on earth is CatMom coming up right now?!"
She'd only met him once, yet somehow she'd been mistaken for a CatMom. At her outburst he scratched his head.
"During this holiday, the only weirdo out here picking fights with dogs is CatMom."
"I didn't pick any fights! And for the record, I'm strictly a dog person!"
It wasn't that she disliked cats, but Mina had always preferred dogs. That was why she had Bomi.
He nodded and extended a hand for a handshake. Refusing would have been awkward, so she took it. The smooth leather inside the gauntlet felt surprisingly pleasant. He gave her hand a light shake and released it.
"Hmm. As expected, CatMom really is a harmful civilization."
"Just how much do you hate CatMoms…?"
Maybe it was his armored appearance, but the exchange somehow felt like they were forming an alliance. He answered with open disgust.
"The moment I confirm it's a CatMom, I charge straight in."
"That's literally a crime?!"
Wouldn't that count as assault at the very least?
"If someone blocks a perfectly good path, they should be ready for that much. Feeding harmful wildlife is a crime too."
Mina could only smile awkwardly. Wild cats had long been classified as harmful animals, after all. She'd heard the animal protection groups had put up a fierce fight, but the designation had gone through anyway. The reasons cited were ecological destruction and noise pollution.
"Just so you know, there's a bounty if you catch one."
"So that's your real goal!"
It seemed CatMoms had already been legally labeled as criminals. Given all the horror stories and firsthand accounts she'd heard, it wasn't entirely surprising.
"Cats bear no sin, but CatMoms do. It's perfect."
The satisfied voice coming from inside the helmet made Mina wonder if he had some personal grudge against them. That was when—
"Buu, huh?"
Yaeun, who had been kicking at the ground out of boredom, suddenly turned her head as if she'd spotted something.
Mina followed the girl's gaze.
"That dog is…"
The dachshund she had encountered earlier had crossed the bridge at some point and was now trotting briskly along the walkway on the opposite bank.
But the real problem came next.
"Found it!"
"What?!"
Mina recoiled in shock at the sudden surge of mana swirling toward Yaeun. Even though the girl was A-rank, the sheer volume of power was absurd—especially when it was just for running. The dog on the far side must have sensed it too; it flinched and looked back.
Deciding their eyes had met, Yaeun kicked off the ground.
"Kyaa?!"
The violent gust of wind sent sand and dust flying in every direction. Mina shielded her face with her arms and braced herself.
When she opened her eyes, Yaeun was no longer in front of her. Instead, a frustrated shout rang out from the walkway on the opposite bank where the dog had been.
"Ugh! Missed it again!"
The dachshund had already bolted from the landing spot and was sprinting away at full speed.
"Is that child an awakened too…?"
Mina asked even though she already knew the answer, but the man had vanished as well. While she was still disoriented—
"Glub glub glub glub!"
Following the bubbling sound, she found him collapsed near the water outlet, foam spilling from between the gaps in his helmet.
"Hold on!!"
Mina rushed over and dragged him out. She had barely managed to stay on her feet; apparently the sheer force of Yaeun's leap had sent him flying. She pulled him onto the walkway and laid him down, but when he remained completely motionless she panicked and reached for her phone.
"One, one-one-nine—"
"Mmm."
Just as she was dialing the hospital, he sat up as if nothing had happened. While she stared in blank amazement, the man rubbed his chin.
"The water coming out of the outlet is cleaner than you might expect."
"I didn't want to know that!!!"
Wondering whether he'd actually swallowed any of it, she began inching away. Then another deafening boom echoed from somewhere. The instant she thought no way, a fierce wind blasted past and the man she'd just rescued vanished again.
"Ice~ Bear!!"
"Gwaaaaaah!"
With a cartoonish Doppler effect and a resounding crash, Yaeun appeared where the man had been. Following the direction of that comically dramatic scream, Mina looked toward the opposite bank and saw the man half-buried in the grassy dirt embankment, only his upper body still visible.
Mina seriously considered whether she ought to call an ambulance after all, but—
"Heh heh. How many points this time?"
"…Strike…!"
"Yes! New high score!"
The sight of the man trembling while buried in the wall, shakily raising two thumbs, and the delighted girl beside him left Mina utterly speechless.
"Chii. But I still haven't caught the puppy. Let's stay a little longer."
"W-wait! If I catch the puppy for you, that'll solve everything, right?"
"Huh?"
The moment she met Yaeun's eyes, Mina pressed on. She didn't dare give the girl time to think.
"I'll catch it, so could you stay here quietly with that uncle?"
She would have preferred to leave them alone, but watching a child rampage with physical strength that would put most A-rank hunters to shame left her no choice. At this rate the entire river walkway would be destroyed, the man wouldn't survive, and the dachshund would be reduced to bone fragments before it ever got caught.
"Uuuung."
Those flame-colored eyes stared at her, studying her intently. Mina swallowed hard.
"Okay!"
At the cheerful reply, Mina relaxed—only for Yaeun to grab the buried man's hand and casually yank him free from the embankment.
"Let's go catch it quick!"
"Nngggghhh."
The man tumbled and rolled along the walkway as the girl dragged him by the hand. The scraping of his armor against the ground was grating, but Mina decided to ignore it.
"So what exactly are you planning to do once you catch the puppy?"
She asked while walking in the direction the dog had fled. Yaeun tilted her head in thought.
"I'm gonna hug it really tight!"
"P-puppies are more delicate than they look, you know?"
This was a child who could launch herself at speeds Mina could barely track just by kicking the ground. The mere thought of her embracing a dachshund with unrestrained strength was enough to predict the impending tragedy. Yet Yaeun only looked puzzled.
"No! Puppies are strong!"
"…"
Mina had the sinking feeling that the dachshund's fate had been sealed the moment it caught this girl's eye.
Good thing I didn't bring Bomi.
She never imagined her dog's usual aversion to walks would prove useful.
As the three of them headed in the direction the puppy had run, Yaeun—who was still dragging the man along—suddenly lowered her voice.
"Ah, sis! Over there! There!"
Mina looked where the girl's finger pointed. Between the walkway and the river, in a patch of withering dry grass, something unusually dark was swaying gently. Upon closer inspection, she realized it was the dachshund's tail.
"Let's go catch it quick!"
"Wait! You didn't forget our promise, did you?"
The moment the dog was spotted, Yaeun began stomping in place, clearly ready to charge. Mina grabbed her shoulder and whispered, and the girl blinked before nodding.
"Sis is going to catch it for me?"
"That's right. But since it would hurt the puppy, you can't squeeze too hard even if you hug it."
"Uum, okay."
After persuading Yaeun, Mina moved forward as quietly as possible, carefully observing the dachshund. It didn't appear to be starving; its coat had some dried mud and grass stuck to it, but the fur itself looked healthy.
Wait, that's not what I should be focusing on.
She shook off the habit of assessing the dog's condition first and refocused. Catching it took priority right now.
Recalling how she used to approach monsters stealthily, she slowly closed the distance. The dachshund seemed to be digging; dry grass rustled and dirt flew from its location. Thinking it might be easier than expected, she crept to within two meters—
Their eyes met. It had noticed her.
"Grr!"
Mina lunged, but—
"Kyaa?!"
She was forced to miss when the dog suddenly hurled something at her.
"A mole?"
Startled by the bizarre creature, she swatted it away. The mole flailed on the ground for a moment before frantically burrowing back into the earth.
"Sis! Did you catch the puppy?"
Yaeun's voice approached as Mina stared in disbelief. Only then did she remember her original purpose. But the dachshund was already sprinting away on its short legs.
"Sorry. Looks like I'll have to try harder."
Even while thinking its waddling run was adorable, she shook her head. When Yaeun puffed out her cheeks, Mina promised to catch it again.
Leaving it like this would cause problems later anyway.
She was partly doing it for Yaeun, but since she herself owned a dog, she couldn't help worrying. If no one could take it in, she'd have to find someone who could.