Chapter 21
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 21
Chapter Title: Blood Wolf - 3
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"Think you can handle it?"
"Leave it to me, Master! I'm strong!"
How long had it been?
Since she'd felt this kind of heartwarming satisfaction.
Her brother, the talentless one who'd left home, was thriving.
That alone was more than enough to fill her with emotion.
And not just that—he was surrounded by summoned beasts that looked so incredibly powerful.
How could she not be thrilled as his big sister?
"What's up, sis? Why the big grin?"
"Nothing. It's nothing."
Thud.
A black hand shot out from behind and gripped Ha-rin's shoulder.
"Ha-rin. You called me out of the blue, so I figured it was something serious."
"You're here?"
"You're telling me to take on that monster?"
Ha-rin, who'd been completely focused on her brother, finally snapped back to reality at the sound of the voice.
Her own S-Rank summoned beast.
Black Star.
A grotesque summoned beast formed from countless hands.
"This is dangerous. The worst one yet."
"I think so too."
"Monster? Maybe even more than that... Yeah, a disaster."
Disaster? What an insulting way to put it.
That thing was more like her adorable little sister.
...Or at least, that's what she would've said not long ago.
"This is exciting, Master! It's been ages since we fought together!"
"That thrilled about it?"
"Of course! You and I are the ultimate partners!"
Ah, right. Her hands were trembling.
She lowered her head, which she'd been holding high.
The cute look she'd seen until recently, and those glowing red eyes, were nowhere to be found.
All that reflected in her eyes now was a rabid beast grinning from ear to ear.
Can we win? She'd been about to ask that.
'No.'
Ha-rin corrected herself.
"If this were a real fight, could we have survived?"
If this had been the real deal.
If that thing really was a feral Number 7 disaster, and her brother had fallen into madness, slaughtering people at will.
Could they have subdued it in that scenario?
Or even just survived?
Black Star, wise from years of experience, crossed its arms into an X shape.
"I'd say it's impossible."
"Yeah, figured as much."
"Exactly."
Even so, the two of them were one of the top summoner pairs in the country. Revered on the field, respected at lectures.
"Let's call it a growth opportunity."
"I'll try to think of it that way."
It wasn't like they could just turn back now.
Especially not with that kid's expression—she looked ready to bite if they tried to leave.
"Ready to start?"
"Go ahead, little brother."
With that, they faced off as the golden dragon raised its hand to officiate.
The moment it slammed down.
"Begin!"
Ha-rin felt a chill run down her spine.
"Black Star! Extend!"
"As commanded."
"Don't hesitate! Even in sparring, a mistake could hurt!"
Staring into the child's cooling eyes, Ha-rin issued her order.
Black Star's black arms shot out all at once.
Territorial control was Black Star's specialty.
It narrowed the activity radius, sealed off escapes, and turned the area into its home turf.
A tactic that worked especially well against beasts, particularly physical ones.
So she'd thought this was the best approach.
"Maaasteeeeer!!! Watch me!!!"
It was probably because she'd never faced a Number 7 disaster before.
Response level: top-tier. Strategy: foolproof.
She'd surely gone with what had always worked in the past.
But.
"Raaaaagh!!!"
The opponent's level was different from anything she'd faced before.
Swoosh.
A red afterimage sliced through the air. One black arm was severed.
It happened in an instant.
"Ngh!"
Black Star let out a startled grunt. But the child didn't stop.
Her blood-red claws gleamed as her red hair whipped around.
Her body became a streak of light, shearing off branch-like arms.
Even watching that spectacle, the child pressed on relentlessly.
She laughed with exhilaration, not giving a moment to regroup as she sliced away.
'Fast.'
Ha-rin thought.
At this rate, it'd just be a pointless war of attrition.
She needed a different play.
"Little brother, you know what they say?"
"Huh?"
"Top-class summoners handle multiple beasts at once."
Two high-rankers.
Black Star and Arachne.
"Starting over."
Even in this unfavorable situation, Ha-rin kept orchestrating the field.
'What to do.'
The hopping around was annoying.
The training ground floor was perfect for bounding.
So then.
'Clamp down at the same time.'
Point.
At Ha-rin's gesture, the two high-rankers moved.
One: Black Star.
The other: Arachne.
"Black Star, bait them out. Arachne, weave your web across the field."
The two summoned beasts moved in sync.
Black Star scattered its arms everywhere.
Dozens of black arms stuck to the floor, walls, and ceiling.
Arachne strung webs between them.
An invisible net filled the training ground.
The child tilted her head curiously, but soon grinned like it didn't matter.
'Simple types like her fall for it every time.'
Black Star's arms waved toward Ulfs.
An obvious taunt.
"Coming at me again? Fun!"
The child charged, swinging her claws.
She seemed to relish the sensation of severing arms, her smile never fading.
She leaped to the next arm, sliced it.
From arm to arm she bounded.
Ha-rin watched, directing with her fingers.
The webs tightened gradually.
The child didn't notice.
Too focused on chopping arms.
Arachne's small size probably helped too.
Of course, the real reason was the battle high and excitement.
"Just a bit more."
Ha-rin murmured.
Ulfs leaped at another arm.
That instant.
"Now!"
"Now."
The two voices overlapped.
Ha-rin blinked.
'Gi-hyeon too?'
Her brother had been aiming for the same timing?
What timing exactly? Before the question cleared.
"Eli."
"Yes, Master."
Eli's maw opened, unleashing flames.
Roooaaar!!
The dragon's roar-like blaze surged toward the webs.
"You used two first, sis."
"S-Sorry, Master!"
"Don't get too hyped. Finish it."
"Got it!"
It was over.
Ha-rin knew she'd lost.
One of the few ways to beat that kid was to exploit her excitement.
But hearing Gi-hyeon's words, Ulfs snapped back to focus and slashed precisely at her target.
"Over there!"
Ulfs, sniffing the air and twitching, zeroed in on Arachne secretly spinning her threads.
She charged with murderous intent.
"W-Wait! This is just sparring—"
"...Stop."
"Master?"
"Stop."
"O-Okay. Don't get mad. When Master gets mad, it makes me sad...."
Ulfs's charge halted. Right in front of Arachne.
Ha-rin let out a sigh of relief.
'That was close.'
A second later, and Arachne would've really gotten hurt.
Ha-rin looked up at Gi-hyeon.
He was petting Ulfs's head.
"Good girl."
"I stopped 'cause Master said to. I wanted to keep going."
"I know. Thanks."
Ulfs wagged her tail slightly.
Ha-rin chuckled at the sight.
'My little brother's grown up.'
The brother who'd called himself talentless and left home. Now handling a Number 7 beast on par with a disaster, and doing it skillfully.
No more reason to nag him about words like "contentment in one's lot."
Unlike her, who'd given up on herself, he'd grown strong and shown his talent.
"Gi-hyeon."
"Yeah?"
"You did great."
"At what?"
"Commanding. Timing was spot on."
Gi-hyeon turned his head.
"No big deal."
But his ears were a little red. Just like when he was a kid and embarrassed.
"You more than earned your keep."
"Really?"
"Yeah. I think I've learned plenty."
Ha-rin glanced at Black Star and Arachne.
Both looked exhausted.
"Good work, you two."
Black Star and Arachne grumbled.
"Beings like us don't stand against earthquakes or volcanoes."
"Right, right. You gonna dodge if an earthquake hits? Nah, you'd just beg for mercy when it comes."
Even high-rankers griped like that sometimes.
Amused by the new side of them, Ha-rin suggested to Gi-hyeon.
"Little brother."
"What? Feels like we've done everything. Can't you send me home now?"
"Aw, don't be like that. Your sis wants to look after you."
"Why didn't you back then?"
"I was an idiot. You were believing in yourself and pushing forward, and there I was, telling you to face reality."
Gi-hyeon mumbled, then finally spat it out.
"...Fine. You were the only one who ever treated me right."
"Yeah. So now I'm making up for it."
"With what? I mean, it's hard to do stuff face-to-face right away—"
"Beef before you go."
"I can afford that myse—"
"Hanwoo flower sirloin?"
"...I'm good, but the kids wanna eat, so it's leftovers."
Looked like a family meal after ages.
"Master, what's flower sirloin?"
"I've had it! It melts in your mouth—so good!"
"Not fair, eating it without us. I like meat too."
"Eat now! It's not my money, so stuff yourselves!"
"Wonder how much I gotta eat to settle all those dirty looks from before."
Ha-rin smiled inwardly at her suddenly rowdy brother and his crew.
'I don't know what happened. But you worked hard.'
To the point where her past cold treatment of him made her ashamed.