The Demon Hunters #2

A question posted by a user on the gallery once again poked at the nerves of the Mobs.

The spark caught fire in an instant due to the appearance of a moderator.

The appearance of the floors, born from someone's memories. No matter how strong one became, it was impossible to feel at ease while looking at memories one didn't want to reveal. Especially the parts recalling one's own weak past—even for a transcendental being, these were things they never wanted to show.

"I wish I could just erase the memories."

That was why 'someone' desperately wished for it.

"Memories, memories, I wish I could erase the memories...!"

She spat out a lament filled with resentment toward the heavens that had driven her to this state. Who could have imagined it? The legendary True Ancestor, blushing at the thought of her own shameful secrets being exposed.

"Sh-should I erase them myself...?"

She was in a situation just before her magic power fully matured. If it were now, she might be able to intervene directly and erase the newbie's memories. Nothing more, nothing less—just the memory of clearing the 15th floor.

However, such a cheeky imagination was blocked by one existence.

'The Mod...'

That wicked thing was surely watching her struggle from somewhere, enjoying the show. If the True Ancestor were to take action herself, that thing would definitely move.

—*Grind.*

"...."

For a long time, the True Ancestor could only struggle, unable to find an answer.

Demon Hunters are NPCs that roam the 10th-floor zone and serve as a trial for Hunters. They firmly believed that the current situation—the reason the village residents had crossed a river of no return and become terrible beasts—was the work of a demon that had passed through here a while ago.

Therefore, they had to hunt the demon and return everything to normal. The happy families, the peaceful village, the laughter of young children dreaming of the future. Or perhaps, their own lost love.

"We must hunt."

"We must return it."

In their eyes, emotion had long since vanished. Like monsters wandering the floors, they began to mechanically chase demons, ignoring anything unnecessary to their mission.

"Are you hunting now?"

"Before we turn into Lycans."

The aura in the darkness grew even stronger. It was a situation where it wouldn't be strange if an attack came at any moment. In the increasingly hostile atmosphere, Doyun reacted first.

"Whoa."

"What is it."

"We're on the same side."

"....?"

Doyun naturally pulled a sheet of paper from his inventory. It was made of quite sturdy material, so it remained in its original, pristine state without a single wrinkle.

"That is..."

The text written on ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠it consisted of words Doyun couldn't recognize, but it clearly succeeded in eliciting 'some' kind of reaction from them.

"A certificate, I see."

—*Whoosh.*

Soon, one shadow detached itself from the group. The owner of the shadow was a tall man. Even though Doyun was taller than the average man, the man in ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠front of him was even more massive. The thin wrists protruding from under his black coat were noticeable. It seemed to show that his intimidation didn't come from brute strength alone.

'His magic power must be no joke.'

As he guessed that, the man in the black coat took another step forward.

"Hey now."

As he entered the optimal distance, Doyun instinctively gripped his curved blade and stopped the man.

"Ah, is that as far as I go?"

The man stopped in his tracks, gauging the distance between himself and Doyun.

"That's right, isn't it?"

"It was unexpected, so I acted impulsively."

The atmosphere, which had been like a cold blade, had subsided a little. It was a phenomenon that occurred precisely from the moment they faced the certificate in Doyun's hand.

"You're the leader, right?"

"Leader? There is no such thing as a leader among us. We are merely shadows moving toward the same goal."

His tone sounded like he was steeped in romance and sentiment. Doyun decided not to show any discomfort at such a tone.

"Anyway, I misunderstood. I will apologize for that sincerely."

With those words, the man took off his wide-brimmed hat and bowed his head. As expected, graying hair was visible. However, the Demon Hunter's gaze shattered the assumption that he was in the twilight of his life. It was emotionless. Even while expressing his apology, Doyun couldn't read any emotion from the Demon Hunter in front of him.

"You dealt with the madman who was hiding here in our stead. The seal on that paper—the royal family has personally commended your merit."

"Well... ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠I suppose so."

"I express my deep respect for your performance."

Then, the Demon Hunters who had been watching the situation from beyond the darkness revealed themselves one by one. Their number far exceeded ten. If a battle had broken out due to a misunderstanding, it would have been a very dangerous situation.

'Oh.'

Doyun reacted inwardly to the revealed quest content. A terrible secret. That was because he had already heard about it from Wine-jwa. The original timeline, the twisted Aira. And in the place Aira passed through, a certain false accusation resided. The quest meant he had to resolve the misunderstanding between the Demon Hunters and Aira—

'No, at this point, should I call her the 15th-floor-jwa?'

He would have to resolve the misunderstanding with the even more twisted 15th-floor Object.

"If you have dealt with our enemy, you are no different from one who walks the same path as us."

"I almost attacked you due to a misunderstanding."

"If you are not a Lycan, there is no reason to hunt you."

The Demon Hunters, each saying a word, put away their weapons.

"Still, be careful. We will no longer attack you, but terrible things still lurk here."

"You mean that Lycan thing you mentioned earlier?"

"Yes."

The Demon Hunter at the very front nodded and replied.

"If you get infected by them, you will slowly lose your mind. After that, there is nothing to be done. Only a peaceful death is salvation."

"...."

"Furthermore, there are many greedy ones here. You must be careful of them too."

Greedy ones. At those words, he immediately understood what they meant.

'Hunters.'

"However, you have nothing to worry about. Operating here is the same as wanting to become a Lycan anyway."

"We just need to hunt everyone. That is salvation in itself."

They said it as if it were nothing.

'Rakia Belz will handle herself.'

Doyun thought of her, who must be operating somewhere in this stage. Since she would have the same reward plan as him, she wouldn't suddenly become a hunting target.

"Take this."

"Oh."

"If you carry that, there will be no reason for misunderstandings like the one we had to occur."

Doyun accepted it and immediately wore it on his chest. It looked very worn, but it wasn't for aesthetic purposes anyway.

"Then."

The Demon Hunters, their purpose finished, vanished from the spot all at once.

"What the..."

Doyun, ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠left alone in an instant, expressed his hollow feelings.

"No, wait a minute."

He had intended to ask for directions since they had signed a peace treaty, but they had finished what they had to say and left.

'Is this right?'

"They're all gone!"

"So they are."

"Are we going too?"

"We have to."

Following Aira's words as she hurried her steps, Doyun had no choice but to move his feet blindly for now.

The scenery of the 11th floor was no different from before. The landscape of a ruined village, forests overgrown here and there. Rolling skulls, the sound of unidentified cries from afar. And.

"Ugh, ah, ah..."

The sight of a person hanging on a cross, dying while still clinging to life...

"Huh?"

A Hunter?

Doyun froze in his tracks.