Chapter 113: From Hunters to Prey
Kim Kyung-su's eyes gleamed with murderous intent.
"What did you just say?"
"Don't bet your life on something trivial."
"Ha!"
Kim Kyung-su wore an incredulous expression at Zeon's response.
The rest of his party looked just as stunned.
Yoo Seung-hee, in particular, flushed bright red—her inner thoughts laid bare.
They had planned to kill Zeon and steal his buggy car.
They intended to swap out their broken vehicle's engine with the one from his ride.
There was no better place for murder than the desert.
No one around to witness it, and even if there was a body, the sand and monsters would take care of the rest.
Awakeners made full use of the desert for exactly that—settling scores or looting without a trace.
Kim Kyung-su's party was no different.
Having grown up in the same slums and awakened around the same time, they shared a tight bond.
They shunned outsiders and other Awakeners, banding together to fight or kill at the slightest offense.
To them, Zeon was prime prey.
Alone, with a buggy car essential for desert survival.
Dump his body in the middle of nowhere, and no one would ever know a murder had taken place.
Kim Kyung-su asked,
"You look like an Awakener yourself. Hand over the vehicle, and I'll let you live. How about it? My offer..."
"Smells like dogshit. Make a proposal that makes sense if you want me to even pretend to listen."
"Got some skills, huh? Holding your own so far."
"Not none."
"But there are four of us. I don't know your rank, but taking us all on won't be easy."
Kim Kyung-su flashed a confident smile.
If Zeon's rank was higher than theirs, they'd be in trouble.
But he could act this bold because of Zeon's outfit.
Higher ranks meant better gear.
Unless it was dungeon loot, most equipment came from Neo Seoul workshops.
Each workshop had its signature style, so spotting the maker let you guess the performance.
The heavy armor his party wore was workshop-made.
The finest for C-rank martial Awakeners.
Insulated with warming runes, lightweight spells, and defensive enchantments—a luxury item.
Zeon, by contrast, wore only a robe-like coat. No armor at all.
No offensive weapons either.
A magic Awakener needed a staff or wand for mana amplification; martial types carried blades or spears.
Zeon had nothing.
He looked like an idiot who'd wandered into the desert defenseless.
And not from Neo Seoul, but the slums.
No reason not to rob him blind.
Shing!
The party drew their weapons in unison.
The men were all martial Awakeners; only Yoo Seung-hee, the woman, was magic-type.
She gripped a staff instead of a sword.
Aiming it at Zeon, she chanted,
"Bind!"
Invisible force coiled around Zeon, squeezing tight.
The men charged simultaneously.
Shooo!
Three blades slashed at his vitals.
Zeon clicked his tongue and swung his right fist.
"Tch! You gotta see blood to shed tears, huh."
Kwaaaa!
Dozens of Fire Missiles rocketed toward the four.
"Ngh!"
"Damn it!"
"He's a magic user."
The barrage hammered the panicking group.
Kwaboom! Kwakwang!
"Fuck! What the hell?"
"Urk!"
"It's strong!"
Shock spread across the men's faces.
They parried or blocked the Fire Missiles with their skills.
Normally, that would break the assault's momentum.
Even high-rank Awakeners had mana limits.
But Zeon showed no such constraint.
Kwakwakwang!
The missiles kept coming relentlessly.
Kim Kyung-su yelled at Yoo Seung-hee,
"Fuck! Do something about it!"
"My magic isn't working!"
She screamed back.
Her Bind had barely fazed him.
Only one reason: his rank was higher.
"This bastard's higher rank than me."
"C-rank then? Fuck!"
"Unleash your ultimate skills!"
"Raaah!"
Sensing danger, the party went all-out.
Zeon muttered with a deflated look,
"Rookies."
Scouting the enemy before fighting was basic.
Poor gear didn't mean weak— it meant confidence.
Wandering the desert unarmed screamed skill.
No point dragging this out.
Kwakwakwang!
The Fire Missiles evolved into Fire Rain.
Their defensive barriers shattered under the hellish barrage.
"Argh!"
"Aaaack!"
Their screams echoed into the night sky.
＊＊＊
"Ugh!"
Yoo Seung-hee groaned as she opened her eyes.
Her vision was blurry, unfocused.
"Fuck! Snap out of it."
"This ain't the time to lie around."
"Get up!"
Her comrades' urgent voices rang in her ears.
Fuck! What're they yapping about?
Grumbling, she forced her eyes to focus. Her sight sharpened.
"Ugh! What the hell is that?"
The first thing she saw clearly: a massive monster lumbering toward them in the distance.
"Fuck! It's an Armored Great Horn Bear."
"Why's it here?"
"Uwaaa! Save us!"
The men panicked, shouting.
Yoo Seung-hee tried to move, but her body wouldn't budge.
"What is this? Sand?"
Only their heads were free; the rest was buried in sand.
She struggled, but her limbs felt limp, powerless.
Then she spotted Zeon lounging in his buggy car.
He grinned, watching the approaching Armored Great Horn Bear like it was entertainment.
"Please! We'll do anything—spare us!"
Tears and snot streamed down her face as she begged.
Zeon finally turned to her.
"Spare our lives, and we'll do anything."
"Anything?"
"Yes! Anything!"
She nodded frantically.
Facing death, reason fled; she blurted promises she shouldn't.
Zeon smiled at her.
"Then just stay put."
"What?"
"Armored Great Horn Bears love human meat. They sniff it out from kilometers away. Should be here in about five minutes."
"Ahh!"
His casual words made her tremble.
She pictured being eaten alive.
"Uwaaa!"
"Fuck! Spare us—we were wrong!"
"Forgive us!"
The men screamed in panic.
Reason was gone.
Zeon smiled.
"But you tried to do the same to me, right?"
"That was... our bad, completely."
"Not arguing right and wrong here. Just giving you a taste of your own medicine."
"Take everything we have. All the loot in the car—it's yours."
"That's a given. Looks like it's almost here."
The bear was now mere hundreds of meters away.
Up close, it was enormous.
Armored plates radiated overwhelming pressure.
Trapped and buried, the four felt terror intensify.
Yoo Seung-hee pissed herself in fear, buried in sand.
Her face was ghostly pale, streaked with tears.
"Hic! Please, spare me. I'll do anything."
"Spare us, and we'll swear loyalty."
"Uwaaa!"
Screams and wails filled the air.
The bear quickened at the sound.
Thud! Thud!
Its heavy footsteps crushed their hearts.
Terror consumed them; no thoughts left.
Zeon spoke.
"Wanna swear an oath to me?"
"Yes."
"We'll do it."
"Yes!"
"Please."
They answered without hesitation.
Zeon pulled four scrolls from his pocket.
Souvenirs from a past dungeon clear.
Oath Scrolls.
Used by Kurayan royalty to bind special servants.
Made for high-risk types like assassins.
Once contracted, betrayal was impossible.
It enslaved the soul.
A one-sided tool for unfair deals.
Zeon declared,
"Zeon is Party A. Kim Kyung-su, Lee Jun-su, Choi Chang-sik, Yoo Seung-hee are Party B. Party B swears loyalty to Party A and must obey. Disobey, and your heart explodes."
In normal circumstances, they'd refuse.
Oath Scrolls wouldn't activate without willing consent.
But with death breathing down their necks, they had no time for second thoughts.
The bear was close enough to smell its breath.
Bloodshot eyes, drool between fangs, foul stench—all vivid.
"I'll swear."
"Uwaaa! The bear's almost here! I swear."
"Spare us. I swear."
"Hic! I swear."
Zeon tore the scrolls amid their screams.
Soft light flowed from the scrolls into their hearts.
They felt invisible chains form around their hearts.
Instinct told them: betray, and the chains would crush it.
Zeon finally smiled and stood.
The contracts were sealed.
They could never betray him now.
Kuooo!
The Armored Great Horn Bear arrived.
Zeon eyed it.
"Your usefulness is done."
Sand surged around him.
Dozens of massive sand spikes pierced straight through it.
Puk-puk-puk!
"Krooargh!"
The bear screamed in agony and died.
The four gaped, mouths agape.
"Fuck! What was that?"
"He moved the sand."
"Impossible!"
"An Armored Great Horn Bear dies that easily?"
From Awakeners to slaves, they were speechless at the reality-defying sight.