The Shadow of the Quiet Dawn
“Uncle!”
“Master, have you come?”
Soo-ah and Taesan spoke as they saw Dojin running toward them.
Taesan looked at Dojin with eyes full of shock.
This was the first time he had ever seen Dojin in such a hurry.
And…….
“Where is he? What about Junseo?”
“Junseo is safe. Secretary Kim Gyeongtaek blocked it with his own body during that brief moment, he said. He only suffered minor wounds and received light treatment.”
Dojin looked at the figure lying on the bed—Kim Gyeongtaek.
It was not life-threatening, but the sight of him bandaged from the waist up caused a surge of anger to rise within Dojin.
'It can't be…….'
They were already moving?
This attack had been completely unexpected.
The SW Technology information network had not been that deep yet.
His mind was in turmoil.
But at that moment.
“Ha Dojin Hunter-nim.”
“……?”
A staff member from the secretary’s office entered the hospital room and called Dojin.
When Dojin turned his head, the staff member bowed slightly.
“Chairman-nim is calling you.”
“……I see.”
Dojin nodded and followed him into the next room.
Every floor in the building was a VIP ward.
In the adjacent room, Chairman Gu Jinmo and his grandson Gu Junseo were present.
Junseo had a bandage on his left cheek and his arm was wrapped in gauze.
As Taesan had said, it was fortunate that the injuries were not severe.
“You’ve come.”
As Dojin entered the room, Gu Jinmo rose from his chair.
Then, turning to the staff member, he instructed him to keep watch over the area and stepped out of the room.
Thump. Thump.
On the emergency staircase corridor.
Gu Jinmo moved there, pulled a cigarette from his pocket, and began to fiddle with it.
He appeared to be under severe stress and did not speak for a long while.
No matter how shrewd Gu Jinmo was, the situation where his precious grandson had nearly lost his life was unthinkable.
“……This is my fault.”
“No. I did not expect this either. I apologize.”
Dojin bowed politely in apology.
But Gu Jinmo shook his head.
“No. I know those bastards better than anyone. I never imagined they would carry out a terror attack at this very moment.”
Gu Jinmo lowered his head with a pained expression.
Because he had just briefly forgotten how dangerous this path was, even while enjoying a moment of happiness alongside Dojin.
He had envisioned becoming not just another famous company in the world, but the greatest hunter company in the world.
“……”
Dojin silently looked at Gu Jinmo.
Even the so-called iron-blooded weapons master was still human.
Especially since he had someone precious to him—more precious than life itself—Junseo.
Dojin simply stood guard silently beside Gu Jinmo.
And after some time had passed.
When the silence began to settle, Gu Jinmo finally spoke softly.
“I’m sorry. I made a fool of myself.”
“It is not so.”
“Hehe, still, having you here brings me comfort. But do not worry. Though this incident was serious…… I have no intention of stopping now.”
Gu Jinmo lightly patted Dojin’s shoulder.
Was the sight of Gu Jinmo’s back as he returned to Junseo’s room looking slightly smaller than usual an illusion?
Dojin immediately called the secretary who had summoned him to the corridor.
“What is the situation? In detail.”
Dojin’s gaze grew cold.
The secretary trembled without realizing it.
Even though he was not being scolded.
'What kind of eyes…….'
How could such eyes be so terrifying?
His lips were trembling.
The secretary tried to remain calm.
“Secretary Kim Gyeongtaek was moving Junseo in his car to the villa when the terror occurred.”
After reviewing all nearby CCTV footage, it was magic.
“It was a flame-type magic, but we could not identify the exact type.”
But the destructive power that could blow up a bulletproof vehicle in one blow was enormous.
That also meant the number of people capable of using such magic was small.
“We are currently investigating which skill was used by the association. First, all hunters registered under the magic category have been placed under exit bans.”
It was a terror within South Korea.
The association could easily impose an exit ban.
Still, they would need to consider covert evacuation routes.
But…….
“Do not worry. We have already controlled every location that could allow illegal exit from the country.”
Gu Jinmo would not have overlooked that.
He had already taken preemptive measures before arriving at the hospital after hearing the news.
Dojin nodded.
“Where can I view that footage?”
“I can show it to you right now if you wish. It is stored as a file.”
“Please.”
Dojin received the tablet from the secretary and entered the empty hospital room.
And…….
Swish! Boom! Boooom!
Again.
Swish! Boom! Boooom!
Again.
Swish! Boom! Boooom!
Dojin replayed the scene of the skills exploding repeatedly.
Dojin’s eyes narrowed.
'This skill…….'
A flame-type skill erupting from the floor.
It gave a similar feeling to the Fire Wall, but the shape of the flames was different.
Like fire gushing out as if from a fountain.
Swuuuuuuuuuuush!
As he replayed it at 0.2x speed, Dojin caught a faint trace of a magic circle on the floor.
“When the skill activates, a purple magic circle on the floor…… and the shape of this flame, its destructive power……”
Dojin’s eyes flashed sharply.
If this bastard…….
'If it’s the one I know…….'
The hunter association would never catch him.
After all, he was not a regular awakener.
Dojin immediately rose from his seat.
There was someone he needed to meet.
* * *
Boing!
Late at night.
A single vehicle sped down the road where the flashing lights of traffic signals blinked.
Eventually it slowed and turned onto a narrow road.
When the vehicle stopped in the alley lined with small shops, Dojin stepped out and murmured quietly.
“So this is how it’s been since then.”
He did not particularly want to come here.
He had no particularly bad memories, but
he simply did not want to get entangled with these kinds of people.
But as far as he knew.
'There is no one better at operating in the shadows than this guy.'
An old building with no sign.
Up the stairs on the second floor, a strange musty odor lingered.
Squeak.
When he opened the door and entered, the office was surprisingly clean compared to the outside.
It felt similar to a typical detective agency.
The men sitting on the sofa turned their gazes toward Dojin.
Clearly, they were not welcoming a guest.
But at that moment.
“You guys step outside for a moment.”
The woman seated at the large desk in the innermost room spoke.
The men on the sofa rose immediately.
Dojin looked at her.
'Jang Heejin.'
She was not exceptionally skilled in combat, but she was good at investigation and other miscellaneous techniques.
She had originally been a regular hunter under the association, but…….
'She said she completely left that world for some reason.'
Dojin did not know what that event had been.
He was not curious.
At that time, Heejin looked at Dojin and said.
“I never imagined the most valuable Dojin Hunter would come to my office. No, more importantly, how did you even know to find me here?”
“Do you know why I came?”
“Because of the incident where Chairman Gu Jinmo’s grandson almost died, right?”
Her tone was not good, but she was definitely capable.
Could she have figured that out in such a short time?
Dojin nodded.
“Then this will be easier to discuss.”
Eventually Dojin’s eyes became ice-cold.
Just looking at him felt like a knife flying into his chest.
Dojin asked.
“Who is it?”
“……”
She kept her mouth tightly shut.
Because even the sharp aura emanating from Dojin made it difficult to speak.
But…….
“I don’t know. We’ve been investigating through every channel too, but…… we still haven’t found anything.”
“How long do you think it will take to find out?”
“Well, it might not even be necessary for us to find out.”
Lie.
Those who would do anything for money were they not interested in something like this?
Absurd.
Moreover, she was very good at hiding.
'Jang Heejin knows no secrets.'
At least in this underground world.
Yet she was pulling away by saying she did not know.
“You have no intention of telling me?”
“No, I don’t know this——”
Thwack!
Before her words finished, a knife sliced across her cheek and flew away.
Dojin said.
“Then find out. Immediately.”
“No, what kind of behavior is this!”
“Didn’t I say I know about you?”
“……What?”
“Do you think I can afford to look after your situation right now?”
It seemed she could not read the atmosphere after he had spoken politely.
Dojin deliberately released his pressure and poured out killing intent.
“H-uh!”
Heejin gasped and collapsed onto the floor.
An intense pressure that made it impossible to breathe.
'Stronger than data……!'
It was far stronger.
All information on Ha Dojin needed to be updated.
But the problem was not that.
“What?!”
“You bastard!”
Someone suddenly inside suddenly unleashed an aura, and the subordinates outside rushed in like mad.
But…….
“Stop!”
Heejin shouted.
Even if all the subordinates attacked now, they could not stop that man.
And if Heejin had not just intervened, she would have been——.
'Dead.'
Already in his hand was the sword.
It was not even an ordinary blade—it was one forged from Arkal’s fangs.
Heejin swallowed hard.
Then Dojin looked at her and said.
“This is the last chance.”
“H, Black Moon.”
“Black Moon?”
Dojin’s eyes turned ice-cold.
Black Moon…….
'So those bastards were already active?'
His prediction had been correct.
Then among the Black Moon——.
“Gi Yerim?”
“……?!”
Dojin’s murmur made Heejin’s eyes widen in shock.
“H, h, how…… how did you know that name?”
They had only recently managed to identify it among the list.
One of the Black Moon members known as the Swallowtail, a magician.
Because when she used flame magic, a strange purple magic circle appeared on the ground.
It was almost unknown even in this underworld, and no one knew about it.
“Who are you? How could SW Technology know such things?”
Her question came before the fear of Dojin’s killing intent.
And in response, Dojin said.
“Where is Black Moon located?”
“I don’t know about the entire Black Moon. And even if I did, I couldn’t just tell you.”
Heejin clenched her teeth.
She would not survive if she betrayed them now.
How had she survived to this point until now?
Then Heejin said to Dojin.
“But for the Swallowtail you are looking for, I have a rough idea of her whereabouts. But to find the exact location, we’ll need time too.”
“I’m offering a request. Money is no object.”
“No, this request is not something that can simply be bought with money. We would be risking our lives too.”
“Then?”
Dojin’s question made Heejin’s eyes narrow.
“Dojin, I want to ask you for a favor.”
After Heejin’s words, Dojin remained silent.