Whoa—Everyone, Stop!
“Whoa—whoa! Everyone, halt!”
Muel, at the front of the hunting party traversing the desert, lightly patted her kargon and called out to the hunters in the rear.
“We’ve reached the rest spot. We’ll camp here for the night. Each hunting squad, rest up under your squad leader’s command. Dismissed!”
At Muel’s order, the squads led by Syrin, Yoran, and Hul began efficiently claiming their positions.
“Get ready, everyone!!”
Even in how they set up base, Syrin’s Beast Squad, Yoran’s Fire Flower Squad, and Hul’s Nakrang Squad each showed their distinct styles. The Beast Squad casually pitched tents on open ground, while the Fire Flower Squad focused more on preparing food than tents. Meanwhile, the Nakrang Squad first scouted for the safest spot to conceal themselves.
The Nakrang Squad really does have the most experience. Adel thought as he watched them.
Of course, if Syrin overheard, he’d insist it was because they trusted their skills enough to set up on flat ground. But comparing squads of equal size, Nakrang and Beast were evenly matched—or perhaps Nakrang had the edge. Even so, prioritizing retreat routes and survival showed that Nakrang hunters never took hunting lightly.
They’re definitely too valuable to lose here.
Adel nodded in satisfaction as he gazed at the Nakrang hunters.
Whoosh.
Something fluttered into Adel’s view and vanished.
“……What are you doing?”
“Huh?”
Adel couldn’t hide his bewilderment at the sight of Muel spreading a mat on the bare ground.
“What else? Trying to sleep.”
She wasn’t even bothering with a tent—danger clearly wasn’t on her mind.
Yeah, that’s her alright.
Ulan’s captains were beings who transcended common sense in strength. Adel chuckled at her of course expression.
“……Aren’t you cold?”
Adel eyed her sleeveless leather armor, even as winter approached.
“The desert’s scorching hot on one hand, colder than the north on the other—damn fickle place. Trying to prep for both is exhausting. Better to worry about just heat or just cold. Keeps your head straight. End of lecture.”
Muel waved him off, covering her face with her cloak as if to say no more questions.
“Don’t copy her method. Might be good for the mind, but your body won’t last.”
“Agreed.”
Adel nodded at Hul’s words, watching her fall asleep in seconds.
“How’s it feel, Adel? Joining the sweep like this. Prey’s piling up nicely…… This hunt’s going smooth. Lucky break. You’ll get some good experience out of it.”
A week since the sweep began, four days since reaching Shallon. As Hul said, hunting in the spider caves wasn’t too tough. Hien’s sons led capable squads, but the Jackals’ prowess under Muel was something else.
Only twenty of them, but the Jackals are elites among elites. They’ve caught more prey than the other three squads combined.
Adel figured if they’d been alive in his previous life, purging the south would’ve been harder. Their skill was that impressive.
But seeing it firsthand only raises more questions.
What could have massacred such experts? Adel couldn’t help wondering.
Not just Hul’s death—Muel hasn’t breathed a word about anything that happened there.
Shallon’s disaster remained a secret because the survivors all clammed up.
Maybe she told Father, though.
Hien wasn’t the type to let it slide. Tabooing the incident meant something deeper was at play.
“Hey! What’re you doing?! No helping, just slacking? No dinner for you. Move it!”
Syrin yelled at Adel mid-conversation with Hul.
“Go on. He’s been riding you the whole sweep, huh? Just three more days—hang in there.”
“I’m fine.”
“When winter hits and the nests go dormant, swing by my turf. I’ll show you how to hunt the big beasts. Desert’s got plenty of monsters, but nowhere packs giants like my spot.”
Hul clapped Adel’s shoulder.
“Got it. I’ll definitely visit.”
Hul nodded, pleased. But Adel wasn’t just there to spectate.
Mato Azal’s hidden treasure. To claim it, I need Gold Death Gorge’s eternal flame, Spar.
Azal Kingdom’s second prince—mentioned by Nazan and Muel when Adel first arrived at Ulan. Poisoned royalty.
Azal royals each got a treasure. Mato hid his like a true prince, so no one could steal it.
Clack.
Adel glanced at the red gauntlet on his wrist.
Spar’s flames burn insanely hot. This is what I need to grab it.
He clenched and opened his fist with a crisp friction sound. Rundel’s Gauntlets.
Can’t be too late. In my past life, the timing slipped, and it never surfaced.
Could it be…… the phoenix egg?
Right.
What a greedy bastard. Contracted with me, the god of flames, and now you want to hatch a mere ancient beast like a phoenix? Pointless hassle…… Why bother?
Adel smirked at Garon’s question.
You don’t get it. Handling gods takes massive divine power. Truth is, even managing you two is pushing it right now.
He didn’t show it, but with his divine bloodline unfinished, housing two burdensome gods should’ve floored him.
Divine beasts are different. Just tame ’em. Extra firepower.
Not content with god contracts, now eyeing divine beasts too…… Planning a one-man war?
Yeah. A big one.
Hah……
Garon let out a disbelieving chuckle.
See? Told you he’s fun. He’ll keep us endlessly entertained.
Kalderet murmured lowly, crouched amid the camp preparations.
“Muel, camp’s set.”
Once squads settled, Amta—one of Muel’s subordinates—approached. His solid muscles evoked a barbarian more than a hunter.
“Amta. Who’s on watch tonight?”
“Beast Squad.”
“Tell Nakrang to prep the path to the next zone. Heavy snow tonight—mark the landmarks so they don’t get buried.”
Muel spoke from her mat, cloak still over her face. Desert snow seemed mismatched, but southern blizzards dumped relentlessly.
“Got it, Muel.”
Amta took her word—prophet or not—without question.
That woman bears a fairy's blessing.
Fairy’s blessing?
Different from God's Blessing. Spirits aren’t gods—they’re nature’s byproducts. But their sway over seasons and weather is finer than any god’s.
Blessings aren’t earned later like contracts. Either her ancestors bonded deeply with fairies, or she was born linked to them.
Muel with a fairy’s blessing……
The Jackals were Ulan’s most domineering squad. It seemed an odd fit for her.
“Why the grin?”
“Ah, nothing.”
Muel caught Adel’s odd smile without even peeking.
Come to think of it, her instincts were always sharper than other hunters’. Not just training.
Now he knew why.
“Hul, you heard. Nakrang, form an advance team to prep the road to Gugok Gorge. Snow’s coming—pack gear.”
“Understood. I’ll lead it myself.”
Hul nodded without a hint of doubt.
Nakrang’s leaving the main force.
Adel’s gut twisted. Kalderet’s contract? Past-life trauma? Whatever the smooth hunt so far, unease gripped him—something bad for Hul’s isolated squad.
“Mind if I join?”
“Why you?”
“Gugok Gorge is close to the centerlands. As you know, I fled the war alone to here. I know the desert routes well.”
“Pfft……”
Muel snorted, muffling laughter behind her cloak.
“Puhahaha!! Hul, hear that? The baby bro’s worried about you. What a punk. Right?”
Hul gave an awkward, bitter smile.
“Appreciate the thought, Adel, but you’re Beast Squad. Even if Syrin bugs you, stick to your duties. This is Nakrang’s job.”
Unaware of Adel’s motives, Hul ruffled his hair fondly.
Something’s in Gugok Gorge. It’ll spark Shallon’s disaster.
Adel’s mind raced. Couldn’t lose Hul like this. As he pondered options—
“……Captain!!”
A Jackal on watch sprinted up, panting.
“What’s wrong?”
The man’s arrival shattered the calm, ushering an inexplicable ominous vibe.
“There’s a corpse ahead.”
“……A corpse?”
The situation grew more tangled than even Adel had feared.