Druid's Ambush
"What uncle? You're barely older than me."
"Heh. Fine then, call me Dae-hee oppa?"
Myoryong Guild Master Kang Dae-hee ignored Sujin's teasing as if he hadn't heard it.
"...You ready?"
"Of course."
Sujin pressed down firmly near the shoulder of her gray coat. The spot where her fingers touched caved in circularly, and the coat began to glow. It clung tightly to her body, transforming into form-fitting iron armor that hugged her perfectly. At her waist hung her beloved sword, Levantine.
"Pulling out Park Sujin and Levantine just to clear a B-rank field? Isn't that like using a cattle knife to slaughter a chicken?"
"Pfft. If we're doing it, might as well do it right."
While Sujin got a quick briefing from Kang Dae-hee, the hunters waiting behind started chatting among themselves.
"That's the client?"
"Yeah. Park Sujin, the Knight of Flame. You know her, right?"
"Thought she retired."
"Not retired. Just stepped back from the front lines."
"Doesn't look that strong."
Jin Mu-baek snorted at the talk about Sujin. She just looked like an ordinary adult woman. Plus, having just come from overseas, he had no idea of her reputation.
"Hey, she's an A-rank hunter. With her handling the heavy lifting, we just support and we're done."
"A-rank? So what? Hunters from this puny country, right?"
"What? Dude, you're nuts. Hunter ranks are set by the Hunter Association, you know that?"
"...Hmph."
"Rank-wise, she's even above Boss Kang. If word gets back to him about you acting up..."
"Oh my. You folks must be the ones sharing the hardship this time?"
"Hup."
Sujin approached the hunters mid-briefing. The Myoryong Guild members, worried their words had been overheard, averted their eyes and pretended otherwise. Everyone except Jin Mu-baek.
"You're the client?"
"...Yeah. Looking forward to working with you!"
"Save it. Just don't get in the way. Whatever you're thinking, if you interfere..."
"Aw, no need to worry. Let's shake on it!"
Sujin extended her hand with a bright smile. Behind her, Kang Dae-hee subtly shook his head.
"...Fine."
Crunch!
"Aaaagh!"
The moment he grabbed Sujin's hand, an immense grip crushed Jin Mu-baek's.
"L-Let... go...!"
"Know why I took the request but came out myself?"
"Ugh...!"
"Hiring someone like me costs more than a truckload of guys like you. Figured it'd be cheaper to handle it personally."
"I-I get it! Just let go first..."
"I said don't act up. Unless you wanna die."
"Kuh...!"
Jin Mu-baek staggered back, clutching his swollen hand.
"Give him some treatment. Can't have him hindering the request."
"Sure thing! A single healing pack and it'll be good as new!"
"......"
Ji-hyang jabbed a large syringe into Mu-baek's puffy hand. Mana-infused healing fluid coursed through it, and his hand quickly returned to normal.
"That damn bitch. Just you wait."
"Hehe. Gonna wait like 100 years or something, yong? So devoted, yong."
"......"
With the pecking order sorted, the Myoryong Guild hunters and Sujin entered the field.
"Entering KA-1034 field."
"Yup! Main monsters are Ents, yong. Four colonies confirmed so far, yong."
'Four?'
Sujin tilted her head at Ji-hyang's briefing. She thought it was five.
'Guess they fought among themselves.'
Monsters eating each other was common in fields. Trusting the pro guild's intel, she brushed it off.
Dae-hee checked the Ent count via the radar on his arm.
"A-Point. Fifteen detected."
"I'll take the first shot, yong!"
Ji-hyang flattened herself on the ground and loaded a mana bullet. Her rifle, longer than she was tall, trembled heavily as it absorbed stored mana.
"Engaging."
Bang!
The battle began with Ji-hyang's shot. The mana-ore infused bullet pierced an Ent's waist.
"Keeek?"
Kang Dae-hee's arrow followed, slamming into the next one. It twisted viciously on impact, ripping a massive hole.
"Charge!"
Myoryong's members—Jin Mu-baek, Kim Beom-soon, and Yoo Hyun-hak—rushed in. They were the frontline for this party.
Slash!
Mu-baek talked trash, but his skills were legit. Beom-soon wrecked waists with his knuckles, Mu-baek finished with his sword.
"Keeek!"
When Ent branches counterattacked, Hyun-hak blocked with his shield. Simple, but their teamwork flowed like water.
"Maintain the frontline!"
"Yup!"
While the front drew attention, Dae-hee and Ji-hyang thinned the numbers from afar. In a blink, Ents were halved.
"Five left...!"
Whoosh!
As Myoryong fought valiantly, a massive blaze engulfed the rest.
"Kieeeek!"
They screamed wildly before crumbling to black ash. Lingering embers spread briefly, but Levantine sucked them in.
"Ah, sorry. That technique takes a bit."
"Nothing to apologize for. You're the client."
"Heh. True that?"
"On to the next point!"
"......"
Jin Mu-baek stared at the departing Sujin. He'd felt it clearly in her attack. She wasn't just strong—she was abnormal.
"Hehe. Total steal, yong."
"...Hmph."
Mu-baek snorted, unwilling to admit it.
The remaining three points fell without much trouble. When things got dicey, Sujin appeared like a ghost, clearing paths as Levantine's flames devoured foes.
"Keek!"
Dae-hee's arrow pierced the last Ent's waist. He checked the radar and sighed in relief.
"Clear! Operation over."
"Good work, yong!"
Ji-hyang celebrated by popping new gum.
"Everyone, great job~"
"Thanks, Sujin. Made it easy."
"Ahaha! Discount possible?"
"...No."
"Heh. Knew it."
Sujin grinned slyly and patted Dae-hee's shoulder. 150 million won—not cheap. But with the field cleared, local land values would skyrocket even higher.
'Heh. Jackpot!'
Now, coast through life sucking honey till retirement. Handoffs were busy, but next month it'd ease up.
As they prepared to collect debris and leave, something odd caught the Myoryong hunters' eyes. A pile of leaves, like none before, sat there.
"This here before, yong?"
"...Doesn't seem like it."
Mu-baek approached slowly. Meanwhile, Dae-hee checked his arm radar—mana detector for monsters.
"...Huh?"
They'd cleared here already. Radar should be empty. But a tiny dot blinked—at the pile's spot.
"No way!"
As Dae-hee shouted, Mu-baek locked eyes with the thing behind the leaves. Chilling white sclera, no pupils. Human-like face, but no nose, eerie grin splitting to its ears.
"Urgh...!"
Mu-baek, veteran of many fronts, felt deep revulsion from his gut. Like seeing a cockroach crawling up his arm.
"Fall back!"
Dae-hee yelled, but Mu-baek's disgust acted first. He swung his sword unconsciously.
Clang!
[......]
His blade aimed for the neck but rang like striking metal. The thing's grin twisted viciously.
"Dodge!"
Mu-baek's final words.
Krunch!
Countless tentacles erupted, skewering Mu-baek mercilessly. They lashed toward the others.
"Ugh!"
Beom-soon couldn't brace and joined Mu-baek.
Crack!
Hyun-hak shielded in time, but tentacles shattered it like a cookie, claiming his life.
Too fast for distant Dae-hee and Ji-hyang.
"...Hup!"
But Sujin was faster. She yanked the stunned pair away, barely evading.
Crunch! Krunch!
They avoided instant death. Dae-hee got a shoulder hole. But...
"Guh...!"
Ji-hyang was worse. Side torn open, vomiting blood.
"F-Fuck, what is this...!"
Sujin eyed the distant foe. The leaf pile now had form: repulsive humanoid flesh, tree branches on forehead, empty eyes grinning creepily.
She knew it well.
"Druid...!"
Druids ranked top among A-rank monsters. Needed three A-rank hunters. Sujin's survival in the industry? Talent reaching A-rank without 1st-gen blood, and avoiding gambles.
Fight a Druid alone with two wounded? Near-suicidal odds.
...Bang!
Sujin scooped the injured and bolted. The other three were riddled with holes—dead.
'Why? Why a Druid in this backwater?'
'Can I save them?'
'...Can I?'
Thoughts swirled.
"Kuh...! Why a Druid...!"
Dae-hee groaned, slung over her shoulder.
"S-Sorry, Boss... Should've checked properly... yong."
Ji-hyang mumbled through blood, paling fast.
"Shut up! Focus mana on the wound..."
"Hehe... C-ranks can't do that, yong..."
"Damn it..."
"Sorry, yong... Sorry..."
Ji-hyang stilled. Just Dae-hee and Sujin left.
Would've been nice to stop here. But...
Thud...!
Leaf-covered ground groaned deeply. Sky blackened.
'Dungeonization...!'
Fields evolving to dungeons—named monsters' realm. Kill the master or escape impossible. Full dungeon meant exit door, but who knew when.
No choice but fight.
Sujin halted, set them down.
"...She's dead?"
Dae-hee checked closed-eyed Ji-hyang.
"...Not yet."
"Hmph."
Shoulder wrecked, Dae-hee was no archer now.
"The one called Ji-hyang? Stop her bleeding."
"...You're fighting?"
"What else?"
Sujin drew Levantine grimly. Under black sky, its red glow lit surroundings.
'Fuck. Just when life got comfy.'
Luck had been good lately. Empty home once greeted her after work. Now? Brother back from dead, old friend over. Finally lively.
[......]
Levantine's flames revealed the approaching foe: deer-like branches, creepy grin below.
'Worst luck.'
Ji-hyang scouted, but Dae-hee used top gear—radars galore. Druid hid deliberately. Myoryong unluckily triggered it.
"Hoo."
No retreat. Sujin steadied her shaking heart. Low odds, but not zero.
Closing eyes to focus...
...Krunch!
Tentacle from blind spot—beyond flame light. Clever bastard. Hid well for that reason.
Slash!
It grazed her cheek. Meant to impale, but instinct dodged.
[...?]
Druid's grin twitched. Follow-ups aimed for gaps, but only scratches.
"......"
Sujin narrowed distance, focused. In range...
Whoosh!
Levantine's flames surged—her full power.
Clang! Clang!
Druid blocked with tentacles, but each clash burned them to ash.
Its grin faded. Twisted rage now, tentacles whipping seriously.
"Hah!"
Several exchanges in seconds. Druid charred black; Sujin accumulated scratches.
[...!]
Blocking again, tentacle ashed through. Levantine thrust at chest.
Kaaang!
'Kuh!'
Like stabbing metal. Tough body. More strikes might work, but...
Stagger.
Blood loss from attacks blurred vision.
'Can't drag it out.'
She never overreached in fights, but urgency pushed her.
Fatal mistake.
Boom!
"Guh!"
Tentacle cluster smashed her chest. Armor saved impale, but she flew back.
Crashing far, Sujin gasped.
"Kuh... ugh...!"
Ribs cracked? Every breath agony.
'Fuck. That's why no gambles.'
Druid charred? Regenerating to original color.
'This it?'
Facing death, brother came to mind. Just starting life together.
Once resented him leaving first. But age brought longing. Wanted what others had: happy family.
[...Kee-hit.]
Druid chuckled victory. Approached with creepy grin.
Sujin gathered strength. No dog death.
As it neared for kill...
Mutual destruction with Levantine's flames.
Pooling mana, then...
A familiar face flickered beyond the flames.