#86 The Misunderstanding is Growing.
Whoosh—
A snowy plain whipped by biting winds.
Spring had come to the world at large, but Cheorwon's spring was still a harsh realm of endlessly chilling gusts.
From far off, something like a massive ball of yarn came barreling along in a hurry. A hunk of meat was clamped in its jaws.
After racing a good long way, the yarn ball headed for the heart of the plain. Then, as if spotting something shocking, it skidded to a halt.
Furball stood there panting, dazed.
—Our Furball, I trust you. Got it?
Kang-ho had said exactly that.
Furball stared straight ahead.
In the past, Seol-a's egg had rested here. But now that Seol-a had hatched, Kang-ho had placed the Ice Dragon egg in its spot.
And to Furball, he'd said—
—I'll count on you alone, Furball. I'm heading out, okay?
Furball swelled with pride at the thick trust Kang-ho had placed in him.
But this catastrophe that had unfolded in his brief absence was enough to send him into full panic.
Krreung...
Furball's ears drooped pitifully. His massive, fluffy tail sagged too, giving him the look of a drenched, shaggy pup.
'...Oh noes, big trouble-dang.'
Where on earth had it gone?
Furball set down the hunk of meat in his mouth and pondered deeply.
It had vanished while he'd stepped away just for a moment to hunt for food.
Furball's eyes sharpened.
He didn't want to disappoint Kang-ho. And whoever the enemy was, they'd made one big mistake.
Namely—
Krreung!
Overlooking his amazing sense of smell!
Shabel Tigers were born battle beasts. They possessed an acute nose honed by their species' history!
Furball closed his eyes and focused on scents from all directions.
The Ice Dragon egg was the one his precious little sister Seol-a treasured so much—and one that might bring him a new sibling, which had him excitedly awaiting it.
Sniff sniff—
As he poured all his focus into his nose—
Flash!
Like a shooting star, one scent streaked across his senses.
Whoosh! Furball whipped around and bolted that way.
Sniff sniff— Across the white snowfield, the faintest trace of the Ice Dragon egg lingered.
Chasing that scent, Furball suddenly caught another mingled with it.
'Human?'
No. Not quite human.
Furball's eyes narrowed fiercely.
This scent was similar to humans yet reminiscent of dog fur...
'Beastkin-dang.'
But not the Yeongdeungpo 21st Street beastkin. Those ones smelled of sun-dried fur; this was dank, musty, rotting.
Thud thud thud!
Furball raced after the trail.
As he ran, he swore to himself.
'Can't let him down-dang.'
And so, Furball left the snowfield behind, tracking the scent toward the city.
* * *
[Whoa, what kind of repair bill is this?]
"Well... it's the latest model? Might as well buy a new one instead of fixing it."
The smartphone was utterly smashed, and the repair cost was absurd. It'd take nearly a week too.
[Nah.]
Theo shook his head with a smirk.
[It was my first gift since coming to this world.]
"..."
Phantom shrugged, surprised at the unexpected romanticism.
Suddenly—
[Huh?]
Theo glanced off to the side.
Over there. Precisely, atop a building.
A massive shape was hopping from rooftop to rooftop.
[What the heck is that?]
Theo squinted, then grinned.
[Hey, let's go.]
* * *
Theo waved from a rooftop at the sniffing, bounding Furball.
[Furball!]
Krreung?
Furball whipped his head around at the familiar voice, then bounded over joyfully, tongue lolling.
Theo nimbly dodged the lick and asked,
[Hey, where's Kang-ho?]
Krreung...
Furball drooped instantly. He began gesturing wildly to explain.
Theo watched intently.
The paws pointed somewhere, Furball thumped his chest proudly.
[Kang-ho entrusted you with something?]
Impressive deduction.
Krreung!
Furball nodded.
Soon, he mimed happily carrying something, then spotting danger and panicking wildly, shaking his head in frantic search.
[And you lost it?]
Krreung!
Furball nodded.
Then he put on a resolute face and mimed sniffing.
[You're tracking the scent to recover it?]
Krreung!
Furball's eyes welled with tears of emotion.
Theo went deadpan.
[What'd he entrust you with?]
Furball pondered.
How to explain this? Tricky.
After a moment, he used the lush fur on his chin to shape with his paw—a fox form.
Like Seol-a.
Theo's eyes bulged.
[...For real?]
No, not that—
Furball frantically shaped over the fox to make it an egg.
Seol-a's treasured egg...
[Seol-a got kidnapped? Seriously?]
No... that's not it!
Furball tried explaining again, but—
[...]
The misunderstanding was snowballing.
'Listen for a sec-dang...'
As Furball rolled his eyes desperately, mana began boiling off Theo.
[...]
Flinch!
Furball startled. First time seeing Theo truly pissed.
The refined mana surged wildly before settling calmly.
Theo devoured his cotton candy in one bite, face icily cold.
[Which ballsy bastards...]
Krreung...
[Dare...]
Furball thought:
The misunderstanding was growing even more.
'Eh, whatever-dang.'
Whatever, then.
Furball turned.
[Let's go.]
Theo hopped on Furball's back and beckoned blankly standing Phantom.
[Hey. Hurry up.]
"...Okay."
Phantom unwittingly joined this bizarre party.
[Change clothes.]
"..."
[That's civilian wear.]
"Here?"
[Yeah.]
"..."
[Over there, change.]
Phantom hid in Furball's thick fur.
Soon, transformed into full-body suit and goggles, she emerged sheepishly.
Theo patted her back.
[Depart.]
Krreung!
. . . . . .
Furball tracked the scent into a rundown alley on Seoul's outskirts.
Near the building, he sniffed intently.
The egg and beastkin scents hung thick.
"This area's..."
Phantom scanned around.
Presences everywhere. The building felt systematically guarded.
"Not good, Theo. Armed forces inside, looks like."
[Organized. Who?]
She slipped into the building stealthily.
Returning soon,
"Beastkin. Different vibe from Yeongdeungpo 21st Street ones. Outsiders, probably."
[Beastkin...]
Theo cracked his neck.
[You stay here.]
"Pardon?"
[Dangerous.]
Theo eyed Furball.
[Wait here?]
Furball nodded up-down.
[Go.]
Theo leaped off the roof without hesitation.
"W-Wait..."
As Theo dropped, he pulled a skull from his coat.
Fwoosh!
It formed a massive body.
Clack clack clack!
"...!"
It resembled the skeleton from Theo's Awakener test.
But she knew instantly.
What is that...?
This skull dwarfed the old one. Pure platinum sheen, nearly double the size.
Mana density? Triple. More!
And the sword in its hand—a new one.
Like...
That sword Agreas held...?
As she thought that—
Theo strode into the enemy-packed building entrance.
Soon—
Thwack thwack thwack thwack— heavy impacts echoed.
"...?"
She hopped down feather-light and gulped, stepping toward the building.
* * *
Bzzzzt—
"Hm?"
Xiao Shin eyed his blaring smartphone mid-bath.
Then—
Knock knock—
From beyond the bathroom. His face soured.
He hated interruptions to rare leisure.
"What?"
—Boss... problem.
"What problem?"
—Intruder at the building holding the stolen goods.
"Intruder?"
Xiao Shin scowled.
"Mantis is guarding it, no?"
Mantis. Unranked powerhouse. World Rank 100-level, Mu continent beastkin, loyal subordinate.
—He's... struggling, sir.
"...?"
Xiao Shin doubted his ears.
World Rank 100 wasn't easy. Only ~100 worldwide could handle him.
He'd need a famous ranker.
And he's struggling?
"Opponent?"
—Not in our intel net yet.
Not SS-grade circles. Not even S-grade promotion material.
Xiao Shin shot up.
"Media?"
—Fight inside. No scent-sniffers yet.
Xiao Shin ground his teeth, standing.
"Cheeky bastard."
He donned black tights wrapping him tight.
Powerful or not, this was foreign soil. Trouble was bad.
Whoosh!
He leaped from the suite window.
This haul was an Ice Dragon egg.
Failed to capture Greenland's Ice Dragon due to fierce resistance—lost it.
Tried for the egg, but it vanished.
Tracked relentlessly to this puny nation.
Korea. He hated the name.
Insignificant speck. "Mystery of the East"? Irksome. Problem here? Unacceptable to his pride.
Grind—
Xiao Shin gnashed.
Thud thud thud!
He blurred away at unseen speed.
Soon, at the building.
Which bastard...?
Inside—shock.
Beastkin guards tongues-lolling, passed out. Limbs broken, minds shattered.
He dashed up floors.
More fainted per level.
At the top—unbelievable.
Thud—
Mantis sprawled.
Before him, a massive, brilliantly shining skeletal giant.
"..."
Beside it, a giant white Shabel Tiger held a ornate box in its jaws.
That beast...
No, more importantly—
Why's he pissed?
[Where'd you take our Seol-a!]
The guy bellowed in fury.
'Seol-a...?'