Giant Half-Moon Bear Hunt (2)
Everyone was busy with the building's interior setup and facilities, constructing the manufacturing plant, hiring employees, and selling antidotes at the drugstores.
Taehong Bio had been designated as a military supplier.
With soldiers dispatched to guard the construction site, no ordinary person could even approach it.
Yet a desperate request came from the Jirisan Monster Defense Legion.
They pleaded for just 10 sets of the spore poison camel roe deer antidote, insisting it was essential for combat readiness training.
Taeju had originally planned to start mass production once the facilities were ready, but they called once a day, making it impossible to hold out.
Combat training my ass—they were probably just dying for some roe deer meat.
What could he do?
Taeju made 100 sets and shipped them to the legion.
No matter how annoying, he had to satisfy the needs of a major client.
After the delivery.
Taeju entered the Jirisan jungle.
His goals: reaching the 5th stage of Hunwon Musang Dokryeong Gong.
And hunting a Giant Half-Moon Bear to secure its bile.
He had been coming and going for days already, but the 5th stage still felt distant.
Am I being too greedy?
Even after gaining enlightenment, it had been less than a month since reaching 4th stage, and now he was pushing for 5th—plus, he needed to stabilize his poison core.
I'll worry about stabilization after hitting 5th stage... Let's go fast.
Thwip!
Taeju's form shot forward in an instant.
Pyoholjilpungbo.
This movement technique was another one Dang Gunak favored.
Phantom Bewilderment Step was optimized for combat, while Pyoholjilpungbo excelled at reaching a specific destination as quickly as possible.
He ran at full speed to avoid unnecessary encounters with monsters. Those that collapsed from mere hidden weapons or poison mist weren't helpful for training.
Poison arts were completely different from other cultivation methods.
Absorb as much poison as possible.
Promote the growth of the poison core that way.
Imprint the unique properties of poisons from various creatures onto the core.
Every poison in the Jirisan jungle became Taeju's blood, flesh, and inner energy.
Spiritual herbs were utterly useless to him, really.
That's why he sold them.
Flash!
While racing through the jungle, if he caught a suspicious scent,
Poison resin from the upper bark tree, huh.
The world had changed due to mana, but living creatures still protected themselves in similar ways.
This tree oozed toxic sap from its bark to fend off ants, woodpeckers, or insects gnawing at its trunk.
Taeju scooped some of the sap beading on the bark with his finger and put it in his mouth.
...Sweet?
Most poisons weren't sweet.
Was this for defense or offense?
He found another poison soon after.
Blue-bellied toad.
A frog with a bright blue belly.
The poison was in that belly area.
A kind of anesthetic—touch it, and you fall asleep.
Forever, until you starve to death.
He collected that too.
Ssssh.
A massive centipede appeared.
Hundred-wood king centipede.
Bigger than most snakes.
Each segment had its own eyes.
How potent was the venom?
Indescribable.
Enough to kill an orc in one hit.
Snap!
He grabbed it with his hand.
Crack!
Its venom fangs sank into the back of his hand.
Ugh!
It stung.
But he left it there.
The method of absorbing poison had to change too.
Direct injection into the bloodstream like this was far more effective than eating and digesting through the gut.
Like an IV drip, it sucked the venom straight in—the centipede twitched and went limp.
...Still not enough?
His dantian remained quiet.
He had absorbed countless poisons, but the core showed no sign of stirring.
No helping it. If I eat without being picky, it'll happen eventually...
Right then!
A chilling killing intent stabbing at his back.
Hm?
Ssssh.
Something was moving.
Through the tall grass, glimpses of white fur.
What animal had white fur?
No way, a three-headed white tiger?
Too small for that.
Three-headed white tigers existed in the Jirisan jungle too.
The divine beast, elite three-headed white tiger.
The reason it became the symbol of the Samhan Empire was simple.
The emperor had hunted one and used its pelt as a cushion for his dragon throne.
In other words, it wasn't worshipped for being strong—it was exalted because it was under the noble emperor's ass.
Three-headed white tigers were scattered across the empire.
But this wasn't their territory.
Then?
Rustle.
A massive body emerged from the brush.
...Hah!
Giant Half-Moon Bear.
Now he saw—the white fur was the half-moon marking on its chest.
It was the one he had been looking for.
Met it too early.
Still only at 4th stage.
Whatever. He had no intention of running anyway.
That would hurt his pride.
Besides, the Giant Half-Moon Bear might be easier than expected.
Its huge body meant hidden weapons wouldn't miss, though piercing the hide was a concern.
"Kuoohhh!"
The bear roared and reared up on its hind legs.
Time to say hello first.
Tswip!
A single willow leaf flying blade glowing faint green left Taeju's hand.
But suddenly, it swung its forepaw.
Whoosh!
Clang!
The Giant Half-Moon Bear swatted the blade away.
...Damn, pretty fast?
In that instant!
Shrieeeek!
The beast closed the distance in a flash, attempting a body slam.
Phantom Bewilderment Step.
Ssssh!
Taeju's body vanished.
Tswip, tswip, tswip...
Six willow leaf flying blades sliced through the air in sequence.
Puk! Puk-puk!
All six embedded in its body.
But.
"Kraaaang!"
The bear stood again, the blades dropping one by one to the ground.
Oh?
They hadn't even sunk in a knuckle's depth.
To deliver poison, he had to pierce the skin.
Weak poison mist would just be neutralized by the bear's bile.
It's a prolonged fight, then.
Taeju pulled out the blue-bellied toad from his pocket, popped it in his mouth, and chewed. He tore off a segment from the fallen king centipede and ate that too.
"Kraaang!"
The charging Half-Moon Bear.
Ssssh!
Taeju vanished.
Even if it meant exhausting all his hidden weapons from his coat, he'd take it down.
Tswip-tswip! Tswip!
Willow leaf blades rained down.
He mixed in some larger escape flying blades.
Shrieeek!
The bear's body slam.
And its terrifying forepaw strikes.
Dodge, throw weapons, seize openings to slap its back with Blood Seal Poison Palm.
Couldn't let his guard down just because it was big.
One graze from those claws, and his skin would shred.
Get wounded by a mere Half-Moon Bear?
How much would Dang Gunak mock him?
Taeju pushed Hunwon Musang Dokryeong Gong to its limit.
Abundant poison energy surged through his meridians.
Phantom Bewilderment Step unfolded brilliantly.
The red palm images from Blood Seal Poison Palm painted the air.
Vuuuung!
He slipped past a devastating forepaw strike by a paper's thickness.
Thud!
A hit to the side.
"Kyaaak!"
Whoosh! Whoosh!
The enraged Giant Half-Moon Bear flailed wildly with its paws.
But that destructive power and speed couldn't be ignored.
When he created distance, it charged with a powerful body slam like it had been waiting.
Block with escape blades first, aim willow leaf blades at its relatively weak face.
Tswip! Tswip-tswip!
If just one hit an eye or its mouth...
But the bear covered its face with one paw and charged, refusing to take it easily.
"Krang!"
Big and fast.
A Beginner wouldn't dodge the paw and get shredded; a Regular would fly off from the charge.
An Expert?
Could probably fight it.
But not for long.
Taeju was avoiding direct confrontation too.
Alternating ranged and close quarters with Phantom Bewilderment Step and gale steps, hit and run.
But strangely.
His body felt lighter and lighter.
Hmm, nice.
His senses sharpened to an extreme focus.
In Taeju's mind, only the massive Half-Moon Bear existed.
No stray thoughts.
How to move his body most efficiently?
Eliminate unnecessary motions, set optimal paths, and deliver the best attacks simultaneously.
As he focused, his body moved on its own.
Was this enlightenment?
Didn't he already have it?
Was there more left?
Tswip-tswip-tswip!
Consecutive single flashes.
Pudak! Pudududak!
Pabababak!
Instant wide flashes.
The hidden weapons flowed so freely.
"Ah..."
Now he got it.
This was bodily enlightenment.
What Taeju gained through his soul link with Dang Gunak was in the realm of consciousness.
But his body wasn't there yet.
His flesh was purely Kim Taeju.
Body and mind weren't separate.
Conscious enlightenment needed bodily enlightenment to follow.
The moment he realized that!
Vuuung.
His poison core thrummed.
Poison energy rippled like waves through his meridians.
5th stage.
Panggrrrrng,
Spinning like a top, Taeju drew hidden weapons from his coat and casually tossed them at the Giant Half-Moon Bear.
Flutter, flutter.
Two butterflies took flight.
Up and down, left and right, sometimes diagonally, the metal butterflies twisted and turned.
Blood Butterfly.
A hidden weapon technique usable only at the 5th stage of Hunwon Musang Dokryeong Gong.
You needed the energy output of 5th stage to control them.
"Kuooh!"
The bear tried to swat the butterflies with its paw, but...
They lightly dodged—one pierced a massive eyelid,
"Krang?"
The other dove into its ear,
Puk!
The antennae stabbed the eyeball and eardrum.
Injecting poison energy.
Mosquito poison's qi-dispersing properties, hemorrhage-accelerating mutant seven-spotted poison, corrosive spores melting internal organs.
Could its bile neutralize all that?
No—the poison had already seeped into the Giant Half-Moon Bear's brain before bile could act.
"Kruk, kruluk..."
The bear slowed.
Bright red blood flowed from its eye and ear.
It even turned to flee, but...
"Kruuung..."
It didn't last.
It toppled sideways with a thud.
He had caught it after all.
Two goals achieved at once.
The Giant Half-Moon Bear's bile.
Let's extract it carefully.
※ ※ ※
Samhan Empire's Jirisan Monster Defense Legion.
Soldiers of various ranks gathered in the northern jungle sector of Jirisan.
Legion Commander Oh Jinhyeong, division commanders, field-grade and company-grade officers, NCOs, and regular soldiers.
The purpose: spore poison antidote testing.
They had caught a spore poison camel roe deer to prevent escape.
Masters were closest to it,
Experts farther back.
Then Users, Beginners, Regulars, Compatibles, and normals, spaced by rank.
"Let's begin."
At Oh Jinhyeong's order, Division Commander Gu Junyoung stepped forward immediately.
He manifested a mana blade and slashed the roe deer's neck.
Vuuung!
Slice!
The hump burst.
Pop! Pop!
Spore poison spread everywhere.
Masters, including Oh Jinhyeong, entered the spore cloud first.
After a moment.
"How is it?"
"No issues."
"Even touching the spores on skin is fine."
"Good. Call the others."
Soldiers entered by awakening rank, highest first.
"Experts and above—clear!"
"Regulars and above—clear!"
"Beginners and above—clear!"
"Users and above—clear!"
"Regular soldiers and above—clear!"
Oh Jinhyeong smiled, satisfied.
"Definitely effective."
"Worth every penny."
"Actually a bargain."
"Lasts a full 12 hours too."
"Send in the cooks!"
A soldier dashed over, dragged the roe deer to a safe spot, and started butchering.
"W-We eating it here?"
"What kinda talk is that in the field? Pack it in your rucksacks after we fight."
Clothes or gear might get spore poison, but it lost potency in 1-2 hours.
"Stay in the jungle an hour, then head back?"
"Head back? You mad? Don't waste the antidote—forward! Hunt more roe deer!"
"...Yes, sir!"
Mosquitoes swarmed, but no problem.
Stray monsters were handled by company-grade officers.
They caught five roe deer total.
Everyone was thrilled.
Officers below colonel figured they wouldn't get any, but colonels and above brimmed with hope.
Maybe a leg at least.
Just the ribs.
I'll stew a leg bone...
Head meat's supposed to be great too.
But Oh Jinhyeong thought differently.
Hide it in the officer's fridge and savor it slowly.
Not even a scrap of sirloin for them.
Once antidotes flowed freely, they'd hunt and sneak-eat anyway.
Ending the hunt, Oh Jinhyeong and his men exited the jungle to load roe deer-filled rucksacks into vehicles.
Right then!
"Good work."
At the northern Jirisan entry road, someone waited with hands behind his back.
"...Huh?"
"Hm?"
"Gasp!"
Snow-white hair, silver beard styled elegantly—even the awakening facial tattoo was white. A sturdy old man.
"G-Gold Secretary."
"Long time, Major General Oh. Over a year since I last saw you?"
Palace Secretary Geum Suhu, who served closest to the emperor.
Over 100 years old, yet he could slap down most Masters— the monster among monsters called a Grand Master.
"What brings you all the way here?"
"Heard you were presenting roe deer meat to His Majesty, so I rushed over."
"..."
How'd he know?
"Ho, quite the haul. I can picture His Majesty's joy. It'll be heavy carrying to base—I'll take it from here."
Oh Jinhyeong stared blankly at Geum Suhu.
"What? Got a problem?"
"N-No, sir. None."
"Hahaha, as expected of Major General Oh."
Totally screwed.
"I'll be sure to tell His Majesty of your loyalty. He's had no appetite lately, skipping meals. Bit short on quantity, but should last a week."
Oh Jinhyeong's chest ached.
Watched it get stolen in broad daylight—who to complain to?
"Oh! Got any spore antidotes left? Taking all would be rude—give me 50."
"...Yes! H-Here you go."
Yeah, take it all! Take everything.
Geum Suhu loaded the antidote sets and roe deer rucksacks into his car one by one.
"By the way, killing Jo Hoonseok was fine, but touching Lee Jeonghak too? Headache if he dies."
"Pardon? We didn't touch him."
"Then why's it dragging on?"
"N-News to me? What happened to him?"
"Tsk, look into it yourself. I'm off."
Geum Suhu drove away down the northern entry road.
The rest looked utterly defeated.
"Should've eaten first..."
Regret always comes too late.