63
063 — The Smell of Blood
April stepped back in surprise. Even as she felt embarrassed by her own reaction, she gulped nervously from the tension.
Who was her master talking to right now?
She couldn't see anyone. But she had heard a voice. Judging by the fact that it was a language she didn't know, it was probably the language of her master's world.
The fact that there was a voice meant that someone definitely existed here, but she couldn't see anything. If she could just see them, she wouldn't be so tense, but she couldn't even sense any presence.
If the opponent suddenly stopped talking and came to kill her, she wouldn't notice anything until the moment she died.
And in front of such an opponent, her master was casually having a conversation. She even got the feeling that her master could definitely sense their presence and was making eye contact while talking.
"Oh my, oh my. It seems that the Elf lady over there is quite frightened."
"April? Are you okay?"
"...Yes. It's nothing. I'm fine."
She didn't want to show a frightened appearance in front of her master. April carefully entered the room and sat near her master.
She didn't know where the invisible opponent was, but she guessed their position from her master's gaze and filled an empty seat.
"......"
Kurenai suddenly stopped talking. Then he quietly stood up and turned toward April.
Then, with a mischievous smile that no one could see, he pressed a metal chopstick against April's side.
"Euhek!"
"Hahahahaha!"
As April jumped in surprise, Kurenai also burst into laughter, his body shaking. Seeing the blue flames flickering, Jin-woo shook his head.
"What are you doing?"
"Hahaha, she was too tense, so I just played a little prank. Old people are naturally obsessed with teasing young ones."
"Even if you call her young, April has probably lived several times longer than you..."
"If you're young in mental age, then you're young."
Asserting his own logic, Kurenai returned to his original seat. The three of them sat around a low table and sofa that you might see in a company reception room.
April still seemed to be wary of the invisible opponent, but Kurenai didn't tease her any further.
"He's an acquaintance of mine, so you don't need to worry too much, April."
"As, as expected of master. You know mysterious acquaintances. By any chance, is he a spiritual being like a ghost or spirit?"
"No, human."
"Gasp!"
She would have been less surprised if it had been a ghost. As an Elf who dealt with spirits, she was familiar with spiritual beings.
But a human? Could a human really operate while suppressing their presence to this extent?
'This isn't something that can be calmed by comforting.'
Seeing April's reaction, it didn't seem like something that could be resolved by comforting her. Usually, time was the answer for such things. He had no choice but to wait for her to get used to it naturally.
"More importantly, Kurenai Masato."
More important was the story they had been discussing earlier.
"Is it true that you received such a trial from the Temple of Light?"
The Temple of Lingering Light, commonly called the Temple of Light, where the assassination of Bertus was given as a trial.
"Of course it's true. What would I gain by lying about something like this?"
Kurenai shrugged as he spoke. His confident voice made Jin-woo's expression serious.
'The Lord of Light and Dawn is trying to kill a subordinate of the War Lord. It seems their relationship is bad.'
This was new information about the Lords. It wasn't information he could use immediately, but it was still very important.
After carefully imprinting it in his mind, Jin-woo answered Kurenai's earlier question.
"Information about Bertus... I actually don't know that much either."
"Huh? Really?"
"I've only been out for about two weeks recently. I've been in the 3rd floor for quite a while, but actually, I've spent less time in the city."
"Is that so... Wait, then you brought down the Sky Temple and achieved 1st place in contributions in just a few days?"
"It just happened that way. Actually, I was staying quiet, but Mahiri forced things to progress."
Jin-woo briefly explained the circumstances. He said he was quietly raising his contribution points at the Temple in Moonlit Forest when Mahiri and Kalesian fell from the sky, and things unfolded from there.
It was quite an interesting story, so Kurenai listened with enjoyment, even adding interjections. He asked some questions in the middle, answering some and not discussing others.
"Wow, you've accomplished something amazing. In some ways, it seems like a greater achievement than Ireland?"
"Is it that much?"
"Actually, I don't really know. There's been no other Hunter who defeated Ireland besides you, and no other Hunter who brought down a temple besides you."
Since both were first-time accomplishments, Kurenai wasn't sure which was more impressive either. He just felt that bringing down one pillar of the Gate's system seemed more impressive than just catching a large monster.
"Anyway, is there no way to get information about this Bertus fellow..."
"If it's basic information, I know some. He's an Orc sorcerer and is said to have amazing healing arts. Right now, he's treating people who fought in the arena on Sky Island."
"Huh? An Orc treating people?"
"I heard he's been staying in Pandemonium for two years, treating injured people."
This was information he had heard from April, and it wasn't particularly secret information either. There was Bertus's clinic near the Temple of War, and that clinic was under the tacit protection of Pandemonium's residents.
After hearing the story, Kurenai crossed his arms and pondered for a moment, then spoke as if he had made a decision.
"Alright. I'll give up on this trial."
"What? Give up?"
"It's not even an official request, and I can't just kill anyone to get some contribution points or whatever. I may look like this, but I'm a man with discernment. Hahaha!"
Jin-woo recalled the news he had seen in Tokyo before. That news about an entire guild being massacred.
"Well, receiving a trial doesn't mean you absolutely have to do it."
"That's right. Just because some god or whatever ordered it doesn't mean I can stab someone without justification."
It seemed he had really given up on assassinating Bertus. It was a wise decision.
While he was only known outwardly as a healer, he was actually a subordinate of the War Lord. There was no telling what extraordinary abilities he might be hiding.
Even if his purpose was unknown, there was no need to stir up an opponent who was staying quiet for now.
Wasn't the incident where the Sky Temple fell the result of Kalesian repeatedly provoking Lin Shenlin, who had been staying quietly?
"Then what will you do now? You don't have anything to do anymore."
"No, actually, I have one more trial that I received."
"One more? Did you also receive that from the Temple of Light?"
"That's right."
What kind of god was the God of Light and Dawn that he had prayed so fervently? Jin-woo looked at Kurenai with an incredulous expression.
***
Jin-woo and April followed Kurenai out of the city. This time, too, Poldere gladly took charge of transportation.
"This time, I'll give you a ride as a service."
"Really? What's the occasion?"
"I've benefited somewhat from your reputation, ahem, ahem."
Poldere said that the heroic tales he had spread had gradually spread around. Even the Earth Hunters who had flocked to the city in large numbers this time had all come after hearing Kang Jin-woo's name.
He said Poldere's own heroic tales had definitely spread among them and became great publicity. Since then, he has received many customers.
"Rather than a service, I should be the one receiving money."
"Keu-heu-heum!"
At the half-joking remark, Poldere coughed loudly to smooth things over. Indeed, you needed this level of shamelessness to do business.
"Is this a wyvern? Wow, how convenient."
"Where did you say the destination was?"
"The Tomb. I have business with the Shadows there."
The place Kurenai called 'the Tomb' wasn't really a tomb. It was just a highly dangerous place within the 3rd floor where Hunters had a particularly high mortality rate, so it got the nickname 'Tomb'.
Shadows. Dragon-type lizardmen who specialized in stealth and ambush attacks came from there.
"Shadows, it's been a while."
"Come to think of it, didn't you say they were the monsters you caught in your first Erosion? To catch a Shadow as your first kill, you were extraordinary from the start."
"There wasn't even a proper battle. They were focused on hiding, so they had scattered all their body's energy."
The Shadow that Jin-woo had caught back then died from being stabbed by a sword before it could even regain its strength. So Jin-woo didn't know the Shadow's true combat power.
From what he had heard, since they specialized in ambush attacks, they were said to be weak in frontal combat.
"Alright, we've arrived. Like before, I'll attach a spirit to April, so contact me when you're done with your business."
"Right. Go take care of your business."
After quickly and accurately dropping the three of them off at the Shadow habitat, Poldere and Golong departed.
The Tomb was farther than the Keldra Mountains, where they had previously searched for the golden apple, but still, at Golong's speed, it was a place they could reach in a day.
"I was prepared to run quite a bit, but this is really convenient. Thanks, Jin-woo. Having someone you know locally really makes things easier."
"I was also introduced through April. You should give your thanks to her."
"What's 'thank you' in Elvish?"
When Jin-woo taught him how to say thanks in the continental common language, Kurenai said the same thing to April.
"Wh, what for? Thanks aren't necessary."
April still seemed uncomfortable with the invisible opponent and was startled, but she properly accepted the greeting. Still, she seemed much calmer than at first.
"Whew, master, how exactly do you see that old man? Do you have some secret?"
"Just look carefully."
"Look carefully..."
Since he couldn't say he saw blue flames, he gave a vague answer. But April seemed to take even those words seriously, as she tried to focus her eyes with all her might to stare at Kurenai.
Meanwhile, Kurenai was chuckling and had secretly moved to the opposite side, so the spot April was glaring at intensely was completely empty air.
"He's not a child, yet his pranks are severe."
"Hahaha! Would you say I'm keeping my childlike heart alive?"
Only after bursting into laughter did April realize she had been staring intently at empty air, and her face turned bright red. Being an Elf with particularly white skin, her flushed face was clearly visible.
"Well then, since we've come out for a stroll, shall we eat some packed lunch?"
Having satisfied himself with one round of pranks, Kurenai made such a suggestion.
"What packed lunch when we came to fight? Won't you throw up while swinging your sword?"
"Come on, it's just Shadows. Aren't they monsters I could kill just by throwing chopsticks?"
Kurenai found a suitably sunny spot and took out a mat to spread.
Though it had the nickname 'Tomb', it wasn't a real tomb but an ordinary forest, so the scenery and landscape were beautiful.
"Won't you sit? I have eel lunch boxes."
"They say even Mount Kumgang is better after a meal, so we should eat heartily before fighting. April, Kurenai Masato is treating us to a meal. He says it's eel lunch boxes."
"Oh, that sounds quite appealing."
When he interpreted for April, who couldn't understand Kurenai's words, she also sat on the mat with slight anticipation.
Kurenai satisfactorily took out eel lunch boxes from his inventory and gave them to Jin-woo and April.
Having been put in the inventory right after being made, they were steaming hot with vapor rising. The smell of slightly burnt soy sauce and the eel's aroma seemed to invigorate the body just by smelling them.
"Is eel okay for the Elf lady? You don't just eat grass and fruits or anything like that, do you?"
When his words were conveyed, April said it was fine. She said that even elves ate fish and meat and everything. It was just that they had other ways to intake nutrients besides food, so they ate small portions.
Jin-woo, who had eaten various things with Rona in the waterfall cave or with Mari in Belen Village, already knew this fact.
"It looks very delicious. I'll eat well, Kurenai."
"Yes, yes. Eat comfortably. Come to think of it, I said I'd recommend restaurants before, and I've kept my promise in a similar form."
"Thinking about it, you did say something like that."
It felt like his relationship with Kurenai Masato had become quite long. Well, it hadn't been long enough to really call it long, but it somehow felt that way.
It was probably because their first meeting was intense, and he had received great help in the Ireland and David incidents. Having received such favors, Jin-woo had accompanied Kurenai on this trial.
Well, anyway, Kurenai would handle a 3rd floor trial by himself, and Jin-woo and April meant nothing more than conversation companions.
'Wow.'
He cut the eel with chopsticks and ate it with rice. The skin was coated with sauce and lightly burnt to make it crispy, while the flesh was tender. Eating it with white rice made it taste like he could easily finish three bowls.
April, who wasn't used to chopsticks, ate with a spoon, but there was no problem. She wasn't as moved as Jin-woo, but she seemed to find it edible as she ate heartily without complaint.
"By the way."
"What?"
Jin-woo swallowed the eel he had been chewing with great satisfaction and asked.
"Why specifically the Temple of Light? You were even enthusiastic enough to receive two trials from there alone."
"Ah, that's..."
That's when it happened. A dagger suddenly flew from somewhere, aimed at Kurenai's lunch box. A familiar-shaped fang dagger.
Kurenai casually raised his chopsticks and caught the flying dagger in mid-air. Then he grimaced.
"Damn it! I caught a blood-smelling dagger with my eating chopsticks?"
Complaining that he would have to throw away his precious chopsticks, he threw those chopsticks in the direction the dagger had come from.
The pair of chopsticks that flew at an extraordinary speed struck deep into the forehead and eye of the Shadow that had thrown the dagger.
"Kyaaaaa!"
"Shiiiii!"
Simultaneously, Shadow attacks began pouring from all directions.