Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Quest (3)

It hurts! It hurts like hell!

The noise swirling through my head made it throb.

‘Did it work?’

I examined the dagger in my hand from every angle.

Seeing its faint glow, it seemed the attempt had succeeded, at least.

Kiiiieeeek!

Pressing my temples against the pounding headache, I glanced at the rabbit.

It was still thrashing about, but I could clearly see it recovering.

It was gradually adapting to the duration of [Ghost Wail].

I had to finish it quickly.

“Theo. Fall back. I'll finish this.”

“I'll come too…….”

“You need to conserve your strength.”

He probably didn't realize it himself, but Theo's complexion had become much paler than before.

There was no reason for him to waste either Mana or Health unnecessarily.

“Then I'll be back.”

I pushed Theo behind me and gripped the dagger tightly.

At that moment, I heard that familiar voice.

Whew. I finally feel like I can breathe again. What in the world did you do to this body?

It wasn't just the voice.

Did you smear it with holy magic or something? I almost died. Well, I was already dead.

'He' slowly emerged, poking his head out from the dagger and revealing more of himself.

Fortunately, he didn't look like the gruesome figure I had seen in that other world.

“W-What is that?”

What do you mean, what? Never seen a ghost before?

Once he had fully emerged, he straightened his posture.

Then he planted both hands on his waist, lifted his chin, and grinned proudly.

I am the Black Hunter!

Theo burst into laughter at his grand entrance.

“Ahahaha! You're adorable!”

What!

The "Black Hunter" flared up at Theo's words.

But I had to agree with him too.

“You're tiny.”

He really was tiny. Small enough to fit right into the palm of my hand.

His head was even disproportionately large, making him look like a game character.

There are reasons I'm like this now, but back in my glory days—

I stared at the ghost rambling beside me before suddenly snapping back to my senses.

‘This isn't the time for this.’

There was still a fire I had to put out first.

“Hoo.”

Letting out a deep breath, I looked at the rabbit.

It kept stumbling and collapsing where it stood.

As long as it hadn't regained its senses, this was my chance.

‘I can do this.’

The moment I finished thinking, I sprinted forward.

The rabbit, which had been glaring at me, widened its eyes.

Then it let out a shrill scream and thrashed wildly.

‘Good. Stay down.’

I'll end it in one strike.

I'd never killed an animal before, but if I stabbed it with a blade over and over, wouldn't that do the trick? Just as that thought crossed my mind, the voice spoke again.

Don't let it fool you.

At the same time, the rabbit's eyes changed.

Demonic beasts are unbelievably cunning.

Panic. Confusion. Terror. Fear.

Every trace of those emotions disappeared, replaced by the eyes of a perfect predator.

‘Ah.’

Only then did I realize it.

I'd been deceived.

It had been waiting for me to come closer.

Alarm bells rang through my head, warning me to run immediately.

But—

‘Too late.’

Kiiieeeek!

The rabbit, which had been rolling across the ground, sprang to its feet.

The world turned gray and began moving in slow motion.

It was the moment when the hunter, certain of victory, and the prey, certain of defeat, crossed paths.

Open your eyes.

He showed me the way.

Widen your view.

Color slowly returned to the gray world.

Hunting isn't difficult.

In the brilliantly colored world, the first thing I saw was a trajectory.

I saw the path my dagger needed to follow, and the path my body needed to move along.

The one who never gives up until the very end is the one who wins.

Instinctively, I twisted my body and thrust out the dagger.

See?

The Black Hunter laughed heartily.

Easy, right?

[You have hunted a Corrupted Rabbit.]

*

[Warning!!]

[You have been poisoned by Demonic Energy.]

[Find a nearby temple to cleanse the Demonic Energy.]

[An unknown energy purifies the sinister energy.]

[You have obtained 0.03 Bonus Points.]

I didn't even have the leisure to read the messages that kept appearing.

I was still sitting beside the limp rabbit.

With a blank expression, I stared at the rabbit I had just hunted.

The demonic beast that had died instantly from a precise strike to its vital point.

I could still feel the sensation of that clean, flawless blow, after which it had twitched a few times before drawing its last breath.

‘What was that?’

I had definitely seen trajectories.

Where I needed to thrust the dagger.

How I needed to move my body.

Simply by following those paths, I had subdued the demonic beast with ease.

It wasn't as though I'd suddenly discovered some hidden talent.

My Status Window hadn't changed.

Then that meant—

Whoosh! Whoosh whoosh! Whoosh! Well? Did you see that?

“Ahaha! That's hilarious!”

It's not supposed to be hilarious! It's supposed to be cool!

“Your head is way too big, mister! Ahahaha!”

……How did I end up like this?

I looked at the ghost playing with Theo before turning my gaze back to the dagger.

‘This has to be it.’

I checked the information on the dagger possessed by the Black Hunter.

[Black Hunter's Dagger]

All Attack Power +100%

Hunter's Eye permanently activated

[Hunter's Eye]

[An eye that finds the optimal path for hunting.]

“……Wow.”

The words slipped out before I knew it.

But I couldn't stand around in a daze forever. I slowly got to my feet.

Once night fell, the demonic beasts would become even more ferocious and stronger.

I needed to finish hunting and return before then.

‘At least that's one piece of good news.’

In the distance, I saw rabbits hopping around.

Which meant I wouldn't have to waste time searching for them.

“Theo. Let's get moving.”

“Yes!”

Theo, who had been playing with the Black Hunter, hurried over.

He looked cheerful enough, but his face was filled with exhaustion.

The problem was that I wasn't in much better shape myself.

“Urgh.”

My body felt unbearably heavy.

Every muscle screamed in protest.

It was only natural. I'd forced myself into sudden, violent movements.

The fact that my body had obeyed me at all was something to be grateful for.

You're acting like that over something so trivial?

The Black Hunter floated over as I barely managed to stand.

He looked me up and down before clicking his tongue repeatedly.

Since he had helped me, I gave him a respectful bow.

“Thank you for helping me.”

No need to thank me. I got something good out of it too.

“Something good?”

The Black Hunter grinned and opened his hand.

A strange energy flickered above his tiny palm.

I stared at it with a puzzled expression, unable to tell what it was, and the Black Hunter gave me a resigned look.

You wouldn't understand even if I told you. I'll explain it just once, so listen carefully.

After gathering the energy back into himself, he climbed onto my shoulder.

Every demonic beast possesses the energy of demons. People usually call it Demonic Energy.

“I know that much.”

Good.

The Black Hunter sat casually on my shoulder and continued.

What do you think happens to Demonic Energy when a demonic beast dies? Do you think it simply disappears?

“Doesn't it? Or maybe it returns to the demon it came from.”

Not even close. Demonic Energy always tries to move into the nearest living creature.

No one knew why.

Perhaps it was waiting for its original master, the demon.

Or perhaps it was simply its instinct to seek out life.

Whatever the reason, Demonic Energy sought out a new host.

And the ones closest when a demonic beast breathed its last were

“……Demonic beast hunters.”

That's why demonic beast hunters don't live long. It's also why they get paid so well.

Because after every hunt, they always had to undergo a purification ritual.

If they delayed the purification, they became poisoned.

Humans poisoned by Demonic Energy lost their reason and became nothing more than servants of demons.

“Oh.”

I hurriedly examined my body.

The Black Hunter burst into laughter.

Don't worry. A few weaklings like those won't poison you. Eat well, get plenty of rest, and it'll naturally cleanse itself.

“……Ah, right.”

That was a relief.

Then again, if there had been a real danger of exposure to Demonic Energy, Cream would never have assigned us this Quest.

Not because she was worried about me, but at least for Theo's sake.

Or to avoid creating a threat to the village.

The Black Hunter continued.

Besides, your body is a little unusual.

“Unusual?”

It seems to reject anything it considers harmful.

“……Ah.”

I'd been too preoccupied to pay attention to those messages earlier.

[Warning!!]

[You have been poisoned by Demonic Energy.]

[Find a nearby temple to cleanse the Demonic Energy.]

[An unknown energy purifies the sinister energy.]

The Black Hunter laughed again.

Just like I couldn't enter your body, it seems Demonic Energy can't enter it either.

Not only that.

I'd actually purified the Demonic Energy into another form of energy.

[You have obtained 0.03 Bonus Points.]

Into a small amount of Bonus Points.

Almost like experience points.

‘Bonus Points can be obtained by completing certain Quests or inside the Tower. Or by consuming spiritual medicines.’

Min-gyu's voice drifted faintly through my mind.

He was starting to remind me of one of those heroes who always gave useful information exactly when it was needed.

Which also meant he'd repeated the same things over and over again.

Back then it had been annoying and exhausting.

Now, though, I was benefiting from it.

‘Anyway.’

I'd gained a way to earn Bonus Points through hunting.

The difference that would make would become an incredible source of synergy later on.

Thanks to that, I absorbed the energy for myself! Hahaha!

The Black Hunter's laughter brought me back to reality.

‘So it wasn't completely purified.’

It seemed that some of the Demonic Energy absorbed from the rabbit had become Bonus Points, while the rest had flowed into the Black Hunter.

I'll have to think about what I can do with this power. So then, kid.

“My name is Iseo. Kim Iseo.”

Right, Iseo. Let's get moving.

The Black Hunter grinned.

We've rested enough. Time to start hunting again, don't you think? Looks like we don't have much time.

The sun was beginning to set.

But the real problem wasn't the sunset.

“Mmm… Hyung.”

Theo's eyes were growing heavier with sleep.

“Theo. Are you sleepy?”

“No. I'm not sleepy. But my eyes keep closing.”

It seemed Theo's Mana was nearly exhausted.

We had to finish the hunt before he fell asleep.

After all, the Black Hunter's "Spirit Possession" was Theo's ability.

If you've figured out the situation, move.

“Yes.”

From this point on, we were on the clock.

Perfect timing. There it is.

The Black Hunter pointed at something.

I followed the direction of his finger.

Grrrrr.

A pair of crimson eyes stared back at us.

“Looks like it.”

I tightened my grip on the dagger.

“Theo. Stay close. Don't get too close, but don't fall too far behind either.”

“Okaaay, hyuuung.”

I watched Theo, whose head kept bobbing with drowsiness, before taking a step toward the demonic beast.

“Then… let's begin the hunt.”

Flash!

A trajectory unfolded before my eyes.

I knew where I needed to go.

I knew how I needed to swing my dagger.

Following the path before me, I shot forward.

As the rabbit charged at me as though it had been waiting for this, I thrust out the dagger.

[You have hunted a Corrupted Rabbit.]

Three more to go.

At this rate, we'd be able to have dinner at James Inn.