The Demons Being Hunted, The Demons Hunting
As I quickly drew upon my magical energy to heighten my senses, the presence became clearer. I could detect about ten, no, precisely eleven individuals approaching. But something felt off. They were definitely heading our way, yet their movements were too clumsy to be those of vagrants. Moreover, their numbers were too few, and most importantly, there was no sense of malice. It was as if they were cautiously searching for someone.
“Could it be…?”
“Su-hyeon, they’re fifty meters ahead.”
“I know.”
Go Yeon-ju’s voice called out to me. There was no way she hadn’t sensed what I had. I nodded, taking a deep breath to steady myself as she continued.
“I can smell a bit of blood. They’re definitely from Mule. Should we prepare for battle?”
“They don’t seem like vagrants… but let’s be ready just in case.”
The clan members initially looked puzzled, but understanding soon dawned, casting a shadow over their faces. Go Yeon-ju gripped her Tyrfing, and soon Kim Han-byeol, An Sol, and the old man followed suit, drawing their staffs and focusing on the path ahead. As the tension mounted, I activated my senses.
Rustle!
The sound of footsteps on grass was followed by a faint rustling in the dense underbrush. The disturbance grew more pronounced, and the presence was now almost upon us.
About ten seconds passed. Just as the clan members aimed their staffs forward, the tangled foliage parted, creating a small gap. A small head suddenly popped out from the opening.
”…Ugh. Cha.”
”…”
A moment of silence followed. The face that emerged from the bushes belonged to a young girl, perhaps a high schooler, or even a middle schooler. Her cheeks were still round with baby fat, and her features were adorably soft.
The girl tilted her head, seemingly unfazed by the staffs pointed at her. After blinking a few times, she began to scrutinize us with clear eyes, as if the staffs were of no concern.
While the clan members exchanged uncertain glances, my eyes met hers. Her face, which had been turning clockwise, stopped abruptly as she stared intently at me.
I decided to speak first.
“Who are you?”
”…”
I asked in a low voice, but she didn’t respond. The presence of the eleven others had halted just behind her.
As I stood there, feeling a slight frustration building, the girl’s lips parted.
“Found you.”
Eastern Continent, General City of Princia.
It had been five days since Kim Su-hyeon visited the Haemil Clan and left Princia after reuniting with his brother. During those five days, the Northern Continent was in an uproar, as if a hornet’s nest had been stirred.
On the day Kim Su-hyeon left Princia, vagrants launched a surprise attack on Mule under the cover of darkness. The warp gate was damaged, severing all connections with other cities.
Initially, users didn’t find it too strange. With travel disruptions becoming more frequent lately, they were merely annoyed, not suspecting a vagrant attack.
But as the disruption extended beyond a day, users began to grow suspicious. The rising discontent turned to confusion when it was discovered that not only the central and western regions but even two cities in the north had lost contact with Mule.
It wasn’t just travel that was affected. Communication was impossible. Despite the odds, there should have been at least one user attempting to contact someone in another city. Some suspicious users tried using crystal balls to reach acquaintances, but powerful magical interference thwarted their efforts.
Only then did users start to panic. The doubts they had been ignoring suddenly seemed all too real.
But that wasn’t the end. Two more days passed, and now the roads to Dorothy (a small city to the northwest) and Beth (a small city to the southwest) were cut off. It happened almost simultaneously, as if prearranged.
When communication from Dorothy and Beth requesting aid was received, the rumors of an attack, once dismissed, were confirmed as truth.
The sudden, unannounced assault threw every city into chaos.
Even Princia, far from the conflict zones, was not exempt.
“Huff! Huff!”
A man sprinted down the corridor without hesitation. It was Lee Jun-seong, one of the users who had been present during Kim Su-hyeon’s visit. His usually aloof face was flushed with urgency.
As Lee Jun-seong reached the fourth floor, Seo Ga-hee was just stepping out of a room. He shouted at her.
“Huff, open the door!”
“Jun-seong oppa? What about Yoo-hyeon oppa…?”
“He heard the news and is on his way back!”
Lee Jun-seong, short of breath, replied in clipped sentences. By the time he said “on his way,” he was already at the door, bursting through it with a loud crash.
Bang! Thud!
“Here! Huff! Huff!”
“Goodness! You scared me, you idiot!”
Inside the room, a woman was sitting up against the bed. As Lee Jun-seong barged in, she frowned and yelled. Despite her cold and mature appearance, her voice was sharp and childlike.
“Huff! Huff! Hyo-eul, sis! Huff! Huff! It’s urgent…! No, finally…! Huff! Huff!”
“Huff, huff? That’s annoying! Catch your breath, you fool!”
Lee Hyo-eul snapped, throwing a nearby water bottle at him. He caught it easily and gulped it down. She clicked her tongue in disapproval and shook her head.
“Damn. The first man I see after waking up is you… how annoying.”
“Phew… Sis. So, the thing is… I don’t know where to start… Congratulations on waking up…”
Lee Hyo-eul scoffed and waved her hand dismissively.
“Enough, you said it’s urgent. Stop stammering and speak clearly.”
Lee Jun-seong swallowed hard, then steadied his breathing as he met her gaze. She sat on the bed, legs crossed, looking at him with a haughty expression.
“Cities in the Northern Continent are under attack. The vagrants have teamed up with the Western Continent!”
“Damn.”
“Sis! I’m not lying!”
“Alright, alright. Just calm down.”
Lee Jun-seong looked at her in shock. This was undoubtedly important news, yet she didn’t even bat an eye. Considering most users couldn’t believe it at first, her reaction was unexpected.
“Ugh. So Lawrence failed in the end… So, which cities are under attack?”
“Mule, Dorothy, and Beth. They hit Mule first, then attacked Dorothy and Beth simultaneously.”
“Mule, huh…”
Lee Hyo-eul scratched her head with a troubled expression and gave a bitter smile. She smacked her lips and held out her hand to Lee Jun-seong. He looked at her smooth, glossy palm with a puzzled expression before reluctantly speaking.
“Sis, you just woke up… You’re not well…”
”…”
“Alright, I’ll give it to you.”
When she glared sharply, he quickly rummaged through his pockets and handed her a cigarette. As soon as she took it, he lit it for her, showing his dedication. She took a deep drag, exhaled a long plume of smoke, and spoke.
“Phew~. That’s better. So, is that the big deal?”
“Yes? Well, it is, but… that’s not the main issue. It’s good you woke up.”
”?”
When she gestured for him to continue, he spoke with a hint of grievance.
“Right now, the clan lord is causing a scene, insisting on going to Mule!”
At this, she was so surprised that she choked on her cigarette.
“Cough, cough! What, what?”
“The atmosphere is intense. He says he has a younger brother in Mule…!”
“Wait a minute. Younger brother? Kim Yoo-hyeon’s? What nonsense is that?!”
“It’s not nonsense, Lee Hyo-eul.”
At that moment, a cold voice thundered through the room from behind Lee Jun-seong.
Crack, crack!
In the center of the campsite, a campfire crackled. I sat on a bed of dry leaves, quietly watching the flames. As I observed the sparks dance, I heard footsteps approaching from behind.
“Mercenary Lord, you must be tired. Shall we switch shifts?”
A voice suddenly broke the silence, prompting me to slowly turn my head. A well-dressed man was smiling at me with a gentle expression. His name was Jo Seung-woo, one of the users who had joined us a few days ago.
I shook my head calmly and replied, “It’s fine. There’s still some time before the shift change.”
“Haha, I just can’t seem to fall asleep tonight,” Jo Seung-woo said with a light laugh, taking a seat next to me. I shifted slightly to make room for him.
A brief silence settled between us, broken only by the occasional crackle of embers from the campfire. After a while, Jo Seung-woo gazed at the fire before speaking quietly.
“We’re really grateful for your help.”
“No need to thank me. I don’t think I’ve done much. We’re just moving together.”
“That’s not true. It’s not just about joining us. We appreciate how you helped us in the square, cleared a path, and took in our injured.”
“Haha, if I hear that one more time, my ears might fall off. Really, it’s okay. You can stop now.”
“You’re truly humble, Mercenary Lord. I admire that.”
‘This guy really knows how to read the room,’ I thought, letting out a long sigh. No matter what I said, he interpreted it positively.
Jo Seung-woo was one of the dozens of users who had followed me from the square. He was also one of the eleven lucky enough to avoid the vagrants.
While Jo Seung-woo’s words weren’t entirely wrong, I found them amusing given my current state of mind. In the city, my actions were solely for the benefit of my clan members, not others. As we passed through the outskirts, I only looked out for my clan, ignoring the other users. Yet, Jo Seung-woo had managed to gather all the users I had overlooked and brought them along.
The decision to take in the injured wasn’t purely out of goodwill either. Although there were injuries, no one was unable to walk. We had already treated them to some extent, and with three mages among us, our pace wouldn’t be significantly hindered. Plus, in case of unforeseen events, they could serve as a shield for my clan members.
In short, moving together was advantageous in the current situation, which is why I allowed them to join us.
Of course, with more people, food and water could become an issue. However, we were traveling along a river, so we could source our own supplies. If necessary, we could hunt forest animals for food.
For now, there were two main concerns: monsters and pursuers. We had encountered monsters a few times while passing through the forest, but they weren’t too difficult to handle.
That left the pursuers, which was a bit of a mystery. Personally, I doubted the vagrants had organized a pursuit. Given their nature, no sane leader would send a pursuit team after users who had already escaped.
Still, I wasn’t complacent. We had measures in place to cover our tracks, with Go Yeon-ju erasing our trail as much as possible, and we maintained strict watch shifts.
Honestly, it would be best if they didn’t come. But a part of me hoped a few would show up. I was curious about why they attacked Mule first, and if a pursuit team came, we could capture a few and extract information.
“What are you thinking about so deeply?” Jo Seung-woo’s voice interrupted my thoughts. He was sitting with his hands clasped over his knees, looking at me intently.
“Just pondering a few things.”
“Haha, I thought you were asleep with your eyes closed. It’s time for the shift change. You should get some rest.”
At his suggestion, I nodded calmly. “Alright. Please take care of things. If you stand watch alone again like the other night without waking anyone, you’ll be exempt from watch duty for the next two days.”
“Oh dear, I guess I’ll have to stay up all night for the next two nights.”
“I take back what I said.”
“Haha, just kidding.”
After exchanging some lighthearted banter with Jo Seung-woo, I placed my hands on the ground. I wanted to do a quick scan before leaving, just in case. My right hand felt the rough texture of dry leaves, while my left hand sensed the soft earth. I began to channel my magic as I stood up—or tried to.
That’s when it happened.
“Hmm? Aren’t you going in?”
”…”
“Mercenary Lord?”
I felt a faint tremor through the magic in my hand touching the ground. It was so subtle that I wouldn’t have noticed if my hand hadn’t been pressed firmly against the earth.
And that tremor was slowly, very slowly, growing stronger.
---------------------------= Author’s Note ---------------------------=
Hello, dear readers. Did you survive the dreaded Monday? Haha. I’m in a great mood today, though it’s a bit strange. I was worried the comments section might get heated like last time, but you all kept it civil. Thank you! :D
Also, I’ve changed the cover. The new Go Yeon-ju cover seems to be a bit polarizing, doesn’t it? Haha. I’m really sorry! Changing it immediately is a bit much, so I’ll alternate it with the Seraph cover at regular intervals. I hope you understand. :)
PS. In the next chapter, Victoria’s Glory will make its debut.
『 Reader Comments 』
Kanesada: Wow, Miwolya is fast, but Kanesada, you’re not far behind. Haha. Congrats on being first. Enjoy this chapter!
Atom: In the next chapter, Victoria’s Glory will truly shine. Its latent abilities pair well with Suhyeon~.
Yuun [流雲]: Oh dear. Sorry, I missed that part. I corrected it as soon as I saw it yesterday. Thank you!
Hyun-oh: Long time no see! You’ve been busy, I see. Haha. Thanks for always reading. :D
Cheonnyangboeun: Eek. Thank you. Did I use a cliffhanger today? (Haha!)
Repil: Thank you for your kind words. I always learn a lot from you, Repil. :) There are still things to be gained. Haha. The return part is just the foundation for wrapping it up~.
NinthSky: We merged with the new representative clan’s goodwill~. (Though it’s hardly a merger.)
WhaleThoughts: Thank you for catching up! I appreciate the support. (__)
Siryong: Ah, Go Yeon-ju has black hair with a hint of light gray. The black was expressed a bit strongly. Haha.
J.F: Yes! I was deeply moved by your affection for Go Yeon-ju, J.F, so I put her on the cover! (?!). Ah, there are few users who can match Suhyeon in ranged combat, but there are a few in melee. For example, users with strength 101 or those with really good equipment and stats in the high 90s.
Thank you for always reading. Your recommendations and comments are a great source of strength.
I hope you always read with a relaxed mind.
Recommendations, comments, critiques, and questions are always welcome.