CHAPTER 11 – Outside the City
The forms an Erosion Core can take are infinite.
Sometimes they are common rocks or jewels; other times they are plants like grass or trees, or even the shape of a beast.
There was even a case where an entire river was the Core, requiring a massive deployment of flame mages and spirit summoners to evaporate the water completely.
And, of course, sometimes they are monsters.
Kwaduk!
Jinwoo twisted his sword, crushing bone and churning through the heart. It was definitely dead. Once he made that judgment, he pulled his sword out.
The Black Flame that had been burning inside the hidden lizardman’s body flowed through the blade and into Jinwoo.
[A Fragment of a Past Life surfaces.]
[That sword shall hide in the shadows and remain unseen.]
'Huh?'
A message appeared, announcing the awakening of a new ability. Jinwoo, who hadn't expected this, blinked in surprise.
I awakened another sword ability?
It was rare to awaken abilities of the same classification twice. But three times?
In terms of a mage, this was like awakening a fire magic ability, then awakening another fire-related magic, and then awakening a slightly different fire magic again.
Just hearing about it, one would know it wasn't an ordinary occurrence.
The newly obtained ability imbued the sword with the attribute of shadows. In other words, the ability to hide the sword's presence.
'So, absorbing the Black Flame gives me abilities.'
Immediately after, he felt the air around him change drastically. He couldn't see the sky clearing because he was inside a dark theater, but he could feel it on his skin.
The Erosion had ended. The Black Flame really was the Core of the Erosion.
'If I deal with the Core, I get an ability, huh.'
Seeing as he gained a shadow attribute after killing the Shadow, it was likely related to the nature of the Core.
But then, if the Core was a common rock or a tree, what would he get? Would he become hard like a rock?
'I'll find out when I try it.'
He felt good about finding a way to gain abilities without entering a Gate.
Jinwoo gathered the Shadow's corpse and the two tooth-daggers it had been holding, then exited the theater.
To find the Core, Chartia was scouring the entire Erosion zone as if combing for lice.
It wasn't difficult to search, as the area was full of plants acting as her eyes and ears, meaning she didn't have to move her feet personally.
In the process, she protected people who hadn't evacuated yet and joined up with the Hunters who had come from the outside to protect the citizens.
She heard that the Mayor, Ma Doo-sik, was personally commanding the scene.
'He's a responsible Mayor.'
One might say it is common sense and expected behavior for the city's person in charge.
That is true, but she knew just how many nonsensical things happened in this world.
There were plenty of high-ranking officials who would dump the responsibility on their subordinates and go drinking when an Erosion occurred, or those who would be the first to hide in a bunker alone.
That was the kind of world this was. A world where doing the obvious thing was enough to be praised.
'Where is Jinwoo going in such a hurry?'
Meanwhile, Chartia was sharing Jinwoo's vision through the flower he possessed. Since it was pinned to his chest, the angle was a bit low.
His movements were cautious and prudent. His steps showed a clear intention to avoid provoking monsters as much as possible.
Yet, there was no hesitation, indicating he had a definite destination.
'The movie theater.'
The place he arrived at was the cinema building.
Even here, Jinwoo entered without hesitation and walked up the stopped escalator.
'What did he come here to find?'
This was a building she had already finished searching; a place where nothing existed.
She had safely evacuated the people who were originally there and killed all the monsters. It was supposed to be an empty building.
Jinwoo arrived on the 6th floor of that empty building and opened the door to a screening room.
And when he turned on his lantern...
Krr-ong?!
A monster that had been invisible in the darkness began to appear.
'What the...'
Chartia was astonished. Nothing had been detected when she searched.
But Jinwoo found it instantly. As if he knew it was there from the start.
'It's a Shadow?'
The monster was a Shadow. A lower-tier Dragon-type monster skilled at hiding in the shadows.
They were monsters that frequently appeared in specific areas of the 3rd Floor, and the zones they inhabited were often called "Graveyards for Hunters."
Although their frontal combat power was on the weaker side for the 3rd Floor, the fatality rate in those "Graveyards" was by far the highest on the floor.
B-class Hunters who had just entered the 3rd Floor often became their prey.
Even though this wasn't the 3rd Floor and the location was a movie theater, the Shadow's stealth ability was still potent. Even she, an S-class, hadn't been able to find it, so that spoke volumes.
Kk, kkk-reu-reuk...
Jinwoo found it and pierced it.
He penetrated the heart—a weakness for most living things, but a particularly fatal one for Dragon-types—in a single strike.
The sword tore through the creature's hard scales, churned through flesh and bone, and dug into the heart.
She couldn't take her eyes off that sword.
It was the first time. The first time she felt so mesmerized looking at a sword.
Even when she saw the swords of S-class Hunters, she only thought they were impressive; she was never captivated. As a Druid, magic and spirit arts were far more attractive to her.
But Jinwoo's sword was different. That sword was definitely drawing her gaze.
Come to think of it, the sword itself was unique. There was a white gem embedded at the end of the hilt, and she felt an inexplicable familiarity from that gem.
'This feeling...'
Chartia was no fool.
The strange, unidentifiable feeling she was experiencing. And the fact that Jinwoo's ability seemed quite powerful.
These two things created a single possibility.
'Could he be an Elf reincarnate like me?'
If that were the case, everything would be explained.
The reason she was mesmerized by Jinwoo's sword was that the swordsmanship was Elven. Perhaps her soul was feeling nostalgia.
'I have to protect him.'
If that was true, she had to keep his secret.
Seoul seemed more tolerant of Elves than New York, but it was all much the same in the end.
There were surely many colleagues and bereaved families of Hunters killed by Elves in Seoul as well. If it was discovered that his past life was an Elf, he might go through the same things she did.
She had to protect him from that.
The Ugly Duckling realizes it is a swan and lives as a swan, but they couldn't do that.
Their past lives were Elves, but they were currently humans; they couldn't choose to live as Elves, nor did they want to.
They lived in the human world. Therefore, they could not survive if they were ostracized by humans.
'Jinwoo.'
For the first time, she felt a strong sense of kinship and attraction to a comrade in the same situation.
When he came out of the movie theater, the sky had already cleared.
The aura of the Erosion had washed away completely, and the original blue sky was spread out above.
The surroundings were still quiet because the military had set up barricades at the boundary of the Erosion to control the crowd.
When he returned to the library, the building was intact.
Chartia's forest, which had swallowed the library inside the Erosion, did not exist here.
Since the Erosion is a dimension on the flip side of reality, no matter how much that world is destroyed, it has no effect on reality.
At the library, the surviving citizens were hugging each other in joy, and to one side, Chartia was surrounded by people in suits.
"Chartia! You protected the citizens of Seoul!"
An impressive-looking man, accompanied by a swarm of military, police, and aides, was talking to her.
He was a giant, looking about 1.5 times larger than an average person, and his eyes were brimming with tears, showing just how moved he was.
'Isn't that the Mayor?'
Jinwoo was quite surprised to see a face he had seen many times on TV. Still, it wasn't incomprehensible.
With an Erosion of this scale unfolding in the city center, it was definitely a matter for the Mayor to come running out in his socks to handle.
'Should I go back quietly?'
The Mayor, effectively the boss of the city, and his elite aides. There was a soldier with four stars on his shoulder and police executives with chests full of medals.
For Jinwoo, who had lived his whole life as a petty citizen, the thought of joining that impressive group didn't even cross his mind.
Just then, Chartia, who had been half-listening to Ma Doo-sik, spotted Jinwoo and her eyes sparkled.
"Jinwoo! Over here! Come here!"
When Chartia jumped up and waved her hand, everyone turned their heads in unison to look at Jinwoo.
Amidst the wave of pouring gazes, Jinwoo hesitated. He considered pretending not to hear and walking away, but he couldn't just leave when she was jumping up and down calling him like that.
"Hello. I am Ma Doo-sik, currently serving as the Mayor, however lacking I may be."
"Ah, yes. I am Kang Jinwoo."
Jinwoo shook the hand Ma Doo-sik offered.
This bear-like man had palms as large as pot lids, big enough to almost completely wrap around Jinwoo's hand.
It felt like if he applied even a little pressure, a hand like Jinwoo's would be easily crushed.
'Come to think of it, I heard Mayor Ma Doo-sik is a former S-class Hunter...'
With those fists, it seemed he could dismantle something like the Shadow from earlier with his bare hands.
"Hunter Kang Jinwoo. I've heard a lot about you. That you accomplished something big on your very first Gate."
"Excuse me? You heard my name?"
"Of course. The Director of the Hunter Management Bureau reported it via hotline."
"???"
The Bureau Director reported directly to the Mayor? Just for catching that bear?
Sure, he got a D-class magic stone and the corpse sold for a jaw-dropping price, so it was an impressive monster, but...
Whether it was because of that incident or this one, Ma Doo-sik was not treating Jinwoo like a novice Hunter.
What novice in the world cuts down a boss-level monster of a primeval forest in a single stroke and finds the Core of an Erosion that even Chartia couldn't find?
The look in Ma Doo-sik's eyes as he viewed Jinwoo contained a strong desire.
'We absolutely cannot let him be poached by foreign countries.'
Just as he had proposed naturalization to Chartia, foreign nations were also putting their heart and soul into recruiting Hunters.
If information about Jinwoo leaked out in this situation, they would naturally dispatch agents.
Until the day he received the report from the Bureau, Jinwoo was just a person of interest, but finding the Erosion Core today made it a certainty.
"I heard from Chartia. That you cut down the Core of the Erosion."
"Yes."
Jinwoo nodded.
"The library and the movie theater aren't close. Did you awaken a search-type ability?"
"Something similar."
Actually, it was the ability to cut the Flame of Life, but since he had the ability to sense that flame, it wasn't a lie.
"A Searcher. To be able to detect a Shadow with less than a month of experience... you are S-class Searcher material."
"Ey, I wouldn't go that far... By the way, how high is the standing of an S-class Searcher?"
"In terms of salary, it's whatever they ask for. The most dangerous things in a Gate are exploration and reconnaissance, and there are very few Hunters skilled in that. Searchers and Healers are usually treated as 0.5 grades higher than their rank."
"So an S-class Searcher is practically S+?"
"There isn't a grade called S+, so it's hard to compare like that, but if an A-class Searcher applies to an S-class Hunter party, they are often accepted."
"Wow."
The value of search abilities was higher than he thought. To be able to easily join a party one grade higher...
Actually, when Jinwoo thought about it, it made sense. What had been the hardest part for him in the Gate?
The fact that he couldn't detect the presence of the stalking Elf, not knowing what monster was waiting 100 meters ahead, and not being able to go near the stream after the first day.
All were problems caused by the inability to scout. If he had just one comrade with search abilities, his range of movement would have been much wider.
'I've developed an ability to sense monsters and living things too, so I could apply as a Searcher!'
The fact that a Searcher could join a higher-grade party was information worth remembering.
Of course, right now he was an F-class Hunter with only one Gate entry on record, so even with a Searcher application, he could only join an E-class level party.
"I would like to thank you on behalf of the city for this incident. Since the two of you virtually solved it, there will be a reward on the city level."
"Do I get a certificate or something?"
"That is possible too. I would like to have a conversation regarding that..."
Ma Doo-sik looked around. The city, having just emerged from the Erosion, was still in a state of chaos.
As the person in charge of the city, he had a mountain of work to do right now.
"I really want to treat you to a meal. How about sometime next week? It's difficult to make time right now."
"You want to have a meal?"
"Simply put, yes."
Jinwoo made a reluctant face. The title of Mayor was burdensome, and that bear-like physique was also burdensome.
Bringing it up suddenly like this wasn't likely to move him...
"How about Restaurant Jeongwon for the venue? It is considered the best for gourmet food in Seoul. I will treat you with my private funds."
"Let's have that meal."
He tried to resist, but he took the bait before he knew it.
If it was Jeongwon, it was the restaurant that uploaded one video a year on the gourmet YouTube channel Jinwoo watched every day. The prices were expensive, but they said it was worth every penny.
And to be treated there for free? He found himself nodding before he even consciously registered it.
"Can I come too?"
"Chartia? Didn't you say you were staying in Seoul only until this week and then leaving?"
"I think it'll be okay to stay a bit longer. I have things to discuss too."
"If Hunter Kang Jinwoo is okay with it, I welcome it. What do you say?"
"Sure."
The food wouldn't taste any worse just because one more person tagged along.
When Jinwoo nodded nonchalantly, both Chartia's and Ma Doo-sik's faces brightened.
'This was natural enough. There's a tagalong attached, but...'
'It's become the perfect setting to put dibs on Hunter Kang Jinwoo and entice Chartia as well. I must keep my schedule completely open next week.'
With their own hidden agendas, the meeting for the three of them was set.
'I heard the lamb there is so delicious. Come to think of it, I've never had lamb before.'
Among them, Jinwoo was simply licking his chops.
Ma Doo-sik left to handle the aftermath, leaving only Jinwoo and Chartia.
Once the impressive people, including the Mayor, departed, the people who had survived the Erosion flocked to thank Chartia.
"Thank you, Hunter! We lived thanks to you!"
"I thought I'd never see my mom's face again. Huuweeeeng!"
All sorts of people crowded around to offer her their thanks. Even though it must have been hectic, Chartia responded skillfully and reciprocated their gratitude.
Not only that, she even grabbed Jinwoo's arm, who was standing beside her, and raised it high.
"The one who found the Core and cleared this Erosion is Hunter Kang Jinwoo here! I was only defending; he is the one who ended the Erosion!"
"Waaaaah!"
"Kang Jinwoo! Kang Jinwoo!"
"Who is Kang Jinwoo? I have all the A-class and above memorized, but this is the first time I've heard that name?"
There seemed to be one or two people who couldn't read the room, but regardless, the atmosphere wasn't bad.
He didn't know what was going on, but eh, whatever.
When Jinwoo raised his other hand high, a cheer erupted.
"Waaaaah!"
"Pfft, Jinwoo doesn't shy away from these things either."
"Well, it's festive and nice. Though I'm not used to it."
"You'll have to get used to it. Like the Mayor said, you're going to be S-class, Jinwoo. You'll hear cheers even louder than this often."
"Aren't you throwing around 'S-class' too loosely? Aren't you just making empty promises?"
"It's true, though."
She said that, but Jinwoo couldn't imagine himself becoming an S-class.
It was especially hard to believe after seeing Chartia's ability to take over the entire library and nearby roads as her domain just moments ago.
Right now, his only specialty was being somewhat good at cutting things. Could he really become S-class with just that?
"Phew."
"It's finally over."
After some time passed, the two managed to escape the crowd.
Jinwoo let out a small sigh. A lot had really happened today.
Getting swept up in an Erosion, S-class Hunters and Mayors and other big shots appearing...
But Jinwoo hadn't forgotten his original goal. The thing he wanted to find out when he first left his house today.
"Chartia. If it's not rude, may I ask about your past life?"
"Of course."
Jinwoo was rather surprised by the incredibly ready answer. As far as he knew, Chartia received a lot of criticism in New York society because of her past life as an Elf.
They called it criticism, but it was practically bullying or harassment. Because of that, he had braced himself for a slap in the face.
"I would have refused if it were anyone else, but it's okay since it's you, Jinwoo."
"Why me?"
"You know why."
"?"
I don't know?
He truly wondered why she said it was okay only for him, but for now, his questions about Elves came first.
"Is it true that you were an Elf in your past life?"
"That's right. You must have a deep curiosity about Elves? You were only reading books about Elves in the library."
"There's something I want to know."
"Let's move locations first."
Chartia gestured to move. A story about past lives wasn't something to discuss on the roadside like this.
"Where are we going? I assume not a coffee shop."
There weren't many places suitable for secret talks. Jinwoo's house or the hotel she was staying at?
However, her answer was completely unexpected. Instead of speaking, she took something shaped like a ball out of her inventory and tossed it to Jinwoo.
Catching it, he realized it was a motorcycle helmet. Before he knew it, a sleek black motorcycle had appeared beside her.
"Have you ever been outside the city?"
"Yes. My house's warehouse is outside the city."
"What? A warehouse?"
"My house is straddling the barrier..."
Chartia looked askance at him as if that was absurd. Indeed, even he thought it was ridiculous. Living in a house straddling the barrier.
But it had the cheapest rent, so what could he do? In this day and age where even the outskirts cost 300,000 won a month, that house was only 100,000 won. Even the maintenance fees were cheap.
"Anyway, shall we go for a drive? Don't worry about monsters."
No one would worry about that when accompanying an S-class Hunter. However...
"Chartia. Outside the city is mostly Black Earth, isn't it?"
"There are places that aren't, but mostly, yes. Since they are places where clearing the Erosion failed."
"Failed means the Erosion Core is still there, right?"
"Yes. But destroying the Core now won't make the Black Earth disappear."
Jinwoo quickly put on the helmet and hopped onto the back seat of the motorcycle first. It was Chartia's bike, and he didn't have a motorcycle license anyway.
"Let's go."