CHAPTER 36
036 - Erosion Itself**

Mari's secret base wasn't very large.
It was a tent-like structure built from branches and large leaves, about the size of a small camping tent. It was cozy enough for a small child like Mari to potter around in, but a bit cramped for Jinwoo.
Jinwoo had no complaints—as long as it kept the night dew off, he was fine. The problem arose when Mari came to play.
"Jinwoo! Let's go to Great Eagle Rock today!"
"And where's that?"
"It's a place with a huge rock that looks like an eagle! There's a really pretty flower field there! I'll show you!"
Mari was an overflowing, practically boiling, cauldron of energy. She couldn't stand the idea of just playing house in this tiny tent.
She came to visit every day, and every day she dragged Jinwoo all over the mountain, her range of activity astonishingly wide.
'This entire mountain is basically her playground.'
She would dive into waterfalls the way an ordinary child on Earth would use a slide, and she climbed the trees of a real jungle as if they were a jungle gym. She was so engrossed in showing Jinwoo around that she would sometimes drag him to the adjacent mountain, not just this one.
Jinwoo didn't refuse. For one, the scenery Mari showed him was incredibly healing. For another...
'As expected, the Elves' footwork is on another level.'
He was observing the Elven way of walking through Mari's movements.
"Jinwoo, you're strange. Mom said humans can never keep up with us in the mountains."
"Is that so?"
"Yeah. Mom told me that if a bad human is chasing me, I should always run into the mountains or the forest. She said I'd be able to escape. But you follow me just fine in the mountains."
"Well, I am an adult, and I've trained."
"Hmm, Mom said that even an adult human could never catch up..."
Mari found it strange but liked that Jinwoo could keep up. It meant they could go farther and see more places together.
Meanwhile, the only reason Jinwoo could follow Mari was because he had, at the very least, a trained body.
He had the ability that made his feet faster, which he had first awakened. He also had a gait he had naturally developed while exploring the Primitive Forest. The power of the mana he absorbed with the Dragon Sword was a huge help, and...
'A little wind, please.'
'Kiing.'
...he was also supporting his body with the wind from the lesser spirit residing in the Ego Sword.
The wind from a lesser spirit wasn't powerful, but even that slight support made a significant difference in his stamina consumption.
All these factors combined allowed Jinwoo to keep up with the young Elf.
'If I hadn't set fires and jumped off a cliff when those Dark Elves were chasing me, I would have been caught for sure.'
Looking back, he realized just how right his extreme choices had been at the time.
Not only that, but he had explored quite a bit with Rona back then. Now he understood just how slowly Rona must have been walking to match his pace.
'And even then, I thought our exploration speed was incredibly fast... We found five blue portals in such a short time.'
But from Rona's perspective, even that must have been excruciatingly slow. The child, Mari, was already much faster than he had been back then. There was no way Rona, an adult and a knight, could be slower than her.
That was why Jinwoo was diligently studying the Elven gait by observing Mari as she scurried about.
'I have a lot of things going for me, too. My own steps are enough to roughly keep pace with Mari.'
He had his ability, mana, and a wind spirit. With just these, he could almost match her. If he could master the Elven gait, he would become much faster.
'In Gate exploration, mobility is what matters most.'
After exploring several times, he had realized that nothing was more important than mobility.
If you were fast, your basic exploration speed increased, and you could seize an advantageous position first when encountering an enemy. And if the enemy was unbeatable, you could run away.
'When I first awakened the speed ability, I thought mobility was the best, just like I do now.'
It was strange how his thinking hadn't changed at all. If anything, after facing all sorts of dangers, he felt the importance of mobility even more keenly.
Mari's steps weren't trained in any particular way, yet they instinctively blended into the mountain.
In contrast, his own steps moved as if he were tamping down the mountain. He walked with unnecessary force, as if he were stomping on it.
There was no such feeling from Mari's steps. Mechanically speaking, one could say the direction of her force was perfect, making her extremely efficient.
But another impression came to mind before such a technical one. It wasn't a walk that placed the mountain beneath her feet, but one that treated it like a friend walking side-by-side. It was a gait that showed respect for the mountain and for nature.
'Can I do it?'
Mari was just walking and running without a thought, but to Jinwoo, who was watching from the side, it seemed impossibly difficult.
Any child can walk, but it takes an expert to analyze that walk in terms of mechanics.
Still, if he could imitate even half of it—no, even a third—it would be a success. With that mindset, Jinwoo committed himself to the training.
"We're here! What do you think? Great view, right?"
"Is that Great Eagle Rock?"
"Yep!"
Where Mari pointed, there was a large rock. It looked rather goofy and didn't really resemble an eagle. But if you insisted it was an eagle, you could kind of see it.
Below the rock, a wide, donut-shaped flower field was in full, riotous bloom with flowers of every color.
"Alright, should we have a snack here before we go?"
"I'm not hungry, but I love snacks!"
Under a tree with a good view of the flower field, Jinwoo and Mari took a short break and ate snacks.
Jinwoo took out a sandwich for himself, while he gave Mari some chocolates and candies he kept for replenishing sugar and calories.
"Choco!"
The moment Mari saw the chocolate wrapper, her eyes lit up and she started to drool. Ever since Jinwoo had given her one to try, she went crazy for anything called "choco."
'The only sweet food here is probably fruit.'
Of course, some fruits were incredibly sweet, but it was a different kind of sweetness from what chocolate offered. The sugary richness that clung to the tongue and palate had a destructive power that felt like a punch to the mouth.
There was no way a child could withstand that power.
"Mmmph, nom nom... Where should we go next? There's Wedge Cliff, wanna go check it out?"
"The name alone sounds like it'll be tough training..."
"Huh? What did you say?"
"Nothing. I said it sounds great. Let's go after we finish this."
Mari seemed to have become completely absorbed in showing Jinwoo her secret spots all over the mountain. She seemed to like that Jinwoo never refused and never fell behind.
'It's good for me, too.'
He had no reason to refuse.
On the way, he learned the Elven gait by watching Mari's movements. When they arrived, he enjoyed the wonderful scenery with delicious snacks and a cool drink.
Where else could he find such an excellent curriculum?
Ultimately, they went from Great Eagle Rock to Wedge Cliff and several other places. They had gone sightseeing in five different locations just today. It felt like they had hit every point of the compass on the mountain.
"Aah~ I'm tired. Jinwoo, give me a piggyback ride."
"How can you say you're tired after coming all this way?"
"But I am. Piggyback, piggyback."
"Sigh, alright, alright."
Even for an Elf child, this forced march was taxing, and Mari whined for a ride.
Jinwoo smiled wryly and lifted Mari onto his back. The way she was so full of charm and knew how to be doted on so naturally told him she had grown up with a lot of love. She must have come from a happy family.
Though his mountain-climbing speed was slower, Jinwoo's overall stamina was much greater, so he still had the strength to carry her.
He carried Mari all the way to the edge of her village.
"Alright, this is as far as I go. You can get home on your own from here, right?"
"Yeah. Today was fun, too."
Perhaps because they were near the village, Mari whispered in a tiny voice. She seemed to know that the village Elves must not find out about him.
"Go home, listen to your mom, and make sure you brush your teeth before bed, okay?"
"Okay."
Mari nodded, her eyes slightly hazy, and headed toward her home. It seemed her energy was completely depleted, and she was sleepy.
'Can she make it home alright...?'
Her staggering footsteps looked quite precarious. In the end, Jinwoo took out his binoculars and only left after confirming that Mari had made it inside her house.
As Jinwoo walked back to his temporary shelter, Mari's secret base, his steps were more skillful than before.
No, rather than "skillful," it would be more accurate to say he had become a little friendlier with the mountain.

Lately, Mari had been coming home completely exhausted every day.
Proportionally, her clothes were also incredibly dirty, and her mother had to struggle with the laundry every day.
Even so, she never scolded Mari. Instead, she was pleased that her daughter was playing so healthily.
"Mari? You need to finish your soup before you sleep."
"Mmm..."
"Oh my, you're spilling it. Come here."
She was dozing off even as she ate her soup, spilling it all over her clothes. Mari's mother took out a handkerchief and wiped up the mess.
Only after being tended to like this was Mari barely able to finish her bowl of soup.
"Mmm... gotta brush my teeth and sleep..."
"My, what's gotten into you? You usually go to bed without brushing no matter how much I tell you to."
"Jinwoo said I have to."
"Did he? I guess the little animal you picked up this time is a good friend."
Thinking nothing of the unfamiliar name, Mari's mother helped Mari brush her teeth, changed her into her pajamas, and tucked her into bed.
The moment she lay down on the fluffy bed, Mari fell asleep. Smiling at her daughter, her mother pulled the blanket over her.
'She seems to be having a lot of fun lately.'
Mari had always been energetic, but she seemed particularly lively these days. Seeing her pass out like this almost every day, it was clear she was running all over the mountain. Her clothes were always covered in dirt and pollen when she came home.
"Now then... I'll just light the lamp."
After putting her child to bed in the room, the mother came out to the living room and lit the lantern. A small red light flickered at her fingertip, then softly ignited the lamp's wick.
With only that small light, the mother began to sew.
Peaceful, leisurely days.
An Elf's lifespan is ten times that of a human, and they don't require much food. They naturally replenish their energy from the mana in the atmosphere, sunlight, or even grassy fields, so one meal a day was sufficient. Two at most.
Thus, their lives were relaxed and plentiful. This village was no different, remaining quiet and serene without any change.
It had been this way for 300 years, and it would likely remain so for another 300.
That was what she thought.
Until two weeks later, when the village was covered by the black Erosion.

The relationship between Seoul and New York had soured to the point where a war could break out at any moment.
Of course, war wasn't something that started so easily, but it was a testament to how bad the atmosphere had become.
Ma Doo-sik, who had heard the story directly from Cheon Juhyeok, coolly guided international opinion, while Chartia, in a fit of extreme rage, held Johann and the New York Bureau thoroughly accountable.
The reason Johann was S-class was that the New York Bureau had designated him as such. Therefore, the New York Bureau could not evade responsibility.
This was Chartia's argument, and it was also the international opinion that Ma Doo-sik was pushing.
Ma Doo-sik's decision to back Chartia's opinion was very wise, as there were fewer cities on Earth that hadn't received Chartia's help than those that had. Nearly every city had received her blessing at least once, so it was difficult for them to oppose her opinion, even if only for moral reasons.
David was also well aware of the situation.
Public opinion aside, killing another person was murder, no matter the reason. Although it was commonplace for Hunters to fight and die inside Gates, a case that was vaguely swept under the rug without clear circumstances was entirely different from one that was publicly exposed like this.
'The claim comes solely from Cheon Juhyeok. Is there any real proof that Johann attacked him and killed Kang Jinwoo?'
Knowing this well, David maintained a firm stance of denial.
If he acknowledged it, he would have to apologize and pay reparations, so refusing to acknowledge it was the best choice he could make.
While his argument could also garner a lot of support, public opinion in New York was surprisingly split. This was because the target of the accusation was the warlock, Johann.

I'm sorry, but I think Johann is the culprit. Honestly, it wouldn't have been strange if he was accused at any time.
Any Hunter in New York knows that Johann enjoys wicked research and hobbies. But he's always crushed any issues with his power and authority.
The Bureau isn't clean either. I can't even imagine how much they've covered for Johann all this time.
Public opinion in New York was a mix of cynicism and heated debate.
Hey! It's unavoidable that the Bureau isn't perfectly clean! In the end, to keep an S-class Hunter, you have to overlook minor crimes!
There's also such a thing as a plea bargain. An S-class Hunter brings so much benefit to the nation, and you want to kick him out because you can't cover up one minor mistake?
That's right. It's not corruption, it's an unavoidable reality.
Hey, could you say the same thing if you were the victim?
It's true that it's an unavoidable reality. But I thought David was a righteous man who wouldn't bow to such things. I guess I was wrong. He was just another one of those "unavoidable reality" people.
Shut up! Your logic is a huge leap. Who benefits from tearing David down like that? Do you people have no patriotism?
Fierce arguments. Conflicting discussions.
David remained silent, claiming to know nothing until the end, while Seoul's public opinion vehemently condemned him.
New York was now a scorching furnace where all these elements were mixed together.
And it was then that David received another piece of troublesome news.
"Director! An Erosion has occurred!"
"What? At a time like this?"
A report of an Erosion. For a report to come in like this, it meant it was close enough to the city.
David, already struggling with the Johann situation, felt like his head was about to split in two.
But his subordinate's report wasn't finished.
"B-But, it's a form that's never been observed before."
"What? What do you mean, a never-before-seen form?"
"Please take a look at this."
In his haste, the subordinate showed him a video with trembling hands. It was satellite footage of the Erosion's development.
In the video, the Erosion was ordinary at first. It appeared at a certain point and gradually spread, swallowing its surroundings.
Just as David was about to show a questioning look, thinking it was the same as usual, a major change occurred in the footage.
The boundary of the Erosion, which had clearly been expanding in a sphere, suddenly shrank and converged into a single point.
And in that place, there was a monster.
A turtle, so massive it wouldn't be strange to call it a single, giant island.
Its colossal body, a condensation of all the Erosion's energy, slowly, slowly approached New York.
Along the path it walked, the earth turned black, becoming a land of death.

When the Erosion spread through the village, Jinwoo noticed it faster than anyone. He probably sensed it even before the residents in the village did.
'A Black Flame.'
A Black Flame, so distinct it could be felt clearly even from this distance, was blazing fiercely.
Its location was the village entrance. Judging by the size and shape of the flame, it was an Erosion that would obviously engulf the entire village.
'Mari!'
Jinwoo immediately bolted from his secret base and headed for the village.
The footwork he had learned from watching Mari was a great help, and his body shot forward like an arrow. Arriving at the village in an instant, he witnessed it.
The village was covered in Erosion. It had certainly been covered, but in a moment, it rapidly shrank and converged into a single point.
At that point stood a knight clad head-to-toe in black armor. The energy of the Erosion shimmered from the gaps between the plates of his armor.
'The flame...'
The Black Flame that had been rising from within the knight's body grew smaller. Despite having absorbed all the energy of the Erosion, it burned smaller and smaller.
And yet, as small as it was, it was more sinister than any flame he had ever seen. In a way, it was even more ominous than the dragon's soul, though its total power was far less.
A being that had gathered and condensed all the energy of the Erosion. This thing was no longer just the core of the Erosion; it was a being that was Erosion itself.