The Hunter’s Gonna Lay Low - Chap 91
Sounds of hard objects clashing continued outside the wall. The loud noise whirled chaotically in his mind. Lee Sa-young roughly tugged at the snare that bound him. Is this why he pushed me away?
Gritting his teeth, Lee Sa-young knelt on one knee in front of Jung Bin to check his condition.
“…Why is this guy like this again?”
Jung Bin was surrounded by his own blood. His right arm was visibly dislocated, the bones clearly out of place. The black chain that had been writhing like it was alive was now wrapped around its owner’s arm and still. His condition was more serious than expected. Lee Sa-young hurriedly reached into his inventory. Hong Ye-seong muttered sardonically.
“It’s because he was protecting the two of us who can’t fight… Do you have any potions? Save him, please.”
Without a word, Lee Sa-young poured out the potions from his inventory. The girl reached out and quickly started opening the potion bottles. Lee Sa-young frowned and turned to look. The student responded as if she had been waiting.
“I’m an S-grade who awakened recently. I thought you might have heard about me from Jung Bin-nim or the director. It’s my first time meeting you in person.”
Lee Sa-young only knew of one S-grade hunter whose face he didn’t recognize.
“…That high school student?”
“Yes. I’m Yoon Ga-eul.”
Yoon Ga-eul nodded and placed the opened potions beside her. Hong Ye-seong mentioned there was another person besides him. But why was Yoon Ga-eul moving with Cha Eui-jae? Lee Sa-young scrutinized Yoon Ga-eul with sharp eyes.
Yoon Ga-eul, unaware of the gaze, murmured gloomily.
“We didn’t have any potions, so we just roughly patched up the big wounds.”
“If you’re coming to a place like this, at least bring some potions.”
Lee Sa-young snapped coldly, pulling out a syringe filled with green liquid and injecting it into Jung Bin’s right arm. As the liquid decreased, the bleeding gradually stopped. Hong Ye-seong glanced over and asked.
“What’s that?”
“It’s something Nam Woo-jin made.”
“Oh… that emergency recovery thing.”
Most external wounds can be treated with potions. However, no matter how good the potion is, it can’t compare to a healer’s speed. Nam Woo-jin, Korea’s only A-grade healer, made emergency recovery kits using his abilities and sold them instead of entering dungeons himself. Lee Sa-young discarded the empty syringe and poured a potion over the wound. The wound healed quickly, and Jung Bin’s breathing stabilized, though his face remained pale.
“…He’s alive for now. To treat him without aftereffects, we’ll need to go to Nam Woo-jin.”
“At least there’s that. No matter how capable I am… I can’t make healing items.”
Boom! The transparent wall surrounding them shook violently. Hong Ye-seong coughed up blood, and Yoon Ga-eul quickly held a handkerchief to his mouth.
“Are you taking the impact?”
“Seems like it… I can absorb some of the shock, but the rest comes to me. I set up the shield, after all.”
Lee Sa-young clicked his tongue and pulled out another syringe. Hong Ye-seong, mouth slightly open, asked.
“You’re not planning to use that on me, are you?”
“I am.”
Rip, Lee Sa-young tore off the sleeve of Hong Ye-seong’s hiking jacket without hesitation.
“Ah, I hate needles! Aaaagh!”
Thud, slurp. The green liquid quickly diminished. Hong Ye-seong, who had been screaming, began to sob silently. His complexion improved rapidly. Lee Sa-young, who had removed the needle and even poured potion on the spot where the needle had been, glanced at Yoon Ga-eul.
“And you.”
“N-no! I’m fine! You two protected us.”
“Good. Then that’s fine.”
Lee Sa-young threw the syringe aside and stood up. Yoon Ga-eul and Hong Ye-seong looked at him with wide eyes.
“Where are you going?”
“Outside.”
“Hey, do you think poison will work on that golem? And no matter how good this shield is, it can’t block poison!”
“Then I’ll just break it without poison.”
“That’s a reckless idea. You think that’ll—”
Boom!
A loud noise interrupted his words, and something huge fell. It was the giant hand that had attacked them. The wrist attached to it was in shambles. Hong Ye-seong muttered blankly.
“…It works?”
Roar! The golem, now missing a hand, clutched its shattered wrist and howled. The space rumbled with its scream. At that moment, a gray shadow charged at the golem. It was Cha Eui-jae.
He leaped off the golem’s body and swung a long pole at the other hand wrapped around the wrist. Crack! The enraged golem swung its arm wildly. The pole was caught in the strong wind and flew away. Cha Eui-jae, who was thrown off balance, managed to land on his feet with a roll.
“Hey, you’re bleeding!”
Yoon Ga-eul pointed to his mouth in a panic. Lee Sa-young quickly came to his senses. His mouth was filled with a bitter and sweet taste. He roughly wiped his mouth with the back of his hand, and black blood smeared on it. He must have bitten his lip without realizing it.
‘Damn it.’
Should he leave these people and join Cha Eui-jae? No, even if he joined, would it help? If his poison caused Cha Eui-jae to fall…
Boom!
Another loud noise echoed. Lee Sa-young raised his head. The golem had slammed its fist where Cha Eui-jae had been. And then…
Bright blue eyes suddenly turned towards him.
The moment their eyes met, Lee Sa-young, as if mesmerized by the blue light, spoke.
“Hong Ye-seong, did you bring the spear?”
“Spear? What spear?”
Hong Ye-seong, with bloodshot eyes, looked back. Lee Sa-young answered shortly.
“My spear. Give it to me.”
“Spear, spear… Oh, the Great God Spear? Why is that yours!”
“I won the auction. Why, do you want me to pay you right here?”
“Damn it, what good is money here? Can I make a bed out of it? Hey, hold this for a moment, will you?”
“Yes? Yes!”
Yoon Ga-eul quickly took the shield. Her stance was firmer than Hong Ye-seong’s sloppy hold. Hong Ye-seong rummaged through his inventory and groaned, pulling out the Great God Spear with both hands.
“Alright, let’s try something. Do you need a bomb? Poison won’t work on that crazy golem.”
“No need.”
Lee Sa-young took the spear and stepped out of Hong Ye-seong’s shield. Wind mixed with ash and sand tangled his hair. Hong Ye-seong, holding the shield again, urgently asked.
“Hey, what are you planning! Do you even know how to use a spear?”
“No.”
He’s never used a spear before. But he knows someone who uses it better than anyone. Lee Sa-young looked beyond the storm of white ash and called out his name.
“Cha Eui-jae!”
Instantly, those blue eyes found him. Just like that time.
‘Ah.’
His heart pounded. And he suddenly realized that he had been waiting more than anything…
for the day he would see those eyes again.
“Catch!”
Lee Sa-young raised the Great God Spear high to make it visible, turned towards the golem, and took a stance.
Sometimes, it became the shackle that held him back.
He planted his feet firmly apart. He pulled his right arm holding the spear back and, after a moment’s breath, exhaled and—
Sometimes, it became the wind that stirred the waves.
He threw the spear.
Whoosh!
The heavy Great God Spear flew like an arrow. Cha Eui-jae was already far ahead, running.
At some point, just before the spear surpassed human speed, the time came when it aligned with the hunter like parallel lines. Cha Eui-jae, never missing that fleeting moment, expertly caught the spear.
Clang!
Without staggering, as if he had been waiting for this moment all along.
Live quietly?
Whoosh— His worn-out sneakers scraped the ground roughly as he halted. With a low stance, Cha Eui-jae spun the giant spear and grasped it properly. The golem turned its body slowly. Boom, the ground shook. Boom, it stepped firmly. Boom, his heart raced. Without hesitation, Cha Eui-jae started running again.
Don’t know about that.
Cha Eui-jae doesn’t know how to live quietly. No one taught him, and his traits that made everything proficient were useless for that. Even so, Cha Eui-jae always did his best. Trying to live quietly…
Because he had nothing he wanted to do.
He felt empty. Since the moment he came to his senses. There was no place for him here. Everything he knew was gone, replaced by things he didn’t know. Living each day was a struggle.
In a world with nowhere to go and no place to rest. Every moment was new, and every moment was painful. Thinking deeply about anything brought up cracks, making even long thoughts difficult. He felt like a lost child.
A huge fist came flying. His heartbeat raced.
Because he’s nervous?
Because he’s scared?
No. His heart always raced at moments like this. Only in these moments did he feel alive. Cha Eui-jae smiled. The weight of the spear in his hand was heavy. Countless system windows flashed in his vision.
[Trait: Enhanced Strength (S+) activated.]
[Unique trait: Hand of a Master (S+) activated.]
[Unique trait: The One Who Pierces All (S+) activated.]
As if shackles had been lifted, a massive wave surged through his body from head to toe. Cha Eui-jae kicked off the ground and leaped high. Thud! Lightly stepping on the golem’s swinging arm, he jumped again.
How grateful it is to have someone to protect.
Cha Eui-jae twisted his waist, pulling his right arm holding the spear back with all his might. As he held his breath, everything around him seemed to slow down as if time had stopped. His blue, glowing eyes took in the scene below. The golem, Hong Ye-seong, Yoon Ga-eul, Jung Bin, and…
Lee Sa-young.
As he met the violet eyes looking straight at him,
How joyful it is to have someone waiting for you…
Cha Eui-jae smiled.
BOOM—!!
A blinding white light burst forth.
