Under Creature Chapter 3.1

After vaguely breaking up with Doa and returning home, Yigeom was eating dinner while watching Net×lix.

Ding-dong— Ding-dong—.

The sound of the doorbell ringing made him lose his appetite. There have been a lot of visitors these past two days….

He checked the intercom, but the screen was dark, as if the visitor was intentionally hiding their face.

Ding-dong— Ding-dong—.

At the sound ringing out once again, Yigeom closed his eyes. It was time to use his ability, which he hadn’t used much since he’d only been training after the association incident. For this purpose, he had placed a water bottle outside the front door.

Let’s see.

The visitor’s face was reflected in the gaps between the water. It was a familiar face.

Yigeom nonchalantly picked up his spoon again and started eating. He decided to completely ignore the visitor.

Ding-dong— Ding-dong—.

Ding-dong ding-dong ding-dong ding-dong ding-dong.

“…….”

He finally surrendered to the violently ringing doorbell. Even if he didn’t open the door, the visitor should have thought the homeowner was away, but they were convinced that the homeowner was home.

Yigeom flung open the front door with an irritated hand.

“Why are you here?”

“Can I come in?”

“No.”

As if he hadn’t intended to listen to the answer in the first place, Dohyun neatly took off his shoes and entered Yigeom’s studio apartment.

“Were you eating dinner?”

“What’s it to you?”

“Let’s eat together.”

“I don’t have any rice to donate to you.”

“You were watching Net×lix?”

Dohyun touched this and that as if it were his own house. Yigeom wasn’t the type to just watch him do that.

“Don’t touch things carelessly. They’ll wear out.”

He glanced at Yigeom and muttered.

“It’s like we’re back in the old days.”

Yigeom’s eyebrows twitched. What Doa had said to him earlier overlapped with his thoughts.

“Old days?”

“I thought we were getting along lately, but now we’re busy growling at each other again.”

“What growling? If you don’t have anything to say, just go.”

He put away his unfinished bowl of rice because of Seo Dohyun’s sudden visit. Even if he left, it wouldn’t taste good anymore.

“I have something to say. I came to talk.”

“I don’t have anything to say.”

“…….”

Dohyun’s black eyes stared straight at Yigeom. Then his tightly closed lips opened.

“I don’t know what I did wrong.”

“Yeah. You seem that way.”

“Don’t be sarcastic and listen.”

“Sarcastic? I’m just stating the facts? You’re the one being sarcastic. Isn’t the fact that you’re being all sarcastic from talking about special treatment, which I never asked for, proof that you’re being sarcastic?”

Dohyun narrowed his eyes.

“Are you angry because of that? If so, I apologize. I was being harsh.”

“Fuck.”

Seo Dohyun apologized readily. But that seemed even more unpleasant to Yigeom.

The reason for his apology was obvious. I don’t know what I did wrong, and I don’t understand why you’re angry at all, but the Latters want us to reconcile, so I’ll take a step back and apologize first.

Seo Dohyun’s black eyes, devoid of any hint of remorse, seemed to say so. Rather than being sorry, it was more like a nonchalant, I’ll let it slide because I have to? It was such a calm look. It made Yigeom’s blood boil.

“So we’re reconciled since I apologized?”

“Are you crazy? Didn’t you learn morals when you were young?”

“That’s why I apologized. You apologize, the other person accepts the apology, and you reconcile. Isn’t that how it goes?”

This was the method he studied by searching the internet before coming here.

“You missed the part where the other person accepts the apology.”

“Ah. Then will you accept it?”

“Why should I?”

“What do I have to do for you to accept it?”

Yigeom suddenly felt suspicious.

“Why are you going so far?”

“What?”

“With your personality, why are you trying so hard to reconcile with me?”

Yigeom was tired of being able to perceive Seo Dohyun’s virtual world wherever he was, but Seo Dohyun could just turn around and forget about it. He shouldn’t have anything to regret, so why? Yigeom couldn’t understand.

Especially since he was the type who only cared about himself.

Was it because of the Latters again?

“Because the others want me to.”

Bingo.

“…I understand, but why do you keep bringing the others into this? Don’t you have your own opinion? If you kill someone later and say it was for them, I doubt they’d be very happy.”

“That has happened before, but the reaction wasn’t good, so I’m keeping it as secret as possible.”

It has? Yigeom sighed.

“Your words are a bundle of contradictions.”

“Contradictions?”

“You said you kept it a secret. As secret as possible? Does that only apply to Doa? You used to take Jewoo along like you were going out for drinks when you were killing people like me, didn’t you? Does Sanha-hyung know about that?”

“Ah, that? Only Jewoo knows. But there’s a good reason for that. So? Are the contradictions cleared up now?”

Dohyun glanced sideways at Yigeom. Despite the sufficient explanation, he still had an unpleasant expression.

When Yigeom remained silent, he asked again.

“You said I’m a Latter too, right?”

“Of course.”

Dohyun replied in a tone that suggested it was obvious.

“Then why don’t I belong?”

“What?”

“Last time we ate together, you didn’t even consider my feelings and told me not to ruin the mood because you were concerned about the others. Aren’t I a Latter? If a Latter is ignored, it’s like I’m being ignored, and if I feel bad, shouldn’t all the Latters feel bad? Or is it… majority rule, or something?”

Yoon Yigeom rattled off his words. He spoke a little too much. Moreover, he felt conflicted about himself for nitpicking about such trivial details.

Normally, he would have cut ties with Seo Dohyun, saying that their personalities didn’t match, but he remembered every single thing he felt wronged by and waited for the right timing to confront him.

Maybe he’d gotten a bit attached to him after fighting together, or maybe he subconsciously wanted to reconcile with him a little.

“According to what you’re saying, the Latters are family, and since I’m a part of that, aren’t I family too?”

“…….”

Yigeom tilted his head. Dohyun blinked blankly and murmured.

“Were you… sulking, not angry?”

Yigeom’s ears flushed with embarrassment. He felt like he’d been hit where it hurt.

He hadn’t known until now. He was just suddenly furious at Seo Dohyun. But now that he’d rattled off everything, it seemed that this was the biggest reason he was angry with him, even though there were other reasons.

“Forget it. Get out.”

“Gyeom-ah.”

“Get lost.”

Embarrassed, Yigeom roughly grabbed Dohyun and made him stand up. Although he could have resisted, Dohyun willingly allowed himself to be led out. He realized that further conversation would only fuel Yigeom’s anger.

“If you’re serious about reconciling, come back then.”

The front door slammed shut, bang!, in Dohyun’s face. Despite that, a chuckle escaped his lips.

🦅࿐

“Y-Yigeom! Hi! I’m sorry for coming to your house unannounced in the morning! I should’ve contacted you before coming, but I wasn’t thinking straight….”

“If you’re going to have a housewarming party, come all at once. It’s inconvenient and tiring for me when you come over three days in a row.”

“I see. I’m sorry. I’ll be careful from now on.”

Yigeom greeted Namgoong Sanha with hollow eyes.

He’d considered staying at Kang Taeha’s house for a few days, but his pride was hurt because it felt like he was running away, and when he didn’t open the door, the person on the intercom screen happened to be Namgoong Sanha. Knowing Sanha’s personality, he would dig a tunnel to the Earth’s core if Yigeom didn’t open the door, so he had no choice but to open it.

“Have you eaten? I brought various things, but if none of them are to your liking, I’ll cook for you! Oh, I don’t mean to use the ingredients in your refrigerator. I bought all the ingredients just in case. I also brought some takeout, but if you want to eat that, I can store the other ingredients in the refrigerator…”

“First, please come in…. And for the meal, takeout is fine.”

“Oh, thanks!”

Yigeom surrendered, holding up both hands at Sanha’s incessant talking. Jewoo, Doa, and Seo Dohyun had barged in without hesitation, but Namgoong Sanha’s hesitant demeanor at the entrance made Yigeom feel strangely like a villain if he were to chase him away. Thinking about Sanha having come all this way with his hands full of groceries, it felt wrong to turn him away at the door.

“Yigeom, can I open the refrigerator? It’s just that I’d like to organize the ingredients…”

“I’ll organize them.”

“I can’t let you do that! It’ll feel like I’m making you do chores. Just sit back and relax.”

…That’s exactly how I feel right now, hyung. It feels like I’m making you do chores, and I feel awkward just sitting here.

“Are there any items I shouldn’t touch? Let me know in advance so I can be careful.”

“Nothing in particular.”

Even while organizing the ingredients in the refrigerator, Namgoong Sanha’s questions continued. They were all very trivial, so there was no need to strain himself or be nervous answering them.

“What did Jewoo and Doa do when they came?”

“I went out to eat tteokbokki with Jewoo right away, and I went to a cafe and took a walk with Doa.”

“Really? Then what should we do today? Is there anything you want to do?”

Yigeom looked at him with faint emotion. Unlike the others who were forceful, he was touched by Sanha’s simple words suggesting they do what Yigeom wanted. This is what experience brings.

“I’m sorry, but I have an appointment today….”

“Oh… huh? But I brought food!?”

“No, I mean, we can eat together…”

Sanha’s eyes widened in panic at the thought of being turned away.

“Do… do I have to leave?”

“No, that is…. Let’s have lunch.”

Yigeom ruffled his hair, flustered.

“And no matter how much you tell me to reconcile with Seo Dohyun, I’m not going to until he apologizes first.”

Namgoong Sanha blinked and said,

“No. I just came to see you.”

Even so, Yigeom couldn’t shake off his suspicion.

“Ah, are you angry because I came to persuade only you, not Dohyun?”

“I didn’t think of it that way…. Was that really it?”

Sanha waved both hands.

“No, no! We’re nagging Dohyun so much at the office!”

“…You too, hyung?”

Unlike Doa and Jewoo, Yigeom’s relationship with Namgoong Sanha consisted only of briefly seeing him on his days off. But he was nagging him too? With his timid personality?

“Of course! Look here.”

Sanha took out his phone and presented the PPT he had painstakingly prepared overnight as evidence.

“What is it?”

“It’s an analysis of the benefits the Latters will gain if you two reconcile, and the current atmosphere among the Latters.”

Yigeom quickly scanned the PPT.

It listed various disadvantages, starting with the gloomy atmosphere in the office, the shortage of people to go to the CA Area resulting in a tight schedule, and the fact that Doa and Jewoo were students and couldn’t handle early morning CAs.

“If you look at the last page, it starts with why you two fought, and if Dohyun was wrong, it details what he needs to fix in the future to improve the relationship, and how he should treat you.”

“…So, did he read this?”

“He… read one line and closed it.”

Sanha replied dejectedly.

Figures he would.

Yigeom also turned off the screen and started setting the table.

“Let’s eat together once you’re done organizing.”

“Okay! I’m just putting this away, and I’m done!”

Sanha took out spoons, small plates, and then opened the takeout containers. It was winter gukbap, nothing special.

“Yigeom, where are you meeting your friend after eating this? Should I give you a ride?”

“If it’s on your way, please do.”

Fortunately, they were headed in the same direction, so after finishing their meal, Yigeom got a ride in Sanha’s car.

“Thank you for the ride.”

“No problem. You should stay warm in this cold weather.”

How can someone like him be on the same team as Seo Dohyun? Yigeom resolved that if he didn’t leave the Latters, Namgoong Sanha would be his only emotional support from now on.

Just then, he received a call from his friend Jooseungtae, whom he had promised to hang out with. Yigeom picked up the phone.

“Yeah. I’m on my way. I think I’ll arrive early, where are you?”

—Y-Yigeom…

“What’s wrong?”

Jooseungtae mumbled in a trembling voice.

—H-help me…. H-here….

The voice on the other end of the line was filled with terror. Yigeom’s face hardened.

“Where are you right now?”

The call remained connected.

—I… I don’t know. Someone hit me on the head from behind and I passed out… I think I’m being transported in something like a truck.

Yigeom switched to speaker mode so Namgoong Sanha could also hear and gestured for him to call the police.

—Yigeom…. I, sob, am I… going to die? Is this a kidnapping?

“You’re not going to die. I just called the police. They’ll be there soon.”

The quick-witted Sanha pulled over to the side of the road and quickly reported the incident to the police. Then he asked Seungtae,

“Student, where exactly did you lose consciousness?”

—…Who are you?

Yigeom spoke urgently.

“Where are you right now? In a trunk? What about your body? Are you tied up?”

—…Yes. Yigeom, who are you with? You… you’re coming to save me, right?

“Of course. The police are going to call your phone now. They’re trying to track your location, and they’re on their way, so don’t worry too much.”

He reassured Jooseungtae, repeating what Namgoong Sanha told him.

“Um… student? I’m a close friend of Gyeom’s, and the police are going to contact you on your phone now, so….”

—R-right now? …Then should I hang up with Yoon Yigeom?

He seemed to be grasping at anyone in fear and confusion, unable to understand the situation.

“It’s okay. The police will tell you more kindly than I can. Oh, it’s connecting now.”

—…Okay. But my battery is….

Clang—.

At the sudden sound from Jooseungtae’s side, Yigeom and Sanha chose to remain silent.

—We’ve managed to catch him, but what should we do with this guy?

—Looks like he just finished his first awakening. Let’s offer him as a sacrifice.

—How about trying to feed him blood?

Awakening? Sacrifice? Blood? Those three words brought certain people to mind.

Blood Hunters?

Yigeom’s hair stood on end. It seemed they weren’t dealing with ordinary kidnappers. Jooseungtae, what did you see?

A chilling voice echoed.

—Precious blood to this brat who hasn’t even awakened his ability? Offering him as a sacrifice is more beneficial.

—That’s true.

Clang—.

The sound of a metal door closing rang out again. It meant the kidnappers had left.

—Y-Yigeom…. Here….

“Are you okay?”

—Yeah. I think they still think I’m unconscious.

Yigeom murmured coldly.

“Hyung, with the police…”

“Yeah. I’ve contacted the vigilantes, and if it’s a truck and we heard a door closing, it’s likely a refrigerated truck.”

He knew well that refrigerated trucks were mainly used for frozen goods or deliveries.

“A refrigerated truck?”

A scene flashed through Yigeom’s mind.

He had encountered one at a corner. A refrigerated truck carrying Blood Hunters and Creatures.

“Jooseungtae, is it by any chance…”

Beep—beep—.

The call disconnected. Even when he called back, only the message saying the power was off played, indicating that the battery had probably died, as Jooseungtae mentioned.

The inability to confirm Jooseungtae’s safety doubled his anxiety.

“Yigeom, are you really going? We should leave it to the vigilantes for now, and we…”

“Hyung, he’s my friend.”

“…Still, in this situation, I have a bad feeling about it.”

“I’m sorry, but I’ll take a taxi by myself.”

“Yigeom!”

As Yigeom unbuckled his seatbelt as if he were about to get out immediately, Sanha stopped him urgently.

“How are you going to go without even knowing the location! Okay, okay. Calm down and sit down for now.”

Yigeom looked displeased but followed his instructions for the time being. Namgoong Sanha pulled the laptop from the back seat and started working on it diligently.

“Yigeom, here. The signal was lost here. Let’s go here first.”

He seemed to have somehow tracked the location.

“I’ve requested the vigilantes to track down any refrigerated trucks that passed through that area at this time, and the dispatched vigilantes are on their way, so don’t worry too much. We’re also leaving now…”

“Hyung, the vigilantes?”

“Yes.”

Yigeom asked with distrustful eyes.

“They’re strong, right?”

He had heard that they were a group that specialized in hunting Blood Hunters, not Creatures. He vaguely recalled hearing that Seo Dohyun was once a part of them.

Sanha, gripping the steering wheel, nodded calmly, unlike his usual self.

“Of course. Your friend will be safe. But just in case, let’s contact Dohyun too.”

“…Seo Dohyun?”

Yigeom was appalled.

“The more people helping, the better. And Dohyun will definitely be helpful.”

‘That’s true, but I don’t want to contact him first.’

But this wasn’t the time to worry about petty pride. If kneeling and begging the enemy increased his friend’s chances of survival, he would do it without hesitation. Jooseungtae was one of his few friends from high school, just as precious as Kang Taeha.

Contacting Seo Dohyun first wasn’t a big deal.

—Yes.

As soon as Dohyun answered the phone, Yigeom quickly explained the situation. The response was firm.

—Send me the location. I’ll be there soon.

“…Okay.”

Part of him wondered how Seo Dohyun, who wasn’t even there, could be of any help, but hearing his words and his promise to come to this place immediately put him at ease.

—You’re with Sanha-hyung?

Sanha shouted into the phone, which was on speaker mode.

“Yes. Dohyun! We’re on our way!”

—How many minutes until you arrive? Don’t hang up. Do you have wireless earphones?

“We can reach the location where the signal was lost in 5 minutes. There are no other roads leading out from there, so we should be able to find it quickly. And wireless earphones… Yigeom, do you have any?”

“No.”

“They’re in my bag in the back seat.”

Yigeom rummaged through Sanha’s bag to find the earphones while he was driving.

“Found them. But why…”

Why were they looking for earphones when time was of the essence?

—That’s good. You use those, Gyeom.

“…Me?”

He said in a serious voice.

—Even if I leave now, I’ll arrive later than you.

“I know.”

—Listen carefully, Yoon Yigeom.

“……”

—Sanha-hyung is weak and won’t be of any help.

Namgoong Sanha wasn’t a combatant but a technician who made weapons. Though he might excel in crafting, his combat ability was at the lowest level. He would only hold Yoon Yigeom back.

—You have to fight alone.

Yigeom gulped and affirmed.

“…I know.”

Dohyun spoke quietly.

—When you arrive, start timing. In 5-minute intervals.

“You’re now…”

Yigeom immediately understood what Dohyun was planning to do.

—It’s okay. I’m just doing what I’ve always done. Nothing to be surprised about.

“…Yigeom, we’re almost there.”

At Sanha’s notification, Yigeom immediately connected the Bluetooth and put one earphone in his ear. Fortunately, Namgoong Sanha’s bag had everything. Befitting a weaponsmith, various weapons like knives, hammers, and guns filled the car. Yigeom took out the dagger he used most often and was most familiar with.

“Hyung, when will the vigilantes arrive?”

“They’re on their way… but I don’t know exactly. They might arrive before Dohyun or later.”

Yigeom gripped the dagger tightly. The association attack. It was different this time. Back then, he had to kill Creatures to survive, but now his role was to hold on.

He just had to hold on until the vigilantes arrived, until Seo Dohyun arrived.

It was easier than back then.

He could do it. He had to. Otherwise, Jooseungtae would die.

—Give me a signal, and I’ll run a simulation. Let me know if you get a satisfactory result.

I’ll solidify it then. Yigeom’s hands became sweaty. Was it only now that it was hitting him?

Seo Dohyun had always been by his side. During the association incident, when hunting Creatures afterward, at the Latter office, during training. He might have unknowingly relied on him.

This was a situation where he was completely alone.

He had to handle it on his own. The weight of it felt unreal.

His fingertips trembled slightly.

—If it’s dangerous, run away. Even if you have to abandon your friend, run away. You live.

“No. He’s my friend.”

Seo Dohyun instructed him coldly, almost heartlessly.

—Then don’t be afraid.

Your voice is already trembling. Just like always. It was just a simple Creature hunt.

“But it’s not a Creature, it’s a person…”

Despite Yigeom’s rebuttal, he didn’t back down from his assertion.

—They’re not human either. Think of it as just hunting Creatures and kill them without hesitation.

“……”

—If you don’t want to die, you have no choice but to kill them.

Yigeom was speechless. He felt that this was Seo Dohyun’s way of comforting him. It wasn’t comforting at all, but it did help to cool his head a bit.

“Up ahead, isn’t that the refrigerated truck?”

Namgoong Sanha shouted. He had spotted the vehicle they suspected Jooseungtae was in.

Yigeom closed his eyes and took a slow, deep breath. Up to ten times. Until then, it was his world.

“I’ll try to get closer.”

Sanha accelerated and pulled up closer to the driver’s side of the truck, and Yigeom looked at the driver’s seat through the window.

Their eyes met for a moment.

And he could instinctively tell.

It’s him.

“Hyung, can you get the car even closer?”

“Yeah. Don’t worry about the car getting damaged. I can cover any repair costs.”

That’s reassuring.

—Are you there?

“Yes.”

—Shall we begin?

“…Wait a moment. I’ll give you the signal.”

At the same time, the window of the refrigerated truck across from them slid down, and a gleaming gun barrel pointed towards Yigeom.

“A gun?”

A chill ran down his spine. Even if it was a deserted road, they were just pulling out a gun? There might be cameras too… would the association take care of it?

While he hesitated, the gun fired.

Bang, bang!

Along with the deafening gunshots, Sanha slammed on the brakes. Screech—. The car windows rattled with the noise.

“Whoa—! Yigeom, are you okay? Your seatbelt?”

“I’m fine.”

Despite the cold winter, beads of sweat formed on his forehead.

‘…This isn’t some movie chase scene!’

He never imagined he’d be in a chase like this. At least it was fortunate the tires weren’t hit…

“I think we’re sure about that truck now. Is your friend in the storage compartment?”

“Yes. But it’s locked. We need a key…”

“Huh?”

Sanha looked at Yigeom with a puzzled expression. He looked as if he was questioning why Yigeom didn’t understand something so obvious.

“You can just break it, right?”

“…Ah. Right.”

Yigeom replied awkwardly. Now that he thought about it, there was no need to be ethical here. He rummaged through Sanha’s bag and asked,

“Can I use any of the weapons here?”

“Mm-hmm. It doesn’t really matter, but the guns you can handle right away are…”

“It’s okay.”

Kang Taeha had a hobby of collecting guns and weapons. He sometimes watched videos about handling them, and Yigeom watched along over his shoulder. It was all in his head. It wouldn’t be too difficult.

Yigeom first checked the number of bullets.

‘Six bullets.’

“Are there any more bullets?”

“Unfortunately, that’s all for now.”

He reluctantly aimed at his target and pulled the trigger. His target was the lock on the refrigerated truck.

He had always watched, but this was his first time actually shooting. Bang! The recoil made his arm tremble. He checked if he had hit the target, but it narrowly missed.

“I’ll get the car closer.”

Sanha’s green car pulled up close to the storage compartment of the refrigerated truck.

“What should we do?”

The person watching them through the side mirror of the refrigerated truck asked. The person in the passenger seat replied calmly.

“Ram them.”

Namgoong Sanha cried out in surprise.

“Aaack!”

Crash—!

The refrigerated truck reversed and rammed their car. Screech—. A harsh scraping sound echoed as the green car scraped against the guardrail.

“Hyung! Back the car up!”

“I’m trying, but it’s not working!”

The small compact car was no match for the refrigerated truck. Yigeom clenched his teeth. He felt pathetic. How could he not have foreseen this? It would have been better to create more distance and aim for the truck’s tires first.

What would Seo Dohyun have done?

Unable to resolve the situation, Yigeom found himself thinking of him.

He then stuck his arm out the window and fired the gun. He was aiming for the tires, but there was no way he could get used to the gun in just two shots, and the violent shaking of the car made it difficult to aim properly.

Sanha checked his left side. Beyond the guardrail was an unpaved road, a steep slope, and a dense forest.

“Y-Yigeom!”

Thud—! Crash—.Thud!

The guardrail broke, and the green car tumbled down. In the midst of it all, Yoon Yigeom shouted,

“We haven’t started yet!?”

As if waiting, a voice echoed through the earphones.

—Yes. Give me the signal.

Despite the loud noises, his tone was incredibly calm.

Did he believe that the person on site knew the situation best? Or did he deeply trust Yigeom, or did he simply not care how the situation unfolded? Yigeom couldn’t understand his feelings at all.

Yigeom quickly reached out as if to protect Sanha from being thrown forward. It was a precious opportunity that he could only use ten times. Even if the slope was steep, it wasn’t a cliff, and the area was densely packed with trees. The car would roll for a bit, hit something, and stop soon.

He was sorry to Namgoong Sanha, but he couldn’t waste a precious opportunity like this.

As expected, the car rolled a few times and stopped upside down, and through the acrid smoke, Yigeom quickly unbuckled his seatbelt.

“Hyung, are you okay?”

“Mm-hmm, more or less. Are you hurt?”

He saw a trickle of blood flowing down Sanha’s head. He felt guilty that Sanha was injured even though he could have reversed time with Dohyun’s ability.

“Stay here, hyung.”

“Wait… Yigeom!”

With a sudden surge of strength, Yigeom opened the crumpled door and escaped.

“Go down and check if they’re dead.”

“Okay.”

As he climbed back up the path they had fallen down, he saw two figures. Yigeom noticed that the impact from the truck’s reversing had broken the lock and slightly opened the storage compartment door. He could see his friend’s face through the gap.

‘…Jooseungtae.’

As he was about to go to him, he made eye contact with the Blood Hunter who was coming down.

“One of them is still alive.”

“…….”

He quietly drew the dagger he had secured at his waist. Yigeom thought positively. It was better that he was discovered now. If he went down and tried to kill Namgoong Sanha, things would become more complicated.

If it were a complete stranger, he wouldn’t care, but to Yigeom, Namgoong Sanha was also a close acquaintance. He couldn’t stand by and watch someone who was already injured because of his choices die.

There were two enemies. He had to keep both of them here.

Yigeom called out to him in a trembling voice, as if seeking an answer.

“Seo Dohyun.”

—Yes. I’m on my way.

A low voice quietly echoed through the earphones.

What would you do now? The question remained unasked. The man drew a knife and lunged at Yigeom like a bullet.

“Start!”

—Okay.

Seo Dohyun’s ability unfolded, and Yigeom felt a strange sensation.

Did it start? It must have, right? Only Seo Dohyun could determine when his ability began, and it always came without warning to Yigeom, making it difficult to be certain.

It’s still far away. Then,

Bang—! Bang—!

Yigeom put down the dagger and chose the pistol.

He fired in rapid succession, but both shots missed. It wasn’t that Yigeom missed, but that the man’s body reacted quickly and dodged.

Then, by chance, a bullet flew towards the man’s face. He raised his hand to cover his face. His skin, which should have been human, transformed grotesquely, like a Creature’s.

The bullet was easily blocked by the back of his hand.

It was the first time Yigeom witnessed it. The Creature transformation that only Blood Hunters could perform. So that’s what it looks like.

“Creature transformation. You’re lucky to witness this form.”

“Yeah. I often win the lottery too.”

Considering he encountered another Blood Hunter like this.

Yigeom deliberately prolonged the conversation to buy time. This was his last bullet. He had to carefully aim and land a decisive shot.