<Episode 75>
Still, now that we had come all this way, we couldn’t exactly turn around and go back home. In the end, I reluctantly entered the gate, feeling like I was swallowing bitter medicine.
“…This is a gate?”
The gate I stepped into while following Hunter Lee Hyunwoo was nothing like the bleak wastelands or damp caves I knew.
“This place is called the ‘Forest of Fantasy’ among hunters. The Management Bureau designated it as a safe-grade gate and opened it for training purposes.”
Lee Hyunwoo Hunter naturally took the lead and guided me forward. As I stepped ahead, soft moss squished beneath my feet, and a pleasantly cool breeze drifted through the dense forest, brushing against my hair.
More than anything, though, what captured my attention was the sky. Unlike Earth’s blue sky, the sky here was dyed a dreamy pink, as if sunset lasted forever.
“Wow… It’s really beautiful. It feels like we stepped into a fairy tale!”
“Do you like it?”
“Yes! I can see why you confidently recommended it.”
Hanyang also seemed to like the place, hopping energetically through the bushes.
“Hanyang, don’t go too far!”
Following the unusually excited Hanyang, we slowly walked deeper into the forest path. The tension I’d been carrying, worrying that monsters might suddenly jump out, gradually melted away beneath the pink sky and the scent of grass.
When we reached a suitable clearing, Lee Hyunwoo Hunter stopped and turned toward me.
“This should do.”
“…Is there something here?”
No matter how much I looked around, all I saw were trees. I blinked in confusion.
“I heard you’ve been diligently attending training sessions. Would it be possible for me to see your skills today?”
“You mean my shooting skills?”
Come to think of it, Lee Hyunwoo Hunter had once said he wanted to practice shooting with me. Apparently, today was the day.
“Hm… well, I guess there’s no reason not to!”
I pulled out the silver handgun Juhee had gifted me from my inventory. The familiar grip fit snugly into my hand. This was my chance to show off the shooting skills I’d honed through hellish training sessions under Trainer Choi Ganggeon.
“That blue fruit over there should make a good target.”
Lee Hyunwoo Hunter pointed at a blue fruit with black spots hanging about twenty meters away. I took a deep breath and spread my feet shoulder-width apart just as I’d learned.
‘Relax your shoulders, control your breathing…’
Carefully, I aimed at the target. Sure, I had auto-aim correction, but ultimately I was still the one pulling the trigger.
Bang!
With a crisp, explosive sound, the fruit burst apart in every direction. I grinned proudly.
“Perfect hit! Did you see that?”
“Impressive.”
Lee Hyunwoo Hunter clapped lightly. To prove it wasn’t luck, I immediately pulled the trigger again.
Bang, bang!
Two nearby fruits exploded one after another.
“Your stance is very stable. You really trained hard.”
“Of course. I went consistently even after exhausting workdays!”
“As expected, you’re diligent. I’m glad I introduced you to it.”
Lee Hyunwoo Hunter nodded as if he’d always believed in me. At first, I hadn’t even known the first thing about shooting. At this point, maybe I could at least protect myself in an emergency?
Feeling pleased, I was about to return the gun to my inventory when he spoke with a serious expression.
“I think you’re ready for the next stage. Try aiming at a moving target.”
“…A moving target?”
He picked up a rock the size of my face from the ground and lightly tossed it into the air. I hurriedly tried to aim at the flying rock, but it was moving much faster than I expected, making it hard to catch the timing.
“Ah—!”
I hastily pulled the trigger, but it was too late.
As I lamented the miss, a large presence suddenly approached from behind me. It was Lee Hyunwoo Hunter.
“Relax your shoulders a bit more. Keep your eyes on the target until the very end.”
He wrapped an arm around my shoulders and reached over to place his hand over mine. The position felt almost like he was hugging me from behind, and my heart immediately began pounding.
‘Ugh, this position is kind of embarrassing.’
His low voice brushed against my ears, and I could feel the firmness of his chest behind me…. I needed to focus on shooting, but all my senses kept drifting toward him instead.
“Now then, let’s try hitting a slightly more difficult target.”
Guiding my hand, he aimed toward a bird-like monster perched on a branch, one with five eyes. Goosebumps prickled along the ear touched by his breath.
“…Now.”
The moment I heard his voice, I pulled the trigger.
Bang!
This time it hit.
“Well done.”
The corners of his lips lifted faintly in praise. I awkwardly cleared my throat, trying to hide my flushed face.
After that, we continued practicing shooting. Lee Hyunwoo Hunter sometimes demonstrated techniques himself, and other times I shot targets he tossed into the air.
“Hanyang! Did you see that shot just now?”
“Hmph. Your form is finally starting to look decent.”
“Hehe. Of course! Who do you think I am?”
After hitting a tree quite far away, I stomped my feet in excitement. Then my eyes suddenly met Lee Hyunwoo Hunter’s, who was smiling just a step behind me.
“C-Cough.”
Feeling oddly embarrassed, I brushed my hair behind my ear and slowly looked away. Hesitating for a moment, I carefully spoke.
“…Thank you, Hunter.”
“For what?”
“For bringing me here. If I’d stayed alone, I think I would’ve kept feeling depressed.”
The sudden long vacation he’d taken. The shooting practice inside the gate. All of it had been considered for me while I was feeling down.
Apparently embarrassed by the praise, Lee Hyunwoo Hunter smiled and changed the subject.
“It seems the sun is setting.”
Now that I looked, the pink sky had deepened into purple. Cradled in my arms, Hanyang tilted his head back to look at the darkening sky.
“This gate contains only two times: twilight and night.”
Just as he said, darkness soon fell over the gate. And once the light vanished, another face of the forest revealed itself.
Twinkle, twinkle.
Tiny lights began appearing one by one among the bushes.
“Wow, it’s so beautiful.”
“They’re low-rank monsters called ‘Lumina Wings.’ They’re barely aggressive and tend to travel in groups while emitting light.”
The moment he finished speaking, hundreds… no, thousands… of Lumina Wings filled the forest. Like a galaxy pouring down from the heavens, colorful lights swirled around us. It was far too fantastical and beautiful to be called monsters.
“Wow….”
I could only stare speechlessly at the sight. The resentment, anxiety, and sadness I’d felt while shutting down the shop… all those negative emotions felt as though they were being washed away by the sea of lights. Even Hanyang, nestled in my arms, silently took in the magical scenery with wide eyes.
“Please sit comfortably here. I prepared it beforehand.”
At the place he pointed to, two camping chairs had somehow already been set up. There was even a small bonfire in front of them. The scene looked just like a camping trip, making me laugh softly.
“A delicious meal is essential for this kind of atmosphere! Luckily, I brought something.”
Sitting down in the chair, I pulled out the sotteok-sotteok skewers I’d made that morning for the picnic. Since I’d stored them immediately after making them, they were still warm.
“Say ah~.”
“…I can feed myself.”
“Come on, your hands will get messy. Just eat while I hold it.”
When I teasingly pushed the skewer toward him, he reluctantly opened his mouth and bit into both the rice cake and sausage at once. His puffed cheeks looked so cute that I couldn’t help smiling.
“How is it? It’s our shop’s new product.”
“Mm. The texture is… interesting. Chewy, then it bursts. I can’t really taste the flavor, but it feels pleasant.”
He smiled faintly. Illuminated by the flickering campfire, his face looked softer than usual.
While I was at it, I also took out the chicken breast cubes I’d brought for Hanyang. Watching Hanyang happily gobble them down, Lee Hyunwoo Hunter let out a quiet laugh.
“When I’m with you, Hunter Haneul, I forget that I’m an S-rank hunter. It feels like I’m just an ordinary person eating delicious food and going to nice places. And I like that.”
His calm confession made my chest tingle. Staring into the crackling bonfire, I spoke softly.
“…I like it too. Ah, of course! I mean this gate! I mean, I like the gate.”
“Hahaha.”
I forced out an awkward laugh. Lee Hyunwoo Hunter nodded with gentle amusement in his eyes, as if he understood everything.
For a while, we silently watched the sparkling forest. It was a peaceful rest I hadn’t enjoyed in a long time.
And then…
The calmly resting Hanyang suddenly puffed up all his fur and let out a low growl.
“Hanyang? What’s wrong all of a sudden?”
Before I could even finish asking, the eyes of Lee Hyunwoo Hunter, seated beside me, instantly turned icy cold.
“Get down!”
Rustle–CRASH!
The bushes bent and snapped violently, almost screaming in protest. Something was charging straight toward us at terrifying speed.
‘A-A monster?!’
Reflexively, I summoned my gun from my inventory.
At that exact moment, a black shadow burst through the bushes with a bizarre scream.
“OWAAA-AAA-UEEE-OOO!!!”
What kind of language was that? Owau-eo?
While I froze in confusion, the black shadow slammed on the brakes with unbelievable speed right in front of us.
Screeech—!
Sliding across the dirt, the unidentified figure dropped to its knees.
“P-Please help me! Please!!”
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