The shock was enough to make my eyes fly open, but my body held out even against a mechanical bullet imbued with psychic power. I hadn't come out unscathed from shielding Dr. Jin.
"Ugh..."
For a moment, I initiated my Self-Healing Ability amidst the pile of machinery. Thanks to the outstanding regenerative power of Black Ether, the wounds on my body could be healed quickly. And as soon as I was healed, I summoned it from the palm of my hand.
Poison-type level 2. The only summoned beast I could currently call upon as a Summoner. The Crimson Venom Snake.
Kwwaaaaang.
I knew it after clashing with Na Ji-hwan earlier. As befitting an A-ranker, his strength was immense, but his speed was on the slow side. He wouldn't be able to dodge the Crimson Venom Snake's attack before he even realized it was coming.
No, to be precise, he couldn't 'block for someone else'. In the end, my prediction was spot on, and I was able to subdue Oh Jin-ah, who was next to Na Ji-hwan, in an instant. The Crimson Venom Snake, being far from precise, couldn't swallow Oh Jin-ah's entire body.
Her cold, lifeless hand rolled across the floor, but I didn't feel any particular guilt. These two were more vicious than mindless Monsters.
"You son of a bitch...!!"
Having lost his comrade, Na Ji-hwan slowly approached, gripping a large device. Seeing how it blocked the Poison Flame I shot earlier, it didn't seem to be an ordinary weapon. I checked for information through my V1, but nothing came up.
Since they weren't Hunters from an official group to begin with, that machine also seemed to be an illegal piece of equipment. 'It doesn't matter.' Through my heightened senses, I could clearly see the condition of the axe he was holding.
The reason Poison-type Hunters are called the best is not just because of the diversity of their abilities. The very composition of the energy they emit is a substance of extreme poison. No matter how strong the material, it couldn't possibly remain intact after a direct confrontation with Black Ether.
I asked him, half-mockingly.
"That axe of yours. Is it made of Pranium?"
"What bullshit is that!"
I'd guessed from his expression, but he was in no state to talk things out. Instead of answering me, Na Ji-hwan raised the chillingly sharp blade of his axe, its power nearly on par with an S-rank. 'Let's use this chance to check.'
I twisted my right wrist, intentionally exposing it to the attack's range. On my exposed arm, there was only a single thin device. The successor to the Exa, a bracelet-shaped device called Pracel.
Considering the incoming axe blade, the bracelet looked incredibly precarious. But I didn't hesitate to bring Pracel up against the axe's blade.
Pakang!!
For such an impact, a surprisingly clear(?) sound spread in all directions. An axe held in two hands versus a bracelet simply worn on an arm. Common sense made it obvious which one would shatter.
But Pranium completely defied that common sense.
Jjeojeok.
"???!!!"
Na Ji-hwan's small eyes looked like they were about to pop out of his head. He seemed thoroughly shocked. To be honest, I was exclaiming in admiration inwardly as well.
I had expected it to some extent, but his axe blade was truly shattered. On the other hand, my Pracel was completely unharmed, without a single scratch. It was like hitting a rock with an egg, only for the rock to break.
Na Ji-hwan forgot his anger and just stared blankly at his device.
"H... how?!"
There were two reasons his axe shattered. One, the Pracel on my wrist was made of the hardest material in the world. And two, it had already begun to corrode when it blocked the Poison Flame earlier.
Na Ji-hwan might not have been able to see it, but I saw it clearly. The man's device had already lost its original luster. It couldn't beat Pranium even in perfect condition, yet he struck with all his might while it was corroded?
The device shattering was an inevitable outcome. I extended my right hand toward his bewildered face. You can find out the reason in hell.
Hwareuk.
Na Ji-hwan hastily raised both arms to block, but it wasn't long before cracks began to form on his body. The Poison Flame, which I could use after my Poison-type level increased, fundamentally possessed the power of S-rank psychic power.
With the toxicity of Black Ether added to it, it was not an attack an A-rank Knight could block in the first place.
Puuk.
It didn't even take a few seconds for his blocking arms and torso to be pierced through. The man died on his knees, and thus the two intruders met their end.
"Dr. Jin...!"
Without a moment to assess the situation, I rushed to Dr. Jin. Using the Crimson Venom Snake and then Poison Flame consecutively made me dizzy. But compared to Dr. Jin, my condition was mild.
It was a miracle that an ordinary person was still breathing after suffering a mental attack from an S-rank Esper. I had healed him immediately, but could I restore Dr. Jin to his former self?
"Hiiiiieeeeek!!"
Unfortunately, that was not the case. As soon as Dr. Jin regained consciousness, he began tearing at his hair with both hands and screaming. I gritted my teeth and poured healing energy into him, but Dr. Jin's already broken mind showed no signs of recovery.
Seeing Dr. Jin become a madman felt like my world was collapsing. Was I supposed to just stand by and watch Dr. Jin go insane? -Kku... Just then, something shimmering fluttered before my eyes.
It was the brilliantly colored leaf that Ppori had been carrying all day. After confirming the leaf's identity, I couldn't help but let out a gasp.
"Ah!!"
Even a mountain ginseng hunter finding a legendary root wouldn't feel like this. A single leaf of the Gold Eternal Flower, left over after saving Iron Arm's wife. Ppori had dropped the petal from above my head.
"With this..."
I forced Dr. Jin to lie down and placed the Gold Eternal Flower's petal on his head. There wasn't really a specific way to use it. Just like when I healed Iron Arm's wife, all I had to do was place the petal on the area that needed treatment.
The problem was whether this one small petal could reverse Dr. Jin's condition.
"Umm..."
Dr. Jin, who had briefly fallen into a state of sleep, frowned. I watched his condition with an anxious heart. We hadn't known each other long, but he was like family to me.
Not only did he teach me how to become a Hunter, but the devices he gave me were still in my eyes, my heart, and on my arm. Judging from the words of the deceased Oh Jin-ah, their target was me, not Dr. Jin. I couldn't forgive someone getting hurt because of me for no reason.
Seureuk...
The thumb-sized petal completely melted and seeped into Dr. Jin's head. A moment later. A familiar way of speaking came from Dr. Jin as he opened his mouth.
"Hae-seon... is that you?"
"...!!"
Dr. Jin's consciousness had returned. A wave of emotion washed over me, realizing how desperate I had been. What a relief.
It's truly a relief.
"Yes, Dr. Jin. I've taken care of the attackers, so you can rest easy."
"I see... You saved me."
"It's thanks to this little one." -Kkuwang!
Ppori flew to Dr. Jin and nuzzled his cheek. Since it had lived with Dr. Jin before coming to me, it must have been worried sick as well. As I watched Dr. Jin stroking Ppori for a moment, a question suddenly occurred to me.
When I left the house, Ppori had been particularly stubborn today. It had stubbornly refused to let go of the Gold Eternal Flower leaf. Could it be that it knew something like this would happen?
'No way...'
I entertained the thought for a moment but soon shook my head. If my assumption was correct, that wasn't just a 'hunch,' but practically on the level of 'prophecy.' Ppori might be a spirit beast, but there was no way it had such precognitive abilities.
In any case, thanks to Ppori bringing the Gold Eternal Flower, I was able to save Dr. Jin. 'The problem is...' I looked up at the gaping hole in the ceiling, toward the sky.
The attackers couldn't have destroyed this place while thinking about the aftermath. Soon, the area would be bustling with the sound of explosions and unauthorized construction. I couldn't just leave the already weakened Dr. Jin here.
I had to take care of him, at least until his body recovered.
Well, then.
Who should I ask for help?
"Hmm."
I scrolled through my phone's contact list, trying to think of someone who could resolve this situation. The black market folks didn't have contact numbers, and I didn't want to ask them anyway. Bi-soo or Iron Arm would help in a heartbeat, but they were too far away from Busan.
Representative Ga Yeol-chan of the Bishop Guild, who was based in Busan, came to mind, but he had close ties with the Hunter Association, so showing him Dr. Jin would be risky. Someone who was hostile to the Association like me, friendly to me, and shared a secret with me. There was just one person...
"I guess that's the only way."
"?"
I gave a slight smile to Dr. Jin, who had a question mark floating over his head, and then called someone from my contacts.
[Hunter Cheon Hae-seon!]
A polite voice came from over the phone.
[You picked up even though it's a company phone?]
[What kind of phone it is doesn't matter. What matters is who called.]
Maybe it was because he was a businessman. He was a pro at making the listener feel good. But I didn't have time to react to such lip service.
There was no telling when this place would be exposed to the outside world.
[I'd like to explain the situation in detail, but I'm short on time, so I'll be brief.]
[Please, go ahead.]
[I'd like to trade the information I have for transportation.]
[A trade. So that's why you called the company phone.]
I always felt this way, but it was easy to talk to this man because we were on the same wavelength.
[Yes. Please send a helicopter to the address I give you. You'll know where it is once you're nearby.]
[Of course. What is the location?]
[... Aren't you agreeing a little too easily?]
[Haha. It's because I trust you, Hunter Cheon Hae-seon.]
Well, it was a nice thing to say, but his ready agreement made me a bit suspicious.
[... Here it is.]
[How fortunate. As it happens, one of our research staff is on a business trip near Geoje Island.]
I had experience riding in a helicopter from the Blue Sword Guild before. With a modern helicopter fueled by Ether, it wouldn't take very long.
[I will call you one minute before the helicopter lands.]
[Thank you.]
I ended the call after hearing him say that he was grateful to be able to solidify our connection like this.
"Now, while we wait..."
I searched through the deceased Na Ji-hwan's belongings. These people were clearly hired to kill me. Judging from their conversation, it seemed there was another party involved, which meant the attacks on me could be repeated.
Dr. Jin's hideout was in a secluded place. A landlocked area without even a road. There was a reason they blew this place up without thinking about the consequences.
'The question is, how did they manage to tail me...' The area where I lived had long been public knowledge ever since I became a Hunter. Tailing me wouldn't be difficult if someone set their mind to it.
What I was curious about was how they managed to get past my surveillance and follow me. Especially after my psychic power developed, my senses had become incredibly sharp, allowing me to easily detect the presence of anyone following me, whether they were a Hunter or an ordinary person.
"That was probably Oh Jin-ah's ability."
Dr. Jin spoke with difficulty as I was lost in thought.
"Oh Jin-ah's?"
"Yes... From what I know, the Oh Jin-ah of the past was an Esper who specialized in utility rather than combat. She was known to have weak combat power for an S-ranker."
To have such powerful Illusion Technique and Iron Control, yet be called weak in combat. It was a moment that made me realize just how difficult it was to face an S-rank Hunter.
"But it was said that Oh Jin-ah's Stealth was unrivaled, acknowledged by all. I've only heard stories, but they say she could hide not only her own presence but her comrades' as well. Perfectly."
It must have been perfect to have gotten past my surveillance. To think she used such an ability for mere contract killings. I searched Na Ji-hwan's pockets, but found nothing of value.
Only an anonymous prepaid card and a small amount of cash. He didn't even have a phone to contact anyone.
Dududududududu.
"Well, if they have business with me, they'll come find me themselves."
I muttered as I looked up at the sky. The helicopter sent by Do I-su, the person I had just called, was already hovering overhead.