The wolf rose up from walking on all its fours. The size of the wolf, which was large enough to have easily carried a grown man in its mouth, became smaller. The haired hide changed into a hardened armor suit. Its long protruded claws were like having drawn many scimitars, simultaneously.
It would have been perfect only if it had been a full moon. Unfortunately, it was a half moon, and not very bright either.
– Krrr.
Although he has become smaller, a lycanthrope that was easily the twice the size of Song Taewon stared at me. To be more precise, he was staring at my heart. Certainly, it would look tasty.
"The lycan form has been specialized for man to man warfare. With its extremely hard body, no traits of weakness, and quicker than the wolf form, the range of its attack is also narrow."
Fortunately, taking out an intact cell phone, he said, after alerting the association of the appearance of an S-level monster. Cell phone, hope that you will remain intact until the end.
'Before the bastard's return, the bastard had also been captured by Song Taewon .'
Since the bastard was extremely agile, and ordinary people did not pick fights with it, Yuhyun and Sung Hyunjae were also told not to engage it as they would be in much greater danger. They had the firepower to destroy a small army.
"Is all that I need to do is to keep it engaged?"
Song Taewon said without taking his eyes off of the lycan.
"Yes. Only that I can't just keep holding onto it. As you know, due to the low stat, I won't know when I would lose my grip."
As I did not have the strength to hold on to it, I kept getting bounced around, yes.
"As I've increased it to the level of an SS-level damage cancellation, you can use it as a shield."
Upon hearing that it could be useful, Song Taewon's eyes moved towards me. Wait, if you remove your attention from it that way.
Pajeek! The lycan took off with the sound of clawing the ground. Without even moving from his position, Song Taewon extended out one of his free arms towards the protruding front claw. Engulfed by a black shadow, the arm bent slightly and it went into underneath the claw.
Pajeek!
The claw ripped the skin through the thin summer shirt. A line of red streak was made and blood splattered. Although the young claw has raked pretty good, the S-level skill caused the wound to be negligible. It was because the skill has been cancelled by the engulfing shadow and that there only remained a simple physical force.
Tup. Song Taewon's hand grabbed the lycan's wrist. With the bulging veins, the fingers penetrated the haired hide. The SS-level defensive skill caused the incapacitation of the black armor.
-Kaaack!
Bewildered, the lycan tried to escape from the grasp, but Song Taewon's movement was quicker. Pududdd. Simultaneously with turning of the beast's arm, the beast was being pulled in. It was followed by a powerful knee kick to the opposite direction of the joint. Of course, it was all done being engulfed by the shadow. The cracking sound of the bone was heard loudly.
In a blink of an eye, the bastard's arm dangled as it cracked.
-Krrrrr!
Having barely withdrawn its arm, the lycan quickly retreated back and snarled. Song Taewon lightly shook off his finger. The carcass and blood fell off.
"It was originally a very narrow ranged skill. It can be directed to two places at the same time as well."
He said quietly. It must have been in reference to incapacitating the opponent's skills. It would be a scam if the range was wide.
Song Taewon moved as if he was carrying me off with one arm. His feet became heavier. It was the skill that calibrates the body, and the density of the weapon.
That was exercised in two batches.
Kwang-!
With incredible amount of pressure, the asphalt shattered into pieces. Even the ground underneath was dug up deeply. Even though it was an S-level, it was an exercise of power that was difficult to produce by a human's size and weight, not to mention in a stationary position.
Song Taewon moved towards the lycan, piercing through the spattering black debris. The wolf dodged by instinctively bending its body. At the moment when Song Taewon was believed to be brushing by the top of the lycan,
Pajeek!
The lycan's neck was grasped by the extended arm. Somersaulting, making a greatly loop in the air, the tip of the foot smashed into the back, which was covered by the haired hide.
-Kaaack!
The beast, having screamed and spewed out blood with its back half blown up, began to puff up its body.
Shreek-
The wire that was drawn at no time wound up the neck of the bastard that turned its body as if to escape. Certainly, it wasn't an ordinary metallic wire. Yet, it wasn't a weapon that was appropriate to be used by an S-level, either. It was rather an ordinary weapon that even a mid-level hunter would use only as an auxiliary capacity.
As the wire was being pulled, lycan quickly swung its claw. Just before the claw was to make contact with the wire, there was a black light.
Ting!
In an ordinary situation, the wire would have been cut, but the metallic wire held its integrity although it looked like it was half way broken. With the unexpected result, the lycan lost its composure and was being pulled in quickly. As Song Taewon quickly lowered the wire that was wrapped around his hand, he raised the tip of his foot high.
Paduddduck!
The heel, smashing down like an ax, nearly ripped the wolf's neck in half. The lycan was able to survive the attack, only by merely twisting his body.
Even without any weapons, he was making a mess out of the S-level monster that was supposed to have strong and durable body. With one-way pummeling, lycan rolled around the ground with its tongue hanging out.
-Krrruuung!
The blood soaked hands hit and grabbed the lower jaw of the wolf that was showing its teeth in revolt. The upper and lower jaws smashed into each other, and it swayed as Song Taewon's thick wrist made a big circular motion.
Kwang!
Falling on its back, the lycan's head smashed through the ground. The pieces of asphalt splattered like blood. Song Taewon's knee was pushing down on the wolf's neck, and his bare hand was twisting the uninjured arm.
-Kr, Krrr!
Although the stats weren't the same, they were still the same S-levels. There should have been a great difference between the strengths as it was twice the size, it was that only the two legs of the lycan wriggled without being able to put up much of a fight.
It was because Song Taewon's current weight was heavier than the lycan's.
As its back was being twisted, lycan's kicks weren't able to reach its target, and Song Taewon nonchalantly crushed the remaining intact arm. Then he drew a sword, and after engulfing black shadow of the cancellation effect at the tip of the sword, he pierced it just below, and through the lower jaw of the lycan.
Pududuuck.
The sword travelled through from below the jaw and the crane. Twisting as if to be digging the ground, its struggles slowly came to a halt under Song Taewon's knee.
In the midst of the thick stench of blood, Song Taewon rose up as he dropped his sword. As I was being carried in one of his arms, I too stood up after him.
"Now, then you would take care of gate side as well?"
I said as I examined Song Taewon's expression. He still had a brusque and cool countenance. On the surface, he didn't appear to be inspired by sharing the skill. Perhaps, he was more on the side of guarding it as he shared, rather than envying it like Sung Hyunjae.
So, it seemed to be a right time to entertain the idea.
'Not budging at all.'
His dark sunken eyes turned their attention towards me. His eyes were slowly lowered and were fixated on the exposed wound on the chest, which was visible through the torn shirt.
"How did you get hurt."
"It's nothing."
"If it was nothing then it would not be there. Healers and potions can be used at any time. Mostly, the head of the Hayeon Guild would not have left it alone."
Well… Maybe now for sure.
"It's a wound that even Yoohyun does not know about. As for me, my motto is to conserve potions."
"If Yoohyun does not know about it then it could not have been there for long. The shirt had been lost at the Lake Dungeon, that is."
Was it the implication that if the wound came about prior to that time then Yoohyun would have already heard about it since many people would have seen it.
"One can easily get injured during one's lifetime."
"A knife wound on the chest, let alone on the hand, does not normally happen."
He took out the potion as he said that. Although the potion was poured down on the wound, there was not any change.
"The wolf was always looking for the opportunity to get to Han Yoojin. It appeared that the swarm of bees was also chasing after Han Yoojin who was not a Noah Hunter. Even the male bees have come out to attack as well."
What have you done. A weighted voice inquired.
"Although you are not required to answer."
Song Taewon's hand tightly grabbed my arm. Please be calm and let's talk about it.
"Not just before the high level hunter, but you were also calm before the monster as well. Truly, is it also a skill to not be able to feel fear."
I didn't come here to be interrogated. Perhaps, it was a mistake to remain so calm even when the wolves were gnawing. Should have shown some fear.
As I did not answer, Song Taewon grabbed my neck.
"The name of my skill is ingrained plundering. With a short time of contact during battles, it is possible to only partially incapacitate the opponent's skill, but by investing much time on it, it is possible to effectuate much greater result."
"…Wait a minute."
Song Taewon executed a skill on me as I was feeling discomfort. Even though the effect in the contract was being executed, simultaneously.
'…It's no use in this way.'
The contractual penalty was none other than a temporary paralysis. With that, it would be possible for other friendly hunter, who had been attacked, would have sufficient time to rescue me. However, I was all alone at this time, and it was impossible for me to open Song Taewon's stiffened grasp with my strength.
It was not fathomable to consider that a person who has granted a shared skill would attack me. Gosh, if I was attacked in a corner with an attack skill and breach the contract, there would be no one who could rescue me, so the skill sharing would continuously be delayed and it would be like nullifying penalties. Geez, I should remove myself from being a friendly hunter, from the contract, or something.
As I established a lesson in which it was difficult to write a contract, Song Taewon was being freed from the paralysis. And the skill that has been halted began to reinitiate as well. Although it was an attack skill, perhaps as it was a skill directed to a non hunter, the damage cancellation did not work.
"Gosh, the effect is…"
"You can degrade one of the opponent's skills by one level."
Bewildered, I opened the status window.
[Fear Resistance (L)(SSS) – Cancellation of below legendary level coercion]
The fear resistance skill has been leveled down. Although, based on the persistence of L-level, it appeared to have been only temporary.
(SS)
Once again, after another level has been lowered, the level fell down to the S-level. Maybe it was because now that I was at the equal level as Song Taewon, I felt a slight coolness. Yet, it felt OK still.
"How far can you lower the skill?"
"Normally, it would be about 3 levels."
But since a double effect exists now….
(A)
My heart sank suddenly. Shit, wait a second.
"Enough now, I'll explain."
Song Taewon did not even hear me even in passing. Then B and then C. The repulsive stench of blood reached my nose once again. My heart beat a bit faster. Damn it.
"The effective time depends on the opponent's level. It has not been used on an S-level, and the effect continues for about a half a day on an A-level. On an F-level, I suppose it would last for over four days."
"So, are you going to threaten me to reveal everything that I was hiding at this time."
"Hence, stop being an item for the monsters. Before I shatter it."
"What?"
Song Taewon continued calmly.
"I overwhelmingly felt the reason for the chief of the Saesung Guild to be eying it. You were very useful. Even to the level of being excessively stimulating. I even slightly felt compelled to go on a hunt for monsters, like now."
That monster is not an implication of being the monster. Mr. Noah, do not ever come this way.
"At the same time, I felt that it wouldn't be prudent to leave Han Yoojin at peace."
"I am going to be certain to use it at every chance after modifying the contract."
"Do be afraid. To the level of rejecting the notion of being taken to dangerous places. And to the level that I wouldn't want to kill you."
"Those who are normally in fear of Song Taewon wouldn't be harmed, Aaah…"
Suddenly, the intense feeling of pressure has become stronger. I was shaking uncontrollably. However, what was worse was the teacher skill. As the opponent's strength was directly felt, my body not only became frozen, but spiritually felt my neck being squeezed.
As the skill was withdrawn quickly, breathing was possible. Without the fear resistance kill, it wasn't possible to use even the teacher skill.
"Mr. Song Taewon. I will do what I need to do whether I feel fear or not."
I spoke, clenching my teeth. I did OK for 5 years even without the fear resistance skill. If I was to stay put at home due to a bit of fear, I would have done that long time ago.
In the end, what I was most fearful of was not the threats of a mere S-level hunter.
"And, Song Taewon, are you not the one who is truly afraid. Don't make others your excuses. Since you are being drawn in, you want to kill me, isn't that right?."
Although I mentioned and mixed others as part of the excuse, it was Song Taewon, himself, who felt compelled or wanted to kill me in the end. I reached out and grabbed Song Taewon's collar. As our eyes met, I felt like throwing up, going beyond feeling fearful.
"Just tell me honestly. What do you want to do. However, you must make a choice. If you insist on your current position, I am going to erase your effectiveness. Cause it becomes a hurdle. If you want to live an ordinary life then just live as a government worker."
"Do you have the skills to do that."
"Sure in some way. I'll tie you up to a position and will employee every method to try to prevent that help could not be asked of Song Taewon. Since you're a government worker, you must follow the superior's instructions?"
It might not be easy, but if Song Taewon was to actually live like a government worker then it wasn't something that couldn't be done.
"Quietly forget about what happened today."
"…Truly you are a difficult person."
Murmuring quietly, he brought his hand to my wrist. That was, on the wrist band, to be exact. At that moment, my heart beat greatly. His thick fingers held on to the wrist band. At the same time, a blue bird flattered out of it.
-Chirp! Chirrrp!
It was a high toned sound as if to give a warning.
Flutter!
There was a sudden fire. Red flame separated Song Taewon and me, and unable to take the heat that went beyond the range of plundering skill, Song Taewon quickly retreated, leaving me there.
-Beek-beek!
There felt a grace on top of my wrist. Next to it, Iryn, the red lizard appeared.
"Lynn? How did you…."
-Hyung, you said you weren't going to go outside. What are you doing here.
"…Yoohyun?"
The voice that came out of the lizard was truly the sound of Yoohyun's voice.