There was a reason why Jin-Woo seemed unusually tense. When he noticed that Haru was asking the elf about the real plot behind this battle, Jin-Woo's attention went toward his family.
However, how much he tried prying through the shadows and watching through the eyes of the high orcs he had placed to guard his family, nothing seemed evident. It was like a blur and since it was happening for the first time, Jin-Woo knew something was not right.
However, he wasn't able to do anything about it since the female monster was keeping Cha Hae-In and Jin-Woo at bay. If not for the undying support of his shadow soldiers and the buff Min Byung-Gyu was providing, the fight would have taken a bad turn.
The humanoid monster whom Haru called the Queen of Insects was anything but an enemy to draw into close combat easily. She was keeping her distance and deploying the army of undead monsters and humans as her slaves against the shadow army.
Jin-Woo and Cha Hae-In were able to maintain the battle at a neutral point but their concern for his family made Jin-Woo anxious a bit as he finally let go of his restraints and utilizing his Stealth and Mutilation, he was able to land a decisive blow on the ueen and gain the much-needed window to asses what actually have been going on back at his home.
The next time Jin-Woo tried reaching his parents through his shadow, it connected but....
****
It has been merely three minutes since Jin-Woo alerted Haru about Jinah's absence from the house and the bits and pieces of information he was able to hear from his parents regarding the matter.
Two individuals, clearly not human had barged into their house out of nowhere and because of their mere presence, Jin-Woo wasn't able to connect with his shadows. The motive of the two intruders was only the single person who could drive both Jin-Woo and Haru into a corner.
Jinah.
In merely three minutes Haru had obliterated the other two monsters including the one with whom Cha Hae-In and Jin-Woo were fighting. Those two were just banished into nothingness.
The only one left was the ice elf who was trying to use some kind of skill to fortify his defenses and even dared to use sneak attacks but everything was rendered useless by Haru who seemed agitated like never before.
If death had a face then Haru was currently the perfect replication of it.
[Khek! If you kill me-]
"Who said we are going to kill you?" Jin-Woo, the only person who was able to communicate with the monster who dared abduct his sister, used the blade of the Demon King before he sliced the left arm of the elf.
Haru was lifting the Monarch of Frost in the air without any movement as he allowed Jin-Woo to cut each limb of the elf slowly and painfully.
Haru was thankful that Jin-Woo took the initiative since he would not have been able to control himself from killing the worm within a single hit.
The frosty would live until Haru doesn't get Jinah back. But after that...
"What do you need?" Haru's solemn voice attracted the gaze of the wounded monarch and the other three before the creature spoke in a hissing voice.
[A trade for lives. I need the vessel and in return, the girl would be returned safe and sound. ]
Jin-Woo heard and translated, replacing the word 'Vessel' with himself since he had long understood whom these monsters referred to as 'Vessel'.
Despite the fact he didn't know the meaning of it, Jin-Woo was assured that these monsters somehow were wary of him or most probably the system he possessed.
Haru remained silent for a bit before he asked, not the monster but the man beside him, "Sunbae...do you trust me?"
Jin-Woo wasn't sure why Haru asked this all of a sudden but he readily assented to his question with a simple, "Yes."
Haru's pearl-like eyes remained transfixed on the limbless monarch all the time before he forwarded the condition of this deal.
"You have to take me with you as well if you want Sunbae."
The Monarch of Frost had a changed expression into a malicious smirk as he worded his response with a snort.
[You think I am a fool to-]
*CRACK*
The elf was not able to continue his snickering as suddenly Haru advanced toward the sovereign and took a clutch of the elf's upper jaw. The strength Haru applied behind his grip was enough to crack the feeble bones of the yapping bitch.
Without even understanding what the Monarch was saying, Haru could somehow sense he was mocking Haru's proposal which nearly broke the Six Eye possessor's limit of tolerance.
His eyes gleamed with nothing but sheer lust for blood as while maintaining contact with the elf's eyes, Haru spoke in a tone colder than ice the Monarch could conjure.
"Do you think you have to leeway to reject my proposal?" Haru's grip only continued to tighten, making every single facial bone of the Monarch's vessel crack.
The Frost Monarch did try conjuring his spell but to no avail...nothing was working in front of the anomaly at all!
['This is bad...I need to end this pest as well or he will become an obstacle afterwards.... ']
The Monarch of the Frost needs some reliable allies to finish off Haru and Jin-Woo was what he decided. Fighting the Anomaly in such a disgraceful state was nothing short of an impossible task.
He decided to better isolate the Anomaly and charge at him from every corner possible.
[... I agree. ]
Haru glanced at Jin-Woo before he saw the man nod.
Haru finally let go of the elf but didn't release him from the bounds of his infinity.
Returning to Jin-Woo and Cha Hae-In and the healer Min Byung-Gyu, Haru was about to say something regarding the matter when suddenly, "I will also go. "
"If possible take me with you as well, hunter Nanase."
Both Cha Hae-In and Min Byung-Gyu jumped in to announce their participation but Haru shook his head and replied, "I appreciate your courage and kindness but neither that elf would allow anyone other than I and Sunbae to enter their hideout nor I would take a risk of taking you both two there."
Cha Hae-In's shoulders dropped by being reminded how powerless she was despite being an S-rank to be instilled senses by a teenager. She knew she would only get in Haru and Jin-Woo's way if she insisted so with a soft nod she fell silent.
Jin-Woo noticed the change of expression the blond had but he held himself from consoling the woman since his primary focus was congregated at something else.
"Haru..."
"Ah, yeah?"Finding the weight over his shoulder Haru turned to look at his senior who held a determined gaze at him before Jin-Woo said something that somehow made Haru relieved.
"Don't worry...we will save her. "
Even though he already knew that he would not let anything happen to Jinah, Haru felt his heart regaining its usual tempo hearing such words from Jin-Woo.
"Surely we will... "
*****
A/N: - Drop a comment if you liked the chapter~