"...So you're saying that Hwang Dongsuk was bluffing the whole time in prison, pretending to be close to his brother?"
"Exactly. You catch on quick." Kang Taeshik grinned and nodded at Suho's question.
Hwang Dongsuk and Hwang Dongsoo were a notorious fraud duo in Korea, commiting crimes and serving time together for over 20 years. The story of their deep brotherly bond was well-known. Who would have guessed that they suddenly had a falling out? And even if someone had known, it wouldn't have made much difference. Blood-related siblings often fight while growing up. But no matter how much they bicker, they usually make up and become close again, right? However for Hwang Dongsuk, who was locked up in prison alone, that was impossible. No matter how much he wanted to 'reconcile' and get along again, it was impossible without talking to each other first.
"Hwang Dongsuk had no way to contact Hwang Dongsoo, who was hiding from the Association." But… Not having a way to contact him wasn't a problem. It meant that others had no way of confirming that their relationship had soured.
"So Hwang Dongsuk could comfortably threaten others, saying that if they messed with him, Hwang Dongsoo would come visit them or their loved ones."
"That must have been quite effective."
"It was incredibly effective! Only one sentence was needed to make even A-rank villains bow their heads to Hwang Dongsuk."
Suho understood why Hwang Dongsuk had become the prison's kingpin. He had already witnessed the power of an S-rank, like Thomas Andre or his own mother. Someone with similar power becoming an awakened criminal was like a walking natural disaster. From the villains' perspective, defying Hwang Dongsuk meant facing the terrifying prospect of that unstoppable force.
"Moreover, Hwang Dongsuk got lucky. The real reason Hwang Dongsoo was known as an S-rank villain was because of Choi Jongin."
Those who officially work as hunters undergo mana measurement and register with the Hunter Association. However, many villains skip this process. Hwang Dongsoo was one such villain who had never officially measured his mana level. Despite this, he was declared an S-rank villain due to a specific incident.
"Chairman Woo Jinchul sent Choi Jongin to catch him, but he got away. That pretty much sealed the deal." From that day on, Hwang Dongsoo became someone 'untouchable' , as even the Association's strongest S-rank hunter, Choi Jongin, couldn't catch him. He disappeared after that day, but that only made him even scarier. No one knew where he was or what he was plotting.
Listening to his fellow hunters' explanation, Suho asked the question that had been on his mind the most. "Mr. Kang Taeshik, right? How do you know all this?"
"Ah, that?" Kang Taeshik shrugged as if it were nothing.
"I used to be Hwang Dongsuk's cellmate. I heard it directly from him when he was badmouthing his brother before Hwang Dongsoo awakened."
"...You were a villain?"
"No. I awakened while in prison, so I immediately volunteered to become an Association hunter. Is that a satisfactory answer?"
Suho nodded.
The Hunter Association had always been short on manpower since its establishment. In a world where you could rake in money by entering dungeons, who would want to be a civil servant? So, the Association often resorted to recruiting talented individuals from among the villains who showed potential for rehabilitation or hadn't committed serious crimes after awakening. Kang Taeshik was one of them.
"So, what do you think? Do you like my information? Of course, I am not going to stop you if you want to ditch me now and use my info for yourself." Kang Taeshik was surprisingly cool about it.
But he was also clever.
"Ah, of course." Kang Taeshik met Suho's eyes with a meaningful smile.
"This might not be all the information I have. So choose wisely."
"Let's team up."
Kang Taeshik's smile deepened at Suho's response. "Well, that's an expected answer from a young summoner. So we're partners now, right?"
Suho and Kang Taeshik left Jisan Prison together. And they immediately set Gray on the trail of the villains' scent.
"Woof!"
Needless to say, Gray's senses were far superior to those of trained police dogs. He could even smell mana.
"I knew teaming up was the right choice." Kang Taeshik nodded in satisfaction as he followed Gray, who was confidently leading the way.
"Hey, Sung Suho, right? How about we stick together even after this is over?"
"I'll think about it."
"Don't be so hesitant. It's not like summoners are popular in dungeons..."
Thump!
Suddenly, both Suho and Kang Taeshik's expressions changed as they focused ahead. At the end of the path Gray was running towards, they could see a small town.
"...They're hiding in a town, not the forest. This is troublesome." Kang Taeshik's eyes sharpened.
Yamri Village, Yeongbuk-myeon, Pocheon.
In reality, this place was closer to a small town than a city. It was said that in the past, the area was densely forested with pine trees, attracting thieves who thrived in the darkness. Hence the name Yamri (夜味里), meaning "village that enjoys the night." It was surrounded by lush forests and mountains. Pocheon itself was a region with numerous mountains that were the perfect area to hide in, so they naturally assumed the villains would have fled there...
"But they boldly hid in a village inhabited by people?"
"They're using the citizens as hostages."
"This is going to be tricky." Suho and Kang Taeshik, who had been following Gray without hesitation, had to stop at the entrance of the village. From now on, they needed to move with utmost caution. If the villains hiding in the village found out that bounty hunters were coming, things could get complicated.
"Suho, your mana control is..." Hmm. Kang Taeshik looked at Suho with clear surprise in his eyes. He could no longer sense any mana from him.
'Can a Summoner control their mana this perfectly?' Kang Taeshik couldn't help but be amazed.
Summoners have difficulty containing their mana within. This is especially true when they have their summoned beasts out, like now.
"Are you perhaps not a Summoner but... No, never mind." Kang Taeshik was about to ask something but stopped himself.
He then concealed his own mana and hid the dagger he was holding in his bosom. Unlike him Suho had no weapons to hide. He had been carrying all his weapons in the inventory from the start.
"Suho, do you know why I chose you out of all the bounty hunters?"
"You said it was because I'm a Summoner."
"That's the main reason, but also because you look the most basic."
"Basic?"
"Yeah. The most important thing when catching villains is to not look like a hunter."
Most of the bounty hunters gathered at Jisan Prison were wearing armor. Anyone could tell they were hunters just by looking at them. It was natural for them to protect themselves from villain attacks, but the villains weren't fools either; they would simply see them from afar and hide.
But Suho was different.
Just like Kang Taeshik, a professional villain hunter, he looked like an ordinary person on the outside. But that wasn't enough. The young wolf, Gray, was emitting mana. If they entered the village with him like this, it would be like announcing to the villains that a Summoner was here.
But if they unsummoned Gray, they would lose their way to track the villains' scent. When Kang Taeshik pointed this out, Suho looked at Gray.
'His appearance is passable.'
Even though he was a wolf, he was still young and small, so if they put a leash on him, they could pretend they were just taking their pet for a walk.
"Gray, can you hide your mana?"
"Woof?"
Seeing Gray tilt his head in confusion, Suho gave up. Even using Spirit Possession, would just make his own appearance deviate from that of an ordinary person.
Just then.
[The King of Beasts, the Fang Monarch, requests a conversation.]
[Will you accept?]
[Y/N]
'Rakan?' Suho tilted his head in confusion as Rakan suddenly requested a conversation.
'A conversation request out of the blue... Hmm, accept.'
The moment Suho pressed accept.
[Passive skill '(Unknown)' is activated.]
Whoosh!
Suho's vision turned completely white. A world of perfect emptiness. Standing alone at the edge of that vast white world. He couldn't help but feel a sense of déjà vu.
'Didn't I come here once before?'
However the atmosphere here felt distinctly different from back then. The energy here felt wilder and more primal.
'This is...?' Suho's eyes widened as he slowly looked around. He was surrounded by countless wolves. They were all emitting a powerful aura that sent shivers down his spine.
Kuwoooooooooh-!
Their roars echoed endlessly through the vast white space. And in the midst of it all, a massive white wolf appeared before Suho.
[Rakan the Fang Monarch]
Suho couldn't help but be amazed at the overwhelming pressure emanating from the beast. But at the same time, he felt a sense of familiarity.
'Is this…. Rakan's true form?'
Then the King of Beasts opened his mouth and spoke in a majestic voice that shook Suho's soul.
[I am pleased to meet you again. And to think that you would grow this much in such a short time.]
[I have a proposition for you.]
'A proposition?'
[Yes. You seem to be using my successor mainly for strengthening your body these days.]
'Ah, that's true.' Suho nodded.
The reason was simple. Gray was too weak. Suho had tried to level him up whenever he could, but he was still weak.
'But he also seems useful for tracking.'
Since it was the realm of consciousness, Suho's thoughts were conveyed to Rakan without any filter.
Hearing this, Rakan clicked his tongue in disapproval. [Isn't it too pathetic for the next King of Beasts to only be used for sniffing?]
But that was the reality.
[So, I have a proposition. There's a way to make Gray stronger.] Suho's eyes sparkled at those words.
'There is?'
[Yes. You need to give Gray my sacred relic.]
'Rakan's Fang?' Suho's eyes widened.
The item:' Rakan's Fang', Rakan's sacred relic, had been collecting dust in his inventory ever since he obtained Vulcan's Horn.
'Can Gray use that fang like dentures?'
[Dentures is probably not the name I would use, but yes it's possible. I haven't said anything so far because you've been using it as a weapon, but if Gray inherits it, he'll also get all of its abilities.]
'Let's do it.'
Suho readily agreed. Then, a thought suddenly occurred to him.
'Wait. Does that mean I can give him other fangs too?'
[...What?] Rakan looked puzzled.
Suho grinned mischievously. 'I happen to have a spare fang. No even better, a spare poison fang, lying around in my inventory.'
[W-Wait a minute.] Rakan looked flustered.