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Chapter 03
Screeeech!!
The jeep skidded across all four lanes before slamming into the guardrail and finally coming to a stop.
Still clinging to each other, Morae and Songyi slowly lifted their heads.
“…W-what? What just happened?”
“F-first, let’s get out of here. The car might explode.”
“Can you open your door? Mine won’t budge.”
“Ugh, mine won’t either. Let’s get out through the front windshield.”
When they crawled out through the shattered front glass, the scene was a mess.
Wreckage was scattered across the road, and white smoke was leaking from the jeep’s hood.
It was fortunate this was a deserted mountain road—had it been in the city, it could’ve turned into a massive disaster.
Even so, neither Songyi nor Morae had a single scratch on them. The moment the accident happened, Songyi had deployed a barrier.
“Damn… it’s wrecked.”
Songyi pressed a hand to her forehead as she stared at the crushed jeep.
While she stood there in shock, Morae pulled a warning triangle from the half-open trunk and set it up nearby.
The heat was oppressive; sweat ran down her back even while standing still. Morae took Songyi’s hand and led her to the shade by the roadside. It felt a little more bearable beneath the trees.
“Songyi, shouldn’t we call the insurance company?”
“No—this is seriously ridiculous. What the hell did we even hit?”
“I don’t know. Maybe a wild animal?”
“Even hitting an elephant wouldn’t do this much damage. And there’s no blood.”
They both knew it couldn’t have been a wild animal. Songyi pulled out her phone.
“Wait a second. I’ll call the insurance.”
She let out a long sigh and started explaining the situation.
A collision with some unknown object on an empty road—would the insurance company even believe that? There wasn’t a single CCTV camera around.
This is because of me…
Morae’s gaze darkened. If it weren’t for her, Songyi never would’ve come all the way out here.
They’d have to replace the car.
Even to Morae, who knew absolutely nothing about vehicles, the jeep was clearly beyond saving.
If she had money, she’d want to help pay for it—but her current income barely covered living expenses. And even if she offered, Songyi wouldn’t accept it.
Just as Morae drooped her head, thinking about her bank balance—
Grrrrr.
A strange sound echoed from somewhere nearby.
It resembled the growl of a beast, and almost instantly, the stench of blood filled the air—thicker and harsher than human blood.
There was only one kind of being that smelled like this.
Morae immediately grabbed Songyi’s hand.
Songyi, still on the call, raised her eyebrows in confusion. Morae put a finger to her lips, signaling silence, then pointed ahead with her chin.
“…….”
Sensing something was wrong, Songyi quietly ended the call.
An ominous silence settled in. Cold sweat trickled down Morae’s temple. Just as the droplet reached the tip of her chin, the sound came again.
Grrr.
This time, Songyi heard it clearly. She reflexively squeezed Morae’s hand.
Then, beyond the guardrail, something pitch black slowly emerged from the dense forest.
Morae’s brown eyes widened.
“Huh?”
She had assumed it was a creature that escaped from a dungeon—but it wasn’t.
The figure, drenched in thick, dark blue blood, was unmistakably human.
And painfully familiar.
Morae whispered in a trembling voice,
“S-S-Songyi… isn’t that… Hunter Gyeon Suho?”
“What are you talking ab—!”
Songyi sucked in a sharp breath.
Even though his face was soaked in dark creature blood and crisscrossed with blackened veins, it was impossible to hide Gyeon Suho’s striking features.
“I-it really is Gyeon Suho! Why is someone who’s supposed to be in a dungeon here?!”
“M-more importantly… his device—it looks red. No… right? I must be mistaken?”
“…C-Code Red? Are you insane?!”
Every Awakened individual receives a wrist-type device from the Ability Management Administration upon registration.
Among its many functions, the most important is monitoring the Awakened’s overload level.
Gyeon Suho’s device was flashing a vivid crimson.
Code Red. The stage right before a rampage.
If he entered full rampage mode, a deafening warning alarm would sound.
Songyi’s face turned deathly pale.
“They said just a few days ago that he was fine!”
“T-they definitely did…”
Whether the Administration’s press conference was truthful or not didn’t matter anymore.
If Gyeon Suho went berserk, it wouldn’t be just a city that disappeared—it would be the entire country.
So this couldn’t be a rampage. It had to not be.
Songyi swallowed hard.
“M-Morae… w-what do we do?”
“I-I don’t think he’s noticed us yet. I-I’ll send an emergency request to the Administration.”
“H-hurry—do something, anything!”
Morae pressed the device on her wrist.
Tap. Tap-tap-tap.
As preset, an SOS signal was sent to the Ability Management Administration.
Now it was a race against time.
Morae whispered, barely breathing,
“It’s sent.”
“W-what now? Should we hide behind the car?”
“…No. I don’t think we should move.”
“T-then we just stay like this?”
There were four lanes between them and Gyeon Suho. And Morae and Songyi were in the shade.
If they stayed quiet, they wouldn’t be noticed.
Clinging to that belief, the two tightened their grip on each other and slowly backed deeper into the shade—
Bzzz. Bzzz.
Songyi’s phone vibrated.
The insurance company, ever so considerate, was calling back after the line had dropped.
The vibration echoed across the silent road, loud as a song.
“No—!”
Songyi frantically declined the call, but it was already too late.
The face tangled with black veins shifted.
He spotted them easily—and his red lips curved into a smile.
Like a beast.
The moment that thought crossed Morae’s mind, Gyeon Suho launched himself forward like a bullet.
“Move!”
Swearing under her breath, Songyi shoved Morae away with all her strength. She planted her feet firmly and thrust both arms forward.
Flash!
A massive milky-white half-dome expanded around Songyi.
But it wasn’t enough.
In the blink of an eye, Gyeon Suho crossed all four lanes and swung his arm at the barrier.
Boom!
With a single motion, the C-rank barrier shattered effortlessly. Songyi was hurled backward, taking the full brunt of his monstrous strength.
“Urgh!”
“Songyi!”
Morae screamed and rushed to support her. Songyi tried to stand, then suddenly vomited a lump of dark blood and collapsed.
“Cough!—hack!”
“Songyi, Songyi—stay with me, okay?”
As Morae desperately tried to steady her unconscious friend, Gyeon Suho approached slowly.
Like a predator leisurely closing in on captured prey.
Morae clenched her teeth and shielded Songyi with her own body.
I’m still an Awakened… I should be able to block at least one attack.
“…?”
But Gyeon Suho didn’t attack.
Morae cautiously lifted her head—and froze.
Gyeon Suho was clutching his head, his face twisted in agony. From his bulging neck came a raw, scraping voice.
“…Get away…”
“……!”
The fact that he could speak meant there was still reason left.
How was he holding on without even receiving stabilizers? Morae couldn’t begin to imagine the pain he was fighting through.
We’ll only survive if I calm him down.
Morae sprang to her feet and stepped forward.
“H-Hunter Gyeon Suho… can you hear my voice?”
He didn’t move. His back, packed with muscle, was as broad as an open field.
I-I’m scared…
