Hunters Keep Coming To My House - Chapter 136

Chapter 136

“Anna!”

I stared at Anna with wide eyes. She was still groaning with her eyes closed. She seemed to be awake though, as she was moving her fingers and toes in an effort to wake up.

But…

“Guh!”

Contrary to her will, her body didn’t easily comply.

“Don’t force yourself to get up! Even if I’ve removed the Black Dragon’s mana, your injuries are severe, Anna.”

“Bu… But… Ellie…”

“Ellie?”

Is she trying to find the person who attacked her? Is it out of revenge? Or is it because Ellie is in a dangerous state?

Doubts surged. I wanted to shake Anna’s shoulders right away and demand all the information about this incident.

She might have information that could be useful, more than what I know.

‘Anna knows something I don’t… She might have something I can use.’

Should I still ask…? She’s severely injured…? But she attacked me…

If someone were to draw my current situation, angels and demons would be whispering different things in my ears.

As cliché as it sounds, these conflicting thoughts were tormenting me fiercely.

Trembling, I lightly placed my hand on Anna’s back of the hand. I could feel her hand twitching.

With her other hand still covering her injured abdomen, Anna groaned and slowly opened her mouth.

“Guh, ahuh! I-I’m sorry… I-I didn’t mean to cause trouble for Yeon-oh…”

“Don’t say such things when you can’t even open your eyes properly right now. Apologies can wait until everything is settled.”

“…Okay. Th-That’s fine. But first, we need to save Ellie… First… Can you give me this?”

Anna moved her hand to take out a potion from her inventory. But something was off.

“…Is this a potion? It’s quite different from what I know…”

“I… I made it myself. I, I didn’t expect things to come to this.”

…It seems quite some time has passed since Ellie was taken by the Black Dragon. So she must have been preparing to make the potion.

“…When did Ellie…?”

“A… week… ago…”

“If it was a week ago, wasn’t it during Jae-joon’s rampage…?”

“Yes, Ellie was taken during that time.”

It was a shocking fact.

While Jae-joon was rampaging, something else was unfolding on the opposite side of the Earth.

Was his rampage meant to divert attention?

Was he treated like a disposable item, just to take one body?

What happened to the Black Dragon anyway?

Anger welled up. Jae-joon, who was still suffering from the aftermath of his rampage, came to mind. He said he was scared of his increasingly violent state.

That’s why Jung Tae-il told me he was looking for someone who could stop him. Is it okay to treat someone who is struggling alone like a disposable item…?

Even though it wasn’t something I had experienced, I felt an inexplicable surge of frustration within me.

Seeing my contorted expression, Anna tapped the back of my hand lightly as if to remind me that now wasn’t the time to be swayed by emotions.

‘Right, I’ll just ask if I want to know the details.’

I could just catch the person responsible and ask directly why they were doing this.

Remembering the dragons I had encountered earlier, I knew that even if I stood before the Black Dragon, I wouldn’t be able to speak properly due to its aura, but I was determined to ask anyway.

Even if it meant coughing up blood or losing a limb in the process.

Then, a faint light appeared before my eyes, reminiscent of the light I had encountered in my dreams.

The light slowly formed into words.

“You’re a strong-willed child. You can handle this. I’ll lend you my strength for a moment.”

After a brief sentence, the light dropped onto my hand. Then, with a bright light, it began to take on a shape.

… It was the shape of a sword.

And I could immediately recognize what it had become.

“…Ego Sword.”

This was the White Ego Sword.

Resembling its owner, it emitted a faint and subtle light, as if it would shatter at any moment.

Is this meant to be disposable?

No, if you’re going to give it, give me something proper. Evan!

While I was still blinking in confusion, Anna suddenly sprang up from her seat. It was almost like in a zombie movie when a corpse suddenly came back to life.

“…I’m all better now! I don’t feel any pain at all!”

“…What?”

“That sword? It seems like the light emanating from the sword is healing the black mana! And… it’s also helping to break free from dreams…”

Like someone who had experienced something extraordinary, Anna eagerly explained what she had gone through. As she spoke more and more, she hugged tightly onto Lulu tightly, the baby fox at her feet.

“Lulu, you’re awake.”

…Phew.

…Thank goodness. Truly, thank goodness.

Anna sobbed as she buried her face into Lulu’s fur. Her guilt for involving the precious child and the terrifying experience was palpable.

…Um, what about me? I was the one directly attacked over there?

I felt like interrupting this emotional moment for no reason.

Honestly, even though it’s not entirely her fault… well, the one who caused the real trouble is the Black Dragon, and Anna must have had her reasons too.

Enough with the excuses!

I grabbed Anna’s shoulders and forcefully opened my eyes.

“We don’t have time for this, Anna. Instead of wasting time like this, explain everything that happened to you guys.”

“…Ah.”

“Quickly!”

“Yes, yes! I understand. I’ll explain everything right away.”

“Don’t hide anything.”

Anna looked at me as if questioning whether she had to tell me everything. What were you planning to leave out?

I gave her a murderous glare, and with that, she hugged Lulu tightly, clenched her lips, and seemed to decide. Then, she vividly recounted everything she had experienced.

And why she had made such choices.

* * *

Meanwhile…

“You. Aren’t you coming to our guild too often these days as if you own the place? Just because you showed up once, it doesn’t mean you’re welcome here.” 

Kang Yoon-soo sneered at the unwelcome guest who had come again today, fully aware that his remarks would not be well-received. And perhaps the ill-tempered visitor would retaliate with similar remarks.

“I came to report, Kang Yoon-soo.” 

Came the response, in a tone that showed no respect for the elder.

Sighing, Kang Yoon-soo rose from his seat and approached the uninvited guest, Jung Tae-il. Even though the office was bathed in bright light, he still positioned himself in a slightly darker area.

“You’re not a child of the dark, so why do you always hang around in such places?”

“I don’t know.”

“Tae-il, you’re hurting me.”

“…That’s nothing.”

“…Hah.”

It wasn’t easy to deliberately speak like that… Kang Yoon-soo sincerely worried about Jung Tae-il’s social skills, unaware that this manner of speaking was a product of enduring his own “word-twisting to cause trouble” for so long.

“Anyway, why are you here? I told you not to come abruptly when I’m busy lately.”

“…?”

“Didn’t Seung-hoo tell you? Well, I guess not. It’s my fault for entrusting it to him even though I knew you two didn’t get along. I’m busy helping Mr. Kim Chok with administrative work. And amidst all this, I’ve been burdened with the task of dealing with unregistered hunters…”

Kang Yoon-soo sighed, recalling the devilish Kim Chok, who relentlessly shuffled paperwork and tasks. Remembering that he hadn’t properly rested since driving out government officials made him sigh even deeper.

“…So that’s why you were never around.”

“Yeah, because I was busy. So what? What’s the reason you came looking for me for a whole week?”

“I was caught, by Seo Yeon-oh.”

“Hmm? Caught for what? You need to explain properly.”

“My ability.”

“Right, your ability… What? Your ability got exposed? What happened?”

Was it something so dangerous that he had to resort to using his ability? Kang Yoon-soo’s questions kept coming endlessly.

It was a natural reaction.

Kang Yoon-soo knew of Jung Tae-il’s powerlessness. He knew too well how strong he was even without that ability. Hence, it was only natural that he had many questions. But the one who left people confused was as indifferent as discussing breakfast conversations.

Thanks to that, Kang Yoon-soo was frustrated.

“Tae-il, explain properly. What happened? Was Seung-hoo there too? He doesn’t know what your ability is, you know. But I think another incident as risky as this might happen again.”

“…Ah, damn dragon spawn.”

“…What did you just say?”

Kang Yoon-soo’s momentum, overflowing with concern just moments ago, changed. There was no need to swear because he didn’t want to answer right away. The gently probing voice had become very sharp.

But Jung Tae-il, who was still standing in the dark, remained silent, not even trying to explain.

“Jung Tae-il.”

“…Ah, damn dragon brat.”

“…What, a dragon? Huh?”

Suddenly, with the out-of-place word, Kang Yoon-soo’s poised demeanor was momentarily thrown off, like a drawn sword about to be sheathed.

Moreover, he was so taken aback that he didn’t immediately notice the changed energy in Jung Tae-il.

“What the heck? What’s going on, Tae-il?” 

Kang Yoon-soo furrowed his brow, tilting his head in confusion.

At that moment, Kang Yoon-soo frowned and glanced around, poof! 

Jung Tae-il vanished in an instant.

Leaving behind only a very familiar blue mana energy.