Chapter 116

GULP, GULP.

The viscous liquid kept sliding down Suho's throat. It tasted foul and fishy, but it was tolerable.

'It's not as if this is my first time drinking poison like this.'

As Suho drained every last drop of Kasaka's Venom, Querehsha's Blessing of Plagues and Kandiaru's blessing, Health and Longevity, were steadily taking effect within his body.

DING.

[A harmful substance has been detected.]

[Beginning treatment with the effect of 'Buff: Detoxification.']

[3, 2, 1... Detoxification complete.]

['Side Effect: Damaged Muscles' has been removed.]

First, the lethal side effect of Kasaka's Venom was completely purged.

DING.

[Effect 'Kasaka's Armored Scales': Physical damage is reduced by 20%.]

With the side effect gone, only the beneficial buff remained, boosting Suho's defense. His Toughness skill had recently begun increasing his defense by +100%, so together they gave him a whopping +120% defense. At this point, he was a tank who could hold his own anywhere.

But what pleased him most was that he could now use Kasaka's Venom itself to attack.

[Debuff: Kasaka's Venom]

A poison that damages the poisoned target's muscles, reducing Strength by 35.

Damaging the muscles meant weakening an opponent's overall strength and speed. He had acquired a far more potent debuff than Paralytic Poison, which had merely slowed their movements.

'This should definitely come in handy.'

Suho immediately summoned Quay.

"Quay."

[Yes, Master.]

"From now on, imbue all your attacks with Kasaka's Venom when you fight."

[Understood.]

At his command, 'Debuff: Kasaka's Venom' seeped into the tip of Quay's spear in a soft haze.

'It would be effective to fire Quay as an arrow first, like today, and debuff the enemy with Kasaka's Venom before starting the fight.'

Of course, Quay alone would finish off most opponents, just as he had today.

'I wasn't expecting to get such an amazing ability.'

Suho nodded in satisfaction.

* * *

While Suho checked his rewards, the cleanup of the Euljiro incident was proceeding smoothly. Once the magic beasts had been wiped out, the swampland gradually shrank and disappeared. The moment the area was safe, reporters swarmed in and began covering the crisis.

Of course, bringing order to the chaos always fell to the Association hunters.

"I'm Oh Seokhun from the Hunter Daily! Whose skill was that black arrow that suddenly flew down from the sky?"

"Those two arrows practically took down the boss and resolved the entire...!"

"No, wait. Please, one question at a time..."

Team Leader Han Jaehyuk looked miserable, surrounded by reporters' microphones.

'I don't have time for this right now.'

He needed to go after Thomas Andre, who had suddenly vanished, but the reporters had him surrounded.

Still, he couldn't simply abandon his work here and leave. His team had been the Association hunters closest to Euljiro, and handling the aftermath was part of the Association's job. Fortunately, the situation had been brought under control quickly, with few casualties. The most pressing task now was to distribute the magic beasts' carcasses fairly.

"I killed this beast!"

"What the hell are you talking about? You can plainly see the wound from my skill right here!"

'... This is actually where the biggest headache starts.'

Han Jaehyuk's head throbbed as he watched the hunters squabble over the carcasses, each insisting they belonged to them.

Strangely, though, not a single one of them touched the beasts killed by the two black arrows that had flown into the battle.

'The first shot came down like a thunderbolt and killed the boss. The second overturned the entire swamp like some kind of siege cannon. Never mind the second one—the first is the real issue.'

Having seen countless archer hunters during his work for the Association, Han Jaehyuk understood the significance of that first arrow better than anyone. The other hunters clearly understood it too, which was why they didn't dare claim ownership of its kills.

'It changed direction in midair, found the boss, and sniped it with pinpoint accuracy. As if the arrow had eyes.'

A homing projectile would have been easier to understand. That involved sighting a target first, then pursuing it until impact. But this arrow had arced through the distant sky, then abruptly changed direction like lightning to hunt down the strongest magic beast.

'Which archer hunter has a skill like that? I've never seen anything like it.'

All those questions were answered sooner than expected, however. Korea's greatest archer, Lim Taegyu, suddenly appeared nearby.

"Oh! It's Lim Taegyu!"

"The Reaper Guild's guildmaster!"

"Ah! I was wondering who fired those arrows!"

"Of course! Lim Taegyu's the only archer that good!"

The crowd surged toward him.

"Wh-what? Wait! What's gotten into you?!"

Lim Taegyu could only recoil in alarm at the reporters suddenly swarming him.

"Just what we'd expect from Guildmaster Lim Taegyu!"

"You were the one who fired those arrows just now, weren't you?!"

"Mr. Lim! Could we have a statement? We hear you've paid generous compensation to the bereaved families affected by the Lee Minsung scandal...!"

"Wait! Wait! One question at a time, please!"

Even a renowned S-rank hunter couldn't help being flustered in a situation like this. Looking miserable, Lim Taegyu turned his head to search for Suho. His eyes met Suho's in a distant, unnoticed corner, where the young man was leisurely watching his predicament.

'Argh, that little brat!'

Suho merely gave him a warm smile and a nod, his expression infuriatingly asking the older man to come up with an excuse for him.

'Unbelievable. So he doesn't want the attention? What's with this mysterious act? Kids these days!'

On the other hand, he could understand it. Media attention over a mere incident like this wouldn't increase Suho's market value. It would only bring more nuisances.

Ultimately, hunters increased their own value, whether anyone recognized them or not. Unless they were trying to get hired by a major guild, it was a simple business: they earned money according to how many magic beasts they hunted. Or they could build up their brand and establish a guild of their own...

'No, wait.'

Lim Taegyu paused, suddenly realizing something from the look Suho was giving him.

'Is he doing this for me...?'

Given the way things were going, claiming responsibility would definitely be a chance to restore at least some of the Reaper Guild's ruined reputation. It would let the media spread the word that, however much people criticized the guild, its guildmaster, Lim Taegyu, was still strong.

But why?

'Why would he go this far for me...?'

Just then, as puzzlement spread across his face, a voice reached his ears.

[... That settles my debt.]

"...!"

The chillingly familiar voice made Lim Taegyu shudder as though he'd been struck by lightning. He hurriedly turned to scan his surroundings, but the speaker was nowhere to be seen. Still, he was certain.

'It can't be!'

How could he fail to recognize it? It was the voice of Lee Minsung, his wretched friend who had reduced the Reaper Guild to this sorry state!

"Wh-where are you?!"

The reporters around him looked puzzled at his sudden shout. But none of that mattered.

"Where are you?! Tell me where you are!"

[...]

But he didn't know yet. His wayward friend Lee Minsung was no longer in this world. Only Quay, reborn as a shadow soldier, remained.

Then Quay spoke again, hidden among the shadows of the countless reporters as he quietly gazed up at his old friend's face.

But he offered no belated apology. He had never intended to ask for forgiveness. This was simply... doing what needed to be done.

[... There's a separate, hidden set of books in the Reaper Guild. A slush fund the late Lee Minsung built up.]

"...!"

[The money belongs to the Reaper Guild, so no one but the guildmaster can withdraw it anyway. As long as you know where the account is and its password...]

Lim Taegyu's eyes filled with shock at the sudden revelation. Quay quietly recited the password to the secret account where he had amassed the money, repeating it over and over until Taegyu could memorize it.

* * *

[... Thank you, Master.]

"All done?"

[Yes. I have no lingering attachments now.]

Beru growled as Quay returned to Suho and bowed respectfully.

[Such ingratitude. Giving all that money to your friend without thinking to offer it to the Young Monarch.]

[That was my original intention, but what can I do if it's legally impossible? Only the Reaper Guild's guildmaster or deputy guildmaster can access that account.]

As he made his excuses, Quay gave Suho a slightly sheepish look. Unless he did this, the unclaimed money would have vanished without anyone knowing it existed the moment Lee Minsung died. Now, while the money wouldn't restore the Reaper Guild to its former glory, it would at least get the guild through its immediate crisis.

So...

[I believe I've done enough.]

Now he felt he could truly abandon the name Lee Minsung with a clear conscience.

"Well done."

Seeing the relief on Quay's face, Suho nodded too.

Just then, Quay and Beru slipped back into Suho's shadow. Thomas Andre was trudging toward him from a distance.

Like Lim Taegyu, Thomas seemed to have only just escaped the bothersome reporters.

"So, are you all set now?"

At Thomas Andre's abrupt question, Suho nodded without preamble.

"Yes."

Thomas Andre seemed quite pleased by the straightforward answer, one corner of his mouth curling into a grin.

"We leave tomorrow morning."

With that, he turned and went straight back to Laura. Determination shone in Suho's eyes as he watched that enormous back recede.

'Tomorrow.'

At last, tomorrow would be the day. To find his missing mother.

'To the Glacier Dungeon.'

Just then, Lim Taegyu shook off the reporters and approached him.

"Suho."

"Let me ask you something."

"Yes?"

"That Glacier Dungeon... Are you going in alone? Or are your teammates going too?"

"My teammates?"

"Yes. The ones planning to start a guild with you."

Suho looked puzzled by the unexpected question, then considered it for a moment. Esil would naturally come along, but he wasn't quite sure whether Im Dogyun counted as accompanying him. Dogyun had been living in his shadow lately, engrossed in his training with Ammut. That meant when Suho entered the Glacier Dungeon, Dogyun would be coming along inside his shadow.

"Hmm. Well, they are going in with me."

"Hrmm. I see. ... Well, with Thomas Andre along, it should be fine."

"...?"

Muttering to himself with a troubled expression, Lim Taegyu scratched his head and nodded.

"Well, have a safe trip. Make sure you protect your teammates if they get into danger."

"Of course I will..."

Hmm?

Suho's eyes widened at a sudden, strange sense of déjà vu. Someone else's face seemed to overlap with Lim Taegyu's sheepish expression.

'Wait. Could it be?'

"Sir, are you perhaps..."

Just as Suho was about to ask, Lim Taegyu cut him off.

"Oh, and I just came into some unexpected money."