Fantasy ℙ𝕝𝕒𝕪𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝔸𝕡𝕠𝕔𝕒𝕝𝕪𝕡𝕤𝕖 [ℂ𝕝𝕠𝕤𝕖𝕕]

[moonrise]

From the corner of his eye, Hyunwoo caught the slight smile adorning Kim Haeun's features. It should've been a disturbing sight, but it wasn't. Still, he wouldn't have been surprised if she'd shed a few tears about her actions, if she'd regretted them. Murder was murder, after all. That didn't seem to be the case, however, and yet Hyunwoo didn't think any less of her for it. Maybe they were both just too heavily shaped by this new terrifying and dangerous world they lived in, twisted beyond measure because that was what it took to survive.

He exhaled heavily. "I don't have enough mana right now," he soon admitted, recalling that, to his disappointment, Lee Hoseok's haul hadn't included any mana potions. Which meant he'd have to wait this out longer, spend the night out here next to the corpse of a man to keep it from becoming a monsters' dinner. Hyunwoo didn't quite understand how mana regeneration worked. He knew that certain potions could accelerate the process, but it varied depending on the quality of the potions. Without that, it would take time and rest, similar to health regeneration; which additionally required treatment of wounds, but mana was less tangible than an open wound.

But then he recalled that there had been something else and he soon knelt down to the ground to pick up the mana crystal. It didn't look particularly impressive, but it had been utilized by a mage before. "Kim Haeun, what does this do?" Dare he be hopeful?

 

[Ranix Aurus]

Haeun glanced at the glowing blue crystal in his hand. She then recited the item description verbatim.

"Lowest-grade Mana Crystal. A solidified clump of energy formed from the shock of a Break. The thin layer on the surface is an unstable mixture of mana and residual elements of Earth. Because of uneven pressure during its formation, this crystal has very low efficiency."

"That," she pointed, "Is the stuff mana potions were made from. Mages can connect to it and absorb the mana within, so it can help amplify the effects of their spell. We can't do that if we're not mages, since we need a certain skill that only mages possess. However... there's another way to utilize it."

She balled her hand into a fist.

"Crack it open. The mana inside will burst out and then you can absorb it. However, most of the mana will dissipate faster than you can take them, so it's very wasteful compared to diluting them into mana potions first. If an Alchemist see you doing that, they might even cry."

 

[moonrise]

Very low efficiency, huh? Well, Hyunwoo supposed if it was a more efficient crystal, the mage from before would've likely given them all a lot more trouble. Still, he couldn't help the slight sense of relief that came from receiving an explanation in the first place. He knew Kim Haeun's ability as an Appraiser would come in handy. Maybe later they'd have time to go through some of the other odd items he came across during these past several months. "I see," he nodded in understanding as he stared at the blue crystal in his hand. Its light pulsed softly as though it were alive somehow. What exactly was mana anyway?

Well, no matter. He didn't need to understand so long as he knew how to use it.

Still, the cautious part of himself stopped him from doing anything too rash without thinking, and Hyunwoo had to clarify, "I'm assuming you don't know how to make mana potions." That would be a far better use of the crystal than just destroying it, wouldn't it? Did Kim Haeun know an alchemist? Well...it wasn't like they had the luxury of time on their hands. A fresh body would be better as his skill didn't exactly patch them up to be good as new. What a disturbing thought that was. Either way it wouldn't be practical, nor socially acceptable, to be dragging a dead body around.

Without another word, Hyunwoo stepped closer to Go Daeseong's corpse. He flinched at the smell briefly before kneeling by the body, slowly raising the crystal in his hand and preparing to smash it against the chest plate armor. The uneven surface was safer for doing that versus the flat ground, though he still didn't feel great about disrespecting a body like this. But he didn't exactly want all of the released mana spilling into the concrete. Hyunwoo paused mid-arch. "...Are we sure that a mage wouldn't be more useful to us?," he said with a hesitant smile that was as forced as his words.

That was the first joke he had attempted to make, and it was indisputably terrible.

 

[Ranix Aurus]

Haeun shook her head at his inquiry. To be precise, she did know how to make a potion. Among the many Chosen that she had seen, there was an Alchemist who was kind enough to let her watch as she was concocting her degeneracies. From that experience Haeun could tell that having the knowledge to do it was one thing, but manipulating mana in precise form during its process was a different beast entirely. Alchemists, Blacksmiths, Carpenters... they only managed to be so successful in their crafts because the system assisted them through skills. Just like how an Appraiser's ability to inspect things unknown to them were granted by the system as well.

In other words... if she tried to convert that crystal into potion, there would be a high chance that they would really be left with nothing. She wasn't that wasteful of a person either. If Hyunwoo really wanted to make a potion, it would be better to find a real Alchemist.

"A mage would be useful, yes. But do you really want to fill up your slot with that guy? He wasn't of much use as a living person, not to mention an undead," Haeun smirked.

 

[moonrise]

It seemed that finding an Alchemist had now jumped to the top of Hyunwoo's list of priorities; one that only seemed to be getting longer these days. Potions would come in handy, though. Especially mana potions. His class didn't exactly need to be concerned with maintaining health so long as he utilized his undead soldiers properly and avoided direct confrontations when he could- well, the risky ones anyway. He'd already proven himself more than capable of taking down an untrained person, but that would be a last resort from here on out.

He was slightly amused by the way Haeun had gone along with his little joke, but he had to admit that she had a point. The pathetic cowering image of the mage who had originally tried to blindside him with a sneak attack was fresh. Undead monsters were loyal and would 'die' over and over again as many times as Hyunwoo would command them to. He could bring them back so long as he had the mana, provided they were intact enough. Would it be the same for a dead Chosen?

Between the two, Hyunwoo had to admit that Go Daeseong was probably a better deal, given that Kim Haeun lacked combat capabilities so the sturdiness of a paladin would likely serve them better in the event where he couldn't stay close enough to protect her himself. "He wouldn't be whining...as much," he tacked on the bit at the end, recalling that his monsters– particularly the Red Blood Hound, had seemed to develop something of a personality despite being dead. Ultimately, he relented, letting the joke end there as he took in a breath before he brought the mana crystal crashing down onto the metal chest plate with a loud clang.

It shattered into sparkling dust as the mana seemed to turn into a fog that quickly dissipated, but not before Hyunwoo had managed to absorb a fair amount of it.

MP: 32​

It wasn't much, but it would be enough. Hopefully.

"Kim Haeun, I would advise you to look away," Hyunwoo took a moment to warn her, recalling the grotesque process and how horrified he'd been the first time. He rose back to his feet and took in a deep breath. A cold breeze seemed to blow through him and his heart began to pound. This was wrong and he knew it. What about this life and world wasn't anymore though?

Regardless of whether Kim Haeun turned away or not, he gently reached out to grab her arm and pull her back a few steps alongside him. One last glance was spared as a final warning to the girl before Hyunwoo extended a hand towards the corpse, fingers splayed out.

'Activate Skill: Dark Rebirth. I now stake my claim over this fallen paladin.'

<< Necromancer Skill: Dark Rebirth Level 3 activated. >>
MP: 7​

Hyunwoo's shadow expanded until it covered Go Daesong's entire body and the edges of the shadow began to race around the body like screaming waves. Soon those edges had conjured blue flames.

It...was working. The ex-soldier watched with wide eyes as long black tendrils formed from the flames, wriggling madly before spearing themselves into the body to raise it into the air. In the next moment, Go Daesong's entire body had caught fire, enveloped in blue flames that burned away the rest of his flesh, skin, and blood.

But something was very different this time.

Without warning Go Daesong's body began to scream, as though his soul were yelling out his agony, his final regrets and cursing both Hyunwoo and Haeun for what was being done to him. Quickly, Hyunwoo grabbed Haeun, pulling the girl into his chest so that she wouldn't keep watching. There was little he could do about what she was hearing though, as the dead man continued to roar in anguish over everything he'd sacrificed and why he did not deserve to be made into a monster.

Was the skill not working? At this point, Hyunwoo could barely hear over the hammering of his heart. What happens if the skill fails?

The moments between his panicked thoughts felt like hours but soon Go Daeseong's voice became hoarse, as though it were ripped right out of him. Hadn't it though? Then the blue flames went out and the body fell to the floor with a clatter. A moment later, the black tendrils retreated into his shadow and then there was a heavy silence before the paladin rose. Now Go Daesong also shared the burning eyes of blue flames as the rest of Hyunwoo's undead soldiers.

<< Dark Rebirth Success. Will you assign a new name? >>​

Hyunwoo had no words right now, but he finally released Kim Haeun. His breath remained trapped in his chest as Go Daeseong's body approached them before kneeling obediently on the floor. "Give him...a new name," he managed to force out, finally looking to Kim Haeun with a look that was almost pleading. They could never forget what it was that they had done today. It was cowardly to try and cover it up, but Hyunwoo knew he'd never want to say that name again.

 

[Ranix Aurus]

"I would advise you to look away."

Haeun didn't response. She instead kept her gaze pointed straight at Go Daeseong's corpse. Her body followed along without resistance when Hyunwoo dragged her back. Everything in her was now concentrating on the fallen Chosen, as if she refused to miss this single moment. And then, the skill was activated. The shadow started its dance, gathering around Daeseong like violent waves. Then the flames, then the tendrils, and then-

The scream.

She thought that she had grown immune to screams.

Her gaze would not move away from the madness unfolding right in front of her even as her ears were under constant assault. The string of incomprehensible curses struck like a hurricane, each words carrying the weight of one Go Daeseong. Reminding her that what they were doing -what Hyunwoo was doing- could never be excused, no matter the justification. Was it Daeseong himself who said that? Was it a facsimile of him, created by the system, a part of the Necromancer's skills to remind them of the consequences of their choices? No, in the first place, condemning Hyunwoo alone didn't make sense. His blade wasn't the one that ended Daeseong's life after all.

Haeun's sight was finally given a moment of respite when she sank into Hyunwoo's chest. She didn't refuse him. In fact, she didn't have the strength to move, at all. Her resolve remained the same, her conscience clear. Yet her heart couldn't lie. She was the one who had started this chain of events. If Hyunwoo had to take blame, then Haeun wouldn't come off unscathed either.

She closed her eyes, letting Hyunwoo support her entire weight. The scream was dying out. Finally it was complete. The first step had been taken, and from here, she had to walk it all the way to the end. There wouldn't be any time for regret in the future.

"Goodbye, Daeseong-nim," Haeun whispered, her voice barely registering. A final farewell.

She stepped back from Hyunwoo after he released her. Kneeling in front of them was Go Daeseong, but something was different about him; for one, humans don't have blue flames in their eyes.

"Name..." Haeun murmured. It wasn't Daeseong anymore. Daeseong was dead. The one in front of them was merely an undead construct, built with mana, created by the system from dead organic lifeform designated by the Necromancer. Daeseong's soul... wasn't here anymore. She wasn't even sure whether souls exist or not in the first place.

"...Jjajang," She blurted out. "JJajangmyeon. He likes to eat it. He always said that when the world had returned to normal, he would bring us to eat jjajangmyeon at Seomun."

While waiting for Hyunwoo to finish his skill, she suddenly heard a noise coming from the entrance. She quickly turned around only to see Hoseok peeking from the entrance. The boy... was white. Very white.

"Hoseok..." Haeun cautiously called out to him. "How long had you been there?"

"..."

"Lee Hoseok?!"

"Y-yes, noona! I-I heard a scream, then I thought a monster had sneaked in, so I-"

Hoseok cast a glance at Hyunwoo, only to frighten himself even more. Haeun sighed before waving at him to come closer. Understandably, the boy silently refused. More understandably, Haeun kept waving, refusing to let him refuse.

In the end, he couldn't win against this noona.

"So, uh..." She grabbed the boy by his arm, not allowing him to escape. "Hyunwoo-ssi, the cat's out of the bag. You have to bring him along with us now."

 

[moonrise]

Kim Haeun's tender little goodbye hadn't gone unheard by Hyunwoo, though he wished it had. It would've been easier to only remember Go Daeseong for the disgusting filth that he was. But the anguish and sorrow in the voice that screamed at them, the suffering and regret, all of that was human. Hyunwoo knew it. He'd seen it before. How the power and status that came with it corrupted people among the Chosen, and even within the military ranks long before all this madness. It was pitiful.

Tonight, they had murdered a person, desecrated his corpse to create a soldier with no will of its own and no trace of the man who used to be. And they justified it all under the banner of survival. This was not justice. What it was...Hyunwoo couldn't acknowledge right now. He coudn't falter.

But he couldn't embrace these horrors so easily, yet he had to accept them anyway because that was the price.

"Jjajang," Hyunwoo repeated quietly with a small nod, his visibly still-disturbed gaze settling on the undead soldier kneeling before him. The blue flames within those eye sockets burned so brightly, yet there was no denying the thing before him used to be human, and that knowledge was unsettling. He swallowed hard. "From today on...you'll be Jjajang."

Jjajang gave a deep, solemn bow before Hyunwoo cancelled the skill to save the very little mana he had remaining.

<< New Party Member Added. Level 12 Paladin. Jjajang. >>
MP: 5
Fatigue: 7​

He needed to lie down somewhere. He wanted to be alone. And yet he didn't want that at the same time.

Hyunwoo's attention snapped towards the commotion behind him, eyes narrowing at the sight of Lee Hoseok standing there looking absolutely terrified. Who wouldn't be after witnessing something like that? 'Damn it.' They should've been more careful. Though it wasn't like he had any idea it would go down like that. With the monsters it was...different. There wasn't any screaming.

Doing what little he could to ease up as the younger male approached them, Hyunwoo let out an audible sigh. "I...didn't mean for you to see that," he told the teen, a genuine tone of regret in his voice, "I'm sorry, Lee Hoseok. But I need to ask you to keep this knowledge to yourself. I don't plan to threaten you."

This next part wasn't the wise decision at all and yet...he could only bear so much of his own cruelty in one day. "I won't force you to come with us either. The choice is yours, Lee Hoseok. There is no right answer."

 

[Ranix Aurus]

"I...I..." Hoseok had a lump in his throat. He wanted to... actually, he had no idea. His mind was foggy. The things that he had witnessed... the screaming, the gnarling shadow, that... that thing that look scarily like Daeseong. His young brain wasn't powerful enough to comprehend them all in so short a span of time. His knee-jerk response was to refuse, especially since Hyunwoo said that he wouldn't force him, although if the man could do such a horrifying thing to Daeseong, would he even bother to consider his response-

Wait, hold up.

"'Us'?" Hoseok whipped his head toward Haeun. "What do you mean, 'us'? You and noona? Is noona going with you?"

"Yeeesh...?" Haeun blinked at him while smiling foolishly.

"But noona, it's dangerous! There's monsters out there! You're not an awake- oh, wait," He did see her slice Daeseong's neck clean back then. Only a Chosen could hurt other Chosens, so didn't that mean Haeun was also a Chosen...? Oh no, he felt like his brain was going to have a meltdown at this rate.

"It's many times safer if we stick with Hyunwoo-ssi here instead of following that group," Haeun confidently said. "Didn't you see how easily he take down those bastards? And he didn't even show his true power yet! Don't worry about it, Hoseok. If things go south, you can always protect me instead."

"Oh. Right. Right! I'll protect you, noona!" Hoseok nodded like a puppy. A puppy that was easy to fool. "But where are we going though? You guys are talking as if we're not following the group to Seoul?"

"No, we..." Haeun paused before turning to Hyunwoo. "Right. Hyunwoo-ssi, where are you going to again? You haven't told me yet."

 

[moonrise]

Hyunwoo nodded in response but chose to allow Haeun to explain the situation, not that what she provided was much of an explanation. He had meant to inform Haeun about his long-term plans to reclaim Daegu by exterminating the monsters there and planned to ask her once more if she truly wanted to come along with him while being aware of that. Now it seemed that would no longer be necessary. There was something both ironic and funny about all of this. They'd barely known each other for not even an entire day and now they shared the blood and...something perhaps much worse, on their hands. Nobody else would excuse their actions. No sane person, at least. As like-minded twisted individuals, they should probably stick together from here on out.

His expression was unreadable as he watched the pair interact in front of him, only to blink in surprise at how easily Kim Haeun had managed to convince Lee Hoseok with promises of power and protection; both things they had very little guarantee of.

Kim Haeun was...truly a terrifying woman.

"I'm not going back to Seoul," the statement was definitive, and he was not open to an argument right now. He was too tired for it. Too tired for all of this, honestly. But he did still owe them a proper answer. Hyunwoo stared off in the direction where the refugees were waiting, and he contemplated in silence. As he just told Lee Hoseok: there was no right answer in any of this. But perhaps, the most socially agreeable option was to see the refugees back to Seoul, he didn't have any confidence that all of them would make it there with only three Chosen; who were probably weaker than his undead soldiers. It would take nearly an entire a day to make it there and that was if they traveled nonstop without factoring in any monster appearances or broken roads. There was also the matter of finding enough supplies and adequate shelter for over twenty people.

This was far from ideal.

Hyunwoo saw no need to sugarcoat his motives in front of the two individuals who had just watched him do something completely inhumane. "My goal is to gather more Chosen," he admitted, gripping his blade in his hand, "I'm on my way to Yeongju. There's...last I checked, there was a military blockade in Cheongju on the way. If the refugees are willing to take a chance on it still being there, then I'm willing to let them come along." He made it clear that he had no intention of convincing them otherwise.

Heading to Cheongju was admittedly a bit of a detour from where they currently were within Cheonan. It would likely take around nine to ten hours to make it without too many delays. Why he even bothered to compromise when time was everything these days, he wasn't too sure. Maybe a part of him really did feel guilty about what happened to Go Daeseong.

However, it was a gamble either way. Hyunwoo could not and would not make any guarantees about the refugees' safety regardless of their decision.

 

[Ranix Aurus]

"Yeongju..." Haeun pondered. Eastward. She had a feeling that Yeongju wasn't his final destination. He had said that he wanted to gather more Chosen. For what, exactly? Seong Hyunwoo was a powerful person, but not because he craves power itself. There was more stories that he hadn't told her yet.

"Got it. We go to Yeongju, get more Chosen. That's easy to understand."

Yet Haeun decided to keep it off her mind for now. Perhaps it was weird that she had a twisted sense of trust for Hyunwoo; as if whatever Hyunwoo did would be acceptable for her.

"If gathering Chosen is your goal, then you're off to a good start. Ignoring those three, you have me and Hoseok here. I guarantee you that we will be helpful for your goal!" Haeun boasted while patting Hoseok's shoulder. The boy just smiled wryly before he froze, his eyes almost bulged out of their sockets.

"...Noona... what did you just say? How did you-"

"Still playing dumb?" Haeun smirked at him. "Level. 1. Champion. Lee. Hoseok~?"

Hoseok looked like he was about to faint.

She kind of understood why he had hidden it for so long. Daeseong and his goons would never let a newly-awakened person off. If he wouldn't join their crew, then they would've never stopped harrassing him. Laying low was the wisest move, although it also prevented him from getting his level up.

"You don't have to hide it anymore. Also, don't worry about leveling up. Hyunwoo-ssi here will help you. Right? Riiight?" Haeun blinked at Hyunwoo, as if saying that she want to level up too~ please carry us~

"But how did you know...?" Not even Go Daeseong, a level 12 Chosen could find it out, and they had been beating him all this time.

"Just think of it as my ability," Haeun pointed at herself. "Though I can only see yours clearly since our levels are similar. I can't do the same with Hyunwoo-ssi."

 

[moonrise]

Hyunwoo raised a brow at Kim Haeun's promise that the two of them would be useful to him. Both of them? It all made sense a moment later. Lee Hoseok was a Chosen, most likely a recently awakened one, but...Kim Haeun hadn't mentioned anything about that before. According to her there were only four Chosen. This new information made him briefly wonder if there wasn't more that she was hiding from him. However, as he watched the two of them interact, Hyunwoo felt that he kinda understood.

They were friendly towards each other. If Kim Haeun had any reservations about him being trustworthy then it made sense for her to keep Lee Hoseok's identity as a Chosen secret. Plus, Hyunwoo hadn't missed the way Lee Hoseok had charged the mage earlier. Chosen were a lot sturdier than the average person.

He wore an unamused expression at Kim Haeun's request. Hyunwoo didn't like the idea of having to supervise but he couldn't deny that a cooperative and dependable Chosen was invaluable these days. At least, Kim Haeun was somewhat familiar with Lee Hoseok. They likely wouldn't be able to say the same about the other Chosen they'd meet going forward. "There's only so much I can help with," Hyunwoo stated coolly, turning his gaze onto Lee Hoseok, "everything you've witnessed up until now, it'll only get worse."

Apparently, Kim Haeun was the only comforting presence among them.

"Are you prepared for that, Lee Hoseok?"

 

[Ranix Aurus]

Hoseok stared back at him for a brief second before trailing his gaze at the spot where Daeseong's body used to be. The boy was still wet behind the ear, his emotion was clear just by looking at his face. "Well... no?" He replied, a bit shakily. "But noona believed in you. So I'll... also believe in you, hyung."

So he won't believe him if Haeun didn't anymore?

"It's good enough, isn't it?" Haeun slapped his shoulder again. The smile in her face showed that she was quite satisfied with his answer. "Just be good to me, and you'll get Hoseok as a nice bonus. Not bad, right, Hyunwoo-ssi? We wouldn't ask much. Just give us some last hits at the monsters. After some levels, Hoseok would be able to do it on his own."

She didn't say anything about herself, though. Considering what she had told him, perhaps it was unnecessary to ask. Appraiser didn't sound like a class that could charge at the enemies in the frontline. Most likely, they would need constant babysitting.

"We should get going," Haeun said as she pulled Hoseok to the entrance. "Those Nightwatchs might appear again. We shouldn't stay at one place for too long."

 

[moonrise]

Indeed that answer was good enough for now because there was little more Hyunwoo could've reasonably expected. Kim Haeun made the rest of it sound too easy though. Yes, he was undoubtedly at a higher level than these two but that didn't guarantee much. He still had to be careful of the monsters he encountered and that caution would need to be multiplied now that he also needed to look out for these two rookie Chosen. "Fine. But you both need to do exactly as I say," he relented with a sigh, unable to relate to Haeun's enthusiasm and incapable of denying that Hoseok's evident hesitation wasn't a bit concerning.

Hyunwoo followed the pair as they made their way over to where the refugee and other Chosen had gathered to wait for further instructions, as he demanded. Naturally, he expected some disorder after what had just transpired, and he was quiet enough upon entry that the panicked individuals had only noticed him a moment too late.

"That tall guy is insane! How do we know we can trust him? Maybe he's using us as bait for the monsters. He made us all gather out here without any walls to protect us!"

"And what about Kim Haeun? She led him straight to us and then she went and killed Daeseong-ssi! What are we supposed to do now?"

Clearly, they weren't very popular here. But these people had good reason to be suspicious of them. Skepticism wasn't going to help them much, though.

Hyunwoo's sharp gaze instantly singled out the mage and the other two Chosen who were no doubt murmuring among themselves about what to do with Daeseong's body. His jaw clenched at the memory that was much too fresh in his mind, vivid in detail and still just as sickening. These men were despicable but...they had the right to grieve for a friend. Nobody could take that from them. "Go Daeseong's body has been dealt with," he announced calmly, "we couldn't just leave it out there for the monsters." Surely, nobody here could argue with that.

Next he turned to Kim Haeun and Lee Hoseok, giving them both a nod to proceed with informing the refugees of their choice going forward. For the sake of their trio, Hyunwoo hoped the majority of people here would resent them enough to avoid traveling with him. Obligation was what forced him to make the offer in the first place, but he still hoped to do without any dead weight.

And yet there was still a small part of him that didn't resist the idea of at least bringing along the children, but even he didn't know for sure if the military blockade would still be where they were going. Either way it was a gamble.

 

[Ranix Aurus]

The trio trembled when Hyunwoo mentioned about Daeseong's body. Dealt with. Many ideas ran through their minds upon hearing those words, none of them flattering. Was it a respectful send-off? No, that was futile to think about. This stranger had no relation with Daeseong, and to expect him to offer a semblance of appreciation was...

Their gaze grew colder, albeit still laced with thick sense of fear. That was the state of this world. The strong was allowed to do anything. They understood it after so long, but that didn't mean they couldn't despise it, never mind the fact that they were once on the side that abused it as well.

Haeun returned to Hyunwoo with a rather interesting expression. She was nonchalant, a bit of schadenfreude, even.

"They don't want to come along," she said. "You're too scary, Hyunwoo-ssi. They don't feel safe with you."

She and Hoseok had been explaining about their plan for the near future. As expected, the response wasn't on the warmer side of things. They were this close to reaching the capital, and now they wanted to take a detour? To the east, no less? Had she forgotten that they just barely survived the trek westward? The older people berated Haeun for trusting a complete stranger, the younger ones "disappointed" that their "friendship" only amounted to this. The children only wanted to stay with their loved ones. They wouldn't be able to make their own decisions regardless.

To be fair, Haeun didn't make any attempt to clear up the confusion either. She was going with a "come or not, your choice" style of explanation. Naturally it didn't garner much sympathy.

"Wait, Noona, Hyung-nim!" Hoseok came over a bit later, accompanied by two younger people around Hyunwoo and Haeun's age. A man and a woman. "They want to come with us."

"Are you sure?" Haeun raised an eyebrow. "We're heading to Cheongju, not Seoul."

"Y-Yes," the man nodded. He pulled the woman closer to him, his gaze firm. "Anything is better than going with those three."

Haeun glanced at Hyunwoo, silently asking for his decision. He had the highest level here, so he would be the one to know if he could handle two normals in the group.

 

[moonrise]

Perhaps his choice of wording could've been a bit better, a bit more sentimental, at least. He was never good at expressing his feelings, though. Eunji often complained about that quality of his and yet somehow she learned to see past it. What would she see if she looked at him now though? It should've given him more pause, maybe make him rethink how he's been going about things but...well, Seong Hyunwoo was never the type to allow himself to be bogged down by details. He could worry about those other things later. Right now, he needed to focus on his immediate goals.

Easily he turned away from the other Chosen when Kim Haeun came to report what the refugees had decided on. Apparently he was too scary to be trustworthy in their eyes. "I see," his response was short and simple per usual and yet his gaze may have lingered on the smaller girl a little while longer. The refugees' words and feelings were of little consequence to him, he had no attachment to them. Because he didn't know them. Kim Haeun did. Her demeanor seemed to imply that she was taking all of this in strides, but was that how she truly felt?

Did the murder of Go Daeseong and everything that followed...did it affect her at all?

Hyunwoo's lips would not part. He wouldn't ask. Not here. Not now.

Soon his attention was drawn by Lee Hoseok and the approach of two non-Chosen. This wasn't exactly ideal and yet he couldn't find it in himself to turn them away.

"Chosen-ssi, I promise we'll stay out of your way. I-I actually have family in the east but didn't think we'd have the chance to see them..." Her words were soft and genuine and Hyunwoo felt something tug at his chest from the way she clung to the sleeve of the man holding her. Eunji had a habit of grabbing his sleeve too.

"There's a good chance the people there may have already been evacuated," Hyunwoo reluctantly felt the need to spell it out for her, to imply that either her loved ones were already moved to another city or...would not move from wherever their bodies now remained. Hope was scarce these days, but a false hope was a cruelty all the same. "We might not find anything there. Are you absolutely certain?"

The woman exchanged a look with the man but seemed as resolute as he did moments ago. "We understand. We'll take our chances and...if it doesn't work out, then we'll come up with something." A slight smile tugged at her lips but it was also sad and did little to hide the overall exhaustion in her features.

Honestly, Hyunwoo didn't know what he'd do if the military blockade wasn't there. Did he have it in his heart to abandon this young couple? "For now, we should get some rest. I have some supplies stashed away in the next town over. We'll retrieve them in the morning." Of course, he didn't intend to share any of it with the other refugees. This was survival of the fittest, after all. The remaining three Chosen would have to find a way to provide for the others.

Five mouths alone was going to be difficult to feed with the limited rations he had.

As the others prepared to settle in for the night, he found himself approaching Kim Haeun. What he really wanted to ask her still didn't leave his mouth. "Kim Haeun...you guys were in this town for a while, right? Was there anywhere you didn't search?," Hyunwoo asked. He didn't directly state that his intention was to do some 'solo' scouting if necessary. It wouldn't be safe on his own, but in reality they weren't safe anywhere. Plus, there was a good chance that other Chosen had fallen here too, which meant that their belongings might be lying around somewhere.

There were now five of them and only two of them were armed. Well, Lee Hoseok was a special case but not yet a reliable one. Thus, the risk was one that needed taking.

 

[Ranix Aurus]

Truthfully, Kim Haeun had no desire to involve herself further with this group of refugees. They had failed her in her direst time of need, these cowardly, opportunistic bunch. If they weren't worshipping the strong, they were only looking out for themselves, scurrying away at the slightest sign of trouble.

As far as she had remembered, this couple was the latter. That made them the lesser of the two evils, but it didn't make them right either.

Hoseok was more amiable to them, as he helped the two settle down for the night. Haeun was more contemplative, opting to find her quiet little corner among the rubbles of the fallen city. Hyunwoo's inquiry intrigued her. Was he searching for more opportunities in this godforsaken place? Unfortunately, he might have to be disappointed. The only thing that they could find here was death, either by monsters or by lack of supplies.

...Oh, wait. That might be useful.

"You might've overheard about us entering the city from the east? But we didn't pass through Cheongju. We were taking the southeast road. There was another group of Chosen that came here before us, but Daeseong ordered us to keep quiet and let them enter first."

She pointed at a certain building in the distance.

"From what I've heard, that group had settled down in a gym building somewhere over there. We didn't dare to make contact with them, because... you know. However, I'm pretty sure that they didn't survive for long either. Why, you ask?"

She clapped her hands in a slight show of schadenfreude.

"That place was a nest of Moles. Giant, red-eyes moles the size of a tiger. That building was left intact like some kind of trap for us humans. Fascinating, isn't it? Daeseong had almost chosen that building as our base back then. We had survived purely by luck."

 

[moonrise]

It was starting to seem like this whole ordeal was becoming something very far from a wasted trip. Already Hyunwoo had managed to rally two other Chosen to his cause. Well, they didn't know exactly what that cause was yet but he felt that he could count on Kim Haeun sticking around for the long-run. To call it trust would be a bit hasty. They hadn't even known each other for a day yet.

But the things they saw and the terrible acts they committed were binding in a way he couldn't quite define.

Lee Hoseok was just being brought along for the ride and while Hyunwoo was hesitant to waste time and resources on a guy that might end up fleeing as soon as he could fend for himself, he didn't have the luxury of being picky. He had to take a chance and trust that whatever it was Kim Haeun saw in Lee Hoseok would be worthwhile.

However, these potential supplies left behind by possibly-dead Chosen did seem like something worth looking into. It was hard to come by supplies these days, food especially this far out of the barricaded cities. One glance at his mana gauge cautioned him to reconsider the idea. But moles weren't any more or less active during the day and at least under the cover of night there was a chance to take advantage of their poor eyesight.

Plus, it wasn't like he necessarily had to go alone. The other Chosen didn't know he was low on mana. If nothing else, he still had the sword and his military training to rely on.

He...probably should have been more concerned about how flippantly Kim Haeun spoke of her refugee group's narrow avoidance of death. Strangely enough, he was starting to become more familiar with that dark and morbid nature of hers, finding that her survival up till this point was a testament of how well it served her. Too many times Hyunwoo had witnessed people succumb to despair and lose the will to fight on.

If this was what kept Kim Haeun going then it wasn't his place to judge.

"I see," he replied, furrowing his brow as he processed what she said about the building being a trap. Were the monsters there really capable of such deliberate and dangerous schemes? It seemed he'd need to be even more cautious. There was a beat of silence before his lips parted again and his next words came out a bit stiff, "thank you...for sharing that with me." Her information had certainly been useful up till now.

"You should get some rest, Kim Haeun. We won't be staying here any longer than we need to and we may not find another shelter tomorrow," Hyunwoo glanced over in the direction of the other three, hoping they'd all find a way to get some shut-eye despite the murder they'd all witnessed earlier. Death wasn't anything new or unfamiliar to him, it was part of being a soldier.

These people weren't soldiers though.

 

[Ranix Aurus]

"No need to thank me. We're in this together now. Your success is mine and Hoseok's too."

She was already preparing to hit the sack in her little private corner under the shade of a rubble, but she noticed how Hyunwoo was looking at the two warriors and the mage in the distance. Something seemed to click in her mind, but she kept quiet about it.

"Well then, I'll have a chat with Hoseok for a bit before going to sleep. You get some rest yourself, Hyunwoo-ssi."

Before she left, however, she glanced at him one last time before adding,

"By the way, Jeongho is the stronger between the two fighters. Err, the bare-chested guy," she added at the end, remembering that they had never been introduced properly to Hyunwoo before.

After saying that, she went off toward Hoseok and the two refugees at the other end of the clearing.

 

[moonrise]

It was so...jarring to hear Kim Haeun speak of their shared success after being on his own all these months. Hyunwoo found himself reluctant to rely on others after everything. He didn't know who he could actually trust these days so he wouldn't prioritize trust. Instead, he'd focus on utility. Kim Haeun's abilities made her incredibly valuable to him and he was reluctant to risk her safety even if her appraisal skill might come in handy for what would be discovered in that mole-infested building.

But with so little mana he couldn't activate Dark Conjuring, let alone protect someone who was lacking combat capabilities. And given who he planned on dragging along with him, Hyunwoo also had to account for the very real possibility that he could end up with a knife in the back if he wasn't careful.

He gave a slight nod in response but froze in place at Haeun's next words. A suggestion that prompted the slightest of smiles to tug at the corner of his lips. So she knew what he was planning. "I'll be back." He hoped. There was no way to guarantee his return but with four other people to look after his meager rations weren't going to cut it.

---

After some...gentle coaxing, Hyunwoo managed to convince Jeongho and the mage Chosen whom he came to realize was named Himchan, to accompany him on this very unwise trek back into the city. The moles weren't the only concerns lurking around the buildings, after all. Hyunwoo hadn't forgotten about the large monster from before, but thankfully that one was easy to detect. They'd definitely have to be careful of the wolves though.

Jeongho and Himchan walked in front of him, as per his instructions. It was easier to keep an eye on them that way. But it also made it easier to notice how stiff their movements were because they were undoubtedly terrified to be venturing somewhere they hadn't dared to go even while their beloved Daeseong was still alive and breathing. Hyunwoo had coerced them into this and at the first sign of true danger he was already prepared to abandon them both. In all honesty he should've grabbed the other warrior back at the camp too, but he'd left that guy behind to leave the refugees with some peace of mind. Hopefully he wouldn't come to regret that.

By the time they reached the building, there hadn't been any other noises or movement around. It was too quiet, unsettlingly so. They all kept their guards up as they slipped into the building, finding a wide, open space with small piles of rubble from the parts of the roofs that had caved in to invite light. That wasn't nearly enough light to see everything though. Without a word, Hyunwoo nudged Himchan with the hilt of his blade, eliciting a startled jump from the man in front of him who, thankfully, understood the silent order.

A small fireball lit up within the palm of Himchan's hand, weak and not particularly bright but useful enough.

"There's nothing here...," Himchan murmured, spinning back around so quickly that he'd almost snuffed out his own flame, "w-we should get back to the others. It isn't s-safe here."

Hyunwoo cursed under his breath. Was there really nothing here? There wasn't even any trace of the bodies anywhere.

 

[Ranix Aurus]

They were doomed. They were doomed. Theyweredoomedtheyweredoomed-

Jeongho was actually the one who had noticed the Moles back then, prompting Daeseong to abort his plan to take over this building as their base. Back then, the sight of those gigantic naked Moles, with erratic bones painfully jutting out of their backs and jagged teeth as big as a sword was enough to make him wet his pants. And this madman was forcing them to come here of all places?? Why did they agree to come again?

Oh, right, because this madman was as scary as the Moles...

"T-There's really nothing here! We need to go! Stat!" Himchan pleaded even harder. The shadows cast by his flame kept making him jump from the slightest flicker. His imagination already gone wild thinking that the moles would pop out from beneath the rubbles or even under their feet.

"Chosen-nim, please, let's just leave?" Jeongho also pleaded. No matter how strong this guy was, he wouldn't be a match against an entire swarm of moles, would he? It was better to get his ire instead of getting bitten to death by naked rats.

At that moment, a light shuffle came from the entrance, causing the two to turn around in an instant. "T-They're coming!" Himchan shoved his palm outward, preparing to cast a fireball.

"Oi, oi, don't shoot."

An annoyed voice caught up with them, and the figure of Kim Haeun followed up next, slowly entering their point of view. However, she stopped right outside the entrance.

"Hyunwoo-ssi, we should go up," without waiting for them to react, she pointed to the stairway at the left side of the wall. "I'll explain it to you later, but we need to move now."

 

[moonrise]

Perhaps Kim Haeun's appearance shouldn't have surprised Hyunwoo as much as it did. He knew she'd already figured out his plan earlier, couldn't quite deny that it might be useful for her to appraise anything they might find first, but he didn't have the means to protect her right now. She had to know that, right? He gave a slight nod in response to her suggestion, deciding that inquiries and arguments could wait while he tried to get a grasp on the situation and what it was Kim Haeun apparently needed to explain.

Once they reached the landing of the second floor, it was much easier to take in the room below. A beam of moonlight pierced through the ceiling on the floor above them, illuminating the rubble below and revealing a large hole in one corner of the room. The shape implied that it was a tunnel of some sort and Hyunwoo had already concluded it must've been the moles' nest moments before a large mole sprang out of it. It was large, devoid of fur, and looked as though needles were piercing into or through its bare skin. No, not needles, but bones.

A chittering sound escaped the creature that started to sniff hurriedly around its vicinity, its long claws scraping at the ground. Hyunwoo didn't consider himself an animal expert but the mole appeared eager...searching for prey perhaps? He cast a silent glare at the other two Chosen, demanding both stillness and silence from them.

However, in the moment that he looked away, something very unexpected happened.

There was a very and sudden loud squeal from the mole monster, instantly snagging Hyunwoo's intention as his cool gray eyes widened and then narrowed at the sight of the spear that had pierced through the creatures head, disappearing into it's skull and reappearing through its jaw. Then a man emerged from the hole, a tall man with long, brightly dyed blonde hair tied back into a high ponytail with a few longer strands spread across his face. He was covered in blood and guts. What was even more unsettling was the way he grinned as he gripped his spear, pulling the weapon out of the dead mole by kicking its body forward like he'd done so everyday. A bluish glow surrounded him, but Hyunwoo could've already guessed he was a Chosen.

A dangerous one that was now smiling up at them. Shit.

"Oh, hey there!," the man, who looked to be around Hyunwoo's age or perhaps a year or two older, waved at them, "I didn't think anyone else was alive out here." That chipper tone was very out of place here.

"Who are you?," Hyunwoo pressed immediately, eyes narrowing because he already had a very bad feeling about this man.

It seemed his cold bluntness really wasn't winning anyone over these days. The mystery man raised a brow, frowning as he flicked the blood off his spear easily. "It's kinda rude to be asking for my name without giving yours, isn't it? Why don't you come down here so we can talk properly?"

Oh, not a chance. Given how easily this man had killed that mole and emerged from the hole, Hyunwoo could only assume he killed the rest of the monsters in there as well. What kind of person would jump into a nest infested with monsters?

Apparently one that was very eager and also impatient because before Hyunwoo or anyone else could say or do anything the man had charged forward and leaped, landing upon the railing in front of the group with the grace of a cat. "Or I suppose I could just come up here," that devilish smile remained and he still held his spear in his left hand. The man's gaze soon fell on Kim Haeun, "you know I couldn't see very well down there, but I gotta say, you're not bad-looking at all." Maybe he might've fallen under the umbrella of 'conventional attractiveness', but the blood all over his face and clothes weren't exactly emphasizing his charm points. "What's your name, miss?"