The Hunter’s Gonna Lay Low

Thud. The man in a black suit collapsed. A pool of red blood began to spread across the white ash. A familiar sight. He had seen it countless times in the West Sea Rift. Mackerel rushed forward and grabbed Minggijeok. Uijae stared blankly at the scene. Then, a dark shadow loomed over the two of them.

The lion’s front paw slashed through the air once more. His body moved instinctively. And then—

Thwack!

A strangled gasp escaped before he could swallow it. A terrible pain struck his head. But Uijae steadied his staggering body, using his spear as support, barely managing to stand on both feet. His vision wavered into a chaotic mess. A piercing ringing sound shook his skull. The surrounding noise faded, replaced only by the high-pitched ringing and the pounding of his own heart. The taste of blood filled his mouth—he must have bitten his lip.

"Hyungnim!"

Uijae pressed his throbbing temple. It was wet. When he pulled his hand away, his palm was soaked in bright red blood. At the sight of it, the emotion that seized him was—

‘It’s still red.’

Relief.

A hollow chuckle escaped him. Each laugh made him sway dizzily, but he couldn’t stop. Through the terrible ringing, Mackerel’s voice echoed in his ears.

"Hyungnim! Are you okay?"

Uijae slowly turned his head. Mackerel and Minggijeok blurred into two, then three figures. But through the distortion, he could see Mackerel’s wide, trembling eyes clearly. The younger man pointed at him with a shaking hand.

"Hyungnim… your mask…"

"……."@@novelbin@@

Uijae reached up to touch his mask with bloodied fingers. The left side around his eye was broken. No wonder his vision was a mess. Hong Yesung, that bastard, boasted so much about his craftsmanship, and yet one hit was all it took to break it? Uijae turned his gaze forward.

The lion stood there, front paw still raised, staring at him in puzzlement. Drops of red blood dripped from its pristine white paw and claws. Its stark white eyes questioned—

Why did you block it?

Uijae didn’t bother answering the monster’s confusion. Instead, he staggered forward and knelt beside Minggijeok. The lion lowered its raised paw, no longer exuding hostility. It simply observed him in silence.

Uijae spoke carefully.