[A few hours earlier]
[THWACK!]
A black arrow was lodged in the tree that Pyo had just run past.
'I have to tell the Master!'
Thanks to Tae-geon, Young-ho, and Do-yoon buying him time, Pyo was running through the trees, drenched in a torrential sweat, to get help.
The pattern on his face was etched in blood, and his pupils had become long, vertical slits.
Pyo ran like a beast through the trees, not stopping despite the rain of sweat.
[TAP. TAP. TAP.]
The sound of footsteps following him from the valley. He had borrowed the power of a leopard, but he couldn't shake them off.
"Hah... hah... No, I'm losing my energy already..."
His pupils gradually returned to normal, and his speed began to slow down.
[THUMP—THWACK!]
A short thud. An arrow pierced his shoulder, and his body was thrown into the air, rolling forward.
"Ugh..."
The black arrowhead was sticking out of his shoulder. As the cold energy seeped deep into his body, Pyo's mind was filled with the image of the blackened ground in the valley.
[RIIIP!]
A quick foot shot out and grabbed the arrowhead that was sticking out, yanking the arrow out.
"Agh!"
Pyo's eyes widened in pain. As the arrow shaft came out of his shoulder, blood gushed from the finger-sized hole.
'No time. My comrades are in danger...'
Pyo immediately threw the arrow aside and started running again.
[THWANG—WHOOSH!]
Another arrow, it grazed past his side. Pyo used his last ounce of strength to push off the trees and take off again.
"You're a persistent one, aren't you?"
The Dark Elf chasing Pyo said coldly, leaping from branch to branch to keep up.
'I've finally caught him.'
[TWANG!]
As the Dark Elf saw Pyo stumbling and running in his sights, he drew his bowstring and took aim.
[THWACK!]
Another arrow lodged itself in Pyo's shoulder. But he merely staggered and kept running with the arrow still in him.
[THWACK!]
This time, an arrow in his leg...
Finally, Pyo stumbled and rolled on the ground.
He struggled to raise his upper body with his trembling arms, and saw the moon between the trees.
'When did it start? Calling these strangers 'comrades.'
It wasn't because of the name Chi-woo.
It was because we hunted and joked and worried together that my heart accepted them first.'
"Young-ho... I'm sorry. I couldn't be with you..."
The moment he saw the moon, the face of the comical Young-ho, with whom he had developed a love-hate relationship, appeared in his blurry vision.
[STOMP. STOMP.]
"Your rat-like ability to escape has finally come to an end."
The Dark Elf roughly grabbed him by the hair and pulled him up.
Pyo gasped for air, as if the energy seeping from the arrows was suffocating him, and his vision narrowed.
"Is this the end...?"
That's when it happened.
[BOOM!!!]
A deafening roar that tore through the air. Something, a figure that flew in like a bullet. A red flash streaked past Pyo in a straight line.
[CRUNCH.]
The Dark Elf's neck was twisted in the opposite direction by 'something'. The Dark Elf staggered and fell to his knees, and there was a hand clutching his face.
[WHUMP!]
The Dark Elf's head, held by Min-chan's hand, was slammed into the ground.
[SQUELCH.]
The skull burst open, and blood splattered.
Min-chan's bloodshot eyes came into Pyo's blurry vision.
"...Min-chan-nim...?"
"You've worked hard. Leave the rest to me and rest."
As Pyo's consciousness faded, Tae-geon's shout echoed like a distant memory.
'Hurry—! We'll hold them off—!'
"Ugh... Min-chan-nim, the others are in danger..."
Min-chan gave a short nod and said.
"I know. I'm going to give them back with interest."
A moment later, Dam-bi, Young-beom, and Woo-am arrived. Their fiercely distorted faces and sweat-drenched clothes showed how urgently they had run.
"Dam-bi... can you save him?"
Min-chan asked Dam-bi, looking at Pyo's arms and legs, which were turning black.
Dam-bi sighed in relief and said.
"Thank God. The dark energy has only invaded his system, but his organs are fine."
"Then I'll leave him to you. The situation is urgent, so only Young-beom and I will go. Woo-am, take Pyo back to the village with Dam-bi as soon as he's treated."
Woo-am hesitated for a moment, then agreed.
"Understood. If Pyo is in this state, I probably wouldn't be much help anyway."
Just then, Dam-bi's face turned pale and she shouted.
"Min-chan, hurry! Young-ho's energy is strange!"
At her words, Min-chan and Young-beom's faces contorted like demons, and they began to run in the direction of Tae-geon's group.
'Just hold on a little longer. I'll show you hell.'
As Min-chan and Young-beom's feet kicked off the ground, dust exploded.
The heat radiating from their bodies was so intense that their sweat evaporated on contact, rising into the air like smoke and leaving a long trail behind them.
[TAP, TAP, TAP!]
Their vision gradually opened as they ran through the thick trees. When the forest ended, the battlefield unfolded before their eyes.
"...!"
Do-yoon was tied up by two Lizardmen, and Tae-geon lay motionless on the ground.
And in front of him, a giant lizard standing on two legs was raising its foot to crush Tae-geon's head.
That was the moment.
[BOOM! WOOOSH!]
Min-chan's figure cut through the air. He shot up like a flash of light, and with the force of gravity, he dropped directly onto the Lizard Warrior's head.
[CRUNCH!!]
His foot, full of downward acceleration, landed squarely on its crown.
The Lizard Warrior's massive head was bent toward the ground.
[THUMP—]
Losing its balance, the creature staggered and was pushed back. Its legs trembled, and shattered pieces of its scales scattered in the air.
At the same time, on the opposite side,
"Do-yoon!"
Young-beom threw himself between the two Lizardmen.
He kicked one in the chest, sending it flying backward.
Using the momentum, he changed direction and punched the other in the face.
[CRASH!]
Do-yoon, whose path was cleared by Young-beom's surprise attack, came out.
In an instant, the flow of the battle began to change.
Then, Min-chan shouted briefly.
"Young-beom, Do-yoon. Take care of Tae-geon and Young-ho. I'll handle the rest."
[GRRRR.]
The Lizard Warrior righted its head and took a stance again.
Min-chan's single kick had broken and cracked its scales, but the monster was still alive.
On the contrary, it seemed even more enraged, hitting the ground with its large, thick tail.
[CRACK!]
The ground split open, and fragments flew.
Min-chan silently turned his gaze and slowly scanned his surroundings.
And then, he closed his eyes.
Tae-geon, passed out and bruised, with a hole in his hand and both arms broken.
Young-ho, soaked in blood, lying there like a dead man.
Do-yoon, covered in wounds, trying to save his hyungs.
Pyo, with arrows in his arms and legs, crawling on the ground.
When he opened his eyes again—flames burned in Min-chan's pupils.
A red haze rose from over his shoulders.
"...I'll give it back to you, with interest."
[CRASH!]
As he planted his foot to throw a punch, the ground exploded.
[BANG!]
The sound of air bursting.
Min-chan's fist streaked out, leaving a line in the air.
The Lizard Warrior couldn't even react.
[CRUNCH!!]
First. Min-chan's fist shattered the Lizard Warrior's shoulder.
Its arm hung limp, and the joint was ruined.
[CRACK!]
Second. A middle kick aimed at the opposite elbow.
The elbow bent inward, and the bone tore through the skin.
[KRRRRRAAA!]
As the monster's cry erupted, Min-chan ducked under it and muttered.
"Be quiet, and close your mouth."
[POW!]
An uppercut. It flew straight at the Lizard Warrior's jaw.
Its sharp teeth shattered, scattering like white fragments.
[CRASH!] [CRASH!]
Low kicks. Both of its knees bent inward, touching each other.
Just as it was about to fall to the side—
Min-chan frowned and muttered.
"You can't fall down yet. The fight hasn't even begun."
[BAM!]
Min-chan kicked the head of the falling creature up.
[CRASH!] [CRASH!]
A left hook to the head that flew up.
And then a right hook to the head that tilted to the other side.
"You can't die yet. Hold on a little longer, I'm not done with the math."
[POUNDING!]
Punching, pulling, and holding it up.
Blood began to pour from every hole in the Lizard Warrior's body, splattering everywhere.
But Min-chan didn't care.
He just silently, one by one, broke the monster's body.
At the destructive sounds, the gazes on the battlefield slowly gathered on Min-chan—
and silence descended.
[THUUD]
The Lizard Warrior finally collapsed.
Its massive body hit the ground, kicking up dust.
With all its bones broken and its life drained, it just writhed like a mollusk.
Min-chan, covered in blood, scanned the now-silent battlefield.
Then, he looked down at the fallen creature again, revealing his blood-soaked teeth and his lips curled into a smile.
"...One left? What to do. I have to make the numbers match."
Min-chan slowly placed his foot on the monster's back.
And with both hands, he grabbed its thick, tough tail.
[HUFF.]
The veins on the back of his hands and forearms bulged and turned reddish.
Just as the power was building up—
[CRUNCH... TEAR! RIIIIIP!]
The chilling sound of flesh and bone tearing at once.
The tail, it was torn off.
Min-chan swung the lump of sticky blood and flesh—
Over his shoulder.
He dusted off his hands and said.
"Alright, the math is done here—"
Min-chan's head slowly turned in another direction.
"...Next."
In front of the fallen Lizard Warrior's corpse.
Min-chan's gaze turned away.
[SPLASH! SPLASH!]
As a few Lizardmen, shocked by his gaze, leaped into the stream and fled, the rest began to follow suit.
"I'll chase them!"
A few Dark Elf soldiers raised their bowstrings again.
But Arden held up her hand to stop them.
"Leave them. Right now... this is the priority."
Her words weren't directed at the remaining Lizardmen, but at Min-chan.
[PATTER.]
As Min-chan shook his hands, the blood flowing down his arms dripped onto the ground.
"Black arrows... It was you."
[STOMP. STOMP. STOMP.]
In front of the Dark Elf formation.
As Min-chan approached, some of the soldiers unconsciously took a step back.
The burning light in his eyes exuded an overwhelming pressure that felt suffocating just to look at.
Just then—
"Wait! Hurry up and heal him as promised!"
Do-yoon ran over, panting.
"What are you talking about? What promise?"
"I'll explain later, after he's healed."
Min-chan asked, and Do-yoon answered.
The Elder, Arden's mother and the golden-haired Elf, quietly nodded.
The Elder went to Young-ho and began to cast a spell.
"Heal. O' spirit of life."
Young-ho's body began to glow with a green light,
and his wounds healed as his color slowly returned.
Only then did Min-chan, with his arms crossed, ask Do-yoon.
"Now explain. What happened?"
Do-yoon briefly explained the events since their arrival at the valley.
A moment later, the Elder finished her healing and said.
"I have kept my promise. Your comrade, that man's bleeding has stopped and his life is secure."
"Good. That's a relief. For both of us."
Min-chan approached and made a cryptic remark.
Arden stepped forward.
"Stop. Don't come any closer. Don't cause any unnecessary friction."
Min-chan didn't reply.
His eyes were still burning like embers.
[FLASH!]
In Arden's eyes, Min-chan disappeared and reappeared as a sharp pain shot up in her head.
"Ugh. Let go."
Min-chan grabbed her by the hair, lifted her into the air, and met her eye level.
"We said something similar, didn't we...
Alright, shall we begin our own math?"
Tension filled the air.
Just then, the Elder stepped forward.
"What do you mean, 'math'?
We made a condition, and we healed him.
Isn't that 'math'?"
At her words, Min-chan slowly turned his head.
"...Math?
Do you call forcing a price on an inescapable situation 'math'?"
The Elder answered indifferently, as if it were nothing.
"Then what else would you call the act of paying a price for what each of us wants?"
Min-chan's lips curled into a half-smile.
"Fine. Then let's do one more calculation."
As soon as he finished speaking, his fist struck Arden's ribs.
[WHUMP!]
[GASP! COUGH! COUGH!]
Blood mixed with her coughing.
The Elder's eyes widened, and she glared at him, shouting.
"What are you doing!"
Along with the Elder's angry shout, the archers aimed their bows at Min-chan.
Min-chan looked at the Elder and sneered coldly.
"This is the way of the strong, isn't it...
I want this woman's life.
So, I ask you, what can you give me?"
"What kind of sophistry is that!"
Min-chan slowly looked at those who had their bows aimed at him,
then fixed his gaze back on the Elder.
"What's the difference between this and the math you did?
No matter the situation or the ability,
the strong only give the other party one option."
"GRR! You were the ones who trespassed on our territory first!"
Min-chan finally showed his teeth and growled.
"Trespass?
We apologized and explained, but you tried to capture us instead.
People usually call that a threat.
Just like this."
[CRUNCH.]
[UGH!]
Min-chan's grip twisted her wrist, and she held back a scream.
But Min-chan reached out his hand again, grabbing her elbow and said.
"Ah... and my way of 'math' isn't just about giving back what I received.
It's about giving back double."
[CRACK!]
[SCREEECH!]
Arden screamed, and the Elder asked.
"What do you want?"
"Healing, first. And then we'll start the math again."
Min-chan pointed at Tae-geon.
As Tae-geon's body was enveloped in a green light,
his broken bones went back into place and healed.
"Alright, tell me what you want."
"Ah... wait a moment, I have to finish the remaining calculations."
Ignoring the Elder's words, Min-chan began to reach for Arden's leg.
With an indifferent expression, she looked at Min-chan's eyes
and closed her eyes tightly, anticipating the pain that was about to come.
"Stop! Please, I beg you, let go of my daughter.
I will give you anything...
Your companions are alive and well, aren't they?"
"Who said I was going to kill her?"
Min-chan said, narrowing his eyes.
"I'm just taking back what I received.
No, a little more.
You can heal her, can't you?
Just like you did a moment ago."
Min-chan said as if it was nothing.
The Elder hesitated for a moment and then continued.
"Dark Elves are a cursed race,
so we cannot use healing magic even if we wanted to."
Min-chan briefly stared at the misaligned wrist and elbow
of the golden-haired Elder and the black-haired Arden,
then casually put her down and said.
"You should have said so earlier."
[CRUNCH. CRUNCH.]
Then, under her skin, veins as dark as ink spread.
The broken bones went back into place
as the lines tangled like a spiderweb,
wrapping around each joint.
Do-yoon, who had been quietly watching the situation, said.
"Hyung... it looks like she's consuming her life force to heal her.
The tips of her hair, which were black before, have now turned white."
The Elder narrowed her eyes, glared at Min-chan, and said.
"That's right. Not only for common wounds,
but for anything that harms the body,
we must consume our lifespan."
Do-yoon seemed to be thinking about something, then said.
"If you get injured often in battle,
your lifespan would become very short."
"That's right.
Our cursed race is dwindling day by day.
That's why we reacted so sensitively to those who trespassed on our territory."
Then, Young-beom, who had been silent, said.
"Seeing as you keep talking about that curse,
it seems like you guys are desperate to break it.
Am I right?"
"..."
"We have a master of curse-breaking,
a noona named Dam-bi.
Want to meet her?"
"Break the curse?
Do you really think that's possible?
The long-cherished wish of our race... in the hands of a mere human?"
The Elder said with a look of disbelief,
but she didn't take her eyes off Young-beom.
"Don't believe me if you don't want to.
It's no skin off our back."
At that moment—
[JINGLE.]
A clear and light sound echoed through the air.
Min-chan tilted his head and put his hand in his pants pocket.
[JINGLE.]
"Huh? Why is this...?"
A small bell appeared on Min-chan's palm.
A pattern of red lines, as if intertwined from somewhere,
was etched on its surface,
and it rang softly, trembling, even though no one was touching it.
"Do you know how we knew to come here, hyungs?"
Do-yoon said quietly from behind.
"Noona Dam-bi made it.
She used her magic to... make it possible for us to find you guys."
The Elder's eyebrow twitched slightly.
She looked at the bell and muttered softly.
"It's not an artifact...
The magical wavelength is nonexistent...
And yet it can indicate a location..."
Suddenly, her eyes wavered.
After a long silence, she finally opened her mouth.
"...You said you can break the curse.
If so, tell me what you want.
But, you'll have to provide solid proof first."
Min-chan's lips slowly curled up into a smile.
In his eyes, there was no longer the look of a man on a bloody battlefield,
but the smile of a merchant who would not give an inch.
"Good.
Then now—let's begin the negotiation."