Chapter 108

Shinwoo’s sword split the monster’s thick waist. His face drenched in blood, he shouted.

“Sis! One’s headed your way!”

“I’ll handle it!”

I swung my sword, lopping off the head of the monster in front of me, and used the momentum to land a spinning kick on the one attacking from behind.

Then I stomped on the fallen monster’s chest and drove my sword into it.

Thunk! I felt the core shatter through the tip of my blade. I’d lost count of how many I’d killed. My overworked arm throbbed.

“Phew…”

Before I could even wipe the sweat from my eyes, the boss appeared.

“Sis! The boss!”

“Huh?”

A flying monster with wings. A gargoyle.

By the time I looked up, its hook-like talons were already inches from the top of my head.

It was hard to detect, as it flew around spewing mist from its mouth.

“Ugh!”

I ducked in a hurry, but it snagged my ponytail.

At this rate, I’d either be dragged up into the mist or scalped. I swung my sword and cut my hair off.

Slice. The dull blade sawed through the thick lock of hair.

Kiaaak!

Having lost its prey, the gargoyle shrieked.

My vision was obscured by my newly short hair falling into my face.

Just as I irritably swept it aside, I saw the monster’s sharp, curved talons. They were about to clutch my face.

“Dammit!”

No time to attack. I had to dodge, even if it meant getting hurt.

As I sidestepped, its talons grazed my cheek.

“Ugh!”

A searing pain flared across my cheek, followed by the flow of something warm.

Thankfully, the talons didn’t seem to be poisoned. I didn’t feel any paralysis or smell a burning stench.

Ignoring the blood, I swung my sword.

But with just a few flaps of its wings, the beast easily dodged my attack.

Kyaak! Kaak!

The creature hovered in the air, spreading its wings wide. I gritted my teeth at the sight.

“Again? Keep that up and you’ll end up as roast chicken!”

Just as I grumbled and leaped away, a dozen feathers rained down like arrows, embedding themselves where I had been standing.

No sooner had I escaped becoming a pincushion than the gargoyle pressed its attack, talons extended.

I parried it easily, only for it to soar back into the air and hide in the mist. I hadn’t even gotten a decent attack in.

“Are you really going to keep doing that?”

This was the problem with flying monsters.

They could easily escape my attack range, and just as quickly close the distance whenever they pleased.

The easiest way to deal with a beast like that was to tear off its wings, but the gargoyle was too fast.

It wasn’t like I could fly.

If only I could use a special move with my surplus of mana, but with the sword I had, it was just a pipe dream.

Kaaaak!

The beast swooped down with its talons again. The moment I swung my sword to block, the blade snapped in two.

“Huh?”

I swung the broken sword to knock the creature back, then looked down dejectedly at my expired blade.

“I only used it a few times…”

– Anonymous Constellation: This is why I told you to get some better gear!

– Anonymous Constellation: How many times do I have to say it? Hunters are all about the equipment.

– Anonymous Constellation: Just listen for once, Ryutto. Haven’t you ever heard the saying, ‘You won’t lose anything by listening to your elders’?

“Then shower me with donations! From now on, if you want to lecture me, you have to pay for it!”

[System: Anonymous Constellation has donated 10,000 points.]

– Anonymous Constellation: There? Happy now?

– Anonymous Constellation: lol that was some expert-level donation baiting

– Anonymous Constellation: Now please, let’s throw that damn thing away. That kind of item is for noobs!

– Anonymous Constellation: Even kids don’t hunt monsters with that! Maybe for hunting rabbits, but that’s it!

“Only one person donated, but how many people are talking…?”

I grumbled as I pulled an iron sword from my inventory that looked just like the one that had just broken.

“I still have plenty of the ones the government handed out last time, so I’ll just use those. Anyway, thanks for the donation. Bbuing bbuing.”

– Anonymous Constellation: How many of those trash items did you stock up on…? I heard other Hunters won’t even give them a second glance.

– Anonymous Constellation: Leave her be. She’s saving up points to trade for Arondight.

– Anonymous Constellation: Huh? That one-billion-point end-game item?

– Anonymous Constellation: …Let’s just hope our Ryutto doesn’t die before she gets Arondight.

A divine sword that absorbs its master’s mana to attack on its own.

Once I learned of Arondight’s existence, no other sword mattered.

So until I could get my hands on Arondight, I was making do with the weapons handed out by the government.

‘A woman’s gotta be straightforward. I’m saving up one billion, no matter what, and buying Arondight.’

I took a deep breath and shouted at the top of my lungs.

“You cowardly avian bastard! Come down to the ground and let’s fight fair and square!”

After yelling loud enough to make the area ring, I stared into the empty air.

After a moment, the mist in one spot of the hazy air began to swirl unnaturally.

I smirked. That meant the gargoyle was flapping its wings somewhere nearby.

‘There it is.’

Now that I knew where it was hiding, the advantage was mine.

I grabbed the broken half of the sword from the ground and threw it like a spear.

Whoosh,

Kke-eeeeek!

The gargoyle let out a piercing shriek and emerged from the mist. Blood was trickling from its lower abdomen where the blade was embedded.

“Ah, my bad. I missed. I was aiming for the heart, not the stomach.”

Kyahak! Kuaak!

Fuming with rage, the beast shot toward me like an arrow, aiming its talons at the top of my head.

Slice.

The sharp edge of my new sword sliced clean through the gargoyle’s left foot.

The beast sprayed blood as it flew up and spread its wings.

Now!

“Shinwoo!”

I heard Shinwoo’s footsteps behind me. I leaped out of the way.

Just as the feathers slammed violently into the spot where I’d been standing, I turned around to see Shinwoo right in front of me, hands clasped and ready.

I knew it. Shinwoo always did what I wanted without me having to explain a thing.

I used his clasped hands as a foothold and launched myself into the air.

The gargoyle, having just finished its feather attack, tried to move away, but I was a little faster. I swung my sword hard and wide.

Thwack.

The gargoyle’s thick, long neck was severed in a single blow. Blood burst out like rain, and the headless gargoyle plummeted to the ground.

It was still alive. The headless body flapped about, struggling to get up.

I jumped onto its back and plunged my sword deep into the nape of its neck.

The gargoyle, which had been struggling to survive, instantly went still. Its core had been destroyed.

As I pulled the core from its neck and jumped to the ground, the gate began to slowly close.

This was the third gate Shinwoo and I had cleared together.

Shinwoo approached me and gently touched my hair.

“Your hair… it’s short now.”

I naturally avoided his touch and brushed back my messily cut hair.

“It was getting hot anyway, so it worked out. In any case, I’m proud of how quickly you’re adapting, Shinwoo. You should be able to start clearing gates on your own soon.”

“…On my own?”

“It’s a waste of your skills to just follow me around. People are even calling you my lackey.”

“I’m fine with it. I don’t care what other people say.”

“Well, I’m not. Why should my little brother have to hear things like that?”

“Without me… what about you, Sis?”

“I’ll just do it alone like I used to. The reward money isn’t that much anyway.”

“What if you get hurt again?”

“Hm?”

Shinwoo, who had been gazing at me quietly, cupped my cheek. He then gently brushed his thumb over the wound. I winced slightly at the stinging pain.

“Does it hurt?”

“Huh? Ah… it’s nothing. I didn’t even know I was hurt until you touched it.”

“You’re bleeding.”

“It’s fine. A little spit will fix it right up.”

Shinwoo lowered his head.

As his beautiful face drew closer, I stared blankly for a moment before my breath caught in my throat.

Shinwoo’s soft, hot tongue had just swept across the cut on my cheek.

“It’s not healing.”

“…”

There wasn’t a trace of playfulness on Shinwoo’s face. If anything, he looked so serious he seemed angry, which made it difficult to respond.

‘I can’t get angry, but I can’t just laugh it off either. Uh, what do I do?’

This wasn’t the first time.

Lately, Shinwoo’s attitude had become subtly different. His gaze had changed, and his touch was no longer the same.

If someone asked what had changed, I wouldn’t have a clear answer. To put it one way, it used to be simple, but now… I could feel a certain heat.

‘As if he were treating a precious lover…’

But that couldn’t be right. Shinwoo was my brother. What kind of brother would think of his sister that way?

‘I must be misunderstanding. Yeah, that’s it.’

I forced my anxiety down and patted Shinwoo’s head.

“Shinwoo, you shouldn’t just lick a wound from a monster. If it was poisoned, you could have been in big trouble too.”

Shinwoo stared down at me.

His body having been reconstructed by a new drug, he sometimes felt like a stranger. Just like now.

“Doesn’t it bother you at all, Sis?”

“What?”

“I licked you. Your cheek, right here.”

He brushed my cheek lightly. Thump. My heart sank.

‘I have to get away. I need to escape this.’

A sudden wave of anxiety washed over me, and I knew I had to change the subject.

“A little brother might do that if he’s worried about his big sister. Should I get mad instead? Stop talking nonsense and let’s go. I’m starving. We still have that pork belly we bought the other day, right? Should we make gochujang stew with it?”

I rambled on to myself before turning away as if fleeing. I couldn’t face Shinwoo. My cheeks were burning.

“I’d rather you get angry.”

Shinwoo’s voice came from behind me. I slowly turned my head.

“…What did you say?”

“I’d rather you get angry and slap my cheek. Yell at me and ask what the hell I think I’m doing!”

Shinwoo pleaded desperately before dropping his head.

“I think that would be less miserable.”

My heart pounded like crazy.

The urge to hug the dejected Shinwoo and the urge to run away clashed violently within me.

“You know, don’t you, Sis? You’ve noticed how I feel.”

No. I can’t hear any more.

“Shinwoo, let’s just stop and go. Okay?”

“Sis, you want to hear a secret?”

“Ye Shinwoo! I told you to stop!”

“Not once have I ever thought of you as my real sister. Not since the first moment I saw you.”

“Are you… serious?”

Shinwoo raised his head.

A single, clear tear fell from his long eyes.

“I’m sorry, Sis.”