Ch. 24 - Chapter 24

Shrrrr...

After reaching out to the monster, I was overwhelmed by an indescribable emotion.

Pity.

That emotion was pity. It was truly a miracle the monster was alive.

The fact that it was captured here meant it was captured by humans.

However, its skin was covered with countless scars inflicted by other monsters.

It must have had a rough life.

If someone felt compassion for a tiger the size of a house, people would think they were insane.

But this one was truly pitiful.

Not only was it covered in external injuries, but it also had terrible internal injuries.

It was hard to find a single unscathed spot.

Most of all, there were dark crimson blotches spreading inside its abdomen.

Poison.

The creature had even been infected with monster poison.

Knowing just how excruciating that pain was, I could fully understand why it had begged to be killed instead.

— Did you fight a Poison Monster too?

— That’s a strange question... you people were the ones who injected it just moments ago.

.....??

I couldn't help but be dumbfounded for a moment.

They injected the poison just now?

Was it subjected to some kind of biological experiment?

But why, of all times, right before the Hunter test?

"...…"

The intent wasn't clear, but one thing was certain.

Telling me to heal a monster on the brink of death, and then suddenly injecting it with poison right before treatment, both were deliberate.

There was something going on behind the scenes with this test.

Why? Was it because of that commotion back then?

No.

It didn’t make sense to pull something like this over something so minor.

Clearly, there was a reason I must not become a high-ranking healer here.

‘Yoo Jiwon.’

That was the only explanation I could give for it at the moment. Ever since my awakening level was revealed, reporters had been desperate to capture my image, and Yoo Jiwon watched it all with a fiery jealousy.

I could be getting a high rank here because of this stunt.

And of course, Yoo Jiwon wasn't influential enough to pull off something like that.

But if it was his father, he certainly had more than enough power to pull that off.

"Ha, this is just….."

I scratched the back of my head and let out a sigh.

This was so irritating.

My original plan was to just get a modest 'B' or 'C' rank.

The reporters were already making a fuss over my awakening stats, imagine what it'd be like if I became a high-ranking hunter.

Besides, as long as I have hunter qualifications, I can get access to the Poison Dungeons anyway.

So I was planning to get a reasonably low tier, but the antics they pulled were so repulsive that I changed my mind.

I didn't know why I was able to communicate with this monster. But thanks to it, I was able to confirm something no one else would tell me. That there was someone who wanted to stop me from becoming a high ranker, maybe that person didn't want me to be a hunter at all.

Flinch.

As the intensity of the healing increased, the tiger flinched.

— It’s okay. Just relax.

— Why… are you healing me…?

— Because I need to become a hunter.

— How naive. Are you underestimating me….. the hatred for humans etched into my very bones?

— So what, you're saying is you'll kill me once you're all healed up?

— ......

I let out a small laugh and looked into its eyes.

— You can't kill me. So just be quiet and accept the healing.

It really seemed like it was genuine when it threatened me earlier.

The fact that it was screaming left and right, begging to be killed, tells how desperate it must have been.

This creature had been subjected to abuse so severe, it was barely clinging to life.

— Don’t act like you’re fully healed. Limp a little, at least.

— .....?

— That way, it'll be easier for you to escape.

Honestly, I didn’t have to tell it stuff like this, but let’s just call it after-sales service.

But still, it really was an impressive creature.

Any ordinary human or monster would’ve been fully healed by now, but even after more than ten minutes of my effort, this one still wasn’t completely recovered.

The toxins were drained, the damaged internal organs were healed, and the surface wounds closed up.

Most of my healing power was drained by this one creature alone.

— Hmm. Looks like my healing power alone isn’t enough to get rid of the scars. If only I had some rare herbs or something.

— Scars mean nothing to me. Did you really think I’d hold myself to the same standards as a human?

— I see. Well, I must say. These scars do make you look more attractive.

— …Why are you being kind to me?

— Ugh, how many times do I have to say it? I need to become a hunter.

— That’s not what I meant.

— ?

— I am the kind of monster you humans call ‘spirit beasts’. That’s why I can tell. You pity me right now, as if I were human.

— Yeah. I do pity you. That’s why I’m telling you how to escape.

It’s not just because we could communicate.

This creature was fundamentally a different species from the monsters that massacred humans in Gaebang Neighborhood.

Monsters that habitually prey on humans reek of blood from their mouths.

But there was no such smell coming from this one.

— Why do you pity me? Don’t humans hate monsters?

— Of course, most do. I nearly died to a monster myself. But you know, there are beings far scarier and more evil than monsters.

— What are they?

Shaaa...

Its healing was nearing its end.

I took my hands off the great tiger and gave a sly grin.

Humans.

“Whew, that was exhausting.”

I dusted off my hands and returned to my original position.

As I walked back to my spot, the big tiger sat silently, staring at my every movement.

And then, suddenly, it opened its massive jaws wide.

— Roooooaarrrr!!

Wow.

Shit.

So it wasn’t bluffing when it was threatening me earlier.

Just the force of its roar cracked the glass wall…!

It radiated a power that looked like it could tear a Venomous Centipede apart with one paw.

5-star? No, it had to be at least 7-star.

I almost regretted taking off the V1.

— Wow. You're quite strong now all healed up, aren't you?

— …Thank you, human. Half of my life from now on belongs to you.

Oh.

What’s with this plot twist?

So, that means this guy’s on ‘my side’ now?

Not sure how I was gonna get out of there, but let’s see how this goes.

— Chun Haesun. Is that your name?

— Yes. Big Tiger.

— Big Tiger……?

— Yes, Big Tiger, because you're huge. So from now on, your name is Big Tiger.

— ……

[T/N: "Daebeom" (대범) in Korean generally means "bold," "brave," “mighty” or "courageous.” You're so bad at naming Haesun.]

I gave Big Tiger a curt nod and turned my head toward the glass wall.

“You heard the roar, right? The treatment is finished.”

* * *

"Ugh…!!"

Not only were the veins on the forehead bulging, but even the bloodshot veins in the eyes stood out.

Judging by the expression, I thought he was about to die soon.

Of course, I'm not talking about myself.

The last candidate for today’s healer test.

It was Yoo Jiwon.

[The allotted time has expired.]

“Wait a minute!!”

The desperate voice could be heard even outside the testing room.

The creature he was supposed to heal was a White Hawk, which, when it spread its wings, measured up to 4 meters in length.

It was a fairly well-known species among raptor monsters.

The problem was that no matter how much time passed, Yoo Jiwon’s healing wouldn't end.

“Damn it, why is this happening…!!”

Yoo Jiwon clenched his teeth and squeezed out every last bit of Aether.

And in the end, he left behind the sign that his abilities as a healer had been exhausted.

Drip.

Dark red blood trickled from Yoo Jiwon’s nose.

And he wasn't bleeding from just one nostril, he was bleeding from both nostrils. Meaning there wasn't a single drop of Aether left to squeeze out.

Even on the battlefield, if a healer starts bleeding from the nose, they’re immediately sent to the very back.

Because for a certain period of time afterward, they become worthless to their comrades.

I muttered to myself, looking at him with a mix of pity and disgust.

“Moron. Seriously so pathetic.”

That Awakened score of 5,000 was wasted on you, you punk.

According to the reporter who briefly approached me earlier and handed me a business card, Yoo Jiwon had scored high enough to be placed between an ‘A’ and ‘B’ ranker.

Then why the hell was he in that state, unable to even finish the healing?

Although White Hawk was a 3-star (★★★) rare type monster, it was still a bit odd.

What's certain was that he was in dire straits.

[The test time has been exceeded. Candidate Yoo Jiwon, please exit the examination room.]

“Fuuuuuuuck!!”

Yoo Jiwon, who was tearing at his hair in a frenzy, suddenly choked up and started vomiting blood.

At this rate, he was really going to die.

Seeing this, an association staff member rushed in, supported Yoo Jiwon, and helped him out.

Yoo Jiwon was the only one to have suffered a nosebleed during today’s healer test.

Since the monsters were properly assigned according to the Awakened scores, most candidates were able to pass as long as they didn’t make any mistakes.

Some applicants occasionally requested higher-tier monsters, but they all complained of dizziness and withdrew later.

“Those who have passed, please gather in the main conference hall on the first floor of the Association headquarters in five minutes.”

In the end, all the healer candidates passed the test.

While Yoo Jiwon's White Hawk wasn't completely healed, he still demonstrated a certain level of healing ability, so he didn't fail the test.

Of course, it was obvious as day that his rank wouldn’t be high.

“Next, healer candidates, please come up onto the stage.”

Clap clap clap clap clap clap clap.

The test was conducted privately, but the certification ceremony took place where everyone could see.

The reporters who had been waiting all day eagerly snapped photos, and the people around applauded as they watched their proud acquaintances.

“We will now begin the certification ceremony for this quarter’s healer-type hunters.”

The healers who passed the second test lined up to receive their hunter badges.

The ones pinning the badges were Hunter Association officials and prominent veteran healers.

‘I’ve become a hunter…’

At last, I was officially a hunter.

The face of my sister, probably waiting at home with her hands clasped in hope, came to mind.

Honestly, with my current abilities, even talking about qualifying as a hunter felt ludicrous.

However, thinking back to my frail, sickly past, I couldn't help but feel a wave of emotion.

Having endured quite a few crisis in the short time I spent traveling between Dr. Jin's house, the Poison Dungeons, and the black market, this moment now felt truly cathartic.

Are you watching, Kiril?

I’ve fastened the first button at last.

The order in which the healer-type candidates lined up closely reflected their Awakened stats.

It seemed they were awarding badges starting from those with the lowest ranks.

Of course, there were exceptions even in that.

“As you have great potential, we hope to see you in the promotion exams soon.”

A man standing all the way at the end despite having an overwhelmingly high score.

The man with both nostrils stuffed with tissue because of a double nosebleed.

Yoo Jiwon.

Clench.

Instead of responding to the Association staff’s consolation, he grounded his teeth loudly enough to be heard from afar.

Why was he even looking at me all this time? A crazy bastard.

Just transfer the money already.

Yoo Jiwon’s flashy jacket got pinned with a glorious hunter badge.

A prestigious ‘E’ level badge, that is.

Looking at this, I couldn't help but realize how twisted the Hunter Association’s tastes were.

They could’ve just unified the badges with a simple shield emblem to symbolize all Hunters, but no, they had to divide them by rank and arrange everyone in order.

I heard that the head of the department that designed the badges was Vice President Yoo Inwon.

To think that his own son who scored over 5,000 ended up wearing an ‘E’ badge and facing public humiliation, life really is quite ironic.

I wondered why his healing ability was only that much even though he scored so high.

Normally, the more Aether one accumulated in the body, the more natural the control should be.

For now, no particular reason came to mind.

“Congratulations, Haesun.”

“Woooooooh!!”

All eyes turned in this direction.

It wasn’t because of me.

The healer representing South Korea.

Because before me stood the figure of reverence, someone who carried titles like the Holy Mother and Saintess.

Maria.

On the delicate tips of her slender fingers shone a radiant badge.

"I hope you will save many people in the future."

Maybe it was because of her name, Maria, that it felt even more fitting.

She was far from the traditional Korean ideal of beauty.

Her features were more Westernized, as if carved on carefully.

If my sister exuded a gentle, approachable aura, she gave off a flawless aura that allowed no room for error.

It was a dream come true for any healer.

It was Maria, of all people, being the one to pin my Hunter badge on.

But I could only manage a dry reply.

"Yes."

It would have been easy to take offense, but she silently pinned the badge onto my training uniform.

No, more than that.

She wasn’t upset; rather, her expression was quite uplifted.

How should I put it… a look of genuine emotion?

If I told anyone else, they would probably beat me up for saying it, but that’s honestly how I felt.

“I took another look at the Imperial Tiger. You truly demonstrated an unbelievable ability..…”

"Eh?"

Who was the Imperial Tiger again?

Oh, Big Tiger?

So that was its official name.

By the way, does that mean she actually saw that terrifying-looking monster in person?

The one that's fully recovered and in good spirits?

“You even completely healed the toxins inside its body. Moreover… it was quite emotionally stable.”

“It was naturally like that; it only became ferocious because of humans.”

"......!!!"

She blinked, staring straight through me.

Though I hate to admit it, her beauty was truly mesmerizing.

“I was right after all.”

“Huh?”

"There's a very kind heart inside Chun Haesun. A compassionate and warm heart."

I felt like I’d been hit with a hammer.

Maria, this person.

She was saying exactly what Kiril had said?

“Usually, I can’t feel that way toward monsters. I’m glad because I think I understand the reason behind your healing ability, Haesun.”

Her hand, carrying a faint scent of flowers, left my collar.

Hmm.

Somehow, I felt a sense of regret.

“Congratulations, Haesun. You have been qualified.”

After saying that, Maria extended her hand for a handshake.

Qualified.

The qualification she spoke of was pinned right on my chest.

'S'.

I glanced once at the ‘S’ ranker’s badge, then shook hands with Maria.

Comments