Chapter 12: Perspective of a hunter

“Dice?”

He wasn’t sure, but it looked like it. The dice had twenty surfaces, but it definitely looked like one.

-Wrong.

The angel replied curtly.

-Most of you guess that this as a dice. How interesting.

Then what is it? Dohyuk tried to ask, but the angel just handed it over to Dohyuk.

<<Cube of Black Fruit>>

[Must have for people of Dunein Dessert. Extract from Black Dragon Fruit within the Dunein Dessert. It reduces itself against the air to permeate the area with its distinctive smell that humans cannot smell. But it is enough to repel any unwanted guests from underground.]

[Remaining time: 47:59:02]

“…Freshener?”

-See, it’s not a dice.

Basil cackled and continued speaking. He then pulled out a pocket that was just big enough to put the cube in.

-It’s simple. If you have it out constantly, you will use all of it in 48 hours. If you want to save it, put it in that bag and hide it until we come to you after 48 hours.

Dohyuk listened.

-And when that time comes, we will give you coins in regards to how many hours you have left in that freshener. The less you use it, more coins you get.

That was it. The angel began floating away.

-I wish you luck! Oh, and I congratulate you on surviving. Keep it up!

Dohyuk did not watch the disappearing angel. He looked down at the freshener, but he did not put it into the bag right away.

‘There’s a reason for giving this away.’

It was apparent that there was a certain danger for not using it. Dohyuk glanced around. The area was now filled with rocks. It was ruins of the fall being destroyed. Dohyuk began to climb up and went up to higher ground.

“…!”

And he saw the world. On top of it was the jungle that had appeared, but now the bottom was filled with sand. Mud and building ruins were no longer in sight. Dohyuk then narrowed his eyes. There were some humanoid beings walking toward Dohyuk’s area. It was the Goblets.

There were about four to five of them. Dohyuk readied himself to fight, but what happened next was shocking. Worms? Without their sharp teeth and human thickness, about 20 worms emerged from the ground and attacked the Goblets.

Dohyuk couldn’t even see if Goblets had been torn apart or were dragged back down. They were just gone.

…The smell of the cube will repel unwanted guests.

“…”

Dohyuk turned away and looked down. There was the rocky area the Goblets were trying hard to get into, and the rocks were tightly packed across the surface of the earth. That was when Dohyuk opened the bag and put the cube in. He now knew what to do.

…

In the ruins of a certain building, outside the quarantine zone that Dohyuk was in, Choi Jimin was looking down at her opponent with cold eyes.

“Ugh…”

The man’s name was Kang Hurak. Jimin knew him from her past life and had faced him about 10 minutes ago.

“How about you serve me? I guess I can have you as my sidekick.”

Hurak spoke as he pulled out his weapon. <<Master’s Rusted Knuckle>>

It was an A-rank weapon that was impossible to acquire at the current point. Jimin flashed her middle finger before they fought and she was victorious.

“Hah, stupid fool.”

It was the difference of sheer skill. Hurak couldn’t even land a strike against Jimin while all of his joints had been crushed. However, what was interesting was that it wasn’t critical enough to kill him. Jimin had not found anyone worthy enough to rob a Nature from yet. Hurak had a decent Nature, but it didn’t work well with Jimin’s current one.

Jimin still could wait. Even with one Nature, she knew how to fight.

“Ugh…. You…”

“Why can’t you just be modest? You have to know how to bend if you get stronger,” Jimin said. Those were the words Dohyuk used to say.

“…Anyway, thanks for this.”

Jimin picked up the knuckle. However, she felt a certain presence from behind and quickly turned around. The new guest however, had no intention to fight.

“Wow, that was so cool. You are still the same Jimin.”

“…Julian.”

The man was Caucasian. He was a young Frenchman who had been living in Korea as an exchange student to learn Korean language and culture. After many long years, however, he was now a different being.

“Don’t look at me like that. You know I’m not here to fight.”

“Then beat it.”

Jimin knew what he was going to say.

“I’m not interested in joining your crew.”

“Because of Dohyuk? Whoa, do you think he’s still alive?”

“…”

“You’re out of your mind.”

Julian scratched his head.

“I sent my crew to scout for three full days in this region, but there was no Dohyuk. The only sightings were from the first day when he was seen running away from supermarket.”

“…Maybe he’s hiding somewhere.”

“Maybe he was killed by some lucky dude already! But I didn’t hear any news on someone getting Dohyuk’s nature yet. Either a really smart one got it or…”

The information that followed almost got Jimin to react.

“You’ve heard the rumors, right? Those who acquired 2nd Natures right at the beginning have all disappeared. I don’t think the man with no memory could have killed another so quickly, but maybe he’s there?”