Chapter 169 – Hardeon (1)

The Hardeon Continent Quest Report.

Even after skimming through the whole thing, there was no mention of the man-eating monster.

Of course, ‘man-eating monster’ was a name used in the ghost story and not an official term. However, there were no parts that described this monster using other terms either.

‘Did I guess wrong?’

In fact, everything was still just a hypothesis.

The connection between the Gwangun Sword Family and the man-eating monster was also just my own speculation.

And even if there was a connection, it might have nothing to do with the Hardeon Continent.

Perhaps what I was doing now was looking for a needle in a haystack.

And there was even a possibility that the needle never existed in the first place.

“I’ve given you the report as promised, so you can leave now.”

“Yes. I will use it gratefully.”

I quickly skimmed through the entire report one more time.

Thinking that I might have missed something because I was only focused on the man-eating monster.

And if possible, it would be beneficial to check it here on the spot.

Because even Kang Jae-gu’s trivial reactions could be a clue.

The problem was that there were too many proper nouns of unknown meaning in this report.

Unkindly, most of them didn’t even have any annotations.

“Don’t tell me you’re going to read it all here?”

“No, sir. But this phrase, ‘Soul of the Dead’…”

The part that bothered me the most while reading the report.

It was off the main route of the quest, and it wasn’t something that had to be obtained, but it was mentioned several times in the report, and I could also get the feeling that the sword unit members who cleared this quest had put in a considerable amount of effort.

But Kang Jae-gu’s reaction was firm.

“I can’t tell you. The condition of the bet was only to provide the quest report.”

He had cut me off sharply.

“That’s true.”

Still, I could see his reaction.

A feeling of a sudden outburst that went beyond displeasure.

It could have been because he was angry about losing the Bimu, but my intuition was looking for a different reason.

When my thoughts reached this point, even Kang Jae-gu’s expression seemed awkward.

At the end of the report, one interesting fact was mentioned.

The Hardeon Continent. Anyone could enter this place.

This was a part that was different from the usual Abyss quest areas.

Because it was common that if you didn’t clear the quest of the previous area, you couldn’t enter the next area.

‘It’s like a map portal that doesn’t need a map.’

Then the plan had to be revised.

I would personally visit the Hardeon Continent and look for any clues related to the man-eating monster that might be there.

“By any chance, is the Gwangun Sword Family currently raiding this area again?”

“Why are you curious about that? Don’t tell me you’re going to go there right now?”

“It’s not that I’m definitely going, but it is an area that anyone can enter.”

“That’s not a wise thought. There’s no reason to skip other places and go there first.”

Logically, that was true.

But was it just my delusion that it sounded like he didn’t want me to go?

In fact, the truth was unknown.

There was a considerable possibility that I had guessed wrong.

But, there was no reason not to go there right now either.

The Hardeon Continent.

Even if it wasn’t for the man-eating monster, the content of the report was interesting.

“By the way, you, why are you still not leaving?”

“I’m going now.”

If I had my way, I would have stayed a little longer and taunted Kang Jae-gu, but I decided to stop here.

It was a good day, and I had gotten what I needed.

***

Late at night.

As I was about to clean up the training room and leave, Shin Ah-yeon came to see me.

“I would like to request a personal meeting with the Unit Leader.”

A very serious face.

As far as I could remember, this was the first time Shin Ah-yeon had requested a personal meeting.

She was the type to quietly do what she was told well, and she had never asked me for anything special.

“Is something troubling you?”

“……”

“It seems there is. Sit down. I just finished my workout.”

At that moment, another knock was heard from outside the door.

Choi Ho-joong had also come to see me.

“What are you here for?”

“I just came because it’s about time for the Unit Leader to finish his workout.”

“Good timing. We have a guest, so please make us some tea.”

“What? A guest?”

Choi Ho-joong looked at Shin Ah-yeon with a puzzled expression.

“A request for a personal meeting came in.”

After realizing the guest was Shin Ah-yeon, he had a slightly sulky expression.

“Why? Don’t you want to?”

“No, sir! I’ll go make it right away!”

Ho-joong immediately brought a cup of tea and was staring at us blankly.

As if asking with his eyes if he was in a place he shouldn’t be.

He had a complicated feeling for Shin Ah-yeon, liking her as a member of the opposite sex, but also being subtly wary of her.

Since they were in a competitive relationship, he was concerned about me and Shin Ah-yeon having a private conversation.

“You can leave now. I told you. It’s a personal meeting.”

“Then, I’d like a meeting later too.”

What was with this guy’s brain structure, trying to compete even with meetings.

In the end, Choi Ho-joong left, and Shin Ah-yeon quietly drank her tea, maintaining an awkward silence.

And then she said.

“Please raise me too.”

That was what she said.

“Aren’t you growing well?”

“Like Ho-joong.”

She hadn’t shown it, but she had also been stimulated by Ho-joong’s rapid growth.

Until now, they had been in a good competitive relationship, taking the lead and falling behind each other, but that balance had been greatly shattered recently.

But swordsmanship was originally like that.

To make a great leap with a single moment of enlightenment.

That had just happened to Choi Ho-joong recently.

“You seem anxious.”

“I am desperate.”

“I should have asked for alcohol instead of tea.”

Comparison with others. It’s a common thing in the world of people who wield swords.

It would be beneficial if this was used as nourishment for healthy competition, but in most cases, it’s something that eats away at one’s inner self.

I had actually seen such cases myself.

For example, there was a Sword Master who couldn’t get out of his frustration for a while after losing to me.

“There’s no need to be impatient. As I said, Ah-yeon, you are also growing well now. And Ho-joong, unlike his dopey looks, is a talented guy. It’s not strange that a period of rapid growth came to him suddenly.”

“I know. But since I’m also human…”

Since I could understand, I nodded my head.

And she cautiously continued.

“I don’t think my talent is inferior to Ho-joong’s.”

“Right. I acknowledge that too.”

“I would also like to accompany the Unit Leader once. Whether it’s a dungeon or the Abyss.”

She suddenly came at me like that.

This was Shin Ah-yeon’s main point.

I couldn’t refuse after seeing that look in her eyes.

The problem was when and where we would go together.

“Then get ready. We’ll leave tomorrow.”

The Hardeon Continent.

I had been contemplating whether to go alone or take a porter and worker, but in the end, it was the moment Shin Ah-yeon was confirmed as my companion.

***

According to the report I received from the Gwangun Sword Family, Hardeon was quite a long distance away within the Abyss.

If I had cleared many quest areas, I could have shortened the distance by using the surrounding area as a starting point, but unfortunately, I had to walk a very long distance.

A small relief was that Hardeon was off the path of the sequential main quest areas.

In fact, the Gwangun Sword Family had also described in the report that their discovery of the portal to Hardeon was a coincidence.

That while heading to another quest area in the Abyss, they had made an unexpected discovery while looking for a resting place.

“It’s still far. Shall we rest for today and continue?”

Just then, a suitable cave for resting came into view.

Since the Abyss was a mysterious space where the sun never sets, such a cave was the optimal camping spot.

Moreover, I liked it even more because there wasn’t much monster aura around this area.

“Then, I will set up the campsite right away.”

Without a word, Shin Ah-yeon went into the cave alone and began to prepare for camping.

Even in the long journey that had been going on for several days, Shin Ah-yeon had not once shown a sign of complaint.

Killing monsters, camping, eating, sleeping.

In the unremarkable days, Shin Ah-yeon seemed to make the swordsmanship guidance she received from me the joy of her day.

It wasn’t that I had spent a lot of time on it either.

I just glanced over her swordsmanship and threw out a few words here and there.

Since she was a very bright person, Shin Ah-yeon would completely absorb the words I threw at her and immediately make them her own.

Above all, she was showing much more concentration than at the Sword Family.

It seemed she had been stimulated.

I hadn’t been worried from the start, knowing that she wasn’t the type to turn to the dark side with foolish jealousy, but this healthy effect was much more excellent than I had expected.

Before long, the camping preparations were complete.

We lay down side by side to sleep.

***

Even while sleeping, I kept a corner of my senses slightly open, so I didn’t have to worry much about monster attacks.

Moreover, since I had treated the area around the campsite with a chemical that erases the smell of humans, the possibility of monsters finding us was extremely low.

But at some point, I couldn’t help but snap my eyes open.

Because I had detected a faint but familiar aura.

‘A man-eating monster?’

I hadn’t expected to feel this aura here.

Until now, the ghost stories of the man-eating monster had been limited to the area around the entrance of the Abyss.

There hadn’t been a single story of encountering this monster in a place so far away.

Moreover, this current location was far from the portal that leads into Hardeon.

As I got up from my seat, Shin Ah-yeon also opened her eyes immediately.

“Unit Leader!”

“It’s nothing, so you stay here.”

I quickly ran out and started to chase after that aura.

‘Could it be the Gwangun Sword Family again?’

I didn’t know yet, but I needed to find it right away and check.

The creature was running towards a forest path.

Last time, I had no information about it, so I prioritized subduing it, but the situation was a bit different now.

‘First, observe.’

I wanted to see the monster’s behavior patterns.

I didn’t know how such a hideous creature came to be, but I could see with my own eyes what it did.

“Kieeeeeek!!!”

In the end, the distance narrowed, the creature’s silhouette was revealed, and a familiar sound began to be heard.

The creature’s pace grew even faster.

It wasn’t running away because it recognized my presence.

This monster was currently chasing another monster.

‘An Orc.’

A single orc was running away from the predator charging towards it.

A behavior pattern rarely seen against humans.

“Kieeeeeek!!”

Chwiiiiiik!!

The orc’s rough and urgent breathing grew louder, and in the end, when the two beings made contact, I witnessed a nauseating scene.

The man-eating monster. It had grabbed the orc by the scruff of its neck and cruelly bit it.

‘It wasn’t a man-eater.’

The name ‘man-eating monster’ was given because the victims in the ghost stories were human.

But the creature was just a monster itself.

The strange thing was, the creature bit off a piece of the orc’s flesh once and that was it.

It didn’t feel like predation at all.

And the truly surprising thing happened after that.

The fallen orc moved unnaturally, creaking and groaning, and then shot up to its feet.

“Kieeeeeeeek!!”

And then, it was emitting the exact same aura as the monster.

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