Second Life of a Dragon Raising Hunter

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Chapter 48: Thud!!

With a fierce landing sound, dust erupted into the air.

Dang Sa-ryeon lightly wrapped her arm around. The sleeves fluttered gracefully, and with a whoosh, all the dust was swept away by the wind.

A slight silence settled in the gorge, and Dang Sa-ryeon flashed a charming smile.

“Oh my, are you a student of harmony?”

Now, how will this unfold? With a hint of expectation, Dang Sa-ryeon gazed at the boy, Choi Yeon-woo, who had just landed before her.

Yeon-woo’s pupils trembled as if an earthquake had struck.

Was he nervous in front of such a beauty? Just as she thought he might be overthinking it, Yeon-woo suddenly scowled and shot a piercing glare at Dang Sa-ryeon.

‘What the heck?’

Nokpungdae stood in the path of Yeon-woo as he trudged toward Dang Sa-ryeon. Yeon-woo’s energy flow would have been easily blocked by Nokpungdae.

“Move aside.”

“……What, no, yes, sir.”

At Dang Sa-ryeon’s words, the Nokpungdae member chuckled awkwardly and stepped aside. Unlike the other members who acted like machines, there was a hint of humanity in his demeanor.

With a stern expression, Yeon-woo approached and presented something.

“……What’s this?”

“Hey, how can a young lady just throw garbage anywhere? Littering is a crime, you know. I’m picking it up for you this time, really.”

Saying that, she forcefully shoved a silver needle into Dang Sa-ryon’s hand and turned on her heel, leaving briskly.

“……Pfft.”

Dang Sa-ryon glared in the direction of the laughter. The back of the standing Nokpungdae member was trembling.

“Bow your head.”

“Pfft, yes, haha…!”

Even after bowing, the man’s laughter showed no signs of stopping.

*

Basically, the area below the gorge was barren land.

“Phew, made it through safely.”

As Yeon-woo let out a sigh of relief, strands of mana unraveled into the air. It was Shar, who had been hidden from view. Noticing Yeon-woo’s clearly relieved sigh, Shar tilted her head in wonder.

“Um… but did we really have to go that far?”

“Yeah, we had to.”

Even if just for the sake of pretending to be an extreme environmentalist returning trash to where it belonged, it had to be done.

“Unlike Namgung or JeGyeong, you shouldn’t approach the Sichuan Tang Family haphazardly… especially not you and me.”

“Why us?”

“Because there’s a high possibility they might consider accepting you as a son-in-law… or something like that?”

“Dad, that’s a bit excessive self-awareness.”

With a cold, disdainful look, Shar gazed down at Yeon-woo. She had mixed in some jokes deliberately, but it was not merely a joke.

“The Tang Family is very invested in strengthening bloodlines. I don’t know what Dang Sa-ryeon thinks about it.”

They once maintained their family solely through cousin marriages.

Though that trend has lessened over time, they were a clan willing to do anything if it meant reinforcing their bloodline.

‘Because of that, before my return, they fell into the hands of the Demon King due to a traitor within their ranks.’

[So that’s what happened.]

That last thought had to be kept to himself.

The heirs of the Five Great Families were all formidable enough to be considered equals in strength. Even from a distance, one could not afford to be careless. When it came to the Demon King, no level of caution could possibly be too much.

Speaking of myself being a contracted individual wasn’t an issue, and having a level of confidence like ‘maybe I could be accepted as the Tang Family’s son-in-law?’ was something that any Academy student could have, so it shouldn’t be a problem.

Regardless of how things turned out, the important thing was to quickly escape their range of influence. Dongja Sam was troublesome, and the Heukdong Ogong’s inner lotus was technically poison.

They might belong to the righteous sect that is the Tang Family, but there’s no guarantee they wouldn’t attempt to seize any middle-grade elixirs if they found themselves in a situation where a mere student possessed them without any witnesses around.

“This might get a bit troublesome.”

While it might not be too troublesome with Dongja Sam or the Heukdong Ogong, of all days, the Tang Family decided to visit today. Talk about bad timing.

“Boring.”

Sorry.

“Stop it.”

“Yes, sir.”

The Nokpungdae member, who had been bowing, suddenly rose. A single droplet of sweat trickled down his stiff face.

“What’s that drop of sweat? Showing off?”

“No, it’s not.”

It was ridiculous for someone awakened preternatural powers to sweat after bowing for just three minutes. The Nokpungdae member sent the sweat flying using his internal energy.

Only then did Dang Sa-ryeon return her head to its original position, having tilted it to observe him.

“How dare you frame the successor of the Tang Family as someone who casually throws trash around?”

“Pfft.”

“Are you laughing? Is this funny to you?”

“No, I’ll hold it in.”

It wasn’t about holding back; I meant not to laugh. For a stiff, machine-like Nokpungdae member, he wasn’t half bad with his humor. Thinking he was better than the usual Nokpungdae members who would unhesitatingly gut themselves if ordered, Dang Sa-ryeon pointed her delicate finger towards Yeon-woo’s direction.

“Are you going to chase after him?”

“May I ask why you’re chasing?”

At the presumptuous question from the Nokpungdae member, Dang Sa-ryeon paused for a moment to think.

Honestly, the reason didn’t really matter. She liked his cheeky attitude. Making the bold decision to jump into the land infested with flying-type monsters called ‘Grave of Wings’ was not something just anyone could do.

Her father might not know, but Dang Sa-ryeon articulately presented a reason that would sit well with the elders.

“Because he might be a candidate for a husband.”

“Didn’t you get dumped?”

“…….”

With a smirk, Dang Sa-ryeon smiled. It was a refreshing smile, like a lotus on water. However, it felt as if a poisonous snake coiled dangerously nearby.

“What’s your name again?”

“Dang-myeon.”

What kind of name is that?

“From today onward, I shall make you my exclusive bodyguard, so be prepared.”

Suddenly, Dang-myeon, who had run off a distance, waved back towards Dang Sa-ryeon.

“What are you doing, lady! We have to chase after him!”

“Do you think I might just kill him?”

The life of the Tang Family’s precious daughter, the Poison Lotus, within her fifteen years of life, this day struck her as the first where she felt the urge to shoot venomous arrows at someone.

*

The Tang Family never forgets the grudges between outsiders and family members. Their principle is to repay kindness double and vengeance tenfold.

The tracking skills of the Tang Family are nothing to scoff at. They are focused on finding and killing the culprit who harmed their family members. Obviously, the opposite also applies. Their tracking skills developed to ensure they repay anyone who has performed a kindness to a family member.

Yeon-woo momentarily pondered whether the current situation leaned toward kindness or hatred.

[No matter how you think about it, it’s hatred.]

‘Does Shar think so too?’

Unfortunately, she happened to agree. Of course, his actions didn’t warrant being labeled an enemy, but in the end, it was the perspective of those involved that matter. In that respect, Yeon-woo’s current attitude was quite rude.

‘Stumbling upon the sandy chameleon was pure luck.’

Yeon-woo clung to the wall of the gorge, draped in massive leather. Along with the magic that concealed his presence, Shar used various spells to erase any scent or footprints. All of it was to throw off the pursuit of the Tang Family.

Chameleon leather could fetch a good price, but regrettably, he had to feed it to the Doppleganger. It was still small enough to be contained within his arm.

Currently, he was sticking to the walls like a ninja, covered in chameleon skin.

‘Is this what it feels like to be swallowed by a Doppleganger?’

[Don’t say disgusting things!]

Transforming into a small wolf, Shar sat on Yeon-woo’s shoulder and shook herself off as if drying wet fur. That sight made Yeon-woo chuckle.

[But Dad, it seems there’s a space behind the rock. I can sense a strong mana reaction from inside.]

‘Huh? Is it a monster’s nest?’

Fortunately, they wouldn’t discover them while concealed by magic. It was virtually impossible for lower-tier monsters to detect dragon-level magic from afar.

As he thought this while peering over the leather to check the slightly ambiguous current situation, Yeon-woo frowned.

……Huh? Isn’t this the Elephant Rock?

Looking at a giant boulder resembling an elephant leaning against the wall and a small gap behind it, that thought crossed Yeon-woo’s mind.

An overwhelming feeling that something was amiss filled his head, and Shar echoed his thoughts internally.

[Strong mana reaction in the cave, approaching at speed!!]

“Damn it, I ran away from bugs and now I find more bugs here!”

Although Dang Sa-ryeon might be considered a special case, it wasn’t incorrect to say she was a pure idiot. The notion that he thought he was lucky with the chameleon leather was truly a trap. Giving up on concealment, Yeon-woo hysterically shouted.

Due to bumping into Dang Sa-ryeon at an inconvenient place, he had completely forgotten about his original target, Heukdong Ogong.

‘But maybe it’s not the Elephant Rock that’s the problem? I’m not at fault here!’

What kind of rock looks like an ‘elephant leaning against a wall’? Even Yeon-woo, who visited the gorge frequently, could not recognize it while being chased by someone.

It would be more understandable from a distance, but up close, it was just a boulder.

At this point, there was nothing to be done. Even so, he hoped the righteous Tang Family wouldn’t covet the elixir a mere student obtained!

“Get ready, Shar!!”

“Got it! Should we rush in and fight!?”

“No, it’s easier to fight outside without a ceiling!”

In the confines of a narrow, dark cave, movement would be restricted, and if they unleashed too much firepower, things could go south. He preferred to face them outside.

What would be obvious once they saw? Any centipede crawling along the ceiling or walls was inherently disgusting. It’s human nature not to want to engage in battle while witnessing something gross.

Of course, Heukdong Ogong would not readily give up its advantageous position since it had long made the interior of the cave its nest.

“Shar, do you know how to fish?”

“Do you understand what I’m saying?”

“Then, I’ll share a tip for when we fish later.”

A tip that was simple, beautiful, and perfect.

“When a mouth-watering bait is laid out right in front of them, fish can’t help but bite.”

And what is the most mouth-watering bait for the creatures that had been living off snacks for eons?

A high-quality creature infused with mana.

“Yes, that’s me.”

Transforming the Doppleganger back into the shape of a sword from within the tent, Yeon-woo stepped forward, pulling something out of his pocket.

With an eerie sound akin to some unidentifiable creatures racing atop the ceiling.

────!!!

Thank goodness, it can’t make a sound.

Thud!!

Like a shell being fired, a giant red centipede appeared, chewing a chunk of the Elephant Rock with its robust jaw. Its head alone was as large as a person, with long, sharp legs rippling like waves.

It truly was a centipede that fit the term “immense beast” to a tee. Its visual was overwhelming.

“Yikes!!”

As Shar exclaimed at the grotesque sight of the centipede, which was much larger and more horrible than he had expected, he couldn’t help but worry if they could tackle such a creature. Having ruined his father’s hope of only showing him good things, he silently vowed not to forgive the nuisance.

“This is a housewarming gift! Enjoy, teacher!!”

With an arm swung like a baseball player, a walnut-sized sphere of mana glowing a crimson light shot out from Yeon-woo’s fingertips.

(To be continued in the next episode)