Chapter 4: Contract
"—Jun-ah. Yijun-ah."
tl/n: '-ah' is used when you address someone younger, someone you're close to.
Yijun was sitting in the airport lounge with a blank expression on his face. His eyes were out of focus and empty, his silver-colored eyes looking as if they were full of fog.
Yijun's mother looked at her son confused, and then immediately tapped his shoulder.
"Let's go. It's boarding time."
"…Yes."
Yijun walked inside the airport with his mother. A plane to the United States was seen through the window.
The moment someone boards on that plane, it won't be easy for them to return to Korea. Thinking of that, somehow Yijun's footsteps became heavier.
"Oh, my mind. Which gate was it?"
Yijun's mother started rummaging through her handbag. Yijun, who was standing by her side, suddenly raised his head.
<Gate 21>
Gate.
The moment he saw the word, his heart sank.
His empty eyes began to tremble violently. The trembling started from his shoulders and spread helplessly to his fingertips and toes, and in the end, Yijun couldn't hold himself up any longer and fell down.
"That's right, Gate 21. Fortunately, it's right in front of us… huh? Jun-ah?"
She was surprised when she found her son shaking like an aspen and grabbed his shoulders.
tl/n: aspen = a poplar tree with leaves that tremble in the breeze.
"Are you okay? Jun-ah, Baek Yijun!"
"…Behind."
A clear glass bead fell from Yijun's eyes.
"I left her behind."
'That again.' Yijun's mother sighed deeply.
Unlike South Korea, which randomly recruited hunters when their unique abilities were activated, the United States did not.
Moreover, Yijun's father was a lieutenant in the US Army. To be precise, he was a 'colonel in training' who was about to be promoted to colonel, and he had already awakened as a hunter.
The son refused to stand by his father's side and insisted on staying in Korea. He pretended not to notice his son's red ears when he joked about having a girl he liked. However—
"Jun-ah…"
Her son has been broken ever since he went to his last gate. He was freaked out by wandering stray cats and zoned out when looking at people in hunter uniform.
Yijun was a son with a soft heart. It was not incomprehensible as all of his colleagues were annihilated in front of his eyes. Had she known it would be like that, she would've taken him to America despite his protests. She regretted it too late.
She hugged her son, who struggled with his anxiety and guilt. She kissed his forehead, which was drenched in cold sweat.
"Jun-ah, once again, it's not your fault. It was just an unavoidable accident."
"B-but…"
"In the United States, the hunter system is safer and more organised than in Korea. Let's put aside the hunter life for a while, rest for a few months, and start over in the guild that your father will soon establish. Okay? You won't have to force yourself to do anything there."
She said the same thing yesterday. And instead of answering, Yijun slowly raised his head with tears in his eyes.
<Gate 21>
The yellow sign above his head was shining brightly as if it was blaming him. It almost seemed as if he still saw Eunha's flames which vanished in the blink of an eye.
'Eunha.'
Until just before the elevator's door closed, Yijun couldn't take his eyes off it.
***
Drip.
Cold.
Drip.
Something cold dripped on her cheek.
Eunha could barely open her eyes since her eyelids felt heavy. She realised that she had lost consciousness and struggled to stand up.
"Ugh."
And she fell back down again.
Her right shoulder was throbbing. It wasn't a throbbing pain; it was as if her arm had been cut off—
"…"
Eunha remembered that she had lost her right arm.
Of course, it seemed that it was too much to completely restore a severed arm with a hunter's self-healing power. Thanks to her fire, it was fortunate that the bleeding was stopped as soon as possible.
The burnt skin was hot, but that could be helped by her self-healing power and the ointment from the first aid kit.
It would leave a scar, but if she cared about such things, she wouldn't have blown her arm away with the bomb in the first place.
Eunha staggered on her feet. When she finally stood up, she walked better than expected. It would be strange to think that it was because of the hunter's self-healing powers.
The bleeding had stopped, but she had already lost a lot of blood and suffered quite severe burns.
'I'm in better shape than I thought…'
The moment she slowly stepped forward with a puzzled look, she stumbled on something.
It was a black parasol.
Eunha blinked slowly.
[Congratulations! You have obtained the 'Elegant Parasol' of 'The Princess of Dark Flare']
If her memory wasn't wrong, it seemed that it was written in the message window that showed up just before she passed out. After hesitating for a moment, Eunha reached out and grabbed it.
Tshhh.
Eunha frowned as she opened the parasol. Rather, a pair of socks from Yijun's backpack would be more useful.
"…What the hell should I use this for?"
Eunha clicked her tongue while looking at the parasol. Although the name of 'Elegant Parasol' did not raise expectations, it was not much different when it unfolded.
The black parasol was engraved with so many black roses that it looked exaggerated. Depending on the parasol's form, the twisted laces were even more burdensome.
The words 'pretty trash' seemed to fit that parasol.
'…I'd better take it with me for now. It's still my first item.'
After defeating a monster, there is a rare chance of an item drop. It is known that the higher the level and the stronger the monster is, the higher the drop probability and the higher the level of the item that the hunter receives is.
In the case of the mutant monster that was just killed, the level was 68. Since it was loot dropped by such a monster, it must be of some use. It was a reward in exchange for Eunha's right arm, so it had to be of use.
On her way back to the hut with the parasol, everytime Eunha felt pain in her shoulder, she thought of the giant, elite monster again.
'…It said it was the first Named. Clearly, the message said 'You killed the first Named.' Then there has to be a second and third.'
Also, the fact that there was a second and a third Named means there's a high possibility that the last one also exists.
'If I defeat the last Named, I might be able to escape from this place.'
Hope, although small as an ant, was starting to become clear.
Soon, Eunha arrived at the hut.
Her shoulder was sore and she had to grab the first aid kit right away. Eunha opened the roof of the hut, took a look around, and disappeared inside.
Ring!
Behind her, a small message window appeared.
[The divine beast 'Cat Wandering in Darkness' steps on your shadow.]
[Golden eyes look carefully at the hut.]
The message window that suddenly appeared in an empty place was different from the usual blue message window.
However, nobody knew for whom or for what reason it appeared there.
***
After Eunha lost her right arm, she had no choice but to use the flame with only one hand. In other words, her destructive power was reduced.
Fortunately, a mutant monster has not appeared since then. But she didn't know for how long she would be locked in this gate. It was necessary to make up for the reduced fighting power.
Eunha stared intently at the parasol she had recently obtained. No matter how much she thought about it, she was a little hesitant to fight with such a thing.
Still… it must be useful somewhere. A level 68 monster dropped it, so it couldn't be useless.
After she had finished her self-hypnotic consultation, she raised her head and stared at the monster opposite her.
[Lv. 30 'Red-Eyed Black Tiger' is terrified.]
[Lv. 30 'Red-Eyed Black Tiger' used the skill.
▸ Final Counterattack.]
[In a state of anger/confusion, the monster's attack power is greatly increased.]
It was not difficult to deal with level 30 monsters now. It sounded like the perfect opponent to try out the parasol on.
The black tiger came up to Eunha and opened its mouth wide. Sharp fangs flashed as if they were going to swallow her in one bite.
Eunha reflexively swung her parasol. She was just thinking of smashing the monster with it like a stick—
Aaah!
"…Huh?"
Unknowingly, an empty voice came out of her lips. The monster that had just rushed towards her had disappeared without a trace.
[The monster has been cleared!]
Bababam—
Along with the cheerful BGM, a familiar message window appeared.
Eunha stared at her feet without even paying attention to the message window. On the floor, there were only ashes of the monster that suddenly disappeared.
"…"
Eunha's stare alternated between the ashes and the parasol, blinking slowly.
Apparently, the parasol was not an ordinary thing.
***
As time passed, the doubts gradually turned into certainty.
The parasol was sharper than any blade and harder than any blunt weapon. The top of the parasol pierced the thick skin of the monsters with one blow, and if she swung it a little harder, the monster turned into ashes and disappeared without a trace.
'Does that mean the loot dropped by monsters above level 60 are also at different levels?'
Eunha stared at the parasol in her hand. It was the moment when she learned that she shouldn't judge based on the appearance of an object. With that parasol, she might have a chance to win against the 'Second Named'.
Eunha folded the parasol and approached the fallen monster. Without hesitation, she stretched out her left hand towards the monster that rumbled as if begging for its life.
Whoosh.
Red flames engulfed the monster vigorously.
'I don't have to worry about dinner tonight.'
However, it was impossible to move something that size at once. Eunha had to cut it to the right size.
When Eunha pulled a dagger from her waist—
Ring!
[The divine beast 'Cat Wandering in Darkness' is staring at you.]
[Golden eyes filled with curiosity twinkle like stars.]
Eunha froze in the same posture she was in when pulling out the dagger.
The message window that Eunha usually saw was blue. However, the one that appeared in front of her eyes was larger than a normal message window and was sparkling bright yellow.
'What…'
Perhaps it was because Eunha did not respond, another message window overlapped the previous one.
[The divine beast 'Cat Wandering in Darkness' asked if it's your first time seeing a divine beast.]
'Divine beast?' At that moment, there was a memory that suddenly came to mind.
'I've been wondering… Eunha, did you sign a contract with a divine beast?'
'No.'
'Really? Why? You're so strong. I, of course, thought you had already signed a contract. Eunha, you would look good with the dragon of the twelve divine beasts. Because it's the strongest.'
A yellow message window popped up once again in front of Eunha.
Ring!
[The divine beast 'Cat Wandering in Darkness' offers you a contract. Do you accept?]
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone