“Obtaining permission for a foreign hunter to operate in Africa isn’t easy.” Song Taewon silently followed the man from the Egyptian Hunters Association. “In the early days after the dungeon appeared, there was fierce competition over rights. Hunters swarmed in as if it were unclaimed land. South of Central Africa it was complete chaos. Egypt wasn’t immune either.” Read complete versıon only at 𝙣𝙤𝙫𝙚𝙡•𝙛𝙞𝙧𝙚•𝙣𝙚𝙩 “You must have had a hard time.” “Yes. Even top-rank hunters were routinely scouted overseas, and those who stayed didn’t join the association or public office.” The association official turned to Song Taewon with earnest eyes. “To us, Director Song is like a miracle from Korea. One S-rank hunter like you and we’d want for nothing.” “We’d like to expedite the process, but as I said, many countries, associations, and guilds are involved. And just today, in Aswan, a suspected awakened terrorist destroyed the airport.” “Procedures are like that everywhere. Exceptions exist, but if you’re stickler for the rules it gets tangled.” The official approached the parked car. Song Taewon followed—and flinched when he saw a cat padding by. The official smiled. Song Taewon thought of the black cat in the photo. Now he felt uneasy looking at any cat. He clenched and unclenched his fist. Han Yujin and Seong Hyunjae: troublemakers, but better nearby. He sighed and climbed into the car. Bang! The door splintered. The hunters inside all sat up. The man, wrapped head to toe in cloth except for his eyes, answered in a distorted voice. “We’re from the Egyptian Stray Cat Protection Association...” Park Yerim, noting his affiliation without thinking, blurted it out. Han Yuhyun hesitated—he hadn’t decided on an Arabic name. “What are you talking about?” “Did you bring the cat?” “And the S-rank hunter?” The hunters stared in disbelief at the intruders babbling to themselves. Shouts told them to get out, but Han Yuhyun ignored them, focusing his senses. The uneasy aura he felt at the airport was here, too—but the source was gone. “Tell me where he went.” Crack. A stone grazed the man’s ear and lodged in the wall, sunlight faintly filtering through the hole. Han Yuhyun set his raised foot back down. “Kidnapping a cat is a serious crime.” “What nonsense are you spouting!” Han Yuhyun held a long rod. The intruders reeked of smoke, their skins bore foul skill traces, and the tail-fin vehicles outside confirmed they’d destroyed the airport. There was no need to waste words. The assault began. Park Yerim pretended to set down her bike expertly. Despite the long ride it shone like new. Having received her location from Princess Isabella, she rode straight toward the destination, sending the wheels more through air than ground. “Still, she’s a princess. Are you sure this is okay?” Park Yerim smoothed her loose robe, brushing off dust. “Peace, want a necktie?” Peace, horns hidden under a hat, shook his head. He’d had no grooming or dyeing, his cloth cover was rough. Park Yerim hid the bike behind dry-wooded rocks, cradled the wrapped Peace, and entered a ✪ Nоvеlіgһt ✪ (Official version) silent village. Midday, yet eerie: few square houses, almost no signs of life. She passed questionable dwellings and entered the largest building. “Princess Isabella? Hunter Park Yerim.” She whispered, looking around. Down an unfamiliar corridor, a door opened and a familiar voice called. Park Yerim’s eyes widened as she approached Noah. “You came first as expected!” “I wasn’t far. Moving quietly took time, though.” He’d flown himself rather than flown by plane—slower, but low-risk. “What about Director Song and Hunter Han Yuhyun?” “Director Song went to Cairo. Official entry is complex, so he’ll come later. As for Han Yuhyun—” Park Yerim’s voice dropped. “He followed the people who were with that man.” “What? Did he find Yujin?” “More precisely, her hair. Peace found strands of it. Saying it out loud sounds odd—cat hair.” Park Yerim put Peace down. “We were to meet at Aswan airport, but contact was lost and only a few hairs remained. His identity wasn’t exposed. Either someone took him or he trailed them, so Han Yuhyun naturally followed.” Noah glanced toward his room. “The Sesung Guild Master and his cat disappeared, too.” “Princess, you don’t know he’s a man yet.” “No—I thought he was an ordinary cat. I haven’t told her. They both went to Aswan airport, where—” Noah’s face grew serious. “It seems they fought those with Chat Erbox’s power.” Park Yerim frowned, annoyed. Noah led them onward to meet the two. Just before opening the door, Park Yerim paused. Noah gave a strained smile and opened it. Isabella rose from a round chair in the spacious bedroom. She stared at Peace. Samir lay propped on the bed, exuding the unsettling mana Park Yerim felt. “Uh...what happened here?” “Not the best first sight.” Samir laughed awkwardly. His upper body was fully bandaged, dark-red bloodstains mixed with dull gray corrosion marks. At Isabella’s cold tone, Samir pouted. “It’s not a simple wound, nor a curse.” Noah approached Samir. “It’s akin to a corrosion effect. As an S-rank, he recovers slowly. A normal person’s body would rot instantly.” Park Yerim frowned at the thought. “His skills are deteriorating, too. He can’t use them properly anymore.” “...Isn’t that completely broken?” “Debuffs, detox, healing—they barely work. We can only wait for natural recovery. At a lower rank it wouldn’t be life-threatening; a high rank would heal in two or three days.” “In battle that’s fatal. Han Yuhyun—wouldn’t he be in danger?” Those who fought at Aswan airport were likely the same Han Yuhyun chased. Park Yerim panicked and pulled out her phone. No signal. “Normal phones don’t work here.” “Guild Master Haeyeon should be fine. Her power is short-range—almost direct contact—so she escaped, though bruised.” “Her main skills are physical enhancements—deadly. From the broadcasts, she rarely lost. She’d have withstood it.” Samir grumbled as Noah checked him. Park Yerim eyed them. Asking about the cat now would be suspicious. “How do you know Noah oppa?” “We’ve met a few times in Africa. African dungeons draw surrounding nations, so I joined European guild raids.” “Never inside the dungeon, but we clashed outside. And there’s Riette unnie.” Samir dramatically trembled. “When I first awakened, I nearly got sold.” “How by Riette unnie?” “She was rumored the strongest female hunter in Europe. No guild, so they coveted her. They tried A-rank, failed, then threw in an S-rank—me.” “Even she wouldn’t force a political marriage, but she didn’t exactly refuse.” Noah cleared his throat. “As I understand, she just took money.” “Yes. I emerged safe; the royal family got fleeced. She’s scary but straightforward.” “I’d like to meet her.” Isabella said tersely. Park Yerim tilted her head. “Even awakening as S-rank, no one can force you into marriage.” Samir rolled his eyes. “If you’re inexperienced and gearless, many A-ranks or an S-rank can take you down. Then training, contracts, family as hostages. Anyone with power to quietly use illegal methods could do it.” “In Korea, lower-rank hunters face that too. Not high ranks.” “I had no problems. Everyone treated me well.” Isabella slowly approached Peace. “Just the front paws.” “They say pets hate paw touching.” “They said front paws they tolerate because they can claw or bite instantly. They hate strangers touching their backs. Do you like cats?” Isabella tapped Peace’s front paw. “I liked the Sesung Guild Master’s cat. I saw it at the airport—it vanished again.” “They might have taken it. I couldn’t search while hiding with him. Or it returned to the Sesung Guild Master.” Park Yerim looked at Noah, unsure how much to share. “How did you meet Guild Master Sesung?” “He turned into a child.” Samir explained. It fit. Park Yerim managed a controlled nod. “Anyway, that man shouldn’t be arranged to marry Hunter Han Yuhyun. Guild Master Haeyeon will object. If she just objects, fine—she might overturn it entirely.” “Why would Haeyeon unnie? They seemed close.” Park Yerim scratched her cheek, finding it hard to explain Han Yuhyun’s temperament. “I want to call—how far for reception?” “We have a communication device.” Isabella, who’d been fiddling with Peace’s paw, stood. She reached for the door handle and froze. Park Yerim also turned sharply; Peace stood. “...Is it because of me?” Park Yerim nocked an arrow. Noah helped Samir to his feet. All four stared at the laptop displaying external CCTV. On one of the four split screens Park Yerim’s eyes widened. “What? That bird—no, a person!” Park Yerim and Noah frowned. It was Cho Hwa-un. “The one who fought you? Empowered by Chat Erbox?” “Yes. You know him? Samir, a familiar face?” “Indeed. Maybe he wants to finish us. Sorry to drag family into this.” “It’s okay. We have someone to eliminate, too.” Peace growled softly at seeing Cho Hwa-un’s face. Isabella drew her axe and swung at the wall. The wall groaned, squarely cut, revealing a large hole. “Let’s go outside. Take care of Samir, Hunter Noah.” “I can walk on my own.” Thud! Part of the building crumbled. As they stepped into the central courtyard, roof and walls torn open, the intruders appeared.