I came for Healing, but a Gate Appeared

Chapter 20 : Hunting Time

Hunting Time

"No. I was just passing by,"

At Ian's indifferent words, Jeongnam was startled and quickly moved closer to Ian, whispering,

"Wait. You're not going to join the hunt?"

"There are plenty of hunters here, after all."

Ian spoke again, just as indifferently.

"But... I really hoped to take part in the raid thanks to Ahn Bin..."

Jeongnam hesitated.

He didn't really want to hunt; he wanted to gain the abilities you could only get by being at the scene of a raid.

He was worried Ahn Bin might just suggest that they leave.

"Ah, I also wanted to film Hero's hunting scenes..."

Haeyeon said, still holding her cell phone and filming something.

"There are hunters here, so let's step back for now."

Ian said this as he glanced over at Kim Sanghyun.

He wondered how Kim Sanghyun would respond, but the man just kept frowning, without much reaction.

Ian gently patted Hao's head—It was a signal to stop barking.

The pollution purification was done, and it seemed unnecessary to keep calming the slimes.

Now it was time to hunt.

Ian wanted to see how the hunters went about their hunting.

"Oh... you were just dropping by? I see. We were just about to begin the raid."

Taken aback by Ian's unexpected answer, Yoo Minsik just explained the current situation.

At that moment, Ian pulled out some herbs and mushrooms from his pocket and handed them to Yoo Minsik.

"These are herbs excellent for preventing pollution and healing wounds, and mushrooms that give vitality."

"What? Herbs and mushrooms?"

"They're cultivated in Mount Jiri. They're very effective, so please share them with the hunters going on today's hunt."

Ian grinned broadly. Good things should be shared. He truly meant it.

"Ah, thank you. These are precious..."

Yoo Minsik was flustered but quickly thanked him. But then—

"Herbs and mushrooms? What is this now? Why do peddlers keep showing up at the site today?"

Kim Sanghyun scoffed and said this.

"Wait, hunter..."

Yoo Minsik, startled, turned to Kim Sanghyun and tried to say something.

Then it happened.

Rumble!

At the sound of something collapsing, everyone quickly turned around.

One wall of the terminal building collapsed with a crash.

Monsters appeared through the ruined wall.

"C-cave-in!"

"Monsters are coming out!"

"Hunters! Prepare yourselves!"

As urgent voices called out, Ian grabbed Jeongnam's and Haeyeon's arms and pulled them to the rear.

"Stay back here. It's still the scene, right?"

"Ah! Yes..."

"I'll film a video!"

After winking at the two, Ian dashed forward again. Hao followed after him.

"Deputy Kang Taehun, it's been a while."

Ian approached and greeted him. Kang Taehun was gathering up the silver blankets.

He had been flying around with the wind earlier, and now he was busy picking up blankets scattered here and there.

Kang Taehun greeted him brightly.

"Ah, Ahn Bin! How have you been? I saw the video. It was really cool! Didn't expect you to become a hunter."

While talking and keeping an eye on the monsters, Kang Taehun never stopped collecting blankets.

"Did you become a hunter too, deputy?"

Ian helped pick up the blankets, and Hao ran off and brought back another one.

"No, I'm here to deliver these. These are new-material hunting blankets, inspired by your video. Wow, is that your dog, Ahn Bin? He's huge!"

"Yes, he's a bit big."

"He's not just big—he looks amazing."

"New-material hunting blankets, huh... Your company quickly made a very timely product."

"The government orders would be nice. This material was originally for those field sleeping bags, you know? We tweaked it a bit."

They were talking as leisurely as if meeting in a cafe in the afternoon, but the surroundings were already a battlefield.

Over a dozen enormous slimes were surging toward people.

'Whoa, how much did those things eat inside the terminal?'

They were much bigger than typical slimes. Their bellies were massively distended. The terminal interior was probably empty by now.

"... Were monsters always that big?"

"No, not like that."

"Why are they so big this time?"

Even the hunters were unnerved by the slimes' size.

"What are you waiting for? Start the hunt already!"

Kim Sanghyun yelled.

On one side, a fight had already started, with someone screaming a battle cry, and flames were erupting.

"This way..."

Ian pulled Kang Taehun to safety.

Since he said he wasn't a hunter, Ian was trying to move him to a safer spot.

"It's fine. With this many hunting blankets, what's to worry about? If push comes to shove, I'll try hunting too."

Kang Taehun was surprisingly unafraid.

'Was he always like this? But what to do—hunting isn't something you can do with just a blanket...'

After a brief thought, Ian decided to help with Kang Taehun's hunt.

'Now that I think about it, Jeongnam too—they all seem eager to hunt.'

Ian was curious again.

Then he figured that Earth people must be quite active in guarding their own turf.

More diligent and ambitious than the residents of Praeri.

'That's understandable. Leaders here must have it easy. But if they get too enthusiastic and want to raid the Tower... that'll be a problem for me...'

At that moment, Kim Sanghyun started fighting, and Ian turned his attention that way.

Kim Sanghyun raised his hand high. A blue light shone from his fingertips.

'Ah, he knows how to use energy? That must be what they call an ability here.'

Ian watched with interest.

Earthlings had encountered Praerian energy and gained powers. Ian was curious how, when using Earth's energy, things would unfold.

When Kim Sanghyun whipped his hand, a small lightning-like bolt shot out.

Crackle! Electricity sparkled.

"Monster, take my lightning!"

Kim Sanghyun said rather comically as he struck the slime in front of him with lightning.

Then he quickly stepped back.

His movements were quick. His physical abilities were good, and he seemed to have a strong survival instinct.

The lightning stabbed deep into the slime's body.

It seemed to have hit the core directly.

The slime quickly charred black, then began to vanish like wisps of smoke.

"Oh, yes!"

Seeing that, Kim Sanghyun punched the air and shouted.

'Not bad.'

Ian couldn't help but admit it.

Honestly, he was a bit surprised. He was better than expected. He was attacking accurately, channeling his energy in a solid way.

'Very interesting.'

Ian nodded quietly.

Ian himself was just now grasping how to freely use Earth's energy, but Kim Sanghyun already seemed to know it instinctively.

'Must be because he's an Earthling.'

That hunter had an Earthling's soul, so of course, he should naturally sense the energy of this place.

Just as Praerians wielded Praeri energy as an extension of their own bodies.

'Well, I get it now. I've got the hang of it.'

Already, he'd figured it out. Thanks to that hunter, he now understood even more clearly.

Of course, even though he was impressed here on Earth, the hunter's skill level in using energy was just like a baby's steps compared to Ian.

And no matter how things worked on Earth, Ian's energy would unleash even greater power than that hunter's when he used it.

That hunter was displaying powers with Earth energy, but Ian would raise Earth's energy to the level of Praeri energy when he used his abilities.

Still, there was no denying Kim Sanghyun's abilities were excellent.

Upon observation, not all the other hunters were as good as Kim Sanghyun.

Then a sharp scream was heard from somewhere, and Ian looked back quickly.

One hunter was being eaten by a slime. He had fallen, and one of his arms was already gone. It looked like his whole torso would soon be devoured as well.

'Oh no!'

Slimes were inherently dangerous monsters. They didn't bite or scratch like other beasts—they just slurped up their prey whole.

Once swallowed, nothing remained—lost forever in their great void-like belly.

Ian swiftly threw the blanket he was holding.

He had figured out how to use Earth's energy, but for now, he decided to keep hunting with blankets, as he usually did.

No need to draw unnecessary attention.

The blanket floated lightly like a gust of wind and perfectly covered the slime attacking the fallen hunter.

Perfectly, not an inch missed, it enveloped the slime's entire body.

No laundry line was needed. No tying the corners.

'Oh, the new material's not bad.'

The new-material blanket interacted with the slime's body composition, sticking to it firmly. It didn't seem possible to remove it.

Apparently, the company had done some research on slimes.

"Wow! So that's how you hunt. As expected, you're precise."

Kang Taehun, standing nearby, exclaimed.

Then he looked around, and hurled a hunting blanket at another approaching slime.

But the blanket didn't fly as beautifully as he hoped.

It folded over in midair and only ended up covering part of the slime.

'Oh dear...'

"Huh? What now? It's not fully covered..."

It looked like Ian would have to finish this himself.

He needed to take care of both: the squirming, blanket-wrapped slime and the one partially covered.

First, the one writhing inside the blanket.

'Slime, I'll absorb your core now. May you rest in peace.'

Last time, he had put on a show by using a magnifying glass to focus sunlight and burn the slime, but there was no time for that now.

So he went straight for the core.

He gathered the energy flowing through his body and sent it out through his fingertip, forming an image of extraction in his mind and directing the energy toward the slime's core.

The energy flowed smoothly through the air, like water.

At that moment, Hao barked nearby.

Woof woof!

Hao was lending his energy to Ian. Good dog. Just like on Praeri, always helping in slime hunts.

"Hao, it's fine."

Ian said with a smile.

Hao obediently knelt beside him.

The slime, now wrapped in the blanket, disintegrated, and the core was absorbed by Ian.

Of course, no one else would have seen anything.

'One down.'

Ian quickly turned to the slime on Kang Taehun's side.

"A-Ahn Bin! That thing's still coming over!"

Kang Taehun called urgently, his face almost drained of color.

The half-covered slime was slowly creeping toward Kang Taehun.

Slower than usual, but more agitated in its movements.

No doubt it was angry and panicking.

If any part was left uncovered, it might as well be entirely exposed.

That's just how slimes were. You couldn't give them an inch.

They flowed like liquid and could regenerate their main body even from small remains.

So they had to be annihilated completely.

"Throw another blanket!"

"Oh, right!"

Kang Taehun picked up another blanket from the stack beside him and threw it. This time, he was more careful, hoping it would open wide.

This time, there would be no problem.

Ian would guide it along with the wind.

'Wind, rise softly.'

Energy flowed once again from his fingertips.