I came for Healing, but a Gate Appeared

Chapter 21 : Help Out, Snatch the Core and Devour It

Help Out, Snatch the Core and Devour It

A breeze gently lifted the floating blanket, pushing it smoothly through the air.

At last, Kang Taehun's blanket fully covered the monster, completely wrapping it up.

The slime could no longer advance toward them. Inside the blanket, it could only squirm.

"It's done!"

Kang Taehun shouted with joy.

He didn't seem to realize that there was still more to take care of. Just covering it with the blanket didn't mean the hunt was over.

'I'll have to tell him later.'

For now, Ian once more extended his energy to finish the job. He struck directly at the slime's core and pulled it out.

This was nothing bad for Ian either. After all, this meant he could absorb Praeri energy.

Once the blanket finally stopped twitching, Kang Taehun jumped up and down and shouted.

"Wow! I finally hunted a monster! I caught it myself!"

'Oh boy, you're just brimming with energy now.'

This was how symbiosis worked: help Kang Taehun out, and Ian could devour the core.

That was the way of the world. Things were connected in ways unseen.

'Slime, there's no need for you to grieve, either. Death isn't really the end, you know. Death is the foundation for another life, and life always leads back to death. That's how it goes.'

As someone who had lived for nearly a thousand years, Ian could afford to think such leisurely thoughts as he looked at the blanket that now contained nothing but a shell.

Just then, a piercing scream rang out from behind.

'Oh boy, looks like there's somewhere else I need to lend a hand.'

Ian quickly looked around.

From that point on, Ian wandered all over the scene, subtly helping the hunters here and there without being noticed.

He found it rather entertaining in his own way.

After snatching up a core, he'd use his energy, and after expending energy, he'd suck up another core.

With this cycle, he didn't tire or lose Praeri energy at all.

In fact, his energy became greater and greater.

Watching the hunters' hunts was interesting, and secretly helping them was fun too.

In this way, while assisting the hunters, Ian observed them closely.

'That one's pretty skilled.'

Kim Sanghyun was as capable as his arrogant attitude suggested.

Not only did he wield lightning powers, his body was physically enhanced, making his attacks powerful and accurate.

Because of this, there was no need for Ian to help him. He seemed perfectly capable of protecting both his life and limbs on his own.

But most of the other hunters needed help.

'Wait, are they really just trying to beat the slime with their fists? That won't do.'

Ian barely managed to save a hunter who was almost swallowed up to the wrist.

He quickly threw the blanket between the slime and the hunter's fist, covering its mouth.

'That's a sword, isn't it? You're not supposed to use weapons that slice, stab, or explode the slime. I told you, didn't I?'

One hunter attempted to hunt with a long sword, probably one whose power was to reinforce metal.

His blade crackled with energy, and he charged in with great momentum.

The problem was, if you sliced a slime, the pollution would burst out, and the very hunter who attacked would be the first to be consumed.

Moreover, the pollution would spread and cause more damage in the area.

But today, Ian let it go.

Woof woof! Woof woof!

Hao was busily barking nearby, purifying the pollution.

'After all those videos you watched, you're still using that method. Hah, it's useless to teach them, isn't it? There's still no set way to hunt—everyone does as they please.'

At any rate, though the hunters' abilities were varied, few were truly exceptional.

Their command of the Earth's energy was barely at a toddler's level.

Still, one more hunter stood out besides Kim Sanghyun.

This one had the power to manipulate flames.

'Oh! Flame powers? Not bad.'

He skillfully transformed energy into fire.

He was quick at manifesting it and used several varieties of flames.

"Uooooh!"

There was just one thing about him...

He'd let out a yell almost like a scream before releasing the flames.

"Uooooh!"

"Uooooooh!"

While his kiai was rather comical, his approach to hunting was cautious, and his attacks were precise and efficient.

He too, like Ian, would move from place to place, helping other hunters who were in danger. That caught Ian's eye.

"Hunter Park Jinwon! Fire over here, please!"

"Yes, just a moment."

"Hunter Park Jinwon! Please help!"

"Alright, I'm coming."

Many people were calling for his help.

'So, his name is Park Jinwon.'

He looked to be in his forties, a bit older than the other hunters.

He seemed calm and composed.

Ian found himself taking a liking to this hunter, Park Jinwon, and decided to remember him.

"Hunter Park Jinwon! Fire! Aaagh! Get away!"

Again, someone called out for Park Jinwon.

He turned toward the direction of the voice.

Ian turned as well.

It was at the edge of the battlefield.

The source of the voice was Team Leader Yoo Minsik, who, as he wasn't a hunter, had retreated to the rear.

Yet a slime had reached him.

It was a small slime—apparently a fragment cut off earlier that had regenerated into a new one.

The thing was crawling rapidly toward Yoo Minsik.

"Move back!"

Park Jinwon shouted as he dashed forward.

Ian hurried after him, and with a quick flick of energy, sent a gust of wind toward Yoo Minsik.

He meant to send it gently, but perhaps misjudged it—Yoo Minsik flew backward and fell flat on the ground.

"Uooooh!"

That scream was not from Yoo Minsik, but from Park Jinwon. As he ran, he suddenly stopped and shot out flames from his fingertips.

The flame shot out long, like a snake.

In an instant, the fire speared the exact center of the slime. The creature blazed bright red, then quickly blackened and collapsed.

'Wow, his aim is precise! Makes you want to give him a round of applause.'

The regenerated, fragmentary slime had a particularly small core, but Park Jinwon had targeted and burned it precisely.

The slime vanished without a trace, and Yoo Minsik, dusting himself off, stood up and thanked Park Jinwon.

"Thank you so much, hunter."

"I'm just glad you're alright."

Park Jinwon was breathing heavily, as if he had run out of energy.

Understandable—he'd been rushing around the battlefield, unleashing flames all this time.

'I almost feel a bit guilty.'

While Ian was absorbing the slime core from the scorched ground, he couldn't help but feel a little sorry toward Park Jinwon.

He had done the hunting, and Ian had merely snatched and devoured the core on the side.

'Well, they can't absorb cores anyway.'

It would be wasteful to just leave it behind.

Woof woof! Woof woof!

Hao's barking echoed from not far away.

"Hao, come here!"

When Ian called, Hao came running.

"Well done. Did you get something to eat?"

As he petted Hao, Ian asked. Feeling somewhat guilty for hogging all Praeri energy himself, he'd called Hao over to share.

Woof woof!

Hao wagged his tail in response. His eyes seemed full of energy.

"Well done."

Hao had been running all over the scene, helping with the hunt in his own way.

He instinctively knew what to do, even without direct orders.

If wind was needed, he'd raise it, if pollution occurred, he'd purify it.

And, moving about, he too seemed to have been absorbing any wasted Praeri energy in the vicinity.

"A good boy. Now, go over and rest by Haeyeon."

Ian gestured to Haeyeon, who was busily filming something in the rear.

Hao immediately ran over.

Haeyeon was circling the edge of the scene, careful not to interfere with the hunters, constantly filming.

She had filmed Ian hunting with the blanket, but Ian wasn't the only one she filmed.

Jeongnam also followed Haeyeon loosely, watching the hunters' hunts.

From the way he held the hunting blanket, he seemed eager to try hunting himself.

But as he hadn't gotten his chance yet, it looked like the opportunity had passed.

The hunt was nearly over.

"Is it all finished?"

Ian swept his gaze across the battlefield.

There were no more living slimes in sight.

Nor were there any dead ones.

The upside of hunting slimes was that, once they were killed and burned, not even a trace of the corpse was left behind.

The invisible cores remained, but Ian had already collected them all.

All around the scene, only scorched remains of blankets, swirl marks from the fire, and broken building debris were left.

Otherwise, the place was pristine. Thanks to Hao, not a trace of pollution remained.

By all measures, this was a perfectly executed hunt.

But there were some bloodstains. Stains left by the hunters.

'Let's see—how did the humans fare?'

Fortunately, none had died, though two hunters were injured.

One had lost an arm, another lost everything below the shin, the severed surfaces blackened.

The remaining hunters, drained of energy, simply sat on the ground, catching their breath.

"Is the fight really over now?"

Yoo Minsik called out to the hunters.

"It's over. We smashed all the monsters!"

Kim Sanghyun answered proudly, though he too was slumped on the ground, out of energy.

"Thank you for your hard work, hunters!"

Yoo Minsik shouted.

"Thank you, everyone!"

Jung Ahyeon called out to the hunters as she rushed to the wounded.

Ian also went over.

Jung Ahyeon approached the hunter who'd lost everything below the shin and raised energy to her fingertips as she stood before him.

'Oh? Looks like she's got healing powers?'

Jung Ahyeon was an awakened.

At first, she hadn't realized what her power was, but one day she discovered she was unaffected by pollution.

Later, she realized she could channel healing energy to others through her hands.

As Ian watched, Jung Ahyeon sent healing energy into the wounded hunter.

It wasn't dramatic, but it would at least prevent infection and help regeneration.

"Have him chew on this. It'll take away the pain and aid healing."

Ian pulled out a mushroom from his pouch and handed it to Jung Ahyeon.

"Oh, this mushroom?"

She should have been skeptical, but Jung Ahyeon trusted him and had the patient eat the mushroom without hesitation.

Apparently she trusted Ian. That was good.

'It's nice to be trusted so readily.'

Ian sat beside her and pounded some herbs with a stone before handing those to Jung Ahyeon as well.

"And apply this herb to the wound. The amputated limb probably won't regenerate fully, but this should still help."

"Thank you, hunter."

Jung Ahyeon applied the herb and once again sent energy into the wound.

Gradually, the wound began to heal. The blackened, necrotic skin slowly turned back to normal color.

The lost limb wouldn't grow back, but at least the bleeding had stopped.

Shock and sepsis were prevented.

The wounded hunters' groans lessened. With the pain gone, their faces brightened.

"Ah, I finally feel like I'm alive again."

"Thank you, Team Leader. And thank you, hunter, for the herbs."

"I'm glad you're feeling better."

Ian offered the hunters a bright smile—made brighter out of sympathy.

They probably wouldn't ever be hunters again.

Or with advanced prosthetics, maybe they could move freely again?

Even with Ahn Bin's memories, Ian wasn't sure. He'd have to look into that later.

In any case, Ian hoped for their full recovery.

"You hunters should try these mushrooms too. You're all completely drained, right? This will help."

Ian went around, handing out mushrooms to the hunters who were scattered about resting.

"What is this?"

"It's a very special mushroom grown on Mount Jiri. Just try it."

"Well, let's give it a try..."

"If it's that good, I'll have one too."

The hunters reached out, took the mushrooms, and began to eat.

That's when Kim Sanghyun sprang up and approached Ian.

"You've just been loafing around, and now you're taking this opportunity to sell things? Unbelievable. I thought they called you a hero because you would handle all the monsters alone."