Chapter 26

After entering the Demonic Realm—

Perhaps because his period of rest had been so long, Woojin found himself itching for a hunt, if only to warm up his body. So he deliberately chose a path with little human traffic.

Even so, no demonic beasts appeared.

Ahead of the expedition, the paladins had carried out numerous subjugations in the surrounding areas as part of live training. Because of that, the beasts were reluctant to approach the regions near the Wall.

"…Luck isn't on my side."

With no choice, Woojin continued his uneventful journey.

After walking for about five days, a massive city came into view in the distance.

The First Pioneer City.

The very first settlement established in the Demonic Realm—and the largest of the pioneer cities. Yet Woojin regarded it with indifferent eyes.

"It's definitely big… but not particularly impressive."

Perhaps because he had already seen a far grander and more splendid city, even such a large pioneer settlement failed to amaze him.

"Rex. Wait here for a bit."

As usual, he let Rex roam free in the forest before entering the pioneer city alone.

His purpose was simple.

"I need to make some money."

Woojin had forcibly shoved most of his gold coins onto Claire. After buying camping supplies with what remained, he was left with barely any cash on hand.

He planned to earn a substantial sum through commissions here, then head to the Third Pioneer City to visit Bow.

"Which commission should I take…?"

His eyes swept across the posted notices on the board.

One, in particular, stood out.

[ Hunt leech rats and bring back their tails as proof. Three silver coins will be paid per tail. ]

Leech rats.

A demonic beast not even mentioned in the Demonic Realm Travelogue. That likely meant it was a newly discovered species.

That alone piqued his interest, but what truly caught his attention was the line that followed.

[ Exercise caution. Many have gone missing after accepting this commission. ]

Most who had taken the job had disappeared, and the cause remained unknown.

Reading that, Woojin felt a surge of curiosity.

No other notice carried such a warning. Among all the commissions on the board, this was likely the most difficult—despite being nothing more than rat hunting.

"Are they really that dangerous?"

At the end of the day, they were just rats… The fact that multiple people had vanished because of them was strange.

The Ecclesiastical Alliance seemed to share that confusion, as they had noted that the cause of the disappearances was still unconfirmed. It might not be the rats alone—there could be some other threat involved.

What exactly was going on?

The question nagged at him so persistently that he couldn't focus on the other notices.

"…Let's try it for fun."

In the end, he chose that commission.

**

Heading to an unfamiliar place always carried a certain excitement—but if one grew careless, it was easy to get lost. In the Demonic Realm, that danger was even greater.

"Maybe I should've bought a more expensive map…"

Scratching the back of his neck, Woojin unfolded the map again. Perhaps because it was old, there were noticeable discrepancies between the marked information and the actual landscape.

The Demonic Realm's environment changed rapidly. Paths vanished and new ones appeared—it was hardly unusual.

Like a detective piecing together clues, Woojin examined the terrain and trekked through multiple rugged mountain areas.

After wandering for about an hour…

A small cave carved into the mountainside came into view.

"Finally found it."

He rolled up the map and tucked it into his pack. Then he spoke to Rex.

"Want to check it out with me?"

Rex shook his head side to side.

A clear refusal.

For the perceptive wolf to hesitate meant there was likely real danger lurking inside.

Woojin looked back into the cave.

Sunlight did not reach within. Thick shadows swallowed the interior, making it impossible to see even a step ahead. The passage stretching deep inside resembled the throat of some great beast.

Fwoosh—

A small flame bloomed in his palm. He used it to light the torch in his other hand, then stepped into the cave without hesitation.

After walking a short distance, he suddenly heard something scurrying urgently.

Without thinking, Woojin drew the dagger at his waist and threw it.

Screee!

A low-pitched squeal echoed.

A hit.

He approached the source of the sound. A rat with bright red eyes writhed on the ground.

At first glance, it looked much like an ordinary rat. But on closer inspection, something about it was unsettling.

"What a strange mouth."

Its snout resembled an octopus's suction cup, lined inside with sharp teeth. The leech rat used this mouth to latch onto a person's body and suck their blood.

Woojin ended its life with his dagger and cut off its tail.

Three silver coins.

A large reward for killing a single rat.

Rustle, rustle—

Multiple rats scurried ahead.

Chasing the sound, Woojin moved swiftly. Each time he threw his dagger, another rat fell.

It was practically like picking money off the ground.

They didn't seem especially dangerous—so why had the previous hunters disappeared?

As he pondered that question, he heard another rat skittering directly ahead.

"…Why aren't they running sooner?"

He frowned.

He was holding a torch, and he had already made plenty of noise while hunting. Sensitive creatures like rats should have fled far away long ago.

Yet these ones waited until he was nearly within reach before finally fleeing.

Almost as if they were luring him.

Why would they behave like that?

He didn't dwell on it for long.

Once he went deeper into the cave, he would likely learn the reason.

Continuing forward, he killed every rat he encountered.

After walking for quite some time—

"…Something feels off."

A sense of unease crept over him.

Woojin glanced around, then suddenly tilted his head upward.

And met a pair of eyes.

Countless eyes stared down at him.

The entire ceiling was packed tight with leech rats. They had been holding their breath, waiting for their prey to venture deep into the cave.

"…So it was a trap."

The moment Woojin muttered that, the rats' eyes glowed red as if in answer. The crimson light rippled across the ceiling like a wave—then rained down upon him like a hailstorm.

Enemies on all sides.

Woojin swung the torch in his hand like a broom, sweeping through the air.

Thud! Thwack!

With each swing, six or seven rats were sent flying. The torchlight spun wildly, illuminating the surroundings in chaotic flashes. Each flare revealed more rats lurking in the darkness.

…There were far too many.

This wasn't something he could finish by beating them down one by one. Woojin cast a quick glance toward the path he had come from.

"As expected… the escape route's blocked."

The swarm had already sealed off the exit. A tactical hunting method. No doubt countless hunters had gone missing because of this very strategy.

To make matters worse, the constant swinging had begun to smother the torch's flame. Sensing victory, the rats lunged at him even more aggressively—

But in truth, he could see perfectly well without the torch.

His night vision was as sharp as an owl's.

He had brought the torch deliberately—to experience these creatures from the perspective of an ordinary human. Only then could he properly assess their traits.

"…I've got the measure of them now."

Without hesitation, Woojin hurled the dying torch aside and clapped his hands together with all his strength.

CRAAACK!!

The thunderous clap exploded within the cave, becoming a deafening blast. If it was loud to human ears, the impact on the small rats was far worse. Those closest to him trembled violently and collapsed.

Seizing the moment, Woojin burst forward.

He broke through the encirclement in an instant.

…But he didn't run toward the exit.

Instead, he sprinted deeper into the cave.

The leech rats, realizing too late, swarmed after him. Their movements seemed oddly frantic.

The moment he saw that reaction, Woojin knew his guess was correct. He pushed himself faster.

Before long, he reached the deepest chamber of the cave.

There, a massive rat awaited him.

"Found you."

The ruler of the swarm.

It was nearly the size of a wild boar. Even now, it was giving birth ceaselessly—like a queen ant laying eggs.

Woojin charged straight toward it.

Several unusually large leech rats blocked his path—likely elite guards protecting the queen.

But at the end of the day, they were still just rats.

Without slowing down, he barreled through. Any rat in his way died from a casual swing of his arm or was sent flying like a bowling pin by a kick.

The queen shrieked in terror.

"Kiiiiiik!!"

It turned to flee—but Woojin was already upon it.

The machete in his hand flashed coldly.

Slash!

With a single swing, he severed its neck. The queen's massive body collapsed.

Woojin grabbed the severed head and lifted it high for the swarm to see.

That should have ended it.

Once a leader died, the hierarchical bond with its subordinates normally shattered. The remaining leech rats should have scattered to save themselves.

They should have.

"SKREEEE!!"

Instead, the rats' eyes rolled back in frenzy. Maddened with rage, they charged at him all at once.

Caught off guard by the unexpected reaction, Woojin frowned.

"…What's wrong with these things?"

As he hacked down the attacking rats, a thought occurred to him.

Perhaps the queen and the swarm were not bound by mere dominance—but by something closer to a parent-child bond.

Which meant he would have to slaughter every last rat here to end this filthy fight.

"…Ah, damn it."

A sigh-laced curse escaped him.

Outside the cave, Rex yawned lazily, sitting in a patch of sunlight and scratching his head with a hind leg.

…Squelch. Squelch.

A wet sound echoed from within the cave.

Rex's nose twitched.

The stench of blood.

Before long, the source of the smell emerged.

Kim Woojin stepped out of the cave.

He bore no serious injuries—but his entire body was drenched in rat blood and viscera. His appearance was wretched. His clothes, hair, and pack were soaked through, and with every step, thick red droplets splattered onto the dirt.

Like a drowned rat dragged from the water.

Rex's lips curled upward slightly.

It was unmistakably a smirk.

Woojin considered snapping at him—but in the end, only let out another sigh. This mess was entirely of his own making. He had sought a bit of fun and ended up suffering for it.

"…Still, I made a lot of money."

He took comfort in that fact.

Unintentionally, he had become wealthy again.