"Master?"
"Y-yes?"
Kuro was surprised that his master, who said each word with such heaviness, stuttered while answering.
"Is anything wrong?" Kuro asked.
"No, let's head to the portal."
Kuro sensed something weird, but Si-Hun was not ready to tell Kuro.
"Okay. Let's go!"
Kuro talked the whole way while walking, but Si-Hun stayed quiet and listened to him talking.
"Turn left from this alley."
Si-Hun said, dragging Kuro from behind.
"You could've said it without this.
"If you're ready to listen!"
"Whatever!!"
Si-Hun walked calmly, hands in his pockets.
Each step was like he was heading to a battlefield.
"Master, you're walking like you're going to be the president of the country!"
"Haha!"
Everything seemed normal until….
There were tapping noises that echoed through the alley.
It gave "danger" before the danger even arrived.
A warning, which honestly wasn't needed to be given.
Something came running literally on the walls of the buildings.
Speed like flash.
But this time, he was prepared.
Si-Hun didn't even turn around, took his pocket knife out of his pocket, and tossed his pocket knife; it spun and buried itself in the entity's flank.
The knife cut through the entity's skin and split his body in half.
The body faded away like these entities always did.
Blood ran in thin red streams, slipping through the gutter grates.
"YOOOO!!! MASTER!!!! WHERE DID THAT COME FROM!???"
"Bring me my knife back, please."
"Okay.."
"Damnnnn!!" Kuro muttered under his breath.
Si-Hun looked back through the corner of his eye and continued walking.
"I knew you were watching me."
Si-Hun stopped, just for a second, and continued walking again.
"So you're hiding your true potential, hmm. Interesting."
Kuro smirked through one corner of his mouth and caught up to Si-Hun.
Of course, he was a shadow; he had the advantage.
They reached the portal in a few minutes.
"Yoo, Si-Hun!!" Jae-Un screamed when he saw Si-Hun coming.
Si-Hun smiled lazily and waved hello.
"How're you doing?" Si-Hun asked.
"I'm doing good, bro, but you are living under a rock nowadays. Where are you gone?"
"Just paying bills. Gotta work your ass off to make ends meet." Si-Huns said, sighing and looking down.
Even though Jae-Un was a person from a well-to-do background, he understood his friend's difficulty.
"You're already doing a lot, true man to me," He said as he put his hand on Si-Hun's shoulder and let out a low chuckle.
Si-Hun smiled downwards, a rare smile coming from him.
"Let's go," Jae-Un said, taking his hand back from his shoulder and walking towards the portal.
Si-Hun followed.
The portal was at a higher rank than before.
Kuro saw Si-Hun and Jae-Un and smiled, seeing how their friendship was evolving not by daily talks or hangouts, but by will and true effort, trying to get each other's perspective.
Everyone entered the portal.
"Let's go!" The team leader shouted, raising his weapons.
This portal was supposed to have a lot of mana.
"Doesn't seem like it has more than average mana."
Si-Hun said, observing the portal, that the scent of mana wasn't even strong; it was even weaker than normal.
Si-Hun laughed lightly.
"They don't even pay attention to their work properly," Si-Hun said, walking behind the group.
"This cave's really big, but the mana isn't even here," Jae-Un said.
"The mana is not present in a good amount like the examiners said."
"How do you know?"
"Umm, cause we still haven't seen a single mana stone."
Jae-Un raised his eyebrows a little and walked ahead.
"I've gotta kill,"
Si-Hun nodded while walking.
"Kuro."
"How much XP can I obtain killing a few small monsters?"
"Your XP obtain rate increases with skill and experience. You will obtain roughly 150-250 XP points here."
"So high suddenly?"
"Your skill has increased rapidly over the past few days; it's predictable."
"Better handle it well."
He wasn't finished talking when he noticed a monster coming his way.
Jae-Un already saw it and ran behind it to kill it, but before he could do anything.
Si-Hun took his dagger out and held it in front of the monster, which penetrated through the monster's skin, and the monster died.
Si-Hun eyed everywhere to see who had noticed.
He saw Jae-Un there and pretended to be surprised.
"Whoa! I killed it!" He said, his tone completely shifting from serious to a tone he desired.
Even he was surprised by how he had changed his emotions.
"Cool! Keep going man!"
"Yeah, haha."
Jae-Un passed Si-Hun a smile and turned.
"What was that?"
Si-Hun was glad his control was getting better.
His instincts were getting sharper.
It took a while to clear the dungeon, and everyone was disappointed by how low the mana stones were.
"You were right, there aren't even any mana stones here! Just these low-quality stones that are of no use." Jae-Un said, frustrated.
Everyone left the portal unpleased.
"The mana stones really were low."
"Then why didn't you leave the dungeon?"
"Why would I leave the battlefield just because it doesn't benefit me?"
"This ain't some battlefield."
"It is like one, for me. You fight against your enemies, take their loot, and then ruin their living and them. Just like the Mongols did, they burned the cities they wanted to conquer."
"You're WAY too serious."
Si-Hun sighed lightly.
"Oh yeah, I remember something. I'm planning to buy a revolver."
"A gun out of nowhere. Don't you need a license for that? And why do you want to buy it?"
"It's allowed for predators as they have experience with fighting. As the number of attacks is increasing, it is important to have a gun for protection. These attacks can happen anywhere, literally anywhere."
"When do you want to buy it?"
"Today."
"And what about the money?"
"I saved my earnings, the money I earned during these days and nights killing."
"Do you even know how to use a gun?"
"I do. My father taught me how to use it when I was 16, but I couldn't meet his expectations. I was determined to the bone and used to take his revolver when he was asleep or out, and practiced somewhere far from the house. I learned how to handle it quickly, but perfecting my aim took time. It didn't continue for long, though; my mother caught me taking my father's revolver one night, but thankfully, she didn't tell my father, or else."
"Didn't your father ever notice how the bullets went out so quickly?"
"He did, but it was very late. He rarely ever used the revolver, so he didn't pay attention."
"You're father is the most grumpiest person I know."
"Don't say that about my father," Si-Hun said, scolding Kuro.
"You're still taking your 'worst-in-the-world father's side?"
"He is my father, more or less."
"Fine. Defend him."
Si-Hun didn't say anything, just thought if his father was even worth it.
He pushed the thoughts aside and asked Kuro to go to the weapons shop.