Chapter Index





    Ch.22Human Liberation Organization

    # Where Did Bernstein Disappear To?

    Only the shadows know the answer.

    “Ugh…”

    A natural groan escaped my lips.

    Since Bernstein who had been holding the wire disappeared, the tension in the wires binding my body loosened.

    Screech-!

    Of course, just because the tension loosened didn’t mean the wires came undone.

    I unwound the wires wrapped around my body with a deeply furrowed brow.

    The first part I started to untangle was my neck.

    Once I removed the suffocating wire, I could breathe again.

    One wrong move and my head might have been separated from my body.

    The condition of my arms and legs wasn’t good either.

    As if the wires had cut into my flesh and severed tendons, I couldn’t put any strength into my hands and feet.

    I sat down on the floor and took out a red potion, pouring it over my wounds.

    Hissss-

    I slowly moved my hands and feet, watching new flesh bubble up and form.

    My strength was definitely returning, but even after using all the potions I had, I wasn’t completely healed.

    Steadying my wobbling body, I slowly got to my feet.

    Seeing the blackened blood on the floor, I realized just how much blood had drained from my body.

    What should I do to replenish the lost blood?

    I licked the sharp fangs that had grown in my mouth and smiled slightly.

    ***

    “This way!”

    Right after Charlotte escaped, Aurel and Hwang-gu began moving frantically.

    The military tent they had been hiding in was completely blown away by bombs flying in from all directions.

    Hwang-gu was leading Aurel.

    Though faint, memories she had forgotten were clearly surfacing.

    As time passed, Hwang-gu ran hard, denying the memories that kept coming back.

    Bang-!

    Boom-!

    Crack-!

    The sound of explosions and ear-splitting gunfire.

    Screams and shouts mixed in behind them.

    Flames shooting up from all directions and the pungent smell of gunpowder.

    The once peaceful werewolf camp was turned upside down in an instant.

    Of course, the werewolves weren’t the only ones suffering.

    Some werewolves who had partially transformed and leapt at the enemies were now howling while holding the corpses of human users.

    Awoooo~

    Hwang-gu flinched at the howling.

    It stimulated the werewolf instincts engraved in her body.

    The hazy memories were becoming increasingly intense.

    “Hwang-gu!”

    “Yes!”

    But what mattered to Hwang-gu wasn’t the faint memories, but Charlotte’s request.

    Charlotte’s request to protect Aurel was absolute to Hwang-gu.

    Having formed a pack with Charlotte, Hwang-gu recognized Charlotte as the pack leader and followed her.

    Hwang-gu and Aurel arrived at a small container behind the camp.

    Though there were blackened marks everywhere, likely from the bomb blasts, the container itself was intact.

    Aurel and Hwang-gu naturally took shelter inside.

    “Phew…”

    Aurel sat down with a sigh, apparently judging this place to be safe.

    In contrast, Hwang-gu was looking out the window with her large ears perked up.

    In a situation where enemies could approach from anywhere at any time, Hwang-gu’s vigilance was natural.

    At that moment, Hwang-gu’s watchful eyes caught a movement outside.

    A man dressed in black was climbing over the camp fence and entering.

    There were no physical features indicating he was a werewolf. The long gun on his back meant he was an ordinary human user, not a vampire or werewolf.

    “Grrrr…”

    Hwang-gu bared her teeth, showing strong hostility.

    The reason for Hwang-gu’s hostility was simple.

    The man who had just appeared was strong.

    That was the only reason.

    And that opponent was approaching this container.

    A low stance and careful movements.

    A dark gray longsword drawn in one hand moved like a shadow.

    Hwang-gu sniffed, trying to gather information about the opponent.

    Unlike other humans, he had less gunpowder smell and a stronger scent of blood.

    This meant the human preferred close combat.

    Hwang-gu carefully changed positions.

    Her large wolf ears stood up sharply to better hear sounds outside the container.

    Hwang-gu arrived at the door of the container.

    She began tensing her body to attack the moment the door opened.

    “Hwang-gu…?”

    “Grrrr…”

    Hwang-gu didn’t have the luxury to answer Aurel’s call.

    All her attention was focused on the target outside.

    Even now, Hwang-gu was recalling forgotten memories.

    And at that moment.

    Click-

    The container’s doorknob rattled and slowly turned.

    The door was opening.

    Bang-!

    The moment Hwang-gu’s small legs kicked off the ground, the spot she stood on caved in, causing the container to shake from the impact.

    Hwang-gu shot out like a shell.

    She struck the half-open container door and leapt outside.

    Crash-!

    After jumping out, Hwang-gu quickly shifted her gaze.

    The human user was slightly pushed back by the container door.

    He looked surprised by the sudden impact.

    Hwang-gu’s eyes met the human user’s.

    No words were needed between them.

    They simply revealed their strong hostility and killing intent toward each other.

    The human user moved first.

    He pulled out a pistol from his waist and quickly pulled the trigger at Hwang-gu.

    Bang-!

    Two shots at once.

    As the bright white flashes cut through the air and flew toward her,

    Hwang-gu flattened herself to the ground and began moving on all fours.

    Tap-! Tap-!

    A swift charge.

    The sight of her rushing through the darkness with her tail swishing was terrifying to the human user.

    The moment she leapt out of the container, she had already completed her transformation, so no further preparation was needed.

    Hwang-gu trusted her physical abilities and swung her fist at the opponent.

    Whoosh-!

    The small fist cut through the air.

    But the impact it created was not light at all.

    Clang-!

    The straight punch.

    What it hit was a solid blade.

    The human user had quickly moved his hand to defend against the attack.

    But unable to withstand the force behind Hwang-gu’s punch, he staggered backward.

    Of course, Hwang-gu didn’t miss the opening.

    Kicking off the ground, Hwang-gu continued her charge.

    Her relentless assault continued without slowing down.

    Sometimes with her claws extended, other times with her legs stretched out.

    Hwang-gu’s attacks, following her instincts, had no consistent pattern.

    Slash-! Clang!

    Thud!

    Clang!

    After dozens of exchanges like this,

    The human user and Hwang-gu created a slight distance between them, entering a momentary lull.

    “Grrrr…!”

    Hwang-gu bared her teeth and extended her claws.

    Despite attacking with all her might, not a single effective hit had landed.

    This meant her opponent had calmly blocked all her attacks.

    The human user, [Cheon-hwi], had also been fully focused.

    Several attacks that could have taken his life had come one after another.

    He had sneaked in to rescue a human trapped in a cage, but it seemed he had triggered a bomb.

    Cheon-hwi felt cold sweat running down his back.

    “Grrrr…”

    Cheon-hwi carefully moved his steps while pointing his sword.

    Though they were catching their breath, he knew the fight could resume at any moment.

    At that moment.

    Cheon-hwi’s sensitive hearing caught a small rustling sound.

    Inside the container.

    Someone was in there.

    Glancing over, he noticed the werewolf he was fighting was also concerned about the container.

    If they continued fighting like this, he would be the one to die.

    Cheon-hwi decided to take a gamble.

    “Haaah!”

    With a strong shout, Cheon-hwi began charging.

    Hwang-gu also prepared for battle at Cheon-hwi’s battle cry, but Cheon-hwi suddenly changed direction.

    He was heading toward the container behind.

    “No!”

    Hwang-gu screamed at the sight.

    Aurel was inside the container.

    Though she didn’t know the exact details, Hwang-gu knew that Aurel wasn’t very strong.

    Someone like the human before her could easily take Aurel’s life.

    Hwang-gu kicked off the ground and jumped into the container, but Cheon-hwi’s movements were faster.

    “Hwang-gu…”

    Her friend, Aurel, was captured by the human.

    With a dark gun barrel pointed at her head.

    That was the scene Hwang-gu faced when she entered the container.

    “Hah…”

    Cheon-hwi sighed as he looked at the werewolf girl whose spirit had been dampened.

    The gamble had succeeded. That’s what Cheon-hwi thought.

    Though taking a hostage wasn’t particularly pleasant, what wouldn’t he do to achieve his goal?

    “Back off.”

    “Grrrr…”

    Hwang-gu had no choice but to back away at Cheon-hwi’s threat.

    The distance between them slowly increased.

    Eventually, Hwang-gu and Cheon-hwi faced each other from opposite ends of the container.

    How should she resolve this situation?

    Hwang-gu frantically rubbed her small, soft cheeks.

    Having lost her memories, Hwang-gu didn’t have the knowledge to overcome this situation.

    At that moment, Hwang-gu’s eyes met Aurel’s.

    Aurel had a slight smile on her lips.

    It wasn’t an expression one would expect from someone taken hostage.

    Cheon-hwi slowly moved his steps and spoke to Hwang-gu.

    “Don’t get any ideas. If you move even a little, this girl’s head will fly off.”

    “Go ahead.”

    A small girl’s voice suddenly rang out.

    Cheon-hwi widened his eyes, wondering if he had misheard.

    “I said, go ahead.”

    But he hadn’t misheard.

    Cheon-hwi looked down at the small girl in his grasp.

    Despite having a gun barrel against her head, she didn’t look panicked at all.

    At that moment, he felt an ominous sensation.

    Cheon-hwi swallowed hard and looked at the werewolf Hwang-gu.

    She was preparing to charge at any moment.

    Her leg muscles were expanding, and her sharp claws were digging into the ground.

    “Son of a—”

    As he realized this, a curse naturally slipped out.

    Cheon-hwi hurriedly moved his hand and pulled the trigger.

    It was a choice to reduce the number of werewolves by one more, even if he died right now.

    Bang-! Just as fire seemed to spew from the muzzle—

    The girl’s body suddenly began to disperse.

    A reddish, hazy mist bloomed like flower petals.

    Cheon-hwi stared at the red mist and moved his lips.

    “Damn…”

    Cheon-hwi finally realized that what he had captured wasn’t a werewolf.

    Crack!

    That was the last scene Cheon-hwi remembered.

    ***

    “Charlotte!”

    “Charlotte!”

    After the situation was roughly settled.

    I smiled broadly at the two girls running toward me.

    “Look at this!”

    Hwang-gu, who had been running quickly, pulled out a large object from behind her back.

    It was a limp human.

    Judging by the arms and legs bent in bizarre directions, Hwang-gu must have broken them herself.

    I frowned and checked the target’s information.

    [Cheon-hwi]

    Level: 19

    Race: Human

    Health 25%

    Mana 70%

    Emotional state: Unconscious

    Why is this bastard here…?

    I frowned at the familiar nickname.


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