Ch.27How About We Call It a Draw?

“That’s impossible…”

“……”

“It’s just a ‘fist’… How can ability stats increase like that just by swinging a fist? Then, if you used a ‘kick’ instead, would it be even…”

Even…

EVEN!

Could it be even?

Could the ability stats increase even more than now?

“…Ha! It’s not like we’re dealing with some 21st century ‘Divine Hero’ or ‘Hercules’ here…”

Jin-ah was so dumbfounded that she couldn’t help but laugh.

She was so flabbergasted that she even mentioned the names of “great monsters” who had left their mark on world history.

But her laughter didn’t last long.

…Gulp.

Jin-ah swallowed dryly, nervously glancing to the side as much as at the pitch-black monster approaching from the front.

Beside her stood the silent Blue Knight.

The blue magical energy surrounding that humanoid monster was gradually being controlled and absorbed back into its owner’s body.

Then, as his white skin slowly returned to human flesh tone, the man began to open his eyes.

“Ah, aah…”

“……!”

“How… long have I… been… awake?”

“Kruk?!”

When the Blue Knight finally began to “speak,” both Jin-ah and I froze in our tracks with blank expressions.

“Krururuk?!”

‘A monster that can talk?’

“…? Why so surprised? Any monster with a vocal structure similar to humans can speak human language.”

Well, I know that…

I know that.

But my reaction was obviously because it was only “theoretically” possible.

And like a proper monster, the Blue Knight understood my “kruk-kruk” language perfectly.

Who on earth is this guy?

“Your awakening means you’re the only monster I have left, Sir Lancelot.”

Lancelot.

Jin-ah clearly addressed that knight as Lancelot.

And having played various fantasy games and being familiar with folklore and legends, I immediately recognized who this Lancelot was.

“Kruruk. Kruk?”

‘Could it be… Sir Lancelot of the Round Table from the Arthurian legend?’

“That’s right. You’re quite intelligent for a monster.”

“Krururuk.”

The Arthurian legend from the West… especially in England, it’s as famous as Korea’s Dangun myth.

I felt somewhat embarrassed receiving praise from a knight who appeared in such a legend.

So I scratched the back of my head, but then I realized—aren’t you a monster too?

Wait, before that—Sir Lancelot, you were a Knight of the Round Table but also a monster?

‘Until just before I was possessed, Hunter’s Blood only had Japan and Korea implemented as maps…’

They said other countries would be released later as DLC, but I never expected to experience the British expansion pack like this.

So I was feeling quite amazed.

“Lee Jin-ah.”

“Yes, Sir.”

“My wish. Have you found what’s more important to me than the ‘Holy Grail’? That was the condition of our contract, as I recall.”

“About that… not yet. I’ve roughly figured out the location, but the problem is that it’s deep underground in America, and we’re still not capable enough.”

“I see…”

“Yes. And our already insufficient forces have just decreased by one more.”

Jin-ah was conversing with Sir Lancelot, who seemed to be her familiar, in an apologetic tone.

Listening to them, it was hard to tell who was the master and who was the familiar.

However, one thing was certain—I now had to fight both of them.

“Krururur…”

I couldn’t wait forever while they chatted.

It would be troublesome if Jin-ah used her authority as the Korean Hunter Association branch director to gather all of Seoul’s hunters here to Gangnam.

I didn’t want to kill people with my own hands, unlike monsters.

But then.

“Looking at the situation, I believe we can resolve this matter through dialogue.”

Sir Lancelot stepped between me and Jin-ah, who were both radiating killing intent, trying to mediate?

“Sir?”

“Kruk?”

I naturally thought he would help Jin-ah take me down.

“Jin-ah. Give up on that baby monster.”

“…! Sir! It’s mine!”

“Yes, I know. But it seems you don’t really want it to become yours anymore.”

“That’s…!”

Everything he said was true, so Jin-ah fell silent.

Then the knight turned to look at me.

“You too. You appear to be a monster ‘friendly’ to humans like myself, am I correct?”

“Kruruk.”

I nodded.

“I understand. Then as fellow pro-human monsters, let’s negotiate. We will no longer pursue the baby monster. So I ask that you also withdraw at this point.”

Sir Lancelot was clearly trying to mediate this fight.

Jin-ah, unable to perfectly control him now that he had regained his senses, could only stamp her feet beside him.

Apparently, everything depended on my answer.

Therefore.

“Kruruk!”

‘No!’

“Huh?!”

I still couldn’t trust them and responded firmly.

“Kruruk. Kukuk kruk-kruk!”

‘What guarantee do I have that Branch Director Lee Jin-ah will completely let go of the baby monster if I withdraw now? If you return to that quiet state like before, that woman will betray us without hesitation!’

“That’s… I can’t deny it…”

“…? Sir. What is the Jamsil monster saying?”

“Well, I’ll tell you later.”

Of course, this wasn’t my only calculated reason.

“Kukuk! Kruk! Kruk!”

‘And about the baby monster itself. That child was almost used as an experimental subject right after birth and suffered all kinds of humiliation from that woman. Are we supposed to just forget about that?’

“I, I see… So Jin-ah has incurred such a ‘debt’ to you all.”

“Krururuk. Kruk!”

‘So at the very least, I need to give her a good knock on the head.’

After finishing my words, I blew a breath into my tightly clenched fist.

I was planning to hit her just hard enough to hurt a lot, but not enough to kill her.

However.

“You? A knock on the head? Why not just say you’ll kill her?”

Is that how it looked to others?

Sir Lancelot began to point his sword at me. In response, I took a karate stance and started putting strength into my “legs,” which were beginning to heat up.

The atmosphere was such that we could clash at any moment.

But then.

Clang!

Sir Lancelot thrust his holy sword into the ground in front of him, not at me.

“Either way, aren’t you a monster who fights for humans?”

“?!”

“Then whether you like it or not, there will surely come a time when you must join forces with Jin-ah!”

I couldn’t really argue with what he was saying.

“As long as Jin-ah is a hunter!”

As long as she remains within the profession of hunter.

“Whatever Jin-ah’s purpose may be, she is on humanity’s side.”

According to the original storyline, she could definitely exist as a reliable ally who would fight alongside me.

“Think about it—what if this troublesome woman actually becomes your comrade? Wouldn’t that be reassuring?”

A hunter who knows how to handle two National Disaster-level monsters. Judging purely by ability, she was certainly a desirable talent.

But even so, this woman was rotten to the core…

“We will compensate you later for the baby monster incident!”

“Krururur….”

“Think carefully. You’re throwing away a card you could use multiple times later because of momentary anger. Is that really the extent of your capacity?”

My eyes met Sir Lancelot’s tense gaze.

“If you need anything later, come find Jin-ah. You can even use her like a subordinate.”

Unlike Jin-ah, there was not a hint of deception in the knight’s eyes.

“I swear on my ‘chivalry.'”

Chivalry from the knight’s own mouth.

When he pledged something he valued more than his life, I finally began to trust him a little.

But I needed an even more certain “trust,” so:

“Kukruk.”

‘Sir, before I withdraw, let me say one more thing.’

“Very well.”

I glared at the two people before me with almost murderous intent.

After all, I wasn’t some grand hero trying to save everyone in the world.

I was just an ordinary person fighting to protect “my people” who truly trusted and loved me.

“If you try to touch ‘what’s mine’ one more time, there won’t be any conversation like this.”

I opened my mouth as if giving a final warning.

“…! I’ll keep that in mind!”

Sir Lancelot, pulling his sword from the ground, responded gratefully.

After that, nothing more was said.

We both turned our backs simultaneously and began walking our separate ways as if everything was over.

Meanwhile.

“Sir Lancelot. Are you really just going to leave like this?”

Jin-ah still looked somewhat dissatisfied.

She had lost the results of 8 years of research and one of her major forces.

And not only that, she had essentially volunteered to be a monster’s lackey.

Her expression showed she wasn’t happy about returning with nothing but losses.

But the knight’s next words:

“Jin-ah.”

“Yes, Sir.”

“Do you wish for me to die again?”

“…What?”

Lancelot turned to look at Jin-ah while tucking the holy saber and the nostalgic rapier into both sides of his waist.

The knight who had sat right next to the king among the Round Table Knights, considered the most famous order of knights in the world:

“Never become enemies with that one!”

Seeing him sweating from the side of his head, Jin-ah finally shut her mouth.

“Try to be as friendly as possible. Even if you have to pour out all your power and wealth!”

Having died once and come back to life.

He thought nothing would surprise him anymore.

Just before disappearing, faced with that mysterious strength that was as unpredictable as when he had searched for the Holy Grail in his previous life:

“Give him whatever he wants! Anything!”

“A-anything?”

“Yes! Money if it’s money! Power if it’s power! Women if it’s women! Pile them up like mountains so he never gets tired of them!”

At this point, Lancelot gave Jin-ah a knock on the back of her head instead of Shinwoo, as if telling her to stop making a fuss.