Ch.33I Might Not Be Needed?

In the original story, the raid on Princess Kurumi’s mansion lasted about a month.

Excluding minor attacks, there were four major assaults that occurred at weekly intervals.

‘Since today is Friday, the next major attack will be next Friday…!’

This was the moment when the second main story of “Hunter’s Blood” finally began.

‘Should I stay inside the mansion?’

I turned my attention to the outside, where faint rumbling sounds were coming from.

When I played the original game, I always escorted Princess Kurumi in the field beyond the mansion’s outer walls.

In other words, I knew nothing about the layout inside the mansion.

If I encounter enemies here, in the worst case, I might have to transform into a monster to protect Princess Kurumi.

If my identity is revealed that way, what expression would the princess who just smiled at me show?

‘It probably wouldn’t be a pleasant one…’

And being discovered by a princess from one of the World’s 10 Great Families, no less.

From that moment on, I might have to permanently part ways with human society.

“It seems there’s an intense battle going on outside.”

“…! How can you tell?”

“My five senses are well-trained. Within 100 meters of me in any direction, I can tell who’s doing what and how many people are present.”

As expected of someone from the World’s 10 Great Families!

There was a reason why Sophia was called the “Genius of Asia.”

Princess Kurumi’s skills as a Hunter were even more impressive than I had imagined.

‘If the second princess from one of the 10 Great Families who appears early in the game is this good… the heirs of the Western 10 Great Families, where Hunter history began, must be even more formidable.’

I hadn’t met all of them since they were supposed to be added in updates and expansion packs.

But at least the heads of the 10 Great Families I encountered while playing the original game were all “monsters” of similar caliber to Branch Director Lee Jin-ah.

‘I’ll worry about future events later.’

Coming back to the present, I knew I wouldn’t be much use in my human form, but…

*Swoosh*

“?!”

Still, I hadn’t come here just to be the princess’s playmate.

“I’ll do my best to protect you as much as I can!”

“…!”

I walked in front of Princess Kurumi, who had been trying to protect me, and took on the role of her “knight.”

“Th-thank you…”

“It’s my honor.”

The princess quickly turned her face away from me.

Perhaps she found my feeble appearance laughable?

I could see her covering her mouth with her sleeve to hide her laughter. But she couldn’t hide her reddening ears.

‘Well, if this helps lighten the mood, that’s not so bad.’

“What should we do now?”

“For now, let’s wait. We don’t even know if the mansion’s security has been completely breached. Moving rashly could be counterproductive.”

“I understand.”

Was she used to situations like this?

Princess Kurumi seemed to have a good grasp of the situation as she gave appropriate instructions.

‘I hope Sophia is safe.’

Still, this was only the first week.

The dangerous B-level monsters or assassin leaders that appear in the final week shouldn’t show up yet.

Sophia, who had attained Hunter B-rank in the USA, should be able to get through the first week safely…

*Swoosh swoosh swoosh*

“Shinwoo!”

Just as I was feeling reassured thinking about the original game.

From beyond the sliding door connecting to the outer garden, something like a red ball flew violently into the guest room where we were.

The impact completely destroyed the sliding door that had been shielding the inside of the mansion.

In the room now flooded with sunlight, a red skull slowly rose into the air and began to surround its head with blazing flames.

“Is that a Hell Head?”

“It’s a monster with a C+ danger rating even by American standards.”

This was a monster that shouldn’t appear in the early stages.

I remember it as an annoying creature that inflicts a burn status effect on anyone who makes physical contact with it.

‘Why is something like this appearing here?’

Did someone install a hardcore mode when I was reincarnated into this game?

Both the previous “Research Wing Riot” and this current “Princess Escort” mission were already at hell difficulty, far from the original storyline.

‘To defeat this thing, I need to use water-based attacks…!’

But this was just a guest room.

There was no water around, just two cushions neatly arranged in an otherwise empty space.

Should we run away?

Or should we wait for Sophia’s support?

While I was contemplating…

“The Hell Head is a terrifying monster that causes at least second-degree burns just by touching it.”

“…?! P-Princess?”

Princess Kurumi, despite being a Beast Hunter, walked steadily past me toward the Hell Head instead of retreating.

I was surprised and tried to grab her, but…

“I’ll be fine.”

What was happening?

Seeing the back of the woman walking as if crossing a calm lake without causing a ripple, I withdrew my hand in reverence.

Like a subject bowing his head to avoid interfering with the king’s march.

As the princess stood before the Hell Head, which was looking as confused as I was…

Just as the monster before her regained its senses and opened its mouth wide to reduce her to ashes…

“Come forth, fox.”

Princess Kurumi formed the shape of a fox with her fingers.

“G-gaaaaaaaaack?!”

And simultaneously…

*Pop!*

The Hell Head, which had been opening its maw, suddenly writhed in agony in mid-air before exploding and spitting out five black foxes from within.

“Well done, fox.”

“Awoo.”

When Princess Kurumi praised them, the five foxes merged into one enormous black fox that nearly touched the ceiling.

I could only stare in amazement.

‘Is that Princess Kurumi’s familiar monster…?’

This was definitely a creature I had never seen in the original game.

“This child’s name is Inari. It’s one of the four monsters I command, passed down through generations of the Kitsune Family.”

“Ah, I see…”

If it’s a monster belonging to one of the 10 Great Families, its danger rating must be at least A-class.

By the way, it just instantly defeated the Hell Head, which was infamous even in the mid-to-late game for inflicting burn status effects just by touch.

‘That’s overpowered…’

At this rate, she could probably clear the main quest without any escort.

Princess Kurumi was an incredibly powerful character for the early stages.

“Grrrr…”

“Huh?”

But then it happened.

Suddenly, the approximately 5-meter-tall doggy began growling fiercely while looking in my direction.

‘This is creepy. My spine is chilling…’

Its vertically slit pupils were clearly fixed on me, and when I moved around to see if I was mistaken, I only confirmed that its head was following me.

Then…

“Grrrrowr!”

“Wh-what?!”

The fox monster Inari charged toward me.

‘What’s happening? Should I transform?!’

Wait, was this puppy so useless it couldn’t distinguish between friend and foe?

I was seriously considering transforming and slapping it just hard enough to knock some sense into it without killing it, when…

“Grrrrrr~!”

“Huh?”

“Inari? Do you like Shinwoo too?”

Suddenly, Inari began affectionately licking my head with its tongue, which was bigger than my face.

The beast’s pupils, which had looked predatory, now appeared friendly and relaxed.

‘What’s going on? Why is it suddenly acting like this?’

Though tamed, a monster is still a monster.

Normally, they would immediately attack humans, and even their masters would struggle to restrain them, but Inari seemed to really like me, like a real puppy.

Wondering what was happening, I looked questioningly at Princess Kurumi.

“W-well… I’ve been talking to Inari a lot about you recently. So I guess it doesn’t see you as a stranger…”

It seems Princess Kurumi had been caring for this house-sized fox monster as if it were a real puppy.

Well, thanks to it, we defeated the Hell Head, I didn’t have to reveal my identity, and it looked like Princess Kurumi would safely get through this first week.

“Yes, yes. Lick all you want.”

Willingly offering my head for a shower of Inari’s saliva…

“Ho-oh. Intelligence enough to understand human speech despite not being a humanoid monster—the Japanese princess is raising a more interesting dog than I expected.”

That’s when it happened.

“Grrrrrr!!”

“…Huh?”

“?!”

Somehow, a gentleman-like middle-aged man was sitting cross-legged on the tatami floor right between me, Princess Kurumi, and Inari.

None of us had noticed his approach, even at this close distance.

“But it’s a bit disappointing for a familiar of the 10 Great Families. At this level, its danger rating would only be A-class at best.”

Oily black hair and a beard.

Despite his raucous laughter, his golden eyes were immediately overwhelming when they met mine.

“When Russia ‘permitted’ my ‘prison break,’ I was curious about how dangerous the mission would be, so I broke out of prison. But as expected of a weak country that doesn’t even rank in the top 10 of Hunter power in the world, Korean Hunters are below standard.”

I held my breath as I looked at this man.

Because when I played this world as a game…

He was a true powerhouse who killed several of my beloved characters in the late game with pure skill, no cheap tricks.

‘Wait, why is he appearing here?’

“Grrrrrr….!”

“Hmm?”

“GRAAAAAAAH!”

“No, stop! Inari, don’t!!”

One of only two National Authority-Level Hunters from Russia.

A man who killed both humans and monsters depending on his mood, who voluntarily entered prison to control himself.

His name was Barbatov Lorensky.

Knowing his strength, I quickly shouted to stop Inari from going wild.

But…

*Chomp*

“Are you being affectionate? Cute.”

“Grrk?!”

Despite Inari biting his neck area with its terrifying teeth…

Lorensky smiled as if enjoying a puppy’s affection, patting Inari’s head as it strained with all its might…

*BOOM!*

And simultaneously caused Inari’s body to explode where they made contact.

“I-Inari!!”

A tamed monster doesn’t die immediately when it loses its form.

It returns to its Beast Hunter master’s body and can be restored to its original state after sufficient rest.

However, the fact that Inari, an A-class danger level monster, was defeated with just a pat, made all traces of a smile disappear from Princess Kurumi’s face.

Regardless…

“Princess. Do you have a moment?”

A Hunter who existed as an optional boss in the late game, too powerful to necessarily defeat.

Lorensky was approaching Princess Kurumi with a still-smiling face.

“P-Princess…!”

“Oops. The young friend seems to be a civilian—why don’t you just pass out in the corner?”

As I tried to rush toward the princess whose wrist had been grabbed, I suddenly received a kick to my solar plexus and flew to the edge of the mansion, breaking through the sliding door.

“Sh-Shinwoo!”