Chapter 16: The world tree, Part 2

The disappearance of the World Tree.

It brought an immediate change to Jo Sung-Il’s daily life.

“D*mn it….”

Without the World Tree, the surrounding spore smoke began to dissipate.

His hiding place would soon be exposed.

“I hope the delivery arrives soon.”

He had initially felt uneasy about the Ranger Guild Leader personally delivering the package, but now he was eagerly anticipating the cell phone.

He could ask Han So-Yeon to find him another hiding place.

Perhaps the Ranger Guild Leader would help him directly, but he couldn’t be sure if the man, whom he hadn’t even met, would readily extend a hand to a monster.

He might just be coming here because of his sister’s insistence.

“Where did it go?”

Peeking out of the Olympic Stadium, Jo Sung-Il muttered with a troubled expression.

“Did it die because I talked too much?”

He had talked for a long time, needing someone to talk to.

For the World Tree, rooted to the spot and unable to react, the giant monster’s words might have been toxic.

‘Like power words.’

There were beings who couldn’t understand his words due to their rank. It wouldn’t be strange if he could kill a tree with his words.

‘No, that’s strange.’

Even if people couldn’t understand him, they didn’t die.

‘Did it die because it understood?’

Perhaps understanding his words placed a burden on the tree.

“Ah! Stop it!”

Jo Sung-Il snapped himself out of his thoughts.

“This isn’t the time for this.”

He berated himself and regained his composure.

The World Tree was gone, but there were no signs of its demise.

Perhaps it was a type of plant that could move its roots and relocate.

‘If that’s the case….’

His thoughts returned to the World Tree, and Jo Sung-Il stood up.

“I need to find it.”

He needed a safe place to hide from other Hunters until his visitor arrived.

---

He had left Olympic Stadium with great enthusiasm, but he had no idea where to go.

‘Even if it moved, where would it go…?’

Jo Sung-Il pondered for a moment, then suddenly gasped.

“It could be there.”

It hadn’t rained in the last few days. He couldn’t remember exactly, but it might have been even longer.

If the World Tree was a tree, it would need water.

An ordinary tree wouldn’t die from a few days without water, but if it could move on its own to find water….

“Let’s go.”

Jo Sung-Il started moving towards the Han River. It was the only large body of water nearby.

Thump. Thump.

Jo Sung-Il looked around as he walked.

‘The view is amazing from up here.’

A view he could only see from the rooftop of a building was now accessible just by standing.

‘But I can’t stay this big forever.’

His human form was time-limited, and even then, it wasn’t a normal human form.

‘Who cares if I’m not human? It would be more convenient than this.’

As Jo Sung-Il continued walking, wishing he could adjust his size as needed,

KYAA!

He arrived at the Han River and saw several monsters drinking water. They roared at the sight of Jo Sung-Il.

“Black Wolves, huh?”

They were known for their nomadic lifestyle.

Living in packs, they were known for their ferocity, baring their fangs even at monsters much larger than themselves.

“Just as I heard.”

Regardless of the Black Wolves’ reputation, Jo Sung-Il was only interested in finding what he was looking for.

“Should I have breakfast first?”

Skipping breakfast wasn’t good.

He could actually die if he didn’t eat regularly.

“You started this. Remember that.”

The Black Wolves barked at him, as if asking what he was talking about.

Jo Sung-Il quickly bent down and grabbed one of the Black Wolves.

Grrrr! Kyaa!

The other Black Wolves, seeing their comrade captured, lunged at Jo Sung-Il.

They clawed at his feet and tried to climb up his legs.

“Get off.”

KABOOM!

Jo Sung-Il took a step, lifted his leg, and shook them off.

“Even dogs don’t bother you when you’re eating.”

KYYYYAAAA!

The captured Black Wolf struggled frantically, trying to bite his hand.

It did bite him, but it couldn’t even scratch him, and its own teeth broke instead.

Crack!

“Listen closely.”

Jo Sung-Il glared at the Black Wolf in his grasp.

“From now on, you are cereal.”

Crack?

“Chocolate cereal.”

The Black Wolf didn’t understand. It was momentarily stunned by his aura, then resumed struggling.

KABOOM!

Jo Sung-Il dunked the Black Wolf into the Han River.

“Don’t you dare bare your fangs at me.”

The Black Wolf thrashed wildly, but it couldn’t escape Jo Sung-Il’s grip.

It eventually suffocated and went limp.

Crunch!

Jo Sung-Il bit into the Black Wolf.

“As expected…!”

It tasted exactly as he imagined.

“It tastes like chocolate…!”

After his palate upgrade, eating monster corpses had become enjoyable.

He didn’t like how they looked, but they tasted like familiar food, even raw.

The remaining Black Wolves, horrified at seeing their comrade devoured, started backing away.

“You don’t usually eat just one chocolate ball, do you?”

Jo Sung-Il, having swallowed the Black Wolf, turned his head and spoke.

“Right?”

KEEEEE!

The Black Wolves, startled by Jo Sung-Il’s glowing eyes, fled.

Jo Sung-Il chased after them.

“Kekeke, go on, run.”

No matter how fast the Black Wolves ran, Jo Sung-Il could easily catch up in a few strides.

“I’m still hungry.”

KYYYYAAAA!

The terrified Black Wolves ran for their lives.

BANG! KABOOM!

Jo Sung-Il trampled and hunted them one by one, laughing.

Anyone watching would be confused about who the cruel monster truly was.

KOONG….

Jo Sung-Il suddenly stopped, as if skidding to a halt.

“Huh?”

He saw a young girl by the water.

“A human?”

He spoke in a monstrous tone without realizing it, but that wasn’t important right now.

“What’s this?”

Despite all the commotion Jo Sung-Il had caused while hunting the Black Wolves, the girl seemed unfazed, looking elsewhere.

‘Is she a Hunter?’

Jo Sung-Il swallowed. Her attire was unusual for a civilian.

She wore a skirt-like garment that seemed to be a modified martial arts uniform.

Her appearance was also striking, with her voluminous hair tied with a blue ribbon, clear eyes, and fair skin.

She didn’t look like a vagrant living in a dangerous area.

PAAAT!

Light began to gather and converge on the girl’s outstretched hand, as if being absorbed.

She definitely wasn’t an ordinary person.

Splash, splash!

Then, while Jo Sung-Il was distracted, the remaining Black Wolves ran towards the water’s edge, heading towards the girl.

“Oh no.”

Hunter or not, Jo Sung-Il instinctively reacted to the girl in danger.

“Hey, you! Get out of the way!”

KWAAAAA!

Jo Sung-Il charged forward, swatting away the Black Wolves heading for the girl.

KEEEEE!

The Black Wolves, who had simply been trying to escape, not attack the girl, shrieked as they were flung into the air.

Splash! Splash!

They fell into the Han River and died.

Jo Sung-Il looked at the girl, who was staring at him with a slightly surprised expression, and said,

“I don’t know if you can understand me, but don’t be alarmed. I’m….”
“Kenonian Hectos.”

To his surprise, she spoke his name, the name of his monstrous form.

“Me, eating.”

And then, a reply he couldn’t comprehend.

“What?”

He assumed she was a high-ranking Hunter, judging by her understanding of his words, but then he noticed something.

The girl was manipulating the water, transforming it into something that was being absorbed into her.

“Are you….”

Jo Sung-Il trailed off, and the girl, with an impassive expression, answered,

“World Tree.”

He had found his missing front yard guardian.