episode_0391

Para-ra-ra-rak.

Kim Hayang, holding Yeonha in her arms, dashes down the frigid corridor.

Crushing the thick snow piled up to her knees beneath her feet.

Para-ra-rak…

The “prisons” that brush past her.

The scenery glimpsed beyond the endless rows of iron bars.

Like film reels slipping past.

Like scribbles a child leaves in the margins of a notebook.

Para-ra-rak…

Reverberating with an age-old cacophony, it forms yet another fleeting vignette.

“…….”

It was the frantic struggle of the [Beast] trying desperately to drag Yeonha back as she fled,

A “sin” forged from the crumbling, frozen ruin of a building and utter black malice.

…….

…….

A memory from long ago.

To be honest, childhood memories are scarce.

One might say they’re shrouded in fog.

Unlike the recent recollection of Hanbit Orphanage, these were deliberately buried and forgotten.

Most of them are lost, save for a few exceptional fragments.

『Mm-hmm~.』

Still… it was childhood after all.

Life was spent smiling like everyone else.

Not much more than mundane old stories that kill the mood if brought up.

Even the scenery beyond the iron bars was always the same dull sight.

『Turning yellow, yellow~.』

A quiet countryside.

A young girl humming a nursery rhyme.

She was a child who preferred playing alone.

That day, too, the “girl” idled her time away, poking at ants crawling on the ground with a twig.

Her expression blank, mouth slightly agape.

『Ah-ah. Bullying bugs is no good.』

『Ah! It’s the homeless grandpa! Hello!』

An old man passing by addresses the girl.

A homeless wanderer loitering near the rural village.

The “girl” scrambles to her feet and bows deeply.

A reflexive greeting, but her lips jut out in a pout at being scolded.

The grandfather smiles warmly as he walks past her.

『Are you leaving again? Let’s play.』

『Just seeing your face is enough. Be careful, little one.』

『Goodbye~.』

She bows deeply again as the old man leaves.

But her balance tilts too far forward, planting her face straight into the dirt.

The “girl,” now sulking, scans the ground, convinced the ants must’ve pushed her.

『Ehh… Sorry for bullying you…』

She murmurs an apology to the very ants she had been poking, then—

Puffing her soft cheeks, she dashes down the muddy country road with a patter of footsteps.

『…….』

『…….』

The “girl” runs.

With light, carefree steps.

The villagers spot the sprinting girl and shuffle aside,

as though avoiding something unclean.

Her expression darkens.

The “girl” moves her legs harder.

Rounding a narrow corner,

venturing down a dim alleyway,

she arrives at a shabby hole-in-the-wall store.

『Unnie!』

『Back again?』

The shopkeeper greets the “girl.”

A beauty clad in a blue robe like a witch from a fairytale.

The robe is embroidered with unfamiliar constellations.

The “girl’s” eyes sparkle,

and the shopkeeper pulls a lollipop from between her ample bosom and hands it over.

With the candy in her mouth, the “girl” beams.

『…….』

『Hee-hee~. Is it okay if I get candy every day?』

『It’s fine. For now.』

Childhood memories.

A child who gazed at the world with more expressions than anyone else.

A time when a single free lollipop brought boundless happiness.

『…Be happy now. It’s too unfair to live a life of only misery.』

『Mmmm… Unnie, what do you mean?』

『Someday. When you’re struggling, these happy memories will guide you like signposts in the dark.』

Today, the “girl” receives candy from the shopkeeper again.

An ordinary childhood.

『But remember. A signpost can never be your destination.』

『Mmmm… Too confusing!』

『It’s confusing for me too. Can’t exactly smoke in front of a kid, though.』

Grown-up talk is always baffling.

Distracted by the free candy, the “girl” simply giggles.

Her mother warned her not to take food from strangers,

but the hole-in-the-wall unnie would say things like, “Are we strangers?” and give her candy anyway.

If it’s from someone you know… it’s fine, right?

The “girl” visited the shop every single day.

『……What’s your wish, kiddo?』

『Me? Mine is… I wanna eat meat every day! Not the chopped-up bits, but a big slab!』

『Is that so… Got it. I’ll pass it along.』

『To who?』

『The Beast who misses you the most.』

Back then,

life was nothing but bliss.

Carefree innocence.

She assumed happiness would last forever.

『Someday… when all our stories are bound together… we’ll grow a little closer.』

Incomprehensible words.

Sucking on her free candy, the “girl” waves goodbye and leaves the shop.

…….

…….

An ordinary routine.

Ordinary days.

No twists, no turns.

Just the usual mundanity.

『Mom!』

Tap-tap!

Returning home, the “girl” throws herself into her mother’s arms.

『…….』

An old, rundown house in the countryside.

Tucked away in the furthest corner of the village.

Not too far off, cars zoom by on an elevated highway.

Whenever they played hide-and-seek, the “girl” would always hide beneath the highway’s underpass.

A pointless little habit.

『……Did ■■ have fun today?』

Her mother hugs her.

The caressing hand is tightly wrapped in bandages.

『Yeah! I had fun!』

『Good…… Have fun again tomorrow, okay?』

Her mother’s words.

A strange power lingers in her gentle voice.

An inherited power, perhaps?

Who knows.

Tomorrow, she’ll go outside to play again.

The “girl” nods and fidgets.

『……Run around as much as you want. You have to run well.』

『Okay! Got it!』

『Then later…… Become a Hunter others envy…』

A happy memory.

The “girl” wore many expressions back then.

Pad-pad!

She leaves the house and dashes through the quiet countryside.

Nothing special,

just another ordinary memory.

…….

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

…….

“…….”

Blinking at the scenery beyond the iron bars, Yeonha’s pupils flicker.

Her ever-present smiling face.

But her heart doesn’t follow suit.

‘Thought it might show me something weird like when I grabbed the bars earlier… But what’s this? Was I really like that back then?’

First-floor corridor of the detention center.

Blizzard snow cascades from the ceiling, piling atop her ample chest.

Brushing the snow off, Yeonha curls her lips upward.

~~~~~~~~~~

0-2. Pay no mind to what lies beyond the iron bars.

—Like a fugitive escaping prison only to be stoned and collapse.

—Like a zookeeper entering the cage only to be devoured, or a beast breaking free only to be shot.

—Beyond the iron bars was another world.

—Knowing coexistence is impossible,

—”we” divide our worlds with cold iron bars.

—Whatever you see beyond, do not react.

—Do not reach through the bars.

~~~~~~~~~~

A hallucination.

The building’s ploy to keep Yeonha trapped.

Since the building is already crumbling, it’s telling her to surrender and die to the [Beast].

Though now, all rules are drowned under the [Beast]’s resentment—reacting or reaching through the bars no longer matters…

But the distraction worked.

Beyond the bars, a place where someone’s “sin” is laid bare.

Yet what unfolds before her is an ordinary childhood memory.

‘That thing’ spoke.

Saying her very existence was a sin.

So it showed her an ordinary life.

As if mocking her—

making her heart ache for no reason.

‘Not that it matters… But why does that face seem familiar?’

Yeonha replays the vision.

The “kindly smiling old man” passing by the girl.

The “shopkeeper” handing out free candy.

‘They’re all familiar faces. So aberrations were already lurking around back then…… But why vanish for years only to reappear recently?’

A headache-inducing dilemma.

Yeonha doesn’t dwell on it.

No time to think.

Crunch. Crunch.

Right now, she’s fleeing the [Beast].

How far has it chased them?

Cradled like a princess by Kim Hayang, Yeonha peers over her shoulder.

『…….』

The [Beast] has stopped.

The endless frost halts its advance as “pale hands” emerge from the darkness, gripping the frozen iron bars.

Beyond the bars replaying scenes from Yeonha’s sinful life…

The [Beast] gazes quietly at the spectacle.

‘……Why isn’t it chasing?’

It’s not like she’s a mom who dug up her kid’s childhood tapes—

what’s so fascinating about staring so intently?

Didn’t wanna show it anyway.

“…….”

Yeonha lifts her head.

“Hmm…”

Crunch… crunch…

Kim Hayang stands beside her, staring at the same sight beyond the bars.

With a deathly serious expression, she trudges through the corridor’s thick snow, spectating Yeonha’s childhood.

“Guild Master Kim Hayang.”

“……Truly… You were just as lovely back then. Our Sarangi had her moments too.”

“Mother Kim Hayang.”

This is maddening.

What kind of moms are these?

Could’ve just gotten along.

“You birthed her well.”

“You didn’t birth her, though.”

“Are you certain.”

“What the—”

RUMBLE—!

Amidst their bizarre exchange, the building crushed under the [Beast] begins collapsing in earnest—

even the intact pillars start toppling like dominoes.

The end approaches.

“……I see. So it was her child.”

Thus,

Kim Hayang’s muttered words, too,

are buried under the crumbling wreckage.

“Huh? What did you say?”

“……Yeonha.”

“Yes?”

But.

The words that follow land clearly,

settling in Yeonha’s chest like fresh-fallen snow.

“Thank you for staying alive.”

“…….”

Like the warm embrace that made her love cold winters.

“Thanks to you, I’ve shared many stories with Sarangi. Cut back on guild work, made time to love her and Chongi fully.”

“…….”

“Though… It’s far too late now…… I’m trying. Thanks to you.”

She loved winter.

Because it was warm.

“Just wanted to say it. That’s all.”

“…….”

“Sorry for the timing.”

“……First time anyone’s thanked me for living.”

Why is that?

Yeonha loved winter.

“…Let’s keep going straight. We’re getting out of here.”

“Is there a way?”

“I’ll call for help. Earlier, we were too close to [Beast]-ssi—calling would’ve been dangerous.”

Fwoosh!

Yeonha deflects abruptly, avoiding eye contact.

Kim Hayang smiles faintly and picks up speed.

Whoooosh—!

[Friction Conversion] skill—transforming friction into kinetic energy.

Footsteps crushing snowflakes, wind slapping cheeks, momentum propelling her forward into a brilliant white flash.

BOOM!!

One step. Hayang’s body flashes like lightning, widening the gap from the [Beast].

That thing still endlessly stares beyond the bars.

In moments, they’re out of each other’s sight.

The bone-chilling cold begins easing.

A breath of relief.

Brushing snow off her chest, Yeonha looks ahead.

Day’s end. Escape from the detention center.

With Mother Kim Hayang.

Sure, this malice-drenched place was unpleasant,

and the sudden [Beast] was jarring,

but honestly… It’s not half bad.

Fwoosh!

Down the endless corridor.

A dead end looms. Another ploy to trap them for the [Beast]?

“Straight ahead!”

“Got it.”

BOOM!

But Kim Hayang accelerates.

A wall rushes closer at blinding speed.

A world where even a normal person can’t shatter a window.

Yet she kicks off the ground, snowflakes scattering like cherry blossoms—

forward.

BOOM!

Again, white petals swirl through the hall as—

a barred window framing the night sky fills her vision…

“Ban Harin-ssi!!”

CRASHHHH!!

A massive “spider’s leg” bursts through the wall.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

# Guide to Safe Hunter Living #

— This guide is your story.

— Not another’s past but your present.

— Write it onward.

1. The Lying Spider.

— I am a liar.

— Do not trust me.

— I dislike you.

— If I chase, you must flee.

— If I reach with blade-sharp limbs, evade.

— Run until I vanish.

— Even if you scream my name, I won’t appear.

— What is my name?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Someone’s rules.

A name she couldn’t call, fearing it’d be buried under snowfall.

『Bbangya.”

The window shatters.

The prison-like bars shatter.

What lies beyond the iron bars.

It is— Yeonha’s beloved winter.

A warm presence soothing the cold.

“Did you call?”

“Thank you!”

A hole torn open.

Beyond the human-sized gap, a familiar voice echoes.

Fwoosh!

Then, Kim Hayang, cradling Yeonha,

takes one final step—

“Close your eyes.”

SMASH!

Eyes shut tight, they soar into the dark night sky.

Beyond the iron bars.

Finally escaping this sinful place.

‘Whew…’

Yeonha exhales in relief,

lifting her head to find Ban Harin.

…….

…….

『…….』

A gaping hole.

Clutching the building like a spider, Ban Harin waves expressionlessly,

visibly exhausted from rushing here.

『…….』

And above her—

Clunk…

Something gripping a colossal hammer,

pokes its flat head through the bars

of the upper-floor window,

peering silently down at Yeonha.

~~~~~~~~~~

1. Prisoner #0904.

— Resentment from an unjust death.

— It roams the building, searching endlessly for someone who killed it.

— Sadly, it can’t recall the face.

—”Only that their upward gaze was beautiful,” it says.

— Best not to act in ways that could be mistaken.

~~~~~~~~~~

She looked up at that thing.

A moment of carelessness.

Crreeak!

Wrenching itself through the bars,

it leaps outside in an instant—

raising the massive hammer high.

‘These goddamn freaks.’

Sickening malice.

Even as the building crumbles, as its own rules are buried in snow—

it stubbornly pursues.

“Both of you! Don’t look up!”

And in that chaos,

Yeonha shouts—not for herself, but for others.

Crunch!

A sound rings out.

Bones shattering.

Matching the speed of Kim Hayang’s soaring ascent—

the hammer’s devastating descent.

Squelch…!

A grotesquely swift finale.

“…….”

They’ve escaped the building.

Soared into the night sky.

“……Yeonha?”

Kim Hayang, eyes still shut,

calls out, sensing something amiss.

“…….”

No response comes.

Flop…

Because she lacks a head to answer with.

…….

…….

…….

…Snap!

And then—

At that very moment.

Amidst the collapsing ruin,

as “Yeonha” plummets into the murky abyss—

a “pale hand” reaches from within the building,

catching her gently.

『Sweet child.』

A familiar voice.

Yeonha forces her heavy eyelids open.

Her body feels light.

“……Uh… oo…”

『Are you hurt?』

A voice mimicking human crying.

Cold as winter’s touch.

( 『Someone who stays by your side when it’s hard.』 )

Today’s truly the day of moms saving her ass.

Not bad.

“Whew… I’m fine.”

『Thank goodness.』

The pale hand strokes her cheek.

『How fares your world? Is it hard?』

Words laden with concern.

Thinking back, the [Beast]’s rules were always like this.

An aberration knocking on walls worriedly.

Unlike its horrifying wrath, its rules are pitifully trivial.

Crackle…

The held cheek freezes and shatters,

yet there’s no pain.

“……Someone thanked me for staying alive.”

『Good.』

“I wanna keep living hard.”

『Good.』

Only darkness lies ahead.

The [Beast]’s form remains unseen.

An aberration forever lurking behind Yeonha.

Never facing her, only stretching countless “pale arms” to caress her.

『Need anything else?』

“……Destroy this whole building.”

『Good.』

A conversation exchanged.

Was the answer satisfactory?

Whoosh!

Moments later, the [Beast], stroking Yeonha gently with tender hands—

hurls her with all its might toward…

the open night sky.

Kim Hayang’s trajectory.

Fwoooom—!

Wind whips her cheeks.

“Yeonha” soars through the night.

‘Wow…’

The dark sky.

Streaks of sunset-tinted hair fluttering wildly.

Beyond shattered iron bars.

The world seen from soaring heights.

Swooosh…

The night sky unfolds.

Like a photo capturing stars’ orbits,

countless lights trace circles across the heavens.

A sky usually obscured by the [Crimson Moon].

The true sky,

seen from the aberrations’ world.

‘……Pretty.’

Starlight embroidering the night.

Celestial orbits spinning endlessly.

And in the center—

where Polaris should be—

a massive “fissure” sits, identical to the one seen in the [Barrier Zone].

An eerie vista.

Like gazing at a puzzle missing its piece.

‘…….’

Yeonha, flying skyward—

finally begins falling, never having touched the heavens.

Drifting further from the sky.

‘……Eyes.’

She stares into the night.

Like a photo of star trails, countless lights arc across the sky.

The night gazes down at her descent.

‘They’re eyes.’

Someone’s pupils.

Too vast to fathom.

The eyes of a someone who cannot recklessly descend here.

To meet its gaze is to face ancient hatred.

A [Beast] too old.

『At last… I see you, child.』

The colossal thing smiles.

Bearing eons of resentment.

Crreeaaak!

Instantly, the whitened, frozen “detention center”—

is crushed into oblivion by the black void.

『　　　． 　　　．』

The abyss, as always,

was nothing at all.

…….

Thud!

The fleeting spectacle ends.

A horrified Ban Harin catches the falling Yeonha.

Her trembling hands betray frantic desperation.

“Yeonha! Yeonha!”

Her own name.

Yeonha snaps back to reality.

Awakens from the brief dream.

“Oh…… Ban Harin-ssi. My body’s light.”

“Endure a little longer. Kim Hayang is on the verge of losing it.”

“Eh, why?”

Rumble…

Thus, cradled by Ban Harin,

Yeonha leaves the collapsing ruin behind,

returning to Kim Hayang’s side.

‘……Being flung sky-high feels great. Wanna do it again.’

Yeonha smiles.

It’s been a tiring day.