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Jin-Woo evaluated the other hunters with narrowed eyes. The combined strength of the currently gathered hunters seemed a bit overkill for a C-Ranked Gate, but he supposed the White Tiger Guild just wanted to start things slow with the new recruits. It made sense; hunting for most people wasn’t only about pure power but teamwork as well. Poor teamwork in a higher ranked Gate could potentially lead to unwanted and unneeded casualties.
He glanced at the A-Ranker, taking in the haughty set of his shoulders, and resisted the urge to frown. Especially considering how conceited some of the hunters seemed to be. But then again, never knowing the bitter taste of hopelessness in the face of your own powerlessness would certainly inflate one’s ego.
Turning his gaze he eyed Han Song-I out of the corner of his eye, bright-eyed and with the faintest hints of an eager smile on her face. While she wouldn’t experience the struggle of fighting for her life, hopefully she would get a reality check by seeing how much of a gap there was between an inexperienced E-Rank and higher ranks.
Hopefully.
As the Hunters began to enter the gate he took one more glance around and suddenly paused, his eyes zeroing in on a previously overlooked figure. He was probably around his own age, almost unhealthily pale with peculiar green eyes hiding behind thin, wire-frame glasses. He didn’t seem like much of a fighter, his body more jagged and frail than lithe, and he was on the short side of average height. And he was most definitely a foreigner.
While foreign Hunters in Korea were certainly not unheard of, it was another thing for a foreign Hunter to be participating in a small company-exclusive raid. Typically it was only A or S-rank foreign hunters who would come to assist with potentially catastrophe-level Gates.
Perhaps he was a foreign recruit? Though that still didn’t make much sense...Maybe a Korean-born foreigner then?
Jin-Woo watched as the young man tapped his fingers on his leg, looking rather grumpy. He gave a large yawn before almost bluish lips turned down into a frown, eyes narrowed ever so slightly. The young man distinctly reminded him of a cat waiting impatiently for its next meal.
Jin-Woo matched the young man’s frown, staring harder at the figure. His first instinct would have been to dismiss him if not for the strange feeling he gave off. It wasn’t strange in the fact that it stood out but rather because it felt somehow less than ordinary. He gave off no presence or mana or anything; it was as if he was some sort of ghost.
Furthermore, it felt like something was . . . compelling him to look away from the young man; as if something was nudging at the back of his mind to ignore and look away. The longer he stared the more urgent the impulse to look away. Jin-Woo stubbornly stared harder, and every time his eyes slid off the young man against his will he forced them back. This happened a few times before finally, as if some sort of enchantment had been lifted, he could look at the figure without any problem.
It seemed like the young man was an Assassin Hunter.
Immediately piercing green eyes, like chipped emeralds, were staring him down, and Jin-Woo felt his guard unconsciously rise at how unnerving it was to have the young man’s full attention on him. There was just something off about him, like a puzzle piece that didn’t fit, or a picture frame that wasn’t quite straight.
He could feel a stirring in his Shadows, both in unease and longing, drawing him towards the young man. Before Jin-Woo knew it he unconsciously took a step forwards, towards him, before quickly aborting the motion.
A few moments later the young man gave a minute tilt of his head and a secretive smile before looking away, as if dismissing him, and walking into the gate with a slight hop to his step.
‘Aren’t you coming, Jin-Woo?’ called Song-I, who was waiting for him right in front of the Gate. She gave no indication that she had just seen his stare off with the young man.
‘...Yes, I’m coming.’
*
The Leader of the Ice Bears fell down heavily, its head flying through the air to land at his feet. ‘Rise,’ he commanded after dismissing Igris, and the Ice Bear Leader’s shadowy form came to life before him. Satisfaction curled up inside him.
‘Oh, Death must like you, letting you play with impressions like you do,’ said a voice behind him, and Jin-Woo suppressed the urge to lash out behind him. He hadn’t sensed anyone approaching. Jin-Woo noted that his Korean was flawless.
Turning around he met familiar green eyes. It was the young man from before, wearing only a simple button down and slacks. He was also barefoot. Jin-Woo’s eyes drifted down to the snow, where there was only one trail of footprints - his own. Now that he thought about it, he hadn’t seen any trace of the young man since he had entered the portal.
‘Who are you?’ He discreetly pulled out his dagger, just in case. He could hardly get any sort of read on the young man but he was definitely an extremely skilled Assassin Hunter. It was better to be prepared for any hostile attacks.
The young man gave a lopsided smile, his eyes twinkling with a hint of amusement. Walking past him he crouched down and dipped his finger in the bloody snow. And then he put that finger in his mouth. He gave a low hum. ‘Ursus glacies major. A shame, but it was your time.’ He glanced behind himself at Jin-Woo.
‘Call me Harry,’ he said simply. ‘And let’s just say I’m closely affiliated with all things death.’ He stood up and his head turned forward. He gave a little wave. He was...waving at the Ice Bear Shadow? Jin-Woo silently wondered about the young man’s - Harry , apparently - mental wellbeing, but those thoughts instantly screeched to a halt when the Ice Bear Shadow approached the young man, who then happily rubbed at its snout as if it were some sort of dog.
He blinked twice, unsure if he was seeing things correctly.
‘. . . And why did you follow me?’ he asked, having firmly decided not to question why his Shadow was so friendly with the young man.
‘Well, let’s just say that of all the people I’ve met in this world none carry around an aura of death like you do.’
‘And?’
The young man lifted up the Ice Bear Shadow’s paw, extending and retracting its claws by repeatedly squeezing at the centre of the paw. ‘And? No, that’s pretty much the gist of it.’ He gave a casual shrug.
‘That doesn’t sound like a very good reason.’
The young man glanced back up, suddenly dropping the Shadow’s paw as if it were diseased. ‘It is if you’re bored,’ he sighed. He clasped his hand behind his back and walked closer to Jin-Woo, leaning his body forwards. ‘So, where are you going after this?’
Jin-Woo stared at him, still unsure if he was to be trusted. But his instincts told him that he could. ‘...The camp. Where some of the other Hunters are.’
‘You don’t mind if I tag along, right?’
‘...No, it’s fine.’ Something told him that it wouldn’t matter if he refused. Harry seemed hardly the type to do anything but what he wanted to do. It was in the sly upturn of his lips, in the glow of his almost cat-like eyes, in the not-quite-thereness of his human form - he did what he wanted, and the whole universe could only bend and twist to his whims.
*
By the time they reached the camp the sky was a little brighter, it most likely being early morning. The fire was still brightly burning, the flames giving everything a yellow-orange tint.
It was apparent that there was unwelcome company.
The A-rank hunter was dealt with easily enough. He felt a hint of disdain, as if he had just dealt with a pesky fly. The hunters at the camp showed relief but Jin-Woo narrowed his eyes at the seemingly empty clearing.
It wasn’t long before a whole army of Ice Elves revealed themselves, the leader at the forefront.
It was a surprise when the Ice Elf leader spoke and he could understand it. It would probably require further investigation. But even though they could communicate it was evident that peace was not an option when the leader demanded his fellow hunters.
The Ice Elf leader stared at the hunters behind him. ‘Just hand those humans over. Do we have a -’ abruptly he stopped, his eye shifting to the side and landing on Harry, who was further off to the side but farther forward. An involuntary shudder went through the Ice Elf’s body, his smile slipping off his face. The other Ice Elves shifted almost nervously.
‘ You . I...can’t sense you. And yet the mere sight of you makes my skin crawl. You’re not human either. But...you’re not like us, either.’
Jin-Woo also glanced over, having forgotten that he was even there and berating himself for it. Just because he showed no ill intentions didn’t mean he wasn’t dangerous. It was stupid of him to let down his guard against him, and yet it was so easy for his existence to fade away. It didn’t help that his shadows felt drawn to him.
Harry looked unconcerned, his eyes half-lidded as if he wanted nothing more than to take a nap. ‘I go by many names,’ he said to the leader. ‘And I do wonder what the limit is, for when someone stops being human. How much different can one become, before they are something other ?’ Harry looked at Jin-Woo, meeting his eyes with those unnerving green ones.
The other hunters turned to look at Harry in surprise. ‘Who are you? When did you get here?’ one of them exclaimed.
Harry opened his mouth to speak but then abruptly stopped, looking off into the distance. He sighed. ‘As much as I’d love to continue chatting, unfortunately duty calls.’ And with a sudden crack, he was gone.
*
Jin-Woo looked at Song-I. ‘Good job, today.’ And he meant it. It must have been terrifying for her, being in a Red Gate. He had wanted her to face reality, but not in such a way. Though he supposed the experience would serve her well. She should understand now that her life was very much at risk in a Gate, whether it be from monsters or her fellow hunters.
Finished with goodbyes he started his drive home, thoughts already about the next Gate he’d be raiding with Jin-Ho.
‘Yo!’ chirped a voice from the back seat.
Jin-Woo nearly crashed the car, whipping his head behind him.
It was the second time this young man - this Harry - had crept up on him. He had somehow gotten into his car without anyone noticing.
‘You don’t mind if I crash at your place, do you?’