Chapter 107. Therianthrope

Kim Do-Joon?

The name was unfamiliar to Ko Cheong-Cheon, who had just returned from the United States. He scanned the faces around him, trying to place the name. None of the Hunters seemed to be missing, because all the biggest names in Korea were present.

Ko Cheong-Cheon found it most unsettling that the one who’d brought it up was Shin Yoo-Sung.

"Yeah, you're right. Shouldn’t someone of his caliber be invited to something like this?" Yeon Hong-Ah asked.

"It's just that... he hasn't been responding to any contact. Hunter Kim Do-Joon is hard to reach sometimes, and this is one of those times," Son Chang-Il replied.

Yeon Hong-Ah and Son Chang-Il exchanged glances as they discussed Kim Do-Joon. Meanwhile, Ko Cheong-Cheon sat silently, feeling left out. From the way they spoke, it was clear they were all familiar with this mysterious figure. Yet, they offered no real explanation, making him all the more curious.

“Kim Do-Joon” turned out to be a name that all the top Hunters were familiar with. However, it wasn’t the time to indulge personal curiosity, so he decided to cut in.

"Enough talk about someone who isn't here. Let's get to the point," Ko Cheong-Cheon said.

"My apologies," said Son Chang-Il, quickly clearing his throat and shifting the tone of the conversation.

"As most of you already know, the reason I've gathered everyone today is because of the strange events happening in Haenam."

With a signal from Son Chang-Il, a screen appeared up on one of the walls of the conference room. Two aerial photos appeared side by side, where one showed a barren, desolate landscape with traces of a military presence—the Haenam of the past. The second photo, however, showed something entirely different.

Gasps and murmurs spread through the room.

"Is that... really Haenam?"

"Did you grab this photo from the Amazon or something?"

In the second image, an impossibly dense and almost eerie forest stretched endlessly, covering what should’ve been empty ground. It looked unnatural, as if the trees had sprung up overnight.

Son Chang-Il continued, unphased by the shocked reactions.

"Yes, that is indeed Haenam. Initially, it started with a single mysterious tree, but it has since expanded to cover a significant area. We've received reports that the forest continues to grow as we speak."

The Hunters' expressions grew grim. A forest, appearing out of nowhere on land that had once been completely barren, was troubling enough. However, the fact that it was expanding, which was an abnormal phenomenon by any measure, made it all the more urgent. Ko Cheong-Cheon now understood why the Hunter Association had called an emergency meeting for the top Hunters.

"And that’s not the worst of it," Son Chang-Il said, switching to another image.

The next photo was even more shocking. It showed an investigator from the Association standing next to one of the bizarre trees. The gargantuan tree was so massive, so much so that the person looked like a toothpick in comparison.

"Us Association has named this area the Giant Woodland," Son Chang-Il explained. "Together with the Karma Guild, we've conducted an initial investigation to understand the environment and estimate the scale. Please take a look at the documents before you."

The rustle of papers filled the room as the Hunters quietly flipped through the provided reports. Some discussed details with those next to them. Before long, all eyes were drawn to one particular photo included in the materials.

"This is..."

"What you're looking at was found inside the forest. It’s a corpse of a Lycanthrope."

The image showed the mangled body of a werewolf-like creature, its torso shredded by enormous claws. The sight was gruesome, leaving little room for debate about how dangerous the forest was. The report also stated that the investigation team had retreated immediately upon finding the body.

No one in the room questioned why they hadn’t ventured deeper into the forest, or at least recovered the body for further analysis. It was clear to everyone just how perilous that place was.

"The Hunter Association has classified the Giant Woodland as an S-rank dungeon. In fact, it's even worse than your typical S-rank threat. Most dungeons are contained within their own boundaries, but this forest is actively expanding into the real world," Son Chang-Il explained.

The Therianthrope, which they’d confirmed to reside in this forest, were all classified as A-rank or higher.

***

The Lycanthropes, which are the Therianthrope classified by werewolves, were first discovered six years ago in a dungeon in Switzerland. According to records, a single Lycanthrope escaped from a dungeon and wiped out an entire village. The mention of a village made it sound trivial, but wiping out a modern settlement in a world with advanced communications and transportation was no small feat.

Not only did the creature kill the residents before they could escape, it also did it before the military could intervene, further demonstrating how cunning and powerful it was. The Lycanthrope was eventually hunted down and eliminated by the combined forces of the military and Hunters, but the real problem came after its defeat.

The root, from which the creature had emerged, indicated the presence of a dungeon full of Therianthrope. Meanwhile, one Lycanthrope was enough to massacre so many. Hence, to no one’s surprise, the dungeon was immediately declared as an S-rank. Thanks to meticulous planning and significant international support, Switzerland managed to close the gate, but the damage was catastrophic.

In fact, the raid on that dungeon had been so severe and devastating that an S-rank Hunter had lost their life in the process. Now, the same kind of gate—an S-rank dungeon of unimaginable danger—was emerging right behind them.

"That concludes today’s meeting. Everyone, focus on your preparations, and I’ll do my best to get foreign S-rank Hunters to assist us," Son Chang-Il announced, bringing the meeting to a quick end.

The gravity of the situation ensured that the meeting was focused and efficient. Right now, the military had surrounded the area, containing the threat. While the Lycanthropes were dangerous monsters, they were unlikely to break through the army’s firepower. Moreover, Therianthrope rarely ventured beyond their territories.

So, for the moment, there was a small buffer of time—a painfully short one. Furthermore, preparing for the subjugation of an S-rank gate was no easy task.

Thus, people left the conference room, busy with preparations and contacts. Meanwhile, Oh Tae-Jin quietly sat back down and reviewed the materials once more. After a moment, he closed the file with a snap and stood to leave.

Ko Cheong-Cheon, who’d listened quietly during the meeting, noticed and followed him out.

"Oh Tae-Jin," Ko Cheong-Cheon called.

Oh Tae-Jin glanced back briefly but continued walking, his expression unreadable. Ko Cheong-Cheon quickened his pace, falling in beside him.

"Is there something you need?" Oh Tae-Jin asked flatly.

"Wow, that's mean. Aren’t you pretty distant with your hyung?” Ko Cheong-Cheon said.

"I only have one brother," Oh Tae-Jin replied, his voice still as curt as ever.

Ko Cheong-Cheon chuckled softly. Some things had remained the same since the old days. Oh Tae-Jin hadn’t changed from the time he was still training as an apprentice at Baekhwa Gate, before he was with Karma.

Then, Ko Cheong-Cheon quickly glanced at Oh Tae-Jin.

"I have a question... That name that came up earlier, Kim Do-Joon, you seemed to know him. Who is he?" he asked.

Oh Tae-Jin walked in silence for a moment, before finally pulling a sheet of paper from his file.

"What's this?" Ko Cheong-Cheon asked, receiving the paper.

"His profile," Oh Tae-Jin replied.

"

Whoa

, do you carry this around with you all the time?" Ko Cheong-Cheon laughed in disbelief.

"Of course not." Oh Tae-Jin scoffed, unamused.

He had simply prepared materials on the key Hunters likely to be discussed during the meeting, and Kim Do-Joon happened to be among them.

Still chuckling, Ko Cheong-Cheon skimmed through the document, but his expression slowly changed as he read on. His grin remained, but his eyes, which had crinkled with amusement, sharpened with focus.

"No way... Is this all real?" Ko Cheong-Cheon asked.

"Yes," Oh Tae-Jin confirmed.

"I mean, I know you wouldn’t lie, but... damn. This is unbelievable. I’ve been called a prodigy my whole life, but this? This is on a completely different level. Is he using some kind of cheat code in real life or what?"

Ko Cheong-Cheon couldn’t believe what he was reading. According to the document, Kim Do-Joon had spent six years as a Gatherer, before becoming a Hunter just last year. Since then, he had participated in various dungeon raids.

His profile also detailed his role in major incidents, including slaying an elf during the Hwaseong Incident, rescuing Shin Yoo-Sung from the Stem Dungeon, and his recent exploits alongside Yeon Hong-Ah in an A-rank gate. All of it was there, laid out in front of him.

The more Ko Cheong-Cheon read, the more impressed and curious he became about this mysterious figure named Kim Do-Joon.

So, that’s why Shin Yoo-Sung and Yeon Hong-Ah were acting that way.

It finally made sense why Shin Yoo-Sung had brought up Kim Do-Joon’s name, and why Yeon Hong-Ah had agreed so quickly. His expression twisted slightly in frustration. Ko Cheong-Cheon himself was an S-rank Hunter with an impressive career, but in terms of sheer impact over a short period, even he couldn’t compare to Kim Do-Joon.

What baffled him the most was that all of this had happened in just one year since Kim Do-Joon had gotten his Hunter license. Was there a mistake somehow? Maybe this guy had actually been a Hunter for the last six, and had only been gathering for a year.

Even so, reaching A-rank within six years would still mark him as a prodigy. Then, Ko Cheong-Cheon came to a conclusion.

This guy is someone to watch out for.

Kim Do-Joon wasn’t just another rising star frequently mentioned by the media—a famous rookie who’d fizzle out. He had the makings of a true monster. For the time being, that was all he was, a rising A-rank. The gap between A-rank and S-rank was still too wide to be bridged by sheer talent.

Before he knew it, Ko Cheong-Cheon had walked out of the building while reviewing the materials. He and Oh Tae-Jin reached the entrance, where a sleek sports car was parked. A blonde woman stood next to it.

Ko Cheong-Cheon walked over to her, smiling warmly.

"Hey!" he greeted her cheerfully.

Oh Tae-Jin watched silently as the two exchanged pleasantries. Then, with a smirk, Ko Cheong-Cheon introduced her.

"This is my girlfriend, Scarlett."

"Nice to meet you," Scarlett said with a bright smile, extending a friendly greeting to Oh Tae-Jin.

Oh Tae-Jin eyed her from head to toe with a sour expression. It was an obvious, rude gesture, but Scarlett only smiled.

Then, abruptly, Oh Tae-Jin spoke.

"You're an American agent, a Mercenaries, right?"

Scarlett froze, trying to maintain her composure. Ko Cheong-Cheon, on the other hand, simply shrugged, as if expecting the comment.

"Man, you’re no fun. Still as sharp as ever, huh?" Ko Cheong-Cheon chuckled.

"What are you thinking, senior?" Oh Tae-Jin asked in a serious tone.

"Senior? Come on, that’s too formal. Call me Hyung,” Ko Cheong-Cheon teased.

“...”

Oh Tae-Jin’s silent stare spoke volumes, urging Ko Cheong-Cheon to stop playing around and give him the answer. With a sigh, Ko Cheong-Cheon finally relented.

"Alright, alright. I get it. I shouldn’t expect a stone-cold guy like you to loosen up. I’m not up to anything strange. It’s just that lately, I’ve been thinking about something," Ko Cheong-Cheon began.

His tone was light, as if he were chatting casually over drinks.

"A man should swim in the biggest waters he can, don’t you think?"

Oh Tae-Jin’s eyes twitched slightly at the comment.

"I know the number of gates in our country isn’t high, but with your skills, you should be able to enter gates in other countries, no?" Oh Tae-Jin pointed out.

"That’s not what I mean. Think about it. How many S-rank Hunters do we have in Korea? Just three, right? And one of them’s a Healer," Ko Cheong-Cheon replied.

Now, Oh Tae-Jin could see where this was going. Ko Cheong-Cheon wasn’t focused on gates or dungeons, but other Hunters.

"What kind of progress can I make here? Other than Shin Yoo-Sung, the only Hunter with any potential is Yeon Hong-Ah. It's far from enough," Ko Cheong-Cheon complained.

Just like he had said, there were only three S-rank Hunters in Korea, including himself. It was a far cry from countries like the United States. or China, or even Japan, which boasted more than ten S-rank Hunters. Therefore, in Korea, every S-rank Hunter was a critical asset.

Oh Tae-Jin narrowed his eyes, studying Ko Cheong-Cheon. His actions, if he wasn’t careful, could have a serious impact on the nation.

“Why don’t you join me? Or, you can at least hear what she has to say.”

Ko Cheong-Cheon started to push his suggestion toward Oh Tae-Jin as well.

Oh Tae-Jin paused for a moment, staring at him before walking right past without a word. Then, as he passed by, he suddenly snatched the paper from Ko Cheong-Cheon’s hand.

“I’m not interested,” Oh Tae-Jin said coldly.

Ko Cheong-Cheon chuckled as he was not convinced.

“Not interested? There’s no way you’re not curious about something like this.”

He knew Oh Tae-Jin too well. The man, much like himself, had always been fascinated by strength and powerful people. Back when Oh Tae-Jin was still an apprentice, Ko Cheong-Cheon had even taken him into his guild for a time because of that very quality.

𝙛𝒓𝓮𝙚𝔀𝒆𝒃𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝓵.𝙘𝒐𝒎

Ignoring Ko Cheong-Cheon’s teasing tone, Oh Tae-Jin stuffed the paper into his coat pocket. It contained details about the rising star everyone was talking about—Kim Do-Joon. This information wasn’t exactly confidential, but it was definitely not something to be discarded carelessly.

As he reached the parking lot and got into his car, Oh Tae-Jin’s thoughts wandered back to what Ko Cheong-Cheon had said.

A man needs to swim in the big waters, huh?

He didn’t feel any particular opposition to the idea. In fact, he found it to be quite true. After all, even Oh Tae-Jin, as Ko Cheong-Cheon had predicted, shared a similar outlook.

However, there was one key difference between them.

During that time...

Oh Tae-Jin vividly recalled the moment he’d witnessed Kim Do-Joon back at the Stem. To him, this country didn’t feel like small waters. The crinkling sensation of the paper in his pocket suddenly made him frown.

***

After returning from the labyrinth, the first thing that Kim Do-Joon did was seek out Jecheon Seong to verify the energy he had gathered.

He wanted to know if his energy was enough to cure his daughter’s illness. And if not, to find out how much more he’d need.

Boom!

A massive flame surged from the mountain behind them, swirling around Kim Do-Joon at its center. Yet, strangely, the fire didn’t spread to any nearby trees or grass, as if behaving like Vulcanus’ flames.

“Still not enough,” Jecheon Seong declared in a firm voice.

Suppressing his disappointment, Kim Do-Joon gathered back the energy of Heart of Flame that he had unleashed.

I knew it wasn’t going to work, but still...

Although he had expected this result, hearing it still made him feel bitter. However, if the energy he had collected could truly rival that of the Ten-Thousand-Year Dragon, then Jecheon Kang, Jecheon Seong’s brother, wouldn’t have died in the first place.

“Aren’t you pushing yourself too hard?” Jecheon Seong asked, noticing the frustrated look on Kim Do-Joon’s face.

He was trying to console him.

“I understand your urgency, but you’re doing well enough. Keep doing what you are doing. But just be careful not to let impatience ruin everything.”

Kim Do-Joon nodded, taking in the advice. Jecheon Seong was right, if he rushed things and ended up dying, everything would be pointless. His daughter, Kim So-Eun, would become an orphan with no way to cure her illness.

Having committed to using the energy he gathered to clear his daughter’s blocked meridians, his own safety was now directly linked to hers.

“I get what you mean. I’ll be cautious,” Kim Do-Joon replied.

“Good, good,” Jecheon Seong said, his expression softening into a grin. “You must have had some kind of lucky encounter, haven’t you? You’ve become quite powerful.”

Kim Do-Joon chuckled because Jecheon Seong was saying the exact same thing as Karlish had.

For the rest of the morning and well into the afternoon, the mountain echoed with the sound of powerful explosions as Kim Do-Joon trained, loosening up his body.

Finally, later in the day, while driving to pick up Kim So-Eun from her kindergarten, his phone rang.

— Ah, finally! I’ve been trying to reach you!

It was a call from Son Chang-Il.