Chapter 79. Sallyon

"A Fire Spirit?"

Kim Do-Joon’s words left Shin Yoo-Sung utterly astonished.

Once the Fire Spirit's behavior calmed down a bit, he called the S-rank healer into the tent to explain the situation. Then, Shin Yoo-Sung curiously reached out toward the spirit, who was restrained by a shadowy bind on the table.

"Don't you dare touch me!"

The spirit snapped angrily, immediately dashing toward Kim Do-Joon. A bit embarrassed, Shin Yoo-Sung awkwardly scratched his cheek.

"Seems like it's got a bit of a temper," Kim Do-Joon remarked with a shrug.

"For all that attitude, it sure seems attached to you, though," Shin Yoo-Sung replied.

"T-this guy is just slightly better than the rest of you humans, that’s all! Got it? Just a little bit better, that’s it!" the spirit stammered, its face flushing red as it tried to defend itself.

Kim Do-Joon kept silent. He couldn’t exactly tell Shin Yoo-Sung it was because he boosted his Spirit Affinity using his copy-paste ability.

It feels so different now... When the affinity was at level 2 or 3, I didn’t notice anything at all...

Unlike stats like Strength or Agility, Spirit Affinity was something he couldn’t really feel. When Kim Do-Joon defeated Eldora and gained level 2 Spirit Affinity through the sword, he didn’t notice much of a difference, so he dismissed it.

But now, seeing the effects, he started to realize how powerful that effect truly was.

Supposedly, those weapons were made from iron taken from the Spirit’s Lake...

The Spirit’s Lake sounded like a place where spirits would naturally be drawn to. And yet, the equipment made from its materials only carried a mere 1 or 2 levels of affinity at best.

In contrast, Kim Do-Joon had a Spirit Affinity of level 14, which was far beyond what he’d imagined. Thinking about it that way, Sallyon’s behavior made sense.

"This little guy was attached to the shaman. That’s why its fire was so potent," Kim Do-Joon explained.

"The shamans of the Baku Tribe usually can’t conjure such large flames. At most, they can manage a campfire," Elena chimed in, echoing the explanation she had given on the battlefield earlier.

"Oh, is that so?" Shin Yoo-Sung responded, still processing the information.

The shaman's fire had caused the exploration team endless hassle. If not for those flames, things would’ve been so much easier.

Who would’ve guessed that the shaman was helped by a spirit? Shin Yoo-Sung suddenly turned to Elena, staring at her intently.

"Is something wrong?" she asked, tilting her head in confusion.

Shin Yoo-Sung hesitated for a moment before asking, "I didn’t pay much attention before because of the chaos, but you seem to know a lot about those orcs. You called them the Baku Tribe, right?"

Elena had shared several details, including information about the Baku Tribe. Since the tribe couldn’t produce fire on their own, they centered their lives around shamans. She also described the typical power of the shaman's fire.

This was not the kind of information one could easily come by. After all, they had only encountered the Baku Tribe here for the first time. So, how could she possibly know all of this?

Elena noticed Shin Yoo-Sung’s intense gaze and glanced at Kim Do-Joon, who gave her a nod. In response, she touched her ear, causing the disguise of Liaz to fade, revealing her long, pointed ears.

“What the—!”

Thump!

Shin Yoo-Sung shot up from his seat, slamming his hands on the table. A glowing white orb had already formed in his hand, aimed directly at Elena.

"Elena is an elf," Kim Do-Joon explained calmly. "She is not allied with the white elves that attacked us. So, there’s no need to be so wary."

"R-really?"

Shin Yoo-Sung slowly sat back down, though the light in his hand didn’t completely disappear. Despite Kim Do-Joon’s calm demeanor, the S-rank healer wasn’t entirely convinced. Besides, he had no intention of forcing him to drop his guard.

A bit of caution was actually a good thing. After all, even Kim Do-Joon hadn’t fully let his guard down around Elena.

With a frown, Shin Yoo-Sung asked, "Who else knows about this?"

"Just me and the association president," Kim Do-Joon replied.

Now, with Shin Yoo-Sung included, there were three who knew the truth. Though Siwelin and Jecheon Seong were also aware of this fact, Kim Do-Joon saw no need to mention them.

Shin Yoo-Sung let out a frustrated groan. He had welcomed this team with open arms, thinking they were just here to help. He hadn’t expected to be saddled with something so troublesome. He was still struggling to process his feelings.

“Oh, by the way, just heads up, I plan to act separately from the exploration team," Kim Do-Joon added.

“What?”

Shin Yoo-Sung’s thoughts grew even more tangled at Kim Do-Joon’s unexpected declaration.

"I came here with a different objective. I only joined up with the team because Elena’s information could be helpful for your exploration," Kim Do-Joon continued.

“But... It’s dangerous if you separate from the gr—”

Shin Yoo-sung was about to say that it was dangerous, but then fell silent. He recalled how Kim Do-Joon breached the orc’s impregnable wall in one fell swoop, leading to the shaman’s death.

“If you ask Elena, it will be easier to plan the schedule and route for the future. You’ll also be informed of any precautions. Once that’s done, my party and I will depart,” Kim Do-Joon said.

“... Okay, I get what you’re saying.”

Shin Yoo-sung spoke with a heavy sigh. He didn’t seem inclined to argue or try to persuade Kim Do-Joon to stay, which relieved the latter.

“There’s actually something I also wanted to mention.”

“What is it?” Kim Do-Joon asked, noticing the troubled expression on Shin Yoo-Sung’s face as he responded.

“Well, actually...”

***

The next day, Kim Do-Joon asked Shin Yoo-Sung.

"Are you sure about this?"

Outside where they were standing, preparations for withdrawal were in full swing. Hunters were busy taking down tents and packing up equipment.

Shin Yoo-Sung gave a wry smile and said, "Thanks to Ms. Si-Ah, everyone’s been treated, but this last battle took a heavy toll on them mentally. There’s bound to be a lot of discontent. I think pulling back for now is the best choice."

This was the conversation they’d had the day before: the next destination for the exploration team might not be another new location, but Earth itself. After a night of discussions, they had come to this conclusion.

"And Elena’s information...?" Kim Do-Joon inquired.

"It would certainly be useful, but how could we possibly explain that to the other Hunters?" Shin Yoo-Sung replied.

The fact that Elena was an elf was still a closely guarded secret, known only to Shin Yoo-Sung. Even Oh Tae-Jin was in the dark. In such circumstances, it was impossible to expect the team to suppress their frustrations and continue the mission.

"Anyway, talks of retreat have been ongoing for a while now," Shin Yoo-Sung continued.

They only remained until now due to the insistence of some higher-ups, who were unsatisfied with the lack of significant results. However, even their patience has worn thin. No matter how much they try to rally the others, the rank-and-file guild members’ frustrations have reached a breaking point.

Indeed, around them, Hunters were openly expressing their relief.

"Finally, we’re heading back. Damn, it’s about time."

"What are you going to do when we get back?"

"First thing I’m doing is passing out in bed."

Most of the Hunters couldn’t hide their joy at the prospect of returning home. The government and the Association would reward them for this expedition, but there probably wouldn’t be any extra bonuses due to the unsatisfying results. Nevertheless, this didn’t dampen their spirits. Right now, getting home was more important.

A few, particularly those around Oh Tae-Jin, clicked their tongues in disapproval. But even they couldn’t oppose the decision any longer.

"I’ll make sure to properly report your achievements to the association president. With my testimony, passing the special examination shouldn’t be a problem for you," said Shin Yoo-Sung.

"Oh... thank you," Kim Do-Joon replied, his eyes widening as if he had been reminded of something he had nearly forgotten.

In truth, he had almost entirely put the thought of his promotion out of his mind, too focused on finding the Fire Elixirs.

Well... With the testimony of an S-rank Hunter, a positive result is practically guaranteed.

Shin Yoo-Sung’s influence was arguably greater than the association president’s. With both the president’s endorsement and an S-rank Hunter’s testimony, Kim Do-Joon’s promotion was practically a done deal.

As they finished their conversation, the preparations for departure were complete. The large tents that had been spread out were gone, leaving only traces of the camp behind.

"Well then, we’ll be off.”

"Take care on your way back.”

"Good luck to you as well," Shin Yoo-Sung added as they shook hands.

With that, Shin Yoo-Sung and the exploration team departed. Left behind were Kim Do-Joon and his small group: Siwelin, Elena, Hwang Hyun-Woo, and Kim Do-Joon himself.

However, one thing puzzled Kim Do-Joon.

"I’m counting on you!" Seok Dae-Kyung declared, having volunteered to stay behind.

The other B-rank Hunter who had come with them retreated with the main group at a moment’s notice. However, after agonizing over it all day, Seok Dae-Kyung had chosen to stay with Kim Do-Joon.

"It could be dangerous," Kim Do-Joon warned.

"

Haha,

don’t worry. I’m confident I can take care of myself," Seok Dae-Kyung replied with a laugh, albeit in truth, he wasn’t entirely sure.

Just a few days ago, in the ruins, he had nearly been killed. If not for Kim Do-Joon, an arrow would have pierced his skull. Even Seok Dae-Kyung was puzzled by his own decision. Why had he chosen to stay?

In the dungeon, Seok Dae-Kyung had always prioritized his safe return, along with that of his team. His determination to survive had driven him to rise to A-rank, a level few Hunters ever achieved. Therefore, why had he chosen to stay behind on this risky mission, one with no clear benefit and plenty of danger? Even he didn’t fully understand.

This will definitely be dangerous. One wrong move, and I’ll be dead with no chance of becoming an A-rank. But still...

Seok Dae-Kyung couldn’t shake the feeling that as long as he stuck close to Kim Do-Joon, he would survive. It was as if Kim Do-Joon was a guardian angel watching over him—though, admittedly, a rather menacing one.

"Well, with greater risk comes greater reward, right?" Seok Dae-Kyung made a joke, trying to sound nonchalant.

Kim Do-Joon chuckled softly and said, "Alright then. I’ll be counting on you."

Then, Kim Do-Joon extended his hand. Regardless of the reason, an A-rank Hunter like Seok Dae-Kyung was a valuable asset. His skills, which Kim Do-Joon had already witnessed, were certainly up to the task.

"The pleasure’s all mine, leader," Seok Dae-Kyung said, shaking Kim Do-Joon's hand firmly.

"Okay, let’s get started," Kim Do-Joon said, shifting the mood to action.

There was no need to worry about losing their way; after all, they had not one, but two guides. Then, Kim Do-Joon glanced over at Elena.

"I’ll warn you in advance: this journey is going to be tough. If it were just me, I could hide easily, and you could handle the knights if we happened to get ambushed. But with the others, it’s a different story."

Kim Do-Joon's assessment was accurate. While Seok Dae-Kyung could manage on his own, Siwelin, who had no combat skills, and Hwang Hyun-Woo, an E-rank, were much more vulnerable. They were brought along because they had their roles to play, but they definitely added to the group’s risk.

"The neutral zone is filled with monsters," Elena began, calmly listing the dangers they would face. "And those white ones could appear at any time. We might be fine for now, but the longer we wander around, the more likely we’ll run into trouble. The elves use spirits as their informants, after all."

The group listened intently, especially Seok Dae-Kyung and Hwang Hyun-Woo. They had recently learned of Elena's true nature as a Dark Elf. They made sure to remember every word she said. After all, she was their guide through this perilous journey.

“What are you all worrying about?” a voice suddenly chimed in from Kim Do-Joon’s shoulder. It was Sallyon, the Fire Spirit.

It continued, "You said we’re going to see the King, right? I know a safe and easy way to get there."

Elena, puzzled, asked, "What do you mean by that?"

Sallyon tapped Kim Do-Joon’s shoulder confidently.

"Did you forget why I was with that shaman of the Baku tribe?"

The group exchanged confused glances.

When Elena asked in confusion, Sallyon then tapped Kim Do-Joon’s shoulder and spoke up.

"Have you forgotten what I was doing here?"

The group looked puzzled and glanced at Elena, unsure of what Sallyon meant. However, she was equally in the dark.

Elena frowned and asked Sallyon, "By the way, I'm curious too. Why was the Fire Spirit with the shaman of the Baku tribe?"

"It was by the king’s order," Sallyon replied.

"An order?"

"Well, just come with me for now."

Sallyon spoke with confidence.

A short time later, Hwang Hyun-Woo asked, swallowing nervously.

"

Um

... is this really okay, Dae-Kyung Hyung?"

"That's what I'm wondering..." Seok Dae-Kyung replied.

At this moment, both of them, along with the entire party, were riding in a palanquin carried by the Baku tribe.

𝚏𝕣𝕖𝚎𝚠𝚎𝚋𝚗𝐨𝐯𝕖𝕝.𝕔𝐨𝕞

"

Krururu...

"