Hunter of the Perished World

Prior to entering Busan Fortress, Jin searched the area nearby and came to one of the remaining cities. The alley collapsed, but luckily, the merciful free city to the south was safe.

After taking the necessary items, mostly food, Gene caught a room at the inn.

From here to Old Fortress, it was within a day's reach if Jin was going alone, so he didn't have to come here.

Gene didn't come to the free city for any other reason.

"You stay here."

"Why?"

"Even if it stops working, the MCP will be exposed to a substantial amount of CP. If you don't want to die or become a monster, it's better for you to stay here."

"Well, I guess so…."

A large exposure to Chaos Poison (CP) makes you a vagrant. Of course, even if the activity is stopped, the MCP is not only a toxic substance, but also an area where enormous amounts of radiation occur, so ordinary people die or become monsters just by approaching.

Leona asked.

"How long will it take?"

"A week's worth of catching as long as you can. He'll be back in there."

"Hmm…. Yeah, okay."

After all, Leona had received enough chips from Gene to last a week on her own. Until now, Leona has not been anxious about being alone because she wandered the wilderness alone.

"Farewell."

Leona was lying on a pile of straw, preparing for the massive accumulation of fatigue.

Jin is out on the streets of compassion. There's a garbage wall, and monsters are rare, so it shouldn't be a problem. After going to the city that Jin knew, there were many cities that disappeared.

'It has a population of approximately 700 people.... This is pretty big.'

Although it's close to the beach, it's also good to wear because it's not close enough for a sea monster to invade. In the land where there were not many monsters in the first place, beachside living is guaranteed a sufficiently peaceful environment.

'Then I don't understand if the alley was crushed in the first place....'

If the alleyway and the maze had been broken by Slater for two days, why did the slatters not touch this place? Even monsters have the same reason. The alley collapses and the pity is intact. Gene couldn't figure it out, even though he was walking down the street.

Jin stopped by the herbalist's shop before taking pity on him.

"I'd like to buy some antidote herbs. Do you have anything good?"

"One chip at a time."

Antidotal herbs were not meant for any particular plant, but a bunch of grassroots or leaves with antidotal abilities. Of course, depending on the plant, there were many cases where the detoxification was weak or absent.

"Hey, why 'd you put it in a bunch if it didn't have any antidote?"

The owner shrugs as Gin criticizes.

"For mouth-to-mouth use, use antidote. Even better if you keep neutralizing with a different scent."

Jin sighed as he saw the owner who naturally picked up a lie without changing his face.

'You really believe that, not a lie...'

Knowledge varies from place to place because you cannot obtain the right information and knowledge. Gene eventually took a total of five clumps of pustules that were at least detoxifying. After the calculation, the owner stares at Gin.

"Scavenger, I guess? I'm telling you, there's nothing to take to the BMCP."

The owner said that he thought Jean was a scumbag on his way to take over Closed Busan Fortress. Scavengers were still in the middle of buying herbs from this herbalist to visit Busan Fortress.

Gene stared at the owner like that.

"I'm not a scavenger, but if I'm a scavenger, I think I should tell you before I buy the antidote, sir."

The symbol that sold the antidote to the person who was going there and told them there was nothing there was frightening to the end of the calculation was quite harsh.

"Antidote Herb. Wherever you use it, you want to suck and chew on a pill. I'm talking to an old man. If I don't tell him, he's gonna take a wild goose chase and fry it with CP and radiation. Rather, thank you."

In fact, even so, the owner was a person who was not good enough to let others take a wrong turn.

"Must be a lot of scavengers in the BMCP."

"Don't tell me. After the Wargraves evacuated, they flocked here like dogs." How thorough are they? Rumor has it he didn't leave a piece of junk behind. In case you haven't noticed, he wiped his mouth and pretended not to know. Scavengers come and go every couple of months, not as much as they used to, but they've never seen anything. "

"Hmm…. Is that so?"

If so, there was no possibility of finding a significant clue. But now that we're here, Gene was supposed to go to Busan. What you hear and what you see is absolutely different.

"Then let me ask you something else."

"You don't give me a chip, you have a long tongue."

"Do I have to persecute five batches of antidote herbs that aren't nearly as effective as a pill?"

"Haha, this guy... There's nothing I can't say. Yeah, ask him."

"Why did the alley collapse?"

"Ahh... Neck?"

The herbalist said that it was a beautiful expression.

"Well, that's strange."

"Strange?"

"It was about two years ago, but there were monsters everywhere."

"…… Is that so?"

Gene's expression was hard on him.

"Thanks to that, the refugees from the alley came here to show more mercy. If you want to know, ask the people from there. Quite a few. About fifty."

"Ah…. I'll do that..."

"They say it's witchcraft."

"……."

"That's funny. People talk when they're scared." When did you say "witch"? He even said that the witch lived in his neighbourhood, and I don't even know what the hell she's talking about... "

The herbalist kicks his tongue as if the refugees in the alley were ridiculed, and Jean can't even laugh at jokes.

Gene hears about it and crosses the Herbalist's Throne. Jin's expression seemed like he was going to punch something in the face, even if he said it nicely.

Gene turns back the way he came. Gene doesn't find refugees in the alley.

Gene's steps were in Leona's inn. Leona wakes up as soon as she hears her footsteps. It was the same reflexes as the resembling wildlife.

"Oh, what the hell. Uncle? I guess not."

"……."

"What's wrong with your face?"

Gene looks at Leona and says briefly.

"Let me ask you something."

"That's absurd. What?"

"When did you get out of the alley?"

"Why all of a sudden?"

"Answer me."

Leona's eyes changed a bit as Gin asked. It was a change that was hard to express in words. Leona said in a stiff voice.

"About two years now."

"……."

Gene stands tall, motionless for a while, and says nothing. Leona was also looking at him, not knowing what he was thinking.

Gene didn't ask Leona anything.

Leona didn't ask Jean anything.

After awhile of silence, Jean's coat? Huh? I searched and pulled something out. Leona's eyes widen as she looks at it, and she feeds on the fear and slowly retreats back.

That was the revolver Gene showed Leona the other day.

Gene slowly approaches Leona, holding the gun and handing it over to Leona.

"…… why?"

"Take it."

Leona looks startled and takes a gun from Jean. Leona is dumbfounded since she feels weird holding it.

"Looks like some of the survivors in the alley have escaped here."

"... Yes."

"They seem to think it's your fault that the alley collapsed. It's dangerous to show your face."

Leona was banished as a witch.

Gene has to go to BMCP, so we can't take Leona there. It's easier to leave them here than to expose them to monsters.

Maybe he just doesn't want to take it.

"Use it in dangerous situations. Point the gun at the enemy and pull the trigger. I could do with a kid."

"Oh, I don't know how... I know roughly...."

A refugee in the alley who recognized Leona may be trying to attack Leona. Gene gives Leona a gun just in case. Gene briefly taught Leona how to use the Revolver.

"Six bullets are a total of six. Don't waste all six. Run away if you get more enemies than that."

"If you run away... Where are we gonna meet?"

"...... It's not that hard to find you."

So stay where you are, and I'll find you.

Gene swallowed it.

Gene was looking down at Leona, and she looked up at that camp, bit her lip slightly, and immediately opened her mouth.

"…… Mister."

"……."

"You think I'm a witch?"

Leona's voice contained complex emotions that were hard to define. Jin's expression was firm, and he said something completely different.

"Promise me."

"What?"

"When I come back, I'll tell you everything."

"……."

Gene knew moments that Leona had not spoken about and was not interested in hiding or roughly passing on. Leona looks up at Jean and asks. There was no fear, no hatred, no grudge in his eyes.

"I asked first. Answer me first."

Gene pauses, then opens his mouth.

"The witches are all dead."

Jean's words were implicit in many ways, and even though she couldn't understand all of them, Leona nodded.

"Got it."

When Gene returns, Leona nods, saying she'll tell you everything. Gene heard the answer and said as if vomiting.

"Leona."

"Tell me. I'm listening."

Gene didn't even know why he was doing this. I couldn't catch the thirst of my heart in the feeling of a huge wave in my heart. Leona nods calmly, looking straight at Gin.

"I'm a demon-hunter."

Gene, on the other hand, turns around and says that, but does not face Leona.

Gene leaves nothing to say.

A day later, near Busan Mass Confusion Point (BMCP).

Gene was facing a massive concrete wall that could surpass twenty meters. Built near a black hole, Wargrave Fortress surrounds the MCP with these massive concrete walls.

So that no monster can escape.

No mortals can enter.

Once upon a fortress wall, there would have been an unarmed artillery barracks that intercepted everything approaching, but now there was nothing.

I was just guarding the wasteland, leaving only a high wall. The Abandoned Fortress, of course, cannot survive without Wargrave, so no one occupies the Empty Fortress.

Of course, some idiots rely on the safety of the fort and then die exposed to the occasional ultra-high radiation and CP. It's crazy to live here without proper protective equipment.

If there was anything left of the foreign region that was relatively radioactive and less toxic, it must have been robbed. So Gene had no business being here.

The wall is intact, but the door collapses already, and Gene enters it. Herbalist says Fortress has already been robbed, but that's incorrect information.

Wargrave Fortress consists of an outer wall and an inner wall. Inside the outer wall is a military base, including a barracks. Wargrave soldiers hunt monsters coming from MCPs inside the inner wall.

People don't know Wargrave. That's why I can't even rob you.