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“First things first, let’s get one thing clear. It’s not that we trust you.”

The wolf remained silent at the swordsman’s assertion. He knew that well. Kang Tae-jun raised an eyebrow, clearly trying to provoke a response, but the wolf didn’t budge. That meant he was smarter than expected.

“Nonetheless, it’s necessary for us to talk. You seem to understand language, but… can you actually speak?”

“—Yeah.”

The low voice echoed through the building, sounding as though it came from the depths of a cave, causing Kang Tae-ho to widen his eyes.

“No, seriously, look! He’s actually talking.”

It was in the forest dungeon that Alpha first spoke, and Kang Tae-ho was the one who heard him. His reaction was far more animated than his size would suggest.

“Shut up… First, we need to confirm. You didn’t run away. Coming this far means you probably want to talk. Am I right?”

The wolf spoke calmly, not averting his gaze.

“…I’ve come to warn you.”

“A warning?”

Kang Tae-jun frowned at the reply, all eyes suddenly fixed on the wolf. The wolf glanced around at them before continuing.

“The threat from the rabble isn’t over. Your father, Kang Hoon…”

At that, Kang Tae-ho stepped forward, furrowing his brow at the wolf.

“What the hell are you?”

“……”

“How do you know about my father? You’re a monster…”

Before he could finish, the wolf let out an exasperated sigh. He had been thinking about that.

“—I think I was human once.”

“……What kind of nonsense is this?”

The room filled with questioning looks. “I was human,” or “I think I was human”…? Staring in confusion, the wolf continued.

“I don’t have exact memories. Just fragments of knowledge that remain as memories.”

No exact memories— that was obviously a lie. It had to be. If he dug too deep, his flimsy deception would be exposed. So he needed to lay the groundwork. Hide the lie amidst the truth. The wolf decided to twist the narrative as he had been pondering.

“The knowledge and concepts I possess are similar to yours. Other than that, all I have are emotions.”

In that moment, a chilling breath escaped the wolf’s lips. His red eyes seemed to harbor a profound emotion. It was deeper than anything seen before—

“—a hatred towards you.”

“…Are you saying they turned you into a monster?”

“I don’t know. My first memory is only of the moment I was born on some mountain. I just struggled to survive.”

“So the reason you’ve been chasing down the traitors is…”

“……”

A gulp echoed in the silence. The three of them wore expressions of disbelief at the unexpected story. But the story had to continue. Kang Tae-jun raised a hand to stop Kang Tae-ho from advancing.

“Alright. Let’s say that’s true. But there are still unresolved issues.”

“……”

“You attacked our clan member, didn’t you? Do you remember? At the entrance of Jirisan Beopgye Sa.”

Kang Tae-jun’s eyes sparkled. He pressed the wolf with a sharp tone.

“You ambushed her there. I don’t know why you didn’t kill her, but… how do you explain that?”

That was his only doubt regarding the wolf. It created an unshakable suspicion. If he was truly human, if he had reasoning, why would he attack another human?

It was likely Kang Tae-jun was trying to gauge him. To see if he ever lost control or showed abnormal behavior. Or if his words and actions didn’t align. However, hidden within that was a truth Kang Tae-jun hadn’t anticipated. The wolf nodded inwardly, under Euna’s anxious gaze. He had actually been waiting for this question.

“It’s the opposite.”

“The opposite?”

“I did not attack her. Rather, I helped her. My first memory isn’t of a worg but of a slime.”

“……!”

“In Neverland, the misunderstanding should have been cleared up. If you want, you can call her and ask.”

—The only question remaining about the wolf’s actions was answered calmly. He knew of the clan member who faced death for disobeying orders. But the truth hidden beneath was entirely different from what they had expected.

Gradually, Kang Tae-jun began to understand why the dawn girl had blocked Alpha and the hunters. If the misunderstanding was resolved, then Alpha was not an enemy to her but a benefactor. The clarity brought a gasp from Euna.

“Ah…”

His answers were consistent. Now, there was not a single doubt left regarding the wolf’s actions. Of course, verification was still necessary, but he wouldn’t have told an easily detectable lie.

‘This works.’

If he couldn’t explain why he became a monster, he would just mumble that he didn’t know. If Euna could just prove he was a slime, that would be possible. What could they say if he didn’t know why he became a monster? They might doubt it, but if there was no proof, they could only accept it.

“It’s hard to believe, but…”

That had the most persuasive weight. In all that they knew, the wolf had never killed an innocent person.

The claim of attacking a clan member turned out to be him offering help, and in the dungeon of Gyeongsan, he fought with hunters against the arachne to save them. In the forest dungeon? On reflection, he had countless opportunities to kill Hong Yu-ri. He just bought time until Kang Tae-ho arrived. Furthermore, he warned the hunters who had thrust spears at him about the rabble’s presence.

On the night of the Great War, he had wiped out the traitors lurking in the shadows, and when the academy was attacked, he saved Baek So-yul. Additionally, he was the one who cleared the west coast and informed about the survivors. When he fought alongside Hong Yu-ri, he showed mercy and did not kill her.

Above all, in Neverland, had the wolf not lent his aid, their annihilation would have been a certainty… Kang Tae-jun let out a deep, emotion-laden sigh. The other two wore equally complex expressions, mulling over the wolf’s words.

It was hard to deny the incredible truth, but there was no way to prove it was a lie. Saying “I was human” rather than “I think I was human” further complicates things.

—Reflecting on past actions, the wolf’s deeds were nobler and more righteous than anyone else’s. There was no room for doubt.

“…I suppose I have no choice but to accept this.”

Not believing but conceding to the premise. The story had to move forward.

“Why bring this up? You must want something.”

“—Chase the traitors.”

“……”

What he wanted was the destruction of the rabble. Even after exchanging glances for a long time, there was not even a hint of a tremor in his eyes. The bloodlust anchored in the red of his eyes was not directed toward them. —This was one undeniable truth for the wolf. He wished to eradicate the heretical rabble deep in his bones.

“Certainly…”

A monster wouldn’t possess greed. A creature incapable of being swayed and inconsolable, one that shows its fangs is enough to chill to the bone. Realizing it was right not to fight Alpha, Kang Tae-jun felt a surge of affirmation the moment Kang Tae-ho asked again.

“So what do you know about my father?”

“That’s it.”

“…Damn.”

Kang Tae-ho swore out of frustration. But the wolf’s words were not over yet.

“…Their objective is to create an elixir.”

That was a fact already known from Chang-seon. Kang Tae-jun nodded.

“The reason for that is to awaken some being.”

As the tale unfolded, tension painted the expressions in the room.

***

Incredible stories finally came to an end. By then, the fairy-type monster, rubbing its eyes as if tired, was pressing its cheeks against Alpha’s face. The wolf had disclosed all he could regarding his knowledge. Excluding matters related to the system and the fantasy world, which he couldn’t carelessly reveal. The elixir was needed to awaken some being, and why they wanted to awaken that being, he too did not know.

‘…Because she couldn’t defeat it.’

Continuing to read through the novel’s content. Kang Hoon and the Silent Mouth along with many officials had been defeated. They succeeded in preventing disease and plague. At that point, he believed that the shadow of destruction looming over humanity had been significantly lifted. Considering the trend of decreasing causality, the chances of annihilation were probably about 50/50? Maybe even more.

—But the novel abruptly reached its conclusion.

The final boss, thought to be defeated, the leader of the rabble, could not be captured, and the ending was not happy but catastrophic. —Once, the queen had said that destruction and endings were different. It meant that one should also prevent an ending they could not even grasp, alongside the destruction involving the rabble.

‘This mystery will be solved..’

If he could find the system. No, if he went to it. Because it would still be waiting for him to arrive.

“—I’ve heard the story well. Hard to believe, but you wouldn’t lie for no reason.”

His suspicions were certain. Yet Kang Tae-jun voiced the need for verification.

“Honestly, I’m still worried. If you suddenly turn rogue and rampage through the city, we all know what would happen. You’re no mere beast. Though you’re aware of it yourself, you’ve become a monster close to disaster.”

That truth cut deep. The wolf was the area boss of Neverland. That was the level of threat defined by the swordsman. Comparable to the seven heroes or equal to himself… The wolf’s expression turned peculiar.

‘I thought it would only go up to Kang Tae-ho…’

He had assumed at least Kang Tae-ho would be as strong by the moment the original story began, but now he had already surpassed that. In now just over a year and two months, in the winter of December 2069.

“…I still think you shouldn’t be let loose in the city.”

At some point, he found himself sitting in the chair, rhythmically tapping the shop’s table. The wolf’s expression was strange as he faced the habit described in the novel.

“But it wouldn’t mean much. If you decided right now, nobody could catch you except for the Radiant. What that means is, you can do so whenever you please.”

“……”

The wolf nodded calmly. It was common knowledge he had a stealth skill.

“This is to build trust. Follow us. It shouldn’t take long to establish trust. In the meantime, we will protect your safety.”

“Dawn Road.”

Kang Tae-jun nodded knowingly to Euna, who seemed to have something to say.

“We need the minimum procedures and confirmation. It’s fine if you refuse. Anyway, we can’t force you. Therefore, this is also a request. Help us to trust you.”

Prove through action. He also meant to confront Euna for verification. Simply put, it meant to follow them into the dawn. After some deliberation, the wolf nodded once more. He couldn’t handle everything alone. He had always felt that way, and that would continue to be true.

There’s no harm in building trust with hunters. If anything, it meant they could request to collaborate in exterminating the rabble.

‘No, it’s an absolute necessity.’

There would come a day when he had to go abroad. Previously, upon hearing that Muno had died, the wolf had thought. Excluding the leader of the rabble, the only three who could kill the seven heroes were among the officials.

‘Kang Hoon and the Silent Mouth. And…’

Amelia Morest, the Butterfly of Covenant, who hadn’t been recruited yet. The master of the Purple Square and the leader of the shadows, mother of Agail. Preventing her from joining the rabble was essential. In the worst-case scenario… The wolf’s eyes glimmered coldly.

“…Looks like your mind is made up.”

As the wolf nodded again, Kang Tae-jun exhaled a deep breath, closing his eyes. Once matters settled, fatigue rushed in.

“Though it’s late, I ought to thank you.”

The sudden words made the wolf tilt his head. Then in the following moment, the wolf’s eyes shone with surprise. The one who had never broken before in the novel had lowered his heavy gaze.

“If it weren’t for you, the raid team… Dawn would have been annihilated. I truly thank you for all that has happened until now.”

Hearing this, something trapped in the wolf’s heart melted just a bit. The feelings were injustice and resentment. Negative emotions that had unknowingly piled deep within his chest.

“……”

As misunderstandings cleared up, it felt like a missing button on a coat had finally been fastened. The things he had done until now weren’t wrong. It was at the moment he thought that he hadn’t been mistaken.

“Kkyuuuu~!”

The fairy, wagging its tail vigorously, let out a cheerful cry.

—It was the decisive moment for the wolf’s path of dawn.

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