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Deciding on the Wolf’s Dawn was no walk in the park. Euna couldn’t hide her disappointment and smacked her lips, but dealing with Alpha was just beyond her capabilities. She nodded, understanding that it was best to leave this matter to the Swordmaster.

Once everyone was on the same page, Kang Tae-ho, who had been glancing around at the wolves, said, “I get that, but how are we supposed to take him?”

Alpha’s business was not something to be casually shared. There would be a solid warning within the clan, but the news couldn’t get out right now. Until the bare minimum of groundwork was laid, Alpha’s existence needed to stay under wraps. They had to think of ways to bring him to the clan without getting caught.

“Hmm…”

Using stealth would make things easier, but then they wouldn’t be able to check if Alpha was following. Sure, he’d probably know to follow, but the lack of trust was precisely why they were in this mess. Besides, by now, vehicles would be rolling in from outside to transport the injured. Everyone except the truly critical cases would be taken to the hospital. Dawn wasn’t an exception and should be going through the procedures, making it pretty easy to get a car. It was then that Kang Tae-jun asked the wolf.

“…Can you use Shadow for a long time?”

Just like when he snuck into Kang Tae-ho’s shadow. If there were no limits on using shadows, things would get a lot easier. The wolf, busy playing with Fairy and Tentacle, nodded casually but then squinted.

‘Trying to gauge things without being too obvious, huh.’

It was clear what Kang Tae-ho was fishing for, but since he didn’t outright say it, they decided to let it slide.

“That’s good then.”

Before long, Kang Tae-ho drove the car right in front of the shop. It looked pretty cramped even for a mid-sized vehicle. The wolf slipped into Kang Tae-jun’s shadow, and off they went down the hunter’s exclusive lane.

“Kyu!”

“Oh come on, you little brat. You’re really picky!”

Just as Kang Tae-ho reached out to pet Fairy, he ended up getting bitten. Sure, his hand got caught, but that hefty stamina meant Fairy’s bite wasn’t going to hurt. Still, the way he shook off his hand made it look like he was in deep pain, leaving others questioning if he was actually hurt.

After a bit of a rollercoaster, they finally made it to Dawn, and I felt a strange emotion. It wasn’t the Dawn, but whenever I entered another clan, I always had to sneak in… Though in that sense, it was the same, having to hide myself now.

‘Dawn of the early morning.’

A clean and organized seven-story building. From the outside, it didn’t seem special at all. After parking the car, they smoothly took the underground elevator up.

“You can come out now.”

Kang Tae-jun led them to the clan lord’s room. The seventh floor was spacious, as if he was using it entirely by himself. There was even a personal training area on one side, and upon seeing the wolf emerge from the shadow, Kang Tae-jun nodded.

“Looks like the magic power is under control.”

That being the case, they shouldn’t run into any significant problems inside the room. With a training area present, they could conveniently bluff if need be. The whole point was to observe Alpha and determine if he could actually be a part of their team. While they had some supplies, the wolf didn’t possess a regeneration skill like Kang Tae-ho, so he really needed to treat his wounds. Sprinkling a potion over his injuries and wrapping bandages… the wolf let out a yawn watching all this.

‘Does he think it’s just a quick break.’

There was no need for sleep, but with nothing else to do, it made sense. Trust was built with time, and that wasn’t something the wolf could provide. All he could do right now was just to sit still.

‘Well, at least I took care of Silent Mouth.’

That would be a big hit for them as well. They wouldn’t dare make any moves for a while. Most importantly, after the fight with Hong Yu-ri, they had cleared out the traitors hidden in each clan. There was a chance they had planted more during that time, so I couldn’t guarantee it was 100%, but things should be fine for a bit. No, thinking ahead, cooperation from the hunters would be necessary. They should use this brief break to consider what was coming next.

“…Kyu.”

By the way, most of the raiding party ended up in the hospital. It was only natural since it was Neverland. There was no way they would be fine after that, but even if they were, they would still need to undergo thorough examinations. I didn’t know much about the structure of the Dawn clan, but based on detection, there were still quite a few people left in the building.

“…Kyu!”

They were probably the staff from the office. And also the hunters who couldn’t participate in Neverland. Just as I was solo theorizing this, Fairy suddenly sprinted towards me, looking upset.

“Kyu! Kyu! Kyu!”

Whacking me with its tail. It had grown quite a bit since I last saw it, officially topping 5kg after consuming some medium! Now it was about the weight of a small dog. Fairy, looking particularly miffed, puffed its cheeks as if to say, ‘Are you going to keep me here forever?’

“…Bored?”

At that, Fairy nodded vigorously, looking frustrated. At first, it showed curiosity, but now it seemed like it was just over it. I could sit still, but Fairy certainly couldn’t. It had only been about an hour, but it was already getting antsy. The sound of rustling papers from Kang Tae-jun’s desk broke his focus, and he squinted his eyes.

“…Right, it’s still young.”

Muttering to himself about needing to take it for a walk, Kang Tae-jun eventually put down his pen.

“Is there something you need? I can meet just about any reasonable request since I’m accommodating your needs.”

“Fairy’s okay to show, right?”

“It’s not an issue, but…”

This Fairy-type had already shown itself to the raiding party, so they probably knew that something was up with Alpha. If word got out, those who weren’t morons would undoubtedly start doubting Alpha’s existence. —Which is what I was actually hoping for. There’s a world of difference between dropping a sudden bomb and giving it time to sink in. If you think about it, this was part of the groundwork.

“—It’s fine.”

Kang Tae-jun nodded. Since the perception of Fairies was already positive, even if word leaked, it wouldn’t cause a stir in the clan. The wolf then asked Kang Tae-jun to take Fairy for a walk, and he nodded, getting up.

“Just take a quick jaunt.”

All they had to do was take this Fairy on a little stroll… But just when Kang Tae-jun thought so, Fairy started insisting that it wanted to go with Alpha. Entering a state of disbelief, Kang Tae-jun frowned. Sure they had stealth, but there was no reason to drag Alpha along. However, Fairy stubbornly bit Alpha’s ear, refusing to give up. In response, Alpha sighed as if resigning, and then suddenly began to shrink in size. In an instant, the shackles around its ankles disappeared and the patterns that were covering it evaporated. In the blink of an eye, it transformed into a little black puppy.

“Did it have skills like that?”

I couldn’t even guess how many skills it had. Anyway, this form should be fine. Nodding slightly, when Kang Tae-jun opened the door, Fairy bolted out recklessly. Right behind it, a black puppy… Who would think that was a boss-level monster? The reason they hadn’t been able to chase until now was probably due to that skill. Kang Tae-jun shook his head in disbelief.

***

“Ah…”

Hong Yu-ri, on the phone for quite a while, bit her lip. She received news that the Neverland raid was over. And then hearing about Woo Taek and Gu Jin-ha being seriously injured and hospitalized, she let out a deep sigh.

In the world of hunters, getting injured was hardly a cause for alarm. It was just part of the job, and wounds came naturally with it. However, to lose an entire arm? And if they were near death, it was a completely different story. Frustrated, Hong Yu-ri cursed under her breath.

“Damn it…”

She couldn’t help but think about how things might have been if she had been there. She had told herself to just focus on healing… How foolish of her. Caught up in her thoughts, Baek So-yul turned her head.

“Teacher? Is something wrong?”

“Nothing much. I’ll be stepping out, just continue what you were doing.”

As Hong Yu-ri packed her black-tinted sunglasses, Baek So-yul frowned.

“You won’t see a thing with those on. Wouldn’t it be better if you came with me…”

“I got this. Just butt out.”

As Hong Yu-ri opened the door, Baek So-yul sighed. Having spent several days with her, she was more than aware of Hong Yu-ri’s current state.

“You shouldn’t be doing anything reckless…”

Ignoring Baek So-yul’s worries, as Hong Yu-ri left the room, she frowned when she spotted someone across the corridor. Since the Neverland raid had just ended, everyone else would be headed for the hospital…

“Oh, Hong Yu-ri.”

Waving his hand and greeting her cheerfully was Kang Tae-ho, looking completely at ease.

“…Are you okay?”

“What?”

Overacting as if he hadn’t heard her, Hong Yu-ri grimaced for a moment before collecting herself. What right did she have to get frustrated when she hadn’t even been involved in the Neverland raid? Biting her lip again, she asked.

“I asked if you’re okay.”

“How charming. I’m receiving concern from you of all people. Don’t worry about me. It’s just me.”

True, worrying about him would be a foolish act. Hong Yu-ri nodded.

“Where are you going?”

“To the hospital. Just got a message.”

“Oh, that’s right. I heard Jin-ha got hurt pretty badly.”

Rumor had it that his arm had been severed. She hadn’t seen it herself and couldn’t say much, but even if it wasn’t just about Gu Jin-ha, she needed to at least show her face to the injured. Nodding, Kang Tae-ho asked.

“Want to come with? I was planning to go anyway.”

It was questionable whether visiting was even allowed, but after a moment’s hesitation, Hong Yu-ri agreed. It was a bit of a blow to her pride, but going to the hospital alone would be riskier than going with someone who knew her situation, like Kang Tae-ho. As the two of them were about to descend the stairs, something began to swirl down from the upper levels.

“…Fairy?”

Hong Yu-ri squinted at the unusually large Fairy coming down. Why was there one of those inside the clan building? The Fairy approached Kang Tae-ho and began playfully slapping him with its tail.

“Oh, I apologize! I won’t touch you! Promise!”

Moreover, it felt oddly familiar…

‘Wait, the upper floor belongs to…’

Of course, that was the clan lord Kang Tae-jun’s room. Had he brought it along? It was like he was on his way somewhere… But then how did this muscle-head know the Fairy already? Hadn’t he just returned from Neverland?

As various questions flooded her mind, she spotted a small black puppy descending the upper levels, making Kang Tae-ho’s eyes widen. There was no way he could have brought a puppy back in that short amount of time…

“Hahaha. This little guy!”

While its size and appearance had completely changed, if one looked closely, remnants of its original form were still faintly visible. With a Fairy present here, the question of where it had gone was irrelevant. Kang Tae-ho laughed heartily, wiping away a tear that had slipped unexpectedly as he looked at the fluffier appearance of Alpha.

“Hehe… Anyway, let’s head out, yeah?”

As he turned his head, quite the opposite happened.

“Ah, ah…”

Before she knew it, Hong Yu-ri had plopped down in shock, fumbling to find her sunglasses with trembling hands.

“…?”

—The moment she locked eyes with the wolf, or rather, the puppy, her pupils dilated, and she fell backward.

“Ah.”

Realizing Hong Yu-ri’s sudden distress, Kang Tae-ho let out a confused exclamation, and from somewhere, they could hear the faint sound of water trickling… and silence fell.

“Kyu?”

In the awkward stillness, only Fairy tilted its head, as if pondering what was going on.

 

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