Tiger Hunt — Part 2
The worst stench in the world—that’s what it is!
“I’m gonna die. I swear, this is killing me.”
Is this what it would smell like if you snorted human excrement?
I could still feel that rotten stink lingering in my nose and lungs.
I started the car and fled.
I opened every window, even the sunroof, and drove a full five kilometers before the stench finally started to fade.
I stepped out of the car and took a deep breath.
“If I ever open one of those cans again, I’m the son of a dog. Ugh.”
I shuddered from head to toe.
Surströmming? Just wait and see.
I’m not coming within ten—no, a hundred—meters of that cursed can ever again!
What was an F-rank condition in the game, completed with a single tap, became SSS-rank in reality.
After wandering around for a while, breathing in the fresh air and watching the magical creatures frolic, I finally calmed down.
Time to get started?
My permit only allows me to stay for a week. If I want to catch a Horned Tiger in that time, I need to hurry.
‘Let’s see…’
I took a neatly wrapped box out of the golf bag.
Inside the box was a piece of animal hide.
Untreated, looking almost freshly skinned, with dried blood still clinging to it—it emitted a powerful smell.
The combined odor of carnivore musk and blood assaulted my nose.
It was disgusting, but compared to that surströmming assault on my senses, this was nothing.
Sniff sniff.
Using Deep Breath and Keen Nose, I inhaled deeply, letting the scent embed itself in my memory.
After several sniffs, I climbed onto the car roof and scanned the surroundings.
I focused my mind, looking for any blue glints of magic, but… nothing seemed to stand out.
‘Horned Tigers live around the mountains, right?’
Ori Mountain.
In both the original world and this one, it’s North Korean territory.
Horned Tigers usually make their habitat on Ori Mountain. But when they’re having trouble finding prey, they sometimes come down to the Cheorwon plains. They especially like to stop by the Hantan River for a drink.
Vroom!
I drove toward the Hantan River.
Concentrating hard, I sniffed, letting my sense of smell flood my brain with information.
The fresh scent of the river.
The pheromones of insects dancing in the summer air.
Bird droppings.
The faint scent of a roe deer that had recently been hiding in the bushes.
And then…
A familiar musk mixed with a faint hint of blood.
“Found it!”
It was nearby.
Without bothering to get back into the car, I dashed forward.
A bit away from the riverbank, under a sprawling tree with dense branches.
There were bloodstains pooled in the dirt and scattered animal bones.
Looks like a Horned Tiger had been feeding here.
‘Where did it go?’
Equipping Deep Breath, I inhaled deeply, letting the scent of the Horned Tiger fill my nose.
With Detection, Insight, and even Track activated, I focused on the footprints near the bloodstains.
At first, it was hard to get a clear reading.
But after a while, by zeroing in on the Horned Tiger’s paw prints, Track finally kicked in, and a clear arrow appeared.
Got it!
“You’re as good as dead.”
I climbed back into the car.
Then I pulled out the equipment I’d need for the hunt.
An anti-materiel sniper rifle.
A high-caliber automatic shotgun.
A set of earth-elemental magic traps.
And a box of specially modified bullets.
Clearly overkill.
But that’s exactly what’s necessary.
Horned Tigers are at least Level 3 creatures.
They can easily withstand regular rifle rounds.
Most of the time, an anti-materiel rifle is enough, but older specimens are known to charge through even that, so I have to be prepared.
After tapping the holy sword and magic revolver at my belt for good luck, I grabbed the steering wheel.
Vroom!
I took off immediately.
Nothing could stop me.
The arrow pointed south, away from Ori Mountain.
The terrain was perfect for a Horned Tiger to hide, with tall grass providing ample cover.
Keeping my eyes on the arrow, I drove forward, watching the road ahead with Insight and Detection.
“Hm?”
Then I saw it.
Up ahead.
A few SUVs were parked among a cluster of trees.
Coincidentally, the arrow pointed right toward the center of those SUVs.
Could it have already been caught?
As I drew closer, I saw hunters standing up with guns at the ready.
“Hello.”
“Hello there.”
I parked my car and showed them my empty hands to indicate I wasn’t a threat, and the hunters lowered their guard.
“Is something going on here?”
“Hm.”
The hunters exchanged glances.
They must have decided it wasn’t worth hiding, because one of them answered frankly.
“We were attacked.”
“Attacked? By who?”
“Who else? The Mountain King.”
Mountain King?
Who’s that?
As I searched my mental character cards, a thought struck me.
It wasn’t a person.
It was a magical creature.
The most infamous Horned Tiger on the Cheorwon plains.
Known for its advanced age and cunning, as well as its peak physical condition.
Not quite Level 4, but it’s a monster known to have reached the extreme limit of Level 3.
“You’re saying the Mountain King came down here? Doesn’t it usually stay closer to the DMZ?”
“Some idiot must’ve messed with it. Our youngest saw it—there was a wound on its side.”
“Moron. If they’re going to kill it, at least finish the job.”
“We almost got killed for nothing.”
Sure enough, one of the SUVs had taken heavy damage.
The rear door on the driver’s side had been ripped nearly in half.
They were lucky.
If the Mountain King had torn up the wheels instead of the door, the SUV would’ve flipped, and the hunters wouldn’t have survived.
“You’re all superhumans, and you couldn’t take down the Mountain King?”
“Ha!”
One of the hunters scoffed at my question.
“First time hunting magical creatures? Just because we’re superhumans doesn’t mean we’re invincible. Sure, we’re superhuman, but the Mountain King’s a magical beast. And one that could evolve to Level 4 any day now. If you fight it one-on-one, a human will lose. And trying to fight it while stuck in a vehicle? We’re lucky to be alive. If our driver hadn’t been driving like a madman, three of us would’ve been dead.”
“We’re heading back. Hunting while the Mountain King’s on a rampage is suicide.”
“It’s bad enough losing our game to some poachers, but now the Mountain King’s gone berserk too… Forget it. Let’s go get drunk back in Cheorwon City.”
“Sounds good! Booze time!”
“Newbie hunter, you should call it quits and head back too. Looks like you came alone, but if you run into the Mountain King by yourself, you’ll be dinner. Even if you’re lucky enough to bag something and avoid the Mountain King, poachers might take it from you.”
“Thanks for the advice.”
The Mountain King and poachers, huh…
Doesn’t matter to me.
Actually, this works in my favor.
Instead of an ordinary Horned Tiger, I’ll be going after the Mountain King’s heart.
‘This won’t be easy.’
The Mountain King, as a magical beast, has all six trait slots filled.
[Valor], [Leap], [Smash]
[Danger Sense], [Stealth], [Roar]
The first reason it’s so hard to take down the Mountain King?
Danger Sense.
What’s the point of aiming an anti-materiel rifle at its head?
No matter how perfect the timing, it’ll dodge, and at best, I’ll hit its torso.
It’s on a rampage now because someone tried to take it down, only to half-ass the job and leave it wounded.
‘There’s only one way to do this.’
Same as in the game.
Setting a trap and luring it in is the best approach.
But I’ll need bait.
And ordinary bait won’t work.
Whether it’s a carcass or a live animal, the Mountain King will sense the trap immediately and turn the tables on the hunter.
Which means I’ll have to be the bait myself.
Bang!
First, I shot one of the many deers roaming the plains.
After loading the carcass into the car, I continued following the arrow.
At some point, the tracks I was following veered east.
They led toward a valley along the Hantan River.
‘This looks like a good spot.’
The forest had grown dense around here.
It was getting difficult to drive any further.
This area was pure wilderness, with no paved roads.
I shouldered the deer carcass, grabbed the golf bag, and stepped out of the car.
Finding a suitable spot deeper in the forest, I set the carcass down and raised a rock over it.
Thud!
The gunshot wound around its neck.
It’s been dead for a while, but the blood hasn’t fully clotted.
The thick scent of blood wafted strongly into the air.
I set up about a hundred meters away.
Up in a tree.
Concealed behind branches, I had a clear view of the deer carcass I’d laid out as bait.
‘It’ll find me anyway.’
But I’ll do my best to stay hidden.
I laid down a dense array of magical traps around my position in the tree.
On a nearby branch, I set up an automatic shotgun, ready to fire.
I needed at least this much preparation to fool the Mountain King.
If it sensed anything off, it would bolt immediately.
[Mana Core], [Stealth], [Disengage]
[Keen Ears], [Sensitivity], [Insight]
I deliberately equipped Mana Core.
Though I was cloaked in Stealth, a sensitive beast like the Mountain King would still pick up on my mana scent.
To a Superhuman, a magical beast is a valuable resource.
Likewise, to a magical beast, a Superhuman is a great source of mana.
And it has a wound on its side, doesn’t it?
When it catches a whiff of a Level 3 Superhuman like me, it won’t be able to resist.
‘Come on.’
I brought my eye to the telescopic sight.
Keeping a close watch on the deer carcass.
But that was just for show.
At the same time, I was channeling mana into my Danger Sense ring and sharpening my focus on my hearing.
The faint rustle of the wind.
The cicadas chirping, buzz buzz buzz.
The soft brushing of grass blades against each other.
I barely breathed, waiting for a single sound.
Tsk.
This one sound.
The sound that always preceded the Mountain King’s arrival in the game.
Soft, almost imperceptible, but after hearing it dozens of times, there was no way I could miss it.
‘It’s here.’
At the same moment, Danger Sense triggered.
I swallowed instinctively.
My heart raced, and my palms grew damp with sweat.
But I didn’t react outwardly.
I remained perfectly still, only peering through the scope.
Yet all of my attention was on the space behind me, on the branches just beyond my back.
Rustle… rustle…
The faint sounds of a magical beast moving through the trees.
Reality overlapping with memory.
I began counting silently in my head.
‘One, two, three… now!’
Game knowledge and Danger Sense aligned perfectly.
Just as I’d trained.
Just as I’d been warned.
I activated Disengage at precisely the right moment.
“Graaaaah!”
A thunderous roar erupted.
The soundwaves tore through the air, vibrating so fiercely it felt like they were shredding everything in their path.
But thanks to Disengage, I was already moving almost automatically.
Flipping and twisting mid-air, I evaded the attack.
The Mountain King saw me.
A creature larger than an SUV, it glared at me with deadly intent, murderous energy radiating from its form.
I looked right back at it.
Instinctively, almost by reflex, I brought my sniper rifle to bear, aligning my sights on the Mountain King.
[Shoot], [Aim], [Focus]
[Resolve], [Gunplay], [Rapid Reload]
The world slowed to a crawl.
Its gaping maw.
The uvula quivering in its throat, swinging like a pendulum.
Watching it intently, I pulled the trigger.
Bang!
The gun roared with a flash.
The bullet tore through the air toward its target.
The Mountain King leaped, kicking off one tree and bounding to another.
As expected of the Mountain King.
But my attack didn’t end there.
I pulled back the bolt.
With a satisfying ping, the brass shell casing ejected, gleaming as it flew out.
The sharp scent of gunpowder hit my nose.
Then I pushed the bolt forward, chambering the next round.
And fired again.
Bang!
All of this happened in a single breath.
A beautiful combination of Gunplay and Rapid Reload.
The Mountain King jerked its head to the side.
The modified bullet, mixed with a mana-sealing catalyst, lodged squarely in its shoulder.
“Graaaaah!”
It howled in fury, but I wasn’t done.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
I emptied the five-round magazine.
The Mountain King took three hits, blood now oozing from its wounds.
But it wasn’t enough.
It hadn’t taken any fatal injuries.
The Mountain King was still very much alive, its whiskers trembling with rage.
“Graaaah!”
Time snapped back to normal.
The Mountain King roared, leapt toward me, and swung its paw in a violent arc.
Its front paw gleamed as it slashed down toward my head.
Smash!
A basic attack skill, but when combined with Valor, it was deadly.
[Mountain Breaking Sword Art], [One Point], [Resolve]
[Einherjar Cultivation Technique], [Mana Core], [Evasion]
I steeled myself, swallowing the roar with Resolve.
Then I dodged.
Sliding to the side, slipping past its reach.
Into the Mountain King’s chest.
It had left its chest slightly exposed in its leap.
I thrust forward.
A perfect execution of the Mountain Breaking Sword Art’s Piercing the Mountain technique.
“Grah!”
The Mountain King swiped, trying to crush my head.
But it leapt back as my holy sword aimed for its heart.
In the end, I only managed to stab its belly, not its heart.
And I didn’t escape unscathed, either.
The Mountain King twisted in mid-air and struck my shoulder with its paw.
“Urgh!”
If it had hit me directly, my shoulder would’ve been pulverized.
But I managed to block it just in time with my shield.
[Einherjar Cultivation Technique], [Mana Shield], [Defense]
[Iron Skin], [Endurance], [Toughness]
Even with all that, I still got pushed back.
I skidded across the ground, leaving deep furrows as my feet scraped the earth.
The distance between us widened.
I narrowed my eyes and drew my magic revolver.
In my left hand, unburdened by any mana rings, I poured all my remaining mana into the gun and pulled the trigger.
“Take this!”
No time for a trait swap or anything fancy.
At a range of barely five meters.
A black beam shot toward the Mountain King, who had just landed.
“Graaaargh!”
A pained scream.
How does that taste, black flame?
My mana drained like a receding tide, but the effect was significant.
The Mountain King thrashed in agony, going into a frenzy.
Crash! Smash! Crack!
It rammed into trees violently.
A massive tree snapped in half.
Then it slammed its head against a boulder.
The explosion of sound was followed by a cloud of dust rising like volcanic ash.
I watched the Mountain King’s berserk display with calm detachment, then retrieved my fallen sniper rifle.
Clack.
The metallic sound of a fresh magazine locking into place.
The berserk Mountain King stopped dead.
Slowly, it turned its head to look at me.
Its blood-soaked face, its eyes filled with anger and hatred, glared at me intensely.
But that was all it could do.
It couldn’t move.
It stood tall, exuding the dignity of a king, but that was its limit.
Both the Mountain King and I knew.
This time, it couldn’t dodge the attack.
The three bullets lodged in its body, the black flame searing its nerves from within.
The King of the Cheorwon plains.
The beast that turned the tables on Superhuman hunters.
A legendary monster that had roamed these lands for over a century.
A single mistake proved fatal.
Choosing me as its prey had sealed its fate, leaving it awaiting death.
It must have been in agony.
Each second must have been unbearable.
It must have been filled with fear and dread.
And yet, the Mountain King maintained its regal composure to the end.
It was time to release it.
I pulled the final trigger.
Bang!
And so, the Mountain King.
The ruler of the Cheorwon plains.
Died standing tall.
–TL Notes–
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