Book 6: Chapter 12

Book 6: Chapter 12

Kim Hajun panted for breath, doing his best to breathe in through his nose and out through his mouth. Despite his best attempts at regulating his breathing, he couldnt help but gasp from time to time. He took in a deep breath through his nose and straightened his back. With a grunt, he gripped his weapon, an ant mandible, and yanked, pulling the curved blade out of a massive ants head. Behind him, the corpses of two more massive ants were present. Mixed with the yellowish-green fluids coming out of the ants wounds, there were generous splashes of red blood as well. There were two large gashes on Kim Hajuns body: one going down his left shoulder to his elbow, and the other cutting across the back of his right leg.

Kim Hajun gritted his teeth and limped forward, doing his best to ignore the burning sensation in his arm and leg. After creating enough distance from the ant corpses, Kim Hajun removed his vest and collared shirt, wincing as the material widened his wound as the cloth peeled away from his skin. With practiced motions, Kim Hajun made tiny incisions in the shirt before tearing it into strips. He tore apart his vest as well and folded it before pressing it into his wound like a makeshift gauze which he bound with the cloth strips he had made. He used the rest of the vest to bandage the wound on his leg in a similar manner.

Once that was done, Kim Hajun grunted and climbed to his feet. From his prior experience, he knew once the guard ants were eliminated, the queen would immediately sense their deaths and call reinforcements towards her resting area. With that thought in mind, Kim Hajun limped down the tunnel as fast as he could without wasting excess energy. He had to obtain the hidden piece no matter what; it was the only item of value in the tutorial he could trade for Yeols Heart of Fire.

I told you the ants werent running from me.

Kim Hajun flinched and turned his head. A shadow of a persons upper torso moving was projected on the far wall along with an orange glow coming from around the bend in one of the tunnels. Some more words were spoken, but Kim Hajun couldnt hear what they were because of the scuttling sounds that were growing in volume. It was about time for the reinforcements the queen ant had called in to arrive. Kim Hajun dashed forward towards the charred queen ant, ignoring the icy feeling in his leg where he had been cut.

They were running to help something.

Kim Hajun flung aside a piece of the queen ants burnt carapace and unearthed a soft, red glow with a hint of gold in the center. He knelt down and snatched the source of the light, the sudden movement causing blood to seep through the white strips bandaging his arm. Faint footsteps echoed through the area, growing louder with every step. Kim Hajun took in a deep breath and stood up, straightening his back and whirling around to face the approaching people. Right as they were about to come into view, Kim Hajun cleared his throat and stepped forward while extending the glowing object in his hand. Vur, just the person I wanted to see. Ive obtained something worth exchanging for the Heart of Fire.