Chapter 146: The Chaser  

[Flashback]

“Jaehwang! Wake up!” Someone shouted until Jaehwang finally woke up. “It’s 1 PM!”

“Yesterday’s raid ended at 4AM!” Jaehwang quickly got up out of bed.

“Let’s hurry up and eat!”

“We don’t have time!”

“Your father said that I should make sure that you would have your meals!”

“Fine!” Joonghwi said in agreement before he heard a shout.

“Do you know what you’re going to wear?!” She shouted.

“Uhh, how about these?”

“It doesn’t matter what it is, as long as its something. Hurry up and eat. Your father is coming.”

“Alright.” Jaehwang then left the room to wash up.

He looked around the room he was in and it felt very familiar. The bed was on the right and next to it was a shelf with a laptop on top of it. He saw a hanger next to the desk with his clan uniform and on the floor beneath it lies pair of socks.

On the opposite side of the room, there was a few weapons and hunter equipment hanging on the wall. Jaehwang stretched and then picked up something to wear before he decided to go out.

“I’m going to wash up quickly and then eat.”

“Okay.” Jaehwang then went into the bathroom and began washing up. A few minutes later, the door opened and a tall muscular guy walked in. He walked up to Jaehwang and just punched him in the face.

“Ahhhh! I’m being assassinated!”

“This is not an assassination!”

“When you become a hunter, you’re going to have to train more diligently! You don’t want to end up like your ancestors, right?”

Not a single word left Jaehwang’s mouth.

“Hunters have to be good at a fist fight so they could hunt monsters and level up faster. That’s what training teaches you. Training...”

“You’re always talking about training... Dad!” Jaehwang shouted.

“What!”

“I need a raise on my allowance,” Jaehwang demanded and his father then replied,

“Wow, you’re so shameless.”

“I learn everything from you...”

“Of course,” his dad said proudly.

“Fine, I’ll give you a ten percent raise.”

“Deal.” Jaehwang then smiled as his dad left the room.

***

“Wow, this Soybean Paste Stew is delicious.” Jaehwang said. Their entire family were all sitting at the table eating breakfast.

“Don’t you eat delicious food like this every day?”

“But isn’t this good?”

“It is pretty good...”

“Can we talk for a moment?” Jaehwang’s mom turned her head towards him.

“About what?” Jaehwang replied.

“How are things between you and Sooji these days?”

“Why?”

“I was just wondering. You’re getting older but you and Sooji are still so young...”

Jaehwang’s mom then carefully asked, “Is she on birth control?”

“...”

“Yeah...”

“Good. ever since you and Sooji started dating in middle school, I’ve been a little worried.”

Jaehwang then finished up eating and left the table.

Now that everyone was done, Jaehwang talked with a friend on the phone while his parents prepared to go out. His mother was washing the dishes so he went to her side to ask her a question.

“Where are you two going?”

“Your grandparents house,” his mother replied.

“Don’t ask if you can go out to meet Dongchul, you have to stay home. We have a family meeting to go to tonight.”

“Okay.” Jaehwang hated it every time he heard that they were having a family meeting.

“Remember what I said. We’ll be back soon.”

“Bye.”

“Alright, bye.”

They said their goodbyes and his parents then finally left. A few minutes later he picked up the phone and made a call.

—Hello?

—....

—Hello?

—Are you okay?

The voice was strange but it sounded a little familiar. It’s just been so long since he heard it.

—I’m fine.

—When will you be here?

—Uhhmm

She asked and Jaehwang then took a deep breath.

—I’ll see you soon.

—What an awful spell...

The spirit said and Jaehwang shook his head. It was a terrible and cruel spell. He’s actually been thinking about it since he woke up this morning. It didn’t just look dangerous, he couldn’t even move.

Maybe if he didn’t wake up from that dream, his parents’ accident would have never happened.

—Do you know anything about it?

—Yes. It’s a very old spell.

—I see

Just as he expected. Jaehwang knew that the Daehyeon clan and the Japanese clan had something to do with it. The most important thing was that the spell didn’t affect him for so long.

—Its effects will be stuck inside of you. It’ll make your body into a puppet so they could control everything that you would do.

The spirit said.

Finally, his ancestors were aware of his existence. If the media was to know, then the entire situation would be broadcasted everywhere.

Joonghwi’s condition was doing a little better than the previous day and he looked more calm and relaxed.

—You seem to be more motivated than before.

Jaehwang could feel that his ancestors were watching over him. He needed to get some information so that he could find the leader of the Japanese clan. Although it was going to be quite difficult, he was sure that he could do it.

First, he had to escape the media so he could completely focus on finding them all in person. He was ready to end his ancestor terrible fate.

—How long are you going to be here?

—Just 10 minutes.

—Well, that’s pretty quick.

—I have to move fast. I need to look around here and see if there were any notes here that could help us out.

—Alright.

A few minutes later, Jaehwang then realized something.

—What kind of greeting was that? Were they outside?

—Looks like you try going out there yourself.

—I guess I could try.

Jaehwang said. He then gathered all the energy inside of him.

Whooosh! Pang!

The window was then shattered to pieces. Shortly after that, a dark shadow covered Jaehwang and suddenly, he found himself in the bed where he was tucked in.

He was covered by the darkness but his keen eyes were able to see just enough.

***

Caroline was standing there with a bright smile on her face.

“Oh my goodness, it’s broken. What happened?”

“....”

“Hmm. When did this happen...”

Swoosh! Pang!

Kwang!!!

An arrow flew from Jaehwang’s direction and went into Caroline’s heart. The arrow went through her, ripping her flesh until it crashed into the nearby wall. Caroline then looked at where the arrow stabbed her and just shrugged her shoulders. “I guess this isn’t a good time. I’ll see you later...”

“This is just a joke, right?”

“Correct. However, if you believe in it hard enough, it could become reality.” Caroline didn’t even drop her smile.

Joonghwi then slowly got up and out of bed. “Huh...”

An arrow was stabbed into his arm but he didn’t seem to feel any pain or notice it at all. Joonghwi looked around the room and eyes stopped in Jaehwang’s direction.

Kwang! Jiiijjiiik!

Joonghwi then rushed towards the side of Jaehwang’s bed, aiming to punch him in the face.

Pong!

However, an arrow was faster than his fist.

Swoosh! Pong!

Joonghwi then found himself hanging on the wall with an arrow buried deep inside his head. He just hung there silently without any signs of pain.

“That was so ruthless, aren’t you two close friends”

“I won’t answer that.”

“I see. Is this what you actually think of him? I’m suddenly very interested to know more about you.”

“There’s something I want to ask you,” Jaehwang said to Caroline.

“What is it?”

Jaehwang’s body began to slowly sink into the darkness. “Now you can’t escape as well... Are you going to regret this?”

Caroline then also began to disappear.

“I don’t care even if I escape. I will still continue to struggle.”

The Chaser, The end.