Like Drawing Water from a Well

Ian and his group parked the car in a suitable spot and were now walking toward the terminal.

If anyone saw them walking without gas masks, they might have been shocked, but thanks to Hao's barking, the surrounding air had been greatly purified.

Now, they only needed to go about one more block to reach the express bus terminal.

The scenery around them looked like ruins.

In a big city like Seoul, empty streets without cars and people felt ominous in and of itself.

Moreover, many buildings here and there were actually destroyed.

The sound of screams would surge like waves and then disappear.

'Have they still not managed to evacuate everyone?'

But enough time had passed that the area around the express terminal should have already been sealed off.

Looking more closely, Ian could see people peeking out from inside their apartments. There were also heads poking up from the rooftops.

It seemed that every time those people spotted something monster-like on the streets below, they would scream.

"It's creepy."

Haeyeon shivered as she spoke.

"It feels so desolate when there are no people on the streets. Doesn't it look like a scene from the end of the world?"

"Yeah. It's also like a scene from a horror movie."

"Oh, don't say stuff like that. You're making it sound like a monster is going to suddenly jump out in front of us."

Maybe walking quietly felt too scary; Haeyeon and Jeongnam started having a light-hearted conversation.

"Don't worry. We'll be fine."

Ian offered reassuring words.

He was also trying to calm his own racing heart. That is, the heart of the young man who was the owner of this body, Ahn Bin.

The remaining ego would occasionally assert itself this strongly.

"That's right. We're okay, because we're with this reliable monster hunter."

Jeongnam turned and grinned.

"And those herbs and mushrooms? They really work wonders! Even without gas masks, there's no smell of pollution at all."

Haeyeon gave a thumbs-up.

Of course, it was thanks to Hao, who barked at the right moments while walking beside them, but the two of them had no way of knowing that.

Ian patted Hao as a reward.

"By the way, Ahn Bin, do you have any more mushrooms? I think we might need to chew some more."

"Yes. There's plenty, so keep some in your pockets."

Ian opened his backpack and handed out generous portions of herbs and mushrooms to both of them.

"We should give some to Hao, too. Here, Hao, eat this. You don't want to catch anything bad for your lungs."

Haeyeon broke off a piece of mushroom and fed it to Hao.

Woof woof!

Hao gobbled up the mushroom Haeyeon gave him and barked again.

"Aww, what a cute guy."

"He's eating well. What a good boy, our Hao."

"And so reliable, too."

Haeyeon and Jeongnam cautiously petted Hao, making sure to avoid his tongue.

While the two were doing that, Ian kept observing the flow of energy in the surroundings.

Woof! Woof!

Whenever Hao barked, the sound waves radiated outward like concentric circles.

To Ian, it almost seemed as if he could actually see it.

Of course, he couldn't physically see it. Rather, as he sensed the flow of energy, that shape would vividly form in his mind's eye.

'Even when barking softly, the effect is pretty big. Prairie energy definitely has a much stronger manifestation here on Earth.'

Praerian energy has a higher energy level than Earth's energy.

'If only I could find a way to draw up the energy of Earth...'

He was determined to find a way.

If he could, then he would be able to use all of his abilities using Earth energy alone.

For the moment, Ian had carried out some Prairie energy charged up inside the portal last night.

He would have to use it sparingly, but he tried drawing out a little, syncing it with the intense Prairie energy Hao was releasing.

The result was something amazing.

Ian's energy and Hao's energy resonated, flowing together as if they were one.

'Huh? So this means...?'

Ian quietly tried drawing Hao's energy toward himself.

Just as he intended, Hao's energy followed along easily.

'... Oh! It works?'

If so, Ian could use all of Hao's energy as if it were his own.

As long as Hao was beside him, there was no need to worry about running out of energy.

'Is this guy becoming my energy pouch?'

Ian quietly pulled Hao's energy in, then sent it back again.

And in that moment, Ian realized something quite important.

There was something even more vital than just borrowing Hao's energy.

'To draw out Earth's energy, I just have to pour in enough Prairie energy to get the process going, right?'

Like priming a well pump; as long as he supplied a set amount of Prairie energy first, he could draw up energy from deep underground.

Pour in just a little to start the flow, and the energy at the bottom would rise up.

And once you get it flowing? Even Earth's energy would fill him right up, sloshing like water.

'I get it now!'

Finally, Ian figured out how to freely use energy on Earth.

Earth has its own great nature, and that naturally gives rise to its energy.

The material was abundant.

Since he was in a human body, there was no problem absorbing Earth's energy, and since he had a Praerian soul, he knew well how to control it.

Even Earth's weak, seemingly useless energy could be wielded freely, just like Prairie energy.

'Whether I borrow Hao's energy or use what I recharged in the portal, as long as I pour in enough energy...'

He just needed to supply only enough energy to draw up the energy of Earth.

He was dying to try it out right away.

But he couldn't just experiment in front of everyone. Still, the thought that he had taken a step forward put him in a good mood.

It was a great realization.

"What are you thinking about so deeply?"

Haeyeon interrupted, breaking Ian's train of thought.

Now that he thought about it, he had been completely absorbed, his legs practically walking automatically. He stopped for a moment.

"Oh, just had some things on my mind."

"Look, we're here. We're at the scene. Can I start filming from now on?"

Haeyeon pointed ahead, then—without even waiting for a reply—lifted up her cell phone.

"Sure. Go ahead."

Ian cast his gaze forward.

The terminal building came into view.

A broad boundary had been set up around the building. It looked like all the people inside had been evacuated and it was sealed off.

In front of the building, there were several people wearing gas masks.

There were soldiers, but also people who looked like civilians, dressed casually.

Among the civilians, a few people didn't wear gas masks.

"They're monster hunters. They call them Hunters. The ones without masks must be awakeners like you, Ahn Bin."

Jeongnam explained, clearing Ian's curiosity.

But Ian tilted his head slightly at the unexpected comment.

'Awakeners like me?'

He had already heard that some people on monster hunts had gained unusual abilities.

But it seemed Jeongnam thought Ian, too, had gotten his powers through monster hunting.

'That's convenient. It'll be easier to make excuses than by saying I'm an alien from another dimension.'

If there were other awakeners, Ian could naturally reveal his abilities as well.

As long as he didn't overdo it.

"Then do you think all of them have healing abilities?"

Since they weren't wearing gas masks.

"Not necessarily. I've heard the abilities are varied. Some have immense strength, some have healing, and—can you believe it?—some can even create fire."

Ian, of course, found that easy to believe.

If you know how to properly handle energy, creating fire is no big deal.

It was a power Ian was very used to himself.

"I see."

"Amazing, right? That's why there are even people who want to conquer the Tower to get powers like that."

This was surprising.

"Conquer the Tower?"

It was astonishing—and worrying.

Were Hunters actually going to try breaking into the portal?

Would they rampage through the Prairie space and mess things up?

Moreover, what if that space inside the Tower somehow connected to the portal behind the house at Mount Jiri?

"It isn't concrete yet, though."

"So the government is planning to go into the Tower?"

"No, the government is playing it safe. They're too busy dealing with the monsters pouring out to worry about the Tower. Instead, they won't stop the Hunters from trying."

"Why not?"

"Well, they can't just leave that unknown space untouched. It needs exploring, and if the Hunters are willing, that's convenient for them."

"Hmm."

Ian's curiosity about these Hunters grew. What was truly driving them to hunt monsters?

It felt like there was something more than just a natural desire to protect their land.

Was it a longing to gain powers?

"Let's get closer, shall we?"

Jeongnam, chewing another mushroom, asked.

"Yeah. Let's go."

Ian started walking, observing the Hunters closely.

* * *

In front of the express terminal, government officials and Hunters were discussing their final plans together.

It had been chaos, with more than ten monsters suddenly appearing at once.

No one knew whether these monsters had been hiding up to now, having spilled out from the Tower beyond the gate.

They had only just managed to evacuate everyone from inside the terminal; the army had used heavy weapons to drive the monsters back inside.

"What are we waiting for? Let's just start the hunt already."

The one leading the operation, Kim Sanghyun, raised his voice.

"Let's do it!"

"Hey, who are we? We're Hunters! Just leave it to us, and we'll handle everything!"

Most of the Hunters followed Kim Sanghyun's lead and backed him up.

Technically, it had already been decided that the Hunters would be in charge of this monster hunt.

The military would focus on perimeter security.

But the method was the problem.

The Disaster Management Bureau officials wanted to use the method shown in the viral videos; that is, Ahn Bin's way.

"To prevent pollution, isn't it best to stick with what's already proven? We're already struggling with the pollution that's spread so far—can't risk any more."

At the words of Jung Ahyeon, head of the Pollution Control Division, Kim Sanghyun frowned.

Jung Ahyeon had been insisting on using the Mount Jiri video method, irritating Kim Sanghyun.

'Why are you so obsessed with some rural guy's trick he just happened to use once?'

It was still early days, before Hunters became widespread nationwide.

Thanks to that, some country bumpkin beat everyone to posting a slime-hunting video and was being hailed as a hero. Kim Sanghyun found it all ridiculous.

How many awakeners were popping up these days, able to handle some squishy monster? Being called the "Mount Jiri hero" was laughable to him.

That fame and prestige should have been his.

Watching the situation, it was clear: hunting monsters either created or improved special powers.

That's what everyone online was saying, too.

So he needed to hunt as many as possible right now, while he could.

'This place is already polluted as much as it can be. What's the big deal? The civilians have already been evacuated.'

Kim Sanghyun thought that a little damage was acceptable for the greater good. Wasn't that how the world worked?

Mostly, he was just desperate to show off his powers.

'How do you know that method even prevents pollution? That country guy just tried it once, that's all.'

Kim Sanghyun had the powers of physical enhancement and electricity manipulation.

He couldn't stomach the thought that his abilities might be outdone by something as trivial as a blanket.

He spoke up again, trying to sway the crowd.

"Worrying about pollution is all well and good, but if we don't hunt those monsters right now, they'll break out again. Why even bother if you're not going to let us hunt? It's not like we're powerless. Why do we need to use some blanket?"

"Right!"

The Hunters again cheered Kim Sanghyun's words.

'Who do you think I am!'

Kim Sanghyun was full of confidence.

He was a man who rarely listened to others—his father being the only exception.

He was the son of the Minister of the Interior and Safety. The Disaster Management Bureau, which dealt with monster hunting, belonged to this ministry.

'And that bureau official dares refuse me?'

That was part of his attitude.

Besides, he was an awakener now. In monster hunting, awakeners—Hunters—were now indispensable.

"What's there to be so scared of with a few monsters? I'll take the lead and kill them all myself!"

Kim Sanghyun raised his voice even louder.

In truth, he had never properly used his abilities in a real fight before.

This was his first time officially going monster hunting after obtaining his powers by chance.

Still, he was confident. He'd practiced plenty, even if not in an actual battle. He believed in himself.

So to the other Hunters, he boasted he'd already taken down several monsters. They believed him without question and followed his lead.

"As expected of Hunter Kim Sanghyun, you're awesome!"

"Let's go in!"

Riding this momentum, the Hunters began pushing forward.

"Wait! Just hold on, please! The anti-pollution items are almost here!"

Jung Ahyeon tried to stop the Hunters, grabbing at their arms.

"We said we're doing it our own way."

"We're starting the hunt, so please step aside."

The Hunters shrugged her off and advanced.

At that moment, a man came running toward them, almost rolling, shouting,

"Wait! I just got here. The hunting blankets are here!"

The man came running, comically draped head-to-toe in bundles of shimmering silver cloth.

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