“Hmm. Where should I cut?”

Right now, I'm having a vicarious experience.

Like a pig hanging upside down at a butcher shop?

Yeah, something like that.

Kiril had me stand still while she was circling around me, scanning every inch of my body.

Holding a big black knife (!) in her hand.

She muttered things like, ‘Should I stab here? Or should I just slash over there?’ with a genuinely troubled look on her face.

In the end, I couldn’t hold back and opened my mouth.

“You said earlier that I’m not going to die.”

“Yeah. Why?”

“I was thinking that maybe you just left out a modifier. I don’t know something like, ‘not yet’, or something.”

“What? Ahahaha!”

She clutched her stomach with one arm, like it was the funniest thing ever.

What the…

She was spinning around me while holding a knife, what am I supposed to think of if not that?

After laughing with her hand clutching her stomach, Kiril lightly tapped my shoulder with the hand holding the knife.

“If I wanted you dead, I wouldn’t have saved you from that nasty black toad, would I? By now, you should really trust me a little… not too much though that would be too much”

“Of course I trust you enough. And you know what would make me trust you even more? Putting that god awful looking thing away.”

“Hehe. Don’t worry. I just decided.”

“Huh?”

With a sly smile, Kiril stepped behind me.

Stab.

“Urgh…!!”

Under both legs.

A searing pain shot through my Achilles tendons.

My legs gave out, and I collapsed to my knees with a thud.

I should’ve known the moment she started eyeing me up with that knife in her hand.

I could feel blood slowly trickling down my heels to the floor below me.

What did she say?

Trust her, she said?

“How is it? Feels intense, right?”

“Thanks to you. Didn’t think the thing you’d take from me in return would be my Achilles tendons.”

“Hehe. No need to make that face. Because.…”

Slash.

I could only look at her with wide eyes.

Because with the very knife that she had used to stab me, she suddenly stabbed her own thigh.

“Ah, that stings. I should get new clothes… remind me too, little one.”

“What the hell…..”

Without offering any special response, Kiril gathered the flowing blood in her palm.

Shhrr…

“?!”

Then, something magical happened.

The color of the blood on her palm began to change gradually.

They say blood changes color as it coagulates, but this was on a whole different level.

As if it were a living organism, the darkened blood, now black, began to seep toward my feet.

“Ugh……!”

“Hold tight.”

As the organism (?) crawled toward the wound, I flinched instinctively, but since my leg was already injured, I couldn’t move my body.

Shhrr...

I could feel a definite energy around my heel.

It felt similar to when I had been treated earlier.

The only difference was that the energy I received this time from her didn’t fade away, it stayed at the tips of my toes.

“How is it? Are you feeling nauseous or anything?”

“No. The pain’s just gradually disappearing, that's all…”

“Phew~”

At that, Kiril whistled, as if impressed.

“I thought you’d be foaming at the mouth for at least an hour, but as expected, you’re a natural Poisoner. Although you are My student I wouldn't expect any less.”

“...So you did this knowing I’d suffer?”

“Haha. Puppy. There’s no such thing as a free lunch in the world. You don’t even realize how incredible what you’ve just received is or from who you got it from.”

“Since we’re on the topic, let me ask. Did you just inject your blood into me?”

"Yeah. To be more precise, it is called Black Aether."

Black Aether.

I think I had heard that term somewhere before.

Right.

It was what she had said to me before hunting the large monster.

She said something like I shouldn't use Black Aether like that.

“I think you’ve already finished awakening since you summoned the Red Poison Death... did you happen to faint at any point today?”

“Hmm... I briefly lost consciousness when the Gate opened.”

“Huh. Lucky you. To have been knocked out during that moment and still survive. No, wait. Maybe it’s because you’re a Poisoner that you were able to survive.”

She slowly nodded her head, mumbling to herself.

“The awakening of a Poisoner is different from the usual cases. Most end up dying because they can’t heal the poisons exploding inside their bodies. The reason you’ve been feeling unwell recently is because of that. Other Hunter types have about a 1% mortality rate during awakening, but for Poisoners, about one-third of them survive and live to see another day.”

“Then what about me…..”

“It means your self-healing ability is that strong. I told you earlier, right? Opposites attract. You might not realize it, but you’ve already been using healing abilities. Without even knowing it yourself.”

Kiril's smile turned a bit bitter.

“Before a Poisoner awakens, the poisonous energy overflows in their body. Eventually, they can’t contain it inside their body and it spills out. That’s why, before a Poisoner awakens, their family members often die or fall into a severe state of poisoning.”

My face stiffened.

“Then, because of me, you’re saying my sister…..”

Kiril shook her head firmly.

“No. Chun Songhwa is suffering because of the toad. If it were because of you, she’d have been dead already. Do you know how dangerous the poison you have is? Even A-rank knight-type hunters would be reduced to a corpse with just one dose of your poison.”

Knight-type hunters are those who engage in close combat with monsters using their strong bodies.

Especially once they reach B-rank or higher, they are praised as 'indestructible' because normal weapons can't even leave a scratch on them.

To think that I have something inside me capable of taking out such people with a single strike.

A ticking time bomb like that was inside my body?

“Since the power is so overwhelming, even your healing ability must have its limits. You couldn’t completely neutralize it, and since you didn’t expel it externally, the side effects started showing up.”

From head to toe.

Kiril's gaze scanned my body.

The horrific spots that had appeared all over me.

Kiril pointed to those spots.

I thought it was some kind of complicated skin disease, but to think it was a side effect from being unable to expel the poison.

“Hehe. Now you get it? The reason I said you’re surprisingly kind is because of that. You need to get rid of the poison somehow, but your subconscious decided to keep it into your body like a dead lion. You instinctively knew it would be dangerous to others.”

I never considered myself a kind person.

So it was hard to accept that idea.

“I thought about what would be the most urgent, and in the end, I figured it’d be best to stab your foot.”

“My foot….”

“Right now, what you need most is mobility. You need fast and quick legs so you can make a run for it at any moment.”

The ability Kiril mentioned.

There was no need to ask what it was.

“Poison Step...”

“That's right. From now on, I’ll teach you Poison Step.”

She said that and then performed the Poison Step a couple of times.

Thud!

The sight of Kiril using Poison Steps was amazing no matter how many times I saw it.

The speed was so incredible, it made her seem almost inhuman.

Could someone like me, who was sick just yesterday, really use it?

Thump, thump.

Thinking that I was about to learn something extraordinary made my heart race.

I hadn’t thought so, but maybe I do have the potential of being a hunter after all.

“Try to naturally unleash the sensation swirling beneath your feet. Over there.”

Kiril pointed to the roof of a factory on the opposite side of the open area.

To jump all the way over there with a single leap.

Suddenly, I could really feel how unreal this ability was.

‘But….’

Normally, I would have thought that was crazy, but for some reason, right now, I felt like I could actually do it.

It was because of her Black Aether, gently teasing beneath my feet.

“Hurry up.”

I gave a slight nod and then quickly licked my lips with my tongue.

It wasn’t a rational action.

But I had already seen it through Kiril.

So I knew it wasn’t impossible.

More than anything, the special energy I felt beneath my feet.

Kiril’s Black Aether was practically screaming at me to make use of it.

‘I’ve nearly died countless times in a day. What’s the big deal about this?’

With that thought, I unleashed the swirling energy beneath my feet.

Boom!

“Eeek!!”

I couldn’t help but let out a scream without realizing.

I leaped so fast and so far that I almost lost my balance in mid-air.

Whoosh!

I barely managed to plant my feet at the landing spot.

My body swayed wildly in a clumsy manner, but I didn’t fall.

Despite it being my first attempt, I successfully executed the technique on the first try.

"This is unbelievable....."

Looking at the spot where I just landed, a bitter laugh escaped me.

It seemed like it was at least 10m away.

With this kind of speed and agility, even an average Knight wouldn’t be able to touch me.

"Well done."

On the other side of the factory, Kiril crossed her arms and grinned, showing her teeth. A smile that made her look like some kind of villain.

* * *

She gave me a few tips, then turned her head to gaze toward the Gate.

“Puppy. It’s time to say goodbye.”

“Huh?”

Just as she was in the middle of explaining, the goodbye came suddenly.

Our first meeting had been abrupt, but the farewell came even more unexpectedly.

“It seems like someone’s been tailing me from a moment ago. Honestly, it’s been a while since I’ve been out like this.”

“Are you being chased?”

“Yeah. Something like that.”

For a fugitive, she had an unusually bright expression.

Just as I was thinking that, she suddenly wrapped one arm around my neck.

"I won't be able to see you for a while, so I should give you a proper parting gift, right?"

“What are you….”

In the blink of an eye, Kiril's face was inches away from mine.

What is she trying to do?

My face flushed red.

Has she only been running away in some open-minded country?

Looking up close, her striking features were even more vividly exposed.

Her slightly tanned, alluring skin.

Her lips, even redder than blood.

A beautifully sculpted nose.

Her eyes, swirling in a mesmerizing pattern.

Wait what?

“?”

Eyes swirling in a mesmerizing pattern.

Is this also a characteristic of being a Poisoner?

Swish.

No.

What I had thought were her pupils, those transparent cornea-like things, detached from her eyes and attached themselves to my right eye.

I blinked instinctively, but there was no particular pain.

“Haa.... I don’t know how many times I’ve been surprised today.”

“Hehe. Isn’t it amazing?”

“I don’t know what it is, but since it’s attached, could you remove your arm?”

“Why? Doesn’t the atmosphere feel nice?”

Kiril smiled seductively, tightening her grip around my neck.

She might have exceptional beauty, but I wasn’t having any of this playful teasing.

“Your breath stinks.”

“Ugh...!”

Of course, it was a lie, but the effect was amazing.

Despite giving me a look that said there's no way, Kiril released her grip and stepped back a bit. Discreetly trying to smell her breath.

Blink.

It was fascinating.

It was something that had just been attached to my eye, but it didn’t feel strange at all.

It was so surprising that I couldn’t believe something had just been attached to my eye just moments ago.

But that wasn’t the only strange thing.

Suddenly, words appeared in the upper right corner of my vision.

[New User Recognition - Compatibility Test]

[Verifying Poisner Type Biometric Response]

[Synchronizing with the User's body]

"Wow……"

I couldn't help but let out another exclamation.

To think such capabilities were packed into that single small lens.

I had heard that advanced technology rapidly developed after the appearance of monsters, but this was truly close to a cultural shock.

“How about it? Such a killer, right? This is a high-performance device that even those so-called Glory Guild guys have never touched. It’s the greatest masterpiece created by Dr. Jin.”

“Who is Dr. Jin?”

“Find him yourself. You’ll have to meet him soon anyway.”

“It’s tempting, but it’s difficult right now.”

The device was literally mind-blowing.

The curiosity about the person who made something like this was definitely growing.

But for now, I had to stay by my sister’s side.

“There’s no one else but me to take care of her.”

“Right, that’s why I’m saying this.”

“Huh?”

“Chun Songhwa’s injury is almost healed. However, the poison in her body can’t be dealt with right away. In order to cure a monster's poison, the person in question must be mentally and physically stable. You need to get the antidote from Dr. Jin.”

I still hadn’t learned how to heal.

Kiril was a fugitive, so she had to leave soon.

Going to meet Dr. Jin wasn’t a choice, it was a necessity.

That’s what Kiril meant.

"Most of the information will be enough just by you recalling it in your head. The device will automatically display the text for you. Do you know? What kind of crazy, mind-blowing equipment it might give you."

Shhrrr.

Once again, Kiril's unique energy swirled around her.

Every time she used the poison skill, I felt this way.

She was really about to leave.

I instinctively knew she would be gone soon.

“This is the first time in my life that I’ve only received help like this.”

“Is that so?”

"So... I don’t know how to express my gratitude."

"Haha. Then come and find me. I’ll be waiting until then."

While my voice was trembling, Kiril remained as cool and composed as ever.

Though it had been a short time, she had helped me a lot.

My nose tingled, but I asked as calmly as I could.

“Will we ever… see each other again?”

Kiril smiled, showing her teeth.

“Of course. Wouldn’t it be such a downer if you never get to see a beauty like me.”

With those words, Kiril disappeared from my sight.