“I have news,” Jackson told Joonbum as they watched Jinpok and Hectos punching away at each other. The spectators burst into shouts, and Jackson and Joonbum moved away to talk.
“A huge clan was formed between the countries. They are trying to fight against us as a group this time.”
“Hmph.”
Joonbum touched his chin while in thought.
“They will create bonds by arranging marriages between the royal families.”
“I see. So?”
“Huh?”
Jackson became confused, but Joonbum shrugged it off, “So what?”
“Huh? Oh… Uh, we should prepare…”
“For war?”
“Y-yes-, I mean, no. But, we should not let that continue…”
“You’re worried.”
“Of course!”
Jackson grew red and glared at Joonbum. However, Joonbum grinned and answered, “What did our intel say?”
“Our intelligence recommends that we should attempt to dismantle the clan first. We can pressure our neighboring countries to stop the arranged marriages, and if that doesn’t work, we can move our armies as a show of power. We can send our armies for monster-hunting expedition purposes, and that will be enough.”
Jackson turned to the sparring now that all of the soldiers had joined the fight. He then continued, “If nothing works, then we can use our sniper team and assassinate important figureheads.”
Joonbum, however, frowned.
“Let them be. Let them make that clan or whatever.”
“Huh? B-but!”
Jackson tried to argue, but he stopped because of Joonbum’s cold glare.
“We can’t do it like the Horuns used to, right? Or do you want to become like the Horun Empire?”
Jackson realized what he had said. He loathed the Horun Empire for their wrongdoings as well as their insolence. And yet now, Jackson was trying to do the same thing.
“Let them be. Where I come from there’s a saying that says, ‘Rats bite when they are cornered.’ Injured animals fight back harder. I know what you’re worried about, but let them be for now. We’ll find other ways to retaliate.”
“What other ways are you talking about?”
“We have the culture and economy in our hands. We’ll handle them with that. It will take some time, but no blood will be shed.”
Jackson couldn’t answer but he looked at Joonbum with respect.
“Oh, they’re back.”
Joonbum stood up as two men with bruises all over their faces approached.
“What did you say back there? Huh?”
“Hey, I was just joking.”
Jinpok and Hectos walked up as they joked with each other and Joonbum smiled.
“What are you laughing at!?”
“Haha.”
Jinpok shouted at Joonbum, but Joonbum just laughed harder.
“We should go.”
“Where?”
Horses had been prepared, with Doral already mounted on one. After glancing at Doral, Jinpok became confused. However, Jackson spoke up instead.
“You should go on a monster-hunting trip.”
Jinpok became dumbfounded.
“What? Now? Me?”
“Yes.”
“What is this? Is this real? Am I a commander? Or a regular soldier?”
“I know, right?! What kind of commander gets ordered around like this?!”
Jinpok and Hectos complained.
“Don’t worry, your emperor is going too. Haha!”
Joonbum answered with a laugh.
“Ugh, okay. But stop laughing like that, will ya?”
Jinpok spoke as he hopped on the horse, and Hectos followed.
Then they moved out. Jackson watched the four of them ride off and mumbled, “Have a nice trip.”
They were going to a destination two days away on horseback. It was a place where a natural spring had been discovered. Monster-hunting was nothing for these four men; their true goal was to seek out the spring and get some rest.
*
Joonbum sensed many forms of life pulsating from the forest. He then smelled the distinct tinge of blood from the front and raised his hand. Jinpok and Hectos stopped. They raised their weapons at the signal, and Doral readied his bow from the high branches of a tree.
‘There you are.’
Joonbum turned toward the monster. It had the face of a tiger and the tail of a horse; the body was about twelve feet long with very thick fur and dark stripes. It was a monster called a Kaymon.
In a split second, Doral fired his arrow at the monster as it began running. Joonbum, Jinpok, and Hectos charged towards it as the monster ran.
“It hunted a Giant Bear!”
The monster had been feasting on a bear that was larger than itself. The bear’s intestines were already gone.
“Careful!”
Doral shouted a warning as the monster turned around and attacked.
“Bastard!”
Jinpok swung his axe and Hectos swung his two-handed sword into the Kaymon’s front shoulders.