“Hey! Chae Dong Hwa!”

His gaze was so intense that if they hadn’t called out, he might have kept staring until she woke up.

“…”

Dong Hwa only turned his head to look at those who called his name.

“You caught the Crystal Wyvern!”

He had expected them to ask why he was here, but someone brought up an unexpected topic.

Seok Hyeon had also heard from the guild members later that someone had taken down a monster that drops rare items. The guild members were convinced it was Dong Hwa whom Mo Gyeon had chased.

However, Seok Hyeon had cleared up the misunderstanding by saying that Mo Gyeon had chased a monster, but now Chae Dong Hwa had actually appeared in the Blue Starlight Valley.

The smoldering wick of suspicion was reignited.

“Ha, this guy. Don’t you know any business ethics? Are you messing around because you trust the association?”

During dungeon expeditions, one must not interfere with or disrupt other guilds’ operations. Expedition rights are granted to prevent such interference, and item stealing was particularly egregious.

“You don’t even have Yu Tae Rim to back you up anymore. Think we’ll let you off easy?”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

Unlike the Hwarang guild member who was quite agitated, Dong Hwa spoke in his characteristically calm tone.

“The previous incident was a mistake, and I don’t remember catching anything like a wyvern this time.”

“How can we believe that!”

“If you’re going to be suspicious from the start, do I really need to prove anything to you?”

“You bastard!”

“More importantly, it’d be better if you lowered your voice. Someone’s sleeping.”

Dong Hwa nodded towards the tent where Bom was sleeping.

“That’s right! You shouldn’t fight in this area…”

Teddy, who had been watching from the side, chimed in. The Hwarang guild member also knew how busy Bom had been running around last night and didn’t want to wake her.

“Hah… damn it!”

They grumbled for a moment before turning away abruptly.

“Then who was it? It seems like it was Chae Dong Hwa.”

“It’s not like we caught him in the act this time, so it’s hard to confront him.”

The Hwarang guild members then began speculating among themselves.

“So we just let it go? Is it common for a hunter to wander alone to the center of this dungeon? The culprit can only be Chae Dong Hwa.”

“Let’s drop it for now. It’ll be troublesome to make a big deal without Mo Gyeon here.”

“I think Mo Gyeon would like it though?”

“You think so? Then should we just confront him?”

“What did the campsite do wrong? If there’s a commotion here, how can we face the owner? She treated us so well yesterday.”

“That’s true… Ah, shit. I don’t know.”

The atmosphere was tense, as if a fight could break out at any moment, but Hwarang couldn’t rashly charge in.

Dong Hwa leisurely took off his upper garment and asked Teddy to wash it. It seemed he had been here more than once or twice.

The fact that he sought out Bom’s tent as soon as he arrived at the campsite. The way he gazed intently with a peculiar look. The caution he gave about not waking her up.

None of these actions resembled the Dong Hwa they knew.

But at that time, Seok Hyeon’s attention was drawn elsewhere.

“Then who caught the rare monster?”

Did another group sneak into the dungeon besides us?

In the end, the situation was resolved ambiguously, and the Hwarang guild members, uncomfortable being in the same place as Dong Hwa, left the campsite first.

Mo Gyeon joined them midway. Once again in human form.

“What kind of relationship do they have? Didn’t Chae Dong Hwa seem strange to you too?”

Mo Gyeon had been watching the whole situation from beyond the bushes.

“He was strange. He was expressionless as usual, but somehow he seemed… affectionate?”

“Ugh, Chae Dong Hwa being affectionate. Can’t you choose your words properly?”

“Then what? How did he seem to you?”

Mo Gyeon’s expression suddenly turned serious.

“He looked like he had ulterior motives.”

“So he’s affectionate because he has ulterior motives, right?”

“Is that how it is?”

“I guess so.”

“No! Then what about me!”

“You, what.”

“I…!”

Mo Gyeon tried to say something but swallowed his words with a groan. His expression was so pitiful it was frustrating to watch.

“What are you trying to say? Do you like the owner?”

“Me? L-like Bom?”

“You don’t? And what’s with calling her ‘Bom’? It’s creepy. Do you really think you’re a dog? Are you serving the owner like a master?”

Mo Gyeon struggled even to say Bom’s name.

“No, that’s not it… Or is it? I think it might be.”

His hemming and hawing suggested he couldn’t even properly recognize his own feelings.

“Did you get annoyed seeing Chae Dong Hwa or not?”

“I did! Why did he suddenly appear and act friendly with the owner!”

“That’s what liking someone means! You idiot!”

Where on earth did he misplace his age?

It would be stranger if Mo Gyeon, who’s never been in a relationship, was savvy about these things, but isn’t this almost elementary school level?

No, even elementary school students these days don’t act like this. Spying from behind, groaning and just being jealous.

It’s embarrassing to think that someone might find out that this guy is the guild leader of Hwarang.

“Hah, then what should I do? Actually, I gained a new skill…”

“What? What grade? Is it an attack skill?”

“No, it’s a personal buff skill. S-grade…”

“Wow! S-grade!! Why are you only telling me this now!”

He suddenly informed about a new skill. And a personal buff at that.

Mo Gyeon’s fighting style was powerful but also rough, sometimes causing damage to teammates.

That’s why even supporters found it difficult to provide buffs from the side, but if he gained an S-grade personal buff skill, he wouldn’t need a supporter anymore.

“But the conditions are a bit…”

“What is it?”

It should be good news, but Mo Gyeon didn’t look happy at all.

After pondering for a moment, Mo Gyeon opened his skill window and began writing it down on paper.

‘Why write it on paper when you could just say it? Are the conditions that complicated?’

Seok Hyeon suppressed his impatience and waited for him to finish writing.

“Don’t tell anyone about this.”

“Of course. Your skills are Hwarang’s confidential information in the first place, why would I…”

Seok Hyeon received the paper. As he read while responding, his reading speed gradually slowed.

[Beast’s Imprint (S)

Beasts unconditionally love and protect those who save them in dangerous moments.

Their relationship becomes what the imprinted target desires.

However, the relationship must be friendly. If it enters an unstable period, the skill will not activate, and penalties will be received.

− Relationship: Pet dog and owner (Unstable period)

− Effect: All recovery speeds increased by 500%, all stats increased by 10%

− Condition: The imprinted target must be within 5m to activate

− Penalty: Anxiety, loss of appetite, lethargy, decreased libido, cognitive impairment, sleep disorders, decreased concentration, fatigue]

“…What is this? How can there be such a skill?”

The skill’s effect itself was excellent. It wasn’t just an S-grade but an SSS-grade buff ability.

However, there were conditions that the imprint target had to be close for the skill to activate and the relationship had to be friendly.

If it’s currently in an unstable period with penalties…

“Don’t tell me the owner is your imprint partner?”

“Uh…”

“And why is the relationship like this? Pet dog and owner?!”

The relationship form wasn’t human to human. Since Bom knows Mo Gyeon as a dog, perhaps it was natural.

“So lately I’ve had no strength at all… I think it’s because of these penalties.”

“This is strange. I’ve never seen penalties like this before.”

Originally, penalties are imposed in a way that reduces the hunter abilities granted by the system.

It’s fortunate that it’s not a stat debuff, but with all sorts of mental issues mixed in, Mo Gyeon’s condition seemed to have gone off the rails.

“I think the relationship might change if I reveal that I’m not a dog.”

“I guess so. But are you planning to reveal it…?”

It was a total mess. Anyway, to remove the penalty, it needs to be brought to a stable period. Mo Gyeon can’t participate in raids in this sick state.

But if he reveals that he’s not a dog, will it really change to a stable period?

“Think about it again. If you say you were actually human, wouldn’t the owner feel betrayed?”

“What?”

At first, Seok Hyeon thought Mo Gyeon simply liked her and was going to tell him to reveal it. Seeing him suffer like this, Mo Gyeon’s feelings must not be light, and he should reveal it soon to pursue love or whatever.

But the situation had turned around.

“Don’t you think she’d feel betrayed? After all, you’ve been by her side pretending to be a dog. She might have found you cute when you were a dog, but if she finds out you’re actually an adult man…”

“What! I didn’t do anything weird even as a dog!”

“Still, you deceived a person.”

Actually, there’s a possibility that forming a new relationship could improve things, but rather than making an uncertain choice, it would be better to meet a few times as a dog and bring it to a stable period.

“So you’re saying I should stay in a pet dog and owner relationship forever?”

“Yeah. There’s no choice, right? We need to consider that you’re in an unstable period, and even if you reveal you’re human, a good relationship is already—”

“I don’t want that.”

“…What?”

He was hesitant earlier, but why is he suddenly saying he doesn’t want it?

A fierce emotion burned in Mo Gyeon’s eyes. His indecisive appearance from earlier was nowhere to be seen.

“I thought I didn’t mind being in a pet dog and owner relationship before, but like you said, I got annoyed when I saw Chae Dong Hwa.”

So Seok Hyeon had unnecessarily made Mo Gyeon aware of his feelings. An emergency siren went off in Seok Hyeon’s head.

It’s the second crisis that could ruin the guild…!

“If you reveal it unnecessarily and the relationship changes but the unstable period continues, you’ll have to live with the penalty forever. Do you understand that?”

“I know.”

“You won’t be able to go on raids or expeditions in that state!”

“I know all that!”

Mo Gyeon shouted suddenly and then abruptly stood up. He then hurriedly gathered his weapons and equipment.

“What are you doing?”

“This won’t do. I need to go quickly and tell her that Choco was me before it’s too late.”

“What, now? How are you going to that dangerous place alone! Did you forget we have a meeting soon?”

“I don’t have time for this conversation. You take over as guild leader for a while. I’ll be back soon.”

“Hey!”

[‘Seol Mo Gyeon (S)’ uses ‘Beast’s Roar (S)’.] [‘Seol Mo Gyeon (S)’s attack power and attack speed increase dramatically.] [‘Seol Mo Gyeon (S)’ uses ‘Beast’s Alpha (S)’.]