TPA 04

Chapter 4

The Wolf and the Hunter (4)

The man didn’t need to say a word—the oppressive aura emanating from him was enough to make it clear.

The unexpected, unidentified intruder was no ordinary rookie.

Even from the pheromones spreading around, it was clear he was a beast of a different rank.

Ul’s pheromones made every nerve in the man’s body tense and his limbs heavy. His feet felt glued to the ground, and cold sweat streamed from every pore.

Even his eyes, which had never shown pain or fear—even when bullets had pierced his skull—now reflected a deep, unmistakable terror.

“You’ve made a complete mess while I looked away. It’s a miracle you’re still breathing.”

Not killing humans did not mean Ul had any favor toward them.

He had avoided humans out of instinctive fear, not out of goodwill. Therefore, whether he came across brutally slain corpses or saw humans dying, it didn’t particularly move him—because it wasn’t related to him.

Yet now… why was his anger rising so sharply?

“Th-there are other prey here… besides this one.”

“Prey?”

He sneered softly.

In that brief moment, it was easy to imagine how this filthy man had treated his victims—the white, translucent skin now smeared with blood, flesh torn in places, a visage of unimaginable suffering for a human body.

“This is not just prey.”

“Eh? Then… why…?”

This was not a disposable, eaten-and-forgotten meal.

She was a woman who did not deserve such treatment. She was, possibly, the only woman who could completely change this hellish existence.

Whether it was coincidence or not, the moment Ul realized she might be involved, he had to seize her—whatever the cost.

Whether she was truly a lifeline or a decaying rope that would drag him down further would only be revealed later.

Ul carefully checked Misa’s unconscious form in his arms.

Her breathing was unstable, her pulse weakening. If he didn’t act quickly, she would die.

Perhaps it was already too late—her life was on the edge.

Brazenly, Ul slowly turned to look at the man.

The man hesitated, tension etched across his features as he offered a forced smile.

“I-I’ll just be going then.”

“Going? Where?”

Ul had never intended to let him live.

Or rather, it was more accurate to say there was no reason to let him live.

Why spare someone who had brought a human woman to the brink of death—the woman who might save his life?

Why spare a monster born of experiments, not even a true human?

Their existence brought nothing but trouble to this world.

Ul was not in a good mood. Seeing the bloodied, mutilated human woman roused a choking rage in his throat.

“W-what’s going on? What did I do?”

The man staggered backward as Ul approached.

“We’re of the same kind, aren’t we? We’re…”

Of the same kind.

No matter how much he denied it or struggled, he was still a monster, not human.

Once transformed, the body could not be reversed.

But…

“To be treated the same as someone like you is utterly unpleasant.”

Unlike those driven by selfish desires, flinging themselves into chaos, he acted differently.

To do so, he had taken a completely opposite path from other beasts.

“Unfortunately…”

“….”

“I prefer my own kind over humans.”

“…What?”

“Wouldn’t hunting the same kind be more entertaining than weak humans?”

In an instant, one of the man’s thighs was severed.

“AAAHHH!”

The man, who had never flinched even with a bullet in his head, screamed in pain as his left thigh was cut away.

That was his weak spot.

His face turned pale as he writhed, forcing out words with difficulty.

“Why… a beast… siding with humans… uuugh…”

Ul looked at the dying man and replied flatly:

“Because you were human.”

Of course, he would have no memory of ever being human.

“Human…?”

“You are no different.”

“Impossible! We are the chosen superior breed of the gods! A class above lowly humans!”

His face contorted with shock and rage, screaming vehemently.

Ul ignored his outcry and carefully lifted Misa.

There was no time to waste on conversation with such a creature. His weak point had been severed; death would come in minutes.

All that mattered now was saving this human woman.

“After that, all contact was lost.”

Bang!

Glam slammed his desk, shaking in fury.

One of the hunters sent to resolve the Syndra incident had gone missing. This missing hunter was someone Glam knew very well.

“You should’ve prevented independent action at all costs!”

“It’s just that… she insisted on handling missions alone, so we couldn’t stop her stubbornness.”

Misa might have died.

Glam tried to suppress the rising panic, clutching his head.

He had always predicted that her recklessness might eventually cause major trouble. Facing it directly, the shock was overwhelming.

She was a talented individual with countless achievements, but confronting beasts like Ul meant risking one’s life, requiring careful judgment.

One of her flaws was becoming excessively obsessed with beasts and acting passionately.

Most hunters moved in groups, but she detested this and always acted independently, drawing criticism.

Yet her results always outshone any scolding.

That small lapse in vigilance led to disaster.

“Search everywhere around her. Bring back at least a corpse.”

“Understood.”

Was she alive?

A creeping fear rose in him. The intuition he had sometimes felt about impending misfortune now seemed terrifyingly real.

‘Please, just stay alive…’

What are the odds of a human defeating a predator like a bear or tiger bare-handed?

None.

Humans had occupied the top of the food chain thanks to stamina, intelligence, and the ability to use tools.

They made hunting tools to face strong beasts, securing meat while preserving their bodies.

If an intelligent beast could use tools, the food chain would flip in an instant.

Humans themselves were frail creatures.

“Is there something special about her?”

Ul muttered, inspecting Misa’s condition.

‘Her skull is shattered, neck broken.’

It was miraculous she was still breathing—her injuries were that severe.

But perhaps she wouldn’t survive much longer. Even her tenuous life might be snuffed out soon.

There was still a way to save her.

Ul studied Misa’s unconscious form, bringing his face close to hers.

“If this isn’t coincidence… can I risk my remaining life?”

He could not leave her to die.

He believed there was something in her that affected him directly.

If being with her could suppress his murderous instincts and allow him to live like a human, even a small chance was worth trying.

“If that’s possible…”

“I have to have you.”

He was that desperate.

He was willing to stake his entire life.

“This is a gamble with a high risk of death, though.”

Ul opened Misa’s tightly shut lips.

“Even a small chance of hope is worth betting on.”

By injecting pheromones, he could heal her fatal injuries.

What was medicine for a beast could be poison for a human. Could a human body withstand it?

Even if she survived, the future was uncertain. The side effects unknown.

The pheromones were first created by Rena, who had used them to transform Ul into a beast.

Pheromones were a key ingredient in making a beast; injecting them into a human could trigger transformation.

If that happened, would he have the right to change her fate entirely?

Injecting pheromones into a human was taboo—a vow Ul had upheld for centuries.

But his situation was desperate enough to consider breaking it.

‘I can’t keep holding back… I’m too exhausted.’

Ul’s eyes wavered as he held Misa.

Something fell from her neck—a necklace.

The locket opened, revealing a photo of her mother.

Seeing it, Ul made a decision.

“Living is better than dying, at least for now.”

First, he would save her.

Ul pressed his lips to Misa’s, sharing breath. Pheromone-laden smoke mixed with saliva and entered her throat.

A metallic, bitter taste should have been normal—but why was it sweet?

Was it from being starved of blood too long? Or was she special?

Savoring the taste, Ul realized it was the latter.

If the sweet taste came from blood starvation, he would have lost control and torn her apart.

‘So it wasn’t chance…’

He could never let her go.

“Ugh.”

Misa, still unconscious, vomited and rolled away from Ul’s arms.

The pain was extreme; if endured, she would live; if not, she would die.

She was enduring the toxicity of the pheromones.

It was perhaps a fate more terrifying than death itself.

Ul sat on a rock, silently watching Misa writhe in agony.

“I hope you survive… there’s so much I want to see.”

Thus began a long wait.

How much time had passed?

Misa, repeatedly losing consciousness and awakening, finally breathed heavily with exhaustion.

The pain had persisted for a long time, through day and night. Gradually, it began to ease.

Though she had never wished to die before, she briefly thought death might be preferable—so intense was the suffering.

Fear of death remained, but slowly, she was certain.

She had survived.

Exactly one week after Ul injected the pheromones, the pain completely disappeared.

Misa held her throbbing head and sat up.

“I survived…”

She looked toward the source of an unfamiliar voice.

A man sat upright before her—familiar, strikingly beautiful, eyes as blue as the sea.

Misa coughed and looked away.

‘Why is he not wearing a shirt in this cold weather?’

For a moment, she thought he was some kind of pervert.

Ul approached silently, expressionless.

“What… what are you doing here?”

“You almost died.”

“Almost died? Ah…”

She vividly remembered that day—death looming over her.

Being trampled, torn, bloodied. The pain was unbearable. She had thought she would die. There was nothing left of her body to save her.

She had not prayed to live, but the injustice of dying without vengeance was maddening.

“Why… are all my wounds completely gone?”

Misa examined herself, astonished.

She had suffered injuries that should have required months of hospitalization, yet there was not a single trace.

“Human medicine could not heal you.”

“…What did you do to me?”

“I injected my pheromones.”

“Pheromones?”

“They are hormones produced by beasts. Their extraordinary physical abilities come from these pheromones.”

“…You healed my fatal injuries with just pheromones?”

“I believed in their regenerative power. For some, it could be poison, for others, medicine. For you, it acted as medicine.”

“What happened to that man?”

“I killed him.”

“…You killed him?”

Why?

Beasts did not kill other beasts. And they certainly did not save humans.

“You left him like that, how could I let him live?”

“…Why save me?”

“Because you saved me first.”

“Ah…”

So the favor was returned.

Was he really a beast? He sounded human enough.

“I saved you partly because you helped me, but also because I want something from you.”

“Something you want?”

“Will you listen?”

“…I’ll hear you out first.”

Ul skillfully took Misa’s hand and brought their faces close.

With a gentle smile, he spoke formally:

“I want you to be mine.”