After the two had reunited, they continued to roam around the streets. With a newly awakened S-Rank Hunter by his side, Baek Haemin became more confident, though not too confident, since Seo Hyunwoo was still a child.
After a while, the air had shifted.
It wasn't loud or sudden. It was subtle, almost imperceptible, like the city itself was drawing in a slow, uneasy breath. The drifting spores thickened, clinging heavier to the air as if reluctant to move. The ruined street around them fell into an unnatural stillness, broken asphalt and overturned vehicles standing like abandoned props on a stage waiting for something to happen.
Baek Haemin noticed it immediately. His shoulders tensed, and his gaze swept the street instinctively, years of experience screaming at him that this kind of silence never came without reason. Even the distant shrieks of mushroom monsters had dulled, fading into a low, ambient hum that crawled against his ears.
"Hyunwoo-ya. Stay close."
