Transferred to an SSS-rank Production Class

Shin-ju had called this hill near Cheonsan, but to be precise, it was a small peak at the foot of Cheonsan. We climbed along the ridge to approach the center of the mountain range.

As we started to feel slightly out of breath, something whitish began to appear beyond the bare branches. Perhaps due to our proximity to the barrier’s source, a thin mist rose again, making it difficult to discern.

‘White flowers? No, leaves?’

It looked like a broadleaf forest with ash-white leaves. Broadleaf trees in weather cold enough to see our breath? It was an extraordinarily bizarre scene, befitting the World Tower.

“I’ll go ahead and check it out!”

“Sori too! Sori wants to go too!”

Cha Taeyang and the goblin, who had said they used to live in the mountains, scampered up like fish in water. The clear bell sound that followed their tracks soon stopped. This was because Cha Taeyang, who had been running excitedly, suddenly halted.

“Something’s strange here.”

“Hunter Cha Taeyang, what do you mean?”

“……These are all souls.”

Standing amidst the ashen forest, Cha Taeyang gazed at us, at me, with an indecipherable expression that seemed both smiling and crying. Then, in a low voice, she elaborated.

“I mean, they’re the souls of dead people.”

Goosebumps erupted all over my body, and the already chilly air grew even colder. I hurried to approach Cha Taeyang, but Yun Su-ho blocked my way.

“Wait.”

“That would be best, Gaho-ssi.”

In a situation where we didn’t know what dangers might lurk, it was right for Yun Su-ho to act first. I nodded to Yun Su-ho, who was looking at me blankly like a hunting dog waiting for permission.

Yun Su-ho crossed the boundary between the bare trees with only black lines remaining and the ash-colored broadleaf forest with his long strides. At that moment, his shoulders twitched slightly.

‘What’s wrong with him?’

Yun Su-ho approached Cha Taeyang with a face full of displeasure.

“Are you alright?”

“Huh? What do you mean?”

“The toxic energy has become denser from this point on, hasn’t it?”

Yun Su-ho pointed his index finger at the boundary between the two forests. He kept wrinkling his nose as if breathing was uncomfortable. It was a stark contrast to Cha Taeyang, who seemed not just calm but almost detached. Since Yun Su-ho’s demon resistance stat should be higher, it seemed to be due to the presence or absence of the detoxification skill.

“……Butterflies?”

Yun Su-ho, who had been rubbing the back of his neck with his palm, muttered in disbelief.

“What’s this about butterflies in this season?”

“Look closely. These things on the trees, they’re all butterflies.”

“What?”

“You’re such an inattentive Mr. Kim! They may look like butterflies, but these are souls that have completed their lives!”

As I took a few steps closer in disbelief, they were indeed butterflies. Butterflies coated in what looked like white mold powder were hanging thickly on every branch. They were so still, as if dead, that I had mistaken them for leaves.

There were over hundreds of butterflies on just one tree, and such trees densely filled the mountain range. We were surrounded by an uncountable number of departed souls. Everyone seemed to have similar thoughts, as a heavy silence enveloped us.

“What a lamentable sight.”

The goblin, who had somehow climbed up a tree, lamented in an archaic manner. When Cha Taeyang reached out her hand, the goblin hopped down. A clear, metallic ding echoed through the quiet mountain, sounding particularly sharp today.

At the same time, I noticed another anomaly.

‘Why is there no sound at all?’

It wasn’t just here and now. As we climbed the mountain, we hadn’t heard even the common sounds of birds or insects. Even considering it was winter, it was unnaturally quiet. When the noise we had been making completely disappeared, the eerie silence became even more pronounced.

“It’s excessively quiet.”

Rustle.

As if waiting for these words, at that moment, a sound of something moving came from the distance. A large figure loomed through the mist.

The unidentified creature approached us immediately, giving us no time to prepare. As I was about to draw my bowstring, suddenly a thunderous roar shook the mountain.

“What thick-skulled fool still hasn’t risen in the east!”

The bow I dropped in surprise rolled at my feet, but I couldn’t look down. All my attention was focused on the golden eyes floating among the trees. Shin-ju, who was beside me, clutched my sleeve.

“It’s the Plague Tiger.”

Her voice trembled slightly at the end of her words.

As if hearing its name being called, no sooner had Shin-ju finished speaking than a form began to take shape around the golden eyes. At first, it was just clumps of mist haphazardly gathering, but as it roughly took shape, colors were painted on as if by a brush.

It didn’t take long for the reddish-brown tiger to reveal itself.

‘Is that really a tiger?’

Just looking at it took my breath away. From its lumbering gait, an overwhelming aura of dominance exuded, enough to make the faint-hearted fall at the mere sight. And its size—even at a glance, it was larger than a decent-sized car.

“Didn’t I warn you that dawdling would bring great harm!”

Despite its angry tone, the tiger’s eyes remained fixed on Cha Taeyang. It seemed to pay no attention to the rest of us. Though it was enough to be scared, Cha Taeyang responded cheerfully.

“The mountain hero’s words weren’t in vain!”

The goblin urged Cha Taeyang to greet it properly first. Unusually, Cha Taeyang obediently bowed without grumbling.

“Hello, Mountain Lord. I’m Cha Taeyang! And here is……”

“My business is not with you, but with that spiritual beast over there. Judging by the fact that I don’t remember seeing you before, you must be newly born. Quickly, state your name!”

‘Spiritual beast? It’s saying the same thing as the tavern hostess.’

Thinking it best to observe the situation for now, I remained silent in my place.

“Me? I’m Cha Sori! But I’m not a spiritual beast. Aren’t you mistaken about something?”

“What?”

The tiger squinted one eye and poked the goblin with the tip of its tail.

“If you’re not a spiritual beast, then what are you?”

“Even the Mountain Lord doesn’t know everything, huh? I’m a goblin, a goblin!”

“Don’t you dare spout such blatant lies when I clearly sensed your energy.”

“Oh come on, I’m telling the truth!”

The goblin, who had snapped back, rolled down the tiger’s tail onto its body. Then it started bouncing up and down on the tiger’s body as if it were a trampoline. With each movement of the bell, ash-like powder on the tiger’s body flew off.

“You insolent…! There’s a limit to such impertinence……”

“Eek, what’s this! You’re tainted with negativity!”

The goblin, now transformed into human form, frantically brushed off the powder on its body.

Cha Taeyang, her smile vanishing, hurriedly created blue flames in her hand. Without a moment’s hesitation, the goblin threw itself into the flames. It sat cross-legged in the fire with its eyes closed.

‘Last time, she definitely said it wasn’t just ordinary fire.’

A moment later, the goblin emerged from the flames, rubbing its forehead as if wiping away sweat.

“Phew, that was a close call.”

The goblin grumbled, saying the tiger should have mentioned being tainted earlier. The tiger couldn’t even protest and had to listen to his complaints. Its mouth agape as if shocked by something, it wore a dumbfounded expression unimaginable from its imposing first appearance.

After being frozen for a while, the first part of the tiger’s body to move was its nose. The black, moist nose twitched a couple of times, and then the tiger’s eyes snapped wide open. After turning its head sharply from side to side, the tiger now poked Cha Taeyang’s shoulder with the tip of its tail.

“You’re not a player, are you!”

“By the way, how did someone like you, Mountain Lord, become tainted with negativity?”

“A spirit medium of player origin… What kind of arrangement is this?”

“I’m not sure if it will work, but would you like me to purify you too?”

The tiger and Cha Taeyang ignored each other’s words and just said what they wanted to say. Seeing no progress in the conversation, Yun Su-ho, who was standing close to the two, raised his eyebrows.

‘If that tactless guy intervenes, who knows what trouble might brew.’

Judging by his lack of movement, Han Cha-hyun seemed to intend to observe the situation a bit longer. So what choice did I have? I quickly crossed the boundary and covered Yun Su-ho’s mouth just before his lips parted.

“Ugh, it really is potent.”

I bowed as respectfully as I could.

“We are honored to meet the master of Cheonsan.”

Honestly, I had been deliberating until the moment I spoke about what title to use.

“……That’s too grand a title for a beast that brings plague.”

But seeing those wise eyes turn to look directly at me, I became certain that my choice was correct. This tiger was not one to be called by a derogatory name like ‘Plague Tiger’.

Suppressing the fear rising due to the tiger’s aura, I took a step forward.

“I believe only what I see with my own eyes.”

“You can say that even after seeing this unsightly state?”

Standing closer, I could now properly see its condition. The fur enveloping the tiger’s body had lost its luster and was patchy in places. Its claws and teeth, once sharp, were now cracked and worn down. It was hard to call it a good sight, even as a white lie.

However, it was by no means shabby.

“I’m not foolish enough to be deceived by appearances.”

“Your words flow like a mountain stream.”

“I’ll take that as a compliment.”

The tiger snorted as if finding it amusing, but the wariness in its eyes towards us had noticeably softened. As I secretly breathed a sigh of relief, Cha Taeyang threw out an unexpected question.

“By the way, do you have a name, Mountain Lord?”

“Hunter Cha Taeyang?”

“I’m just curious. If you don’t have one, I could give you one.”

“Our Taeyang is excellent at naming! She gave me my name too.”

‘So that’s why it’s Cha Sori.’

A thunderous laugh that seemed to shake the whole area interrupted the fluffy conversation.

‘This voice……’

Since the tiger was the only one here with a middle-aged woman’s voice, the source was clear. I stared in awe at the tiger’s laughing face, something I had never seen before.

“What’s so funny?”

“Haha, young spirit medium. Regrettably, I do have a name.”

“She’s not a spirit medium, she’s Taeyang!”

The goblin protested, biting the tiger’s tail, but the tiger didn’t even blink. Instead, its eyes curved into crescent moons as it smiled.

“You truly resemble my daughter.”

Then suddenly, the tiger raised one of its paws high. Almost simultaneously, Yun Su-ho stepped in front of me protectively, but the paw’s destination wasn’t me.

The fuzzy paw gently landed on top of Cha Taeyang’s head.

“My name is Sarome. I am the lantern keeper who ensures the fire of Cheonsan never goes out.”