《21st Century Mercenary King》 Prologue With the variety of neon signs that brightly illuminate the streets at night, various towering buildings reach up high as if connected to the dark sky, and even the constellations that were a decisive part of his distant memories. As he gazed upon the distant scenery and landscape, he realized, ¡°I¡¯m back!¡± The stuffy air that penetrated deep into his lungs stirred up memories from the distant past, and even sensually recognized his return. ¡°Earth¡­¡± Could it be described as a subtle emotion? For some reason, he felt choked up and had to look up at the sky, taking a deep breath. Observing the Big Dipper constellation, he savored a deep aftertaste. ¡°¡­I really came back.¡± Then, he noticed something. ¡°Is that a shooting star?¡± Something twinkling in the distance seemed to be coming closer, cutting through the sky. ¡°Huh? What¡¯s that?¡± A vague memory from the past came to mind. ¡°¡­a missile?¡± It wasn¡¯t until later that he realized the true nature of what was approaching. Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Boom! It was already too late. On the day when he returned to Earth after hundreds of years, Just like firing a cannon, A refreshing bombing welcomed him. CH 1 How many days has it been? Buried in a pile of dirt, I had many thoughts. ¡°What is this?¡± Without even having a moment to rejoice in the fact that I had returned to Earth while looking at the dazzling neon sign, why do I have to be buried in this grave? ¡°Was the return location a military training area?¡± In addition to that, there was one more thing, ¡°The ability to regenerate has disappeared?¡± The ability that allowed him to survive in the other world has disappeared. Thanks to the slower recovery from bombing, he had to see this unintentional grave as soon as he returned. ¡°Uh¡­does that mean what I think it means?¡± The conversation with the ¡°Goddess¡± suddenly came to mind. [You have to let go of what was allowed to you.] Perhaps the ability to regenerate was included there. ¡°Ugh¡­¡± Although there was a small regret, he didn¡¯t care much. As he had achieved a certain level, even now his body was constantly recovering. Compared to the ability to regenerate, which could recover from having his heart torn out in an instant, it might not be enough, but it was enough to recover to a sufficient extent. Of course, there was a problem that it took quite some time, which could be due to the aftermath of the bombing, but it could be said that the impact that occurred while crossing the dimensional storm was greater. ¡°what rotten luck¡­.Should have just lived there.¡± Thinking about it, there was no need to come back to Earth. Despite that, there was no particular reason for making the decision to return like this. [Boring] The long war with the Demon King had ended. And with it came an era of peace, followed by the conflicts and struggles of the newly emerged humans, and even greed that emerged from them. The sparks of another war had begun to rise. ¡°It hasn¡¯t even been half a century.¡± Although it didn¡¯t feel like a proper rest, seeing the kingdoms once again taking up their swords and going back to their old ways made him shiver. ¡°I don¡¯t want to fight anymore.¡± He decided to retire and escape from the tiresome war. However, the situation did not allow for it, nor was it accepted. Baron, the mercenary king! If someone were to be given credit for the greatest contribution in the war against the Demon King, it would undoubtedly be him. His presence had gathered the scattered mercenaries and united them under his command. Naturally, his existence had raised the awareness of the leaders of each country to its limit. Since his shadow would not disappear just because he left, his retirement was not accepted. [Join us.] [We will give those ignorant noble pigs a taste of justice.] [This is a struggle for true freedom!] Despite retiring, his old colleagues kept coming to him and harassing him. In the end, he had to choose to ¡°return¡± for a true retirement. ¡°It¡¯s been too long, and I tried not to come back if possible.¡± He spent nearly 300 years in that world. Despite Earth being his homeland, he had been avoiding returning due to the anxiety that the passing time might have turned it into another world. But he had no choice but to make the inevitable decision, as the situation was forcing his old comrades to raise their swords against each other. After finding a dragon and explaining the situation, they prepared for a massive dimension jump and were able to cross it. In the boundaries of dimensions, he met the goddess and had a brief conversation with her. [I respect your choice. But¡­ avoiding fate is not an easy task.] Suddenly, the story that the goddess left behind came to his mind. After dismissing it as a mere coincidence, he calmly checked his physical condition. ¡°Is it because of the dimensional storm?¡± The pain he had experienced in the gap of the boundary was causing him more severe aftereffects than the sudden bombing that had struck him. Not only had his steel-like body become as soft as mashed meat, but also his insides were a mess from the accumulated toxins as he emerged from that place. And then he had been hit by an unexpected bombing in that state. ¡°My body is a complete mess.¡± If it had not been for the activation of absolute defense engraved on his body, this place might have become his grave. ¡°If only I could have brought an artifact, it would have been helpful in this situation.¡± [The only thing you can take is your body.] Saying so the goddess he had met at the boundary had retrieved the various artifacts, including the contracted familiars and magical tools he had possessed. He was particularly disappointed about the gold nuggets that symbolized his prosperity. ¡°I never thought I would become a beggar¡­ damn it!¡± His emergency funds for a comfortable and peaceful retirement had been completely emptied. In reality, when he returned, he was not even allowed a piece of clothing for his modesty, and was practically naked. If he had known it would turn out like this, he would have just buried his bones there. Considering how much the dragons were afraid of him, helping him with interdimensional travel was nothing short of a miracle. ¡°Come to think of it, they might have tried to get rid of me from their world.¡± Since he had come to this dimension, it was impossible to know what had happened. ¡°It¡¯s highly possible¡­¡± Anyway, to summarize the current situation, he was on the brink of disaster, avoiding getting into trouble but ended up eating dirt. ¡°Phew¡­ first, I need to recover.¡± Was it a side effect of the dimensional storm? The recovery was slower than he thought, and he didn¡¯t reveal himself to the world until after the bombing and precisely six months had passed. ¦¤¦¤¦¤ 2020! Just like an animation of Underdog Kid, which tells the story of a boy searching for his missing father and his space adventure, the journey to the far reaches of space did not happen. However, in another sense, the world faces a change. Irregulars! Or the ¡°dimensional rift,¡± a phenomenon occurring across the world and the monsters that emerge from it. Monsters from beyond the dimensions have begun invading Earth in place of the space aliens. It was a sudden appearance indeed. As a result, it was difficult for countries to cope effectively, and blood was spilled on the streets beyond imagination. As the landscape became like Abigail¡¯s Hell, cries of despair and lamentation reached the sky, and it was at that moment, They awakened. [The Awakened!] Or, perhaps they should be called superhumans or psychics, beings with extraordinary abilities, they began to develop their latent abilities in the face of the monster threat. Their appearance was like a welcome rain after a long drought. They held back the onslaught of monsters, protected the people, and coordinated with the military that arrived later, eventually bringing an end to the first wave of dimensional rifts. Monsters and the awakened! The phrase ¡°paradigm shift¡± hardly seems sufficient to describe the changes that were taking place, as the world was entering a period of great upheaval. ¡°ho~ Did you say monsters and the awakened?¡± Baek Dong-hoon, who was on his knees in response to the man¡¯s question, vigorously nodded his swollen face. When the other person seemed to be lost in thought for a moment, he had to hold his breath and watch him without disturbing him. ¡®How did I end up like this? Why?¡¯ He recalled the situation and hurriedly replayed the events in his mind. ¡®I was digging around following the radar.¡¯ He had raised his shovel with anticipation at an unexpected signal. ¡®The dimensional rift that occurred here half a year ago was undoubtedly of a significant scale.¡¯ Because of this, the military had stationed troops in the area and conducted various investigations. Through an informant in that area, he knew that there had been quite a commotion at that time. Because the rift was so sudden, they had used bombing to contain the situation instead of calling in the ability users. ¡®Fortunately, it was in the mountains. If it had been in the city, the damage could have been enormous¡­¡¯ In the first place, the possibility of bombing in the city was low. Anyways, they didn¡¯t manage to find anything. Before long, the military disappeared, and when all traces of them had been wiped out, Baek Dong-hoon came here. ¡®A true treasure hunter knows how to revive an extinguished flame!¡¯ Continuing his persistent investigation, he discovered something with the radar device he had brought and enthusiastically started digging. Clang! ¡®What did I catch at the end of the shovel?¡¯ Feeling sure of himself, he dug excitedly, and soon he was so surprised that his heart almost jumped out of his chest. [Hey¡­stop! You¡¯re digging on my head, even after the bombing. Your greetings have been so violent¡­stop! Beautiful, beautiful.] It was because a man had in front of him poked his head out of the pile of dirt and was mumbling something. Actually, it was okay up to this point. Mistakes can happen in such situations. But the problem was right after that. [Aahh-!] He was so surprised that he screamed again and hit the shovel once more. ¡®It can¡¯t be helped!¡¯ Who would have known that someone¡¯s head would suddenly pop up from the ground? ¡®Darn it¡­¡¯ The second hit was enough to make the man turn pale and dizzy and soon the soil was flipped over and he was thrown out, and he began to vigorously beat me up. The beating was so severe that I thought I might die, but as you can see, I was relatively fine. And then, the question and answer session began. ¡°Okay. I roughly understand the story. So, the world is a total mess, right?¡± Baek Dong-hoon nodded his head, then the man asked, ¡°What year is it now?¡± ¡°¡­It¡¯s 2041.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± At Baek Dong-hoon¡¯s answer the man seemed to be lost in thought again, muttering to himself quietly while stroking his chin. The man, Baron, was quite surprised by the unexpected story. ¡°Only¡­21 years have passed?¡± Although he had spent 300 years in another world, only a fraction of that time had passed in this one. [I¡¯ll give you a small gift.] She had felt sorry for only taking things away, and the goddess had pushed him into the dimensional storm, only saying. [I hope you have a good meeting¡­] Baron¡¯s heartbeat quickened unknowingly. ¡°Could this be the gift? Then¡­¡± A strange feeling ran down his spine and to the back of his neck. [Parents!] He hoped that he could see them again. In fact, he didn¡¯t necessarily have to meet them. His life in this world was not normal, and he had twisted emotional aspects in many ways. ¡°But as their child, I should at least show my face.¡± Baron learned from Baeng Jeong-hun¡¯s story that the world had changed greatly in many ways. In particular, the most surprising part was the information about the ¡°Awakened.¡± There was no doubt or suspicion. The reason why there was no doubt or suspicion was because when Baek Dong-hoon and the baron first met, there was clearly a tremendous power in Baek Dong-hoon¡¯s clumsy movements, the shovel hitting his head had clear strength that shook his head. Having experienced it firsthand, there was no need to say more. Furthermore, wasn¡¯t it confirmed that Baek Dong-hoon¡¯s strength was beyond the realm of ordinary people in the exciting beat down that followed? It was obvious that there was an awakened individual in front of him. At first, the baron had thought that he had crossed over to another dimension because of Baek Dong-hoon¡¯s existence. But hearing the Korean language mixed in with the screams gave him a glimmer of hope, and with Baek Dong-hoon¡¯s explanation, he was able to sort out and understand the situation. ¡°Come to think of it¡­it¡¯s not really that strange.¡± Considering the dimensional rift that baron had crossed over in the first place to the other world, it was possible for the same phenomenon to occur in this world as well. After listening to Baek Dong-hoon¡¯s story, it felt like the time when he crossed over and the time when monsters appeared in the world coincided to some extent. He had to understand the changes in the times a little more, but something more important had arisen now. ¡°First of all, my parents.¡± Of course, he knew that the situation was not entirely hopeful. ¡°But¡­you never know, right?¡± This time, he wanted to believe in the story of the goddess at least once. After all, they were still his parents. Even his worn-out emotions were hoping for a glimmer of hope. CH 2 ¡°Kyaaaaaaah-!¡± I unconsciously joined in to the piercing scream that cut through the night sky. ¡°Kyaaaaah-!¡± In the midst of the screams, one word caught my attention. ¡°Pervert! Kyaaaaah-!¡± It was clear that there was a reason why the woman in front of me was shouting with such a spirit. ¡°Come to think of it¡­¡± I suddenly realized that I was completely naked, just as the day I was born. ¡°Ugh¡­¡± My body was not affected much by the weather, whether it was cold or hot, so I hadn¡¯t realized the chilly air properly and had realized my state later than expected. ¡°It¡¯s not the first time I¡¯ve acted naked.¡± When I was active in the other world, I often fought on the battlefield naked unless I had armor that was strong enough to withstand the demon army¡¯s full force. As a result, it was common to be almost naked at the end of every battle. Later, he obtained a divine instrument that matched his reputation, but didn¡¯t he have to return it all to the goddess? ¡°Kyaaaaaaah-!¡± I felt people¡¯s footsteps approaching from all directions as the woman¡¯s screams continued. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°A pervert! There is a pervert here!¡± I could hear the angry shouts of those who discovered me. ¡°Darn it!¡± I had no choice but to quickly flee the scene. ¦¤¦¤¦¤ Should I say it¡¯s a fortunate? What if it wasn¡¯t at night? Ugh¡­ Good thing he didn¡¯t need to know where the man¡¯s elephant head was. While he was chuckling to himself, he heard a faint groaning sound from behind. ¡°Ughhh¡­¡± When he turned around, he saw a middle-aged naked man staring at him with resentful eyes. ¡°Ugh¡­ you bastard¡­ you have no sense of honor! That¡¯s not how awakened should behave.¡± He had to contort his face in response to the middle-aged man¡¯s voice. ¡°Don¡¯t mistake me for your colleague.¡± Baron told the him while tying belt, which he had taken from the middle-aged man a little while ago. ¡°Don¡¯t make a fuss over something useless¡­ tsk! Just hold on tight and reflect.¡± He briefly considered taking the opportunity to teach the man a lesson in morals, but then he noticed a commotion in the distance, likely related to the woman¡¯s screams from earlier. Was he lucky? Thanks to the middle-aged man in front of him, he not only acquired appropriate clothing, but he might also be able to blame the incident on him. With his limbs paralyzed from a single, light slap, he probably couldn¡¯t avoid the worst of what was to come. ¡°Well then, good luck.¡± He left with a short farewell. ¡°Kyaaahhh-! This guy¡¯s a pervert.¡± He didn¡¯t forget to leave a small gift before leaving. ¡°It¡¯s just voice changer.¡± Suddenly, the middle-aged man who was groaning and sitting on the ground turned pale. It was because he heard the sound of approaching footsteps from far away. ¡°It¡¯s him!¡± ¡°Is it him?¡± ¡°Something¡¯s not right¡­¡± ¡°Something¡¯s fishy about this¡­¡± He only caught snippets of their conversation before shrugging his shoulder and leaving. ¦¤¦¤¦¤ The shorter length of the man¡¯s coat meant that, he still had to move through the darkness of the night, but that wasn¡¯t a major issue. There were times when he lived by hiding in the shadows of the Demon King¡¯s army, so this was nothing. The more important issue was the one he had been contemplating until the moment he faced the woman, and it would be difficult to proceed with the situation until he solved it. ¡°I don¡¯t know. I don¡¯t know. Ugh¡­¡± He was racking his brain and thinking hard, but no answer came to him. Even though he had returned to his hometown with difficulty, he couldn¡¯t remember the address. ¡°Darn it! Was I such an idiot? Ugh¡­¡± By the time 100 years passed in the other world, he had already recognized himself as a resident of that place. As time went by, he had come to the conclusion that even if he returned to Earth, there would be no one to welcome him. From then on, he forgot about Earth and literally lived as a member of the otherworld. ¡°I can¡¯t believe it¡¯s only been 20 years.¡± As a reminder to not forget his roots, he used his original name and thank goodness for that. [Baron!] It was a name that didn¡¯t seem out of place in that otherworld. In fact, it¡¯s a name that¡¯s gotten him a lot of teasing in his hometown. [Is he a foreigner?] [I thought you were Korean?] [Try speaking English]. Well, it was teasing that started with a misunderstanding that was bound to happen. ¡°Those cheeky children teased me without even knowing it was our language.¡± Although it may seem foreign at first glance, his name was derived from the old Korean word for ¡®righteous,¡¯ meaning to live correctly. Due to the persistent attention and teasing of children, it was difficult for him to live a righteous life, and he had once experienced a stormy period of anger, but that past was now just a memory. In fact, not only he, but also the majority of his relatives, including his father, had names in the pure Korean language, which was a tradition in their family. ¡°It was also a family tradition to be made fun of¡­¡± His father also had some minor troubles in his childhood because of his name, so it could be considered a somewhat amusing tradition of his family. Should he call it shared memory? As he recalled various instances of teasing he had experienced due to his name, he gradually began to remember even the incidents and accidents that had occurred as a result of them, and the old memories that had sunk deep began to surface. ¡°Bareun Chicken!¡± Suddenly, he felt as if his eyes had opened. He remembered the name of the chicken shop his mother used to run. at the same time, he started to picture the neighborhood. ¡°Ilsan!¡± A shout burst out like lightning, clearly indicating the destination he had to go. 20 years have passed. Many things may have changed, but had things really progressed as much as he thought? The atmosphere and scenery of the street didn¡¯t seem to have much difference. ¡°As that thief said, nothing much has changed.¡± I nodded my head slightly while recalling the conversation I had with Baek Dong-hoon. I secretly hoped to see a flying car or something like that, but the scenery, which was no different from before, wasn¡¯t that bad. Of course, the faint tension visible in people¡¯s expressions reminded me of the term ¡°dimensional rift,¡± but overall, the image of the street itself didn¡¯t deviate too far from my old memories. To my credit? It wasn¡¯t difficult to find the destination. ¡°The road signs are clearly marked.¡± As long as I ran with determination against the foggy night sky, no one could see through me in the darkness. In fact, it was difficult to say that his physical state was normal at the moment. [Aura, mana, spirit power!] He had lost all three types of energy, jokingly referred to as the ¡°Three Divine Qi¡± in that world, in the aftermath of the dimensional storm. Was it because he was a mercenary? Until he gained a clear reputation, his treatment was not as good as it should have been, and it was difficult for him to receive the armor that would make him a god, so he built up his aura and mana power to become a god himself, and called it Samshinki. Only after he was crowned king was he able to receive the real thing. ¡°At least I¡¯ve returned them all now.¡± Of course, he didn¡¯t miss them too much. It was said that it was difficult to contain even one type of energy, but to possess three different kinds of energy¡¯s was enough to make him a ¡°divine being¡±. For this reason, the ¡°Samshinki¡± was a name that even his colleagues acknowledged. Whether it was the three types of energy that represented the mercenary king or not, he couldn¡¯t feel any of them now. ¡°The three energy¡¯s will also need to recover.¡± Perhaps it was because he had to spend half a year recovering underground, and trying to recover with only his physical abilities took longer than he thought. The nature of the energy flowing through the atmosphere was strangely foreign to him, until he analyzed it, it seemed difficult to fill his empty vessel. ¡°Well, I defeated the Demon King¡¯s 12th Army Assault Division with my bare body, so I¡¯m not too worried about the absence of the Three Body Techniques.¡± [Three Body Techniques!] He was already in a position where the strength of his body alone was enough to make him a superhuman. However, the feeling of emptiness was awkward and uncomfortable. ¡°It¡¯s definitely different with and without it. It feels a bit strange.¡± It wasn¡¯t like he couldn¡¯t breathe, but it was definitely an uncomfortable feeling. After running relentlessly along the signboards with his empty stomach, he was able to reach his destination, Ilsan, before long. And then he froze up. ¡°This is¡­Ilsan?¡± The road was barricaded with armored vehicles and other unexpected military installations, were erected along with the end-of-the-century landscape that looked like it had turned into ruins. Frantically checking the sign he had just passed, nothing had changed. ¡°This is¡­ Ilsan?¡± He felt his heart, which had been heated with word hope, turn cold. In fact, he had been prepared for the worst-case scenario. As Baek Dong-hoon had said, at the time of the first rift, countless blood was spilled, and countless wails and cries filled the world. But even so, assuming there was still the possibility of ¡°What ifs,¡± he had temporarily ignored the pumping of his heart. ¡°Sigh¡­¡± The strength in his shoulders dropped. ¡°¡­It¡¯s meaningless.¡± Was it because of the effort to recall old names and memories? The overwhelming feeling of exhaustion only increased. ¡°Should I have just lived in otherworld?¡± He tried to calm his heart with a weak laugh and joke, but his heart that had cooled in an instant could not easily accept warmth. It was when he was lost in thought for a moment. WOooooo¡­ He felt an unfamiliar vibration or echo coming from the ruins beyond. Baron chewed his lips and crossed the barricade. Although the soldiers were in strict control of the surroundings, no one manages to discovered his presence, and so Baron infiltrated the ruins of Ilsan. ¦¤¦¤¦¤ Oooooh¡­ Choi Il-kwon, the leader of the third assault team in the North Wind Guild, poured out curses while rolling his eyes. ¡°Ah¡­ really! Why is this always the case when we need to sleep? I thought we had a few more hours of leeway. This is ridiculous!¡± It seemed like the sky above the ruins in front of them split open. ¡°What¡¯s the reading on the rift measurement device?¡± ¡°Seriously, it¡¯s only been a day or two since we started this job. It¡¯s level 3 again this time.¡± Choi Il-kwon let out a deep sigh at the response from the deputy team leader, Jang Geon. ¡°Ugh¡­ I¡¯m so tired. If we just need to handle level 2 situations, I¡¯d be grateful.¡± ¡°I know what you mean. When will this nonsense end?¡± ¡°Well, it¡¯s been two years since we started dealing with remaining rifts. This deployment may be our last, but I can¡¯t be sure. It¡¯s the first time a level 6 dimensional rift has opened in Korea. They¡¯re investigating everything, so who knows. We may have to deal with this again.¡± ¡°If someone hears about this, they might think it¡¯s a level 7 disaster.¡± ¡°Well, from our perspective in Korea, even level 6 is practically a disaster. Look at this view of Ilsan. This beautiful city has been turned into rubble.¡± ¡°At least there were no civilian casualties.¡± ¡°That¡¯s thanks to the rift measurement device. We were able to issue evacuation orders early on. Well¡­ the damage to the hunters was huge, though. Tsk!¡± By the time it reached level 6, the signal was caught about a week in advance, so they were able to prepare and evacuate in advance. ¡°Oh! Come to think of it, I heard about a rift that couldn¡¯t be measured about six months ago. What happened to that?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. It seems to have passed more quietly than I thought.¡± ¡°That¡¯s unexpected. I heard that a rift appeared suddenly that even the level measurement couldn¡¯t be properly done, and KEA had to issue an emergency alert.¡± ¡°It was so sudden that it was difficult to gather the ability users properly.¡± Now they talked about it lightly, but at that time, emergency alerts were issued to various guilds and organizations, and vivid memories of chaos remained. ¡°Fortunately, it happened in the mountains, so they poured bombs as soon as the rift opened and resolved it¡­ I haven¡¯t heard much about it since KEA and the association took proper control.¡± ¡°Since they subdued it with bombs, it probably didn¡¯t exceed level 5.¡± ¡°Well, there wasn¡¯t much news afterward, so it must be true.¡± The eerie glimmer appeared in the corners of their eyes as the two shrugged their shoulders. That was because the monsters, finally began to emerge from the rift. ¡°Ugh¡­ damn it! I hate bugs.¡± ¡°Yeah, me too.¡± Like those who sighed and turned pale, other team members and agents from other guilds also looked at the monsters coming out of the rift with fearful faces. The monster had the shape of a spider and its size seemed even bigger than most adults. Talented people from each guild who had been waiting rushed towards the pouring swarm of giant spiders. ¦¤¦¤¦¤ Baron let out a small sigh as he looked upon the site of the dimensional rift. ¡°So that¡¯s a dimensional rift,¡± he thought. Though he had walked there hoping to feel the distant waves of energy and see if his suspicions were correct, the reality of the situation hit him hard. Of course, there were unexpected aspects to it all. ¡°Why is it so weak?¡± he mused to himself. He had suspected that the monster and the rift were responsible for the mess he had found in his hometown after being away for so long. He had wanted to see for himself the beings who had trampled his hopes and frozen his heart and emotions. That was why he had followed the waves and found the rift, wasn¡¯t it? But the reality was disappointing. ¡°Really, it¡¯s just bug-level weak,¡± he said in disgust. His mind, like his frozen heart, went cold. It didn¡¯t even feel worth it to be angry at such a pathetic level of power. That¡¯s when he saw the abilities of the others. ¡°Well, that¡¯s interesting,¡± he muttered under his breath. CH 3 While living in the other world, there was something that I often thought of. [I would be so comfortable if I had just one gun.] Especially during the early days when I had to rely solely on my regeneration ability, I had this thought a lot. And today, I was able to witness scenes where my imagination became reality. Tatata¡­ I saw those who were called ability users holding guns and firing them to stop the rift. There were various types of guns. Perhaps it was because there was a time when he had an unlimited imagination about them, but he could vaguely recognize them. Starting with K-series firearms that reminded him of his army days, to A-series firearms that should not be in this neighborhood and could be used by the US military, it felt like the world¡¯s history of warfare was unfolding before his eyes. As these various firearms shot flames, by inserting individual abilities in between them, he could see that they were not solely dependent on firearms, but if he had to put it into a ratio, it was about 7 to 3, where they maximized the use of their abilities as support. Baron, who had been closely observing their fighting style, quickly realized the reason behind it. ¡°this is not exhaustion. Hmm¡­¡± It was a problem with the accumulation of energy within them. Therefore, it seemed that they were conserving their energy as much as possible while continuing the battle using firearms. Was it because he had a delusion about firearms? ¡°Surprisingly weak.¡± Although he had expected them to overwhelm and crush the giant spiders with the firepower of their rifle, the giant spiders surprisingly withstood the gunfire, and he had to taste the feeling of his expectations crumbling. There were also several scenes where his brow furrowed, and most of them were related to the use of abilities in combat. The methods of utilizing abilities were disappointing. ¡°If you¡¯re lacking energy, you need skills. This isn¡¯t even up to par.¡± He suspected that relying on the firepower of firearms during the battle had led to a lack of delicate control over their energy itself. ¡°You have to know how to fight even if you lose your cannon or your carriage. This is a mess.¡± Was it like suddenly seeing elementary-level arithmetic, such as addition and subtraction, after encountering exceptional mathematicians in this world? ¡°Monsters have been appearing for about 20 years or so.¡± Although the development of ability utilization is progressing rapidly, it would have been difficult to achieve a method of operation comparable to that of the other world in just that time. He lost interest and turned his feet with a face that seemed to express his boredom. ¡°Hmm?¡± Beyond the dimensional rift, a distinct change could be felt as the previously split void shook even more vigorously, widening further. Even the ability users engaged in battle seemed to sense it, shouting out in astonishment and causing a commotion. ¡°Darn it!¡± ¡°Abnormal rift detected! Abnormal rift detected!¡± ¡°Damn it! Fall back. Increase the distance.¡± ¡°Request immediate support. Call in all the resting personnel.¡± At the same time, there was chaos among the skilled fighters. Though they didn¡¯t forget to deal with the giant spiders that were still swarming, there was a noticeable difference in their combat style from before. While the previous battle had focused on using firearms, now they were using their abilities more freely, unleashing them fully in combat like a gambler throwing down all their chips. Baron watched their actions and felt strongly that they were preparing for something imminent, as the scenery before him became even more breathtaking than before. Meanwhile, the ability users in the rear were procuring all the weapons, and what they brought was unexpected. ¡°A sword?¡± It felt like suddenly regressing from modern warfare to the medieval era, but their movements after wielding the sword were even more impressive than before. Due to the nature of the weapon called the sword, there was no choice but to engage in close combat with the giant spiders. However, amidst the battle, the shooting skills of those who wielded firearms shone anew. They shot at the spiders while precisely avoiding the movements of their comrades engaged in hand-to-hand combat. It seemed like they had practiced for a long time, and their efforts were paying off. ¡°they are doing better than I thought.¡± The scores of those who he had been evaluating earlier were slowly rising in his heart. Perhaps it was due to the risk they had taken during the hand-to-hand combat. The swarm of spiders, which had been swarming on the ground before the rift, quickly began to disappear. However, cleaning up the stage was not as easy as expected, and the unwanted time for the actual performance approached. ¡°Darn it! It¡¯s coming! Increase the distance and retreat!¡± ¡°Kas kas kas!¡± ¡°Adjust the level by one level and send a radio message to bring a gas masks. For now, everyone should use their abilities to control the surroundings and hold on.¡± Emerging from the widening rift was a giant spider with a surprisingly human head. The abdomen of the giant human-faced spider looked huge. As soon as it appeared, the surrounding air became damp, and experienced individuals could tell that it was due to the toxic gas emitted by the spider. They quickly warned their colleagues in the vicinity. The toxic gas was quite strong, causing the nearby weeds to wither instantly. ¡°Damn it!¡± Some started swearing out of nowhere . ¡°Someone needs to clear these spiderwebs!¡± ¡°Damn it! Who knew it would turn out like this?¡± During the battle with the giant spiders, its webs had spread throughout the area, hindering the movement of close combatants. Ignoring the sticky texture of the webs was difficult, forcing everyone to pay attention to where they stepped. It was an uncomfortable situation made worse by the fact that the giant spiders seemed to be thriving on the toxic gas, attacking the combatants more aggressively than before. Keeeeeeeeeeeeee-! Suddenly, the spider emitted a terrifying scream and leaped into the air. The webs expanded in all directions, causing the combatants to panic and dodge. ¡°Quickly dodge it!¡± The spider¡¯s webs had two abilities: acidic and sticky. By judging the color of the web, one could determine which ability it had. The green webs were acidic, and touching them could dissolve one¡¯s body. Even if one could withstand the acid with their abilities, the webs were still sticky enough to trap them. ¡°It¡¯s acid!¡± ¡°If you¡¯re caught, you¡¯ll be done for!¡± Not many people have experienced the monsters on the level of human-faced spider, but the ability users who were sent to Ilsan had basic experience. They had a lot of information in their heads, which allowed them to minimize damage. Of course, they weren¡¯t completely unscathed. Some stumbled and had their faces turn pale from being caught in the spider webs and toxic fumes, but their team quickly moved in to protect them. Baron nodded his head at their quick response. ¡°Even though the battle is chaotic, their handling of it is decent.¡± He then glanced towards human-faced spider. ¡°But is it really that dangerous?¡± Although he was disappointed by the previous battle between the spiders and ability users, human-faced spider seemed to be at a level where he could change some of Baron¡¯s thoughts. Was it trying to respond to that change in thought? Suddenly, the human-faced spider¡¯s venomous stinger flew towards Baron. ¡°Huh?¡± It also meant that his location had been detected. Baron took a step and narrowly avoided the attack. ¡°He¡¯s more perceptive than I thought.¡± Even though he was hiding in the darkness with slowing his breathing, the human-faced spider still managed to sense and attack him. The sudden loss of his sense of direction caught some of the ability users¡¯ attention. Human-faced spider¡¯s attack also caught the attention of some of the other skilled individuals. ¡°What? Who is it?¡± ¡°Has reinforcements arrived already?¡± ¡°Hey! How long has it been since we contacted them?¡± ¡°What is that?¡± Even the skilled individuals who discovered him late widened their eyes in surprise. ¡°Barbarian?¡± Someone shouted out in confusion and Baron stumbled for a moment. ¡°Oh no¡­¡± Although he tried to cover his front by tightening his belt, the length of his coat was too short, exposing his lower body. In that moment, human-faced spider¡¯s attack struck again, this time trying to expand its territory to Baron¡¯s location. A white spider web with sticky properties shot out towards him. ¡°Ah!¡± Choi Il-kwon of the North Wind Guild, who was watching, exclaimed in disbelief. It was because the Barbarian man had been caught in a spider web too easily. ¡°Was the previous performance just a coincidence?¡± At first he wasn¡¯t worried because he had seen him avoid the poisonous stinger, what a twist this was. Although there might not be an acid effect, as the human-faced spider¡¯s, basic characteristic, there should have been some poison mixed in. Presumably, he would now scream in pain and die a miserable death. ¡°Healer, quickly¡­¡± Still, there was one thing that happened, it was at the moment when he was about to move the healer. Tear! Like a piece of paper being torn, the spider web that was wrapping him up was torn and ripped apart, and the Barbarian man, Baron, walked out. ¡°Huh¡­?¡± ¡°What was that?¡± Amazement broke out here and there. If it weren¡¯t for the giant spiders running towards them from nearby, everyone might have just trembled and fainted at the sight. Poison? Adhesiveness? Since they were the abilities representing the human-faced spider, it would be remarkable just to maintain their sanity in this situation where they seemed meaningless, It¡¯s a wonder they stayed awake at all. Baron was also on the verge of losing his mind in a different sense than they were. ¡°Dang¡­ I was just trying to confirm the extent of it.¡± Since he had been caught anyway, he accepted the spider web lightly, thinking that he would guge the power of the human-faced spider¡¯s web and poison. He wanted to take a brief look since it was his first encounter with a monster here. But it turned out to be a fatal mistake. ¡°Wow¡­ this is nothing, there are no challenges at all¡­that¡¯s just a plain old spider.¡± He was caught in the poison of the human-faced spider, and as he tore off the sticky spider web, the Barbarian¡¯s clothes became tattered in an instant. Curiosity sparked in a moment of foolishness. Poof¡­ His Mr. Elephant was out. The only good thing about the sudden cameo was that the darkness partially concealed his features. ¡°There are ladies here, so let¡¯s finish this quickly and not embarrass ourselves.¡± There were not many of them, but there were clearly women among there ranks, and this worked as a sufficient reason for Baron to show his full power. Boom¡­ He kicked the pebble at his feet lightly, Swoosh¡­ And the human-faced spider¡¯s head burst apart immediately. ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Huh¡­?¡± ¡°Ugh!¡± Silence, followed by confusion and then amazement, as the situation was so shocking that even the powerful ones were left questioning there judgment. And the flight that followed. ¡°¡­¡­¡± Everyone watched, dumbfounded, with stunned faces, as the barbarian¡¯s toned ass sped away in the distance. CH 4 ¡°Kyaaaaaaak!¡± ¡°Kyaaak!¡± As if angered by the death of their leader, the remaining giant spiders let out screams and rushed towards the ability users, jolting them back to their senses. ¡°Darn it!¡± ¡°Open fire!¡± Setting aside their pursuit of the vanished Barbarian, they had to refocus on the battlefield once again. Although the human-faced spider had died, the area around them was covered with webs that emitted poisonous gas and corrosive effects, as well as webs with even stronger adhesion due to the traces it had left behind. As a result, even though the number of giant spiders had decreased, dealing with them was actually more difficult than before. Some of them were even more tired due to the effort they had exerted earlier, and had to retreat to the rear for rest. Fortunately, after the death of the human-faced spider, the rift had started to close, which meant that no more monsters would come out. Considering the number of remaining giant spiders, this was a manageable situation. Zzzzzzzzzz¡­ As if to announce the end, the sound of the rift closing filled the space. Paaaang! Soon after, a shockwave exploded from the end of the rift and it closed. At that moment, they were also wrapping up the giant spider extermination. But their job was not done there. ¡°Quickly, find him!¡± ¡°Send a message to headquarters and deploy agents in the area.¡± ¡°Move!¡± Trembling with anxiety, they began to search for the Barbarian Man. ¡°Aren¡¯t we going to search?¡± Jang geon, who had been scouting other guilds, asked their team leader, Choi ll-kwon. ¡°What would we do if we found him?¡± ¡°First, confirm his identity¡­¡± ¡°How? Are we supposed to arrest him? He¡¯s the one who took down the human-faced spider in one shot.¡± ¡°Um¡­ can¡¯t we request cooperation?¡± ¡°If he were going to allow that, why would he have run away in the first place? Besides, he disappeared like the wind. Even if we chase after him now, it¡¯s too late. So don¡¯t waste your energy and sit down to rest.¡± Choi ll-kwon said so and gestured to the members of Team 3, instructing them to take a break. The sudden appearance of an anomaly had already drained the energy of the team members, leaving them exhausted. They all collapsed on the ground and started to lie down like rain in a drought. Jang geon also chimed in, crossing his legs and resting his buttocks. ¡°Who do you think it is?¡± he asked. ¡°What a stupid question. Don¡¯t you see these idiots making a fuss because they don¡¯t know?¡± replied the other person. Feeling embarrassed, Jang geon scratched the back of his head and asked again, ¡°What would be his rating?¡± This time, there was no ridicule. Although they couldn¡¯t be sure, they could make an educated guess based on the power they had witnessed when he attacked the human-faced spider. After much contemplation, Choi ll-kwon spoke up hesitantly, ¡°he could be an S-rank.¡± ¡°As expected!¡± Jang geon agreed, nodding his head along with the other team members, who looked similarly convinced. ¡°Even though the human-faced spider is classified as a level 4, due to its potent venom, tough outer shell, and the ghastly spider web with two unique characteristics, it is known to be a difficult opponent, almost equivalent to a level 5,¡± said Choi ll-kwon. The discussion turned to adjusting the rating. ¡°In truth, if we have a B-rank, we could somehow manage to fight human-faced spider alone. However, as we saw earlier, it¡¯s not easy to take care of it in one go. Even if it were an A-rank, it would be challenging,¡± Choi ll-kwon continued. He stopped short of saying more. Despite being a seasoned veteran with years of experience as an early Awakener, Jang geon was only at the C-rank level, having spent a long time there. Could someone like him evaluate those two ranks above him? ¡°That¡¯s a topic that goes beyond the scope,¡± Jang geon thought. Moreover, if it were an S-rank, it would be one of the world¡¯s few top-notch experts. Especially in Korea, where there is no one at the S-rank level, talking about them casually was not something to be done. ¡°Wow¡­I don¡¯t know who he was, but it would be amazing if we could find him.¡± ¡°Does this mean Korea finally got a superhuman?¡± ¡°If that happens, we can even give the Japanese a hard time.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not just the Japanese. We could also take on the Chinese.¡± The team members started chatting excitedly with each other. ¡°Other guild members might be moving because of this too.¡± The veteran members of other guilds wouldn¡¯t overlook this point that Choi ll-kwon thought of. Nevertheless, they were still following behind Barbarian Man. Even though they knew it was impossible to catch up, Choi ll-kwon believed that his team members had the same thoughts pushing them forward. ¡°Just finding out who he is would be worth a huge reward.¡± Considering the current situation in Korea, if he was truly a superhuman-level expert, even a small piece of information about him would be valuable. With that in mind, Choi ll-kwon knew he should also take action. However, he wasn¡¯t feeling motivated lately because of various conflicts with the guild leader. ¡°Because the likelihood is low,¡± he dismissed the idea early on and joined in on his team members¡¯ conversation. At that moment, he sensed a familiar presence approaching from afar ¨C it was the reinforcements from the North Wind Guild, who came due to the appearance of the human-faced spider. ¡°What¡¯s up? You guys came so quickly, it¡¯s only been a little while since we called for backup!¡± Although clearing the giant spiders took quite some time, it was undeniably fast when considering the distance between them and the main base. The reinforcement team shrugged their shoulders and replied, ¡°We had some business in the area.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­so 5th team leader came alone for that?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± The man who was now approaching them was a middle-aged man, who looked about the same age as Choi ll-kwon, the 5th team leader of the North Wind Guild. He looked around and furrowed his eyebrows. ¡°I heard that human-faced spider showed up. Is it already taken care of?¡± ¡°Well, we had some things to deal with.¡± ¡°If it¡¯s resolved, you should¡¯ve sent a radio message. We ran all the way here for nothing.¡± ¡°This my friend, we just finished it. We were about to send a radio message after catching our breath. Look at these guys, they can barely stand because they¡¯re so tired.¡± To be honest, due to the shocking sight they witnessed, they were all out of sorts and couldn¡¯t think about sending a radio message. Perhaps other teams would have had a similar experience. Naturally, the 5th team leader was unaware of this fact, and he could only step back with a disappointed face. Choi ll-kwon, who was sweating cold sweat, quickly instructed Jang geon to send a situation report by radio. ¡°By the way, if you have any business nearby, is it related to that?¡± Team leader 5 smiled as he nodded his head. At his sight, Choi ll-kwon showed a momentary expression of disappointment, but turned his head to hide his emotions in case it was noticed. ¡°Ugh¡­why are you still looking for things that belonged to the son who died over 20 years ago?¡± Team leader 5 originally lived in the area, but at the time of the Level 6 incident, he happened to be on a family trip overseas and couldn¡¯t properly pack his valuable belongings. He managed to get some items through his nearby acquaintances, but there were still a lot of missing things, including many of his son¡¯s belongings who had gone missing 20 years ago. He returned home before the incident fully occurred, but at that time, the area was already under control and he could only wait until the situation was resolved. ¡°I lost the album too.¡± Although he had saved some of the pictures on his phone, losing the original album had a greater emotional impact than anyone had anticipated. It was an event that reopened the pain he thought time had healed. ¡°Ugh, I only have a few pictures saved on my phone¡­¡± That¡¯s why even when it wasn¡¯t related to his team¡¯s deployment, Team Leader 5 had submitted a personal application and visited this place, knowing that once the rifts were all fixed and the government intervened, it would be impossible to find anything more. It was even more regrettable since they were colleagues and friends who shared a common bond as early retirees. As if trying to dispel the gloomy atmosphere, he attempted to change the subject for some fresh air. ¡°We¡¯re already late due to this damn rift. Instead of going to bed early, let¡¯s have some late-night snacks and chill.¡± ¡°Oh, are you treating us, Team Leader?¡± ¡°Awesome, Team Leader!¡± ¡°We love you, Team Leader!¡± Amidst the lively cheers of his team members, Choi ll-kwon looked at Team Leader 5 and asked, ¡°Are you still in business?¡± At that moment, Team Leader 5 shifted his posture and rubbed his hands together. ¡°Thank you for using our Bareun Chicken today.¡± To this, Choi ll-kwon smiled and snapped his fingers, ¡°Oh yeah! One whole chicken and lots of radish. Got it?¡± ¡°I will take note of your request.¡± Was it because of the light-hearted banter between the two friends? In the significantly changed atmosphere and air, the The North Wind Guild had to hurry to tidy up and prepare for the welcoming of the Chicken God. ¦¤¦¤¦¤ The hope and expectation of being able to reunite with his parents had been shattered. However, this did not lead to despair. He had already accepted that he would never be able to meet his family again over 200 years ago, in the other world. While there may have been emotional turmoil, there was no collapse. Nevertheless, he couldn¡¯t help feeling gloomy. ¡°Hu¡­it¡¯s depressing.¡± Even though he had tried to keep his spirits up, the fact that Barbarian coat, who had become his companion, was now a lifeless corpse in tattered made him even more desolate. Fortunately, he discovered a ray of hope in the form of a clothing donation box. [Old clothes collection box!] ¡°Ah, a donation box! That¡¯s a positive thing.¡± ¡°Come to think of it, there was something like this.¡± This was the only positive situation he had encountered so far. He wished he had thought of it sooner, but perhaps it was due to his memories from the past, which were over 300 years old. Only after he saw it did he remember it. After rummaging through the clothing donation box to find something to wear, he was able to step out into the bright light. ¡°Hmm, what should I do now?¡± Baron thought, recalling his original plan. ¡°I had planned to live comfortably with the jewels I brought from the other world¡­ sigh!¡± Unfortunately, the goddess appeared and confiscated all of the things. ¡°Should I do something?¡± He wondered if he should find a job, but he wasn¡¯t too keen on jumping into the competitive society after spending almost the last fifty years leisurely. ¡°Hmm¡­¡± After a brief moment of contemplation, he came to a conclusion. ¡°For now, let¡¯s take a look around.¡± He pushed himself to make a plan, even though it was haphazard, and walked out onto the streets. He celebrated his first New Year¡¯s and spent a chilly winter, passing through a season filled with warmth, until he found himself facing the hot summer season. And around that time, he had become a perfect vagrant. CH 5 He was sleeping and living on the streets. ¡°It¡¯s not that difficult.¡± He had enough experience. ¡°I used to beg for money all the time. This is nothing.¡± He was a veteran of this lifestyle. Especially, even before being called the ¡°Mercenary King,¡± he already held the title of ¡°King.¡± ¡°If I was called a king from the beginning, wouldn¡¯t I be at the maximum level if I was ranked by level? Ha!¡± He ended up becoming a Mercenary King by accident after retiring from being a former tree cutter. ¡°This is easy.¡± Baron quickly adapted to street life, thinking back to his early days in that world. Before he knew it, he had become a seasoned homeless person, blending in with their community so naturally. ¡°Gathering information always starts from the bottom.¡± That was the practical reason he became homeless. Based on his experience in that world, he wanted to collect information of past years. That¡¯s how he became a member of the street community and realized he had forgotten something important. ¡°Oh! The internet.¡± It was also a moment when he admitted that he had become too alienated from this world. ¡°Ugh¡­ I can¡¯t believe I forgot about it.¡± He felt like a primitive being living near the ocean and drawing water from a well. Whenever he remembered, he would find time to visit the library and browse the sea of information on the public computers, picking up what he had missed along the way and storing it in his mind. Of course, on such days he had to clean up in the park restroom. ¡°I¡¯m not a night person, and I can¡¯t risk getting caught at the entrance.¡± There was also the hassle of dressing as neatly as possible, so he didn¡¯t use it too often. Digging through the used clothing collection box was also a bit of a hassle. ¡°I have pull myself together every time I go.¡± One might think it would be better to earn money and return with a decent status, but unfortunately, it was too late for that. ¡°Homelessness¡­ It¡¯s too comfortable!¡± He had adapted well to this lifestyle. Was it more comfortable than when he was at the top of the social ladder in the past? ¡°To be honest, it was¡­ life was too harsh there.¡± Since the war was raging, it was difficult to find proper food, and even the food he managed to obtain was only rotten with a taste of dirt. But it was different here. ¡°If you¡¯re hungry, you can go to a free cafeteria, and if you¡¯re tired, you can just lie down and sleep anywhere, and you can wash and relieve yourself in the park restroom. This is heaven.¡± Especially when it came to the restroom, it overwhelmed his previous life. ¡°The bidet is really¡­¡± It was a shining example of civilized society. Clap, clap, clap, clap! Moreover, he had a very special body that could go a few days with only a couple of meals, so he didn¡¯t have to go around looking for the cafeteria on the days it opened. If he pushed himself, he could easily stretch it out for about two weeks. ¡°Hey time~ Hey month~¡± (This is a lyric from a popular Korean song) It was a perfect trio of eating, sleeping, and relieving oneself all in one place. ¡°This is the true meaning of a nomadic lifestyle.¡± Unlike the other homeless people, he didn¡¯t envy their hard life, but rather found his leisurely lifestyle of playing and eating all day long to be refreshing. Other veteran homeless people even gave him a thumbs up, saying that he was a bastard, so what can he say? Living like this, half a year had passed in the blink of an eye. Baron, dressed neatly after a long time, went to the library and surfed the internet as usual, the ocean of information. His recent interest was in weapons developed to fight monsters. ¡°So, it¡¯s difficult to face monsters with conventional firearms,¡± he muttered to himself. The existing weapons could only handle up to level 2 monsters. It was said that they could withstand level 3 monsters to some extent, but the problem was that it required an excessive amount of firepower, almost to the point of wasting ammunition. That¡¯s why they poured their efforts into weapon development, and one of the things that was born was the enhancement of firepower using the remains of monsters. The most basic example is using monster corpses to make bullets, and the weapon used by the guilds, including the North Wind Guild, during the previous human-faced spider¡¯s incident in Ilsan was such a type of weapons. It was said that the level of the monster remains used in each bullet affects the possible level of opponents. ¡°It¡¯s a trap that the processing level also goes up depending on the monster¡¯s level,¡± he thought to himself. Anyway, for that reason, money was attached to the remains of monsters, and here again, interesting information followed. ¡°Magical stones,¡± he whispered to himself. They were crystals that purified magic power and were similar to the Dragon¡¯s Heart, a transcendent species of the other world, and were also known as the Philosopher¡¯s Stone were located inside those monsters. ¡°How can a single monster contain such a thing? It¡¯s amazing¡­¡± Of course, not all of them had it, but even a small crystal could be easily obtained once the monster reached level 3. ¡°Hmm¡­is it the influence of the dimensional rift?¡± It was natural that even bigger and clearer magical stones could be obtained at higher levels. The information shown on the internet naturally transitioned into the development process through magical stones in weapons. ¡°The development process through magical stones,¡± he read. This was the emergence of a new energy source. This was a success achieved when the rifts started occurring ten years ago, and since then, existing technology has been coping with and converting to this new energy. Therefore, there was no significant change in the level of civilization visible from the outside compared to 20 years ago. However, it was not an exaggeration to say that there was a significant change inside. Baron nodded his head and switched to another tab on the internet to catch a new wave, enjoying surfing here and there with the overflowing information. ¡°The world has really become a better place,¡± he muttered out of habit. In reality, not much had changed since he had been here, having gone through a breakdown and recovery. But for him, who had been immersed in that world for over 300 years, these embodiments of civilization were truly no different from a new world or another dimension. His hand, which had been clicking the mouse noisily, fell silent at the unavoidable news. [Level 6 incident in Ilsan¡­ incident¡­ casualties¡­] ¡®Il-san¡­¡¯ When investigating information about rifts, he occasionally saw related search terms such as ¡°Level 6¡± and ¡°Ilsan.¡± [Astronomical damage¡­ Troop annihilation¡­] The articles that were typically displayed on the main page were so provocative that they overflowed with painful incidents, and the few pictures that occasionally appeared had to be pixelated. Ilsan! Was it because it was a place that momentarily made him think about his family? Looking at the uncomfortable pictures that were interspersed among the painful news, it felt so uncomfortable that he couldn¡¯t even touch them. [Total destruction¡­ number of casualties¡­] He excluded himself from clicking on anything related to it. No, he ran away. Hadn¡¯t he already experienced pain from unwarranted hope before? Was that the reason? ¡°I keep avoiding it. Sigh¡­¡± He intentionally avoided and circumvented any searches related to it. It was no different this time. He subtly turned his direction away. Hope for his family was shattered once again. Of course, he briefly considered meeting relatives or old acquaintances, but soon he shook his head. ¡°If we are meant to have a connection, we will meet someday.¡± He had no intention of forcing himself to find them. ¡°Besides¡­ there are more level 6 upper rifts abroad.¡± The news related to the upper rifts had more diverse information overseas than in Korea. Even if you don¡¯t touch on the news in Ilsan, there are sufficient ways to obtain information about the upper rifts. When feeling down, it¡¯s necessary to release some tension. ¡°Reading webtoons that I¡¯ve missed is the way to go. Hehe¡­¡± As it has been accumulated for a good 20 years, it could be said that it¡¯s the best way to kill time without much thought. In fact, recently, it seems like he¡¯s visiting the library more for these internet distractions rather than collecting information. It was during a moment of great enjoyment. ¡°Long time no see,¡± a shadow fell onto the seat next to him and the person spoke up. When he turned around, he saw a girl who appeared to be a high school student smiling at him. ¡°Huh? Seon-hee, what are you doing at this time? Aren¡¯t you supposed to be at school?¡± ¡°Do you think I¡¯m still in high school? College students have been on vacation since last week, so I have the freedom to enjoy this time.¡± ¡°Heh¡­looks like you had a lot to catch up on from last year.¡± ¡°That¡¯s how it is for all students preparing for college entrance exams.¡± Lim Seon-hee, shrugged her shoulders is a student who had crossed the threshold into college this year after enduring the difficult college entrance exams. Their relationship began at a free cafeteria. When Lim Seon-hee participated in volunteering at a free meal service, she became acquainted with Baron, who appeared at the library with a neat appearance. Surprised and curious, she approached him and they began to have proper conversations. Furthermore, it was important that they shared similar interests. It was a meeting between Lim Seon-hee, who entered the Hunter Department, and Baron, who was investigating dimensional rifts to understand the past 20 years. Building a friendship between them was not difficult. ¡°Are you searching for information about the rifts today too?¡± ¡°Well¡­ I read some webtoons too. By the way, it¡¯s the first vacation you have since you entered college. Why don¡¯t you go somewhere to have fun?¡± ¡°I plan to go to the beach later.¡± ¡°Okay. By the way, I haven¡¯t seen you in a long time. Can you spare some change for me?¡± Although the library was small, it was the only place nearby where computers could be used with coins instead of membership cards. This was why he frequented the place, as there was no need to obtain a membership card. In addition, since the old computers could not play games and the fees were very low, he could earn enough for a day¡¯s worth of usage with just a few coins. ¡°Didn¡¯t you bring any money?¡± ¡°Aha~ Come on, help out your neighbor in need.¡± He rubbed his hands and, as if she had no choice, Lim Seon-hee dug out some coins from her wallet. Baron was overjoyed and immediately immersed himself in his search. Observing him with a smile, Lim Seon-hee soon headed to the inner reading room. Baron, who had been engrossed in the monitor, glanced at her back for a moment. ¡°Come to think of it¡­ I think she said she¡¯s a Baek Hwa-seon fan.¡± He recalled the face of the banner star of White Tiger Guild, known as Korea¡¯s top talent. She was a young talent who rose to A-Rank at the age of 25, showing the potential to reach S-Rank in the future and become Korea¡¯s first superhuman. When he searched about her, a face always came to mind. A woman who was born as an ice fairy and became a queen, traditionally called a goddess! It didn¡¯t mean that he liked her, but rather that the current position of Baek Hwa-seon was similar to his from the past. Especially the fact that she was recognized worldwide stood out. ¡°Aside from being a beauty, there¡¯s not much difference.¡± He shrugged his shoulders and recalled the current location of Baek Hwa-seon. ¡°It would be too much for her to be a goddess before S-Rank, and now she¡¯s probably just¡­ transitioning from a fairy to a queen?¡± Why was he suddenly having these thoughts? ¡°Wouldn¡¯t she be surprised if she knew Baek Hwa-seon was right next to her?¡± Baek Hwa-seon was in this Choryang Library was the reason. Of course, no one noticed her since she covered her face and entered the third reading room with individual partitions, except for Baron. ¡°There is no beauty who can escape my aesthetic eyes.¡± Is it because he has an eye for seeing through the disguise of even a succubus? ¡°They were amazing at night¡­ gulp!¡± There was no better marrow looter than a demon who invaded even his dreams. Baek Hwa-seon seemed to live nearby and occasionally showed up at the library like him, but her identity had never been exposed because she always covered her face. Even the reading room where Lim Seon-hee had just entered was the third reading room, so it was as if he had a dream girl nearby. He shook his head, he thought about telling her, but thought that there was no need for him to pry into the reason why Baek Hwa-seon had covered her face. ¡°There could be unnecessary complications.¡± It was better to block any troublesome issues in advance. Of course, things don¡¯t always go according to plan in this world. From the start, Baron couldn¡¯t simply rely on himself to avoid a collision accident. ¡°Mister, mister, I think I saw Baek Hwa-seon.¡± ¡°pooh!¡± Baron unconsciously spat out the rice he was chewing in his mouth. ¡°kyaaaak! Disgusting, nasty. What is this?¡± The liberation army occupied the solemn occasion, planting their flags in the lunch boxes, and Lim Seon-hee had to put down her chopsticks with sour expression. Although it was a lunch box that had been brought more than usual in case she saw Baron, it had now become a lunch box solely for Baron. ¡°I heard that they give you eggs with the ramen at the convenience store.¡± Baron apologized and took the lunch box, and Lim Seon-hee had to go to the convenience store with a sour expression. While waiting for the water to boil, the conversation that had stopped suddenly continued. ¡°When I came out of the bathroom, I saw a familiar shoes.¡± It was a limited edition sneaker that had come out five years ago and was not easily recognizable by anyone since it was an old item. However, of all people, Lim Seon-hee was there. ¡®Keeping the top and bottom well hidden, but got exposed on the ground.¡¯ At first, it seemed like the shoes were hidden well. It was not surprising to think that when seeing a completely worn-out pair of sneakers. But Lim Seon-hee was different. ¡°Since I¡¯m a big fan of her, I¡¯ve been collecting them since her debut as a Hunter.¡± That¡¯s why she didn¡¯t miss the shoes. Her curiosity led her to stare at the woman and eventually discover the shadow of a Baek Hwa-seon and her suspicions grew even more from her attire that tried to conceal her identity. ¡®I don¡¯t think that¡¯s just a fan level, right?¡¯ Baron refrained from saying anything. In the previous conversation, she mentioned ¡°I think I saw it¡± because she was not entirely certain. ¡°What if you¡¯re right?¡± he asked. Lim Seon-hee scratched the back of her head in response. ¡°I shouldn¡¯t ask her for an autograph, should I?¡± Even though she was a fan, she prided herself on being a respectful one and didn¡¯t want to intrude on Baek Hwa-seon¡¯s private life. But as she thought about it, it seemed difficult to resist the temptation to get her signature. However, she couldn¡¯t hide the disappointment that filled her face, so Baron offered some advice. ¡°If you really want to say something, just leave a note or something. Stick a Post-it note with ¡®Keep Fighting¡¯ on the drink. Well¡­ that should be enough.¡± ¡°Oh! That¡¯s a good idea.¡± It was perfect for maintaining a comfortable distance between them. And this insignificant action brought about an extraordinary incident. ¦¤¦¤¦¤ The man who had closed his eyes and spread the ¡°eyes of the observer¡± opened his mouth with an terrifying look. ¡°How dare you¡­disturb the goddess¡¯s rest. How rude!¡± The man who was crouched in the darkness stood up. CH 6 Should we call it a success? Thanks to a fan strategy that involved drinks, post-its, and an appropriate level of distance without revealing their identity, Lim seon-hee was able to receive an unexpected gift. While she briefly went to the restroom, a post-it that said ¡°Thank you! I¡¯ll enjoy it.¡± was stuck on her desk. ¡°Wow! Mister, look at this. Sister Baek Hwa-seon gave me this. This handwriting! Isn¡¯t it great?¡± ¡°¡­ ¡° Although it didn¡¯t have a signature, it seemed enough to be just Baek Hwa-seon¡¯s handwriting on the post-it, like a treasure. She carefully held the post-it as if it was precious. ¡°I¡¯ll treat you today!¡± Without saying much, Lim seon-hee took Baron out at dinner time. ¡°It¡¯s okay, but I need to watch my weight.¡± ¡°You can read webtoons after eating.¡± Eventually, Baron had to give in to the free meal. Although time was running towards the evening, the outside was still bright and filled with a blue energy, perhaps due to the long days. ¡°Would you like to have some soup?¡± Lim seon-hee asked, and Baron answered with a smile, ¡°Sure.¡± ¡°I guess it¡¯s not your type,¡± she said. ¡°That¡¯s just prejudice,¡± he replied. As a student with no money, Lim seon-hee opted for delicious pork belly instead of steak. As they were finishing their meal, the sunset was marking the end of the day beyond the sky. ¡°I haven¡¯t had such greasy food in a while.¡± ¡°Well, thanks for treating me today.¡± Baron shrugged, thinking it was nothing special, but he still appreciated the free meal. With a short farewell, they turned away from each other. How long had they walked? ¡°Hey, wait a minute?¡± Suddenly, Baron stopped walking and furrowed his brows, looking in the direction Lim seon-hee had left. ¡°It wasn¡¯t me.¡± When he left the library, he felt a subtle gaze following him. He wanted to know the identity of the gaze, but there was no clear direction, like being surrounded by fog. So, he let it go and finished his meal. However, after parting with Lim seon-hee, he felt the subtle gaze disappear. He realized right away. It was Lim seon-hee that the gaze was aimed at, not him. ¡°What should I do?¡± A strong conflict arose within him. He felt guilty about his impure feelings. Of course, he could ignore it and move on, as it was just a brief encounter at a free cafeteria. ¡°Ugh.¡± As if finishing the digestion process, a refreshing burp followed, revealing the details of the dinner they just had. ¡°Hmm, I did get something out of it. I should at least pay back the meal.¡± Although it was meant to be compensation for the post-it note, he still shrugged his shoulders. As such, Baron had no choice but to turn towards her direction, as if recalling memories from his mercenary days, he chuckled and followed the direction of Lim seon-hee. ¦¤¦¤¦¤ As darkness crept in, Baek Hwa-seon, who usually wrapped up tightly like a cocoon, received an unexpected phone call from Kim Jung-hoon, the leader of the White Tiger guild she belonged to and her guardian. ¡°Uncle? What¡¯s going on?¡± It was odd for him to call her out of the blue on a day when she visited the Choryang Library, a place full of memories with her parents, and planned to head back soon. [Are you still in the library?] ¡°Yes. I¡¯m about to leave.¡± [It was just found out that the madman seems to have entered Korea] Kim Jung-hoon said on the other end of the line. Baek Hwa-seon¡¯s expression hardened. Lately, her uncle had only used the term ¡®madman¡¯ to refer to one person: Crewell! Crewell was another name for the Lord of Darkness in the movie, ¡°Ring War,¡± and the madman had adopted it as his own. The appearance of dimensional rifts wasn¡¯t limited to monsters; heroes known as ¡°awakened¡± or ¡°ability users¡± also emerged at that time to protect humanity. However, they were not all on the side of humanity. Not only did their powers manifest in the hands of those who were good, but also criminals who began to exploit their abilities, leading to a rise in crime. This term is commonly used to refer to awakening criminals, and it refers to individuals who are as good as non-existent or perhaps it would be better if they didn¡¯t exist. Crewell was one of these hallucinators. His awakening ability was reminiscent of the Dark Lord of the Rings War, a type of ability called Observer or Watcher¡¯s Eye. It allowed him to confirm, scout and observe his opponent even from a distance. Through this ability, the crimes committed by Crewell were truly unparalleled in their sinister nature. ¡°Deranged creep with voyeuristic powers!¡± This was a nickname given to him by women with abilities who knew him. He satisfied his perverted desires by stalking these women who were famous for their special abilities. The problem was that Crewell¡¯s behavior went beyond attempting to make contact with the subject of his observation. He went as far as causing extreme harm to the target and those around them. Naturally, several guilds moved to sanction him, but another surprising fact was revealed. [A-rank!] It was astonishing that Crewell was considered a world-class ability user. Thanks to his Observer ability, he could easily break through any trap and escape, leaving nothing but frustration and chasing behind him. And this time was no exception. [That crazy guy boarded a ship in China.] Naturally, his destination was Korea. Baek Hwa-seon¡¯s expression hardened. ¡°Is it possible to confirm when he came in?¡± [It¡¯s not clear, but according to sources, it¡¯s been about a week.] She chewed on her lip. The reason she knew that Crewell had come to Korea was because it was for her. She was the new target that Crewell had just set his sights on. If it had been a week, it would have been enough time for him to gather the information he wanted with his abilities. There was no way to avoid his gaze unless she unfolded her barrier. Kim Jung-hoon¡¯s call was not to find out Crewell¡¯s location, but to warn her. Although it had only been a short period of time, the investigation into Crewell was already complete, and they could roughly guess the extent of his perverted behavior. ¡®He¡¯ll obsess over everything that has contact with me.¡¯ He wouldn¡¯t threaten forces like the Guild, but he would harass her in various ways in her daily life. In the midst of all this, Crewell took pleasure in watching her collapse along with her daily life. This was his perverted characteristic as a delusional person. Because she had lost both of her parents, she had not expected him to interfere with her mundane life even more. Suddenly, a bad feeling came to her. ¡°Darn it!¡± She thought of the drink and post-it notes in her head. ¡®I should have just accepted them and ended it there.¡¯ Responding with a short thank-you to the devoted fan who had kept her distance was a mistake. It could be seen as ¡®interest.¡¯ ¡°Uncle, I¡¯m sorry but I need to ask you for a favor.¡± After hastily conveying a few things, she had to wrap up the call and start moving. Understanding this¡­ Her silhouette blended into the darkening street. ¦¤¦¤¦¤ The first thing that caught my attention was the scenery of the unusually dark street. ¡®At this time, the street lights should be on.¡¯ Could it be getting late due to the lengthening of daylight? Although feeling skeptical, I relied on the faint red light remaining in the sky and continued walking along the road. Then, I encountered my second doubt. ¡®Why are there so few people today?¡¯ Even though it was the rush hour, I felt a strange emptiness. Finally, I arrived at a decisive question or suspicion. ¡°Uh¡­? Where am I?¡± It wasn¡¯t a completely unfamiliar place in the neighborhood. But as I turned the corner, I couldn¡¯t understand how a completely different location had appeared in front of me, even though it was supposed to be the way home. ¡°Why is there suddenly a construction site in front of me?¡± My spine tingled with a sense of urgency. ¡®This is not normal!¡¯ I had a gut feeling that this was not something that could be experienced in general, and I immediately knew this was work of ability user and started to be alert of my surroundings. ¡°it¡¯s too late, it¡¯s too late. What am I going to do if I realize this so late?¡± The voice I heard at that moment made my face pale. It was the moment when my suspicion turned into certainty. ¡°Who¡­?¡± In response to the tense voice, a man walked out from inside the construction site building. ¡°Foreigner?¡± He was a man with long brown hair tied tightly behind his head, and various traces of being of Arab descent, such as deeply-set eyes, a large nose, and brown skin, were visible all over him. ¡°I gave you hints all along the way, but what¡¯s the use if you figure it out after you arrive?¡± Despite being momentarily surprised by the fluent Korean coming from the foreigner, Lim seon-hee clenched her lips and stepped back, eventually turning around in surprise. There was definitely nothing here, but now something invisible was blocking her retreat. As a Hunter major, she quickly guessed the answer. ¡°A barrier?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. You can consider this area to be my exclusive space.¡± The man slowly approached her with a polite tone. Lim seon-hee¡¯s expression hardened. Despite passing the Hunter major exam based on her awakening, she was still a novice, which was not an exaggeration. Although she was above the lowest F-Rank, at the E-Rank, which was higher, without equipment, she was in a position that was no different from an ordinary person when facing a level 1 rift. Naturally, she could only feel despair in confronting an ability user who could even use a barrier. However, she did not crumble. She gritted her teeth and stood firm, awakening her small ability and raising her guard to the extreme. After half a year of learning at college, and even through various martial arts training, she has trained her body from time to time through various martial arts. ¡°I was considering punishing you for disturbing the goddess¡¯s rest, but hmm¡­ I suppose it¡¯s alright to play for a little while.¡± As the man scanned her body, she couldn¡¯t help but feel a chilling sensation, like a bug crawling all over her. ¡°Since we¡¯ll be together for a while, we should introduce ourselves, right? My name is Crewell, but I¡¯m not very famous outside. I¡¯m what they call a hallucinator, though, which I¡¯m sure is a strange name for you.¡± ¡°A hallucinator¡­¡± She knew the term, even if she didn¡¯t know Crewell¡¯s name. It was another word for those crazy people. ¡°Those lunatics!¡± As if to overcome the pressure and fear that was building up inside her, she activated her power. ¡°Fire¡­¡± Crewell nodded and said, ¡°So it¡¯s pyrokinesis. It looks like you¡¯ve combined it with martial arts. Good. Your eyes are still alive, which is good to see. It¡¯ll be fun to see your eyes filled with despair. Hmph¡­¡± Crewell licked his lips and gained momentum. Barrr¡­ The air changed in an instant, and Lim seon-hee¡¯s legs began to shake. Her heart raced and her mind swirled with terror, as if it would collapse just from facing his momentum. ¡°Just to let you know, my evaluation in the world is A-Rank. Well, I¡¯m confident of being superhuman, but that¡¯s how I¡¯m perceived around here.¡± Was this the finishing blow? Although it was small, the fiery light in Lim seon-hee¡¯s flames became blurry. As her will weakened, Crewell¡¯s lips curled into a sly smile. ¡°Game over.¡± With just a few words and setting the mood, he ended the situation. ¡°Not that it¡¯s bad to resist a little more.¡± It wasn¡¯t exactly pleasing either. ¡®I don¡¯t like damaging my merchandise.¡¯ he licked his lips and advanced, and then a momentary crack appeared in his expression. Then he quickly crossed his arms. Whoosh! He was pushed back by the sudden pain, and his face deeply wrinkled. ¡°Who¡¯s there?¡± Either due to pain or due to being interrupted, he shouted in an angry voice and looked intently in one direction. ¡°What? It¡¯s my duty to stop you. Did you even find out my location?¡± At that moment, along with a voice, a man appeared behind Lim seon-hee, causing her to startle. He was someone that Crewell had observed before. He remembered him from the dirt that was sporadically attached to his clothes. ¡°You bastard! You damn beggar!¡± ¡°¡­Shit! I can¡¯t argue with that.¡± The man suddenly appeared and, as he licked his lips, glanced briefly at Lim seon-hee. ¡°What are you so scared of?¡± ¡°¡­How did you get here, mister¡­?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s just say I came for the price of a meal.¡± He shrugged and stepped forward in front of Lim seon-hee, blocking her from Crewell¡¯s view. At that moment, the dizzying pressure and creepy fear that had pushed against her as if she were suffocating disappeared as if it were a lie. Lim seon-hee wanted to ask something, but Baron walked away quickly, leaving her with no choice but to quietly swallow her breath. Rustle¡­ As Baron approached, he furrowed his eyebrows and lowered his head. It was because he felt a tingling pain around his eyes. ¡°Kuluk!¡± And Crewell stumbled backward with a cough. It was because he had failed to control the field of vision he had acquired through awakening as an observer and developing it into a skill. Beyond monitoring the target, he could shared the target¡¯s vision and even interfered with it, providing false information. The effect of this field of vision was what brought Lim seon-hee to this place. Even to the intruder, it was not easy to easily deflect it. ¡®Nonsense! That bastard is on the same level as me?¡¯ The result of the short friction was surprising, and contrary to his mood, his senses began to warn him to be cautious. ¡°You damn beggar!¡± ¡°I¡­I have nothing to say.¡± It was not completely untrue, so he couldn¡¯t argue with it. ¡°Are you ready to be beaten by a beggar?¡± Baron twisted both fists and wrists and asked, as Crewell chewed his lips and pulled out a gun from his arms. ¡°Oh? That¡¯s cheating¡­¡± Bang! A beast called the Desert Eagle in the world spat fire. CH 7 While jumping around looking for clues, she heightened her senses to explore the abnormal phenomena occurring around her. But there was nothing that caught her attention. ¡°Uncle. Hurry!¡± Baek Hwa-seon asked for an investigation into the woman who had contacted her. She wasn¡¯t sure how useful it would be. But it was better to have it than not, considering it might concern her safety. Of course, there was a possibility that Crewell hadn¡¯t shown up and the woman had returned safely, but investigating was an inevitable step. Now that they had just started the investigation, they needed more time to pursue various things like monitoring cameras and library passes, but the urgency of the situation and her impatience were pressing her. Bang! Her heart raced as the gunshot echoed through the area. ¡°Crewell!¡± Baek Hwa-seon¡¯s eyes widened in recognition. It was the same gunshot she had heard when she faced him in Europe. She didn¡¯t think she was being overly sensitive and mistaking things. There were no signs of a rift, but the fact that a gunshot had gone off in the vicinity was something that needed to be investigated. Her silhouette followed a faint trail. ¦¤¦¤¦¤ The gunfire rang out, reminiscent of the roar of a fierce beast, and in the midst of that angry sound, Lim seon-hee crouched down, startled. Her legs, which had been barely holding her up, finally gave way. ¡°Mister¡­¡± she muttered, never once taking her eyes off Baron¡¯s back. A complex swirl of emotions, from despair and fear to worry, raged inside her two eyes as she stared at Baron. It was the weapon of an awakened individual, possessing a more terrifying power than the firearms typically used. Naturally, there was no way to withstand that kind of terrifying firepower. But what was going on? ¡°Oh¡­ it hurts like hell.¡± Isn¡¯t it right that Baron should have fallen and collapsed, instead of tidying up his appearance as if nothing happened? ¡°Hey! You can¡¯t use firearms in a fistfight. That¡¯s not fair play.¡± Crewell¡¯s expression hardened at Baron¡¯s complaints. As Lim seon-hee had predicted, the Desert Eagle used earlier had destructive power far beyond its typical firepower. The user was a A-Rank ability user, and the firepower had been modified accordingly, making it a monster weapon for taking down large monsters. Crewell¡¯s eyes twitched slightly. ¡®And you blocked that with your bare hands?¡¯ What was even more surprising was the defense method. ¡®Without any flow of force?¡¯ Perhaps it was due to honing his ability as an observer to the extreme? He was able to ¡°see¡± the movement of force, which is known as a symbol of an ability user, with his eyes because of his highly trained ability as an observer. Of course, it was not perfect observation, just examining the flow, but it was enough to be astonishing. Even with the ability to observe at such a high level, it was still impossible to see how he had blocked the bullets a while ago, and there was no trace of the flow of hidden energy. Even if he was an ability user in the physical enhancement category, there should have been some flow of force inside, but there was no trace of it. There was nothing to see except that he had blocked it with his bare body. ¡°What are you¡­?¡± He asked in surprise. Baron frowned for a moment before answering. ¡°Before shooting, you should¡­¡± However, Crewell had already made his decision without listening to the whole answer. ¡®Just need to check it out for myself.¡¯ As he shifted his attention away the eyes of the observers which scattered everywhere to release the power were withdrawn, Desert Eagle roared again. Tang! Tang! Tang¡­ Baron¡¯s expression twisted. ¡°Damn it!¡± He cursed and began to make wild gestures with both hands. Tatatata¡­ A sound like roasting beans spread out, and small explosive impacts began to ripple out in all directions. It seemed like the bullets were bouncing off. Lim seon-hee was surprised and shrunk her shoulders, but surprisingly, none of the bullets flew towards her. This meant that he wasn¡¯t just deflecting them sideways, but rather tanking them away. ¡°Tsk!¡± Crewell frowned. He had thought that the intruder, who had been focused only on blocking him would stand still, but he was closing in on him very quickly. This meant that he had enough room to spare even while blocking the bullets, which made him even more wary of his opponent. He was momentarily surprised by the speed at which the other approached, but he did not panic. After all, he was also a high-level ability user known as an A-rank, and a skilled fighter with a wealth of experience. Stepping back while changing the magazine and firing a shot, at the same time, Crewell pulled out a small bead from within his pocket and threw it. Pwoof¡­ In an instant, Baron¡¯s vision was obscured by what seemed to be a smoke grenade, yet despite this, he did not stop. ¡®What is this?¡¯ Crewell¡¯s pupils widened in surprise. Thanks to his observational skills, he was able to see through his opponent¡¯s movements even amidst the smoke, and he was currently vividly confirming the intruder¡¯s actions. This made it all the more shocking when the opponent approached him without any hesitation. At first glance, it appeared to be a normal smoke grenade, but since it was made by him, it could also cause sensory disturbances, yet it was not effective at all, which was quite shocking. Bang! Bang! Even as Baron chased after him, two more bullets were fired, but despite the shorter distance, Baron managed to deflect them and ultimately caught up to Crewell, forcing him to create some space between them. ¡°I don¡¯t usually stick to guys like you.¡± After blocking Baron¡¯s fist that broke through the smoke, he immediately countered with a punch full of force. Whack! ¡®It hit just right!¡¯ As the solid sensation was transmitted to him, he almost couldn¡¯t believe what he was seeing. It was a clean hit. Even a tough monster would¡¯ve had its head blown off by that hit. ¡®How did he¡­take it?¡¯ But it wasn¡¯t over yet. Swish! The fist that he had dodged was suddenly holding onto his back. He was momentarily surprised, and his response was a little delayed, but he quickly caught up. His nimble arms moved to press and shake Baron¡¯s elbows forwards and backwards. ¡®Huh!¡¯ But there was no recoil. ¡®What kind of power is this¡­?¡¯ Kwang! Without warning, he was hit with a shockwave. He had slammed him to the ground while still holding onto his back. His opponent¡¯s attempt to push him away had only caused a greater impact to rebound towards him. As he breathed in the thick scent of earth from the construction site, he realized one thing. ¡®This is dangerous!¡¯ Although he had not fully assessed his opponent¡¯s abilities in this brief exchange, he knew that the situation was not in his favor. First of all, regardless of anything else, the compatibility itself was not good. The flow of force! His fighting style involved reading the flow of force to catch his opponent off guard and launch a counterattack. ¡°I can¡¯t read this guy.¡± Leaving aside his skills and other things, the worst part is that he had to abandon his fighting style. I can¡¯t believe there¡¯s someone who¡¯s flow of the force I can¡¯t read . ¡®I should have changed my approach. Damn it!¡¯ Dirt and dust blew into his lips as he muttered to himself. ¡°I should have dragged him into the dungeon.¡± As someone who always introduced himself as a wizard, he referred to his hideout as a dungeon. The construction site building visible behind him was his lair, a maze. Although the design was still lacking, he was confident that he could take down an S-Rank ability user inside. ¡®Anyway, I have to make it there¡­¡¯ His usual tactic for dealing with overwhelming enemies was to buy time by using traps or running away. Did his opponent read that intention? ¡°Where do you think you¡¯re running?¡± The hand clenched into a fist moved to his nape, and a force expected to be above physically possible pressed his throat tightly. ¡°Kuhh¡­¡± Crewell exerted all his strength to create a force, but the only conclusion was that it was impossible to resist with strength alone. Tang! Therefore, he pulled the trigger. Pak! He suspected from the sound he heard in his ear that, as expected, it was blocked. ¡®I didn¡¯t think it would work anyway.¡¯ He had something else in mind. He felt the pressure on his nape weaken for a moment. ¡°This is it¡­¡± Bang! Crewell¡¯s consciousness flew away with a dizzying pain. It was a gunshot fired towards Baron¡¯s head, which he couldn¡¯t see while lying on the ground. Nevertheless, the bullet was fired accurately towards his forehead. Since he concluded that he could handle the firepower with his bare hands, he simply took the bullet to the forehead. Although it temporarily relieved the pressure on Crewell neck, he immediately hit the back of Crewell¡¯s head with his idle fist, ending the situation. ¡°Ah¡­ my head hurts.¡± Baron complained while rubbing the area on his forehead where the bullet had left its mark. As he turned his head, he felt a hot gaze on him. Sure enough. ¡°Mister¡­ what on earth¡­?¡± Lim seon-hee looked at him with a trembling gaze and gently opened her mouth. But the gaze that was burning into Baron¡¯s back wasn¡¯t aimed by her. Beyond her, He caught a glimpse of a flash of light through the torn barrier. ¡®Baek Hwa-seon.¡¯ For some reason, an annoying premonition swept over him. ¦¤¦¤¦¤ Crewell! He was one of the high-level ability users who shook the world as an A-Rank hallucinator. Perhaps it was because of his unique ability as an observer, but Crewell, the A-Rank hallucinator who showed incredible power even in missions involving supernaturals, had fallen. He lay on the ground with only the back of his head exposed, but there was no mistaking that he was Crewell from the clothes he was wearing. It was the combat uniform unique to Crewell, which was made from the body of a monster. ¡®Who is he?¡¯ Baek Hwa-seon¡¯s gaze turned to the man. She could only glimpse through the crack in the distorted barrier, and since she had arrived at the end, she couldn¡¯t accurately determine the situation. The only scene she could see was that he seemed to have taken a bullet to the forehead. At the same time, the final blow was struck. As she stared at the man¡¯s back, trying to recall the only combat scene she had seen, he seemed to sense her gaze and turned to look at her, and their pupils met. Suddenly, a faint smile appeared on the man¡¯s lips. ¡°Huh?¡± His image in her sight scattered like an afterimage. ¡°What!¡± ¦¤¦¤¦¤ I felt like covering my face, but I knew my clothes and my build wouldn¡¯t let me hide my identity. Besides, time was of the essence. That¡¯s why I ended up just going for it. Of course, there were other reasons. After all, I had no idea how to handle Lim seon-hee¡¯s reaction after the situation ended. And there was also the matter of dealing with the aftermath of this mess. That¡¯s when I noticed a woman named Baek Hwa-seon beyond the barrier. ¡°Well, they¡¯ve both been exposed to each other¡¯s faces in the library before. I¡¯m sure they can handle the rest.¡± I¡¯ll just pass this annoyance on to someone else. With that conclusion in mind, Baron left Lim seon-hee in Baek Hwa-seon¡¯s care and left the scene. ¡®I have other things to do.¡¯ Of course, that didn¡¯t mean he was leaving the barrier. ¡®There¡¯s definitely something in there.¡¯ I felt like covering my face, but I knew my clothes and my build wouldn¡¯t let me hide my identity. Besides, time was of the essence. That¡¯s why I ended up just going for it. Of course, there were other reasons. After all, I had no idea how to handle Im Sun-hee¡¯s reaction after the situation ended. And there was also the matter of dealing with the aftermath of this mess. That¡¯s when I noticed a woman named Baek Hwa-sun beyond the barrier. ¡°Well, they¡¯ve both been exposed to each other¡¯s faces in the library before. I¡¯m sure they can handle the rest.¡± I¡¯ll just pass this annoyance on to someone else. With that conclusion in mind, Baron left Seon-hee in Hwa-sun¡¯s care and left the scene. ¡°I have other things to do.¡± Of course, that didn¡¯t mean he was leaving the barrier. ¡°There¡¯s definitely something in there.¡± Crewell was looking towards the construction site building during his last moments. He just knew something was there. ¡°Even if it¡¯s not there, I¡¯d have checked it out anyway.¡± His instincts as a seasoned mercenary were telling him to go in and look around. ¡°I hope it¡¯s something worthwhile.¡± And so, empty-handed, he went in and came out with both hands full. CH 8 It was a situation that he had somewhat anticipated. ¡®Well¡­I didn¡¯t think it would be this bad,¡¯ Baron frowned and let out a deep sigh. He saw the figure of Lim seon-hee approaching from a distance. After the Crewell incident, her visits began. ¡°I haven¡¯t seen her for a while, and I was hoping to avoid her, but¡­¡± After a moment had passed, she began to walk towards him, as if mocking him, and her persistence was truly remarkable. This is getting a bit too much, She¡¯s here again. ¡°Have you come again, mister? Are you doing well?¡± As she approached, Baron frowned and opened his mouth. ¡°Yeah. Have you come again? You came yesterday and the day before, like every day¡­ Aren¡¯t you busy? Don¡¯t you have school?¡± ¡°Again. You¡¯re saying it again. I already told you, it¡¯s summer vacation.¡± In other words, it meant she had free time. ¡°Here¡¯s chicken mayo and spicy stir-fried sauce that the mister likes.¡± Without saying much, Lim seon-hee handed over a bag, and inside it was a triangular kimbap. In fact, for the first few days, she packed lunchbox on her own. [It¡¯s a hassle. Convenience store kimbap is enough.] Since she wouldn¡¯t take no for an answer, he suggested a compromise like that and she has been packing triangular kimbap steadily since then. ¡°Ugh¡­¡± He made a groaning sound and showed signs of discomfort, but his hand was diligently grabbing the bag. ¡°Gosh¡­ really, aren¡¯t you being too persistent?¡± Despite his direct question and uncomfortable expression, Lim seon-hee just shrugged her shoulders. ¡°Please just teach me one thing, that¡¯s all I¡¯m asking for.¡± She even stuck closer and laughed with a wide smile. ¡®Well, they say you can¡¯t spit on a smiling face¡­ ugh!¡¯ Is this at least a slight improvement? [Please take me as your disciple!] It was the first thing she said when they met after the incident. In addition, she seemed to have watched some martial arts dramas, and she relentlessly pursued him as if she was going to bow down to him right away. He had to run away that day, fearing for his life. ¡°No, what¡¯s with this idea of learning and teaching just because you saw something impressive? I¡¯m just a tough old homeless guy, nothing more,¡± In the meantime, Baron¡¯s argument was always the same. ¡° I¡¯m nothing special. It¡¯s just that he was terrible.¡± Strictly speaking, Crewell had never shown any particular ability, and it was possible to fully accept Baron¡¯s story. For one thing, the barrier was not an ability, but rather an item of sorts, so if you had the money, you could use it as much as you wanted. Combat was also done through firearms, and situations where his skills could be highlighted practically did not exist, such as disorienting his vision with smoke. However, Lim seon-hee didn¡¯t agree with this. ¡®I¡¯ve experienced it myself.¡¯ It was because she had faced the force that Crewell had shown, even though she was not an active duty member, she had experienced the force that professors at the university often imply. ¡®Even the professors I¡¯ve encountered were not at that level.¡¯ In that sense, the momentum shown by Crewell was enough to be impressive and frightening. Of course, since this was not something that was shown on the surface, she didn¡¯t bother to argue with that point. Besides, she had prepared a way to lower Baron¡¯s voice even if she didn¡¯t say that. ¡°Being strong like the old man is impressive. Plus, he can even dodge all the bullets. Isn¡¯t that enough to prove his worth?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± At the moment when Baron raised an uncertain expression and frowned, Lim seon-hee began her counterattack. ¡°Old man, it¡¯s not just a regular gun. He blocked and deflected modified bullets.¡± Perhaps sensing something odd in the repeated emphasis, Baron asked, ¡°Is that¡­impressive?¡± as he swallowed his dry saliva. ¡°In addition to that, unlike monsters that require modifications due to dimensional rifts and physical resistance, regular firearms are already threatening enough for ability users, but the old man was able to block and deflect modified bullets.¡± It was even the modified version of a handgun called Desert Eagle, which is known as a monster. ¡°As you may know, after awakening their powers, ability users steadily increase their physical endurance through the training of their force. However, they are still not comparable to monsters.¡± ¡®¡­.What do I know?¡¯ Of course, it is known that there is not much difference between monsters and ability users, but this is just a false belief that has arisen because people¡¯s perception is fixed on the amazing power of ability users. The government and organizations used this to emphasize the safety of abilities users from the rifts and to elevate their status. As a result, the falsehood had become the truth and permeated society. ¡®Huh? That¡¯s what it was?¡¯ Baron¡¯s eyes widened. He gathered information in his own way, but it was not to the level of delving deeply into one field with persistence. Instead, he searched the library whenever he thought of it and collected information from various fields. Although the range of information was wide, the depth of it was shallow. As a result, the information he had access to was based on commonly known and accepted knowledge in society. Due to his lack of focused research, he had only shallow knowledge despite having a broad range of information. Moreover, information about dimensional anomalies, the abilities of individuals, and measurement standards in this area was scarce and still unclear. Lim seon-hee looked at Baron with shining eyes. ¡°With physical abilities like that, Mr. Baron is definitely capable of doing impressive things.¡± From the perspective of a student and a learner, even though there were no clear measurement values yet, thinking from the perspective of someone with a lack of knowledge, Baron¡¯s physical enhancement and acceleration abilities were impressive. ¡°I heard that even in the enhancement system, it¡¯s difficult to improve physical abilities to that extent without substantial training.¡± Therefore, the conclusion she came to was this. ¡°Are you some kind of special agent, mister?¡± ¡± ¡­What?¡± In the flow of the unexpected story, Baron, who was fully focused, was stunned and fell into silence with a blank expression. Thinking that she might be right, Lim seon-hee started to weave a fantasy based on her own misinterpretation. ¡°The reason why the gentleman with such skills is living as a homeless person is¡­¡± Lim seon-hee¡¯s voice trailed off. The way she glanced around and brightened her eyes slightly was somehow amusing. The conversation was progressing on its own, without a chance to think about how to respond. ¡°Did you escape from a secret society or organization?¡± ¡®She¡¯s at the level of piling up dirt on the mountain instead of digging, because she¡¯s just floundering around.¡¯ A hollow laugh escaped him. ¡°Surely¡­well, you¡¯re not a killer or something like that, right?¡± When saying that, she also kept a distance and showed a sense of caution. What should I say? ¡°¡­I do all sorts of things.¡± That was all I could come up with after thinking for a while. Then, he shook his head and collapsed onto the weed-covered field, and Lim seon-hee knew from past experience that he had no intention of continuing the conversation. And she also knew how to solve this. ¡°Right. Come to think of it, I forgot to give you this.¡± Baron¡¯s head lifted slightly at Lim seon-hee¡¯s words. ¡°Here¡¯s a coupon for the caf¨¦ on the first floor of the library.¡± As soon as she mentioned the coupon, Baron stood up from his seat. The value of the coupon had extended their conversation time. ¡®That¡¯s too much trouble.¡¯ As he didn¡¯t want to receive a big reward for his troubles, they had to continue the conversation with small talk like this. ¡°Ugh~! You¡¯re really so demanding.¡± It was his own language play that explained how fed up he was with so much sincerity, but it didn¡¯t quite land, perhaps because they were speaking in different codes. Baron, who was discouraged by the lack of response, changed the subject and opened his mouth. ¡°You asked me to teach you a move, didn¡¯t you?¡± After observing for the past two weeks, he had come to the conclusion that it wouldn¡¯t be easy to get away with it. Therefore, he had no choice but to make a decision. ¡°Under the condition that I won¡¯t be bothered anymore, just one move, neither more nor less. OK?¡± His choice was to go along with her wishes. ¡°¡­¡­¡± Lim seon-hee, who had been staring blankly for a while, raised her arms high and shouted, ¡°Hooray~!¡± She jumped up and down in joy, and Baron eventually couldn¡¯t help but let out a chuckle at the sight. ¡°However, let¡¯s call it a day for today. The sun is nice, but I¡¯m getting drowsy and need to take a nap.¡± Lim seon-hee¡¯s eyes narrowed, and Baron nudged her when he saw this. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m not trying to trick you. Just go away for now.¡± With a cold face, she turned her head away, and Baron continued talking, not caring if she understood or not. ¡°Since we need to think about what to teach, just go away for now. If you just want me to teach you anything, I can teach you right now.¡± At last, Lim seon-hee took a step back. ¡°No. No, please think deeply and teach me something really proper and substantial.¡± As she said that, she disappeared as if running away, and watching her running as if someone was chasing her, he couldn¡¯t help but laugh out loud. As soon as Lim seon-hee disappeared from sight, Baron, who was shaking his head, quietly stood up from his seat. Should we say that his words and actions are different? Just a moment ago, didn¡¯t he push away Lim seon-hee, saying that he wanted enjoy a nap? Despite looking like he could lie down at any moment, he began to move around while standing up. Is he looking for a spot where the sun shines better? Avoiding the glances of people who were wandering around, he walked towards a deserted corner of the park. And when he thought that the surrounding eyes were blocked, he sat down on a bench and opened his mouth. ¡°Come out slowly.¡± To whom is this message for? At that moment, as if someone was waiting, a shadow approached from the other side. ¡°Baek Hwa-seon¡­¡± I thought it would come someday, but still, I hoped it would pass without me knowing. [I didn¡¯t leak any information about the mister. I did well, right?] After the incident, she said that the reason why Lim Sun-hee did not contact him for a while was possibly to avoid surveillance. Although there was a part of him that held some expectations when nothing was reveal about him, it was still a disappointing reality to face. ¡®Well¡­ I guess it¡¯s not a total letdown.¡¯ As she smiled wryly, Baek Hwa-seon approached him. Seeing her hesitate for a moment, Baron spoke first. ¡°Stop standing there and hurting your legs. Sit down. My neck might also hurt from looking up.¡± It seemed like he took the end seat on the bench out of consideration for her. Baek Hwa-seon nodded and sat on the opposite side. And then, after taking a deep breath as if to compose herself, she opens her mouth and greets him. ¡°Nice to meet you. I¡¯m Baek Hwa-seon of White Tiger Guild.¡± ¡°Oh, okay.¡± Although his brief response interrupted the flow of the conversation and left her momentarily speechless, Baek Hwa-seon continued with determination. ¡°First of all¡­ I want to express my gratitude. Thanks to you, we were able to catch a high-level hallucinator A-Rank criminal who had been causing a lot of headaches recently.¡± ¡®A hallucinator¡­ as expected, he was a criminal.¡¯ It was also part of what I felt from the first uncomfortable gaze. ¡°As this is a case where the world-famous Crewell has been captured, there have been quite a few discussions here as well. The Union has already offered compensation and¡­¡± ¡°Hold on a moment.¡± Suddenly, Baron raised his hand and interrupted her. ¡°Since the guest hasn¡¯t arrived yet, let¡¯s save the conversation for later,¡± interrupted Baron, raising his hand. There was a reason why he had to hurriedly send Lim seon-hee away. ¡°¡­guest?¡± Baek Hwa-seon¡¯s eyes narrowed as tension rose. She began to scan the surroundings of the park with her gaze and senses. At the same time, she couldn¡¯t help but stiffen her expression. ¡®Did I make a mistake?¡¯ She chewed on her lips at the thought of making a mistake. Baron was looking towards a corner of the park, unsure if he knew or not about her state. ¡°I caught you. Come out now.¡± There was no response. Amid the continuing silence, Baron lightly tapped the ground. Pip-ing¡­ A pebble caught under his toe flew out like a bullet, and soon shadows began to emerge from all over the park. There were five of them, and they landed as if they had promised, gathering together. Then one of the men stepped forward and spoke. ¡°It¡¯s a rough greeting.¡± Baron shrugged and spoke. ¡°It was an invitation sent to an uninvited guest. But it seems there are no proper recipients.¡± A chill ran through the eyes of the man who had stepped forward. Suddenly, a gust of wind swept through the park as if trying to dispel the heat of summer. CH 9 Despite her young age, was it because she was already a top-class A-Rank ability user who had traveled around the world? Baek Hwa-seon could immediately recognize the man¡¯s identity. ¡°Glaco!¡± As an A-Rank hallucinator, the man who made a name for himself in the underworld like Crewell was none other than his true identity. She naturally came to know the identities of the other four as well. ¡°Ashen Wolf!¡± As one of the organizations formed by the hallucinators, those who were with Glaco were members of the guild Ashen Wolf and his teammates. Considering the nature of Ashen Wolf, which aims for a small number of elites, the probability that Glaco¡¯s teammates were all A-Rankers was high, and her expression could only stiffen. As if aware of her expression or not, the confrontation between Glaco and Baron was becoming more and more tense. Although he was following from a distance while hiding, Glaco was listening carefully to what Baek Hwa-seon was saying. He couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°Did you catch Crewell?¡± ¡°He seems like a foreigner, but he speaks Korean well. Is he a Korean adoptee?¡± ¡°Is he a agent sent by the Union?¡± ¡°Is baldness hereditary?¡± Questions kept coming without any answers. They were each speaking their minds, but while Baron remained calm, Glaco seemed to be sufficiently stimulated as his face gradually turned red. In contrast, the surrounding air became even cooler, and the temperature had dropped to the level of what could be considered a mid-winter. And that¡¯s when Baron¡¯s decisive blow came. ¡°Grow, hair, grow!¡± It was a childish provocation that meant nothing, but it had enough power to get under Glaco¡¯s skin. ¡°Kill him!¡± As if he had already given up on trying to gather information about the opponent, he exerted his strength roughly, and the members of the Ashen Wolf guild jumped out in unison. All of the members of Glaco¡¯s team, who were A-Rank hallucinators, turned into a fierce storm and bared their savage teeth. Clang! Clang! Bang! As soon as Baron and Baek Hwa-seon stood up, the bench they were sitting on exploded and was shattered by the attack of the angry mob. The attackers split into pairs and chased after Baron and Baek Hwa-seon. It seems that all four of them were specialized in physical enhancement, as their physical agility and movements increased in a split second during the pursuit, making their movements appear dizzying. In the midst of the collision, Baron¡¯s eyes caught something, as if he had sensed something. ¡®Huh?¡¯ He felt resistance pushing against his body. He could feel the raging gusts trying to constrain his body. In that moment, he realized that this chill was acting as a sort of barrier and shackle to hold him in place. On the contrary, it seemed like the Ashen wolf members were being empowered instead. As time passed, their physical abilities became even more agile, and their fangs and claws became sharper. Adding their enhanced physical capabilities, it made it even more difficult to confront them. Is it because they were each ability users who had reached A-Rank? As Baek Hwa-seon began to show signs of gradually falling behind, she took step after step backwards, her complexion beginning to darken. The subtle sensation of suppressing the body¡¯s senses, which Baron felt, was also being experienced by her. However, if there was a difference, it was that Baron immediately sensed the change in his body, while she had not yet clearly grasped this aspect. Furthermore, ¡®I am not fully recovered yet¡­¡¯ Due to an injury suffered during an overseas mission, she was not in perfect condition at the moment. It was a situation where they could not help but fall behind in many ways. ¡®Hmm¡­ it¡¯s dangerous.¡¯ Baron looked at Baek Hwa-seon with a sidelong glance and then looked at the rushing attackers. Was the feeling that they seemed to be bewildered just a misconception? ¡°Can we avoid this?¡± ¡°Do we need to counterattack?¡± It was definitely not a misconception. They were surprised by Baron¡¯s flexible response and physical prowess. Glaco¡¯s own abilities were considerable, but his practical abilities on the battlefield were of a type called ¡®Field,¡¯ with his specialty being manipulating ice bonds. It was the ability to slow down enemies and push allies forward, making them feel faster and stronger in comparison. But what¡¯s this? ¡®Why? How is he still so agile?¡¯ As time passed, the influence of the Field should have become stronger, but instead, the enemy seemed to have adapted in that time and gradually matched their movements. He were even mounting a counterattack, which was unexpected. The members of the Ashen Wolf guild are all talented individuals who come from special forces, and even if they hadn¡¯t undergone physical changes through awakening, a few of the lower-ranked individuals were just human weapons to be used at will. However, these individuals underwent physical changes through awakening and further strengthened themselves with their physical abilities. These individuals, who were not unworthy of being called superheroes, are none other than the members of the Ashen Wolf guild. ¡®We are being pushed back¡­?¡¯ Glaco¡¯s expression stiffened as he watched. He pushed his ability to the limit in response to the opponent¡¯s adaptability, hastily raising the limit of the field. Since it wasn¡¯t a sequential flow, there was a recoil inside him and his nose began to bleed. It was the fear of the opponent that caused him to be overwhelmed. Papapapang¡­ As if influenced by that, the punch that passed by Baron¡¯s face shook his eardrums with even stronger waves. It felt like a gust of wind was about to blow and strike, a freezing wave of damage hit from a distance, making the skin tingle. Although he shook his body here and there to shake it off, was he really a power type ability user with physical enhancement abilities after all? ¡°It¡¯s definitely different from Chrome or Crewell. That¡¯s for sure.¡± It was an obvious point. Crewell¡¯s specialty was using the Observer¡¯s ability to observe the opponent and predict the flow of their power through almost precognitive predictions to bring the battle to a close. It was a fact that the physical ability of his body itself was lacking compared to an A-Rank, and in addition, for Baron who couldn¡¯t be predicted, he was too easy of an opponent. Is it because of that? ¡°I haven¡¯t stretched my body in a while.¡± Baron¡¯s mouth twitched slightly upwards, indicating that he was feeling good. ¡®This guy!¡¯ His actions had caught the attention of the charging wolves and Glaco who had been watching. ¡®Since it¡¯s just a matter of time before we catch that bitch anyway.¡¯ Glaco quickly signaled one of his team members who was attacking the Baek Hwa-seon and sent him towards Baron. Baron laughed loudly in response to the sudden pressure. ¡°That¡¯s right. It¡¯s more efficient to have a group of three for the test.¡± With an incomprehensible shout, his movements became even more chaotic. Zap! Bam! As the numbers increased, the attacks that penetrated his body at regular intervals became more frequent. They all aimed for the weak points like true special forces veterans, launching their attack relentlessly. Some even attempted to sneak attack him, but Baron remained unfazed. ¡®Is he a monster?¡¯ ¡®He can withstand this?¡¯ ¡®Fuck!¡¯ At the same time, the expressions of the three men charging towards him twisted in pain as the impact increased and a sharp pain surged through their wrists. ¡®Why is he so tough?¡¯ ¡®He¡¯s not even a monster, this is unbelievable¡­¡¯ ¡®It¡¯s not like he¡¯s wearing ogre leather or anything.¡¯ They were the ones striking, but the damage seemed to be accumulating back onto them. Did he read their emotions? ¡°Why are your fists so weak?¡± Baron taunted them at a timely moment. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you don¡¯t even have a single gun?¡± Basically as A-Rank physical ability users, their bodies were often more lethal weapons than guns, so it was rare for them to bother with guns. When hunting high-level monsters, of course, they would be armed not only with firearms but with sufficient weaponry, but the situation now was completely different. Of course, that didn¡¯t mean they were empty-handed. From their arms, they drew several short swords, with their sharp and ominous edge, making it clear that they were weapons specifically designed for hunting monsters. And it happened. Spit¡­pew, pot¡­swoosh! Baron¡¯s clothes were torn apart, and blood splattered everywhere. Finally, his tough body started to get some scars. They were not fatal and all superficial wounds, but the chill that went through them opened up the wounds even more and quickly aggravated the injuries. Baron¡¯s gaze briefly drifted away from the battlefield and landed on Glaco. ¡®He seems quite useful in a long-term battle.¡¯ As his gaze turned, it quickly shifted to Baek Hwa-seon. Thanks to the situation changing to a one-on-one battle, things had improved quite a bit, but it still seemed like she was pushed back, having suffered significant losses while facing the previous two. ¡°Maybe she¡¯s a future prodigy or something, but now she¡¯s still a newcomer whose talent outshines her experience.¡± Of course, the injuries suffered overseas also played a significant role. In any case, it was true that her performance was somewhat lacking compared to her reputation. This was also a conclusion drawn from not knowing the fame of the Ashen Wolves. Because the members of the Ashen Wolves are true elites who possess not only experience and skills but also talent, to the extent that even a single team member could surpass the team leaders of most high-level guilds. With only a few members in the double digits, maintaining their position as a top group in the underground world was a clear example of their skills. Moreover, it wasn¡¯t just all disappointment. ¡®Hooh¡­ But she has adapted to the shackles somehow.¡¯ It was impressive to see her start moving within the gusts of Glaco, not just withstand them. As Baron observed her method, his eyes flickered. ¡®Is that¡­? Look at this!¡¯ His eyes, which were shining, quickly turned back to the spot. Pop, pop, pop¡­ The swords of the oncoming wolves were fierce enough to dispel his contemplation. ¡®Let¡¯s forget about Baek Hwa-seon for now and focus on these tough guys. Plus, now that I¡¯ve warmed up properly, why not give them a little surprise gift?¡¯ Baron said with a raised corner of his mouth. ¡°In combat, it is proper to face weapons with weapons.¡± As he spoke, his hand went into his pocket, and as it came out, the pupils of the approaching members of the Ashen Wolves grew wide. It was because something unexpected had popped out. ¡®A gun?¡¯ ¡®T-Twin pistols?¡¯ ¡®Not that!¡¯ Before the thought of cheating could even enter their minds, the barrel spewed flames. Bang. Ttaang. Bang¡­ It was a sudden shot fired at close range during the hand-to-hand combat. Even if they were A-Rank physical abilities user, gunshots at this range could not be ignored. Moreover, it was an unexpected timing for the gunshot. Who would have thought that two nice-looking guns would pop out of that shabby outfit? ¡°Ugh¡­¡± ¡°Ouch!¡± As expected, two of them groaned and fell to their knees. The remaining one staggered back with a crumpled face. Baron¡¯s powerful kick flew towards the two bleeding from their shoulders and sides. Thump! They collapsed with groans simultaneously. Their jaws dropped as they collapsed unconscious. The remaining man was taken aback, but did not dare to rush forward or bare his teeth. He was not a match for him even when they were three on one. He barely dodged the bullets with his short sword, but fighting back was futile. Baron, who was spinning the guns in both hands, revealed his teeth and laughed. ¡°Even though it¡¯s 3 against 1, no, considering this weird wind, it¡¯s practically 4 against 1. This much has to be done for it to be fair, don¡¯t you think?¡± And then came the parade of gunfire. Bang bang bang¡­ bang¡­ bang¡­ It was only a moment that he dodged with his short sword. But it was difficult to withstand the firepower from not one, but two guns concentrated at close range. In the end, even the remaining one had to kneel. And around this time, the battlefield was already losing its heat. Baek Hwa-seon and the wolf that had been chasing her were also facing the sudden situation, and they were staring with their eyes fixed, without moving. Likewise, Glaco was just staring with a stupid, bewildered face, rolling his eyes. The appearance of the gun was undoubtedly unexpected and surprising, but it was not shocking to the point of being overwhelming. In fact, there was something else that made him astonished. ¡®But¡­ to be defeated so easily like this?¡¯ Glaco¡¯s jaw was hanging down. Although the firepower of the gun was certainly not to be underestimated, what was even more impressive was the wielder¡¯s exquisite body movements. He showed off his impressive movements, firing his guns loudly in a space that wouldn¡¯t be strange to even have a brawl in. but there was no ability to stop it. Even the last wolf was no exception to this. It was difficult to understand why he was acting so recklessly in his ¡°field.¡± ¡®He¡¯s not a superhuman, is he?¡¯ That was the extent of his thoughts. The barrel that was hunting the wolves was fixed on him. ¡°Shit!¡± Amidst a curse, another spark burst out. Taang¡­ CH 10 White Tiger Guild! The giant guild, known as one of the 8 major guilds representing South Korea, had to be in chaos because of an emergency. This was because they received a message that their banner star, known as the best talent in Korea and the future superhuman, had been attacked. Should he say it¡¯s a relief? ¡°First of all, the lady¡¯s safety is said to be no problem.¡± Guild leader Kim Jung-hoon furrowed his brow at the story relayed by his secretary. ¡°What were the people on standby doing that they¡¯re so late with the news?¡± ¡°The lady managed to shake off her guards and move, so we lost track of her for a while.¡± ¡°Damn it! Are they all idiots?¡± ¡°As you know, you¡¯re hesitant to use close range guards, so they spread out widely¡­¡± ¡°These bastards always cause trouble. Wasn¡¯t it peaceful for a while? Should we set a date and have some fun? Huh? Let¡¯s cut some meat in the tavern.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± The secretary could only cower and hunch his shoulders at Kim Jung-hoon¡¯s raging outburst. Although he had already received confirmation of his niece¡¯s safety during their phone call, it was still a different matter to confirm it in person. He wanted to run there right away, but he was currently in a meeting between the 8 guilds. After receiving the sudden call, he announced a brief break and took various measures in a separate private room. However, since he wasn¡¯t moving personally, there was no way to avoid worrying about it. After Baek Hwa-seon reached A-rank and gained some experience on the battlefield, she lowered the standard of her escorts, and now an unexpected problem has occurred. ¡®Darn it! I thought things would be better after we caught that damn perverted bastard crewell.¡¯ Come to think of it, even if it was an average hallucinator, she could have handled it alone. Wasn¡¯t the reason he allowed her escorts to keep their distance for that reason? Moreover, as there was a tracking device secretly attached to her, it was possible to prepare for any situation. It was just that the appearance of the Ashen Wolves was unexpected. ¡°These damn dogs!¡± He was so heated that he couldn¡¯t even speak properly. Kim Jung-hoon, who was showing his temper, calmed down and returned to the main topic when his secretary told him that there was not much time left in the break. ¡°Did you really catch all those damn bastards?¡± ¡°Yes. The third team executed the operation and sealed off the district.¡± ¡°Good. Hang those bastards in the detention center for now. Later, I¡¯ll have a one-on-one talk with them while hitting the sandbag for a bit. Tighten them up firmly. Those damn assholes, I¡¯ll fold their waists back and forth!¡± ¡°¡­Yes.¡± The secretary was about to tell him to calm down and think about the ransom value of the hostages, but he swallowed quietly as he saw the fiery look in Kim Jung-hoon¡¯s eyes. He was afraid that his anger might turn towards him. As they had spent time together, their ability to predict these ominous events had become almost predictive due to the high accuracy rate. ¡°Speaking of which¡­ do you know why Hwa-seon was trying to lose the escorts?¡± ¡°¡­I¡¯m sorry, I haven¡¯t figured it out yet.¡± There was no further discussion about that. Since it was something he would have concealed even during their previous conversation, it was better to set aside a separate time and have a thorough discussion to find out about it directly. ¡®Still, just in case.¡¯ After sending his informants to investigate the area where the Ashen Wolves were caught and giving orders to thoroughly search it, Kim Jung-hoon stood up from his seat. It was because the break time had ended unnoticed. ¦¤¦¤¦¤ Looking down at the handcuffs in both arms. An ability suppression device! And it was designed to control even A-Rank awakened individuals. ¡®How did I end up like this¡­¡¯ Glaco looked around with a dazed expression. Skilled members of the White Tiger Guild were staring at him fiercely, as if keeping an eye on him in the escort car. It was not easy to create a situation for once because the team was divide and ride in the separate vehicles for transportation. He bit his lips and reminisced about the time of the incident. ¡®That guy¡­¡¯ The man from the slums came to mind. ¡®Why?¡¯ Why did the elite members of the Ashen Wolves fall so easily? If the target was the powerful background of Baek Hwa-seon, and if they were to face the guild master of White Tiger Guild, they would have been able to achieve victory. But it was not going to be an easy and relaxed game, but a fierce battle where they would push each other to their limits. ¡®There are not many skilled people in South Korea who can handle us.¡¯ They had enough confidence, and the organization had come to that conclusion, which was why only one team had been allowed to enter. ¡®Who the hell is it? He can¡¯t be a regular guy¡­¡¯ Glaco¡¯s pupils shook there. Didn¡¯t he have a similar thought before? ¡°Oh my God!¡± An exclamation escaped his lips, drawing the attention of the surveillance team in the vehicle. ¡®Could it be that the homeless guy is a superhuman?¡¯ With a bewildered thought, he also considered that it had to be true. Otherwise, it would be difficult to understand and accept this situation. Given how easily and casually he was able to capture the elite members of the Ashen Wolves, it was certainly suggesting that there was such a possibility. ¡®¡­A superhuman?¡¯ Holding onto such an unbelievable hypothesis, he was moved to the secret base of the White Tiger Guild. ¦¤¦¤¦¤ There was a word lingering in Baek Hwa-seon¡¯s mind. ¡°S-rank!¡± Baek Hwa-seon had a gut feeling that the guy from the slums who subdued Crewell and overwhelmed the Ashen Wolves team was not just a hidden skilled individual, but a true superhuman who could be called a one-man army. She had to be more cautious in her actions, and for that reason, she could only keep the story about him a secret even from her uncle and guild master, Kim Jung-hoon. It was natural to hide such a fact from the guild members who came to catch the wolves. By selling the name of the guild leader, who was also her uncle, she could avoid many suspicious and questioning glances. After spending some time, she finally found him. Of course, the escorts were in pursuit. It was difficult to easily shake off the incident caused by the Ashen Wolves, but after having a separate conversation with Kim Jung-hoon and convincing him at length, she were finally allowed to lower the level of her escorts to the previous level and sneak out again during that window. ¡®I¡¯ll probably regret it later, but¡­¡¯ Seeing the way Kim Jung-hoon had behaved for a while, her lips tightened at the prospect she would have to endure a long lecture, but it was worth it. There was also a concern that he might have hidden his whereabouts, but Baek Hwa-seon gathered at least minimal information related to him by keeping an eye on Lim Seon-hee. Through this, she also found out that he was still sleeping in the same place. ¡°You¡¯re late than I expected.¡± Baron, who was lying on the grass, sunbathing lazily, waved his hand and spoke as she appeared. After taking a deep breath at his sight, Baek Hwa-seon spoke up. ¡°Thank you for before.¡± ¡°Only with words?¡± At the sudden remark, Baek Hwa-seon widened her eyes. Baron drew a circle with his thumb and forefinger. ¡°Showing gratitude is a basic courtesy around here.¡± In an instant, the sound of money circulated in Baek Hwa-seon¡¯s mind, but Baron quickly intervened, as if he had read her thoughts. ¡°You don¡¯t need to unnecessarily increase the amount. Just bring some soju and a few bottles. It¡¯s okay to buy one as a courtesy. Don¡¯t worry about the burden. Bring a few packs of cigarettes¡­no, it would be nice if you could bring a carton.¡± Should she say that the units have decreased too much? The expression on her face clearly showed her confusion about the significant difference, but Baron smirked and straightened his back at the sight. ¡®They say she¡¯s an ice princess, but it¡¯s all fake.¡¯ He muttered and started rummaging through his pockets, and to Baek Hwa-seon¡¯s surprise, a blanket popped out, as if it were a magic trick. It was a sight that made her think of a fourth-dimensional cloth from a certain cartoon. ¡°It¡¯s for the guests.¡± He said as he unfolded it on one side, and seeing the inexplicable sight, Baek Hwa-seon hesitated for a moment before finally sitting on top of it. At that sight, Baron smiled again. ¡®I was going to pretend that I didn¡¯t notice if you brought a lot of unnecessary things, but you¡¯re not completely oblivious after all.¡¯ Especially, the cautious attitude that she showed, taking the time to be careful even though she might miss out on him, appealed to him quite a bit. After a brief silence, Baron opened his mouth first. ¡°You look like you have a lot to ask, but are you going to waste time like this?¡± At that, Baek Hwa-seon struggled to speak. She knew, just as well as he did, that time was running out, especially since she had secretly separated from her escorts. ¡°Will you answer¡­my questions?¡± ¡°Well, to some extent. So don¡¯t ask too many questions, and just ask the right ones.¡± With that, Baek Hwa-seon pondered for a moment on how to set the right standard before finally asking her question. ¡°May I ask your name?¡± ¡°Baron.¡± At that moment, there was a hint of doubt in Baek Hwa-seon¡¯s eyes, and Baron caught it and answered precisely. ¡°I¡¯m not a foreigner or anything. Baron is a Korean word, so don¡¯t think I¡¯m some foreigner and don¡¯t try to impress a local like me with local things.¡± ¡°¡­Yes.¡± Baek Hwa-seon¡¯s eyes widened at Baron¡¯s seemingly telepathic response. But for Baron, it was a pattern he had encountered countless times among the homeless people he had been living with for the past few months, so there was no need to catch any eye contact or expression. ¡®I had a lot of trouble with this when I was young.¡¯ After smoothing her expression for a moment, Baek Hwa-seon opened her mouth again. ¡°Is it okay for you to answer that so easily?¡± ¡°Well, it¡¯s a name that you can find out just by catching a few of the nearby homeless people and asking them.¡± After shrugging her shoulders, Baek Hwa-seon asked the question again with greater caution. ¡°Why¡­do you live in a place like this?¡± Since it was a question that could be impolite, she became more careful. ¡°It¡¯s just easier for me here. Fits my lifestyle.¡± The answer came easily again. ¡°There¡¯s no one to criticize me even if I play and eat all day long.¡± ¡°If you have that much ability, you could live a better life¡­¡± ¡°Eh, I¡¯m past the age of showing off my strength. I don¡¯t want to bother fighting over nothing. Besides, my body is quite sturdy, so living on the streets isn¡¯t that tiring.¡± And when I¡¯m bored, I just pick up a few empty bottles and go to the library. ¡°¡­¡­¡± As if losing her words, Baek Hwa-seon looked at him with a dazed expression, then made an effort to regain her composure and continued the question. It seemed like she needed to get to the point before her mind became even more confused. ¡°By any chance¡­ gulp¡­ are you a superhuman?¡± It was a difficult question she asked with great effort. ¡°A superhuman¡­ well¡­¡± For some reason, there was no immediate answer to this question. To be honest, while anticipating what kind of question she would ask before her arrival, it was also a question that he had already thought about, not just now but also sporadically in the past. And after encountering several A-Rank ability users this time, a rough standard was set, and after a moment of contemplation, he was able to come up with his own answer. ¡°No.¡± Baron shook his head and Baek Hwa-seon looked at him with a face tinged with doubt or suspicion. ¡®Not a superhuman?¡¯ Then what were those incredible abilities shown in the previous battle? ¡®Even my uncle, wouldn¡¯t be able to do that.¡¯ That¡¯s why the idea of him being a superhuman became even stronger. However, if the person in question denies it, what should she think of it? Baron chuckled at her appearance, as she seemed to be struggling with a dilemma and furrowing her brows. ¡°Do you have any more questions?¡± he asked. As he started to get up, Baek Hwa-seon urgently asked, ¡°Are you stronger then a superhuman?¡± Thinking that she couldn¡¯t end the question-and-answer session like this, she hastily blurted out something nonsensical. Baron looked at her with a strange expression, and her complexion paled slightly. She thought she had made him uncomfortable. But the following response was unexpected, no, shocking. ¡°It¡¯s about skills, even if you guess the answer. It¡¯s the correct answer.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± The thought was short, but the impact was great. ¡®Is that the right answer?¡¯ ¡°Insane!¡± She unknowingly cursed. It seemed that she wasn¡¯t even aware of it herself, as if she found it hard to believe with her round, wide-open eyes, and she just kept giving Baron a fiery stare. ¡°Well, if you don¡¯t want to believe it, that¡¯s your choice.¡± Shrugging his shoulders, Baron stood up and brushed off his rear end. Now he really want to quit. ¡°Isn¡¯t it beyond the appropriate level for questioning? You know that too, don¡¯t you?¡± Baek Hwa-seon, who was trying to catch him, could only nod her head in response to the follow-up question. From the beginning, mentioning the superhuman was an excessive move. Even if Baron avoided or ignored the question, there was nothing else to say. It was surprising and also questionable that he gave an answer despite everything. With a sense of regret in her eyes, Baek Hwa-seon watched Baron leave, and the brief period of questioning and answering came to an end. ¦¤¦¤¦¤ After distancing himself for a while, Baron finally realized something. ¡°Oh! My mat.¡± It was a fairly decent mat that he had been using carefully, but he had left it behind at the spot where he was answering questions. ¡°Hmm¡­ should I go back and get it?¡± In the end, he didn¡¯t turn around. ¡°By the way, did I reveal unnecessary information?¡± He definitely thought that his answer to the last question was too much. However, it was an inevitable part. ¡°Since I¡¯m going to catch something, the bait should be certain.¡± He had been thinking about raising her. ¡°Looks like she has some potential too.¡± Plus, there was another decisive reason. During their encounter with the Ashen wolf, he had realized something while observing her. He had felt something nostalgic in her way of overcoming the wind storm, and this had made him pick up his fishing rod. ¡°Although I don¡¯t want to get involved unnecessarily¡­ I have no choice if I want to recover the Samshinki.¡± He came to the conclusion that he had to take one step because she had what he needed most in the current situation. ¡°The qualities of a saint.¡± She had a ¡°special talent¡± that would make him a fully resident of this world. It was an opportunity he couldn¡¯t miss. CH 11 It¡¯s not like he just been playing and eating during this time. He has invested time in various activities such as adapting to the forgotten civilization, investigating the changed world, and so on. Among them, if there was one area that received the most investment, it was an ability that could be called a long-time livelihood. [Samshinki!] It was a contemplation on the recovery of lost energies such as aura, mana, and spiritual power, and thanks to the considerable time invested, he was able to achieve some small results. ¡°I don¡¯t know if I should call it ¡®rust¡¯ or ¡®residue¡¯.¡± Thanks to the significant amount of time he spent observing his own body, he discovered that there were remnants of a storm that occurred during dimensional travel clinging to his physical body. When he discovered this, he was quite surprised. As expected, there was indeed a subtle difference in the atmospheric energy that arises from the difference in dimensions between this world and the other world. ¡°But in the end, all places where people live are the same.¡± The critical problem was in a different direction. It was a part that even his physical body, which had reached a transcendent state, could not clearly perceive without spending time and concentrating on observing. ¡°It was because of these damn leftovers that the energy wasn¡¯t gathering.¡± It was like a vague feeling that the world, called Earth, was keeping its distance from the arrival of outsiders. Or it felt like avoiding impure filth that flowed endlessly. Therefore, he had half-given up in recent times. Removing the leftovers of this dimensional storm was no easy task, and he had thought about just living with them as one body. ¡®Well, there¡¯s no inconvenience even if there is no Samshinki.¡¯ In the first place, the level here wasn¡¯t significantly threatening, so such thoughts were becoming even more firmly rooted. In the meantime, he discovered the Saint¡¯s talent from Baek Hwa-seon. Hooray! Hooray! Hooray! Although he was about to shout this out loud and cheer, he swallowed it back and maintained composure, throwing a fairly convincing bait. Pulling out a mat was nothing special, but it served as a foundation. ¡®You must be wondering where it came from.¡¯ It was a ¡°sub-space¡± that could be made thanks to turning crewell¡¯s warehouse upside down. The dual pistols he had taken out during the battle with the ashen wolf earlier had also come from there. ¡®Efficiency is the worst.¡¯ The sub-space was such a high-dimensional magic that even making a rough imitation with the top-level magic stones in crewell¡¯s warehouse was the best that could be done. Of course, in the current situation, that alone was enough. ¡®Anyway, what¡¯s left now is¡­¡¯ It was a matter of waiting for Baek Hwa-seon movement. ¡°When she learn to harness the power of purification, this kind of leftover stuff will be nothing.¡± A being who could appease a world that rejected him and force it to unite. The saintess was just that special. ¡°Hmm¡­but rather than a saintess, she seems closer to a High Elf, doesn¡¯t she?¡± Unlike in the other world, where manifestations of trust or blessings of the Holy Kingdom were present, she seemed to possess a talent closer to that of a leader of awakened elves who awakened on their own. ¡°Ah well, flip it or match it.¡± Anyway, there wasn¡¯t much difference in the roles they played. After considering the roles of the High Elves who receive the will of the World Tree and the saintess who spreads the will of the gods, it could be said that the High Elves are the Holy Maiden or Saint of the Elves. If they could reach the will of the gods or the will of the world and use that divine power, he believed that they could improve his condition sufficiently. In that sense, he needed to maintain a close relationship with Baek Hwa-seon. ¡°By the way¡­ should I call them the Eight Great Guilds?¡± Baek Hwa-seon might have moved carefully and cautiously, but the other side was none other than a giant guild representing South Korea. Recently, there had been suspicious movements around this area, and today he could feel their gaze locked on him. It was likely related to the White Tiger Guild. He recalled the face and information of Kim Jung-hoon that he had searched for in the library. ¡°Did I mention that he¡¯s an uncle?¡± Thanks to his position as Baek Hwa-seon¡¯s uncle, he was also a man whose image was being added to that of the nation¡¯s uncle. ¡°I hope he doesn¡¯t cause any trouble.¡± It remained to be seen whether things would go as he pleased. ¦¤¦¤¦¤ When I was young, I lost my parents. As a result, my sister took on the role of the family¡¯s pillar and watched over my younger siblings. Because of that, my siblings all saw my sister as a mother figure. Baek Hwa-seon! She was the child left behind by that sister. After my brother-in-law and sister passed away in an unexpected car accident, I treated their child like my own and cherished her dearly. Perhaps it was because I also lost my parents at a young age, but a strange sense of kinship made me love the child even more. Since I had never been married or had a woman or child of my own, the child felt like my own flesh and blood in every way. I didn¡¯t hesitate to strongly object and refuse when the said child said she would come into this line of work for that reason. But in the end, it was an inevitable fate. My sister¡¯s accident was caused by a monster, something that could not be avoided. After his refusal, Baek Hwa-seon attempted to join another guild, which forced him to raise both hands and declare white flag. ¡°I¡¯d rather teach and raise her than leave her to someone else,¡± he declared. From then on, he diligently taught her from the basics and helped her grow within his own guild. And he was amazed by what he discovered. It was because I had discovered the exceptional abilities of a child who would come to as one of the most talented in Korea. To properly raise her, he also provided him with opportunities to experience the rifts from various countries around the world. As her experience grew, so did her skill, and she quickly earned the honor of an A-ranker. After that, it was truly a time of prosperity. But even that was short-lived, as there were a series of inconvenient incidents and accidents in recent times. ¡®Starting from crewell and up to Ashen Wolves¡­¡¯ It was often more problematic to get involved with these humans than with monsters, so his sense of caution only grew stronger. Especially since it was related to the safety of his niece, whom he treated like his own child, he had no choice but to show sharp reactions and take action. The niece must have thought she was hiding well while moving. ¡®After all, it was true.¡¯ Her escort team couldn¡¯t read her subtle movements. ¡°I need to probe her one more time. Tsk!¡± But even so, Kim Jung-hoon was able to discover what Baek Hwa-seon was trying to conceal. It was the White Tiger Guild, one of the top eight guilds in Korea. By leveraging his intelligence, he was able to move in a way that didn¡¯t upset his niece, and even if it meant taking a detour, he could investigate in a direction out of the child¡¯s sight, completing the information in a way that was feasible. ¡°Baron.¡± He had already completed the minimum information gathering about the target. In fact, it wasn¡¯t too difficult. Some basic information was gathered through the homeless people, so it was still unknown whether that was the real name or a false one, but it was registered as basic information for now. After discovering the connection with Lim Seon-hee, it wasn¡¯t too difficult to track his movements. ¡®At first glance, he seems to be in his mid to late thirties.¡¯ Although he couldn¡¯t determine his ability, he could speculate that the recent Ashen Wolf incident was resolved because of him. Although the niece had a talent for it, she was not yet at the level to catch five A-rank hallucinators. Especially if those hallucinators were members of the Ashen Wolf, it went without saying. In addition to crewell, information obtained by personally digging into things, including the Ashen Wolves, was also directed towards the guild. ¡°It turns out the story from that perverted voyeur was actually information.¡± It left a bad taste in his mouth. [Argh! That damn beggar!] [Beggar!] [Bastard¡­] The memory of crewell screaming and shouting like a madman, banging on the iron bars of the ability user¡¯s special prison and screaming as if he were crying out loud, came to mind. The keyword was the word ¡®beggar.¡¯ I thought it was just a derogatory term for the opponent, but it turned out to be ¡®information¡¯ that contained the truth. It was a twist, in its own way. ¡°I should have listened more carefully. Tsk!¡± If there was any doubt, it was the fact that he had faced many of the elite members of the Ashen Wolf alone, which was known for its small and elite numbers. ¡°If it¡¯s Glaco team of Ashen Wolf, even I can¡¯t guarantee victory.¡± Could such a skilled individual suddenly appear? ¡°It¡¯s not like he fell from the sky.¡± He couldn¡¯t just treat him like a savior, as he knew that this world was not such a clean place considering his experiences. ¡®Those Hallucinator bastards could be pulling off some nonsense.¡¯ As there were so many crazy people in this town, those who could pull off nonsensical works were none other than the mentally ill called hallucinators. ¡®It might be a trick played by hallucinators.¡¯ In this part, it was fortunate that Baek Hwa-seon¡¯s movements were somewhat predictable. Rather than going in as an ally, she was moving secretly and discreetly, which allowed for a more cautious investigation and approach with adjustable distance. ¡®For now, let¡¯s analyze the opponent with goodwill as the basis.¡¯ But he was keeping in mind a certain assumption. ¡°Even though there are many headaches, sigh! I hope it¡¯s not the worst case scenario.¡± As he recalled the meeting of the eight Guilds, his face wrinkled and he began to sigh heavily. At the same time, his eyes caught sight of a pile of documents that had been put off. ¡°Ugh¡­¡± He put aside his role as an uncle and returned to his duty as the leader of the White Tiger Guild. ¦¤¦¤¦¤ The Black Lion Guild! As one of the eight major guilds representing South Korea, they had been active since the early days of the rift and could be considered a guild with a long-standing history of dominance in the world of talented individuals in South Korea. However, currently, their position was at the bottom of the eight major guilds. While there could be many reasons for this, if we were to name the most significant reason, it would undoubtedly put the White Tiger Guild first. Once upon a time, Kim Jung-hoon, who was the commander of the special unit of the Black Lion Guild, left the guild and took many talented members with him. This incident caused the once dominant Black Lion Guild to falter. Taking advantage of this opportunity, other guilds began to rise and eventually took on the form of the 3rd and 5th guilds. Now, they are known as the 8th guild. ¡°Moreover, why did they choose the name White Tiger?¡± It seems like they were deliberately targeting the Black Lion Guild with this name. Once upon a time, this matter was constantly going up and down people¡¯s mouths. For these reasons, it was not an exaggeration to say that the Black Lion Guild and the White Tiger Guild had a hostile relationship, and as a result, the Black Lion Guild always paid attention to the movements of the White Tiger Guild. ¡®We should have stomped on that damn bastard early on.¡¯ Unfortunately, it was the period when the union was forming to counter the association, and when Black Lion Guild saw White Tiger Guild joining the union, Black Lion could not reveal its claws. Park Man-ho, the leader of the Black Lion Guild, recalled old memories and took a deep breath before focusing on the new report. ¡°A homeless person¡­¡± As a piece of coincidental information, the report mentioned some recent movements of the special forces of the White Tiger Guild. Park Man-ho, the leader of the Black Lion Guild, mused. ¡°Hmm¡­it says here that it¡¯s under the command of Kim Jung-hoon.¡± Naturally, the Black Lion Guild couldn¡¯t sit idly by, as they considered the White Tiger Guild to be a thorn in their side. ¡°Digging into the life of a homeless person isn¡¯t my cup of tea, but we can¡¯t ignore this,¡± Park Man-ho said. He believed there must be a good reason why White Tiger guild was taking an interest in something, and he knew that he too would have to put forth some effort to investigate. ¦¤¦¤¦¤ ¡°Ah¡­so annoying. Soooooo annoying~!¡± Baron¡¯s constant rambling was starting to wear on Lim Seon-hee, who let out a deep sigh. She wished she could just shut him up, but unfortunately, that wasn¡¯t an option. Baron¡¯s incessant chatter was all because of her. [Please teach me a move!] That was the reason she had asked him for a lesson in the first place. Amidst all of this, Baron continued to make her feel uncomfortable with his non-stop antics. She couldn¡¯t help but wonder if this was some new form of torture. Moreover, it wasn¡¯t just the rambling that caused such misunderstandings. [Bring your swimsuit.] Isn¡¯t the mention of items enough to make her flustered, if it¡¯s her first time preparing for it? [If you don¡¯t want to, don¡¯t come.] She tried to pull her foot back with an attitude of having no regrets, but eventually, she had to prepare a swimsuit and find him in tears. [Who brings a bikini? Don¡¯t you have a rash guard? It¡¯s good for eye candy, but not practical. And you¡¯re not¡­ an exhibitionist, are you?] Thanks to a little misunderstanding, the first day was particularly embarrassing, and the subsequent study was truly absurd. [Change and sit down here.] As she watched the following training, she furrowed her brow, and soon, she couldn¡¯t help but ask in a voice mixed with bewilderment. [What is this?] [Have you ever seen this in a movie or TV show? It¡¯s like when Taoist monks cleanse their body by standing under a waterfall. That¡¯s what it¡¯s like.] It was the moment when I understood why I needed to bring a swimsuit. However, a problem arose from there. ¡®Why? Why? Why should I put my head under this tap water? It¡¯s not a waterfall.¡¯ What¡¯s worse was the intensity of the water stream. Splish-splash, splish-splash¡­ The stream of water hitting my head incessantly is pathetically thin, making me feel miserable. [What¡¯s the point of having such high water pressure in this backward park?] Baron¡¯s argument was not far off. As a result, rather than expecting a scene as magnificent as one would see in a drama or movie, it seemed more fitting for a scene that would be found in a comedy program to unfold. ¡°Oh my! I can¡¯t breathe. I can¡¯t concentrate!¡± Whenever her breathing became ragged or shaky while she rambled on, it was like a ghostly instinct that would alert him to point it out. Luckily, it was a sparsely populated area. Nonetheless, Whenever she felt like someone might pass by, she found herself holding her breath, unable to move even her feet. ¡®I can¡¯t handle being treated like a crazy woman.¡¯ She regretted her decision to ask for this kind of instruction every moment, but it was difficult to refuse it because it seemed that this nonsensical training was actually effective. She was in a frenzy, doing everything she could to improve, and although the difference was not noticeable, she felt that she was making slight progress. ¡°You¡¯re getting distracted again. Please focus and don¡¯t make me constantly worry about you. Ugh, it¡¯s so annoying. So annoying~!¡± Despite her concerns about the current situation and her worries, Lim Seon-hee pushed them aside and focused on the strange breathing technique she learned from Baron, trying to concentrate on the falling water. As always, when the sun clearly showed its face, the training ended. At the same time, Lim Seon-hee, worried that someone might see her, hurriedly completed her exercises and turned to leave when Baron asked her a question. ¡°It¡¯s been a while, haven¡¯t you adapted yet?¡± ¡°No matter how hard I try, it seems impossible.¡± ¡°Well, you should know how to have a thick skin.¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t sound like a good thing.¡± Baron asked her while she was grumbling. ¡°By the way, you should change your outfit soon.¡± Is he finally changing her swimsuit to something else? Lim Seon-hee¡¯s eyes lit up with expectations, but unfortunately, Baron¡¯s words were full of despair inducing. ¡°Get a thick one like a wetsuit. It¡¯s getting chilly in the early morning air because it¡¯s fall. You might catch a cold.¡± As they say, hope is a double-edged sword. Lim Seon-hee¡¯s shoulders slumped heavier than ever before. After finishing her packing, she suddenly turned to Baron and asked, as if she had just remembered something, ¡°By the way, is it okay if I skip the training for two to three days?¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°We are scheduled to go on a two-night, three-day internship soon, and I think I need to rest then. Would it be okay?¡± Once again, Baron was merciless. ¡°Do you think that¡¯s okay?¡± ¡°¡­No?¡± ¡°You¡¯re right.¡± As she fell into despair once again, Baron asked her where she was going. ¡°Huh? What! You¡¯re coming with me, aren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Are you crazy? Doing such a bothersome thing. Sigh~! I have no choice. If you don¡¯t lay a solid foundation at the beginning, you could end up being a laughingstock. It¡¯s a hassle, but this is a critical moment, so you have to bear it. You¡¯re going to attend the reinforcement training after that, so be prepared.¡± Just as a wave of emotion was about to rise in her, Baron delivered a devastating blow. ¡°As a penalty for bothering me, you¡¯ll have to do extra training for a week. OK?¡± As if enjoying the thrilling moment of being reduced to ashes after being crushed very finely, Lim Seon-hee raised her shoulders with a pale face. CH 12 After the anomalous event known as the dimensional rift, some places were turned into breeding grounds for monsters due to delayed initial containment and response. Dungeon! It wasn¡¯t a funny joke, but rather something that crewell, who is known as a perverted hallucinator of the underworld, uses to call his warehouse that he raised high. Literally meaning a kind of dungeon that appears in various games or stories. The place came to be called by that name because it was a natural progression that followed when monsters began to emerge. Top guilds and skilled personals attempted to restore some of the areas, but it was not an easy task. There were several reasons for this, but the most decisive factor was the underground monsters, who lived their lives beneath the surface. If it were on the surface or in the sky, it would be a different story, but catching creatures that swim underground is a daunting task even for seasoned veterans. There were attempts to clear out the monsters with bombing, and some areas were successfully resolved. However, many areas that could not handle the underground monsters were lost again. It was a world where the corpses of monsters were valuable. Dungeons eventually became a gathering place for hunters and skilled individuals and gradually transformed into specialized hunting grounds. Instead of forcing the recovery of the land, the government concluded that it was better to maintain the current state. Mount Bukhansan National Park! It was once one of the beloved mountain-climbing destinations in Seoul, and it was also one of the areas that turned into a dungeon. And, It was also the training ground for the Hunter Department of Haneul University, including Lim Seon-hee. ¡°While this area can be considered a safe zone, you shouldn¡¯t let your guard down. Low-level monsters occasionally appear, and if you¡¯re not careful, it can be really dangerous.¡± While listening to the professor in charge of the training, Lim Seon-hee kept her eyes scanning the surroundings. It was because she kept seeing strange and hard-to-understand sights. ¡°Humans?¡± As the professor had mentioned, it was a safe zone but also a dangerous area. Nevertheless, there were people who appeared to be ordinary showing up here and there. Their appearance made her think of homeless people in shabby clothing, but the important thing was not their social status but why they were in this dangerous area. She wanted to ask them about it, but she recalled the professor¡¯s warning not to ask unnecessary questions in such a place, so she focused on observing quietly. However, the people with shabby clothes still caught her eye, making it hard to concentrate. Suddenly, she thought of the homeless man, Mr. Baron, who had been cheering her on during her training. ¡®I wonder how he¡¯s doing,¡¯ she thought. As soon as the thought crossed her mind, Mr. Baron¡¯s voice echoed in her ears like a spell. [Bikini, bikini, bikini] She had kept them just in case, but now she wondered if she really needed to wear them. At that moment, her cheeks turned red with embarrassment. ¦¤¦¤¦¤ A sigh escaped from Baron¡¯s lips. ¡°Ah~! On days like this, I feel like hunting down some monsters and letting off some steam.¡± But he suppressed his urge and set out on a long journey. ¡°Is that Bukhansan?¡± Baron sighed again as he looked at the sign for the national park ahead. ¡°Even if I haven¡¯t teached much, a disciple is still a disciple. Sigh¡­¡± Although it was a practice under the protection of experts in a safe zone, it will be a real battle that took place in a dangerous area called a dungeon. ¡°Why would someone risk their life like that? Ugh! They should study hard and get a desk job instead.¡± Shaking his head, he licked his lips and looked to the side. ¡°Isn¡¯t this area supposed to be a safe zone?¡± He spotted a monster lurking in the distance. It was one of those creatures commonly known as goblins, which appeared in low-level rifts and were a primary target for student training, according to what was known. He had a rifle in one hand, found somewhere, and it was a K-2, a favorite of the Korean army. It was funny that he held it by the barrel, not the handle, and he was charging towards him swinging the handle like an ax. ¡°Right. When have you ever used something like that? Sigh¡­¡± Baron shook his head and lightly dodged the attack, then kicked the gun away with his foot, and lunged forward to stab the goblin¡¯s throat with his extended toes. As there was enough distance to retreat, the goblin¡¯s eyes briefly showed a hint of a mocking smile, knowing the attack could not reach him. Puff! With a sound that seemed almost like a lie, the goblin¡¯s neck sunk in and its pupils bulged as if they were about to pop out. Then, within moments, it collapsed in a pool of blood and froth. ¡°Heh! This is the power of the Mercenary King¡¯s toe wind. Don¡¯t be arrogant and mock anyone, you bastard.¡± He then nonchalantly pulled out his big toe from his tattered and holey shoe, looking more pitiful than intimidating. ¡°They usually hunt in packs.¡± After glancing around for a moment, Baron shrugged. It seemed that, for now, the safety zone was indeed a safety zone, as there were no signs of any more goblin groups. It seems like someone who separated from their group has been pushed this far. ¡°Let¡¯s see.¡± He examined the K-2 rifle, which was lying on the ground, and then surveyed the area. He soon scrunched up his face in disappointment. ¡°Looks like a real mess. I wonder how roughly these goblins have been handling it. It¡¯s beyond repair now; I¡¯ll be lucky if I can sell it as scrap metal.¡± Throwing it away, he began to walk towards Bukhansan mountain. After raiding crewell¡¯s warehouse, there was no reason to be disappointed with the scrap metal value. ¡°What¡¯s the point of coming to such a dangerous place?¡± As he was shaking his head, there was one person who came to mind. ¡°Come to think of it, the old man said he would settle down around here. I wonder if he¡¯s still alive?¡± With the thought of seeing a familiar face while he was at it, he moved on. ¦¤¦¤¦¤ The third team leader of the North Wind Guild¡¯s attack division, Choi Il-kwon, was no longer around. The reason was that the conflict with the guild leader had deepened to the point where he had thrown in his resignation. ¡°He wasn¡¯t like that before. He used to be the kind of guy who said he would reform the association because it was acting like Johnson¡¯s dog, but now he thinks he¡¯s better than everyone else and wants to replace the kids. Sigh¡­¡± However, since Choi Il-kwon was one of the founding members of the guild, he still had a close relationship with the guild leader. That¡¯s why he felt even more sorry for the guild leader. Of course, because of those relationships, he¡¯s been dragging out conflicts all this time, but now that he has left the guild, it¡¯s all in the past. ¡°By the way, don¡¯t we need to start a guild?¡± As Jang geon asked, he looked around. His colleagues who followed him out of the guild were quite capable, but unfortunately, with their numbers they couldn¡¯t form a guild on their own. ¡®Well¡­ we could force it, but it wouldn¡¯t be enough.¡¯ Unfortunately, they lacked the talent for operating a guild afterward. In that sense, they had tried to recruit the leader of the 5th team of the guild, but it was another disappointment. ¡®He¡¯s still looking for that damn album. Tsk¡­¡¯ It was assumed that he wouldn¡¯t leave the guild until he achieved his goal. With a brief sigh, he looked at Jang geon and spoke. ¡°Don¡¯t be naive and be vigilant. Although it¡¯s still in the outskirts of Bukhansan, there might be some troublesome people coming out soon. We need to be prepared and respond properly to avoid wasting bullets.¡± Leaving the guild didn¡¯t mean they were just idling around. They formed separate teams with their colleagues and went hunting, but they had to pay a toll fee since they weren¡¯t going through the guild. ¡°Since we need to make our share of profit, we won¡¯t have time to rest today. Stay on high alert and keep moving,¡± he said. Although he wanted to delve deeper, their party¡¯s inability to surpass the C-rank meant they were limited to moving along the border. How far had they come? After a brief silence, Jang geon spoke up and asked a question. ¡°Is that true?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°That they¡¯re planning to breach the ceasefire line.¡± ¡°¡­How did you find out about that?¡± ¡°Well, I was the deputy leader of the third team.¡± It was clear that he had his sources. ¡°Ugh¡­what¡¯s the point of bringing that up?¡± ¡°Everyone who needs to know probably already does. And it¡¯s not something that can stay hidden for long with the severity of the situation. So please, tell us. Is it true?¡± The rest of the team had already perked up and were listening intently. ¡°Yeah. That¡¯s why dungeons are teeming with hunters these days.¡± Each guild was sending their members to dungeons and rift zones to prepare, building their combat skills. ¡°Wow¡­they¡¯re really going to challenge the ceasefire line. I heard that place is a real nightmare.¡± As the largest, widest, and most formidable dungeon area, the Devil¡¯s Cave on the ceasefire line had become a thorn in the side for both North and South Korea. It was the site of the first Level 5 Rift to open on the Korean Peninsula, and if there was one problem, it was the fact that the number of Rifts in that area was more than just one or two. Currently, most dungeons were housing several high-level rifts as time went by, but the ceasefire line dungeon was a cave that had several high-level rifts from the very beginning. There was a reason why they hadn¡¯t been hastily dealt with so far. At least a single digit number of them were easily exceeded in the known findings alone, and it was a place where lower-level rifts and monsters were having a field day. ¡°Since the power has increased and more things have been prepared than before, it seems that the Association or Union has come to the conclusion that they should try to make a move.¡± The Association of Ability Users! The Hunter¡¯s Union! During normal times, they may be at odds with each other, but they are the driving force behind the world of ability users. If these two major powers were to join forces, it was thought that even the Devil¡¯s Cave hunt would not be an impossible task. If there is a problem, it was that, ¡®the lower-level guys would end up dying. Tsk¡­¡¯ After sighing in regret, I soon realized I was getting too deep in thought and shook my head to clear my musings. Although it was a border area, it was still a dungeon and the territory of monsters. In battle, distractions could be a matter of life or death. ¡°Focus!¡± He raised his voice and took a firm step forward. His team members jumped at his sudden shout and followed behind him. ¦¤¦¤¦¤ Black Lion Guild leader Park Man-ho raised an eyebrow upon hearing unexpected news. ¡°So that beggar went to the Bukhansan dungeon?¡± Due to the movements of Kim Jung-hoon¡¯s close aides, he was also focusing on his own subordinates, but so far no solid information had come out. The reason why the leader of White Tiger Guild was interested was still unknown. However, if he was considering the upcoming attack on the ceasefire line, he no longer had the luxury of paying attention to anything else. As a result, a quick decision had to be made. ¡°Send out the order to start the operation.¡± Instead of wasting time looking around here and there, he planned to face it directly and confirm it. ¡°For now, we¡¯ll capture him alive and verify.¡± Of course, as much as the leader of White Tiger was interested, he planned to move elite agents to ensure a thorough and certain operation without being careless. Due to the fact that it was a dungeon in Bukhansan, it was no different from the Black Lion¡¯s territory, so it was not so difficult to hide the movements of the elite. ¡°Even if we have to kill him, it doesn¡¯t matter.¡± It will be a pity that he couldn¡¯t figure out White Tiger guild¡¯s curiosity, but destroying their interests would be a game of its own. With a short order, he once again focused on his work. ¦¤¦¤¦¤ It¡¯s a well-known fact among those who are familiar that the Black Lion guild is interested in the White Tiger guild. Naturally, the parties involved couldn¡¯t help but notice, and for that reason, it was also true that Kim Jung-hoon constantly felt the gaze of the Black Lion. He wasn¡¯t the type to show everything he had, so he also observed and paid attention to his opponents as a matter of course, and thanks to that, he was able to grasp various pieces of information. ¡°Hmm¡­ Did they move after all?¡± He knew very well who the Black Lion had been paying attention to lately. He couldn¡¯t not know. He had tried to hide his movement from Park Man-ho by sending his direct subordinates but because of his persistence his secret movements were still known by him. It was better this way. ¡°I wonder¡­¡± He planned to take this opportunity to investigate the mysterious man who seemed to have fallen from the sky. Although it was true that the target was benefactor of his niece, Baek Hwa-seon, but there were undoubtedly suspicious aspects. Moreover, since it was such an unusual name, investigating it revealed that the majority of those with that name were already classified as deceased, and even among the few living faces, there were many differences in appearance with entirely different age groups when compared. He also obtained photos of some of the deceased individuals but since they were from a long time ago, it was difficult to make a clear judgement. In the end, he concluded that the probability of his stated identity being false was high. In fact, there was a bit of a trap here. [Body change!] And it happened three times. Although some of his old appearance remained, it was difficult to recognize him clearly only with blurry old proof photos. Of course, he didn¡¯t reveal this fact, and they had collected information and make judgments based only on the truth that was revealed at the moment. ¡°He even destroyed a team of Ashen Wolves¡­¡± He believed that the elites of White Tiger had enough skill to save him from the worst-case scenario. ¡°Still, just in case, aren¡¯t his direct subordinates moving separately?¡± ¡°Anyway, a benefactor is a benefactor. We have to avoid the worst-case scenario.¡± Due to his unique position, It had become a form that relied on the help of others, but as the leader of the giant organization called White Tiger, he considered this kind of action to be natural. ¡°Mt. Bukhan¡­¡± He whispered the place where the incident would soon take place. CH 13 Boom¡­ Boom¡­ Boom¡­ Boom¡­ The sound of the drums echoed across the battlefield, sending shivers down their spines. As I turned my head, I could hear the sound of fists clenching tightly in response to the overwhelming sight of the thousands of soldiers marching forward. Though each soldier¡¯s attire, weapons, and stance varied, they all shared one thing in common: an unwavering focus on the front. Who would dare mock them as mere mercenaries? Those who had ridiculed them as lower-class citizens and slaves to money, sometimes even treating them like criminals and belittling them, were the very people who failed to recognize their true identity. As each of them acted on their own, each with their own voice and behavior, they were often ignored and looked down upon even more. It was his role to gather them together and unite their will. That was the role of the Mercenary King, Baron! Some of the mercenaries who were directly under his command or not couldn¡¯t help but exchange glances and smirk. Amidst their restrained demeanor, it was their boiling gazes that caught his attention. ¡°Hurry up! Right now!¡± they urged, shouting. They were demanding to unfold the game. He gave a brief chuckle and drew his sword, turning his gaze forward. In front of him, there were more of the demon lord¡¯s troops than his own. ¡®Disgustingly many, aren¡¯t there?¡¯ I couldn¡¯t help but let out a bitter laugh, thinking that the battlefield where other troops were fighting probably wouldn¡¯t be any different from this. The magic they were unleashing dyed even the sky with darkness. My grip on the sword tightened. It was the divine sword I had received directly from the bloated and arrogant pope of a kingdom with a swollen belly, after gaining fame and receiving the title of king. Woowoowoo¡­ The sword let out a pleased howl, as if feeling his strength. It used to be a troublemaker, but after being soaked in heads of several high-ranking demons and training it periodically for three nights and four days, it had become as gentle as a lamb. It now emitted a powerful aura that perfectly matched the divine sword. ¡®First with spiritual power!¡¯ At that moment, as if the descent of a divine being, a radiant light emanated from the sword and shot up high into the sky, slicing through the darkened heavens. ¡®And now magical power!¡¯ The magical force within the sword added its strength. His muscles swelled so much that his clothes were torn off. ¡°Rrrraaaaahhhh!¡± With a thunderous roar, he leaped forward and slammed onto the ground. ¡°I¡¯ll finish this!¡± Rumbling¡­ At the same time, as if the wrath of a god had descended, a massive earthquake struck, splitting the earth and causing a huge explosion that blasted forward. With all three powers combined, the strike shattered the ground for thousands of miles in front of him, reaching even the place where the demon king¡¯s army was stationed, unleashing its wrathful explosion. In an instant, their formation collapsed. Baron laughed at their disarray and turned around to face the mercenaries waiting in the back, shouting the very command they wanted to hear. ¡°Kill them all!¡± And he charged forward. In that moment, as if waiting for a signal, the mercenaries began to charge forward behind him, screaming battle cries and shouts. ¡°Uwaaaaah!¡± ¡°Kill them all!¡± ¡°Euaaaaah!¡± ¡°Destroy them!¡± The sound of their boots pounding against the ground echoed through the air as they ran headlong into the fray, their weapons raised high and their determination unwavering. ¦¤¦¤¦¤ ¡°Kill¡­kill¡­kill¡­kill¡­¡± At the moment when baron was muttering to himself, a voice suddenly flew beside him, causing him to open his eyes in a daze. ¡°Are you so desperate to die? Why do you keep talking about death?¡± Baron, who had been sleep-talking for a while, realized that the situation was just a dream as soon as he heard the voice. ¡®Was it just a dream?¡¯ He then recognized that he was inside a dungeon. ¡®Even though it¡¯s eerie, it¡¯s still a dungeon after all.¡¯ The stench of blood that filled the area seemed to trigger memories from the past, and he realized that he had dreamt about old times after a long time. As he laughed, the white-haired man turned his head and looked down at him. ¡°Hmm¡­Guide?¡± ¡°Come on, don¡¯t call me that. I¡¯m only in my fifties. You keep treating me like an old man.¡± The man, commonly known as ¡®The bottle,¡¯ was an old acquaintance that Baron had found in Bukhansan the day before. ¡°Jambo, you never change.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°If you lie down, it becomes your bed.¡± As he spoke, Baron remained lying on the ground, just as where he had fallen asleep. ¡°Keep doing that and you¡¯ll ruin your liver. At least put a newspaper down and sleep on it.¡± ¡°Old man¡¯s booze is so strong, it¡¯s fine. It¡¯s warm in my stomach, so the cold floor actually feels better.¡± The day before, when they met for the first time in a while, they seemed to have planned it and had a drinking party. Since there were enough bottles of alcohol to go around, there was no shortage or any such situation. Moreover, Baron had brought several bottles of liquor himself to share with him, so there was no reason to run out of alcohol. ¡°What are you doing here, anyway?¡± Baron looked at him with a bewildered expression. ¡°What do you mean? Isn¡¯t that a question you should have asked when we met yesterday?¡± ¡°When you¡¯re glad to see someone, you pour them a drink first. Greetings come after you¡¯re sober,¡± the man replied. ¡°Oh¡­¡± Shaking his head, he opened his mouth. ¡°I had something to do here, and while I was in the area, I thought I¡¯d come and see your face, old man.¡± ¡°How did you know I¡¯d be here?¡± ¡°As you know, I have a good sense of things.¡± The three-body change, achieved through the Samshinki technique, had brought his body into the realm of a superhuman. Even without intentionally exerting energy, one can demonstrate efficiency comparable to that of sensory-type ability users, solely by utilizing the five senses. ¡°Who else would emit such a strong smell of alcohol like old man in a place like this?¡± ¡°Are you a dog?¡± ¡°But old man is better at finding booze.¡± Furthermore, if the he were just an ordinary person, baron might not have noticed, but even so, he were a person with the ability to be called an awakened one. Although his rank may be low, there was a difference between those who possessed abilities and ordinary people. ¡®Well¡­ my sensory abilities are remarkable, but my combat abilities are a bit disappointing.¡¯ Regardless, it made it easier to sense things thanks to that ability. ¡°By the way, looking at your face, it seems like you¡¯re still living like a beggar?¡± ¡°I say, inspiration hasn¡¯t changed.¡± ¡°You¡¯re still young, so start over. Stop wasting your life. You¡¯re a talented guy with good abilities. What¡¯s the problem?¡± In the past, they had encountered monsters together, and at that time, even though it was small, the Bottle had glimpsed Baron¡¯s abilities. That¡¯s why they were having this conversation. ¡°Have you seen that movie? With great power comes great responsibility.¡± ¡°So, you¡¯re not going to use your power because you don¡¯t want to take responsibility?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s because it¡¯s bothersome.¡± ¡°¡­.You¡¯re a rotten person.¡± ¡°Hey, Then improve your abilities and live properly as an inspiration.¡± ¡°Improved hearing ability? What good is it if my hearing has improved? My only talent is sensing monster presence and avoiding it.¡± ¡°Well, to find a good drink, you need a keen sense of smell. And To think your sense of hearing has become heightened from searching for alcohol. It¡¯s quite amusing when you think about it, even ¡®inspiration¡¯ is just a joke.¡± ¡°Ugh, finding a good drink is about following your heart.¡± ¡°Even poop comes from the heart.¡± Thanks to his auditory abilities, the bottle could roam the area around Mt. Bukhan, known as the ghost city, as if it were his own home. All the alcohol he poured was from there The bottle stopped its puns, and refrained from speaking more. It was because he had caught a glimpse of a bitter smile on Baron¡¯s face. ¡®When are you going to stop living like this¡­¡¯ Even Baron himself didn¡¯t know. He had returned to Earth, running away from the human war and disputes among his old comrades. ¡®Still¡­ now that I¡¯m here, it doesn¡¯t feel like the world I belong to. Is it appropriate to say so?¡¯ That was the reality after 300 years. ¡°Like, I feel like I¡¯ve become a stranger here.¡± If he had a family, he would have attached himself to them and lived with affection, keeping his roots in mind. But since the possibility of that has already disappeared, what can he do? ¡°I¡¯m just living like this. There¡¯s nothing really uncomfortable about it.¡± Baron said so and opened the cap of the bottle of liquor that he picked up from side. ¡®Tsk¡­¡¯ The bottle, who was shaking his head, asked, ¡°Did you really just come to see my face?¡± ¡°Hehe¡­ I thought I could get some information while I¡¯m at it.¡± ¡°I thought so.¡± As mentioned earlier, the ability that the bottle had awakened was of the sensory type, ¡®hearing¡¯, and thanks to that, he was able to hear various sounds and rumors. Through this, he also played the role of an informant, and while Baron¡¯s visit was partly due to their past relationship, it was also to obtain the information he had on Bukhansan. The bottle reached out his hand. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a show of respect.¡± ¡°I gave you yesterday.¡± At that moment, he remembered the bottles baron had brought with him. ¡°Damn it¡­ Why did you bring so many of them?¡± He has been lying on the ground with empty bottles on his side. Since they had already been consumed, it was difficult to get rid of them, and he opened his mouth as if to say that he couldn¡¯t do anything. ¡°It¡¯s supposed to be high-quality information, so listen carefully.¡± Following that, the current situation in Bukhansan, as well as personally inferred information, were explained one by one. As he listened, Baron¡¯s expression began to sour. ¦¤¦¤¦¤ Jang Gil-sang, a professor of Hunter department at Haneul University, was a skilled expert who had built up his career up to an A-Rank in the past. Although he had retired from the front line due to injury, he still boasted of having honed his senses to the point of being able to react to any changes faster than anyone else. Perhaps that was why he periodically participated in practical training. As a result, he was able to quickly react to the unusual changes in Bukhansan, sending him a sharp warning. ¡®This vibration¡­doesn¡¯t feel right!¡¯ His keen senses sent an alert. ¡°I think we should postpone this training.¡± Despite his insistence, he was unfortunately not as influential as he wanted to be due to his tendency to stay indoors. ¡°What are you talking about? Where else can we find such a good training opportunity like this? We can¡¯t just step back now.¡± Kim Sang-tae, a professor who regarded Jang Gil-sang as a thorn in his side, was hanging on to him like he had been waiting for this moment. As a phenomenon arising from the power struggle within the Hunter department, he was also uncomfortable with Jang Gil-sang¡¯s strict neutrality. Especially, past of being stuck at a B-level might have made him even more uncomfortable. ¡°Even so, the number of hunters in Bukhansan has been increasing lately, and where else can we find a safe situation like this? Moreover, exposing ourselves to them during times like this would be advantageous for our students¡¯ guild membership in the future.¡± Jang Gil-sang looked at the other professors, but they seemed to agree with Kim Sang-tae¡¯s opinion. Admittedly, objectively speaking, Jang Gil-sang¡¯s argument was not wrong. However, he was a hunter, and this was a field was full real battles and variables. Sometimes, it was better to rely on your senses. But in the end, he had no choice but to step back. ¦¤¦¤¦¤ Recently, I¡¯ve noticed that the neighborhood has been more lively than ever before. I wondered if there was a reason for it. Slowly, a feeling of discomfort in my sleep began to grow. It was as if my bed was shaking¡­ Eventually, I couldn¡¯t take it anymore and got up to stretch out. I knew I still needed more rest to absorb the ¡®crystal¡¯ inside me, but I couldn¡¯t sleep properly with all the noise. Fuuuuuuu¡­ As I took a deep breath to energize my body, I felt the ground tremble beneath me. Even the worms deep in the earth must have sensed my awakening. I couldn¡¯t help but laugh at their tension. Although my mood improved from the early awakening, I had no intention of going back to sleep. After all, it was time for breakfast. Churup¡­. The thought of hot blood and a racing heart made my mouth water. I focused on waking up my body with even breathing and immersion in the task at hand. The atmosphere near Bukhansan began to change slowly. CH 14 Baron, who was standing on the rooftop of a destroyed building, looked at the mountains of Bukhansan and laughed as he took a swig of his drink. ¡°The old man wasn¡¯t wrong.¡± Through his enhanced auditory abilities, the bottle wasn¡¯t just able to pick up conversations between people. He could pick up all the sounds in the surroundings, including the cries, reactions, and vibrations of not only people but also monsters. ¡°Even dumb animals can understand the meaning of cries if they hear them often enough¡­¡± Baron chuckled and took a sip of his drink while surveying the mountain range from the rooftop of the broken building. He felt a strange tension building up all around him. [It seems like there¡¯s going to be trouble.] He recalled the warning from the bottle earlier, advising him to avoid this place for a while. ¡°If that¡¯s the case, then old man should run away first.¡± He turned his head in one direction, shaking his head. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not thereIt was the same direction where the bottle had left after giving the warning and the gift of a bottle of liquor.read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there As the nearby areas, including Bukhansan National Park, became infested with monsters and turned into dungeons, the surrounding area naturally transformed into a kind of ghost town. Is that why? Unknowingly, people started to make their way there. Some went to hunt for monster carcasses, while others had different reasons for setting foot there. ¡°They¡¯re the ones who¡¯ve been pushed to the brink of death.¡± The bottle spoke of them. People who had been forced out of society for various reasons, such as avoiding loan sharks, suicidal individuals, or violent criminals, all found their way here. This was not only happening in the Bukhansan National Park dungeon. Similar phenomena were occurring in other dungeons in different areas, and even in safe zones, the risk was high, making it easy to avoid pursuers. Since it was an area that the government had given up on, there were no proper sanctions in place. However, control over the parts that the association and the union had drawn the line on was strict, as this was a world where monster corpses could bring in money. Living off the side of a dungeon was tolerated, but interfering with their territory was not forgiven. The bottle complained and grumbled about this injustice. ¡°If you¡¯re gonna fuck around like that, you might as well clean up the mess that¡¯s coming out of it. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not thereI don¡¯t even care about what happens to those guys. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not thereIt¡¯s not like I¡¯m ignoring how messed up life can be. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not thereDamn it!¡±read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not thereread only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not thereread only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there ¡°Is that the Dokbawi Station?¡± He chuckled, as he spoke the name of the station that could be seen in the distance. It was a place that was both a destination for the Bottle and also the last safe zone in Bukhansan, a space that could be considered a kind of final refuge. ¡°Sigh~! I can¡¯t even control my own body properly, and yet I¡¯m trying to protect someone else.¡± Nevertheless, the Bottle had become an Awakener and had gone to protect the people living in that life of misery. Wandering through the dirty alleyways and living on the streets, like a true homeless man, with his alcohol and his complaints, may have seemed unsightly to some, but Baron knew better. ¡°He may look dirty, but¡­¡± He was a nice guy. ¡°Well, then what are you guys?¡± Baron turned his gaze suddenly and spoke out of the blue. ¡°What the hell are you guys who live like that and waste your lives?¡± At that moment, shadows rose up onto the roof of the building where he stood. ¡°Ah, look at you! you guys are only thinking about catching people, while there are some people risking their lives to save them.¡± The strong energy emanating from them was not lacking even when compared to the Ashen wolf he had faced earlier. ¡°But¡­what kind of opera performers are you? Your face looks so¡­¡± The group that appeared wore strange masks, reminiscent of Chinese opera. Of course, there was no answer to the question. Just by their presence, it was clear that their purpose would not be easily swayed, and it was certainly not a situation where they could engage in idle conversation or wordplay. ¡®Ten of them¡­,¡¯ Baron counted, then estimated their skill based on their demeanor. ¡®They¡¯re similar to those Ashen mutts, maybe a bit less capable.¡¯ Ten skilled fighters comparable to the elite Ashen Wolves! It was a serious situation that couldn¡¯t be taken lightly, but Baron wasn¡¯t overly tense. ¡°What, are you just going to stare? If you came here, you should make a move.¡± In fact, he even provoked them first, flicking his finger towards them, causing the masked men to exchange glances with excitement in their eyes. And then, they moved with disarray and charged at Baron. As they appeared, it was evident that they had been waiting for the signal to commence the combat, which was already arranged and prepared. Three of them rushed at Baron to put pressure on him. ¡®As expected!¡¯ It seemed like they were also A-Rank physical ability users. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not thereTheir movements were not ordinary.read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there Three other ability users backed them up from behind, and the weapons in their hands were also unexpected. ¡®Bows?¡¯ Baron dodged their joint attacks here and there and caught a glimpse of their weapons. He had heard of it before. Generally, it is easier to put force into a bow than a gun, and truly exceptional top-level skilled individuals go hunting with a bow instead of a firearm. In other words, ¡®Do they have that much confidence in themselves?¡¯ Before such thoughts could even finish, a creepy sensation dug into the ground beneath his feet. He quickly twisted his body and gasped for air. ¡°whoop!¡± He had to widen his eyes due to the pain that shot up from his ankle. An arrow had just barely missed hitting his Achilles tendon. He felt the power that could have easily penetrated his skin if he wasn¡¯t quick enough. ¡®Even the bow and arrows aren¡¯t ordinary weapons,¡¯ he realized after the narrow miss, understanding that his opponent possessed more than just abilities and powers. ¡®More importantly, the problem is¡­¡¯ Baron¡¯s gaze, which had been watching the archers for a moment, turned to the remaining four beyond them. ¡®Are those guys?¡¯ Despite being at a considerable distance and in strange positions, each of them was staring at the battlefield, and the disturbance that had begun with them was alarming. ¡®Is that some kind of barrier?¡¯ He could sense a subtle noise in his senses, unlike Glaco¡¯s cutting wind. First, his vision was gradually becoming blurry, and his ears were ringing incessantly, growing louder and louder, while the wind blowing through his nose was so pungent that it could crumple his face. All the sensations that came into contact with his skin were becoming unbearably dry. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not thereHe might not even realize he had been hit by an arrow at this rate.read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there ¡®That¡¯s the problem.¡¯ Since losing his Samshinki, all of his battles heavily relied on his senses. Therefore, these kinds of disturbances in sensory signals were quite daunting for him. Whether they intentionally caused it or if it was their standard tactics, it was unclear, but it was undoubtedly effective. ¡®It¡¯s quite effective!¡¯ A sinister fire lit up in Baron¡¯s eyes. ¦¤¦¤¦¤ Watching Baron¡¯s battle, Jang Soo-oh, the commander of White Tiger Guild¡¯s Kim Jung-hoon¡¯s direct unit and the leader of the Shadow Unit, furrowed his brow. ¡°It looks like the Lion Masks are going down.¡± One of his subordinates by his side asked, ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yeah. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not thereThey set up a barrier and seemed genuine after hearing about us. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not thereIt appears that Baron is even more impressive than we had thought.¡±read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not thereread only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there ¡°What¡¯s the problem with that?¡± ¡°When they planned this out, they intended to capture him, but now they¡¯re moving with the intention of killing him. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not thereThat¡¯s a problem.¡±read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there The movements of the Lion Masks, a unit of the Black Lion Guild under Park Man-ho, had just changed, and Jang Soo-oh had read their change of heart through this. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t we move too?¡± asked one of his subordinate named Dae-won. ¡°hmm?¡± As Jang Soo-oh was about to signal his men, his pupils suddenly dilated, and his raised hand came down. It was because another change was coming to the battlefield. ¦¤¦¤¦¤ As soon as Kang Man-il, the leader of the Lion Mask unit, charged in for the approach, he felt a sensation. ¡®This guy¡­ he¡¯s not an ordinary man!¡¯ It didn¡¯t take long for the word ¡°strong¡± to come to mind. ¡®I knew there was something to it when they said the White Tiger¡¯s Shadow Unit was involved, but I never expected it to be this intense.¡¯ His vigilance peaked as the 4-person barrier in the rear reached its climax. ¡®Is he still holding up?¡¯ Despite the fact that his senses and physical center of gravity were likely a mess, he was still steadfastly blocking the aerial attacks of the three frontline fighters. It hadn¡¯t been that long since the start of the battle, but it wasn¡¯t exactly a short time either. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not thereIt was enough time to produce sufficient results.read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there ¡®Kill him!¡¯ They decided to change the way they approached their target. His signal was quickly relayed to the other members, and the air on the battlefield suddenly became tense. It was because the determination to survive had become more intense, in accordance with their resolve. To achieve this, he first pushed his strength to the limit and raised the gear of the battle. Papapapapapang¡­ At one point, he had a body that even challenged the belt in boxing. His dazzling punches began to rain down on Baron like a machine gun. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not thereAt this moment, the other two who were with him were no different in their support.read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there From jabs and straights to hooks and short uppers, the physical enhancements made through awakening and strengthening made all those movements look like one as they unfolded in a single moment. The other two performing a combined attack tied up the opponent¡¯s feet to prevent them from escaping and blocked the escape route. Within his range, the fierce infighting exploded. And then, Juk, bbak! Puck, bbak! Pook, bbak! Counters erupted. The method was very simple. Hit and punch. Baron countered every attack with this absurd method. Typically, the winner of this kind of counter-attacking was very simple. ¡°The one who endures wins.¡± Baron, who seemed to have burst his mouth, chuckled with blood dripping from his lips. And then, the winner of the brief clash was decided. Kuwoong¡­ The collapsing face of Kang Man-il was a complete mess. ¡°You little punk! Your fists are quite spicy.¡± Beyond the shattered mask, his underlying features were revealed, with his face so distorted that it was amazing that he could even breathe. In truth, if he had withdrawn after feeling the effects of the first blow, he would not have been caught so easily. However, Baron¡¯s smoke entered there. Wobbling! It was a show of his trembling figure and contorted facial muscles. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not thereThat prevented Kang Man-il from retreating. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not thereHe also took pride in his fists.read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not thereread only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there Then came the second blow and counter! Already, at that point, Kang Man-il¡¯s mind had flown away, and what followed was just a mechanically trained combination of moves that had been etched into his body. Did his senses crumble? Was his axis shaken? Did he lose his sense of distance? ¡°Then, I just have to grab and hit, right?¡± With that thought, he struck while maintaining his distance, hitting with his fist. Was it because it was an unexpected situation? The members of the Lion mask unit who had suddenly lost their head showed signs of hesitation at first. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not thereOf course, as the elite members of the Black Lion Guild, they continued to move and perform their roles, but their initial reactions were dulled.read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there Taking advantage of this opportunity, Baron once again lifted his chin. But that was it. He flinched¡­ As if bound by something, he froze in the position of throwing a short uppercut. Turning his gaze, he saw that one of the mask wearers who had been putting up a barrier in the rear was reaching out to him, having released himself from his awkward position. ¡°Kkeung¡­ Cha!¡± As Baron exerted his strength, his rigid body suddenly relaxed. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not thereAt that moment, the masked figure released a spurt of blood.read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there It was the recoil from Baron¡¯s strike. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not thereAlthough he used his power to resist, it was not easy to withstand Baron¡¯s immense strength.read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there The other masked figures realized the situation too late and rushed towards Baron. Among them were three who had been casting the barrier, but unfortunately, that was their undoing. As Baron¡¯s senses, which had been sealed, awakened, his shackles were completely released. As he had been trapped, his senses were acutely honed, allowing him to react swiftly to the attacks of the seven assailants. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not thereWith a narrow margin, he evaded all their attacks.read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there Though he was unable to launch a counterattack due to his weakened state, evading their attacks was enough to turn the tables. One chance, that¡¯s all they had! Baron realized that the momentum of the masked men had suddenly shifted, as if they had realized they had missed their one opportunity. ¡®It¡¯s over.¡¯ Baron understood that the outcome of the battle had just tipped in his favor. As he had expected, the masked men fell one by one under his iron fist, until they lay sprawled beside Kang Man-il. The only one left standing was the masked man who had briefly held Baron in place with his power. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not thereBaron had a message to deliver and that was the only reason he remained.read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there ¡°There¡¯s a story from the neighborhood I used to live in.¡± ¡°¡­?¡± ¡°I can endure my woman hitting me, but I can¡¯t endure hitting her!¡± ¡®Isn¡¯t it usually the opposite¡­?¡¯ Baron continued his story, whether he knew the thoughts of the masked one or not. ¡°I don¡¯t know who sent you, but tell your boss. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not thereI¡¯ll be coming for them soon.¡±read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there Crewell and Ashen Wolf had followed Lim Seon-hee and Baek Hwa-seon and got tangled up with him by chance. But these lion masks were entirely different. ¡°You have to pay the price for targeting me.¡± They had purposely come after him. ¡°Well, I have something to do today, so I can¡¯t do it now, but I won¡¯t make you wait long. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not thereAnd if you come to find me yourself, I¡¯ll hit you once instead of twice. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not thereJust so you know.¡±read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not thereread only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there With that, he kicked the chin of the masked one who was only gasping for breath and knocked out the last one cleanly. As he looked down at the fallen ones, Baron turned his gaze in one direction. ¡°You guys better be careful too. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not thereI¡¯m not the type to tolerate being provoked just because I hate inconvenience,¡± he muttered to himself without knowing who he was talking to.read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there Afterward, his form jumped over the building and speed off into the distance. His destination was Bukhansan. ¦¤¦¤¦¤ ¡°What kind of monster is that?¡± Jang Soo-oh had no words to answer Dae-won¡¯s question. ¡®He took a punch from Kang Man-il like it was nothing,¡¯ he thought. Unable to come up with a better description than ¡°monster.¡± Memories of Kang Man-il smashing the thick hide of an ogre with his bare fists flashed through his mind, making his spine shudder involuntarily. ¡°Captain, I think our position may have been compromised. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not thereWhat should we do?¡± After a moment of contemplation, Dae-won asked.read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there ¡°What about the filming?¡± ¡°It was recorded well without any problems.¡± Jang Soo-oh nodded his head and played the footage for Dae-won separately. ¡°We¡¯ll follow him from a distance.¡± ¡°Is it safe?¡± There was no hasty answer to that question. Jang Soo-oh also felt uneasy, but he had to obey the guild leader¡¯s orders, and he had a hunch that he needed to keep an eye on the man¡¯s movements. In case of any contingency, they decided to divide the few soldiers into small groups and move at a distance from each other. ¡®Do we really need to provoke the monster for no reason?¡¯ Therefore, they planned to keep as much distance as possible while chasing him. ¡°Let¡¯s move.¡± Suddenly, a soldier asked, ¡°What about the Lion Masks?¡± ¡°¡­Let¡¯s just give a quick heads up to the Black Lion agents.¡± Despite their past disagreements, he didn¡¯t want to see them end up as monster food. Once the issue with the Lion masks was settled, the White Tiger Shadow Unit split into smaller groups and moved out, each taking a different path. CH 15 On the first day of practical training in Bukhansan Dungeon Zone, we began by surveying the terrain and landmarks. As for the part that involved the university-related guild, we kept a safe distance and observed the battles of the actual combat party. Seeing it firsthand was different from watching it on video, with a greater sense of excitement. Afterward, we spent the day reviewing what we had seen. On the second day of training, they finally started the real practice. ¡°Phew¡­¡± Overwhelmed by the sudden tension, Lim Seon-hee¡¯s gaze fell to her waist where a small pouch was hanging. [It¡¯s a talisman.] It was a gift given to her by Baron during training before leaving. She was curious about what was inside, but he warned her not to open it or it would lose its power. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there.So she tied it to her waist without peeking inside.read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there. It had a strange smell, like some kind of incense, but not a pleasant one. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there.She tried to keep it as far away from her face as possible.read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there. But still, was it because of the talisman that she felt slightly reassured as she leaned on it and tried to ease her tension? Most party operations consisted of teams with 3 to 8 members, and because they were there for practice, safety was the top priority, which is why they moved in numbers greater than the norm. Looking around, she realized that they were twenty-one in total: fifteen freshmen, five seniors, and one professor. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there.It was an odd number for a party, but understandable considering that they were here for training and safety was a top priority.read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there. ¡°Hkiiii!¡± They were moving along the edge of the dungeon zone, and the monsters they encountered were all low-level ones. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there.They were safe as long as they stayed in the designated safe zone.read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there. ¡°Physical enhancement first! Telekinesis, focus on blocking, and attack as a secondary priority. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there.Make sure the healers and buffers are supporting properly. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there.Only use bows until we engage in melee combat. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there.Don¡¯t try to shoot through the gaps.¡±read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there.read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there.read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there. Firearms were not allowed for the students yet, as they were still in the process of mastering combat skills that utilized their abilities. Following the professor¡¯s orders, the students moved in unison, with the five seniors taking the lead and guiding them. Although they stumbled a bit in the beginning, they quickly adjusted and soon they were all in sync. By the fifth hunt, Lim Seon-hee had adapted to the battlefield enough that she no longer relied on the talisman. However, that didn¡¯t mean she had the luxury of being complacent. ¡°Hoo¡­ Hoo¡­ Hoo¡­¡± As a fire attribute user, it was especially exhausting for her. She needed to be extra careful with controlling her power, as it could easily ignite a wildfire. ¡°We¡¯ve worked hard, but let¡¯s push a little further. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there.It¡¯s almost lunchtime. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there.Let¡¯s find a suitable resting spot nearby and take a proper break.¡±read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there.read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there. Following the professor¡¯s call, one of the five seniors took the lead, and the team searched for a place to rest, with the scouting team following closely behind. As they moved along, the opportunity arose to pass on their know-how. Though they were still students, the five of them were experienced enough to work with the guild. Most of them were only ranked D, but compared to the newbies who were barely at the bottom of E or F, they were clearly ahead of the game. As the search party moved and left signals, the rest of the team began to follow suit. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there.Suddenly, the search party that had left first returned with a desperate look on their faces.read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there. At that moment, the professor became aware of the sense of urgency in their expression. ¡®Darn it!¡¯ It seemed like they were in trouble. At first glance, only the newbies seemed to be there, but it appeared that a student who was guiding them had stayed behind and was guiding the situation. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± he asked loudly, directing his question to the new students. ¡°Mon¡­ monster!¡± one of them replied. ¡°It¡¯s a monster. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there.A large monster!¡±read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there. ¡°It¡¯s big!¡± Their panicked and confused demeanor made him feel even more serious about the situation. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there.He had a hunch that the monster they saw was emitting some kind of ¡®aura¡¯.read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there. Of course, considering the low level of the students, it could be easier to handle, but emitting aura means that it is at least a level 3 monster. He wanted to wake them up and listen to their story properly, but if he did that, there was a possibility that the remaining students could be attacked. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there.So he decided to move on for now.read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there. ¡®Looks like it¡¯s started.¡¯ After assigning the remaining senior students to be on guard, he leaped and flew out with a whoosh. Though his level was only around the B-rank, unlike Professor Jang Gil-sang who retired due to injury, he had not lost his touch, and his movements were just as agile as an active hunter. In the midst of it all, he sent a radio message to the other professors to report the situation. [Professor Lee? What¡¯s going on?] [An incident. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there.It seems like a level 3 monster has appeared in the border zone.]read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there. [What are you talking about? A level 3 in the border zone? Even a level 2 is considered high.] [I¡¯m not entirely sure, so I¡¯ll confirm it and let you know again.] [Darn it! Be careful.] The recipient of the radio message was Professor Kim Sang-tae. [Contact the guild and the other professors on standby. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there.Don¡¯t overdo it.]read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there. [Got it.] That was the end of their conversation. A fierce momentum was about to break out ahead of him. ¡°Son of a bitch!¡± The curse slipped out without him realizing. ¡®A troll, really?¡¯ Level 3? It was like a joke. But then, it got worse. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there.A level 4 monster appeared out of nowhere.read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there. It was a creature that was nearly as tough as a level 5 ogre due to its absurd regeneration ability, and it was often referred to as a level 4.5 monster. And that meant one thing, ¡®We¡¯re screwed!¡¯ It was a monster that was almost impossible to handle. ¡®What about Sang-jin?¡¯ He searched for the student who had stayed behind to serve as bait. ¡°Damn it!¡± Another curse escaped him as he found Shim Sang-jin lying on the ground, gasping for breath and bleeding from his wounds. If he had delayed even a little to listen to the students¡¯ stories, he would not have had the chance to see even that scene. Though his life seemed to be hanging by a thread, the important thing was that he was still alive. ¡°Phewwww¡­¡± He took a deep breath and gathered his strength as he ran hastily. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there.The troll, who had already noticed his presence, fixed his gaze on him.read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there. Although he was only a B-level chin-up, his determination and effort made him look like a strong contender. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there.He succeeded in diverting the troll¡¯s attention from Shim Sang-jin.read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there. Now all that was left was to retreat while fighting back and forth, gradually raising the altitude while changing the location. ¡°Kraaaahhh!¡± At that moment, the troll let out a furious roar. He felt a chilling sensation run through his entire body, realizing that it was the sound of monster using his aura. The vivid sense of combat, which he hadn¡¯t experienced in a while, caused his mouth to go dry. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there.This was entirely different from the dungeon¡¯s border zone, where he led students under the guise of practical training.read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there. ¡®My bladder is heavy. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there.Damn it!¡¯read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there. Thanks to the tension, he was able to taste the thrilling sensation of fear once again. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there.However, he knew that he had to endure and lure the troll to ensure the safety of the students and Shim Sang-jin.read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there. ¡®I¡¯ll hold out!¡¯ With his determination firm, he rushed out to face the troll. But despite his determination and the wind at his back, the situation was tilting in a completely unexpected direction. ¦¤¦¤¦¤ The remaining upperclassmen followed Professor Lee¡¯s orders and tried to calm the freshmen down, retreating to a previously scouted safe zone within the boundary area. However, they soon encountered an unexpected variable. ¡°Goblins?¡± Although they were low-level monsters, their tendency to hunt in packs made them a nuisance to deal with. And to make matters worse, they noticed the group and began to chase them. Next in command after Professor Lee, Ji Kang-tae, signaled the others and fell back to the rear to hold off the pursuing monsters. ¡°Go ahead, I¡¯ll hold them off,¡± Thought Ji Kang-tae as he tried to slow down the chasing goblins. ¡°Please, go!¡± Although he was just a student, he was a promising talent with a C-level ability and had even received a love call from a top guild. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there.That¡¯s why his classmates weren¡¯t too worried about his individual actions.read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there. Especially considering his ability to move on the wind, it would be easy for him to escape from most situations. He believed that it was more beneficial to focus on the mental care of the new students than to worry about him. He also had faith that, as a student recognized not only by his peers but also by the professors, he would be able to handle the goblins¡¯ pursuit with ease. However, it wasn¡¯t long before they had to correct their complacent thinking. ¡°Orcs!¡± It was all thanks to Ji Kang-tae, who had quickly returned and reported the news. He had lifted his feet from the gap between the pursuing goblins and discovered new monsters beyond them. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there.As soon as he confirmed it, he fled without looking back.read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there. The monsters were level 3, and they were not much different from the goblins in terms of enjoying group hunting. Moreover, they moved well-organized and systematically, so in the current situation, defeat would mean that they could not escape total annihilation. This was the moment when they decided that they should move as far away from the dungeon area as possible, rather than relying on the safety zone they had previously seen. ¡°Run!¡± In the midst of all this, they didn¡¯t forget to send a signal, and through it, they realized that the situation was even worse than they thought. ¦¤¦¤¦¤ Professor Lee¡¯s message was quickly spread to all the other professors, and they hurriedly escorted the students to safety. Their plan was to first ensure the safety of the students and then set out to find Professor Lee and his group. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there.They were professors, and the students were the ones they were responsible for protecting.read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there. However, their plan was quickly derailed. ¡°Orcs in this area?¡± ¡°Goblins are coming from that direction!¡± Suddenly, a wave of monsters rushed towards them, making it difficult for them to think clearly. ¡®Damn it!¡¯ Professor Kim Sang-tae bit his lip as he remembered last night¡¯s conversation with Jang Gil-sang. ¡®Should I have listened to him?¡¯ He knew that his experience and knowledge were at a different level, but he always fell behind in his senses. He regretted not paying more attention to Jang Gil-sang¡¯s premonitions. It seemed like this time, too, the results would be the same. However, when he made a rational judgment, the current situation was beyond their predictions, so his decision was not necessarily wrong. ¡°There¡¯s no better environment to introduce students than now, where there are many guilds. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there.Damn it!¡±read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there. That was as far as his regret went. The various regrets could be thought over later when the situation was resolved. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there.For now, ensuring the safety of the students and securing an escape route was the most important thing.read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there. He quickly contacted the guilds affiliated with the university through the radio and informed other familiar parties while on the move. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there.His actions were swift and efficient, prioritizing the safety of the students.read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there. ¦¤¦¤¦¤ The Hunter Department that entered Bukhansan was not the only one from Haneul University. Generally, there was a thing called a practical season, so the Hunter Departments of other universities also moved around the same time, connected to the emergency communication network of those various university professors. Even those who were operating individual parties outside like Choi ll-kwon who left the North Wind Guild, received emergency contact. ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± Choi Il-kwon answered with a sigh as Jang geon asked. ¡°We have to go.¡± ¡°Ugh¡­ as expected.¡± ¡°What can we do? The new sprouts are dying.¡± ¡°But isn¡¯t it a situation where we ourselves might wither away?¡± Just like those words, they were also in a crisis situation. As many as 12 Orcs were surrounding them. ¡°Why? Are you scared?¡± ¡°Of course, I¡¯m scared. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there.Dammit! We could handle it if there were only half of that. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there.Twelve is too much.¡±read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there.read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there. ¡°If you can¡¯t handle this much, then you were wasting your life in the North Wind. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there.The new sprouts are waiting, so deal with it quickly and move on.¡±read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there. It wasn¡¯t exactly the number they could handle, contrary to his words. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there.However, it couldn¡¯t be said that it was too difficult.read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there. Although they were at the C-rank, they had enough experience in hunting and some experience as well. If there is enough firepower support, they boast that they are better than an awkward B-rank people. ¡®If there is a problem¡­ it¡¯s that there is not enough firepower.¡¯ It was the point where the hunt, which had been continuously going on without a break, was lightning their pockets. They should have left after hitting them sufficiently, but they continued to hunt some groups, as there was no guild support now. ¡°Are you scared too?¡± Choi Il-kwon looked at the Orcs, then asked the other team members. ¡°Do you think we¡¯re like deputy leader?¡± ¡°What am I!¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that synonymos of a coward?¡± ¡°Damn it! Who said that? I won¡¯t let that go. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there.I won¡¯t stand still for those words.¡±read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there. ¡°Let¡¯s start with our team leader first.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Thanks to the jokes that had been going on for a while, the tension in their bodies loosened somewhat. And around that time, the Orcs, who had been watching their surroundings only, began to approach them little by little. Guess their laughter was irritating for them. ¡°They¡¯re coming.¡± At Choi Il-kwon¡¯s warning, everyone pulled themselves together and activated their abilities. Quarrrrk¡­ He came. ¡°¡­What?¡± At the same time, an incomprehensible situation unfolded before their eyes. ¡°An orc¡­¡± ¡°¡­disappeared?¡± At first glance, there appeared to be traces of fragments of flesh. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there.However, the sudden and difficult-to-understand scene was too much for their cognitive abilities to follow or accept.read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there. Watching them, Baron raised his thumb. ¡°Old man, you were cool.¡± His gaze was directed precisely at Choi Il-kwon. ¡°You were a bit funny,¡± he continued, shifting his attention to Jang geon. Although Jang Geon was lost in thought, he caught the sense of discomfort perfectly, and his expression wrinkled with displeasure. CH 16 I lost the scent. ¡°Just yesterday, I¡¯m sure I smelled the talisman.¡± Inside the item given by Baron to Lim seon-hee was a scent that he could never miss. ¡°Ugh¡­ There should be lots of time remaining.¡± But the smell (?) disappeared like a lie. He moved in the direction he sensed the day before, but he couldn¡¯t find any signs of movement. ¡°Is the madness of the mountain disrupting my senses?¡± It was reasonable to assume that the barrier had been deployed. As a result, he started to heighten his senses to his limits after a long time, and ended up overhearing the conversation between Choi Il-kwon and Jang geon. It was a place not too far away, and he had something to ask, so he ran to help. He liked Choi Il-kwon¡¯s attitude of immediately going to find the students when they were in danger, and Jang geon¡¯s willingness to stand up and fight even if he was irritated was quite interesting. Even if there wasn¡¯t him, it seemed possible to face a dozen orcs, but still, he helped. There was something to gain from it. ¡°May I ask you a question?¡± Baron said, looking at Choi ll-kwon. ¡°Can you tell me anything about the place where students from Haneul University are doing their practical training in this area?¡± In an instant, Baron felt a sense of doubt and wariness flicker in Choi ll-kwon¡¯s eyes. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there.He asked in turn,read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there. ¡°May I know why?¡± ¡°One of the student over there is someone I know.¡± ¡°Ahh¡­¡± Choi ll-kwon seemed to conclude that he was a parent or something. Although there were still some doubts, given the urgent need for the help of a skilled person like him, Choi ll-kwon gave the information for now. ¡°We¡¯re not entirely sure ourselves. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there.We heard some things over the radio, so it¡¯s difficult to be certain if they¡¯re students from Haneul University. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there.There are so many universities that come to the mountains for practical training.¡±read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there.read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there. Despite this, he had uncovered all the information he could about the students so Baron nodded his head before turning to leave without saying a word of farewell. As he stared blankly at Baron¡¯s departing figure, Jang geon spoke up quietly, ¡°Who was that?¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Choi ll-kwon thought it was a shame that he hadn¡¯t introduced himself properly because he had been so distracted. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there.In the midst of it all, one thing kept bothering him.read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there. ¡®What¡¯s going on?¡¯ Oddly enough, he didn¡¯t feel like the man from earlier looked unfamiliar. ¡°Um¡­¡± Then suddenly, a face came to mind. He wasn¡¯t sure why that friend had come to mind at this particular time, but to inject some energy into his team members and offer some motivation, Choi ll-kwon made a suggestion. ¡°Let¡¯s run hard for the first time in a while. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there.Today, I¡¯ll buy dinner for the ones who take care of the most.¡±read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there. ¡°Yay!¡± ¡°After we¡¯re done, let¡¯s meet up at Barun Chicken!¡± ¡°Yoo-hoo!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t get tired of chicken legs.¡± ¡°you are too much!¡± ¡°Bring out the beef!¡± Leaving the rebellion behind, he started moving first, and the team members followed him obediently while grumbling. ¦¤¦¤¦¤ The sudden monster chaos had turned the entire area around Bukhansan into a real mess. Naturally, such news had also reached the Association of Ability users and the Hunter Union, and each of their headquarters was in an emergency situation. However, if you were to pick someone who was the most affected by the madness, it would undoubtedly be the guild that manages the Bukhansan dungeon zone and its factions. While the White Tiger guild, which is affiliated with the union, is primarily responsible for managing the Bukhansan dungeon zone, they played a secondary role, and if you were to name the true leader, it would be none other than the Black Lion guild affiliated with the association. In general, if the association is the primary organization for managing dungeons, then the union plays a supporting role, or if the union is primary, then the association attaches the guild as a support and divides the role of monitoring and checking each other. For this reason, the leader of the Black Lion guild, Park Man-ho, was currently furious. ¡°Damn it! Why all of a sudden? What the hell is this?¡± On top of already feeling burned out from the lack of news from the Lion¡¯s Mask unit, now he had to deal with an unexpected monster invasion. While wrestling with the issue at hand, he was waiting for a report from the analysis team, but the content was truly absurd. ¡°What? Say that again.¡± Even after asking again in disbelief, the response remained the same. ¡°¡­It seems to be a monster wave.¡± ¡°Are you insane?¡± Curses spilled out involuntarily. ¡°Do you really think that makes any sense?¡± The head of the analysis team hung his head low, also taken aback by the outlandish report. However, after analyzing the situation multiple times, they could not come up with any other logical conclusion. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there.The opinions of the other team members were also unanimous.read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there. In the end, he arrived at the guild leader¡¯s office with this bomb. ¡°Normally, monster waves only occur in¡­ gulp¡­7th level dimensional rifts.¡± However, sometimes wave can occur in lower level rifts. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there.In Korea, the incident related to this was the 6th level rift that occurred in Ilsan.read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there. Although there was no damage to civilians due to the quick response, the damage to hunters and ability users was enormous. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there.It was an incident that garnered attention worldwide.read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there. ¡°So what? Are you saying a 6th level rift opened in Bukhansan Dungeon?¡± ¡°Not¡­as of yet, there have been no reports of that.¡± He asked the association, but the response was the same as always: only low-level rifts opened, and there were no traces of higher-level rifts. ¡°Then what information do you have to support such a conclusion?¡± At Park Man-ho¡¯s question, the head of the analysis team, who had swallowed his dry spit, opened his mouth. ¡°As you may know, there has never been a 6th level rift in the Bukhansan area, but there have been several detections of 5th level dimensional rifts. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there.We¡¯ve cleared a few, but there are still many we haven¡¯t dealt with.¡±read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there. If it was a 5th level rift, then it was the kind of monster that only the top-level experts in South Korea would have to deal with. Despite constantly sending in skilled individuals, the number of rifts opening seemed to remain the same. ¡°We¡¯ve estimated that at least 7-8 top monsters have settled in the area, according to our analysis team. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there.Moreover, their numbers have increased too much.¡±read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there. ¡°Why is that?¡± ¡°I believe it¡¯s a natural consequence for anyone, including humans, to build up power and then explode.¡± ¡°What they¡¯ve been building up and now exploded?¡± ¡°That¡¯s how we¡¯re analyzing it.¡± So far, most monsters haven¡¯t deviated too far from the crack, so they were able to establish boundaries and form dungeons based on that. However, those boundaries are now collapsing. ¡°Based on the reports we¡¯re receiving, not only are the mid-level monsters that are hard to find in the border zone showing their faces there, but also the top monsters.¡± Fortunately, guild members are being mobilized in each dungeon to prepare for ceasefire line cleanup operation. The same is true for the Bukhansan dungeon. According to reports, they are responding quickly, and have barely managed to prevent the boundaries from collapsing. ¡°I¡¯m only assuming for now, but if this is really a wave situation, we won¡¯t be able to handle it alone.¡± He had only one thing to say. ¡°We need to ask for help.¡± Of course, the Association and nearby guilds were included in that list. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there.But what made it difficult to say was that he had to make a call to another administrator of Bukhansan.read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there. The White Tiger Guild! Although they were called administrators, they were only assistants, with a larger role as advisors or observers. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there.From Park Man-ho¡¯s point of view, he might as well be dead.read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there. ¡°Damn it!¡± Bang! Unable to control his temper, he struck his desk, smashing it to pieces and scattering the debris everywhere. Soon after, the Association contacted him, also concerning the wave situation. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there.By that time, Park Man-ho was already on the move.read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there. And, The White Tiger Guild also began to move to Bukhansan. ¦¤¦¤¦¤ ¡°Groooar!¡± A furious roar accompanied by a piercing attack of aura bound and immobilized the students. Ogre! The upper-level monster, a level 5 Ogre, had ensnared not only the students but also the professors who accompanied them with his aura. The fear in their eyes was no different from that of the students. ¡®Why did an Ogre come here?¡¯ It was an unbeatable opponent for them. However, they could muster the will to carry on due to their sense of duty to protect others, finding a sliver of determination within themselves. The resolve and determination to face death imbued their steps with strength. Kim Jin-nok, a professor in the Hunter Department at Myeong-gang University, made eye contact with other professor accompanying him, and they understood each other¡¯s unspoken agreement. Professor Joo Won-il made eye contact with him, his eyes bloodshot. ¡°Let¡¯s die!¡± ¡°Let¡¯s do it!¡± Their conversation was short, but their intentions were clear. With a nod to each other, they charged towards the Ogre. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there.Both professors had earned up to B-Rank experience in their respective fields.read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there. For a brief moment, the students had time to escape. The professors unleashed their power, exploding with the flames of life. Perhaps the Ogre was attracted to their force? At least for a moment, the students¡¯ ankles became lightened. However, exposure to the Aura of the higher-tier monster had made their knees weak and difficult to move properly. Quack! Quack! Crash! Had they only walked about ten meters? Suddenly, with a massive explosion behind them, two professors were knocked off their feet and were slammed into the forest in front of them. Despite their shaky attempt to stand up, it was apparent that they were still recovering, and any further combat would be futile. ¡°Is that an ogre¡­?¡± Contrary to their memories, the professors were overwhelmed by the ogre¡¯s strength. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there.Had their bodies weakened while pursuing their academic careers?read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there. No, that wasn¡¯t the case. They had been training themselves. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there.Although they couldn¡¯t compare to during their prime, they hadn¡¯t neglected their physical strength to the point of misery.read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there. Nevertheless, the overwhelming difference in power was inexplicable. ¡°Uh¡­uh¡­uh¡­¡± The sight of frightened students made the two professors even more despairing. ¡®Is this the end¡­?¡¯ ¡®It can¡¯t be¡­we can¡¯t leave the students¡­uhh¡­¡¯ As their knees gave out, the two professors pathetically writhed on the ground. ¡°Kekeke¡­¡± Ogre¡¯s satisfied expression was followed by a wicked laugh, as terror and despair reached it¡¯s climax, he appeared. ¡°Ugh¡­another failure¡­¡± A sudden new voice caught the attention of the professors and students, who turned their heads with hopeful eyes. Finally, the guild¡¯s professional hunters they had been waiting for had arrived. However, they soon realized it was a disappointment. ¡®A beggar?¡¯ ¡®Ah¡­ahh¡­¡¯ It was because of the shabby appearance of a rough-looking man. Sometimes, there were homeless people, such as debtors or criminals who lived in the vicinity of Bukhansan mountain range to avoid pursuers. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there.He looked exactly like them.read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there. Sometimes they take a wrong turn and cross the border, and that seemed to be the case here. Despite surviving up to this point, it was now coming to an end. Professors wanted to warn him, but unfortunately, there were no one here who had the spirit to do it. In their desperation, the ogre reached out to the man. A few faint-hearted students squeezed their eyes shut at the thought of the homeless man¡¯s brains spilling out. ¡°Why the handshake?¡± The man grabbed his hand without hesitation. From that point on, a series of inexplicable events began to unfold one after another. It was already not normal that the man was unharmed by the ogre¡¯s strength, but the man showed something even more surprising. ¡°Brush your teeth, you stink. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there.Tsk!¡±read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there. As the homeless man spoke those words and exerted his strength, suddenly the ogre¡¯s knee buckled. The man turned to the ogre, who looked at him wide-eyed in disbelief. ¡°I¡¯ve wanted to say this line for ages. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there.It¡¯s such a classic, but nobody in that world knows it.¡±read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there. Then came the next line. ¡°Kneel down, punk. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there.This is our eye level.¡±read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there. At that moment, the ogre¡¯s nose spurted blood. ¡°Ugh¡­ugh!¡± The Baron¡¯s fist slammed into the gaping mouth. ¡°Gah!¡± ¡°Crunch¡­groan¡­¡± The ogre writhed and thrashed, but soon the man¡¯s grasping arm held the ogre¡¯s arm in check. ¡°Oh, don¡¯t resist. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there.Just let it in. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there.Let it in.¡±read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there.read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there. As he pushed deeper, it seemed like his fist might reach the ogre¡¯s shoulders, but at that moment the ogre¡¯s pupils rolled back, and the situation ended anticlimactically or disappointingly. ¡°Phew¡­¡± The man, who was picking the saliva and brain matter off his fist, looked at the members of the prestigious Myeong-gang University and asked. ¡°Does anyone know location of Haneul University¡¯s training class?¡± Perhaps because his nonchalant and weak appearance didn¡¯t match the earlier situation? Without thinking about questions or answers, they just stared at the man¡¯s face dumbly. As the silence grew longer, Professor Kim Jin-nok, who had been leaning against the floor, finally straightened up and spoke. ¡°I¡­I know. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there.Cluck¡­¡±read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there. Judging by the blood pouring out, the situation seemed dire, but the man showed no signs of concern and only hastened to answer. Kim Jin-nok had some hope, but after realizing that it would be difficult to get any help from this man¡¯s attitude, he conveyed what he already knew cleanly. After all, just saving his life was enough of a favor. ¡°His name is Jang Gil-sang¡­Cluck! He used to be a friend I worked with in the same party and is now a professor at Haneul University¡­Ahem¡­Hm¡­I know the direction where he is.¡± Since universities typically have similar training courses in similar locations, he said that finding one team would make it easy to find the others. The man looked at the mountain range of Bukhansan for a moment before muttering. ¡°Oh¡­this is taking longer than expected.¡± He furrowed his brows and let out a deep sigh. ¡°I guess I have to push it a bit.¡± He then looked directly at Kim Jin-nok and the students from Myeong-gang University and warned them. ¡°It¡¯s better to use your abilities to the fullest and block your ears. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there.I don¡¯t want any harm to come to you guys, but it¡¯s been a while and I¡¯m a bit rusty.¡±read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there. He then pulled out something from his pocket and put it in his mouth. ¡®It doesn¡¯t look like junk food,¡¯ Kim Jin-nok, who had approached for a conversation, realized it was a magic stone. Suddenly, the beggar like man took a deep breath. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there.His chest expanded so much that it seemed like he could barely contain it.read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there. ¡®huh¡­ !¡¯ Kim Jin-nok felt a dizzying sensation climbing up his spine. For a moment, it felt as if all the air and atmosphere around them had vanished, and he was being pulled into a vacuum. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there.Warning signals were going off in his head like emergency lights.read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there. Recalling what the man had said earlier, Kim Jin-nok protected himself by blocking his ears and focusing his mind, even though it was exhausting. He had a hunch that something was about to burst out. And then, a moment later, ¡°Whoooooosh¡­¡± The man opened his mouth, and a long breath flowed out. It was a calm breath, unlike the angry roar of the ogre from earlier. Yet it was distinct, and Kim Jin-nok felt a fear like never before, as if his limbs were bound and his entire body was being compressed. And then, a moment later, The entire area around Bukhansan fell into silence. CH 17 During the height of the war, there was a story that circulated among the people. While the demon army had their deathly roar, the alliance of nations had the breath of their king. The ¡®king¡¯ that the alliance referred to was not the ruler of a kingdom or empire, but a man who had climbed from the lowest point to the highest point alone, a transcendent being who was the spiritual lord of countless wanderers, and a source of pride and glory for his people. He was the mercenary king, Baron. Defying the tradition of dragon¡¯s blood, he had taken his place on the throne of their mighty army, and here on Earth, in another dimension, he revealed his grandeur in his majestic breath. There was no reason for it to be noisy as it was only his breath. But because it was the breath of a king, there was an immense weight to it. And the Bukhansan Mountain was pressed down by it. Countless monsters descending the mountain range all stopped in unison, kneeling and trembling as if it were a promise they had made, while humans also could not escape unscathed from this unfortunate event. Although the ¡°will¡± was heavily infused to target the presence of otherworldly creatures, it was difficult for Baron to fully unleash his king¡¯s breath due to his state. Both human and monster movements came to a halt, but humans were the first to regain their senses and act. Baron¡¯s ¡°will¡± was at play, however haphazard it may have been. ¡°I don¡¯t know why, but¡­¡± ¡°Kill them first!¡± ¡°Kill them before they regain consciousness!¡± This cry echoed throughout the mountains of Bukhansan as they began to shoot bullets into the frozen monsters. ¡°Deal with the bodies later, for now, retreat!¡± ¡°We¡¯re going down fast!¡± Afterward, a chaotic retreat ensued. Anyone with even a little experience and career could sense that this situation was far from normal, and that a swift retreat was the only way to survive. While monster corpses could fetch a good price, that only applied if they were still alive, so there was no attempt to collect them. Meanwhile, this scene of carnage infuriated the owner of the mountain. ¡°Grrrr¡­¡± As if the recent territorial dispute wasn¡¯t enough, his frustration hit a boiling point. And all of this was happening during wrong time. He bellowed in rage, pouring all of his pent-up emotions into it. ¡°Roaaarrrrr!¡± The frozen ¡°slaves¡± were awakened by his cry. The momentarily still waves of monsters began to rush down the mountain once again. ¦¤¦¤¦¤ Park Man-ho heard about the news of the Lion¡¯s Mask when he arrived at Bukhansan through the shortest route. ¡°I had a feeling that something was up when White Tiger¡¯s Shadow Unit was attached, but I never expected it to be this bad. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there.Damn it!¡±read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there. He had a hunch of discomfort and therefore attached his own Lion¡¯s Mask Unit, but he never imagined that they would be the ones who suffered. He even thought that this might be one of Kim Jung-hoon¡¯s traps, but the information was directly passed on to him by one of the the Lion Mask agents who had experienced it. It was hard to believe, but he had no choice but to believe it. ¡°What the hell¡­.Who is that beggar?¡± Suddenly, a hypothesis came to mind. ¡®What if that beggar¡­ is a superhuman?¡¯ Unfortunately, that was the extent of his thought. One breath! Followed by one roar! Two shocks hit his entire body and passed through. He had experienced something similar in the past. ¡°Crazy¡­¡± He shivered. A curse slipped through his frozen expression. ¡°¡­ Level 7?¡± What was even more painful was that it wasn¡¯t just once. ¡°What the hell is going on right now?¡± His pupils, looking at Bukhansan, were shaking uncontrollably. ¦¤¦¤¦¤ Baron¡¯s head turned in one direction. ¡°There it is.¡± Amidst the previous roar, he was able to identify the culprit behind the signs of anomaly in Bukhansan. ¡°It¡¯s definitely not an ordinary one.¡± He had already felt its presence. He just didn¡¯t know exactly where it was, but he was able to pinpoint its location from the previous commotion. Moreover, since it sounded like it was calling out to him, it was difficult to ignore the summons. ¡°Alright, Don¡¯t come soon.¡± He nodded his head and looked down below. Was it thanks to the information he got from Kim Jin-nok? It wasn¡¯t too difficult for him to find the practical training site of the students of Haneul University. After roughly determining the direction and approaching, he naturally found the location of the talisman and followed the scent to find Lim Seon-hee. It wasn¡¯t a proper mentor-desciple relationship, but perhaps it was the only connection he had left in this world. ¡°It¡¯s a hassle, but I can¡¯t just leave her to die.¡± In fact, if he had heard the roar before discovering them, the situation might have been a little different. The energy contained in the roar was that interesting. ¡°Well, now that I¡¯ve already found them¡­sigh.¡± Currently, he was watching over the Haneul University students from atop a tall tree, but was this the expected situation? ¡°Is it an orc attack?¡± There were no professors present, and the students were engaging in a battle with an orc group. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there.Baron stopped walking and decided to watch the situation for now.read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there. ¡°It¡¯s not bad, but it¡¯s not good either.¡± Overall, the students¡¯ level was lacking. However, he still waited and watched. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there.It was because he had a particular image in mind.read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there. After a while, the moment he had been waiting for arrived. ¦¤¦¤¦¤ It was truly a strange sensation. Suddenly, it felt like the world had expanded, and she could perceive every movement of those behind her, one by one. It didn¡¯t feel unfamiliar. ¡®It¡¯s like when I awakened my powers¡­¡¯ Lim Seon-hee watched as her flame arrow pierced through the orc¡¯s skin, digging deep inside. If it had been a few moments ago, it would have just grazed the surface and bounced off. ¡°I¡¯ve grown!¡± She realized that her abilities had taken a step forward. D-Rank! This meant that she was not just a mere student anymore; she was standing in a position where she could hand out her card to the guild. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there.It also meant that she had gained one more reliable source of power on the battlefield.read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there. Intoxicated by this exhilarating feeling, she continued to shoot flame arrows relentlessly until she suddenly felt dizzy and collapse to her knees. ¡°Ah¡­¡± Her body had stiffened from exerting too much force. Only after she had overused her powers did she realize her mistake. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there.But by the time she noticed, an orc that she had previously provoked was already charging at her with a club in hand.read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there. Even the seniors were trying to suppress it by loading their guns, but since they weren¡¯t equipped for such a battle and their firepower was insufficient, they couldn¡¯t do much. Freshmen weren¡¯t allowed to carry weapons, and relying on their powers made it clear that their firepower was limited. In fact, not only did her peers not cover for her, but they were also too busy looking after themselves. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there.The upperclassmen, including Ji Kang-tae, each took on one orc, leaving no room to spare for their juniors.read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there. ¡®I just barely advanced a rank, and now it¡¯s ending like this.¡¯ As if seeing her past flashing before her eyes, she felt a premonition of her demise. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there.The most recent and memorable incident was etched in her retina.read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there. ¡®Mister¡­¡¯ She don¡¯t know why, but the face of a man lying in the park, basking in the sun, at this hour came to mind. It was when she was repeating the face in her mind. Crack! The club that was flying towards her broke, and an unexpected shadow overlapped it. ¡°Ugh¡­this is annoying, really.¡± And then a familiar voice made her eyes widen. The shadow, face, and appearance that filled her vision made her realize that it wasn¡¯t an illusion or a hallucination, but the truth. ¡°¡­Mister?¡± ¡°What are you so surprise about?¡± Lim Seon-hee, who was dumbfoundedly looking at Baron, asked in a vague voice. ¡°This¡­isn¡¯t a dream, is it?¡± At that moment, a finger hit her head. Thwack! Stars flashed before her eyes, and Baron reminded her of reality. ¡°You don¡¯t even know how to control your own body properly. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there.Ugh¡­you still have a long way to go. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there.Tsk!¡±read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there.read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there. He said this as he told her to step back. ¡°I need to burp.¡± Just as he said this, Baron suddenly let out a random burp. Eurgh¡­ It was a sound that made her frown, but as soon as he did, the knees of the orcs bent. ¡®Tsk¡­that clears it up.¡¯ Baron, who had neatly expelled the residue of magic stone, looked at the students as he patted his refreshed stomach. ¡°What are you doing? You have to finish them.¡± The students, who were confused by the sudden and incomprehensible situation, finally displayed their abilities and rushed towards the orcs, and before long, the victory of the battlefield was decided. And around this time, as if representing the upperclassmen, Ji Kang-tae stepped forward and asked. ¡°Who¡­are you?¡± Knowing that the strange and uncomfortable sound from earlier came from this man with a haggard appearance, there was a lot of tension in his attitude. The strange sound that made countless orcs kneel at once was unfamiliar and mysterious to him, despite having considerable on-the-ground experience. However, Baron¡¯s response was completely unexpected. ¡°Rather than that, you should prepare to leave now.¡± ¡°¡­.What do you mean?¡± ¡°Uninvited guest will be arriving soon.¡± Baron¡¯s gaze went up the mountain. Was it due to the influence of the earlier burp? Or had it already started moving to find him? The owner of the mountain was coming down. Toward him, In a straight line! With great army. ¦¤¦¤¦¤ It was a massive migration. As a result, there was no way to not know. ¡°Monster movement! Move!¡± Several helicopters flew through the sky, relaying reconnaissance reports through the radio. In the midst of it all, some were shot down, and there were cases where communication was cut off with screams, due to the start of the Gargoyles¡¯ full-scale activity, dominating the skies of Bukhansan. Of course, each helicopter had skilled individuals and its own weaponry to defend against them, so they didn¡¯t easily succumb. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there.However, they were gradually limited in their range of activity due to the overwhelming number of monsters.read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there. Nevertheless, important information was conveyed, and on that basis, large guilds and skilled individuals began to move. ¡°There is a massive migration towards Suyu-dong!¡± ¡°Request support from the nearby guild as well.¡± ¡°Draw a separate boundary line and set up a blockade.¡± Amid the chaotic communication on the radio, the arrival of a large number of monsters that made many people nervous and anxious had arrived at their destination. ¡°Ha¡­ What the hell is this?¡± And there, the target of those monsters, the man named Baron, looked at the ¡°mountain owner¡± with a wry smile. ¡°A bear, really?¡± He had expected a more impressive monster or beast. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there.But what was this?read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there. ¡°Why a moon bear?¡± Compared to the large and unruly monsters that followed behind, the moon bear¡¯s appearance was almost cute, making him laugh uncontrollably. Was it because he didn¡¯t like its appearance? ¡°Roar!¡± The moon bear let out a fierce roar. ¡°Can I¡­catch that?¡± ¡®I hope I don¡¯t get caught by animal control or something.¡¯ He started to think about the ridiculousness of the idea, but he didn¡¯t let it sink in. It was because the monsters started to rush in. ¦¤¦¤¦¤ Lim Seon-hee and the students of Haneul University were rapidly descending the mountain. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there.While Ji Kang-tae had heeded Baron¡¯s warning and focused on the safety of the freshmen instead of indulging his curiosity or excitement, they couldn¡¯t ignore the ground shaking behind them.read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there. They witnessed a massive swarm of monsters rushing towards him from a distance. ¡°Gulp¡­ Are those monsters?¡± The students of Haneul University were collectively shocked as they saw countless large monsters charging towards the mysterious man. Though to them, the highest level monsters may have been as distant and lofty as the sky, they couldn¡¯t help but be alarmed as they saw the creatures getting crushed and thrown in all directions like overturned cargo trucks. ¡°Could it be that he is a superhuman?¡± Someone muttered, and it inevitably led to new questions. ¡°He seemed Korean.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°Are there any superhuman among Koreans?¡± ¡°Not many, but it¡¯s not impossible.¡± ¡°Who could it be?¡± As they pondered, Ji Kang-tae snapped them back to reality. ¡°No time to lose focus. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there.We need to concentrate on getting down the mountain!¡±read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there. With that shout, the students who had momentarily stopped resumed their steps. Quaaaang! Though the loud noises behind them tried to hold them back, they couldn¡¯t risk their lives for a moment of curiosity. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there.They focused on descending the mountain and ran with all their might. CH 18 If you were to name the most representative monster among those considered top-level monsters, it would undoubtedly be the Ogre, whose impressive size is its most notable feature. Among those Ogres, there is a particularly impressive one that boasts incredible strength, and that is the Twin-Headed Ogre. Surprisingly, their grade is on par with that of a high-level monster, reaching level 6, just below the grade referred to as ¡°disaster.¡± There was a time when they were called ¡°disasters,¡± and they were truly terrifying monsters. However, that monstrous power was crushed so easily that it was almost ridiculous. Crack! Although it seemed like a light punch, one of the Twin-Headed Ogre¡¯s heads was completely crushed by it, and the other head let out a crazed scream. ¡°Kraaaawwww!¡± The sound was so loud that it made the nearby bushes shake. ¡°Quiet!¡± However, to the man who overwhelmed them, it was just a noisy sound. With a wide open mouth, he dug in all the way down to the monster¡¯s shoulder, and even the remaining head was relieved of the weight of life. It was the moment when the high-level monster called Twin Head Ogre kneeled down. The owner of the mountain let out a low groan as he watched the scene. He became more alert at the thought that Baron¡¯s abilities were far greater than he had anticipated, and he had only thought that baron had arrogantly challenged his territory. The sight of his followers, who had been brought along to assess his abilities, being crushed was shocking in many ways. Especially when some of the high-level monsters, including Twin Head Ogre, who could be considered the most powerful among them, were destroyed, it was enough to make one feel fear for a moment. ¡°Kreuuuur¡­¡± From a human perspective, there were six Level 5 monsters and three Level 6 monsters! That incredible power was shattered in an instant. Even if he had called all of his scattered followers, he knew that there would be no answer. Perhaps the low groan was an instinctive expression of emotion, trying to dispel the creeping fear from such a scene. Baron asked, ¡°Hoo¡­ Is this it? Is there nothing more?¡± as he wiped the blood off his face and fists. The owner of the mountain, the moon Bear, continued to howl and circle around Baron. Although there were still monsters waiting in the back, compared to the ¡°subordinates¡± sent out earlier, they were merely ¡°slaves¡± lacking in strength. Finally, the time had come for Baron to take matters into his own hands. ¡°I finally get a taste of it.¡± A hint of excitement could be seen in Baron¡¯s eyes. If the owner of the mountain had roared before he found Lim Seon-hee, who knows if Baron would have made an excuse and immediately chased after the roar. That was how curious he was. ¡°Let¡¯s see the skills of this guy called ¡®disaster level¡¯.¡± He had a suspicion when he heard the roar, but seeing him face-to-face and commanding several level 6 monsters made him confident. Level 7! The owner of Bukhansan was the highest-ranking monster recognized by the world. He didn¡¯t know how such an absurdly ranked monster was in Korea, let alone in Bukhansan, and he didn¡¯t even want to know. It¡¯s just that his curiosity was piqued enough to want to confirm just how bad the highest-ranked monsters in the world could be. ¡°I hope it¡¯s really the level I¡¯m thinking of.¡± He let out a dry laugh at this point. ¡®I came here because I didn¡¯t want to fight, so what the hell am I doing now?¡¯ He couldn¡¯t help but crave the taste of combat and the battlefield, ingrained in his nature. ¡°Graaah!¡± Suddenly, with an angry scream, the moon bear leapt forward and rushed towards him. It was an incredible speed that didn¡¯t allow even a blink of an eye, causing an illusion that it was approaching by folding space. Quack! Quack! Quack! Quack! Quack! Quack! As Baron turned his body to avoid the attack of the bear, it looked like the grass behind him was exploding with a scream. It was a terrifying charge that reminded him of an angry wild boar, and the destructive power was truly enormous. A straight line of several dozen meters was created. Of course, the trees in the way were crushed to the point where they were unrecognizable, and were even reduced to dust. ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Baron whistled lightly and gave his review. ¡°It¡¯s impressive, but brutish.¡± However, he felt that the power was undoubtedly there. Looking at the path of destruction, he felt that the power on display was even greater than what he had initially thought. Of course, if he had the Samshinki, the story would have been different. ¡°Without the Samshinki, it would be hard to match that level of power in a purely physical state.¡± If the moon bear hadn¡¯t stopped itself, the path of destruction would have been even longer, perhaps stretching for hundreds of meters, or even a kilometer. There was certainly enough power in the moon bear¡¯s charge. ¡°This is funny,¡± He felt a creepy sensation rising on his skin almost imperceptibly. This kind of tension was truly rare. Looking back, after the war with the demon king was over, he had spent almost half a century living a life completely unrelated to battle, mostly just fooling around. Although he had accumulated some experience, it was still a period of time when his senses could not help but rust. ¡°Hah¡­ It¡¯s not really in my nature to fight.¡± Even during his stormy school days, there were times when nothing happened until someone else made a move first. ¡°I used to be a pacifist¡­sigh!¡± Unfortunately, the time he spent in that world had thoroughly transformed him into a total warrior. Otherwise, there would be no reason to be so excited. As he tried to hide the corners of his mouth that were starting to rise, another storm of disaster level approached from distance. Kwakwakwakwa¡­ ¡°Ignorant.¡± It was an unchanging charge. As he retreated slightly as before and prepared to counter with a raised fist, the trajectory of the moon bear veered slightly. ¡°What?¡± At the moment when Baron¡¯s eyes widened, the moon bear and his physical body collided, following the same path as the veering trajectory. Kwaaaaang! A massive explosion sounded like a bomb going off. However, it was not the result that the moon bear desired. It was because Baron crossed his arms to block the reckless charge. Although he thought he would be crushed, it was an unexpected situation. ¡°I thought it was a bear, but was it a fox?¡± Baron¡¯s voice came from across his crossed arms. At the same time, an emergency signal sounded in the moon bear¡¯s head. Thud! At the moment when he thought he could brace himself, the crossed arm swung around and the elbow hit the moon bear¡¯s cheekbone at point-blank range. As if chasing a large stride, the elbow swung again, and just as it seemed to jump slightly, it hit the exact center of the nose this time. ¡°Kurung!¡± Groaning in pain, the moon bear raised both arms. At the same time, Baron had to step back to stop the flurry of attacks. It was because a suspicious storm was raging from left and right. ¡°It¡¯s a wind blade¡­¡± He sensed that this was the ¡®ability¡¯ that the moon bear had used. Even more fierce than those fierce claws, the wind with its sharpness and heaviness swept over where he stood, and surprisingly, a pile of earth seemed to topple over as if it had been turned over by a bulldozer. ¡°A wind with sharpness and weight¡­¡± When his eyes sparkled, another ability pressed down on him. The pile of earth that had been dislodged began to move like magic and started to rain down on him. ¡°Whoop!¡± Baron, catching his breath, quickly moved and avoided the pile of dirt. However, there was something peculiarly unfamiliar about his movement. His arm movements were awkward. ¡°I need to avoid a direct hit.¡± His bones were aching from the previous defense. The impact could have easily broken them. In fact, one of the reasons he had evaded the attack was to reduce the burden on his arms. He should have used some skills to change the direction of the force, but he had received it head-on out of curiosity, which resulted in a bigger impact. ¡°By the way¡­ this guy has some impressive skills.¡± While evading the attacks with quick movements, Baron suddenly felt the ground shake, and his feet wavered. He realized that it was also the power of the Crescent Bear. At the moment his feet trembled, the Crescent Bear rushed towards him in anger. Baron¡¯s eyes caught a spark flashing above the bear¡¯s fur. ¡°Quaaahhh!¡± Once again, Baron and the Crescent Bear collided. This time, Baron¡¯s power was not enough to resist, and his feet were pushed back, making him lose his balance. He was already in a weakened position, and facing the fierce attack with his already injured arm was too much. He couldn¡¯t resist the force pushing him back, so he was thrown away. Although he looked like he was tumbling, but he didn¡¯t take as much damage as the half-moon bear had hoped. The Crescent Bear, realizing this, let out a furious roar and rushed towards Baron with another body slam. At that moment, Baron was already preparing to counterattack. Instead of retreating, he lowered his posture and leaped forward. While the crescent moon bear may be smaller in size compared to large monsters, it boasted an impressive size compared to Baron, a mere human. As such, when Baron lowered his stance, he was able to bury himself completely in moon bear¡¯s embrace, with its eyes widening in surprise. Then Baron launched his counter-attack. ¡°You¡¯re not the only one who knows how to use body slams.¡± Although there was a difference between body slams and headbutts, Baron slammed into the moon bear¡¯s snout as it charged forward. Thwack! The impact echoed throughout the area as Baron¡¯s counter-attack landed successfully. ¡°Owwwww!¡± The moon bear howled in agony and doubled over, and to make matters worse, Baron was still inside its grasp and he had no intention of easing the bear¡¯s suffering. ¡°Let¡¯s see what you¡¯ve got!¡± With those words, Baron¡¯s elbow struck the moon bear¡¯s chin, causing its chest to be open wide. Then came the flurry of close-range strikes: elbows, knees, and body slams, one after the other, relentlessly pounding on the bear. ¡°Groaaarrr!¡± The bear howled in agony, unleashing its full power. The energies of lightning, wind, and earth surged around its body, trying to push Baron away. Various abilities that could change the shape of a mountain if used intentionally had come together in Baron¡¯s body. Was that the reason? His skin, which boasted an unusual toughness, was bruised, torn, and burned, yet Baron did not stop his attack. His experience on many battlefields told him that this was the deciding moment. ¡°I need to finish this before he unleashes his hidden stash.¡± He had a gut feeling that there was more to it than just the three known attributes, and curiosity tempted him to explore further. However, he had a sense that doing so would result in a world of hurt. Even though the injured area was throbbing with pain, he knew that missing this opportunity would increase the likelihood of experiencing even greater agony. He enjoyed the thrill of combat, but didn¡¯t want to end up incapacitated because of it. ¡°There¡¯s no saint or regeneration here. I shouldn¡¯t push myself too hard and end up regretting it.¡± He acknowledged that his current injuries were significant, but still within a manageable range. Besides, he had already confirmed what he had been curious about¡ªthe standards for disaster ratings. By fighting with another being from a different dimension, he could clearly judge it¡¯s power. ¡°it¡¯s at the level of a high-grade demon.¡± Compared to other creatures in that world, such as the transcendent beings or the titled demons, the moon bear wasn¡¯t as powerful. However, it had been a long time since he had faced an opponent of this level, and he wanted to savor the experience. But he knew that pushing too far would result in dire consequences. ¡°I don¡¯t want to eat two defective foods in one day.¡± He had a way to lead the battle while still satisfying his curiosity. He decided to avoid absorbing another high-grade magical stone and instead focus on quickly ending the fight within the limits of his physical capabilities before the moon bear¡¯s abilities could fully manifest. As expected, a few moments later, he felt a surge of energy push against him, making it difficult to breathe. A new ability had been activated. ¡°Poison!¡± Even as his skin turned red, Baron didn¡¯t stop attacking. From now on, it was a race against time. He struck and struck again. Like a leaf or a gum wrapper sticking to a body, he clung to the moon bear and launched a relentless assault from every angle. At some point, even the moon bear found it difficult to hold out, rolling on the ground while Baron¡¯s brutal punches and beatings smashed his face and squeezed his breath out of him. The moon bear sensed the arrival of the grim reaper. It was a crazy sight. If he could use all his abilities, he could easily shake off Baron and turn the tide, but unfortunately, that was impossible. He had not fully absorbed the ¡°crystal¡± he had taken earlier, and because of that, his abilities were limited. Although he tried to handle it with his basic ability and strength, he felt that it was not enough and awakened the crystal, but even with that, he couldn¡¯t gain the upper hand. After that, he struggled to awaken the third and fourth ability, but still, the answer did not come. Going further from here was truly impossible. Therefore, he had to make a choice. Should he go on a rampage and die together, or should he flee and live? Of course, the choice was survival, and the result was enough to astonish Baron. ¡°Huh?¡± His eyes widened as he stared into the air, because he saw something like fog flowing out of the moon bear¡¯s nose and gathering in the air. ¡°Huh¡­what? I thought it was a versatile monster, but it turns out to be a possessed ghost.¡± Surprisingly, the fog¡¯s true identity was a ghost-type monster that has possessed a moon bear. ¡°It¡¯s strange. It doesn¡¯t look like a normal monster.¡± Based on this sudden situation, his intuition came to a simple conclusion: the moon bear was not a monster that had crossed over the rift. Even though it was in a possessed state, its ability levels were too high to be attributed to the ghost¡¯s powers. ¡°It seems a bit fishy.¡± Even with its best efforts, it felt like it was only at the level of a third-level monster, and the difference in its power increase due to possession was too great. In other words, this meant that the half-moon bear¡¯s inherent ability levels were high. There was no time to solve the mystery surrounding it, as the fully emerged ghost suddenly began to flee. As soon as all the fog had dissipated, the moon bear¡¯s breath stopped completely. It was a truly close call. ¡°Tsk¡­ how annoying.¡± Although it wouldn¡¯t matter if he left it alone, he would feel like he had left something unfinished by not properly finishing the battle. Eventually, he had no choice but to make an uncomfortable decision. A spatial rift opened and a high-grade magical stone emerged. ¡°As it is now, I can¡¯t catch it.¡± Since it required a minimum amount of energy or ability to make contact with a ghost, he had no choice but to revive the flames with the magic stone. ¡°If that¡¯s the case, I should have enjoyed it a little more.¡± Although he tried to avoid the magic stone and engage in a quick fight, it inevitably led to a situation where the magic stone was absorbed. ¡°Trying to avoid a cold and getting a fever. Damn it!¡± He saw the ghost fleeing into the distance. As it was daytime, its speed was quite slow, but it was still flying away without any resistance, and had already become quite far away. ¡°Whew¡­¡± Baron took a deep breath, and the ghost flying in the distance was swallowed up in his mouth as if he were a vacuum cleaner. ¡°Kwaaaah!¡± After a moment, an excessively satisfying burp resounded like a trumpet, announcing the end of the battle. CH 19 Using the remaining embers of the magic stone, Baron treated some of the injuries and poisonings. Then he glanced around, taking in his surroundings. Although he had focused his abilities on one person at the end, the evidence of the collateral damage showed that the surrounding area was a mess. He thought that if he had not concentrated on that one person, but instead unleashed his violent abilities in all directions, it wouldn¡¯t have been a problem to demolish a mountain or two. Baron shrugged off his regrets and moved towards the Moon Bear to claim his victory reward. ¡°Damdadi~ Damdadi~ Damdadi-dam~¡­¡± As mentioned earlier as a joke, Baron was not really expecting to see a spectacle. Rather, he saw cutting open the deceased moon bear as a necessary action to uncover its hidden secret. While he might be able to catch a glimpse of some of Ghost¡¯s memories after being digested, it was not something that could be accomplished immediately, and it would only be a fraction of the recent traces he could steal, so it wouldn¡¯t be clear information. That¡¯s why he needed to check for himself. ¡°¡­The Philosopher¡¯s Stone?¡± Two dazzling beads emitting a mysterious glow were nestled inside the bear¡¯s belly. Baron sensed a peculiar flow beyond the hide, and so he cut it open, but what he found was surprising. ¡°I thought it was a magic stone, but could it be¡­ I didn¡¯t expect this.¡± The beads had different colors, and Baron nodded as he carefully inspected them. A white bead and a bead with various colors! In the past, when he had heard about magic stones, he had recalled something called the Philosopher¡¯s Stone or the Dragon Heart. After seeing the magic stone firsthand, he concluded that it was nothing more than a well-made fake, and a high-quality imitation. ¡°There¡¯s a reason why I call it ¡®Junk food.''¡± But the two dazzling beads in front of him were not fakes, they were genuine. The only difference was that they were not Dragon Hearts. ¡°It¡¯s the Philosopher¡¯s Stone, but not the Dragon Heart¡­¡± What even is the Philosopher¡¯s Stone? [The essence of energy!] Or the purification of pure and immaculate breath, known as the crystal. The Dragon Heart was the purification of that mana¡¯s breath, and these two beads were simply another form of the purification of energy. That¡¯s why they could be called the Philosopher¡¯s Stone, but they couldn¡¯t be called Dragon Hearts. There was a lack of condensed energy inside it. ¡°Is this some kind of sacred object?¡± That meant that this moon bear was some sort of divine spirit creature, but why was it carrying not one, but two core in its belly? Lost in thought, Baron inspected the beads in his hands. They were the essence of energy. They were the Philosopher¡¯s Stones. They were the product of the miracle that ¡®this world¡¯ had created. ¡°Mmmhh¡­ It can¡¯t be compared to a magic stone, can it?¡± Unconsciously, his mouth began to water. ¦¤¦¤¦¤ A fighter jet took off. A state of emergency was declared, and the national movement began. Top-level members of the association and union also appeared. It was a more than sufficient reason to sound the alarm: A monster wave! Furthermore, some of the field reports from helicopters were even more shocking. ¡°Twin Head Ogre!¡± This was because the appearance of a level 6 monster had been confirmed. The shock didn¡¯t end there. ¡°Someone defeated it?¡± Someone had apparently taken down the twin-headed ogre, but there was still more to come. ¡°A monster higher level than level 6¡­¡± The news was urgent enough for both the Korean branch of the association and union and their global headquarters to go into emergency mode. Although the quality was not very high, the information became known through a video shot from a few helicopters. ¡°Why is it shaking so much!¡± ¡°The video is a mess.¡± Due to the constant attack of the gargoyles, the video was shot during their movements and there were many gaps. The distance was also considerable, which made the resolution low. Nevertheless, they were able to confirm. ¡°Level 7!¡± ¡°Disaster grade!¡± Since some of the agents who had already felt this from the roar were present, the video was only used as evidence. Although the quality was low, the scenes in the video were not so chaotic that one could not recognize the level of the monster. A strange man and a bear-like monster collided, and a short battle ensued. The overwhelming destruction scenes were captured on video. Even that brief battle had caused some mountains to crumble, and that was enough to make people shudder. At the same time, a shocking sight was captured. ¡°He defeated the disaster grade monster alone?¡± It was an unequivocally surprising event. So far, there have been three occurrences of the opening of a disaster grade dimensional rift with a level 7 monster that has appeared in the world. The first resulted in the worst outcome. Although the so-called superhumans existed even then, their number was only three, and even they could not fully subdue the monster without sacrificing themselves. [Nuclear bomb!] The superhumans acted as bait and a reference point, and only after humanity dropped the worst weapon in history, the nuclear bomb, could they finally subdue the monster. Due to the physical resistance of the monsters, the extreme decision made at that time was both the best and the worst option available. Even then, victory was only made possible by the resistance and sacrifice of the ¡°100-person suicide squad,¡± who, in addition to the superhumans, threw themselves at the monsters. Although it was a small tactical nuclear weapon, the moment when the weapon known as the ¡°nuclear bomb¡± was used again was a painful story that has remained in textbooks and history books. The second and third disasters were able to be suppressed under the cooperation of the greatly increased number of superhumans and the world¡¯s major forces, taking advantage of the information from the surviving 10% of the suicide squad and the experience gained from the first disaster. The important point here is that all the world¡¯s superhumans came together to exert their power against the disaster level rifts, and in addition, the elite forces of each country also participated. Of course, most of the forces were deployed against the monsters due to the wave. The important point here is that the superhumans were deployed. ¡°If this video¡­if this information is true¡­¡± The leaders and skilled members of countless guilds all swallowed their words. ¡­Gulp! It was just a figment of their imagination. It was the moment when not only the skilled individuals from all over the world but also the top-tier fighters known as Rankers and superhumans boarding a plane headed to Korea. ¦¤¦¤¦¤ Baron, the mysterious man who had caught the attention of the world¡¯s top guilds and powerful figures, was standing in front of an unexpected location in an unimaginable outfit. Unlike the shabby clothes that he had been used to wearing on the streets, he now wore a pristine suit and dress that looked brand new. With a tense expression on his face, he gazed up at a building, his restless Adam¡¯s apple betraying his inner turmoil. ¡°Gulp¡­¡± Baron swallowed another dry lump in his throat as he looked up at a sign that was both unfamiliar and strangely familiar. ¡®Barun¡­ Chicken!¡¯ He had never seen this building before. But the exterior of the store that stood before him was an exact replica of his memory, causing an eerie feeling of dissonance to run through his body. ¡°I never would have thought¡­my parents were still alive.¡± He was stunned and amazed by the fact he had accidentally discovered, and how it had surprised him so much. Suddenly, he remembered the person he had met during the incident at Bukhansan. ¡®Choi Il-kwon¡­¡¯ That was truly a chance encounter, almost like a miracle. ¦¤¦¤¦¤ After defeating the moon bear and checking the safety of Lim Seon-hee, Baron went to Dokbawi Station to check the bottle for the last time. And there, he saw them. Choi ll-kwon and his teammates were guarding the entrance to the station with the bottle. After rescuing a team of students, they were going out of Bukhansan Mountain when they saw the crisis at Dokbawi Station and rushed to help, but they encountered a crisis of their own. A troll! Although they were only a C-rank party, their expertise surpassed their level. If you consider this, a level 4 monster like a troll would have been a manageable opponent in ordinary circumstances. However, at that time, they were exhausted beyond measure, and the firepower of their guns was difficult to rely on. Their force was also on the verge of depletion. They managed to endure somehow, but eventually, their limits were evident. Choi Il-kwon, who was leading the battle at the forefront, collapsed first. Baron arrived at that very moment. As he appeared, he swiftly broke the troll¡¯s neck with a single move. ¡°Long time no see.¡± With these words, he coolly grinned and, unwittingly, Choi Il-kwon found himself thinking of that smile, despite being dazed. It was like a nonsensical, gibberish-like utterance that came out of his half-conscious state. ¡°Ahn¡­Baron?¡± The bizarre suspicion that he had harbored since their first meeting took on a concrete shape within Baron¡¯s smiling countenance. It was the protagonist in a photo saved on his friend¡¯s phone. Without realizing it, Choi Il-kwon had blurted out the name of the person in the photo in the midst of his confusion. Baron¡¯s expression stiffened, and a heavy silence descended upon them. ¡°¡­Who are you?¡± Although he had revealed his name many times to this world after returning, he had never exposed his true roots. [Baron!] He never revealed his surname, but always his name. The last name ¡°Ahn¡± was never spoken aloud, and not a single person knew it. Even the bottle, with whom he had developed a fairly close relationship, was no exception. Of course, the unexpected full name spoken by an unexpected individual at such an unexpected timing was enough to stiffen the atmosphere. Still reeling from the troll¡¯s attack and not sensing the tension, Choi Il-kwon soon let out a groaning laughter mixed with a whimper. And that was the decisive moment. ¡°Heh¡­I¡¯m¡­your uncle!¡± Of course, Baron didn¡¯t just accept that. Instead, he grabbed Choi Il-kwon by the neck and shook him until he could barely breathe. Thanks to that, Choi Il-kwon regained his composure and calmly, yet sincerely, engaged in conversation, eventually revealing a shocking truth. ¡°Father and Mother¡­are alive?¡± Baron was so surprised that his knees gave way, and he fell to the ground. Of course, just as surprised were Choi Il-kwon and his team members. ¡®Goodness gracious!¡¯ ¡®Is he really Team 5 Leader¡¯s son?¡¯ ¡®Wow¡­I thought he was dead.¡¯ When they recalled the skills he had shown earlier, the intensity of their surprise could only increase. In fact, Baron¡¯s face was similar to the one in the photo Choi Il-kwon saw on his friend¡¯s phone, but it was difficult to say they were exactly the same. Perhaps it was due to the passage of time, but it seemed that many things had changed in many ways. If one were to name the most representative part, it would be his body, which had grown significantly larger than in the phone photo. The photos on his friend¡¯s phone mainly featured a visit during Baron¡¯s military service, and Choi Il-kwon remembered standing shoulder to shoulder with his friend. He looked to be about 170 cm tall, but Baron was at least 10 cm taller. ¡®Wait¡­ is his head even bigger?¡¯ To exaggerate slightly, it seemed to be the case. Of course, the photo was from his early 20s, so it was possible that he had grown taller over the years. ¡®It¡¯s true that growth plates usually close in your mid-20s¡­¡¯ While there was some possibility, the difference seemed too much. There were also considerable changes in his face, and if one had to name a difference, it would be the feeling that his twisted features had been fixed. ¡®Did he get plastic surgery or what?¡¯ That was the extent of their suspicions. Despite his battered skull, his overall appearance was not affected much. Since he lived near the park, he usually washed up before going out, and he didn¡¯t have any major facial injuries even though he was severely wounded. As a result, it wasn¡¯t difficult to examine his face. The two of them were silent for a while, each lost in thought, and at the end of it, Baron¡¯s words were surprising once again. ¡°For now¡­ keep it a secret until I meet you in person.¡± His tone towards Choi Il-kwon became more respectful. It was because Choi ll-kwon said that he was a friend of his father¡¯s, and Baron didn¡¯t think it was a lie. He had some suspicions, but the information he had shared about his father and the surrounding information was too accurate. Choi ll-kwon really wanted to see the happy face of his friend during the reunion with his son, but he assumed Baron had his own reasons for not showing up right away. After nodding his head in agreement, he reminded his teammates to keep the secret before they parted ways. And so, 24 hours have passed. ¦¤¦¤¦¤ I should have come right away, but I had something I wanted to check and I also needed time to heal from the injuries I sustained in the battle with the moon bear, so I invested two days. ¡®I can¡¯t come in a disheveled state.¡¯ Of course, it was difficult to achieve perfect healing in such a short amount of time. ¡®If only there was regeneration.¡¯ After only one day, the appearance was convincingly restored, but traces of the injury remained inside. ¡°If I didn¡¯t have the Philosopher¡¯s Stone, I would have suffered from the aftereffects of magic stones. I guess that¡¯s fortunate.¡± While I was recovering, I spent time searching for the information that I had been avoiding. [Ilsan!] As I searched, what appeared on the main page were provocative articles and pictures full of mosaics. [Astronomical damage¡­ total destruction¡­ death¡­] Among the painful contents, I clicked on the decisive keyword that had kept me away from Ilsan. [Total destruction!] Then, I chuckled at the successive contents of the stimulating article, accompanied by vivid pictures. [News of hunters¡¯ total annihilation¡­ second backup unit wiped out¡­ emergency situation with the Association and Union¡­ conference and cooperation¡­ arrival of foreign support units¡­ third deployment¡­] And so on, various reports of accidents and deaths were written, but they all had the same message. ¡°That¡¯s all¡­ the news of the deaths of the ability users?¡± Then where is the news about the damage suffered by ordinary citizens? I found it at the end of the article. [No civilian casualties!] The initial response was good. Despairing and provocative headlines and pictures dominated the main page, with hopeful stories being written as a closing note at the end of each article. It was a bewildering and disappointing feeling. I felt stupid for not being able to overlook a few lines of stimulation and a few pictures, and for not finding a ray of hope. ¡°F**k¡­¡± I almost punched the monitor, but I managed to calm myself down and put my hand on my chest. I wanted to excuse myself by saying that I had been affected by the composition of the article, but it didn¡¯t justify my foolishness. ¡°I thought it was nothing.¡± Because I had already lost hope for my family in the other world, I didn¡¯t think I would be so affected by the pain of loss on Earth. But the word ¡°family¡± was special, and it touched the weak part of my heart without my knowledge. That¡¯s why I had run away from the few lines of stimulation and despair. Despite the worn-out emotions, the word ¡°family¡± rekindled a spark in me. ¡°Phew¡­¡± Exhaling deeply, I headed for the store entrance. For the past two days, I had been doing various investigations, and I had come to know that Choi Il-kwon¡¯s story was true. Now it was time to accept it as reality. Clink¡­ As the sound of the bell rang faintly in my ear like my memory, the store door opened, and even though the air was unfamiliar, the familiar scenery came into view. ¡°Welcome.¡± And the voice that was heard struck a chord in my heart. ¡°Ah¡­¡± Baron felt his eyes well up without even realizing it. Someone came out from the kitchen to greet the guest, and when he saw the person¡¯s face, tears streamed down his red eyes. ¡°¡­Mom!¡± Without even realizing it, the word escaped Baron¡¯s lips, and his throat tightened and his heart felt heavy. CH 20 She thought it was a customer. ¡°¡­Mom!¡± But the following words were completely unexpected. Suddenly, her eyes widened, her head tilted, and she had to widen her pupils once again. The protagonist in the photo that is still attached to her wallet! It was because she had discovered a face from long ago that had been etched in her heart, with a trace of a teardrop. ¡°My son¡­ is it you?¡± So she asked, and the customer, the person in the photo, her son, replied. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for coming so late.¡± ¡°Oh my God!¡± Whether it was a ghost or a monster, it didn¡¯t matter. ¡®Even if you are a monster, it doesn¡¯t matter!¡¯ She wavered as she approached, gently stroking her son¡¯s face. She could feel warmth. He was breathing. Her heart was pounding. ¡°Ah¡­¡± He was alive. ¡°Baron!¡± She tightly embraced her son. ¡°Mom!¡± Her son hugged her tightly with all his might. ¦¤¦¤¦¤ It goes without saying, Baron¡¯s father also immediately rushed over. He was still searching for the album in Ilsan. Fortunately, it wasn¡¯t his North Wind Guild¡¯s Team 5 that went in, but he had separately requested to enter, so there was enough manpower available, and it wasn¡¯t difficult to get an overnight pass. Since he had settled in a place not far from the old residence, it didn¡¯t take too long for him to arrive after receiving the news. When he saw his son¡¯s face, his father came over without saying a word and hugged him tightly, as if he wanted to crush him. And then he said. ¡°You¡¯ve been through a lot.¡± Strangely enough, those simple words touched Baron¡¯s heart, and once again, he could feel the emotions making his eyes go red. Fortunately, this time he didn¡¯t shed any tears. After a moment, the ¡°entire¡± family had gathered. ¡°Um¡­so¡­these are my siblings?¡± Baron looked at the kids standing beside his parents with a slightly puzzled look on his face. ¡°¡­They¡¯re my younger siblings?¡± They barely looked like middle or high school students. There were two of them, a boy and a girl. ¡®I never even thought about this.¡¯ Even Choi ll-kwon hadn¡¯t mentioned this. ¡®Come to think of it¡­¡¯ Suddenly, he remembered the look he had seen in the eyes of Choi ll-kwon before they parted. ¡®¡­Was that what it meant?¡¯ When he recalled the mischievous gaze and expression, he had to admit that it was indeed somewhat effective in achieving his intent. ¡°So, your names are¡­¡± As he tried to calm his heart and looked at his younger siblings, both of them awkwardly opened their mouths. ¡°I¡¯m Ahn Ara. Big brother.¡± ¡°I¡¯m Ahn Maru. Big brother.¡± True to our family¡¯s tradition, they had names in pure Korean, Ara meaning ¡®ocean¡¯ and Maru meaning ¡®sky.¡¯ ¡®Well, that¡¯s a relief.¡¯ I thought it was a more normal name, compared to what I expected. ¡®But then again¡­ Can¡¯t really compare to Dad.¡¯ Grandfather had an incredible talent for naming, and my father¡¯s name was a result of that. Andre! Although it also had a meaning in pure Korean, suggesting becoming a well-mannered person, I couldn¡¯t help but think it would be difficult to actually grow up embodying that meaning if I were called by that name. Especially since there was a famous designer with a similar name during my father¡¯s youth, I believed it would be easy to become a target of teasing in various ways. If I think about it, it could be a trap in itself that he got a hint from that famous person¡¯s name when he was named. [You know, in the age of globalization, where big-nosed guys rule the world, I¡¯ll give you a name that fits in with that.] That was my grandfather¡¯s argument. Thanks to that, my father had to go through a stormy period, maybe even worse than my own. In that regard, I think my younger siblings¡¯ names were quite normal. ¡®At least they won¡¯t be teased because of their names.¡¯ But it left a sense of regret that another aspect of my family¡¯s tradition was diluted. ¡®But anyway¡­ it¡¯s unexpected.¡¯ Surprisingly, the two siblings who appeared to have an age difference were actually twins. Ara looked to be around 14 or 15 at most, while Maru seemed to be around 17 or 18, but both of them were 16-year-old twins in their third year of middle school. The twist didn¡¯t end there. ¡®I thought Ara was the younger one.¡¯ Surprisingly, Ara was the older sister, and Maru was the younger brother. If I were to guess the reason for such a difference between the two who were in the same age group, there were two possible explanations. First, it was because Ara had quite a growth spurt, and second, it was because Maru¡¯s physical abilities had been significantly enhanced due to his awakening in the body system. Knowing from Choi ll-kwon that my father was an early awakened, I recalled a piece of information related to it. ¡®So, he¡¯s what they commonly call a second-generation awakened individual.¡¯ It¡¯s often said that children of ability users tend to awaken their own abilities, and Maru could be considered as part of that category. ¡°Still, it¡¯s fortunate that Ara hasn¡¯t awakened.¡± Lady Lim Jeong-hye, our mother, said with relief as she looked worriedly at Maru. Thinking about the youngest one who might have to go out into this harsh world in a battlefield, it was only natural for her to have such concerns. He would soon be entering a high school designated for ability users, and considering the path that leads to becoming a hunter, it was even more worrisome. Baron, who nodded his head, stole a quick glance at his parents after considering the age of his siblings. ¡°The fact that they¡¯re at that age¡­ Wow¡­ Ah¡­¡¯ He was surprised, but also relieved, to see that the twins had been born around the same time he went missing. It was possible that, thanks to his younger siblings, they could push aside some of the pain caused by that event. ¡®I hope that¡¯s the case¡­¡¯ In reality, just like his wish, the couple couldn¡¯t forget the pain of losing their child, but for the sake of raising and protecting their other children, they had no choice but to pretend to ¡°forget¡± and gather their strength. Most of the stories that followed were about the lives of his father and mother over the past 21 years. There, Baron felt a strange consideration. What were you doing all this time? What have you been up to? These kinds of questions didn¡¯t come flying at him. It was as if they didn¡¯t want to ask anything until he opened up himself, and they spent their time talking only about themselves. The reason for this was also evident in Baron¡¯s reluctance to bring up the subject. ¡®I did consider revealing some of it to some extent¡­¡¯ Baron glanced at Ara and Maru. The unexpected appearance of his siblings made it difficult for him to freely share the stories he had prepared. He had planned to reveal some of the truth, but now it was even harder to let it slip. ¡°Son, is there anything you want to eat?¡± ¡°Mom¡¯s roasted chicken!¡± But when he said that, Lim Jeong-hye frowned. ¡°You just had that earlier.¡± In fact, on their first meeting, his mother had gone to the market to buy various ingredients to cook for him. But then Baron shouted out. [Mom¡¯s roasted chicken is what I miss the most!] He devoured five of them in a flash, leaving no room for anyone else. At that moment, his father, who had rushed over, arrived. Before long, his younger siblings were called over, and that¡¯s when the story began. ¡°Well¡­I really wanted to eat a lot,¡± he admitted. Whenever the battles with the demon king were over, the menu that came to mind was the roasted chicken his mother used to make. He had tried his best to show off his skills in the other world, but since he had never made it himself, only delivering orders, despite his arduous efforts, the taste always fell short by about 2%. ¡®Well¡­it was still groundbreaking over there.¡¯ Could he say that he had changed the food culture? ¡®Even succubi were tempted by the chicken. Hehe¡­¡¯ It was one of the most impressive events. It was possible because those women¡¯s appetites were as strong as their sexual desires. Although it was a war with the demon king, many of them in the demon army had defected to the allied forces, and among them were some succubi. It was possible because of that. Once again, Baron brought up the chicken. ¡°Beer goes well with chicken,¡± he said. With that comment, his father brought out some refreshing cold beer, and they completed the traditional Korean meal combo, ¡°chimaek.¡± ¡°It¡¯s been a while since I had a drink with my son.¡± His father said, his voice trembling slightly, and he wiped his nose as he seemed to have a sudden welling up of emotions. His younger siblings also wanted to join in on the drinking and looked at the beer longingly. However, they could only quietly chew on chicken neck under their strict mother¡¯s watchful eye. Today, the entire chicken leg and wing were Baron¡¯s share. ¦¤¦¤¦¤ It was late at night. His parents and younger siblings had gone to bed, and as the cool morning air seeped in, Baron got up from his spot and walked outside. [Barun Chicken!] Unlike the unfamiliar streets, one familiar store caught his eye. He looked up at the building that housed the store. ¡°You said you were an early Awakener¡­¡± Surprisingly, his parents were the owners of that supposedly great building. ¡°They say a building owner on top of a creator. How amusing!¡± Recalling the humor from his memories, he let out a light chuckle. The family was using the third floor as their home. [Sleep in the floor room for tonight.] They had arranged for him to use his younger brother¡¯s room, as they would clear out the storage room for him by tomorrow. Sensing the awkwardness among his newly met siblings, Maru was moved to Ara¡¯s room. ¡°Is it because I¡¯m used to sleeping on the ground?¡± Perhaps it was the unfamiliarity of being back in a bed after a long time or the excitement of returning to the embrace of family, but he couldn¡¯t easily fall asleep, so he had come outside like this. He looked up at the building for a moment and then turned his gaze back to the shop. Although it was bought and reopened after the Ilsan incident, he was grateful that the old appearance had been preserved. [Because it holds memories with my brother and is a special store for our parents, they decorated it just as it was.] That¡¯s what his younger sister, Ara, said, and thanks to her, Baron could also take a nostalgic trip through memory lane. ¡°It¡¯s indeed special. It¡¯s a shop passed down from our grandmother.¡± Furthermore, since the whole family had lived in a room above the shop at one time, the view of the shop was a special memory for the family in itself. As he looked at the store, memories from his childhood started to resurface, from the time they earned money and moved to a small apartment, to later moving to a larger apartment with the strength of his father¡¯s business. His father¡¯s stories of the happenings of the past years followed. ¡°The business failed due to opening of the rifts¡­¡± He had been in debt because of it, but he repaid it all because of his initial determination to work hard in the frontline as a early awakened and continued to save money, which led him to even buy the building. Lost in the faint smell of oil wafting from the store, he reminisced about his past as he looked at the shop, and for a while, he remembered the old memories he had forgotten. Suddenly, Baron frowned and called out. ¡°Come out.¡± After a moment, a child peeked out from behind a street lamp from across the alley. They must have been around three or four years old only. The child was oddly wearing a loose short-sleeved T-shirt on this chilly autumn night. It even seemed like an adult size T-shirt, flowing so loosely that it dragged on the ground. Baron¡¯s eyes narrowed slightly. The child, who felt his gaze, trembled and lowered their head. ¡°D¡­deh¡­¡± The child¡¯s attitude was full of fear, and Baron scratched the back of his head before approaching the child. The closer he got, the more he noticed another strange thing that had been hidden in the darkness. The back of the T-shirt was slightly lifted, and within that gap, a bundle of fur swayed. Baron frowned again, recognizing the identity of the child. ¡®A nine-tailed fox¡­¡¯ He sighed deeply and looked at the ¡®Familiar¡¯ he found on Earth. ¡°Ugh¡­ m-mo¡­ mo-aah¡­¡± As the child shivered and uttered those words, Baron couldn¡¯t help but feel a strange sensation in the back of his neck. CH 21 A day ago. As I finished searching for ¡®Ilsan¡¯ at the library, I also finished digesting the ghost¡¯s thoughts that had possessed the moon bear. And then, a vague memory came to mind. Fortunately, it was ¡°information¡± that had a connection with the cores. As expected, the moon bear was not a monster from the rifts, but a creature of earth that appeared as a ¡°spiritual being¡± in the old stories. And among the two cores, the one that emitted a bright white light was the moon bear¡¯s inner core. But what was the rainbow colored core? The nine-tailed fox! Surprisingly, that was another spiritual being¡¯s inner core. ¡°Well¡­it¡¯s not even a legendary hometown.¡± It was really unexpected information. Although the moon bear and the nine-tailed fox had a strained relationship and often fought, the ghost moved immediately after their battle. The ghost waited for them to fight and possessed the exhausted moon bear to control both his spirit and body. ¡°It wouldn¡¯t have been possible under normal circumstances.¡± But it was a battle between beings of the same level, and it was possible because the moon bear was exhausted. Why did the ghost choose the moon bear instead of the nine-tailed fox? ¡®Because the nine-tailed fox¡¯s mental defense was too strong to challenge.¡¯ To use a metaphor, it was easier to possess the ¡°physical fighter¡± moon bear, if you will. Although the ghost¡¯s level was only mid-tier, by swallowing a high-level spiritual being like the moon bear, it could forcibly raise it¡¯s strength, and then it captured the nine-tailed fox and ate its inner core. ¡°Too greedy.¡± It was also known as the ¡°Philosopher¡¯s Stone¡± over there. ¡°How could it be digested so easily.¡± Even with the shell of a high-level spiritual being called a moon bear, the pure energy was not easy to handle, especially since it had to handle two of them. That¡¯s why the ghost began the task of claiming the inner cores as its own during the long hibernation period like the bear. But with an unexpected situation, it came down from the mountain and even the part where it were hunted by Baron was vaguely recalled as stored information in its mind. When this sorting of thoughts was over, an unexpected encounter was Baron¡¯s way. ¡°Woo woo woo¡­¡± Among the two cores inside his stomach, Baron wondered if it was Nine-tail¡¯s core that caused the sudden outcry. Soon after, the space in front of him rippled, and a small fox with two tails appeared. ¡°A cub¡­ Nine-tails?¡± The young fox raised its small front paw in what seemed like a threatening gesture, but its gaze was fixed on Baron¡¯s abdomen, where the core resided. Instinctively, Baron knew that the dead Nine-tails must have been the mother of this little fox, who had been killed by Ghost and moon bear. Honestly, he felt it more as a sensation coming from his stomach rather than a clear understanding. Moreover, the fox¡¯s two tails emitted a familiar energy flow like one from his belly, making it easy to connect the dots. There was also one more thing he could discern: Ghost had difficulty absorbing the Nine-tail¡¯s core, to the extent that it was unusual. ¡®There are thoughts of the Nine-tails contained within it¡¯s core!¡¯ That hindered its absorption by the Ghost, and even at this moment, it was causing a discomforting presence within his stomach. ¡°Ha¡­ this is unbelievable.¡± Although it would take time to digest, the fact remained that it¡¯s core had entered his stomach and was acting on its own accord. Furthermore, amidst the faint reverberation, the thoughts contained within the core were shouting. ¡°It wants to go to its child?¡± Was it because it read the energy emanating from his stomach? The small fox that was just threatening him with its paw moments ago came to him and rubbed it¡¯s head against his leg, purring. Should I say a fox is indeed a fox? Baron chuckled and rubbed his chin, lost in thought. In reality, considering his physical condition and the Samshinki, it would be an unlikely and far-fetched scenario. ¡°I¡¯m a penny short, and yet you¡¯re demanding a bill. Huh¡­¡± Yet, despite this, what is the reason for his hesitation and why does he hesitate? There are probably two reasons that can be pointed out. The first was the trigger that awakened the thoughts inside the Nine-tails core. ¡°Tsk! Such a hassle¡­¡± His gaze flicked briefly towards his left chest, more accurately towards his heart. [Seed!] There was a single treasure, brought here after avoiding the goddess¡¯s gaze, hidden in there. ¡®I was going to fight over it if she tried to take it away.¡¯ As if unaware of its embeddedness in his heart, the goddess left it alone, and that is how it was brought to Earth. The treasure had awoken the thoughts within the Nine-tails core, and together they were causing him discomfort. ¡°Sigh¡­¡± With a sigh, he recalled the second reason. To be honest, this was the decisive factor. ¡°Hmm¡­ one Philosopher¡¯s Stone would be enough.¡± When he objectively assessed the situation, it didn¡¯t seem particularly efficient to use both of the inner cores. ¡®Keeping a flame burning in Energy Channel won¡¯t require more than one stone.¡¯ Moreover, considering the abilities of the Nine-tails core, it felt unsatisfying to merely rekindle the embers and call it a day. ¡°Wind, earth, lightning, and poison.¡± Just considering the properties he had confirmed made four types. ¡®Besides¡­.that¡¯s not the end of it.¡¯ The abilities of the Nine-tails, discovered through the Ghost¡¯s thoughts! ¡®Gulp! Nine different properties.¡¯ He recalled the spirits whose contracts were forcibly terminated by the goddess. The properties he had managed to get in that world were not as numerous as this, and he swallowed his saliva at the thought. ¡®If I do it well, I can solve it all in one go.¡¯ If the effect of absorbing the inner core of the Nine-tails was 1, what would the effect be if he used it in the other way he was planning now? ¡®At least four to five, I guess.¡¯ If you count the number of properties, it seemed that much more was possible. It was a moment when warmth was added to the gaze that looked at the little fox. For some reason, Baron rubbed both his hands together and said. ¡°O~K! Let¡¯s make a big deal out of it.¡± He agreed to give up the inner core. ¡®In return, let¡¯s use only one seal. Hehe¡­¡¯ There was only one small condition. A contract! This was the moment he would have his first familiar on Earth. ¦¤¦¤¦¤ Baron reminisced about the previous day as he gazed at the young fox, Miho. [The day you have nine tails, I will call you by your last name]. Unfortunately, there was no one around who could object to the use of the name Nine-tails(Gumiho), so the young fox¡¯s name became Miho. However, what was important here was not that fact, but what followed next. [Until you can transform into a human, go into the mountains and train.] Although it seemed that Miho understood his words, it attempted various transformations to become human, but all it encountered was consecutive failures. Because it was still a young Nine-tailed fox, it¡¯s understanding and abilities regarding disguise were lacking. However, when seen in it¡¯s child form, there seemed to be some progress through the use of it¡¯s mother¡¯s core. Suddenly, at this moment, Baron was slightly taken aback. It was because the process of transferring the inner core came to mind. Pouring out the core that was in the midst of digestion from his throat wasn¡¯t exactly a pleasant sight, and just recalling it made his eyebrows furrow involuntarily. As if misunderstanding the crease on his forehead, little fox Miho shrugged it¡¯s shoulders, but Baron didn¡¯t pay much attention. There was something else that caught his gaze. ¡®Well, it seems like the transformation hasn¡¯t been fully achieved yet.¡¯ Seeing the tail swaying behind the fox, it definitely seemed like more time and effort would be needed. ¡°Eh¡­don¡¯t¡­¡± Glancing at Baron¡¯s reaction, little fox Miho added a word as if to defend itself. ¡°¡­san¡­more¡­¡± Although it had acquired some knowledge through the inner core and could speak human language with some difficulty, it was still at a rudimentary stage, only consisting of vague and short word combinations. As a result, Baron had to strain his ears and rack his brain to understand it¡¯s words. ¡°¡­Ah!¡± And he understood. ¡°Are you afraid because of the monsters in the mountains?¡± ¡°Uh¡­mushyeo¡­¡± ¡°Alright¡­¡± With a groaning sound, Baron massaged his temples. ¡°Just find a mountain without monsters and carry on your training there.¡± ¡°Mm¡­mushyeo¡­¡± As if repeating the same phrase, miho suddenly clung to his leg. It was the moment when the back of his neck tensed up. There was no other choice. Miho had lost it¡¯s mother at an early age and had to hide in the mountains, trembling with fear. It was a daily life where everything in the world seemed filled with terror. If it weren¡¯t for being able to use the secret fox path inherited from it¡¯s mother, it might have faced the worst outcome long ago. [The Fox Path!] It was a kind of safe haven that it had inherited from it¡¯s mother, a tail that allowed it to shield it¡¯s tiny body. It allowed it to protect it¡¯s small body even amidst the gaze of countless monsters and endure each day with great difficulty. Was it because of the challenging and arduous daily life? It constantly longed for it¡¯s mother¡¯s scent and could only spend nights imagining the warmth of it¡¯s embrace, shedding tears. It was a day like any other. ¡®Mom?¡¯ Was it the scent of it¡¯s mother flowing through the Fox Path? ¡®Mom!¡¯ With a glimmer of hope, it rushed towards the source. Carefully opening the door of the Fox Path, ensuring it could escape at any moment if a moon bear was waiting. And there, it came face to face. ¡®Who are you?¡¯ Instead of the moon bear that always targeted Miho, it was a human man standing at the end of the path. ¡®Um¡­Scary¡­¡¯ Fear suddenly engulfed it. Was it because of the scent of it¡¯s mother emanating from the man¡¯s embrace? Despite it¡¯s wariness, it couldn¡¯t retreat or run away. As time passed, the scent grew stronger. Perhaps because of that, instead of withdrawing, it approached and playfully nuzzled it¡¯s head against his leg. From then on, it entered into a strange ¡°contract¡± with the human man. When the human contractor suddenly started vomiting, it was alarming at first, but it had to widen it¡¯s eyes when it¡¯s mother¡¯s inner core emerged. And when it eventually returned to it¡¯s possession, tears streamed down it¡¯s face. In that moment, the human contractor became the ¡°benefactor.¡± It wanted to stay together. It wanted to follow. But there was a condition. ¡®Transform into a human?¡¯ Fortunately, thanks to the tail it received from it¡¯s mother, it was able to understand some of the human¡¯s words, and through that, little fox Miho realized what it had to do. [Disguise magic!] Just like the moon bear and Baron, absorbing the inner core was not an easy task. ¡®But I have to do it! I can do it!¡¯ Perhaps due to the inherenting it¡¯s mother¡¯s tail, or maybe because the inner core didn¡¯t resist, the absorption happened faster than expected. Simultaneously, it¡¯s understanding of disguise magic increased significantly, allowing it to appear before Baron in a human form. The contractor was not without apprehension. ¡®But at least he returned Mom.¡¯ A good person, a grateful human. The child tightly grasped Baron¡¯s sleeve and struggled to speak. ¡°Uhh¡­ Ber¡­ Burydima¡­ Dev¡­ Gati ga¡­¡± Deep wrinkles were etched on the contractor¡¯s forehead. ¦¤¦¤¦¤ It was an unexpected contact. [Let¡¯s meet for a moment.] Baek-Hwa-Seon swallowed her dry saliva and rushed to the meeting place. ¡®Baron!¡¯ She didn¡¯t know how he obtained her contact information, but she couldn¡¯t ignore his summons. [Are you above the superhumans?] Her previous question, [It¡¯s just a matter of skill, Is the correct answer.] The response he gave! During the Bukhansan incident, he proved this extravagant statement. Although it was a low-quality recording, why did she spend considerable time pondering over it? She recognized the mysterious man in the video. Of course, she didn¡¯t recognize him at first glance. However, amidst her lingering suspicions, after repeated replays, she could grasp his identity. ¡®I never thought he could surpass superhumans.¡¯ Among the S-Ranked individuals with abilities, there were rumors circulating unnoticed. [We are not real superhumans.] [We are merely standing at the edge of human limits.] Despite that, the world still referred to and revered them as superhumans. For there is no one above them. Because of this, she rushed to his summons as if she were flying. ¡®A real¡­ superhuman!¡¯ There were so many things she wanted to ask that extraordinary being. However, from the moment they faced each other, he shut her mouth. ¡°I have a favor to ask.¡± The child was barely around four years old, if that. With chubby cheeks, the child abruptly embraced her with it¡¯s right arm. But the problem arose afterward. ¡°What¡­ is this?¡± She asked in confusion, and he answered. ¡°A tail.¡± ¡°¡­Excuse me?¡± His continue saying. ¡°You know about nine-tailed foxes, right? Think of it as taking care of a pet dog for a while.¡± ¡°¡­¡± It went beyond being speechless; it was a breath-stopping moment.