You’re in the Way. Get Lost.

 

In front of the television showing the heroes in action.

A man was watching the news, cheering them on.

Moon Bae-wook, 23 years old.

A poor young man who lost his mother 15 years ago because of a criminal who used his ability while drunk.

Due to the criminally negligent homicide combined with alcohol and being a first-time offender, he received a ridiculous sentence of 2 years’ probation.

Whenever he saw that guy living as if nothing had happened, he was filled with the desire to kill him.

If it weren’t for his mother’s last words telling him to live diligently even without her, he might have really killed that guy.

For him, who had been living each day with difficulty, the broadcasts of criminal elimination had been something that broke through his bottled-up feelings.

At minimum, 20 years and no mana use.

While human rights organizations were in an uproar calling it unethical how she would execute criminals on the spot if they resisted, as a crime victim, he thought only that criminals had no human rights.

But contrary to Moon Bae-wook’s wishes, Tia’s broadcast announced a long hiatus not long after it began.

Though she said it would be about a month, the uncertainty of whether she might not return if public opinion remained poor caused anxiety.

If she were only stopping the broadcast, it would be one thing, but if she withdrew from Korea, there would be no visible future where the law would change.

Indeed, not long after, another repeat offense occurred, and the number of people looking for Tia increased.

‘Even though everyone criticized Tia during her interviews.’

While feeling disillusionment toward people and waiting for Tia’s broadcast, he heard one piece of news.

-Hero Law established…

-Minimum sentences increased

Fortunately, the Hero Special Law and modifications to existing laws came as a ray of light amid the anxiety.

Upon hearing this news, he had two thoughts.

One was that Tia would respond positively to this news and not leave Korea.

Second was that the policy would truly succeed, reducing crime and ensuring punishment fitting the crime.

Honestly, given what had been done so far, the second possibility seemed unlikely.

Even if it did work, wouldn’t fraud charges remain the same?

… Sigh. Let’s pray for this to succeed at least.

‘Since they’ve shown something, they’ll do it properly.’

As per his small wish, the heroes on screen were knocking down all approaching gangsters and advancing inward.

With just a gesture, enemies turned into ice statues, and with a swing of the sword, they flew away like autumn leaves.

It was also marvelous how no one died in such a situation.

‘Please win.’

He who had been watching with doubt was now cheering for the heroes.

But it didn’t take long for the situation to change.

At first, individuals wearing completely different clothes appeared among the gangsters.

Vibrant attire with yellow roses drawn on them.

Yellow Rose, the organization operating the most sex trafficking establishments in Korea.

It’s said that 80% of red-light districts nationwide are operated by Yellow Rose.

The power they possessed played a major role in this background.

From the boss to the vice-boss, to the action leader, all three are S-rank Awakened, with many A to B-rank Awakened also belonging to the group.

A massive organization incomparable to the Yangdong-i faction, which is the target of this sweep.

It’s unclear why Yellow Rose is helping the Yangdong-i faction, but with their participation, the heroes gradually showed signs of being pushed back.

Increasingly, they began using abilities not against the heroes, but targeting reporters and cameramen who were filming them.

While broadcasting stations wouldn’t send employees without any countermeasures against gangsters, the heroes had to retreat to protect journalists trying to capture footage.

The scene that marked the end of the deteriorating situation was a hostage threat.

When they appeared with a terrified person in front, the heroes had no choice but to stop their attack.

Even a D-rank ability user can easily take a normal person’s life.

They don’t need tools like knives or guns like other criminals.

If the opponent isn’t completely subdued or killed, the hostage could be endangered.

But heroes don’t have the authority to kill criminals.

Heroes with a lot of practical experience could use their abilities to subdue enemies, but those whose abilities weren’t suitable or where the enemies’ ranks were high failed to subdue them.

And among them, there were heroes who couldn’t even attempt it.

♦♦♦

Lee Yong-soo.

Hero name, Warrior.

Since awakening his ability called Trial, he had never been defeated.

As long as he wasn’t killed instantly by an opponent, Trial always made him stronger.

He had introduced Trial as an ability that strengthens him when overcoming adversity, but the reality is slightly different.

More precisely, when faced with adversity, it temporarily grants abilities, and when the adversity is overcome, the ability can be permanently acquired.

He had overcome every difficult moment through Trial and had never experienced a single defeat.

Even when journalists were attacked and hostages appeared, he wasn’t worried.

He believed that his Trial would give him the strength to overcome this situation.

‘Why isn’t there any message?!’

Despite it being a situation worthy of being called adversity, Trial said nothing.

Since Trial had activated even when teammates were in danger, there’s no reason it wouldn’t activate for hostages.

There must be a clear reason, but he couldn’t guess what it was.

-Lee Yong-soo didn’t know, but the reason was very simple.

If he went for elimination rather than subdual, he could end the situation with his current abilities.

Since it was greed rather than adversity, the ability didn’t activate.

Having engaged in battles premised on death, he didn’t notice at all.

“Puha! Our Warrior has completely frozen. So, are you going to save people?”

“How about changing Warrior to Coward?”

“With that, what kind of hero are you? Go drink more of your mother’s milk first.”

Amidst the gangsters’ criticism, he pondered ways to subdue them without injuring the hostage, but no method came to mind.

The only method he could think of was to draw everyone’s attention to himself.

He would get hurt, but sacrificing himself to save people was natural for a hero.

[Provoke, Dash, Blade Strike…]

Just as he finished preparing to use all his acquired abilities to dig into the midst of the enemies.

Bang-

Holes were blown in the heads of the gangsters holding the hostages.

Lee Yong-soo and the gangsters were all taken aback and looked around, but found nothing.

In the meantime, a hidden drone revealed itself, emitting a mana pulse.

-You’re in the way. Get lost.

A cold voice in his ear.

Although it was mechanical, he could feel a dismissive attitude in the voice.

“Who are you!”

-From now on, Team Execution will begin the elimination of criminals. Disappear if you’re thinking of interfering.

“I cannot allow the act of killing people.”

-And what will you do if you don’t allow it?

Ability use restriction due to mana pulse.

Biometric coordinates designated by the drone.

Simultaneous firing of over 20 sniper rifles.

-Dispersing sleeping gas. Fran, enter.

“Understood!”

-If you have nothing to do, rescue the hostages.

“Shut up! If there were no hostages, I could subdue them all.”

-If you failed, just follow my orders.

He was about to express his rising anger but, realizing that cameras were rolling, set out to rescue the hostages.

‘There won’t be a next time.’

His distorted mind directed anger not at the gangsters who had insulted him, but at Six-Two who had saved the hostages.

♦♦♦

-Killed everyone on the west side.

“The east is also completely finished. I’ll come to the front now.”

Even the weakest S-rank is powerful enough to destroy a medium-sized city in half a day.

That’s why the only way to stop an S-rank is to face them with another S-rank.

Without an S-rank, eliminating gangsters and saving citizens could be done in a short time.

‘Though it’s also because both Haran and I are skilled in assassination.’

The reason the government requested help from Haewol is because the opponent has an S-rank.

But at the point where there are two opposing organizations, there was a good possibility that there would be two S-ranks.

“Here comes the Assault Leader.”

-Shouldn’t I step in as well?

“No. Please take care of the other team members.”

Within his domain, Haewol has little chance of losing even against two S-ranks.

I don’t need to step in, but recent information bothered me.

-The new drug is characterized by the scent of roses.

The drug found in the fraud guild.

After requesting an investigation from R.A, it was found to have an effect of burning an Awakened’s life force to enhance their abilities.

While the life force is burning, they fall into a berserk state and are consumed by killing instinct until death.

The fact that this drug happens to smell like roses is somewhat concerning.

Considering that the boss of Yellow Rose is a plant ability user, there’s a high possibility they were involved in its production.

“The compatibility is too bad. This is why operations shouldn’t be made public.”

Haewol’s ability allows him to sense and manipulate all natural environments within his range.

He can make trees grow, manipulate the ground, and freely control rain, wind, snow, and temperature—everything.

Normally, he extends his range to the whole of Korea and uses his forced movement authority to preemptively move to areas where danger might occur.

“Assault Leader Lee Du-hee. Metal manipulation. Second Awakening is metal infection.”

Despite the title Assault Leader, he has a summoner style using metal.

If trees and ground are all covered in metal, Haewol can’t manipulate them.

Since they’re recognized as summons, it’s also difficult to take away control.

“Kim Du-il’s ability is Fighter. The longer the fight, the more his physical abilities improve.”

Second Awakening is Bloody Battle.

The effect is simple: the speed of ability enhancement increases dramatically.

‘Sometimes simple is stronger.’

Though I said this, if the battle flows as is, Haewol will win.

It’s just that with two opponents, the pace is slow, but since they can’t cover the air with metal, if Haewol increases the proportion of air, Lee Du-hee’s legion can be neutralized quickly.

“If only that wasn’t there.”

The drug injected in the gap earned by sacrificing the legion flows through the veins of the two.

“Even if we tell them not to film, there will definitely be people filming.”

I don’t want to show my Second Awakening to others.

It’s not confidential, but because I get a bit consumed by the ability, my personality becomes different from usual.

If I wanted to catch them without using it, I should have acted before they used the drug, but for certain evidence, it can’t be helped.

“Sigh. Ten years is a long time to hide it.”

[Activate – Touch of Death]

[Activate – Angel’s Ring]

[Synthesis – Angel of Death.]

[Raising the wearer’s existence value.]

[Angel, Lich added to race.]

A black ring appears above my head.

Black smoke spreads as wings behind my back.

“Even such trash dying at the hands of noble me would probably make them happy even in hell.”

Without erasing the sneer on my face, I flew to where they were.

Entertain me.

This is your last atonement.