Chapter 25: Clash (5)

Han-seong reached for the closest skillbook among the three spoils obtained from the Centipede Queen.

[Skillbook: Poison Fog]

▷Creates a mist that emits powerful poison. If the job is ‘Poison Master’, various poisons can be combined to create mist.

▷Duration: 10 minutes

▷Cooldown: 8 hours

▶Acquisition Condition: [3-Star Rank, 3rd Tier]

▶Job Restriction: Poison Master, Mage, Sorcerer

Reading the description, it seemed similar to the Poison Mist skill that was one of the Centipede Queen’s abilities.

By the way, an effect that becomes more powerful when acquired by a specific job. Han-seong stared at the skillbook with narrowed eyes.

“…Fortunate that it fell into my hands.”

If Poison Master Bae Hyeon-seok had acquired this skillbook, it would have been quite troublesome. A mist mixed with all kinds of poisons would be difficult to deal with.

After letting out an inward sigh of relief.

Han-seong immediately acquired the skill.

[You have acquired Poison Fog.]

[Acquisition Target: Remote Support Mage]

[The skill will be modified to fit the job.]

[Remote: Poison Fog (Lv.4)]

-Creates toxic mist at a designated coordinate.

▷Effective Range: Maximum 4km

▷Poisoning Range: 200m radius

▷Status Effects: Deadly Poison (Intermediate), Paralysis (Basic)

▷Mana Cost: 480

▷Duration: 14 minutes

The effective range was wider than expected.

Moreover, the poisoning range where the toxic mist spreads was also quite extensive. A radius of 200 meters. It would be effective if used in a place full of zombies.

“Should I try it out as a test?”

There was already a place he had in mind.

Cheonho-dong Cathedral, about 3.6km away from the officetel where Han-seong resided. This area was teeming with red dots.

On the other hand, there were no blue dots, so it was perfect for testing the newly acquired skill.

[Activating skill.]

[Remote: Poison Fog]

Han-seong watched the coordinates through Precise Observation. As the skill activated, a dark purple mist settled thickly and quickly spread in all directions.

The situation where both the interior and exterior of the cathedral were instantly filled with toxic mist. Afterwards, zombies that entered the mist’s area collapsed in just 10 seconds.

[You have killed a Decayed Zombie.]

[You have killed a Sensitive Zombie.]

[You have killed a Hungry Zombie…]

Notifications updating frantically.

Along with this, the red dots marked on the map began to disappear at a rapid pace.

After about a minute had passed.

All the red dots within a 200-meter radius centered on the skill’s activation coordinates had disappeared. Without a single exception, completely clean.

“Ha, haha…”

Han-seong let out a hollow laugh.

As if surprised by the terrifying power. What’s even more frightening is that the toxic mist’s duration still had 10 more minutes left.

Then an additional notification appeared.

[Tallying Coins.]

[Coins Acquired: 836]

Eight hundred Coins were generated from a single skill use.

It was the result of using a wide-area skill in a place with a high concentration of zombies.

Although the effect was amazing given the long cooldown, there was one drawback.

“It would be difficult to use in places with people.”

Although it didn’t have the power to dissolve everything it touched like the Centipede Queen’s poison, it still seemed very harmful to the human body.

So it would be better to use it only on places teeming with monsters, like just now.

Having realized the power of the poison mist, Han-seong turned his attention to the next skillbook he had obtained. The very spoil that had resolved his earlier concerns.

It was the skillbook for Detox Potion Crafting.

[Skillbook: Detox Potion Crafting]

▷Creates a potion that detoxifies status effects.

▷Target: Poison, Paralysis, Slow

▷Required Materials: 200mL carbonated water, mint, lemon juice, sugar, salt, 50 Coins

▷Crafting Time: 5 minutes

▷Cooldown: 10 minutes

▶Acquisition Condition: [2-Star Rank]

▶Job Restriction: Alchemist

A skillbook for Alchemists, no less.

He decided to give this to Ji-hye as soon as he saw it.

Originally, selling it would have been the right thing to do under the conditions, but he decided to give it for free this time.

She had conversed with the survivors on his behalf, and moreover, he felt it would be reassuring to have detox potions when trying to eliminate Hyeon-seok.

‘The problem is…’

It can be acquired from 2-Star Rank.

Meanwhile, Ji-hye is still 1-Star Rank. Although she should be close to promotion after diligently crafting potions so far, he didn’t know exactly when it would happen.

‘I should ask her about it.’

After finishing organizing his thoughts.

Han-seong was about to examine the third spoil, the Gu Poison Egg. But then.

Knock knock!

“Mage-nim, I’m back.”

Ji-hye had returned just in time.

She knocked on the door and reported everything that had happened at Jamsil Station without missing a single detail.

As he listened, Han-seong belatedly realized.

‘Ah, come to think of it…’

I hadn’t told Ji-hye.

The fact that when controlling the Collector, you can hear all sounds occurring outside.

However, it was bothersome to explain this fact, so he just silently listened to the report.

“So I told them to come to the shopping mall when dawn breaks tomorrow. That’s the end of the conversation.”

After a considerable amount of time had passed.

Ji-hye’s story came to an end. Han-seong pretended to ponder for a moment before speaking up.

“Ji-hye.”

“Yes, Mage-nim.”

“By any chance, how much is left until your promotion?”

“Ah, that’s right. I haven’t told you yet.”

Ji-hye smiled awkwardly.

“If I craft five more potions, I’ll be able to promote. Every time I craft one potion, I gain 2% experience.”

In other words, she was right on the verge of promotion.

This worked out well. Han-seong slightly opened the front door and placed the skillbook on the hallway floor. Then he closed the front door again.

“Then please accept this.”

“Huh? This is…”

“It’s an Alchemist’s skillbook.”

Then a sound of taking a deep breath was heard. As if surprised by the unexpected situation.

But soon a sigh was heard.

“Um, thank you, but I haven’t saved up enough Coins to buy such a skillbook yet. I don’t think I can purchase it right away…”

“It’s alright. I’ll give it to you for free.”

“R-really? Why…”

“It’s a promotion congratulatory gift.”

That wasn’t the original reason, but Han-seong, finding it bothersome to explain, glossed over the reason.

To this, Ji-hye was silent for a moment before speaking in a much brighter voice.

“Thank you so much! I’ll use it well.”

After a brief expression of gratitude.

Ji-hye muttered with a sigh.

“Sigh, I keep receiving things from you, Mage-nim. I wish I could help you somehow too…”

“That works out well then.”

“Huh? What do you mean…”

“I actually had something I wanted to ask.”

Han-seong’s eyes sparkled.

“If possible, I’d like to request the crafting of detox potions as quickly as you can. We might need to use them soon.”

“Use detox potions?”

“Yes, we’re going to eliminate the Poison Master.”

“…Pardon?”

A startled voice was heard.

To the point where the emotional fluctuation could be felt. Han-seong continued speaking nonchalantly.

“The Poison Master sent an elite monster to where I am. If we leave him be, there’s a high possibility he’ll become a great danger someday.”

It’s fine for now.

But what if he lures an elite monster immune to magic here someday?

Then it would be the end right there.

Han-seong wasn’t enough of a saint to leave a potential threat unchecked.

“The Poison Master will continue to exploit and dominate other survivors. He’s been doing the same thing even after leaving the underground mall.”

“Hmm, that’s certainly…”

“There’s no reason to keep someone alive who’s a threat to both me and other survivors.”

He wasn’t particularly trying to persuade Ji-hye.

Even if she opposed this plan, he had no intention of not carrying it out. He was simply voicing the thoughts he had kept inside.

Tick tock!

The interior became silent.

As only the sound of the clock hands moving could be heard, Ji-hye finally opened her mouth. With a voice mixed with strong anxiety and a bit of expectation.

“…Can you really eliminate him for sure?”

“Yes, if detox potions are prepared.”

“I understand. Then I’ll do my best. Even if my concentration is depleted.”

Soon a voice full of determination came back.

Having steeled her resolve, she immediately turned and went downstairs.

With this, countermeasures against poison were prepared.

His mind felt much lighter.

“Now then…”

Let’s examine the last remaining spoil.

A huge red egg the size of a boulder. As soon as he placed his hand on the smooth surface, information was immediately revealed.

[Name]: Gu Poison Egg

[Description]: An egg of an insect with extreme poison.

-When energy is injected, the egg hatches and the born Gu recognizes the one who injected the most energy as its parent and follows them.

-The type and grade of the Gu that will hatch is determined by the maximum stage reached just before hatching.

[Current Stage]: Stage 1/10

Han-seong’s eyes widened slightly.

He became interested in the explanation that if energy, or mana, is injected, the egg hatches and an additional subordinate similar to a Replica is born.

‘But how do I inject mana?’

As Han-seong picked up the Gu Poison Egg and examined it from various angles, he soon discovered a peculiar pattern engraved on the bottom of the egg.

The moment he placed his palm on that area.

[Do you want to inject mana?]

A notification appeared. Han-seong injected 100 mana into the egg without hesitation.

[Energy has been filled.]

[The maximum limit of energy capacity increases.]

[Stage rises.]

▷[Stage 1] → [Stage 2]

▶Energy Limit: [0/300]

“Ah, so this is how it works.”

He understood immediately. The more mana is injected, the higher the stage rises, and when it reaches the maximum stage of 10, a Gu as rare as that stage is born.

If a giant poisonous insect like the Centipede Queen is born, it would surely be of great help. Han-seong continued injecting mana and raising the stage.

And so the night deepened.

Early the next morning.

Han-seong, who had been nodding off, woke up with a drowsy face. The sound of someone knocking on the front door pounded in his ears.

“Mage-nim! I’ve finished…!”

The sudden visitor was none other than Ji-hye.

She continued speaking in a voice thick with drowsiness and fatigue.

“I’ll leave the detox potions here. I pray for your success.”

Ji-hye’s footsteps gradually faded away.

A moment later, Han-seong opened the front door and brought in the box placed outside. The box was full of potions glowing with a light green color.

“This many…”

A full twelve bottles of potion.

She must have continued making potions right up until her concentration was depleted. Han-seong examined the potions while reflecting on Ji-hye’s hard work.

[Name]: Low-grade Detox Potion

[Description]: When consumed or applied to the skin, the detoxification probability is determined according to the grade of the status effect.

[Detox Probability]: Highest Grade (1%), High Grade (9%), Intermediate Grade (36%), Low Grade (88%), Lowest Grade (100%)

[Creator]: Lee Ji-hye

A potion that probabilistically determines whether detoxification will occur or not depending on the grade of the status effect.

It was quite a unique method.

‘The Poison Master’s poison is intermediate grade.’

This means that every time 40mL of the detox potion is consumed or applied to the skin, there’s about a 36% chance of detoxification.

If the quantity of potions had been small, it would have been a somewhat conflicting effect, but with twelve bottles, there shouldn’t be any particular problem.

‘It’s worth trying.’

Han-seong poured all twelve bottles of potion into the Collector’s stomach pouch. Fortunately, the bottles were made of plastic, so there was no risk of breaking.

And he also recovered his depleted mana to the maximum through Rapid Meditation. Having made all preparations, Han-seong finally checked Hyeon-seok’s location.

[Activating Precise Observation.]

[Vision is shared.]

The top floor suite of a hotel.

The same place as when he checked yesterday.

Hyeon-seok, who had just woken up, staggered to the sofa and lit a cigarette. Seeing this, Han-seong’s eyes flashed sharply.

‘All preparations are complete.’

Now all that’s left is to execute the plan.

There was no reason to hesitate, so he placed his hand on the Collector’s back. Soon, as the mark activated, a familiar message appeared before his eyes.

[Remote: Replica Manual Mode]

Some time later.

The Collector left the base.

Meanwhile, at that time.

A luxury hotel near Yeoksam Station.

In the early dawn, Hyeon-seok, who had woken from sleep, sat by the window smoking a cigarette. A strange anxiety had been plaguing him since yesterday.

“Phew.”

He had barely managed to fall asleep after indulging in cigarettes, alcohol, and even women, but even that was only for about two hours.

An anxiety that seemed to squeeze his chest tight.

There was only one reason he could guess.

‘…The Mage.’

Yesterday, Hyeon-seok realized that the Mage’s skills could reach up to 1km away. He was quite taken aback by the range being much longer than expected.

‘Just how far can it reach?’

It’s about 7km from Jamsil to the hotel.

Although it was quite a distance, he couldn’t guarantee that the Mage’s skills wouldn’t reach.

That wasn’t the only threat.

‘And he has the Collector.’

The monster that instilled fear in Hyeon-seok for the first time since the Upheaval. The sight of it cutting off survivors’ heads and playing with them like toys still haunted Hyeon-seok like a nightmare.

‘Of course, there must be some limitations.’

Hyeon-seok also had a skill for handling minions.

Poison Insect Manipulation.

A skill that summons venomous flying insects to poison targets. It can be controlled up to 3km away, but the drawback is the enormous mana consumption.

‘He’s probably in the same boat.’

Then he wouldn’t be able to come this far.

That’s what Hyeon-seok judged. More accurately, that’s what he wanted to believe, but.

Nervously shaking his leg with anxiety, he soon threw the cigarette pack irritably.

“Damn it! Just a little more and I would have…”

He had a plan.

To send the elite monster under Yeoksam Station to the Mage to pinpoint his exact location, then send poisonous insects to poison the Mage.

Next, he planned to invade the Mage’s base and subdue him. Of course, the plan had fallen apart from the moment the first step failed.

After gnawing on his lips and pondering for a while, Hyeon-seok finally made a decision.

‘Let’s leave this place when dawn breaks.’

He decided to leave the hotel right away.

Although it was quite regrettable to give up the soft bed and comfortable life, he didn’t want to continue living in constant anxiety like this.

‘I need to get as far away as possible.’

Incheon, or even leaving the metropolitan area altogether might be a good choice. With a car and plenty of fuel, he should be able to escape detection if he goes down to the provinces.

Hyeon-seok began to act.

He quickly changed clothes, gathered car keys and food, and was about to reach out to wake up the women sleeping on the bed when.

Kuuuung!

Suddenly, a thunderous noise came from the ceiling.

A vibration that shook the entire hotel. Was it because of the quite large impact? The deeply sleeping women woke up with a start.

“Kyaah!”

“Wh-what is it? Just now?”

Meanwhile, Hyeon-seok couldn’t give any explanation to them. He just stood stiffly, staring only at the vibrating ceiling.

‘No way…’

It can’t be, right? Yeah, it won’t be.

Hyeon-seok forcibly suppressed the rising anxiety.

Swallowing dry saliva, he moved slowly with his gaze fixed on the ceiling.

At that moment, the ceiling collapsed.

Kugugugugu! Kwarrrrrr!

“Kyaaaaaaah!”

“What? What is… Hiiik!”

The faces of the women, who had been bewildered by the sudden situation, turned pale in an instant. It was because they witnessed ‘something’ that appeared along with the collapsed ceiling.

Along with them, Hyeon-seok’s complexion also turned blue.

Because from the debris of the ceiling, a monster he never wanted to encounter even in his dreams appeared.

“…Shit.”

The elite monster, Collector.

At that moment, the Collector swung its arm targeting Hyeon-seok. Hyeon-seok twisted his body to barely avoid the attack, then immediately spread his palm.

[Summon: Poison Insect Manipulation]

Dozens of poisonous insects that appeared from thin air covered the Collector’s body. But strangely, it didn’t seem to have much effect.

“Damn it!”

Hyeon-seok cursed.

Still, thanks to the poisonous insects, he managed to close the distance. Hyeon-seok dove into the Collector’s embrace in one breath and struck its chest with his palm.

[Injection: Deadly Poison (Intermediate)]

[Target: Replica-Collector]

A skill that didn’t work in the past.

But this time it worked properly. The evidence was that the Collector’s body turned a deep green color.

‘It worked!’

Hyeon-seok’s expression brightened immediately.

The amount of deadly poison is determined by how much mana is poured into the skill. And just now, Hyeon-seok had squeezed out mana to the point of near depletion.

“Cough! Cough! Kuheu…!”

As a result, he coughed up blood due to the mana deficiency penalty, but it was still bearable. Pain is better than death, after all.

With this, the Collector should also be affected.

Hyeon-seok moved, dragging his aching body.

But then.

Whoosh! Pueoeok!

“Kuhak!”

The Collector swung its arm and slammed Hyeon-seok into a corner. Hit defenseless, Hyeon-seok coughed up blood but soon smiled with satisfaction.

Because he realized that the Collector’s movements had clearly slowed down compared to when he first saw it.

Now he just needs to run away quickly.

His poison also has a powerful paralysis effect. Meanwhile, the Collector suddenly took something out from its stomach.

‘What? That is…?’

A plastic bottle with light green liquid sloshing inside.

It burst the bottle and poured the green liquid all over its body. Soon after, an astonishing phenomenon occurred.

“Wh-what?!”

The Collector’s body, which had been dyed green, returned to its original state. Could it be a potion that detoxifies poison? Hyeon-seok’s eyes widened.

And at that moment.

The Collector’s arm flew in fiercely.

Whoosh! Seogek!

His left arm was cut off in the blink of an eye.

Realizing this fact a beat late, Hyeon-seok screamed with bulging eyes.

“Kuaaaaaaah! Arm! My, my arm…!”

His legs gave out along with the intense pain.

Hyeon-seok, who had collapsed to the floor, struggled to stop the bleeding from the severed area. Meanwhile, he spoke out in an urgent voice.

“St-stop! I surrender! I surrender!”

Hyeon-seok shouted as if screaming.

He prostrated himself on the floor as if he had no intention of resisting and continued speaking.

“I don’t want to fight you anymore! If you spare my life, I’ll leave everything I have here and disappear. Food, women, everything!”

Hyeon-seok shouted as if spitting blood.

It was pathetic and pitiful, but still better than dying. Hyeon-seok pleaded to the Collector with an expression meant to evoke sympathy.

“O-of course, I won’t even dream of revenge! I promise. I can even write a pledge if you want. So please, have mercy…”

Puk!

“…Huh?”

His eyes flickered like a candle flame.

Before his words were even finished, the Collector’s arm had pierced Hyeon-seok’s abdomen. When it withdrew its arm, the internal organs came out along with it.

Seeing this sight.

Hyeon-seok collapsed right there.

“Cough, cough! Uweeeeek!”

Soon after, Hyeon-seok realized.

That the Collector, the Mage, had never had any intention of keeping him alive from the beginning.

“Kuheu, kueuk! Ma-Mage…”

His vision gradually blurring.

The smell of death approaching right before his eyes. Hyeon-seok glared at the Collector with bloodshot eyes.

“You son of a bitch!”

A voice spitting blood.

With this sincere cry as his last.

Seogek! Thud! Roll─.

The Collector’s arm severed Hyeon-seok’s neck.

The head separated from the body rolled on the floor and came to rest at the Collector’s feet. Poison Master Bae Hyeon-seok met such a futile end.