episode_0019

19.

Tsupabababat───!

Sparks flew.

Lee Seong-han was thrown backwards by the shock and was pinned against the wall.

“Bill, fucking hell.”

I squeezed my stomach.

A bursting pain coursed through my abdomen.

[Highest Level Hypnosis]’s original effect was blocked by a mental barrier, but it failed to prevent collateral damage.

My body was strained. It was difficult to control my body.

“I thought there was a mental barrier. This is an unexpected harvest.”

Hong Seo-min muttered something.

“What’s that over there?”

“What?”

“S, why is S-class here.”

Lee Seonghan pulled out his dagger and assumed a guard stance.

“Mr. Seonghan!”

Kang Jin-young shouted urgently.

“It’s okay!”

“Okay, it’s okay.”

Lee Seong-han vomited blood as if he had suffered an internal injury.

As expected, the opponent is S-class.

S-class hunters are strong. They are considered superhumans. They are strong enough to surpass the human realm.

Do ordinary awakened people like me have any chance of winning?

Even though I know, I still don’t know.

That’s uncharted territory.

But Lee Seong-han couldn’t give up. He felt a strong killing intent. There was no turning back. He decided to trust [automatic combat].

Hong Seo-min laughed and clapped his hands like a seal.

“I thought I was acting. Aren’t I? Association President. I’m not dead yet. Those guys are falling for the colada.”

Cheong Jin-ho is slumped over in his chair.

He was so pale that I thought he was dead.

“Answer.”

Hong Seo-min moved his slender hands. There was thread tied between his fingers.

“… … .”

Cheongjinho moved along with the movement of the thread.

“Live.”

[Hong Seo-min activates his ability.]

The string tied to his finger trembled. The subject of the movement was Hong Seo-min.

Lee Seong-han observed the scene.

This kind of thing is very risky.

There was no way they could touch the president of the association without even thinking about it.

That’s just madness.

Lee Seong-han clenched his teeth with a terrified expression.

There must be some kind of backing.

“The more the thread stretches, the better.”

“… … .”

“Well, you’re moving well. Good job. I’ll give you something nice as a reward.”

Hong Seo-min went behind Cheong Jin-ho.

He pressed down on my shoulders with both hands.

Gugugu.

There was a sound of bones breaking.

“First, let’s talk to those guys.”

I laughed so heartily that it gave me goosebumps.

“I guess we don’t need this for now?”

“Yes, Master.”

Cheong Jin-ho answered without emotion.

Okay then.

Woojikkeun─

At the same time as the noise, Cheong Jin-ho’s two arms were torn off.

Lee Seong-han’s hair stood on end.

“Mi, crazy.”

The blood from the wound started to drip and then stopped.

Cheongjinho’s body is made of a strange wood.

“Grow up.”

A thread grew from the severed wound.

In fact, it has become a large body tissue.

They were intertwined again and again.

It filled in the bones and skin and at some point it became an arm.

“Agent.”

“Yes.”

“Let’s run away. I’ll buy time.”

Kang Jin-young clicked his tongue as if to say, “What the hell are you talking about?”

“Stop talking nonsense and do it properly─”

Bam!

Hong Seo-min lowered his hand like a conductor.

As the floor where Kang Jin-young was was breached, large balls of thread became entangled.

“What, what is it?!”

“Just stay still. You’re not my concern.”

Kang Jin-young was caught in a trap. It was like a large cocoon. It struggled for a while and then stopped moving.

I won’t die, I won’t die. Lee Seong-han took a deep breath so as not to get excited.

“Now it’s just the two of us. I like you. Won’t you come to me?”

Hong Seo-min turned his attention.

He made his bloodshot eyes even darker. His target was Lee Seong-han.

[‘Hong Seo-min’ uses ‘Sil Weaving’.]

A thousand flying threads. Hard and sharp like steel.

“What the hell!”

Boom───!

Blood gushed out like a fountain. Thick threads ran through his body.

head.

chest.

ship.

leg.

There was not a single holy place.

“Ker, ker.”

Blood gushed out and his movements slowed down.

Lee Seong-han groaned intermittently as if he was having a hard time recovering from the shock.

‘You’ll feel better if you rest for a while.’

A voice different from Kang Jin-young’s. It’s a voice full of sexiness. No, I should say it’s forceful.

‘Kneel down.’

Lee Seong-han fell to the floor with his whole body covered in blood.

[Deploying the ‘Mental Barrier’.]

[Detected ‘mental barrier’ collapse due to excessive shock.]

[The ‘mental barrier’ has collapsed.]

[Trait, ‘Mental Barrier’ is removed.]

…

…

…

[‘■■■■ ■(EX)’ is newly added to ‘Fragment of Mental Barrier’.]

A thick field of influence was continuously deployed against Lee Seong-han.

[‘■■■■ ■(EX)’ reverses the ‘Mental Barrier’.]

[‘Mental Barrier’ evolves into ‘Blocking’.]

[A life-threatening situation has been discovered.]

[Turn on ‘Play’.]

Thud thud thud.

The rotten flesh fell off and new flesh grew on the affected area.

“What is it?”

Hong Seo-min also exclaimed in admiration at the sight, wondering if it was a new experience.

“What are you doing?”

thud!

Additional flying threads.

Just before touching the regenerating flesh.

The station itself absorbed the threads.

[‘■■■■ ■(EX)’ analyzes this ability.]

[‘■■■■ ■(EX)’ demands an immediate response to ‘Block’.]

[Nullifies all abilities involving ‘Block’.]

Tsupababababat!

“ability.”

[‘Block’ removes ‘Thread Weaving’.]

“Why.”

[‘Block’ removes ‘Highest Level Hypnosis’.]

“Not working!”

[‘Block’ removes ‘Puppet’.]

Thunder and lightning striking the sky.

My eyes sparkled several times as if I was watching the welding process with my naked eye.

Lee Seonghan’s vision became blurry, as if he had used up a considerable amount of mental strength.

“That’s funny. Heh, heh heh heh heh heh!”

Hong Seo-min’s face was very distorted.

Lived.

That alone was enough for Lee Seong-han.

[‘■■■■■(EX)’ laughs bitterly.]

What on earth is that trait?

I started fighting without any time to think.

* * *

Lee Seong-han’s plan was simple.

‘Buying time until Kang Mi-young arrives.’

Kang Mi-young. She is the strongest in terms of her own strength and charisma. She can handle someone as powerful as Hong Seo-min.

It’s not a likely scenario, but it’s a situation where you have to take a gamble.

[‘Kang Jin-young’ wakes up.]

The cocoon that was made of thread has split.

Kang Jin-young woke up, gasping for breath.

“Mr. Seonghan?! Are you okay?! By the way, how did you hold out?!”

“I was lucky.”

Kang Jin-young clicked his tongue bitterly.

“Let’s get rid of that woman first!”

“Agent. Is that woman a real puppeteer? An S-class hunter, I mean. A superhuman. Someone who is as powerful as the Republic of Korea.”

“… … Yes.”

It was a bit late to notice because of [cognitive impairment], but it was certain.

Puppeteer.

A S-class hunter representing South Korea along with Kang Mi-young.

‘But why are you here?’

I don’t know.

We need to find out from now on.

Lee Seong-han was upset.

“There are many enemies.”

“I know.”

“Shall we do them one by one?”

“There are a lot of numbers. I will cover you.”

2 shields on the right side.

3 archers.

On the left is one axe.

Two men carrying a load on their backs.

And even the puppeteer Hong Seo-min.

A total of 9 people including them.

There will be more than that, since there is doll summoning.

Lee Seong-han chewed his thumbnail with his teeth.

“What is your purpose, Agent?”

“I don’t know. Since they are such an unpredictable entity, we don’t have any information about them either.”

“Does the National Intelligence Service not have any information?”

“There is a lot of information related to abilities, but there is some information control regarding Hong Seo-min personally. All S-classes are like that.”

If it’s an S-class, you can meet them whenever you want and kill them.

Because he is that strong.

‘What if it can’t be killed? What if there’s another purpose?’

The decision was quick.

Lee Seong-han held the dagger in his hands.

Bam.

Aimed at my own neck.

“Huh.”

Hong Seo-min sighed as if he found it interesting.

“I can’t die, right?”

Kang Jin-young shouted as if he was scared.

“Put it away. Now!”

No, it won’t work.

S-class is a strength beyond the norm.

You have to lie down on your stomach like a predator to get interested.

The moment you lose interest, that’s when you lose your balls.

Lee Seong-han absolutely refused to allow his head and body to move separately.

“You need me, right? ”

Hong Seo-min laughed bashfully.

“That’s right. This is something that requires irregulars.”

“Irregular?”

“I just wanted to test how crazy a person you are.”

Hehe.

“Just do your best.”

The dolls rushed in.

* * *

Hong Seo-min’s servant.

In other words, the dolls were helplessly torn apart.

It wasn’t difficult to destroy because of the simple pattern.

Thus, the battle entered a lull.

Hong Seo-min looked at Lee Seong-han and Kang Jin-young alternately with an arrogant attitude.

“Instruction. Return.”

[Hong Seo-min picks up the dolls.]

[The dolls nod and retreat.]

Lee Seong-han stopped the bleeding from the wound in his abdomen with his bare hands.

There were so many of them, regardless of individual patterns.

It is impossible to block everything, and you are on the verge of life and death as you are hit by blind attacks.

Clap. Clap. Clap.

“It wasn’t for nothing that I was judged as irregular.”

“How did you know it was irregular?”

“A separate notice will be posted to S-class players. I didn’t catch Mirginos for nothing. You’re talented.”

Hong Seo-min smiles arrogantly.

The chairman sat on the chair, crossed his legs, and licked his lips with his tongue.

Lee Seong-han opened his eyes wide.

“Do you know about the Gray Tower?”

“I don’t know because I’m new. Huh, I guess that private didn’t explain it to me.”

Hong Seo-min’s eyes were blurry.

“I don’t know the exact conditions, but hunters who meet the criteria will receive a government commission. So, conquer the tower, just like me. And you too.”

“How many floors are there?”

“Is it awkward to tell? There are separate rules. If you reveal it, you die, so be it.”

Hong Seo-min continued speaking at a rapid pace.

“Each country has a time limit. If the time is exceeded, the country collapses. But, guess what I found out? They’re going to kill all the Awakened people or something.”

Lee Seong-han organized the content.

The tower is a kind of detonator.

If you don’t climb the tower, the detonator will explode.

South Korea has little time left to attack.

So the government wants to use me.

Lee Seong-han understood it this way.

“Ha, this is probably not the time to bring that up.”

Whoosh───!

Kang Jin-young ran at incredible speed.

“The National Intelligence Service is the same. So think carefully. This is advice from an awakened senior.”

Hong Seo-min waved his hand coolly.

[Hostile reinforcements detected.]

A few more dolls were summoned.

The dolls threw themselves at Kang Jin-young to block his attacks.

“Oh no!”

“Do you want to die for this fucking country? Or do you want to live? I need a few factions too. Hands and feet.”

chin.

A doll fell from the sky.

President Cheong Jin-ho wearing light armor.

No, a ronin doll.

[《Ronin Doll Lv. 25》]

– A fake created by the puppeteer. The type is demonic. It imitates the original object that is the source. The current original is Cheong Jin-ho. It shows skilled movements.

“주─”

Chuckerduck.

Pfft!

Hong Seo-min’s delicate gesture.

“Shut up. It’s because of you that this whole thing went wrong. Who told you to open your mouth?”

The Ronin’s jaw flew through the sky, spraying blood.

The ronin was pushed back by the overwhelming force. He stiffened and then straightened up again.

“You. Take care of that bitch in the suit. I don’t care if she’s talking about raw fish or po.”

Nod.

“That big bastard from far away···.”

Hong Seo-min stared blankly at Lee Seong-han for a moment.

He soon smiled faintly.

It was a bitter smile.

“If you stay still, I’ll just bring you here. If you resist, I’ll make you a half-cripple and bring you back alive. Because the moment you die, both you and your original will be fucked.”

····Nod.

Hong Seo-min made a gun with his right hand and aimed it at the right temple of his head as if he were committing suicide.

“Doll. Shred.”

bang.

Galgalgalgalgalgal──!

Hong Seo-min’s body, which had been speaking just a moment ago, transformed into a wooden doll, and a loud noise like being cut by a saw was heard.

“… … .”

The ronin pulled out a sharp sword.

[《The Lonely Swordsman》 sends a cold gaze.]

[HP 100%: ■■■■■■■■■■]

[You have now entered the ‘Boss Room’.]

[All access is restricted.]

‘Fuck.’

Lee Seong-han was terrified.

[‘■■■■■(EX)’ is whetting my appetite.]

Please stay still.