episode_0020

20.

Kang Mi-young felt ominous.

A familiar scent rose.

Puppeteer.

South Korea’s S-class hunter. She’s here. It’s a ridiculous story, but the scent didn’t lie.

“Surround yourself.”

Kang Mi-young stretched out one arm.

[‘Kang Mi-young’ resonates with her sword.]

[The sword responds to its master’s call.]

A sword sheath bound with a padlock.

The sword handle that had been suppressed was pulled out on its own.

Oddly enough, the most important part of the sword, the blade, was missing.

It’s just a handle.

The bodyguards stared blankly at the bizarre sight.

It was a phenomenon that would make one open one’s eyes on their own.

Kang Mi-young gave instructions.

“Power. Attach to the wall. Run.”

“Okay!”

Kang Mi-young focused on the sword again. Her red eyes were diluted with white.

“Sword, please borrow my strength for a moment.”

[The sword obeys its master.]

A knife held in the hand.

When squeezed, the blade is revealed.

Although it was only a faint outline, as if it were trapped in smoke, everyone could tell that a blade had appeared.

“Oh, that’s it.”

“Auror Blade! The captain is doing his part again this time.”

Come on.

Ability that can be seen as the pinnacle of inspection.

Aside from its beautiful appearance, its cutting power was unparalleled.

“Attention everyone. We will be arriving at the target point soon. Search operations will begin as soon as we arrive.”

Beep beep-

A buzzer rang indicating that we had reached the upper floor.

“Sigh.”

Everyone except Kang Mi-young took one or two pieces of equipment that they had brought.

In that situation, Lieutenant Min had a pointed expression on his face.

“Major. By the way, my New Year’s Eve is.”

“Confiscated.”

Lieutenant Min pursed his lips as if to say, ““I feel so wronged.”.”

“Isn’t that too much for smokers?! Don’t regular people use it anyway? Ugh, even if you smoke it once in secret, it won’t get caught!”

“All entry and exit records are recorded. Think before you act.”

“Ugh.”

She also absolutely refused to allow the organization’s relationship to be disrupted because of one subordinate.

Where on earth did such a bug-like thing come from?

“Major, would you please take a look here?”

“Okay.”

Kang Mi-young woke up from her trance.

An agent called her toward the door.

“Why won’t the door open?”

“The lock is on.”

“Only here?”

“Yes.”

“It’s definitely suspicious.”

“Here’s the pad.”

Kang Mi-young clicked her tongue.

A dial pad prompting you to enter your password.

I never received a password.

You have to enter the password to get in… … .

A few people muttered something.

“Hey, this is awesome! ”

“No, you left your hacking equipment in the Starex. What kind of guy is that?!”

While the bodyguards put their heads together to figure out a solution.

Kang Mi-young sensed a change in the air.

magic.

There is a huge amount of mana concentrated around here.

“Someone came and went.”

“? Who are you talking about?”

“No need to know.”

Kang Mi-young wrapped her sword around her neck.

The sword that had only been visible in outline stood up straight and thick.

Now I could see the real blade.

“This smell.”

It’s a familiar scent.

It’s like an artificial paint smell.

A scent that doesn’t come from ordinary people.

‘Puppeteer.’

Is it something to do with the guy?

It wasn’t for nothing that I was interested.

The puppet master enslaves the strong.

A slave who only listens to himself.

And then when you get sick of it, throw it away.

I repeated the search again.

‘What if Lee Seong-han was hit?’

The hand holding the sword was trembling.

I didn’t even want to imagine it.

Even though it was assumed to be a case of if, Kang Mi-young’s aura was undulating.

There is no time.

[Kang Mi-young activates the skill, ‘Insight.’]

Kang Mi-young approached the elevator door.

“No number is needed.”

“Major. No. ”

Lieutenant Min, who was behind him, tried to say something more but swallowed his words.

Swish.

Kwakwakwakwang────!

The sword wrapped around an aura slashed the elevator door several times.

As the attacks continued, only traces of the inquiry remained.

Anyone who saw it would have thought a typhoon had passed.

“Adjutant.”

“Oh, yeah.”

“Open.”

Lieutenant Min came up to the side, grabbed the broken door, and pulled it open.

The elevator door opened slowly.

The interior was filled with shadows and it was impossible to move rashly.

“All personnel are armed. Each is authorized to use weapons according to their capabilities.”

“Okay.”

Everyone in the elevator held their breath.

Iron Curd─

The sound of loading is heard.

I loaded my automatic pistol with ammunition for the Awakener.

Basic weapon available to Hunter Bureau.

Even this level of suppression was sufficient.

I don’t know about S-class though.

If it’s just for killing time, it’s more than enough.

“I don’t feel well. How about requesting support from headquarters?”

“I don’t know what that girl might do. If there’s a problem, I’ll handle it myself.”

Kang Mi-young’s eyes changed into those of a moving fish.

* * *

Ronin.

Refers to a wandering swordsman who does not belong anywhere.

Among them, the detailed occupation group is ‘Hero’.

They are people who idealize the realization of justice through the Tao.

In particular, Cheong Jin-ho could be considered the only ronin in South Korea.

“Oh no!”

[《The Lonely Swordsman》 uses ‘Wind Stab’.]

[The wind is condensing nearby.]

[Beware of surprise attacks.]

Hwaaak!

The Ronin doll stabbed the sword into the air.

Lee Seong-han quickly rolled to the side.

Technologies that I had never seen before were used one after another.

“Koooot!”

The Ronin doll twisted the blade. All the wind in the conference room was directed towards the blade.

[A ‘gust’ occurs.]

The wind gathered around the back of the sword.

A gust of wind as strong as a house cleared the place.

Like a blender.

Wooden furniture that was fine until just now.

It was completely cut off by the wind and rolled around on the floor.

“How much are you planning on coming?”

[Automatic Battle] Lee Seong-han evaded to the side based on his judgment.

He was also in a very poor condition.

[Serious injury detected.]

[Stop the bleeding immediately.]

“Wow, my arm. Mr. Seonghan’s arm. This time too.”

Kang Jin-young’s voice in my head.

Lee Seong-han looked down at his limbs.

Red blood dripped down his arm.

[Trait, ‘Block’ removes all mental abnormalities.]

Calm down and come to your senses.

“It didn’t get cut this time. Huh.”

Lee Seong-han laughed without any reason.

“Are you okay?!”

“Yes.”

“Pa, your arm is cut off! Hey, turn around first─”

“No, that won’t do. If we do that, we’ll both be in danger. Stay still!”

[Your favorability level has increased!]

Lee Seong-han had no time to care about such messages.

He barely managed to avoid the gust of wind.

Actually, I thought he was fine.

But my left arm, which hadn’t been able to escape in time, got hit. This was the result.

“What should I do? Am I really going to die like this? I can’t die.”

Kang Jin-young’s eyes turned red.

The hidden trembled loudly.

《Level 4》

└ [Lv. 35 – Kang Jin-young will do anything to protect you.](New)

└ [Lv. 40 – Kang Jin-young’s obsession is strengthened.](New)

Lee Seong-han tried hard to ignore the favorability window.

I looked back on my condition.

‘Let’s think about follow-up measures later.’

The left arm is barely attached.

Virtually hanging level.

Blood poured out like a waterfall.

The bleeding was severe.

About 80%.

Or more than that was cut off. I thought back to my fight with the hatchling Mirginos. This was one of the lucky ones.

[Characteristic, ‘Regeneration’ stops bleeding in the affected area.]

[Your body’s mana is starting to deplete.]

“Shut up. I have thoughts too.”

Lee Seong-han held onto his left arm with his healthy right arm to keep it from falling.

It takes a long time for body tissues to attach.

He barely managed to hold back his swearing.

‘Pattern recognition?!’

[Unpredictable behavior.]

[Additional combat data needs to be accumulated.]

‘ah.’

[Auto Battle] A dull answer.

Lee Seong-han licked his tongue.

“What is your stamina?”

Ring ring.

[《The Lonely Hero》]

[HP 66.6%: ■■■■■■□□□□]

Stamina is about half.

Even though we’ve concentrated so much firepower, it’s still not enough.

‘I’ll live. I’ll be discharged alive.’

Lee Seong-han spat out blood-mixed phlegm.

The injuries are piling up.

But I can’t die. It’s much better to be alive than dead.

“Mr. Seonghan! I’ll protect you!”

Kang Jin-young, who fires magic from a distance.

He nodded while looking at Lee Seong-han.

‘I’ll deal with it by somehow hitting it.’

It was a common first priority goal.

“Okay, let’s go!”

[The power of speed is granted to you.]

Lee Seonghan received the magic [Acceleration] from Kang Jinyoung and quickly ran towards him.

Lee Seong-han’s new form became blurred like an afterimage from an animation.

Tsupat!

Tsupat!

Tsupat!

“Kooosh!”

[《The Lonely Swordsman》 holds his breath as he watches the enemy approach.]

[Uses ‘Indiscriminate Slashing’.]

A sword that strikes precisely in the direction where Lee Seong-han is.

“Blink!”

Kang Jin-young maneuvered to the side.

A position that extends in a straight line.

It was a good position to use magic.

“Fireball!”

Kwakwakwakwang!

Several fireballs hit the Ronin doll’s body squarely.

“K, koooosh!”

I raised my left arm to block the attack from the Ronin doll flying towards my head.

Woozikkun!

Newly assembled left arm.

It broke with a loud noise.

‘Indiscriminate chopping’ is a technique that definitely requires both hands.

thus…….

[The ‘indiscriminate slashing’ of ‘The Lonely Swordsman’ is cancelled.]

[The Lonely Swordsman is incapacitated by a strong impact.]

The Ronin doll fell to its knees as if its thread had snapped.

Buzz buzz buzz buzz.

The whole body trembles as if in a seizure.

Lee Seong-han stabbed the blade into the airway to suffocate.

“Qoo!”

A loud roar.

The Ronin doll stood up as if it only had one chance.

[《The Lonely Swordsman》 recovers quickly!]

[Use ‘Baldo’!]

The sword of a ronin doll that is trying to pierce the abdomen.

It stretched out and flew towards Lee Seong-han.

‘Let’s kick it out!’

[Instructions confirmed.]

Lee Seonghan turned his greatsword into a counter-dagger and swung it upwards.

Their blades collided at an angle.

The sparks were flying little by little.

[《The Lonely Swordsman》 launches a ‘counterattack’.]

Additionally, a flying blade.

This time it was a crosscut.

Lee Seong-han leaned down and quickly countered.

Bounce!

“What the!”

“Koo.”

As if it had all been predicted.

The Ronin doll skillfully changed direction to block the retreat route.

A sword that flies towards the upper body.

‘ah.’

Time slows down. Lee Seong-han is feeling the sensation he had when fighting the hatchlings again.

Feeling disconnected from time.

‘How can I win?’

Lee Seong-han needed an answer.

If we continue like this, it’s only a matter of time before we die.

If we utilize [Block]······, wouldn’t it be possible to remove the thread from the Ronin doll?

To do that, you have to approach it.

It’s also an uncertain gamble.

‘Is there another way?’

does not exist.

At least for now.

Lee Seong-han put the plan he made on the spot into action.

First of all, to do that…

‘Should I pretend to die after being hit by that attack? Wouldn’t that put Kang Jin-young in danger?’

Lee Seong-han also secretly did not like the plan, but he had no choice.

“Yeah, I guess I should live first.”

There was no time to care.