episode_0048

someone said

At the end of revenge, there will be nothing left.

At the end, only emptiness and emptiness remain.

I will taste the bitter loneliness that remains within.

‘I’m sorry…but you’re wrong. ‘This moment is so sweet.’

I felt relieved.

I felt really relieved.

It was so refreshing that it felt like I was flying away.

I was more helpless than anyone else.

I wasn’t even able to awaken, let alone level 1.

Even level 3 leaders and presidents.

That I defeated them both with my own two hands.

The fact that it was unilaterally suppressed and suppressed.

It didn’t feel real at all.

‘Have I become stronger…or are those two weaker than I thought…’

Even on that day in the past, when I left it to Surtur and other colleagues.

It was difficult to run around here and there like a rat.

I think I said that it was quite easy to actually subdue it.

nevertheless.

Coming here alone like this,

He shot and killed all of the people he couldn’t even make eye contact with before.

Even the company’s chairman knelt before me.

It really didn’t feel real.

‘Anyway, let’s have a celebration party later…it’s not urgent right now.’

Just-!

I snapped my fingers,

At the place where the chairman fell

Another skeleton knight appeared.

“honorary name.“

“Yes, nice to meet you. Because both targets were secured. Tell Natsuki and the kids to leave for Incheon in advance. I’ll join you later.“

“honorary name.“

The knight took out the cell phone contained in his helmet,

I immediately started calling Natsuki.

The interrogation was scheduled to take place tonight at a dark port in Incheon.

Until then, I had planned to collect as much of the information available here as possible.

‘Anyway… I heard people screaming a lot when the helicopter exploded earlier. Is something really important hidden here…’

I approached the wreckage of the broken helicopter.

Many items were burning in the slightly subdued flames,

I stretched out my hand and suppressed the flames.

Sigh-!

A cool blue spear appeared at the fingertips,

They began to extinguish the flames in an instant.

‘It’s definitely quite comfortable with magic… Oh, that’s right. ‘I almost forgot.’

I pointed to the floor with my fingertip to the Skeleton Knight who was on the phone,

It quickly picked up the staff that had fallen on the floor and handed it to me.

‘Let’s see…what can I do with this…’

——

[A] Terraforming Earth

A beautiful cypress wood staff in ivory color.

There are strange runes carved at the end.

Just holding it makes you feel like you can hear the sounds of nature.

-You can now use the skill [Elemental].

-You can now use the skill [Minion Modification].

—–

‘Oh oh…!’

As expected from the game, the loot obtained from defeating the boss is,

It always makes my heart flutter.

Or create a golem like she used earlier.

If you’re good at it, you can create deadly magic out of concrete.

Additionally, it seemed like the [Minion Modification] skill could make the Skeleton Knights stronger.

“Hey… I made a fortune today. Maybe you can become stronger in the future?“

“Yes…that’s right. Yes, if you leave immediately, the owner will be…honest name.“

The skeleton bowed its head politely,

I smiled and put the staff into subspace.

‘Now… then, let’s take a look and see what you’re trying to do…’

I began searching inside the helicopter once the fire had subsided.

It was filled with numerous boxes,

Some of them were caught in the explosion and became unrecognizable.

When I saw a gold ingot shining with golden light,

I smiled sinisterly and swept straight into sub-space.

‘It’s not that money is really tight… but I can’t stand farming when I see things like this…’

Then, when I saw an apple box full of wads of cash,

Without hesitation, I threw it straight into subspace.

‘This somehow didn’t catch fire… I was lucky.’

Of course, there were quite a few cash boxes that were lost,

Still, it was fortunate if I could save at least one or two.

This time, I opened the file containing a bunch of documents,

I rolled my eyes quickly and began to read the contents.

Among them, this is what caught my eye.

It was none other than a contract with a tentacle symbol, the organization’s symbol.

‘It already stinks…let’s see what they’ve been up to…’

The first apocalypse is scheduled to occur in a few days.

In the operation name, [Yangjae Station Plaga Break].

It was specified in advance that mercenaries from the Vegas Company would be deployed to carry out a sabotage operation.

So that hunters do not flock to the area before the gate opens.

By mobilizing agents of the management bureau, hunters of level 3 or higher from all over the country are gathered into one area,

It was a method of providing funds and vehicles needed to proceed with the operation.

Also, level 5 gate clearing that will appear on that day.

It was also specified that the participation and education expenses of all hunters on that day would be supported.

‘Well…at that time, attention was drawn to other places, so I wasn’t able to suppress it properly…’

In return, if the Yangjae Station area is devastated by a disaster,

By purchasing nearby land and buildings at bargain prices,

After rebuilding, sell it again at a high price.

And through samples of parasites provided exclusively by the organization,

From developing a treatment to dominating the market.

‘There are just people who are crazy about money…’

It is good for organizations to easily obtain products infected with plaque.

It’s nice that companies can buy expensive land in bulk at low prices without hesitation.

In addition, it went without saying that they would monopolize the supply of vaccines.

‘Furthermore, it seems like terrorist attacks have occurred in succession in the United States and China…’

One of the reasons the Vegas Company was able to make a lot of money was,

This was thanks to the treatment of Plaga virus developed after this incident.

Of course, in the beginning, Healers Without Borders took the lead in eradicating the virus.

Even so, it was not possible to eradicate all viruses.

In the end, powerful countries spent a lot of money to purchase the Vegas Company’s vaccine.

At least until other pharmaceutical companies create similar vaccines.

Perhaps the organization’s sabotage played a part,

For almost three years, companies literally had a monopoly on vaccines and were able to sit on a cushion.

‘Anyway…the next planned terrorist attack…is the main event for the organization. Well, there is nothing better than this to collect offerings.’

Just making a walking corpse.

Because it was a really good way to make a living offering to the ancient gods.

Even if this one thing is definitely prevented.

It seemed like the coming destruction could be delayed by at least a year.

‘The rest seems to be contracts exchanged with politicians… I already know the list. ‘I’ll have to read it again later.’

I put the pile of documents into subspace,

I picked up a black metal box that had been kicked by my foot earlier.

There was also a tentacle logo on it.

There was a strange, unknown feeling in the air.

‘Something…I feel uneasy…’

I took a deep breath and slowly opened the box.

One second in the future, there was me with a happy expression on my face,

With a relieved expression on my face, I looked at the contents inside.

Hwaaah not?

‘What…what is this…why do you have this…?’

A faint purple magical energy was flowing through the pitch black ring.

A total of nine rings were lined up inside it.

But there was an empty corner inside,

It seemed like someone had taken off one of the rings.

‘Seeing the way they were fighting earlier, it’s not like the president and general manager were wearing them… Maybe they brought them to the organization as a sample in advance…’

Conditions for level 4 awakening.

It was closely related to this ring issued by the management bureau.

As long as you graduate from the academy to level 3,

Unlike anyone else who could awaken.

From level 4 onwards, regulations began to become increasingly stronger.

Not only is it fully controlled by the Bureau;

Only for those who have achieved [S] class hunter rank.

That is only for those who have passed the management bureau’s internal review and signed a contract.

It was a one-of-a-kind item issued along with the Medal of Honor.

Therefore, if you rebel against society or do not conform to this system,

Not only was I unable to awaken to level 4.

Even those who have received permission from the government,

The bureau closely monitors the wearer,

I was watching to see if I was doing anything stupid.

Isn’t it said that with great power comes great responsibility?

In exchange for gaining great power in this world,

There was a strong tendency to impose great restrictions and manage them thoroughly.

‘Well… thanks to this, the kids who are villains and such are only level 3 at most, so the hero kids unilaterally defeated them, but…’

It didn’t matter as long as this system was well maintained.

But as time passes, won’t the looted nectar be released onto the black market?

Later, corruption became widespread.

If you secretly gave me a lot of money, I could confidently walk around saying, ‘I am a level 4 awakened person.’

Thanks to that, people were feeling uneasy about the villains who didn’t know where they were hiding.

Although the increased number of level 4 hunters were patrolled throughout the city,

It was not easy to deal with simultaneous terrorist attacks.

In addition, the number of heroes was too low to deal with a level 4 villain.

‘And… there’s no name engraving, and there’s no GPS device attached…’

Literally a blank check that allows level 4 awakening.

Not only was the information not registered with the management bureau,

It does not even belong to the individual until it is worn.

Written in the folder that was in her arms after defeating Xiao that day,

The secret of how the organization produced Level 4 Awakened people in droves lay before our eyes.

Until now, I have been thinking of a shortcut to manufacture this product,

These rings, which had been rolling around on vines, were carefully placed into subspace.

‘Where did you get this… and how did you make it… I need to investigate that in detail. I’m glad I found it early. If something like this is handed over to an organization…’

At that moment.

bang—-!

The ground shook, and someone jumped onto the rooftop.

A fierce attack with a red cape waving.

Every time I took a step, the ground shook,

The red aura surrounding its appearance rose in a menacing manner.

With a confident gait,

She threw something towards me.

Degurr…

A skeleton knight’s skull rolling toward the floor.

“I’m sorry…I got caught…“

“Ike… rest for now. I’ll restore it right away.“

“John…name…”

I quickly unsummoned a knight,

It lost its shape and entered the portal.

bang—!

A sparkling red gaze accompanied by blazing flames.

Flames flickered in the iron gauntlets,

Beneath the tightly mounted helmet, her long blonde hair was blowing in the wind.

“Hey there, stop moving now.“

“…Damn.“

A familiar, bright voice and confident movements.

And a solid body that isn’t completely covered even by tight clothing.

It’s been a long time since we met again.

Jia Han appeared.

And this time in the form of a hero.

—–

“Now. From now on, you can exercise your right to remain silent…“

Just-!

Han Seo-jin snaps his fingers quickly.

In an instant, his appearance disappeared.

“What…what…?“

And there instead.

A pure white skeleton knight stood instead.

“honorary name.“

‘Ai…what… is that the skull gourd from earlier… was it hiding at all…?’

“It’s no use hiding now…I can see everything…so…it would be better to surrender…”

Jia Han closed her eyes and began to sharpen her entire body’s senses.

But there was no sign of it at all.

The remains of a broken helicopter,

There are only two skeleton knights.

The black villain I saw earlier was nowhere to be seen on this rooftop.

“Ah… I don’t know why the villains these days are so good. How…good…if I could live a kind life with those abilities…!“

Boom-!

She punched her fist hard.

Kwagwagwagwang—-!

At that moment, following the trajectory of Han Ji-ah swinging her right arm,

A firestorm of astonishing intensity erupted.

Grrr!

“John…name…“

The Skeleton Knights were reduced to bone dust without even being able to trace their veins.

Then she quickly ran over and began examining the wreckage.

“Summoning undead… Moreover, there are traces of so many magic techniques…“

She crossed her arms and began examining the scene of the incident.

Concrete thorns sprouted countless times,

Plus melted cement liquid and bent rebar.

Plus, the remains of a helicopter that looked like the fire had just been put out in a hurry.

She let out a ‘Hmm…Hmm…’ sound,

As usual, we began a thorough investigation of the crime scene.

‘There are many bitches who can guess that they are undead… but the most troublesome thing is…’

Traces of bullets seen on the way up here.

And fragments of explosives and numerous shell casings.

Looking at the traces of bullets that were visible as soon as she arrived at the scene of the incident,

Jia Han felt a strong feeling, and immediately rushed to the rooftop.

I wonder if my younger brother might be involved in this.

‘The figure I saw earlier… it felt like I was seeing it for the first time… but it was somewhat black… but the level here is too high for a beginner to aim for…’

“No way…it’s not Seojin…sigh…I miss you after a long time…I hope you’re doing well…”

She scratched her head as if she had a headache,

I soon sighed and took out my phone.

Anyway, it was too late when he arrived,

Soon, agents dispatched from the Bureau will scan this place…

Rattling—!

That moment,

A group dressed in white robes walked up to the rooftop.

At that moment, she felt an unusual energy and clenched her fists tightly.

Thanks to that, my phone almost got smashed.

When I saw the team leader’s face standing among them, I immediately felt relieved.

“Surprise…I thought a villain appeared again…“

“Haha… thank you for your hard work. Miss Han Ji-ah. Has the criminal been arrested?“

She sighed deeply and then waved her hand.

“As soon as I arrived, I used some kind of magic and it disappeared in a flash. Kids’ technology these days is really good. He’s probably level 3 at most, but he seems to have better skills than me…“

“Ahaha… Don’t worry too much. I will leave this case to these people to investigate. It’s good for Jia to return.“

“These…people…?“

Jia Han narrowed her eyes and looked at the group of cultists.

Everyone was wearing suspicious animal masks,

He started moving around and quickly searching for something.

In the first place, it was strange for people like that to enter the scene of such an incident.

Moreover, the team leader who was so strict about rules.

It was strange that permission to enter was granted in this way.

She looked at them tentatively,

One of the church members approached her and smiled brightly.

“Hello~ Are you Ji-ah Han?“

“Ah…yes, that’s right.“

“We are people who came to spread good words~ Have you ever seen anyone dressed like us…? Or is it someone who gives off a strange atmosphere…?“

The woman in the robe clung closely to her and asked,

As if asking her to please give her the answer she wants.

With his hands shaking desperately, he held onto both of Han Jia’s hands and began to ask questions.

Then she gently let go of his hand and started to walk away.

‘Something isn’t right…something is…definitely wrong.’

The black shape I saw earlier definitely had a strange feel to it.

Because he was wearing a robe and had a really mysterious atmosphere.

But intuitively, I felt like I shouldn’t tell these people.

It was the kind of intuition you can feel from a [S]-class hero.

“Ahaha…well~ I’m not sure~“

And she quickly approached the team leader and said.

“Team leader, what are you doing now? The scene of the incident is damaged. If those people touch you like that, your magic power will be traced…! If the Director finds out about this…!“

“Jia Han.“

The team leader said coldly.

He rubbed his watch a few times.

He then patted her on the shoulder and spoke sweetly.

“Sometimes it’s better to turn a blind eye to these things. Because not everything can be solved.“

“But…! It’s the exact opposite of what you normally say. The fact that people like that come in…“

“Jia Yang.“

The team leader grabbed her shoulder,

At that moment, Ji-Ah Han flinched and clenched her fist tightly.

“Return, this is an order. That’s an order given to me directly by the director, so don’t doubt it.“

“…Yes. All right. Team leader.“

She sighed and walked to the rooftop.

He then kicked one of the shell casings nearby.

He sighed and quickly went down the stairs.

“What are you going to do if you get to [S] level… It doesn’t change that this bastard or that bastard is an old bastard… Ugh… “

When Han Ji-ah disappeared like that.

The team leader reassured the believers with a friendly smile.

“Don’t worry. I feel that way sometimes.“

“Hehe, he was recommended by the Director of the Management Bureau, but he seems to have quite a temperament.“

“He is a person worth recruiting. What… is it, Han Seo-jin…? She is that man’s older sister.“

“Oh…! After all…are genes really important? I never thought the two siblings would get along so well and get on the church’s recruitment list… Anyway, thank you for your cooperation. Team leader.“

“What are you saying? Since this is the first place the Inquisitor visited… he must have left something to say. We need to search carefully… Of course, the director will clean everything up for us… so please search with peace of mind.“

“Hehe…Thank you. Blessings to the team leader.”

“Not much to say. Everything for the great mother…”

A strong wind blew on the rooftop,

The team leader looked closely at the broken helicopter wreckage.

‘It’s amazing what’s going on in this world. The Vegas Company seemed useful…but we must prioritize the words of the Inquisitor, the living script.’

She lit a cigarette and looked at the panoramic view of Seoul.

Imagining the existence of an Inquisitor breathing like me somewhere here,

I prayed that I would be able to meet him in person someday.

The team leader decided to cover up this incident.

Just like a terrorist act by a villain.

Very simply.

The whole world will soon forget this.

As always, everyone will forget.

Their greater tasks to come,

Because it will spread all over the world through the media.