episode_0319

– Phew!

As I stepped out of the restaurant, a cool breeze greeted me.

The robe fluttered in the strong wind, almost falling off, and on the robe that did not fall off, pure white snowflakes fell down in torrents.

‘Where am I?’

I tapped my smartwatch to open the map.

‘Is it the western part of Russia? The center? No, it seems to be on the border.’

Russia is one of the countries that perished after the cataclysm.

The reason was simple.

It was just bad luck. A tier 3 monster burst out directly from the capital at the beginning of the cataclysm.

A time that was even called the Dark Ages.

In an era where the quality of superhuman power is so low, it is impossible to easily defeat a third-tier monster.

To begin with, they did not have the skills to prepare for the dungeons and monsters that would appear in the vast country.

As a result, the current Russian region is being occupied by several powers.

Because there are so many dungeons and monsters that have grown due to being left unattended, it is also an area that is often used as a hunting ground.

There are cases where such areas are treated like gold mines, but in the original work, they change into a demonic realm… Anyway.

‘hmm…’

The snow is falling so heavily that it looks like there’s a hole in the sky, and even the ground is covered with snow.

The snow has piled up to my knees. It’s a hassle to keep pushing through.

Even as I walk briskly to avoid getting caught in the snow, the snow pouring down from the sky piles up on my body.

‘The weather is really fucking bad.’

The cold air that clings to the outside of the robe is so strong.

If it weren’t for the robe having built-in thermal magic, the cold would have seeped into his bones rather than his outer clothing.

If you run at a fast speed, you won’t be able to pinpoint the entrance to the other side, so you’ll have to move at a constant speed and endure the snowstorm.

For someone like me who hates the cold, this is an environment I don’t want to set foot in.

‘Was the Changhae family in a similar environment to this one?’

… After thinking about it for a moment, I think I may need to adapt.

‘let’s go.’

A sound caught at the edge of the observation range.

It’s easy to say, but in reality, it’s a distance that changes an entire district.

Although we didn’t have much time, we took a calm step forward while checking our posture in case something happened.

[Contact: Teacher (and 5 others)]

▶Me: (Salute dog emoticon)

▶Me: This is ideal!

▶Me: I miss you ㅠㅠ

I didn’t forget to send a text message to check in on me in the middle of the trip. If I forget even this, I don’t know what kind of bullying I’ll get when I get back.

‘… … ‘

As I was sending a text message, I suddenly felt depressed as I remembered the body temperature and scent that I had not felt before.

Because I’ve been wandering around outside for a while, the smell of flesh on my body has long since disappeared.

‘Ugh.’

He sighed and hurried his steps, as if he was a puppy suffering from separation anxiety.

* * *

The independent city of Vologda is surrounded by city walls.

It is not a castle simply built by piling up stones.

It is a physical barrier that blocks monsters, and a wall with inscriptions that serves as the boundary of a barrier that protects the city.

The gates of Vologda were the same as ever.

A moderate amount of monsters from outside were running around, a moderate amount of people were passing by, and a moderate amount of vehicles carrying supplies were coming and going.

“Stop.”

The guard, who had been yawning and looking around, readied his weapons.

A person approaches the castle gate through a blizzard.

The guards nearby also took up their weapons. The guard who was the leader of this group took a step forward.

“This is the independent city of Bologna. If you want to pass, prove your identity.”

In this weather, he is wearing a robe over his head, so I can’t even see his face properly.

That’s why we need to be vigilant, but that doesn’t work very well.

It feels like it has a noble quality to it from the outside, so I hesitate to treat it carelessly.

– Swish

The moment the robed man put his hand into his bosom, he was on guard, but what he took out was an ordinary ID card.

“Um… ”

It wasn’t ordinary. The guard read the identification on the ID, used his magic to confirm its authenticity, and then let out a small sigh.

The agency that issued the ID card was the association.

Although the Association’s influence in the gray area is not great, it cannot be completely ignored.

Rather, physical identification cards from such associations are commonly used in gray areas.

The reason the guard was silent was because the person being guarded was of quite high status.

Even if you don’t have much influence, if you hurt someone in the association, you might get pressured.

“… Yes, Guinevere. Confirmed.”

Guinevere. The name of a high-ranking person wearing robes.

Because of his status, he was able to skip most of the screening procedures.

Guinevere nodded silently and entered through the gate that the guards had opened for her.

The soldiers felt a strange, indescribable sensation as Guinevere passed them by.

The new guard who had just started working muttered while staring blankly at Guinevere’s back.

“Guinevere? As expected from a noble lady, your name is noble.”

“Hey, be quiet. You’ll get caught for no reason.”

“Ah, deposit.”

“And report to the central association that a distinguished guest has arrived.”

The guard who gave those instructions suddenly turned his gaze toward the inside of the gate.

A large road neatly paved with stones stretches out in a straight line, and people and vehicles, wrapped tightly to withstand the cold, walk along it.

Commercial and residential buildings are intricately mixed on both sides of the main road, but the smoke coming out of the chimneys gave off the impression that people lived there.

“Use… ”

Meanwhile, the guard staring at the back of the guest named Guinevere who had just entered the city felt a vague sense of unease for some reason.

* * *

Superhumans are high-income earners who are too embarrassed to even talk about it.

Even low-level heroes and hunters who can’t be said to be high-level earn much more money than ordinary people.

What if you raise the bar even further? At some point, you won’t have to worry about how much money you need to spend on daily living.

Some people save the money they have left over, invest it in potions or weapons to improve their skills, and some even use it for leisure activities.

“Can we stay here like this?”

“What?”

As a superhuman with high skills, Spada was the type to gamble.

The independent city of Bologda. Spada, who was absentmindedly burning money in a gambling house inside the city, shrugged his shoulders in response to his subordinate’s question.

“Can I do something else while on duty?”

“Yes… ”

“Well, there’s nothing we can do. We’ve been running around for days now, so we should take a day off. How we rest during that time is up to each of us, right?”

Sparda’s body and mind are not so weak that they can be destroyed by this kind of forced march, but it is better to relieve fatigue when you have time so that you can be more comfortable later.

Besides, I have no motivation because the mission is not going well.

“To me, this is relaxation. It’s called dopamine, right? The excitement you get from betting money is so addictive.”

“Isn’t it just pocket change?”

“There’s something to be said for earning even a small amount of money. Like now.”

Spada turned over the cards on the table. Immediately afterwards, he looked over the cards that had been turned over on the other side.

“A Mr.”

“The winning percentage doesn’t seem to be zero… ”

“Be quiet.”

It’s a dud. Spada’s face crumpled and he pushed the chips he had placed on the board away.

“I will gratefully accept it~”

“I’ll get it back soon, so flip over the card.”

Even the opponent’s provocation. The provocation of a guy who disappears without leaving a trace with just one gesture is unparalleled.

Spada urged the dealer on, his hands shaking.

– Squeak…

“… Huh?”

It was then that another person was added to the round table where only two people had been sitting.

Spada stared intently at Robb, who was sitting diagonally across from him.

A slightly worn and worn robe. Judging by the small build, it’s probably a woman? Or maybe just a small man.

I couldn’t be sure. It was because of the perception-impairing magic that was working on the robed person.

‘Are you a nobleman?’

But the atmosphere is strange.

Luxurious? Classy? Even though he has cognitive impairment, his outward appearance is quite distinct.

‘…what?’

Sitting down at the round table right away? That’s not strange. It’s normal to join the table before the game starts.

The strange thing is.

The point is that I barely felt the movement just before the guy sat down.

In other words, if they had launched an ambush, it might have worked.

A rare talent in this harsh region.

A recent rumor suddenly popped into his head.

Spada’s face hardened, and the subordinate who was standing behind him and watching the game also became more tense.

“I’ll stop here.”

Another participant, who had read the ominous expression, stood up from his seat.

Spada would not have allowed him to take the money and then run away, but he had no time to worry about him right now.

“… There are two participants. Let’s start the game again.”

The dealer also wants to run away. However, if he runs away because the atmosphere is strange, he could lose his job overnight. In the end, the dealer started playing the game with tears in his eyes.

Cards were distributed to each participant.

Spada stared at the robe without even looking at the cards in front of him.

“Who are you? Judging from your skill at hiding your presence, you seem to be no ordinary person.”

[I just sat down to gamble, do I have to take care of my personal affairs?]

“It’s not required. But you can ask out of curiosity.”

[Is that so?]

Rob shrugged and rubbed the cards that lay face down on the round table.

[I think the person who asked the question should introduce himself first]

‘Are you a real nobleman?’

There was an inexplicable nobility in his tone and actions. Spada wiggled his eyebrows.

“Forte. The back is Foible. What’s your name?”

[My name is Guinevere]

“Guinevere…? What a cool name.”

[Thank you for the compliment]

A brief exchange of questions followed. Spada spit out a pseudonym. It seems unlikely that the person who revealed herself as Guinevere would have spit out her real name right away.

‘I am also experiencing cognitive impairment.’

The magic tool hanging from his waist is still working. The subordinate behind him is the same. For now, his identity is also hidden.

‘… … ‘

It’s not pleasant to meet someone with power in a place like this.

If it were normal, I wouldn’t have reacted so sensitively.

The reason why Spada is reacting so sensitively now is because of the rumors that have been spreading around here recently.

“Hey, do you happen to know Muyeon?”

I didn’t think I could find out more just by looking at it, so I asked directly.

[No face?]

“Uh. He appeared in China about half a year ago, and his killing skills are amazing, so he quickly became notorious.”

Faceless.

The reason it is given that name is because, unusually, it wears a mask that has no eye holes.

If that were all, it would have ended with him being seen as a strange guy.

“Did dozens of the territory’s forces fall to him in the span of two weeks? There’s a story that he got involved with the two-headed dragon that became the commander, and there’s also a story that he was killed by the two-headed dragon because there’s no trace of him since then…”

However, the man named Mu-myeon showed off his brilliant deeds in a short period of time and then disappeared cleanly.

“What else? There are rumors that the association is the executive branch because they are so arrogant and give convenience.”

If they’re the executives of the association, I can understand. Aren’t they the kind of guys who are so secretive and change their identities as easily as eating?

It wouldn’t be strange if I changed my status right after completing my mission.

Spada has difficulty meeting people from the association due to his status.

“But I heard it came out again recently. There are a lot of rumors that it’s been stirring things up around here like a stray dog.”

Spada asked, staring at the lower part of the mask visible beneath the robe.

“Are you connected with them by any chance?”

Silence fell over the surroundings. Soon, only a few people remained in the dark gambling hall.

Those who were quick-witted ran away, and those who were not quick-witted followed the quickly disappearing group.

– Squeak…

At the faint creaking of a chair, the person who identified herself as Guinevere shrugged her shoulders.

[The leftmost card is a 3 of hearts]

“What?”

Spada frowned at the unexpected answer. Then, after a moment of silence, he turned over the leftmost card that had been dealt to him.

[3♡]

“… … ”

[Next up 9 spades, 7 diamonds, 3 clubs, queen of diamonds]

The cards were turned over in order from the left.

[9♤] [7◇] [3♧] [Q◇]

[That’s a mess. If you had done that, I would have won.]

Guinevere turned over her share of cards.

[A♡] [K♡] [Q♡] [J♡] [10♡]

A, K, Q, J, 10 with the same pattern

It was a royal straight flush, a combination that is often said to be a sure win.

“Um…”

Spada let out a sigh.

“You’re talented. So, what does this have to do with Mu-myeon?”

[Well, I don’t know. Forte? Or Spada Sverd?]

“Hey fuck.”

Spada, whose face was crumpled, cursed.

There was no hesitation. The arm that was swung quickly cut through the air.

Arms that are not properly wrapped around the body. There is a distance between them so they cannot touch. The arms do not extend long enough.

But with a gesture, the air split apart.

The round table was split in half. The chair Guinevere had been sitting on, the soft light hanging from the ceiling, and the ceiling were all split in half.

– Crunch!

A belated cutting sound was heard, and the things that had been split in half fell apart helplessly.

The robe didn’t even have a hair cut. It disappeared again like a ghost.

A mistake that cannot be made in a battle where life or death can be determined by a single choice.

Spada knows very well how to act in times like these.

– Kwak… !

He puts all his strength into his hand. He doesn’t clench his fist. There is magic inside him, and his uniqueness is evident.

Soon, he starts shaking his hands in all directions as if he is scraping.

– Kwagagagagak!

The indiscriminate slaughter that had been gathered in his palm swept across all directions. The indiscriminate slaughter wave, regardless of whether it was an enemy or an ally, tore through all directions.

The place where the catastrophe stopped was not even a single piece of debris left. Snowflakes fell like rain from the open sky.

“… … ”

Spada’s hardened expression did not soften.

“Ugh, ugh… ”

[Are you okay?]

Two dolls landed in a slightly distant spot. One was Guinevere in robes, the other was a dealer who had been caught in a slaughter.

Guinevere wiggled her fingers at the sight of the dealer gasping for breath as if he was hyperventilating.

[I’ll send you far away, so run on your own from then on. And grab someone and tell them as much about the situation as possible.]

“Ugh, yes, yes… ! Thank you so much… !”

The dealer’s body floated up and flew far away.

Psychokinesis? Wind magic? While Spada was analyzing, Guinevere took a step forward, dusting off her shoulders.

[Spada Sverid. A first-class wanted criminal officially recognized by the Association, whose main crime is mass murder of civilians]

“Looking at that idiot memorizing the wanted poster, it’s definitely the executive branch. ”

[I think he’s a criminal because he suddenly attacked me because his identity was revealed.]

The cognitive impairment spell was broken by the reaction of intense combat action.

Black hair, black eyes. A sharp-looking man, Spada.

He sharply focused his eyes on the eyeless mask visible beneath the robes on the other side.

[Is there any reason for a misunderstanding or something?]

In response to Guinevere’s question, Spada looked around.

“… If I say so, will you just let me go?”

[If you are taken away quietly, you may be given leniency]

“That’s a bit much. Even if the death penalty is reduced, it’s still permanent imprisonment. I want to live a free life where I can gamble and practice kendo.”

[If killing a hundred thousand people and living a life of salvation is nothing more than gambling, wouldn’t it be better to just turn it over nicely?]

Guinevere nodded her head with a cold expression.

[Actually, that’s not what I wanted to ask]

Spada Sverd. A first-class wanted person registered with the Association.

[Your head, where is Hong Yeonjun?]

Hong Yeon-jun. The younger brother of Hong Jin-seon, the current head of the Gaphwa family.

A son of a bitch who brought shame to the history of the Gaphwa family and hurt the family and clan that Hong Yeonhwa loved.

At the same time, a bastard who is going to kill me like he burned down my house for some reason.

Spada Sverd is the guy who follows Hong Yeonjun.

“Hong Yeonjun? Who is that and why are you looking for me?”

[The traces of the fear I asked you are blatant]

The traces of the alien terror that had been buried in him were one of the pieces of evidence.

“I don’t understand what you’re talking about.”

Traces of terror? It was nonsense that was incomprehensible to Spada’s common sense.

But there seems to be a strange confidence on the other side. Spada’s face crumpled and he maintains his posture.

“… Common sense tells you that there is no pure disadvantage, right?”

[There’s no way I could ask that in a polite way]

Guinevere and Lee Ha-yul raised both arms, grumbling.

Kwarrurur! A red energy poured out from the tips of the elegantly raised fingers.

Spada’s face hardened at the eerie sight that made it seem as if the entire place was soaked in blood.

Magic-friendly expansion ability

Homogenization – Blood Cloud

As if in a memory from a certain day, a billowing blood-red fog enveloped Lee Ha-yul.

* * *

[Savior Correction System: Annihilation Island]

[Confirmation of Main Quest “Tower of Purgatory” Linkage]

[Assist the Savior]

…

[Savior Correction System: Salvation]

[Confirmation of mental state “Salvation” and “Goodwill”]

[Assist the Savior]