episode_0459
by fnovelpiaShe was a tank.
A destructive tank that ruthlessly trampled over every obstacle in its path.
Both of us had to swallow some penalties.
She lost her autonomy due to brainwashing, and I had to restrict her mobility to prevent her from reaching Yun Myeong-ho.
If we were to compare which side had it tougher… it might not have been mine.
“Sigh.”
There’s no part of my body that isn’t throbbing.
The left shoulder blade, grazed by the mace, was shattered.
Judging by the screams coming from my side, even the ribs weren’t spared.
The sensation in the arm that blocked the attacks mercilessly with brute force has long vanished.
Putting it all together,
“This is bad.”
It’s a crisis.
As I throw away the broken twenty-ninth sword and grasp the thirtieth one, my hand trembles incessantly.
I can’t feel anything.
I wonder when this arm will give out and fall off.
It probably won’t be long.
“Argh!”
It was when she forced her weary body to move once more to face me.
“Stop all movements now!”
Seo-yeon’s voice grabs everyone’s attention on the battlefield.
Turning my head, I see his sword deeply piercing Yun Myeong-ho’s throat, twisting it and even holding a dagger to it.
“Move even an inch! If you do, this gentleman here will meet his end! Got it?!”
Following the subsequent shout, a sense of urgency is felt.
It feels like it’s mimicking someone’s tone… but whose?
Anyway.
That’s not important right now.
“…I barely survived.”
Brainwashing.
A truly malicious yet convenient ability for manipulating people.
However, just like there’s no perfect ability in this world, this one also has its drawbacks.
The moment the wielder of the ability is captured, it becomes utterly useless.
Well… it might not be the ability’s flaw but rather the flaw of the user who employs it.
Those who use mind-interference abilities like brainwashing are all predictable.
They prioritize their own lives above all else.
So, when they hold onto that life, those brainwashed lose all sense of self-preservation.
Now that such crucial lives have fallen into our hands.
“Darn these bastards…!”
Angela, unable to rush forward, clenches her lips tightly.
Others react similarly.
“P-Priestess…!”
The fanatics pushing the paladins are also at a loss, unsure of what to do.
Desperately wanting to collapse immediately, they move towards Angela.
“You will face divine retribution, scum…!”
She glares as if to kill, spewing words full of resentment.
This shows how terrifying brainwashing can be.
The woman who moments ago was swinging a club to kill Yun Myeong-ho has now transformed so faithfully.
It’s an ability one might want to try using at least once.
Especially against arrogant and beautiful women.
The fantasy of controlling and ravaging women who are otherwise beyond one’s reach, everyone has thought about it at least once, haven’t they?
But fantasies are just that—fantasies.
To me, brainwashing is the most uninteresting ability in the world.
“Trying to conquer like this won’t work.”
Women dominated by consistent ideologies always exhibit the same deadened responses.
Transforming from lively humans to mere pretty dolls moving only as dictated.
I don’t find that appealing at all.
After all, women should each show unique reactions to make things interesting, shouldn’t they?
From that perspective, Angela sparks considerable curiosity.
“Would she be rough even in bed?”
Oops.
Without realizing it, thoughts escape my mind and spill out.
Upon hearing this, Angela’s expression twists in disgust, her neck muscles tensing.
“Tch!”
I knew this would happen.
She quickly turns her head, avoiding the disdainful spit, then awkwardly smiles.
“That was a joke, just a joke.”
“Shut up, you filthy witch…!”
Hmm.
For something like that, her face is excessively flushed.
Despite the contemptuous emotions of a brainwashed mind, there’s a sense that the body isn’t too bad.
Even more curious due to the not-so-bad reaction.
I wonder what kind of man this rough, lioness-like woman would be into.
Harboring sinister delusions, he raises his hand and forcefully strikes towards her slender neck.
Thud!
“Kuk…!”
Angela loses consciousness with a scream.
After catching her as she collapses like a rotten log, he gives orders to the still confronting zealots and paladins.
“What are you doing? Capture them all.”
There were some twists and turns, but in any case, the operation was completed.
The cleanup after the battle was carried out with the help of the association.
It was requested directly by the saint.
Things will be known somehow after the operation ends.
Just as we were about to start the battle, I contacted the association in advance, and they rushed over as if they had been waiting for our request for support.
Thanks to that, I found myself in yet another crisis.
“It’s Dojin again….”
Yoon Jee-an, who came to support me, notices me and glances at me with a cold expression.
It must be embarrassing.
I understand too.
It must be awkward to have a familiar face around every time there’s trouble and support is needed.
But it’s just as awkward for me.
“…Is there no one else from the association except Miss Jee-an? Why does she always come to support?”
Why do you always end up being involved whenever something happens?
And it’s not even during work hours. You could take a break at home once in a while.
In response, she lets out a small sigh.
“I volunteered because I thought Dojin would be here.”
“……”
“I hoped my assumption was wrong, but once again, there you are, Dojin.”
Her gaze scans me up and down.
“…And you’re injured again.”
The injuries received while facing Angela have been somewhat healed through the priests’ treatments.
However, the traces remain vividly.
I hastily try to justify myself.
“Well…, it’s not that serious, you know?”
“That’s right. The A-tier suit made by a top brand was torn apart.”
“You sacrificed the suit to protect its owner, right?”
“It’s a truly noble suit. Then, did the suit shed blood on your body?”
“……”
Failure.
In truth, she doesn’t feel particularly sorry.
She couldn’t even communicate well, yet she always meets her in an injured state.
Letting out a deep sigh, she utters a shocking statement.
“Hmm…, this can’t go on like this.”
A grim tone as if announcing the end of their relationship.
After seeming to ponder something for a moment, she continues.
“I… will quit the association.”
“……?”
She ended it.
But not with me, with the association?
She explains further.
“I realized that being in the association only allows me to handle Dojin’s aftermath every time he gets hurt.”
“So…?”
With her short hair fluttering above her shoulders, Yoon Ji-an approaches confidently.
Before we knew it, they were close enough for their breaths to mingle, and she shoots a fiery gaze.
“From now on, I’ll be with Dojin.”
“Oh….”
Is this a proposal?
“From now on, I’ll manage Dojin’s schedule.”
Huh.
“What does that mean…?”
“Yes, the personal secretary position you suggested before… I’ll take it.”
It’s something she had been thinking about every time she saw her.
Her composed expression, elegant yet emitting a subtle charm, meticulous personality.
And even a hint of vulnerability towards me.
There’s no one better suited for the role of a personal secretary than her.
Of course, it’s not just about work compatibility.
“If I become your personal secretary, I’ll have to handle various things besides official matters… Are you okay with that?”
Days filled with the charming secretary.
Isn’t it a daydream that any man would fantasize about at least once?
Filled with sinister implications, she answered with a slight blush on her face.
“You too… We’ll manage it very thoroughly.”
“Uh, okay.”
She hadn’t expected it to go that far.
The subtle smile hanging on her lips made the future uneasy.
* * *
Yoon Myungho, whose right temple was torn in Brainwasher, was immediately placed under temporary confinement in the association’s underground after completing emergency treatment.
Angela, still not recovered from brainwashing, was similarly temporarily detained while unconscious, filled with specially crafted restraints.
It was regrettable for her, but there was no other choice.
If she were to break free and rampage in Seoul, the damage would be uncontrollable.
Hundreds of hunters who had been brainwashed by Yoon Myungho were urgently located, gathered, and swiftly placed in makeshift detention centers.
After discussing how to handle them, they were scheduled for reclassification.
Although there were still many challenges to overcome, Kim Dojin and Son Seoyeon, who had initially sorted out the situation, faced the saint through the church’s screen.
– “Angela was targeted, that’s…”
She was engulfed in great shock.
Angela was a highly skilled member even within the Guardians.
Being brainwashed despite having prepared countermeasures meant that Brainwasher’s power was stronger than they had anticipated.
With a solemn demeanor, she bowed her head and offered an apology.
– “I’m truly sorry, both of you. This is entirely my responsibility.”
A slight misstep could have led to a disastrous outcome.
Angela falling into enemy hands, the apostle of restraint and reliable supporter meeting their demise.
Truly a dreadful situation one could hardly bear to imagine.
– “And thank you. Thanks to both of you, we were able to avert the worst-case scenario.”
Once again bowing her head.
Kim Dojin responded cheerfully, his head slightly lowered.
“You don’t need to apologize so much. Understanding the enemy’s strength perfectly is not an easy task.”
Variables are constants in a hunter’s job.
That’s how unpredictable events unfold, anytime, in any way.
This time was no different.
It was just a variable that could have emerged at any moment.
Although the risk posed by this particular variable was significant enough to be dangerous, it was a worthwhile endeavor.
“As long as you keep your promise, I’m fine.”
Kim Dojin continued with a grin.
The reward for this operation was none other than an elixir.
For that, the risks were worth taking.
Behind the veil, the saint smiled quietly.
– “Recruiting Hunter Kim Dojin into the Guardians was one of the best decisions I’ve made recently.”
A lavish praise.
Her gaze shifted towards Son Seoyeon, who was sitting somewhat awkwardly next to Kim Dojin.
– “Oh, of course, Apostle Son Seoyeon is the same.”
A bashful smile appeared on Son Seoyeon’s lips.
“Oh, no. Compared to Dojin, I…”
Interrupting her modesty, Kim Dojin put his arm around her shoulders and interjected.
“If it weren’t for our Apostle, we would all be dead. So, on this side too… You know?”
Chuckling mischievously, Kim Dojin subtly hinted at a reward.
In a seemingly disappointed manner, the saint chuckled and replied, as if raising both hands and feet.
“…Of course. We plan to reward our Apostle Son Seoyeon adequately.”
A truly peculiar man.
At times behaving like someone without a hint of greed, and at others, fiercely ambitious.
Unable to grasp his unpredictable nature, she momentarily expressed her concerns in a worried tone.
“Nevertheless, it’s worrisome… Victims like Angela need to break free from brainwashing as soon as possible.”
“That’s true.”
This was a dilemma that not only troubled her but also plagued the Hunter Association.
To treat them as victims rather than criminals, they had to find a way to undo the brainwashing at all costs.
However, the Brainwasher had remained silent for several days.
He knew it too well.
That was indeed the last bargaining chip he had left.
Yet, Kim Dojin had no intention of relinquishing control like this.
“Don’t worry.”
Acquiring this ace up his sleeve had changed him drastically.
So much so that one couldn’t even imagine his past self.
But there was one thing that hadn’t changed at all.
That was the fact that he never treated heinous criminals like the Brainwasher as human beings.
“Allow me to explain.”
With a confident assurance, he flashed a sinister smile.
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