* * *
Seohwa infused the wand with magic.
‘Sssss…’
A violet poison mist spread out.
However, the speed at which the soldiers’ bodies were monsterizing was faster than the mist could disperse.
-Grrrk.
-Kugh-gak!
“This fast… This isn’t the MSB I know.”
Massive tails sprouted, thorns covered faces, and skin tissue sloughed off, replaced by scales with a black luster.
The hulking monsters surrounded Seohwa in a circle, growling threateningly.
Occasionally, there are Evil Humans who retain their vocal cords and speak human language, but these soldiers had lost theirs entirely.
Seohwa’s expression darkened.
Once a body transformed, it could never return to its original flesh; they would have to live as monsters until they died.
In essence, they had resolved to die.
Seohwa used his third magic among his natural abilities—a spatial movement spell capable of short-distance travel—to teleport into the midst of the cultists.
“I don’t have time to play with you. I’m sorry.”
The seventh magic: Telekinesis.
Crack. Snap.
-Guegh!
-Kue-aaaaagh!
The monsters’ bodies twisted grotesquely.
Arms bent outward, legs warped, and spines arched like bows.
‘Creeeak..’
The sound of agony echoed.
Seohwa applied just enough force so they wouldn’t die.
Because their bodies had monsterized, they survived even with snapped necks, which was actually a misfortune for them.
The soldiers, unable to bear the pain, lost consciousness.
11:09
Seohwa placed his hand on the large bomb, which had 11 minutes remaining, and simply caused it to malfunction by injecting soul power.
He cleared out the smaller homing bombs nearby as well.
“One large bomb on the 4th floor cleared. Moving up.”
After reporting to Kang Yigeon, he climbed the stairs lightly, as if taking a stroll.
At this point, Seohwa was still underestimating the situation.
He thought he could clear the remaining two bombs just as easily.
「Awakened One! We haven’t opened the Market doors yet!」
「He must be an ally of those people from before!」
There were only homing bombs on the 5th floor.
When he reached the 6th floor, he found the NPCs huddled together, shivering.
Seohwa approached with a bright smile.
“Forced gate opening items, unbinding items. They’re on the 6th floor, right? I’ll just buy those two and leave immediately. I have plenty of money.”
Buying the items came before clearing the large bomb.
「Please wait a moment.」
One NPC ran off quickly.
Another NPC brought out a drink and struck up a conversation.
「The forced gate opening items are very popular today. The people who came earlier bought them too.」
“I know. Just bring the items and everyone get away. It would be better if you left the Market entirely.”
「Yes!」
The NPC brought the items Seohwa requested.
Seohwa purchased seven forced dungeon opening items and one unbinding item.
“Mr. Kang Yigeon, I bought seven items. Please make sure to process this as an expense. I’m just a poor C-rank.”
-Good work. What about the bomb?
“There’s one on the 6th floor. I’m going to clear it now.”
-I’ve cleared the 2nd-floor bomb, so once you handle that, it’s over.
-One of those elder bastards should be on the 6th floor. Elders usually inject Grade 5 Monster Blood, so be careful.
-I am coming up.
‘Oh boy.’
I need to finish this quickly before Kang Yigeon arrives.
“NPCs, a fight is about to break out between Awakened on the 6th floor, so please evacuate quickly.”
「Yes. Please be careful, Awakened One!」
The obedient NPCs swarmed toward the elevator.
NPCs were famous for never using stairs, even to go down a single floor.
Because everyone knew this, the cultists had installed the large bomb in the emergency exit by the stairs.
“I heard Kang Yigeon arrived on the lower floor. Are you an ally of his?”
The 6th-floor large bomb was guarded by an elder and soldiers intended to be human shields.
Contrary to his grizzled hair, the elder’s face was taut and wrinkle-free.
He had dark blue eyes and a physique significantly larger than the others.
“A physical enhancement trait Awakened, I see.”
“That’s right. I am a B-rank Awakened!”
“I’m a bit surprised… How did an Awakened end up in a frontline organization of evil?”
“I didn’t set foot in the New Humanity Sect from the beginning either. But in the past, my wife and children—”
“Ah, I didn’t actually ask because I was curious. I don’t have time for long stories.”
‘This brat…’
-The elder’s face distorted.
Seohwa lightly waved his wand.
A violet poison mist spread.
Before the mist could touch them, the soldiers activated their MSB.
-Kyah-gak!
-Kra-agh!
The poison mist didn’t kill the soldiers, but it seeped into their tissues and slowed their movements.
The soldiers lunged.
Using skill [Lightning Ring].
Bzzzt.
A yellow ring crackling with electricity was generated.
Seohwa dodged a paw equipped with a boulder-sized hook and flicked the yellow ring toward the opponent’s torso.
With a zap, the torso was sliced perfectly in half.
Kra-agh!
One monster extended thorn-covered tentacles.
Whish, whish!
The yellow ring rapidly shredded the tentacles and then completely butchered the main body.
Unfazed by their comrade’s death, three Evil Humans lunged at Seohwa simultaneously.
*Bzzzt—-As the Lightning Ring grazed them, the three monsters froze in place and fell backward.
They looked fine on the outside, but the high-voltage current flowing through the ring had electrocuted them instantly.
“Are you also a lightning attribute!”
K-boom!-Seohwa leaped lightly, dodging a bolt of lightning struck down by the elder.
L-
M-He landed right in the middle of the Evil Humans.
N-
O-Kyah!-Seohwa moved mockingly, herding them into his desired formation before gripping his wand.
“Little Snake, Second Form.”
This ego weapon, named the Serpens Magic Wand, has a total of four forms.
The short wand is the first form. And the second form is…
Whoosh—
A long staff reaching two meters in height appeared.
At the end of the light-purple rod sat a crystal of mysterious color that looked as if it contained a 20cm diameter universe.
Smaller crystals hung from the main crystal’s ornaments, making a clink, clink-sound whenever it was shaken.
“I don’t have time to waste on you guys.”
Seohwa slammed the staff down.
Thump!
The violet poison mist spread again.
It was much deeper, thicker, and more lethal than before.
It took less than three seconds for all the monster humans to collapse.
The elder was no different. His skin cracked rapidly, turning a violet hue.
“You… were a high-ranking Awakened.”
“Grandpa. This is the only bomb left. Even if this one goes off, at most the Market collapses and the island shakes a bit; people won’t die.”
“Heh… heh… foolish thing.”
The elder let out a sinister laugh.
“You are so typical. You are far too arrogant because you know your martial power is vastly superior to your opponent’s.”
“I am always full of confidence.”
“I know people like you well. Everything in the world must seem easy. It must feel like everything rolls in the palm of your hand, and every person feels like nothing more than a pebble beneath your feet. Arrogant, noble, and foolish things who live under the illusion that the abilities granted by God are assets they naturally deserve to enjoy…”
“You’re really pouring out the curses.”
“Even now, you aren’t worried at all. You take it for granted that you will win this fight…”
It was a hard fight to lose. Seohwa merely shrugged.
The elder lunged from his spot.
‘I should keep him alive.’
Seohwa thought as he raised his staff.
However…
Pop!
The elder’s body exploded.
Blood, flesh, and bone fragments rained down like a shower.
‘Suicide, suddenly in this situation…?’
Thump! Thump! Thump!
It was the sound of something very heavy striking the ground.
As Seohwa approached while avoiding the debris, he saw three large bombs standing tall where the elder had been.
00:29
And only 29 seconds remained.
Only then did Seohwa grasp the situation.
“A position swap skill…”
A skill also called ‘Trading Places,’ it allows one to swap positions with an object of equal value to one’s own existence.
If one tries to swap with an object heavier than their existence value, a part of their body explodes.
Usually, it’s just a limb bursting, but the elder’s entire body had exploded.
The elder knew.
He knew that this position swap, which would cause a mass terrorist attack that would kill countless people and be recorded in world history, would be far heavier than his own existence value.
He used the skill knowing that.
He had literally sacrificed his life.
For his twisted conviction.
And perhaps, he wanted to knock down the high nose of the arrogant high-ranking Awakened.
“If I hadn’t been here, this would have been a disaster.”
Even in the urgent situation with 15 seconds left before the bombs detonated, Seohwa was still relaxed.
Because he had an ace up his sleeve.
He used that skill for the first time in a very long while.
Using skill [Flight of Time].
Absorbing your existence value.
Do you wish to apply?
‘Apply.’
[Flight of Time] is expanding.
Applying your existence value to [Flight of Time].
Maximum time movable with current energy is 1 minute into the future.
Do you wish to move?
‘No. I will stop it.’
Time Stop.
There were no side effects like the rejection of the timeline.
It was the means to solve all problems.
Maximum time stoppable with current energy is 1 minute.
Do you wish to stop?
‘Stop.’
Insufficient soul power!
Current Soul Power: 2810
Releasing [Stooge] will recover 4000 soul power!
[Flight of Time] consumes an enormous amount of soul power, but [Stooge] also has a consumption nearly as high.
Soul power drains massively the moment the skill is used, and it is consumed in real-time while maintained.
In fact, Seohwa, who had used other skills multiple times while sustaining [Stooge], was a nonsensical case.
Any other S-rank hunter would have depleted their soul power long ago.
‘Deactivating won’t return the soul power.’
To secure the soul power, the skill must be completely released.
In other words, Lee Yuje must die.
Yes.
It was about time.
I had intended to get rid of Lee Yuje after the Market business was over anyway.
Seohwa picked up a handgun from among the fallen cultists. It was already loaded.
‘If only Seohwa’s suicide was this easy.’
It was the moment he placed the muzzle against his temple and was about to pull the trigger.
“Hunter Lee Yuje?”
The voice heard from behind was Kang Yigeon’s.
Seohwa’s eyes, which had been calm throughout, finally wavered.
Why now, of all times?
Right at the moment I’m about to die…
* * *
