Chapter 20 : Lee Seong-han, die

Mi-young Kang started to prepare in the elevator.

To prepare for a fight.

“Surround it.”

Mi-young Kang extended one arm.

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

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

The hilt of the sword, which was tied with a lock, came out on its own. The most important part of the sword, the blade, was missing.

It was just a handle.

The guards stared at the bizarre sight, dumbfounded.

It was a sight that would naturally make one’s eyes widen.

“Wh-what?”

“Everyone. Stick to the walls. Execute.”

“Yes, ma’am!”

The Hunter Management Bureau agents stuck to the elevator walls.

After confirming the safety of the agents, Mi-young Kang focused on her sword again.

Her red eyes were diluted to a pale white.

“Sword, lend me your strength for a moment.”

[The sword obeys its master.]

The sword was held in her hand. As soon as she held it, the blade appeared. It was a faint outline, as if trapped in smoke.

“Th-that’s it.”

“Aura Blade! The Captain will surely play a big role this time too. As expected of Korea’s strongest force.”

Aura.

An ability that could be considered the pinnacle of swordsmanship.

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

“Everyone, attention. We will arrive at the target point soon. Upon arrival, we will conduct a search operation.”

“”!””

The sound of metal clashing. The elevator gradually slowed down.

Beep-

A buzzer sounded, indicating that they had arrived at the top floor.

“Haa.”

Everyone except Mi-young Kang.

They took out one or two pieces of equipment they were carrying.

In that situation, Lieutenant Min had a sullen expression.

“Major. By the way, my cigarette.”

“Confiscated.”

Lieutenant Min pouted as if saying, “I’m upset.”

“Isn’t that too harsh for a smoker?!”

“Indoor smoker—”

“No one uses this anyway, right? Ugh, I bet I wouldn’t even get caught if I smoked once secretly!”

Mi-young Kang also acknowledged it.

It wasn’t a regular elevator. It was an elevator for the association’s employees.

“All entry records are kept. Think before you act.”

“Ugh.”

She didn’t want to ruin the relationship with the organization because of one subordinate.

Where did such a vermin come from?

“Major, can you take a look at this?”

“Alright.”

Mi-young Kang was snapped out of her thoughts. An agent called her to the door.

“Why isn’t the door opening?”

“It’s locked.”

“Only this one?”

“Yes.”

“It’s definitely suspicious.”

“There’s a keypad here.”

Mi-young Kang clicked her tongue. A dial pad to enter a password. She had never received a password.

Hah. She couldn’t even let out a chuckle. She just snorted.

[Please enter the password.]

[0000]

You need to enter a password to enter…

Several guards put their heads together and muttered.

“Ugh, we’re screwed! This.”

“Did you leave the hacking equipment in the Starex? Who was it?!”

While the guards were brainstorming solutions.

Mi-young Kang could sense the change in the air.

Magic.

A tremendous amount of mana was condensed in this vicinity.

“Someone has been here.”

“Huh? Who do you mean?”

“You don’t need to know.”

Mi-young Kang surrounded her sword with aura. The sword, which had only been an outline, became thicker and stood upright. Now, a proper blade was visible.

“This smell.”

It was a familiar scent.

An artificial paint smell.

A scent that wouldn’t come from an ordinary person.

‘The Puppeteer.’

Is it related to that guy?

It wasn’t for nothing that she was interested.

The Puppeteer makes the strong into slaves. Slaves who only listen to her.

Then, when she gets bored, she throws them away.

And she repeats the process.

‘What if Seong-han Lee was taken?’

Her hand holding the sword trembled.

She didn’t even want to imagine it. Even though she assumed a hypothetical situation, her aura fluctuated up and down as if it were real.

There was no time.

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

Mi-young Kang approached the elevator door.

“There’s no need for a password.”

“Major. That’s not—”

Behind her, Lieutenant Min tried to say something but swallowed his words.

Swish.

Whoosh!

The aura-covered sword slashed the elevator door several times.

The continuous strikes left only the traces of the door.

Anyone would think a typhoon had passed through.

“Lieutenant.”

“Ah, y-yes.”

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

The elevator door slowly opened, but the inside was filled with shadows, making it difficult to move hastily.

“Everyone, arm yourselves. I permit the use of weapons according to your individual capabilities.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

Everyone in the elevator held their breath.

Click.

The sound of loading. They filled their automatic pistols with anti-awakened bullets. Basic armaments that the Hunter Management Bureau could use.

This alone had enough stopping power. Unless it was an S-rank.

It would be more than enough to buy time.

“I don’t like the feeling. Shouldn’t we request support from headquarters first?”

“Who knows what that woman might do.”

[Mi-young Kang: (Obsession/Dependence)]

《Grade 1》

[Lv.1 – Mi-young Kang’s trait awakens.]

[Lv. 5 – Mi-young Kang tries to know everything.]

[Lv. 10 – Mi-young Kang periodically contacts you to find out your situation.]

《Grade 2》

[Lv.15 – You share Mi-young Kang’s ‘Trait (Regeneration)’.]

[Lv.20 – Mi-young Kang’s favorability increase rate is doubled.]

《Grade 3》

[Lv.25 – Mi-young Kang tries to subdue you by force. If you are caught, something bad will definitely happen.]

[Lv.30 – You can read Mi-young Kang’s thoughts.]

“If there’s a problem, I’ll handle it myself.”

Mi-young Kang’s eyes turned dull.

****

Ronin. A wandering swordsman who does not belong anywhere.

Among them, a sub-class, ‘Swordsman’.

Those who idealize the realization of justice through the way of the sword.

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

“Here!”

[The ‘Solitary Swordsman’ uses ‘Wind Thrust’.]

[The wind is condensing in the vicinity.]

[Beware of a sudden strike.]

Whoosh!

The ronin puppet thrust its sword into the air. Seong-han Lee, who was unfamiliar with the new techniques, was momentarily taken aback.

“Kuaaa!”

The ronin puppet twisted its blade.

The winds focused.

[‘Gust’ occurs.]

The wind gathered around the blade.

A wind as big as a house was tearing the place apart.

Like a mixer.

The wooden furniture that had been intact until just a moment ago.

It was completely cut by the wind and scattered on the floor.

“How much longer do we have to come?”

With [Auto Combat]’s judgment, Seong-han Lee evaded to the side.

He was also in a bad state.

[Serious injury detected.]

[Immediately stemming the wound.]

[P-p-p-arm. Mr. Seong-han’s arm. This time too.]

Jin-young Kang’s voice in his head.

Seong-han Lee looked down at his limbs. Red blood flowed down his arm.

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

He calmly regained his senses.

“At least it wasn’t cut off this time. Heh.”

Seong-han Lee laughed emptily.

“Are you okay?!”

“Yes.”

“Y-your arm is severed! F-first, let’s go back—”

“We can’t. We’ll both be in danger if we do that. Stay still!”

[Favorability level has increased!]

Seong-han Lee didn’t have time to pay attention to such messages.

He barely avoided the gust. He thought he was fine.

But his left arm, which he had failed to pull out in time, was injured.

[What should I do? He might really die at this rate. He can’t die.]

Jin-young Kang’s eyes turned red. Her breathing became faint and shaky.

《Grade 4》

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

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

Seong-han Lee tried to ignore the favorability window and looked at his own condition.

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

His left arm was barely attached.

It was practically hanging.

Blood was pouring like a waterfall.

The bleeding was severe.

About 80%. Or more was cut off. Considering the fight with the hatchling Miruginoth, he was lucky.

[Trait, ‘Regeneration’ stems the wound.]

[Internal mana is starting to deplete.]

[It is recommended to replenish mana or escape.]

[The possibility of mana shock. Currently increased to 52.4%.]

“Shut up. I have my own thoughts.”

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

It would take a long time for the body tissues to reattach.

He barely managed to stop himself from cursing. It was the first time [Auto Combat] had not worked properly.

‘What about pattern recognition?!’

[Unable to predict movements.]

[Additional combat data is required.]

‘Ah.’

[Auto Combat]’s calm response. Seong-han Lee swept his tongue.

“How much health?”

Ring.

[Solitary Swordsman]

[HP 66.6%]

The health was around half.

Despite focusing so much firepower, it was still not enough.

Seong-han Lee was disgusted with his own situation.

He came to get his license issued, but ended up taking a course on Fun Combination Lecture with a Murderous Doll!

Ah, should I have just died as soon as I received the notice?

‘Like hell I will. I’m going to live. I’m going to live and get discharged.’

Seong-han Lee spat out blood-tinged phlegm.

He was accumulating injuries, but he couldn’t die.

It was much better to be alive than to be dead.

Seong-han Lee grit his teeth and stood up again.

“Mr. Seong-han! I’ll provide cover!”

Jin-young Kang, who was firing magic from a distance, nodded at Seong-han Lee.

‘Somehow, I have to land a valid hit and deal with it.’

It was a common goal of the highest priority.

“Now, let’s go!”

[The power of haste is granted to you.]

Seong-han Lee received the [Haste] spell from Jin-young Kang and quickly rushed in.

Like a still image in an animation, Seong-han Lee’s figure blurred.

Flicker!

Flicker!

Flicker!

“Kuaaa!”

[The ‘Solitary Swordsman’ holds its breath, sensing the approaching enemy.]

[It uses ‘Indiscriminate Butchering’.]

The sword accurately struck in the direction Seong-han Lee was heading.

“Blink!”

Jin-young Kang, who had bypassed to the side. A position where she could cast magic as she moved in a straight line.

“Fireball!”

Boom!

Several fireballs hit the ronin puppet’s body directly.

“Kuh, kuaaa!”

The ronin puppet raised its left arm to block the attacks coming at its head.

Crack!

The newly assembled left arm.

It broke with a loud noise.

‘Indiscriminate Butchering’ definitely required both hands.

Therefore…

[The ‘Solitary Swordsman’s’ ‘Indiscriminate Butchering’ is canceled.]

[Due to the strong impact, the ‘Solitary Swordsman’ is incapacitated.]

As if the strings were cut, the ronin puppet knelt and fell.

Thump thump thump.

Its whole body trembled as if having a seizure. Seong-han Lee stabbed the blade into its throat to cut off its breath.

“Kuo!”

A loud roar. As if it was given only one chance, the ronin puppet stood up.

[The ‘Solitary Swordsman’ recovers quickly!]

[It uses ‘Draw Sword’!]

The ronin puppet’s sword, aimed at penetrating the abdomen, flew towards Seong-han Lee.

‘Block it!’

[The instruction has been confirmed.]

Seong-han Lee changed the greatsword to a reverse grip and swung it upwards.

The blade deflected diagonally, and sparks flew.

[The ‘Solitary Swordsman’ launches a ‘Counterattack’.]

An additional blade came flying. This time, it was a horizontal slash.

Seong-han Lee ducked down and quickly countered. Then he created distance.

Thud!

“What!”

“Kuo.”

As if it had already predicted it.

The ronin puppet skillfully changed direction and blocked the escape route.

The sword came towards his upper body.

‘Ah.’

Time slows down. Seong-han Lee felt the same sensation he had when fighting the hatchling.

A feeling of being disconnected from time.

‘How can I win?’

Seong-han Lee needed an answer.

At this rate, dying was only a matter of time.

If he used [Blockade], could he also disable the strings on the ronin puppet?

To do that, he needed to get closer.

It was also an uncertain gamble.

‘Are there any other methods?’

There are none.

At least for now.

Seong-han Lee put his improvised plan into action.

But first.

‘Should I pretend to be hit by that attack and fake death? But then wouldn’t Jin-young Kang be in danger?’

Even Seong-han Lee didn’t like the plan, but he had no choice.

“Yeah, I have to survive first.”

He couldn’t afford to worry about anyone else.