Chapter 82: Yoo Hee-yeon -Unjust Accusation

-Thud, thud-

Lee Hyun-seung crushed Shin Jun-ho’s tentacles and spoke.

“You just missed your last chance.”

“Don’t get cocky, you trash…!”

Shin Jun-ho tried to regenerate once more, but it was still impossible.

‘There’s something strange about that gun. How the hell does it have that kind of power…!’

The weapon Lee Hyun-seung was using was classified as a [Unique] grade item. Not only was it powerful within the

stage, but it was also an extremely threatening weapon outside as well. To make matters worse for Shin Jun-ho, the

gun was imbued with divine power, a force that directly opposed dark energy.

‘No… it can’t be…’

Shin Jun-ho was in denial. Just moments ago, Lee Hyun-seung couldn’t do anything against him.

When Lee Hyun-seung used the basic weapon, he lacked magic power, relying on magic stones to cast only limited

spells. But now, with [Arne’s Automatic Handgun], his magic stat had increased by a staggering +15. This allowed

him to cast spells flexibly without needing to consume magic stones and suffer penalties.

Additionally, the gun boosted all his stats while he held it, and each bullet fired carried divine energy. It was no

wonder Shin Jun-ho found it hard to believe how powerful Lee Hyun-seung had become.

Items. They played an undeniably crucial role in battles. On the flip side, the fact that Han Seong-gil and Lee Hyun-

seung had held out so long with basic weapons showed just how extraordinary they were.

-Tat-tat-tat!-

Lee Hyun-seung began running. He could kill Shin Jun-ho from a distance with a gunshot. But he didn’t want to.

‘I want to make it painful…’

He wanted to make Shin Jun-ho suffer as much as possible. After all, Shin Jun-ho had genuinely tried to kill him and

his comrades. Such a person needed to be shown what consequences meant.

-Slash!-

In an instant, Lee Hyun-seung closed the distance and swung his gun down like a blunt weapon, smashing Shin Jun-

ho’s toes.

-Thud-

Shin Jun-ho lost his balance and let out a piercing scream.

“Ugh… ughhhhhh… AAAAHHHHH!”

The pain seemed to surge through him in waves, growing stronger with each passing moment. Despite the dark

energy that should have reduced the damage, he felt the agony deeply.

“It hurts… it hurts… I said it hurts!”

It felt like his feet were on fire, like someone was stabbing him repeatedly with a knife. Even basic attacks caused him

such excruciating pain due to the passive enhancements attached to Lee Hyun-seung’s skills. As a [Legendary] grade

Gunslinger, nearly all of his skills had bonus damage effects, and those effects stacked, allowing him to deal absurd

amounts of damage.

Lee Hyun-seung was well aware of this.

Shin Jun-ho swung his arm at Lee Hyun-seung.

-Whoosh!-

-Boom!-

But even with his desperate attack, Shin Jun-ho couldn’t catch up to Lee Hyun-seung, who had become much faster

thanks to his unique weapon and the [Agile Footwork of the Gunslinger] skill.

-Swish-

Lee Hyun-seung crouched slightly, then struck Shin Jun-ho’s shin with the butt of his gun.

-BAM!-

-Thud, crack!-

Flesh splattered, and Shin Jun-ho’s shin was completely shattered.

-Slide-

-Thump!-

With one leg rendered useless, Shin Jun-ho fell to his knees. Lee Hyun-seung aimed at his thigh and pulled the

trigger.

-Bang!-

-Pow!-

The bullet pierced through Shin Jun-ho’s thigh, scattering blood everywhere.

Shin Jun-ho didn’t scream anymore. His expression had turned ghostly pale, and his eyes were losing focus.

Was this what it looked like to visualize the phrase “becoming distant”?

-Gulp-

Jung Eun-seo, watching from a distance, felt a chill run down her spine.

‘I knew he was strong… but this strong?’

It didn’t make sense. Just by changing his weapon, Lee Hyun-seung was showing overwhelming power. Normally,

switching from a basic weapon to a unique-grade item would result in about twice the strength increase. But Lee

Hyun-seung seemed to have grown exponentially stronger, almost tenfold.

‘What kind of ability does he have…?’

Even though she tried not to dwell on it, she couldn’t help but be curious about what exactly his abilities were.

‘Weapon Master? No… if that were the case, he’d be using other weapons too.’

A Gunslinger who swung his gun like a hammer, crafted his own weapons, and excelled in close combat.

‘I don’t get it… but…’

Jung Eun-seo didn’t know the exact nature of Lee Hyun-seung’s [Legendary] grade Gunslinger ability. But one thing

was certain.

‘Unique…’

He was the only one. Not just in the country, but perhaps in the entire world, there was no one who could rival him—

a one-of-a-kind Gunslinger.

-Boom!-

-Bam!-

-Crack!-

Lee Hyun-seung’s assault continued relentlessly. Anyone watching would think it was excessive and wonder if he

should stop, but his beating went on and on.

-Bang!-

From time to time, the sound of gunshots echoed. But Shin Jun-ho’s screams had long since stopped.

-Swish-

Jung Eun-seo slowly approached Lee Hyun-seung.

Lee Hyun-seung, seemingly in a trance, was mumbling to himself.

“Die… die… just die already…”

-Crack!

-Squish!

Lee Hyun-seung mercilessly stomped on Shin Jun-ho, as if he intended to grind him into minced meat.

From behind, Jung Eun-seo hugged him tightly and spoke softly.

“That’s enough… It’s over now. You can stop.”

Only then did Lee Hyun-seung snap back to his senses and look down at Shin Jun-ho’s body.

“Huff… huff… huff…”

Flinch.

From his legs to his arms, every part of Shin Jun-ho’s body was crushed. Blood and torn flesh were splattered

everywhere.

-Twitch.

Shin Jun-ho’s muscles occasionally spasmed. It was hard to tell if he was still alive or if this was simply postmortem

rigidity. Maybe it was fear making his body tremble.

One thing was certain.

-Whoosh.

His monstrous appearance had reverted to that of a human, and there wasn’t a single part of him left unscathed.

Even if he were alive, there was no way he’d ever move or speak like before.

-Thud.

Lee Hyun-seung collapsed on the spot.

-Swipe.

He picked up his gun and aimed it at Shin Jun-ho.

[Last Bullet]

He was determined to end it for good. To kill him completely.

However—

-Thump.

Jung Eun-seo stepped in front of him, blocking his aim.

“Shin Jun-ho deserves to die, but if you kill him now, we won’t be able to figure out the whole story. We need to

know if someone ordered him to do this or if he acted on his own.”

It was a logical point. Lee Hyun-seung knew that Shin Jun-ho had used [Demonic Potion], which was secretly

distributed only through Hileon. Based on that, he suspected that Hileon had backed him. But it was still just

speculation.

The surest way to confirm was to ask Shin Jun-ho himself.

-Sigh.

Lee Hyun-seung lowered his gun and looked at Jung Eun-seo.

“Are you hurt?”

Jung Eun-seo smiled brightly.

“I’m fine. Thank you for saving me.”

Lee Hyun-seung stood up and walked over to Han Sung-gil, stopping right in front of him.

Then, he quietly asked,

“Are you awake?”

“Of course… I am…”

Han Sung-gil was still trembling from the aftereffects of excessively using his Berserker trait, but he didn’t seem to

have any major injuries.

He spoke to Lee Hyun-seung.

“Did you… hold back on me?”

“What?”

Lee Hyun-seung looked confused by the question, so Han Sung-gil clarified while glancing at Shin Jun-ho.

“Back when I first picked a fight with you in the F-Class. That battle… Did you go easy on me?”

Han Sung-gil vividly recalled that day. He had confronted Lee Hyun-seung out of nowhere and even activated his

Berserker trait, only to suffer a crushing defeat.

Yet, strangely, his life hadn’t been in danger during that fight.

Now he wondered.

If Lee Hyun-seung could overpower Shin Jun-ho to this extent, did that mean he had the power to kill him back then

but chose not to?

However, Lee Hyun-seung firmly shook his head.

“I didn’t hold back. I gave it my all that day. The only reason I’m stronger now is because of the weapon I’m using.”

Han Sung-gil stared at him skeptically but eventually nodded in agreement at the sincerity in Lee Hyun-seung’s

expression.

“If that’s true, I’m relieved… And one more thing—don’t steal my opponents next time. It’s annoying.”

“Alright. My bad.”

Swish

With those words, Han Seong-gil finally closed his eyes, as if relieved.

“A monster of a bastard. How did he keep his sanity?”

Swish

Lee Hyun-seung muttered to himself before surveying the room. The concentration of magic in the air was gradually

disappearing, and mana started to fill the vacant space.

Whooooosh!

Before long, a gate leading to the outside was created.

“Th…there, a gate has been created…!”

‘Yoo Han-beom.’

It was a gate radiating the mana aura of Yoo Han-beom. He must have confirmed the internal signal and created the

gate to connect the internal space to the outside world for the rescue.

“Let’s go.”

Swish

Lee Hyun-seung, carrying Han Seong-gil on his back, entered the gate without hesitation. As soon as he entered,

Jeong Eun-seo followed, and one by one, those who had been hiding started to move toward the gate.

Thud

Thud

Thud

From a distance, Yoo Hee-yeon was watching. She, too, headed toward the gate.

It was an indescribable feeling. What was this strange emotion? She didn’t understand why Lee Hyun-seung had

saved her. She didn’t know why she had helped Lee Hyun-seung either.

He had been nothing but an obstacle. Lee Hyun-seung was like a wall blocking her path. Without talent, yet

occupying the top spot in the written exam—a hindrance. To Yoo Hee-yeon, Lee Hyun-seung was just that kind of

man.

Swish

She closed her eyes. She remembered the moment when Lee Hyun-seung had risked his life to protect her, blocking

Shin Jun-ho’s attacks. She recalled his image, struggling in pain and spitting blood.

‘Am I… crazy?’

Had she developed some sympathy? No, that couldn’t be. Lee Hyun-seung and she were of different social classes.

He was an orphan, someone without a guild inherited from parents. Lee Hyun-seung was at the very bottom of the

pyramid in the class society, whereas Yoo Hee-yeon, the daughter of the Artemis Guild leader, was at the very top of

that pyramid.

‘What useless thoughts.’

Lee Hyun-seung was just a stalker. He was merely that kind of man, she told herself as she passed through the gate.

Whooooosh

Whaaaaa!

In an instant, a bright light enveloped her, and she returned to reality.

Rumble, rumble, rumble

As Yoo Hee-yeon emerged from the gate, a crowd of people suddenly rushed toward her.

At the center were Yoo Han-beom and Kim Hee-ra.

“Ah… Father… Mother…”

Only then, feeling a sense of relief from returning, Yoo Hee-yeon searched for her father and mother, attempting to

run toward them. But…

But Yoo Han-beom’s expression was cold. Why? She couldn’t understand. Her daughter had barely escaped death

and returned, but even Yoo Han-beom, who was known for his cold demeanor, showed an unexpected response.

“Yoo Hee-yeon.”

Yoo Han-beom only called her name.

Staring blankly at him, he spoke in a cold voice.

“As I warned you, I told you not to use external forces in this exam.”

“…What? What do you mean…?”

Yoo Hee-yeon looked at him with a confused expression. But he looked down at her and spoke.

“As I said before, from today, I will strip you of your position as the heir of the Artemis Guild.”

“Ah….”

Thud

Her father’s cold reaction. The expressions of those around her, looking at her as if she were trash. Yoo Hee-yeon

understood at once. She had, damn it, made a foolish mistake.

“I… I didn’t do anything…?”

Everyone around her, hearing her excuse, only looked down on her coldly.