Chapter 82: |
After Berserker made a call, the connection was established after a short while.
On the other end, the dry voice of Choi Jun-ho could be heard.
– Uh, why?
“The League made me an offer. They asked if I wanted to join.”
– So?
“I was curious about what you think, so I contacted you.”
– And if I told you what I think, you’d follow through?
“Of course. Aren’t you my master? Important matters need your decision.”
Berserker said, curling the corner of his mouth. His feelings toward Choi Jun-ho were somewhat genuine. He would even consider feigning death if told to die.
Even so, he couldn’t entirely agree with Choi Jun-ho calling him crazy.
The real crazy one was Choi Jun-ho.
The trap lay in Choi Jun-ho thinking he was normal.
– Don’t talk nonsense. Kill the one who came to you. They’re crazy bastards who won’t back down.
“Aren’t they just delusional? Are they crazy too?”
– They told me I was born to be a villain.
…It sent shivers down his spine.
The League wasn’t established around the world for no reason.
They’re certainly observant.
But Choi Jun-ho wouldn’t admit it even though everyone else already thought the same.
Berserker laughed, confident that his judgment wasn’t wrong.
“Follow the master’s orders. By the way, do you know the debuffer, Shiloh? He’s the one who came to persuade me to join the Keague.”
Debuffer Shiloh was a rising star who had made a name for himself worldwide. Before Choi Jun-ho appeared, he was considered the most likely candidate to become the youngest Transcendent.
He knew Choi Jun-ho was indifferent to his surroundings, but Berserker was curious if he knew the name of the person that was once been considered a top prospect.
It was a name that anyone would know if they had even a little interest, but…
– I don’t know that guy. And…
Choi Jun-ho’s voice, which had stopped speaking, became cold.
– Why do you keep calling me your owner? If you talk nonsense again, know that I’ll come find you and break your neck.
With that, the call was disconnected. It was one-sided. Berserker, who had been looking down at his smartphone, smirked.
“Kahahaha, it’s embarrassing.”
Even though he himself was a Level 8 Transcendent, he’s behaving like this. Why did he continue to address him as the owner despite being told not to? It was simple. It was amusing. He knew it was a behavior deserving of punishment, but he couldn’t stop. As long as the punishment didn’t come, why not enjoy it?
Above all, watching Choi Jun-ho’s actions filled him with an indescribable thrill.
Shiloh, once hailed as the world’s greatest talent, had in a moment become an unknown youngling, and the League that made countries around the world tremble had degenerated into a despicable villain organization.
It was a statement only Choi Jun-ho could make, and when he spoke, it felt genuine. He had the ability to look down on the world limitlessly, and he had the skills to match it.
Berserker’s gaze turned towards Shiloh. Whether the content of the call was heard or not, his expression was frozen. He was just a naïve kid. If it were Choi Jun-ho, he wouldn’t even wait for the call to end; he would act right away.
He was lacking madness. He himself had been like that. To become the best, you had to be as crazy as Choi Jun-ho.
“Unfortunately, I can’t join the League.”
“…”
“By the way, it seems like you did not impress Choi Jun-ho, considering he doesn’t even know your name. Kahahaha, go and work harder, kid.”
“I tried to endure your babbling, but I can’t take it anymore.”
Shiloh’s eyes, which had been polite just a moment ago, now contained a sharp energy. His face had become that of a murderer who had killed over a thousand people in the United States.
Berserker burst into laughter.
Even so, it’s just a thousand people.
Compared to Choi Jun-ho, that was just fake madness.
“What are you talking about?”
“If I can’t take you, I have no choice but to kill you.”
“Who? Me?”
“I never liked you from the start. What’s the big deal about a guy living in this backwater place? He’s just a guy causing a fuss in a narrow alley.”
“Tsk tsk, if it were Choi Jun-ho, he would have thrown punches by now. Superficial punk.”
Shiloh pulled out a dagger without responding. The dagger in both hands reflected sunlight, casting a white light.
At the same time, a Force began to seep out, emitting a gloomy atmosphere.
“You die here, Berserker.”
That’s why the world was interesting.
Seeing a young punk coming at me without understanding the situation.
“Come at me.”
***
Shiloh was a genius. He showed mastery in using Force early on, and from a young age, he began achieving things that even adult awakened individuals couldn’t accomplish.
As Shiloh unlocked the Gift, Debuff, he walked a splendid path. Recognized as an unrivaled genius in his surroundings, he became widely known through broadcasts and became the top star in the United States.
As quickly as he achieved success with the support of those around him, Shiloh, armed with his amazing senses, perfected a total of 12 debuff operation methods.
It was an unprecedented achievement, and the United States was excited.
However, Shiloh began to deviate from that time.
To become stronger, he used people as experimental subjects.
The world was vast, and there were many useless humans. Shiloh kidnapped them, using them as materials to enhance his Gift application abilities. The moment he crossed the line, his achievements skyrocketed.
But even that soon became boring. He wanted a greater stimulus. So, he began kidnapping Awakened.
Though his crimes were exposed by an awakened individual who had hidden their Gift, it wasn’t necessarily a bad outcome. Joining the League, Shiloh could now witness a new world he was unfamiliar with.
Argos, Blackhound, Hell Master.
The legendary villains demonstrated why they were considered legendary and excelled over the Twelve Zodiacs. Shiloh aimed to ascend to the Twelve Zodiacs and then challenge the Three Evils.
Berserker in front of him was never a concern from the beginning.
“I’ll show you how narrow your world is.”
Not long ago, a massive wall blocked Shiloh.
That wall was the realm of Transcendent.
He diligently increased his level one by one, but he couldn’t reach the level of Transcendent.
But the League’s grace allowed him to overcome it.
Boost.
It was the fruition of condensed Force he attained from numerous sacrifices. By injecting this, it induced conflicts with the Force within a person, allowing them to harness an increased amount of power similar to that of a Transcendent.
If the procedure had failed, it would mean death. However, Shiloh, utilizing his genius talents, managed to harness Boost, making it his own and ascending to the realm of Transcendent.
The only drawback was that when Boost was activated, instinct preceded reason.
“How should I kill you?”
With the dominating energy taking over his mind, there came a sensation as if the brain was enthralled. Alongside this, all phenomena in the world began to be vividly perceived. It was the world seen by a Transcendent, the sensations felt by a Transcendent.
With this, he completed 12 debuffs and additionally crafted four more.
With bloodshot eyes, Shiloh could see all the information about Berserker.
The trained physique, reminiscent of armor, and the ferocious Force on the verge of explosion were visible to the eye. The stats were exceptional, even beyond expectations, but that barely concerned him.
“At first, you will lose your sense of touch. Then, sight, smell, taste, and hearing will disappear, leading to the loss of all five senses.”
Stripping away each of the senses inherent to humans, he left his opponent disoriented by robbing them of what they once possessed.
This was Shiloh’s way to make his opponents despaired.
Now that he had become a Transcendent being at Level 7, the power of Debuff surpassed imagination.
He was confident enough to believe that he could even defeat the Transcendent of the Twelve Zodiacs if he were to challenge them right away.
He actually dealt with a Transcendent who refused to join the League, and eliminated several hundred hunters who were pursuing him.
The power of Debuff was potent, stealthy, fast, and deadly.
The Transcendent who had rejected the proposal at the time knelt in despair after losing all their senses, begging to be spared, and pleading to join the league.
Of course, such trash wasn’t needed in the League, so he killed them. Not all Transcendent were the same.
However, that thought shattered when he saw Berserker standing unharmed, even after being debuffed.
“Is that it?”
“…What?”
“Then, it’s my turn.”
Berserker flashed a lively smile.
***
Berserker had known Shiloh’s name for a long time.
The villain who shook the United States. The event where he, once the world’s greatest genius, turned into a villain had overturned the United States.
He had reached Level 7 in his mid-20s, and he thought he would become even stronger after joining the League.
The power of Debuff Shiloh possessed was so formidable that it was considered an essential skill for monster hunting.
The loss of Shiloh, who wielded it with such genius, must have been devastating for the US.
Shiloh’s debuffs, which could turn a powerful Awakened into someone inferior to an ordinary person in an instant, were a subject of caution.
When he cast Debuff, Berserker couldn’t defend against it. It penetrated with a mysterious and boundless movement, piercing through his defenses and delving into his core.
However, the Debuff had no effect. As soon as Complete Immunity was activated, it vanished without a trace..
“Kuk! Kuk kuk! Kukhahaha!”
How powerful was this Gift! Even a legendary Gift, developed from the overwhelming talent of a genius, was nullified.
More strength! More powerful Gift!
Everything was what Berserker fervently desired.
In Shiloh’s dubmfounded expression, the Berserker felt an indescribable pleasure. This was truly an emotion that only the strong could experience. It felt like with just Complete Immunity, one could bring about the destruction of the entire world.
But as soon as he thought of Choi Jun-ho, shivers ran down his spine, and he came back to his senses.
The realization struck him that he couldn’t do anything as long as Choi Jun-ho was there.
Choi Jun-ho possessed Full Recovery and even the Complete Immunity.
Plus, the original Gifts the other had.
How strong could he possibly be?
…What’s even more frightening was that he walked around claiming to be sane.
“I can’t let my guard down.”
If it weren’t for Choi Jun-ho, he could have enjoyed a more destructive life.
Every reason for occasional restraint was because of his presence.
The Three Evils of the League? The Twelve Zodiacs? None of them mattered to Berserker.
If he were by Choi Jun-ho’s side, he might witness the pinnacle of power.
As he snapped out of madness, he saw Shiloh’s face full of bewilderment. He was the novice navigating a narrow world. There was an impulse to throw him in front of Choi Jun-ho.
But I shouldn’t give up the offering that had come into my hands.
“Let’s see how skilled this kid is in battle.”
Berserker rushed forward, wielding a great sword.
***
“Kraaaa!”
With a scream, a terrifying roar echoed consecutively.
Although Debuff didn’t take effect, Shiloh was still quite strong.
However, Shiloh failed to impress Berserker. Without the Debuff, he was only at a moderately useful level. In fact, Red Snake Kim Yong-hwan, whose physical abilities were compromised, and whose power couldn’t be fully exerted, was more challenging.
“Kahahahaha!”
Berserker also believed that he was not in his right mind.
Feeling the madness, he abandoned his family and became a villain.
Even though he had gone crazy, he still wanted to experience the moment he desired more than anything—the moment of the stars.
But the speed at which madness was taking over his mind was faster than the improvement in his skills.
He believed he had reached a point where he could no longer turn back.
Just a while ago.
The moment he met Choi Jun-ho, Berserker realized he wasn’t as insane as he thought. He saw the truth.
Upon seeing the world beyond the sky, he could break free from the madness that had enveloped him. Looking beyond the sky, there was nothing surrounding him.
It was just the illusion that madness had taken over him.
The moment his perspective on the world changed, Berserker shattered the surrounding walls.
Jjeoung!
Shiloh’s dagger broke. Even without a weapon, he should attack bare-handed. If it were Choi Jun-ho, he would have rushed in, intent on grabbing the neck.
Belatedly, he tried to concentrate Force in both hands to block, but it turned into a futile attempt against the great sword.
“Kuk!”
The wicked fellow resisted fiercely, but that was all. The moment he couldn’t use the Debuff gift, he was nothing more than an ordinary Awakened.
Real-world experience, amount of Force, overall operational ability in a duel—all were surpassed by Berserker.
He finished the fight by thrusting his Nuri Bone Dagger into the other’s chest.
“Becoming a Transcendent doesn’t happen just by gaining Force, punk.”
“This can’t be happening. I, who will dominate the world in the League, in a place like this…”
Until the moment of impending death, Shiloh, spitting blood, couldn’t accept reality.
“The fake madman is talking nonsense till the end.”
The only regret was not being able to provide a genuine lesson by showing the real madness.
Quaduck!
“Cough!”
He twisted the dagger, and Shiloh, whose heart had been ripped out, screamed and died.
But the heat surrounding Berserker showed no sign of cooling down.
A stronger opponent was needed. A target to kill was needed.
“I’ve grown tired of this.”
Should he really consider joining the League?
The thought crossed his mind, but he shook his head.
In the end, an organization with a purpose was bound to be used for that purpose.
Berserker craved and loved freedom.
In the freedom without responsibility, he wanted to unleash his destructive desires to his heart’s content.
And if he joined the League, Choi Jun-ho wouldn’t stay quiet.
“He’s a crazy guy. Kahaha!”
There was never a moment as incredulous as when a truly crazy person considered someone else as crazy.
At that moment, the smartphone in his pocket loudly rang.
Berserker, who had pushed Shiloh’s corpse aside, took out the smartphone. Choi Jun-ho was the one calling.
– Did you kill him?
“I did. It was quite interesting.”
– Tell me.
“He activated a Gift-like ability at Level 7, displaying a force comparable to a Transcendent.”
– …….
If even Berserker, who witnessed it firsthand, was surprised, it wouldn’t be unreasonable for Choi Jun-ho to be astonished. In response, the Berserker let out a laughter mixed with vitality.
“Anyway, I finished him as the owner instructed. Can I expect a reward?”
– I’ll visit you soon and give you a pat.
Huh? Wasn’t this wrong?
Berserker’s mind suddenly cleared.
The madness that filled his head just a while ago had disappeared without a trace.
“What I wanted wasn’t that.”
– Want a reward? Maybe it’s because you’re dealing with a kid and your body hasn’t cooled down yet from the last match? Since it seems like you’ve improved after our last encounter, how about I be your opponent?
“……”
– You need a beating to come to your senses. I’ll visit you in Yeosu.
In the end, Berserker couldn’t salvage anything and ended the call.
And the next day…
He cursed upon receiving a text from Choi Jun-ho, who had returned to Korea and was heading straight to Yeosu.
“…Damn.”
Berserker immediately drove out of Yeosu.